Posted by yxibow on September 29, 2008, at 0:42:58
In reply to Trip to the E.R. --confused + stressed!, posted by ricker on September 28, 2008, at 14:09:08
> After days of anxiety due to the potential "big rash", I went to the emerg. last night. I showed the Doc. the rash on my thigh ( size of a quarter and circular).
> I also informed him of the outbreak on the back of my head the week prior and that I was presribed 1 months supply of Minocin by my GP as he said it was acne.
> The E.R. Doc looked at the rash and said, "I worry to much and to quit reading so much on the internet"! OMG! Yes, I'll admit I may worry more than the "normal" person, thats part of my illness!
> He said it is not SJS and to continue with Lamictal. I do not see my p/doc untill mid November... quite frustrating.
> I find myself more irratable and somewhat obsessed at the momment. Every little itch sends me to the mirror looking for signs of a rash, and believe me, I do feel itchier than normal.
>
> I know the Lamictal has helped with my depression and extreme irratability/anger. I am not rapid cycling throughout the day. My wife says I'm much more happier and my kids have even said as much.
>
> I've been trying my hardest to keep positive, I feel like Lamictal is my last hope at recovery. 21 years and I finally am diagnosed with mixed state bipolar, rather than just "depressed"!
>
> Here I sit in front of my computer typing this and all I can think of is that E.R. Doc saying "stay off the internet"! Sorry for the rant, I just want to get better and I'm a bit scared to be honest. I will continue Lamictal and hope he is right.
>
> Regards, Rick> After days of anxiety due to the potential "big rash", I went to the emerg. last night. I showed the Doc. the rash on my thigh ( size of a quarter and circular).
> I also informed him of the outbreak on the back of my head the week prior and that I was presribed 1 months supply of Minocin by my GP as he said it was acne.
> The E.R. Doc looked at the rash and said, "I worry to much and to quit reading so much on the internet"! OMG! Yes, I'll admit I may worry more than the "normal" person, thats part of my illness!
> He said it is not SJS and to continue with Lamictal. I do not see my p/doc untill mid November... quite frustrating.
> I find myself more irratable and somewhat obsessed at the momment. Every little itch sends me to the mirror looking for signs of a rash, and believe me, I do feel itchier than normal.
>
> I know the Lamictal has helped with my depression and extreme irratability/anger. I am not rapid cycling throughout the day. My wife says I'm much more happier and my kids have even said as much.
>
> I've been trying my hardest to keep positive, I feel like Lamictal is my last hope at recovery. 21 years and I finally am diagnosed with mixed state bipolar, rather than just "depressed"!
>
> Here I sit in front of my computer typing this and all I can think of is that E.R. Doc saying "stay off the internet"! Sorry for the rant, I just want to get better and I'm a bit scared to be honest. I will continue Lamictal and hope he is right.
>
> Regards, RickWell, not to sound banal, but if you went to an emergency room and they looked at you for Stevens-Johnson and did not find anything that related to it, SJS is not something that an ER doctor hasn't seen before and I'm not actually going to point out where one can see what it really is, because that will scare the both of us, considering I already take Lamictal.
Sometimes information sources on the Internet are useful, and sometimes we get "medical student syndrome", that is, literally medical students having studied so many thing begin to think that they have half a dozen disorders.
So its really up to you -- I can't say anything more about it -- you can seek more dermatologists' opinions, but you already walked into an emergency room where someone with burn victim signs would be directed to the appropriate place.
Sometimes we have somatic experiences with worry. Lamictal is not the only medication, it can be idiopathic, there are a number of things that yes, are on the Internet.
I understand your fear regarding this -- does your psychiatrist have any pager/emergency #, and if so have you been in contact with he/she to see if an appointment time in their availability can be squeezed in?
If his or/her answer is to drop the Lamictal after you describe a concise description and not every single mark -- I'm not trying to be mean -- everybody has acne, I have little vascular marks, rashes, bites, cut scars, all the time just like everyone else that are not SJS -- then that is what you will have to do until you can see your p-doc at a regular appointment to go further as to what to do.
There is a laundry list of other AEDs that can be tried for augmentation, some people respond to them, some don't, just like Lamictal.
If you drop it AMA (against medical advice) because you are so worried, I can't say anything about that and I really shouldn't actually say that because I'm not suggesting necessarily, I am not your doctor.
There are other rashes besides SJS that Lamictal can cause and you may have concommitant dermatitis unrelated as well.
-- best wishes
Jay
poster:yxibow
thread:852518
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080926/msgs/854725.html