It's never lupus!
Work- and packing-avoidance Diana kicked in, and looked at some pix on the internet, and it sure looks a LOT like nummular eczema.
The treatment seemed to be lots of emollient lotion for dry skin, less washing (I think you can't do that), keeping wool from contacting your skin - and waiting for spring, when it should clear up.
The treatment seemed to be lots of emollient lotion for dry skin, less washing (I think you can't do that), keeping wool from contacting your skin - and waiting for spring, when it should clear up.
A malar rash is the hallmark of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
I have SLE, along with Fibromyalgia. YOur lesions do look like Discoid, which is sepaerate from SLE, and is usually limited to the skin, HOWEVER, you *can* have both*!
Go to www.lupus.org . Thisis the Lupus Foundation of America. You're in the UK, so I don't know what the equivalent would be there. There's lots of information on lupus available, but you have to have doctors who are willing to spend the time and effort to diagnose you correctly. Get ready for LOTS of testing. I was tested for MS, sarcoidosis, and even lymphoma before I got a correct diagnosis. The tests have to be done at just the right time of active disease, (lupus can go into remisson) or they won't catch it. Here's a list I found on the web of standard tests used in combination with documentation of symptoms.
(Note: for a person with SLE, a syphyllis test can come back as a false positive. I was also tested for AIDS, which was negative.)
It took 10 years for me to get a definitive diagnosis. It is very hard to diagnose, because it mimics so many other things - even discoid has been diagnosed in some folks I know as contact dermatitis! Personally, I had all the above tests, plus muscle reativity (for multiple sclerosis), tests for sarcoidosis and even a biopsy for lymphoma, which actually ended up nailing the SLE!
Just like we have to advocate for ourselves with the DS, we have to do the same for Lupus and Fibromyalgia. I had LOTS of practice advocating for my own health care before my DS, so I was a pro when it came time for my surgery.
Get yourself to a doctor ASAP. and let them biopsy those lesions!
I have SLE, along with Fibromyalgia. YOur lesions do look like Discoid, which is sepaerate from SLE, and is usually limited to the skin, HOWEVER, you *can* have both*!
Go to www.lupus.org . Thisis the Lupus Foundation of America. You're in the UK, so I don't know what the equivalent would be there. There's lots of information on lupus available, but you have to have doctors who are willing to spend the time and effort to diagnose you correctly. Get ready for LOTS of testing. I was tested for MS, sarcoidosis, and even lymphoma before I got a correct diagnosis. The tests have to be done at just the right time of active disease, (lupus can go into remisson) or they won't catch it. Here's a list I found on the web of standard tests used in combination with documentation of symptoms.
- Antinuclear antibody (ANA) test
- Anti-DNA antibody test
- Anti-Sm antibody test
- Anti-RNP antibody test
- Anti-Ro (SSA) antibody test
- Anti-La (SSB) antibody test
- Skin biopsy
- Kidney biopsy
- Complete blood count
- Urinalysis
- Blood chemistries
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
- Complement levels
- Syphilis test
- Anticardiolipin antibody test
(Note: for a person with SLE, a syphyllis test can come back as a false positive. I was also tested for AIDS, which was negative.)
It took 10 years for me to get a definitive diagnosis. It is very hard to diagnose, because it mimics so many other things - even discoid has been diagnosed in some folks I know as contact dermatitis! Personally, I had all the above tests, plus muscle reativity (for multiple sclerosis), tests for sarcoidosis and even a biopsy for lymphoma, which actually ended up nailing the SLE!
Just like we have to advocate for ourselves with the DS, we have to do the same for Lupus and Fibromyalgia. I had LOTS of practice advocating for my own health care before my DS, so I was a pro when it came time for my surgery.
Get yourself to a doctor ASAP. and let them biopsy those lesions!
Kirms, my husband told me to tell you that this looks a LOT like a rash he just recently had called pityriasis rosea. It usually resolves spontaneously within a month, but his doc did give him an antifungal drug and had him wash with Selsun Blue. It appears that it may be caused by a virus.
Here's a link to the AAD website:
http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/common_pity riasis.html
Here's a link to the AAD website:
http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/common_pity riasis.html
Julie R - Ludington, Michigan
Duodenal Switch 08/09/06 - Dr. Paul Kemmeter, Grand Rapids, Michigan
HW: 282 - 5'4"
SW: 268
GW: 135
CW: 125
Duodenal Switch 08/09/06 - Dr. Paul Kemmeter, Grand Rapids, Michigan
HW: 282 - 5'4"
SW: 268
GW: 135
CW: 125