Is There a Doctor in the Forum House?

[augusta]

I have had this incredible rash for six months. Sometimes it'll be in just one area; sometimes it'll go full-body. It's weird. It starts out with a little bump or two under the skin. It's very itchy, and if I scratch it blows up quickly to a whole area. Then there is a whole colony of red, raised fluid-filled bumps. The more you scratch, the more it spreads. And after you've scratched it, it has the audacity to burn.

My first round started right after I had a bad bout of bronchitis. (My husband had the bronchitis, too, and right afterward he got Guillaine-Barre Syndrome, which almost killed him.) I've never had this rash stuff before. The back of my neck cracked open three times. Fluid (water) came out of my neck, and my ears swelled up like that episode in 'Bewitched' when Endora made Darren's ears real big. Well, not that big, but it reminded me of that. And the ears would leak water when I laid on one of my sides. My face swelled over one eye (I was so cute! ...). I was only able to sleep for two hours in the early morning, and that by propping up a pillow and sleeping with my elbow holding my head up. The scratching was maniacal. Once you'd start, you had no control over your hand - the hand just kept going real fast until I reached another level of skin or ripped the skin open. This lasted for 3 months, and it went away as mysteriously as it came.

There were just a few bumps left on the skin. I scratched them, and here came round two. It wasn't as bad as that first round. But it was bad. After that, the same thing kept happening. It would disappear but leave behind just a bump or two that eventually turned into a major thing.

I am on round 4 now. Can't go anywhere. Can't wear anything but a very thin tank top that barely touches the skin. Yes, I have pants on. But if it gets on my legs (which are all scarred and mottled from round one) I have to wear shorts.

I tried to prevent it from getting to the back of my neck - the worst place, I think. But it's there now. Last nite it started on my legs. You can see a whole bunch of bumps under the skin that are waiting to bust out on the arms, even tho there's already plenty there. Edema in 3 or 4 places around the neck.

Nobody knows what it is! I've went to my family doctor, a good dermatologist, my allergist - who is very good, and 3 ER doctors. I have been reading about eczema and it sure sounds like this. But funny, none of the doctors I've seen has diagnosed me with it. I've went online and looked at different photos of skin conditions, and mine matches eczema. All I've read on it matches it. I think what I have is chronic eczema.

The 6,5,4,3,2,1 pack they give you for poison ivy did nothing. A strong anti-histamine helped to keep me from scratching. Eventually they had to prescribe a real strong sleeping pill so I don't scratch in the night. And my family doctor started giving me "Singulair", which is a pill that stops these bumps from forming. It worked like a miracle at first. Now I'm not so sure. Maybe I need my dosage increased.

Ennyway, the reason I'm posting this is I finally found something that really helps it, and cured my third round of it. It's Skin-so-Soft bath oil spray by Avon. I always heard that the Army uses it as an insect repellant. And this rash seems to be based on dry skin. When it's healing, the skin gets tight and flaky.

I used it carefully, just in a little spot at first because I'm using all kinds of Eucerin and Aveeno stuff. (The Eucerin 'calming cream' that's to stop itching burns my skin.) Right away, it makes the drying, leathery, flaky skin that's healing feel better. Anyway, it's helped for the past three hours. Now I'm itching again, tho.

If anybody has any ideas what this stuff is, I will name my next pet after them. (I ain't havin' any more kids.) And if anybody has this that's reading, try the Skin-so-Soft.

[Angel]

Has anyone ever suggested to you to change your soap or laundry detergent?

[Tina-Kate]

Sherry---

I had what sounds like the same mystery disease & it started last winter.
Long story, but I was in & out of health care facilities more times than I care to think about from Jan thru May. Heart & bronchial probs. On top of it, I had these red spots---some like blisters on my feet, legs, arms & hands. They appeared after a bad dose of flu virus...which seemed also to trigger my other probs as well.

I went to a dermatologist. She did a biopsy & everything. She could not give me a name for it, & said they do not know what causes this condition. She prescribed for me a cortizone cream you dab on each spot. It worked only a little bit...& not so well on my hands as you can't wear the durned stuff all day because you need to wash your hands...

Anyway, I found they would go away by themselves after a LONG stretch of time.

You should also check re a wheat intollerance (sorry, I forget what it's called) as this can be a symptom of that as well.

[Kat]

Has anyone ever suggested to you to change your soap or laundry detergent?

Yes that's a good suggestion. She has tried that because it might be environmentally induced. But nothing helps for any length of time.

[lydiapinkham]

Sherry, I'm no doctor, but could you be having flare-ups of shingles? They itch, form watery blisters, and can be very painful (burning kind of pain) when the blisters break. Sometimes they affect the nerve endings, sometimes not. I think I had a couple of the blisters many years ago, but not a serious case. My mom had a nasty case of it in her forties. Did you have chicken pox as a kid? Shingles is really a recurrence of the chicken pox virus, which lies dormant after you've had it. Check with your doctor. I think they treat them with cortizone, but I'm not sure. Good luck. It sounds miserable.

--Lyddie

[augusta]

Thank you for your kind messages! Yes, Angel, as Kat said I changed my laundry detergent to a fragrance free one for allergic people. Also got the dryer sheets for allergy people. Didn't make a difference, but I am going to continue to use them.

I changed my shower soap, too. I was using anything - especially a lot of shower gels that smelled soooo good. Now I am using Aveeno oatmeal shower gel. There is a body oil - also Aveeno - that I have that you rub in after you've bathed and then rinse off. I only used it once and need to start using it again.

Oh, Tina-Kate, you have my sympathies! Aha! Yours started after an illness. Same here - after bad bronchitis. They say that some people get a touch of Guillane-Barre Syndrome and go into a second illness after a first bad illness. They say most people don't know it's coming from the Guillane-Barre Syndrome. You don't actually get the whole syndrome, but it causes a second illness. My husband actually had the G-Barre Syndrome after that bronchitis, and he almost died from it.

