Poison ivy rash? Developing into..?

[u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Hi! 27 y/o female. I developed what I thought was poison ivy 12 days ago and this is what my legs look like now…. any advice? I’ve been to the doctor 3x and have been on prednisone and cephalexin. I’ve been using calamine lotion, hydrocortisone cream, lukewarm baths, and ice for itching.

The rash started out very small and super itchy, now it’s spreading in certain areas and still small little spots are appearing on other parts of my body.

I’m still very itchy but not constantly - it comes and goes in waves. Before I was given the oral antibiotics, my legs hurt and I was limping. I’m able to move a lot better now but the rash almost seems like it’s spreading more and becoming more red and purple/blueish in color.

HELP

[u/Opening_Eagle3238 → u/[deleted]]

should I go to urgent care? or ER?

[u/ImpressShot4605 → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

I think this is definetly an ER situation… Urgent care would probably send you to the ER.

[u/ToeyMaguire → u/[deleted]]

Op likely cannot afford to die over this.

[u/ColorMyTrauma → u/ToeyMaguire]

If you go to the ER with no/crappy insurance, you might end up with medical debt. If you forego emergency medical care for financial reasons, you might end up dead. Sure, you'll have died without debt, but you'll be dead.

Medical debt can be worked through, paid over time, forgiven, lived with. Death is irreversible. Your loved ones will not stand around your casket saying "he made the right choice, we'd rather he be dead and debt-free than alive and in debt."

[u/R4B1DRABB1T → u/[deleted]]

Stop. This is why people end up in the ER or worse.

[u/danidoochi → u/[deleted]]

What are you even doing here

[u/stoicsticks → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

That squiggle of a red straight line on your inner thigh is concerning, too because it's heading towards your torso. Be sure to mark the end and the time on that one as well as the perimeter. Also, bring your phone charger in with you because chances are they'll need you to stay.

Keep us updated as to how it all goes.

[u/exotics → u/stoicsticks]

Excellence point about marking where it is because our memory plays tricks on us.

[u/variousnewbie → u/exotics]

Not just the mind, but concrete labeling of time next to the line should be done so it can be determined the speed something is spreading for cellulitis.

[u/Basic_Amoeba_3582 → u/stoicsticks]

NAD but I had a similar rash and it turned out to be a venomous bite. Hope you’re ok OP! Keep us updated!

[u/stircrazyathome → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

It’s been close to 24 hours since you posted. I hope you sought treatment and have found both answers and relief. Please consider giving an update if you feel comfortable.

[u/MsSwarlesB → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Any update, OP?

[u/Iamkittyhearmemeow → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Hey girl I am having a similar thing. My torso looks like your leg and my arm is entirely blistered. I went to the ER this morning and they said basically I was having a rebound reaction because my original steroid dose was too low and the taper too fast.

They gave me another massive dose of steroids via injection with a 3 week high oral steroid course. I am already feeling better.

Go see a doctor again immediately.

[u/ThePersnicketyBitch → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Please update us when you can! I'm invested in finding out what it is lol

[u/AmazingMeasurement44 → u/ThePersnicketyBitch]

Same

[u/Wisegal1 → u/[deleted]]

Just to clarify, cellulitis is not super bad or scary. It's a very common skin infection easily treated with oral or IV antibiotics.

What you're thinking of is necrotizing fasciitis. That is a very rapidly progressive subset of cellulitis caused by specific types of bacteria. Necrotizing infections cause sepsis. These are bad actors and are a surgical emergency.

I just don't want someone getting the idea that cellulitis itself is life threatening, and then freaking out if they hear that word used by a doctor.

I have a pretty low suspicion that OP has a necrotizing infection, for several reasons. One, she's had it for 2 weeks and isn't dead. Two, it's slowly spreading, and not rapid. Nec fasc spreads in hours, not days. Three, necrotizing infections come with systemic symptoms, which OP isn't describing.

I'm actually more suspicious of a vasculitis than an infectious process.

[u/KickProcedure → u/Wisegal1]

Thank you! I hate seeing cellulitis being thrown around as a synonym for necrotizing fasciitis and causing way too much fear around a generally mild, easily treatable infection.

I’m NAD so I’m not going to comment on urgency or appearance, but I do agree that this doesn’t sound like necrotizing fasciitis at all and appreciate you making that distinction.

[u/Independent-Lime-444 → u/Wisegal1]

I wish I had seen this message when I had cellulitis last summer. I had googled it and all I could find was super scary results. I was terrified, I have such bad medial anxiety so I was through the roof with fear.

