For about 9 years now I have had these red often circular lumps under the skin that itch,surface, turn red and then ooze clear liquid. It takes about three weeks before they disappear.
These outbreaks come in waves and mostly seem to occur from May through September.
I am wondering if anyone else has this stuff?
There are no fibers that I know of.... Just gt back from the dermatologist. His response was that he loves a mystery.
That's why it took me 8 years before I went to a dermatologist because it didn't fit any of the "normal" skin issues.
I think it is either from Lyme/coinfections, autoimmune or allergic response to environmental allergies along with heat
(breaking up the post for easier reading for many here)
[ 07-06-2019, 03:46 AM: Message edited by: Robin123 ]
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- My mind is in the blood glucose / insulin world lately as I've been studying (and on) the ketogenic diet for the past 13 months.
As one possibility to consider, your blood glucose numbers, would be good to explore.
Do you have / could you get a home blood glucose kit? Testing your levels in a.m. after at least a full 12 hour fast . . .
then just before each meal and then 30-minutes, 60, maybe 90 and then a full two hours after each meal
would be really important to see how your meals do / don't work for your pancreas / blood glucose / insulin actions.
If you see anything over a hundred, you can then assess what factor of previous meal might be taking it up.
Many of the lectures I've seen over the past year mention that skin issues often disappeared when people "went low carb" meaning probably under 50 grams of total carbs a day but most likely under 20 or 30 grams at least after a leveling down period to get used to it.
Non-starchy vegetables, about 3 cups a day would be about 20 grams.
But - second consideration: OXALATES should be very low, so no spinach, no almonds, and other things you can find in a good list. Oxalates can cause all kinds of skin trouble.
One of the interviewers for a podcast with oxalate expert Sally K. Norton has mentioned she had the same stuff you describe and it cleared up on a low carb diet.
Now, that could be due to lower sugars in the body &/ or the fact that such a diet will likely also be lower oxalates.
Added to less carbs, such a food plan would be adding nutrient dense meats and key saturated fats (best if from grass fed & finished ruminants, as their nutrition is best).
The lower sugars in the body and higher dense nutrients
The blood glucose meter / glucometer that I found to be affordable - and strips, too, is from
Diathrive. Just go to their website or order via Amazon.
The first meter I got was off a lot compared to a different brand of a friend. Diathrive sent me a new meter and that seems to be a good one. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- I had terrible skin rashes, I don't want to dredge up just how bad yet, within the first couple weeks on the ketogenic diet, some I'd had mostly on, rarely off for over 15 years - went away.
Now, over a full year after they cleared, no problems at all. I was so worried even that the large rash over my ankle area would be needing amputation.
I'm not diabetic, but sure could / would be if I had continued to eat grains and beans and foods that I thought were safe on the glycemic index. That's a terrible lie.
Many "low glycemic" foods are just loaded with sugar. All carbs turn to sugar in the body. You can look up how many grams in a serving
The body can only handle about 1 teaspoon worth of carbs in the body at one time (that's about 10 grams a meal / 20 grams per day but best not at once)
before toxic (excess) insulin surges and can cause all kinds trouble, even to the skin.
A glucose meter might be your best friend for your skin.
The website: Virta Health has more detail.
edit to add clarification: some folks can "do" more carbs; some cannot. It depends on if someone has insulin resistance / metabolic syndrome & other factors.
Insulin - whether produced in the body or taken for type 2 diabetes can be toxic WHEN it goes over a certain amount.
When that happens, when there has been more released but still it cannot usher in excess sugar in the body because there's no where else to put it and so it is then stored as fat (and insulin is a fat-storing hormone) . . . . well, then all systems can be badly affected.
The more carbs that turn to sugar in the body there are, the more insulin is released by the pancreas.
Again, Virta Health website has more detail.
Of course, if anyone with T2D (type 2 diabetes) is taking insulin as Rx, it may be required right now. Still, many with Virta Health's program and similar ones have been able to lower and even then taper off after going low carb.
If one goes low carb, though there must be adequate protein and also a good amount of fat. More at Virta about why.
