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Woman, 22, Rehomed Pet Goldfish After Doctors Thought They Were Cause of Her ‘Pepperoni Pizza’ Rashes. It Was Something Else
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Doctors led a woman to believe her rashes, which looked like ‘pepperoni pizza,’ were potentially caused by her pet goldfish, so she rehomed them. Morgan Godden was actually suffering from two long-term skin conditions: urticaria and angioedema.
Kennedy News and Media
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Doctors led a woman to believe her rashes were potentially caused by her pet goldfish, so she rehomed them
Morgan Godden was actually suffering from two long-term skin conditions: urticaria and angioedema
“I was told to remove basically everything new from my bedroom,” the 22-year-old recalled of what doctors said when she raised concerns about her rashes
A woman rehomed her pet goldfish because doctors led her to believe they could be the cause of her rashes that looked like “pepperoni pizza.” It was actually something else.
Morgan Godden unexpectedly broke out in hives across her back earlier this year, but she assumed it was due to new bedding she was using. However, within a few days, her eyes and lips had swollen to double their sizes, and Godden, 22, said the rash eventually spread across her “entire body,” Kennedy News & Media reported.
“I went to the doctor, and they said it was very likely an allergic reaction,” Godden said, highlighting that she was told to get rid of her bedding, a rug and more. “I was told to remove basically everything new from my bedroom,” she recalled.
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According to Godden, she was also “told to remove my fish tank that I had recently gotten, in case it was the bacteria in the water or the fish food.”
After rehoming her two pet goldfish — named Flow and Rick — that she had for “about four months,” Godden also removed the other items from her bedroom. Still, her skin issues persisted.
Kennedy News and Media
“I had to stop wearing makeup, stop wearing perfume,” Godden said. “I also realized tight clothing was a trigger, especially underwear. The rash would be in the shape and outline of my bra.”“I used to wear leggings for work, [but] the material of them, I could just feel them irritating my skin,” she continued, adding: “I was later told sweat, overheating, stress, hormones can all be triggers.”
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When Godden would get a flare-up, she said it would be “really itchy and painful.”
“It feels like I’m on fire,” she further explained. “I look like a Pepperoni pizza, and I get a temperature and diarrhea as well. The rash was actually the easiest thing to deal with — it’s everything else that came with it.”
Kennedy News and Media
In June, after being referred to a specialist, Godden was diagnosed with two long-term skin conditions: urticaria and angioedema.
Urticaria is more commonly known as hives, while angioedema is a similar ailment, but it goes deeper beneath the skin, per the Cleveland Clinic.
Godden is able to manage her symptoms with medication and by avoiding triggers, including tight clothing, sweating, excessive exercise, stress and hormonal changes.“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 said.
Added Godden: “The medication has massively made a difference. The rashes are controlled. I just feel more like myself.”
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