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Original poster

pityriasis rosea........

23 replies

psychomum5 · 03/03/2010 17:21

anyone here had it??

link here

Just been DXd with it this morning, am completely covered in the blotchy spots.....very attractive, not.

GP says it is not overly contagious (if at all), and not overly awful.....headaches and tiredness is the main other symptoms, which I am having in abundance anyway.

The link has good info on it, but tis always better to hear from somebody who has actually had it, people are normally more honest than GPs and the internet, IYGWIM.
I mean, when I had a lumber puncture the doc said "you might feel a little pressure, but it won;t hurt". Yeah, right, no, it didn;t hurt, it fucking killed!! (well, obviously not literally, but it was more than 'hurt a little'.), hence, the GP and the internet do not deserve my full trust right now.

I trust mumsnet more, please prove why I should and uphold that trust for me.

how bad will I really feel, how long for, and how long does the blotches really last for.

oh, and should I stay away from teeny babies at all?? (or, should I panic about the fact that I was snuggling my nieces new baby the other day??)

OP posts:
CuppaTeaJanice · 03/03/2010 17:33

Wow that's a name I haven't heard in about 25 years. I had it when I was at primary school. To be honest I don't remember feeling sick or rough at all, but I had red blotches all over my back.

Sorry I can't be much help. Maybe someone else has had it more recently?

mrsfred · 03/03/2010 17:44

I had it at Senior school, also about 25 years ago! I distinctly remember that I wasn't allowed to have my BCG done at the same time as having it, but I don't remember being ill with it - just being covered with a nasty rash that started off with a 'herald' ring.

Sorry, not much help.

BitOfFun · 03/03/2010 17:46

I don't know, but take it to the Baby Names threads, they'll snap it up

Original poster
psychomum5 · 03/03/2010 18:00

BOF, I just choked on that comment.....tears are still streaming from my eyes....you bad bad lady!!!

thanks cuppa and mrsfred. good that you don;t remember being too ill with it, poo that it was not recent.

I have a large 'herald patch' on my back, which I never noticed, DH did when I asked him if there was anything there as I was so itchy. No idea quite how long I have had that, but the first blotch I spotted was on my inner left elbow about 10 days ago, which I just thought was excema coming.

I now have over 70 spots (DH counted for me, you can tell we lead very exciting lives).

they are also under my arms, not noticed till after I shaved my pits this morning and thought ", bugger", and also traveling down my legs, and I suspect on/in my fanjo too (one place I am not looking).

I told you, I am tres attractive!!

OP posts:
snorris · 03/03/2010 18:01

I don't know if it's what I had, but looking at images, it looks like a rash I had across my stomach about eight years ago. When I went to the GP about it she just said it was an allergic reaction to the metal button on my jeans . At the time I thought it was linked with hormones as it would disappear during pregnancy and come back a few months after I'd given birth. Touch wood, I haven't had a rash for a quite a while now, it just seemed to vanish. I'm fairly certain that it's not contagious, DH certainly never showed any signs of it!!

Original poster
psychomum5 · 03/03/2010 18:12

that is good news (the bit about DH not catching it that is!)

OP posts:
knowmyrights · 03/03/2010 18:21

I had it 5 years ago, it was very itchy for about 3 weeks and then the spots took about another 3 weeks to fade. I did feel quite run down and under the weather at the time - was pregnant with ds2 and having a stressful pregnancy.

GP said it was an allergy - luckily I got it diagnosed by a dermatologist who I saw through the AN clinic, and she said it was no such thing. The herald patch is the giveaway apparently. She said it's one of those viral things a bit like shingles that tends to lie dormant while you're healthy but when you get run down it takes hold.

She said it's unlikely to recur but intensely itchy while it lasts - she suggested an over the counter antihistamine and I also used aqueous calamine cream (better than the lotion).

Horrid, isn't it? Hope you feel better soon.

mrsfred · 03/03/2010 18:27

I phoned my mum - she has a better memory than me!

Apparently it usually covers the whole of your 'trunk' but not arms and legs, although I had it in my hair too. It seems I was off school for about a week while I had the worst of it, then it took another week or so before it cleared up completely.

Mum doesn't remember me being too ill with it either.

lifeissweet · 03/03/2010 18:30

I had it about 10 years ago (at age 22) It was all over my chest up to my neck - is still evident on the photographs of my Mum's 50th birthday. Mine wasn't itchy and went in a couple of weeks - just a shame about the pics!

mellymooks · 03/03/2010 18:40

Hi I had it a few months ago, was a very dramatic rash!

