Itching and flare symptoms from sitting in the sun?

[Carolina]

Hi Dearest Angels,

Yesterday we went to our association pool for the first time this season.  The water was wonderful, and the day was hot and humid.

So I sat in the late afternoon sun (it was 3 - 4 o'clock) to dry off.

In the night I had flare symptoms and itching and burning arms and face.

Why would I have a flare while taking Medrol, a week and a half AFTER my IVIG? 

Could it be a reaction to sun on my skin?

I will Google of course, but I just wondered.  I got up and took more pain meds (Aleve), an antihistamine (Benadryl) and a little chip of Medrol (the chip is .5 mg.) 

I got back to sleep eventually, but it was all so odd to me.

Really, sitting in the sun briefly (45 minutes is brief for me, who lived in the sun forever) is a great joy to me.
And sunscreen irritates my skin, so I didn't bother to use it so late in the day.

Alas.  I guess I will experiment a bit to see how this is playing out.

Hugs, Elaine

[Carolina]

I found this from Googling:

Flares are the sudden and severe onset of symptoms. You might notice that certain triggers, such as stress or being out in the sun, cause your symptoms to flare.

https://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/autoimmune-diseases.html#l

Hugs, Elaine

[Mexgal]

Thank you for sharing.  I live in Mexico so this is good information for me to have.
Hope today is a great day for you.
Sallie

[mydogspot]

thanks for this link.  Yesterday my office spent the day at a baseball game/tailgate party.  But it was really sunny out and 90 degrees and the game was at noon, so I wimped out and stayed at work.  Everyone thought I was a big whiner (I didn't say why I didn't want to go, just that it was too hot out).  Now I'm glad that I made that decision!  I knew the heat would really take me down but its good to have my belief reinforced.

[Mexgal]

Mydogspot...just wanted to say...
"good for you to make a decision for yourself which was good for you"
With SS I am having to learn to say "no" and not feel guilty.  A whole new way of doing things for me.
Have a great day
Sallie

[grammad97]

Elaine-
The sun makes my skin feel "prickly " and I get tiny little red dots on my arms and then wham I feel so tired and sore.
My printout from pharmacy says avoid staying out in sun due to increased risk of serious sunburn.
On prednisone it does the same thing.
It doesn't matter if I used sunscreen either.
I love sunlight and warm summer days but I have to stay under umbrella.....
So sorry you are feeling unwell.
Take care. I understand your love of sun completely as I too was a sunshine seeker before sjogrens and its friends....
Deb

[Carolina]

Wow and more wow

So I'm on at LEAST three:  Benadryl, Hydrochorothiazide, and Aleve.  And this doesn't  mention Prednisone or Medrol.

Here is one list of drugs that don't mix with the sun:

http://www.medicinenet.com/sun-sensitive_drugs_photosensitivity_to_drugs/page3.htm

Common phototoxic drugs include the following:

Antibiotics

quinolones [for example, ciprofloxacin (Cipro, Cipro XR, Proquin XR), levofloxacin (Levaquin)]
tetracyclines [for example, tetracycline (Achromycin), doxycycline (Vibramycin, Oracea, Adoxa, Atridox and others)]
sulfonamides [for example, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim; cotrimoxazole (Bactrim, Septra), sulfamethoxazole (Gantanol)]

Antihistamines

diphenhydramine (Benadryl)

Malaria medications

quinine (Quinerva, Quinite, QM-260)
chloroquine (Aralen)
hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)

Cancer chemotherapy drugs

5-fluorouracil (5-FU, Efudex, Carac, Fluoroplex)
vinblastine (Velban, Velsar)
dacarbazine (DTIC-Dome)

Cardiac drugs

amiodarone (Cordarone)
nifedipine (Procardia)
quinidine (Quinaglute, Quinidex)
diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac)

Diuretics

furosemide (Lasix)
thiazides [hydrochlorothiazide (Hydrodiuril)

Diabetic drugs

sulfonylureas [chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glyburide (Micronase, DiaBeta, Glynase)]

Painkillers

Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs [naproxen (Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Aleve), piroxicam (Feldene)

Skin medications

photodynamic therapy for skin cancer [ALA or 5-aminolevulinic acid (Levulan), Methyl-5-aminolevulinic acid)

Acne medications

isotretinoin (Accutane)
acitretin (Soriatane)

Psychiatric drugs

phenothiazines [chlorpromazine (Thorazine)]
tricyclic antidepressants [desipramine (Norpramin), imipramine (Tofranil)

[MarieB]

Hi Elaine, I hope your flare is short lived.  I've noticed similar symptoms from sun exposure. 

