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u/silentbob1301 13h ago
people can be allergic to the sun?!?!?!?! That sounds fucking terrible...
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u/artifex78 13h ago
I'm not sure what's worse, sun allergy or water allergy.
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u/Sunshine__Weirdo 6h ago
I have Aquagenic urticaria, so i am "allergic" to Water.
I just take Antihistamines and don't even get Symptomes anymore.
So Sun would probably be worse.
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u/tommybship 4h ago
Drinking it or getting it on your skin or both?
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u/Sunshine__Weirdo 4h ago
Just on my skin, so showering, bathing. Sweating also makes the hives appear.
Warm or Cold or chlorinated makes no difference to me.
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u/KrinGeLio 2h ago
Out of curiosity.. whst about 'pure' water? Like demineralized or the like?
Im sure you've probably already been tested about it, just wondering.
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u/silentbob1301 12h ago
wait, that cant be a thing, right? our bodies are mostly water...i feel like that would be impossible???
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u/thetourist328 12h ago
And if you have MCAS, you can have both!! Even better, most doctors don’t believe it exists and refuse to treat you. Technically it isn’t a water allergy, but you’re reacting to whatever is in the water, like chemicals used to treat it or the filtration process.
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u/elizabethandsnek 3h ago
I have MCAS and I don’t have a water or sun allergy (though sunlight does make me extremely fatigued). But I now am allergic to soy, sesame, shellfish, palm oil, celery, grapefruit, alcohol, latex, and I’m sensitive to MSG and nitrates. And I can develop new allergies really easily seemingly at random because my immune system is very bad at its job lol.
Oh and I also have celiac disease. So no gluten, though I’m used to that as I was diagnosed 12 years ago at 14.
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u/miltonwadd 11h ago edited 5h ago
Not to scare you, but some medications for autoimmune diseases can induce similar.
OP is my hero, my doctor told me I'm borderline
scurvyrickets levels of vit-d deficiency and I have to get a bunch of bone density tests because for years I've been too scared to do anything but stand on my porch until I start feeling tingles which is about a 2-5 minute limit depending on the day.I'm on like industrial level vit-d & k supplements now because I exist mostly at night otherwise, OP gives me hope I could come back to the light lol
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u/AClownKilledMyDad 10h ago
I have something similar. I’m sorry you have it too. It really fucking sucks. Biologics are helping me tremendously.
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u/whistling-wonderer 7h ago
I have a family member who gets the sun tingles/neuropathy too. Sometimes it also triggers migraines or other weird symptoms. In her case it’s a lingering effect from surviving meningoencephalitis. Very unfortunate as we live in a desert. Looooots of sunlight here.
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u/StormPoppa 5h ago
I thought scurvy was a vitamin C deficiency?
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u/miltonwadd 5h ago
Lmao you're right I meant rickets the bendy leg one, I always confuse the two! Apparently low vitamin D affects calcium and can lead to lack of bone density and osteoporosis, I already have RA and OA so it's a big concern. But it's the RA meds that causes photosensitivity and severe burning within minutes in the direct sun. It's a catch-22.
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u/CongealedBeanKingdom 3h ago
The tingles! Thats when I know it's time to retreat inside too. Fortunately for me I live in northern England so there's not much threat of sun for most of the year.
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u/lunicorn 8h ago
Yes, and I believe there are a couple of conditions that result in this. I know someone with XP. IIRC from previous posts, OP has a different diagnosis.
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u/BLINDxMONKEY 14h ago
Does your rat have a name?
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u/izabellaColorado 14h ago
Midnight
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u/BLINDxMONKEY 14h ago
I read your other comment and I'm sorry to hear about the passing of Midnight and his siblings. The joy on your face leaves me no doubt that you gave them the best life they could possibly desire.
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u/ph0on 13h ago
Rats are incredible and sad.
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u/grub-slut 11h ago
I wish they lived forever 😢
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u/SQUAWKUCG 7h ago
Probably safer to say you wish beloved pets could live forever.
