Woman is allergic to the Beast from the East

A woman who is allergic to snow is forced to stay indoors while the ‘Beast from the East’ batters Britain.

Rachel Warwick, 30, from Ripley, Derbyshire, suffers from aquagenic pruritus, which causes her to be allergic to every form of water, including white flurries.

Her reactions are so extreme even kissing her husband Lee, 34, could trigger agonising rashes due to coming into contact with his saliva.

Amid the UK’s recent adverse weather, Ms Warwick, an actress, has been left housebound or forced to cover up from her head to her toes every time she ventures outside.

She said: ‘When I see the snow I just think “oh no”. I hate sitting in but when it snows it is pretty much all I can do.

‘Most people are out enjoying it – I am stuck inside.

With storm Emma due to meet the Beast from the East, the snow and sleet is set to cause more problems for Ms Warwick in the coming few days. 

Rachel Warwick is forced to stay indoors while the ‘Beast from the East’ batters Britain

Ms Warwick is allergic to all forms of water, including the UK’s recent white flurries 

Contact with any form of water, including snow, makes her break out in agonising rashes

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‘When it snows – I just think “bugger of!” 

Describing her hatred of the Beast from the East, Ms Warwick said: ‘I am so grumpy when it snows – I just think “bugger of!’

‘I generally need to stay indoors. If I do go out then I need to cover up completely. All that I leave on show are my eyes. 

‘I can never go out without checking the weather.

‘But it is inevitable that you have to go out in it. You can’t completely avoid it. 

She said: ‘If someone threw a snowball at me I would grin and bear it – but I would be furious.’ 

‘I am waiting for the sunshine. I can’t wait for summer.’  

Image shows the effect coming into contact has on the skin on Ms Warwick’s chest

Ms Warwick says the reaction looks like a nettle rash and makes her skin feel tight

The rash is also hot to touch and itchy, which makes Ms Warwick feel very uncomfortable 

WHAT IS AQUAGENIC PRURITUS?

Aquagenic pruritus causes its sufferers to experience intense itching when they come into contact with any water.

Its cause is unclear but may be a side effect of conditions such as polycythemia vera, which is a type of blood cancer.

Aquagenic pruritus may also occur as a result of increased circulating histamine levels or as a side effect of certain medications. 

There is evidence the disorder may run in families. 

The condition’s prevalence is unknown.   

Such itching most commonly occurs on the legs, followed by the arms, chest, back and abdomen. 

Treatment is challenging due to the disorder being poorly understood.

Therapies often include antihistamines, pain relievers and UV-based treatments. 

Source: National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences 

Told to shower just once a week 

Describing her symptoms, Ms Warwick said: ‘From the belly button up I get a reaction. It looks like nettle rash. It makes my skin all tight, it looks like hives.

‘It feels hot to touch and it itches. It is very uncomfortable.

‘My mum started to notice it when I was around 12. It started to get worse. I went to the doctors and was diagnosed.   

Ms Warwick even breaks out in rashes when cleaning herself, saying: ‘The doctors advise that I don’t even get in the bath or shower for more than 15 minutes once a week.’

At-a-glance guide to aquagenic urticaria

Aquagenic urticaria is a rare condition that causes sufferers to break out in hives after their skin comes in contact with water.

The exact cause is unknown.

It is extremely rare and little is known about treatments.

There is not thought to be a cure. 

Ms Warwick is only able to go outdoors if she covers herself in protective clothing 

She dreads the sight of snow as it leaves her stuck indoors while others get to enjoy it 

Ms Warwick adds she cannot wait for summer as going outdoors is sometimes unavoidable

What is the Beast from the East?  

The severe conditions hitting Britain have been described by the Met Office as a ‘cocktail of weather events’.

The cold spell dubbed the ‘the Beast from the East’, has been caused by a jump in temperatures high over the Arctic, which is known by meteorologists as ‘sudden stratospheric warming’.

Temperatures of minus 5C (23F) hit parts of Britain over last weekend, which were the lowest recorded in the week leading up to March 1 – the first day of spring – since 1986.

The wind chill, which could see parts of the UK feel as cold as minus 15C (5F), rivals the temperatures forecast for parts of northern Norway and Iceland.   

The cold weather has been so severe in the Brecon Beacons that an entire waterfall has frozen solid.

Walkers in the Welsh national park looked on in fascination as the waterfall near Pen Y Fan mountain was turned into ice amid the cold snap. 

The wintry blast of freezing temperatures, which is also affecting France, Italy, Spain and Croatia, has already claimed four lives across Europe and is endangering the homeless.

Even cleaning herself is challenging due to coming into contact with water in the shower

Doctors therefore advise Ms Warwick to spend just 15 minutes a week showering or bathing