TO be grateful to Dr Google, if still resentful that I have an undignified ailment?

[SolidGoldBrass]

Diagnosed myself on Google, took myself to the nearest pharmacist, who agreed and sold me a tube of ointment. So there is a lot of relief that my incredibly busy week is not fucked up and I have no need to go into quarantine - and don't need to panic about the cost of pest controllers either - but I am still gnashing my teeth a bit. I have a horrid rash which is something called Pityriasis Rosea: harmless, not infectious but fucking itchy and ugly.

Yes this is indeed a blatant plea for sympathy or at least an opportunity for you all to mock...

I had that a month or so ago! Looks vile doesn't it... GP (I didn't trust my self-diagnosis!) said it can be caused by stress. Hate to tell you but it took almost four weeks to go.

You definitely get sympathy though!

Why is it undignified? Where exactly is the rash?

A dr has more than once used google to 'assist' diagnosis with me. So yanbu

Dr Google has often informed me I am terminally ill, so I've stopped consulting him as he's clearly wrong!

I have it all over my torso, basically, from neck to pubes, front and back. It's particularly lovely on my norks. and it is SOOOOO itchy. I have a lot of meetings to sit through this week which is not going to be fun :(

When I met my ex he was convinced he was dying of pancreatic cancer thanks to Dr Google and was too scared to see a GP. He just had gallstones.

I had that a few years ago. I am also sorry to say that I had it for about 6 weeks I shed several layers of skin all over my torso. Grim.

I seem to remember the most memorable thing about it was the way that every time I stood up from my desk at work, my lap was covered in skin shed from under my top. Beautiful.

I've got that too! Four weeks in & it's finally going thank God as I feel as though I've got some unsightly medieval skin disease.

I had that a few years ago. Sadly my brother is a patient of Dr Google who has convinced him he has MS. Our surgery is very understanding and has sent him for all manner of tests and scans but he remains convinced. Poor thing worries constantly about it.

Careful when googling though, it doesn't just encourage hypochondria - I got my worst ever computer virus (ha!) from googling medical sites.

I got like that at med school when I had to learn about all the illnesses. Once I managed to convince myself early in the day I was hyperthyroid and later on hypothyroid.

I'd be resentful that the pharmacist conned you into buying a (probably expensive) ointment that is unlikely to make a difference as pityriasis is self-resolving

I've had this before - previous posters are right - there's no ointment that got rid of mine - it just cleared itself up. Looked bloody AWFUL after a bath/shower

I had that too. Calamine helped, I think. Itchy as hell, drove me nuts for weeks until it cleared.

Dr Google diagnosed my Dh a whole week before neurologists did.
Unfortunately I dismissed it as it was very rare. I wish I'd said something to the GP, it could have caught Dh in time before he had a stroke.

Hope you're not itchy for too long.

Was it antihistamine cream? I always think the tablets work better.

You poor thing, I had it and a new boyfriend at the same time. Weirdly I had it twice and it looked completely different the second time. My GP enjoyed diagnosing it though - i think she was quite pleased with herself!

OP - YANBU. Hope you can find some relief.

Ralth- your ex with gallstones - one of the most painful experiences I ever had. Took several trips to dr & emergency to get correct diagnosis. I thought having a heart attack!

Aveno oatmeal lotions and baths help a lot with controlling the itching. Pps are right, it just has to sort itself out. Sorry

It's a horrible rash to get, so itchy! Unfortunately, as the other posters have said, nothing seems to get rid of it and is goes in its own time. I hate to say it took 5 months for it all to disappear for me, but this is during pregnancy so may be worse due to that I think.

I hope you get some relief soon!

Dr Google diagnosed my mum and mumsnet confirmed it, did you come here for advice as well op because it can be worthwhile?

Pharmacists are not in the habit of conning people Usmama. Standard treatment is emollient and anti-histamine (less than £5) and prescribed topical steroid if needed.

Here is the CKS if you need convincing

cks.nice.org.uk/pityriasis-rosea

Dd had this. It's horrible. Lasted more than the six weeks.

Her skin never really recovered tbh.

You have my sympathies

My ex had the gallbladder removed eventually and all the symptoms stopped. He asked Google about pain and jaundice and the answer came back as pancreatic cancer and caused him a lot of worry.