Aa
tiny itchy blisters on arms & legs
Shamefully, for almost 8 years I have been getting very small itchy blisters on various spots on my arms and legs. The small blisters develop and immediately itch intensely, which is how I know they're there. They have a clear fluid inside, with no puss. When I scratch them in my sleep or when they break, they often weep a little amber colored liquid. Also, when I scratch them, more tiny blisters will develop around the original blister, signifying an infection. These broken blisters often leave (little open sores) which can be difficult and slow to heal. These outbreaks seem to come in waves, as I'll often go weeks or even a month or two without a sign of blisters, itching, or infection. I have never had any white puss or swelling redness around these troublesome blisters/vesicles, which isn't like any normal skin infection I've ever had before. Can anyone help me diagnosis this problem please?
My blisters appeared for the first time after I used a tanning bed. My body seems allergic to strong UV light because when I take a Claratin it keeps these things in check. Perhaps you can try taking an antihistamine that works for you (Claratin, Zyrtec, Allegra) and stick with in for a month. For me, I need to take Claratin for 3 weeks straight after intense sunlight (i.e. going outside for an hour at noon or spending 10 minutes in a tanning bed). It seems to take about that long for my body to fight the allergic reaction.
this sounds exactly like the itchy bumps i get. they look similar to a misquito bite but perfect circles , not red until scratched open. then scab up and new ones appear daily. this has been for at least 7 years or longer. no answers....
I have been having the same outbreaks that you are referring to. I have been tested for celiacs and it came back negative. One thing that puzzles me, I was on a pile of steroids during a terrible outbreak and it did nothing.
Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance
Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance
I have been experiencing the same thing as all of you in this thread. It seems no one has an answer as to what is causing the nasty little itch.
Has anyone thought about blood types? A shot in the dark but what the heck. I am A positive.
Has anyone thought about blood types? A shot in the dark but what the heck. I am A positive.
I have been having something similar to many of you. Mine started about 4 weeks ago with little raised blisters around my ankles that itched like crazy at night and when first getting out of bed. At first I thought they were hives. I have been experiencing alot of stress, lately, so I attributed it to that, rather than an allergic reaction. They started spreading up my legs to my knees. I took oatmeal baths to help with the itching. The first one I took, I ran the water a little on the hot side. As soon as I stepped into the tub, the hives/blisters immediately began to swell and spread up my legs. So, mine are definitely made worse by heat. I concluded that maybe that is why it is worse at night, when my legs are under the covers and get warm. Soon, the blisters started on my wrists and spread up to my elbows.
In the past 7-8 months I have had severe depression and have just started having severe anxiety attacks for the first time in my life. (I'm 46.) My mental state has been so severe that I was unable to work for several months, which has put us under alot of financial stress. I have been on 4 different anti-depressants and finally found one that works, so my depression is better. I still have the anxiety, but nothing like when I was having 6 - 10 attacks a week. Now I might have 2 - 3. I am also taking Klonipin for anxiety. (I noticed some other people mentioned a possible link to anti-anxiety meds?) I have returned to work, and that has been stressful being busy and trying to catch up financially.
In January, I had Shingles. My doctor attributed it to all of the stress I have been under and a weakened immune system. When these blisters started showing up, I thought maybe it was a recurrance of the Shingles, but they did not feel or look the same. When I had Shingles, it was (and usually is) on just one side of my body and ran in rows along the nerve path, which is what Shingles usually do. With the blisters, I didn't have the intense pain that I had with Shingles, just itching. But, I wonder if this condition might somehow be related to Shingles and/or having a weakened immune system?
After about 2 weeks, I went to my doctor. The blisters were pretty much gone, but I had scabs all over from the itching. Some were infected so he gave me an antibiotic. He looked at my sores and said he thought it was scabies or bed bugs. However, one of the "signs" of scabies is a black dot in the middle of the blister and having them between your fingers. I didn't have either one of those things. I told him I had not stayed in a hotel or any bed other than my own for a long time, and that my husband sleeps in the same bed I do, and he does not have the blisters. So, he basically didn't have an answer to me except that it was probably the stress or some kind of allergic reaction to something I was coming into contact with, and to take Benadryl.
