Weird skin rash that waxes and wanes?

Question

For 6 mo, I have had a skin rash that comes and goes. It starts at on the palms, top of hand and wrist. Then I would get all those and then my arms a little bit. Then basically anywhere where I have tender skin (tops of feet, not bottom), across my pants line at my waist, chest, bra area, etc. My PCP is not concerned, just rx's me cream which works when not severe. Lately, I have been getting some hives with the rash, raised type of patches that Benadryl gets rid of. Just seems like rash is just getting worse as time goes on.

I take Zyrtec, Nexium and and just got off Paxil (oh the joys of withdrawal!) and am taking a different antidepressant. I have indoor/outdoor allergies (hence the Zyrtec) but I get the rash despite the Zyrtec! My doc just refills the cream and tells me to try to figure out what I am allergic to... could be food, could be many things. Any ideas? I can go a week w/out a flare up and then have either mild or moderate rash on any of the above mentioned parts.

Answer 1

It sounds like an allergy. I'd go to a specialist (Allergist) and have some allergy testing done. PCP's aren't always up to date on allergies or testing for them.

I'm guessing that its probably a food that you eat rarely or that you rarely eat much of. If you do eat it often, its something in small doses that your zyrtec takes care of, but when you eat a lot of it your zyrtec can't handle it and you get your rashes.

If you have no insurance and cannot afford allergy testing, I would recommend that you keep a detailed food diary. The rash can be from anything that you've eaten in the last 72 hours prior to the rash starting, though generally it is something you've eaten that day. Keeping a food diary should help you eventually narrow down what is causing the problem.

I do think that its food or ingestion related (your need for Nexium and antidepressants could be due to this as well), as the rash happens on various parts of your body that would not be conclusive with a contact rash.

Wish you all the best.

Answer 2

I am wondering, exspecially when you say that it is like under your pant line and bra line. If it can be a reaction to laundry soap. The tops of the feet would explain it to because of socks. it is the tops of your hands that is throwing me off. unless you have your hands near the laundry soap.
I found that I could not take any of the allergy meds the insurance company made me take because they all contained loratodine which i was allergic too. The only thing I can take is allegera, and benydrl. They even make a pediatric allegra