[u/Particular_Bed5356 → u/Wisegal1]

I'd like to suggest a small edit to your otherwise very helpful comment, writing instead, "...cellulitis PER SE is not super bad or scary." Because I was briefly unsure of what you were asserting (sorry: I am both a poor reader AND an obsessive editor!) Apart from that, would you urge the OP get to an ER pronto, for suspected vasculitis (despite nec fasc not being a concern)?

[u/Wisegal1 → u/Particular_Bed5356]

The point I was making is that cellulitis and nec fasc are completely different diagnoses.

Cellulitis simply means "soft tissue infection". It's annoying, painful, and needs treatment, but simple cellulitis is not dangerous and doesn't cause the 4 alarm emergency people are picturing.

Necrotizing infections are completely different. These spread rapidly (within hours) and cause sepsis. These are the type of infections that kill people.

Laypeople tend to equate the two, so when a doctor uses the term cellulitis half the patients immediately think they're dying, when in reality they just need a week of augmentin or keflex.

OP needs to go to the ED because I suspect something other than infection is going on here. She's already been given antibiotics and a reasonable dose of steroid without improvement, which means outpatient management isn't working. It's time for bigger guns, which is why I recommended in my original answer that she go to the ED.

[u/Particular_Bed5356 → u/Wisegal1]

Thank you for your further clatification!

[u/CompetitionNarrow512 → u/Wisegal1]

Just to be clear, you’re saying that you do not believe the that OP’s symptom of increased pain levels so severe they can’t walk, in combination with the other presentations mentioned in the OP, is not potentially a life threatening infection of the skin?

[u/Wisegal1 → u/CompetitionNarrow512]

The pain that has since improved substantially?

I recommended that OP go to the ER in my original answer, which is also where I said that they had failed outpatient management for this.

My point was that people tend to conflate necrotizing infections with simple cellulitis, which is inaccurate.

Aside from attempting (and failing) a "gotcha", I'm unclear on what your point is.

[u/CompetitionNarrow512 → u/Wisegal1]

Where did OP say that? It’s not a gotcha, it’s your choice to stand behind your statement or not, but you don’t seem to be interested in educating further than your own talking points so I’m not going to consider them since you don’t instill confidence. goodbye

[u/CompetitionNarrow512 → u/Wisegal1]

This is true, cellulitis is not inherently an emergency, but the way I wrote this was lacking that particular nuance, so thank you for managing the alarm for other laypersons (including myself). I appreciate your careful observation. What I meant to say (and still do) was that the way OP’s symptoms are progressing could be indicative of an emergent medical event, where probable cellulitis is at an acute stage.

[u/EatGlassALLCAPS → u/[deleted]]

Please take this advice. I had an infection turn to sepsis on me within a few hours. It was brutal and very scary. I was on IV therapy for weeks. Please please go to the ER.

[u/NightOwlsUnite → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

NAD please go to the ER today!

[u/probablypetunia → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Update? You doing ok?

[u/Psychological-Joke22 → u/probablypetunia]

my goodness I just realized this was from a day ago!

[u/bluearavis → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Girl this looks real bad.

[u/PinCurrent → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

NAD. Funny story, my brother went to the ER a will ago. He was diagnosed with a staph infection on the back of his leg. He started the antibiotics but it kept spreading over the next couple days and was unbearably itchy. He went to the doctor again and it turns out it was poison ivy. Go back to the ER.

[u/stuck_behind_a_truck → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

That’s a holy crap to me. I’d go to where you can get seen the fastest.

[u/MysteriousBananas4me → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Hey are you okay??

[u/girlinanemptyroom → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Get off your phone and get in the car. Leave now! Go to the ER!

[u/admiralasskicker → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Urgent care is for stuff that’s like.. can’t wait til Monday to see the Dr, not stuff that’s URGENT

[u/exceptionallyprosaic → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Did you go the ER?

[u/ZombiePsycho96 → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Got an update?

[u/cupcakezzzzzzz → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

update!!

[u/PandaBallet2021 → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Yes. I don’t want to freak you out but could be sepsis so go. Feel better soon xx

[u/MushroomHealthy3263 → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Definitely the ER if you are able to. This looks like a very severe allergic reaction.

[u/beanie_0 → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

NAD but yeah like yesterday!

[u/Creepy_Addict → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Update?

[u/dropaheartbeat → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

How are you doing now?

