Prurigo Nodularis

Question: What can be done to help heal prurigo nodularis? Prurigo Nodularis is a non-contagious skin disorder and very painful.

Answer: Drug Category: Immunologic agents -- These agents have immunomodulatory effects. Drug Name Thalidomide (Thalomid) -- Immunomodulatory agent that may suppress excessive production of TNF-alpha and may down-regulate selected cell surface adhesion molecules involved in leukocyte migration. If <50 kg (110 lb), start at low end of dose regimen. Adult Dose 100-300 mg/d with water, preferably hs and at least 1 h pc; may be combined with narrowband UV-B (TL-01) irradiation Pediatric Dose Not established Contraindications Documented hypersensitivity; pregnancy Interactions May increase sedation of alcohol, barbiturates, chlorpromazine, and reserpine; because of teratogenic effects, women must use 2 additional methods of contraception or abstain from intercourse Pregnancy X - Contraindicated in pregnancy Precautions Perform pregnancy test within 24-h period prior to initiating therapy (weekly during the first mo, followed by monthly tests in women with regular menstrual cycles or q2wk in women with irregular menstrual cycles); bradycardia may occur; use protective measures (eg, sunscreens, protective clothing) against exposure to sunlight or UV light (eg, tanning beds)

Question: Is there anything I can do to get rid of Prurigo nodularis? I have had it since birth, and now I'm in my teenage years. My doctor has tried everything, and we can't come up with anything else... Does anyone know what to do? (I have tried prescribed moisturizers, night-time sedatives, etc.)

Answer: Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a skin disease characterized by pruritic (itchy) nodules which usually appear on the arms or legs. Patients often present with multiple excoriated lesions caused by scratching. PN is also known as Hyde prurigo nodularis, Picker nodules, lichen simplex chronicus, atypical nodular form of neurodermatitis circumscripta, lichen corneus obtusus. Prurigo nodularis is very hard to treat, but current therapies include steroids, vitamins, cryosurgery, thalidomide and UVB light. In the event that staphylococcus or other infection is present, antibiotics have proven effective. In at least one case, the root cause of PN was MRSA which was treated with intravenous vancomycin, affecting a complete cure(paper in progress; treat as anecdotal). A physician may administer a strong dose of prednisone, which will almost immediately stop the itch/scratch cycle. However, cessation of steroids allows relapse to occur, usually within a few weeks. Horiuchi et al recently reported significant improvement in PN with antibiotic therapy

Question: Has anyone been cured of Prurigo Nodularis? I am due to go for UVB treatment but was told this could leave me vulnerable to cancer. I am so badly scarred that I'm willing to risk it, but would be greatful if anyone knows of another cure/treatment. My main problem areas are my arms, shoulders, back and bottom!

Answer: Please see the web pages for more details and images on Prurigo nodularis and Ultraviolet.

Question: How can improve from PRURIGO NODULARIS skin disease ?

Answer: Due to the intensity of the itch patients often go from doctor to doctor looking for relief. No one treatment is always effective and several treatments may need to be tried. Initial treatment is often potent prescription steroid creams. If these help, a milder cream can be used for longer-term control. Antihistamine creams (Zonalon, Pramoxine) or pills (Atarax, Periactin) are often added for additional relief. Intralesional steroid injections, anti-depressant pills, and non-prescription Zostrix cream helps many of those not improved with the usual treatment. Severe and resistant cases can be controlled with cryotherapy (freezing the sores with liquid nitrogen spray), oral steroids or PUVA. Of course, try not to scratch the spots. In resistant cases blood tests and biopsy of the sores may be needed to look for a cause driving the PN.

Question: Have been diagnosed with a skin disease callled prurigo nodularis. has anyone else got it?

Answer: No, but... It predominantly affects the extensor aspects of the lower limbs, but also commonly affects the arms and sometimes other areas of the body. Calcitonin gene-related peptide and substance P immunoreactive nerves are markedly increased in number and activity in the skin of prurigo nodularis sufferers compared with normal skin. Whether this represents a causative aetiology or arises as a result of chronic scratching and skin irritation is not known. Prognosis It is unusual for lesions to resolve spontaneously. They may lessen in severity with treatment but tend to persist over time. If the itch/scratch cycle can be completely broken then there is a chance of cure but this is not the norm. Psychological distress and depression in predisposed subjects may play a key role in inducing a pruritic sensation, leading to the scratching that perpetuates the condition (the 'itch-scratch cycle').

Question: Prurigo Nodularis, a skin condition due to emotional traumas. Any cures for this? Dark marks over all the body turn to crust and open woonds. Extremely itchy

Answer: Greetings and I'm sorry to hear of your condition. I personally do not have any cures to tell you about. But I do have an email address of someone else who suffers from PN. Here is her email address tcassin@emory.edu. You many also visit her website at http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~tcassi… for some information that you may find helpful. FREE workouts at www.ericodera.com

Question: nodular prurigo/ prurigo nodularis? I have had this symptoms for over two years now. It started off as dry itchy skin on my leg of which I stupidly started to scratch and soon after it got infected and lumps started to appear. It has now spreaded to the whole my legs and arms and I feel like a freak, especially during summer time when I feel uncomfortable exposing my skins in the blearing heat! I have seen few doctors and they all prescribed some steroid tablets (mainly cetirizine hydrochloride) for me to take and mainly said I have food/skin allergy but even they are not certain. I have no idea what I could do to get rid of it, nor will the doctor know... Do anyone know the answer and can keep me with it?

