My 5 top tips for eczema sufferers

[itchyhippy]

Hey there everyone
I have been on the forum a while now and have found that I often give out the same advise to lots of different people so, as someone who has suffered from eczema for about 20 years, here are my top tips on living with eczema.

1. Moisturise, Moisturise, Moisturise: One of the most important things to do. even when your skin is good, keeping it moisturised will help to keep it under control. especially during the harsh winter months that are always hard on our skin. try out different creams to find the one that works for you, there are tons out there and all are different. I remember one doctor saying to me once 'you can never use too much moisturiser'.

2. Get allergy tested: eczema and allergies go together like bread and butter and you will probably find that most eczema sufferers have allergies and as i was unhappy to discover last year, you can always develop new allergies. so even if you have been tested in the past, if you notice your skin has got worse and its impossible to get under control, it might be worth getting tested again. knowing what to avoid can help to avoid a massive break out.

3. Hassle your Doctors: i hear a lot of people on the forum complaining about GP's not helping them, or the treatments not working. Do not give up! different treatments work for different people so unfortunately it may be a case of trying everything until you find the one that works. Even if your doctors are not being helpful, make a nuisance of yourself - keep going back until you get what you want and if they still don't help you, find a different doctor. In my experience, some GP's are a lot more knowledgeable about skin conditions than others so change docs if you are not happy. DO NOT GIVE UP! trust me on this, I gave up going to the docs last year and believe me I regretted it. I was in so much agony through the winter and it was horrible for both me and my partner.

4. Talk to other sufferers: quite often it's easy to feel very alone with eczema, even if our loved ones are understanding and sympathetic, it can still feel like no-one knows what you're going through. but this just isn't true. There are thousands of us out there who suffer from it. I think a lot of the time we don't realise it because we all hide our skin under clothing so no-one will see and what does this achieve? thousands of eczema sufferers walking around, covered up, thinking they are the only one! come on to the forums - there are loads of other forums out there as well - and share your experiences, you will find that there are many people that deal with the same problems as you every day.

5. Remember that your skin will always appear worse to you than it does to everyone else: confidence is a big problem or us eczema sufferers, I know for a fact that as soon as my skin is bad, I get paranoid that people are looking at my skin and I feel very self conscious, but its important to remember that it will always appear worse to you than it does to others. how many times have you had a friend say to you 'damn i have a massive spot on my face' and you say 'where? what spot? i don't see anything'
well its the same for us. Just the other week i was having a bad skin day and my face was peeling really bad, i kept my hair over my face nearly all day when walking round town and was constantly paranoid that people were looking at my face and skin, later that night i was talking to my partner and complaining that my skin had been so bad and he said 'oh has it? i hadn't really noticed' and he was being completely honest as well. I was amazed - all that worrying for nothing!

So, These are just a few things that have helped me through the worst of it, I hope this helps some of you too. If anyone needs to talk, you can always drop me a private message on here. i'm happy to talk any time.
so, keep moisturised, Keep happy and most of all Keep Smiling

[longterm]

hi im longterm suffered with atomic excema now just under 53 yrs from my early age ive been bullied due to my condition i just say its their problem not mine THE BULLIE

ive tried nearly all treatments non have really worked cause i still suffer badly i reckon with my condition the way forward is the natural route ive consulted my GP

IVE JUST STARTED USING YOU SEE MY BROTHER LIVES AND WORKS IN MALAYSIA HAS SENT ME A SOAP KNOWN AS MOOR DONT KNOW WHETHER OBTAINABLE IN THE UK

AND ALSO USE A NATURAL MOITERISER ILL LET YOU KNOW THE OUTCOME

can i just say i only want to help you can always read about excema treaments

every understanding
LONGTERM sorry helpless typer

[sad-sack]

i have had eczema since birth i am 28 now and for me it just gets worse and worse yeah gp are a pain in the bum i have a new doctor a young guy.. he keeps saying there is nothing i can do for you, just learn to live with it and go away,he says all i can do is change your creams but you already on the strong stuff so there is no point, i have begged for an allergy test and he said no you dont need that it a genetic condition not environmental one so i said please send me to a dermatolagist and he said no it has to be really bad for me to do that, i have no skin on parts of my body i have eczema everywhere i dont have normal skin any more.i have given up going to see him now after hearing him begging him and even breaking down and crying for help. looking back i feel so ashamed of my self for doing that now. i am indoors all the time now i never go out i just use facebook and do online shopping i realy want to go out but i am scared of people looking and horrible thing thay may say my skin shows no signs of improvment ... but the sad truth is there is no cure and we do just have to live with it

[itchyhippy]

Reading your story makes me feel very sad it isn't right that you have been abandoned by your doctor. Is there any way you can change docs and see someone else? Yes it is a genetic condition, and it's true that we do have to learn to live with it, but there are treatments that can help us to cope with it. Have you tried oral steroids? I found that for a short term solution they can be really helpful. I would really suggest that you try to find another doctor - i hate to here of this neglect, its not right
I hope you find some kind of relief soon x

[tomgood]

I've just seen the most fantastic doctor.

