Hello, I am Cindy, a 29-year-old single mom. I used to be a Technical intern in Japan for 3 years. I used to have Urticaria (Hives), and it was okay as long as I took antihistamines. My contract in Japan ended last November 2022, and I started dreaming of going to Australia around February 2023. With my meager savings and the help of my mother, we managed to cover all the expenses for my trip to Australia. It was tough at the beginning, but I managed to get by until one day rashes started appearing on my body. At first, they were just red dots, like tiny pinpricks on your skin that bleed inside. I first noticed the rashes before New Year. I didn't pay much attention to them because they were small. But they seemed to increase, and I got worried, so I went for a check-up. During my first visit to the GP, they immediately requested a blood test, which came back clear on my second visit. So I was advised to just take antihistamines and Vitamin C. After that, my hives started appearing, and what worried me was that no matter what medication I took, my hives wouldn't go away. I went back to my GP for the third visit, and upon examination, they prescribed Prednisolone (Corticosteroids) + Zyrtec for 5 days. While taking those prescribed medicines, my hives disappeared. But as soon as the 5 days were over, they came back with a vengeance, even worse than before, especially on my legs, which were covered in hives. I went back to my GP for the fourth time, and this time, I was prescribed Montelukast (mostly used for asthma) for 2 weeks. I was also advised that if the hives didn't go away after 2 weeks, I needed to be referred to an allergist. With no money to spare for an allergist, I endured the situation for almost 2 months. I tried all sorts of home remedies, took immune-boosting vitamins, avoided histamine-rich foods, but my hives persisted. No matter how much Zyrtec or other allergy medications I took, they wouldn't go away. I endured for months until one day, I had a severe outbreak of hives. My whole body was covered in hives, even reaching my face and constantly affecting my lips. That's when I got really scared for myself because my body felt extremely hot at that time. I returned to my GP for the fifth time, and they finally gave me a referral to an allergist. They also prescribed an antidepressant while I waited for the allergist appointment. The worst news came on my last visit to my GP, after 3 weeks since my previous visit, they needed to check my Liver Function (blood test) to see if my liver could handle the medication. It felt like a blow to hear that news, wondering what else I needed to do to get better. I confided in my mother, and for weeks, she urged me to come back to the Philippines, but I told myself that if I ever went back and sought treatment there, it meant I had exhausted all options. My mother is a Domestic Helper in Singapore, and all our savings were depleted just for me to leave the Philippines, so I couldn't give up because my mother sacrificed so much for me. She's the one currently sending support for my child back in the Philippines. That's why I can't afford to see an allergist because I'm only working part-time, just 21 hours a week, and most of my earnings go to bills. I'm asking for help from anyone with a kind heart, even the smallest assistance would mean a lot to me. I'm afraid of waking up every day not knowing when my hives will attack again, and what scares us the most is the possibility of having an anaphylactic shock one of these days. Thank you so much for reading my post and to those who will help.

P.S.

I was also told to prepare because I might be asked to trial Xolair (upon checking, it would cost around $1,468 per shot). For this treatment, it's uncertain if I'll recover. Xolair is only available if you're eligible, and mostly only those with Medicare here in Australia can access it. That's why I need to see an allergist to determine what tests need to be done on me (most probably another blood test or skin testing).