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Managing eczema?

  • 08-03-2014 4:26pm
    #1
    daveyboynire
    Registered Users Posts: 105 ✭✭


    I've had Eczema all my life (32 now) as a kid I was tortured, I was put on various emollient creams and liquids for the bath and if I'm honest damn all worked.

    Then I hit my teens and got sent to a dermatologist, he put me on Eumovate steroid cream and emollient, the way we worked it was used the Eumovate to clear up the flair ups, once cleared up onto the emollient, this worked great for years however now my doctor in his wisdom has said I have been using steroids to long and now since I was a child I am once again covered.

    I have been to the doctor who says "Just keep using emollient cream - 2/3 times per day" what the doctor doesn't understand not being a sufferer is once you put this stuff on a flair up all it does is aggravate it. In theory emollient cream should be perfect but to be honest I have found them all rubbish and I have been on everything from Oilatum to Diprobase to 50 50 paraffin, they are all one in the same, the only thing which actually worked was steroid cream which I know is bad for the skin hence why I only used it on flair ups but now I can't even do this.

    So need advice on managing this?


Comments

  • #2
    puntosporting
    Registered Users Posts: 801 ✭✭✭puntosporting


    Change your doctor!


  • #3
    Burkatron
    Registered Users Posts: 1,877 ✭✭✭Burkatron


    daveyboynire wrote: »
    I've had Eczema all my life (32 now) as a kid I was tortured, I was put on various emollient creams and liquids for the bath and if I'm honest damn all worked.

    Then I hit my teens and got sent to a dermatologist, he put me on Eumovate steroid cream and emollient, the way we worked it was used the Eumovate to clear up the flair ups, once cleared up onto the emollient, this worked great for years however now my doctor in his wisdom has said I have been using steroids to long and now since I was a child I am once again covered.

    I have been to the doctor who says "Just keep using emollient cream - 2/3 times per day" what the doctor doesn't understand not being a sufferer is once you put this stuff on a flair up all it does is aggravate it. In theory emollient cream should be perfect but to be honest I have found them all rubbish and I have been on everything from Oilatum to Diprobase to 50 50 paraffin, they are all one in the same, the only thing which actually worked was steroid cream which I know is bad for the skin hence why I only used it on flair ups but now I can't even do this.

    So need advice on managing this?

    Dave, I've been the same since I was 11 or 12 (31 now) so know your pain! They've taken you off the steroid treatment because of Skin Atrophy, it's not something you want happening!

    I've tried so much over the years & found that using sea salt water on the skin & aveeno Dermexma everyday to be the best non steroidal treatment going!

    Canesten & 1% Cortisone cream being my go to when I get bad but I haven't since started the other 2! You can buy these separate over the counter but need prescription for the combi cream? Gas


  • #4
    rubadub
    Registered Users Posts: 32,373 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    I have been eating mackerel which is high in vitamin D and omega 3 oils. Getting sunlight will help natural vitamin D production too, which should help.

    I have also had great improvements since cutting out "nightshade" fruit & vegetables about 2 months ago. The main ones are white potatoes, tomatoes & peppers (chilli & bell, black pepper is OK).

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1165509/My-cure-eczema-cutting-deadly-nightshade-says-MasterChef-judge-John-Torode.html

    http://www.foodsmatter.com/allergy_intolerance/nightshade/articles/potatoes_morrow_b_08_11.html


  • #5
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,086 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    This should really be in the LTI Forum. I'm a Psoriasis sufferer which is very similar so i'll try and help.
    First thing you need to do is change your Doctor. This advice to stop using steroids altogether is absolutely incorrect. Steroids should of course be used sparingly but I personally wouldn't be able to manage without the steroid ointment (I use Dovobet 0.5%).
    Atrophy is a danger but with the correct treatment regime this should be a minimal risk. For the past year I use Dovonex Cream which is a Vitamin D supplement during the week and then the corticosteroid at weekends so only 2 days of 7. Then during flare ups I would use the steroid daily for as long as is needed to get it under control.
    In my experience, emollients and moisturisers dont work unless the skin is really calm and its hard to keep it that way for a long period. Ive tried that oilatum bath stuff that the OP mentions and it really did nothing for me. Those things cost a fortune and IMO don't work. I have a really fantastic GP that I wish I found 1 years ago when I was diagnosed because since i've been with him i've come on an unbelievable amount.
    So my advice is to get a new doctor and get on a treatment plan that works for you.


