To not want to go back to the doctor for this?

[willingandableto]

A couple of weeks ago I came out in what looked like a patch of eczema. I went to the doctor, got a steroid cream and was told to discontinue use 24 hours after it cleared up, and to go back in two weeks if it hadn’t.

It went, I stopped using the cream, all was well.

It’s now back, with what also looks like a heat rash and the skin on my arm is really sore to touch. All over my arm is painful, even my t-shirt brushing against it is sore. I also came out in a couple of patches on the back of my leg, but they cleared up quickly with the cream.

I just really can’t be bothered with the doctor. They’ll either prescribe a new cream or stick me on a waiting list to see dermatology which will take a year. I’ve tried google and AI and nothing seems to know what’s going on with my skin. AIBU to just want to heal it naturally?! I don’t want to waste more time with the doctor!

You could pop to see a pharmacist, they may be able to give you some advice or tell you that you do in fact need to see a Dr.

Is it mostly one sided?

Shingles is my query with that pain level on it chest area.

I wonder if you have two separate issues going on.

My DH has just been diagnosed with shingles
He thought it was eczema flare and got antibiotics but was shouting out in pain and he never ever complains. Plus we were away from home.
By the time we took him to A&E he had had the rash for a week his face was lopsided and we thought it was a stroke. It started with tingling lips but now he has Bells Palsy caused by shingles.
He is on v strong antiviral, steroids and pain relief now but the delay means he might not fully recover. He cannot move half of his face.
People in their 20s can get shingles
It is extremely painful.

You’d think AI would recognise shingles though.? In which case you would need anti virals. It is painful having had it recently for the second time.

Maybe try the steroids cream for longer if it’s just a rash and moisturise a lot in between. If you don’t want to go back to the GP I don’t know what else you can do. 🤷🏻‍♀️

you would not be wasting a doctor’s time for this. You have a health problem.

I think it's more her own time she's worried about wasting, it's a ridiculous time-consuming faff to get a GP appointment these days, at least where I am.

I don’t think it’s shingles as this does happen with my skin sometimes, it’s not agony as I can continue with my day to day life, but it’s uncomfortable on my arm.

I just really can’t be bothered with the doctor. I woke three towns over so it’s a half day off work, my work are funny about appointments anyway let alone for something like this. I’m also very young and healthy so I don’t think it’s shingles!

My daughter is 22 and healthy. She had shingles earlier this year.

See a pharmacist for advice. They may confirm you need to see a doctor.

Having shingles is nothing to do with being young and healthy

My child had shingles a few weeks ago. It’s the chicken pox virus that lies dormant in your body reactivating itself often due to stress or being run down. If you’ve had chicken pox you can develop shingles. It’s as simple as that.

It presents as a rash on one side of your body, often painful as if runs along a nerve path.

I’m not stressed or run down

I had that thought, too.

When I had shingles, I had the pain for a good while before the rash materialised.