Kudzuslipper
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 31915
posted
I thought I would start a thread where we can all share rash experiences.
Do you have rashes? What do they look/feel like... And if they are itchy or painful or just unsightly what do you use to help? Do any of your rashes disappear with doxycicline?
Posts: 1728 | From USA | Registered: May 2011
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BoxerMom
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Member # 25251
posted
My Bart rashes came out with Rifampin. The lacy capillary rashes.
Bart and/or Lyme seems to have shown up as small moles and skin tags. Topical iodine took care of those. Hooray for smooth skin!
I also get the cherry angiomas. I've heard they can be from Babesia, but also from bromide toxicity. I'm taking iodine to clear out my bromide. I've already had a huge detox reaction. Haven't checked my number of angiomas lately.
I also get the cystic acne when I treat for parasites.
posted
A decade before getting sick I had extremely itchy hives on the back of my knees that came and went for a year. It was weird but I didn't think much of it until a decade later when I got Lyme. It was then that I remembered the rash and that it occurred after a camping trip which we had to leave early because I got the flu. Hmm .... Sounds a little suspicious. I never saw a tick or an EM rash but I think that was the actual start of my Lyme journey.
Posts: 707 | From Colorado | Registered: Jul 2010
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gigimac
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Member # 33353
posted
Boxermom, I'm glad you mentioned that about skin tags! a few months ago I noticed a bunch of skintags popping up, some concentrated in one spot and a few other spread out. Oddly enough they itched and I felt they were somehow related to lyme or bart. After abx they stopped itching so I do believe there could be a connection. I keep meaning to get some iodine, gotta put that on my "to get" list!
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
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gigimac
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posted
Boxermom, I'm glad you mentioned that about skin tags! a few months ago I noticed a bunch of skintags popping up, some concentrated in one spot and a few other spread out. Oddly enough they itched and I felt they were somehow related to lyme or bart. After abx they stopped itching so I do believe there could be a connection. I keep meaning to get some iodine, gotta put that on my "to get" list!
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
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posted
I have had the skin tags lately but thought mybe theywere due t the hormones during pregnancy. Interesting. I get water filled bubbles that itch up and down my limbs and they see, to cycle every spring. They have left some mild scarring. I also have had what loks like a arge Mosquito bite that is hot and raised with a white ring around the perimeter...they have a great Pic of these on Dr. J's site. I had these the first time I was treated on my thighs and my Doc at the time wh was not an LLMD told me they were nothing. So I was happy to see them on his site as it gave me ev en more confirmation of my illness. (as if all the other crud wasn't enough)I still have moments of disbelief/denial.
Posts: 80 | From RI | Registered: Jun 2010
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Razzle
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 30398
posted
Rashes I have lots of....
Dry, scaly itchy roundish patches. Shoulder, face, legs. Negative culture for fungus & bacteria. They go away with high dose steroids, and return when the steroids wear off. Moisturizing cream doesn't do much.
Itchy blisters on my fingers that come and go with no discernable pattern except they go away with steroids.
Rough itchy skin patches behind my knees, again steroid responsive.
"Blepharitis" also goes away with steroids.
Pink dots that appear on my hands when exposed to hot water. Not itchy or bumpy, and steroids don't make them go away. Bart? Probably...
Pin-point red spots on my skin all over - immune deficiency causes them and they get worse when my WBC count or Lymphocyte count drops.
Skin tag, granulation tissue, and pimples around my feeding tube site, plus mysterious subcutaneous hard lumps that move around and come & go (hard lumps are not parasites; goes away with oral/IV abx) - clears up with steroids plus abx, comes back with a vengeance when both are stopped... This is a known problem with feeding tubes, but mine seems intractable...
Karatitis Pilaris - improves with steroids. I suspect Lyme plays a role in this, too.
Hormone-related pimples on face - tend to flare during my monthly cycle or if I'm on steroids. Nothing makes them completely stop. Never got pimples until I was almost done with college...I guess I was a "late bloomer" LOL!
Most all of the above are some kind of infectious or inflammatory issue (possibly allergy related too), and most Dermatologists are clueless and can't help me with any of them. I can only hope they go away for good once the Lyme/coinfections are adequately treated.
