Don't know what to do.

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Roxijayne
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 11:13 pm
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by Roxijayne on Tue Jan 11, 2011 11:40 pm

Don't know what to do.

I'm 21 and have had Eczema all my life.
I have tried and tested so many different types of creams, I've been to different Doctors at my GP but nothing is working. The creams work for about a week then they stop, I have a little girl and I am at college and it is affect me in both areas. I'm so tired from scratching at night and I'm sore on my legs so I just don't want to move.
I am at a lose as to what else I can, as the Doctors just keep giving me the same creams over and over again.
I'm embarrassed to do anything where people will see it, as it covers all my arms and my legs.
It is affecting my life real bad now :(

lucyconnor
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2011 11:14 pm
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by lucyconnor on Sat Jan 15, 2011 12:51 am

Re: Don't know what to do.

Keep going to your GP!! Eventually they will realise that they have to do something else.

Also, have you tried Piriton to stop the itching at night?

tomgood
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2011 1:05 pm
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by tomgood on Mon Jan 17, 2011 1:43 pm

Re: Don't know what to do.

Sorry to hear about your problem.

I have similarly suffered with eczema for some time. I hope I can offer some useful advice.

My eczema reached a peak around three years ago during which I would have to sleep in the bath to calm the itching, and I couldn't concentrate on anything other than the crawling sensation across my skin. I began to keep a food diary to log what might be causing it, as I've long believed that it isn't to do with treating the skin on the outside, but some dietary factor which was causing it from within.

Eventually, I isolated the causing factor. It wasn't a particular food item like tomatoes or dairy - it was trickier than that, and more pervasive.

I realised that it was the sugars and starches in my diet which were causing the problem. Shortly after a meal involving either of these, my skin would begin to itch uncontrollably again.

For the human body, the gut is the window to the world, controlling immunity against anything we may be encountering. The gut is usually a community of organisms - bacteria and some yeasts - living in balance.
Atopic eczema seems to be due to an overgrowth of yeasts within the gut, which then upsets the balance on the skin outside in some way (possibly via "leaky gut" syndrome).

By cutting right back on all sugars (including honey, malt - anything that's sweet basically) and just as importantly starches (grains, breads, potatoes, etc.) which are the substances that fungus and yeast can grow on - it rebalances the gut flora, and brings the skin back to a normal status.

Within hours of giving up sugar and starch, my skin had stopped the "uncontrollable" itch. The redness improved over the next few days, and the flaking almost ceased. It took a couple more weeks for the rest to subside, but it eventually completely disappeared, along with a bunch of other health problems.

In case I wasn't sure if this really was the cause - if I cheat on the diet, it always starts to creep back.
At Christmas, I "cheated" very badly indeed, with a major carb feast including large amounts of chocolate, mince pies, Christmas pudding etc.. Boy have I paid for it!

The eczema came back with a vengeance. Though I knew how to get it back under control, I visited the doctor to discuss the problem as it seems wrong not to be able to tolerate carbohydrates (sugar and starch). He put me on a course of antibiotics for a "skin infection". The result - the eczema is worse than ever. Reason - antibiotics kill bacteria, but not yeast. I should have known better...

Two days off the course of antibiotics and it is already calming down considerably. I'm assisting bacterial regrowth by supplementing with probiotics and probiotic yoghurt. Definitely no sugar or starch.

So - my advice. Research "low-carb" "Primal" or "Paleo" food and nutrition. Take no shortcuts - do it properly. Cut out sugar and starch. We are animals, and as such we have to understand ourselves as animals. The modern diet is causing us a variety of health issues, including eczema. It may seem drastic at first, but I was at the end of my tether - I'm sure many here feel the same way. The more you look into it as a way of life, the more it makes sense.

I hope that's of some help.

Helen24
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Jan 20, 2011 8:56 pm
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by Helen24 on Fri Jan 21, 2011 5:43 pm

Re: Don't know what to do.

Hi tomgood

It's interesting that diet is at the root of eczema. I've never got as far as sleeping in the bath, but I have spent endless sleepless nights with itchy legs and back. Sometimes my back would be so bad I couldn't even lie down. The worst thing though is facial eczema, as you can't cover it up. I've made small changes to my diet over the last few days and I can really see a difference already.

Helen

JulieR
Posts: 29
Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2008 3:17 pm
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by JulieR on Tue Jan 25, 2011 4:55 am

Re: Don't know what to do.

My daughter was the same way. She had horrible excema. We switched to safer laundry, personal care and cleaning supplies and that pretty much saved her life. She still had a bit of dry skin here and there so we did a food elimination diet that helped us find food triggers that caused her sensitivites. She has had clear skin for almost 8 years now. What a blessing that I no longer need to bandage her, cover her arms and legs so she doesn't get the looks and she can sleep through the night without waking in horrible itching.

judith patrick
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2014 7:32 am
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by judith patrick on Tue Jun 24, 2014 7:36 pm

Re: Don't know what to do.

Not troubled with skin rashes but looking for answer to chest pressure after eating salmon for dinner with new potatoes with round of sliced danish loaf for tea could i be allergic starches as it magnifies after bread, any help, Judy P

k_shuttleworth88
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Nov 19, 2014 7:33 pm
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by k_shuttleworth88 on Wed Nov 19, 2014 7:48 pm

Re: Don't know what to do.

I had childhood eczema that was only on my hands and feet, then at 23 I had a reaction to the medication accutane and I ended up with full blown eczema from the neck down. I have been experimenting with creams, body washes and pills. I have finally found a regimen that works pretty well for me after trying so many different things for the past 3 years. I use a hypoallergenic laundry detergent. I use a body wash and a lotion from Polysporin called "eczema essentials". I apply the lotion within 3 minutes of showering to lock in the moisture. Within the first day of using these I noticed a HUGE difference, my eczema was probably 50% less, now it is about 90% less, I still have a bit on my under arms. I don't shower with hot water anymore I keep it warm. I also take an Omega-3 supplement once a day with a meal from Webber Naturals. Seems to work for me, I had tried the Aveeno eczema line and found that it left my skin with a very wet/greasy feel. Anyways I hope this helps, the products are quite expensive but it's worth it not to be itching everyday.

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Marcie Mom
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Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2012 3:30 pm
Location: Singapore
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by Marcie Mom on Thu Nov 20, 2014 3:37 am

Re: Don't know what to do.

Thanks for the share! Yes, locking in moisture 3 minutes after shower is key! It prevents water from evaporating from skin after shower and not toweling till very dry, i.e just dab, also helps as moisturizer seals a little water over the skin.

Great to hear things working out!
Mei
Mei
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Mei - Founder of http://www.EczemaBlues.com and Mom to Marcie
Visit Mei on her talkhealth blog all about eczema http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/blog/author/mei_m/

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Marcie Mom
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Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2012 3:30 pm
Location: Singapore
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by Marcie Mom on Mon Dec 08, 2014 7:12 am

Re: Don't know what to do.

Yes, a few general rules on moisturizer choice - fewer ingredients better, without common skin irritant ingredients, affordable that you can use 2-4xs/day for whole body, the more water, the more likely to have preservatives, the first ingredient is the one with highest %

Take care!
Mei
Mei
Forum Moderator
talkhealth moderation team


Mei - Founder of http://www.EczemaBlues.com and Mom to Marcie
Visit Mei on her talkhealth blog all about eczema http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/blog/author/mei_m/

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