[Rhapsody]

Yeah - I am sure that stress has some part in all this...... but not all (just read all the post from 1st to last) and you will be able to see that the doctors (4 in all) feel that it is a medical concern and they are concerned..... they just cannot find the cause - and one of them even told me that some people do and can have Lupus and still show a negative result in blood test.... I am hanging in there and in time they might find the cause so we may treat it correctly.

I am going to bring up the MCTD that was mentioned in here and see what the doctors can do with that...... not to mention the full blown RA I already have and they are still finding new things to do with RA every day - maybe my issue is one of them?

Thanks...
Rhapsody -

[jennie]

sounds like chemical allergy to me . . . avoid bedding, clothing, and personal products that contain toxins (some examples include: petroleum distillates, chlorine, phosphates, parabens, phthalates, artificial fragrances, dyes, and formaldehyde.)
</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Industrial chemicals are basic ingredients in personal care products. About one of every eight chemicals registered for use in the U.S. Personal care products contain carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxins, endocrine disruptors, plasticizers, degreasers, and surfactants. The U.S. requires no premarket safety testing for personal care products. The EWG Report 2004 product use survey shows that more than a quarter of all women use at least 15 products daily. These exposures add up, and raise questions about the potential health risks from the myriad of unassessed ingredients migrating into the bodies of nearly every American, day after day. While some companies make products that are safe to eat, other companies choose to use known human carcinogens or developmental toxins like coal tar and lead acetate. When risky chemicals are used in cosmetics, the stakes are high. These are not trace contaminants like those found at part-per-million or even part-per-billion levels in food and water. These are the base ingredients of the product, just as flour is an ingredient in bread. These chemicals are found in percent levels in personal care products, nearly all easily penetrate the skin, and some we ingest directly from our lips or hands.More than one-third of all personal care products contains at least one ingredient linked to cancer.
57 percent of all products contain "penetration enhancer" chemicals that can drive other ingredients faster and deeper into the skin to the blood vessels below. (source EWG Skin Deep)

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

consider maintaining toxin-absorbing plants in your home . . . read more.

[Rhapsody]

Any thing is possible I guess................. and yet there are other symptoms that started about the same time and this is why it has my doctors thinking an under lining medical condition..... but I will keep my mind open for doctors dont always know every thing - and yet I have been given medications for allergic reactions and I have taken Benadryl (just in case it was an allergy), but the rash still continues and the itching / other problems remain.

Thanks....
LoVe,
Rhapsody -

Here's some pics-- maybe they can help?

Skin rashes

[(JD)]

body rashes http://www.iemily.com/article-334.html

[Rhapsody]

Thanks for the pics - I was hoping I would see a rash that looked like mine...... but no such luck - and the only name so far that has been associated with the way my rash looks - is Lupus, and yet the blood work says NO - but I am not giving up..... I will continue' on in my search.


LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[Rhapsody]

I found this link to the FDA were you can report serious side effects from medication, or where you can ask questions concerning serious side effects of medical product you are using..... maybe they will be able to shed some light on it for me

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scrip...tch-online.htm

http://www.fda.gov/opacom/hpchoice.html

[(JD)]

I think with SLE the rash on your face would be more prominent, than any other. It does sound like you are having an allergic reaction to the sun, when you talk about arms and legs. You can test that theory... go into the sun without any protection and see if those exposed areas are where the rash is worst?

There are STIs that act this way, esp from a sore/eye and once touched go throughout the body... I would think the doctors would have ruled that out already? And measles...

HOW about poison ivy/oak/sumac ??? It's a rash that takes effort to erradicate, and it will flare in sun. Because it's base is an oil, if you touch anything someone else had touched (they having been into the poison ivy) it will transfer... Does using product for poison ivy help with the rash?

Have you used oatmeal baths to cut the itching down? Or aveeno. Same thing.

TC

[jennie]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
The allergic symptoms in Type 3 immune reactions are delayed in onset, appearing anywhere from within two hours up to several days after consuming allergic foods.

Unfortunately, delayed food allergy involves commonly eaten foods, foods that you eat every day and may even crave.

Because delayed-onset food allergies are so often undetected and untreated, they lie behind many of chronic medical conditions of unknown cause. These allergic people suffer for years, even decades, without ever suspecting that their health problems are rooted in what they eat.

Delayed food allergies are skin-test negative. The traditional skin tests are poor tests for detecting delayed food allergies. Instead, delayed reactions food often require state-of-the-art blood tests. These tests detect serum levels of IgG antibodies to foods -- IgA antibody as well as IgG in gluten sensitivity and celiac disease.

(source)

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

[Rhapsody]

Thanks for the LINK - I will add this issue to my list to talk over with my GP at my appointment with her next Friday.

Hopefully some one in this medical field will be able to connect my symptoms to a medical condition, and I pray that it is a simple problem to fix.

