spooky stuff
Oct. 20th, 2021 05:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
howsmyenglishSo, last week I nearly choked, twice. It looks like I probably have an allergy. As someone who actually never had one (I've had three unexpected allergic reactions to who-knows-what in my whole life, all where about sneezing and years apart), I'm pretty dumb-founded and not sure whether I should take this seriously or just ignore it. But let me share the story.
There is this oil called copaiba that apparently has a very strong anti-inflammatory effect. I've known it for years, it really helps out daughter with fibromyalgia. And I kept having a slight temperature for months, so I thought I might take it for some time. In case I have some sort of inflammation. You take the stuff internally. It tastes bitter and yuck. So, I did what our daughter does: dropped two drops on a bit of honey and had it like that. Every morning and evening for some weeks. And then, one morning, I suddenly had a choking fit. I thought, I really just didn't swallow it right. At first. Even when I started making those weird noises like when there is no air coming through your airpipe. It stopped after two or three of those... weird attempts at drawing air, but it was enough for husband and me to get seriously scared. Still, we thought, I should be more careful when I swallow.
I continued with this stuff for the next few days. I just really took care to let the honey dissolve on my tongue before I swallowed. But two-three evenings later I apparently forgot and just swallowed without thinking, and the same interesting story started. First coughing like I'm going to cough out my lungs and intestines with them, then the weird breathing attempts that make the funny noise, but barely any air gets through... Then, breathing returns to normal, but the coughing stays for at least thirty more minutes... This time, I knew it wasn't the way I swallowed. It was my throat that wasn't agreeing with what I put into it, so it swelled up. I felt really tired and sore next day, and the throat still was partly swollen, I felt it. I still had some difficulty breathing, my lungs hurt a bit. But it was a Saturday, so instead of thinking about doctors, we just went to the (wet) sauna, where I immediately felt better.
By now, I feel like it never happened. I realize I probably am allergic either to honey or to copaiba, but... I'm asking myself whether I should spend lots of time going to doctors, when all they probably are going to tell me is - stop having honey and copaiba. But I like honey... it's autumn... and I never had such a reaction after a tea with honey... *sigh*... And what about propolis? It's my go-to medicine for colds... I'll pull myself together and go to the doctor, I guess. *sigh again*
And just to add a more positive note: to fill myself with autumnal feelings, I decided to draw pictures on pumpkins! First time in my life. And we don't have those big round ones. We only have what I suppose is called "long pumpkins", they're 10-20 cm tall and thin. And I'm not prepared to throw away anything. So I decided to get myself four long pumpkins, draw spooky stuff on them, enjoy looking at them as long as I can, and then make soup! Three of them are now standing on our... chimney... fireplace... on top of the fireplace... I guess... (Upd: we've agreed on "the stove" for now - see comments) They all have some faces on one side and several other things on the other, like, a spider web, bats, a cat in a cemetery. The last one will be ready some time soon, it probably won't have any faces, but a flying witch, a creepy house and... something... I'm having so much of fun with it!
There is this oil called copaiba that apparently has a very strong anti-inflammatory effect. I've known it for years, it really helps out daughter with fibromyalgia. And I kept having a slight temperature for months, so I thought I might take it for some time. In case I have some sort of inflammation. You take the stuff internally. It tastes bitter and yuck. So, I did what our daughter does: dropped two drops on a bit of honey and had it like that. Every morning and evening for some weeks. And then, one morning, I suddenly had a choking fit. I thought, I really just didn't swallow it right. At first. Even when I started making those weird noises like when there is no air coming through your airpipe. It stopped after two or three of those... weird attempts at drawing air, but it was enough for husband and me to get seriously scared. Still, we thought, I should be more careful when I swallow.
