Spots?

Anyone else getting this. I've no idea what to put it down to, basically my upper chest started getting tiny small spots, so if you brush your hand over it it felt like sandpaper, and it went down the cleavage part and onto my stomach.

At first I thought it was just heat spots maybe caused by the excessive sweating whilst being on pred, but now im down to 15mg (on 125mg 6-mp as well) it's got worse! they have spread down my stomach and now all over my chest completely, up onto the side of my shoulders and down my biceps a bit. And kind of spread round the side of my back ***?

For the record I've NEVER had acne on my body in my life and this is the first time. Your lucky if I've ever had one spot on my body. This only crept up really about 2 weeks since I got out of hosp so say 3 weeks ago? Theres nothing really on my face though. Really want to clear it up as it's pretty unsightly, looks 100x worse when I sweat though. Just not sure how to clear it up. Cheers.

You need to get it checked out. It could be shingles. "People with compromised immune systems - from use of immunosuppressive medications such as prednisone,...- are at special risk of developing shingles."

I've never had shingles; so I don't know too much about it.

And if it's not shingles, it is still something you need to get checked out.

In the meantime, avoid heat. Heat aggravates shingles break outs. Sweat may or may not make it worse depending on the stage of the Shingles. Keep the skin cool and use sun screen.

Post Edited (subdued) : 7/29/2011 10:16:03 AM (GMT-6)

it sounds like an allergic reaction. pred suppresses the immune response, as you lower the pred the response presents. the same thing happened to my son, which is how we discovered he is allergic to sulfa drugs. try some benadryl.

 

shingles is very painful.

yes. the fact that it feels like sand paper sounds like something else other than acne. Singles can occur without pain. However, they are likely to itch if no pain. If it's not shingles, than it could be a rash of some sort. Pred can also cause rashes. You definitely need to get it checked out. Since you mentioned that there could be a relationship between the tiny spots and sweating, it's probably a good idea to avoid anything that causes you to sweat.

Post Edited (subdued) : 7/29/2011 11:56:34 AM (GMT-6)

Haven't been in a pool or hot tub at all.
I sweat more or less all the time so I can't really avoid it lol.
Went for a sunbed yesterday and that seemed to have toned it down at bit, it went a bit red and inflamed looking but the spot thing disapeared. It's popped back up today though.

Not the best image but hopefully shows something?

http://i56.tinypic.com/2d0doyh.jpg

Geez, I have no idea, but it doesn't sound like the oxytetracycline is working if it is spreading.

Seems the doc is suspecting bacterial...could be.

Anything else changed such as body wash, detergent, new clothing, etc?

I wouldn't suspect shingles at all.

Do any of them break open?

do you shave your chest hair?

q

tank89 said...
Well went to the dr think it was a waste of time, they just gave me acne tablets, oxytetracycline a weeks supply lol to see if it clears up? I took a picture so people can look will upload in a sec.

Doctors absolutely know nothing about what they don't specialize in. Oxytetracycline is an antibiotic, in particular a tetracycline and could cause UC. I know because I have this disease due to taking antibiotics, including tetracyclines.

http://www.nature.com/ajg/journal/v105/n12/full/ajg2010303a.html

I think you're setting yourself up for your skin to overreact even more. And if you're in the tanning bets, AND taking steroid creams and retin a....you are absolutely asking for more trouble.

do you shave your chest hair?

q

i went today for a rash a lot like you are desribing and the dr said she didnt' really know, she told me a name it looked like but i can't remember, but anyway, it's like a fungal thing, so she gave me a steroid and anti fungal cream. also she told me that just washing with selson blue would solve it, but i was afraid to do that with my bag.
i will let you know if that helps

tank89,

I'm glad your GI finally put a name to it and specified a cause for it.

Hopefully the dermatologist will have figure out a fix for it. Let us know.