I Hate Nickel

This is the ongoing story of why I hate nickel.  The purpose of this site is not to diagnose or treat any one condition or person, but to share information among those of us who suffer from metal allergies.

When I discovered two years ago that I was allergic to nickel, I did what most people do these days when they have a problem – I talked to my doctor, and then I jumped on the internet and Googled it.  Unfortunately what little information I found wasn’t very helpful.  Yes, there is such a thing as an allergic reaction to nickel.  (Check).  Nickel is found in jewelry and metal alloys.  (Check).  It’s most common in women with piercings who wear inexpensive jewelry.  (Really)?  The symptoms are dermatitis or eczema in the area that has come into contact with nickel.  (Wait, that’s not me at all… was I diagnosed right)?

What about the chronic fatigue?  What about the severe abdominal pain?  What about the nausea and vomiting?  What about the loss of appetite, the rashes on my arms and legs, the memory loss, the depression, the diarrhea, the trips to the ER that required anti-nausea meds and morphine? 

These were my symptoms, but I couldn’t find any mention of these anywhere!  Am I such a unique, rare case?  The odds seem very unlikely.

A few days ago, after experiencing a flare up in my nickel allergy from a totally unexpected source, I came across a nickel food allergy thread on a medical support group site.   It was helpful to learn that some people have issues with nickel in foods.  The cause isn’t as simple as wearing cheap earrings!

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread9067.html

I decided to share the story of my nickel allergy, and ask for input from readers to share their stories as well.  What good information have you found?   What works for you and what doesn’t?  Nickel exists in SO MANY things in our everyday lives.  Trying to find it all can be a very daunting task to do alone.  I hope you enjoy reading, and maybe we can all help each other out along the way.