very itchy red blotchy rash on torso, legs arms, back, and neck

[saraaaa]

My rash started two weeks ago. I first noticed two red spots that appeared in the shower and only itched when the hot shower got to them. I didn't think much of them. They were fairly non descript round red ovals one each on the crease of my thighs. A couple of days after that my legs were itchy and small hive like spots (loooked like various size mosquito bites appearing and then disappearing) scattered randomly about itched like crazy. This continued to spread and an added rash occurred. A generalized red blotchy rash. At this point I went to my doctor. He said I had uticaria. I was taking wellbutrin for smoking cessation for a couple of months. He told me to stop the bupropian and prescribed benadryl. Five days later the rash had grown in intensity-the hive like rash had stopped. but the rash that started it all (the two round ovals) had progressed and spread to the whole front of my stomach. It is very itchy, burny, thick feeling skin-totally red all the way down the front of my thighs and above the belly button. It then somewhat disperses into this red blotchy rash that is all over my arms,legs, back, and chest. In addition to this I get these outbreaks of tiny white dots about the size of this O that occur in areas as small as ten dots to all the way up and down my arms and legs. These areas usually subside after an hour or so leaving more of the red rash behind.

Obviously benadryl, oatemal baths, medicated lotions and the like are completely ineffective. My hips were covered in  thick welts where my stretch marks are, buttocks covered in rash, legs covered in red blotchy rash, arms, neck, back, buttocks, covered in rash.  Plus the dotty areas continued. Feet are the only place completely unaffected. I went to a different doctor. He ruled out scabies and an allergic reaction to topical things such as soaps. He prescribed zyrtec and doxepin. He diagnosed dermatitis. I felt better for one day. The rash subsided by about 50%. That was three days ago. After day one the itching has increased again. The welts have not returned but the rest of the rash has continued at least as bad as it haas ever been in some areas worse.

I have scratched myself silly. Here's what the doc has said:

no secondary infection present.
no topical irritant
probably not wellbutrin
does not show any classic signs of scabies infection

I answerwed the following questions
nothing new in diet
no new soaps or other topical items,no food allergies to date
no med reactions to date, no skin problems before this
no flu like symptoms, no fever, aches,nausea

I also mentioned to the doctor that the first three days I had the rash with hive like spots my eyes were swollen shut in the morning. I  don't know if this actually has anything to do with the rash but I want to make sure I give you as much info as possible.

I have purchased everything possible and test treated small spots to see if I could get any relief. NOPE.

Must stop scratching!
Sara

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

It sounds as though you do indeed have urticaria, or hives.  These are almost never caused by a specific allergic cause, such as new soaps and detergents.  The goal of treatment is to make the symptoms tolerable, until they go away, which they do.  Methods of therapy include antihistamines and topical creams and sometimes short a short course of oral steroids.  Scabies in your case is entirely out of the question, based on your description.  What you should do is let your doctor know how miserable you are.  Various changes in therapy would make you more comfortable.  Keep in mind that in all likelihood you are going to get better.  The eye swelling and the rest of what you describe are entirely conssitent with hives.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[saraaaa]

Thanks, I have doubled the zyrtec and stopped the doxepin and seem to be doing a little better.

I remembered the doctor saying "it looks maculopapular to me but of course that means nothing to you" so I looked it up and indeed it looks like that could be caused from a drug allergy.

All I know is it looks like it will take a month to run its course (as the bupropian site stated) I am assuming my on again off again behavior with the drug helped increase the likelihood of the allergy..I am guessing. I haven't started smoking again so maybe it was worth it.

Thanks again,

Sara

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Maculopapular just means flat marks and bumps--it doesn't point to anything specific at all.

Dr. Rockoff

[saraaaa]

Okay..I give...white flag a flyin... a mystery it shall be. No known cause...no answers...just itches.

So long as it doesn't turn into a recurring problem I promise to quit scouring the internet. This alone is enough to turn anyone into a very sick puppy!

Thanks Dr Rockoff, 19 bucks was a lot cheaper than another $108 for a little peace of mind.

Sara

[brat28]

I have a rash that sounds like the same thing. I got it last winter and went to the Dr. quite a few times, they kept prescribing different lotions and meds. After a few months and that did not work they did a skin test (took out a chunk of skin on my stomach, which is where it was the worst), it came back as nothing. They said I was allergic to myself. I thought he was joking and going to give me some good news like how to cure the rash, he wasn't joking. I started with hives on my upper chest and lower stomach and huge ones on stretch marks on my stomach and thighs. It ended up being a horrible red rash all over my torso, neck, back and tops of my legs. It always seemed to get alot worse when I wore warm clothes, took a warm shower or slept under blankets. It went away once summer got here and now since it is cold out his is coming back fast.

[renee97]

I had almost the SAME thing happen to me... and my rash/hives/welts whatever they were persisted for 6 months. They would pop up at random moments, in random places. Usually if I got too warm.

OTC's didn't work, benadryl didn't work, calamine didn't work.

The only thing that helped me was accupuncture. Seriously. I had a total of 3 treatments and since then, I've never had a welt or hive again.

