Florida: Woman with rare skin disorder is allergic to her own sweat and tears

A Florida woman, who is allergic to her own sweat and tears, has spoken of the daily ordeal of living with a rare skin disorder. Julie Reid, once a gymnastics instructor, developed an immunological condition called cholinergic urticarial that has resulted in hypersensitivity to emotional stress and exercise.

"It's torture living like this, it's torture. I just feel like a monster now," said 28-year-old Reid. "I went from being a gymnast and a dancer, to not being able to walk through the grocery store, during the day, without receiving hurtful stares. It is just as emotionally painful as it is physically." Reid says she avoids going out during the day now over fears that she would break out in hives.

Reid was forced to quit her job since she would break out in massive hives every time she would sweat at work, which would last for hours and sometimes days. She has put on a lot of weight since she developed the condition, that has left her house bound.

The life span of the rare disease still remains unknown –it dies out as spontaneously as it first strikes a patient, said the National Organization for Rare Diseases, reported ABC News. Doctors can usually only prescribe anti-inflammatory medications and antihistamines. " You don't realize how much your body sweats until you become allergic to it. I would say it's one step shy of being allergic to breathing or blinking!" said Reid. "I'm allergic to myself."