My appointment with the dermatologist was long and was thorough. I was first examined by an intern who looked at every bump on my body. It’s a little embarrassing when pictures are taken. They keep these to prepare for future visits. The doctor came in next and examined me.
She talked to me, asked me questions, and then said that we needed to biopsy the rash before she makes a treatment plan. She said at first glance it looked like a Celiac rash. Then she commented about how it could be a rash from Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma. She noticed that some of the old spots looked a little bit smaller, but the skin was more raised and the color more angry.
She also mentioned that it was covering more skin in the middle back section. These rashes aren’t the small spots, but were biopsied in the past. There were a few areas that had the CTCL present, but not enough to diagnose that cancer. That seemed very odd to me, but that’s how it’s done.
Talking about it in this way really unnerved me. She biopsied the (possible) CTCL area that was raised more than the others. Then, she biopsied one of the arm spots that was bigger than most. She also biopsied a spot right next to the that spot.
The two biopsies close together are part of testing for Dermatitis Herpetiformis. I’m not sure what they’ll do next. An endoscopy with intestinal biopsy is the main test for Celiac, but I hope I won’t have that test. I’m very tired of tests, but I need to find out what is really going on.
My body has too many problems, and it looks like I will have more soon. Maybe there will be a syndrome named that includes all of my diseases. It’s hard to believe that all of these separate diseases aren’t connected more than we now know.
I’m trying to think about something else, but it’s a little difficult when this itchy rash is screaming at me. I’ll wait for all the test results, just like I always do. This is only possible because of my husband’s support and the grace of God.
@copyright, Lisa Ehrman
Disclaimer: I’m not a medical expert. This post contains my opinions and experiences and is not meant to be taken as medical advice. If you have a medical concern, please consult your personal physician.
Oh you poor thing! I completely agree that all these seemingly unrelated problems and diagnoses must be related in some way– it’s frustrating when our medical knowledge still falls short. Our bodies can be such complicated systems. I hope you get some relief from your itchy rash soon.
Thanks! While waiting for the test results, I have plenty of time to ask God for the grace to stay calm. I know that He is with me. I hope you have a great week!