Herxing?

[JeffN]

I have something interesting going on and wondered if anyone else had something similar. Almost two years ago I started my generic mino, 100mg twice a day every day, and about ten days after beginning I strated to have a hive like rash that began on my calfs. As it went away on my calfs it started on my abdomen then moved up to my lower chest and progressed up to my jaw line. Just part of the process I guessed. Itchie and uncomfortable but nothing compared to the everyday of SD. In late Feb. last year (a little more than one year on AP) I went to a holistic open house and received an accupunture treatment and a hot stone massage. I became itchie on my back immediately after the hot stone massage. This time the hive like rash or little red bumps that when you scratch then the tops come off and leave a little divot, began in the center of my my back and moved around towards the front under my rib cage. In time as it got better in one spot it breakout progressively upward. Mostly on my back, sides of my chest, and shoulders. Finally stopping again at my neck and jaw line. This all took about six itchie weeks. Last week I was on vacation nicely relaxed and I started to get the itchies again center of my back and the usual progression. The difference being so far there are just a few bumps that are not really red and the progression is much quicker. I have not had it a week yet and the itchies which began in the center of my back and moved around to my lower ribs have moved up on my shoulders and last night my neck was itchie.

So this is the third time I have experienced this each time about a year apart and less severe each time. Anybody else have anythig similar? It is not a big deal in that it is uncomfortable but not bad and the last two times I have always felt a decrease of SD symptoms after the Herxing. Just curious.

[Maz]

[user=21]JeffN[/user] wrote:

This time the hive like rash or little red bumps that when you scratch then the tops come off and leave a little divot

 

Hi Jeff,

Not sure if this is something specific to SD or not, but I also had the exact same type of rash you describe, last year. It wasn't horrendous or anything, just itchy with those little bumps and tops that came off when I scratched them. The itching would stop after a few days, but the little red patches remained for a week or so. I thought it was an allergic reaction to one of the Lyme antibiotics I was taking, but testing showed negative. Eventually, it just passed and I haven't had any more eruptions (touch wood no more!) since then.

If what you're experiencing is the same as me, I think you're right that it's just detoxing via skin from herxing. Were you in the sun while on vacation at all? Might be the sun sped up the process a bit, too.

Hopefully this will pass for you soon, Jeff…honestly, isn't it just like a magical mystery tour all this stuff???

Peace, Maz

[Maz]

PS I've heard of benedryl being used to help with these skin exacerbations…but probably best to check with your doc just in case it interacts with anything you might already be taking.

[Kim]

[user=27]Maz[/user] wrote:

If what you're experiencing is the same as me, I think you're right that it's just detoxing via skin from herxing. 

Sure sounds like detoxing through the skin.  I noticed the same thing when I started the sauna sessions.  I found skin brushing while sweating (probably could do the same in the shower) took care of the bumps — still itch, though. :doh:

[JeffN]

Thanks Maz and Kim – I do use the benedryl or even tylenol PM both which seem to help. Also the benedryl gel seems to help. No I was not in the sun – I was in Vermont, it was 12 below at one point so no sunbathing for me. As I mentioned it is not too bothersome (this time) and now with the third occurance in as many years I am beginning to notice a pattern, maybe. This stuff is a wild ride for sure!

[Lynne G.SD]

Hi  Jeff;
   That sounds an awful lot like me.In my case it is a light case of dermatitis herpetiformis that is caused by Celiac.If you have not been tested for it,do it now as 70% of people with chronic diseases have either Celiac or Celiac syndrome.You do not have to go to a doctor or have a biopsy.Googlr http://www.enterolab.com and order the test you want,send in a fecal sample and after culturing it they e-mail you the results.My doc uses this lab all the time

[lynnie_sydney]

Jeff – Lynne G. makes a good suggestion, it would be worth checking out the celiac possibility. Also, on another board, a very experienced long-time AP success suggested trying the following for rash and itching: Florasone – a homeopathic cream from Boericke & Tafel. [/color]

