It itches! Make it stop!!
June 1, 2018 7:11 PM Subscribe
Three weeks ago I got what I thought was poison ivy on my knee. Fast forward to this week and I start developing a rash/hives on my arms, legs, hands, and feet. Went to an urgent care doc who said I was having an ID reaction to a fungal infection. Has anyone else had this type of thing (either an ID reaction or a fungal infection that's not the usual athletes foot)? What should I be doing to get things under control?
I'm on vacation when all this flared up, so I went to urgent care. I got a steroid shot, antifungal creme, and 15 days of prednisone. Things seemed better for a day, but I'm itchy and the hives are still...hivey. Seems like they flare up at itch worse at night. To be honest, I've been sitting on the beach the last 3 days, mostly under an umbrella (I'm fair skinned) but I did get some sun each day. I don't know if that makes things worse, but I don't seem to itch during the day.
I think I'm trying to wrap my head around this, as well as get control of the hives and the source. How do I tame the itching? Currently I'm using Zyrtec and Zantac twice a day, along with Singulair (I take it for asthma). Using clear calamine lotion, sometimes cortisone cream on the itchy places.
I think I'm really concerned about this fungal infection. The poison ivy spot on my knee is dried up, but has a deep red discoloration that has spread around it. It doesn't itch thought. Doc said it looks like a fungal infection, but what if there's another source somewhere? How do I get on top of it and make it go away? What can I be doing to clear this junk from my body? And HOW IN THE HECK did this happen?? My knee doesn't look overly funky fungal, but it has a deep red discoloration around it that doesn't itch. There's also a few deep red spots on both legs that look similar
Any and all advice welcome...I'm not even sure what to ask. Because I itch.
I'm on vacation when all this flared up, so I went to urgent care. I got a steroid shot, antifungal creme, and 15 days of prednisone. Things seemed better for a day, but I'm itchy and the hives are still...hivey. Seems like they flare up at itch worse at night. To be honest, I've been sitting on the beach the last 3 days, mostly under an umbrella (I'm fair skinned) but I did get some sun each day. I don't know if that makes things worse, but I don't seem to itch during the day.
I think I'm trying to wrap my head around this, as well as get control of the hives and the source. How do I tame the itching? Currently I'm using Zyrtec and Zantac twice a day, along with Singulair (I take it for asthma). Using clear calamine lotion, sometimes cortisone cream on the itchy places.
I think I'm really concerned about this fungal infection. The poison ivy spot on my knee is dried up, but has a deep red discoloration that has spread around it. It doesn't itch thought. Doc said it looks like a fungal infection, but what if there's another source somewhere? How do I get on top of it and make it go away? What can I be doing to clear this junk from my body? And HOW IN THE HECK did this happen?? My knee doesn't look overly funky fungal, but it has a deep red discoloration around it that doesn't itch. There's also a few deep red spots on both legs that look similar
Any and all advice welcome...I'm not even sure what to ask. Because I itch.
This does not look like any fungal dermatomycosis I've seen (IANA dermatologist but I am an MD and for some reason I spent most of my undergrad education on fungal diseases). That said, I'm not sure what it is, but I'd probably get to a dermatologist and see if it doesn't go away soon.
You can also try posting to reddit.com/r/askdocs - it's a good forum for these types of questions.
Also, what does "ID" mean in this context?
posted by Fritzle at 7:27 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
You can also try posting to reddit.com/r/askdocs - it's a good forum for these types of questions.
Also, what does "ID" mean in this context?
posted by Fritzle at 7:27 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
You need to see a competent dermatologist.
posted by radioamy at 7:42 PM on June 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by radioamy at 7:42 PM on June 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Medscape calls an ID Reaction “autoeczematization”. The doc gave me a printout about it, and basically it’s an allergic reaction/rash reaction to a localized inflammation or infection. That’s all I could really get from that.
