Vasculitis....My Nemesis!

Cutaneous leukocystoclastic angiitis......to be exact. I like to call it an easier name, hypersensitivity vasculitis. It is the most common form of vasculitis and affects the small vessels of the body. For example.... capillaries. It is the imflamation of blood vessels. Mine likes to come out on my legs and occasionally the trunk of my body. Admittingly, my vasculitis doesn't seem to look as horrible as some I have seen. I don't get open sores or ulcers, I get small pin-like purple dots called purpura. Thankfully, as fast as I break out within a few days it is gone. I have noticed a little discoloration of my skin on my calves, but I feel comfortable showing my legs and my faded 16 inch scar on my left calf. :-) my battle wound from nearly three years ago. (Definitely another post) Now, why is it my nemesis? This stupid, pain in the you know what, fickled piece of poo likes to just show up at the most inopportune times!!! If it's too hot outside and I am in it for just a bit...it comes out. If I am subjected to the cold.....it comes out. If I get emotionally stressed.....it comes out. If I get excited.....it comes out. If I am very active one day.....it comes out. I take a low dose of the devil called prednisone. I even take a small dose of cellcept. You would think between the 2 I should be in remission with this poo! Nope, I have a chronic case of this poo! It does keep the flares to a couple times a month, instead of a couple times a week though. :-) I could go into what it stops me from doing at times, how it feels, and all the negative poo about this poo called vasculitis, but I won't. I now beat this culprit by coping with it. Here is a link to good information on all the different types of vasculitis. A lot of good people too. vasculitis foundation

Vasculitis

One of my secondary conditions I occasionally get is called vasculitis. It is not unusual to get this with an autoimmune disease. There are many different types, but over all it is the inflammation of blood vessels. A good reference website is vasculitis foundation. Here is info on the type of vasculitis I was diagnosed with 2 years ago.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a systemic vasculitis that causes the blood vessels in the skin to become inflamed, causing red spots. When the blood vessels in the skin get inflamed, they can bleed, causing a rash that is called purpura. This rash is typically seen on the lower legs or arms. The specific skin lesion is characterized by the tissue deposition of an immune system product, called IgA immunoglobulin, which is also found in kidneys of patients with a renal disease, called IgA nephropathy.

HSP occurs more often in children than in adults, and many cases follow an upper respiratory tract infection (infection in your sinuses and /or lungs). Half of affected children are under age five, although kidney involvement is more likely to be severe in older children. Compared to children, adults had more severe and frequent kidney involvement.

The first time I had this I was at work and kept thinking I had a never ending charlie horse in my legs. I finally pulled up my pants and saw the rash occurring. My co-worker's father had this one time and recognized it. I had 2 skin biopsies done to confirm. One was on my leg and the other on my belly. I have had a few mild outbreaks with it since then. (2 years ago) The worst was that first 2 months it happened. I am in remission with it, but if I can get a flare up anytime. It is normally treated with prednisone or another immune suppressant drug. ***Update*** A more recent post on a new diagnosis of vasculitis.