Strange Rash??

[Amphitrite]

I wrote about 6 months ago because of my many symptoms that matched MS and some sutoimmune condition. I'm embarssed to say that I have once again over the past 6 months ignored my symptoms just as I had for the past few years. I think mainly because it took them a year to find my bladder disease and endometriosis that I couldn't stand to play..find Amphs new hidden disease. It was just so overwhemlning and stressful because I'm in pain from my bladder daily and have pain throught my body and....well, let me stop. There's no excuse for not following up on my symptoms and health concerns. Infcat it's downright danerous and srupid.

But for the past week I've been very concerned abit a strange rash I've had on my upper thigh for the past two years. Uusally it causes no paim or sensativity although that leg get's weaker than the other and it sometimes turn numb in certain places...one morning I woke up and almost my who leg was numb but that went away within half and hour to an hour.

But this rash...which isn't raised and is under the skin...It tooks like my blood vessels in my upper thigh have burst leaving sark lines that look almost like a sider web. But it's so dark and obvious. But yeasterday my leg began to hurt so badly. So much that to even touch it radiated pain through my body. I can't walk easily on the leg. There's too much pain, especially in my thigh going into my knees.

All my docdtors when they see it ask what it is. I tell them I have no idea and no doctor has ever known themselves. But the fact that it's getting bigger and darker is concerning me.
I know there are so many members here that are so educated not only in the symptoms of MS but onther health sympyoms.
Obviously I have to visit my PCP to see what she says...but my husband wants me to go to the ER because it looks so strange and bad and it's getting bigger and darker and seems to be effecting my leg after two years of it causing no disomfort.

So my question is. Should I wait until I can get an appointment or go to the ER. I have soo many symptoms of MS and some of autoimmune problems. And they just keep getting worse,,,especially the mempry lapses and concentration. I forget things so easily and my right eye hurts badly alot of days.

I didn't post much before because I was afraid and after having an MRI that wasn't sufficiant to the neurologist...I couldn't handle going back so stopped dealing with it and ogmore it. But medically I have no where to turn to anyone who knows. My aunt has MS but I feel bad putting prssure on her and scaring her thinking I could also have MS.

Sorry, this is long. But I just don't know what to do about my leg...Go to the ER or waut afew more days for a regular appointment. And if I go to the ER will they laugh at my rediculousness over a rash even though none of them know what it is....no doctor does.

Thanks, amphitrite

I hope to actaully start to take care of myself more and stop ognoring my symptoms do I hope to meet some new friends who understand the diagnosis process and hope that I;m welcome even of I have no idea if it's even MS.

[Cherie762]

could it possibly be erethema nodosum or sarcodosis? looks a bit like a nodosum

[Amphitrite]

Hi quix  and sam,

   So I didn't go to the ER last night. My PCP couldn't see me today so I ended up in the ER tonight. The ER doc(who was very nice) and the nurse had no idea what it is even after I mentioned the names you game me. They said it very well may be but that in the ER they didn't have the means to find out and could only make sure I was a comfortable as possible and they treated my pain.

Of course I got a lecture from teh doc about not ignoring my symptoms and doing something about it. That he knows teh possible diagnosis are scary and the diagnostic workups can be too but that if I don't do it now and waut it's just going to do what it's going to do to me anyway and if I find out it was treatable I'll really regret it...he's right.
Especially instead of going to the doc or ER I try to treat myself and cath myself with whatever I can find that I think could reach my bladder and bypass my urethra(stupid I know...but being in pain for too long makes to do some really stupid things)
And haveing Interstitial Cystitis and Endometriosis makes me for some reason more prone to developing other autoimmune disease and MS, but more likely autoimmune that mimic MS because I have almost every symptom of MS.

I promise I will make an app, with my Rhumatologist and to boot a dermatologist, even though I think quix, you are onto the answer.

I've never injured myself where the spider web like "rash" is. It actually showed up two years ago. Stay small and in the past weel began growing largely and changing to a very dark color. Agian, shame on me for ignoring my symptoms and being in denial.

Being afraid of teh tests and the diagnosis aren't close to what the damage could be if I ignore everything.

So thank you both so much for your info and support. It really help, alot. And now I have some names to take to my other docs too. I mean they could have found out what's going on...but that would have ment admitting me and I hate staying overnight in the hospital.

Sam, I'm glad you went and that it helpped you to get in and see your doc. I dn't know why I'm so embarassed to go to the ER. I've been there a million times. And at times I've been admitted for nuero like symtoms. But the MRI wasn't good enough for some reason and I never went back to get another like I was supposed to.

