I need a hug.--Update pg2 The doc was wrong...

So for those that don't know, I have Crohn's disease. Its this really crappy disease where my immune system attacks my intestine. Its very painful and it causes very embarassing symptoms.
For pretty much all of 2010 I was on a terrible drug called Prednisone. The most unfriendly side effects include insomnia (I'd sleep on average 6 hours ever 4 days) mood swings (I tried to stab my father with a fork because he interrupted me) and weight gain (I gained 60lbs that year) It took me all of 2011 to loose the weight and get back to normal.

I've been feeling really good for about the last month. I'm back to my pre-prednisone weight and for the first time in years my crohn's actually feels under control.

So thats the background.. so you can understand a bit better why i'm upset.

In November, I got these funny spots on my arms. I now have 3 on my arms, 2 on my back 6 on my scalp and 1 on my leg... the derm doesn't seem to be sure what they are, but he thinks it could be "a weird looking psorisis or really bad exczma or Erythema Multiforme... all of which should be fixed by Prednisone. So we tried the prednisone, but it didn't work. I didn't sleep more than 18 hours in 2 weeks... for pretty much nothing.

Untitled by handmeafish, on Flickr

Untitled by handmeafish, on Flickr

Like 2 days ago, I had an itchy spot on my face. It felt like dry skin, so I treated it like that.
Last night it looked like this.

Untitled by handmeafish, on Flickr

But when I woke up it was like twice the size.

Untitled by handmeafish, on Flickr

So I called the derm, and got a last minute appointment. He diagnosed the spot on my chin as " sweets syndrome" which he thinks will clear up in a few weeks. He didn't really explain much, so I googled it when I got home...

Apparently this is what I have to look forward too over the next few weeks.
[spoil:2wsuhxu3] [/spoil:2wsuhxu3]

So, I finally get to feel good for a while... and this pops up.
I finally get to feel pretty for a while, and now I get to have a giant boil on my face, which may erupt and get crusty and nasty... Also, who knows how much longer this thing will grow...

So yeah. I'm kind of sulking right now... but I do feel a bit better now. I know tis not the end of the world.. I'm not dying... and I'm more than just my face. But I feel like nothing ever gets to go right for me. I really like this boy... and I've nearly worked up the courage to ask him on a date. (I have anxiety issues too, so doing things out of my box is very difficult) and now I think all I'll be able to think about is this giant thing on my face, whether he notices it or not, I'll be focused on it, and I'll probably chicken out. And if it crawls up my chin too much more I wont be able to play my saxophone, which is my only release right now.

I guess thanks for listening... I always know my ratshack buds are willing to listen, even when it seems no one else will.

:hugs:

I'm so sorry you're going through this and I'm really sorry the dermatologist didn't take more time to explain the condition or empathize with how it would affect you, even if it will eventually go away. I hope it doesn't spread more than it already has, I'm sure the boy will look past it :cuddle:

:hugs:

Oh wow. You've been through the wringer and still going. HUGS!!!!!

:hugs:

Bah! That really sucks! It is so disheartening to finally feel good only to be slammed down again. I'm hoping that the picture you found is of course the extreme and not the norm. Even if this does go away on its own, is there any treatment that can lessen the severity or duration?
Just googled it and here is an article on treatment options:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11893223
There are other options besides systemic steriods. I hope you find something that works for you.

Whenever I start feeling lousy about myself, I start thinking about other people like the cleaner at my office that has cancer, and has been having radiation and chemo for a couple of years now. And she still keeps plugging away, and coming to work. It makes me feel sad for her, but better about myself. Because:
'There, but for the grace of God, go I.' (I'm not a religious person, but it just seems fitting...)
Good luck!

Wow, hang in there :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: We're always here! :heart:

Thanks guys

It feels smaller today, I think the cream is working. Yay!

Wow, you have a lot on your plate. Crohn's is so unpredictable, and Pred is not a nice drug(I hate having to give it to my rats, even when they really need it). I had no idea that it could disrupt sleep like that.

So glad the cream is helping with your face, play that guy a romantic song on your sax.. Hope that turns out the way you want

Sending lots of hugs!

I feel for you :hugs: It sucks to finally start feeling better and then get slammed again.
I was put on prednisone for my asthma and it damn near killed me. No sleep, no appateite, anxiety, depression, shakes, seizures ....
My sister-in-law has MS and has been put on that pred. a few times and each time, no matter how little she ate, she would pile on the pounds. This made her feel even worse. I hate prednisone and will never take it again.
I'm also wondering if I have Crohns, sometimes I get terrible stomach pain, cramps and diarreah. Then I'll be okay for a bit and wham it's back again. Maybe you could inform us about just what Crohns is and how it's dealt with. I mean there's so much secrecy about bowel disease ( and mental illness). People who affected by these diseases shouldn't have to hide. Sorry, that's my little rant.....

