An Hour Itch

Last night it took 2 hours for the itch to go away. I also iced the area. Everytime I wanted to scratch it, I iced it again with a frozen pack I keep in the freezer. Watched a bit of TV to take my mind of the itch and soon everything settled down. It was 3am when I went to bed with skin feeling calm.

Late Night Scratch - Contact Itch

Right now it's late......really late......nearly 2am.....my neck has been itching like crazy. Think I might have accidently rubbed dust on it as have been moving dusty stuff around. So I did a light scratch. But it never is a light scratch. So now am up in the wee morning trying to sort it out. Have had a wash, changed my towel and had an antihistamine as I had started with a light scratch that turned into something more aggressive.

Now to keep my hands occupied, playing on the internet seems the best to do at this moment......so have to think soft peaceful thoughts......

Slow Reactions

I am 99% sure now that I have been having a slow reaction to Emulsifying Ointment. It is now placed in my "evil list" along with sudocream. Neither actually helps reduce the symptoms of eczema nor do they help moisturise the skin. Sudocream acts more like a barrier cream and is just expensive crap. Emulsifying Ointment just seems to be another toxin to my skin and is cheap crap.

I started using Emulsifying Ointment (EO) in February when I finished my last lot of Epaderm Emollient. My skin was soooo much better then. I foolishly thought that it would be okay to go back to my previous emollient of EO. It seemed to moisturise the skin and I really had no reaction to it, so I thought.....

My skin became progressively worst over the next couple of months. I blamed it on everything from the weather to food to my room being dusty. I improved all these and although that helped a little, my skin was still feeling rubbish and began to continually flake. Soon my body was infected from scratching it so much. Spots with heads/pus were appearing all over the legs, arms, torso and some on the neck and face. I started salt baths again. The condition was worsening. I began to think the unthinkable, that I'd have to start applying an antibiotic steroid cream to get my skin back under control but I was admanant that I would keep off that stuff as I had not found what was aggrevating my skin. Using the stuff would only be a desperate measure for temporary relief. I had to understand what was causing the relentless itchiness especially when I went to bed.

Note: doctors prescribe steroid creams and antibiotic because they are treating the symptoms. They are not attacking the source. Using the steroid creams is pointless and damages the skin. Yes it stops the itchiness temporarily and is appropriate for folks who have had an unexpected temporary reaction to something. Eczema sufferers have to become detectives and understand the factors that are exacerbating their own conditions. These factors need to be removed/changed in order for any real long term healing to occur.

It was only a week ago when I had forgotten the EO at home and was working away. Went to the pharmacy for some more EO. They had no more and so I asked for a tub of Epaderm. After I got off the floor when they told me how much a tub cost, I purchased a tub. I needed an emollient desperately as my skin was dry and still flaking. After a couple of days of usage the flakey skin stopped. Yes the flakey skin stopped and the skin actually began to feel moisturised. I now think the body has to work on expelling all the EO that I applied for the last 3 months.

For the infection, I wiped a disinfectant on them. Doc has warned me about doing that as it is harsh on the skin, but sometimes I get a little desperate. I have now calmed down about it and am clearing up the infection with:

- sleep - I am knocking myself out for the week with anti-histamines as I keep waking up at night finding myself gouging out skin. The antihistamines are a necessary evil for with a lack of sleep, the body feels constantly itchy. With sleep, the skin feels rested!

- drinking a teaspoon of tumeric. My mother recommends I also apply it on my skin for its antiseptic properties and it does appear to dry up the spots faster. However it does make your skin yellow and can stain your clothes.

- bathing with coal tar soap.

Reducing the Itch
With having swapped the emollient out, the itch intensity has definitely reduced. However I try to aid the healing process.

Food definitely plays a role in how itchy I am going to be when I exercise and sweat. Eating salads does help as well as trying to drink at least 2 litres a day. I actually have not got to this "magic" 2 litres but at least I am drinking at least a litre, where once upon a time I only used to drink a couple of glasses of water.

Someone has switched off the heating outside despite it being summer and one wonders if the volcano has a role here, spewing particles into the sky that reflect the heat back. However managed to go for a run in my shorts. The legs have thanked me for giving them a little sunlight by also reducing the itch intensity at night. It could also be again because it is colder at night.

I am also cleaning my bed clothes regularly (every other day) and vacuuming my room due to an increase in skin droppings.

The skin is slowly improving again. Sleep helps a lot but I believe when the toxic Emulsifying Ointment is totally out of my system I will get back to a state that I was earlier on in January.....less itchy days and better skin.

So check what you are applying to your skin if your symptoms are still persisting. Temporarily change your moisturiser to see if it is your moisturiser!