Cherry Angiomas - sudden appearance of hundreds of spots

[sunny_one]

I have had a number of health problems over the past 2 years - highlights include heart palpitations, fever of unknown origin (up to 102 F), GI problems and long term diarrhea, itchy skin, multiple UTIs, new redness/rash on cheeks, positive ANA but no Lupus. I've been hospitalized 4 times with complications from above, but not much found from testing. I was always fairly healthy and active before this time.

I've had many many tests for viral and bacterial infections, but no significant results to date other than a parasitic infection and yeast infection.

Over the past 6 weeks I've developed hundreds of tiny cherry angiomas over my arms, stomach, neck, chest, back, roof of mouth, and legs. Many are the size of a pin point and they are either bright red or dark red/black in color. They seem to come in large numbers with more appearing all the time. Some of the older ones are expanding to the size of a pin head or a little larger. Also, 2 weeks ago my lips swelled to 2 or 3 times their normal size for apparently no reason - no new creams, lotions, lipstick, foods. They stayed swollen for about 10 days and then slowly and painfully deflated and healed. Many angiomas appeared during this time including two spots on my upper lip.

My questions are: Should I be concerned about this? Can this sudden appearance be linked to any other health problems? Is there any way to stop or slow the process of their appearance? Can the lip swelling be connected?

Thank you,
sunny_one

[chrispi]

A related discussion, cherry angiomas was started.

[sunny_one]

Also, when I remember, I take a probiotic which was recommended to me by someone whose child is autistic and has made improvements with speech and eye contact after using for several weeks. (Nature magazine recently reported that a study will be conducted about this very topic). The one I take is called Udo's Choice and I find it doesn't upset my stomach like some of the blends I've used.

[sunny_one]

Clear,

Thank you for taking time to reply, I don't think this is what I have either... My angiomas are not at all itchy and the spots are not raised like chicken pox. Nor is my skin excessively dry (I live in the desert, so a little dry should be expected). I have a red rash on my face, but was told it is rosacea - I'm very pale and it gets much redder when my fever goes up and it looks pretty close the the butterfly rash of Lupus. I also have (always had) very low cholesterol.

Again, thanks for your post - hopefully someone else will read it and recognize their symptoms from what you've shared and be able to get the help they need!

[Clear]

From ALL the research that I have been doing on Fungus rashes, I HIGHLY believe that you have a widespread fungal infection.

Some of the signs and symptoms that you have descriped in your first question are also IDENTICAL to having a fungus infection.
Symptoms of fungus infection:
Rash on skin - very itchy after showers
very dry skin & flaky
small red dots that appear on skin looking like chicken pox
low grade fevers
diarrhea
heart irregulations
high cholesterol readings - when fungal toxins (mycotoxins)are exposed to the blood stream it can cause a high elevation of in the persons blood cholesterol as a protective measure.  cholesterol binds fungal toxins to render them less harmful.

There is a great book - The Fungus Link by Doug A. Kaufmann.

I have been researching this for about 4 years due to having eczema all my life.  I now have large fungus skin infection and will be getting rid of it.

I would not be using any cortisone creams or ANY steriods, they only suppress your immune system and make things 10 times worse in the end.  Try to get an antifungal from your doctor, some times Dr. do not like to hear this from you because they like to be the diagnosis person.  Stay away from ALL sugar and juice or eat lots of garlic and carrot juice and also use with psyllum husks to move it all out of your intestines.  ALso take a probiotic - beneficial bacteria for your gut.  If you have taken antibiotics and steroids then you wiped out your gut of all beneficial bacteria setting you up for a candida issue - Fungus!

Your symptoms do not stump me at all.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Fabry's Disease is a hereditary condition whose symptoms--almost exclusively in males--would start in childhood.  Still, a re-evaluation and possible skin biopsy would seem like a good idea.

Dr. Rockoff

[sunny_one]

Thank you nmc and Dr. Rockoff. I did a search for Fabry's and a few symptoms do fit, but some don't... I suppose I'm headed back to the doctor as the angiomas continue to appear all the time in large numbers. Most of them are not raised like the pictures I've seen of cherry angiomas, but are right beneath the skin and very, very tiny. This is the first time that I've been glad to have freckles :).

I did find an article on eMedicine that states "In several patients, cherry hemangiomas that have erupted over a very short period of time were associated with an internal malignancy." http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic73.htm. Have you heard of this? Should I mention this to my doc?

[nmc]

FYI
As a X-linked recessive disorder, men will experience severe symptoms - but women (thanks to Lyonization) often do experience symptoms (and outcomes) on par with males. A recent publication in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation (Mehta,Ricci,Widmer, et al., 2004), contends that women should no longer be considered asymptomatic "carriers" of this disease.

[nmc]

Hi again sunny:
My dermatologist also "diagnosed" the red spots on my arms, legs, chest, and stomach as cherry angiomas. However, they were later found to be angiokeratomas. Do a search for Fabry symptoms and compare with your own. You do not have to manifest all the symptoms listed to have this disorder (it has a variable expression). Fabry's is rare, so would not be the first diagnosis to pop into a doctor's head, especially because you are a female.
Best of luck

[nmc]

Are you sure these spots are cherry angiomas? The spots may be angiokeratomas (mine look like petechia), which is associated with a lyosomal storage disorder called Fabry's Disease. You also report experiencing some of the other symptoms associated with this disorder, so seemed a possible explanation (emphasis on possible). Hope you find some answers here.

[sunny_one]

Thanks for posting this info. I'm fairly certain they are cherry angiomas - I've been to a dermatologist who diagnosed them as such and an infectious disease doc did not recognize them as petechia. Forgot to mention in original post that I'm 37 and female.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I confess to being stumped.  I have never seen the explosive onset of cherry angiomas, nor have I ever heard of a syndrome of which such an onset is a part.  I advise your consulting a dermatologist for a look and perhaps a biopsy.  

Swollen lips may be part of an outbreak of hives or an allergic reaction, but I can't connect that with angiomas either.

Though I really don't know whether what you have has any significance, I feel that you ought to see a doctor about this.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff