Rash

[beantown]

About a year ago, I had a cold sore. I accidentally cut it open on the way to a doctors visit. After the visit, 2 days, I developed Impetigo. I went on a whole slew of different penicillins over the next 6 months to kill off whatever was on my face, which then went to my buttocks.



A throat culture then determined "Overgrowth of C. Albicans",

but no symptoms were present i.e. thrush, etc except ring-worm

in the buttocks area. That resolved mostly after several bouts of diflucan. I was tested negative for HIV three times.



To this day, I tend to have slight facial outbreaks on the

flares of my nose, the crease of my chin, and the left side

of my face. It usually happens after I go on a few day coughing

and sneezing jag. I have an appointment with a crack dermatologist, but this is driving me nuts. What the heck could

this be? No fever. No weight loss. I saw a Fungal specialist and

he looked at me and did a cursory examination and didn't feel

it was a fungus problem and didn't do any testing. No symptoms

according to him. He blamed it on the swab culture and said it

was a poor way to diagnose fungal infections especially on

someone who had as much penicillin as me.



-cold sore 03/01

  -impetigo 04/01

Peniclillin -> 5 mos (amox, cipro, keflex, and some others)

  - "ringworm" in buttocks area 09/01

  - Creams to treat

  - Diflucan 01/02

  - More diflucan to further resolve 03/02

  - 95% gone

    - slight redness chin, cheek, nose flares

    - slight itch in buttock area

    - comes and goes. Always better after a night sleep.

    - Shaving aggravates sometimes

    - Shaving helps sometimes??? <-- weird



What the heck could this be if it isn't fungus?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I agree with the fungal specialist that a culture of Candida albicans doesn't mean much by itself.  The fact that it took so long and so much therapy to clear up strongly suggests that yeast (Candida) wasn't the main problem.



You ask what you have now.  Yet the symptoms you say you now have are:



"To this day, I tend to have slight facial outbreaks on the

flares of my nose, the crease of my chin, and the left side

of my face."



Why do you think that "slight facial outbreaks" represent a disease, much less a continuation of the original problem?  Lots of people have mild facial otbreaks (heat rashes, folliculitis, whatever) which they just ignore and watch disappear. You go on:



"- slight itch in buttock area

- comes and goes. Always better after a night sleep.

- Shaving aggravates sometimes"



What does that add?  Not a whole lot.





I suspect trhe dermatologist you consult will tell you to separate the issues in your mind and use as little therapy as possible.



Take care.



Dr. Rockoff

[beantown]

Addendum: Just to be clear.



Skin tags developed in arm pits, itchy!

Right eye has that "sleepy feeling" when things are going on

[Jimbean]

I am FAR FAR FROM A DOCTOR!! But I had an experience when I was younger around 16yrs old...  I develop Impetigo I assume from the "wrestling mats" in Highschool....  Basically ever single cut or pimple on my body PUSSED like crazy it was weird.. I went to the doctor and he cleared it up with some type of medication..  Idonot remember how long or what type of medication all I know is that the derm said it was Impetigo...

At the age of 17 atleast 2 to 3 times a year I developed huge cyst or boils under my facial area (cheek,forehead,& chin)...

I must have went to 6 different Dermintologist from 17 to 21 year old... They kept cutting, draining, & giving me medication for the next 5 years...  No one can say why!!  Some of the doctors felt it was just something I would outgrow and maybe they were right.. At the age of 22 I never had another HUGH CYST out break..  But I honestly feel the  Impetigo infection stayed in my blood.. Just my personal info!! This cyst would get so big my EYE would shut or my face would look deformed.. It was crazy! After 3 days of medication it would go down and leave nice amount of fluid... I hope this helps!! I still never got a good answer..

[beantown]

Hey Doc, thanks.



They may well be individual issues. You're the first one

to say so. The reason I believe they are all associated

is because it's all in the same area that was terribly

inflamed. Prior to the impetigo, my skin had been fine sice

I was a teenager. From that point on, my face, eyes, nose,

and mouth have not been the same. I may be understating

"slight". Compared to what it was seeing in March of 2002,

they are slight. I'm definately linking the coughing

and sneezing, but I'm an engineer, not a Doctor, so it

probably works against me a bit. I've done some research

which may be working against me.



I have an appointment at the end of October. Earliest one I could

get. I believe the Dr. I will see is fine(BUMC), but I'm fairly

frustrated since it's affected my well being and quality of life. If you'd like to take a look at me, I am insured, BCBS

Elect, and in Boston. It'd be nice if someone would give it a diagnosis, including psychosematic.



All The Best,



BeanTown