Swollen/skin rash

By Jen28 Monday, August 24, 2009

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I have had RA symptoms for about 3 years now. I was undxed until this past March after a car accident in Sep/08. I was only on MTX for 4 weeks back in March/April. My symptoms change often. What I have going on now is so frustrating. I stay so swollen, all the time. Not just my joints, everything. I think even my hair shafts are swollen, lol. I am swollen to the point that I fluctuate on the scale from 6-10lbs daily. I have no insurance right now so I am on no meds & have no one to ask. Not that rheumy is much help. He did dx me after many, many doctors but he is not easy to talk to.

I break out with a "rash" after being in the sun more than 10 or 15 mins. With or without sunscreen. This rash lasts weeks after exposure. There are 100's of tiny red/pink bumps with water in them. They do not itch but they do hurt. They do not get white or black heads like pimples. My whole face is not red like with rosacea(?) We went to a water park 3 weeks ago & I wore plenty of sunscreen. I could not however wear a hat due to the water slides. My face looks awful & It's been 3 weeks!!! It looks 100% better than it did though.

Anyhow I brought my skin up because since the water park, my skin is much more swollen that usual. I can hardly sit here at the pc because I am swelling as we speak. My joints are hot but not red or hot to the touch. My face is hot for no reason. I am just so swollen. What gives? Anyone else have this issue? Does the rash have anything to do with it? It may just be a coinscience but I have been much worse since the water park. I'm not even better after laying down all night. I can't even turn my rings much less get them off! My feet are so swollen that the bones hurt. I can feel my skin pull when I make a fist! What gives? I do not consume much salt at all. I drink a ton of water & I have even taken diuretics to help, with no avail.

Thoughts please before I pull my hair out! Thanks for reading!

Comments (9) | Add comment

starbutterfly

8/24/09 6:28pm

Your situation sounds really rough. I am so sorry you are having these troubles. Not having health insurance should'nt keep you from getting helpful meds. There are walk in clinics for low income in most cities and many drug companies offer patient assistance programs. Just start writing to them. Also online options are availible if you do not qualify for those programs for example www.progressiverx.com is helpful or pharmacychecker.com has a list of reputable and certified sites. Best of luck.

Jen28

8/24/09 9:16pm

Thanks for the info. I'll look into the rx programs.

Nan

8/26/09 5:33am

Please do check into the med programs mentioned. It is important to prevent as much damage to the joints as possible. Get under as much control as possible.

I too get tiny red blisters, usually around my mouth, and you are correct in that those little suckers HURT. Mine started around the time I started MTX so I assumed it was a side affect. I read that some people get mouth sores, and my body loves to take every bad response to food or drug out on my face, so I assumed thats what it is.

I too used to be swollen all over and I think to the point that my doc didn't know because it was the way I always looked. I started mtx and in a month it went away. My hands are back to looking like wrinkled up old lady hands, yea!!

RA is the strangest illness in that it affects everyone differently, There's no rhyme nor reason to it.

I would also ask about possible allergies. Both my daughters are allergic to sunscreen, they get rashy and that orange peel look to there skin if exposed to any whether it be actual sunscreen or makeup, lip balm with anything above 15 spf in it. And unfortunatly I have exposed them too many times because doctors recommend this brand or that brand and almost every skincare item has some level of sunscreen in it. And it does take a bit of time for them to get over it, I guess because it is absorbed into their skin.

Jen28

8/27/09 1:21pm

Thanks Nan. I get the bumps with or with out sun screen. That's how I came to the conclusion that they were indeed from sun exposior. The water park was 3 weeks ago & I finally started clearing up. Then Tuesday I stood outside for no more the 10 mins visiting with a friend in the direct sun. Here I go again. 100's of them. They don't itch they just hurt if I pick at them. That night I noticed my lymph node on the left side was swollen to the point it hurts. It's even making my neck hurt. Also I developed a blister on my gums that same night. I popped it with my toung & now it feels like an ulcer. My toung feels fat but it's the combo of my swollen lymph node & mouth ulcer. Feels like my throat is closing. If it gets any worse I'll have to ask my nurse friend for advice on what to do about it. If I run even a tiny fever, my skin hurts so bad that even the wind produced from walking hurts. Every where from my elbows to my knees. Like it's burnt & bruised with no change in color or texture. I have bought several skin tight cami's with built in bras when this happens because just my shirt moving on my skin is so painful. I better not get an infection from this stupid mouth sore! Thanks again!

Brad, Health Guide

8/27/09 2:41am

Most of the major Bilogic companies offer programs to supply the drugs to people without Insurance. I know Humira and Enbrel do for sure. Look them up online and see what you can get! Feel better.

Brad

Jen28

8/27/09 1:21pm

Thanks, I will!

Brad, Health Guide

8/27/09 2:41am

Most of the major Bilogic companies offer programs to supply the drugs to people without Insurance. I know Humira and Enbrel do for sure. Look them up online and see what you can get! Feel better.

Brad

feelinggreat58

10/ 4/09 12:53am

This sounds more like lupus than RA but it could be both. I have severe dust allergy and autoimmune thyroid. I was given prednisone for the first time last week and I have finally seen the fluid leave my body. I am carrying 10+ lbs of fluid. I am seeing an immunologist Monday to discuss this. Please have your thyroid antibodies checked also. My 28 yr old daughter was recently told she may have RA and it scared the crap out of me. She is very stubborn about going to the doctor.

Sabine

12/28/09 6:18pm

I had similar symptoms to yours and it all sounds like lupus. let yourself get tested for it and mention that you have RA.

Swollen/skin rash

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