Rash

February 22, 2008

Geraldine -things have stabilized, thanks, it's not getting any worse - I do hope it has peaked - may have been brought it by cat, and then spread either by myself, or by an overactive immune system (I believe the latter) - Delicious ideas to please the pickiest eaters. Watch the video on AOL Living.

February 22, 2008

,

I'm sorry you are still suffering so much from this.

The poison ivy reference reminds me of an episode I

had -- and it can be systemmic rather than local. I

was covered head to toe in poison ivy blisters --

everywhere except the palms of my hand and soles of my

feet. It took about 6 weeks to stop spreading and

then the scar patches another few weeks to clear up.

One year, on New Year's Day, I was splitting firewood,

carrying it up to the house. Some of the wood was

covered in vines, which turned out to be poison ivy

vines. The oil does not dry up for a long, long,

time.

I was carefully covered up with work boots, heavy

leather gloves, long sleeve shirt, etc. After

unloading the wood I noticed a scratch on my wrist

where the logs had rested but didn't think much about

it. That was the start of the rash -- because it had

entered through an open cut, it went into my

bloodstream and thus spread everywhere, rather than

the usual way by scratching and oozing.

Regarding your cat and the possible contact -- did you

have an open entry point?

Also, for reference to anyone -- do not burn poison

ivy. I had a neighbor who was hospitalized with

poison ivy, reportedly internally in the lungs, from

breathing in the fumes.

I hope yours clears up soon. It is so uncomfortable

it can drive you crazy.

Geraldine

--- jb50192@... wrote:

> Thank you all for the great bits if advice

>

> My problem is less one of physical discomfort than

> it is of the fact of the

> unexplained spreading making me crazy

>

> Had a good talk with Dr. Furman yesterday. I've

> always liked the word

> " systemic " and what he said sort of confirmed the

> thought.

>

> Initially it may have been some Poison Ivy that I

> picked up from my cat.

> That revved up the immune system, which is reacting

> by sending up bunches of

> spots (much less itchy than the original) on various

> parts of my body.

>

> So it may no longer be me touching an affected area,

> then touching an

> unaffected area, and spreading it in this manner. It

> is the stimulated immune

> system that sort of haphazardly sends our bits of

> rash all over.

>

> His advice is to ride it out. This last day I have

> stopped applying the

> various things I was using, and am just trying to

> let things get dry and

> unbothered.

>

> We'll see.....

>

> **************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch

> video on AOL Living.

>

(http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/

> 2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)

>

February 23, 2008

How is your rash feeling now, ? Toby raises a good point about the

pain and the possible use of valtrex. I, too, had a rash on my back

that itched like the dickens and felt like zoster (no pain, though)

that shortly preceded my dx of cll -- so I know my immune system was

compromised. It went away within 10 days or so. The outbreak was

definitely stress-related as I was finishing up a big project under

deadline.

Marietta

Dx cll IV 2/03, Fludarabine/Rituxan X 4 through 8/03

>

> Have you considered the herpes zoster virus? This could be a mild

form of shingles (from the chicken pox virus), although shingles tend

to be more concentrated and accompanied by deep nerve pain like a back

ache or a stomach ache. There is medication for that, in the past I

have taken Valtrex, doesn't cure but does ease the symptoms. Shingles

are not unusual with impaired immune systems.

>

> Toby Hollander

> Dx sll/cll 7/99, tx w/ cytoxan + Rituxan x2 3/03 - 8/03, remission

>

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

> Be a better friend, newshound, and

> know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.

http://mobile./;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ

>

February 24, 2008

Marietta - one thing that I had not considered was stress!! - It is getting better, or should I say no worse - itchy only in the spots where it began - local man still convinced it started as poison ivy, and Dr. Furman says that this revved up the immune system - Delicious ideas to please the pickiest eaters. Watch the video on AOL Living.

February 24, 2008

,

Glad to hear it is stabilizing. Feel better.

Geraldine

--- jb50192@... wrote:

> Geraldine -things have stabilized, thanks, it's not

> getting any worse - I do

> hope it has peaked - may have been brought it by

> cat, and then spread either

> by myself, or by an overactive immune system (I

> believe the latter) -

>

> **************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch

> video on AOL Living.

>

(http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/

> 2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)

>

February 26, 2008

Jackie,

You can go to the Photo Gallery and see some of the pictures with rashes.

If the rash is not red but feels like salt under the skin then it's called

salt rash which is JRA related. If it is red rashes it can be related to JRA

as well. My Daughter has had a few different rashes which was red as well. She

first began with the Salt Rash was the first type of rash she had. Later it

began becoming red and to me it looked like a heat rash. Later it ended up

with being Staph infection every time a rash popped up. Look at the pictures of

rashes and see if this will help. Many of the parents on this list can

comment more about the rashes as well. I can tell you the rashes do not stay in

one

place. It can pop up anywhere on the body.