I'm not talking about Type One Diabetes as in such cases, the pancreas is not able to produce insulin and Rx must be on board. Yet, even some with T1D are finding a low carb way helps to manage. -
[ 07-03-2019, 12:55 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Can't post much now, but another very real possibility:
"Vegetable" / Seed Oils in your diet.
Search at YouTube:
"Ivor Cummins" "Sinning with Seed Oil" ?
the guest for this video podcast had terrible issues for decades and then stopped all "vegetable" oils -- which aren't what we think, anyway.
Especially canola oil can be very toxic. But really, all in this category can be toxic to gut, skin, etc.
Also see at YouTube:
"Nina Teicholz" "Vegetable Oils" for great detail. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- I assume you've already tried to assess / eliminate any topical you use on your skin whether shower gel / soap / shampoo or lotions, including sun blocks (lots of sun blocks are toxic).
However, this ingredient might slip past you.
While I got that out of my products and that helped, not until I went very low carb and low oxalate did my skin heal.
- check ingredient safety on all kinds of personal care and household products.
They also have an annual review for safe sunscreen (most is toxic.
Another consideration: non-organic produce ? Or even certain organic veggies or fruits - you might need to look at the exact farm from which they come and research their methods.
Always wash produce first though that can't eliminate certain chemicals that have been absorbed into it.
Any chemical sprays used on lawns or places near you?
Certain fabrics? Cotton is best for skin, with no fabric softener and preferably detergents that are on the "okay" list for EWG site.
Other things to think about besides oxalates in some produce:
Lectins; Histamine content if you have MAST CELL issues; salicylates (sp?)
I never thought my skin could heal. That it cleared up totally after so many years and then now a full year just fine tells me that it's also possible for you, too.
Good luck. -
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
daystar
I could very well be from Lyme and company.
Here is the best site for pictures of rashes, ulcers, aca, lesions, nodules, petechiae, purpura, blisters-like eruptions from TBI's.
I'll admit that what you are describing doesn't sound like Morgellons (a special dermatological version of Lyme disease), with the exception perhaps of just one photo, way far down on the page (Image #40)
However, you stated that your bumps lead to scars, and there are quite a few photos of deeply pitted scars, so do take time to scroll through all of the photos.
If you think that you lesions might be Morgellons, then there is an outstanding website devoted to this rare manifestation of Lyme disease. https://thecehf.org Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
Yes, in my mind comes Morgellons too...
Posted by daystar1952 (Member # 3255) on :
Thankyou everyone for all the help. Can you still have morgellons like lesions /itchy bumps that ooze... but yet not have fibers? I will have to look into that more.
Posted by TX Lyme Mom (Member # 3162) on :
Yes, absolutely. You need to get a copy of the Morgellons book. The author is the world's leading expert on Morgellons, having treated more MD patients than all of the other lLMDs put together.
After reading the book, then you might want to plan to attend the annual Morgellons disease conference which is held in the spring (usually late April or early May) in Austin, TX, at a hotel conveniently close to the Austin International airport.
(See my previous post for links to the Morgellons book and to the CEHF MD website.)
Posted by rkal7 (Member # 35708) on :
It sounds like it could be bulbous pemphigoid. I have a family member that has it and does special uv therapy at a dermotologist office. They also unfortunately had to be put on low dose prednisone to help control the itching and outbreaks.
Posted by daystar1952 (Member # 3255) on :
I think I MIGHT have figured it out....MAYBE. Im going to a functional doc in another state tomorrow and he is also pretty knowledgable about Lyme and coinfections. I think I have bartonella and one of the manifestrtions of it is erythema nodosum or inflammation of the fat tissue under the skin. The only thing is it doesn't say anything about it breaking open eventually and oozing.
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Hey Daystar! Nice to see you!
How did the appointment go?
At the bottom of this page is a document I wrote up with photos of some newly (newer) described Lyme related skin manifestations.
Thanks Tincup but for some reason I can't access photos that way. It always says error this server can't access. Appt went very well. I'm being treated for Lyme and bartonella and tests were taken. However, we and they know they don't mean too much. I took antibiotics last night and this morning. Its really bizarre. Stomach is better, no headaches today, no still or painful achiles tendons, eyes work together better, back pain is much better. BUT...that can't happen all in just one day. It must be a coincidence! It's weird!