I’m not trying to jump the gun, but I guess I can’t help it, since I don’t have a diagnosis; every time something out of my norm happens to my body, I suspect it has to do with the Mystery Autoimmune Disease. I can’t stand hypochondriacs myself, and yet I suppose I’m kind of acting like one now. Bear with me. Please?
Yesterday morning, a bunch of red, itchy, dry-as-sandpaper bumps appeared on my chin. At first, I thought I was scratching at a couple of pimples. Then I looked in the mirror.
Added 12/13/2010, because I'm forgetful and forgot I'd taken pictures.
Added 12/13/2010, because I'm forgetful and forgot I'd taken pictures. A closeup.
Instantly I wanted to call it eczema, but… I don’t have that kind of eczema. Several years ago, I started getting scaly patches of dry, slightly discolored skin in the winter. The patch would appear on my shin, or on my arm, or somewhere else, and months later would go away. They itched a little, but mostly they were just cosmetically annoying (especially when spring came and I wanted to wear capris or shorts and that giant patch of sandpaper jumped out like blood in the ocean).
My mom gets the same thing, so I treat them like you’d treat regular dry skin: lots of lotion, and scrubbing with an exfoliating wash or scrubby in the shower. It’s been a long time since I got one as big as the patch that was on my shin all those years ago, so mostly I just ignore them.
Honestly, as soon as all of this weird autoimmune stuff started popping up like crazy, I wondered a little about the patches, as eczema is a symptom of several autoimmune diseases. (Oh yes, now I sound like a hypochondriac for REAL. Go me.) It’s hard to tell, though, because I don’t know what exactly is wrong with me. I can wonder all I want, but at the end of the day, I can’t really justify adding it to the list of symptoms when it started before most of my symptoms (even though the “sore skin” symptom has been with me for as long as I can remember).
Again — I swear I’m not a hypochondriac, even though I know I sound like one. It’s so frustrating to say these things knowing that I sound crazy.
No one in my immediate family has the type of eczema like what is (possibly) on my chin. I know it could be a rash, too, but my mom took one look at it and said, “Eczema,” so I’m going with that.
I’ll be perfectly honest. I kind of hope it is related to my Mystery Autoimmune Disease, because it could be that crucial piece of the puzzle that will get my diagnosis. At the same time, I don’t want it to be part of it. I want it to go the fuck away, now, before it gets even worse, because — as vain as this is going to sound — I do not want physical symptoms. It would be a joke if, after finally accepting that I don’t have to be sick on the outside to be sick — I suddenly start showing exterior symptoms. Don’t get me wrong; I know that I could cover this up with makeup (if I had any, hahaha) and no one would even know. (It would still itch and burn like crazy, though.) It’s not really that. I just want to be normal, as crazy as that sounds; I’m well aware that I stopped being normal over three years ago, when my left arm went numb for no apparent reason.
I know, I know: I sound like a egocentric hypochondriac. Sigh. Me so crazy.
Anyway. I am babbling mainly because I am wondering if I should call the doctor and have my PA look at this thing on my face (even though I still owe her blood work *gulp*). What do you think?
Edit (11:45am): HA. I just remembered I’m broke and can’t afford a visit to the doctor anyway.
Edit 12/13/2010: I added some pictures that I’d apparently taken before writing this post… and completely forgot about. Go me!
I don’t think you are being a hypochondriac. You have real symptoms, and your doctor just hasn’t been able to piece them altogether into a diagnosis. New symptoms are always worth getting checked out, especially in light of the giant question mark revolving around the rest of your symptoms.
It could just be eczema, unrelated to your other symptoms, or it could be allergic eczema. Eczema is better left unscrubbed, I was told, or you can aggravate it and make it worse. Ihad it when I was a kid (apparently having it at all means you are predisposed to and likely to develop allergies later on, too) and was always prescribed a corticosteriod cream to help it to stay under control, and very mild. You usually only need a tiny bit, and you might be able to find it OTC, but definitely mention it to a pharmacist or doctor before trying, they might have better info than I do.
It’s been years since I’ve had eczema, but Eric has it behind his ears, and for now, we are just using an organic vitamin A, D & E ointment on it, which is helping. (made by a company from the U.S. called ‘Avalon’.)
Hope you find something to reduce it’s visibility, at the very least. I used to get it in the corner of my mouth, too. It was horrible…
I have A+D (which is a vitamin A, D, and maybe also E ointment)! Hooray! Relief I don’t have to pay for! xD
I’m sorry Eric has it. My third cousin had it real bad when he was a baby. I remember his hands would peel and blister. Poor Eric!
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