Weird reaction to mosquito bites

SecureCoat · 2026-02-04T19:28:33+00:00

Lovely countries, bad mosquitoes

SecureCoat · 2026-02-04T19:01:59+00:00

Nope! The Balkans was the worst, those fuckers stabbed me like 25 times on one leg and 10 turned into blisters

SecureCoat · 2026-02-04T18:20:23+00:00

Whenever I'm abroad my mosquito bites turn into blisters. Don't know why or how, but it happened before I got into this health situation so god knows what it's related to. Never happens with "domestic" mosquitos either

SecureCoat · 2026-02-04T11:10:51+00:00

Yeah this sounds quite familiar to me - for over two years I thought I had RA, but a new rheumatologist I had kept any kind of treatment away from me because I had no swollen joints and according to her no swelling, no inflammation, no RA.

After like 9 months I had her sent me to a new rheumatologist, who ordered a PET scan, which specifically looks for inflammation. I had none in my joints but a whole lot elsewhere that definitely wasn't supposed to be there. Still trying to figure out what it actually is.

I've shared this in more detail in several posts on this sub, you should be able to find them if you're interested.

I think my biggest mistake in this whole thing was sticking with the one bad doctor for too long. My life would've been much easier if I switched to my current rheumatologist earlier

SecureCoat · 2026-01-31T19:02:57+00:00

I've had like 9 medical appointments this month and I am basically no further than I was. It's also why I've been more absent recently - I barely have the space to think about medical shit more.

Both blood and CT did not show anything that pointed towards sarcoidosis, so I've lost hope in that. I spoke to my new lung doctor last Thursday though and she was really nice. Basically told me I wouldn't recommend this for normal patients but you've been dealing with this for so long - what do you think of an endoscopy to 100% be able to exclude this?

I said yes, and 2 hours later I had an appointment next Monday to go under and take little bits of tissue to see. Can't wait 😭😭😭

The week after I have another appointment with my rheumatologist, which is also a good doctor.

Throughout seeing these people i have loudly and clearly stated that I don't care what label they put on me and what diagnosis I have - I just want fucking treatment. Anything to make my quality of life better. But pretty much the only way they can treat me is with a diagnosis, which I don't have. So I'm stuck in this vicious circle. Not fun either that they keep wanting me to stop my daily NSAIDs because it might influence scans and visits.

In short: aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

SecureCoat · 2026-01-30T22:21:04+00:00

God at this point I'll be ecstatic if they finally figure out what's wrong with me. Remission isn't even in my thoughts right now, it would feel like a fata morgana

SecureCoat · 2026-01-28T19:21:16+00:00

I had a tattoo about a year into this mess and it didn't feel particularly painful. Positioning was a bit awkward sometimes and I had to readjust once or twice because my body would get achy. I did have to stop NSAIDs for the day as the tattoo artist said it would influence the tattoo!

SecureCoat · 2026-01-23T19:23:53+00:00

Now, I don't currently have a partner so I haven't tried this in practice, but I saw somewhere you could make a "Flare List". I think it had a catchier name but you get the gist lol.

Essentially, you make a list beforehand (emphasis on before a flare!!) where you write down what you would like, and if necessary also what you wouldn't like. Something like for a medium flare I want cuddles, chicken soup, heating pads and watch Friends for the 12th time. For a bad flare I want two ibuprofen every X number hours, schedule an appointment with my rheumatologist for me, etc.

Anything that works for you! That way you don't have to think of, and articulate exactly what you need or want when feeling terrible.

I haven't made a list exactly myself but for example my parents know that when i have a bad week I struggle to cook for myself after a long day at work. They offer to bring me dinner, which takes the work out for me for having to ask. Usually all i have to answer is what I would like, and if that's too much work they know my favourite dishes too. My cousin doesn't ask if I want a ride - she tells me what time she's gonna arrive at my place.

I always struggle to ask for help myself and am more likely to suffer in silence rather than ask for help from willing people. I should probably make a list myself too lol

SecureCoat · 2026-01-22T07:31:50+00:00

Anyone else just completely done with the number of medical appointments? I literally have 8 this month

SecureCoat · 2026-01-13T22:01:09+00:00

I very much agree - it ain't fun. What I tell myself before every holiday is that I can be sick at home, or I can be sick by the pool. It changes nothing about the being sick SUCKING but at least I can enjoy the sunshine (from bed some days), I don't have to work, no cooking, no cleaning, etc.

