What is this burning rash that’s driving me bananas?

[Menoooo]

It’s under both my armpits and at the point which my underarm bra line is. And is slowly spreading. I’ve had it for about three months.

what could it be?

I have a seronegative RA diagnosis but reacted badly to methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine (the rash began after I started taking the latter) and am not on any meds yet while I wait for another appointment.

The rash could be totally unrelated.

Any ideas? Should I try and see a GP or wait to see my rheumatologist and ask them about it? Or maybe a pharmacist would know?

It’s driving me to distraction today!

See your GP. Try and have a bath tonight and use an oat sock which may soothe it. Hydrocortisone from the pharmacy may help with the initial rash. It looks like my eczema when it reacts to sweat.

Could you have shingles?

You will wait an age for rheumatology.
Have you been taking/applying antihistamines? If not, that would be my first try, then speak to pharmacist whilst trying to get a Drs appointment.

Thank you - these are great suggestions. I will try a soak and also try some antihistamines. I haven’t tried either, I’ve been putting some Balmonds on it which soothes it but doesn’t do anything to make it go away!

I don’t know about shingles but I’ve had it for months so I’m not sure if it could be that?

I have a rheumatologist appointment at the start of May, which is why I’m wondering if I should just wait and ask them in case it’s related. I’m not totally sure that I have RA but very convinced it’s an inflammatory autoimmune something. I don’t have classic RA symptoms, but have a relative with it which is why my rheumatologist went with that diagnosis.

I’m in my mid-40s and haven’t had eczema etc before but I do wonder if it’s suddenly that!

Shingles is normally only one one side of the body as it follows a single nerve, so unlikely as you have it under both arms.

Have you tried using a different deodorant? It could be a reaction to that.

Might be worth getting a pharmacist to take a look to see if you can wait for your appointment on could do with seeing a GP sooner.

There was an issue with Mitchum roll on deodorant last year, is this something you are using maybe?

That’s interesting! I do use Mitchum, but the spray. I will stop and get a different one and see if that helps! I’ve been using Mitchum for years, so assumed all was fine with it for me.

I had to switch to solid soaps and shampoos, powdered laundry powder and remove all fabric softener in my 20s as I became very itchy but with no obvious rash. The itching went and I then realised that the back of my neck had always been dry and itchy. I have to be careful with deodorants too but not as bad. I used the wild deodorants and they have been the best thing since I initially tried mitchum from a reducing smells perspective

I’ve started freaking myself out by reading about inflammatory breast cancer! As that starts as a rash. This is more side boob rather than actual boob though!

So I will book a gp appointment for Monday, which is the soonest I can go (my gp offers on the day appointments if you call at 8am).

But perhaps I’m being a bit ridiculous?

Would you rather be ridiculous and go and be told it is nothing or in fear of being ridiculous not go and it to be something?

It's been there a while, you have other health considerations and it's now playing on your mind. It's ok to get reassurance.

My daughter come up in a nonblanching rash the other day absolutely no other symptoms. I knew the likelihood of it being meningitis/sepsis with zero symptoms were teeny tiny but i did send in a quick photo to the triage line to be reassured that watch and wait was appropriate. My daughter is a rashy person and we often don't get to the bottom of why.

Any rashes that linger and don't improve with standard treatments we get checked out. A couple of times we have had steroids creams prescribed and that has allowed us to get on top of them and manage them with our usual regime. When we can we get the paediatrician to check them out at her regular appointments.

Could it be fungal? Anywhere we sweat that stays damp can get a fungal infection. One option would be to wash with nizoral shampoo on the affected areas, but given your other conditions best to check with GP first.

@Menoooohow did you get on at the doctors?

Thank you all! I will go to the doctor on Monday for sure!

I couldn’t go today as I was working (I don’t work from home) but I have time on Monday to get away.

The rash is as irritating as ever and seems to be going nowhere!

It might be fungal, but I did try some canesten about a month ago and it didn’t help.

So it happens that the doctor thinks the rash is ezcema. But she also found a small, mobile lump in my breast so I’m glad I went. She thinks the rash is unrelated and something else but she’s referring me to urgently be see about the lump.