Rash on my lower legs

I'm currently on sulfsalazine two twice daily and have developed a rash on my lower legs ,left leg worse ,could it be from my meds ? I have contacted my rheumatology nurse last week but no call back ,so contacted my gp who has put me on eurax hc cream but its not getting s y better only worse, its itchy aswell and us driving me nuts ,any advice or help. Thanks

[Hidden]

Any itching or rash is normally a sign of allergic reaction. I personally would stop taking it until told otherwise as allergic reactions can be very dangerous. I was allergic to both hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine both times ended up in A&E. I would also take antihistamines if this helps with the rash and itching then you are allergic. Contact your team again

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi thanks for your reply was your rash like the picture I've just uploaded ? Thanks

[Hidden]

That’s exactly the rash I had with hydroxychloroquine it started on my legs then on my torso and arms Then my tongue and lips swelled. Be vigilante if you feel things are getting worse call nhs help line. Better safe than sorry. Do take antihistamines

[JoH80 in reply to Hidden]

I had this with hydroxychloroquine as well, I wasn’t sure if it was sulphasalazine as I take that too but stopped the hydroxychloroquine and still take sulpha and it’s now gone. It was itchy too especially around the ankles. Quite unbearable at times but it would come and go. I’d forgotten all about it until I just saw these photos, the rash looked very similar. I mentioned it to the gp and they took some bloods to check for vasculitis and to see if there was anything else remarkable in the blood work and there wasn’t.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi ,I'm going to speak with my rheumatology nurse today hopefully if I get a call back , if not I've going to speak with my gp as my symptoms are worse this morning thanks for your help and reply x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Good luck let me know how you get on .

Steroids are used to control allergic reactions now you have stopped your steroids your reaction is no longer suppressed which is why things are getting worse. Now this is only my opinion I’m not a doctor x

[Sallyb828]

I have been having a similar rash on my arms and back and torso for the last month. I have been on steroids, sulfasalazine, hydroxychloroquine and methotrexate (but I only started steroids and methotrexate one month ago) and have no idea what drug is causing it Hence i have now decided to stop both until I can speak to my rheumatology team (I'd tapered down the steroids and was due to finish 3 days later anyway)

I sympathize, mine is so itchy and I'm having some hives too but just seems to keep getting worse even though I've stopped the medications

Sending best wishes and hope we are both less itchy and spotty soon xx

[Hidden in reply to Sallyb828]

Hi ,my steroids were gradually stopped finished them last friday ,this morning the rash is more red and Im now itchy on my arms and back feeling generally unwell this morning ,9.00pm can't come quick enough hoping to be able to speak to the rhumemotolgy nurse some time today if not I've contacted my gp last night ,hope you feel less itchy aswell soon xx

[Sallyb828]

Good luck with the call, it's horrible isn't it, I feel like one big red blob hope you get some answers soon xx

[Hidden in reply to Sallyb828]

Another cream from my gp ,have rang rheumatolgy twice left voicemail to call me back, sent home from work ,I've just rung 111,hoping to get somewere today ,the itchy is driving me up the wall x

[Sallyb828 in reply to Hidden]

Can I ask what sort of cream they have given you? I'm still waiting to hear back from my rheumatology nurse too for advice but I didn't give the methotrexate injection today just incase so will wait to hear from them 🙈 had another skin flare up this afternoon, as soon as I overheat it flares hugely! And I seem to overheat a lot more since diagnosis with RA?! Really good the cream takes effect soon and calms your skin xx

[Hidden in reply to Sallyb828]

Hello ,the 1st cream prescribed didn't do anything the 2 and cream before I had chance to pick it up I manged to get a gp appointment sadly he was baffled by the rash on my lower legs yestrday I emailed my consultant directly as like you I had contacted the rheumatology nurse once last week and twice yesterday and no phone call (but apparently they have rang me back and left voicemails not received anything ) had a phone call from my consultant after my appointment with my gp and have been told to stop my sulfsalazine for two weeks ,hope you get some answers soon and feel better soon x

[Brychni]

vasculitis?

[Hidden in reply to Brychni]

Hello ,no it's a reaction to sulfsalazine

[Biff123]

I also have this rash mainly on lower arms and a little on lower legs. I’ve been on Sulfasalazine for 10 weeks. I had a Telehealth consultation with my RA doctor today. He advised me to stop taking the meds and wait for rash to disappear and then to go back on the meds at half the dose for a couple of weeks and to gradually move back up to full dose. If rash appears again I’m allergic and he will put me on something else.

[Hidden in reply to Biff123]

Same conversation I had yestrday on the phone with my consultant x

[Angels54]

I was on Sulfasalazine and developed a rash and was told to stop it, obviously your body fighting against it , ring rhuemy nurse and say you want to speak to someone today.

Good luck.

[Ms-D]

Looks like hives hun. I had that and found im allergic to sulpha. May need to stop taking them.

[Hidden]

Been sent home from work ,lucky enough to have plenty of nurses on hand ,another cream from my gp to pick up at 1 00 pm .no appointment left for today ,still waiting for the rhumemotolgy nurse to call me back, so I have just rung 111 for advice awaiting for a call back ,I'm normally a strong person and can just get on with things and have worked through out the whole lock down during covid-19 whilst being diagnosed with zero positive rheumatoid arthritis but today I feel like im going around in circles feeling totally fed up with it all ,but thank you all for your great support x

[Hidden]

I'm off sulfsalazine for two weeks ,

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

It’s a start. Patience is what we learn with this disease. Trial and error of drugs all of which take time then there’s the chase... chasing GPs chasing your team and neither communicate reliably with each other . We have all been there. Hope things settle quickly

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Finally I have an answer got there in the end only taking me a whole day of contacting ppl only diagnosed in may of this year trial and error I suppose ,let's just see what happens in the next two weeks of no sulfsalazine should I expect anything with flare ups etc ? Thanks

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Its so individual. Sulfasalazine can stay in your system for 12 days . Mine did after the reaction. Your still on MTX so hopefully You won’t but saying that you could flare when you are on any drug. Don’t push yourself and rest it all helps.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Stupid question but what is MTX ,I'm off work tomorrow, but hoping to be back in on Thursday x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Sorry I meant to say your not on methotrexate (mtx) which most people are with sulfasalazine it’s not often given as a drug in its own. If you do flare contact your team they may give you a steroid injection to tide you over don’t suffer. Unfortunately many of us need to be proactive you know your body and if they don’t hear you then they can’t help. Remember your not a nuisance you just need help.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks x

[MJSlide1958]

Have you been sitting out in the Sun, maybe that could be it???

[Hidden in reply to MJSlide1958]

No I'm in work full time ,when I do get my days off it rains lol , I'm having a reaction to sulfsalazine confirmed by my consultant yesterday been advised to stop the sulfsalazine for two weeks he will then contact me ,but one thing i have had since is a all of this is a headache that comes and goes very similar to a migraine x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Sulfasalazine gave me grippingly headaches. Many who have a reaction to this drug have mentioned the headaches

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Ahh makes sense now thanks for that bit of info, not sure at the moment what's best option is in relation to meds, never felt so rough tbh ,will have to wait and see in the next 2 weeks x

[MJSlide1958 in reply to Hidden]

Sorry, just a suggestion because it happened to a friend of mine. Good luck with everything!

[Gracie2019]

I got that same exact miserable itchy rash with sulfasalazine. My Rheumy took me off it immediately and recorded my allergy to sulpha drugs.

[Hidden in reply to Gracie2019]

Nightmare, well I'm off sulfsalazine for two weeks up until 4 weeks I felt fine no problems at all ,but I knew deep down the rash was due to the sulfsalazine, did rheumy put you back on sulfsalazine lower dose? Thanks

[Gracie2019 in reply to Hidden]

No, she did not. She moved on to a new cheap drug (with different side effects). 😕

I did not get any real relief until I started biologics.

[Jollyjill]

I know how depressing this can be! I developed a similar (non-itchy) rash several years ago which subsided but never really went away. I believe that it is caused by Plaquenil which I’ve now stopped. (Now back on Methotrexate). During eruptions of the rash I tried an ointment called Calcipotriene (RX only)which worked somewhat in shortening the duration but generally I just let the rash run its course. You could add it to your arsenal. Hope it will help. Good luck!