lower legs turning red

[Babs659]

I have started getting what looks like tiny, tiny broken red capillaries on my lower legs, on the inside from the ankle bone to just below the calf muscle.  It is getting slowly worse and I have no idea what it is.  The left leg is worse than the right.  I don't see my GP until July 20.   It almost looks like a rash.  It does not itch or hurt.  I do have mild peripheral neuropathy.

What could it be?

[gphx]

Vasculitis is one possibility. Sjogrens can inflame veins. Sometimes an inflamed vein presses on a nerve contributing to neuropathy though it can attack the nerves directly as well. Vasculitis can cause neuro symptoms in a manner very similar to neuropathy. I know, the party never ends right?

[Carolina]

Or maybe the livedo reticulitis thing that people talked about the other day?

I found some pictures on Google.

Let me post a link.

http://www.dermis.net/dermisroot/en/42784/diagnose.htm

This has some pictures.

Keep us posted.

Kisses

Carolina

[Babs659]

Carolina, that livedo-type of rash comes and goes.  Isn't it normal once in a while?

GPXH, My lower legs are evenly red in that area on the inside of my leg, above the ankle bone and below the calf muscle.  There is no bluish hue, splotches or lacy pattern, only very evenly distributed tiny red squiggles (like capillaries but almost too small to distinguish one from the next, if you know what I mean).  Could that be vasculitis?  If it doesn't bother me can it wait a few weeks?  It's been there a few weeks already.

[Carolina]

This is vasculitis:

http://www.dermnet.com/Vasculitis

I didn't post some of the sites because the pictures were way scary!

Keep us posted.

Kisses

Carolina

[anita]

Babs,

Just so you know, livedo is not normal even once in a while.  And it can (and in my case, has) become permanent.  However, it does have a lacey look to it, and doesn't sound like what you're describing.

Hope you figure it out.

Anita

[Babs659]

Well, I go to the doctor next week, but I showed my legs to a nurse friend and she seemed to think it's petechiae, a form of vasculitis that is seen in AI disease.  I can't wait to see if the doctors make light of it, like everything else.
 
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/petechiae/MY01104

[Patze]

Hi Babs,

Right down my alley (teasing), but I sure know what you are describing!  That has also happened to me and the rheumy called it something or another (egads, can't seem to remember much of anything tonight ), and I also have livedo reticulitis as well.  All I have to do is get cold and it parades itself in it's finest lace pattern (get it all the time in my hands/arms & feet/legs).  Seems to be that my body likes to change color at will (purple/red/blue/and that weird white), very odd looking.

The Petechiae (picture on the left) is more like what I got that day and was lucky enough that the rheumy saw it for himself (he thinks that I also have vasculitis and is waiting for the "classic" rash.  Knowing me, I probably won't ever have it being sero negative and all).  And maybe one day something will "develop" up and then the rheumy will finally have a definitive diagnosis.

Take care of yourself and don't forget to keep us updated, okay?

Patze

[SLEEPY101]

My legs turn bright red. Not sure if mine looks like a rash. Seems to get worse in heat and when my pain in sky high. Are you legs hot to the touch? That is a new symptom I have noticed, haven't been to the Dr yet

[gphx]

Babs, glad you have a nurse friend and I'm not surprised she said vasculitis. My feet started turning red a few years ago. Eventually that was followed by swelling. I went to an ER once and was told I was being poisoned by my shoes by a doctor who I'd overhead saying he wanted to clear the office so he could go home. It has popped up for three years now every time the summer weather starts to get really hot. I've noticed I'm starting to get angry snarls of burst capillaries in the insoles but nothing widespread like your pictures. For the most part my feet just look inflamed. On the third year my feet developed peripheral neuritis which vasculitis can do.

No idea if we have the same thing.

Nonetheless the nurse has seen yours and hopefully put you on the right track. Let us know what the doctor says!

[syng4hym]

I have the same thing, but my tiny little red spots are on my shins.  I took a pic with my cell phone and it came out really good.  I'm just afraid it'll go away before I go to the doc next Wednesday.  Mine look more like the picture of petechia.  I hope that's not what it is. 

[LizPetillo]

I get tiny red spots on my torso all the time.   Like little blood spots.  My legs and arms are turning red like a sunburn but I don't go in the sun at all.   Very strange.   Dunno what it is. 

[Barbara Elizabeth]

I think mine is petechia too.  Took photos on phone to show, then forgot about it!!!  But at last appt it came up again, and he thought maybe caused by the sulfasalazine.  Seems to be alot of people have this.  My neighbour has vasculitis, its very bad, and she has a community nurse come to change dressings etc.  Dont think it will heal as she is virtually house bound too. Anyway, good luck with a diagnosis, take care

[Suzy]

I have this - mainly on my lower legs but it goes up into my thighs and my rear sometimes. You know they are ruptured blood vessels if they do not blanch (turn white) when you press on them. I was biopsied for vasculitis and it came back indicative of cutaneous vasculitis, but I have high gamma globulins so my rheumy thinks it's hypergammaglobulenemic purpura. (Purpura are larger petechiae.) Both conditions can be related to Sjogren's.

I have lots of photos I keep in my medical file, and they have been VERY helpful for my doctors...so definitely doctument it!

Babs, please let us know what the doctors say. I would be very interested. I also started having nerve issues in my lower legs, and my rheumy has related it to fibro. I am not 100% convinced that the purpura and nerve issues aren't related. I tried to get in with a vasculitis specialist at Emory but he's not taking new patients From what I've read, most doctors are not well-informed on that disease.

Suzy

[Babs659]

Well the rheumy and GP both said it's not pronounced enough for vasculitis.  I'm going to keep an eye on it just the same....