Fluid weeping through skin

[charla]

I am looking for information on a disorder I experienced twice as a child.  On the last day of school when I was nine years old, fluid began weeping directly through my skin from my armpit.  I remember it had a distinctive odor and was quite sticky.  Within a very short time -- 24 hours? -- the condition spread to cover most of my body.  My Father carried me to a dermatologist wrapped in a blanket because I was unable to stand or wear clothing.  The doctor prescribed codeine sedation and daily baths in a ginseng solution – Mother ground up the tablets and dissolved them in water that was then added to the bath water.  Within a week I was able to walk semi-upright, but as I recall — and my memory is not good because of the sedation — the entire summer passed before I was fully recovered.  At some point during the next school year the condition returned and lasted a number of weeks.  What can you tell me about this disorder?  Thank you.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Charla:

You don't say how old you were, but this sounds like a story from the pre-steroid era.  The most likely ozzing rash in a child would be eczema, which nowadays would be tretaed with a few days of oral steroids.  Perhaps you have had mild recurrences over the years.  Without additional information, I'm afraid that's the best I can do.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[bonniejoy]

A related discussion, Weeping skin was started.