Strange symptoms

[thomasb]

A friend of mine started getting red rashes on his neck, back, stomach etc. They seemed kinda like psoriasis, but came to acute for that. So he went to the doctor, who didn't recognize it, but took a few bloodtests. It turned out that he had sugarlevels around 20mml(300+). They told him he has type 1 and he started the whole diagnosis trip we have all been on.

Now, i have never heard of someone getting rashes as symptoms of high sugars? anyone heard of it?
he didnt seem to have the usual ones either, thirst and pee and all that.

[xMenace]

eMedicine Case - Simultaneous Onset of Diabetes and Rash (http://knowledge.emedicine.com/splash/shared/pub/cotw/0042.html)

This page suggests that something may be causing both.

BACKGROUND
A previously healthy 70-year-old woman presented to her primary care physician with the onset of diabetes mellitus, unintentional weight loss, anemia, and diarrhea. Shortly thereafter, glossitis developed, along with a widespread pruritic rash that was recalcitrant to treatment with systemic and topical steroids. At the time of her referral to a dermatologist, her trunk and extremities were covered with gyrate, dusky tan-pink and bright pink-red plaques with exfoliative, hemorrhagic, and varnishlike scales; these did not affect the perianal area, hands, or feet.

Skin biopsy revealed broad zones of confluent parakeratosis, an edematous dermis with a mixed infiltrate of lymphocytes, histiocytes, and occasional eosinophils. Immunofluorescence findings were negative. Subsequent studies indicate a markedly elevated fasting glucagon level and low serum amino acid and essential fatty acid levels.

What are the diagnosis and most appropriate treatment?
Hint
CT scans revealed 2 masses in the pancreas (not shown).

[sweetcheeks]

not that this is the case... but

mostly women who have pcos have these splotches, a sympton of pcos is type 2 diabetes.... so it is possible that other diabetics get it as well...

Ive had these splotches on my neck right under my hair line.. its very itchy and scathy like snake scales..... nothing helped.... now that I know I have diabetes and 11 out of the 12 symptoms for pcos.... I know what its from. Tho I had those splotches before I became diabetic..... when my numbers were normal... Now that Im normal again and on a form of metformin, I havnt had any of those places on my neck.

[Connie]

My son kept getting a rash that would get infected on his butt about 2 months before he was diagnosed. They said the high blood sugar breaks down the skin after time.

[thomasb]

hm, interesting. thanks you all.

[KickStart101]

Unfortunately there are too many skin
afflictions that People(Diabetic or not)
can get.

I had shingles twice, for example. Both
were caused by my crappy immune system
and too much stress.

I was 16 yrs. old the first time. The rash
appeared on my shoulder and back on one
side. It wasn't bad.

The second time was 2 yrs. ago. Now that
hurt like Hello and the itch was intense.
It started above my right breast, went to my
right shoulder (where it branched out), went
half way down my back and under my arm and
to the top part of my arm down to my wrist.

Shingles only appears on one side of the body
at a time. When I was 16, it was on my left
side. It's from the chicken pox virus. I had
to have an anti-biotic, Tylenol 3 for pain and
oinment for the itch. It was over in 5 weeks,
as I believe Harold predicted.

Another one I had was eczema. Quite popular.
I used hydrocortisone for that one. Good Luck
to your Friend.

[rocky]

Before they caught my D for the months prior my skin got very dry and I developed a rash on my arms and legs. There was so much going on at the time with the weight loss and thirst and the numerous other symptoms that the rash was over looked.

[shabbie6247]

prior to diagnosis i was unfortunate enough to get very strange patchy areas on my trunk and nothing would make it go away, believe me i tried everything, i even got it on my personal area. miraculously it disappeared as soon as i went on insulin and hasnt come back since (thank goodness!)

[JediSurfer]

I remember my father having dodgy skin when his bg's were out but he was on so many different drugs it could have been caused by anyone of these things.

I had shingles at the age of 14. eeewooo god did it hurt

[Pattidevans]

Ive had these splotches on my neck right under my hair line.. its very itchy and scathy like snake scales..... nothing helped.... now that I know I have diabetes and 11 out of the 12 symptoms for pcos.... I know what its from. Tho I had those splotches before I became diabetic..... when my numbers were normal... Now that Im normal again and on a form of metformin, I havnt had any of those places on my neck.

PMFJI That sounds more like Seborrheic Dermatitis, which is caused by a yeast infection (not surprising really - yeast infections love diabetics when BG is high). You can get a ketoconazole shampoo on prescription which clears it up quite quickly. Though sometimes it clears up on it's own.

[KickStart101]

My Sister had that yeast infection last yr.
She had it under her bra strap and in folds
of her skin where it was sweaty. I hadn't
known that a Person could get it on their
upper body 'til she was dxd. with it. She
said it was itchy and sore from scratching.
She had to get some cream for it. I had
forgotten about that.