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
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Kudzuslipper
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Member # 31915
posted
Razzle, you sound like me... the allergists send me to dermatologists, who send me back to allergists and then everyone throws up their hands.
My rashes are angry red and incredibly itchy, so much so, I have had to come home from work to soak and cover myself with gold bond powder) ...I have had them for about 18 years (first was like a bullseye...but hives clear from the center too, and I am allergic and did not test positive back then)
One thing I noticed, prednisone, suppresses them. Doxycicline makes them go away? has anyone else had a rash go away with doxy? have you ever tried doxy with it Razzle?
Posts: 1728 | From USA | Registered: May 2011
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Razzle
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Member # 30398
posted
I can't take Doxy - tried IV Doxy and it brought my gut to a screeching halt (nothing moved anywhere in my gut - couldn't eat, couldn't use the bathroom ). I'm doing fine on Flagyl and Andrographis, so I think it is something specific to Doxy that my gut doesn't like.
I'm suspicious that these rashes may be a reaction to the sulfur in the middle layer of skin because of all my sulfur reactivity issues (allergic/intolerant to sulfites, sulfa drugs, sulfur-containing foods), but I have no way to confirm this because it is impossible to avoid sulfur completely (it is in the air - car exhaust is loaded with sulfites).
Steroids interfere with the metabolism of sulfur, which is why long-term steroids causes thinning of the skin and damage to connective tissue. But in my case, this interfering with sulfur metabolism seems beneficial to me in some ways. But steroids are also anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory.
Unfortunately there is no way I know of to determine whether these rashes are from Lyme, Allergies, or autoimmunity right now for me - my Lyme symptoms are still pretty strong (but s-l-o-w-l-y improving on the Flagyl/Andrographis combo).
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
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posted
My 4 year old got a rash not on the bit, but near, and leading in a line pointing to the bite. It was pinkish, but not red. Very lumpy and granular. Bit May 20 - rash still there!! Getting better now with topical Benadryl.
Posts: 43 | From Chicago | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
What is the longest we know of rashes lasting - I mean the initial rash related directly to the bite. Thanks...
Posts: 43 | From Chicago | Registered: Mar 2008
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quote:Originally posted by Razzle: Rashes I have lots of....
Dry, scaly itchy roundish patches. Shoulder, face, legs. Negative culture for fungus & bacteria. They go away with high dose steroids, and return when the steroids wear off. Moisturizing cream doesn't do much.
"Blepharitis" also goes away with steroids.
Hormone-related pimples on face - tend to flare during my monthly cycle or if I'm on steroids. Nothing makes them completely stop. Never got pimples until I was almost done with college...I guess I was a "late bloomer" LOL!
Razzle this is exactly like my rash. My roundish eczema-like patches first showed up in 2008 and now I have them again - face, chest, under my bra line, over my liver. They developed slowly, a new one appearing every few days for a month. The last time I got it, it lasted over 4 months. I'm hoping they don't last that long this time.
I am also allergic to sulfa, sulfur, sulfites to the point of getting hives from a few sips of conventional wine.
Also not sure if you are aware, but conventional dental novicaine has sulfites in it. I faint every time I get novacaine shot that has epinephrine in it - the sulfites are used as a preservative for the epinephrine. Non-epinephrine novicaine I am fine with.
I also have blepharitis, and right now it is extremely active.
Nothing gets rid of these skin issues - not steroids, antibiotic creams, sunscreens, blepharitis prescriptions, etc. One thing that has helped a little is a massage oil containing sesame and grapeseed oil. When grapeseed oil helped it, it made me think of parasites or yeast.
Razzle are the pimples on your face mostly around your mouth? Have you tried diflucan or coconut oil to see if they might help? Those are my next steps.
-------------------- Country Mouse
6/2011 IgX: IGG: 31 IND, 41+++, 45+, 58+ IGM: 31+, 39 IND, 41 IND, 83-93 IND Band 31 confirmed to be Lyme epitope by Igenex 7/2011
8/2011 IgX: POSITIVE IGG: 31+, 34 IND, 39 IND, 41++, 45+, 58+ IGM: 31+, 34 IND, 39 IND, 41++, 83-93+ Posts: 169 | From Western Mass | Registered: May 2011
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sammy
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Member # 13952
posted
Not all fungal rashes can be cultured.
