Table 1 Themes emerging from each round of convergent interviewing of 7 participants diagnosed with CSU.
| Common themes emerging over 7 interviews | Affirmative response to questions (n, %) | Representative quotes |
|---|---|---|
| Do you believe stress causes your symptoms? | 5, 71.4% | “My urticaria is really stress-induced, a lot. Mostly stress induced or if I over-exert myself, like exercise too much.” |
| Early life stressful incident linked to symptoms | 5, 71.4% | “Very notable in my teens. I grew up in a family with alcoholism and Alzheimer’s under the one roof which is not easy. Plus bullying at school.” |
| Re-triggering of symptoms later in life by a stressor | 5, 71.4% | “It came again later with stress in college; house issues; partner split.” |
| Diagnosed allergies present including asthma | 6, 85.7% | |
| Is sleep an issue? | 6, 85.7 | |
| Themes emerging from first round interview | ||
| Frustration with medical treatment | 6, 85.7% |
“I suppose the length of time before I got to come in and see anybody, that doesn’t help either.” “It plays on your mind. Current medication Anti-histamines are not really working.” |
| Stoicism/lacking self-compassion | 7, 100% | “You just have to get on with it; nobody will listen anyway” |
| Eldest in family | 2, 28.6% | |
| Most responsible in family | 6, 85.7% | |
| Strong internal critic “oughts and shoulds” statements predominate | 3, 42.8% | |
| Themes emerging from second round of interviews | ||
| Alternative therapy used | 4, 57.1% | “I tried Yoga and Pilates and I can’t stand them because you have to be quiet and you don’t interact with people. I don’t like that.” |
| No strong support | 3, 42.8% | “I don’t have the support that I really need.” |
| A worrier | 2, 28.6% | |
| Forgetful | 5, 72.4% | |
| Checking behaviour | 4, 57.1% | “I regularly check things are turned off: light switches, cookers etc. It’s as if I’m on autopilot at times. If I’ve other things on my mind, I'm distracted.” |
| Exhausted much of the time | 3, 42.8% | |
| Parent or family issues? | 5, 71.4% | |
| Themes emerging from third round of interviews | ||
| In your family, who gets the 2 am call (responsibility)? | 3, 42.8% | “I usually get the call when things happen.” |
| Depression | 2, 28.6% | |
| Forgetful of names? | 3, 42.8% | |
| Themes emerging from fourth round of interviews | ||
| Restlessness | 4, 57.1% | “I can never relax or sit down. It always has to be me doing something. Being bored is the worst. Hate that. Constantly thinking about the next day. What am I going to do tomorrow? I know that I’m going a million miles an hour all the time. I need to relax.” |
| Poor focus | 4, 57.1% | |
| Overthinking | 4, 57.1% | |
| Are you organised? | 2, 28.6% | |