Two days later, (a Saturday), the blisters were back with a vengeance. Even the places that had scabbed over were developing new blisters underneath the scabs. My doctor's office was closed, so when I called the doctor on call, he said to go to the ER. The ER doctor looked at my sores and said "It's scabies." Again, I went over the signs of scabies and bed bugs with her, and the fact that my husband didn't have it, and she dropped that diagnosis. The ER doc finally agreed that it might just be stress that was causing the hives, or some kind of allergic relation to something I was coming into contact with. She prescribed a Prednisone dose pack - where they start you on a high dose and then lower the dosage day by day for 5 or 6 days. She also told me to increase my anti-anxiety meds - to take one in the morning as well as at bedtime, to try to keep my stress and anxiety level down. After 2 - 3 days on the dose pack, double doses of Klonipin, many cool oatmeal baths, oral Benadryl every 4 hours and calamine lotion, the blisters and itching finally started to go away. (And let me tell you, I was a zombie, as both the Klonipin and Benadryl make you sleepy, and I was taking them all day long.)
I saw my psychiatrist the next week and he said that it was very likely caused by my stress and anxiety and that he has seen other patients have the same thing. He agreed with the ER doc that I should stay on the double dose of my anti-anxiety meds to keep my stress and anxiety in check.
About 10 days after I finished the Prednisone, the blisters came back. This time, they spread from my ankles to my hips and from my wrists to my shoulders, and a new patch on my neck and up to my chin and side of my face. Back to my doctor. He still didn't know what it was - - he is guessing more allergic reaction than stress-induced. He prescribed a longer regimen of Prednisone. Yesterday, I had been on the highest dose for 5 days and was supposed to decrease the dosage, but I still did not have any relief from the blisters like I had with the dose pack after a few days. Called the doc back and he said to stay on the higher dose for a few more days and go see a dermatologist, because he was out of ideas.
So, that's where I'm at. I feel like the Prednisone is finally working, I don't have any new blisters, just scabbed over ones. I have some itching, but I'm still taking Benadryl and using calamine lotion, and shopping for a good Dermatologist.
I was talking to a friend about it today and she said it sounded like something her husband had been having for years. His recurs on his arms and legs every spring. He had tried everything, eliminating different things from his diet, using hypo-allergenic laundry soap, etc., and nothing ever helped. Finally, he saw a dermatologist who gave him an accurate disgnosis: Polymophous Light Eruption, "an itchy rash caused by sun exposure in people who have developed a sensitivity to sunlight (photosensitivity). The rash usually appears as red, tiny bumps or slightly raised patches of skin. Polymorphous light eruption occurs most often during spring and early summer when a person's exposure to sunlight increases. Repeat episodes are less likely as the summer progresses, but polymorphous light eruption often recurs each year after the first incident." This is from a Mayo Clinic article at this link: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/polymorphous-light-eruption/DS00911 It goes on to say that some people might experience it in the winter if they travel to tropical locations where their exposure to UV rays, etc. would be higher than normal during the winter. (I noticed many of you mentioning your outbreaks had happened following trips to Florida or the Caribbean. Any way, now that they KNOW what it is, her husband goes to the dermatologist every Spring and he gives him either the steriod dose-pack or an injection of steriod. She says that this decreases his outbreaks measurably while is skin is adjusting to the summer's increased sunlight. The doctor also told him to keep the skin very moisturized - he is supposed to apply lotion every day after showering.
So, I'm not sure that this is what I have - - we haven't had much increased sunlight yet here in the Upper Midwest, and my ankles definitely haven't been exposed to the sun, but it sounds like it might be an answer to what many of you are saying your symptoms are. (At least there's ONE doctor out there who knows what's going on!) Hope this helps!
