Back from holiday, wish i'd never went

Hi everyone, hope your all okay.

I got back from my holiday this morning, never ever again. I thought I'd be able to cover up and sun block and i'd be alright (with kids it's hard not to want to take them to the sun & the beach). Well, I'm not! and unbelievably it's not really the lupus thats the problem. I am covered with what I think is prickly heat and it's so painful. I have it from my toes, up my shins, thighs, groin, stomach, back, shoulders, neck & ears. I look really really awful too. I've been itching so bad that i'm bleeding and I haven't slept properly for 4 days. I took the meds the doc gave me every day to try to stop this happening, but it hasn't. Tried calamine lotion, cool showers. Nothing is helping. Any ideas?  x x

Hi Lynwood, I'll try the oatmeal when the shops open tomorrow. The rash is like hundreds (literally) of raised red lumps, which are hard and terribly itchy. They do look a bit like blisters, a bit shiny. The only part of me that hasn't got any is my face. My legs are the worst, the shins are just about totally covered. It's 2.45 am here and I'm getting desperate now. Trying to stop itching because i'm bleeding, but it's so itchy. I might ring the out of hours tomorrow morning if it's no better. Thanks x x

Maybe you ran into some sand fleas and are having a systemic reaction because of the lupus? Hard red bumps are not shingles...shingles are actually small blisters with fluid in them. Try rubbing ice cubes on the itchy-ist parts, they should numb the area and thus calm the itching. Can you take benydrl(sp)? Lots of people that use benydril for itching (I can't take benydrl myself). Do you have any aloe gel? It's often used for sunburn and does calm itching somewhat.

I've got a steroid cream for the cple rash that I tried yesterday, but I think i'll give it another go. I'm just nervous cos some of the rash is now open and it;s gonna sting! thanks lynn, i'll post tomorrow when i hope i've been to sleep!

Hi again, well i've managed to have 3 hours and i'm so tired! I'm going to go to the walk in clinic today and get some advice. x x

Greetings!

I am so sorry to hear about your terrible rash. I had the same type of rash about five years ago when I first started to become aware that I had lupus. It was awful and just as you describe. The doctors were not able to do much for me, either. Lynnwood gives some great suggestions but, mostly, I ended up just waiting it out. The only area that was not affected for me was my face, too, except that I had a definite butterfly rash. I also remember how I would develop big, raised red blotches on my skin when I would go into the sun - even when driving! The itching was the worst, however, and nothing much seemed to help with that.

At the time, my family doctor put me on a couple of pred dose packs, a steroid cream, and clarinex for the itching. He also sent me to a rhuemy but I had to wait five months to see her. By then the rash had mostly cleared up and I did not have enough of the lupus symptoms for a diagnosis. That came about two years later. In retrospect, I think it would have helped if they had been more aggressive with the prednisone. Are you taking prednisone?

I remember that it really helped for me to stay out of the sun, to rest and sleep A LOT, and to take very cool showers. The cool water temp was very soothing.

I hope this helps and I hope your docs can help you very soon! I will keep you in my prayers!

Hi lion
I hope your rash is getting better you've had great suggestions here. I agree with others that it sounds more complex that the prickly heat which is how it started. I was just going to add that salt water heals wounds faster, think of swimming in the ocean with a sore, and it its not the spready type of rash, maybe a bath in mild epsom salts might sting alot but itch less and help healing. Maybe something to try. The ice mentioned above is really the best. Also, they make some numbing ointment you can put on or ask the doc to phone in some lidocaine--numbing liquid to put on it. I'm so sorry that this happened to you on holiday. I hope it isn't an allergy. I'm glad you are going to the doctor and hope you get better soon. There is another medication besides benedryl and that is called atavan and it is a pill and works too.

Hi everyone, thanks for your replies and advice. I tried nearly all of them!!
I was given antibiotics because the rash had become infected which was making things worse. Last night I eventually got some sleep. Much better today thank goodness. The doc explained that most people would normally get prickly heat around the creases or folds where you sweat and it wouldn't be too troublesome. But with the skin in lupus and the "allergy" to the sun it can spread everywhere and not really be prickly heat as such but a nasty allergic reaction to the sun. But thankfully it's settling down and it's only left on my back and shins. No more sun for me EVER. I'll be the one hiding under a hat, sun brolly and mountains of sun block!!

Hello lionOO,

I know you already have the rash but I thought this info might be of use to you.  Look into PLE - polymorphic light eruption.  Most people confuse this with prickly heat but it is very different.

A short overview for you :-  

Polymorphic light eruption (PLE), otherwise termed polymorphous light eruption (PMLE), is a skin complaint caused by sunlight.

Typically, those affected by it will have been exposed to the sun for two to three days while on holiday, although the complaint does occur between the spring and autumn months in the UK, and sometimes as little as 15 minutes exposure to sunshine can induce the condition. It can even be brought on by sunlight penetrating through a window or thin clothing.

A delayed-onset, spotty, itchy eruption appears on the skin, and may take between 5 to 10 days to clear.

The rash usually consists of small red spots or blisters and can appear on any part of the body that has been exposed to sunshine, although commonly the face and the backs of the hands will be spared. It tends to heal without scarring.


It is not the same as prickly heat.  This occurs during warm weather, generally affects the trunk (ie, not the head, neck or limbs) and is related to overheating, particularly in areas where there is friction due to clothing.

There is quite a bit more info on it, but I think this will give you an idea so that you can be aware of how it can happen and how to treat it.

Hope this is of help to you.

goldenwings