Hello Everyone, How are you doing? My name is Yvonne (Vonnee). I have been suffering with Prurigo Nodularis  since 2008. I started going to my primary care Dtr. for about 6 months before he referred me to a Dermatologist. in 2009 by this time it was severe and had started attacking parts of my body. Immediatley the Derm Dr. sent me home with all kinds of steriods creams, benadryl. I tried the cream/benadryl for 2 weeks and no improvement. At first I thought they were bug bites and still kept going back to the Derm Dr. He diagnosed with all the common skin disorders (ie eczema etc.) Now, I have been seeing this Derm Dr. for 2 years. In those 2 years do you think the this Dr. ordered any specialized testing for my skin or a biopsy? (no he did NOT), it completely attacked my whole body, I had sores that were draining and infected from me either scratching or the wound sticking to my clothes. My skin is so imflamed that I am now allergic to bandaids. I kept going back to the dtr both the primary and the derm dr., I told the drs I that I did not feel good, I have a continuous fever(they sent me home with more pain pills, muscles relaxers), my body is completely covered in dark spots for which Im embarassed to wear a short sleeve top, shorts or anything sexy because I look horrible. I see people staring at my marks. I got diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis In May 2011) and immediately they blamed this on my RA and the medicine I take for my RA (Methotrexate), they blamed this on my RA because they had no answer. In July of this year 2011, I went to work (LVN- L&D) when I got off that work that evening I told my daughter that I was tired and that I was gonna take a nap. Well that nap lasted for 15 days. When I woke up I was in the hospital,  I went into kidney failure. I was in a coma, on a kidney dialysis machine, had all kinds of tubes sticking in me, lost 30 lbs, and still had the skin lesions. It took me about 3 days to figure out where I was, I couldnt even talk and try to put everything together in my mind. My daughter had to piece my life together for me 25 days of memory lost and still dont remember. All of sudden all the dtrs are having meetings and discussing me. They could not figure out what sent me into kidney failure. The dtrs kept asking me what happened to my skin, Im like have you guys not read my chart its all in there. ( I told them that I had been treated for my skin condition for the last 2 years). Anyway that ordeal wiped out my whole system, I had to have blood/platlet/potassiums transfusions (every other month I go in for a blood transfusion), wiped out my endocrine systems (all my hormones)and now I have kidney dialysis 3x week, have weekly labs, on the transplant list now, I have just been diagnosed with Adrenal Failure (Addison's Disease). The dtrs are still scratching their heads. I have gone through so much in the last 6 months and still I am not at a 100%. Now this is the kicker, when I finally got discharged to go home after having the kidney failure, my Hematology/Oncology set up a 2nd opinion dtr for my skin. In the mean time I still needed to be treated for my current ongoing skin disease when I went into the Derm Dtr. I had to ask him to do a biopsy and specialized blood tests for my skin. Why did I have to ask him to order these tests after he has been treating me for 2 years. (Still shaking my head). The biopsy and blood results came back & my diagnoses was PN. Well i did my own research and found out that this skin disease caused/associated with my kidney failure. I printed out my research and showed it to my dtrs. Their response was you know anybody can put information on the internet. I was too done. In the mean time Im still suffering, I had a some relief for the month of Nov and here it is back In Dec with full force. I am really concerned because of my previous kidney failure, I dont want it re-occur again and I really have not been feeling good. I cant seem to recover. Im so glad that their is a support group for PN. I have been depressed, worried, stressed out from itching, infection, wounds draining & cant sleep. I was beginning to think that I was going crazy. If anyone has any insight on this rare skin disease I would greatly appreciate it. I dont know how I got this skin disease, I would like to get a handle on it and figure out how to treat it so I can get some relief, so I can feel better. Mainly I dont want to go back into kidney failure (it was no picnic in the park, LOL).

That is my story in a nut shell. I look forward to your response.

Thank you & Happy New Year

Vonnee