After skin biopsies and blood draws galore, both Dermatologist and Rheumatologist had the same answer for me today: “We don’t really know what’s wrong with you.” The answer I totally expected to hear.

Derm says it’s either a “drug eruption” — an allergy to some medication I’m taking (although I haven’t taken any particular med regularly throughout this rash) or some hypersensitivity to something else going on in my body, most likely the Crohn’s. She can’t help me anymore on this one; I go back in three months for another mole check, but as far as the rash, she’s stumped.

Rheum says much the same — all of those blood tests ruled out the big players, like Lupus, RA, Still’s, and all of the nasty stuff. My liver and kidney functions are perfect. So whatever it is, it’s concentrating on my skin and joints. He also mentioned hypersensitivity, and that in 50% of these cases, they can narrow it down to a specific drug or medication. In the other 50% of cases, they never figure out what it is, and it goes away on its own. Since I refuse to take Prednisone, which is apparently his go-to move, he has no other options for treating me.

The rash is a little better these last couple of days, as is the joint swelling, so I’m hoping that the Crohn’s stuff I’m taking (an immunosuppressive) is starting to work — I’ve been on it for two weeks, and it apparently takes 2-3 weeks to build up to high enough levels in the body to start working. So fingers crossed that it keeps getting lighter.