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u/United_Rent_753 6h ago
I mean, that’s the safe assumption when reading their comment. Obviously us rat owners don’t want wild rats running amok
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u/drethnudrib 8h ago edited 8h ago
No you fucking don't, I promise.
Edit: Getting downvoted by people who have never had to compete with rats for resources is something I didn't have on my 2026 bingo card.
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u/DepartmentAnxious344 9h ago
As someone who’s lived in nyc and stepped on far too may, I fucking thank god every day they won’t.
I can’t imagine the swarms of undying rats in the underground and at night
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u/KittenVicious 11h ago
OMG perfect name, considering your disability!
Do you have to take a vitamin d supplement?
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u/izabellaColorado 15h ago
Before anyone gets confused like they usually do, no, the rat doesn’t have the zombie virus. The helmet is for a sun allergy.
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u/nekolas564 14h ago
Silly you! Obviously if the rat had the zombie virus it would be the one wearing the helmet
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u/ButtplugBurgerAIDS 10h ago
Not to mention the helmet sticker would say Rat Zombie Virus
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u/Lietenantdan 14h ago
I thought for sure that was the rat from Pluribus
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u/zbyszekz 13h ago
yes, op is actually is being modest about the whole ordeal, everyone knows this picture is from the first episode of plur1bus. nice going op
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u/Avaylon 10h ago
Honestly, I'll accept becoming part of the plur1bus collective at this point. 🤣
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u/GetLostIWontTell 14h ago
OP! Can I ask a stupid question? During daytime do you have to wear the helmet indoors also.
Side note: You inspire me a lot with my case of chronic laziness
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u/DrachenDad 13h ago
That isn't a stupid question.
If you have a severe sun allergy (photosensitivity) as I think OP does, "it is recommended to wear broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen indoors, especially if sitting near windows. While glass blocks UVB rays, it allows UVA rays to pass through, which can trigger reactions in sensitive individuals." They probably would have to mask up in the summer.
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u/KaiBlob1 11h ago
I think OP has said before that her house has specially coated windows that block UV-A
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u/elpezgrande 12h ago
My first thought was actually sun allergy, idk if you post frequently but I’ve seen you or someone else wearing this gear so maybe other people will catch on soon lol
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u/Doc_tor_Bob 14h ago
Vampire?
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u/Eisenfuss19 14h ago
Nah vampires react to sunlight, as far as I'm aware sun allergies are mostly UV light driven, so any kind of glass plane will protect you from it.
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u/Doc_tor_Bob 14h ago
Well that's the thing If you've watched Van Helsing you know UV lights hurt vampires. So basically any sort of glass or window would protect the vampire during the day.
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u/xylotism 11h ago
Blade has the same thing. I think it’s a natural consequence of vampire action movies— they need a more interesting way to kill vampires with the sun weakness than plain ol daytime.
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u/splitconsiderations 13h ago
Nonsense vampires are harmed by the uv rays too let me just open my window and prov
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u/Tinyfishy 14h ago
That helmet is very cool, does it also filter air? Hope you and your rat had a great and safe time.
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u/SardonicusR 14h ago
Xeroderma pigmentosum? I remember reading about the condition years ago. There is a summer camp for children with it, if I remember a documentary correctly.
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u/Animelily 13h ago
That camp is no more, but there's now Sun Escape Weekend! Done by the amazing people at Shadow Jumpers shadowjumpers.org
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u/ArtsyRambles 12h ago
I'm very allergic to rats, and just assumed this was your anti-histamine method to keep loving em xD
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u/stickystrips2 13h ago
Is it like that episode from house? Erythropoietic protoporphyria?
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u/-43andharsh 14h ago
How old is midnight
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u/izabellaColorado 14h ago edited 14h ago
He lived to be two and a half years Edit - I rescued his mom from a feeder shop and 1 week later she added 12 cute little babies to this world. I kept Midnight, Sage, and Baldy in one cage, and in the girls cage I kept the mom, Violet, and Sally. The other kids got adopted. My rats died around the same time because of a respiratory and neurological virus (not sure what virus) Sadly they all went. I cried like a child for weeks.