I have thought about going to see an Allergist - to see what I am allergic to, but in all honesty I am afraid of what a full week with out my two RA medication will do to my body and the comfort I receive from them.... for one must stop most medication and OTC meds a week before going to be tested - all arthritis medication needs to be put on hold.
Eeeeeek!!!!!

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[January]

I wanted to mention that the rash I had from my meds started out as small places but oozed together to make large patches that oozed.

The MCTD rash doesn't ooze. In fact, I'll have distinct small spots or I'll have the butterfly rash, only it's just red and not bumpy at all. That's because the lupus is not full blown, but mixed in with the other diseases.

I hope this helps in someway. I know you must be miserable...

Hugs,

Jan

[Rhapsody]

I finally found a pic that looks like my rash...... and wouldn't you know it - it is from a patient with Lupus?

Please take a look and tell if me this rash ever looked like your rash did - Jan....... Thx.

I have been up all night due to the itchy..... which is on my face, ears, scalp, neck, arms and back. Grrrrrrrrrrrr
.... thank God for those awesome back scratchers.

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[Rhapsody]

Here is the link.................... and Dx.

LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS, SUBACUTE CUTANEOUS /
LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS /
POIKILODERMA

http://dermatlas.med.jhmi.edu/derm/I...geID=708730298

[January]

Rhap, it does look not quite the same, but similar to what I had. Have you called your Dr. At the least he/she should give you creams to use to control the itching.

Hugs,

Jan

I recently had a butterfly rash on my face and my rheumie and I talked about the different kinds of Lupus and that it might be the "skin" kind, discoid. It wasn't. If that rash is Lupus here is some info.

http://www.lupus.org/education/types.html

[Rhapsody]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
January said:
Rhap, it does look not quite the same, but similar to what I had. Have you called your Dr. At the least he/she should give you creams to use to control the itching.

Hugs,

Jan

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">


I have an appt for next Friday - I am going in asking for it all................. itch medicine, stronger pain pills, sleep medicine and more blood work. I have been taking Benadryl and it helps some, but not enough to relive the irritating itch I suffer from every day - and for some odd reason the itch is worse at night (but there all day long).

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[Rhapsody]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Petunia said:
I recently had a butterfly rash on my face and my rheumie and I talked about the different kinds of Lupus and that it might be the "skin" kind, discoid. It wasn't. If that rash is Lupus here is some info.

http://www.lupus.org/education/types.html

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">


What did you end up having?

and................. thanks for the INFO - even though I have read tons of articles on Lupus and the different kinds of Lupus - it can never hurt to read more.

Thanks...
LoVe,
Rhapsody -

Rosacea.

[Rhapsody]

Yeah....... that is what I thought you would say, but I wanted to make sure.

BTW - I too have Rosacea and it was this same Dermatologist that saw the body rash and said that I needed to be tested for Lupus, for while the rash on my face was due to Rosacea she said the body rash was not and that she has only seen this type of body rash in people that have Lupus.

I guess I will need to make a follow up appt with her - if my GP finds nothing next Friday.

Thanks....
Rhapsody -

[(JD)]

Even if it is Lupus, the excerbation of the rash on your arms and legs could be from sun exposure, making it worse

I hope it isn't SLE or any form of lupus. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

[wanttoheal]

Did you get the information I sent to help detox? Adding more pills to the mix could reult in overload for your system and make you have more problems. Good luck to you Rhapsody.

[Rhapsody]

YES.................. I did receive the INFO - Thanks.... and I am sorry for not getting back to you sooner, it has just been one of those weeks (a hard week ) - no excuse just a reason as to why..

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[Rhapsody]

Hmm - I did locate some INFO on one of the meds I am currently taking - and now I wonder? - and then again the doctors did tell me that it was not from an allergy or any thing like that - that caused my rash.

Rhapsody -

* * * * * * *
INFO Found....

Skin Reactions
NSAIDs, including Sulindac, can cause serious skin adverse events such as exfoliative dermatitis, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), which can be fatal.
These serious events may occur without warning.
Patients should be informed about the signs and symptoms of serious skin manifestations and use of the drug should be discontinued at the first appearance of skin rash or any other sign of hypersensitivity.

* * * * * * * *

[(JD)]

If you are taking that med, I guess you should stop? Even if you had been taking it for a while, since nothing has changed, perhaps your response to this med did?

I wouldn't trust all doctors about allergies... even some allergists I knew weren't up on all the information I had at the time of speaking with them!

[Rhapsody]

Ok - to all the members that are reading along and trying to help ME find the solution.....

I am not so concerned about the Sulindac now - since one of the members (our good ole Larry) PMed me to let me know that the rash caused from the medicine is easily checked with a liver profile function test..... and I already have that test done every 4 months - so all is well there.

And Dr. W said:
</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
psisci said:
Not to scare you, but have your doc check you for lymphoma soon. Does the rash ever go away?

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">
I will follow up with this suggestion next Friday when I see my GP and my Rheumatologist. (keep fingers crossed)

Thanks.... (again)
LoVe,
Rhapsody -