[LadyLily]

I have had some skin problems over the past few weeks that I'm now beginning to wonder might be lupus related?

I've just read the thread about itchy scalps and it rang bells with me - I've got 'scabby areas' (Sorry - sounds disgusting!) over the back and sides of the scalp and already am careful with products I use. However, I have also got two sore areas on my face - one across my nose and one just under my eye as well as a larger area at the bottom of my neck at the front which are refusing to heal up. I am thinking they could be sunlight related perhaps (I am anti-Ro positive). I have tried using various creams on them but they just get a crusty area on the surface without any actual healing - I've tried tea-tree cream and Germolene, anti-histamine cream (just in case they were caused by a bite initially) and steroid cream (prescription one) but to no avail.

I think I will have to go back to the doctor this week with them but wondered if anyone has any suggestions? My consultant is not due to see me again as my arthritis wasn't active when I saw him in June - he hasn't given me a definite lupus diagnosis although said that my blood serology certainly suggested that it could be lupus (he didn't want to go against a diagnosis of Stills Disease made by a colleague - who is now an eminent rheumatologist - when I was 17 some 25 years ago!) However, I am ANA+ and anti-DNA+ and also have antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.

Any ideas anyone? These sore areas are driving me mad!!!

Lily x

 

[angie1]

Hi Lily,
I don't have any suggestions, but am looking for some also. I have a sore on my nose also that won't heal. I've tried different creams over the last week, but nothing helps. It also crusts over and there is some fluid that oozes out. I hope someone has an answer for us both. I started thinking about flesh eating disease and am now really worried! Hope everything works out for you, take care.

Angie

 

[keebler]

I had impetigo around my nose and mouth, last summer. I went on the ointment but ended up taking some oral antibiotics. What I had spread and it didn't go away until I was put on antibiotics.

I don't know if that is what you have. You need to go to a doctor and get this checked out.

Take care and let me know what you find out.
Lyn

 

[cemc]

It would be a good idea to get those face ulcer bits checked out by a dermatologist. I had something that a dermy thought looked like a rodent ulcer, which is a kind of localised skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma)- if it is this (mine ended up not being) then it really does need treating properly and taking seriously. These do often start with sun damaged skin too.

 

[Clare.T]

Hum Lily ! I definitely think they could be lupus related. Look at the picture sites linked to in the sticky for the subacute cutaneous type which is associated with anti Ro. You just might see something that resemebles yours although of course appearances from photos aren't enough.

I take a very dim view of the consultant's reluctance to diagnose. It is known that Still's can be a forerunner of lupus so quite why a diagnosis from 17 years ago can't be changed is very odd. Maybe that renowned fellow would change it himself if he knew the present facts. I suggest you avoid the sun or step up your precautions

Your GP might be willing to prescribe some cortisone cream in the short term, to be used very sparingly.
By the way it was typical of mine to come and go getting worse each time they appeared until they stayed for good. Sometimes they started with a tiny sore bump, for a few days, which would reappear as a slightly rough area for a week or two. It took several years for some of them to develop fully.
Antiseptic cream can be used in nostrils. Usually they will go when the disease is brought under control

Good Luck
Clare

 

[LadyLily]

Thank you everyone for replying to my thread. I think I will get things checked out at the GP's and I'm wondering if it might perhaps be a good idea to ask if I could be referred to St Thomas' in London. When I first went to my GP back in April when I had my 'out-of-the-blue' flare complete with joint pain and skin rash I did mention a referral to her but she said that she thought it would be better for the referral to come from the rheumatologist at the local hospital. He was very nice but did say that he would write to me with results of the blood tests I had done again in June (half of the April ones which I had done at the tail end of the flare were lost!!!) . . . I've not heard anything from the hospital and we're approaching the end of August. I know that some hospitals in the UK send letters to India to be written and then sent back but I would have thought I would have heard something by now!

I didn't know Clare that lupus can follow Stills. That is of great interest to me as I had health investigations done about 4 years ago now after having miscarriages and then no luck falling pregnant again. I was referred to Prof. Regan's Miscarriage Clinic in London (a centre of excellence here) - this is when I found out about all the antibody results, however, at NO time was the possibility of lupus ever mentioned. I was also not monitored at all when I did manage to get pg a year later despite now knowing the implications of being anti-Ro . . . there is a risk of foetal heart block and neo-natal lupus. I didn't know this at all at the time and none of the doctors ever seemed to pick up on it. Is this just something typical that the different areas don't know much about another specialism even if there is some cross-over??? (Luckily my little lady was fine I may add but that's not the point!)

Thanks and best wishes to all . . .

Lily x