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!

I can’t see one till Saturday, there’s no pharmacy near where I work and I start my commute at 7:30

cant you just take a photo to send to doctor?
try sudocream
sounds fungal

What advice are you actually looking for?
Most of us aren't doctors. Most people have suggested going to the pharmacist for advice.
You seem to have made up your mind to leave it, not visit your GP or pharmacist so I'm not sure how anyone can help further.

My DH has similar currently; we did rapid health notification via NHS app, then surgery requested photos which we sent and then got an appointment. Had already done Pharmacy first week before

I think YABU to not go to a pharmacy. Work have to allow you time for appointments and I presume that would take less time than docs and possibly get you meds/rule some things out

Plus what you have may be infectious - so YABU to expose others to it until you know!

Surely you don’t want to risk this getting worse when you are due to go away…?

It’s nothing to do with cleanliness, our bodies are naturally covered in bacteria/fungus but sometimes the balance gets upset- I have had eczema in the past that has needed a steroid cream that also has an antibiotic in it - fucidin- it’s a miracle cream. If it’s not going away you probably need to get it looked at again.

It’s not infectious. I can’t make an appointment at a pharmacy, and no they don’t have to give us time - it comes out of annual leave.

You're a grown up, you can do whatever you wish in regards to your health. If you're not that bothered about this then don't bother anyone else about it? Why are you posting exactly?

You need to see the doctor, mostly because you seem quite ignorant about your own health.
It's spreading, it's painful, you need treatment.

I thought your work was 3 towns over. Towns have pharmacies. Staff have breaks in work days. But if you aren’t bothered about sorting it then I’m not. Carry on with the obstacles and the rash spreading. Must be bad in this heat.

If it's bothering you, you could get a private appointment online outside working hours for about 35 - 50 pounds and show them your rash.

If anyone wants to refer you to a dermatologist and you don't want that, you can say so / ask to pick it up after your holiday.

Chemist on Saturday is a good option if you don't see GP meanwhile. Hope it clears up soon.

You don't want help, so you crack on and suffer

How do you know it’s not infectious, fungal or shingles but you don’t know what it is?

although to be honest I know want you mean it is such a hassle. Do and e consult and attach picture and then see what happens. You don’t have to make the appointment if it’s not convenient. It’s even more of a palaver if you can’t take calls at work.

But you are ill! So take a sick day (not AL) and book an appointment

For Pharmacy first you don’t need to book, you can just go in. Google your closest pharmacy that offers the service, visit, then go into work after

You have confirmed you don’t know what you have, so how on earth do you know you’re not infectious?

Did you just post wanting everyone to say YANBU to ignore it and do nothing?!

I’m not ill, I can go to work.

If I take a day off sick, I can’t take anything else until December or it triggers a review, because I was off for a week with the flu last winter. It’s just such a pain in the arse

Because if it was infectious someone else around me would’ve picked it up in the last 2 and a half weeks?

Well if you can't be bothered to do anything about it, don't bother. It's your choice to be uncomfortable at this point.

These are the patches (ignore the spot, I don’t know where that came from!), I don’t know when they popped up on my leg but it was very itchy last night.

on my arm the only way I can describe it is I feel like a pin prick coming out of my skin, and then a patch appears. Trey go away with steroid cream but as soon as I stop using it? They come back

You are very stubborn! I wouldn’t want a rash that hurt to touch and was spreading, especially if I were about to travel.

You could try and make a Saturday appointment with your GP or a pharmacy. That way it wouldn’t get in the way of work.

You could also go to a private GP on a Saturday. You could definitely get an appointment, though it would cost you. There are even private GPs at some airports. If you really have zero time, you could make an appointment with them and arrive at the airport an hour early.

Would you prefer to end up dealing with it on your holiday?

I’m just going to take the cream on holiday! Bit of a bugger as it stinks

You can get a private GP appointment online, outside working hours. You are working full time so I hope this would be affordable at 30 - 50. Google and you will see a list of providers. Or just ignore the rash if that is your preference.

It's not a criticism of your cleanliness. These things happen for a whole variety of reasons including general perspiration because of the hot weather.

Eczema or dermatitis has a range of causes, spreads in patches in different places for no apparent reason and is notoriously difficult to treat.

What a statement.

£50 is quite a lot of money! I also don’t really want to waste time on it, I just want it to go. So frustrating.

Yes, that's the answer I anticipated, and the same discourtesy you've shown others. You will probably be fine. It's entirely up to you how much you exert yourself to solve your own problems. I hope it clears up swiftly for you in any case, and that you enjoy your holiday.

What shampoo and shower gel do you use? If it’s got sodium laureth sulphate in it and you’re sensitive to it no matter how much steroid cream you apply it’ll still be sore! Doctors gave me a really strong one and mine was still flaring up. I eventually found something online about SLS and bingo problem solved!

Not sure what you want from this thread @willingandableto . Y asked AIBU not to go to the doctor, we all said yes for a range of reasons and you’re now arguing as to why you don’t want to go. Fine, don’t go, but no one is going to agree with you given the fact pattern you’ve specified.