Posted 1/16/2011 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to Healingwell :) I'm sorry to hear you are having a difficult time. Yes, allergies can occur at any age even with or without past incidences.
If you think that you might have food allergies, try keeping a food diary. Record what you eat, no matter how small and record any reactions. You might be able to find the culprit. However, if it is from the chemicals or preservatives in the food, that might a bit harder to track down. A food diary is hard work but sometimes it can be worth it.
In the meantime, until you can have your testing done, try switching to a mild soap such as Cetaphil. Do not take hot showers, but rather luke warm and see if it helps. Don't scrub your skin, but pat dry. Wash your clothes in a dye and scent free soap. Do not wear any colognes or perfumes. If you have dry patches, use a gentle lotion made for atopic skin - Cetaphil has some great ones and I really like their lotions. At night, you can try taking Benedryl to help with the itching but if you haven't taken this before, be warned that it can make you a bit sleepy the next day. Benedryl also has creams, lotions and sprays that you can use on various spots when you itch.
I hope you start to feel better soon.