A mum who is allergic to water says taking a shower or getting caught in the rain feels like someone has ‘taken a lighter to her body’. Kendall Bryce, 25, has aquagenic urticaria – a rare condition which causes her skin to swell and break out in hives whenever she comes into contact with water. The mum-of-one from Durham, who is currently pregnant with her second child, says her life is a ‘daily struggle’ as she suffers from ‘excruciating’ pain whenever she tries to wash her hands or her body.
She is also affected by rainwater and very humid days, meaning her life is dictated by the weather. Only one in 2,300,000 people have the allergy. Doctors have so far been unable to find any medication which works for Kendall – and so she has been forced to continue living her life in pain. ‘It really is a daily struggle. I can only have a bath or take a shower twice a week because of how excruciating the pain is – so I constantly worry I stink,’ she said.
‘My life is dictated by the weather as I have to avoid rain – and even hot humid days. I check the forecast every day and stay home if it’s raining or going to rain. ‘But if I get caught out by surprise – my body reacts and it’s really painful. I’ve never been able to give my one-year-old son a bath. My mum has to do it for me. And I even feel my throat burning when I drink water.’. Kendall says the pain has escalated over the past few years – to the point where it becomes so bad that her body can go into shock.
She said: ‘When it started, it felt a bit like I was getting nettle stings all over my body. But now it feels like someone has taken a lighter to my body. It’s excruciating. ‘I’ll be in agony for about half an hour after washing – but it feels like it’s two hours. I cry throughout. It’s actually so bad that my body can go into shock – so it’s dangerous. It means my mum has to sit with my son whenever I have a bath.’.
Kendall first discovered her condition when she was 15 and started breaking out in hives whenever she took a bath. Initially, she could treat her symptoms with Piriton – but over the years things deteriorated. Kendall was later referred to a dermatologist at the University Hospital of North Durham – who finally diagnosed her with aquagenic urticaria in 2021. However, she is still yet to find any medication that helps her condition.
She said: ‘They’ve tried lots of different medications but I kept reacting. I still haven’t found something that helps. At the moment, there are only so many things I can try as I’m pregnant. Once I give birth, we’ll try more. But the thing is, the doctors just don’t know what will help. ‘At the moment, it all feels quite degrading. I just want a normal life where I can go out in the rain, have a shower, and give my son a bath.’.
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