About two weeks, or so, ago I started taking Source Naturals Vegan Omega-3s (EPA-DHA).
About 10 days ago I got what felt like hives on my chest. They were so itchy, but I didn't think anything about it because in the past I've experienced hives and they always fade away. The next night they were still there, which I commented on to my family, "Wow! I never had hives this bad that they were itchy the next day!"
Since then what seemed like hives turned into a very large rash (irregular edges, slightly raised, some bumps) that I couldn't stop scratching (woke up at night scratching it). It began to ooze like poison ivy/oak, so we assumed that's what it was. It became a very large patch on my upper chest and reaching to my collar bone. I scratched it so much it became raw and I think might have become partly infected.
Then I started using a solution of sea salt and water (2.5 T salt to 1 liter water) and it took the itch away and dried up the oozing. Rinsing it off before bed resulted in nighttime oozing and itching. After three days of the salt water, it is very dry and cracking/flaking, raw, and painful.
However, now the rash is starting again all over my abdomen, reaching around my back a bit, and down onto my upper thighs. It's extremely itchy, but not yet oozing or anything like what I thought was poison ivy/oak. It's horrible and so itchy. That's when my sister reminded me I started the EPA/DHA supplement and she wondered if it was connected, since the timing would add up. Does anyone know about vegan sources of EPA/DHA resulting in itchy rashes?
Also, I was very concerned about the spread of this all over my abdomen, so I went to the doctor today. He had no idea what it was...said maybe an allergic reaction to something--and that the new area where the rash was just starting he said looked like scarlet fever (he did a throat culture and had it sent out). He wasn't sure, but since I had a month-long sore throat and tonsil stones on/off over that month that I thought might have resulted in a systemic bacterial infection, he prescribed Keflex 500mg 3x/day for 7 days. I started that today.
Do any of you have ideas about EPA/DHA and a rash like this (itchy, hive-like, oozing when scratched a lot)?
Do any of you have any suggestions for something (natural would be best) that can harmlessly relieve me of this itching until this gets figured out?
Do any of you have suggestions for something I can put on the dry/raw/cracking areas that are no longer itching? They are so dry/cracked that it hurts to move.
In my signature are the main genetic mutations that might be responsible for the EPA/DHA allergy, if that's what this is.
Thanks!
About 10 days ago I got what felt like hives on my chest. They were so itchy, but I didn't think anything about it because in the past I've experienced hives and they always fade away. The next night they were still there, which I commented on to my family, "Wow! I never had hives this bad that they were itchy the next day!"
Since then what seemed like hives turned into a very large rash (irregular edges, slightly raised, some bumps) that I couldn't stop scratching (woke up at night scratching it). It began to ooze like poison ivy/oak, so we assumed that's what it was. It became a very large patch on my upper chest and reaching to my collar bone. I scratched it so much it became raw and I think might have become partly infected.
Then I started using a solution of sea salt and water (2.5 T salt to 1 liter water) and it took the itch away and dried up the oozing. Rinsing it off before bed resulted in nighttime oozing and itching. After three days of the salt water, it is very dry and cracking/flaking, raw, and painful.
However, now the rash is starting again all over my abdomen, reaching around my back a bit, and down onto my upper thighs. It's extremely itchy, but not yet oozing or anything like what I thought was poison ivy/oak. It's horrible and so itchy. That's when my sister reminded me I started the EPA/DHA supplement and she wondered if it was connected, since the timing would add up. Does anyone know about vegan sources of EPA/DHA resulting in itchy rashes?
Also, I was very concerned about the spread of this all over my abdomen, so I went to the doctor today. He had no idea what it was...said maybe an allergic reaction to something--and that the new area where the rash was just starting he said looked like scarlet fever (he did a throat culture and had it sent out). He wasn't sure, but since I had a month-long sore throat and tonsil stones on/off over that month that I thought might have resulted in a systemic bacterial infection, he prescribed Keflex 500mg 3x/day for 7 days. I started that today.
Do any of you have ideas about EPA/DHA and a rash like this (itchy, hive-like, oozing when scratched a lot)?
Do any of you have any suggestions for something (natural would be best) that can harmlessly relieve me of this itching until this gets figured out?
Do any of you have suggestions for something I can put on the dry/raw/cracking areas that are no longer itching? They are so dry/cracked that it hurts to move.
In my signature are the main genetic mutations that might be responsible for the EPA/DHA allergy, if that's what this is.
Thanks!
