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Spots on skin, red itchy patches, and hives

In October of 2007 I started noticing that when I sweat I would get these red patches on my skin that would itch. Then a week later I had these white spots on my arms. These spots did not itch, and they didn't form or combine together. Its like the spots are on the pores of my skin. These white spots spread everywhere under my head except my feet and hands in a couple of months. It also started on my scalp. Also during this time, anytime that I sweat my body would be covered in these red patches and they would itch and burn. But after I had dealt with the burning and itching for maybe ten minutes, my body would sweat again normally without any itching or burning. This lasted all the way up to the summer, and then it just disappeared around he beginning of June.

Then again in the last week of September I got it back only this time it was worse. Now I would get red patches and my body would break out into hives, or at least I think they were hives. Tiny red spot all over my arms, neck, shoulders, sometimes their were individual tiny spots and sometimes they formed together to make this big red mass. Also I sometimes got these goosebumps on my arms , but only on my upper arm never on my forearm, and on my back too, and my skin would get really tight. Also since September I have not been able to sweat, I always break out into hives. I even tried to test it by cranking the heat up, wearing a ton of layers, and drinking hot tea and things like that. After all the burning and pain, I ended up sweating but very little. Now it has gotten a little better, up to the point where I can sweat a little now without having to force myself that much. I still get the goosebumps but not nearly as much and its not as bad.

I have seen 5 doctors already and none of them seem to know whats wrong with me. I went to a dermatologist and they thought that I had atopic dermatitis. They prescribed some Desonide ointment, atopiclear, and allergy medication, which was allegra. Before that I was taking Claritin and Benadryl, and neither helped. Then I went to an allergist, he ran some tests, and found out I was allergic to dust ad that was pretty much it. He prescribed me more allegra, and then on my second visit prescribed me singulair and then also gave me instructions to change my diet, soap, and detergent. None of this has worked. At some point I had thought that it was a fungus and read online that Head and Shoulders or Selsun Blue would help but none of these did. Today I went to the pool and swam a few laps for the first time in almost two years, I stopped going to the gym because I couldn't itching or burning. I figured nothing would happen since I was underwater but I was wrong. My skin got red and started to burn. Before all of this started I did spend a couple of weeks in Denmark so I thought that I had gotten it from their but my doctors that I didn't because my symptoms showed up two weeks after I came back. I am in college now and its really bad, I can't really do anything because I break out in hives whenever I am about to sweat. Has anyone ever heard or know anything about this?
4 Responses
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405082 tn?1202432605
This sounds like it might be acantholytic dermatosis, aka Grover's Disease, which can be caused by occlusion (blockage) of the sweat glands. It also has other causes (mine, for instance, may have been caused by sun damage.) Your dermatologist can diagnose it by biopsy.
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Avatar universal
Can you please tell me what you found out?  My daughter has the same problem.
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Avatar universal
I forgot to mention that while I was on Allegra my doctor also prescribed hydroxyzine for nighttime. It didn't work, my allergist told me to take it during the day and I did for 3 weeks but nothing happened either. I stopped taking it because all it did was make me drowsy and did not help my symptoms at all.
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Avatar universal
Why?These are cholinergic urticarias,a form of physical hives,and respond to Atarax.Consult your doc.
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