Fusarium, sporotrichosis? Doc's don't believe me!

[linnte]

I've been to my Nurse Practitioner, Emergency MD, and a Dermatologist of whom NONE have looked at my skin either macroscopicly or microscopicly.  I have, all over my body, but especially concentrated in certain areas, rough areas, where, when scraped or rubbed produce white fluffy stuff.  I get tiny, thin, fragile hairs out from my lips and under my fingernails too, along with the white stuff.  I itch all over, and it's worse at night.  Some places on my skin where I itch the most are patches where the normal body hair grows in thicker, fuzzy-like.  If I pluck out the thicker longer hair, a wound is created- some I've had for more than a YEAR!  These patches range from 2mm to 1cm in size.  If I scrape off a scab, there is white dots with the fluffy stuff that POPs! out or what appears to be tiny globs of jelly-like stuff that goes deep into my skin.  I can gently scrape a white dot on my lip and follow it down into my lip tissue until it stops at a tinier white area.  This scraped piece of matter in my lip is shaped like a cornocopia, but tiny, about 3mm long, 2mm at the top and 0.25mm at the base.  I can get the same in the skin of my hand.  I can feel tiny rough places on my fingernails where under the roughness, under my nails, are white cloud-like spots.  This stuff is in my eye conjunctiva too and around my eye lids.  The tips of 3 of my fingers are going numb from what I think is the pressure of the white stuff wanting out from under my nail.  When I pick at any of this it makes a mess, but if I leave it alone, my skin looks normal to an observer, but not to me, as I can feel it there as an itchy bump.  The skin on my lips will be sort of blueish in patches, and that area (looking in my X's 10 mirror) has the most white fluffy stuff when scraped.  This stuff from my lips tastes different, almost metallic.  A couple of days ago, I noticed lighter areas in the iris of my eyes around my pupils!  How can I find out what this is, if no one will listen to me or believe me?  I am an RN  and I take Adderal for ADD, and I think the MD's think I'm "tweeking".  HELP!

[linnte]

Auto Immune disorder--  Yes, I have Scleredema (not sclerederma)  Was Dx in 1996 with this, via skin Bx.  And funny, last night I was thinking that all of the most prolific places on my body where there are fuzzy patches are where the Scleredema has thickend my skin the most.  Also, I have Adult onset NIDDM, but work very hard to keep my CBG low and Glycohemeglobin A1C low.  Don't take meds for this.  My question was how can I get the Doc's to listen to me.  They think that because I take Adderal for ADD that I am picking-like a self injurious behavior that methamphetamine addicts have.  None of the 4 visits to "professionals" has resulted in a scraping for micro Dx.  No one has even taken a magnifying glass to look!  I am so stunned by this outcome, me who is normally assertive when needed- I just go away.  This stuff IS in my eyes, or at least my conjunctiva and surrounding tissues.  I am not working right now so I have no health insurance.  I've spent the latter part of my inheritance on medical visits for this, FOR NOTHING!  I am close to a nervous breakdown, seriously.  I have even thought about driving to Mexico and treating myself with IV amphoteracin B, but who would monitor me?  Yeiks!  My past work Hx includes hospital work (in old buildings) and much farm nursery work B4 I became a nurse.  It is so disconcerting to get a 2.5 cm "hair" out of my lip tissue!  Most of the hairs are 2-4 mm long though.  How can I get my practitioner to HEAR me?  Are there any magic words that would work, short of threatning law suit and ailienating them?  And, I have had periods of time where splinter streaks are abundant in my finger and toe nails.  I know this is not good.  Help!

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi,

I understand how difficult this is for you.

You have posted that you are probably thinking this is Fusarium?

Do you have any underlying systemic disease that renders you immunocompromised?

Fusarium infection is not common.If one has this, then an immunocompromised state should be considered.In your case, I suggest that you try  discussing these with your physicians.A microscopic examination of these skin scrapings may be able to establish the diagnosis.

I suggest you also have an eye examination done.Fungal infections may infect other parts of the body.It is best to have an eye infection excluded as when present may need immediate intervention.