Healing Question

[Psyborg]

So...does the immune suppression (or pred) affect healing speed? My foot is still hurting 2 months after dropping the bike on it. I've heard that the toe injuries are nagging, but this is annoying :)

I also had that hernia repair last week. I'm finding out that I'm apparently allergic to Derma Bond (Wee blisters all over the area around it). Hoping it heals fast so the derma bond come off, but not sure given the slow pace of the recovery on the foot. I know...completely different but I'm just wondering ;) They did ask me to go off my MTX a few weeks (I think this is why).

[Sangye]

Yes, they affect healing times. Ask them for a different wound cover. I'm allergic to most of them, too. There are many different kinds.

[Psyborg]

Well on the bright side I appear to be healing ok. ON the down side I have a fungal infection on the skin around the wound. Have I mentioned I hate the whole immune suppressed thing?

[NicShaf]

Ditto, Psyborg! I hope you start feeling better soon.

[Psyborg]

dumb part is I feel pretty good otherwise, itches like crazy though.

[Psyborg]

Gah...I have hives now. I'm clearly allergic to something, but I'm not sure what. I stopped using the anti-fungal cream as I think it might be the problem. But the hivers are driving me batty.

[Sangye]

Has your doctor seen the area, Bob?

[Psyborg]

Not yet...going to contact the surgeons office today. It seems to be getting worse rather than better. Only thing other than the surgery I know of is that allergens are high right now, but I've never reacted like this before.

Only other change is they had me go off MTX for a few weeks while healing. I don't think that going off the MTX should cause me to get hives. But at this point I'm completely baffled.

[Psyborg]

Looks like maybe it's the mesh they put in to strengthen the area. I hope not...that'll mean ANOTHER surgery to remove it. :(

[Sangye]

Oh man, I hope that isn't the problem. :sad:

[Psyborg]

Can anyone who's had the Vasculitis rash explain what it felt like? I'm getting concerned as it is centered around my wound from the surgery. But now it's all over my body. It feels very similar to a relatively serious case of Poison Ivy. But I don't want to freak out and call my Rheumy with something very unrelated.

[Sangye]

The typical Wegs rash looks like small blood blisters--bright red, either flat or raised. Sometimes they itch and sometimes they don't. I think it would be unusual to develop a vasculitic rash around the wound and then have it spread. It doesn't make sense to me. It sounds much more like an allergic reaction that is becoming more serious. You might try taking a benadryl to see if that helps since it wouldn't affect a Wegs rash at all. Mostly, I think you need to get to a doctor today if possible.

What drugs are you on? Are you still using the fungal cream?

[Psyborg]

I am taking the cream again....stopped when I thought that might be the cause of the rash, but it's getting worse not better. Benedryl does help with the itching but the rash itself doesn't go away. Course it knocks me out as well.

[Sangye]

You gotta see a doctor tomorrow.

[Psyborg]

I see the doctor today at 3:00. I thin I know what it is...I think it's chicken pox or shingles. I had chicken pox before, but seem to remember hearing that you could get again after being immune suppressed. I am a bit more concerned today as I seem to have a little bit of pain in the chest. It actually starts at mid back and feels like it's stabbing through my right lung. That's what it feels like anyway.

[chrisTIn@]

I see the doctor today at 3:00.

I'm very curious what the doctor will say. Wishing you the best of luck, hope the rash disappears soon.

[drz]

Can anyone who's had the Vasculitis rash explain what it felt like? I'm getting concerned as it is centered around my wound from the surgery. But now it's all over my body. It feels very similar to a relatively serious case of Poison Ivy. But I don't want to freak out and call my Rheumy with something very unrelated.

I had a rash like this when in the hospital early in my treatment. I looked and felt like I had been rolled in poison ivy or staked out on an ant hill. I think they decided it was a drug allergy to meropenem but it was a very miserable experience to be itching all over my body. They frequently applied various creams to give me some temporary relief but it subsided after several days.

Hope you get some answers and relief soon.

[elephant]

Bob, keep us updated. Hope your doc can figure this out soon!

[Psyborg]

I saw the family doctor yesterday. She said the rash appears to be a serious case of hives. She bumped up my Prednisone for a short boost (basically a dose pack), and gave me Hyrdroxolyne. The next morning after the first dose I do not seem to have the hives, but I still have a few itchy spots. I almost suspected a blood infection, but i haven't had any fever that I noted.

[Sangye]

Could she determine what caused them?

[Psyborg]

No idea. I was cleared up this morning, but have been getting sporatic break outs all day. I'm actually suspicious that this is withdrawl from the MTX. I got the surgeons thumbs up to start the MTX again and will take some tonight. It's definitely hives, which are an immune response so it sorta makes sense in my head. I'll let you folks know what I find out.

The rash around the scar is definitely fungal and is clearing up, but it looks completely different in retrospect. I think I just tied two itchy areas together.

[Psyborg]

Did Pred dose boost (back down to 20mg today...10, tomorrow and back to normal on Sunday I hope) and restarted my MTX and everything is back to mostly normal. Still a few itchy spots.

On the bright side the Hernia wound is healed externally and the dermabond is all off. As soon as that came off the fungal mess started to clear up quicker, I'm guessing that it was trapping some of the infection under the dermabond.

I was actually able to jog a bit this morning for the first time in...well a long time. Nothing earth shattering as I have to stop when breathing gets too hard, but it felt good to get the heart rate up a little.

[Sangye]

Glad to hear you're doing well, Bob. :smile1:

[elephant]

Glad your back on your feet Bob!