For the past week to two weeks, my cheeks and across my nose has looked red, like I have a sunburn. They aren't itchy, and there aren't any bumps or anything. It's just red like a moderate sunburn
It goes across my nose and across my cheekbones below my eyes and then spreads out a little bit.
I have trouble telling what temperature things are (my hands are screwed up that way), so I don't know if it feels hot.
I'm not on Doxy, and there really is no way this could be a sunburn- I am outside for at most 10 minutes at a time, and it's been cloudy.
Any ideas?
Posts: 503 | From Alberta, Canada | Registered: Jun 2009
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
Sounds like it could be the classic "butterfly" rash associated with lupus.
If you scroll down, there's another illustration of the rash, and in that one, it is a little more spread out.
I'm not sure if Lyme disease can "induce" lupus, but if not, perhaps lupus is actually causing your symptoms?
I think steroids are the treatment though, so it would be a hard call on whether or not to treat. But Plaquenil is also something they use to treat lupus, so maybe you could do that instead. IF it's lupus, of course.
Another cause of skin looking "tanned" is Addison's disease, but that is most common on the creases of the skin, from what I hear. You could check that out too.
Good luck! I would have a doctor look at it if I were you.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
ps---That lyme doctor with the blog has said that when minocycline is used in patients, sometimes it can induce autoimmune disorders. I wonder if the doxy could be doing the same thing?
There is such a thing as "drug induced lupus."
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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posted
I experienced this rash-though never for as long as 2 weeks straight-just from Lyme and co-infections. Mine never itched, it was just very red (I'm normally on the fair side).
I started to get this rash off and on before starting treatment, so while I did start treatment with mino I don't blame it.
I've been in treatment since Dec. and haven't gotten this rash since about May.
I have also been told that it is often associated with lupus, so if you have not had that ruled out (or even if you have) it may warrant new blood work to check.
Perhaps too take a picture of it. In my case, these things often disappear right before I can show my doctor.
Posts: 455 | From Was in PA, then MD, now in the Midwest | Registered: Nov 2008
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Parvo B-19 virus... also called "Slapped Cheek". Found in a number of Lyme patients who have been tested.
This is the CDC's version of it.. also called 5ths disease.. but if you want accurate info.. may want to do a search on it.
posted
I was tested for Lupus already. Everything came back negative (I don't remember the names of all the tests they did, but they did pretty much every AI one).
And I haven't been on minocycline. Right now, I'm on Bactrim, Ceftin and Rifampin.
But actually, as luck would have it, the rash is gone today. Go figure. If it comes back, I'll look into the parvo virus.
Thanks!
Posts: 503 | From Alberta, Canada | Registered: Jun 2009
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posted
I got that rash as well. I was ruled out for Lupus, and did show that I had had past exposure to the parvo virus, but I still think it was something triggered by the Lyme. I had it on and off until recently.
Did not seem to be related to the antibiotics
Posts: 283 | From where the ticks are! | Registered: Oct 2009
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kam
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 3410
posted
I have read cheeks at times too. But, doesn't sound like the same that you have.
Mine comes when I am over doing it.
Posts: 15927 | From Became too sick to work or do household chores in 2001. | Registered: Dec 2002
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Supposedly no one knows what causes it but some think it is caused by an acidic ph. Toxins from killing borrelia or just from having the infection tend to make one acidic.
Terry I'm not a doctor
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
I used to get this ALL the time.....all tests came back negative.
Then I went on the Anti-Candida diet.....got all yeast, sugar, processed foods...etc out of my diet and once the *yeast* was gone from my body this stopped.
You may want to consider doing that.
Posts: 261 | From NW Pa ~ Crawford County | Registered: Oct 2007
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posted
My daughter has had the red cheeks for awhile now, definitely before treatment, and the severity of it waxes and wanes.
Her rash doesn't look as dark nor does it cross the bridge of her nose, so I don't think hers is Lupus related.
It also doesn't look as severe as the photos in the link given above for Rosacea.
Hers seems to surround her cheeks versus actually being on her cheeks per se, so envision her cheek bone has the redness than almost like a circle the rash bends in toward the nose, than circles back out at the bottom of her cheek and then somewhat fans out to cover more as it gets closer to her hair/ears area. Weird, right?
I'm going to read the Rosacea site, but I do wonder if this is just another Lyme symptom that will go away with treatment.
I've heard that those allergic to foods with phenols can get red cheeks, but when she was on her mega-restrictive diet for over 4 months, the red cheeks didn't really go away either.
Anti-candida diet is definitely worth a shot.
I do hope the red cheeks go away at some point though. They are very noticeable in pictures.
Posts: 648 | From northeast | Registered: Feb 2009
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