I felt quite rough with it but I have ME so lots of things knock me harder than those with "normal" strength immunity.
The doc said it was caused by some random virus my body was fighting off, but he also said that it can lower your general immunity and you may be more susceptible to picking up other things for 6 weeks after the rash comes out, This was true for me, I developed severe sinusitus followed by a couple of heavy colds

So it maybe worth upping your vit C and zinc for a bit....

Rash lasted about 3 months for me but wasn't itchy at all.

Original poster
psychomum5 · 03/03/2010 18:42

well, mine is all over me, bar my face at the moment, so I can confirm it does cover arms and legs.

itches like hell in the shower, and during the night.....I take regular antihistamine and it is still itchy thru them, so goodness knows how bad it would feel otherwise!!

oh god, I am gonna end up furry aren;t I.......how can I shave my legs with that all down them?

OP posts:
Original poster
psychomum5 · 03/03/2010 18:45

mellymooks, I have not long come out of hospital after suffering pneumonia and then being readmitted after suffering a majorly bad reaction to the steriods (mimicked a stroke)...........I am really poorly anyway, and still recovering........it therefore makes sense that it is attacking me now.....I am low immunity wise already.

seems the doc was pretty spot on then

OP posts:
mrsfred · 03/03/2010 19:23

It sounds like you are having a hellish time. I hope you are feeling better soon.

Original poster
psychomum5 · 03/03/2010 20:25

thanks MrsFred. Yup to hellish, but am improving (well, of sorts......now hit by this of course).

OP posts:
beesonmummyshead · 03/03/2010 20:29

dd had it aged 18months ish , it was all over her torso, but not limbs or head. She was ill for the first week or two whilst the rash spread quickly, then rash stayed for about 3-4 MONTHS (which I'm told is possible but unusual) but she was not ill at all during this time. For us, the rash was non-itchy, but I do know it varies. The doc can prescribe stuff if it's itchy (at least thats what I was told, though I forget what)

CardyMow · 04/03/2010 02:46

Oh psycho, quick hijack...One of my playground mum friends (DS2's best friend's mum!) has pneumonia now, although is at home on bed rest, hasn't been admitted to hospital. In the water or summit?? I've lost her number as well, and she sent me a card and choccies when I was in hospital.

Original poster
psychomum5 · 04/03/2010 11:52

beeson, @ 3-4 months!! I hope mine doesn;t last so long.....thankyou for the info on your DD tho.

loudlass, def in the water, I know of 2 others now. Not friends, but friends of friends IYGWIM. Now, I know that pneumonia is not catching, more something that develops, but tis odd that it is so rife at the moment.

thankyou for the vibes tho, most grateful.

as for your friend, do you know anyone who might know her address???

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 04/03/2010 13:23

I had pityriasis rosea (an atypical presentation of it as it started on my stomach) and got this diagnosed by a specialist as practice nurse thought it was ringworm. It looked nothing like ringworm and I had the herald patch on my back.

I was told by the specialist that its cause is unknown.

It took about 3 months for it to disappear completely and it spread like mad across my stomach in the meantime. Did not have the usual "christmas tree" pattern on my back which can happen in these cases.

No-one else caught it from me and it is not contagious.

Original poster
psychomum5 · 04/03/2010 19:52

thanks attila. I am covered back and tummy and arms, and now going down legs and up neck too.

mine hasn;t made the xmas tree pattern either. tis making its 'cover-psycho-completely' pattern instead!

OP posts:
beesonmummyshead · 04/03/2010 21:44

have you seen this saying sunlight can help - and that most of the itching comes from skin dryness rather than the rash itself? FWIW I lathered dd in almond oil and bathed her in emmoliant bath stuff followed by moisuriser. I did this because she was dry skinned, not because I thought she was itchy (she wasn't, but whether that was because I kept her lubed, or just because she had the non-itchy type I'm afraid I couldn't say)

SixtyFootDoll · 04/03/2010 21:51

I had this 18 yrs ago , i remeber my GP calling a student in saying 'you wont have seen this before.. tell me what it is' as I was thinking i was about to die!.
It was horrid, so unsightly.
I was really run down at the time, think I slathered my sefl in aqueous cream - nice

hennipenni · 05/03/2010 10:52

DD had it about 5 years ago, it took about 12 weeks to clear up, she had the herlad patch on her chest and ended up covered with the rash except from on her face thankfully. She didn't feel ill with it and didnt take any time off school with it, but school were really good and let her miss PE and swimming as she was very self conscious of the rash (She was 11 at the time). hth

Bumblelion · 05/03/2010 11:00

My son has this at the moment - he is 13. He has had it for about 3 weeks now and the doctor said it may take about 12 weeks to clear. He is not unwell with it, is at school, just doesn't look very nice.

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