Vasculitis...

[SeaBreeze2]

Hi...
I developed a rash that started on one side of my face, thought I slept weird on it.
It spread to my chin and forehead... I used Aveeno cream, seemed better...
That same night, I noticed a weird 'rash'... purplish spots on my lower legs... no where else..

I had a scheduled appt. with my GP, showed him my legs... "looks like immuno-vasculitis"...
Probably need biopsy.. He told me to call the dermatologist and rheumy.
Rheumy was 'off'... no one covers for her...  

I called derm, and the timing was just right, someone had canceled and I got an appt for the next day...
So after my 'sleep study'   I went to derm, where 2 doctors agreed it was suspicious for vasculitis they did 2 biopsies and suggested I continue on prednisone ( I was weaning off per rheumy).

The next day rheumy called back, I told her the whole story, she was very surprised and kinda mad that I went ahead and had the biopsies.. She said they weren't necessary and she will start me on colchicine, no prednisone. She will talk with me about vascultitis treatment but couldn't fit me in till early Nov.

The biopsies came back "no evidence of vasculitis"... thank goodness, and I am so grateful.. its 'progressive seborrhetic keratosis purpura'... "that won't be going away"..  I'll talk with the derm again on Friday when I get sutures out... apparently the rash on my face is not related..  

I am so relieved that it is not vasculitis.. but it makes me wonder about rheumy decision to treat w/out biopsies...
?? what else is she deciding without all the information

[irish]

Sea Breaze, Hi, seems like I haven't seen you for a while. I have no clue why your doc acted that way. Sometimes no matter what you do it isn't right. Tell the doc to just smile and relax. Good luck with this. Hope they can figure out the face rash. Iris ;Dh

[babycakes]

hi seabreaze

i dont know about the vascullitis but i used to have flares of red dots on my lower legs, particularly if i had been walking around alot or had drunk alcohol.  They did not disappear when i pressed them and went away in a week or so.  I was told it was hypergammaglobinaemia pupura and was due to high levels of immunoglobulins in my blood???

I was told to take anti inflammatories to calm it down and eventually plaquenil would help keep it under control.  Ive been taking plaq now for 2 years and i havent had an attack for a year so i guess something is working.  when i had my immunoglobulins tested recently they had practically gone back to normal.

Hope the treatment works

annie