Massive, painful hives/bites/spots - WTF???

[IHeartKingThistle]

Seriously, help!

2 days ago I started coming up in what looked like bites. Some on my legs, arms but stomach but mostly (sorry, TMI) all over my bum. Today I've got quite a few more and they are MASSIVE and they hurt like fuck. They feel hard inside with a red dot in the middle and a red area around them.

Possible suspects:

We just got a hot tub last week. It's brand new and I've only been in it twice. I know about hot tub folliculitis but surely not from a brand new tub with all the right chemicals in?

My nephew was in my hot tub at the weekend. He had a weird spot on his back but my mum said it was a bite. Now found out it's shingles.

I can't have shingles because it's not just on one side and I don't think you can catch shingles from shingles? Could I have chicken pox for a second time?

I don't think it's insect bites as DH doesn't have any. De-fleaing the cat tomorrow just in case.

WHAT THE HELL IS IT?!?! I will contact the GP tomorrow but I started a very big new job today and I don't have time for this!!!

Anyone got any wisdom???

@HMSSophie

Well 3 days into the meds and loads better, can sit down without wincing and everything! I think they're going to take ages to fade completely though.

So glad I went to GP - I was so convinced it was something in the house and then I took my cardigan off at work and was just watching spots come up on my arm like

Needless to say it got a LOT worse than the photo I posted, before it started improving

Glad it’s a bit better for you and hope the new job is going well, OP.

Phew. Thank god for modern medicine!

Argh - the saga continues...

The day after I came off the medication the spots started coming up again. GP gave me another week of steroids and another 2 weeks of antibiotics. I'm still on the antibiotics but finished the steroids on Thursday and they're coming up again

I can't believe it- why isn't it going?????

I had this and it was impetigo! Needed antibiotics for ages!

It went away, right...?

Skin infections can be hard to get rid of. I mean tonsillitis is 10 days antibiotics and acne is 4+ months.

If it’s the right antibiotic for the bacteria it will go.

Thank you. That's what I'm worried about - I'm still on the antibiotics and it's back as soon as I stop taking steroids so maybe it's not the right antibiotic? Problem is I'm allergic to penicillin so I've got limited options

Will speak to GP on Monday if still coming up. When they get angry it is SO painful and I just need it gone!

Yeah after about two weeks :)

It is not uncommon to develop blister type spots on steroid withdrawal. Were you on a big dose of prednisone ? It may be a withdrawal rash rather than the original infection re-emerging.

Well if they went it was the right antibiotic because they went. If it was the wrong one it wouldn’t have touched them.

Dh is allergic to penicillin too, it does limit you but there’s always an alternative.

Even if I've got a week left of the antibiotics? I hope you're right - they're not making me feel as rotten as some antibiotics I've had, touch wood. But I've had 4 or 5 new spots come up since this morning. So confused!

Oh I thought you’d finished the antibiotics!. Are the new ones as bad?.

No it's the same antibiotic - the first course was for 5 days then when the spots came back they gave me another 2 weeks of them. I'm only a week into that. Very strange.

You haven’t got a food allergy have you? When I first became allergic to cows milk I had red lumps all over my face, neck, and diffuse red dots over my trunk after a few weeks.

I was craving milk at the time.

Really? I'm due to have tests for coeliac in October funnily enough but I'm not allowed to stop eating it until then!

Are you still going in the hot tub ?

If you’d stop eating it there’s nothing to see on the tests so it’s counter intuitive but needed.

It would tie in with your rash going down when on steroids though because they damp the immune response down.

A colleagues mother was coeliac & allergic to cows milk so her diet must have been all cooked from scratch because it’s hard to avoid both in processed food.

I’ve seen steroid users with a red rash on their face and necks that looks just like acne.

Definitely avoiding the hot tub for now, damnit!

I had similar bites on my torso OP (sore & red with tiny whitehead but not itchy). Had pest control out to fumigate our house (rented) and the guy said it's not bed bugs but likely bird mites. You can't see them but they can leave nasty bites. Hard to get rid of too. Could it be that?! My DH hasn't been bitten - seem they only like me!

That doesn't sound fun @HelloRose! I've pretty much ruled out bites now as when it flares up I get new spots during the day under my clothes even at work.