Really really appreciate any help!!

[JodieLouise]

Hi,

I’m desperately looking for some advice for my skin. I’ve had a patch of skin on my leg for the past few years which gets EXTREMELY itchy, I can’t even describe the itch, it is so intense! It started off very small but has gradually got bigger and bigger and is now the worst it’s ever been. I’ve visited my GP a few times about it and just get thrown another steroid/antibiotic cream which seem to help for a little while but it never fully goes away and always flares back up. I was thinking it could be some type of eczema but I’m not sure!

I’ve now started to get smaller patches all over my legs and the tops of my arms which are driving me absolutely insane. I’m going to try again with my GP and try to get referred to a specialist but I am really struggling with it at the moment and wondered if anyone could relate?

Thank you for any replies, I appreciate any help I can get at the moment!

[kenster1]

hi looks like psoriasis to me mine started out one tiny mark then it was everywhere.

[AndrewT]

Dear JodieLouise,

I not going to 'Speculate' on what this is, or is not, my Advice is clear.... Ask for a Referral to a Dermatologist ASAP. The fact this this is clearly Getting Worse And Spreading- appearing elsewhere- is surely Cause For Concern. Have you a Walk In Centre near you? If so DO.

Another Thought, for you JL, maybe ask to see the Pharmacist, at your local Boots- or independent- Pharmacy. If the Pharmacist contacts your GP, then YOU WILL get seen Very Quickly. (maybe some, actually quite genuine, Concerns- and Tears?- to the right Person...Has to be worth a Try surely.) The important 'Thing' is to get a Referral Jodie, you can't Carry On like this.

Will you let us know, how you Get On please? Very best wishes, from us ALL.

AndrewT

[JodieLouise in reply to AndrewT]

Hi Andrew,

Unfortunately I do not have a walk in Centre near me but I will definitely push my GP to do more than they have previously as I am seriously fed up and quite concerned!

I have also been to the pharmacy in Boots, Sainsburys and Croasdales and none of them are really sure what it could be and send me away with another form of steroid cream!

Thank you for your advice. I will definitely push my GP for a referral and I’ll be sure to let you know how I get on!

Thanks again,

Jodie

[mrdarcy1]

HI Jodie

Omg it's not like a itch as I say, it's like getting stabbed by 1000 needles all at once. I'm sorry your going thru that.

I think they keep saying steroids because it does look like psoriasis.

If your not happy with your doctor, try changing them to another, or tell the doctor you want a second opinion.

With the itch, try ice or a ice cold cloth it will give a little relief.

I use chilli cream, as the heat seems to reduce the itch for me.

Menthol creams, can help and the doctor should give you a prescription for one.

Sorry I can't be of more help, but I do understand that itch. I feel for you. I hope you get it fixed soon

[JodieLouise in reply to mrdarcy1]

Hi,

Yes I agree! It’s the most intense ‘itch’ I have ever experienced, after a shower if I even touch it with the towel it’s game over and I just want to rip my leg off! It’s sounds dramatic but god, it’s awful!

I appreciate your advice and I’ll look into the different cream types you have suggested! I have never heard of chilli cream so I’ll have a look!

Thank you again and it’s good to know there’s people that understand what it’s like!

[mrdarcy1 in reply to JodieLouise]

Hi

The Chilli cream you can only get on prescription.

It's not a Guarentee to works as I've heard different outcomes.

Make sure you put it on 4 times a day and I found that if my arms had the pain, I'd put it on after a shower.

It was slightly hot, but boy did it stop that stabbing pain.

Yes dab with the towel, never rub as you've found out!

Best of luck

Chilli cream

[Ell17]

Hi JodieLouise,

You could try an over the counter antifungal cream like clotrimazole. This could help you to rule out a fungal rash. It does appear to have the hallmarks of psoriasis, as a few others have said. But, it also looks like Dermatitis Herpetiformis ( DH) or wheat rash.

The rash is very itchy. Nothing really provides any relief. It can also feel like hot needles constantly pricking and burning the skin, as well as triggering a histamine reaction and hives in some people. DH is the outward manifestation of Celiac Disease, which is an autoimmune reaction to wheat, barley, and rye. You can have Celiac (which internally damages the villi or finger like protrusions of the small intestine, which leads to malabsorption of nutrients) without having the skin manifestation. But, you cannot have the skin manifestation alone without the internal manifestation. The only treatment is to avoid wheat gluten and possibly other grains which are regularly cross contaminated with wheat dust due to transport and processing/packaging. There is a blood test for Celiac, though it is notorious for providing false negatives. And biopsy of the small intestine.

I sincerely hope that it is something else easily treatable without having to upend your whole diet and lifestyle. I wouldn't wish Celiac/DH on my worst enemy. But, as there are quite a few issues that have rashes that look very similar to this, I thought I would share about one that I am very familiar with personally.

All the best. I hope you find your answers and relief very soon.

[JodieLouise in reply to Ell17]

Hi Ell17,

Thank you so much for your response!

I have been using an anti-fungal cream for the last 10 days prescribed by the pharmacist and haven’t really noticed any improvements unfortunately!

Thank you for your insight into the connection with celiac, I have been wondering if it may be something internal causing the rash as no creams or ointments make any improvement.

Now the rash is spreading to cover more of my legs and also my arms around & above my elbows and after looking at photos on google it does seem to be very similar to DH. I will certainly bring this up to my GP when I finally manage to get an appointment! I do also struggle with extreme fatigue (I do also have B12 deficiency) and sometimes bloating & other gut issues so I feel this is definitely something to investigate!

Thank you very much for your response, I appreciate your time!

[T1ap]

It definitely looks like what I had on my legs, which was diagnosed as exczema, but not confirmed. Could well have been psoriasis. Topical steroids didn't touch it. However, a 6 week course of prednisolone (tapering dose) sorted this out very quickly and I felt like a new person. Sadly, after I stopped the steroids, it came back, but not as severely. My dermatologist wants to do a skin biopsy to confirm whether it is exczematous.

[Andy2060]

looks like shingles to me