Bullous pemphigoid: How long did it take to get diagnosed?

I first visited my medical practice in September 2021 and they diagnosed it as being a mild skin problem. After 8 further visits and seeing 6 different doctors who tried many treatments none of which improved the condition. In December 2021 I was told I would get an appointment to see a dermatologist.

Unfortunately by then things had become so serious that I had lost fluids through the blisters so much that I was unable to eat or drink which resulted me being rushed into hospital. I was discharged 7 days later at 8.30pm with an urgent appointment at another hospital the following morning at 9.30am to see a senior consultant dermatologist. There I had a biopsy with an instant diagnosis that I had Bullous Pemphigoid. My treatment was 40mg of Prednisolone daily for 2 months and gradualy reduced to 10mg daily for the rest of my life.

I am pleased to say that within a very short time after starting the steroids my skin improved and although occasionaly it seems to be returning all I have to do is take extra steroids for it goes away.

My 87-year-old mother developed the condition in March this year. We are in the UK, where you cannot see a specialist for months at the moment. When we finally saw a dermatologist, there was the terrible, itchy rash but no blistering yet. The dermatologist said that skin becomes sensitive, thin and dry, and can react to anything at my mom's age. She prescribed an ointment (my mom had a cupboard full of ointments & creams suggested by doctors at this point) and needless to say this didn't solve the problem. 

The blisters began about a month later, at the exact same time as my mom went on furosemide (water tablets), after she was admitted to hospital with edema and fluid buildup on the lungs. The furosemide solved her fluid problem, but the blistering and itching became worse and worse. After frantic research online, I finally came across bullous pempigoid and then the link between furosemide and bullous pemphigoid. We went to the doctor to ask if mom could safely discontinue furosemide. The doctor said she would find out about an alternative. Mom had a fall and landed in hospital again, at which point I was able to tell them about the possible link with furosemide and to please give her something else.

They changed to spironolactone and the blistering literally stopped a day later. Her itchy rash went too, even though it had begun well before furosemide was prescribed. That part is a bit of a mystery, but before going on the furosemide, mom had started taking omeprazole which I believe contains the same sulfa drug ingredient as furosomide, and it's this ingredient that's linked to BP. All I know is, now that mom has stopped omeprazole and furosemide, she seems fine. And we had to find it all out for ourselves, so I hope this comment helps others and perhaps saves them from suffering for months.