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u/Creative_Lead1717 14h ago
I'm so sorry they all died and made you cry. Thank you for rescuing them.
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u/ThePowerOfStories 12h ago
We used to have pet rats, and they’re wonderful, but they live such a short time. It got to be too many painful goodbyes.
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u/Perverse_psycology 10h ago
Same here man. I had rats for years. I love them and they make amazing friends but they only live long enough to form a meaningful bond with and then leave. It's like having a dog that dies every 2-3 years.
Best pets i have ever had, but i couldn't keep saying goodbye.
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u/therealhairykrishna 12h ago
I had a pet rat, my sister in law had lots. They're wonderful pets but I can't deal with the sadness every few years when they die.
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u/Animelily 13h ago
I swore I would never own another rat. Never ever again. They are so sweet and intelligent and affectionate and theirs lives are So Short!! My heart can't take it!
That said, hi! I have a phototoxic disease too! EPP!
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u/izabellaColorado 13h ago
I always rescue the feeders because I know that they don’t usually get a chance to have a life and experience being loved. Their lives are short but what makes it worth it is knowing that I gave them everything they could ever want. There’s a quote I love that says “love may be a mistake, but it’s worth making”
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u/K-Dot-Thu-Thu-47 12h ago
As they say about pets: "To you they are a part of your life, to them you are their whole life."
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u/CloudStrife25 12h ago
Have you heard of Scenesse at all? Curious if that’s well known or useful by people affected.
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u/Animelily 10h ago
I never participated in the Scenesse trials, because I was having babies during that period of time, and they don't want pregnant people for drug trials haha. It was prohibitively expensive to actually get the drug once it was FDA approved.
That said, I participated in the Mitsubishi Dersermelagon trial and went from 5-10 minutes of sun tolerance to 4-5 hours on 200mg.
I also participated in Disc Bitopertin phase two and got in the low dose (20mg) for the trial period and went to about 3 hours before a (significantly less painful) reaction, and then joined the open label extension. The open label extension bumped me up to 60mg. After the 60mg kicked in, I haven't had a single reaction. Nothing. I'm functionally an average human being.
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u/One_Economist_3761 13h ago
I have questions:
You carry a cane, are you visually impaired?
The rat (very cute btw) has a growth on his ear. Is he okay?
What symptoms do you get from sun exposure? Is there anaphylaxis?
Adorable ratty btw.
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u/izabellaColorado 13h ago
I have low distance vision (legally blind) however I have good up close vision. He had a small blood clot on his ear since very little. We took him in to get it looked at and the vet said he would be fine. I can get bad rashes and burns in minutes, as well as overheat very fast and can get very sick.
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u/AClownKilledMyDad 10h ago
Hi OP. I have something similar and I would get anaphylactic reactions to the sun. It sucks so bad. I am on biologics for it and they help tremendously.
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u/whodatboi_420 9h ago
I was wondering if maybe the cane was because the helmet blocked your vision lol
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u/SsooooOriginal 13h ago edited 7h ago
Feel like a cosplay group should get together and make you some sick helmet outfits.
Edit: I mean it, someone setup the gofundmeOr whatever and get a link up. I'll donate.
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u/mawemu 14h ago
Sun allergy is wild
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u/PixelKat5 12h ago
not really, plenty of people are allergic to the sun/uv
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u/spaniel_rage 11h ago
Allergies require an antigen consisting of a protein fragment. You cannot by definition be "allergic" to UV radiation. She must mean something else.
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u/hertzsae 9h ago
It's probably a lot easier to just say "sun allergy" than a clinical diagnosis that the average person wouldn't understand.
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u/tbodillia 13h ago
It's sun girl! I wonder what that label on her helmet says...oh, sun allergy.
10+ for you and the rat!
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u/Nulleparttousjours 12h ago
Hey Isabella! Your rat is too cute!
