Recently Diagnosed with Eczema - So many Questions!!!
Over the past 15 months my skin has had this rash. Last October -
2004 it started with just a small patch on my thigh. It spread on
my back, butt, and thighs and by this December - 2005, it had
literally taken over my entire body. I had oodles of blood work
done - it all came back perfectly normal and I had a patch
biopsied - which revealed only that I had irritated skin cells -
it’s apparently not an allergic reaction to anything - and it’s not
a bacteria. The diagnosis was: Dry skin Ezcema. What is strange,
though, is that it doesn’t itch - at all! Ezcema is always supposed
to itch. My rash hurts, is sensitive to the touch, and radiates
like sunburn. I’ve been treating the rash with all kinds of creams
and the derm wants to put me on Prednisone - which I don’t want to
take - especially if it’s only a treatment and not a cure.
Prednisone is nasty - with horrible side effects. It could have
been aggrivated by all the stress in my life - who knows. They say
it takes 21 days to make a habit, or you have to do something 40X
until it becomes a routine; therefore, I guess this is Day 1:
Yesterday started out well (That’s never a good sign).
Breakfast: Kashi Go Lean
Lunch: 1 piece of ham on very thing (super thin) bread with light
mayo (1tsp)
Snack: Crackers and coffee
Dinner: Tomato Bisque soup and salad
Dessert: 4 homemade chocolate chip cookies that my husband made
while I was working upstairs!
H came home from work with wine and flowers! Too bad for him that
TOM is here. Ughhh - which probably made the CC cookies
irresistable.
Over the past 15 months my skin has had this rash. Last October -
2004 it started with just a small patch on my thigh. It spread on
my back, butt, and thighs and by this December - 2005, it had
literally taken over my entire body. I had oodles of blood work
done - it all came back perfectly normal and I had a patch
biopsied - which revealed only that I had irritated skin cells -
it’s apparently not an allergic reaction to anything - and it’s not
a bacteria. The diagnosis was: Dry skin Ezcema. What is strange,
though, is that it doesn’t itch - at all! Ezcema is always supposed
to itch. My rash hurts, is sensitive to the touch, and radiates
like sunburn, but it doesn’t itch. Does anyone have symptoms like
mine? I’ve been treating the rash with all kinds of creams - the
latest is Clobex. Has anyone ever heard of it? Protopic did
nothing for me! The derm wants to put me on Prednisone - which I
don’t want to take - especially if it’s only a treatment and not a
cure. Prednisone is nasty - with horrible side effects. It could
have been aggrivated by all the stress in my life - who knows.
I’ve been using Aquaphor, taking Zyrtec, and using a daily
supplement of flaxseed oil and fish oil. - So far - just when it
seems to get under control - it starts to appear in new places.
The only place left is my face! - I suspect that the steroid
cream works - but then also causes the eczema to come back in new
places - I think that the eczema is increasing its resitance to the
cream! Is that crazy??? Should I try the prednisone? Is there a
chance that it could knock it out all-together?