In the past 7-8 months I have had severe depression and have just started having severe anxiety attacks for the first time in my life. (I'm 46.) My mental state has been so severe that I was unable to work for several months, which has put us under alot of financial stress. I have been on 4 different anti-depressants and finally found one that works, so my depression is better. I still have the anxiety, but nothing like when I was having 6 - 10 attacks a week. Now I might have 2 - 3. I am also taking Klonipin for anxiety. (I noticed some other people mentioned a possible link to anti-anxiety meds?) I have returned to work, and that has been stressful being busy and trying to catch up financially.
In January, I had Shingles. My doctor attributed it to all of the stress I have been under and a weakened immune system. When these blisters started showing up, I thought maybe it was a recurrance of the Shingles, but they did not feel or look the same. When I had Shingles, it was (and usually is) on just one side of my body and ran in rows along the nerve path, which is what Shingles usually do. With the blisters, I didn't have the intense pain that I had with Shingles, just itching. But, I wonder if this condition might somehow be related to Shingles and/or having a weakened immune system?
After about 2 weeks, I went to my doctor. The blisters were pretty much gone, but I had scabs all over from the itching. Some were infected so he gave me an antibiotic. He looked at my sores and said he thought it was scabies or bed bugs. However, one of the "signs" of scabies is a black dot in the middle of the blister and having them between your fingers. I didn't have either one of those things. I told him I had not stayed in a hotel or any bed other than my own for a long time, and that my husband sleeps in the same bed I do, and he does not have the blisters. So, he basically didn't have an answer to me except that it was probably the stress or some kind of allergic reaction to something I was coming into contact with, and to take Benadryl.
Two days later, (a Saturday), the blisters were back with a vengeance. Even the places that had scabbed over were developing new blisters underneath the scabs. My doctor's office was closed, so when I called the doctor on call, he said to go to the ER. The ER doctor looked at my sores and said "It's scabies." Again, I went over the signs of scabies and bed bugs with her, and the fact that my husband didn't have it, and she dropped that diagnosis. The ER doc finally agreed that it might just be stress that was causing the hives, or some kind of allergic relation to something I was coming into contact with. She prescribed a Prednisone dose pack - where they start you on a high dose and then lower the dosage day by day for 5 or 6 days. She also told me to increase my anti-anxiety meds - to take one in the morning as well as at bedtime, to try to keep my stress and anxiety level down. After 2 - 3 days on the dose pack, double doses of Klonipin, many cool oatmeal baths, oral Benadryl every 4 hours and calamine lotion, the blisters and itching finally started to go away. (And let me tell you, I was a zombie, as both the Klonipin and Benadryl make you sleepy, and I was taking them all day long.)
I saw my psychiatrist the next week and he said that it was very likely caused by my stress and anxiety and that he has seen other patients have the same thing. He agreed with the ER doc that I should stay on the double dose of my anti-anxiety meds to keep my stress and anxiety in check.
About 10 days after I finished the Prednisone, the blisters came back. This time, they spread from my ankles to my hips and from my wrists to my shoulders, and a new patch on my neck and up to my chin and side of my face. Back to my doctor. He still didn't know what it was - - he is guessing more allergic reaction than stress-induced. He prescribed a longer regimen of Prednisone. Yesterday, I had been on the highest dose for 5 days and was supposed to decrease the dosage, but I still did not have any relief from the blisters like I had with the dose pack after a few days. Called the doc back and he said to stay on the higher dose for a few more days and go see a dermatologist, because he was out of ideas.
So, that's where I'm at. I feel like the Prednisone is finally working, I don't have any new blisters, just scabbed over ones. I have some itching, but I'm still taking Benadryl and using calamine lotion, and shopping for a good Dermatologist.
