erythema nodosum =(

[flamarella]

hello everyone,

i have not posted in a long time but i needed to vent to people who understood me:weep: i am extremely depressed i have suffered with anxiety my whole life and im kinda use to it already im an extreme hypochondriac i smoked cigarettes for 8 years and i quit 4 months ago "(yay me) but about 2 weeks ago i got a red hot bump in my leg and being the weirdo that i am i noticed it very quickly then i thought i might just have bumped into something but after a day i has 4 more and then i had a bumch they are red, hard and hot and extremly painfull my ankles get really swollen and my knees hurt badly its horrid!!! i went to the ER and they told me it was flee bites (idiots) its erythema nodosum i looked it up and its the exact thing i have but its not easy to diagnosed because its rare. my worry is that EN is usally caused by something like strep or lung infections sometimes even tuberculosis and lukimia although 60% of people who have EN have it for no apperent reason like stress. im really worried because i do not have insurance and i cant afford a doctor i feel fine its just these bumps and joint pain is killing me :weep: i just need advise

[Welsh.Baz]

Self diagnosis is the major downfall there :) I'm sure it'll go in time.

[pd]

im really worried because i do not have insurance and i cant afford a doctor

Another reason I love the UK and the NHS. Is there no free medical advice you can access whatsoever?

As Welch.Baz says, self diagnosis is a major downfall, it's rarely accurate, hell if I'd had even one of the (many) things I've diagnosed myself with this year, where I though the symptoms fitted to a t, and there was no doubt about it, I'd be dead. Still here.

I know it's difficult, it must be worse when you can't get any professional opinion, but you need to tell yourself that you're going to be ok. As you said, even if it is what you've diagnosed, there's a 60% chance of it being caused by stress. It seems as though you have a lot of stress in your life.

If you have to, can you go back to the emergency department and ask for a second opinion? Tell them what you think it is, and they'll give you a professional opinion.

Good luck.

[LisaLisa]

Hi there

Hope your okay

I would think that it could be something else you know. I mean its mabye rare right enough but its still studied in med school im sure!!

What about boils? or trapped hair follicles? Simplest explanation is usually the best and I think your own diagnosis would ihave to involve a big complicated story to be true!

Dont worry your anxiety making you think it something serious

Lisa
xxx