Turns out that Reid is allergic to her own tears and sweat, a hypersensitive skin condition called Cholinergic Urticaria. While Reid’s condition may raise eyebrows, it’s no laughing matter. Her sweat and tears can cause her to break out in hives, potentially all over her body. These hives might go away after an hour or two, or they can last for several days. So far, Reid has been dealing with the condition for about three years.
The condition only turned up three years ago and doctors are so far unsure of what caused its onset. Cholinergic Urticaria is relatively rare, with only about 1 percent of the population suffering from it. Most of the time, however, it is not a chronic condition and clears up after several weeks, at most. The condition can be brought on by anxiety. The disease most commonly occurs in patients between the ages of 20 and 39.
Living in Florida, Reid has to essentially avoid the sun and warm weather as it will cause her to sweat, which can lead to break outs. Meanwhile, she has been forced to give up her career as a gymnastics and dance teacher. Any physical activity at all can result in hives breaking out all over her body.
Without a job and so far not qualifying for disability, Reid has also lost her health insurance. Unsurprisingly, the woman is now dealing with depression, weight gain, and other complications.
So far, no cure has been discovered for her condition. Now, doctors are warning that the woman could suffer from anaphylactic shock. If this were to happen, she’d require treatment via an Epipen, but without health insurance, this remains outside of her reach.
Reid has her own personal website chronicling her story. She is also asking for assistance, having been forced to sell her furniture to try to make ends meet, and now running out of funds.
