In a pretty depressed state at the moment. Not sure if this will help (venting) but what the hey.
So I was diagnosed with AS when I was 19. Luckily it hasn't crippled me or anything. I have occasionally pain in my buttocks and sometimes have trouble sleeping from back pain but overall, it could have been worse. To be perfectly frank, still haven't come to terms with having AS. I mean, lets be real, at the young age of 23 its hard to really grasp that you have this rare disease.
5 months ago I was getting bit by mosquito left and right. It didn't help that I would go play soccer in high grass but I digress. My bites were pretty bad and it didn't help that I had a tendency to try to "squeeze out" the mosquitoes saliva (silly I know. But its something I always did since I was young). Usually these squeeze out sessions would heal in a week or so but for some reason three bites did not go away. It actually swelled into a blister. I didn't freak out at this point because according to youtube, alot of people get blisters from mosquito bites.
When it DID start getting alarming was that it started forming on my arms. These itches. They weren't to the point where I couldn't sleep at the night but it was pretty itchy. As I started getting, what I assumed were bites, on my arms. It started slowly coming on my body.
I ended up going to a derm. I didn't want a skin biopsy done because I mean, lets be serious, even though its a small operation, its an operation none the less. I was prescribed mupirocin for two weeks. It worked alright but the sheer number of "bites" i had made it impossible to put it on every single mark.
After three weeks, I began to get more and more bites. A single one developed mid back, a couple on the underside of my thighs, which doesn't heal but it makes contact with the chair every time I sit. I decided to go to another derm, one who has more reviews. He looked at me and recommended I do a punch biopsy. At that point I agreed because I needed to get to the bottom of this. He prescribed me prednisone for 10 days. Surprisingly the pred. worked, but I wasn't happy with it because if it was up to me, I would like to avoid steroids. On the eighth day onward, the little "bites" or rashes started to come back. I connect this with that fact that it was a tapering dose so as the strength was tapering down, it wasn't strong enough to combat the rash anymore.
I received a call from the doctor who said the results came back. Not cancer (yay! Never assumed it was though) and that the results show a reaction from either drugs (don't do) or bug bites (which I assumed).
Problem was, for bug bites this seemed too weird. I've had these bites for the past 3 months now.
After the derm seemed genuinely stumped, I decided to go to another well rated derm. He looked at my scabs, I gave him the information that I was provided from the past two derms, and he confidently said "its a skin infection. Probably from the bug bites. Take some cephalexin and this will clear right up. If the scabs are weepy, put the mupirocin on." With that, I was on my way.
Unfortunately the cephalexin didn't work. Now the mupirocin has lost its effect. I mean what do you expect, it was only supposed to be used for two weeks but I've been putting it on for the past 3 months on and off.
I went back to the most recent derm and voiced my concerns. This is when he said it might be bullous (disease :/ ) or another type of infection. I told him that I was tired of wasting my money and to do whatever test is required. We ended up doing another punch biopsy (this one to send to see if I have an autoimmune disease) and a culture. He prescribed me some augmentin (two days in. Not sure if its working) and some cormax. He explained that if the cormax works then it might be an autoimmune. If the augmentin works, its just a infection. Of course I just bought the augmentin. If the cormax works, I can safely assume that I have ANOTHER autoimmune disease (lucky me). Yes, the results will tell me either way in a few days but I want to live in ignorance until then.
My ear cartilage, both sides, started getting these scabby thing. Doctor said it was dry skin initially. Like all the other derms. he was wrong, it started getting worse. Started weeping at some parts. Im at the point where Im nervous I'll have to get something amputated because these wounds have been open so long and it just never scabs, which is the opposite of some wounds which have become thick white scabs, either from the constant cream application or infection.
I keep asking myself "why would my skin biopsy come back as bug bites though? WHY"
With all that being said, I hope I get hit by a car or something cause having two relatively rare diseases absolutely blows.
Here are some fun pics to guide you through your day. Have a wonderful day guys!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.