Any suggestions on how to find out my cause for rashes?

@ksherrie (891)
Singapore
September 8, 2011 3:46am CST
Recently, I started having these rashes. Swollen red bumps that itch. It comes and goes suddenly. I went to the doctor, he said it is allergy rashes. Something or some food cause these allergy reactions. But he can't tell me what caused the allergy. I didn't have these rashes when I was young. So i have no idea what he means till i read up more about it online. Some example of these allergy rashes can be caused by peanuts, fresh paints and so on... I have do my own CSI to find out what's wrong. So far, i suspect peanuts and seafood might be the cause, because my rashes were worse when i have ate them. But when I try eating again another time, the rashes didn't appear. So i'm confused, frustrated at my results. Was wondering if i could get any advise and suggestions from here...
2 people like this
6 responses
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
16 Sep 11
There are many causes of allergies that causes your rashes. Nobody can tell u exactly what it is unless u remember what happneed througout the day, tell the doctor about it. If not, most rashes, if not all, look the same to me. Some people can be allergic to swimming pool water, some rain while some eggs and many more. So it's really difficult to specify the real causes untill u go through it again
@ksherrie (891)
• Singapore
27 Oct 11
Problem is there seems to be different causes to the rashes.. So I am so confused.
1 person likes this
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
30 Oct 11
Different causes? Have u experienced it before?
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
30 Oct 11
I mean how many times has it happened since the first
@saphrina (31552)
• South Africa
8 Sep 11
Hi sweetie. The best advice i can give you is to write down what you have eaten. Normally such rashes come from what we eat or drink. If it say, potatoes, leave it for a month and see what happens. Just make sure you write down everything so you can know what kind of food or drink to leave for a while. Hope it will help
@ksherrie (891)
• Singapore
26 Sep 11
Hi saphrina, thanks for your advice. I did tried writing down every food i ate. Problem is that this seems to be an on/off kind of allergy. For example, there is this fish soup i ate from this stall seems to trigger my rashes, while the same dish from another stall doesn't... I even tried asking from that stall what they use as ingredients in their soup... Still to no avail... i still can't find that exact cause!
@saphrina (31552)
• South Africa
26 Sep 11
Leave that fish soup for a while sweetie. Try to change your diet a bit and see if it will make a difference.
@ksherrie (891)
• Singapore
5 Nov 11
Thanks saphrina, I did stop eating the fish soup. Figured that fish occasionally is still under the seafood category. However, it hasn't stop my rashes from coming back..
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
8 Sep 11
Your doctor should be able to administer a series of skin tests to find which substance is causing the allergy. These tests are fairly simple but time consuming. The doctor will use an area of skin which is convenient (usually on the back) and divide it into a numbered grid. Then he will apply very small quantities of different allergens and pri.ck or scratch the skin for each application. Results can often be seen in quite a short time but other types of test may involve you wearing patches for a day or so. It may need several visits to the doctor before the allergen can be positively identified. This kind of test is only usually considered worthwhile if the allergic reaction is severe enough to be very uncomfortable or even dangerous. Yours sounds like a mild reaction and, if you really want to know the cause, you will need to test yourself over several weeks by first removing all allergens from your environment and fasting for at least 24 hours and then introducing suspected allergens in a controlled way, one by one. Because you will not have been exposed to whatever causes the reaction for some time, the reaction should be sharper and more noticeable and you will be able to positively identify it better. Even if your doctor is not familiar with self-testing, he should be able to find reliable instructions for the process (you may have to insist that he does so!) and you should certainly do it under his guidance and with his approval, especially as it requires fasting.
@ksherrie (891)
• Singapore
8 Sep 11
hi owlwings, thank you for your insight! I didn't know that these skin tests are so indept. Are you a doctor? Yup, my doctor told me, my rashes are the mild ones. Those that appear temporary when i encounter new things. Furthermore, according to my situation where i have my new place, I got married, my parents also moved to a new house. So i have a fairly bit of new changes around me. My doctor explained that these new changes might be the cause of the rashes too, but he is not affirmative, as there may be something else. I want to do more tests to find out more. But i worry those test costs dearly. I guess i just have to consult him again.
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
8 Sep 11
No, I'm sorry, I'm not a doctor but a surprising amount of information seems to have accumulated in the dark recesses of my brain and I have a thirst for finding stuff out and getting reliable and good answers! Some allergic reactions can, indeed, be temporary and due partly to stress, change of environment and many other things. Pregnancy can often cause allergies to appear (probably because of all the hormone changes) and these are often just temporary. Perhaps you only need to worry about it too much if it seems to persist and if it really begins to cause discomfort. I think that your doctor probably was thinking much the same thing.
@ksherrie (891)
• Singapore
9 Sep 11
Haha.. Oh.. I see.. you seems knowledgeable in this area! Thanks, the doctor did suggest pregnancy too.. but sadly, im not pregnant... And i guess the i can afford to wait and see... the rashes has been around for about 4 months now... The medicines that the doctor gave me did stop the rashes. But it still comes back after i stop medication you see... That is also why i'm starting to feel worried about the causes.
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
8 Sep 11
keep a diary of foods and activities that you are doing. one summer i kept getting hives and did that and found out that i was allergic to sevral types of grasses and trees which i then got shots for. the allergy just appeared out of no where!
@ksherrie (891)
• Singapore
26 Sep 11
good for you cher913, you managed to find out what's the cause... I haven't find my cause yet... I though i found the cause of my allergy, which i though is peanuts. I did stop eating it, the rashes still didn't go away, it still comes back occasionally. I even tried eating nuts again, and the rashes just comes and goes...
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
8 Sep 11
Hi, ksherrie. I think that you should consider going to an certified Dermatologist so that he/she can tell you what may be the problem in a more exact way. It has to be something that you are eating. Or something that you are coming into contact with. You should narrow every food that you eat and watch for telltale signs so that you can find out what is causing you to break out. Usually an dermatologist may be able to do an skin culture test on your skin to find out what is causing your allergic reaction. I hope that you will feel better and that your allergy issue will be resolved soon. Take care.
@ksherrie (891)
• Singapore
26 Sep 11
Hi cream, thank you for your advice. I am still testing food as I type to find out what is the exact cause... Not successful yet... I even had my blood tested. This is irritating!
• Philippines
9 Sep 11
The best would be to consult a physician, a dermatologist maybe as they are expert with skin problems. If he is not sure of the root of your problem, he might require some laboratory tests done on you. That would give him a clearer idea of the problem you have.I think you should give up on self-diagnosis and instead ask a professional help.
@ksherrie (891)
• Singapore
5 Nov 11
Hi lipstick2009, you really think i should give up on self-diagnosis? The tests would be expensive though. There will be a number of test to be done as I still can't confirm what is the cause. I was hoping the self-CSI can help me narrow down the causes, for easy testing... I guess it is getting a little hopeless...