Red Rash Along Spine and Multiple Sclerosis
For a while I have noticed that around the time I have an exacerbation I develop a red mark (rash) along the middle of my back along my spine (mid thoracic). I don't have pictures from most of these occurrences, and can just barely see it in the mirror, but I think it happens in an almost an identical place, and is an almost identical size and shape. The rash does not hurt, is not warm, and I do not notice it in any way (Eriksgirl lets me know). On some occurrences it gets very dark, almost purple, while other times it is very faint. Yesterday, Eriksgirl noted that it is returning - although it is very light. I guess not a huge surprise since I have had a couple relapses. I guess the questions becomes, is it the Multiple Sclerosis, or is it something else?!
This is an old crummy picture, but it the typical mark on my back. The ruler is in inches - so the mark is about 5 inches (12.7cm) long:
Technorati Tags: Multiple Sclerosis, thoracic, Rash
posted by Erik @ 5/29/2006 04:56:00 PM
22 Your $.02
22 Comments:
The other item to note is that it almost certainly not drug related since I've been on over a month long break with the Rebif. Nothing else has changed, and certainly no "trauma" to that part of the body.
Very interesting! Are you wearing a new shirt, using new laundry detergent or sitting in a new chair? Looks like it's a pressure irritation of some kind. It also looks like it should itch!
Mouse,
Yeah, I wish - but there has been nothing out of the ordinary during any of the appearances. Well except for a very recent exacerbation.
Erik, I think there is definitely a correlation. Finding the LINK might not be easy but our bodies don't do anything for no reason.
Your body is trying to communicate SOMETHING. The trick is learning the language.
The spine will often send messages like this. My daughter has a colorless but bumpy (teeny pimply) streak down her spine sometimes as well. It seems to correlate with times of stress and 'bad-for-her' foods. (We know she has sensitivities to dairy/eggs/wheat). It doesn't bother her at all...I just notice it when I'm combing her hair after a shower or whatever. It runs JUST to the right of the ridgy part of her spine.
I believe it is SOME sort of toxin being expressed from the spinal column. Since her 'bad foods' often cause 'hyperactivity' (neurological) "symptoms" it makes sense to me that one toxic outlet is her spine.
Don't discount a drug interaction too quickly. Drugs and their byproducts can sit dormant in bodies for YEARS as can viruses and bacterias (think "shingles" being an old dormant chickenpox virus). Crap can be sitting in your body a lonnnnnnnng time and then get stirred up with stress or who-knows-what.
I don't know anything definitively but I certainly vote that the rash is something your body is trying to tell you.
Stacy,
I agree something isn't right. It will probably take years to figure out the exact connection. Heck, it took me a while to discover my Rebif/Dairy incompatability.
Other than blogging, do you keep any kind of food & treatment journal? It wouldn't hurt to write down things like your stress levels, too.
Just like the MS being a problem with myelin sheath, it wouldn't surprise me if there was a toxicity of some sort kinda 'leaking' through.
Gosh...(ducking from the "ugh" and "grrr" you & Eriksgirl might send my way) but I just REALLY wish you'd reconsider glycos. Just see if the sugars could make any difference. When doing a www.scholar.google.com search for "myelin sheath glycoproteins" over 3000 articles came up. If the sugars/glyconutrients could increase your production of glycoproteins, wouldn't it be cool to see if it would improve your situation even in the least little bit????
I'm just sayin...... :)
I know CFS is different but this has a few interesting points in it
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9829439&itool=iconabstr&query_hl=4&itool=pubmed_docsum
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Erik,
I am so glad you posted this. My husband had the same thing a couple of months ago. His marks look exactly like yours only they were not directly on his spine but still on his back. We thought it was odd but they went away and we did not connect them to the MS, I guess we should think about that again, huh? I think we will start keeping a journal of all the things that go on with him to have a better idea if there are connections. Thanks again for posting about this.
Vivian
Erik,
Just out of curiosity...have you checked with your parents to see if you ever had this as a child?
My son (who is now 11) has a very mild birthmark on his forehead. When he was first born you could see it. It faded after about 3-6 months and now I can only see it when he gets sick or really upset about something. It looks similar to the picture that you posted.
