The Grapes of Rash

[Opiyum]

So a great deal of you know a good bit of my opiate career and what I am currently up to with suboxone maintenance and the occasionaly 2 or 3 day binge. So my past isnt something im going to go into any detail on.
Over the past year something rather irritating has been happening and it was only recently that I put all the pieces together. Now I just need some help identifying what it is that I'm looking at.
Basically over the last year I have had regular breakouts of a rash in very specific area's on my body and it was only recently that I realized that this rash gets worse directly after a shot of dope or oxy or whatever. I get it on the backs of my knees, my hips and thighs and sometimes right above my armpits on the backside of my shoulder. The odd thing is that these are the areas that were always the itchiest every time I got high during my entire career before I ever had this rash.

Basically it looks like these little bumps under the skin and they are itchy as all hell whether I'm high or not. I did see a dermatologist about three months ago and he prescribed Desoximetasone and that definately clears it up and relieves the itch. When I saw the doctor I had not known at the time that it was the opiates that was causing it but he did know that I was an addict because he asked if I was on any medication and I told him about the suboxone and a few other meds I take and it was decided that it wasn't a response to those. And the subs definately don't seem to make me break out so thats good.
It is clear though that it is the dope that is causing this and the odd thing is that whether I just took a shot of oxy, morph or heroin it doesn't matter I still break out with this rash. Now that I have this cream I can keep it under wraps for the most part and it doesn't get that bad but what I'm wondering is could this be a reaction maybe to the water I'm using in my shots or something like that? I normally use distiled water but sometimes I use tap water which I know is bad but you gotta do what you gotta do.
I just cant get over the fact that this rash only occurs in the areas where I used to scratch till I would bleed all the way back to the days that I was getting high from a few perc tens and all the way up to now. The areas that were always the itchiest are now not only itchy but a rash is regularly breaking out there.
Has this kind of thing ever happened to anyone else here before or have you ever heard of anyone who had this problem?
I am hoping that this isn't something I'm going to have to live with for the rest of my life. That damn cream isn't cheap after all. I plan on coming off the subs in august and am currently down to 1.5-2mg per day but I am in no way quiting opiates all together. I'm just planning on some clean time after I get off the subs and want to put some weight on but will always continue to use opiates whether I'm on subs or not. I certainly don't want to deal with this terribly irritating rash for the rest of my opiated life.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. It's not as if I can talk to a doctor about this problem. I can only imagine what they would say after they stopped laughing of course or after they picked their jaw up off the ground.

[samsong]

have you tried just OTC hydrocortisone cream, either 1% or 2%--it only costs like $3 for a big tube of it. It isn't advisable to use cortisone (steroid) creams for exteneded periods of time as you will get the "rebound" effect, meaning the more you use, the more dependent you become on it (sound familair?). It is like junk for your skin. Great short term solution, but over time, becomes a rel problem

Anyway, sounds like version of psoriasis or excema--they aren't really curable, but they can be managed effectively to some extent--only use the cream when absolutely necessary, and use as little as possible when you do use it--this will help withe rebound effect somewhat. You may also try an ointment called Protopic--it is not a steroid but is just as effective--it isn't cheap either, but the strategy with skind conditions is to try to use different creams and ointments, rotating them on a regular basis to try to stay ahead of the breakouts.

Some people hve very good luck with taking fish oil supplements for the omega 3-6-9 fatty acids.

You may also want to try Benedryl creams--they are cheap and may work if this is all being caused by histamine release

[dharma bum]

opiyum, those areas are where the lymph nodes are located. Do those areas seem swolen or enlarged or just the rash and itchiness?

[nick]

I have eczema and it doesn't sound like eczema to me.

Opy bro,a lot of "primitive" cultures regard skin problems as a sign of a bad soul.I nearly got stoned once in Morocco.So,don't go anywhere "primitive" like Detroit.

Much luck.

[Poppylvr]

Hey opiyum - how big are the bumps? I'm wondering if this is a version of the histamine release hives that some of us get. Hives are usually big as far as rash bumps go - ranging in size from eraser on a pencil size to 50 cent piece size. "Itchy as hell" is the textbook description of hives.
I would only get hives when I missed my vein with morphine. When I missed, I would get hives in a fairly large area about 3-4 inches in diameter around the injection site.
Where you're getting it behind the knees and the backs of your shoulders, it sounds different than what I experienced. But maybe you're more sensitive to the histamine release that opiates can cause.
Whatever the cause it sounds like a true pain in the ass, and I hope somone can help you out with an answer.