I hate playing find the hidden disease...again:):)
But I gatta play, we all do if we want to get answers and not feel like garbage everyday,

So again, thanks

Amph

[uk2]

So sorry you going through this, i was worried to go to A&E or ER as you call it in america for my bad verigo but i was glad i did as it pushed my dr to re see a neuro so has been well worth it although the wait was not!! and the meds they gave me made my vison worst but the dr was so caring and spent longer then my first neuro either did so i urge you to go to ER even if you feel stupid as pain is not being stupid neither is a rash.

Have you ever injured that area just thinking of a sydrome that causes pain to the touch cold worse and a mottling effect that grows and covers the skin but can also effect healthy skin near it like your tummy its automune comes on after an injury and then starts effecting the area and near years after an injury or sometimes people dont even know why it happens, bloody mind cant think of it maybe quix can reflex something!!!


sam

[Quixotic1]

Only a few of the types of LR are caused by cold.  Others can be there no matter what and there is a rarer problem with the blood triggered by heat, I think.

Also it can be seen by iteself in otherwise healthy people, called Idiopathic Livedo Reticularis, but with your level of symptoms, I would bet on an autoimmune thing.

Painful livedo reticularis needs attention.  I think you should be seen.

Q

[Amphitrite]

It does look very similar. Thankfully it's only in one spot as of now..and if I take care of it or maybe if it can't be fixed it will only stay in that spot. A few on my stomach and a few on my other thigh that arent as bad. But yes, those picture do resemble what mine looks like of course taking into account what you said above about coloring. Unfortunitly mine gets worse with heat and stays teh same in cold.

If the pain continues for another hour...I've taken oxycontin and percocet and klonpin for other confition....if the pain continues at this severity I will go. And hopefully they'lk be able to help. I just am always afraid of going to the ER for anything painful because I hate being laoaded up with IV pain meds..they scare me. So maybe they'll be more interested in finding out "what" then quiting my whimpering and whining:):)

And this is the origional issue. I either have autoimmune, MS or something that defenotly mimics MS. With all teh symptoms there's no way to ignore it any longer.
As I said...lesson for me theough this.
And now I get back into the limbo land game!

But thank you agan for your healp..I really appriciate you answering and helping me out like this. I now feel a little better knowing it may be something someone will at least rcognize as you may have:)

Thabks

[Amphitrite]

Thank you quix..I will look at the pictures from the web site. I think that you know alot more than I do:) Lupus has been ruled out but I don't know about any of the others.

As far as I can tell there is no swelling, but the pain is rediuclous. Hurts to the touch and shoots from teh thigh where the rash is to my knee.
I've never been concerned about it beofre because it was just there and like I said, I was srupidly in denial.

But I am thinking about going just to be on the safe said because of the pain and the fact that within this week it's actually increased in size and color becoming darker. 6months ago my CPK wa really high.
But if I do go I will mention th ename you just gave me and see what they say.

I shouldn't have let this go for so long...I think I'll take this as a lesson!

Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly. I appriciate it so much. And yoy've given me alot to think about and consider with the above names. Tabk you so very much!!

Amph

[Quixotic1]

other pics - remember that different people's rash may appear more reddish or m,ore purplish depending on their coloration.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/474871

http://dermis.multimedica.de/dermisroot/en/42784/diagnose.htm

People with kids may remember the marbling that young infants often get when cold.  this looks the same, but it is very transient in infants, going away when they rewarm.

Q

[Quixotic1]

Well, the name I want is on the tips of my fingers and won't type, lol.  But, another that I thought of is "livedo (or livido) reticularis."  this is a vascular reaction in the skin that can be seen with several of the autoimmune diseases that can cause vasculitis, a type of inflammation in the small arteries.

Here are a couple of pictures of it:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/livedo-reticularis/AN01622

http://dermnetnz.org/vascular/livedo-vascularis.html

See if these look like your rash.  If so, read the articles on livedo on these two sites.  the most common diseases are Lupus, Sjogren's Syndrome, dermatomyositis, rheumatoid arthritis. There are also problems in the blood that can cause this like antiphospholipid syndrome, and cryoglobulinemia.  The first is a problem with the blood clotting too easily.  It's also called Hughes Syndrome.  It is mandatory to be tested for this as it is a close mimcker of MS.  The other, Cryoglobulinemia, is the production of a protein that causes the blood to become too thick when exposed to the cold.

So, if this looks like your rash I would insist on seeing a rheumatologist and getting a thorough workup.  The pain you are having in the leg worries me.  Is that leg swelling at all?  Is the foot puffy?  If you do go to the ER, you could tell them that a friend online who is a physician said it looked in the picture like livedo reticularis.

What do you think?

Quix

[Amphitrite]

PS...I just put a photo up of the rash/whatever it is. Maybe someone will recognize it or have an opinion on...:) Thnaks