What is this rash? Pic

[gertrudemortimer]

For the love of god I turned 30 last week and my body is broken. Incase any of this is relevant I'll put down each ailment if someone has a magic pill I can take to fix it all.

Beginning with December, dodgy long heavy periods, pain during sex, gynae said I had a bulky uterus, stomach hard and uncomfortable, very bad smell from inside vagina mainly during periods and after but still a smell every day that is 'off'. Sti tests negative had ultrasound scan last week, still waiting to find out what is what with that.

Last week, small rash started on bum thought I'd scratched it somehow, gradually the rash has spread to both bum cheeks and my thighs. Feels like little raised pin pricks at first but then they get bigger and join up. Sore and itchy at the same time, none have popped or had anything come out. Never had a rash like it.

Few days after the rash I notice I have very strong smelling urine did a urine dip that I had at home it was positive for nitrites and protein but not leukocytes. Gp questionnaire to get AB's was rejected because my only symptoms is the smell and the amount of urine is quite a lot more than usual but no pain or burning etc. HELP. I'm taking in urine samples tomorrow (how small are the tubes now!?) but just so curious about this rash too if anyones had anything similar

According to House, it'll be lupus or Lyme disease.

A sort of update... my bloods came back clear. The bacteria blood test wasn't labelled or something so that one didn't get done. They've sent my file to dermatology with the photos so I should get a response from them in a few days. Another consultant wants me to have a few other blood tests which I'll be going for on Saturday when I'm back at work one of them is to check renal function but I can't remember the others. They tested me for HIV which I couldn't even speak about through the sheer horror but that's come back negative thank god.

I started using the steroid cream yesterday but it seemed to make it worse so I'm holding off on using that again. I am so worried I'm going to be left with permanent scarring or discolouration.

Gosh, it must be very unsettling.

I'm going to dermatology tomorrow morning for a biopsy has anyone had one done before? I'm not sure what to expect.

My whole body has been itching since I woke up. I have spots under the skin on my forehead/arms/upper back and spots and blisters have formed on my back. All of my skin tingles

I haven't had a skin biopsy but had a breast biopsy. They numbed the skin a bit with a cream I think and then they basically have like a mini mini hole punch and take a sample. It sounds worse than it is. Just think of it as a positive thing as it means you will hopefully get to the bottom of whatever it is.

You're not taking any herbal supplements or unusual teas are you? im sure i read once that someone had a horrendous rash like this and it was linked to some kind of chinese herb tea they had.

Did they check for autoimmune diseases in your bloods e.g. an ANA test?

I've had a look at Google images and come up with four that look vaguely similar: lupus, perhaps discoid lupus; psoriasis, perhaps pustular psoriasis; pemphigus, of which there are various types; or dermatitis herpetiformis.

The problem with Google images is that they usually show the most serious form of the rash and milder versions can look quite different.

Last question - did you get your ultrasound results yet? They shouldn't take long at all.

It's a superficial biopsy, presumably- like scraping a few layers off?
Similar to a cheek swab, or an athletes foot scraping.

It's not like they are needing to see what's inside a cyst.

Try not to worry.

Yeah I'm hoping it will just be a little scrape or something I'm on the way now

I'll try and answer all of the questions

I'm not taking any supplements

I'm not sure exactly what they tested for I think it was a full blood count and HIV but I can't be sure.

dermatitis herpetiformis is the only rash I've seen described that matches mine basically identical but would I have more symptoms if it was celiac? I have been thinking of going gluten free if they don't have an explanation especially since the tingling/itching started

I did get my ultra sound results they're clear so I'm on the waiting list for gynaecology it's a 10 month waiting list I was put on it in May.

Re celiac, the test doesn't work if you've already cut out gluten so check whether it's planned before you do that.

I’m too late for you but I had a skin biopsy a couple of years ago. They numb the area and take a little bite out. I had two stitches one of which fell out. It was painless and no problem.

How was the biopsy today?

It was actually fine, it helped that I couldn't peak at what was going on.

They did two biopsies one of them was deep I've got 4 stitches that will need removing in a few weeks and the rest are dissolvable. He said I'll get the results in 4 weeks and I had the bloods done they requested too so now it's a waiting game.

I wasn't expecting anybody to care this time last week and I am reassured knowing that they're doing all of the tests they feel I might need. I'm still not convinced I'll ever find out what it is!

Wow, 4 weeks is a long time to wait for results! Glad it wasn't too bad.

Glad to hear the biopsy wasn't too bad.

How is the rash now, has it mostly cleared up?
It's good they are investigating it.

Ouch that looks so painful. Hope it gets sorted soon.

OP I had purpura when I was 17 and it looked a lot like your photo.
Mine started at work, my legs were very itchy and when I looked at my legs I had these red welts that look like your pic, popping up all over the place.
I left work and went to hospital, whilst waiting I could literally see the spots merging into huge raised spots. It covered my whole body apart from my bum and head.
Even the soles of my feet got it.
I was kept in hospital as it was a Friday night I went in and no dermatologist in until Monday. Was diagnosed Monday.
Couldn't give me anything as the spots eventually dried up and scabs fell off, only for it to flare up again two weeks later so waited again and scabs eventually fell off and never returned again.
I've never had it since and I'm now in my thirties but it was such a strange thing to experience.
But I agree the pictures online looked nothing like mine either, similar but not the same.

Glad it went well, OP. Hope the results are useful.

How are you doing now? I hope you are feeling better.

I was just about to say. DH had rash like that just before he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

I'm not good unfortunately. Arms chest and top of my back are covered in itchy spots. I'll upload a phot but it's hard to see.

I haven't ruled out diabetes but I have a glucose machine so I will do my sugars in a minute. The only problem is the strips I have might be out of date.

Oh top of my legs too lol just noticed them

My scalp is very dry and hair is falling out more than normal too.

Oh the skin on my back is peeling too? I can't see it but boyfriend told me this morning it's like I'm burnt there it's bright red and peeling with spots

Sorry that you are still suffering I was hoping that it would have cleared up a bit.

How unpleasant for you! I suffer with intermittent skin issues, and it can drive me mad, but nothing on the scale you are! For me it's a few days of antihistamine and trying out a few creams til it settles again.

Spreading prickly heat is really unpleasant and can look like that. Usually responds to hydrocortisone though.