I continued with this stuff for the next few days. I just really took care to let the honey dissolve on my tongue before I swallowed. But two-three evenings later I apparently forgot and just swallowed without thinking, and the same interesting story started. First coughing like I'm going to cough out my lungs and intestines with them, then the weird breathing attempts that make the funny noise, but barely any air gets through... Then, breathing returns to normal, but the coughing stays for at least thirty more minutes... This time, I knew it wasn't the way I swallowed. It was my throat that wasn't agreeing with what I put into it, so it swelled up. I felt really tired and sore next day, and the throat still was partly swollen, I felt it. I still had some difficulty breathing, my lungs hurt a bit. But it was a Saturday, so instead of thinking about doctors, we just went to the (wet) sauna, where I immediately felt better.
By now, I feel like it never happened. I realize I probably am allergic either to honey or to copaiba, but... I'm asking myself whether I should spend lots of time going to doctors, when all they probably are going to tell me is - stop having honey and copaiba. But I like honey... it's autumn... and I never had such a reaction after a tea with honey... *sigh*... And what about propolis? It's my go-to medicine for colds... I'll pull myself together and go to the doctor, I guess. *sigh again*
And just to add a more positive note: to fill myself with autumnal feelings, I decided to draw pictures on pumpkins! First time in my life. And we don't have those big round ones. We only have what I suppose is called "long pumpkins", they're 10-20 cm tall and thin. And I'm not prepared to throw away anything. So I decided to get myself four long pumpkins, draw spooky stuff on them, enjoy looking at them as long as I can, and then make soup! Three of them are now standing on our... chimney... fireplace... on top of the fireplace... I guess... (Upd: we've agreed on "the stove" for now - see comments) They all have some faces on one side and several other things on the other, like, a spider web, bats, a cat in a cemetery. The last one will be ready some time soon, it probably won't have any faces, but a flying witch, a creepy house and... something... I'm having so much of fun with it!
no subject
Date: 2021-10-20 03:59 pm (UTC)fwiw, if you get a reaction like that again, unless you know you have a sensitivity to benadryl, it's worth immediately taking a benadryl. it helps drop the body's histamine response to the allergen, and can help re-open your airway. since it sounds like it might be the precursor to anaphalectic shock*, i think it is worth going to the dr to make sure it's the copaiba and not the honey.
*this thought is based on my own experience with tree nuts, which i ate with no problem my entire childhood and then developed a similar sort of reaction to in college. i was told "don't mess around with this one because it could easily get worse and you've been lucky so far."
no subject
Date: 2021-10-20 04:23 pm (UTC)I don't think so - you see, it's not a fireplace that's built into a wall, it's just this kind of an... oven that stands in front of the wall. And the pumpkins are literally on that... Like this: https://i1.wp.com/homeinstyle.co.il/wp-content/uploads/6350083642_dcec0a87d5_z.jpg?zoom=1.5&resize=501%2C328
Thank you for your response! Wow, it would really be great if it were only the copaiba. What did you do about the nuts? There are nuts in sooo many things. Do you have, like, a shot with you at all times just in case?
no subject
Date: 2021-10-20 04:26 pm (UTC)i don't have an epi pen, i am just careful about eating in restaurants (and potlucks; i kind of hate potlucks). they're pretty easy to avoid in the grocery store/ cooking for myself. it's one of several food sensitivities for me, so i am one of those people who is always asking the waiter a bunch of questions before i'll order, and then maybe substituting things.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-20 04:46 pm (UTC)So do I! I never know what to bring and then end up not eating anything.
I had to learn the phrase "without garlic, please" in Chinese and Thai in 2019 :D Well, I guess I'll find someone who will teach me to say "and no copaiba either" XD
Thanks for sharing!
no subject
Date: 2021-10-22 01:04 am (UTC)I guess you can be allergic to anything, I have never heard of copaibe before so cannot comment further. I thought I was the Queen of allergies!!!
no subject
Date: 2021-10-22 11:35 am (UTC)Since I was a child, I was sure I was terrible at drawing and I never even tried. Now, a few years back, I suddenly felt the need to do something like that. I started with coloring, did quite a lot of that, and then I realized, I might even try and draw a bit, just for myself. I'm not ashamed of my drawings anymore, but I'm really not ready to share them with the world yet. And I doubt I ever will be.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-28 03:01 am (UTC)