What the...!? Strange Blister Edition
December 9, 2015 5:54 AM Subscribe
In April 2012 I had a large sudden blister on my leg, it became infected after it burst and it took lots of antibiotics and wound dressings for about 6 weeks to heal. A spider bite, or so I thought, until a year (1/14) later I got another one right next to it. And recently 2 more on my opposite ankle (one in november and the other a month later). I'm a little scared now because I have had 2 in quick succession. What is going on?
YANMD and I have been referred to a dermatologist and have an appointment but I am curious if any of you have experienced this. I am 34 years old and currently expecting, although I was not expecting for the first 2. I suspect that these are autoimmune and triggered by stress, my blister in November came during an upsetting time (this was marked and unusual), and we have had low humming stress the last month or so. Looking back my other 2 blisters were during particularly stressful times as well. I always seem to test positive for all kinds of bacterias (including staph b at the moment) perhaps I have just gotten run down? Anyway, I am curious if any of you have had such blisters. They start off feeling like a rug burn (best way to describe it) and a red outline, the inside of which fills up with a blister over the course of a day. The last one came on over night and was a full blister by the following evening. I can try and give details if necessary.
Please don't tell me to just ask my doctor. I have asked my doctor and been referred.
YANMD and I have been referred to a dermatologist and have an appointment but I am curious if any of you have experienced this. I am 34 years old and currently expecting, although I was not expecting for the first 2. I suspect that these are autoimmune and triggered by stress, my blister in November came during an upsetting time (this was marked and unusual), and we have had low humming stress the last month or so. Looking back my other 2 blisters were during particularly stressful times as well. I always seem to test positive for all kinds of bacterias (including staph b at the moment) perhaps I have just gotten run down? Anyway, I am curious if any of you have had such blisters. They start off feeling like a rug burn (best way to describe it) and a red outline, the inside of which fills up with a blister over the course of a day. The last one came on over night and was a full blister by the following evening. I can try and give details if necessary.
Please don't tell me to just ask my doctor. I have asked my doctor and been referred.
(I am not a doctor.) A lot of times what people call spider bites are actually staph/impetigo. Some people are just more prone to it.
posted by thetortoise at 6:04 AM on December 9, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by thetortoise at 6:04 AM on December 9, 2015 [6 favorites]
I am assuming that shingles has been ruled out, but if not, you may confirm that with your doctor. I understand that the reactivation of the chickenpox virus often happens under stress.
posted by Atrahasis at 6:05 AM on December 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Atrahasis at 6:05 AM on December 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you for your answers so far. I did show a doctor my second blister and I was negative for chicken pox. I should add that these are clear blisters that vary in size and they seem to go deep enough to leave a small indent when they heal.
posted by catspajammies at 6:13 AM on December 9, 2015
posted by catspajammies at 6:13 AM on December 9, 2015
A friend of mine had trouble with chronic staph infections that were autoimmune related, she has eczema and PCOS. She was given an antibacterial soap to wash with, which her spouse also used to prevent him from reinfecting her. She was very particular about cleaning her bedding and clothes with hot water and keeping the bathroom clean. She also avoided going to the gym since it can be a place to pick up new bacteria. It wasn't really clear if each was a new infection or she never fully cleared out the original, but it took about a year for everything to finely go away.
posted by florencetnoa at 6:16 AM on December 9, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by florencetnoa at 6:16 AM on December 9, 2015 [5 favorites]
It sounds like staph. If it is, it's good that you will have it diagnosed and treated before baby is born. You will need to clean everything and keep the area covered with antibiotic cream. It is recommended that you take apply a small amount of the cream to the inside of your nostrils twice a day to get rid of it all together. Use a fresh q-tip with each application and with each area. Anyone in your house will also need the nostril treatment, as they can be carriers without developing the sores.
posted by myselfasme at 6:39 AM on December 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by myselfasme at 6:39 AM on December 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
I had something like this around this time a couple of years ago and yeah, it was staph infection. I grabbed an antibacterial body wash from Target as well as a bacitracin-based medical cleanser for "problem areas" on my body. We had to wash sheets and use clorox wipes on things and I had to use antibiotic ointment for a while after somewhat painful extractions by my doc. In general, my doctor recommended NOT trying to pop or extract the bumps and just to hit them hard with the antibacterial ointment. I mostly ended up feeling like I was some kind of disgusting slob by getting gross infected bumps for no good reason, but TBH it's just a thing that happens and don't let it get you down.
posted by sleeping bear at 7:03 AM on December 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by sleeping bear at 7:03 AM on December 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
Perhaps it is staph.... But none except from the first has been infected. Is infection necessary to make people think it's staph?
posted by flink at 7:19 AM on December 9, 2015
posted by flink at 7:19 AM on December 9, 2015
flink, I also assume Staph from the description of the blisters, the stress trigger, and the location of the blisters. The infection had nothing to do with my armchair diagnosis. Staph is a super, super common skin disorder.
posted by saucysault at 8:02 AM on December 9, 2015
posted by saucysault at 8:02 AM on December 9, 2015
Get it cultured for MRSA. I had a "spider bite" that I took regular antibiotics for and then about a month later in approximately the same spot had another one. This time the doctor cultured it for MRSA and it tested positive so I took a course of the most god-awful antibiotics, washed everything in hot hot water, washed my body with hibacleanse, new towels every time I showered until I finished the antibiotics. That was like 9 years ago and no more instances of MRSA so try not to freak out. If it IS MRSA, it is just important to get the right antibiotics since the infection is resistant to common ones. Just my personal experience with blister-like sores that reoccur.
posted by rachums at 8:53 AM on December 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by rachums at 8:53 AM on December 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
My skin does this if I come in contact with poisoon ivy. If you live where it hasn't frozen yet, and take exercise outdoors, this could be it. The first infected episode could just be how it went and exposure at the time.
I was diagnosed with cranial shingles when a large, nickel-sized blister apeared on my left forehead. But after the visit with the doc, three stripes across the forehead came up, indicating contact dermatitis from moving my hair from my face out walking, with the hand that brushed the plant. There is a big patch of poison ivy along the road where is used to walk. Then it came up in fingerprints on the right leg, and then where I adjusted the jogging bra. On your ankles is a common place for walkers or runners to contact poison ivy or poison oak. Yes it is also common in diabetes to have problems at the extremeties. So.
posted by Oyéah at 9:06 AM on December 9, 2015
I was diagnosed with cranial shingles when a large, nickel-sized blister apeared on my left forehead. But after the visit with the doc, three stripes across the forehead came up, indicating contact dermatitis from moving my hair from my face out walking, with the hand that brushed the plant. There is a big patch of poison ivy along the road where is used to walk. Then it came up in fingerprints on the right leg, and then where I adjusted the jogging bra. On your ankles is a common place for walkers or runners to contact poison ivy or poison oak. Yes it is also common in diabetes to have problems at the extremeties. So.
posted by Oyéah at 9:06 AM on December 9, 2015
You can be easily tested for chronic staph; I would ask for this. I have an unhappy immune system and go through phases of getting various infections; turns out to not be staph. Work on getting your immune system healthier - good nutrition, sunshine, exercise. Be super careful about washing your towel after every use, and your pants, in warm or hot water, and be extra careful about hand-washing.
posted by theora55 at 9:35 AM on December 9, 2015
posted by theora55 at 9:35 AM on December 9, 2015
Seconding to get it cultured for MRSA. I've had that twice, and it is no bueño.
posted by culfinglin at 2:39 PM on December 9, 2015
posted by culfinglin at 2:39 PM on December 9, 2015
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posted by halogen at 6:03 AM on December 9, 2015 [4 favorites]