Rash.....need opinions

I have recently been diagnosed with lupus and I am still slightly confused as to what I should expect (as far as symptoms). For the past 2 weeks, whenever I am exposed to fluorescent lighting (uncovered) I start to get a skin irritation on my arms and hands (red, blotchy and sometimes burning sensation)
Today, I was in the supermarket and within 10 minutes of exposure, my arm started getting a mild rash (though it did start to feel like a burn). The rash usually disappears within an hour after I'm no linger near the bulbs.

Has anyone experienced this before?

Hi Pat- thank you so much for your reply. I did speak to my doctor and he said that my temporary rashes could definitely be from the lights.
I actually never thought I had lupus, and I honestly can't remember if I ever had these symptoms in the past. I did think I had bursitis at one point, but never followed through by going to a doctor. As for fatigue, I felt it often, but again never put too much thought into it.

A little over a month ago I started taking the "quit smoking" pill Zyban (also known as Wellbutrin). The first day I took the pill, weird things started happening......intense fatigue, muscle aching....I even felt as if my throat was swelling. Needless to say, I stopped taking the pill 4 days later. They very next day, a few of my joints started to become inflamed and I called my doctor immediately. It started to subside the next day, but then I made the mistake of hanging out in the sun all day. By the end of that day, I could barely move. So many of my joints became inflamed and started to swell.

Basically, that is how it has been (on and off depending on the day) for over a month now. The rashes started about 2 weeks ago.
It may sound crazy, but I think the Wellbutrin pill triggered something. Have you ever heard of something like that?

Hi Leigh,

 

Holy guacamole, I'm soooooo sensitive to fluorescents it's crazy!  I truly believe I have an allergy to them.  I get the skin rashes but only after being under them for several hours.  But if I'm in Walmart or the grocery store, I feel physically ill if I'm there for more than 5 minutes.  It's brutal.  I had to quit my job and become self employed mainly because I couldn't work anywhere!!  Every place has those dang flurorescent lights.  They're poison .  So now I work from home.

 

I was in the ER on Friday for 8 hours.  I was under a fluorescent light the entire time.  I got a nasty looking rash on my arms, which went away within an hour of leaving the hospital.  (Like your experience). The next day, I had a massive swollen gland on my neck and I have a mild UTI.  I think it was the lights..... I didn't have a swollen gland or a UTI when I went to the ER......

 

Poison I tell ya!!!

Hi Leigh,

 

Well, my symptoms came on suddenly, but they were mild.  So the course of action with doctors was slow. By the 5 year mark, I was having many more symptoms that lasted longer and were more suspicious.  By the 7 year mark the symptoms were clearly autoimmune, and I was in rough shape. A five day visit to the hospital resulted in my diagnosis. Lupus can be a tricky disease.  It really is so different for each person. 

 

When you're so new to the diagnosis and treatment, it can be hard to determine what is causing your symptoms.  Think of it this way... If your symptoms are something that a "person without an autoimmune disease" wouldn't get - then it's your lupus.  Like the rash.  A healthy person without lupus wouldn't get that.  They can soak up the fluorescent rays or sunshine and not get a rash or feel sick.  So if the symptom is weird and wacky, dollars to donuts, it's your lupus.

What medications are you taking and how long have you been on them?  

 

 

Leigh, Most lupus patients are on Plaquenil, and in fact it's usually the first med we're prescribed, often before we're even diagnosed. It's a wonderful drug that can help symptoms like joint pain and fatigue, which many lupus patients have, but it can also help your lupus keep from getting worse. The first three months you're on this med can be the hardest in terms of side effects. You may be one of the lucky ones that don't have any, though. Typical side effects are tummy problems. After my body adapted to Plaquenil, I've had no side effects whatsoever. My rheumy tells me I'll have to take it for the rest of my life.

I do think seeing another rheumatologist is always a good idea. Second opinions never hurt, especially if you don't concur with your doctor's suggestions.

Did your doctor give you the results of your labs? Do you understand what they mean? Is he a rheumatologist? If not, I'd run, not walk, to a rheumatologist, who's a specialist in autoimmune diseases.

You're smart to be asking lots of questions and seeking second opinions. I'm glad you're here.

Pat

I first went to my primary doctor and he said that it could definitely be the start of lupus or rheumatoid arthritis (according to my symptoms and ANA results).
I immediately went to a rheumatologist and he is the one who diagnosed me through both symptoms and additional blood work which he did explain to me.
He didn't show any doubt that that was what it was.
But, I do intend to see another rheumy ASAP.
I guess I was under the assumption that most lupus was controlled by anti-inflammation drugs and something as simple as Alleve.
I really do appreciate your responses........it's helping a lot :)

Not that I'm aware of Leigh. I did have my gallbladder removed last January but I don't know why or how it could have been related to my lupus other than the fact that prednisone has caused me to gain a bunch of weight which is not good for one's gallbladder.

I also have problems with some fluorescent lighting. Some days it just makes me very drained & tired; at my last job, I had a big, long fluorescent light right above my desk , a few inches from my head. The desk had a hutch type thing on it, and the light was attached underneath it. Well, when I first sat there with that light on, I felt severe burning of my face and any area of my neck/sternum area that was exposed. It felt as if I was out in the full sun at noon or sometimes it felt like flames close to my skin. It also turned those exposed areas very bright red. I could not take it, so I stopped using a light.  It also was burning my eyes and I was getting migraines from it. Turned out about a 1/2 year later after continuous eye problems, I went to an Ophthalmologist and was diagnosed with dry eye syndrome too. I don't know for sure if the light on my skin causing such burning & redness was from my lupus or not, but it seems pretty probable