What in the world do I have?

[nsnina]

:o

I am a 38 year old nursing student. I just started classes. However, since

I came accross the Infectious Nursing Thread, I thought maybe I could

pick your brains, because every doctor I have seen doesn't seem to have one.

Anyway 2 weeks ago I broke out on my chin with a cold sore. (Herpes?)

I used to get the outbreak on my ear ( I have no idea why its been happening since I have been 2).

I know I spread it to my chin because as hard as I try not to, I have a bad

habit of touching my face.

I then started what I thought was a bad acne break out. On my chin, on

my back, bikini area and legs. Then huge bumps on the top of my head.

A few days and a couple of tubes of neosporin later (everything seem to burn) I popped what I thought was a pimple and it wasn't. All the pimples

looked elongated, red and like each one was an ingrown hair. So being the

compulsive tweezer I am I tried to get an ingrown hair (or what I thought was one) on my chin and it turned out to be fleshy hard tissue in the middle.

I went to the ER at that point because they were all over. I was in pain.

They admitted me telling me I probably had a staph infection. They were

thinking impetigo (I was thinking this in NOT inpetigo) My Knuckles started

getting engourged and deep folds in them. It was weird. The infectious

disease Doctor saw me and laughed and said I did not belong in the Hospital saying I have Folliculitis. Well I was assigned a GP, who turned out not to

know how to treat me. The antibiotics are not working. I have been through two. My GP pretty much said I have to see a dermo that there

is nothing more to do. Nothing else to give me. I had to beg him to

give me Darvocet for the burning on my head and back. But that is all he'll do.

I start clinical next week. OCC Health will not give me a tentnus shot that

is required until this clears up. My doctor says I am not contagious. However with sores, bandaids and a burning scalp contagious or not I am

worried that I might turn residents off with my obvious condition and of

course with out a tentnus shot I will not be able to even go.

What do I do?

Anyone have any Idea how to treat this Folliculitis? HELP!! I starting

to believe NURSES may know more the GP's. That guy probably never

even seen this condition.

HELP

[suzanne4, RN]

At Allnurses.com, we are unable to offer medical advice. Suggest that you follow up with the dermatologist as recommended to you.

And it is extremely hard to diagnose something that we cannot see, especially if it is on the skin.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

One of the best websites for dermatology is in New Zealand:

http://dermnetnz.org/acne/folliculitis.html

Skin inspection, cultures and or biopsy if indicated best left in hands of a dermatologist for any skin condition not responding to 7-10 days home/PCP recommended treatment.

Best wishes on getting proper diagnosis and treatment.