cactus
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Member # 7347
posted
I'm dying to scratch!!! Rashes aren't one of my normal symptoms, so this is a surprise.
Woke up yesterday with small pink, itchy bumps on my upper arm, spreading across my shoulders and onto my neck, chest and upper back - the ones on my neck, chest and back were raised, but not pink until later in the day.
This morning there were more, and they were more red, and itchier.
Now they are spreading all the way down my back and chest, into my hair, and onto my left arm. And they are painful, if I forget and scratch.
I had taken an epsom salt bath the night before this started, but that's never caused a rash in the past, and I was on my 4th night using podi patches. Other than those changes, I've made no changes in meds or supplements.
The rash coincided with some other "returning" symptoms (drooling, as if a rash isn't bad enough), and numbness on face.
Maybe this is part of a herx? Could it be yeast? Or even a reaction to the bath or foot pads?
Please - any ideas about the cause or tips on how to control the itching?
-------------------- �Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?� - A.A. Milne Posts: 1987 | From No. VA | Registered: May 2005
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posted
These are only wild guesses, but the two experiences I had that sound anything like what you're describing are:
1) scabies = little mites under the skin and little red bumps spread everywhere. Gigantically itchy, requires rx med.
2) I reacted to my electric blanket with little red bumps all over my body. Thought it was scabies at first. It wasn't. I was now chemically sensitive.
Posts: 13171 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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cactus
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7347
posted
Thanks for the guesses, Robin. I just looked up scabies, and I'm not sure it's the same (from the pics) - also, isn't it contagious? No one else in our house seems to be affected, but I'll keep an eye out, just in case it pops up.
Could be that I've developed a chemical sensitivity, too.
Have a great holiday weekend, Cactus
-------------------- �Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?� - A.A. Milne Posts: 1987 | From No. VA | Registered: May 2005
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trueblue
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posted
Shingles? There was a long post with pictures recently. I'll try to find it. BRB
-------------------- more light, more love more truth and more innovation Posts: 3783 | From somewhere other than here | Registered: May 2005
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trueblue
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-------------------- more light, more love more truth and more innovation Posts: 3783 | From somewhere other than here | Registered: May 2005
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posted
Hi, just saw this thread. My doc said shingles are localized rashes ...if it's on different parts of your body (front and back, right and left side) it's likely not shingles.
Evidently, shingles follow a nerve route.
Even if it's not shingles, I found that applying neosporin for pain cream worked wonders for relief.
Also, have you tried taking benedryl tabs and/or applying benedryl lotion on the rash? That might help too.
Good luck and I hope you heal fast.
Posts: 867 | From PA | Registered: Jan 2006
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luvs2ride
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Member # 8090
posted
Cactus,
You don't mention what, if any, abx you are on. I broke out in hives when taking Keflex and the doctor made me stop immediately and take it never again.
Seems rash is sometimes the first allergic reaction.
Luvs
-------------------- When the Power of Love overcomes the Love of Power, there will be Peace. Posts: 3038 | From america | Registered: Oct 2005
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trails
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Member # 1620
posted
you have gotten excellent advice so far. Nothing more to add but that rashes ARE tricky and I have found they are like bird watching and birding books. The bird you SEE never quite looks like the one in the book. Same with rashes and pics of them.
Benedryl would be my first line of defense. Dont take an oatmeal bath, even though they say it might help--you might react to that now too. Also hot baths are out for now---luke warm showers are what you need to do.
My mom recently went thru a full week of extreme hives with 3 ER visits and epinephrin shots and all. No cause ever found.
If you have any allegra that might help---but it is RX. It has done a great job on my unexplained hives in the past. After stopping abx in 2001 I broke out and i had to stay on allegra for a full year. if i missed a dose, I would break out again.
You are really going through a lot lately. I am so sorry for all your pain! hang in there, trails
Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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Sounds shingle-ish to me. If so, try to get on an antiviral like Zovirax ASAP. It can lessen the pain and duration of shingles if you get on it quick enough after onset.
-------------------- Getting older is when we would rather not have a good time than have to get over it. - Oscar Wilde Posts: 386 | From Radnor, PA - where the ticks run free | Registered: May 2006
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
RASH ITCHES -- use CORN STARCH or ``rubbing alcohol`` on it especially the corners good. Hubby suggested; worked great for me; rash cleared up in 2 days vs. weeks/month
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That is very interesting because that sounds like what I have too. I have just been diagnosed with lyme so I don't know all the symptoms of this disease. And the docs out here definitely don't know.
I have shown 2 internal medicine docs, 2 rheumatologists, 1 dermatologist, and 1 allergist. They've all looked at it and said something like oh, I don't know...probably will just go away. The dermatologist gave me some Cloderm cream. Think it is a mild steroid. It does make the itch go away but the rash doesn't. Also, I don't want to keep putting steroids into/on to my body.
I also have strange nodules on 2 of my fingers which just grew before my very eyes. Also started some kind of roseacea (sp?) by my nose.
I feel that if they can "cure" my lyme disease, then this will all go away.
Hang in there!! If I find out anything that works for me I'll post it.
Posts: 13 | From Hawaii | Registered: Dec 2006
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posted
I had something similar recently. It started on my back, spread to my stomach and arms. They looked like real small chicken pox and itched a lot.
