It's possible that your symptoms might be due to something as simple as Plantar Fascitis. As we get older, the muscles in the bottom of the foot can lose their elasticity - when that happens, the "arch" in the foot starts to "sink", which causes extra strain on the muscles in the foot, heel, and leg. That can cause them to hurt like an SOB - you would definitely feel it in your shins and heels - and most people report feeling more pain at night (even to the point of being woken up ). The pain tends to get better throughout the day as the muscles get stretched out during walking.

Fortunately, Plantar Fascitis is almost always able to be fixed with custom-made shoe inserts that are worn every day (and if you don't wear them, you WILL start to feel pain again.....). Sometimes when we wear sandals in the summer, that can make things worse as well, as they don't tend to have as much support as "closed" shoes. It takes about a week or two to get used to wearing the inserts, but after that you forget they're there. And the relief is nothing short of AMAZING.

If the inserts by themselves don't help completely, some people wear corrective "boots" at night - they basically look like the covers you see on leg casts. These keep the feet at a 90-degree angle to the legs, which keeps the leg muscles stretched out while you are sleeping. Most people don't need to use these (the inserts usually do the trick); however, it's another aid that is available if need be.

As far as your rash goes, have you checked to see if one or more of the medications that you are taking has a warning about being in the sun while taking it? I never cease to be amazed at how many medications and/or supplements now carry that warning. If you are taking more than one medication that is "sun-sensitive", it increases the possibility that you will have a reaction.

Does your rash itch? Is it primarily under the skin, does it consist of raised bumps, or is it a combination of the two? It's a silly question, but have you started using a different brand of sunscreen? It's possible that you may be sensitive to one or more of the ingredients and/or there may be an interaction between the sunscreen ingredients and one of your other medications.

All of the things that you mentioned are probably due to something simple, but you should definitely visit your doctor, just to rule out anything serious. A doctor/podiatrist will have to diagnose Plantar Fascitis if you want your insurance to help with the cost of inserts and/or other aids.

I hope this helps!