u/Defiant_McPiper

Posting here in hopes of maybe some insight for what I've been dealing with for almost 2 months (and the derm sub i was ignored).

Last week of March I got really sick, either flu or covid (was not tested by my PCP). I had a prior doctor's visit thst week for a rotator cuff issue i had for months and had labs drawn then for a slew of autoimmune labs (lupus, thyroid, ect). Then that weekend I woke up and was completely broke out from my head to my thighs in a full red rash - long story short ended up on prednisone and diagnosed that it was likely caused by whatever virus i had.

I was slowly getting better, was maybe a week and a half off the tapering predisone and I had a flare up - not as red as before but my chest, back, face, and now scalp broke out and I had patches stay around my hair line and scalp, but everything else cleared up. Was given all the creams and such to try, given another round of president (and this time the side effects were a lot different) - had relief until Monday I broke out again same places but it did clear up. I ended up calling the derm doctor I'm now seeing (bc my PCP couldn't provide further help) and basically told these things may take time, but we need to wait until I'm done with the predisone to see about possible testing.

What i am going through does seem different than some of the posts here - I'm not really having hives a sopposed to just being red and itching (which is not as bad as when I first got it), but my skin is super sensitive still, my chest, back, and arms can break out with friction from my shirt but it seems to slowly not get as bad after eahc flare up. And this flare up has caused my one eye to feel either dry or a little swollen?

I'm just hoping someone here has had similar, and where it waxed and waned (and each flare up seems not as bad as the last but I'm still so uncomfortable). I truly think I need to get my histamine levels back on track - I'm almost done with my predisone and I take 2 pepcid AC and now 2 of the 24 hour Allegra (one dose in morning and another dose at night) that I think is helping? Also using Vanicream (was using cerave but it seemed to make my skin feel stingy from being so sensitive) and i use CeraVe healing ointment on the mirror senstive spits to help seal in the moisture and hopefully heal.

I just feel at a loss and it seems when I feel I'm getting better is when the flare up hits and gets me back a square one, and I also feel like I'm on my own with googling/researching as what I've asked doctors doesnt get looked at seriously, or "takes time". I havent felt myself and this has really affected my mental state too.