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rashes all over?

About 7:30pm last night I was sitting at my computer desk and my back started to itch. As I went to scratch it i noticed huge lumps that have never been there before. I lifted my shirt and there were huge red lumps all over my body.  My whole stomach up til about my rip cage, the bottom half of my back, my arms(most brutal), and my inner thighs.  It was red lumps varying in size all over.  It spread extremely quickly too.  I am a college student living in a dorm, so my mom wanted me to go to the E.R. just incase because she wasn't here so she didnt know what it looked like at all.  She was scared it could have been meningitis because rashes are a symptom.  I thought she was over reacting because it was like any normal rash I've ever gotten before, except it looked much more brutal.  It itched a little, but not too much.  It itched like when you have dry skin.  These lumps would start out solo but as time progressed they would all join together and it would end up being one giant rash.  My skin was slightly elevated.  I have no other symptoms what-so-ever.  I feel perfectly fine.  I took benedryl last night before I went to the ER and by the time I got to see the doctor, the benedryl had pretty much completely cured my skin.  It looked 100% normal actually, like it would on any regular day.  This morning, I woke up and I checked my body and i had little patches of them, like one on my arm and one on my waste.  About a half hour after I woke up, my whole body was pretty much covered again in this rash, except my arm which was the most brutal last night was practically perfect.  This time though, my legs were the most brutal.  They were covered with lumps from my knees down, including the top of my feet.  The ER doctors told me that its just hives, and I had an allergic reaction.  Today, I went to the health center at my school to get more benedryl and the doctor said there's no chance its hives, and that she thinks its a fungus of some sort.  No one seems to have seen anything like it.  Does anyone have an opinion on what this could be, and how to cure it?
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Avatar universal
I have been taking benedryl pretty often (as prescribed) and the rashes go away for that period of time, but when it wears off they seem to come back.  After I shower, I can see spots too but other than that they go away from the benedryl.  Also, my palms started to become slightly irritated last night for the first time.  It actually feels similar to a sun burn.  Also, while walking to class I noticed that my ankles were rather sore.  I'm not sure if this has anything to do with the rash, but it seemed kind of weird because I haven't done much physical activity to be sore.  Any thoughts?
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,
They sound like hives.Hives (medically known as urticaria) are red, itchy, raised areas of skin that appear in varying shapes and sizes. Many cases of hives are "idiopathic," meaning no cause is known. Others may be triggered by viral infections or medications.

The mainstay of treatment of hives is antihistamine which may be necessary for prolonged periods (in excess of 6 weeks). Take non-sedating antihistamines such as Cetirizine or Loratadine. Sedating antihistamines such as Chlorphenamine(Benadryl) is used at night to get urticaria control. Short courses of oral cortisone or steroids are taken for short periods (one to three days) to settle more severe symptoms.
You may take Vitamin C along with the prescribed treatment. Vitamin C is a general anti-allergy supplement.Also apply calamine lotion on the itchy areas.

If the symptoms persist, then you can consult an immunologist. He may start with immunosuppressive drugs.

If the hives don’t go after 6 wks of treatment also, then it can be a case of chronic urticaria which needs further evaluation as it may be due to auto antibodies.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted.


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