Does anyone have trouble with facial Rashes?

[SassieCat]

The rash is not pimple like at all.  It starts out slightly raised, red and scaley feeling.  Then the skin flakes and it itches and burns.  If I scratch it, it bleeds easily and I used to use a medicine (Loporex Gel) on it and it would make it go away.  Now it seems to want to be a permanent fixture on my face.   If I put the Loporex on it burns like the dickens.  (get it - dickens and Tiny Tim) lol

I cannot and do not wear any makeup and hair products can easily trigger it.  Hairspray is the worst for my scalp, it starts itching so bad I want to scratch my hair off. 

Today was the first day that I have felt somewhat decent in weeks.  I tried to do a little around the house and went out with my youngest son to the Dariy Queen.  We haven't done that together for a long long time.  It ironic that when he was a little tike all he wanted to do is be with mom.  Teenage years, and the last thing he wanted to be seen with was hanging out with mom.  Adult years and now it's okay again to go places with mom. 

Stupid question here, does keeping a diary really help.  I can't imagine my doctor looking at it nor can I imagine what I would write. 

SassieCat

[Scottietottie]

Hi Sassiecat 

I find a diary REALLY helps.  Last December I saw a neurologist. He was horrible and the appointment was more like an interrogation than anything else. Stupidly, I hadn't done my 'homework' for the appointment. He wanted to know when I'd seen a neurologist in the past - when symptoms had started and when they'd stopped. How long present symptoms had been going on for - precisiely. He got really sarcastic when I couldn't even tell him when I'd fractured the bottom of my back. I know it was 1992 or 1993 but am not sure which.

Well - that wasn't good enough. He was sarcastic, insulting, belittling and nasty and at the end of the consyultation wouldn't even deign to answer any questions because he said I was wasting his time and there wasn't a thing wrong with me.

In the UK - we can't just sack our specialists. It doesn't work like that. We can, however complain about them. Unfortunately, presumably to cover his back, he made an appointment for a years time. This time I'll be ready. (Last time was not helped by the fact my thyroid was way out of whack so thinking quickly wasn't an option)

I've been keeping a symptoms diary since 1998. My homeopath wanted one. Before that I kept 'appointment' diaries not only for me but for all 4 kids and hubby too.

Now, I still don't know when I broke my back because I didn't go to a doc about it. It showed up later on an x-ray. I do know the date, day and time of my last appointment with a neurologist though in 1991. I also know since 1998, what symptoms started when and which worsened etc.

Now why didn't I remember before? Well the same week I was at the neurologist, I had my daughter at a dermatologist, one son at the dental hospital, another seeing a doc for something she needed antibiotics for and I was also working with friends on a puppet show, making sure kids were at dancing/gymnastic/swimming and footbal at the right time and place and quite frankly one year blurred into another.

You may not need a diary for now - but in 10 years time you may be glad if you keep one.

Take care - Scottie  (apologies for being so long winded - I got carried away!)   

[Issey]

Wow scottie - I would have gone ape if he spoke to me like that - cant you tell your Dr that you want a second opinion? You are entitled to it - I know as I did when I got short changed with my rhumy - he was not rude - but just useless:))
At least the second opinion clinic - out of my area - but they were excellent - an blood tests ans really took the time to talk to me - not that it helped as they had no answers! Sound familiar folks???

Issey

[SassieCat]

Scottie,

Well he really was a horses petuty!  I don't think I would have gone back to him.  I saw a neurologist twice in my life.  I went there for the fibro and he was more concerned that I have a history of migraines and started trying to pump about four different presciptions into me.  I tried one (Topamax) and I started having trouble breathing so I stopped it.  He told me to hold on to it and we would try it again later and gave me about 3 scripts and samples.  I didn't take any of them, threw them away and never went back.  I wanted help and answers not over medicated.

Most of my doctors intertwine and I don't have any tests done without making sure that they all get the same report.  I do keep a list of medications and I take it with me.  But the doctors have all my health history and I guess I sort of depend on them for it.  I should get a copy of my health records but I wouln't have any place to store all of them.

Sassie

[chrisgirl]

I have had a red, flaky rash on my face for about 10 years, sometimes worse than others.  Gets worse above my eyes if I use pink eyeshadow.  Cannot wear foundation because it makes the flakiness a mess.  Mineral powder works well though.  When I went to the optho she wrote on my dx sheet Blepharitis Squamous, but did not mention that to me.  she did mention sebaceous cyst on eyelid and told me to use warm compresses.  I looked up Blepharitis and it talked about using dandriff shampoo compresses over the eye.  Wonder if this would help the rash on the face as it looks the same as what is on my eye.  Maybe I should see a dermatologist as well.

[SassieCat]

You must have been reading my mind as I was going to call a dermatologist.  It seems that last few weeks my body just wants to sleep and sleep and by the time I mentally come awake, office hours are over.  I am somehow messing up my sleep cycle and staying up late and sleeping in later. 

I need to do something as it's now trough my scalp and it itches like crazy.  I have some homemade soap that contains cocoanut and vitamin e oils and have been using that on my face a couple of times a day.  It seems like it is helping a little but then tomorrow it could be all broke out in a bright red rash again.