If I get an unknown rash I tend to suspect fungal infection (from history of past infections and immune deficiency).
I clean the area with hydrogen peroxide, it may sting at first but will greatly reduce itching if that is a problem.
Then apply Lotrimin AF/Clotrimazole cream (read the label carefully, there are a couple different kinds of lotrimin).
Do this twice a day. You should see improvement in a couple days, rash should be gone in 2wks.
For me, this works. I also get little pink circle rashes. They are about dime size, slightly raised, not scaly or itchy, just odd and a little dry looking. If left alone they will multiply. They usually pop up on my arms and legs. My derm does not know exactly what causes them. They are fungal but culture will not grow.
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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Razzle
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 30398
posted
Yes, I'm aware of the sulfites in novocaine...wish more Dentists were more open to the idea that someone could be allergic to the stuff, LOL! I get blood blisters (at the site of the injection) and nausea from novocaine injections...
No, the pimples are on my forehead, nose and chin. Typical acne pattern. Abx makes them get less severe or go away.
The scaly itchy rashes have been examined under a special light to see if fungus is present - no fungus was seen. Antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral stuff has not improved the scaly itchy rashes either (I've even tried iodine on them, to no avail). I have had them off & on for the last 7 years...and steroids are the only thing that help...
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
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posted
Lots of rashes here. When we were kids my sis and I had "impetigo" whatever that was.
In my 20's I got several rashes, one time the backs of my knees and calves had red, raised, oozing rash for a few weeks. Doc gave me steroid pack and it finally went away. Later I had what I thought was mosquito bite on upper leg and it itched like crazy, then red rash formed all around it. Doc said it was shingles and gave me a couple weeks worth of anti-virals. It went away. ID doc later said it could be bullseye and it would go away in 2-3 weeks with or without meds.
Since then I've had various rashes frequently as has my dd and dh. I've had several "questionable" moles removed too. The latest rash is similar to some of the "bart" rashes I've read about. It comes with bumps, red and itchy, kind of look like bug bite (some more like ant bites, some bigger like mosquito). Then smaller bumps may or may not surround it. Stays for weeks. I've scratched so much I have scabs and have found blood on my lower legs, and arms.
The doc gave me some cream for it but it hasn't made it go away. I've gotten so many rash cremes over the years..
I had another rash a few years ago that kept coming up in the same place, on my butt.. yeah, try that on for size..anyway, doc thought it was "viral" and the creme for that actually did help some. It would really sting when I'd bathe and afterward.j
Oh, and the other big one was the MRSA dh and I both had. He had a huge one on his leg that the doc lanced and took a few days to get head out. THese do SUCK very bad. I had one inside my ear..not fun. We still have creme for those too.
Doc said we will always have the MRSA (he said the "bad" kind) so sores may come up on occasion.
I know I've missed lots more, but that's what my lyme brain remembers at this point.
-------------------- One day at a time Posts: 409 | From TX | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
One more thing...my dd had "uticaria" when she was small like toddler age, maybe 4. It was scary, very. Took her to Cooks Childrens hospital as we were at my moms. He told me to give her large doses of benadryl and she'd be okay.. And, she was to my amazement.
That stuff would come up on her face, or leg and within 5 min. would come up somewhere else. Weird stuff.
-------------------- One day at a time Posts: 409 | From TX | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
I have 8 hot rash/bumps across the top of my chest and on right arm pit. They itch like crazy but I am not going to scratch them. I am on minocycline.
-------------------- If you could get up the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed. David Visott ~ Posts: 56 | From VT | Registered: Jun 2012
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posted
I pulled the tick out of both my bites.They were itchy for about two days, then a rash started to develop on the third day.Both were red and almost perfectly round and about the size of a half dollar, with the bite mark in the middle of the rash.
-------------------- nn Posts: 103 | From Northen Neck Va | Registered: Jun 2012
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). I'm doing fine on Flagyl and Andrographis, so I think it is something specific to Doxy that my gut doesn't like.
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