Robbin

**************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living.

(http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/

2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)

February 26, 2008

well, I don't know about all rashes, but my daughter's generally looked like

lace or a lily pond. It was not generally raised or bumpy, the skin felt

smooth. she had it on her arms, legs and sometimes her back, but not on her

stomach or in her diaper area. she has not had a recurrance, but she has been

on so many meds, that I don't think her skin could respond if it wanted to!

good luck, hopefully someone else on here will have more info.

and Jana 4 yo systemic JRA

Maine

candyfaryn <candyfaryn@...> wrote:

Faryn has been off of mtx since Sept and has been doing great. Then

on Sun afternoon she developed a rash on her arms. By that night it

had spread to her torso and by the next morning it covered most of her

body. I took her to her primary physician who said it was hives and

put her on a 5 day course of prednisone. She took the first dose last

night and this morning the rash was looking much better. But by the

afternoon it had gotten worse and on top of that her hands were all

swollen and all of her joints are achy. Since I have never seen an

arthritis rash I am wondering if it can be mistaken for hives (she is

not running a fever). Also can the swelling in her hands be from the

medication (I didn't think it could happen that quickly) or does it

signify that the rash is a result of the JRA? I have been e-mailing

her rhumatologist but she is 2.5 hours away and on vacation this

week. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Jackie (mom to Faryn)

Londonderry, VT

---------------------------------

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.

February 27, 2008

> Faryn has been off of mtx since Sept and has been doing

great. Then

> on Sun afternoon she developed a rash on her arms. By that night it

> had spread to her torso and by the next morning it covered most of her

> body. I took her to her primary physician who said it was hives and

> put her on a 5 day course of prednisone. She took the first dose last

> night and this morning the rash was looking much better. But by the

> afternoon it had gotten worse and on top of that her hands were all

> swollen and all of her joints are achy. Since I have never seen an

> arthritis rash I am wondering if it can be mistaken for hives (she is

> not running a fever). Also can the swelling in her hands be from the

> medication (I didn't think it could happen that quickly) or does it

> signify that the rash is a result of the JRA? I have been e-mailing

> her rhumatologist but she is 2.5 hours away and on vacation this

> week. Any ideas would be appreciated.

>

> Jackie (mom to Faryn)

> Londonderry, VT

>

> Hi I am new to this list but I will tell my story another time.

Have you looked up Fifth's disease it is a viral infection and is

easily passed among young children it causes a distinct rash that

looks like lace and it can also cause joint pain and swelling for some

people. My son had it two years ago while in pre-school and he was

just miserable very achy with a strange rash that looked like lace I

caught it from him and I was miserable also. Google it and see if any

of it sounds like what happened to your child. Good luck and take care.

from NJ DX's PA 3/2006 mother of Kate 17 DX'S spondylitic

arthropathy 1/2008 most likely she has PA since the age of 10

>

February 27, 2008

Hives look like red welts. They are raised and can be very long

(couple inches) to being just a small dot of raised red. They also

usually itch. The " spreading " can happen but usually antihystamine

is precribed since it's an over abundance of hystamine being released

into the blood stream that causes hives (overly active immune

response). Once given something like Benadryl, they will go away

fairly quickly. I am not sure why prednisone would be prescribed for

hives. My youngest has had numerous hives episodes, but this sounds

different. Are there distinct " welts " ? My Dad is allergic to

shellfish and his hands and neck swell. Does she have any allergies

that she came into contact with (latex allergies can cause swelling

too). Ver strange...hoping this is an allergy rash that will go away

easily and not JRA related for her sake and yours....

-Hadley (Isabelle, 4 yrs. JRA)

>

> Faryn has been off of mtx since Sept and has been doing great.

Then

> on Sun afternoon she developed a rash on her arms. By that night

it

> had spread to her torso and by the next morning it covered most of

her

> body. I took her to her primary physician who said it was hives

and

> put her on a 5 day course of prednisone. She took the first dose

last

> night and this morning the rash was looking much better. But by

the

> afternoon it had gotten worse and on top of that her hands were all

> swollen and all of her joints are achy. Since I have never seen an

> arthritis rash I am wondering if it can be mistaken for hives (she

is

> not running a fever). Also can the swelling in her hands be from

the

> medication (I didn't think it could happen that quickly) or does it

> signify that the rash is a result of the JRA? I have been e-

mailing

> her rhumatologist but she is 2.5 hours away and on vacation this

> week. Any ideas would be appreciated.

>

> Jackie (mom to Faryn)

> Londonderry, VT

>

March 1, 2008

Jackie,

just read your e-mail; have you gotten any answers for Faryn? Is she doing any

better? Do they have any other rheumy covering while her dr is on vacation?

Hadley - has had prednisone on occasion for unrelenting hives that did

not respond to Benadryl and recently with an allergic rxn to antibiotics, her

immuno questioned ER's choice not to give shot of pred was Benadryl was not

helping at all so I guess it is used in severe cases.

Unfortunately, any rashes has had that seem related to her jra may return

often, but are short lived. Please keep us posted how Faryn is doing...I hope

she is already doing better.

(, 17, poly, cvid, migraines)

hadley_messner <hmessner@...> wrote: Hives

look like red welts. They are raised and can be very long