I did post to Reddit and got no answers, which is why I came to the hive mind (because I love y’all!). I plan on seeing my PCP next week after I get home. I just want to keep this under control or diminished until then. I think I’m afraid of some massive reaction that will land me in the hospital or something overly dramatic.
posted by MultiFaceted at 7:42 PM on June 1, 2018
I did post to Reddit and got no answers, which is why I came to the hive mind (because I love y’all!). I plan on seeing my PCP next week after I get home. I just want to keep this under control or diminished until then. I think I’m afraid of some massive reaction that will land me in the hospital or something overly dramatic.
posted by MultiFaceted at 7:42 PM on June 1, 2018
That looks kinda like impetigo (a staph infection) which can be very itchy and also spreads rapidly.
posted by ananci at 7:59 PM on June 1, 2018
posted by ananci at 7:59 PM on June 1, 2018
I'm an emergency physician/toxicologist.
ASAP, you need a dermatologist or GP to do
A) A general bacterial culture
B) A fungal culture/KOH test
posted by BadgerDoctor at 8:23 PM on June 1, 2018 [11 favorites]
ASAP, you need a dermatologist or GP to do
A) A general bacterial culture
B) A fungal culture/KOH test
posted by BadgerDoctor at 8:23 PM on June 1, 2018 [11 favorites]
So let me get this clear, what you’ve got is spreading, to other legs no less, and you’re thinking about giving it another half week to really take hold? That seems...unwise. I mean, I’m not a doctor but you’re getting pretty clear advice hear from someone who is. I would ignore anything else in favour of the guy with medical training and take Badger Doctor’s suggestion up of seeing a dermatologist and get tests run, like, now.
posted by Jubey at 8:47 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by Jubey at 8:47 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Jubey.... that’s the plan for Monday morning. Today is a 10 hour car ride to actually get home, so unless I pick up a dermatologist on the way somewhere, this is the current situation.
The good thing is that nothing seems to be spreading to new areas. No hives on trunk or face so I consider that a good thing at this point. Just itchyness.
posted by MultiFaceted at 5:20 AM on June 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
The good thing is that nothing seems to be spreading to new areas. No hives on trunk or face so I consider that a good thing at this point. Just itchyness.
posted by MultiFaceted at 5:20 AM on June 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
The biggest addition you could try is benadryl gel (don't take it with oral benadryl), which I've found helps some and can be used more generously than cortisone cream. It's always worse at night for me. I once had to sleep in gloves during a bad rash so I wouldn't scratch myself raw. Good luck with healing quickly!
posted by ch1x0r at 6:27 AM on June 2, 2018
posted by ch1x0r at 6:27 AM on June 2, 2018
Just a note that allergies to Benadryl gel are apparently common. I had what I thought was a never-ending case of poison oak, and it turned out I was allergic to the Caladryl lotion I was using. A few RN friends told me later that they've stopped recommending topical Benadryl because so many people react to it. (I've never had a reaction to oral Benadryl.)
posted by lazuli at 6:46 AM on June 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by lazuli at 6:46 AM on June 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'm not a doctor and I hope you get answers and relief soon.
That said, those pictures look just like when I had super ridiculously awful poison ivy. It kept getting worse and "spreading" (poison ivy doesn't spread, it just acts like it does based on severity of oil exposure). Prednisone did the trick, eventually.
posted by cooker girl at 7:17 AM on June 2, 2018
That said, those pictures look just like when I had super ridiculously awful poison ivy. It kept getting worse and "spreading" (poison ivy doesn't spread, it just acts like it does based on severity of oil exposure). Prednisone did the trick, eventually.
posted by cooker girl at 7:17 AM on June 2, 2018
This looks exactly like Scabies. The "it itches more at night" is one of the basic symptoms.
If that hasn't been eliminated yet, ask your doctor about it. Easy to cure, but a pain to deal with the follow-up cleaning of clothes, bedding, house, etc.
posted by croctommy at 10:07 AM on June 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
If that hasn't been eliminated yet, ask your doctor about it. Easy to cure, but a pain to deal with the follow-up cleaning of clothes, bedding, house, etc.
posted by croctommy at 10:07 AM on June 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
That looks miserable, and what a disaster to get this on your vacation!
I don't know what you have, but I recently had a terrible, terrible bout of poison oak, and I learned a few things. First, I'm a nurse, but I had no idea what was happening as my entire body became red and incredibly itchy. When the rash spread to my face, I asked my PCP to take a look, and she said hives and prescribed prednisone.
