Lazyweb M.D.

[sofiaviolet]

Internets, counsel me on my Itchy Welts.

So I have been battling these awful Itchy Welts for a few days now. They popped up first near my knees, then my ankles. Now they have spread to my feet, arms, and belly. They tend to occur near my joints. They are mostly single spots, but there is a slightly curved line of four welts on my belly and a triangle of three on my thigh.

I have been battling them with Neosporin + Pain Relief, since it was the only thing in the house that would make them stop itching. Grabbed some hydrocortisone cream today and that helps, though it's not quite as good as the magic stuff they put in Neosporin.

I had one itchy welt begin weeping today at work, but I blamed that on scratching it. Slapped a bandaid over it and went on with life.

After dinner tonight, I noticed a blister on the back of my ankle. As big around as a bubble on bubble wrap, but even puffier.

Have taken a bath with baking soda, put Neosporin and bandaids over the open spots, hydrocortisoned the rest, and taken 75mg of benadryl.

Anyone know what the fuck is wrong with me and/or have any further suggestions to keep me from clawing my skin off?

EDIT: Yes, okay, doctor tomorrow.

Comments

[harpers_child]

i have no idea, but your symptoms are hitting all of my "see a doctor" buttons. there's a niggling in the back of my mind that says it may be symptoms of a major something wrong, but i can't remember what.

[sofiaviolet]

Will do, if only because my mother suggested they might pull out the big guns and end my suffering a lot sooner than I would be able to on my own.

[yasaman]

Have you used any new products lately (soap, body wash, detergent, etc)? Any possibility of coming into contact with something like poison ivy? I suggest getting it checked out anyway, because I know it's really infuriating to play the guessing game with skin issues since there are so many variables.

[sofiaviolet]

I don't think I've had any run-ins with nasty plants. Definitely no new soaps or whatever. My first thought was bug bites, because of how they were scattered and the size/hardness of the spots, but I feel like bug bites should have cleared up by now.

Doctor in the morning, whee.

[pinesandmaples]

Have you had chickenpox? Stress can always trigger a relapse. (Sounds fun.)

Before you hit up a doctor, check the internet to make sure it's not Pityriasis rosea because there is no treatment beyond "I'm sorry." (I had Pityriasis rosea for the last three months of school...good times.) The weeping doesn't sound like Pr, but one can never be sure.

[cleverthylacine]

It's probably better to let the doctor make the call as to whether it is that or not. It's true that there's not much to be done if it is, but it's also true that it could look a lot like that and not actually be that. Besides, if it is that they can give you better antihistamines and steroids than the OTC ones.

I'm in the see a doctor club.

It could be a fungus, an infection, an allergic reaction, any number of things. It is best to let someone with some sort of training figure out which it is than to try to self-diagnose using the internets.

[sofiaviolet]

Considering the campus health center is free... (well, there is the opportunity cost of going to work late, but I have a very easy time making up hours so whatever).

Ooh, fungus! That's a new one. Whatever it is, it's evil.

[cleverthylacine]

Someone we both know and loathe got a fungus that caused a rash on her midsection. AND SHE WORE MY SHAWL.

[sofiaviolet]

Ick ick ick.

[sofiaviolet]

Definitely not Pityriasis rosea; having googled the symptoms, I don't have scaly patches, and each individual site resembles nothing so much as a bug bite. Sort of a hybrid between a mosquito bite and an ant bite.

I did have chicken pox as a kid. Early enough that I don't remember it, even.

[eledhwenlin]

Could be a multitude of things, starting with an allergic reaction to fungi or poison ivy and similar plants, etc.pp. Good thing you've already decided to go to the doctor's because that's what I'd advise you to do. ;)

[sofiaviolet]

Doctor concluded that it's some kind of bug bite but couldn't figure out why I am reacting so severely. I am supposed to return if I get new spots or if these don't clear up.

[eledhwenlin]

Glad to hear that it's something like that. (At least for me, stress and lack of sleep and my menstrual cycle tend to influence how badly I react to usually minor stuff. Perhaps it's something like that?) *hugs*

[nimmy]

definitely see the doc, if you've had chicken pox already it could be shingles which is extremely painful but treatable if you get it early

good luck!

[sofiaviolet]

Probably not shingles, since it didn't even get brought up as a possibility (although I wonder if that's why they needed to know whether I had a fever).

Doctor has advised a wait-and-see approach.

[turlough]

Ick! I'm definitely in the see-a-doctor camp. I'll keep my fingers crossed they'll know what it is or at least how to relieve the symptom.

[sofiaviolet]

Doctor says bug bites of some kind. Should resolve itself, come back if not. I have been doing the right things (benadryl and hydrocortisone) and I haven't had any new issues in a couple of days, and the itching seems to have stabilized and may be improving, so I am feeling optimistic.

[blnchflr]

I hope you figure it out and get some treatment - let us know!

[sofiaviolet]

Probably bug bites. As the problem seems to have stabilized, I only have to go back if it gets worse again, or doesn't get any better.