Bilateral Itchy rash

Options
lessharp
lessharp Member Posts: 122
edited May 2016 in Lymphedema

Well, I developed a very, very itchy rash on both forearms. Started on underside of both wrists, then after a couple days had moved down to my elbows. It looked very much like an allergy, slightly pink and small bumps...then morphed to flat little red dots. No pain...just crazy itching. When it hit my elbows, my elbows felt funny. I took some antihistamines...and the rash was gone in a couple days. My allergy doctor says it is not consistent with a food allergy. I haven't used any new lotions/soaps....other than sunscreen...but that was just about everywhere on my exposed areas. Allergist was thinking it was a viral rash (this seems like a catch-all diagnosis for I don't know). I have some canker sores in my mouth, very slight sore throat...but no other signs of illness. No fever.


Now that the rash is gone, I have some paresthesia...again on both sides around the elbows. No pain, burning, tingling or itching...just a weird semi-numb feeling. ( I have had similar feeling on my right top of forearm for many years and was told radial tunnel syndrome....same kind of feeling, but this is bilateral) Is any of this at all indicative of LE? Just don't know who to go to for this! For the forearm paresthesia I spent thousands on Nerve conduction studies, physical therapy (spine touches nerve root on both sides c6-c7), then back to neurologist...who then said it was a tendon.... thought the issue was in my arm...then on to another arm specialist who thought radial tunnel syndrome. I finally just asked the last doctor if I could just ignore it...and he said yes, it was a sensory nerve...so no permanent damage. I gave up. I'm so tired of doctors!!!


Any thoughts out there? I'm just so frustrated in the past trying to get diagnosed...Now I get to throw cancer and LE into the mix!



· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited April 2016

    I'm no expert on LE, but I was told that if an issue appears simultaneously in both arms, it's probably not LE.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lessharp
    lessharp Member Posts: 122
    edited April 2016

    Ksusan, Thank you...that is my thought as well. I don't know why I am so lucky to have weird symptoms no one seems to be able to diagnose? LOL. Oh well...I guess I will get appt with primary care physician and see how much I can spend this year.


    I'll let ya'll know if I ever get an answer!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited April 2016

    Please do!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 6,398
    edited April 2016

    **waves hand**

    I am one with weird symptoms too. Been told it is carpal tunnel, cuz both hands are numb,, but hey,, I don't think you can just wake up one day with both hands numb and wow,, suddenly carpal tunnel! But nerve conduction test says carpal tunnel,,, let's just ignore all the issues that I have with my neck, herniated, discs, etc, etc,, that to ME seem more likely,, especially since it is bilateral. But oh,, I "had carpal tunnel all along" and now that I have LE in the other arm,, maybe it is "pushing the carpal tunnel over the edge on that arm". **huh??**

    But I feel your pain, lessharp,,, it is very hard to get a DX when you have so many issues in the picture,, LE, cancer, previous injuries, etc etc.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lessharp
    lessharp Member Posts: 122
    edited April 2016

    Glennie, yep. I actually didn't have too many issues...just doctors that don't diagnose anymore. If it isn't common or easy, they guess and throw medications at you or pass you off to some other specialist. ....but alas, my husband says these are 'first-world' problems....and that we are lucky to have the standard of care we have vs. people in 'third-world' countries. He is right...damn him, he is always right! LOL

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lessharp
    lessharp Member Posts: 122
    edited April 2016

    Well gals, thought I'd check back in and update. I ended up going to my primary doctor, who thought it was allergy related. I mentioned my allergist didn't think so. He wanted to shrug it off...but I pushed for some sort of testing. He ordered a blood draw to check for inflammation (sed-rate, etc.). All tests came back perfectly normal. Sooooo, no answers yet again...but all the symptoms have subsided...including the numbness. I'm not willing to go back to my neurologist just yet.

    :-)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 6,398
    edited April 2016

    well, it is frustrating that you have no answers,, but at least the symptoms have gone away,,, hopefully for good!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Maggerle
    Maggerle Member Posts: 37
    edited April 2016

    Are you on any antibiotics? I got a rash on my forearms and it was from an antibiotic I was taking...I stopped the antibiotic, and the rash went away very soon thereafter...

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lessharp
    lessharp Member Posts: 122
    edited May 2016

    Thanks Glennie!


    Maggerle, nope, not on any antibiotics. The allergist did not think an allergy because the symptoms came about slowly over a few days. Any anaphylaxis type reaction or food allergy would come about very quickly, he said. My rash appeared over a period of 3-4 days. Oh well....

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • doxie
    doxie Member Posts: 1,455
    edited May 2016

    I have all kinds of reactions, some allergic, some "food" reactions. I get hives, rashes, tiny deep blister on palms of hands, it goes on and on. It can take a long time to figure out the cause. This happens over and over again.

    The most recent was a red, itchy rash on the back of my neck. I've had hives there before but this was a rash. I think it was triggered by some red wine, chocolate, cheese, and/or a gluten free spinach tortilla. The first three produce histamines, which I now seem to react to now. I'm also blaming the tortilla because this has happened before when eating it. It was purchased at Whole Foods, so should have no dyes, but I'm not sure about that. I get hives and rashes from food dye.

    Recently I figured out that wheat and/or gluten were causing a deep herpes like itchy, rash on my hands. After stopping both, besides ending the rash, my stools became more normal and a persistent toenail fungus I've had for years disappeared. Resolution of the first two align with research I've done. Grateful, but clueless about why the latter.

    If I took this to a doctor, he would probably think I was nuts. This happened initially with two drug reactions. One a horrible whole body allergic reaction to Neulasta.

    Good luck on this. It can be complicated.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lessharp
    lessharp Member Posts: 122
    edited May 2016

    Doxie, yes...i think my doctor thinks I'm nuts! LOL. oh well...


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories