VJ: where the underinsured go for medical advice

[Alex+R 0]

Stop reading if you don't want to hear about my itchy shin.

Ok. In January I developed a quarter-size patch of red, itchy skin on my left shin. I didn't think anything of it because I have really sensitive skin and despite my best efforts to use special lotion 4 times a day my hands usually end up itchy and scaly every winter. But now it's May, and the quarter-size has slowly expanded to a lot of my shin. Lotions marketed for "extremely dry skin" don't seem to be doing anything; they might even be making it worse.

I really don't want to go to the doctor and have to pay (my insurance leaves me with whopping copays) when I know I'll have full coverage in just 3 months through school, but this is driving me nuts. Google searches have come up kind of empty.

Has anyone had this experience and knows what I could use? Diabetics, maybe? I'm not diabetic (AFAIK) but I hear they get dry skin rashes.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Eczema or psoriasis. The latter is worse and I have it. I didn't 'get' it until I was 26. It's genetic and there is no cure, just treatment. I hope you don't have it. See a dermatologist when you get insurance. MG217 is one over the counter medicine. Drink lots of water, use a mild soap (like dove) and moisturize!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psoriasis

[no name 1]

Eczema or psoriasis.

That's what I was going to say. You sure you want to wait 3 months to get it checked out?

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/74/89272.htm

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-tre...rmatitis-eczema

Edited May 18, 2007 by devilette

[Alex+R 0]

Eczema or psoriasis. The latter is worse and I have it. I didn't 'get' it until I was 26. It's genetic and there is no cure, just treatment. I hope you don't have it. See a dermatologist when you get insurance. MG217 is one over the counter medicine. Drink lots of water, use a mild soap (like dove) and moisturize!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psoriasis

Thanks. I checked it out. I think eczema is more likely since my mom gets that, although she gets it on her hands. I don't have anything that looks like any of the psoriasis pics. There was something on Wikipedia about winter dryness that gets so severe it turns into eczema. I wonder if that's it? What is MG217 for? Just psoriasis, right?

[Bobbie 1]

Stop reading if you don't want to hear about my itchy shin.

Ok. In January I developed a quarter-size patch of red, itchy skin on my left shin. I didn't think anything of it because I have really sensitive skin and despite my best efforts to use special lotion 4 times a day my hands usually end up itchy and scaly every winter. But now it's May, and the quarter-size has slowly expanded to a lot of my shin. Lotions marketed for "extremely dry skin" don't seem to be doing anything; they might even be making it worse.

I really don't want to go to the doctor and have to pay (my insurance leaves me with whopping copays) when I know I'll have full coverage in just 3 months through school, but this is driving me nuts. Google searches have come up kind of empty.

Has anyone had this experience and knows what I could use? Diabetics, maybe? I'm not diabetic (AFAIK) but I hear they get dry skin rashes.

I had this on my face and back, when i got preg with my son 24 years ago, I had it for years (when I would cry or it got wet it itched)...and then, when he was in 8th grade (that is how long I had it) I had read a book about Ayervedic medicine. Basically, seasame oil. Get Nutragena, light seasame oil. It is bath oil. Rub the affected spot, 3 times a day with it. It got rid of it for me in a month or two. Pretty amazing. I also washed my face with just water, pat dry and then put the oil on the spot.

***Now, for those no cure people....my face doesnt break out with it at all any more, and neither does my back...although when my back sweats i have to scratch it still alot....but it idsnt scaley or dry......

So, I say I am cured.....

Good Luck

Edited May 18, 2007 by Bobbie

[Alex+R 0]

Stop reading if you don't want to hear about my itchy shin.

Ok. In January I developed a quarter-size patch of red, itchy skin on my left shin. I didn't think anything of it because I have really sensitive skin and despite my best efforts to use special lotion 4 times a day my hands usually end up itchy and scaly every winter. But now it's May, and the quarter-size has slowly expanded to a lot of my shin. Lotions marketed for "extremely dry skin" don't seem to be doing anything; they might even be making it worse.

I really don't want to go to the doctor and have to pay (my insurance leaves me with whopping copays) when I know I'll have full coverage in just 3 months through school, but this is driving me nuts. Google searches have come up kind of empty.

Has anyone had this experience and knows what I could use? Diabetics, maybe? I'm not diabetic (AFAIK) but I hear they get dry skin rashes.

I had this on my face and back, when i got preg with my son 24 years ago, I had it for years (when I would cry or it got wet it itched)...and then, when he was in 8th grade (that is how long I had it) I had read a book about Ayervedic medicine. Basically, seasame oil. Get Nutragena, light seasame oil. It is bath oil. Rub the affected spot, 3 times a day with it. It got rid of it for me in a month or two. Pretty amazing. I also washed my face with just water, pat dry and then put the oil on the spot.

***Now, for those no cure people....my face doesnt break out with it at all any more, and neither does my back...although when my back sweats i have to scratch it still alot....but it idsnt scaley or dry......

So, I say I am cured.....

