Chronic Erythema Nodosum & Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS)

Posted by kgjd97 @kgjd97, Sep 22, 2016

Does anyone else suffer from Chronic Erythema Nodosum? It's been 10 years since I was first diagnosed with this and each year it seems as if it gets worse. I've seen Dermatologist, Rheumatologist, Immunologist and now a Neurologist. No one has ever been able to figure out why my flare ups come and there is no way to know when it will happen. I've had blood tests after blood tests done as well as biopsies but they only show my platelets extremely high and inflammation, which I already knew about. The worst flare ups came in 2014 and did some kind of damage to my nerves or at least that's what dr's think. For the past 2 1/2 years I have lived with chronic pain in my legs. I've had tests done on my arteries & veins as well as the nerves & MRI's but NOTHING ever shows up. It's frustrating because I know I'm in pain but nobody can figure out where it came from or why its happening. When I do have a flare up its easy for people to see why I'm hurting but they still can't know the intensity of the pain the knots cause. When I'm not having a flare up I still deal with the pain in my legs and then I get how I look fine so how can I be hurting. Even some dr's I've seen can question my pain. It's so frustrating. I'm tired of taking meds when they're obviously not helping. I'm just wondering if anyone else may have some of the same symptoms I do or have any suggestions.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Autoimmune Diseases Support Group.

Hi @kgjd97, and welcome to Connect! I'm so glad you joined the community, and I want to introduce you to help you find answers (and hopefully relief!). Please meet @johnwburns, @sebley and @kimberly. I'm also including some information on the condition: http://wb.md/2cVtnQm.

@kgjd97, have you found any remedies that seem to subside the flare ups?

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@alysebrunella

Hi @kgjd97, and welcome to Connect! I'm so glad you joined the community, and I want to introduce you to help you find answers (and hopefully relief!). Please meet @johnwburns, @sebley and @kimberly. I'm also including some information on the condition: http://wb.md/2cVtnQm.

@kgjd97, have you found any remedies that seem to subside the flare ups?

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In the beginning I would take prednisone. It would help for a bit but once I was weaned off the meds, the flare up would come back. It was almost like a roller coaster and made me flare ups last longer. After a few years of this happening I made the decision to stop the steroids, take pain meds and wait the flare up out. I've tried sooooo many drugs over the years but either the side effects were too much for me or the meds just didn't work at all.

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Hi, I have found some relief using HCQS 200. The nodules disappear. The pain killer Naproxen is a wonderful drug. I t relieves me of my pain. Try using this. I have been using this drug HCQS for 3 months and dr has told me not to stop till he tells me to. Naproxen, I take sos.

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I just found out 2 weeks ago I have this condition. My kidney and GI specialists both said it was arthritis related. After looking it up on the internet everything I have points to erythema nodosum. Mine have turned in to bruise like places. Still sore to touch. Have been on prednisone for years because of polymialgia and RA. Hopefully this is just one episode only. I'm 72 years old and in good health otherwise.

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@freemary

I just found out 2 weeks ago I have this condition. My kidney and GI specialists both said it was arthritis related. After looking it up on the internet everything I have points to erythema nodosum. Mine have turned in to bruise like places. Still sore to touch. Have been on prednisone for years because of polymialgia and RA. Hopefully this is just one episode only. I'm 72 years old and in good health otherwise.

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@freemary, Hello! Thank you for joining and welcome to our community!

I am connecting you with community members @kgjd97 and @kety. Patient support or talking with someone else who is going through or has gone through the same thing as you will help support you through your Chronic Erythema Nodosum journey.

From what I have read this tends to flare up then go away, right? I cant imagine the pain.

Are the "bruise like places" open on the skin? or does it just flare up under the skin?

sending you warm thoughts from the frigid cold in MN!!

