Rash on forearms from pred tapering

[Ambientman]

Hi everyone, I'm after advice plz I've got a rash of tiny red spots on both forearms and quite itchy, I'm tapering pred from 40mg to 18mg at mo. I have Gca but wondering if their is any cream or remedies might help with the redness. My wife thinks I have long covid as have all the symptoms, will call dr on Tuesday. But I don't think it's covid related. I haven’t called the helpline Gca-Pmr uk because its a bank holiday.. Any advice would be much appreciated..

[SheffieldJane]

Your wife could well be right . The Zoe study has reported that a skin rash should be regarded as the fourth key sign of COVID 19. There are three types of rash and one of them sounds very much as you describe.

It does not sound typical of GCA. Have you tried a plain base cream at all?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi, You wife may be correct, see attached from the Zoe COVID Symptoms Study App re rashes -

covid.joinzoe.com/us-post/s...

If you join App, you will be sent a test through post to check. The Study has highlighted a lot of symptoms that theNHS don't seem to acknowledge.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Did you have Covid then? Or something that might have been?

First thing to try is a really efficient emollient - Diprobase of Double base are used for eczema and easy to get from a pharmacy.

[piglette]

I started having red spots on my arms due to pred long before anyone had heard of Covid. I still get them, sometimes they are quite large. They disappear after a couple of weeks do yours? Looking at Covid side effects there are several that are similar to PMR and probably other illnesses too.

[elle7777777]

Hopefully you "didn't" taper from 40 to 18 ..you have to go a lot slower than that! Also did you have a shingles shot about 5 yr's ago? The reason I ask this is because the drug company "Merck" admitted that that shot caused PMR.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to elle7777777]

There are many things that may apparently cause PMR - blame is laid at the feet of the flu vaccine, statins, Zostavax (at least that has been apparent and admitted for several years) and a host of other things. I had never taken a statin or had either vaccine before my PMR appeared. Something will be the final straw and it could be the flu you caught because you didn't have the shot or the shingles that was worse not having had that shot. They don't necessarily prevent shingles but they do reduce the risk of post-herpetic neuralgia which anyone who has had it will tell you is excruciating and can last for months, even requiring hospitalisation. The benefits in general do far outweigh the risks.

I think it might be more accurate to say that Merck didn't actually "admit it causes PMR" - there were cases that appeared during the later clinical trials which was hardly surprising given the age group in which the shingles vaccine is use.

[yogabonnie in reply to PMRpro]

is Shingrex (sp.) the new shingles shot thought to cause or exacerbate PMR. should I get it?? is the bottom line!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to yogabonnie]

I don't think they know about Shingrix. It isn't available on the NHS yet so not heard a lot about it.

[2013mayo]

Hi. I too have these spots/rash, they started before GCA diagnosed, I tried every cream going, docs prescription ones, chemist ones you name it, nothing worked, I was later diagnosed with GCA and it disappeared, since reducing pred to 4mg it’s come back again, I’m back to trying all creams going, what I find helps is piriton allergy tablets, they really help.

By the way all this started long before covid so it’s nothing to do with the virus, well not in my case.

Also I’ve had shingles 3 times and it’s definitely not that.

Hope you find this helpful, if you do get any relief from another source can you pls let me know.

Xx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 2013mayo]

I wonder if it is a vasculitic rash of some sort?

[2013mayo in reply to PMRpro]

Hi, That’s interesting, I’ve thought much the same thing re vasculitis, I’ve had several symptoms of this but don’t know how to go about getting tested for it, any ideas would be helpful.

X

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 2013mayo]

You have a vasculitis - GCA/PMR. While it was well controlled with pred it may have prevented the rash but it has appeared now at a lower dose. Not saying that is what it is - just wondering if that is a possibility. Question for the rheumy- I think diagnosis is by looking at it rather than tests.

[2013mayo]

Hi, Yes will do whenever I get to see him, now only does telephone appt.

Next time at doc I will get them to have another look, they have looked in the past but that was before diagnosed with GCA, incidentally I was seeing the doc about my headaches for ages before, they were getting worse and worse, I’m sure he thought I was a hypochondriac until I got very ill and ended up at the eye hosp, just goes to show docs should listen more, I’ve hardly had any headaches since I’ve been treated.

Xx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 2013mayo]

Well what a surprise!!!!

[2013mayo in reply to PMRpro]

🤣