I can't use cortizone cream because it's over too much of my body. I'd die. I use Eucerin moisturizing lotion, and I was getting steroid cream from the doctor but I hear after extended use it can discolor the skin.
I bought some Eucerin itching cream, but it burns if the skin is broken. The Eucerin hand cream is fantastic, but it costs five bucks a tube.

I had at least 3 steroid shots during Round One. They said it could hike my sugar up terribly and to keep checking it. (I am diabetic.) I had steroid pills a couple times, but only like one week's worth. Boy does that race your heart.

Lyddie!!! I was glad to see you post - it seems like it's been a long time. Did you show Pippi the post in the Lizzie Andrew Borden first subject heading? The thread is called 'For Pippi' authored by Augusta.

YES - the first thing I thought of was shingles. I was pretty sure I had it, until the dermatologist I saw did a biopsy and found that I not only did NOT have shingles, whatever it is is not coming from inside the body - it's topical.

Shingles I read is typified by severe pain as a symptom, and I did not have pain. My family doctor told me it usually occurs on one side of the body. But she was talking about a normal person.

I had 3 infections with Round One. It is so itchy, that infections can occur from using your nails to scratch with. The infections came with fevers and chills, the whole 9 yards. That Round One, which went on for three months along had me bed-ridden and telling my husband to shoot me. (And I am not suicidal.)

I can't sleep with my husband. I have to sleep on the couch. The sleeping pill I'm given is so strong that I am not supposed to be woken up for 6 or 7 hours. I'm supposed to sleep straight thru. He wears this face mask (aka the Ed Norton Sewer Mask) and it's getting old and stretched out, so it slips about every half hour and you get this loud buzzing. Wakes me up every half hour. I tell him his mask has slipped, and he'd always so no it didn't, then he'd fall right back asleep (the insomniac in me hates that about him), it'd give the Bronx cheer, he'd realize it really was making noise (why he couldn't just believe me I don't know), and he'd tighten it and all would be quiet - for a half an hour till it slipped again.

The couch is starting to hurt my back. It feels so GOOD to lay straight out on the bed in the morning, or in the evening.

I got so desperate about a week ago, I took that sleeping pill in the daytime, so I could knock myself out since anything was better than scratching. Everyone was very quiet for me in the house, but I could not go to sleep for anything. I've noticed since I've been on that sleeping pill, I have not taken any afternoon naps. I always used to. I think that I am finally getting a good night's sleep with that pill.

Tomorrow I see a new dermatologist at a place where they have 4 or 5 in the same building. That is what my allergist suggested.

BTW, THE SKIN SO SOFT DID NOT WORK after all. The oil part was great, but the other ingredients were not welcome on my skin.

[Shelley]

I had a similar condition once and made two trips to the emergency room. Nobody could figure it out. I was sent home with Benedryl and told to soak in cold water. Most of the itching and rash was on my ankles and feet. In sheer desperation after a week of clawing my skin, I went to an old Army dermatologist who knew what it was in a minute. He had served in Europe and asked me promptly is I had been out of town recently, and eating in restaurants where imported wine was served. I had been in New York and ate at a Greek restaurant where a white wine called Demestica was served. Apparently Americans cannot always process "alien" yeasts and the result is an awful itching rash and blistery hives. So, now it is ONLY California wines and liquers for me! Imported beers can have the same effect.

[Liz Crouthers]

This happens to me when I use Mary Kay or Avon Shower gel or soap. I found out that way, that I was allergic. Any thing with a fragrance can do that to you. If you are using anything new that is scented, I'd stop using it.

[augusta]

That's interesting, Shelley. I'm sorry you had to go thru that. But that seems like a simple enough thing to avoid. I don't drink at all, darn it. I wish it were that simple.

I love all those shower gels and Avon stuff. I hope I don't have to stop using them, Liz. But I tend to agree with you. Even if this rash now isn't caused by it (I haven't used Avon in months) I'll bet they tell me not to use any again. Looks like I'm gonna have a huge garage sale.

Last Wednesday, I went to the place that has several dermatologists. First you're seen by a physician's assistant. He is himself very good. I think he is actually a doctor, even tho there he assesses new patients.

I had printed out my first post on this thread and said, "Here's my story." I didn't have time to edit out the stuff like "I looked cute", and "It reminded me of that Bewitched episode ..." I am taking him an edited - and sane - copy today. (I know - "Lucy Goes to the Dermatologist")

Anyway, he put me on this diet that I have to stay on until Thursday. He said a lot of people are allergic to glutons. (No! No! I don't smoke; I don't drink. Food is all I have. I am not allowed to use any anti-histamines, and today is Day 7. I am allowed that strong sleeping pill, tho. I've had to resort to it in the daytime as well to keep the scratching down.

If I WAS allergic to 'glutons' or 'wheat', which are taken off my diet, I'd think the rash would be much better. It's really gone no place. The neckline of something made rubbing streaks on parts of my neck. They get itchy and flaky, and then when I scratch at them they burn and go back to forming more flaky skin over it, trying to heal.

Today I get a patch test done on my back. I go home with the patches on, then go back Thursday to get them taken off. I'm not allowed to get them wet. So it's a sponge bath or no bath till then. (I told him, "If you can take it, I can take it.")

I doubt that they'll say I can get off this diet today. I think they'll wait until the patches come OFF on Thursday. I made a real early morning appointment for Thursday and, boy, do I have plans ,,,

Yesterday a small, prickly rash broke out on my back. I hope they don't tell me they can't do the test on my back like this and keep me on this diet another week. I'll have to tell them I can't stay on this diet another week, and I can't go without my anti-histamines another week. (And then go back on the diet and be pill-less for another week...) Ennyway, I'll post what happens.