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@freemary

I just found out 2 weeks ago I have this condition. My kidney and GI specialists both said it was arthritis related. After looking it up on the internet everything I have points to erythema nodosum. Mine have turned in to bruise like places. Still sore to touch. Have been on prednisone for years because of polymialgia and RA. Hopefully this is just one episode only. I'm 72 years old and in good health otherwise.

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The bruise spots are still sore to touch. I'm use to pain, having RA and polymialgia, that causes your muscles to become inflamed. This is the first time for erythema nodosum. I do have a raised rig about 1 1/2" around my left upper arm, it's sore to touch but has never changed color. Had it for years. No open sores.

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@freemary

I just found out 2 weeks ago I have this condition. My kidney and GI specialists both said it was arthritis related. After looking it up on the internet everything I have points to erythema nodosum. Mine have turned in to bruise like places. Still sore to touch. Have been on prednisone for years because of polymialgia and RA. Hopefully this is just one episode only. I'm 72 years old and in good health otherwise.

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Hi, I am relived for the first time in years. My doctor has put me on Wysolone and Nucoxia. I have just started the medication and am feeling much better. The redness of the nodules has gone and the nodules are fast disappearing, no pain. Maybe due to pain killer Nucoxia. I am to continue Wysoline which I understand is a steroid for five days, three times a day, then twice a day for 5 days and then once a day for 5 days. I just hope this does not recur when the medication is stopped. Will keep you informed.

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Hi, I have Eyrthema Nodosum and also a Connective Tissue Disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). It's pronounced Aylers-Danlos. Maybe worth looking into for yourself. Good luck.

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Hello @blossom2016,

Welcome to Connect, and thank you so much for sharing information as I'm sure it will be of interest for @kety, @freemary, @kgjd97.

I would like to introduce you to a few members who have discussed Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), and I hope that they will join this conversation; please meet @tabitha, @lisafl, @Deedeerichards, @zildjiangirl, and one of our Mentors, @kariulrich.

@blossom2016, may I ask how you have managed your condition thus far? Do you have any advice or suggestions for other Connect members?

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Well, my 2 (now adult) children and I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS).
• My youngest has crossover symptoms of Marfan Syndrome.
• What we know about EDS/Marfan Syndrome...
• EDS/Marfan Syndrome are "Connective Tissue Disorders".
(It is believed that Abraham Lincoln had Marfan Syndrome, Michael Phelps has Marfan Symdrome, And Austin Carlile from 'Of Mice & Men' has Marfan Syndrome).
• "Connective Tissue" disorders means Arteries / Vessels / Tendons / Ligaments / Nerves / Muscle / Bone / Skin...are abnormally weak & fragile. Can easily tear, burst, rupture, fracture...spontaneously, during sleep, with little or no trauma, or often times, no known cause. This leaves endless, potentially life threatening injuries, issues, and complications.
• Vessels & Arteries of our hearts, head & eyes are closely monitored for enlargements, Aneurysms, or Aortic Dissection (John Ritter).
• Joints are weak & unstable, hypermobile, bendy, flexible, or "double jointed"...
• Weak tendons & ligaments cause joints to dislocate...easily, repeatedly, permanently. This includes Ribs, Ribs from Spines, Jaw, and Retinas of the eyes...
• Repeatedly dislocating a joint then leaves chronic joint pain. (like Arthritis). Often times mistaking as simply "growing pains".
• Chronic pain & fear of injuries causes anxieties, insomnia, depression.
• Because everything is connected, everything is somehow affected causing endless "secondary" conditions: POTS, IBS, Scoliosis, Osteoperosis, Costocondritis, Neuropathy...
• EDS is inherited (genetic).
• There is no cure.
• The only treatment is close monitoring, dealing with each issue as it arises, and avoidance to preserve and protect, as best as possible.

• We post about Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome for that slim chance that:
1) It just might help someone else.
2) Someone else just might have a snippet of info to offer.
3) To Educate.
Because, the more educated family, friends, teachers, schools, even medical professionals are, the easier it becomes.

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