Be well! Lynnie

Palindromic RA 30 yrs (Chronic Lyme?)
Mino 2003-2008 100mg MWF - can no longer tolerate any tetracyclines
rotating abx protocol now. From Sep 2018 MWF - a.m. Augmentin Duo 440mg + 150mg Biaxsig (roxithromycin). p.m. Cefaclor (375mg) + Klacid 125mg + LDN 3mg + Annual Clindy IV's
Diet: no gluten, dairy, sulphites, low salicylates
Supps: 600mg N-AC BID, 1000mg Vit C, P5P 40mg, zinc picolinate 60mg, Lithium orotate 20mg, Magnesium Oil, Bio-identical hormones (DHEA + Prog + Estrog)

[Kim]

[user=31]Lynne G./SD[/user] wrote:

Hi  Jeff;
   That sounds an awful lot like me.In my case it is a light case of dermatitis herpetiformis that is caused by Celiac.If you have not been tested for it,do it now as 70% of people with chronic diseases have either Celiac or Celiac syndrome.You do not have to go to a doctor or have a biopsy.Googlr http://www.enterolab.com and order the test you want,send in a fecal sample and after culturing it they e-mail you the results.My doc uses this lab all the time

Hey Jeff,

After LynneG and others beat it into my head long enough, I am now awaiting the results from my Celiac test with Enterolab. :doh:  I don't think I'm going to like the results, either.

[JeffN]

Thanks guys I'll check all this stuff out. I don't need anything else but I may already have it. This morning I have some red spots on the tops of my shoulders and up around my neck but this is the usual progression. The lower areas seem to be getting better. Not too bad this time. If I could cross my fingers I would.

[Maz]

Lynne, thanks for sharing this. I looked it up and found this site with actual pictures, so maybe it will help Jeff to identify if this is what is going on with him?

http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/dermatitis_herpeti.html

Strange…the blisters don't look quite like what I had, which were more like little whiteheads (lovely, eh?) and then left a dry eczema or psoriasis rash after…dime and nickle-sized. My doc thought it might be a latent psoriasis making an appearance. Not ruling anything out, but haven't had any recurrance since hive-like rash. If it was dermatitis herpetiformis, would it come and then not return? 😕

Thing is, according to the literature on herxing, “skin exacerbations” are to be expected.

What I found interesting is that according to the link above, tetracycline is sometimes used to help dermatitis herpetiformis, though said not to be as effective as the usual drug for its treatment:

“There are a few alternative treatments if Dapsone cannot be used (sulfapyridine, tetracycline), however these do not work as well.”

This raises a few questions in my ever-inquisitive mind! e.g. Why would a tetracycline be used to treat a gluten intolerance???? Does gluten intolerance have a bacterial component to its cause?

Peace, Maz

[JeffN]

That doesn't look like what I have either. My spots are much smaller, I had folliculitis (sp?) at one time and my spots look more like that. If any fluid is present when I scratch these it is clear. May just remain a mystery. This has always run it's course and then gone away in the past, The rash is presently behaving as previously so time will tell. 

PS – Update as of this evening the rash has moved up over my shoulders and down on each side of my neck onto my upper chest. Now on the shoulders the spots are red and the tops come off. Looks more like it usually does. No new involvement lower on my back. Moving fast this time. Sort of interesting.

[Lynne G.SD]

Hi Maz;
    There are many many manifestations of this dermatitis.Mine started as just one tiny water filled blister on my back.Since I could not see it I just figured that it was a tiny pimple that was always coming back.
   As time went on they came on my legs and would go away,then on my arms or chest or whereever they wanted.They were very  tiny and had a separation of 1/2 to 3 inches.When scratched they would emit a clear liquid,probably just plasma and when dry would be pitted.Doc recognised it right away and that is when she figured I had Celiac.If I cheat and eat a couple pieces of bread  the spots would be back a week or two later.
     Strange as this may sound,it has not been such a problem since taking major doses of MSM and L-Lysine for the last year.Taking antibiotics definately makes no sense for celiac disease because if that was the case I would not be in this situation having been on AP for over 10 years.Could it possibly be an infection in the gut that may cause the dermatitis and not the celiac?????

[Author]

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