When the rash continued to worsen and my eye lids started swelling, I got an appointment with the allergist, who, during my visit, got an in-person consult from the dermatologist. they told me that:
a) They couldn't tell me for sure what was happening (I found their admission of uncertainty quite refreshing, if depressing!)
b) It wasn't hives, as hives typically moves about the body and does not stay in one place
c) They warned me against benedryl cream for the reasons mentioned above, but told me to keep taking the oral allergy meds if I thought they were helping.
d)They theorized my initial reaction was likely allergic - but only some allergies could be tested for. They thought it most likely I having a severe poison oak allergy as I had been recently exposed, but couldn't say for sure, even after they did a battery of allergy tests. And after the allergic reaction was under control, there is some kind of terrible cyclical amplification that only steroids could touch.
e) As well as the oral steroids, they did prescribe a prescription-strength topical steroid cream - one for my body, and a milder one for my face.
f) Eventually, the symptoms went away.
Best of luck to you! Dermatogical stuff can be hard to pin down, but chances are when you change your environment and complete your steroid course things will eventually improve. Hoping you can connect with a dermatologist soon!
posted by latkes at 12:53 PM on June 2, 2018
I don't know what you have, but I recently had a terrible, terrible bout of poison oak, and I learned a few things. First, I'm a nurse, but I had no idea what was happening as my entire body became red and incredibly itchy. When the rash spread to my face, I asked my PCP to take a look, and she said hives and prescribed prednisone.
When the rash continued to worsen and my eye lids started swelling, I got an appointment with the allergist, who, during my visit, got an in-person consult from the dermatologist. they told me that:
a) They couldn't tell me for sure what was happening (I found their admission of uncertainty quite refreshing, if depressing!)
b) It wasn't hives, as hives typically moves about the body and does not stay in one place
c) They warned me against benedryl cream for the reasons mentioned above, but told me to keep taking the oral allergy meds if I thought they were helping.
d)They theorized my initial reaction was likely allergic - but only some allergies could be tested for. They thought it most likely I having a severe poison oak allergy as I had been recently exposed, but couldn't say for sure, even after they did a battery of allergy tests. And after the allergic reaction was under control, there is some kind of terrible cyclical amplification that only steroids could touch.
e) As well as the oral steroids, they did prescribe a prescription-strength topical steroid cream - one for my body, and a milder one for my face.
f) Eventually, the symptoms went away.
Best of luck to you! Dermatogical stuff can be hard to pin down, but chances are when you change your environment and complete your steroid course things will eventually improve. Hoping you can connect with a dermatologist soon!
posted by latkes at 12:53 PM on June 2, 2018
I tend to get really bad poison ivy/oak.
IANAD/IANYD... One thing I have read about and experienced... If you get a bad rash and scratch enough, the urushiol oil can spread through your lymph and/or blood. The urushiol oil takes a long time to degrade, but eventually will.
The "remote" rash tends to be more dispersed, but still annoying.
posted by sarah_pdx at 1:12 PM on June 2, 2018
IANAD/IANYD... One thing I have read about and experienced... If you get a bad rash and scratch enough, the urushiol oil can spread through your lymph and/or blood. The urushiol oil takes a long time to degrade, but eventually will.
The "remote" rash tends to be more dispersed, but still annoying.
posted by sarah_pdx at 1:12 PM on June 2, 2018
I once had a terrible terrible rash for months. The first two doctors I saw couldn't do anything but prescribe something for the itching. My grandmother (a nurse) took me to see a dermatologist. The dermatologist took my wrist and looked at my arm on one side, then the other, asked two questions, then said, "It's [diagnosis]."
See a specialist. Your internet friends cannot help you here. Good luck!
(For the car ride, hydrocortisone cream is probably your best bet. Get the highest percentage you can - ask at the pharmacy counter - and slather on generously.)
posted by happyturtle at 12:26 PM on June 3, 2018
See a specialist. Your internet friends cannot help you here. Good luck!
(For the car ride, hydrocortisone cream is probably your best bet. Get the highest percentage you can - ask at the pharmacy counter - and slather on generously.)
posted by happyturtle at 12:26 PM on June 3, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by MultiFaceted at 7:15 PM on June 1, 2018