Another Eczema thread

[Missy]

It was bad a couple weeks ago comes and go every hr or so, but the last few days it only pops up a couple time a day. No i don't have any kind of allergies.

I hope it remains quiet and calm for you @Dancing Fire. Sometimes things come and go and might never come back. I suffer from hives and sometimes they last days and days and sometimes just a few hours. The fun never stops around here lol. Good luck and wishing you hive free days.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Don’t feel bad for me Daisy. I’m tough. Lol once I broke out in hives all over my body. And I do mean all over. Happened to be with the doctor at the time. I was a kid. Anyway his mouth opened wide and his eyes almost popped out of his head.

I’m just highly sensitive. :/
But I’m tough too and like a Diamond it’s hard to break me

A Brooklyn diamond

 

[KristyDarling]

Topicals: Elidel for my face daily (eyebrow area, sometimes chin). For my body, topical steroids as needed...I mainly use desonide or triamcinolone acetonide, and if it gets bad, clobetasol ointment.

I've had horrific outbreaks in the past where my entire body was covered in giant, oozing, crusty, angry, dreadfully ITCHY patches...the worst flare lasted 18 months. Topical steroids did nothing, so the only topical that made even a slight difference was an adhesive steroid (large sheets of medication that you could cut to size) that I'd stick onto my skin. My derm said this was one of the most powerful eczema meds out there. I'm sorry, I don't remember the name of this steroid but it did help.

A super duper-strict clean eating diet prescribed by my functional medicine MD turned out to be the solution to my 18-month flare. (Dupixent was not available at the time) Ever since, my skin has been doing reasonably well just by minimizing gluten, dairy, and sugar. Prior to this I was not a big believer in diet playing a role in eczema (and all my dermatologists pooh-poohed the idea), but now I'm a total convert. What I put - and don't put - in my body makes all the difference when it comes to my eczema.

If I do indulge in a little gluten, dairy, or sugar (ya gotta live!), I'll sometimes have a small flareup by the next day but it's definitely tolerable and goes away in a few days. Traditional home treatments like oatmeal baths, intensive moisturizers, and so forth have never done anything for me. It's so interesting how everyone's eczema is unique and responds differently to various treatments and remedies.

 

[Missy]

Topicals: Elidel for my face daily (eyebrow area, sometimes chin). For my body, topical steroids as needed...I mainly use desonide or triamcinolone acetonide, and if it gets bad, clobetasol ointment.

I've had horrific outbreaks in the past where my entire body was covered in giant, oozing, crusty, angry, dreadfully ITCHY patches...the worst flare lasted 18 months. Topical steroids did nothing, so the only topical that made even a slight difference was an adhesive steroid (large sheets of medication that you could cut to size) that I'd stick onto my skin. My derm said this was one of the most powerful eczema meds out there. I'm sorry, I don't remember the name of this steroid but it did help.

A super duper-strict clean eating diet prescribed by my functional medicine MD turned out to be the solution to my 18-month flare. (Dupixent was not available at the time) Ever since, my skin has been doing reasonably well just by minimizing gluten, dairy, and sugar. Prior to this I was not a big believer in diet playing a role in eczema (and all my dermatologists pooh-poohed the idea), but now I'm a total convert. What I put - and don't put - in my body makes all the difference when it comes to my eczema.

If I do indulge in a little gluten, dairy, or sugar (ya gotta live!), I'll sometimes have a small flareup by the next day but it's definitely tolerable and goes away in a few days. Traditional home treatments like oatmeal baths, intensive moisturizers, and so forth have never done anything for me. It's so interesting how everyone's eczema is unique and responds differently to various treatments and remedies.

I am glad you and your health care MD figured out your flares. Wow to 18 months and I am so sorry you experienced that @KristyDarling and very relieved you have come through that!

I definitely believe diet plays a big role in skin issues. It comes from within and manifests outwards. I am gluten and dairy free and try to have minimal sugar. Obviously as you write we have to live and I love fruit which has sugar. But I keep it to two or three pieces of fruit a day. Hard for me but I do. I eat dairy free ice cream which has sugar too. None of that has changed since my last flare and it's related to (my best guess) to cycling. And the need to spray water on my legs due to Schamberg disease. I now keep the inside of the knees dry and that is helping but I am still flaring. The cycling pants rubbing against the back of my knees exacerbates the eczema so it's an issue. I have to protect my body from the sun because I have a sun allergic reaction so yeah it's challenging lol.