It happened to me, and it can happen to you. (My imitation of 'Diana Ross & the Supremes'.)

[shakiboo]

Oh Geez, Augusta that sounds just miserable! Hope things go well for you at the Doctors! I don't know how you've managed to keep your sense of humor! God Bless you!

[Kat]

That is horrible! And over Christmas! That sucks!
So sorry Sherry! Good luck!

[augusta]

Thanks, Shakiboo, Kat and everyone for your good wishes. That makes me feel better!

Okay, I left off when I was about to go to this place that has several dermatologists.

Well, I did go. Round 4 of my rash was starting to go away, but there was enough of it on me for them to see it. I told them I had had a biopsy done by another "dermo" and those results came back that this was topical and it's not coming from the inside. That saved them a lot of work. (They did contact the other "dermo" to make sure.)

So they wanted to test me for allergies. They wanted to do a patch test. It would be done on my back, then a few days later unveiled. They put me on this awful diet for a week before my patch test. Lamb and rice! The dreaded mutton! I said, "I hate lamb! I hate the smell of it even. Plus Mary had that little one ..." Not to worry. The diet also had turkey and chicken on it.

I never thought I'd get tired of turkey and chicken so fast! I could have rice, but nothing added to it but margarine. Pears and apples. Puffed rice cereal with just pure maple syrup on it. The first bowlful was good. I got really tired of it toward the end of the week. The last couple days I was just eating like an apple for a meal, and the last day I went 24 hours without eating at all (and I'm a diabetic). And I was allowed NO anti-histamines. I was allowed cream and sleeping pills, which I took in the daytime and at night to get myself thru. (I told the doctor I was gonna take the sleeping pills day and night, and it was okay in my instance.)

The night before my patch test, my back broke all out in a rash. So I go to the dermo's, and I asked, "My back is all broken out in a rash. You don't wanna still do the patch test there, do you?" About five people came in to look at my back. One doctor patted my shoulder and said, "Poor kid!" They were all discussing what to do. I said, "There is a big area on my stomach that is rash-free." They looked and said "Fine!"

So I laid down at two techs placed these vertical strips of gauze with a whole lot of little patches on them, each treated with a different substance, and they numbered them in purple ink, then put clear surgical tape over the whole area. I was not to bathe, just sponge baths, and had to stay on that diet until the patches came off!
And still no anti-histamines!

The patches and tape didn't bother me at all. In a few days I went back and they took the tape and the patches all off. There were some that really reacted. But my whole stomach and sides (they put patches on my sides, too) were all red from having the tape on there for so long. So they jotted down these preliminary results, then told me to come back in a week so the redness from the tape will be gone. Still no bathing. And still no anti-histamines. And NO SCRATCHING. Aaugggggh!

I'm gonna post this now, because sometimes when I write a long post, I get timed out and my post flies into cyber-space. Be right back.

[augusta]

The doctor left the room and a tech was still with me. I said, "Oh! I forgot to ask if I should still be on that diet." "What diet?" "The crappy lamb and rice diet. I'm down to eating nothing, I'm so sick of it, and I'm diabetic." "I'll ask." My doctor was with someone else in the next room and I could hear it. The tech asked him and he was like thinking it over, and she said, "Because she's really -" "Sigh! Okay, she can go off it now." Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice, give thanks and sing!

The day after Christmas I went back and they looked at the patch leavings that showed an allergic reaction. They wrote them down (each patch had a number). The doctor went to a computer and typed the allergens in. He came back with a 19-page thing. It first listed what I'm allergic to. One or two things were real big reactions. He said formaldehyde was one of the biggies. It was quite a paper. It went on to list all kinds of skin products, and gave me the names and exact types of the items that I could use that I wouldn't be allergic to. A lot of the things it said I could use are very expensive and I will certainly look for a different item, one without my allergens in it, on my own.

All my allergens totaled about 9, and they all had chemical names to them that I never heard of before (except formaldehyde). They said hair dye was a big one too. (They did have ONE hair dye on that computer-generated list that was free of all my allergens. I never heard of it before and it probably costs a lot. I'm going to see if I can find something in the store. And if I can't, I'll talk to my hairdresser.)

I have to, and want to, read every single label and compare it to my list of allergies before I use it. I got a feeling no more nothin' anymore. I like my Avon and perfumes and scented soap and fragrant shampoos.

So, since I was out anyway that day I went to one store and stocked up on half-price Xmas wrapping paper and a couple of nice Xmas-ey items.

The only place my rash still is is in big patches on the neck area, large swathes. They are red, and they itch. So it's spreading little bumps on my chest. If I don't scratch and those big red patches start to heal, the skin gets flaky there and it's even more itchy. On one side it's swollen from the extra irritation I've caused it scratching.

Right now my anti-histamines knock me out because I haven't taken them in so long. I took half a dose this morning and that's tolerable.

I go back to the dermo's in a few weeks. Meanwhile I'll be reading lots of labels. I hope none of you ever has to go thru this. I'm into 7 months now.

[Tina-Kate]

Eeesh. So sorry you're having to endure all of this, Sherry. Methinks I got off easy with my stuff. I still have it a little bit, but no where near as severe as you've had it.

How ironic...a diet of mutton & pears! (Sorry, couldn't resist).

So, do they seem to think allergies are the answer? I sure hope you get some relief soon. I only had it mainly on my hands, arms, legs & feet & that was rotten enough!

[augusta]

Tina-Kate - Yours sounded as miserable. So did Shelley's. You still have it a little? Do you know what causes it?

Well, I do have the allergies they found. That's indisputable. But whether or not one of them caused this "illness" so badly, we can't be sure yet. I'll bet the next thing they do, if it's still with me when I go back, is to test me for food allergies. They mentioned they do that during my first appointment. I have an allergist who treats me for the usual indoor and outdoor allergies, and he doesn't believe in food allergy tests and "food drops" that some doctors give you to "de-sensitize" people from them. (He does, of course, believe in like when a person has an allergy to peanuts or shrimp or something, and the answer to that is to avoid those foods.)

