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Heartburn, Itching In Ankle, Sore Skin, Painful, Cracking And Bleeding Eyelids. Taking Baking Soda. Low BP

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Posted on Sun, 23 Sep 2012
Question: Male, Age 50, 135lbs, Unemployed 2 years.

I get heart burn
I also get an itching from my left ankle and several few inches up
The top of my right foot itches as if I have athletes foot.
What puzzles me is If I take baking soda not only does the heart burn go away but the itching goes away also with in 5-10 min. If I ignore it the itching intensives until its unbearable and It almost feels like its burning
After several days my skin starts to feel sore and hurts.
If I let this continue for several months and I have, I start getting boils around where the underwear bands hug the skin at the leg area. Also my eye lids skin starts to itch, crack and bleed. I was given steroid cream for the skin which helps

After taking the baking soda I belch, fart and with in a 10 min I feel at peace and all the symptoms go away
It takes about three days of consistently taking baking soda in the morning and before I go to bed before my skin feels OK again. Boils go away, eye lids don't feel dry, crack itch or bleed (very small amounts).

I have taken my blood pressure because I know sodium can raise blood pressure but my blood pressure is normally low around 95 / 60 it raises to around 115 / 80.

I have been tracking this for 18 months now. Its consistent.

If I eating anything acidic I also get itching and some times even tiny clear blisters around the edges on my fingers. I also feel a anxiety during this time.

doctor
Answered by Dr. Mayank Bhargava (28 minutes later)
Hi AAAAA
Thanks for posting your query.
Let me explain your problem one by one.
1) As such there is no correlation between skin disease and acidity problems.
2) Skin disease may be eczematous dermatitis or fungal infection (as groin area skin is also involved). Recurrent and continuous itching at affected site may cause skin abrasion with localized infection in form of folliculitis.
3) For skin problem, you should go for KOH mount preparation of skin scrapings of the affected site. Any type pf fungal infection can be diagnosed by this preparation.
4) If KOH mount showed absence of fungus, then you can safely take steroid ointment (fungal infection are aggravated by steroid application).
5) There may also be possibility of fungal infection in groin area and eczematous dermatitis in leg and eyelids.
6) You should wear soft cotton undergarments to avoid recurrent friction and injury.
7) You should consult with dermatologist and should go for above prescribed investigations.
8) For acidity problem, kindly stop taking soda. Taking soda is just like "throwing water on fire but fire may arise at any time". Trying to solve the problem from root.
9) You should consult with physician / gastro-physician and should go for following investigations: complete blood count, renal function test, blood sugar, thyroid profile, ultrasound imaging and endoscopy, ECG (as you have low blood pressure).
10) why endoscopy is needed? You may have peptic ulcer disease and these ulcers are diagnosed by endoscopy. Ulcer treatment is entirely different and involve use of 2 antibiotics. Use of soda in ulcer case may worsen your condition by causing perforation as gastric/ duodenal mucosa is thin at ulcer site.
11) You should also change your diet:
a) Avoid citrus fruits, tomatoes, garlic, onion, tea, coffee, chocolates, oily and spicy food.
b) Prefer soft diet and curd ans salads.
12) You should take proton pump inhibitors and prokinetics on written prescription.
13) As you have sweating in hands with low blood pressure, there may be chances of autonomic system failure.
I think most of your queries have been answered.
Put your views if any.
Best regards,
Dr. Mayank Bhargava
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Mayank Bhargava

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :2003

Answered : 1658 Questions

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Heartburn, Itching In Ankle, Sore Skin, Painful, Cracking And Bleeding Eyelids. Taking Baking Soda. Low BP

Hi AAAAA
Thanks for posting your query.
Let me explain your problem one by one.
1) As such there is no correlation between skin disease and acidity problems.
2) Skin disease may be eczematous dermatitis or fungal infection (as groin area skin is also involved). Recurrent and continuous itching at affected site may cause skin abrasion with localized infection in form of folliculitis.
3) For skin problem, you should go for KOH mount preparation of skin scrapings of the affected site. Any type pf fungal infection can be diagnosed by this preparation.
4) If KOH mount showed absence of fungus, then you can safely take steroid ointment (fungal infection are aggravated by steroid application).
5) There may also be possibility of fungal infection in groin area and eczematous dermatitis in leg and eyelids.
6) You should wear soft cotton undergarments to avoid recurrent friction and injury.
7) You should consult with dermatologist and should go for above prescribed investigations.
8) For acidity problem, kindly stop taking soda. Taking soda is just like "throwing water on fire but fire may arise at any time". Trying to solve the problem from root.
9) You should consult with physician / gastro-physician and should go for following investigations: complete blood count, renal function test, blood sugar, thyroid profile, ultrasound imaging and endoscopy, ECG (as you have low blood pressure).
10) why endoscopy is needed? You may have peptic ulcer disease and these ulcers are diagnosed by endoscopy. Ulcer treatment is entirely different and involve use of 2 antibiotics. Use of soda in ulcer case may worsen your condition by causing perforation as gastric/ duodenal mucosa is thin at ulcer site.
11) You should also change your diet:
a) Avoid citrus fruits, tomatoes, garlic, onion, tea, coffee, chocolates, oily and spicy food.
b) Prefer soft diet and curd ans salads.
12) You should take proton pump inhibitors and prokinetics on written prescription.
13) As you have sweating in hands with low blood pressure, there may be chances of autonomic system failure.
I think most of your queries have been answered.
Put your views if any.
Best regards,
Dr. Mayank Bhargava