A teaching assistant rehomed her goldfish after doctors said they were responsible for her rash – only to discover her bra was the trigger for a condition that affects millions.
Morgan Lee Godden, 22, from Sheerness, Kent, broke out in hives across her back in January, initially blaming an allergic reaction to new bedding. Within days, her eyes and lips swelled to double their size, and the rash spread across her entire body.
After visiting her doctor, she was told her symptoms were "likely an allergic reaction" and advised to remove anything new from her bedroom, including her goldfish Flow and Rick. Doctors worried the water or fish food might be triggering her allergies. But even after rehoming her pets and other items, the painful rashes persisted, with flare-ups particularly bad after wearing bras and leggings.
Hospital Visit Reveals True Cause
It was only after Morgan Lee went to hospital with a high temperature and diarrhoea for two weeks that doctors confirmed her symptoms were not an allergic reaction. A specialist diagnosed her with chronic urticaria – a long-term skin condition marked by itchy red welts, swelling, and rash from histamine release – and angioedema, a sudden swelling beneath the skin from fluid build-up.
The condition affects between 0.5 and 1% of the UK population at any one time, with women more than twice as likely as men to be diagnosed. Morgan Lee manages her symptoms with medication but has been warned that a sudden histamine release could cause anaphylactic shock.
Triggers and Daily Life
Morgan Lee said: "The first symptom I had was that I came up in hives on my lower back. It was really itchy and I could feel raised lumps on my back. I thought it was an allergic reaction to my new bedding I'd got as a present." She added that doctors told her to remove her fish tank in case bacteria or fish food were the cause.
Despite rehoming her fish and removing a blue rug from Shein, the hives continued. She soon realized tight clothing and exercise were triggers. "The rash would be in the shape and outline of my bra," she said, noting that sweat, overheating, stress, and hormones can all trigger flare-ups.
"Every time I come on my period, I get a rash," she explained. "Once me and my partner went swimming and I came out of the pool and my entire body was covered in a rash. I started noticing what my triggers were."
Diagnosis and Relief
In June, Morgan Lee was diagnosed with urticaria and angioedema after a specialist referral. Her symptoms are now managed with medication and by avoiding triggers like tight clothing, sweating, excessive exercise, stress, and hormonal changes.
Morgan Lee said: "I felt relieved because I thought at least now I can get better. I've always wanted children, but now I'm worried if that's an option for me because of how much pain I could be in because of the hormone change." She added that the possibility of anaphylactic shock scares her, and her anxiety is higher. "I never wear leggings anymore, I don't wear bras as much and, if I do, I just have to deal with the flare-ups."
She concluded: "The medication has massively made a difference. The rashes are controlled. I just feel more like myself."
