BPD's with other health issues such as chronic urticaria (hives) & angeodema

[pineapple78]

I wondered if anyone else had experiences of BPD with chronic urticaria (hives) & angeodema or had heard of it? My wife has undiagnosed BPD I believe and has been suffering with hives and angeodema for many many years. All avenues of discovering the cause to this have been discounted. My wife believes its stress, though I dont really think its stress in the conventional sense but emotional stress. I have found some sites suggesting emotional stress involved with psychological issues including BPD.

I wondered if a diagnosis of BPD might also be an explanation for this problem which causes my wife so much distress.

Cheers.

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[goateeki]

This is actually a very interesting side issue for me. I remember reading somewhere that somatic disorders accompany Cluster B personality disorders -- or that there is a higher prevalence of them among people with Cluster B PDs.

My ex wife was diagnosed w BPD and complex PTSD, and she never stopped complaining of phantom pains.  Her mother (who walked out on my wife's family when my wife was 11 and lived for about a year and a half in a basement with a man 13 years her junior) sees doctors as a vocation -- I kid you not, there were weeks when she went to a different doctor every day of the five days.  She claimed to suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, shingles, etc., all of which are thought (by some) to have a psychological component.  Her hallway linen closet had been converted to a pharmacy.  Every shelf, top to bottom, was filled with prescription and non-prescription medication.

My ex wife's mother seemed to thrive on the attention of doctors.  If she was not being treated for something, she would find something to be treated for. My ex wife uses doctors less, but she complained regularly of physical ailments, and she goes to doctors much more now than she did in the past (at least based on what the kids relate to me). 

The strange thing is, I would tell her that she seems always to be ailing and wondering if she has cancer, etc.  I would say this to her when she asking me if her upper arm pain could be a cancer symptom.  Now, she used to criticize me for never going to a doctor (I go maybe once a year) and when I'd point out to her that young healthy people do not spend their time wondering about the source of phantom pains, and thinking it could be cancer, she would say something to me like "You're always sick and going to the doctor."  There was no way to communicate anything to her.  You'd point out the endless illness complaints, and her response would never address what I'd just said.  She would accuse me of engaging in the same behavior, in an environment in which I was generally criticized for NOT engaging in the behavior.  Once I said to her, "So which is it? It's bad that I never seek medical attention, or I'm always sick and seeking medical attention?"  She had no response and just walked out of the room. 

It was a terrible 19 years.  These people are impossible to live with, even the day-to-day stuff is turned into a test of the human spirit.  That's how they want it to be.

[an0ught]

Hi pineapple78,

chronic stress can affect your body. Chronic stress has impact on the HPA axis balance and with it the secretion of stress related hormones. Levels of these hormones can impact the skin and with it the ability to regulate inflammation of the skin. What is particularly troubling then is that hives and angeodema themselves are again a big emotional stress factor for a person dealing with that.

My wife believes its stress, though I dont really think its stress in the conventional sense but emotional stress. [... .] I wondered if a diagnosis of BPD might also be an explanation for this problem which causes my wife so much distress.

Would you be here if there was no relationship stress? Then she deals with the stress of not feeling well in her skin - literally. The stress from the skin condition alone could be enough to be self sustaining the skin condition. Then she may carry some other stress - if she is a pwBPD she has populated her life with a whole set of distress inducing artifacts and actors.

Who knows? Why care? The solution can not be removing all stress from her life in any case - that is impossible. Better stress coping skills are needed.

Considering both of you are convinced that stress is a part of the equation - would she be willing to consider some form of therapy? CBT or DBT may well be useful and motivated by her somatic problems and need to deal with distress and maintain proper self care behavior.

[pineapple78]

Considering both of you are convinced that stress is a part of the equation - would she be willing to consider some form of therapy? CBT or DBT may well be useful and motivated by her somatic problems and need to deal with distress and maintain proper self care behavior.

Yes Id agree and I have tried using the stress as a reason to encourage her to see a clinical psychologist in the hope that she will be diagnosed with BPD if that is what she has which I am 99.9% sure of. In turn it will help her with family as Im sure her older sister and father has it also.

Yes the urticaria and angeodema are also self perpetuating in effect. The itching in particular effects her stress levels as does the appearance effect her self image when she has an occurrence. She did not always have this thought she has had short occurrences of it in the past.

Strangely enough she keeps taking on higher and higher responsibility with work and further study which contributes also but I believe is a coping mechanism for the BPD. She still strugles with interpersonal relationships in the workplace though she manages her feelings to the most part and is aware of her emotions being highly elevated and avoids confrontation.

Its a tough deal for her and I feel helpless to help her even though I have some answers which could help as I have been advised by everyone including a psychologist not to tell her what I know but just to encourage her to see a psychologist. It sucks having answers that could make her life easier but not being able to tell her for fear she will reject them. Im working on it though!

Cheers for your replay. I was just curious if others had experienced this medical condition with BPD.

[enlighten me]

My ex wife had a shopping list of them. Joint pain, migraines, ME, anaemia, IBS. Just a few off of the top of my head.

This is initially what hooked me here as there were so many people saying the same thing.

I agree with anought that stress is a major factor in this. I also believe with my ex wife there was a bit to do with the power of suggestion. She would watch a soap opera and someone would be diagnosed with something and all of a sudden she would be certain she had it and start acting that way.

[tryingtohelp]

Hi

An interesting question... .my S.O (dBPD) 33,   has recurring bouts of hives, as well as other recurring maladies, 'strep throat' being another she complains of.

It may be just as a result of her lifestyle rather than BPD , interesting coincidence tho.     

[Herodias]

Mine has chronic IBS... .I suppose it's stress, because he had all kinds of tests with no other outcome. Had a liver biopsy as well, for high liver enzyme levels. He is still drinking to excess. Been through several other issues. He was once in the hospital being septic- very strange- not sure where that came from... .he wanted to stay on morphine complaining of stomach pain. Hard to know what the truth is with a pathological liar though.