For the last 3 days I have had a rash that looks like a sunburn. It seemed to appear after eating peanuts. The first night I had it, I had hives and they were really itchy. Now it's more like a sunburn (red blotches on the inside of my arms and front of my legs and the top of my feet). What do you think this could be? There are no bumps on me, it just looks like a sunburn. It's worse in the middle of the night and then fades to a light pink as the day goes by. I don't have a fever and am not aware of any allergies. It doesn't burn or hurt, just itches. I am on Elavil 10 mg and about two weeks ago started to take AZO yeast. What should I do?

It really does sound like you are having an allergic reaction to something -- the symptoms of an itchy red rash that comes and goes make this very likely. However, it's hard to say what you are allergic to. You have come up with several plausible possibilities -- the peanuts, the elavil, and the yeast. Some people get allergic rashes or hives like you describe without any known cause, and they can resolve just as mysteriously after a few weeks or months. One of the best ways to test your theories is to stop taking things that you think might be causing the problem. I do think it's reasonable to see your doctor about this -- both to make sure that the rash really is an allergic type rash, and also to help you troubleshoot the cause of the rash with a detailed history. In the meantime, it may help to try an over-the-counter antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (most common brand name is Benadryl) to see if it helps reduce the symptoms you are experiencing at night. I hope your doctor can help you sort this out so that you can feel better soon.

Dr. Mike Potter

-- Michael Potter, MD, is an attending physician and associate clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco. He is board-certified in family practice.

First published April 6, 2005
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