HSP in adults

Hi, 

Thanks for sharing your story. 

Of all the stories that I've read, yours is the most similar to what I have experienced. I am 22, just diagnosed with igA vasculitis 2 weeks ago. There was nothing similar to an infection that triggered it, so I'm guessing it's my body's reaction to stress. 

I've been to four different GPs. They tried penicillin and did several blood and urine tests, but found nothing. Eventually, they realised I had elevated serum igA. Did a biopsy to confirm it. 

My rash lasted about 3 weeks before an eruption of hives and joint pain that made me visit the A&E. Happened the night I had some drinks. The doctors gave me prednisolone, tapering from 20mg a day to 5mg a day. I'm off the medications, but I still get little spots at the end of the day, more when I'm tired from a day's activities. I've been coping with this condition for almost 2 months now. 

I hope you are doing well. Don't worry too much about the kidney complications. The doctors will have check-ups done for you to ensure there is no damage. 

Hi Honey sorry to hear you too have HSP. My daughter's HSP started last September. She is 14. To cut a long story short, my daughter's HSP seems to have been staryed either by Glandular fever or by a sudden food allergy, we belive is from eating yeast. Since last May, without realising, my daughter spent at least 4 months vomiting on and off culminating in September with the rash. She only stopped vomitting a month ago when we noticed that a common denominator for her vomiting was white bread/toast. Since we cut out toast and all forms of yeast and yeast extract she has stopped vimiting compleatly. The MMF was a waste of time. The steroids helped but the side effects were not nice. Her doc at gosh was away and she was recommended a drug called ACE to sort out her nephrotic syndrome which we wait for Dr Tullis to prescribe maybe. She still has +4 blod and protien in her urine 8 months on. Again no flate up since she stopped the yeast. We are still waiting for the blood test to confirm the intollerence to yeast. I was amazed to find out our new GP knew nearly as much as I do about this horrible virus and was able to advise us last week on the ACE drug instead of my daughter being a guine pig for the other drugs/conbination of drugs that gosh have been trying to put her on. Since Feb 15 she has been off all drugs and is finally feeling better and now there is no vomiting she has been able to get a lot more of her life back. G-d only knows how long she will have before the doctors screw that up for her again! The 8 weeks we spent at John Radcliffe last oct and nov due to the vomiting could have been avoided if when they ask you to write a food diary, they bothered to actually read it, as one of her main foods each day was toast! Instead they preferred giving her a general anasthetic, a camera down her throat and a biopsy, all of which came back ss normal! A simple food allergy was have been better and considering the amounts of blood they took most days they could have found the problem and a solution to the vomiting much sooner. Don't always trust the doctors, do your research because if it was not for this forum, i too would not have discovered that foods could be a trigger as most doctors thought it was her non existant throat infections! Wishing you a speedy recovery which although is an oximoron with HSP but time really is the best healer with this horrid virus.

Did anyone get chest pain and difficulties breathing with HSP?

Hi,

Just thought I'd give a quick update.

I'm still getting flare ups on my legs, although not as bad as the initial flare up I still get red spots on the bottom half of my legs and feet which is annoying as I go 3/4 days with nothing and then randomly the rash will come back. My arms have cleared up over the last few days but I don't hold any hope they will stay this way for long.

I've been for a few check ups with a Dermatologist and Rhuematologist. The Dermatologist has given me steroid cream, which to be honest I have only used a few times as I really don't feel this helps the rash atall. I've also been prescribed omeprazole which I take daily to prevent stomach ulcers because of the amount of tablets I'm currently taking and alendronic acid to prevent loss of bone because I'm on a high dose of steroids. I also mentioned Dapsone and he wants to hold off putting me on this as he thinks the steroids should work on there own.

I've gone down to 30mg of prednisolone and will be reducing 5mg every 2 weeks. It will be interesting to see if the rash does get any worse when I start reducing the steroids as I don't think they are actually helping but I will soon find out!