Uneven dark red blushing

[WILL0W]

Hi everyone,
I would be interested to know if anyone gets the same thing as me.
When I blush from anxiety it is very uneven and dark and in patches on my face neck and chest occasionally on the tops of my arm. It isn't like a flash blush that fades as quickly as it comes it takes at least half an hour to fade usually longer when it has got that bad.

I find it distressing when it happens though to a degree I have got a lot better with handling it. It really does look bad when it happens and really does affect my appearance, the hairdresser once asked me if I was allergic because I had blotched out. People do notice it isn't just a nice even quick going blush. I know it must be to do with an over sympathetic nervous system but any advice or any info would be great.
best wishe, Willow.x
[:I]

[feege]

Hi Willow

This sounds like I have been getting just recently (although I suspect being menopausal doesn't help lol!!!). I am very olive skinned and never blushed in my life up till about 3 months ago - I was so shocked!!! It's not very nice is it!!!

I suspect it's very common though, I feel sure I have seen lots of people do it in blotches!

Mind is mainly my chest but then sometimes just my right arm or right side of face (why right I wonder?).

Lovely isn't it!!!

Fee xxxxxx
www.like2like.com

Why live life anticipating the bad things when you could be anticipating the good?
Good and bad things WILL happen!

[giddy]

Hi Willow - my friend gets very red and blotchy accross the top of her chest and up her neck when she gets embarrassed or too hot and she doesn't have a problem with anxiety at all. Like Fee saya I guess its very common.
Love Helen

[Lylakwine]

Hi Willow!

I can sympathise totally with you. I used to suffer terribly with blotching on my face, neck and chest.........in fact, that's the reason i started wearing makeup!! I was always trying to hide it. It makes you feel uncomfortable, or it did for me, mainly because i was able to conceal most of my panic/anxiety symptoms. But the blotching I felt just gave the whole game away, and it embarassed me. I have been on medication for the last two years, Citalopram, and the blotching has virtually dissappeared. I still blush, but it comes, it peaks and then it goes. But I don't blotch. Are you on any medication at all?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with you hun, I think it is perfectly normal and very common. I wish you the best of luck hun.........if you ever fancy a chat, pm me anytime.

Lyla xx

[WILL0W]

Hello all,
Thank you Feege, Giddy and Lylakwine,
I really appreciated your responses.
Lylak I was on Cipramil too, what dosage are you on? I think it helped at first with the anxiety and the blotching but recently it didn't seem to be doing a lot for me, so I have come off, but I was on a very low dose.When I started them I was on 20mg I think and maybe that worked to reduce that symptom better I cant really remember as I have been taking them about 5/6 years.

I know I was blotching badly on them recently so I thought I might as well not be on them, but I will have to see how I cope without.

I have been very tired lately and hayfever is kicking in which makes me feel even more so.

Still interested to hear anybody elses comments. My blotching looks like portwine stain all down my neck, chest, chin and sides of my face when its bad, it is that dark.

Best wishes, you made me giggle feege with the comment "I suspect it's very common though, I feel sure I have seen lots of people do it in blotches! " at least I can still laugh !!!

Sorry to hear you are similarly suffering Feege but keep that positive attitude. Lylak it's great to hear you have got better and I wish you well.
Best wishes,
Willow.x

[JayK]

Yes.
During a really bad week last month I noticed that what was typically a reddish area from ordinary shaving irritation had gone from just a slight 'rouge' to very blotchy and what you described perfectly as a 'stained wine' appearance.

for some strange reason those same 'red wine stains' came out at the tops of my legs.

As well, I have gotten a similar thing on the area of my forehead right above and including my temples.

The neck blotches and 'stains' are the worst but Im sure the shaving does not help.
I must say I have heard of the 'neck staining' blush and blotching thing from at least one other anxiety attack sufferer.