[LorTabitha]

I get the same type of hives you are describing as a reaction to some foods and also when I'm out in direct sunlight after taking certain medications, including OC.

I use the OTC store-brand cream, avoid perfumed lotions and bathe a couple times a week using TGel shampoo as a body wash, on the advice of my dr. (Most drug stores have a generic shampoo that works just as well at about half the cost.) I try to avoid scratching, since that seems to make it worse. Benedryl helps my neighbor with the same problem, but just makes me sleepy!

Good luck and please keep us posted.

[HistoryofMadness]

bro ever thought you might be allergic to morphine?

i get histamine reactions to H and M every time, but nothing in my respiratory system, so fuck it, eh?

[Opiyum]

As an update I can say that the last two times I used, Once heroin and once Oxy, I did not break out in the rash. I think I have pinpointed the problem. The dope isn't what is causing it but it's aggitating whats already there or lying just underneath the surface thus making it spread and break out making it appear to be the opiates.
I have come to the conclusion that it's because of the work that I have now been doing for the last year and a half.
Im not working right now but 5 nights a week I go to my halls welding school to practice. I think that it must be something from this line of work that is causing this. Either its the fly ash/inorganic arsenic that is permanently in my welding clothing that it causing this or it is from the act of welding itself. Maybe Im allergic to hexavalent chromium or one of the other thousand chemicals I am exposed to on a daily basis.
I didnt go to school for a week and was using my prescribed cream and the rash had basically gone away completely and it was in this state that I used one night and I didnt break out at all.
So thank the lord that it isnt a true allergy that I have developed to opiates.

[roxi*stardust]

As an update I can say that the last two times I used, Once heroin and once Oxy, I did not break out in the rash. I think I have pinpointed the problem. The dope isn't what is causing it but it's aggitating whats already there or lying just underneath the surface thus making it spread and break out making it appear to be the opiates.
I have come to the conclusion that it's because of the work that I have now been doing for the last year and a half.
Im not working right now but 5 nights a week I go to my halls welding school to practice. I think that it must be something from this line of work that is causing this. Either its the fly ash/inorganic arsenic that is permanently in my welding clothing that it causing this or it is from the act of welding itself. Maybe Im allergic to hexavalent chromium or one of the other thousand chemicals I am exposed to on a daily basis.
I didnt go to school for a week and was using my prescribed cream and the rash had basically gone away completely and it was in this state that I used one night and I didnt break out at all.
So thank the lord that it isnt a true allergy that I have developed to opiates.

I was going to ask if it could possibly be something else but when you do indulge in your DOC, the natural itchiness brought on by opiates may just be exacerbating the underlying rash. I always have excessively itchy dry skin on my shoulder blades and sometimes on my shins. When I use my DOC (oxycodone) it makes the itching 100X worse. I started using Aveeno lotion, which contains Oatmeal (great for itching) and Menthol (cools your skin, relieves itch) on those areas which seem to bother me the most, mainly my shoulder blades!! It gets SO itchy sometimes it makes me crazy!! The Aveeno helps. Since you have a script that helps you and seems to have cleared it up you probably won't need to try the Aveeno lotion but just in caseyou want to give it a try.:)

[Opiyum]

Thanks Queen B. I'm always looking for cheaper alternatives so I will look into that.


Yesterday I was listening to NPR and an expert on "The Itch" was one of the guests. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.0906-6705.2005.0331b.x?cookieSet=1

This is an article he wrote on the science of the itch. Interesting stuff that will probably make you feel a little itchy.

[frankie]

It's funny that you posted this as i have the same problem with itching especially after using oxy's in large quanities, once when i went to my pain management clinic there was a sign on the wall to report any rashes or itchness to your doctor, but i was to afraid that he would cut me off so i went the hydrocortizone way and it seems to help but not all that much as i am wondering why i am so goddamn itchy all the time. I know this doesn't seem like much help but if you should find out why would you please let me know as i am to afraid to ask my doctor...thanks much and hope you do find out what's going on...

[Nate]

I seem to be quiet lucky, besides a large dose of morphine making me itch, I seem to be very lucky with those itchies. I remeber I used to get very itchy, now it never happens....not that im complaining.

[Opiyum]

I used to enjoy the itchiness to a certain degree. Not so much anymore. Especially since Im still itchy long after the high is gone.