Just a thought...sometimes we are not aware of birthmarks we may have had over the years.
Of course it would be something to talk to your neurologist about, but before you stress about it, it may end up being something you have had for years and nothing to worry about. Let's hope! I hope it turns out to be nothing. Please take care.
Jaime
Erik,
Back in 2001-2002 I went through a time period of which I thought I had MS. I was tested, found to have a B12 deficiency at the age of 35. Had all the symptoms someone with MS would have. 3 Months ago my wife noticed this same mark on my spine. We took pictures of it but for the life of me I cannot find them now. When I do I will send them to you if you like for comparison.
Vivian,
Thanks for posting, it makes me feel like less of a freak! I need to remember to discuss this when I am at the doctor next time.
jaime,
No, not a birthmark - nor something I had as a child. Weird something that turns up occassionally. The odd thing is that I have been in an exacerbation and it has not shown up - go figure.
Gray Madders,
Thanks for sharing. It is certainly a weird mark, and I am still uncertain as to the cause. Maybe one of these days I'll have it figured out?!
Your linear rash looks like a bartonella rash. (Bartonella is a tick-borne disease that is frequently found either alone or as a co-infection with Lyme disease). You never know.
Erik, I just read your post on the rash you get on your spine. I, too, have MS since 1977. The Drs. call it benign MS, which makes me believe they aren't sure of the diagnosis. Anyway, I too get the rash along my spine. Sometimes it's there and other times it's not. I did have one Dr. say that he thought I was allergic to Latex. The elastic from underwear is made with some type of latex. When I take Benedryl, it goes away, but I can't take that forever, so I live with the rash. It doesn't itch, it's just there. I thought too maybe it had something to do with my body trying to tell me something. I also have 2 bulging discs and alot of back problems. MS or not MS.
Anonymous,
The joys of "MS or not MS." It has been a while since I have had an occurrence of the red mark - though I have had some exacerbations. I have not made any other changes which makes me think it is not an allergy. Best of luck!
Another good comment about this here, and the comment points to this page/file:
http://www.lymenet.org/drbguide200509.pdf
I have now tested positive for Lyme. So the rash is certainly Lyme related:
http://blog.thesmithlife.com/2007/03/positive-for-lyme.html
Hi Erik,
I just recently noticed a rash very similar to yours. It looks very much like a hickey (i.e. tiny busted blood vessels) but appears linearly-shaped. It's been there for almost two days now and has not disappeared.
Cheers,
Derrick
Derrick,
I assume you have a MS diagnosis. I would recommend looking into Lyme as a possibility: Diagnosing Lyme
Best of luck!
Your rash looks like what appears on some chronic Lyme patients. I believe it is possibly Bartonella or Ehrlichiosis or some other co-infection along with Lyme. Lyme and it's co-infections can cause many different chronic rashes not just the bullseye classic rash. PLEASE READ ALL YOU CAN ON LYME AND MS. Do not take anyone's word for it that you do not have lyme because they really don't know! My father died in 2000 from long term untreated Lyme disease. He had been diagnosed with MS! My daughter and I have both been CLINICALLY diagnosed with Lyme - both of us had the same symptoms as my dad. I was actually in a wheel chair. The main treatment is antibiotics. There is a HUGE crossover of Lyme and MS. In fact top Lyme experts say that most cases of MS and Fibromyalgia are actually Lyme disease with co-infections. The diagnosis is a clinical one - meaning based on symptoms NOT tests which are extremely unreliable. As of yet there are NO accurate tests to tell if you have Lyme. A good doctor will just put you on antibiotics based on your symptoms and see if you improve. I urge all MS patients to try this treatment. What if you get better???? The places to start for info are www.ilads.org/guidelines.html an interesting clip is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsfacl0b1mc
I only hope I can help just one person through my own awful experience with this disease! I wish you the best - Karen
Looks like the rash of the lyme coinfection Bartonella. I think there is a pictue on the Canada Lyme web site.
Doctors gave up and tried to diagnose my son with MS turned out he later tested positive for Lyme Babesiosis, Bartonella (had your rash), and mycoplasma!!
Treatment got him out of the wheelchair and back to school.
Go to lymenet.org, people there will help you figure out your next step...they helped me.
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