I'm taking control of my own eczema via diet - strictly high-fat, low-carb (also referred to as Primal or Paleo). This has worked brilliantly so far - having completely cured it for the past two years - but due to a lapse over Christmas (plenty of sugar and starch), the eczema has returned.

She completely supported the way I'm dealing with it, and confirmed via blood tests that all cholesterol results were excellent, and that there were no underlying health issues that were causing it. She even confirmed that this diet is now being recommended by endocrinologists.

I'll report back in a couple of weeks, but I can't recommend this diet/lifestyle highly enough to anyone suffering (and believe me I understand - the itching; the bleeding; the shivering; the lack of sleep) with eczema. It does seem extreme at first, but it has revolutionised my life at a time when I really thought there was no hope left.

Feel free to PM me for more details - and no - I'm not selling anything. I just want this knowledge out there.

[Helen24]

Hi tomgood,

I've had eczema for about 5 years now, and was becoming desperate to find something which helped. The worst thing is the eczema on my face - sore, dry flaky skin plus a general 'unwell' feeling, the paranoia about being stared/laughed at, not being able to wear make-up, being angry & jealous of people who had perfectly beautiful flawless skin - it's endless. Then a few days ago I decided enough was enough & I was going to do some research into what causes it and what helps it.

I've spent hours trawling various health-advice sights and eczema forums and diet seems to be one of the most important things. So after the last few days of taking cod liver oil, reducing the amount of junk food & eating healthier, my skin looks fantastic. There are still some dry patches, but the colour of my skin has improved. I don't get that 'tight' feeling, or the urge to scratch all the dead skin cells off (something I was literally doing for about twenty minutes each morning). I really hope I can keep this up, as I'm going away with friends for a weekend soon and I just want to enjoy it rather than worry about my skin.

Good luck!


Helen

[gracechick2005]

Hi guys!

I've suffered with eczema since 9 months old as well, and am having a really hard time right now. I need lots of suggestions if at all possible. I just recently got married and was put on a steroid the week prior to getting married so my skin would be as close to perfect as the meds would allow...and trust me...it was so nice. However, the crash came, and i was so miserable and made myself so sick, that i had to go to the emergency room (Christmas night no fun). The lack of sleep from being up all night itching as well as the deep gashes all over my body was terrible. When the dr came in and told me that i had to go back on a steroid i absolutely refused. The weight gain side effect being the number one reason why. He told me that i HAD to be put back on a steroid in order for me to be able to relax and have some relief. So for the next three weeks, i was yet again as clear as i could be and loving it. Now that i'm off of the steroid, it has of course decided to flare up again. I'm not sure if it's just because i live in a small town with drs who arent quite sure of eczema and how to properly treat it or what, but i'm trying to reach out and find some sort of ways to control it. Ive found different sites that say not to use this ingredient or that one, but as far as shampoo/soap/laundry deter, what have you guys found that would help? I know different things work for different people but, i am just in such a deep hole that i cant seem to get out of it. Diet ideas are welcome too! Thanks so much guys. Honestly, your stories help out so much!

[tomgood]

Helen,

Sounds like you're taking much the same path as me. Best of luck with it.

Be aware that it's the carbohydrates (starches and sugar) which are the cause. Cut those, and the yeasts in your system will start to die off. The more you cut them, the more they will die off, and you can get side-effects from this in the short term. Drink plenty of water to flush the toxins through your system. And make sure you replace the carbs in your diet with fat - you still need your energy from somewhere.

Look up "anti-candida diet" - but be aware that any grain or sugar (including fruit - essentially anything that will ferment with yeast) can keep the yeast alive. Some anti-candida diets recommend some grains over others. I'd suggest cutting them all - more the "primal" or "paleo" diet. (I don't mean the one that advocates raw meat.)

All the very best,
Tom.

[Helen24]

Thanks Tom.

It's amazing how making just a few small changes to my diet has improved things. It could also be because last week I was really stressed about a Uni exam and also my sister's relationship broke up so I was worried about her. It seems obvious now, but isn't it weird how our bodies behave?

I've stopped eating bread for breakfast, and switched to cereal with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds & almonds, and I'm drinking loads more water instead of fizzy drinks. The only thing I am concerned about is upping my fat intake - I'm a bit overweight already and don't really want to put any more on. Any advice?

[tomgood]

Helen,

Sounds like a good move so far.
Advice? Yes... Don't be afraid of fat. Be afraid of carbohydrate (starches and sugar). That's what will put on weight.

In the two and a half years I've been doing a low-carb diet and upping my fat intake considerably, I've lost 2.5 st (around 15 kg) in weight, and I've had my cholesterol checked twice (last time around two weeks ago) and it's extremely healthy.
My wife, seeing my success, has followed the same diet and lost 3 st (around 20 kg).

Side effects have been - loss of eczema; improved digestion (I won't go into detail...); and loss of my wife's hayfever.

So - ditch the cereals for breakfast, and have bacon and eggs instead! Seriously.

Look up "big fat lies" on YouTube for more details. (no affiliation - and still not trying to sell anything...)

Best wishes,
Tom.