Henoch-Schonlein purpurea

[gilliem]

I want to have a mega-moan! I've been feeling rough for some time despite having above average trough levels at last check-up. I had a HUGE whitlow on my finger, the size of Mount Everest, which I eventually lanced [oh, what a relief!] my sinuses are exploding after the last session of treatment for MRSA and now I'm smothered neck to toe with this wretched rash! I was really taken aback when the doctor I saw this morning pulled faces and sent me straight for blood tests after mouthing the title I've given this thread. I wasn't too happy when he talked about potential organ damage.... I'd worked out already that it must be another Gillie-special, because the only pinpoint purple rash I knew about went with the scary title meningitis, but altho' I have a headache, my temperature and blood pressure are fine, so I'll settle for Henoch-Schonlein if I have to!
Hope everyone else's feeling better than I am at the moment.
Gillie.

[slf]

Cant help at all,all i can say is i am so sorry,you're really having the roughest time,I think a few others here have known those times,so don't feel alone.
Thats why we are here we cant cure,but we do support you and care like mad,and want the doctors to find what you need and quick too.
Hope things improve soon
Steve

[john]

hi gillie,
poor you!!!
really really sorry to read this, and i'm feeling sad for myself just cos i'm feeling a bit done in after my infusion today!
i have a feeling this HSP could be a response to that mega-whitlow, which is a strep infection, and well you know us when it comes to that sort of thing - never predictable.
i hope your doc can get you on a course of something healing and soothing quickly - are you seeing your gp or your immo by the way? def sounds like an immo problem to me, but as steve says, it's not for us to do their job!
keep us in the loop please gillie
huge huge hugs to you both and get better soon
john

[mali42]

Hi Gillie
Sorry to hear you have been feeling rough for a while.
I googled hsp and found this www.medicinenet.com/henoch-schonlein_purpura/article.htm
It was an interesting read and it normally occurs in the spring so yay spring is here.
Hope you feel better soon.
Best wishes Malcolm

[susand]

Sounds awful! I'm not surprised you need a mega- moan. (In fact is it a moan? Seems to be a good way to look after yourself!!)
I hope the rash doesn't itch as well?!
We do seem to get the strangest conditions. I've never heard of it so I know nothing about it. Could it somehow be gardening related - you know some bug from the soil that triggered it?
I wish you better very soon,

Susand

[gilliem]

Thank you all. Many thanks for the link, Malcolm, I found it very helpful, as, like Susan. I'd never heard of it before!
Susan, thanks. no, it doesn't itch! That would drive me mad! I'm seeing the doc later this morning to get the results of the blood tests. In my own mind there's not much doubt about what it is, but I haven't a clue what triggered it. Maybe he can guess. I'm really good about gardening in gloves, nowadays, just because I don't want to risk picking up any lurking nasties.
More later, maybe.
Best wishes,
Gillie.

[barbfrombc]

Aww Gillie .... that's rough. I hope you get some good information from the doctor and that you are feeling better in time to enjoy the first little hint of spring. We have snowdrops blooming now and that always makes me feel hopeful.

Barb

[gilliem]

The doc comforted me by saying that the blood tests showed no sign of the bug attacking any organs, then told me ruefully the I'm just going to have to wait this out-could be as much as a month! Ugh. On the up side, my liver enzyme levels have come down from 1100 to 600 but my platelets are still low.
I'm glad I never go around with bare legs!
I'm happy for you, Barb. Snowdrops are very special. We have daffodils in bloom now.so those'll follow on for you, too, maybe in time for Easter?
Best wishes,
Gillie.

[john]

hi gillie,
that's good news!
the month will quickly pass and you'll be able to get those shorts on in time for the sunshine!!
here the clivias are in show-off mode - 24 flower heads at the last count, and the tete - a - tetes and camelias in the garden are a joy! what's not to love about springtime?
barb, enjoy those snowdrops and dream about the good things to come!
take care - john

[liz2mac]

Hi Gillie,
I too had never heard of this. Poor you it sounds horrid, glad there's no sign of the organs being involved. I couldn't believe how spring had sprung in the last two weeks. Difficult to be downcast when nature's smiling on us, no matter what we're dealing with.
Liz