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autoimmune itchy skin condition

I have a chronic skin condition said to be autoimmune. It all began following a camping trip when i was nine years old i came home with a lesion on my left temple terribly itchy and looked like poison ivy or a inflammed bug bite. I went to see several specialists, had many biopsey's showing it could be a bite reaction, leukeoclastic vasculitis, and 2 biopsey results showd up lymphocytic infiltrate. It has now been 16 years and the rash has spread to most of my body and the itch is just horrendous. The rash is definetely photosensitive. I have been on many medications with little results. Curently i am on prednisone and dapsone noticing a little relief but still the condition is ruling my life and the itch is very chronic. The opnly medications i have gotten any relief from very chloroquine and high doses of prednisone both just temporarily. Any suggestions or people with similar conditions it would be great to hear from you.
Many thanks
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Avatar universal
About a year ago i started noticeing the white patchs started small but in a year have pretty much consumed arms hands neck. The itching on my neck has been driveing me crazy ive tryed almost every anti inch medication off shelf with very little relief if any at all. It seems to be worse at night when trying to sleep i rub ice on it and just literally make my neck go numb it seems to give temporary relief for short while. I just wish i knew what would work to help me get a decent nights sleep.
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Avatar universal
Don't know if this will help anyone, but the only 2 things I've EVER found that work for my NASTY ITCH EPISODES are 1.  Gold Bond Powder (generic Dollar Store stuff works fine) and 2.  Campho Phenique (or any camphor, anti-itch product...Benadryl makes a nice gel available in a tube that most Walmart's sell). I have no diagnosis, but I've tried the OTC and prescription steroid creams to no avail in between bouts of insanity. Antihistamines have provided little relief. At least with the topicals I'm not putting my liver n kidneys through hell with things that don't work...and I can reapply when necessary.
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Avatar universal
Jess:       I have always had problems with bugs eat me up!  Cellulitis x 3  from ant bites. For the last 6 months I have been attacked by mites. I cannot get rid of them in my home. They go in my ears, nose and larvae sticks in my flesh. Everyone thinks I am nuts!!!  I have Sjogrens, RA. Constant itchy, and constant allergy meds. Help
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Avatar universal
Crap you sound just like me.. Minus the hair loss. I was told I have vitiligo about 10 years ago after I had my daughter we'll the spots have spread sense then but the past year I swear they itch like crazy more so the one on or near my genital area but my hands itch like crazy too just not all the time. But when I had my daughter I also got face hair. I did take care of it with lazier hair removel but now it's growing back like crazy again I have no idea what to do any more. Kinda feeling sad I'm only 34 why so many gross things happening to me. Oh and the freekin hairs I'm growing on my chest. Not hairs that some lady's have around there nipples but on my upper boods near my cleavage. I'm so gross we'll that's how I'm feeling these days any ways.

Have u found out any more about what's going on with your body
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Avatar universal
Have you had a full hormone check? :-)
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770900 tn?1235678057
I broke out in hives the beginning of September 2008.  After suffering through the holidays, getting only atarax (which knocked me out), my family doctor sent me to an allergist who immediately ran an Urticaria (hives) Panel.  That panel showed that my immune systems is attacking my TPO (Thyroid Peroxidase).  He is setting me up an appointment with an endocriniologist.  However, to control the hives he has me on Claritin, 20 mgs in the morning and Zyrtec 10 mgs  at night.  I do occassionally develop wheals but they do not itch.  You may want to ask your doctor about running an urticaria panel.
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Avatar universal
There is a type of eczema, atopic dermatitis, which is an auto-immune disease and is very rare.  It often is coupled with asthma.  I only recently found out that is what I have had all my life.  Didn't know I had asthma, either, until recently it has worsened with suddenly acquired allergies.  The doctor said that people who never had allergies often develop them as they age, especially women who reach menopause (I'll be 52 in Jan.)
I attributed my difficulty breathing to my smoking, my small airway and cfs.  But I wheezed even as a kid.  I have always turned mosquito bites, zits, scratches and cuts into craters that I kept open and bloody for years.  I have scars all over my arms and legs, and even a few elsewhere, from digging myself raw.  
I would search my skin with my fingers for tiny little bumps under the skin and dig them up.  I itched all over constantly.  People would back away from me, thinking I might have some terrible disease they didn't want to contract.
Triamcinolone (Kenalog) Cream or Ointment, which is steroidal, helps a lot, but there is a very expensive, highly specialized ointment that I discovered by accident online that works only on this one disease.  It will make the nasty itchiness go away, and so far, it hasn't returned anywhere I have used it.
That ointment is called Protopic ointment.  There is also a weaker ointment with the same ingredient, (tacrilimus) called Elidel.  It was discouvered accidentally while trying to develop a skin cancer drug.
Hopes this helps someone out there.
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560748 tn?1226864517
Just a thought, I have PBC and AIH so I can suffer terribly from itchy skin. It is that bad that you want to rip the skin off.  Now my meds have sorted I am ok for now but I did have something general at the start which was helpful.  Questran.  This product is for itchy scalp conditions, scalp meaning the skin all over the body.  Also , a general vitamin E6 cream to put back some of the essentials on to the skin helps.  Try anything, its worth it as not every remedy suits every person.
Helpful - 0
648155 tn?1238197357
i have a similar condition.  I want to get it figured out, as no Dr. has been helpful yet.  Rediculously itchy patches that ate here and there and majority of which are mirror images from side to side on my body.  CAN NOT help but scratch a lot.  i am taking Xyxol antihisthamine and Vanos ointment which helps some....but not nearly enough.  For me, often times the itchy patches depigment.  I have been diagnosed with vitiligo also, but who knows if the itching is from the spread of it, or if the trauma from the itching/ scratching causes the vitiligo to spread.  I have also been losing my hair within the past several months at the ripe age of 27.  (and female)  I am here to hopefully find some people to commiserate with....people who may understand how it feels to itch constantly, have my skin made ugly discusting, and loose my hair.  certainly noone else in my life understands nor do they seem sympethetic.  And I am ready for a good diagnoses other tha a doctor blaming it all on heridity.  (oh, did I mention the lovely couse beard i have developed)....until I get a true diagnoses that hopefull links some og these things, i will say I have the "ugly disease"
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Avatar universal
I have the same condition, with all the same symptoms.  I don't remember how I got it, but swear I have not had it all my life either.  I remember it really breaking out when I was about 16, I am now 29.  All I could relate it to was birth control pills???  Anyway, I take Allegra or Zyrtec w/ Singulair and it calms the itch.  It also, doesn't allow the welts to bump up as high.  I am in the process of trying Accupuncture and herbal medicines.  I will have to get back to you on how they are working.  
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Avatar universal
i have an autoimmune condition that causes chronic hives, I take allergy pills and it gets rid of the itch.  I take prescrition strenght reactine and hydroxyzine.   Have you tried taking high dose antihistamines?  
Helpful - 0
491754 tn?1209487651
I am not sure what to say about your condition but I think I picked up some weird condition on a camping trip also. In August 2007 I went on a camping trip in Canada and came back having a condition where if I scratch my skin or have pressure to it it will get really red and welt up and sometimes my whole body will itch really bad. You can literally write your name on my skin and it will appear and disappear within 30 minutes. The doctors have labeled it as Dermagraphism and say I had it all my life but I swear I never had it before. I think it was something in the woods I picked up. I know this wasn't much help for your condition but just know that you are not alone.
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