Cutaneous Vasculitis.

[daphne_retired]

Hi, just to ask what others out there might do when their vasculitis is ''switched on'' by stress. Unfortunately I am not under control of rheumy at the moment in time. I had some real stress last night and this morning. I took picture as usual and am using that with this image and post. No point in talking to GP. I try to make sure it does not get infected. Any other ideas on prevention/treatment other than the pred med, I am really getting lots of help from this forum. Mt temporal arteritis is not strong at present, and I am hoping the this symptom will not be just a warning of worse things. D

[piglette]

Your arm looks very much like mine does at the moment. My GP said it was steroid induced. I have had it for several months, the marks fade but then new ones appear in my case.

[daphne_retired in reply to piglette]

Hi Piglette.

Well, that is interesting. I have had this happen since 2012, feet, tummy and arms. I have had +RF for years, but never been put on steroids until my GCA this month. The case studies that I have researched with rheumatoid, both have this type of vasculitis. It may well be linked to the inflammatory diseases it seems. However, as we all have natural steroids produced in our adrenal gland, it may be that the inflammatory disease is combatted by the bodies own steroids or those administered externally and may result in this sort of thinning of the blood vessel walls. I do bruise easily and can see the bruises appearing on the veins in my upper arm sometimes. Thanks for your input on this.

[piglette in reply to daphne_retired]

That is interesting. I am not sure my GP really knew what the problem was. She just put it forward as a possibility. She did a blood platelet check, which I am not sure told her anything either. Mine started around eight or nine months ago, but I was on steroids and still am.

[daphne_retired in reply to piglette]

There is plenty of info on cutaneous vasculitis. A good site is ACR. American College of Rheumatology. I have used it for about 9 years. Of course unless a biopsy is done at the right time after breakout, we don't know for sure if that is what it is. A good thing is prevent infection, and watch for other auto-immune disease signs. D

[55grove]

Hello. Your arm looks like mine gets. I think it is the steroids making the skin so thin. Be careful not to knock it or it will bleed profusely. I try to keep my arms covered up. Yes I use antiseptic cream. I was not associating it with stress.

[daphne_retired in reply to 55grove]

I have kept a log of when the acute stress happens and when I break out with this. I am convicned in my own case that a sharp rise in stress makes it happen. Presumably the thin walls are in my arterial system as they are in yours. Keeping clam must help, but how when we live in this world of ours......yes it is very tender when I know it. Even when my cardy rubs. Thanks for your post.