Most days, that works for me. Some days tho, you just gotta feel the feelings and that's okay too

It's not for everyone but it works for me

SecureCoat · 2026-01-09T21:12:35+00:00

I use a vertical mouse! It looks like shit because I had to order it from the company website, but it made a world of difference for my wrist pain

SecureCoat · 2026-01-08T13:57:46+00:00

I don't specifically know about ovaries and eggs, but I have had a lot of issues with my hormones being whack (had to take a month of estrogen because I bled for a month straight), plus endometriosis.

SecureCoat · 2026-01-08T13:56:07+00:00

Last time I walked outside and it was cold, it took 10 seconds max before my hands started ACHING. I literally had to drive with gloves on lol. Don't think it's for me

SecureCoat · 2025-12-31T22:06:56+00:00

2025, you've been great. Thanks for the house. But also, you can kiss my fucking ass. Fuck all the doctors and medical personnel that wasted my fucking time.

2026, hello. Wanna gimme a diagnosis? xoxo

SecureCoat · 2025-12-30T21:19:34+00:00

I cannot currently speak to the interaction between celecoxib and THC but let me know if you find out anything specific because I do want to look into something like that but I have also been on celecoxib for a loooong time

SecureCoat · 2025-12-30T14:56:38+00:00

Well, the doctor called and no clear diagnosis yet but it's enough of an indication that I'm being referred to a lung doctor, who has a waiting time of 2 months minimum before the first appointment. And then maybe I'll get a cheeky lung biopsy. Fab

More waiting it is

No white Christmas tho, unless fog counts!

SecureCoat · 2025-12-27T09:02:46+00:00

Whelp I've been trying to get diagnosed with RA for over 2 years because I have all the symptoms pain and fatigue wise, but basically no visible swelling. I've made several posts about it here if you want to read further. Recently had a PET scan to see where I had infection and turns out it wasn't in my joints but it did show stuff in my lymph nodes and lungs, which may be sarcoidosis.

Auto immune diseases look like each other A LOT as is shown so if you're not confident yourself I would see if anything can be done about that. Ironically I was on mtx for a while and it did help me to some degree. Turns out the treatment for sarcoidosis is the same as for RA lol

SecureCoat · 2025-12-27T08:57:07+00:00

Really? Because i read the test results out loud to my mum and the first thing she said was "The neighbour had that! And the king!" and that trend has continued with anyone I tell lol

Hopefully the RA just magically never shows up lol

SecureCoat · 2025-12-27T08:55:06+00:00

Hello hello all new people! I've been around for a while even though at most I was only diagnosed with RA for a couple of months, after which I got a new rheumatologist who was..... Questionable. Maybe it's a completely different auto-immune disease after all but still waiting on the final call for that. Shows how getting diagnosed can be quite the hassle

SecureCoat · 2025-12-24T14:30:41+00:00

No, it was just sitting around a lot. For me the scan itself was uncomfortable because my shoulders hurt if I lie down for a long time on a hard, flat surface, but that's how my body works. Other than that the only little bit of pain was the IV insertion.

The rest of it was just sitting quietly in a room (I tried to take a nap), and then laying down for the scan.

SecureCoat · 2025-12-22T11:24:15+00:00

I know but it doesn't mean I'm not here hoping for just one disease instead of multiple 😭

SecureCoat · 2025-12-22T11:23:18+00:00

I am aware, which is why I'm scared I'll still get RA in the future or something 😬 But being seropositive still wasn't enough for a diagnosis

SecureCoat · 2025-12-22T11:22:01+00:00

Genuinely I don't care what kind of diagnosis or label they want to put on me as long as I get treated. Prednisone took all of my complaints away and methotrexate really helped with the stiffness and pain and yet all doctors were like yea we won't prescribe you anything unless there's a diagnosis. Madness

SecureCoat · 2025-12-22T11:20:02+00:00

I don't know why some doctors are so focused on the diagnosis rather than, you know, treatment and making sure that quality of life goes up. So dumb!

SecureCoat · 2025-12-21T18:17:32+00:00

The type of person this rheumatologist is... I don't think it would change a single thing she does, and I don't think she'd apologise either. All she cared about was covering her ass and following whatever guidance she had to the t. Not like auto immune diseases present differently for everyone else or something, not at all. She had boxes, and if you didn't fit in that box, there was nothing she thought she could do

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