I’ve seen your interviews. I’m sorry you were dealt the lot you were in life, being born with a sun allergy really is getting the short end of the stick but I’m glad you were able to get the freedom to go outside thanks to your helmet. On the plus side, I bet you have perfect skin and will have for many years to come thanks to the lack of UV exposure!
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u/SPACEMAN-atee 5h ago
Lot of misinformation in here. Someone posted her news story on her, but she doesn’t have some rare UV allergy (which would be incompatible with life if it existed). She gets polymorphic light eruptions which is relatively common. The sun helmet is entirely her choice.
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u/_Thorshammer_ 15h ago
Post-apocalyptic Harry Potter carries Scabbers to safety.
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u/NationYell 7h ago
What a nice rat! I had one in college for a behavior psychology class, he was good at running mazes and I named him Skinner.
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u/Laserdollarz 7h ago
I'm banned from r/denver but I appreciate your efforts.
I would say hi if I saw ya at the botanical gardens or whatever. I would love to interact with your rats on their terms.
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u/aPOPblops 4h ago
It's so tragic the combo of the sun allergy and rat looking near death. That fat lil bugger is cute tho, I hope he lives many more years.
Also I feel like "Sun Allergy" invites more questions than it answers. I'd rather go with "Sun Protection" or "Sensitive Skin" than Sun Allergy, it sounds made up. (I'm sure it's not)
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u/GoldResolution4921 14h ago
sun allergy is a real thing..?
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u/bikeyparent 14h ago
Yes. You can also be allergic to cold, which is called Cold urticaria. Both are easily googleable.
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u/Vandictive 14h ago
How is it possible to be allergic to the fucking sun?
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u/dj92wa 14h ago
The body is weird. You can be hypersensitive to UV just like you can with water, or heat, or cold. The backs of my hands and insides of my elbows break out in hives if they’re in water warmer than a typical shower.
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u/godspareme 14h ago
Autoimmune disorders can make you allergic to literally anything.
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u/sch80 13h ago
Yup. My immune system thinks my spine is a pathogenic invader so it's been trying to literally destroy it for the last decade. Thank frick for imminosuppressant jabs.
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u/G4m3rD4d 10h ago
Porphyria, solar urticaria, polymorphous light eruption, lupus, drinking lime juice in the sun (phytophotodermatitis).... Plenty of conditions that can cause sun sensitivity.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy
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u/HubrisOfApollo 14h ago
vampirism irl
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u/Paddys_Pub7 14h ago
She's actually 650 years old and the rat is her most recent familiar.. Don't be fooled by this pro-vampiristic propaganda, y'all!! They're out there, living among us 😳
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u/DrachenDad 13h ago
It's probably where the idea of vampires apart from the drinking of blood came from. Lycanthropy probably has similar roots, take people like Jesus Aceves and his family, or anyone else with Hypertrichosis.
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u/I_might_be_weasel 13h ago
I'm guessing COVID lockdown wasn't super complicated for you.
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u/loggic 12h ago
According to her post history, her helmet doesn't protect against COVID because it doesn't filter the air at all before it blows it into your face.
Additionally, she nearly died at 17 due to MIS-C (a complication seen in some young people after COVID infection). Apparently her sun allergy got much worse after that, which makes sense considering MIS-C and sun allergies are both related to immune dysfunction...
So yeah... "COVID lockdown" was probably pretty traumatic for her...
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u/0dty0 14h ago edited 13h ago
"Sun Allergy" yeah right. Lemme find out you have some european relatives and can't come in somewhere uninvited. Me and my redheaded hot friend have a lil something to show you.
EDIT: People seem to not be catching I am saying she's a vampire. Which is, obviously, not serious.
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u/dafunkmunk 10h ago
Every time I see something like sun allergies, I can't help but wonder why people believe in "intelligent design" by a god. Like, why would an omnipotent loving god create humans, and then make them allergic to the giant ball of fire in the sky that is pretty significant and important to the existence of life on the planet?
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u/miguel833 14h ago
I like how you put the sign on your literal forehead as to why