Dermatologist appointment

[Zizzle]

Marliss,
I worked as a medical assistant for him and his daughter while I was in grad school. He taught me everything, drawing blood, in-office procedures, medical coding and billing, etc. I learned more there in 2 years than I did in my formal education. They asked me to come back and work for them today. They always wanted me to go to med school and join the practice. Oh well.

The dx of DM is based on several characteristic sun-sensitive rashes-- knuckles, cuticles, chest or upper back, elbows and knees, and sometimes the eyelids or hips. Have you had any of those? Was your GA dx'd by biopsy? My rash takes a few days to respond to prescription steroid creams, and even then, its not gone for good, just less itchy. Avoiding the sun makes a huge difference.

[tex]

Marliss,

Speaking of granuloma annulare, have you checked out any of the discussions (on skin issue boards) that claim that the key to eliminating granuloma annulare is vitamin D? Apparently that claim is untrue, since I would assume that you're taking more than enough vitamin D to avoid an insufficiency.

Tex

[Christine.]

I hate to brag but eliminating gluten was a MIRACLE for all my skin issues. After 50 years of exema and moderately severe psoriasis it cleared up almost overnight.

A friend that teaches preschool has a little girl with psoriasis all through her hairline and on her neck and face. She could not believe the change in my skin, told the mom to try gluten free and the little girl's rash cleared up.

I went to the dermatologist last week just to see what she thought of the diet connection. In a nutshell she Felt that if diet change helped me I was the exception. More likely, she said, my "improvement" was due to increased sun exposure and in the summer and a cortisone/ vitamin D crime combo. Interesting.....since i havent used medication for months, summer never was a miracle all these years and the rash has been gone since February.
Chris

[MBombardier]

Well, so far, since 6th grade I've had lesions on a knee, knuckle, and elbow. The elbow is new; the knee and knuckle lasted for many years and I still have a pinkish flat patch on the knuckle. So mild, as I said. Psoriasis or DM? I don't know, and don't want to biopsy it, unless of course, it gets a whole lot worse. It's good to know I have the gene for it, but I lost out in the genetic roulette in so many ways...

GA was diagnosed with a couple of biopsies. I have both kinds--localized and generalized. The generalized has pretty much gone away, and never bothered me much except for the huge unsightly blotches that have faded significantly. The localized has a significant mast cell component. I ate cashews yesterday and today to see what would happen, as things have quieted down as the seasonal allergies have lessened, and sure enough--my GA is red, raised, and very itchy.

Tex, my 25-hydroxy vitamin D level was 51 ng/ml in June. I am pretty glad to know that my dose worked through the winter, and that's something I don't have to worry about at the moment. I don't get on the skin boards because I'm doing everything they suggest on there and still have new GA lesions. On top of that--I learn everything I need to know here.

[Zizzle]

My sister who lives in the Hawaii sun has GA, so I highly doubt a vitamin D connection. Hers does not itch at all.

[MBombardier]

"They" say that GA shows up most on damaged skin. The localized does that on me. I hang my left arm out the car window, and it is worse on the back of my left arm than my right arm. I have also had a few bad sunburns on the back of my neck/upper shoulders, and that's where the new lesions have come out in force. They look awful, but no one asks me if I have ringworm anymore because there are so many that the circles overlap.

I hope you get some relief soon, Zizzle. I have had a number of battles with severe itching over the years, and the low-level on-going annoyance can really make me irritable. I feel for you.