[Lynn del]

Hi, I have had sAA since 1998, had ATG with severe serum sickness, but about 5 years ago I started to get rashes and itching. I was also getting blood transfusions. Something seems to trigger this response and I have gone to many allergist and nothing seems to help. I am also becoming more and more allergic to foods, itching and tongue swelling. I was on Zyrtec and I became depressed and had suicide thoughts. I stopped it and the depression went away. Now I take benedryl, it helps a bit. I read, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, that the red blood cells not only deliver oxygen but also remove waste products from organs and tissue. Maybe the allergic response is from the lack of red blood cells and the waste is not moving out of the organs, and the skin is the largest organ. My count is between 6 and after a transfusion it goes to 7 or 8 which only lasts for 1 month. The itching and rashes have gotten worse since my red cells have dropped, never reaching normal range. Now I am trying to find a donor for a BMT. Lynn