Sudden facial rash

[glasslass]

Diagnosed with LCSS for several years. Raynauds plus digestive issues, reasonably well controlled. Minor skin issues, dryness, freckles, white patches increase over time. Last few days I first noticed a red patch on my cheek, next day sudden burst of hayfever type sneezing which stopped after about an hour. Yesterday woke up to very bright red face and slightly puffed eyes. Take antihistamines daily anyway so moisturised. Can’t identify a cause for contact dermatitis but hoovered pillow and changed pillowslip. Redness stayed all day. This morning redness slightly worse, starting to feel as if it is raised a bit and lumpy and is hot. Not itchy. Went to pharmacist who was unable to say what it was but assumed it was an allergic reaction. Gave Zerobase cream, so far not helped.

Has anyone experienced similar?

Am I overreacting to what is probably just a reaction? Though anything reactive with me usually clears within hours?

Is this another aspect of autoimmune?

[Joan59]

have you started any new meditation recently ?

I started a new drug pulmonary arterial hypertension due to Scleroderma and after three weeks or 2 1/2 I began to get the same symptoms. My GP said that I was having an allergic reaction to it and that I should stop it and report it to my consultant. Just a thought think about what you have been eating too. Hope this helps

Joan

[glasslass in reply to Joan59]

Thank you Joan, have worked my way through all possible changes to medications, food, washing powder….. can’t come up with anything.

[Clangerscat]

I had a quite painful facial rash early on in my treatment of scleroderma which my consultant put down to a reaction to Mycophenolate. I was taken off it and although it calmed down I am still getting flare ups with it from time to time. It comes up as red patches which are a bit sore and itchy but painful if I scratch. I treat it with lots of moisturiser but do wonder if it is another symptom of the scleroderma.

[OldTed60]

This sounds like a fairly typical idiopathic allergic reaction to me. I’ve been having them for most of my life - sometimes from drugs or chemicals - others random without any obvious cause. Sometimes they start after years of tolerating a food or treatjebt perfectly well. I have similar resistance to anti histamines at times too and when this happens I need steroids, even a shot of Adrenalin once. I wouldn’t hang about in reporting this and asking for help because anaphylaxis can be slow or delayed in some instances. I reacted to both Sulfazalazine and Hydroxichloraquine in this way - the latter after 18 months of nothing more than some nausea after taking it.

Once I start to swell and rashes appear I know I need urgent medical input. I report this to the scleroderma Prof at Royal Free last year and he nodded and confirmed that being very prone to allergies does seem strongly associated with SSc. There’s a type of Vasculitis called Hypersensitivity Vasculitis which is a small vessel subtyie and I suspect that many of us with Systemic Sclerosis and Sjogren’s have this as well. Which may be where autoimmune meets Mast Cell Actuvation Disorder I think. I’m hypermobile so apparently likely to have MCAS as well as autoimmune diseases

[glasslass in reply to OldTed60]

That is interesting, I have tended to allergies and have some hyper mobility too. As did my mother, as does my daughter. The more I read and learn the more I believe that there is more to be discovered about how all this fits together.

[KatieAnna]

Hi glassglass I had very similar symptoms which turned out to be cellulitis in one side of my face. I had antibiotics and a swollen lymph gland in my neck which took a while to go. Good luck with getting it diagnosed.

[glasslass in reply to KatieAnna]

That sounds a bit unpleasant KatieAnna.

[glasslass]

Thank you all. At the encouragement of a nurse friend I did ring the surgery and was very impressed. Was immediately given a link to send pictures, call back from a GP within twenty minutes, very thorough chat. Have to double up antihistamines, blood tests tomorrow and she will send on the photos to the rheumatologist to ask for his advice.