Leg rash ?

[Hopingsail]

Hi Everyone - I've not posted lately as my Pred reduction is going very steadily and as of next Sunday I will begin via Dorset Lady's great reduction plan reducing .5 to Zero. (I know one shouldnt 'count chickens' but hey....!).

Over recent months I have developed an irritating rash on my legs. It would be appear to be urticaria or hives, and affects my legs from ankles up to mid-thigh. I showed it to our nice Practice Nurse when I was in regarding another matter, and she took a couple of photos and sent them to the duty Doc. Unfortunately he was the most useless Doc in the entire surgery.... and apparently just said "nothing to worry about it forget it it". But it's itchy - and I have a little itchy patch on my left forearm too now.

An internet search suggested that sometimes these rashes can be due to an autoimmune disease?So, I wonder of anyone else on the Forum has had this and if so what was the outcome? I have an Echocardiogram in 10 days time - and will see consultant afterwards - might it be worth showing her? Or go to my own GP?

My other Meds: Bisprolol; Lercandipine; Ramipril; Rosuvastatin; Risedronate and AdCal. Also on Apixaban following a DVT 18 months ago.

Happy New Year to all!

[SnazzyD]

Does a regular antihistamine help?

[Hopingsail in reply to SnazzyD]

That was a suggestion I saw on the web. I have some so I’ll give it a go. PMRpro mentions them also I see! Thanks. Will report back.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I was going to ask about antihistamines too.

[hurryupharry]

I have something similar, I tried antihistamine then cortisol cream. Neither seemed to relieve the itching. I then tried a cream called zeroderm. The gp gave me some, it was so good for the itching I now buy it on Amazon.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to hurryupharry]

I was about to comment that dry skin - very common with pred - is a very common cause of itch. Hence the zeroderm helping.

[calibriel]

It sounds a bit like what I have. I had some alarming allergic-like reactions last spring/early summer (including facial swellings, called angioedema, requiring visits to A&E.) The first thing they suspected was a drug reaction, but the suspect drug was withdrawn without success. There were no obvious candidates for allergy - I hadn’t been using any new foods or products - and apparently specialist appointments for testing are like hen’s teeth, so that avenue has not been explored. I am now being treated with a couple of different medications for a condition called spontaneuos urticaria with angioedema (which is indeed an autoimmune condition.) Those seem to be holding the reactions at bay, although I sometimes feel they are barely keeping a lid on it: I get isolated spots appearing from time to time, and I’ve started reacting to surgical dressings. I strongly suggest you get further medical help. I suspect the drug reaction, which is apparently the commonest cause of this, but not being medically qualified I’m reluctant to advise any more specifically on that. I hope you find help

[calibriel in reply to calibriel]

Also … sometimes I think we are too stoic. The doctor shouldn’t have said “forget it,” but I can sort of understand the “nothing to worry about:” often these things do clear up on their own, and uneccessary intervention can be unhelpful. Perhaps they didn’t want to overreact: and, if you don’t go back and say it’s still a problem, their opinion that it may be nothing is being reinforced. Sometimes they’re just waiting for us to go back and say “actually, this hasn’t gone away,” and then they’ll investigate further. A bit of a crude triage technique, and we don’t help ourselves if we take it at face value and go away and put up with it.

[Hopingsail in reply to calibriel]

Yes, you are right! We dont like to make a fuss....

I took antihistamine yesterday and another today, and it might be wishful thinking but it might be a little better. I'll give it a week or so - if not imoproving I'll go back to GP,

[calibriel in reply to Hopingsail]

Steroid cream is also helpful if you can get hold of it. Unfortunately the oral steroid dosage we take for PMR doesn’t make much difference