itchy red spots

[Blucloud]

I’m wondering if anyone here breaks out intermittently with itchy red spots? This started happening several years before I was diagnosed with PV. Other than seeing an allergist for contact dermatitis - which I don’t have - I’ve never had them diagnosed. I take an over the counter antihistamine to help with the itching. I’m wondering if this is related to my MPN? I was diagnosed about two years ago with skin vasculitis when I had a biopsy of flat non-itchy red spots.

[Bluetop]

Not something I have experienced myself but do you think these may be related to pruritus which I believe is common with PV?

[Blucloud in reply to Bluetop]

Hi Bluetop. I think it's possibly related to PV as it causes histamines to be released, but I'm not sure about the red bumps.

[gvibes]

Hi,

I have some itchy red spots as well. The origin of mine seem to relate to getting some kind of myte from our dog last xmas (whole family got it). I did whole body treatment which eliminated myte I believe but I've had long term effect (maybe autoimmune) post treatment and have these rashes on ankles and legs. Dealing with dermatologist who have now called it dermatitis - have been using steroid cream which helps for a while- They recommend allergy testing but I really dont believe it. sometimes I take OTC antihistimine (which also helps).

I'm on a maintenance dose of pegasys - in PV CHR. So at a visit with my MPN doc, we discussed taking me off pegasys (which is an immune booster and could exacerbate the rash). I'm going through genetic testing to see if I meet Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) and maybe take me off pegasys and see if that improves my rash. A danish paper was recently reference in a post a couple of weeks ago that discussed stopping interferon for people who have been in remission for a few years and have MRD.

good luck

[Blucloud in reply to gvibes]

hi gvibes. Thanks for your reply. My itchy spots started to become more regular after a trip to Cuba. I came home with many bites. I'm on Hydroxyurea. I don't know what MRD is, but I understand that interferon drugs can exacerbate autoimmune issues.

[gvibes]

and maybe hydroxurea could contribute to yours as well. I know there are references to "skin ulcers"

see "Aggressive interferon...." posted by Manouche a couple of weeks ago. Its actually Microscopic Residual Disease (MRD) which after some number of years of interferon treatment (and maybe other drugs) the percent of mutated cells (allele burden) has been significantly reduced to very low levels. People can then stop taking drug and according to paper at Korean conference by Professor Kiladjian, most stay off drug for many years. ( I think I read it right.) Almost sounds like a cure ....

[Blucloud]

I had these outbreaks of red spots before taking hydroxyurea. Thanks for defining MRS.

[Gipsy123]

how interesting- i was given a diagnosis of vasculitis for similar skin blotches before the MF was diagnosed. Still take an occasional antihistamine

[Blucloud in reply to Gipsy123]

I was diagnosed with skin vasculitis just before being diagnosed with PV. The vasculitis spots were not itchy. I still get them. The other spots are small red, slightly raised and itchy, something like insect bites. So your vasculitis spots are itchy? Interesting.

[Gipsy123 in reply to Blucloud]

Misunderstanding: vasculitis spots not itchy: but got hay fever type symptoms which antihistamines helped with.

[Blucloud in reply to Gipsy123]

Got it. Thanks for responding. Hope you’re doing well.