Estrogen levels and Erythema nodosm

[sadgirl92]

Hello does anyone know if high estrogen has a connection with erythema nodosm? I been having erythema nodosm for about 8 months and can’t seem to find the cause of it. All my labs have came back normal but I haven’t checked my testosterone or estrogen levels. About 1 year ago before all this started I was having Inflammatory acne and cysts develop in my breasts, confirmed by ultrasound. Before I get my period I tend to be very depressed,moody, and randomly happy. I know that within the past 2 years my body has gone through these changes. I don’t have many nodules but when I get them they are in my legs and very painfull. The skin feels like if someone hit me with a bat. Please any feed back would help if trying my best to survive this :(

[sadgirl92]

Hello Annie thank you for your response, I am not in any birth control and I did have a positive ASO at some point last year, I was successfully treated for it around Nov 2022 and am still having erythema nodosm, we don’t know what’s really causing it  

[AnnieBrooke]

Being successfully treated doesn't mean you haven't been re-infected. And if the doctor thought the bacteria you were treated for (that gave you a positive ASO) was the reason you had erythema nodosm, it doesn't sound like a successful treatment if you are "still" having it. (If you "again" have it, that would make sense in terms of success of the first treatment, but if you never got over it since the test in November 22 and kept having it all along, the treatment you had doesn't sound like the right one. ) It's certainly possible to get a new infection after getting over an old one, especially if you repeatedly get exposed to the same source. I'd still be looking at the possibility that you've got some way you get beta hemolytic strep, and that beta hemolytic strep really hits you for some reason (a lot of adults, it doesn't bother very much). That would make more sense than suspecting hormone issues are the cause.

[sadgirl92]

Thank you so much Annie for your response, I went to have a lab test in December 20 2022 to check my ASO after being given antibiotics and the results were “191.7” the infectious disease specialist told me that I no longer had strep. I also had a strep test done through throat swab and came out negative, this was done last month. I was also tested for cat scratch disease and other cocci infections and I was negative. Do you think this can still be related to strep ?I also notice that I have dime bruises that come and go this is probably 1 or 2 in my legs along with my erythema nodosm . What do you think I should do next?

[AnnieBrooke]

Here's from another website:

"Tests that may be done include:

    Punch biopsy of a nodule
    Throat culture to rule out a strep infection
    Chest x-ray to rule out sarcoidosis or tuberculosis
    Blood tests to look for infections or other disorders"

In your shoes I would try an internist or dermatologist. Sorry I can't give you better answers.