I am voting for the "hair dye". I almost believe that caused it. I always bought "Nice & Easy" and never had any trouble. But in late May or early June, I bought a box of it and they had changed their formula. The thing is, I can't remember if I colored my hair before I got the rash or after I got it. I think I colored it after I had the rash, but I could be wrong. The rash started out as a big cluster of water-filled blisters at the nape of my neck.

When I was pregnant, my gyno told me "No hair dye or perms". I guess that stuff goes into your system. I'm glad I obeyed his orders!

I did get a perm AFTER I had the rash, because I wondered if my hairdresser would do a perm on me with the rash I had, and she did and it didn't harm it. Wait a second ... Uh oh, Tina-Kate ...

I never color my hair until AFTER a perm, because perms really lighten the color of hair dye.

And I remember when I dyed my hair, it had been cut short and there was a lot of hair dye left over and I put it all on my hair. I do remember there being a whole lot of dye sitting on the hair on the nape. (The rash was on the skin, not scalp, on the bottom of my neck, like right below the line that the last of your hair is.) That's why there was so much dye piled on my head, because my hair was cut short.

Now I NEVER get my hair cut except when I get a perm at the hair dresser's. THAT means I had not died my hair yet when I got this rash!
Wow! You helped me to solve a really big riddle, Tina-Kate! Thank you!
But now I am even further in the dark about what the cause might be. I'll be darned. It could not have been the hair dye.

[Tina-Kate]

My dermatologist said they have no idea what causes my malady & she poo-pooed the idea of allergies (which I have) as being the cause. I don't think she even told me any name for it...just gave me cortizone cream & crossed fingers.

Hair dye is pretty toxic. I've been very guilty of that as I was almost completely gray by age 28 or so. I experimented with every color in my early to mid-20s, then I went natural. The gray got very apparent by late 20s, however. I then used Hennas until around 30 when my hair got so translucent I had to get color. I rule hair dye out with my prob as well---it was most severe on my feet & with no shower in my place there is no way any hair dye would have come in contact with my feet.

You're welcome---but it looks as tho you figured that puzzle out on your own whilst typing!

I was lucky in that most of it seemed to go away on it's own. I still have the occasional spot here & there, but no longer the gross pus-filled ones, & thank God, no clusters of them.

I wish you all the best!

[shakiboo]

Oh yikes, what an awful way to go through Christmas! Mutton and pears, that is ironic! Hopefully they will find out what it is and you'll be over and done with this thing. Thanks for the update! Was wondering about you! Well, wish there was something to say or do that would help you......all I can think of is prayer, so sending a prayer your way!! Hopefully 2008 will be a whole lot better!! Keep your chin up and don't lose that great sense of humor, laughter really is good for your health!

[augusta]

Well, it's back again. The red marks on my neck turned into bumps that are all around the neck, going up the neck heading for my face, and more are joining the ones on the chest. It itches pretty bad, and the more I scratch the worse it's getting.

It was almost gone, like it always happens in its cycle, and then flares up. The bumps are smaller than the earlier rounds (this is now Round 5, starting on 8 months). I can't tell if they are filled with anything. I never had pus-filled bumps. Just water-filled.

I haven't used ANYTHING! Just Aveeno and Eucerin. The way that dermo's printout came out, I am so restricted to using anything - I don't even think I can live like that.

I think I'd be happy if I turned out like Tina-Kate. Maybe they won't know what the cause is but maybe they do know how to treat it. I can't live like this. (Don't worry - I won't do anything rash. ) Thanks for the prayer, Shakiboo. Maybe that's the only thing that will help right now.

[twinsrwe]

Augusta, I am so sorry that you are in such misery. I am not a doctor and I don't really know what to say to help you. One thought that did cross my mind is ask if you wear jewelry - especially necklaces? The reason I ask is, I used to break out in a rash very much like the rash you described, around my neck and chest, whenever I wore necklaces which contained nickel. I switched to 14k gold and have not had any problems since. Yes, it is more expensive, but, it is worth it when I can actually wear it without breaking out in a rash. I don't know - I just feel so bad for you. I think Pam has the right idea - prayer, and I will keep you in mine.

[Angel]

I don't remember if you've ever mentioned having pets. My cats occasionally got into poison ivy plants when my kids were younger and one of them got poison ivy that way.

[shakiboo]

Oh that's terrible, I was hoping and praying it was on it's way out! Honestly you'd think with all the modern technologies, they'd be able to figure it out!! I am so sorry! I can't even begin to know how miserable you must be, but please don't let it get you down, there's someone out there that knows what it is and how to do away with it. keep the faith!! I know this is gonna sound wierd, but have you tried putting ice on it? Cold constricts the blood vessels and at the same time can eleviate pain, so maybe it would help with the itching(?) Can't leave it on for long periods at a time, but maybe a bag of frozen corn wrapped in a tea towel on for 10 minutes off for 10 minute, maybe it would at least make it bearable. What do you think?

[Tina-Kate]

I haven't used ANYTHING! Just Aveeno and Eucerin.

Hmmm...this is interesting. I was using Aveeno at the time too (it was new to me). I've since stopped using it. I wonder...

[twinsrwe]

I haven't used ANYTHING! Just Aveeno and Eucerin.

Hmmm...this is interesting. I was using Aveeno at the time too (it was new to me). I've since stopped using it. I wonder...

I was wondering the same thing, Augusta. You wouldn't happen to be allergic to the Aveeno and Eucerin, would you?

[Kat]

This might be a stupid question, but if it lights any bulbs it's worth it...
Sherry has had allergy shots for a long time. Has anyone else, who has sufferedthis kind of rash?

