Any ideas about strange rash on arm?

I started getting this rash on my arm yesterday.  I posted a picture of it on my MedHelp page, if anyone wants to take a look and make a guess or a suggestion.  I wrote in the comments area about what I've done for it so far.

I've a low-grade fever (99.6) hanging around from my sinus infection or whatever it was.  

Trying to keep a positive attitude; maybe a cup of decaf coconut chai tea will help ( I left my organic Dagoba Xocolatl hot chocolate powder at my friend's townhouse).

I'd appreciate any input,

Kathy

[Sunnytoday]

Hey there, just checking to see if you have taken the antibiotics before that you would of taken this time to get rid of your sinus infection... I've already gotten rashes from antibiotics. I'm always getting rashes of some sort, and have found that alternating benedryl cream with cortisone cream is effective in helping bring down the swelling and the itch. Good luck!
~Sunnytoday~

[Fluffysmom]

Thanks for the advice; maybe I'll try some benedryl cream, too, if this doesn't calm down; I really don't want to go to Urgent Care for a rash, unless its really bad, and I don't think this qualifies, unless it gets worse.

I have taken the same antibiotics in the past without getting a rash, though this was a generic form of it, and sometimes generics are made with different inert ingredients that wouldn't bother most people, but do me.  I got a rash from the inert ingredients in my BC pills, and had to get a special authorization from my insurance to get the name brand.

I'm glad that this rash doesn't itch; that would drive me buggy!  It just kind of stings, especially when I put the cortsone cream on it.

Kathy

[Sunnytoday]

Kathy, read your comments on your pics and just want you to lay off the cortisone if that's when it's stinging, and try the benedryl cream instead. can't hurt anything... and it may reduce the irritation... since it sounds like the cortisone *might be irritating it. I know, weird but you sound like me and I react to all sorts of normal sounding stuff. Also, it was originally a scratch, right? So, you've doused it good will all that anitseptic stuff, like that antiseptic cream and fizzy stuff (ok, can't remember names right now due to hot shower and too much of the game of Uno) Just try it for a day or two and if it improves, horaay, and if not, call your MD!
~Sunnytoday~

[Fluffysmom]

I'm not sure if the scratch caused the rash, or if it was a coincidence.  I did clean the scratch real well, and put medicine on it.  The rash showed up later.  I'll take good care of it and hopefully it will get better soon.  I didn't make it to the store today; to much snow and ice to wade through, so I don't have any benedryl cream to try on it.  I'll see what else I have.

Sleep well,

Kathy

[slightlybroken]

There is a rash my husband got after becoming ill with a sinus infection. I'm not sure if this is what you have or not but it does look similar.

Does the rash look more prominent after a shower or after getting warm?

This type of rash can be located on the  arms, chest, back, and thighs. Do you have any other locations effected?

[Fluffysmom]

I have noticed that it is more noticeable after a shower, cooking, or doing the dishes.  Oh, and after I hurried to Walgreen's and back before the freezing rain and got pretty warm because I was bundled up against the 22 degrees, wind, and snow.  

When I got home and took off my coat, the rash was really raised up and more red.

The only place I've seen the rash is on my right forearm.

So, what did your husband do for his rash?  What caused it, and did it go away quickly, or did he need some kind of medicine for it?

thanks,
Kathy

[slightlybroken]

The rash..if it's the same thing is known as pityriasis rosea. Our GP said it can sometimes occur after an infection or flu. It sometimes can be itchy but often times might not be. His would be itchy after a shower or when he was over heated and the rash would be more red and raised.

It can last for 6-8 weeks. The only medication they prescribe is for the itching. You can use hydro-cortisone 1% cream if it is itchy. An oral antihistamine..like benadryl, zyrtec..etc. It goes away on it's own otherwise.

I'm not sure if this is what you got or not.There is one distinct thing with this. Before you got the rash, did you get a circular patch of dry skin? It would be bigger than the rash itself and dry to the touch. Is the rash dry to the touch?

[doni54]

Hi Kathy,

Sounds like Sunny and sb have given you good advice.  Is the rash any better?

Take care and be careful getting too warm!!  That's not good for you, you know!!

