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Strange unexplained rash on lower legs, what could it have been?

Posted , 4 users are following.

hailey10581
hailey10581

Hi, I’m curious as to if I can find any answers regarding a strange medical mystery. I am 19 years old now and about two years ago, I discovered what I thought to be a mosquito or spider bite on my right leg. It hurt to touch, was slightly swollen and red, but small and unassuming. Over the course of days, it began to swell up more, looking a lot like a bruise though I knew it wasn’t as the blueish/purpleish red spot continued to grow. It became so painful it was hard to walk and continued to grow so I went to the hospital. It was ruled as an infection, I was put on antibiotics, and sent for a blood test. Meanwhile, the bruise-like spot continued to grow and one appeared on my left leg as well and walking was not possible without feeling like hot iron rods were being shoved up my legs through the bottom of my feet. The spot on my left leg grew rapidly and a third appeared on my right, all a dark red-purple colour like a bruise but swollen and warm to the touch, excruciatingly painful. At this time, I saw the doctor again. My blood test showed no signs of infection so I was taken off the antibiotics and my doctor just sort of shook her head at me. At this point, my ankles and feet were swollen as well, so swollen I might as well have looked pregnant. All my doctor could tell me was that it was “an immune system response due to a previous untreated illness” and every other doctor I have asked doesn’t know what to tell me but I’d really like to know what that means exactly. After about three weeks of being completely unable to walk, the rash slowly disappeared and the swelling went down, just like that. However, ever since then, I experience bad pain and weakness in my legs, fatigue and physical weakness, burning and tingling in my feet, and sometimes my feet will swell up if I’m on them too much. The rash has yet to come back, however just this year I developed unexplained swelling of the parotid gland behind my right ear, slightly high white blood cell count but not enough to warrant that kind of swelling the ER doc said. The swelling progressed so quickly I was put on IV antibiotics and prednisone, along with a heavy course of oral antibiotics and prednisone for a week following. I had no fever and the ER doctor phoned an ear, nose and throat specialist to get a second opinion and nothing. I’m curious as to if anybody has any ideas? My doctor has ruled out lots of things like lupus, rheumatic fever, and I think Lyme disease but I’m not sure. 

0 likes, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • Beverley_01
    Beverley_01 hailey10581

    Posted

    Hi Hayley,

    Not sure how helpful this is but, i have cfs/me (chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalitis) and went to see a musculoskeletal specialist yesterday who explained that the body can react in exceptional ways to things that appear in o make no sense. E.g. my right foot goes freezing cold, to the touch not just perceived, and has no physical cause. My circulation and nerve conduction studies showed nothing. This doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I experience pain that has no physical cause-there is no physical damage they explained. This is from mri scans as well as testing relflexes.

    In your case it sounds like you may have been bitten by something and your body was responding to it. I say this because your rash had three large specific areas. It may be that your body reacted to this in a way that caused the swelling and pain and continues to do this although the cause is no longer evident. A bit like my foot, the symptoms exist but there's no logical reason that they still should. My cfs/me came about from a car crash and my spine was fractured thus, i think the pathways were changed at that point and it's like your body becomes on red alert. I have so many odd little symptoms from all this. Twitching, sharp unexplained pain, eye issues, numbness, walking problems-to name a few.

    My sister is allergic to wasp stings. Her body balloons and she goes red and hot if stung. This is her immune system response to that. My face and ear will go red and hot on one side for no reason. This is my immune system response to a perceived threat that doesn't exist. Her body is over sensitised to wasp stings, my body is over sensitised to non visable perceived threat.

    Hope that helps somehow.

    Beverley

  • Marina_Dee
    Marina_Dee hailey10581

    Posted

    Has anyone mentioned Cellulitis?  Usually caused in the first instance by a Staph or Strep infection entering the skin through a  tiny cut or graze.   It sometimes takes years to totally get rid of the infection and it can flare up at any time.    Being overweight makes it worse. Drink plenty of water and keep your legs elevated as high as possible.
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