GA for over 10 years

Hi, I've found that using a combination of H1 and H2 antihistamines is the only thing that is working to keep mine at bay. I was diagnosed with mast cell disease earlier this year after a lifetime of inflammatory and allergy symptoms, and then these GA lesions popped up in 2014.

Again, going on high doses of allergy meds (both H1 and H2, it's important to use both) has worked for me. I am also on cromolyn sodium oral for the MCAD but I have no idea if it affects the GA. I did find where MCAD and GA are connected, through tumor necrosis factor, and I actually posted about that here recently.

Good luck, hope you find what works for you It's not a pretty rash at all and I know what you mean, I thought I had a ringworm at first. It was distressing!

xo Michelle Dellene

Hello julia66324, I am just newly diagnosed, not even one month. Waiting for results from biopsies. I look up to you and your courage for the past 10 years. I guess what I would like to say is you are not alone. I'm glad we have a community where we can talk to others who truly get it. I'd be curious if you've ever been in full remission? Do you work and if so how do you handle telling people if they ask? Do you have any other autoimmune conditions? I find it hard to build confidence with the not knowing. Right now I have just one spot on my ankle and two small on each elbow. Just glad to know we are not alone on the journey.

Hi

I first started with this in 2010. One ring on my left shin and like everyone else, and a pharmacist, thought it was ringworm. Dermatologist confirmed GA. At that point I was 42 (perimenopause) and had used a sunbed for over 20 yrs and love my fashion and clothes. I had a sun allergy but nothing that stopped me going abroad and tanning as long as I wore allergy sunscreen and had to lay in Mediterranean sun before the allergy would trigger so no problem walking around in UK. I continued to use the sunbed and holidayed abroad etc and the ring disappeared within the 2 yr. On looking back I did get the odd little red spot on my lower legs but nothing alarming n only now and again. In 2014 I had a hysteroscooy op which was part of a cycle of IVF treatment I was about to embark on (had done IVF for about8 yr) and started a 6 month course of Cycloprogynova medication for IVF. A couple of wks later a little GA circle appeared on my left shoulder then all these spots all over my upper arms. The spots turned out to be Molluscum Contagiosum which is a skin viral infection but this all triggered the GA too. My stress levels went into stratesphere! The last 2 yr have been hell with the GA spreading to my elbows n knees aswell as legs and upper arms. I had a breakdown, am on a career break and my stress levels have been chronic for 2 yr now. This yr it has spread to my hands but also thos yr I cannot go on the sunbed or in the sun without getting GA spots. This has made a bad situation worse. If I could still enjoy the sun/sunbed would feel 100% better. Steroid injections helped my elbows last yr but came back a little once in sun this yr. GA is all I think about. Feel like has ruined my life. Just started HRT as now at 49 am post menopause to see if that would help but personally don't know if stress is a big factor as that has been main doffered centre in my 2 experiences of GA plus an older imine system!. Just want to enjoy Summer again, be able to enjoy clothes and plan ahead what I can wear n get rid of this hideous disease!

So sorry to hear that you are stil struggling with this. I had only a short few weeks -mine spread so quickly. Within  3 weeks it went from a small spot on my shin to my entire shin, ankle, arm, belly, chest and neck. Mine was really itchy - I walk around with silk sarong and pants and stayed home whole day. When the doctor told me 'it will away by itself in a year or two' I had a good cry wondering if I'll ever have a normal life - with the itch I can't hold a normal conversaion.

This's what worked for me: https://patient.info/forums/discuss/granuloma-annulare-sharing-what-worked-for-me-524692

I think we tend to look for a single thing that works. I do believe that with skin, food and nutrition plays a big role besides medications to manage and keep it at bay.

Good luck! Don't give up - there's a couple of people in here where it came and went. It's a bit of a trial and error process. Just give it time though. With change in diet or supplementations, it takes a month or so before you see an effect normally with most conditions.

I feel the same way Julia. I will try the tea tree oil and see if that helps. I am going on two years with this and for me it keeps getting worse.