[lilurchin (OP)]

In recent years I've come across several cases in the press of people being 'allergic to water', and while these articles often cite Aquagenic Urticaria, the papers on the condition mention that it isn't an allergy and is a skin condition however in the cases mentioned below the reaction seems very severe and even causes allergy symptoms upon ingestion which is making me ask the title question -

I remember seeing on the news about this woman in the UK who can't even drink water and can only drink Diet Coke. There's many other cases like this if you're willing to look them up. Often their throat will blister and swell shut if they drink water.

In the case of Rachel Warwick, this woman's throat gets 'scorched' if she drinks water.

She drinks milk, which she states doesn't cause a reaction as bad. She also reacts the same if water touches her skin, or if she ingests water. It isn't limited to just the skin.

This is also the same case for another 'water allergy' sufferer named Heidi Falconer who says she cannot drink water or even touch water without needing an epi-pen, so she drinks milk and orange juice, which ''do her no harm'' according to the article I read.

Which is why I'm asking, is H2O an allergen like peanut proteins or pollen proteins? That is, a (true) allergy where the immune cells receptors see H2O molecule as foreign and attack it every time they see it?

[Bored chemist]

Water can't be the real cause of their problems because the things they drink- cola or milk- are mainly water.
My best guess is that the symptoms are psychosomatic.

[lilurchin (OP)]

Water can't be the real cause of their problems because the things they drink- cola or milk- are mainly water.
My best guess is that the symptoms are psychosomatic.

I remember one of the affected persons (Rachel) said milk still causes a reaction but it isn't as bad.

[Bored chemist]

The whole idea of an allergy to water is absurd.
People are mainly water.
If their cells "reacted" to water, when would they ever stop reacting?
Milk is something like 90% water.
It's like saying "I'm allergic to peanuts, but if you put a few hazelnuts in with them, I'm fine."
That's just not how it works.

The charitable explanation is a psychosomatic effect.
The other plausible reason is simple dishonesty.

[lilurchin (OP)]

They also react to water on the skin, there's often photos showing the rashes and blisters they get with contact to water.

[chiralSPO]

Perhaps their source of their water is contaminated, and milk/cola/juice/beer doesn't elicit the response because it lacks the contamination?

We are essentially made of water, so there is no way for the described symptoms to be caused by water without also being caused by contact with all internal bodily fluids...

[jeffreyH]

If they boil or filter the water it may eliminate any microbes that may be the real cause. Otherwise I agree with @Bored chemist that it is likely psychosomatic.

[jeffreyH]

For those interested here is a research document that seems pretty thorough. I have only skimmed it and have not read it's conclusions but I see nothing significant to signal any positive allergen.
http://dwi.defra.gov.uk/research/completed-research/reports/dwi70-2-257.pdf

[lilurchin (OP)]

For those interested here is a research document that seems pretty thorough. I have only skimmed it and have not read it's conclusions but I see nothing significant to signal any positive allergen.
[link]

Thanks for that, I was going to include links but when I did I couldn't post.

[chris]

Thanks for that, I was going to include links but when I did I couldn't post.

You need to achieve more seniority before it will permit posting links...

[lilurchin (OP)]

Thanks for that, I was going to include links but when I did I couldn't post.

You need to achieve more seniority before it will permit posting links...

Ah so that's what it is, I thought the site thought the links were spam or something.