Rash, painful face

[weeblelady]

Please help.  my 19 yr old daughter back in Oct...had strange irregular "purple" rash, swelling, headache, pain in face, couldn't move that side.  Went to college clinic, sent to ER, ER felt it was cellulitis and prescribed 2 antibiotics.  Condition resolved in about 2 weeks.  Last Friday, she started having similar symptoms again.  Rash this time was not purple, more regular redness.  but otherwise symptoms the same.  Severe pain, headache, speech is effected, can't move side of face, swelling.  She says when she bends her head down to chest it makes it worst.  Dr. saying this is totally UNrelated to previous time??? and has now said its Trigeminal Neuralgyia.  They did a CT and blood work =both negative.  My daughter has had 3 back operations. lst fracture that didn't heal, then fusion that failed =no bone growth. and her 2nd fusion last april (lumbar spine).    Any thoughts and how do we get her relief? She is in Rochester NY.  I have probable MS.  Any other thoughts on what this could be?  I posted her photo of the rash on the neuro board this am.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

This sounds like something quite unusual, and there's not too much I'm going to be able to say from a distance.  Cellulitis would not cause headache and speech problems, whereas trigeminal neuralgia would not cause visible redness and swelling.  I can't think of a connection between these symptoms and her back operations or your MS.  I think primary consultation should be with a neurologist.  Sorry I can't be more definitive.

Dr. Rockoff

[weeblelady]

Thanks for responding....I didn't feel that the trigeminal neuralgia added up also.  She saw a different neurologist the other day.  He ordered a MRI and brain stem evoked potential and comprehensive labs.  Hopefully it will uncover the problem.  As of yesterday still no improvement.