[WILL0W]

Thank you JayK,
it is kind of comforting to know there are other people who get this problem as I can feel a bit of a freak.
Unfortunately I can't blame it on shaving though being a woman! Today it was gorgeous, I was stood chatting to a neighbour it was hot and when I came inside my chest was blotchy, and my face red, she had noticed. I made some comment like my skin being sensitive to the sun which it is aswell as life itself I think!! I don't tend to burn but I am heat sensitive so the heat will make me look blotchy but once I cool down it fades back to normal. When it is panic induced it tends to take a lot longer to fade.
Best wishes
willow.x

[feege]

Hi Willow

The exact same thing happened to me today. It's so weird, being this age and suddenly getting this after 50 years of being olive skinned and pale with absolutely no red anywhere!!!

Everyone keeps noticing and it is embarrassing, mainly cos I keep thinking it's cos I'm officially old now!!!

Oh and my legs are soooooooooooooooo itchy (and it's NOT from shaving lol!!!)

Hopefully though it will all pass...

Take care xxxxx

Fee xxxxxx
www.like2like.com

Why live life anticipating the bad things when you could be anticipating the good?
Good and bad things WILL happen!

[WILL0W]

Thanks fee,
it makes me wonder whether mine is a hormonal imbalance. As in some ways the symptoms are similar to menopausal women, I am 31 this year. I know stress may be a trigger but the extent to what it gets like might be due to an imbalance in the endocrinal system...

I gave up a long time ago on trying to get to the root of things but I might try again

wishing you cool looking/feeling skin fee!
best wishes
willow.x

[Lylakwine]

Hi again Willow.

I'm on 20mg of CItalopram, and have been for about three years now. Like you though, I am starting to feel that their effect is waning. I don't blotch anymore, but I have been feeling terribly depressed recently. Not just down, coz i can't shake the feeling, even after weeks of it. My boyfriend thinks that maybe I should ask the doc to increase my dosage, but I feel against this totally. What do you think? I don't wanna come off them, but I don't like the thought of having do up the dosage either.

Sorry to change the subject from the blushing/blotching, I was just curious to know what you thought, being as you have been on the same meds.

It's good to see that you can still laugh about things! You've got to try and keep your sense of humour haven't you, or else you would go completely mad!!

Take care hun........Lyla xx

[WILL0W]

Hi Lylak,

I'm sorry you've been feeling so bad. Life can be so hard at times and so discouraging when we have a relapse. I obviously don't know you well enough and not a professional so wouldn't know the best thing for you.

I know how you feel about the AD's you don't want to take more if you can help it but on the other hand sometimes we need some extra help. Have you had extra stress on you lately? I know I have been a bit down, but I stop and think well I have had quite a lot on my plate lately and that's probably what has brought it on again. I don't know if you're the same but sometimes I get guilty of inflicting my depression onto my husband. He is generally supportive, does your partner give you support ?

Something I do know a little about is Reflexology as I am training at the moment getting near the exams which is really nerve racking for me as I suffer with bad anxiety attacks. I need some done on me!!

The big toes are a good one to massage or just give a good rub, as it corresponds to the head/brain area of the body, (the pituitary - middle of whorly bit can be a bit sharp). On your hands it is the thumbs on the paddy bit. The adrenals reflexes on both hands are positioned in the muscular bit coming down from the thumb about half way to where hand and wrist meet. Massaging all that muscly bit under the thumb will get it.

Also the solar plexus is a good reflex press roughly middle of the hand. (just a little higher). Good one to abdominally breathe with.
Reflexology is good for relaxation I have found this the case with all my case studies so far, but if any area of your body is out of synch it also helps rebalance it.

There are lots of other reflexes that help but those are a few main ones.
I've been also reading lots of good self-help and nutritional books from the library lately. "The worry cure" by Dr.Robert L.Leahy I found summed up some of my feelings.

Foods with serotonin, the happy chemical are bananas, turkey, cottage cheese, sunflower seeds brown rice, peanuts and soy products. To help fight depression oily fish like salmon, herring, mackerel, trout, tuna or sardines. Oats are apparently a mood booster too, as they have lots of vit B. Any Vit C rich foods good, berries etc. From book Super Foods to boost your mood, foods that fight depression by Alexandra Massey.

Remember Lylak you know how you feel more than anyone else. If you need to go to the doctor make an appointment don't hesitate.

Sorry to go on, I hope it doesn't come accross irritating.
love
Willow.x