:hugs:

You're right- you are more than just a face. Although it's sad that you might have some issues with your skin, keep in mind that what you find on the internet is usually worst-case scenarios. When my mom googled a skin issue my brother once had, the children she saw were what he had times 40. I'm sure it won't be as bad as the poor woman in the picture. And if it is, you're strong enough to get through that and more. *hugs*

Although I don't have Crohns I have other health issues that well, basically, suck.
Insomnia is a hard thing to deal with because with lack of sleep, your body can become so run down that it can make you susceptible to other illnesses.
I have weeks of good health but have been struggling for almost a month, with being sick, swollen lymph nodes, chronic fatigue and now an allergy to something that has made my body one big itch with sores on my scalp.
Thank goodness no one can see them.
Not to blather on about my stuff I just wanted to let you know that your not alone.
My Mom told me that there is always someone worse off than you and it's the truth.
I hope that you go back to the dermatologist and have him explain your skin issues.
They get so busy that they forget they are treating a real person and not just a symptom.
Sending you :cuddle: & :heart: so that you feel better soon.

Crohn's is an autoimmune disease that effects the digestive system. Basically my immune system can't tell what cells are good and what cells need to be destroyed, so it just kills what ever it feels like. The symptoms, intensity and where it effects you change from person to person. It most commonly effects the small intestine or colon, but I've had issues with my mouth, my lips, my esophagus and my bum...
Symptoms include cramps, bloating, nausea, ulcers, mouth sores and fistulas... among other things.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001295/

I have a very over active immune system. These spots are also caused by my immune system over acting, even though i am immunosuppressed. So we have to figure out what to do now. It could also be because of the drugs that this is happening... But we are not currently sure about that.

I thought I already commented but I don't see my reply so I must have done something wrong when trying to post it. *Huge hugs* for you. You are definitely more than your face but I can still see why it could suck. I think you shouldn't be afraid to ask the guy because I'm guessing he's seen you sans spots and anyway he should like you for who you are. But obviously I understand whatever you decide to do. I'm glad to hear the cream is helping! Great news. <3

Ok, so this is kind of a long story, but basicly, the skin issues I've been having, at least some of them, are probably a fungus I got from my rats. The doc took back his diagnosis of sweets syndrome because nothing was responding to steroids.

We had a case of psittacosis in my store, and one of the symptoms is a rash, so my boss had me call the state vet to see what she thought. I told her about this skin issue I'd been having, and she didn't think it was psittacosis, but she asked me a few questions and said "do you have a lot of contact with rodents?" which, yes I do...
She throws out, "Trichophyton mentagraphytes " and tells me to ask my doc what he thinks. So I start googling, cause thats what I do. This is what I found, from Debbie D.

There is a type of fungus called Trichophyton mentagraphytes that can be passed from animal to humans. It doesn’t usually cause any symptoms in the animals. In people it usually starts out as a small red pimple-like bump that develops over several days into a blister. I have had this fungus several times and in my case, there was no itching, but the lesions are very tender and painful if bumped. They may cause itching in some people. This fungus should be treated with a topical anti-fungal cream twice a day. The sooner you recognize it and treat it, the sooner it will go away. Below is a picture of one of my fungus blisters.

Click to expand...

It looks JUST like what i've got on my fingers right now, and what healed from my face and neck.

SOOO now I get to defend my choice of keeping the rats, even if they are where I got the fungus, which with where I work, I could have been exposed from any number of animals.
My mom called them "the typhoid marry" this morning.
I am an adult, and I don't live in her house... so in theory she can't force me to get rid of my rats... but my parents do still support me financially when it comes to medical stuff. She hasn't said anything yet, but she's threatened to cut me off before, because I was doing something she didn't like.

Has anyone else ever had this? The doc put me on an anti-fungal cream as a last-stich effort, and it has been helping... so it looks like this is probably what it is.
Probably not whats on my arms tho, so we've still got that to figure out.

Glad it's not something worse!
It seems like that is mainly harmless.

Not sure what to do about your parents, though. ):
It sure is unsensitive and unthoughtful of her to cut you off because of your loved ones. She may be just trying to get you a into a scare. However, a over-the-counter fungal cream isn't very expensive- if you don't need to visit the DR again, you can tell her it turned out to be something else YET again or that it just went away, and buy it yourself. Furthermore, doctors and people alike tend to jump to negative conclusions when they hear "rats". Are you sure it was the DOCTOR who asked YOU if you have rodents around, and that you didn't tell him/her?

No the vet is working with my store, she came up with it, because I work with rodents. She said its common.
Back when we thought it was Mrsa my mom tried to blame the rats... She just doesn't get it. But she wouldn't give up the digs for anything!

Should the rats be treated? So they don't pass this on to you anymore?