Itchy Skin Rash After Concussion
 

I'm technically a new member, but I have been lurking and reading posts for about 6 weeks now.

About 8 weeks ago, I had a nasty fall off a horse and came off head first, landing on the back /top of my head. Luckily, I was wearing my helmet, so I did not die from the fall, but ended up with what the ER doc referred to as a "moderate concussion". (He also said I should wait a week before riding again... due to lingering symptoms, I still haven't been back riding.)

Since the fall, I've been laying low, doing the care minimum to keep my fmaily and hobby farm going, but spending lots of time in dark, quiet rooms and sleeping lots.

About 3 weeks ago, I started breaking out in an itchy skin rash on my arms and backs of hands and its spread pretty much all over my extremities (not my torso).

The rash has not responded to benedryl, reactine or prescription cortisone creams. I have not changed any of my soaps, shampoo, laundry detergent as I tend towards having reactive skin. I'm very careful.

I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this and if its possible it could be related to my fall? My fall seems to be the only thing that was different during that time period, unless Im allergic to resting and doing nothing! ;)

I'm thinking along the lines of some hormonal imbalance... but maybe its a stretch?

Other than my initial ER visit, I have not received any medical care for my concussion, I did see my chiropractor a few times and also my massage therapist. I do have another appointment for my rash since the prescription cream is not working at all.

Any thoughts?
Starr

I think you may have a direction to pursue with the hormone imbalance.

A good source for good hormone help is https://www.womensinternational.com/..._referral.html

Most people need a more precise balance than what many doctors try to achieve with the shotgun hormone therapies.

You absolutely need to talk about this with your Dr.

I was getting a rash too - and it turned out that after the concussion I sustained I was suddenly allergic to wheat. I have always had allergies, but was never allergic to wheat before the injury. I suspect that the injury altered the chemistry in my brain which made me allergic to wheat. Eating something one is allergic to is not good for overall brain health.

Your Dr. needs to figure out what is causing your rash.

Much luck!

Thanks Mark, I have sent for info. Not sure if my being in Canada will be a factor or not? We will see.

Thanks EsthersDoll for sharing your experience. I've been gluten free for 4 years already and have a few other food intolerances so its quite possible that I need to be free of something else in my diet.

My doctor is being rather stubborn about the possibility of my rash being related to my concussion, either hormonal or food allergy. He just keeps saying that I MUST have changed my laundry detergent or toiletries, but there is no way that is true. Unless the manufacturer changed the formulation, but the labels are identical, I check EVERY time.

Very frustrating. Because recovering from a concussion isn't already frustrating enough, I need to have an intensely itchy rash over 50% of my body. *sigh*

Thanks for your help.
Starr

Starr - PErhaps its time to ask for a referral to a specialist who understands concussions a bit better than your GP? I got mine a few weeks ago, after about five weeks I finally asked him when we were going to throw in the towel and accept that it was worse than either of us could manage. Unfortunately my wait is huge, I don't see the specialist till july 27th, but better late than never.

You're probably right. However, my doctor is very stubborn about many things and does not believe any of my lingering issues (light and noise sensitivities, headaches, dizziness, periods of anger, over reaction to emotional situations, tiredness) could possibly be related to my concussion. His rationale is that it happened 9 weeks ago and is now done and over with.

He refused to make a referral, both for my concussion and for my skin rash. I am in the process of trying to switch to another doc in the same practice, but its taking time. First he was booked up and I waited 2 weeks for an appointment. Then when I told him what was going on, he just sort of "hmm"ed and suggested giving it another couple weeks to see if there was improvement.

What I didn't know was that the following week he was going on vacation for a month. So I'm stuck with my old doc, who really needs to retire.

So wait, wait, wait. Story of my life right now!

Starr

I am not surprised your doctor is near retirement age. His ideas about concussion are very old. There are no time lines for concussion. He is just a few decades behind the knowledge stream.

Go to Emerg or to a walk in... you'll have much younger docs usually, and they are so overloaded, they WANT to give referrals.

That's my plan for tomorrow, if today's appointment with the nurse practitioner doesn't work out. I've had disappointing experiences with her in the past, so I'm not holding much hope. Her thing is she doesn't like to prescribe any drugs because "they will damage your liver"... which is fine, but I have no liver issues or history of liver issues or anything like that. Weird ;)

Starr

Appointment with nurse practitioner went better than I hoped. She put me on prednisone for 6 days. Hope that will reduce my itch enough to sleep again. Getting pretty exhausted.

Pharmacist said prednisone might raise blood pressure and make headaches worse, so I'm hoping that won't happen. Will keep monitoring blood Pressure at home as I have been for last month.

Thanks to all.
Starr