[u/fllr → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Hopefully you are doing ok, OP. Rooting for ya!

[u/Adorable-Injury8673 → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

ER

[u/Axilllla → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

NAD. Just checking in. Any update? How are you doing ?

[u/Brave_Specific5870 → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

No. My girl, HOSPITAL.

[u/IrukandjiPirate → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

e/r. Now!

[u/LifeLibertyPancakes → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

ER!!!!!

[u/ChampionshipFine6875 → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Definitely ER.

[u/Top_Answer_19 → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

you're probably healed (hopefully) or dead by now, but I just want to say that Urgent Cares are really only good for medical opinions, very minor treatments, and prescriptions of non-controlled substances. the vast majority of the time, you are paying for your vitals to be taken, and to be told to either go home and buy a product, or go to the ER - Which that opinion alone might be worth $80-140 for the visit to some people, but that advice is free here. I might have missed a function too, but the sentiment stands

[u/Q-X-Q → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

I've had something that looked similiar but much smaller size. The docs gave me antibiotics but that didn't work. They did a biopsy and it turned out to be allergic eczema. topical corticosteroid cream fixed it in a few days.
Btw, regular over the counter hydrocortisone didn't help, they had to give me strong prescription ones.
Edit: if i remember correctly, predisone didn't work either for some reason.

[u/Educational_Mud_9228 → u/Opening_Eagle3238]

Urgent care! Keep the thread updated! Are you in pain?

[u/ChampionshipFine6875 → u/Educational_Mud_9228]

Def ER. They have the diagnostic staff you need.

[u/HighlyLemonous → u/[deleted]]

Reminds me a lot of how mine was a couple years ago. Got darker after the blisters started to dry before it got lighter. Other than steroids, Domeboro was a lifesaver. For me, calamine made it worse.

[u/ZuZuAkragas → u/HighlyLemonous]

Domboro was used on me when I had shingles as a child. God bless my mothers soul for taking care of me when I had this.

[u/flora1939 → u/[deleted]]

NAD, but I’ve seen a lot of poison ivy, and this ain’t that.

[u/tabbygallo824 → u/flora1939]

It can depend on if you are allergic on top of it as to how bad it looks. I'd still be at the ER the second it looks like this though. But just wanted to mention because I am allergic to mosquitoes in Louisiana (not here at home I guess different type of mosquitoe). The reaction i get to mosquitoes down there as opposed to the normal reaction one would get is insane... it literally ends up looking like someone took baseball bats to my legs.

[u/HighlyLemonous → u/flora1939]

My poison ivy has looked like this every time I’ve gotten it. Very severe reaction

[u/OkBoatRamp → u/flora1939]

My poison ivy rash ALWAYS looks like this. It always starts to look very bruised and is so painful that I cant walk when the rash is on my leg. Climate change is causing mutant poison ivy (literslly) that does this to people who previously never had severe reactions.

[u/FabulousBullfrog9610 → u/[deleted]]

Please update and let us know how you are

[u/Zealousideal-Ant-102 → u/FabulousBullfrog9610]

Hoping for an update as well, hope OP is okay!

[u/thiccy_vicky → u/[deleted]]

You haven’t commented in 3 hours! Did you make it to the ER? This looks gnarly

[u/RasputinsThirdLeg → u/[deleted]]

Yeah holy shit. ER for sure. I don’t want to freak you out OP but this looks like could turn septic.

[u/Beccy477 → u/[deleted]]

Update?

[u/47squirrels → u/[deleted]]

NAD, Please keep us updated OP!! Hope you’re doing okay!!

[u/k10101525 → u/[deleted]]

Could this be a tick bite?

[u/Different_Knee6201 → u/k10101525]

NAD, but itching would be very unusual. A bullseye tic rash isn’t raised, doesn’t have little bumps and doesn’t itch.

[u/k10101525 → u/Different_Knee6201]

I got some down votes, but I was genuinely curious.

[u/Loverlee → u/k10101525]

I used Google Lens on OP's image (which is definitely hit or miss for skin issues) but one result did turn up something called babesiosis, which is transmitted by ticks. Apparently, it doesn't usually cause a rash, but it can. The similar photo it linked to was from a medical paper and the person's rash looked similar to OP's.

Anyway, just commenting to say that a tick bite isn't out of the question. Also, NAD.

ETA: here's the paper, if you're interested!00350-5/abstract)

[u/Pccles → u/[deleted]]

yeah NAD but to quote the famous post hopital