allergic to ocean?

[zoestargrove]

I went swimming in the ocean today. After about 20 minutes I felt my hands get itchy and swollen and my whole body was chilled to the bone. I got out only to discover my legs and arms were also red, swollen and had raised bumps and was itchy. It was like a full body hive...not blotchy, but consistently swollen, red and bumping. I started to feel nauseous and light headed, so I drank water and lied down on the blanket and fortunately the symptoms didn't worsen. I was shivering even though it was over 90 degrees in the sun and I was lying on the warm sand and covered up with a towel. I think after 30 minutes I felt a little better and within 90 minutes back to normal.

We were at a remote beach without lifeguards and I'm scared thinking about what would have happened if my symptoms continued to worsen.

What the heck happened to me?

[newbiemom]

maybe you have developed an allergy to the cold? My youngest had this. He would get hives on any area of his body exposed to the cold. And since you were completely immersed, your symptoms sound like what he would have had (we think he's outgrown it, but we are still cautious) he if went into cold water.

[rlu]

Is it possible there was some sort of algae bloom in the water?

I recently had a situation where the tops of my feet itches like crazy after a few hours at the beach. We figured either a sunburn or maybe poison oak (at the campsite) but now I am reconsidering if maybe there was something in the water (too cold to swim in, we tend to play in the surf) I reacted to.

[zoestargrove]

hmmm? About a month ago my hands did the same thing when I was washing peaches in cold water. I thought it was the fuzz on the peaches that was an irritant.

I had never heard of a cold allergy. What a crazy allergy and if that's the case I hope I don't start getting sensitive to cold air. I'm about to spend 3-4 days a week at a hockey rink this winter.


I was wondering about an algae bloom yesterday, but no one else (there were 7 of us) and others at the beach had a reaction to swimming in the water.

[Reader]

I know someone who is allergic to cold water, as diagnosed by a doctor. She gets hives and has trouble breathing....sad for someone who used to enjoy swimming in the ocean daily.

[lalasmama]

I get red and swollen on hot days when I'm in a lake/river/ocean. There's something about the cold water, I think. I know it happens most when I'm bad with my hydration (which is, like, ALWAYS for me! LOL). We're heading out camping next weekend at a river, and I'm just praying that I don't spend the whole day a swollen mess!

[newbiemom]

hmmm? About a month ago my hands did the same thing when I was washing peaches in cold water. I thought it was the fuzz on the peaches that was an irritant.

I had never heard of a cold allergy. What a crazy allergy and if that's the case I hope I don't start getting sensitive to cold air. I'm about to spend 3-4 days a week at a hockey rink this winter.


I was wondering about an algae bloom yesterday, but no one else (there were 7 of us) and others at the beach had a reaction to swimming in the water.

FYI, if it is a cold allergy (and I really hope it isn't because wow, it was a bit stressful), you can wear a ski mask to help protect your face when it's cold. That's what we had to do for our little one.

[PAfirsttimemom]

http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=16896

Not sure where you are, but could jellyfish be the culprit? This link talks about a rash from a certain kind of jellyfish most common in the tropics, but I know that I have been swimming at the jersey shore and gotten itchy when there were a lot of jellyfish around. Never had the severe reaction you described though. Glad you felt better fairly quickly.

[larig]

hmmm? About a month ago my hands did the same thing when I was washing peaches in cold water. I thought it was the fuzz on the peaches that was an irritant.

I had never heard of a cold allergy. What a crazy allergy and if that's the case I hope I don't start getting sensitive to cold air. I'm about to spend 3-4 days a week at a hockey rink this winter.


I was wondering about an algae bloom yesterday, but no one else (there were 7 of us) and others at the beach had a reaction to swimming in the water.

my skin does something like this from the sun. it's awful.

[caleymama]

The summer between 5th and 6th grade I experienced hives every time I swam in cold water (pool or ocean). I had never experienced them before as a result of cold water and have never since, but it was diagnosed as cold urticaria. I didn't have any symptoms except hives, but it looks like there can be a more severe, systemic symptoms as well.

http://allergies.about.com/od/urticariahives/a/coldurticaria.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cold-urticaria/DS01160/DSECTION=symptoms

[nfceagles]

I was going to suggest cold urticaria as well.