Large area of crusty sores on lower leg and need some suggestions

You need more than one visit for a chance at proper diagnosis and treatment.
Will they do a telemedicine since you have difficulty traveling?

I don't have the ability to telemedicine. I don't have a lot of confidence in them. Because it's a teaching hospital they show they are more interested in giving the students the experience then actually treating the patient. What I don't really like is having to go back and forth. It seems to me they could work it out better so the patient can get more done in one appt so they don't have to keep going back and forth. They also don't seem to take into consideration that it could be anything else other than what they are looking at. They only treat the thing you made the appointment for and that's all you can talk about. If you know what I mean. If I have to, I will try to find someone closer, and hopefully find someone who focuses on me and my condition and doesn't have to be teaching others at the same time. I was just hoping someone there might have had some experience with a similar condition and what was done to resolve it.

Getting a diagnosis can take time. If possible, see another doc. It’s frustrating, be patient (no pun intended). Teaching hospitals can be great!

I can’t believe they didn’t give you something to put on this area to try to get it to heal up.. I would either go back to the dermatologist or back to your primary doctor and say help
There could be a few things that was causing it that needs to be treated
Or your body is reacting to something you are using daily.
Be your own detective did you start any new shampoos soaps, lotions makeup, and so on just before they started?
Do your own documentation so you have that when you get back to the doctor as what is going on and take a picture or two on your cell phone?
This has been going on way too long and you need answers
I wish you the best figuring this out

@minnesota10 Is it similar to red spots or small bloood vessel breakages like peticaie or purpura? Are they open or closed? Have you checked with a Rheumatologist? They can do blood work and see if it is auto immune related.

Neither of those you mentioned. It started so long ago I can hardly remember how it got started. First there was swelling in legs and feet, mostly the left. I seem to remember they may have started out like blister type things with maybe some kind of fluid in them. I wasn't too concerned at first. They stayed with just a few for awhile but then spread almost around my leg, my lower leg. Eventually they turned dark and crusty and looked pretty bad. When I finally went to my PCP he took pictures of it and sent it to the university dermatology dept. Eventually the dermatology dept sent me an email saying I needed to make an appt for a biopsy. So, I got that done and then the lab reports said it wasn't cancer, or an infection, or a fungus, or anything serious. They told me how to take care of it, when to take of the bandage and told me what kind of ointment to use on it. It's an ointment I get from Amazon, Aquaphor. I used it for a long time and at first it seemed to be getting better. But the wound from the biopsy didn't want to heal very well. The dark crust like stuff sort of grew over it and around the area. I guess I just thought it was a skin condition, that would take time to heal. Unfortunately, I am unable to take a proper shower to clean it so I use wound wash before putting anything on it. I have tried other things also when the Aquaphor didn't seem to be helping. Oh yeah it did do some weeping before I went to my PCP which is why I went in the first place. And now it is weeping again and much worse. I have noticed that the swelling is not as bad. My other leg seemed to start to do the same as my left leg, but it never really developed into much. I'm thinking because of the weeping it may have something to do with the lymphatic system?? I don't know, but before I see a doctor again I was hoping someone else may have had to deal with something similar and what they may have learned. I am going to have to try to find someone closer though. I did have blood work done when I first went to the PCP. He didn't seem to be too concerned. Thanks for the suggestion though.

I had this same problem and then discovered that they were caused by an allergic reaction to certain heart medications that I was taking. Only relief was an antibiotic ointment and big Bandaids. Keeping the patches moist helped. I hope that you have relief soon.

@katcollins
I used to have spots on my arms and in the summer they got much worse, painful itching, big Blistery type of spots. Went to many doctors. No one could figure it out. I was told I was not getting enough sun, and I needed to spend more time in the sun. The sun has made it worse. The only time I had any relief was in the middle of winter. Spring came everything that subsided came back worse than ever.
Long story short, I got a second opinion and Clinic that deals with allergies only in Wisconsin
The first time I saw the doctor, he looked at my spots and he said you have an allergy to the sun
Cover up your arms, wear a big hat to cover your face. Immediately, I started feeling relief and for many years, I had to wear something on my arms and face outside.
I now can be outside limitedly without problems, but somewhat it hurts
I was told what is in the sun changes like the weather changes
Good luck

If you're taking enteric coated medication stop it now! My husband and I developed a rash within a day of each other. He had one dose of 4 tab 81mg aspirin and within a few days developed a strange rash on a nick from shaving which migrated to the rest of his face and scalp on the side he sleeps on. Myself I had the same as you Marianne from at least 5 doses of 81mg enteric coated aspirin. (Out of the 17 inert ingredients 15 are some form of plastic. The others are dyes and one is carcinogenic.) We ruled out everything we normally take and what is new. I bought the enteric coated aspirin by accident, but it was cheap and I use aspirin for pain at night. The only new thing in our environment. I started with Lower extremity swelling. (It appears to attack the wounds first. I had a burn that went crazy not resolving, and a wound from an ankle brace.) I was treated for cellulitis. If your serous fluid feels like it has sand in it. It's the plastics from the enteric coating. No one will diagnose this because it's unprecedented. They are studying plastics effects on organs but not skin. (My liver enzyme was slightly elevated which is the first time ever after this rash developed) My NP thought it looked like scabies. I have treated myself just in case and nope. (BTW neem oil is not only effective on insects and scabies mites, but has an anti inflammatory affect which relieves pain and itching immediately. Dilute in a carrier oil. I use olive oil. 1 teaspoon of olive oil to 2 drops of neem oil. Fabulous!) Not scabies either. Yes I had severe swelling, redness, and weeping and needed to put a towel under my leg so it didn't weep all over my foot rest. I now have it all over me and I'm picking out sandy type pieces and black or white oblong pieces from my skin. It's now migrated to my face, hence not scabies. I picked some sizable pieces out of my skin. I use a high power magnifying glass and it's crystal type pieces white or yellow in color and some smooth oblong pieces. (None of them move.) All you folks that are suffering from this. Stop all enteric coated medications and see if this resolves. This is week 3 and some of the wounds have healed but will be scarred. Others are still spitting out sand and pebbles and won't heal properly! The FDA is food and drug. Where does plastics come in? I have a small jar full of these pieces. Any takers to figure out what they truly are?

@peter1960 WOW THAT SOUNDS HORRIBLE. I HAVE HEARD LATELY THAT PLASTICS ARE CAUSING PROBLEMS THAT WE HAD NO IDEA ABOUT. I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT....I HOPE NOT. I DON'T THINK I TAKE ANY ENTERIC COATED MEDS. BUT I SURE HOPE YOU GET BETTER AND NO LONGER HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS SITUATION. HANG IN THERE.