After I realized it wasn't going away, I used some herbal Rescue Remedy Cream on it, which soothed the itching and helped it heal up and disappear.
Although my doctor didn't see it, she said from the description that it was most likely caused by something viral that my body was eliminating.
Take care, Hopeful4
Posts: 873 | From WA | Registered: Dec 2005
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groovy2
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6304
posted
Hi Catus--
Take a picture and post-- also keep picture to show doc ect--future
Trying to describe a rash is almost imposiable- (See Below) LOL
Backing soda in bath can help--
Clove Bud Oil will numb the itch (poor mans novicane)
It could be yeast but you would have other symptoms of candida Gas bloting ect-
Babs causes a rash that Itches Horiably-- small bumps- raised - ruff to feel--
Has a nerve reaction - -when you scratch one you can feel it on another place on body-- Arm feel it on Back--
Some Hurt when touched most dont tho --
All Bumps Itch like CraZZZZy--Ouch
Bumps can form on a joint shortly before joint pain flairs in that location--
My Babs rash took about 6 months of mepron-bactrim - for it to slowly dissapere--AAHhhhhhh hhhhh hh
Catus -Hope you figure it out--jay--
Posts: 2999 | From Austin tx USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
you can develop and allergy anytime during treatment.Although I have taken leviquin and cipro in the past, I broke out horribly to Factive( a new med in the same class). I was warned never to take that type of antibiotic again. Make sure it is not an allergic reaction!
-------------------- To win this battle, make the time for exercise and fitness activities! There is no shortcut to any place worth going! pegee4 Posts: 59 | From Hamptons, New York | Registered: Aug 2006
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cactus
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7347
posted
Wow! A belated thank you to everyone who responded about this rash issue for me. You are all awesome!
Please, please know I wasn't deliberately ignoring you - was off line, due to a minor catastrophe in my world (unexpected guests came to stay - yikes!).
Rash has stopped spreading, but it's still there, still crazy itchy, raised, with some bumps red & others sortof skin colored. Benedryl's been my holiday lifesaver.
True and Poorhouse, thank you for the shingles link & info, I've just read the whole thing, and more. Rash is definitely front & back, on right and left sides - not following nerve.
Luvs2ride and Pegee,I'm on Malarone, Zith, Omnicef, Cymbalta, and a variety of supps - haven't changed anything lately, was waiting till after the holidays to make a change. Guess it could be allergic anyway. Maybe it will clear up when I switch my meds in a few weeks.
Betty, rubbing alcohol? I hadn't thought of that - almost sounds painful! I will try it, since you always have great suggestions - thanks.
Groovy & Penn - if it's not better soon, I will learn to post a pic (did take one for my doc, just in case). Groovy, thanks for the info about the babs rash - I've been looking for that info, & now that I know about the nerve reaction it doesn't seem to fit, so your info helped a lot.
DougHI, please do keep me (& everyone) posted if you find something that helps. Were you infected in HI? I have friends who were caretaking there for 6 mos & were completely covered in bizarre bug bites - they just came back. Kinda worried about them.
Hopeful, our rashes do sound similar. Could be viral... could be anything... seems like part of the overall "experience"... ugh. Glad yours is gone, and hoping mine's gone soon.
A huge, huge thank you again to all of you for helping me with this!
Cactus the Itchy
-------------------- �Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?� - A.A. Milne Posts: 1987 | From No. VA | Registered: May 2005
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posted
A paste made of baking soda and water really, REALLY helped me when I was itchy -- just rub it on the affected area and let it stick as best as you can -- messy, but a real lifesaver in the itch department!
-------------------- "Looks like freedom but it feels like death.. It's something in between, I guess"
Leonard Cohen, from the song "Closing Time" Posts: 822 | From California | Registered: Jan 2006
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever?
Here are some links on Rocky Mountain spotted fever, with pictures of the rash, I just posted on another thread.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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cactus
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7347
posted
Thanks, minimonkey - I'd forgotten all about the baking soda paste. Used it on a scorpion sting long, long ago & it helped a lot.
Aniek, thanks for the link. The pics of RMSF look like my rash, esp the one on the kidshealth page - definitely the closest match I've found, in the looks dept.I've got a pic for my LLMD, and a symptom log, since I seem to have had some other stuff pop up at the same time.
Thanks again, to you both!
-------------------- �Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?� - A.A. Milne Posts: 1987 | From No. VA | Registered: May 2005
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thought I add my experience: my son had a bad allergic reaction to ceclor. It began in one area... then kept spreading. Eventually the hives turned dark.. I cannot remember if they may have even sunk in a bit. Dr was very concerned and gave a prescription antihistamine that was stronger than benadryl.
Posts: 758 | From now TX | Registered: Mar 2001
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I had this a few weeks ago it had not spread as much as yours. Since I did not know if it was yeast, allergy to anti, herx I decided to take Btg advice and rubbed alcohol every few hours. It was incredibly itchy and the bumps would bleed if i touhed them at all. Anyway it resolved after 2 weeks..
Maybe you were allergic to something in the foot pads. Are you still using them?
Never easy to figure these things out is it?
Posts: 465 | From New York, NY | Registered: Aug 2005
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