Pityriasis Rosea

Last Friday I woke up with small, faint bumps on my stomach. I thought they were hives brought on by stress from a big argument with my boyfriend the night before. Or maybe it was because I slept in my onesie polyester pjs without a shirt underneath as usual. Either way I wasn't very worried or too concerned about them until...Saturday evening.

By then the bumps were red, itchy and spreading. I was getting concerned, so much so that when my boyfriend tried to "make up" with me Sunday morning I told him don't touch me because my skin was nasty. Monday I made an appointment for the earliest appointment, Tuesday morning. I get in the room describe my symptoms and lift my shirt. At which point my doctor exclaims in a sing-song voice "I know what you have. Let me see your back".
I comply as I wonder is this a secret or is she going to share? After looking at my back she says "Oh yeah, you're a classic case". Now I'm starting to get a little annoyed because I would like to know too. I typically like my doctor, her being someone I only see once a year unless I'm sick, but on this occasion she was not getting my recommendation.

It turned out that I had Pityriasis Rosea. No know cause, no know treatment other than stop the itch and no known prevention. The good news she said is it's not contagious even though she's seen married couples develop symptoms within weeks of each other. Also, it should only last a few weeks. When I read the fact sheet she handed me it said it could last up to four months. When I brought this up in a nonchalant way she said "Oh yeah that's the worst case scenario but if it doesn't clear up in a few weeks come back".

This experience just furthered my opinion that medical professionals don't truly know what's going on and they sometimes are a little too positive and optimistic. I believe when you come in with a problem they go in the back put all the possible aliments you could have on a dart board and shoot. Which ever one they hit is what you have.

Fortunately I have no major aliments, at least they haven't been discovered and my rash is clearing up nicely so my contact with them is limited for the moment. :-)