Erythema Nodosum treatment

I was just diagnosed with Erythema Nodosum. I have had it for the first time and I'm a 31 year old male. I have Crohn's disease, and according to the medical literature, it's common to have an Irritable Bowel Disease linked with it.

Something to take note of, this took many different doctors to finally diagnose (dermatologist, 2 visits; MD 3 visits; finally, emergency clinic, a good MD who recognized it from an old medical text book!).

This is an interesting site:


Because I have CD, I prefer the Prednisone option, not the injection though, I have about a dozen of these on each leg! Watch out for the long term usage of prednisone (many years of straight use will cause osteoperosis).


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I was also diagnosed with this condition and it was very painful. The condition occured during pregnancy and for 3 years after. The doctors also told me that it maybe due to the pill but my left leg got worse and worse. The doctors told me there was no medication for this so i sought alternative therapy. I went to see a chinese doctor who checked me over and diagnosed a weak kidney funcion. I had 6 sessions of acupuncture and massage and was prescribed a herbal tea to make my kidney stronger. It was during pregnancy that my kidney was weakened and this caused my kidney to not function properly, water and blood in my body was not circulating properly causing problems in my leg. My legs have completely healed and I no longer have this condition. I recommend this alternative treatment to everyone.

I've been Erythema Nodosum free for a year now! I went to a Kinesiologis/wellness doctor. I was treated with natural supplements containing natural inflammation agents. Chronic sufferers of this disorder need to follow a gluten-free diet until your nodules disappear. Drink plenty of water and stay off your feet until you have been relieved of this. My nodules went away when I took wheat bread out of my daily diet and cut back on pasta.
I hope this has helped. If you're in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex area. Contact Dr. Brian Hickey in Arlington, TX.
He also has an office located in Allen, TX.

I was first diagnosed with EN in May 08. While doing blood work to search for the cause I found out I was hypothyroid which is likely unrelated. I think I finally tracked my EN to hormones from the pill and/or pregnancy. I stopped taking the pill and was perscribed 400 mg of Naproxen 2x daily. That started to do the trick immediately as opposed to ibuprofen which did not help (no matter how much I took). Now I am pregnant and it only took 6 weeks for my EN to flare up again. This time I am not sure any thing can be done because NSAIDs (like naproxen) or steroid are not something that is safe to take.

I am also 3 months pregnant and I have Chron's disease. My doctor has confirmed that this is my main underlying cause for EN however this doesn't help me with treatment for the pain and swelling.
I have been prescribed Prednisone but I don't want to take it as there's nothing to confirm that this steroid is safe for pregnant women.
I don't want to take anything to harm my baby but I also don't want to be in this much pain for the next 6 months of my pregnancy (last time I had this is was summer 2008 and lasted 4 months)
Can anyone give any advise on how I can treat this safely and continue to work?

Hi All,

I had Erythema Nodosum for a few years. I think it was from the year 2002 till 2006 or 7. It kept recurring every year around the same times, march and September.

My specialist treated me with Dapsone and I was taking this for a year and a half, and it has not recurred again since I stopped taking the medication. I hope this helps someone.

I get EN when ever I have a flare up with my chrohns desease

Hello!

I'm 26 and currently recovering from NE. I've been sick since 10th of Decemeber. At first i didnt know what it was, just my knees and elbows and hips were hurting. So i went to see my doc and she sent me to rheumatologist. After I started taking antibiotics and Dicloberl Retard i got lumps on my legs and high fever (before the meds fever was around 37.0-37.5C, but after antibiotics it was higher than 38.0C).

I got scared and went back to my doc, who sent me to the hospital. There i was tested and treated with the same medicine. I got home before christmas and things got only worse til the new years eve.

I had high fever, lumps on shins, knees, my joints were swollen, i could even walk to the bathroom. During the day i felt kind of okay, but by the time evening came, i felt like disaster. Everything went horrifying around 6-8pm. I took paracetamol before i went to bed, because the fever was so high and i got cold shivers and couldnt fall asleep.

On 30 december i got weird allergy rash on my shins and by 31st of december, i got the allergy spots all over my body.
I went to c my doc again and i was taken off from the antibiotics and she prescribed PREDINOSOLON. Ever since then i havent had any fever and no pain either.

I felt very weak in the beginning and i got tired and sweaty from doing nothing (a'la standing up and doing nothing). But now im feeling awesome and as in the beginning of the treatment i took 25mg, then now im on 10mg and soon to be on 5, etc..

Sometimes i still feel like my knees are hurting and i feel kind of stiff sometimes.. but im healing and that's all that matter.

The only problem is, that im keen on weightlifting and it disturbs me that im not allowed to lift weights til about 20th of march. So the main reason im writing here about my experience, is to know if anyone has any experience with NE and working out?
How long does the recovery take?
How long have you been resting home (from work, etc)? cuz I'm so tired from doing nothing and im going to work tomorrow.. I hope my health will keep up and i wont get any hitbacks and i will keep on healing, despite the little activity im going to get by moving @ work.

The docs main concern is the joint inflammation (which is making me worried also.. so i dont want to take any risks with the physical activity) that can occur if not being careful.. so, tell me about your experience and knowledge.

Also, the docs think that i got this NE from Streptococci bacteria (throat), but i think its just sensitivity to the antibiotics. Also i have no ideas what could have triggered the NE..

Guest wrote:

Hello, My symptoms and all pattern is exactly like this and as my course for streiod 'PREDINOSOLON' is finshed and very next day i started feeling pains in my kness, ankles and slight pain is now in my writs. I again see new marks coming on left leg shines. How much time did it take you to recover..? I am going through now 6th weeks. Its painful .

peeyush wrote:

Hello!

I started training again in the end of february/beginning of march, but my joints still ached from time to time, today in june, i can say im feeling much better and that i feel like i have recovered. Im lifting quite heavy again, so i hope it wont come back :)

But i think when u went down with the prednisolon, then you should go back to doctor and talk about it.. i think u should go back to higher amounts, and start to reduce slowly again. but consult your doctor for sure!

I wish you good luck, 6 weeks is very long time!

Do you know what caused this to you? Do you have issues with throat as well?

many things can cause this hypersensitivity reaction.  iodine pills were found to work extremely well (archives of dermatology vol 117 no , january 1981), the hypothesis is that iodine forms a complex with the antigen before the immune system has a chance to react to it. the iodine worked quickly to relieve symptoms (24 hrs) and lesions dissapeared in 10 to 14 days. also vit b-12 defiency also caused a case and symptoms were relieved by b-12 shots 2x per week for 4 wks. lack of stomach acid can also be a cause along with weak adrenals. if you are are low in minerals iodine can give you advere reactions. i suggest finding a practioner in your area that sells standard process vitamins or biotics research

That's interesting turkherbs.. its cuz i think im low on vit b.. i should make a proper test though to kow better, right now i know my hemoglobin is lower than supposed to. I haven't been giving blood for ages, and it figured it would be around 155, but it was 124 only.. oh well.. thanks for great hint :)

Interesting note!