  • #6
    daveyboynire
    Registered Users Posts: 105 ✭✭daveyboynire


    ryanf1 wrote: »
    This should really be in the LTI Forum. I'm a Psoriasis sufferer which is very similar so i'll try and help.
    First thing you need to do is change your Doctor. This advice to stop using steroids altogether is absolutely incorrect. Steroids should of course be used sparingly but I personally wouldn't be able to manage without the steroid ointment (I use Dovobet 0.5%).
    Atrophy is a danger but with the correct treatment regime this should be a minimal risk. For the past year I use Dovonex Cream which is a Vitamin D supplement during the week and then the corticosteroid at weekends so only 2 days of 7. Then during flare ups I would use the steroid daily for as long as is needed to get it under control.
    In my experience, emollients and moisturisers dont work unless the skin is really calm and its hard to keep it that way for a long period. Ive tried that oilatum bath stuff that the OP mentions and it really did nothing for me. Those things cost a fortune and IMO don't work. I have a really fantastic GP that I wish I found 1 years ago when I was diagnosed because since i've been with him i've come on an unbelievable amount.
    So my advice is to get a new doctor and get on a treatment plan that works for you.

    I don't know what its like down south but up north there seems to be a shortage of doctors or something, For the past 2 years or so, any time I visit my doctor I get a different locum doctor, without fail, who I guess have there own way of doing things.

    I agree steroids are needed, I went yesterday and spent £7 on a tiny 15g tube of Eumovate cream in the chemist, prescriptions up here are free so I usually got a 50g tube for nothing on prescription.

    I might phone my doctors again, chances are i'll get a different doctor again with different ideas.


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  • #7
    daveyboynire
    Registered Users Posts: 105 ✭✭daveyboynire


    rubadub wrote: »
    I have been eating mackerel which is high in vitamin D and omega 3 oils. Getting sunlight will help natural vitamin D production too, which should help.

    I have also had great improvements since cutting out "nightshade" fruit & vegetables about 2 months ago. The main ones are white potatoes, tomatoes & peppers (chilli & bell, black pepper is OK).

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1165509/My-cure-eczema-cutting-deadly-nightshade-says-MasterChef-judge-John-Torode.html

    http://www.foodsmatter.com/allergy_intolerance/nightshade/articles/potatoes_morrow_b_08_11.html

    The problem I have is I am allergic to fish, something that developed the time my IBS started, I can't tolerate anything fist related or I am stuck on the loo :mad: Which annoys me as I used to love fish.


  • #8
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,086 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    daveyboynire wrote: »
    I don't know what its like down south but up north there seems to be a shortage of doctors or something, For the past 2 years or so, any time I visit my doctor I get a different locum doctor, without fail, who I guess have there own way of doing things.

    I agree steroids are needed, I went yesterday and spent £7 on a tiny 15g tube of Eumovate cream in the chemist, prescriptions up here are free so I usually got a 50g tube for nothing on prescription.

    I might phone my doctors again, chances are i'll get a different doctor again with different ideas.
    I hadn't realised you were in the north. What is a problem here is that the majority of female doctors only work part time hours so you cant get them at certain times and it tends to make the full time doctors busier.
    I used to attend a large group practice and left for the reasons you describe. At the time I was recovering from surgery for something unrelated to my skin and wasn't doing so well. I would have been in there once a week for a while and rarely with the same person. I have quite a long and complicated medical history so I was just having to explain everything over and over again.
    I left there after that amd moved to a smaller practice with 2 or sometimes 3 doctors and all I can say is I wish I did it years ago. He has changed how I deal with my skin and is great with the other problems I have too


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