So for the past month I’ve been dealing with some kind of Rash that initially started on my leg as what appeared to be a small water filled bump. One night in my sleep I scratched it open. This lead to an open wound. For most people no big deal, for someone with both Graves Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (ie…me), this is a problem. My already compromised immune system means that not only will my wounds heal more slowly there is a greater possibility of infection. But anyway I decided to wait a few days to see how things with my leg would pan out. During that time my leg began to itch horribly. To the point that when We finally decided to take me to Urgent care a huge part of my lower right leg was very red and very sore. So the Urgent care doctor gave me a prescription for Antibiotics and an Anti fungal.  For the next two weeks I took these and finished them, however at this point I now also had itchy rashes on my upper leg areas, on my stomach and chest as well as on both arms. I tried hydrocortisone, Gold Bond rapid relief, Gold Bond multi symptom with lidocaine, and Benedryl anti itch gel. Nothing worked to stop my itch.

With none of that working and things only getting worse, We finally decided it was time for me to see my doctor, So in we went. After examining me and being shown the prescriptions I already took, it was decided that I should have another round of antibiotics & anti-fungal medication. The doctor explained that because of my already weakened immune system I needed extra time for my body to heal and repair itself. She also told me I could take two oral benadryl per dose to help with the itching. But honestly it didn’t do much good. The only way I found any kind of relief was taking a shower and moisturizing afterwards. That would relieve my itching for a least a few hours, but this was also drying my skin out. In fact on one day I think I took at least 5 showers. Then I remembered that when I was a child, I had suffered through chicken pox. I remembered that my mom had used calamine lotion for the itching. I also noticed how dry my skin had become from all the showering. This is a problem, because my skin already dries and cracks easily due to my Graves Disease. So When Mark called me on his lunch break, I told him to pick up some Cotton Balls, Calamine Lotion, and Baby oil on his way home from work.  It’s been six days now and I’m actually seeing results. I think the Antibiotics are doing their job and the calamine has helped with the itching. Applying baby oil after showering has helped me to keep my skin from drying out. Today my arms and legs look much better and I’m finally not really itching. I’m just spot using the calamine at this point, so if a little area itch’s I just put some calamine on and it is helping.

Having an itch you can’t scratch is a miserable thing and when it’s been going on for so long it’s enough to drive you insane. I’m just so glad that it actually appears to be over now..hopefully soon enough my skin we be normal again.