It is interesting how there are so many different experiences re eczema treatments. Right now I am applying CV skin balm which is a non vaseline type of vaseline if you will and I have stopped all eczema meds ie Elidel, Protopic and the .025 fluoco steroid. I will see how it goes. It is still red and bumpy behind the knees and a bit irritated but not worse than when I was applying the meds. So far. And better than when it was at its worst so far this summer. Fingers crossed because I LOVE cycling and it would absolutely tear me apart if I could not cycle because of my eczema. I have had to alter so much of our life activities because of my health issues and I am not one to give up. I will persevere no matter what. It isn't in my DNA to give up. Despite my faulty genetic makeup I am not a quitter. If anything it makes me more determined.

Thanks for sharing what works for you @KristyDarling. From one warrior to another (((HUGS))).

 

[Missy]

Update:

Saw my dermatologist yesterday and now he feels (despite him diagnosing eczema there 6 weeks ago) that it is irritant dermatitis behind my knees due to cycling. I do have eczema on my neck however and that started bothering me a few days ago. Anyway irritant dermatitis and atopic dermatitis are basically very similar and treatment is similar so I am continuing the current treatment plan.

I ordered a few more products (still waiting on the ones I ordered from the recommendations in this thread-everything is delayed due to Covid 19) that David recommended. One of them being Dr Rogers healing balm. David said Lanolin as an ingredient is a no no so I have to stop using a product I thought was helping me just in case. I am using right now (as I wait for the other products I ordered to arrive) Alba Un Vaseline (no Lanolin) and Waxelene.

David also recommended Sunflower oil so I ordered that. He said a bleach bath once a week isn't a bad thing to try and after the bleach bath rinse off thoroughly and then apply sunflower oil all over and then blot it dry with a towel. Not sure when I am trying the bleach bath and I was surprised he OKd it. When I asked about it I thought he would say no but he didnt.

My skin is so sensitive that I have a big fat burn on my toe from the freezing spray my podiatrist used to numb my toe up last week before he removed part of the nail. 9 days later and the burn is still as big as it was when I first got the burn. I showed it to David and he was surprised I got such a big burn but said to leave it alone and it will heal.

That's my update. Hope everyone here is remaining eczema free and itch free and is comfortable and well.

@Dancing Fire are your hives all gone? Hope you are well.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

This is a sad thread
I hope you are all having an ichy free day

 

[Missy]

This is a sad thread
I hope you are all having an ichy free day

No not sad. LOL. Just searching for answers. I am grateful for advice from others who have experienced this as well. Others who generously share their hard earned knowledge.

Dear Daisy, please do not feel sad about this. I am a warrior. As many of us here including you are. We are strong. We gain strength from knowledge. It's OK. One day at a time. (((HUGS))).

 

[Dancing Fire]

That's my update. Hope everyone here is remaining eczema free and itch free and is comfortable and well.

@Dancing Fire are your hives all gone? Hope you are well.

Hi Missy
Thanks for thinking of me. My hives are gone for now. No itching for the past few days. Hope you find a cure for your eczema soon. Good luck!

 

[Demon]

Hi Missy
Thanks for thinking of me. My hives are gone for now. No itching for the past few days. Hope you find a cure for your eczema soon. Good luck!

Did you figure yours out as to what caused it? I have only every had hives from one thing.....grapefruit juice. I have to limit how much I drink of it.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Did you figure yours out as to what caused it? I have only every had hives from one thing.....grapefruit juice. I have to limit how much I drink of it.

Nope, no idea I didn't ate anything unusual than normal.

 

[Missy]

Hi Missy
Thanks for thinking of me. My hives are gone for now. No itching for the past few days. Hope you find a cure for your eczema soon. Good luck!

Thanks @Dancing Fire.There is no cure per se but rather just trying to avoid triggers and moisturize and medicate as necessary. Glad your hives are gone and hope they stay gone.

 

[Missy]

Did you figure yours out as to what caused it? I have only every had hives from one thing.....grapefruit juice. I have to limit how much I drink of it.

I get hives too. Strawberries, shrimp, and almost anything if I eat too much of it. I get hives if an insect bites me. I get hives if I am stressed. I think I have too much histamine in my system. I get both chronic and acute urticaria.


FYI

Food Sensitivity? or Histamine Intolerance? | ENT and Allergy Associates

While you might think you have a specific food sensitivity, it may actually be an unknown histamine intolerance. Discover how ENT and Allergy Associates makes a diagnosis, and how to stay protected.

www.entandallergy.com

 

[Dancing Fire]

I get hives too. Strawberries, shrimp, and almost anything if I eat too much of it. I get hives if an insect bites me. I get hives if I am stressed. I think I have too much histamine in my system. I get both chronic and acute urticaria.

IOW, Ice cream!

 

[Demon]

I get hives too. Strawberries, shrimp, and almost anything if I eat too much of it. I get hives if an insect bites me. I get hives if I am stressed. I think I have too much histamine in my system. I get both chronic and acute urticaria.