The way the accupuncturist explained it to me was that the hives were my body's response to too much "chi" or heat in my body.. the meds could have triggered it, but that for it to truly clear up, the "chi" would have to be released.

So, anyway, it worked for me. Just thought I'd share.

[Estebanca]

I apparently have the same thing.  Although not as bad as some of the earlier postings.  I at first thought they were mosquito bites.  They would happen occasionally, but consistently and only one at a time -- and on random parts of my body, no bigger than the size of: O.  It often looks like a regular "teenage pimple" and sometime leaves a "pimple scar" with a whitehead.  They occur on various parts of my body, sometimes my leg, sometimes, my arm, sometimes, my back.  I ignored it at first; they were more a nuisance than anything else, as they would go away after a few hours or after the day.  However, about six months ago, they started getting more regular and common.  Now it's a daily occurence.  The outbreaks tend to occur more commonly on my head, back, stomach, and chest area, but occasionally on my arms and legs.  My doctor said it was contact dermatitus (sp?).  So I've changed detergent, soaps, and deodorant, and I no longer sleep with a down-feather pillow.  Since I changed detergents (I now use a detergent for babies.) the intensity of the "itch" has gone down and the hive's physical appearance is less pronounced, however, the quantity of the hive is still the same.  The idea of trying to figure out what is causing this allergic reaction is unappealing, as it appears it could be anything.  I really like the idea of acupuncture, and I will seriously consider it.  If that doesn't work, I will go to my doctor and see what he has to say.

[flash 2]

How long has it been since the acupuncture treatment and what was the cost?

[iheartme]

I know what you mean, Ihad this problem for about a week now. First it just started to itch then what I thought was mosqito bites started poping up every where.Aout two days ago they started appearing on my arms then on my neck a little bit It just hasn't got to my back just yet but I am so glad about that. I haven't told my dad just yet because I know he joke around and say "ow,do you wan't me to take you to the hospital so they can check it out 'cause it's starting to look pretty bad now" in a consoling voice. But anyway I think I want tell him tomarrowbefore it gets any worsel!     from,ELAYNE*****************************************************************$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$*****************************************************************

[guvner]

hi everyone im really intrested in talking to you i seem to have the same problem and was wondering if anyone wants to talk about it some more with me?? my email is ***@**** thanks

[Alex12345]

Ya, i have been getting these like mosquito bite size itchy red spots for a few months, but some months i get no icthyness and other i get it. its really weird, like now i have those mosquito ithcy bites on my arms, stomach, feet,wrist elbows, i get it in one spot for a day then its completely gone the next few hours. then it comes back in like my arm or some where different. i hate it what do u guys recommend???

[vgweston]

Lordy be, I empathize with ALL of ya'll...........mine just popped up a couple of weeks ago and it's driving me CRAZY!!  Started with a little rash, itch on right foot (ok poison ivy? from dogs?)......then, the NEXT week, it had 'traveled' to my left foot and it did NOT ITCH?!  Nope, same, same, no itch?!  So, no biggie, but by the NEXT week it had kinda gone UP my RIGHT LEG.......??  What?%$~!

Okay, still no biggie since it didn't itch, at ALL.........no itch.

Then, next week all of a sudden on my right forearm same 'rashy kinda thing'.........no itch.  Raised kinda white looking welts, but no itch.  Okay, no big deal, right??

Then, on to my left arm, left leg, back to right leg a little, but mostly on left and right arm........poison ivy??  ??

Then, (and, as I look BACK it continued----fatigue, sweats (I'm in menopause, how would I recognize THAT?!:) fatigue----like I didn't REALIZE that I was so TIRED from this RASH or WHATEVER??!!

And, now, the original rash is now a non-itching RED DOT rash or whatever??!!  Oh, and it continued until it went from my tummy to the base of my neck??  Ah..........different clothes, not touch dogs, don't think it's contagious since it has SPECIFIC 'BOUNDARIES'?????????????

Still doesn't itch except a tiny bit........I take an allergy pill everyday (Actifed) and Ibuprophen sometimes............never had a problem with either.

|what concerns me tonight is that the OLD welts are NOW red SPOTS, DOTS, no itching??!!

Wierd?????????????????????????//

Anyone that has a CLUE what's going on with me, thanks for sharing, and I've been all OVER the web looking at photos and researching and I can't find ANYTHING LIKE THIS??????????!!!!!!!!!

Kinda scary, actually............."-)

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[Espostal]

My wife is going through the same thing and nothing has changed in her life. The only thing she says she had changed was that she had literraly worn a set of ear rings for 10 years. She recently put ear rungs in that were only cheap metal and not gold and the problem started. She purchased the ear rings from Kholes. She has swithced them back to the gold ear rings and the symtims are still here but it's only been a few days. We winder if the gold had balanced her ph level and removing them may be the cause since she had worn them so long.

Her symptoms are the same as you describe. Right after a shower she swells up. If she goes out in the cold 20 degree weather and back to warm it makes it worse. It does seem to come and go daily. Mostly around her shower.