I'm only wondering if a person can become allergic to the allergy shots? I know you said it was coming from the outside, but maybe there's an inside component as well?

I grew up itching- very allergic to poison ivy. It's horrible- like a nightmare! I so wish you well Sherry and will send positive thoughts your way. You've been a real trooper for soooo long!

[augusta]

Thank you for your support. It has really helped. ... And this is an update by WLAB in Fall River, with our host, Lizbeth Borden. Stage whisper: Put those sharp knives from the catering service down. You're on!

"Greetings, America. I was going to go to the Handy cottage to ice fish, but Augusta and I have known each other for years and when she asked me if I would do this update, I could not say no.

"As her 9th month looms before her, things have basically cleared up. Even Dr. Bowen says so, and he is the best I know of. There are little patches here and there of small itchy bumps, and also little patches of dried skin shaped like squares.

"The two red swipes which were left on her neck are pretty well gone. I don't know but she had to pay a pretty penny to get rid of those. She had a tube of Eucerine "Calming Cream", an itch cream she got at Smith's Drug Store. (I have never been there in my life, otherwise I would tell you where it is.) Thinking that since other Eucerine products have helped her, she put the calming cream on her neck. It burned at first, but she thought it was the cream helping her.

"The next day the rash was not better, so she applied even more of the 'calming cream'. 'God help me!' she must have cried (I got that phrase from my step-mother. She used to say that ... at least once.) Augusta said it burned a good 10 minutes. It was then that another physician came over "Doctor Handy style" and said she was fine. But Augusta knew something in that Calming Cream was not good for her. She was allergic to it! I was mortified!

"I thought perhaps our whole family had been poisoned by this cream and told Alice Russell as much. But Alice said if that were the case, there'd be others screaming about the cream too. That Alice. She always has to put so much sense into things. Irritating. I really need a dumber best friend.

"She stopped using that cream, and went thru a flaky stage while it was healing. She was told by Dr. Kelley, whom she talked to over the fence -- My God, she actually talked to the man; we certainly don't -- to use olive oil. Her neck skin was like parchment. When she first tried the oil, the skin would just suck it in, but in a few days it was smooth as a just-ripe pear peeling. Three, I think.

"Afraid now from the Eucerin brand of itch cream, even tho she can use other products of theirs, she realized that she had better swallow her pride and regurgitate the list the Skin Institute of Boston had given her of products that were safe for her to use. (I told her it was all right; she should see what people do around here in the summertime.)

"So she went online (at the telegraph office) and had a message tapped to different companies in New England that had the products she was definitely not allergic to. Basically every thing that touched the skin she was allergic to, and she had to painstakingly have Western Union telegraph a myriad of shops to order a new 'everything'.

"The box arrived in a few days. Father had been to town early and did not find any mail for any of us. Uncle John was over, and he instantly volunteered to go once more that day to the post office. There is something not right with him - more even than we already know of - about him and the Post Office. Nevertheless, Augusta and I agreed that he should go, and it's a good thing he did because he did come back with several boxes of Augusta's new skin products.

"We took the boxes up to the guest room, and her and I and Em had such a gay time opening the products and thinking we were going to smell all kinds of lady scents from them. We never did smell anything at all - at least nothing besides the odors Uncle John left behind from sleeping in that bed. We all agreed that he should be the recipient of all of Augusta's frilly perfumes and sachets she could no longer use.

"I did take one thing. She had a container called "Axe" that she said she was going to give her boyfriend. But I reasoned by taking it, it would actually help her and him, if it should turn out he be allergic also. I snuck it back in the pile, tho, when I had opened it up and found there was nothing "cutting edge" about it like it said on the box.

"Maggie has been washing Augusta's hair and said, 'Tis strange there be no smell about-it. But after the conditioner's been on it really makes the hair luxurious. Didya know she bought hair colorin' downstreet, Miss Lizzie? Says she's gonna use it ennyway -' 'Watch your tongue,' I said to her. 'It isn't your place.' Now you owe me one, Augusta. Oh, it won't be anything large. It could be something as simple as holding a big coat out in front of you. ... No, I don't know why. It's just an example. I haven't thought the whole thing out just yet. ... I mean, I have nothing specifically in mind just yet.

"So Augusta is starting to use the products and so far has not had any reaction to any of them. She still breaks out in mysterious bumps and itches, but nothing of the prior magnitude. I'm ready to go now."

(offstage whisper): "Oh, that won't be necessary, Miss Borden."
LIZBETH: "I hate to correct you, sir, that if I am not allowed to go right now, there may be an embarrassing consequence for one of us."
ANNOUNCER: "Ohh ... And there she goes, folks. Miss Lizbeth Borden of Second Street. All you single gents out there, take heed. She'd be quite a catch, if you can git her. She's 32 and nobody's gotten her yet!"

******************* (Photo of Uncle John, between 1860 and 1892)

[Tina-Kate]

I hope all is well & getting better, Sherry.

You certainly keep your sense of humor about it, anyway!

[shakiboo]

Welcome back! Glad to know your sense of humor is alive and well! Thanks for the laugh! And Don't stay away so long.

[Nadzieja]

Oh Sherry, I'm so so sorry you are going through this. At first when I read your story I thought of shingles also, but that would have easily been diagnosed. My father in law was stationed in the Phillipines in WWII. He still broke out every so often on his feet & legs from something he picked up over there. I know this might sound really off the wall, but could there be something you are allergic to that is in your house. If it's in your house you would be constantly exposed to it. My own biggest allergy is mold, and it takes very little for me to have a reaction. I walked into my mother in laws walk in closet to help clean and came out within 10 minutes because she had so many mothballs in there my arms started turning red & itching. I was also getting sick from the smell. Later I found out just how toxic those things are. I wish you the best because I know just how frustrating this type of thing is and you just want it to be over. My thoughts & prayers are with you.

