Anyone Care to Diagnose Me??? PLEASE!!!

[pta-mom]

Ok, help me out here....about 3 hours ago, I noticed that my head was getting itchy. Started mostly at back of neck along hair line and front area around temple. Within the hour, I noticed extreme itchiness starting in arm pits, crook of elbow, wrist and under breasts. I came home, popped a Benadryl, and jumped into a cool bath with baking soda. There I noticed welts on my belly, back and in the crease of the top of my legs, moving out towards my hips!! My head, neck, ears and shoulders also got more and more itchy.

Now, it doesn't look like hives (I don't think, though I've never had hives!) but rather more like scratched mosiquoto bites...some big looking welts! But, I am attributing alot of those to scratching. For other areas less scratched, it looks more like a rash, red, but mostley in small sections....example being inside of both wrists, both insides of elbows and armpits....but normal skin in between those sections. There are no "water" filled bumps nor pimply looking things anywhere that I see.

Allergy? I ate nothing different today...piece of toast this morning, fruit for lunch followed by some veggie and dip a bit later. I first noticed the itchiness sometime between eating the fruit and starting to eat the vegetables, but I've had the fruit before...pineapple, melon, blueberries, strawberries.

I wore nothing new today. Showered this morning with normal supplies. I am still itchy though trying hard to control myself. I'm stumped! Any ideas?

 

[WDWDad]

Have you taken any new medication? Sounds like an antibiotic allergy to me.

 

[In a hurry]

It sounds like the reaction my daughter had to Zithromax. I hope you start to feel better soon!

eta: I've never seen a reaction like that to strawberries in particular, but know they are high on the allergy list! Also, you can develop an allergy throughout your life.

 

[SaratogaShan]

Any pssibility that you could have a gallbladder problem? Sometimes bile salts will spill into the bloodstream and cause itching and rash. If the palms of your hands and soles of your feet start to itch, think gallbladder (Unless of couse you have already gotten rid of yours)

Hope you figure it out and feel better soon.

 

[justjulie]

Sounds like the Cefzil allergic reaction my son took - messy, messy, messy. His reaction didn't start until three day after he FINISHED the medication ...

 

[pta-mom]

Have you taken any new medication? Sounds like an antibiotic allergy to me.

No, nothing!!

 

[pta-mom]

It sounds like the reaction my daughter had to Zithromax. I hope you start to feel better soon!

eta: I've never seen a reaction like that to strawberries in particular, but know they are high on the allergy list! Also, you can develop an allergy throughout your life.

Yuck!! Imagine getting an allergy out of the blue like that!! I hope not but this is just sooooo weird! Thanks for your kind thoughts...I hope I feel better soon too!!

 

[gris gris]

Sounds like my psoriasis!!!! Especially with it being in both locations. Are you stressed today? Psoriasis is kind of like eczema without the little bubbles. It's incredibly itchy and usually brought on by stress. Red patches, kind of scaly looking, flaky. I have it on both wrists, both palms, back of my neck, behind each ear, on the side of each leg & ankle. It's also hereditary. I've had it for 12 years now (showed up all of a sudden when I was 20).

Here's a link: http://www.psoriasis.org/home/

I've tried every cream there is, prescription & non-prescription. It's hard to control. The only thing that makes it better for me is being in the sun, or being pregant

 

[pta-mom]

Any pssibility that you could have a gallbladder problem? Sometimes bile salts will spill into the bloodstream and cause itching and rash. If the palms of your hands and soles of your feet start to itch, think gallbladder (Unless of couse you have already gotten rid of yours)

Hope you figure it out and feel better soon.

I hope not!! Notice my tag? Eleven days till Disney!!!!!!!

 

[MouseWorshipin]

Have you taken any new kind of pill? (If so, stop and call the doctor NOW! Don't even finish reading this post.)

Have you switched soap/laundry detergent/fabric softener? (If so, stop and call the doctor.)

Are you wearing new clothes that haven't been washed (If so, stop and call the doctor.)?

Anything new?


You should CALL YOUR DOCTOR and get in there today.

 

[pta-mom]

Sounds like my psoriasis!!!! Especially with it being in both locations. Are you stressed today? Psoriasis is kind of like eczema without the little bubbles. It's incredibly itchy and usually brought on by stress. Red patches, kind of scaly looking, flaky. I have it on both wrists, both palms, back of my neck, behind each ear, on the side of each leg & ankle. It's also hereditary. I've had it for 12 years now (showed up all of a sudden when I was 20).