Good Luck

So it was just itchy skin and you treated it with this stuff and poof, it's gone (over some months)?

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Probably eczema. It will get worse in the winter. You can bath with a little Neutrogena Fragrance Free Body Oil in the water. MG217 is for Psoriasis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eczema

Neither will kill you in 3 months. Just make sure you see a doctor if you think it could be cancer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_cancer

[Alex+R 0]

That's what I was going to say. You sure you want to wait 3 months to get it checked out?

I thought I'd try to cure whatever it is people think it is (eczema?) and see what happens, and if nothing works, then go to the doctor. If I go to the doctor they'll probably run blood tests too and then I'll be out of my plane ticket money to visit my friends this summer.

[mRx 16]

Are the affected areas circular? You may have tinea corporis, more commonly known as ringworm.

[no name 1]

That's what I was going to say. You sure you want to wait 3 months to get it checked out?

I thought I'd try to cure whatever it is people think it is (eczema?) and see what happens, and if nothing works, then go to the doctor. If I go to the doctor they'll probably run blood tests too and then I'll be out of my plane ticket money to visit my friends this summer.

Ahem, be glad you HAVE insurance....

Also, my health is a bit more important than a plane ticket.....

Edited May 18, 2007 by devilette

[Alex+R 0]

Well, I'm pretty sure it's not cancer and it's definitely not ringworm. I'm definitely thinking eczema. I can't believe I didn't think of that before. D'oh.

Devilette I know you're right, health is the most important thing, but if I can fix it by myself, why pay? If I can't fix it within a few weeks, I'll definitely go to the doctor.

I'm off to sleep. Thank you all so much for the help! Sometimes I just love VJ.

[Misty1979 0]

Hi, not sure if you know this already, but if you do decide to seek medical attention before your medical insurance kicks in, choose a walk-in doctor rather than the hospital. If you visit the hospital, they charge you a "hospital fee" (extra $25 or so.) Walk in doctors have been much less inexpensive in my experience.

If they do give you a prescription, also ask if there is a generic version available, that also cuts down on costs alot.

[MichelleandCraig 1]

Alex..in a rush, so didn't read the rest...but, must be where we live..hehe. I moisturize too, and got the same exact thing on both of my upper arms...and some of my back. SOooooooooooooooo ichy and gross! Doc (was there for something else obviously!) said straight Vaseline/petroleum jelly. Greasy??? YES, but it worked! Had to smear it on two nights in a row pretty thick, but it cleared right up! Good luck... M.

[Lou Lou 1]

I agree fixing yourself the easy way is much better than seeing a doctor to get a damn prescription. I'm sure you're doing all the usual things like avoiding very hot showers/baths. Adding oatmeal to a bath may help as may cutting down on dairy if you eat a lot.

One thing not many doctors don't think about with this kind of condition is what your diet may be lacking and they'd rather just give you a topical cream and send you on your merry way. Try adding some EFAs (essential fatty acids), Vit E, and Evening Primsrose oil to your diet either through food or supplements. Drinking chamomile or dandelion tea is supposed to soothe the itch too.

If you really want to go down the natural route, I swear by Manuka honey. It's naturally antibacterial and stimulates growth of new skin. I've even used it on animals in the past. Smear it on like you would a cream, cover it with some gauze so you don't get honey everywhere, and leave it on for overnight. Works a treat.

[chri'stina 190]

Stop reading if you don't want to hear about my itchy shin.

Ok. In January I developed a quarter-size patch of red, itchy skin on my left shin. I didn't think anything of it because I have really sensitive skin and despite my best efforts to use special lotion 4 times a day my hands usually end up itchy and scaly every winter. But now it's May, and the quarter-size has slowly expanded to a lot of my shin. Lotions marketed for "extremely dry skin" don't seem to be doing anything; they might even be making it worse.

I really don't want to go to the doctor and have to pay (my insurance leaves me with whopping copays) when I know I'll have full coverage in just 3 months through school, but this is driving me nuts. Google searches have come up kind of empty.

Has anyone had this experience and knows what I could use? Diabetics, maybe? I'm not diabetic (AFAIK) but I hear they get dry skin rashes.

The title of the thread is funny.

I have had something a little similar to this, but it's more prone to happen in humid climates like Florida. SO it may not be the same.

It's called tinea versicolor. It causes patches of skin to almost lose their natural oils, and gets very soft feeling yet dry. And after a shower, or if I was sweating, or if the sun was beating down on it, it would get red and a little itchy/irritated feeling. It also had affected my scalp, making it very itchy and irritated. (ew, sorry TMI)

It also spreads over the skin.

The only thing that makes it really go away is prescription strength Nizoral shampoo. But it is easy to get rid of after using the shampoo on the areas that need it. But I have had a couple recurrences. You could try using over the counter nizoral on it, to see if it makes any difference. But for me only RX strength has worked.

My sister gets rashes on her skin too, on her arm and legs, but hers is different than mine. My aunt has really bad psoriasis, it's very big patches of red and white flaky skin. Doesn't just look like a rash.

Hope you figure out what it may be!