Answer: did you go to just a doctor or did you try a dermotologist, if you havent been to one go to one, and if you had already ask them about cortizone cream, you can get it over the counter i've seen it relieve many skin conditions, but ask your doctor/dermotologist about it first to make sure its safe for you to use

Question: I was diagnosed with Prurigo Nodularis but...? I went to a dermatologist and found out that my open wounds and scars were due to PN. I have a lot of open cut or scabs that never fully heal because I pick and scratch, which is supposedly due to the PN. However, I never thought the scratching had to do so much with the itching, but the annoyance of them being there. I have tried a great number of treatments and none seem to have an effect. Is there something I can do to stop picking for good? It's very hard to stop picking. Is it still PN if I do not feel the itch? Can anyone suggest anything? (I know sun is important and is suppose to work but where I live it's rarely sunny). I have found that the Thalidomide did not work. Also the cortizone cream did not work ( also I have heard that prolonged use can stunt your growth). My regular family doctor believed that my scars and "outbreaks" as he called them were due to acne and gave me an acne medication, which did not do anything (because it isn't acne?) . I have found that creams do not stop me from itching, so the main thing I want to do is get rid of the older scars on my body.

Answer: Initial treatment is often potent prescription steroid creams. If these help, a milder cream can be used for longer-term control. Antihistamine creams (Zonalon, Pramoxine) or pills (Atarax, Periactin) are often added for additional relief. Intralesional steroid injections, anti-depressant pills, and non-prescription Zostrix cream helps many of those not improved with the usual treatment. Severe and resistant cases can be controlled with cryotherapy (freezing the sores with liquid nitrogen spray), oral steroids or PUVA. Of course, try not to scratch the spots. In resistant cases blood tests and biopsy of the sores may be needed to look for a cause driving the PN.

Question: does anyone else suffer from prurigo nodularis? i feel like i am the only one that has this strenous disease especially in kentucky. i can't believe that there is no cure and the doctors don't even know how this is caused. i always used to be so healthy all of my life till disease has taken over my whole entire body. i think it is depressing. also because ther is only one dermatologist in kentucky that takes medicaid. and now i don't know what to do, i am trying to collect disability because this disease is taking over my life. i can't even take care of my daughter properly. all i do is itch , scratch, and then my body bleeds all day everyday. i have pain all over my body i also have scars all over my body it is sad.

Answer: I've been to 6 doctors and none of them can figure out what I have or how to cure me of my itch. I was the one that finally figured out that I have prurigo nodularis from my own research. I have bumps on legs and arm that look like measles for over a year now and it's not going away. I'm so embarrassed with the way they look that I'm always wearing long sleeve and long pants to hide them. I've taken every prescription drugs available and rub myself with steroid creams and yet they still itch like hell. Stupid doctors tell me not to scratch...if they never had this they don't understand that the damn itch is so deep that all I want to do is slice my skin off! I swear I have a bacterial infection but the results came back negative for everything except for the fact that I have a lot of allergies. I was once given antibiotics for only one week and it helped but then when I finish them the stupid bumps came back. I'm will be going to see my dermatologist in a week...I will be asking forantibioticss to see if I can kill what ever bacteria I have to see if it helps. I found a really good website that has a long of this one lady that's been through this...I listed the website below for you to read.

Question: what happens after you file for disability? i am trying to collect disability just wanted to try to find out how it works or if i'm eligible. i have prurigo nodularis.

Answer: Are you applying for state disability or social security? If social security, you have to prove your condition, combined with your education and work background, keeps you from gainful employment, which is usually earning enough to get by. (Paying minimal rent, food, etc.) You have to submit doctors reports saying you cannot work at all and it has to be for at least a year. They may send you to their own doctor. Expect to be turned down the first time. Then you do a paper appeal and will probably be turned down again. (They have a book of conditions that are automatic approvals, if you aren't in the book, they usually turn you down.) You appeal again and this time you have a hearing in front of a judge. You should probably have a lawyer at this time. Lawyers cannot charge you until and unless you win and the law limits what percentage they can charge. Unless things have changed, that amount is 25% and the judge has to approve it. The judge can reduce that amount if the judge doesn't think the attorney earned it. There is one level of appeal after the hearing level. This is also paper. Frankly, on just reading a description of your condition, it doesn't sound like it would keep you from working. Proving it is bad enough to keep you from working will be very difficult. You need a dynamite letter from your doctor.You pretty much have to be covered with the stuff and not respond to treatment. It used to be all done in about six months, but I've heard it can take 18 months now.