poison ivy (i think)
 

i got red bumps, man. first it started on my hands! if i scratched at all, dozens more would appear within minutes. i thought i had them contained as i used herculean self-restraint and left them entirely alone. they subsided on the hands. but now they're on my legs!! i'm freaked out, man. what the hell do i do?? how can i even sleep in the same bed? i've been washing my hands every time before i do anything like eat or apply moisturizer to my face, but i fear it's not enough. i don't know what to do, though i've made an appointment with a doctor. the office is closed tomorrow, and it will be thursday afternoon before i see her. this is going to be miserable.

also, what's the best, most professional word for butt-cheek? i imagine i'm going to have to mention that to the doctor, as they're unlikely to just stay on my legs, given that i wear pants which seem likely to spread these red bumps.

http://www.webmd.com/hw/allergies/hw75090.asp

"The rash is not contagious. You cannot catch or spread the rash once it appears, even if you touch it or the blister fluid, because the urushiol will already be absorbed or washed off the skin. Sometimes people mistakenly believe that the rash is spreading because it appears later on different parts of the body. However, the rash only appears where urushiol has come in contact with the skin; either it is still developing from earlier contact or you have touched something that still has urushiol on it."

SHIT NOW ITS ON MY HANDS AGAIN

WHAT THE FUCK DO I DO

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME

hmm. interesting. thanks charmbag. i should point out i have no idea if this is poison ivy or not. frankly, i haven't got a clue what has caused this

buttock?

I like what you've done with the avatar. Now it's even more monstrous.

that avatar is absolutely amazing

http://www.webmd.com/hw/health_guide...navbar=hw80304

Hives

"Hives (urticaria) are an allergic reaction of the skin that may last a few minutes or can persist for a few days. They appear as raised, red, itchy bumps (wheals) of different shapes and sizes, with defined red margins and pale centers.

Hives may appear and then disappear at random and seem to move from place to place on the skin. Hives may range in size from less than 0.25 in.(0.6 cm) to 3 in.(7.6 cm) across or larger. Patches of hives may combine to form raised, reddened skin over large areas of the body.

Hives may appear as a reaction to a medication, food, or infection. A single area of swelling often occurs after an insect bite at the site of the bite. Other possible causes ******* contact with plants, things you breathe in (inhalants), stress, makeup, and exposure to heat, cold, or sunlight. Often a cause cannot be found.

Hives are often minor, but they can also be the first sign of a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) that requires emergency care."

yikes, that sounds pretty scary. i have no constructive advice, so it's just sympathy, but maybe you should try to go to a walk-in clinic tomorrow? emergency? (or is it not serious enough?)

we have this toll free number here in ontario, where you can call and talk to a nurse or a nurse practitioner and they can tell you what you need to do based on your symptoms. like whether you should go to emergency, or to a walk in clinic, or just to a pharmacy to get some over the counter stuff. i don't know if there's anything like that in california...

Could it be an allergy? I sometimes get wee red bumps around my hands and wrists when I'm around certain dogs for a while, especially one of my sister's staffies. If it's something like that, just stop scratching and they'll go away.

:confused:

Erm, what type of pants would be likely to cause a spreading of your rash. Are we talking cut, brand, material?

it's not the specifc type of pants, it's the fact that they're pants. if a part is touching an area with the spots, when i take off the pants later in the day, it will touch other parts of my leg and possibly spread it.

i think i ahve some swelling in the back of my mouth, this is getting really irritating and hard to deal with

i haven't been scratching at all, but for a brief frenzy last night where i couldn't help it. it was quite mesmerizing, the way my brain felt when i scratched, it felt like some kind of intense drug, i had to exert a lot of force and self control to stop. it was unreal

One scratch equals one thousand itches, sucka!

this girl at work came in today with poison ivy on her face...it was wretched

i've never been allergic to anything before. hm. i know allergies can change, i wonder what i'm allergic to (if anything)

Try to think about if you recently ate anything new or used a new detergent or anything like that, but don't drive yourself crazy about it. Sometimes these things just happen.

If they're actual like substantial bumps they're probably hives (either caused by an allergic reaction or some fluke thing), but if they're smaller and more rash-like it's probably poison ivy, if you have reason to believe you might have touched poison ivy.

in the previous week i was in a different state, using different soaps, eating different foods (had quohogs, lobster, some chowder, which are things i don't usually eat), going swimming in the ocean, etc. etc. etc. in my normal life i am exposed to fresh air for all of a few minutes a day when i walk to my car, and never touch water or wild plants. i was outside, in the sun, mowed the lawn, etc. etc. etc. so it could have been any number of things. sheesh.

seems like hives.

nature's a bitch. i hope you learned your lesson.

that sounded a bit cold. i also hope you get well soon.

:)

i hope they don't spread to your butt :/

Yeah, so it probably is an allergic reaction. People can have one-time allergic reactions, too, so if I were you I wouldn't kill myself trying to figure out what it was unless you have reason to believe you're still being exposed to whatever it is.

Your doctor should be able to give you a steroid or something to get rid of it. Until then it might help to take cold showers and keep your skin moisturized.

You might be allergic to shellfish. That's pretty common.

i won't kill myself trying to figure out what it was. i'll kill myself cause i can hardly stand this any longer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

use calamine lotion

to kill myself? that hardly seems effective

drink it then, if thats the route you want to take

you drink it

no