FYI

Food Sensitivity? or Histamine Intolerance? | ENT and Allergy Associates

While you might think you have a specific food sensitivity, it may actually be an unknown histamine intolerance. Discover how ENT and Allergy Associates makes a diagnosis, and how to stay protected.

www.entandallergy.com

That sucks! I wish I had a reaction to something else. I love grapefruit juice. Grapefruit juice with a salted rim. Grapefruit juice with a salted rim and tequila....At least I can still drink it, just not a lot at a time.

 

[Missy]

That sucks! I wish I had a reaction to something else. I love grapefruit juice. Grapefruit juice with a salted rim. Grapefruit juice with a salted rim and tequila....At least I can still drink it, just not a lot at a time.

I’m sorry you get a reaction to it. I wonder what you’re reacting to specifically and if there’s something you can take to negate that effect so you can enjoy it more.

 

[Missy]

IOW, Ice cream!

Noooooooo. That is sacred
(But it has to be dairy and gluten free...luckily we found an amazing shoppe where they make the best ice cream home made and dairy and gluten free).

 

[Demon]

I’m sorry you get a reaction to it. I wonder what you’re reacting to specifically and if there’s something you can take to negate that effect so you can enjoy it more.

I have no idea. I was allergy tested a couple of years ago, and nothing came up, that I know of, pertaining to grapefruit. Its fine, I just don't overdo it. Especially with the tequila.

 

[Demon]

Nope, no idea I didn't ate anything unusual than normal.

That's weird.

 

[Missy]

I have no idea. I was allergy tested a couple of years ago, and nothing came up, that I know of, pertaining to grapefruit. Its fine, I just don't overdo it. Especially with the tequila.

Our bodies change with time. What we might not be allergic to in the past we now can be. I didn’t get eczema til I turned 40. Same with the food sensitivities.

 

[Demon]

Our bodies change with time. What we might not be allergic to in the past we now can be. I didn’t get eczema til I turned 40. Same with the food sensitivities.

Oh definitely. I didn't get eczema till my 50's. Or migraines either, which the doctor for medical weed always finds really odd.

 

[Missy]

Oh definitely. I didn't get eczema till my 50's. Or migraines either, which the doctor for medical weed always finds really odd.

Oh gosh that is unpleasant. I have never had migraines but when I had a brain MRI I had unidentified bright objects (UBOs) and the neurologist said that generally indicates migraine activity. But I’ve never had (and hope I never do) migraines.

I hope you get relief from them and that you don’t get them often.

 

[Demon]

Oh gosh that is unpleasant. I have never had migraines but when I had a brain MRI I had unidentified bright objects (UBOs) and the neurologist said that generally indicates migraine activity. But I’ve never had (and hope I never do) migraines.

I hope you get relief from them and that you don’t get them often.

They were never really bad - a headache and the visual disturbance, which oddly I seem to be able to neutralize with either an allergy pill (allergies are what sets my migraines off) or an aspirin (or 3) under my tongue till its dissolved. What has helped most (and I know I've said it on here so many time that everyone is sick of it, lol) is weed. I'd have migraines 2-3 a week, before I started vaporizing regularly, and now I may have one every 2-3 months. It will also stop one if I catch it in time.

 

[Missy]

They were never really bad - a headache and the visual disturbance, which oddly I seem to be able to neutralize with either an allergy pill (allergies are what sets my migraines off) or an aspirin (or 3) under my tongue till its dissolved. What has helped most (and I know I've said it on here so many time that everyone is sick of it, lol) is weed. I'd have migraines 2-3 a week, before I started vaporizing regularly, and now I may have one every 2-3 months. It will also stop one if I catch it in time.

Lol I’m not sick of hearing about it because this is the first time I’m reading it! Can you believe I’ve never smoked/vaporized/ingested weed? I can’t believe it myself

One day though I’m going to try it!


Glad your migraines are few and far between and that you have found the right treatment for you!

 

[Demon]

Lol I’m not sick of hearing about it because this is the first time I’m reading it! Can you believe I’ve never smoked/vaporized/ingested weed? I can’t believe it myself

One day though I’m going to try it!


Glad your migraines are few and far between and that you have found the right treatment for you!

Never? I started way back when I was 17. I didn't do it continuously throughout my life, but every now and then... And then when they legalized it here for medical, I started back more often. Four days a week. I'd do more, but I can get a little anxious with too much. And, I don't build up a tolerance and require more, this way. You be sure and let us know how you like it when you try it!

 

[BarbBe]

I can recommend Biologi BF Serum.

Bf Restore Face & Body Serum

A unique blend of fruit acids and Vitamin C that hydrates and softens to leave the skin feeling smooth and supple. Perfect for Hydration, Anti-Aging & Reducing Pigmentation.

www.biologi.com.au