​Rashes Rashes, They All Fall Down

For a few years now, I have had a rash.  It’s very aloof.  It will appear and last for days or even weeks and then disappear only to return later.  It travels around my body as if it’s on an exploration mission.  It is itchy to the point that I’m scratching it in my sleep and making it bleed.  Sometimes it’s so bad that I have to wear baggy clothes that touch my skin minimally.

When it first began, I went to my family physician.  He prescribed medicine that didn’t work.  After exhausting his non-successful remedies, he referred me to a dermatologist.  This dermatologist diagnosed the rash and prescribed medicine.  No luck. 

I requested a different referral.  Same thing.

I requested a different referral.  Same thing.

As of now, I’ve been to five doctors regarding the rash.  This is over years because I stop remedy pursuit when the rash disappears and begin pursuit when it reappears.

Finally, it was suggested that I go to my original dermatologist, the one I had before we had children and health insurance became so expensive that we had to switch to an HMO.  I paid cash because she doesn’t accept my insurance.  She asked what previous biopsies had shone.  I told her that no one had biopsied the rash.  She was visibly shocked.  And for a few hundred additional dollars, I could have her do one.  I agreed.  When the results came in, they showed that it was an allergic reaction.  She suggested seeing an allergist.  I had to go back to my family physician to get a referral to an allergist.

The allergist tested my skin and the panel showed I was allergic to just about everything.  I found that odd as I’ve never had typical allergy problems.  I never did see an actual allergist, only nurses who said I could either come in periodically for shots, or take Claritin.   I opted for the Claritin.

Over the course of this odyssey, I had been prescribed medicine such as Imiquimod Cream, Triamcinolone Acetonide, Hydroxyzine HCL, Fluocinonide, and Fluorouracil Cream to name a few.  Unbelievably, the Claritin worked.  Now, every time the rash appears, I simply pop the tiny pill for a few days and voila, it’s gone.
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First, I’m grateful that I’m no longer experiencing discomfort.  Second, I’m incredulous with our health care system that made me go through all of this nonsense when there was a simple solution all along.  And finally, third, I’m less trusting of our healthcare system’s ability to correctly practice medicine.  I will be much more diligent on who treats me and for what. 

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