Here's a link: http://www.psoriasis.org/home/

I've tried every cream there is, prescription & non-prescription. It's hard to control. The only thing that makes it better for me is being in the sun, or being pregant

I'm always stressed!!! LOL!!!

But what I have doesn't appear to be scaly or flakey...so far! I will take a closer look though at the website you included! Thanks!

 

[snowball22]

Just curious to what was in the veggie dip. I am extremely allergic to sulfites which are in alot of foods. Sulfites preserve foods. If it was a dried onion soup mix dip or even a store bought one, there might be sulfites in it. Allergies can start at anytime in one's life. Good luck.

 

[gris gris]

OK look at this part http://www.psoriasis.org/about/psoriasis/

It shows the different forms and some pictures. Although keep in mind on the site the pictures are the extreme cases. Mine just looks like I have wicked dry skin.

 

[golfgal]

It could very well be a reaction to the fruit or something else you ate. The way allergies work is that you are exposed to the allergen and your body develops histamines against that allergen. When the histamine level reaches a trigger point, you have an allergic reaction. For some people for some things that might be on the second exposure to what ever and for others it might be the 2000th exposure. You can't have an allergic reaction to something the first time you are exposed to it.

Many people are allergic to strawberries and cantaloupe, was the fruit either of these?

 

[Christine]

To me, the rapidity of it and the pattern of spreading all signal ALLERGY.

 

[WonderfulDreamer2]

Just a silly thought here, but how about calling your doctor. If you're having an allergic reaction to something it could get worse, affecting your breathing. I know the Dis is great for lots of info, but you really need to seek medical advice for this.
Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[toystory1130]

Sounds like maybe hives. My son had a nasty case of the giant kind and they came up real quick. Never found out the cause. Here's a pic.

http://adam.about.com/encyclopedia/1651.htm

 

[Mumbler]

Okay, this has happened to my son TWICE! where he suddenly broke out in a rash/hives all over his entire body and there didn't seem to be a trigger that we could ever determine. The Ped said it could be his body's reaction to a virus. Everyone reacts differently, so this could be your body's reaction.

There wasn't anything that could really be done for him, but they did give him prescription antihistamines and a steriod as well. The steriod is supposed to minimize the itching? I guess?

Anyway, I would seek medical attention, especially if A)it gets worse and B) since you're going on vacation soon.

Good Luck - hope you feel better soon!

 

[pta-mom]

Yea...not really looking too much like psoriasis...thanks though.

I really am leaning towards an allergic reaction to something. Yes Golfgal, I ate both strawberries and cantaloupe, though I've had both many times in the past. Although, along that thread, I've been dieting...13 pounds so far!!!...so I've actually eaten a lot more of those items lately, so maybe.

The veggie dip Snowball was ranch I think. It was a pre-cut up veggie platter from the store with a dip in the center. Again, I've had it before but as Golfgal mentioned, it could have been my 2000th trigger.

Mouseworshipin....no to detergent and softners and meds but yes to new clothing....I was wearing a new bra today that I am not sure I washed....can't remember. But, it was not my first time wearing it....it was my second. Though I must say, the rash under my breasts, where the bra touched, is aweful!! But so is the area at the top of my legs where my panties touched and the waist band of my jeans!

It is still there, still itchy, but a little less so....or maybe just wishful thinking! If it is an allergy, either food or clothing, how long do you think it would last for?

Thanks everyone for your help! And yes Mouseworshipin, I should go to the doctor but if I can avoid it, I will!!

 

[pta-mom]

Just a silly thought here, but how about calling your doctor. If you're having an allergic reaction to something it could get worse, affecting your breathing. I know the Dis is great for lots of info, but you really need to seek medical advice for this.
Just my 2 cents worth.

I know....you're right! I am being careful to keep a watch on my throat! I'm sure it's not that serious as I'm having no problem eating a bag of junk food as I type!! LOL!! Seriously, thanks for the advice but the kids are home, homework time, dinner prep needing to be done, etc, etc, and I'm a mom!! I'm sure many will understand that. Don't worry though, if it gets any worse, I'll go to the clinic!!