I was talking to a friend about it today and she said it sounded like something her husband had been having for years. His recurs on his arms and legs every spring. He had tried everything, eliminating different things from his diet, using hypo-allergenic laundry soap, etc., and nothing ever helped. Finally, he saw a dermatologist who gave him an accurate disgnosis: Polymophous Light Eruption, "an itchy rash caused by sun exposure in people who have developed a sensitivity to sunlight (photosensitivity). The rash usually appears as red, tiny bumps or slightly raised patches of skin. Polymorphous light eruption occurs most often during spring and early summer when a person's exposure to sunlight increases. Repeat episodes are less likely as the summer progresses, but polymorphous light eruption often recurs each year after the first incident." This is from a Mayo Clinic article at this link: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/polymorphous-light-eruption/DS00911 It goes on to say that some people might experience it in the winter if they travel to tropical locations where their exposure to UV rays, etc. would be higher than normal during the winter. (I noticed many of you mentioning your outbreaks had happened following trips to Florida or the Caribbean. Any way, now that they KNOW what it is, her husband goes to the dermatologist every Spring and he gives him either the steriod dose-pack or an injection of steriod. She says that this decreases his outbreaks measurably while is skin is adjusting to the summer's increased sunlight. The doctor also told him to keep the skin very moisturized - he is supposed to apply lotion every day after showering.
So, I'm not sure that this is what I have - - we haven't had much increased sunlight yet here in the Upper Midwest, and my ankles definitely haven't been exposed to the sun, but it sounds like it might be an answer to what many of you are saying your symptoms are. (At least there's ONE doctor out there who knows what's going on!) Hope this helps!
opps spelled ringworm wrong, but i always do. No "W".
I have ringworm incognito, which eventually morphs into everything in the book under the heading of: "Skin rash". I have had it for over a month. The doctor's treatment is no better than mine. Itis now starting to head for Leprosy. No kidding.
The fluid that comes out of the tiny blisters is sticky and hardens into a hard crust. This is the creature protecting itself from the stuff we put on our skin. It sometimes seems to go away if you keep it dry dry dry, but it will come back.
The "weeping" of the rash, i believe, means infection, and especially if the rash gets red and also if there is swelling. Infection can be dangerous.
Black walnut drops at Wegmans or any health food store are really good. You can also get the capsules.
Today i tried putting a Sulfa tablet in the little blender; it turned to powder very nicely; i put it on my hands and arms, which are nearly raw; it did string, but the swelling really went down fast.
Remember: donot put cortisone/steroid on ringworm or youwill get ringworm incognito.
I find oils and grease spread the rash, as well as that fluid that comes out of the blisters. I am going to start using non-oil skin lotion etc. on my skin because itis sooooo dry, and why this has happened in the first place.
I forgot and just had some peppermint tea which counteracts the black walnut, and now i am starting to itch again.
I have ringworm incognito, which eventually morphs into everything in the book under the heading of: "Skin rash". I have had it for over a month. The doctor's treatment is no better than mine. Itis now starting to head for Leprosy. No kidding.
The fluid that comes out of the tiny blisters is sticky and hardens into a hard crust. This is the creature protecting itself from the stuff we put on our skin. It sometimes seems to go away if you keep it dry dry dry, but it will come back.
The "weeping" of the rash, i believe, means infection, and especially if the rash gets red and also if there is swelling. Infection can be dangerous.
Black walnut drops at Wegmans or any health food store are really good. You can also get the capsules.
Today i tried putting a Sulfa tablet in the little blender; it turned to powder very nicely; i put it on my hands and arms, which are nearly raw; it did string, but the swelling really went down fast.
Remember: donot put cortisone/steroid on ringworm or youwill get ringworm incognito.
I find oils and grease spread the rash, as well as that fluid that comes out of the blisters. I am going to start using non-oil skin lotion etc. on my skin because itis sooooo dry, and why this has happened in the first place.
I forgot and just had some peppermint tea which counteracts the black walnut, and now i am starting to itch again.
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