undiagnosed skin rash going on 2.5 years, recently diagnosed with POTs

[SRDavis]

Hi! I am new here and was so excited to find this website. I am a 27 year old female and was recently diagnosed with POTs in February 2014. I became sick in February of 2012 and have been seeking a diagnoses/answers since then. Interestingly enough my first symptom that occurred was a skin rash. I literally woke up one day in Feb 2012 and had a red (chicken-pox looking) skin rash on my head, face, ears, neck, back, chest, and arms. I assumed I was having a reaction to something although there was nothing new in my skincare routine. The bumps were hot and had a stinging feeling. The bumps have waxed and waned over these past 2.5 years and even changed in their appearance.
Now they look like folliculitis accompanied by severe dermotagraphic reaction to any pressure on my skin. I can not wear regular bras without the pressure irritating the skin on my chest, arms, and back. I can only wear sports bras of the softest material that have fat straps with no pressure. I am also recently hypersensitive to many skincare products and can not use anything topical with parabens without my skin turning red and painful. If I am in the sun for even a short amount of time, the bumps will come out that very day. One of my POTs symptoms is overheating and pretty much anytime I have severe overheating episode, this rash comes out. I originally thought the overheating and skin were connected but when doctors diagnosed me with POTs they said they had no idea what was going on with my skin but all of the other symptoms I had were POTs related. This is strange to me because my skin WAS my first symptom…but isn’t connected at all?
I have literally seen every single type of doctor and multiple dermatologists. I have been put on about 10 different medications specifically to treat my skin with absolutely no results or improvements. I have had biopsies multiple times as well. If ANYONE knows someone with similar situation or have any advice please let me know! I can post the list of meds I have been put on and my biopsy results if that will help!
Thanks so much!

Davis

[Barbara]

Hi,
Welcome to the fold. I can relate to your bra issues, in fact any tight or textured clothing causes problems. Although this seems a lesser issue when you consider the debilation POTS causes, it can be highly irritating for the sufferer, who’s unable to find comfort.

Regarding your skin issues, I wonder if some of it could be Vit C deficiency related. This can manifest as pink, red or purplish dots on the skin. I know a lot of people say “well I drink lots of juice” but, if it has sugar in, this can restrict the absorption, so you need to make sure you get lots of vegetable based vit C – cabbage, broccoli, kale, spinach, lettuce, celery, cauliflower, peppers, brussel sprouts, peas, peppers, fennel, sunflower seeds, lentils. Several times a day is better than lots all at once and, even a little is better than none.

Skin problems can also be a shortage of zinc, so as long as you are not allergic or nut intolerant, try upping your zinc foods – almonds, walnuts, cashew nuts, peanuts, pecan nuts, beans, mushrooms.

What’s your salt intake like, would you say you ate 2-3 grams a day ?
Barbara

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