That rash I mentioned in passing in my last surgery update? Oh my did it get bad since then. It has spread to cover my entire torso, from neck to buttocks, including the inner thighs. Surgeon says it is a systemic reaction to some medication, and referred me to dermatology for follow-up. Probably not the antibiotic as I had assumed by the time I saw her. Most likely culprit is one of the anesthesia medications in her opinion.
I had an e-visit with a dermatologist yesterday. I have a plan for management. Take high dose prednisone. This means 40 mg for 7 days. Then take 20 mg for 7 days. Finally, take 10 mg for 7 days. Apply Kenalog 0.1% lotion twice daily. CeraVe after bathing with Dove Sensitive body wash. Claritin 10 mg twice daily. Follow up in 4-6 weeks if not resolved.
As an aside, I won’t survive 4 – 6 weeks. If this isn’t showing improvement fairly quickly, I will have to contact them back.
I started that prednisone last evening. I know that I’m going to turn into a raging bitch. That is a side effect of high dose prednisone that I always have. But I’ll mostly hide, so no worries.
Not to assume all is well. I’m posting this early AM because the itching of the rash is now mostly pinpoint pain. It feels like the sharp needle prick variety. Sleep is almost impossible. I tossed and turned for roughly two hours. Then I gave up.
It seems the pain is reduced if I don’t have pressure on the rash. But the rash covers my entire torso. So sitting up isn’t too bad. Sleep? What’s that? I do hope that this fresh hell resolves relatively quickly.
An Aging Trans Woman 
Huh. The ibuprofen 600 I took about an hour ago seems to be finally dulling the pain a little bit. Maybe I will get some sleep tonight after all. 🤞
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Another random thought. The sleep shirt I put on last night almost certainly had been in the drawer since before I switched to a free and clear laundry detergent. I made that switch because I was reacting to the other soap. I took off that shirt about the same time I took that ibuprofen. Then put it back on, and the pain returned full force. Changed out of it, and it’s calming back down slightly.
Follow along as I diagnose myself real time. /sarcasm
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That didn’t last. It’s been about two hours since I last updated. It’s back full force. And two hours too soon for more ibuprofen. I’m going to try some Tylenol and a couple of hemp gummies, but I won’t be trying to go back to bed.
I took new photos of the current condition and sent them and a summary of my status at the moment to dermatologist. Of course they won’t see that until probably this afternoon. It’s going to be a long day.
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Did an urgent care visit for a second opinion. Still “drug eruption”. Because of the pain, I was concerned it might be shingles.
Also learned which antibiotic it was. Still don’t know what anesthesia meds. The antibiotic was Ancef.
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Dang, Janet. I’m sure sorry, which doesn’t slake the itch, I know.
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I’m adding that antibiotic to my list of allergies. Also learned a couple of hours ago that my daughter had a bad reaction to the same class of antibiotics
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