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skin biopsy of butterfly rash

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Posted 7/12/2009 7:28 PM (GMT 0)
Did any of you ever get your butterfly rashes biopsy?  My rhem. said this is a way he could tell if I had lupus.  My doctor drew blood and I had a positive ana.  She refered me to a rhem and he drew blood and my lupus panel came back negative.  He said because my joint pain is not bad it is probably not lupus.  But I have a butterfly rash, heat intolerence, hair loss, fatigue, sun senstive, some joint pain, and what I think is a mouth ulcer on my throat.  I also have uti all the time and some blood in urine not visible.  My blood also came back that I was lacking Vit D.  He is blaming my problems on stress because I have a 5 year austic child.  All these problems became worst after having what they beleive was mono last year.  I don't know I am thinking I am nuts.  Should I bother going for the skin biopsy?  He also said that the macrobid I was for a uti could throw the bloodwork.  Does anyone else know about this?

Anne

 

Posted 7/13/2009 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
My dermatologist said that since my ANA was positive (a very LOW positive, mind you) - that she didn't want to risk the possible scarring of doing the biopsy.

According to her, they take out a piece the size of a pencil eraser!!! So it's not the "few flakes of skin" that you might normally think.

I'd get a lot more details from the dermy and/or get an opinion from another rheumy.
Posted 7/13/2009 2:30 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Anne,

I had a biopsy done of my rash a couple of years ago . . . results came back as inconclusive and so the dermy said it was actinic keratoses and attempted to freeze the worst spots of it . . . 3 months later, i still had scabs and when the scabs finally came off a couple of months later, the rash was still there and was worse where they had frozen it. I now have a scar that is larger than the size of a pencil eraser - fortunately it is not terribly noticeable because i wear glasses and the location of the biopsy was on the bridge of my nose.

I got a different dermy.
Posted 7/13/2009 12:20 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Anne,
I also had a skin biopsy on my face, they did a good job not scarring they numb the area so you don't feel anything, mine came back as lupus. When I was first diagnoise 20yrs. ago I had postive ana no need to do biospy. Went on plaquinel slowed the (progrison) down but not enough to stop the rash being on plaquneil for so many yrs. my ana was neg.primary doc. ask if I wanted to see a new rhumy which I did for my joint pains, she refer me to a new derm this was the best move I ever made. My derm put me on quineacrine I'm also in a study for lupus. I had one stitch with no problem.She also found I had other issues with lupus, that my other rhumy and derm. never pick up on. Best of luck to you. Debbie
Posted 7/14/2009 7:11 AM (GMT 0)
I didn't know they bxed. Mine treats mine as rosacea because he says he thinks I have roseacea on top of the lupus rash, he told me you can have both. Snice I have vitiligo, which is also considered to be autoimmune, I don't have to have a biopsy. Its good to know they can do it with a stitch and not round. I'm supposed to have my hypo and hyper pigment biopsied so the endo will believe I actually have it and it is real. HEaven forbid the endo actually examines me.

I use noritate on the face and it does help some. I hope things go well, at least the dermatologst is doing something!
Posted 7/14/2009 2:12 PM (GMT 0)
Even through I'm diagnoise with lupus she also said I may have roseacea with the lupus she also said scle because I have the rash on arms, chest and starting on my back. So I do think you can have both. I do have a lot of skin issues I think that's why they ask me to be in a study. I'm am on skin cream that she percribe for me. I also have eye,lung problems. Take Care
Debbie
Posted 7/14/2009 3:43 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks guys for the replys. I don't know if I will doing the skin biopsy since the blood test came back negative. But I am sure there is something bothering my body. I think I will be thinking about it. He only gave three weeks until I have to have the biopsy and go back. Knowing that it may cause scarring I think I will need longer than 3 weeks to think about it.

Anne
Posted 7/14/2009 4:32 PM (GMT 0)

Anne - I have a good friend who has worked in a dermatologist's office for many years.  But it wasn't until she saw a rheumatologist for various symptoms that she was advised to have a skin biopsy since she had some lesions on her face- and the biopsy did reveal the lupus.  She has no scarring that I can see.  I have been dx'd several times with actinic keratoses - all before autoimmune issues came to the surface- and had them removed via cryo (freezing) and surgically.  I've had minimal scarring.  I have a spot on my face that faded once I was on the Plaquenil, and now is returning with more sun exposure (even with sunblock).   An old and wonderful doctor once told me the skin is one of the major organs and we need to pay much more attention to it.  Just my 2 cents.

Lucy

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