[Kat]

YAY Sherry! Keeping your sense of humor- unbelievable! Good for you! After I read your hilarious post- I wanted MORE!

I guess I need to wait for The Hatchet for that!

[william]

Evidently you believe in that old axiom: "When life gives you a lemon - make lemonade."

Keep up the good fight, Sherry.

[twinsrwe]

Augusta, I'm glad to hear you are doing better. Keep your chin up and keep that sense of humor! You're last post was the best!!!

[augusta]

You are all real sweet, and you do help to keep my chin up. Well, another round of The Rash is here. This one on both arms, stomach and all around my neck. I'm doing most of the things the dermo told me to do. A few days this week it was almost unbearable. I just quit, took as many pills as I could without dying and went to bed, hoping to sleep so I wouldn't scratch. It's starting to turn the corner now, once again the blisters are breaking some and my neck doesn't itch now - it feels like sandpaper, which means it's drying up. The skin will peel off the neck, then it'll be over at least there ... for a few days anyway.

I wanted to post to tell you about life in the last month. This is Month 10 with the rash. When I have gone out (it's not often I could wear a coat) I've been haunting the GNC stores. They're all a little different, I see.

I found a great organic shampoo at one - lathers real rich and smells good. I went in a GNC I've never been to before, and I asked for it. "I'm sorry. That's been discontinued."

Surprisingly none of them I've been in so far has carried much in the line of Aveeno or Eucerin products, which is what I can safely use. Well, not that "calming creme". Some have a good selection of Burt's Bees products but for some reason they are not on my sheet of products I can safely use. I did buy their lip balm, and nothing happened to me.

I'm in a GNC store for a long time, reading all the labels of anything I'm remotely interested in. (I lost the print-out of what the dermo gave me! It had the stuff I can use and the list of what I am allergic to. )
Geez, I could just die - and might!

I did find toothpaste for allergic people! That dermo's printout listed one type that was by prescription only. I didn't wanna go that far. I've been using regular toothpaste all my life, and still do, and it's not hurting me.
But when I saw that toothpaste in the GNC, I had to buy it. This is called "Jason Nutrismile", $5.49 for about 4 ounces. It's flavored orange, cinnamon and mint and after so many months being with mostly unscented stuff, it sounded so good.

Well, I opened 'er up and used it this morning. It looked like an ivory colored yogurt. Smelled okay - not as much scent as I wanted, but I can't be picky. It felt like I was brushing my teeth with grease. It was not a good feeling. As I kept brushing I looked at the box again. "NO Flouride!" That's nice. Then what good is the toothpaste? I could have gone to the cupboard and mixed baking soda and salt - and I may do that. There was no abrasiveness to it at all. When I was done I looked in the mirror and something (I know not what - it could have been this toothpaste) was on a front tooth. It rinsed out well (thank God). I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, unless you really had to have it.

I also bought a large bottle of Castile liquid soap. It said you can use it for baby baths and so many other things - as a mouthwash, washing your car (this is true). Has anyone looked at a bottle of that stuff lately? I don't mean to insult anyone who may work at one of their plants, but their label is ... (utsnay). They have all these religious rules to live by all over the bottle, so that we are "all one". I don't know what to make of it. But I'll try the soap.

Found some Avalon lavender shower gel, which when I got it home discovered it has "72%" organic ingredients. That sounds promising. Picked up a bottle of Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel.

Two GNC's I've been to lately have carried the deodorant 'natural crystal' you see in mail order catalogs and wonder "Should I?..." Well, there are at least two sizes of it. One is small; the other the size of a regular roll-on deodorant. That stuff works! It's held to a plastic base and has a plastic dome or lid. (I always just saw people using this 'lump' in catalogs and wondered how the heck you keep it.) You wet the crystal and use. Leaves no residue. And it's the best deodorant I've ever used. You don't perspire at all. (Hey, maybe that's dangerous ...) It's called "Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal" and for the larger of the two I paid $5.99. It's made out of all natural mineral salts.

I saved the best news for last. I found some hair coloring! This was at a drug store. I remembered in the 1960's my older sisters used to get these hair rinses that came in a packet of like 6 or so capsules, and when they'd get up in the morning their pillow cases would be orange. Well, sadly they didn't have those and may not make them anymore. But I found a product that I can't figure out if it's a "rinse" or "semi-permanent". It washes out after every shampoo and contains 10 applications. It's called "Fanci-full" Color Refreshing Rinse and I paid $4.99 for a 10-ounce bottle. (I happened to get a flash vision of Barbara Bush darkening her hair, and it all running down her face in the rain ...)

One thing I gotta change doing for sure. At the GNC stores, they'll only have one usually on the shelf. It looks like it's the last one. I've been buying those products off the shelves. And when I got home, found that I've bought all the 'floor models'. Safety wraps removed. Who knows who having what might have touched them. Or slipped some allergen in. Next time I go a-shopping, I will ask them to get me the product from the back room.

[Susan]

Sherry, is there something in particular that you are allergic to in haircoloring or is everything suspect? I found a few different haircolors listed online that are supposed to be allergen free. Heres what I found:

Sanotint
========

Vegetable based dye

Do-it-yourself hair dye made from Golden Millet and vegetal extracts

Ingredients:
Oil extract of Golden Millet with Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5)
and Biotine; vegetal extracts of Walnut Hull, Birch and Grape Seed.

Santotint Light
===============

Do-it-yourself hair dye made from Golden Millet and vegetal extracts
CONTAINS NO P-pHENYLENEDIAMINE

Golden Millet and other vegetal extracts are the basis for this new,
revolutionary hair dye, which is available in 12 colors and ensures a
truly safe, reliable outcome, even for the most sensitive types of
hair. SANOTINT LIGHT contains absolutely no P-Phenylenediamine, the
substance that often causes scalp irritation and forces many women to
resign themselves against coloring their hair. Because it also
contains no Ammonia or metals, this hair dye truly is a product that
can be used by everyone with complete confidence.

