Galixie
Senior Member
- Messages
- 231
A couple of weeks ago, the back of my shoulders started feeling itchy and tight. The itchiness progressed to my neck, chest, face, arms, and legs over the next couple of days. The worst day also included a bad sinus headache and probably the worst heartburn I've ever had. (It was so painful I started hyperventilating.) A day or so later, the muscles in my upper back, where the itchiness had started, became very sore.
It all seemed a bit like an allergic reaction to me, so I went to an allergist. We didn't find any new allergies, but I do have dermatographism. The allergist didn't know what to make of the symptoms I listed that were not skin-related. In her view it is idiopathic dermatographism which may or may not clear up on its own. She recommended over the counter allergy medication and avoiding lotions/soaps/detergents with fragrances.
I've been extra tired since it started, even when I haven't taken antihistamines. I suspect it is MCAS and I'm wondering what to do now.
She tested for dermatographism by scratching an X on my arm and waiting a few minutes. The area all around the X became red and the X itself puffed right up. I don't have a picture of that. This picture is how it looked two hours after I'd been scratched and after they had applied a cream to it to calm the reaction down. I could actually still see the X 12 hours after the test was done, but it was gone by the next day.
![dermatographia.jpg dermatographia.jpg](https://forums.phoenixrising.me/data/attachments/32/32156-11bab2e2768ab8f1e5140958c4c7b718.jpg)
It all seemed a bit like an allergic reaction to me, so I went to an allergist. We didn't find any new allergies, but I do have dermatographism. The allergist didn't know what to make of the symptoms I listed that were not skin-related. In her view it is idiopathic dermatographism which may or may not clear up on its own. She recommended over the counter allergy medication and avoiding lotions/soaps/detergents with fragrances.
I've been extra tired since it started, even when I haven't taken antihistamines. I suspect it is MCAS and I'm wondering what to do now.
She tested for dermatographism by scratching an X on my arm and waiting a few minutes. The area all around the X became red and the X itself puffed right up. I don't have a picture of that. This picture is how it looked two hours after I'd been scratched and after they had applied a cream to it to calm the reaction down. I could actually still see the X 12 hours after the test was done, but it was gone by the next day.
![dermatographia.jpg dermatographia.jpg](https://forums.phoenixrising.me/data/attachments/32/32156-11bab2e2768ab8f1e5140958c4c7b718.jpg)