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[orrla]

Hi all!

Happy new year!

I thought I ask because I have weird symptoms on my legs that my GP seem to have problem with accurately diagnosing.

It first showed up at side above my knee on one leg, then on sides of calf on another. When I showed them to him he said it was fungus infection. it was mid July. None of medication worked and eventually it responded to steroid cream, suppressing it a little but not making it go. Since then I had biopsy of two other patches on my skin lower down, I had for last 5 years or so, for which I got a cream for cancer cells but it did not work. After biopsy other patches showed up, now 7 different in total, including on my foot. My legs tend to swell a lot, and feel as if I walk on broken glass when I get up. Skin around ankles and up feels tight. I also got a rush on my head, and on my face, from few weeks ago. Whatever it is it is growing, so obviously, I am worried.
Now, because my HRT was changed from Evorel 100 to Evorel Conti in June, today I am wondering if it could have something to do with this.

Had any of you ever experienced anything similar?

My next appointment is next week, with GP, and hopefully biopsy result will be ready but, is this really dermatological stuff or symptom of something more serious, like veins or nerves going weird..I wonder.

Pls, tell me what you think!

Thanks!

[CLKD]

How strange!  Some find that they have sensitivity to the fillers or packaging in medications.  Was it red, itchy, below the skin or raised?

Psoriasis?

[orrla]

No it is not itchy at all, other than my head. I used T/Gel shampoo for 5 weeks but it done nothing, apart from less itchiness. Flaky patches I feel under my fingers, as I can't see them..

One on legs are 4 different looks. GP first said it was ringworm, then psioritis, and than when I saw dermatologist for the older one, she said that if it did not respond to any fungus treatment but it did to steroid, it must be eczema, and gave me moisturiser to use and steroid.

Well, three new ones showed up since, different under arch of my foot, and twin to one they took biopsy of, after which I had to take an antibiotic because it was not healing.. When I think they are gone, and stop using cream, they come up again.

Yes, they are raised, bit sharpish in feel, and sort of round. They are all on lower legs so quite tricky to examin.

I am really fed up with cream application twice per day for last six months with no effect whatsoever.

What new showed lately was my feet burning at night, and feeling sort of like paper. I looked up and it said one can get that with nerve damage..

I will not stop taking HRT to check because I may fall apart if I do. ..but I wonder if there may be something in that Conti patch that makes me allergic.. or that lowering a dose exposes all what was hidden under a higher one?
Estrogen works on skin as well, after all..?
My Meno appointment is next May, so long time yet..

I hope it is not skin cancer!!

[CLKD]

A dermatologist would have spotted anything that looks like cancer.  Also it rarely comes up as you describe.

My initial thought was ringworm.  But it is most likely to be sensitivity to the patch/HRT.

Have you shown a Pharmacist?

[Conolly]

Hello orria,

Skin cancer doesn't have this presentation. It could be a reaction to anything really, including HRT, but from what you've said I would bet it's a fungus.

How long have you been on anti-fungal treatment? Do you remember the name of the drug(s)?

Fungal infection is hard to treat and so is the immune response that comes along with it, called type IV hypersensitivity. This is often treated with corticosteroids along with the anti-fungal agents and sometimes it takes a long time to get rid of it. If you're only on topical steroids now but the fungus is still present the steroids decrease your immune response and the fungus will spread. The biopsy may or may not show if there is fungal infection, because they are hard to pinpoint. Meanwhile I would ring your GP and ask if you could stop the steroids and change moisturiser because some can actually help the fungus spread (they love humidity).

As a side note, if you could take a photo and post, it would be easier to help. When you say they have different looks, that rings a bell as a decreased immune response, another reason to stop the topical or oral steroids.

Conolly X


PS: I have burning feet since perimenopause and now that I'm postmenopause I also have burning hands, arms and sometimes back and legs, so this could be another hormonal symptom not related to the rashes.

[orrla]

But that would be pretty severe reaction! Possible?

No, I made appointment for next Wednesday. They said at hospital 4 to 6 weeks for resuls, so he hopefully will have them by than.

That swelling is pretty uncomfortable, too.

[Conolly]

Is the swelling just on ankles? That could be another side effect of too much steroids. Is it a cream or tablets?

Conolly X

[Conolly]

I forgot to ask, why have you changed from Evorel to Evorel conti? What sort of progesterone were you taking along with Evorel?

Rash erythematous and oedema are listed as common side-effects of Evorel conti, so maybe it would be a good idea to stop using it for a couple of days to see if the rashes change appearance.

Conolly X

[orrla]

Hi, Conolly!

Creams I used were:

Daktarin - 6 weeks / nothing
Terbafine cream and tablets - 4 weeks

I also bough Canesten and F....., fro chemist...None worked.

Travogen and Travacourt, together, once each each day, and here was the response at last, after two weeks, but it keeps coming back!

I now use Eumovate cream, that does nothing and new ones are coming up.. Moisturiser is called Epaderm.

When I started this, a rash on my face started showing.  At first I though it could be that moisturiser (not on face) causing it but because at about that time I thought I will use herbs, and drank Red Clover for four weeks, it could be that they caused it. I stoped, it went down but comes up still. Hydrocortison seems to help it a bit.

To be honest I feel lost as to which one I suppose to use now and on which! Most goes straight into clothes anyway.

I'll fiddle with pictures bit later, ok?

Thanks!

[orrla]

...

I had Mirena, it was running out. Evorel was 100 for quite a few years. I am now 63 and she decided I need to go on lower dose.

[orrla]

My legs tend to swell since Meno. but never as bad as recently. Last spring my skin behind ankles, above hill was cracking. GP gave me some ointment..that done nothing.. and told to wear stockings.  So they kept swelling, ...than that fungi came up..

Swelling is above ankles mainly, but feet can puff up too if I sit a lot. Got discomfort in front of my shins all way up to my knees. Sort of tingling, tightness, ****les, that makes me want to rub them. Calves are tight too, heels can be aiky, feet under tingly and first few steps always ...weird. That's because they are swollen! Socks annoy me. Cut off elastic from many pairs by now because it is precisely there where socks end where is most uncomfortable, that bent from foot to leg..

As you can see I am running out of vocabulary here, by now..

[Shadyglade]

Could this be an allergy problem to something external. You say it comes back when you stop using the cream.  That says to me that it's something your skin comes into contact with and the cream acts as a barrier.

[Conolly]

Thank you, orria. That's a whole lotta drugs! I'll have a look later on to see if they could have messed up with your immune system.

Mirena has levonorgestrel and Evorel conti has norethisterone acetate, so that could be an allergic reaction to noresthisterone.

Running out of vocabulary but not of humour 

Conolly X

[orrla]

ha ha!

Thanks!

Yes, I went for Mirena, three in total, because had awful reaction to progesterone! It fits!..?

It was causing severe anxiety that eased with Mirena but not that it was gone. I wish I used Testosterone earlier because it helped with that too. And now, after that switch to Conti, something with that anxiety improved too. So...where am I with that all?.. Bl.. meno!! wrrrr!

I looked up in a meantime here, https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/erythema-nodosum
and indeed, when my fungi or whatever seem gone, it looks like bruise - and then in few days red dot appears in a middle, and spreads..! In places it looks as if it is peeling, flaky skin I don't touch in case..

Many thanks for telling me this is not cancer, because..you know, perhaps, how it all grew in my mind by now!

[CLKD]

Ankle/feet swelling can be a sign of water retention. Have you been advised to sleep/sit with legs raised above hip level?  This can also be connected to heart problems.

Diabetes in your family?