If you would like more information on our products, do not hesitate to contact us:

Cosval S.r.l.
Viale Delle Industrie, 10/5
20020 Arese (MI)
Italy

Phone: +39 02 93580479
Fax: +39 02 93581022
Email: [email protected]

Henna by Cynthia - Natural Henna Products
=========================================

There is no PPD in Henna hair color.

Colors:
Black
Persian red
Persian sherry
Persian mahogany
Persian burgundy
Dark brown
Medium brown
Light brown
Persian copper
Strawberry blonde
Persian blonde
Marigold blonde
Persian neutral

Natural Henna Hair Color - 4 oz. - $6.75

http://www.hennabycynthia.homestead.com/Hair.html

Light Mountain Natural Hair Color and Conditioner
=================================================

“Choose from our original line with the famous "henna animals" in 12
shades, or our unique Color the Gray line with 8 shades. We use no
chemicals and no synthetic ingredients, only pure premium henna and
other botanicals. We have been blending henna based natural hair
colors since the early 1980's and are the leading totally natural line
in the natural products industry.”

“The Doctors Prescription for Healthy Living Newsletter (by the people
who did the Safe Shopper's Bible, Freedom Press, Topanga California)
rated our product the only one they found that was totally safe and
chemical free.”

“Light Mountain uses NO PPD, No Ammonia, No Peroxide, No Chemicals whatsoever”

Online Retailer of Light Mountain Products
http://www.internatural-alternative-hea ... _11150.cfm

Hope that helps you out some.

[nbcatlover]

Sherry, I'm just reading about your problem for the first time.

Ii does sound like something autoimmune (like allergies) especially following the flu, since your immune system was already compromised. Hydrocortisone creams are to relieve the inflammation. Aveeno, Eucerin, etc. are just dry skin products. If I didn't know what I had, I wouldn't be putting any over-the-counter dry skin products on it (my allergies are so bad, my allergist told me to tell people I'm allergic to life when asked what I'm allergic to....). Stop coloring your hair til the rash goes away. Don't use soaps, etc. Just wash with plain water and gently pat dry. If you must use soaps or shampoos, buy baby shampoo and wash. Throw away all existing open toiletry products--they could be contaminated with bacteria and you could be somehow reinfecting yourself. Avoid junk food. Eat small simple meals of whole foods (not processed--eat the orange, not the supermarket orange juice) and keep a food diary so you can compare to new breakouts of your rash.

Have you been tested for a staph skin infection or MRSA? Anything with little blisters which can break and spread the infection should not be rubbed. If clothing touches the area, try to make sure it's just plain white cotton (cotton tee shirt) and avoid dye. Launder your clothing and bedding frequently in something simple like Ivory Snow. You might want to consider using non-latex gloves which you can throw away when touching the rash.

Keep taking antihistimines. Stick with one product. If you're on Benadry, stick with it.

Thnk simple and plain.

Keep us posted--the chemicals in products today can kill you. Lastly, watch the spices/seasonings you use. Keep them minimal.

[Kat]

Those are good suggestions, Cynthia!
...(She's a nurse.)

[augusta]

Thank you, Susan, for the hair dye sites. I will look into them! There are two chemical-sounding names in hair dye that I am allergic to. And I lost the list the doctors printed out for me.

"Cobalt Chloride" was an allergen, I think. I don't have a fix on what it is. Two things in hair dye. Formaldehyde, which I hear is in most makeups. Yling ylang, which I hear is in many perfumes. There's 4 more .

And thank you, Cynthia, for all the good tips! I have been using Laytex disposable gloves the past few months.

You know, I was so surprised and forgot to mention it earlier, but I was told NO baby shampoo! And also no 'mineral oil' - they said that's got stuff in it; no vegetable oil; but olive oil I could use. That's fine. That does a good job anyway and a little bit goes a long way. I notice that with all these products. They seem to be of good quality. I am getting used to this new life.

I think the Aveeno shower gel was bothering me. I never improved when I used that. The Aveeno BABY calming bath worked much better. But I found an even better one that I've been using and have had no problems with: "Jason Pure, Natural & Organic Aloe Vera Satin Shower Body Wash". I got a good-sized 30-ounce bottle for nine bucks. Probably 1 or 2 tablespoons does a whole shower. I'm gonna try to stick with this - if I can find it. All the GNC stores are a little different. I do notice, tho, that regular drug stores carry some of these products.

I'm fussy about my hairspray, because I have to have some height to my forehead/crown area. The one the doctors recommended to me is great. It's Jhirmack "Unscented, Extra Hold Hairspray". It holds well and doesn't cost that much. I had been using Paul Mitchell that I got from my salon, and I never had any trouble from that. (I still use it if I'm in a hurry and gotta grab something right away.)

The shampoo that's really good I mentioned a post or two back is: Giovanni Organic Hair Care - 50-50 Balanced Hydrating-Clarifying Shampoo, for normal to dry hair. That's the one the one GNC store said they were discontinuing, but I found this at a Rite-Aid. I paid $7.99 for 8.5 ounces. You only need very little and it lathers a lot and cleans your hair and scalp good and rinses well. I always forget, tho, to comb my hair before I go to bed. As soon as I get out of the shower, I wanna put my hair up, as I always need to wear it around the house, because it bothers my neck hanging down. When I forget to comb my hair before putting it up at night, the next morning it's bad to get a brush through it.

I still use the Eucerin regular cream for moisturizing, and it continues to do a super job.

I'm used to my weird toothpaste now. I had my teeth bleached before all this rash started. I hope this 'organic toothpaste' doesn't ruin it. I haven't found an organic mouthwash. I've always been a flosser/brusher/Listerine-er but I'm a little leery of the Listerine right now. It's such strong stuff. I take my floss and wet it with Listerine to floss with. But I hadn't been rinsing out with an antiseptic mouthwash.