Have a great day!
doni

[Fluffysmom]

The rash is dry to the touch.  It is getting better; now it just looks like an area with a bunch of broken capillaries in a splotchy pattern.  It raised up some after my shower, and itched by the scrape on my arm.

My skin there has been very dry; I think that's why I got the scrape so easily.  Who knows what it is, and I guess I don't care if it just goes away!

I know I shouldn't get too warm, sometimes it just happens,and I pay.  The maintenance worker at my building cleared the sidewalks by shoveling the huge chunks of ice into the only spaces available for on-street parking.  My best friend came by to get the packages I'd wrapped, and couldn't park.

I tried to carry the packages to her in the street, and had to dodge dog do squished all over the packed ice.  She was upset, trying to get out of town and deliver the packages before the next storm rolls in.

"Doug" told me he could get me in trouble for my friend cursing him the way she had.  I told him that she was trying to park and couldn't because of what he'd done.  First he said he'd only put it in the yellow zone, but it was clear that he had filled several parking spaces.  He was rude and talked down to me.

I went and talked to the manager, who told me that's just the way it was, using a whole lot of words.  I went back to doing my laundry, and she followed me into the laundry room and asked if I was a new resident, and I told her that I'd lived here since 1997.  When she said that she hadn't seen me around, I just looked at her.  She's a temporary manager that's rarely here. She repeated her excuses, explanations, and how they were doing nothing wrong.

I folded my hot clothes out of the drier, came upstairs, and found I had to open my window and lean out into the cold air to cool me off and calm me down.  Hmm, I didn't check my rash after all that.

I actually called the City to ask about such things, as the manager said "everybody in the city shovels their snow out into the street".

I was told their was no ordinance to keep them from doing that, but that common sense would tell them not to, that they should pile it in one area.  We had a good laugh about common sense being lacking in my building; after all, it took 3 months to get my apartment cleaned up and livable after their pest control person did a "willfully negligent" application of pesticide in my apartment (while Fluffy was home!).

I'm calming down, but my friend just called and said there is no way she can make it out to her mom's and she was coming back.  In a while I'll have to go back down and haul up a shopping cart full of presents while she tries to find a place to park.

Big deep breath.

Hmm, I may need chocolate!  :o)

Kathy

[Sunnytoday]

Ooooooo.... poor Kathy!! You just go and get yourself some chocolate, curl up and read a book, get on the 'puter, or watch a fun movie and get your mind off of yourself and your unfair manager. I hope those packages aren't too heavy coming back up the steps... that sure doesn't sound like a lot of fun!!
~Sunnytoday~

[Fluffysmom]

My friend called back; she had turned around to take another route, and continued on to her mom's.  It took hours, for what normaly would be a 45 minute drive at the most.  She said she's going to unload the packages (ho!ho!ho!), eat a sandwich her mom made for her, and then drive back in.

After all that stressful driving, she still wants to go to work in the morning, so needs to start from here as it's so close to her office.  I guess that's why she's the boss.
She had 7 people show up today, after being the only one at the office yesterday.

I ate a chocolate chip cookie for a late lunch, then hummous and lite havarti on a whole wheat roll for dinner, then some of my favorite dried pineapple rings.  I looked at some vegetables, but they didn't jump out of the fridge and cook themselves, so I guess I'm good.

oh my, my friend just called, and her mom sent some homemade fudge with her.  Maybe I'll have just a touch more chocolate tonight..

Kathy

[Sailorsong]

Please stop with the food stuff, You're making me hungry! I'm going to have enough of a problem making my Black Forest Cheesecake without eating it all tonight. :)

Black Forest Cheesecake...

Cheesecake with chopped dark sweet cherries folded into the cheese filling and drizzeled with milk chocolate then topped with sliced dark sweet cherries and shaved semi-sweet chocolate.

Dennis

[Fluffysmom]

Now, that was cruel!  That sounds really heavenly, and I'm not a big cheesecake fan!  I think I'd become one if I tried that, so please don't give me the recipe.  

OK, if you want to post the recipe, I wouldn't mind.  :o)

I'll bet it looks impressive, too.

Kathy