I recently bought some Neutrogena sunscreen and it's better than some other -- still a slight odor but not so much and a little lighter.   But even with the sunscreen, I seem to be sicker after sun exposure of even 30 minutes.

Best, Marie

[quietdynamics]

Even way before SJS Dx.. I notice i would get headaches and nauseousness, or just plain 'wiped-out' when in direct sun (say 11am - 3pm).
When I took the kids to the lake I would sit under a tree and when I took the kids to visit grandparents at the shore would go to the beach around 3or4 and stay until 7/8pm with an umbrella. 

I do not sweat the same as before .. so something else to be aware of is heat rash.
Dry skin.. sun drying it out more?
Chemicals in pool water?
Any and all combinations of the above? 

[anita]

Haven't you taken these meds (Benadryl, Hydrochorothiazide, and Aleve) for years?  I would think if it was any or all of these, then you would have noticed it before now.

It must be something you've changed recently...like the medrol or the IVIG itself...or something else.

Has it 'completely' gone away yet?   It will be interesting to see if it occurs again next time you're in the sun.

[Carolina]

My 'flare like symptoms' continued through until early afternoon when I took two more Benadryl.

You're right Anita, I should have noticed all these things all this years, unless there's an increasing sensitivity over time, or a perfect storm tipped by the Medrol, or not EVEN THE SUN!

who knows?  Isn't that the 'joy' of flares?  We just can't predict or truly avoid them.  I keep waiting for a cold sore or other illness to appear.

Clearly what I'm experiencing is a lot of inflammation, since that is the underlying problem with a flare.  Immune system goes on high alert, attacks right and left and produces inflammation.

My cheeks still burn, my ears ring more than usual and I just feel 'icky' .  Yesterday I both walked on the treadmill 10 min, used the Stepper 15 minutes and then did some water aerobics for about half and hour.  And YET my IC is paining me.  And water aerobics is usually the answer.  I've had bladder pain back ache for three days now, so the inflammation has been building up.

Honestly, at some point it just doesn't make any difference.  I've spent my LIFE in the sun, hours and hours and hours.  Always and ever.  Mostly without sunscreen.  I'm one of those people who gets great gobs of endorphins from sunlight on their skin.

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/soak-sun-you-may-be-tanning-addict-n135651

A new study shows that ultraviolet radiation can not only trigger skin browning, but also spark the release of feel-good chemicals, known as endorphins.

Since endorphins work their magic through the same pathway as heroin and other opiates, sunbathers and tanning salon fans may actually become “addicted” to UV.

All these years I've used the sun as a natural antidepressant to offset my inflammation, and my severe eczema and my health in general has been better in the summer.

Who knows why I have gone back to a bit of a 'flare state' midway between IVIG, and still on a reasonable dose of Medrol.

Such is life...and a long strange trip it's been.

Hugs,  Elaine

[warmwaters]

In addition to the sun (which could be the culprit), might you have some reaction to a chemical in the pool.  I know I once had a terrible rash after being in hot tub shortly after some of the chemicals had been added.

Just another possible source!

[wildforwater]

Hope you're feeling a bit better, Elaine.

Hugs,
Maria

[machenza]

I hope you feel better soon. I , like you love to be on the sun. It is sad to be afraid of it and hide away. What a life we have...

Nellie

[Carolina]

Well, the worst is over, dearest angels.

I still woke up with lots of all over pain, total body, weird.  And my lips tingle and my eyes itch.  But I think the flare is subsiding slowly.

Of course it it's hard to tell the tail end of a flare (or a slow beginning) from how I feel normally.  You will understand.

It's nice to know that others understand.  Sometimes I feel 'locked into my body' in the weirdest ways.

Hugs, Elaine