SO, ("Lucy Brushes her Teeth" is gonna be on, but y'all probably knew that) - With nothing else to use, I remembered that that big bottle of liquid Castile soap said you can use it for "mouthwash" ... and for "washing your car" and lots of things. I took a swig of it and swished it around in my mouth.
Don't do it! It's like having a mouth full of motor oil. And once it's in your mouth, you know you can't swallow it (even if it would say you can on the bottle - I told you, that bottle is utsnay). I rinsed enough with it; I figured it's already in there, and it's never going in there again, I might as well just DO this. When I spit it out, I rinsed with water. I had that oily feeling in my mouth for a while. Then, when it left I was left with a slight pepper-minty feeling. Was it worth it? NO! I guess I'll use it for shower gel, if it doesn't peel my skin. I know! I can always use it to wash my car!

I lost my tube of Burt's Bees lip balm. Oh, it'll show up. It might be under my bed and not show up till next spring with toy poodle teeth marks on an empty tube, but it'll show. And I'm gonna search a few places around the house to see if that list of allergens from the doctor surfaces. If it doesn't, I'll call for another one to be sent.

There have been only some real teensy little bumps on my neck this past week, and they've itched. I got some spray-on Cortizone stuff (that was listed in the stuff I can have, but just Cortizone cream in a tube wasn't....), and that stopped it in its tracks.

I found to my surprise that I can still wear pierced earrings! I didn't think I'd be able to, with all the swellings and drainings my ears have gone thru. But the holes are still there as if nothing happened.

I gave/am giving all my scented things away to friends. But I am keeping my perfumes. A lot of them have scent-imental value. Seriously. What I do, tho, is I'll wait till I'm all ready and dressed to go out, then spray some on my outer clothing.

I'm not sure what to do with my hair yet, tho. I think I will get something dark from one of the websites Susan posted. But then there's a perm ... Should I or shouldn't I? Well, I know a perm did not start this nightmare, but whatever was wrong was body-wide. Do I want to take that chance? I could talk to my hairdresser about a mild perm; I think that's what she always gave me anyway. I remember that last perm last year - it had no effect on me, even tho I already had the clump of blisters on the back of my neck. Right now my hair is made up of 3 colors - the black I put on that made all the doctors point and say, "There's your culprit!"; the brown dye I used about 5 months ago to cover the incoming gray then; and the gray that's been coming in since I used the brown dye. I look like a skunk! It's layered, growing long, and frizzed from the old perm and my not combing it at nite.

Well, there's one thing I'm sure about. 'The Hatchet' will not be getting a photo of me for a long, long time.

[Susan]

Hi Sherry! You're welcome. I use an organic mouthwash that my fiance gave me. The company's name is Jason and its called Healthy Mouth Naturally Antiseptic Mouthwash; its concentrated so you mix it with a little water before use. Its alcohol free and saccharin free, theres tea tree oil, clove and cinnamon oils, aloe vera gel, etc. Everything listed in the ingredients tells what its in there for and what it came from; plant or fruit. The only exceptions are the water, dead sea salt, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and coconut oil. Heres a link to their website, it appears that if you can't get it locally, you can order it direct from them:

http://www.jason-natural.com/products/oral_care.php

[augusta]

Susan, are we ever on the same page - and I don't mean just literally.

I have been on the lookout for an organic mouthwash! Thank you!

I have found several of Jason brand products in GNC stores and really like them a lot. Their shower gel is very good. And I just finished a tube of their organic toothpaste, which was crappy at first but I got used to it.

I've never seen that mouthwash in any store I've been to. I think I'll order from the web site. I didn't even think of looking for their website.

I need to print this thread out. There's a lot of good tips from you guys!

Hey - what about organic perfume or cologne (not toilet water)? I'm allergic to the yling ylang that's in some of them.

[Susan]

You're welcome, Sherry. Yes, the taste of some of the organic products takes some time to get used to; they don't have the clean, bright, minty taste of most off the shelf products.

I did a quick search on organic perfumes and it did state that despite a perfume being organic does not necessarily mean that it is non-allergenic, so, beware.

Sephora carries a line of organic scents, heres a link to their site:

http://www.sephora.com/browse/section.j ... 20perfumes

Aubrey Organics has a line of organic scents:

http://www.aubrey-organics.com/spec_pro ... s_0506.cfm

If you like the scent of lavender, Lavender farms has an organic scent:

http://www.lavenderfarms.net/hoodriverl ... rfume.html

Ayala Moirel Parfums makes a line of natural scents and they list the ingredients that go into each one:

http://www.ayalamoriel.com/index.cfm?PageName=Welcome

And last, but not least, there is Laila perfume which is allergen free and is a big hit with female allergy sufferers in Hollywood:

http://www.laila.com/story.htm

[augusta]

Thank you, Susan! I've never seen organic colognes before. Well, once I bought a little bottle of lilac oil. It was real strong; you only needed a little bit. But I didn't have to look at the ingredients then. I'll go to the sites. I gotta see that Hollywood site. It's probably pricey, but fun to browse.

At the GNC stores, I see different scented oils. But I didn't know exactly what they were for. (The lilac oil display said it was used for perfume.)

My late grandfather had a lady live-in companion years ago, and she was raised on a farm. She said that on special events you got dressed up for, she would dab vanilla on herself. That sounded good. And this was before vanilla-scented things were out there. I never tried it before.

I gotta watch out for yling ylang. So I would be wary of trying something that didn't list its ingredients. I also have to go by trial and error to a degree. Like, two ingredients that aren't listed as allergens for me could form something together that would give me trouble.

[Kat]

Yes you reminded me that I had used vanilla! I hadn't thought of that in years!
You know, you'll smell like a chocolate chip cookie and it may be irresitible!