Opinions on a rash please

[jollyma]

I have a rash on my arms and legs and lightly on my body. Its a flat, red, patchy rash with tiny dots all over the top. Not particularly itchy. GP says its an allergic reaction but its not responding to piriton. Ds1 is atopic and i've seen several allergic type rashes on him n it doesn't look familiar. Any ideas?

I should add thst ds1 has chicken pox.

how old is DS1. has he or any of his school mates recently had slapped cheek virus at school.

Sometimes sadults can get a second dose of chicken pox...so keep your eye on it

does it look anything like thiswww.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/md/dermnet/fifthdisease561.html

Did it start with one large (1-2inches) patch of eczema-y/ringworm-y looking skin...?

Alypaly it does look a bit like picture 2 of your link. Ds1 had this when he was little and i remember it looking a lot like the ring rash in the other pictures. He is 7 now and i'm not aware of anyone having had it recently.

Polly, No didn't start in a patch, i just noticed it all over my limbs wednesday morning.

I've also got really achy joints this morning. If i hadn't been vaccinated i'd be suspecting rubella!

Would you agree that it doesn't sound like an allergy? I'm staying at home just in case it is contagious.

shingles? Same virus as chicken-pox...

it really sounds as if you have got parvo virus B19 if you have the achey joints. Is it mainly hands,knees and feet. Please tell me you are not pregnant?
Have you got any other symptoms

Your child is the right age to be in contact with children who tend to get it. Check at school and see if there is an outbreak of children feeling "unwell" or if any have slapped cheek. Until it runs its course ,i would advise no close contact with pregnant women. If doc will do it ask for a blood test for parvo B19

if it doesnt respond to piriton it doesnt rule out an allergy. Piriton is an old type antihistamine....it might be worth trying the non drowsy ones like cetirizine which are once a day dosage.

Piriton is normally very good for allergys so it is sounding more like a viral rash/viraemia.....and sudden onset of achey joints is classic of parvo. I have had it seriously for years when i caught it during my childs primary school outbreak.

No i'm not pregnant.

I haven't had rednesss or rash on my face, i remember ds1 was very rosy when he had slapped cheek. Other symptoms that may or may not be related are mild fever 9 days before rash appeared, painful knees and wrists, achey ankles, slight cold and my throat is a little bit sore today. I'm also very tired but ds2 doesn't sleep well so thats not unusual. The rash is still there today but much less obvious. I feel a little under the wether but dont really feel 'ill'.

Have i got anything to gain from getting a diagnosis? If it is paro virus do you have any idea how long to stay away from pregnant women?

I'm limited on which anti histamines i can take as i'm still bf ds2, 14 months.

Ally, i've looked at the symptoms etc and i'm almost certain that i have parvo virus. Thanks for your suggestions. It seems that once the rash comes out its no longer contagious so i should be ok. I'll have to keep ds2 away from pregnant women for a couple of weeks though as he might have picked it up from me.

i hope you recover from it quickly...
unfortunately i didnt ...i was very unwell(awful joint pains,dry eyes itchy skin tummy problems,extreme tiredness) with it for 3 years and then ended up having immunoglobulins to help the symptoms.Most peolpe get it when they are a child but if you get it as an adult its abit like chicken pox in that the symptoms are a bit more fierce.
If it carries on,just try and contact me. You are wise to stay away from other mums with DS2 ...what about DS1 and partner?

Ds2 is stuck at home until next week with chicken pox but he's had slapped cheek before anyway. My husband is home based too so shouldn't be a problem either.

Thats bad luck that it took so long for your symptoms to go away. Are you recovered now?

it took 3 years for docs to diagnose and then i had to have a transfusion of immunoglobulins as the parvo gave me symtoms of ME /Chronic fatigue syndrome. i was half the person i used to be. Within 10 days of the transfusions i was a new woman and have been good from 2003 til about 12-18 months ago and now i can feel the sore joints coming back slightly. They did warn me that i might have to have the transfusions again ...but at least i know they work. They also said it could be life long for me as it got into bone marrow. Its a horrible illness as an adult.

I hope yours is short lived and gone soon

I play badminton to a relatively high level now but it stopped me from playing when i had it badly. Now it doesnt stop me and so i can do my sports to hearts content.

Often it is lack of diagnosis that stops treatment and in my experience most doctors are rubbish! My knees are much better today so hopefully my other joints will be better in a few days. I've got a gp appointment monday if i'm not better. Ds2 is a bit hot this afternoon so i'm expecting red cheeks or pox by morning.

Aww glad you are feeling better. sorry little one isnt. Mind you it is good that he has caught it now....in a way i hope it is slapped cheek for his sake. At least it will build his immunity up to it.He might not get as many symptoms as DS1,it varies sooo much.