At War

It's been awhile since I last wrote. Must remember to never become blaise even when it appears the skin has recovered. Am at war with my skin again.


The face has fought with me as it really hates the winter central heating. I like the place cold but no one else does! Anyhow appear to have got this now under better control with constant heavy moisturising.

With repeated nagging from someone within my group, had to apply someone's 0.5% cortisone cream under the eye as that was really bad on the 3rd day of presenting technical babble to a group. That one application seems to have helped greatly having burned off a part of the bad skin. Two weeks later the eye has continued to heal. Hmmm.

At the end of December I started to having round flakey patches on my legs that became progressively itchy. I thought it was ring worm and treated it with an antifungal cream. This appeared to increase the itchiness. The round flakey patches continued to spread gradually up the body. It appears to be a cross between eczema and psoriasis. My cousin gave me some cream that supposedly has helped other eczema sufferers but it appears to have irritated mine. But my skin is fickle. It now likes the heavier petroleum based emollient Epiderm. So am going along with that for the moment.

Doc thinks it is discoid (or nummelar) eczema so has prescribed a cortisone cream. Am dabbling with it to at the very least stop the spread. So have applied it for the last 6 days and then easing off it.

However, re-reading my own blog, I realise I need to be more patient to have a longer term heal. As it is Spring better get some sun on the skin. Has anyone seen the sun today?

Words For Christopher
Thank you for your comment. Very difficult to pin your trigger on one environmental factor. Have found when my eczema is out of control, anything can appear to be "the trigger". So cooler showers might help plus a cooler environment. I keep my heating temperature regulated at 15-17 degs C. Any warmer and the body tells me about it.

In my tool kit are herbal teas as it appears to psychologically make my body calmer. Think it is the smell and taste (have been drinking fenel and an after dinner tea that does not contain caffeine).

Hopefully your training outside will keep things calmer as well. Good luck with the marathon in April :-)

Oh and beware of those nasty "chemi"gels that are supposed to help support your running. Try getting used to breakfast cereal bars, flapjacks, etc or something that will help give you longer lasting energy rather than a short lived sugar high.

Spoke too Soon

Oh well.....After an allergic reaction to prawn paste, my entire face decided to have a melt down.

Oh well.....so now fighting to get my face back to normality. Red, flakey patches are being hit with tons of cream. The worst for me are the itchy eyes.

Oh well.....as I said before atopic eczema always hangs around. So will have to be on my guard.

Taking vit E and cod liver oil for the winter period

Still Free?

There has been a lack of blogging because my skin has been totally free of eczema. It has been feeling smooth and silky, back to normal since June this year.

Having reflected on this year, there appears to be one thing that stands out for me - transitioning from prescribed emollients/creams to mineral commercial creams. At first I would use up a 250 ml bottle in one week with continuous use. Now it takes about 2 months for me to use up that same bottle as my skin has been incredibly good.

Why should this be the difference? My year has been dogged by a lot of stress and it is often said that stress brings out eczema. Perhaps I have dealt with my stress by not taking anything personally and letting it fall off like "water off a duck's back"......but it sure has been an extremely stressful year and therefore I should be covered in eczema.

Perhaps my skin is good due to a combination of changes since starting this blog and thus has made the last transition possible. Or perhaps really the prescribed emollients/creams, although initially were good, were actually poisoning my system or making my system addicted to it. After all those who use lip balm find they have to use more of it as their lips feel continuously dry. Bet if they stopped using a paraffin based lip balm and use a mineral based lip balm, their lips will feel better.

My cynical view is, make a customer addicted to a product means you sell more product!

I recently tried a commercial paraffin based cream for the winter months, my skin give me "danger" indications. I have thus decided to not use it any more. So perhaps I can ascertain that the paraffin based "stuff" is certainly bad for me long term. I have heard other eczema sufferers say the same thing!

BUT the winter months are upon us and that means the dreaded heating is back on.

You will know that if I have not written anything here then the skin has managed to combat the drying effects of winter heating.......Let's hope I have nothing more to write about except to say "my skin is feeling GREAT!"

Sunshine & Summer

It is so good to be able to wear shorts and t-shirts day and night
To have cold showers makes me feel quite right
My skin looks good and am able to apply a light lotion
Instead of depending on the doctor's potion

Yes - at the moment my skin has been really good since May
Have been physically very active and have seen a vast improvement.

Hmmm - let you know when winter comes along

Detox Teas

"Drinking detox teas are supposed to help increase general health and the sense of well being by helping to remove toxins from your body."

My mother introduced me to "detox teas". Did I believe they would help....no not at all! Just another marketing fad. However, I do believe that part of the cause of eczema is from the body's lack of ability to effectively and efficiently remove toxins. Have always toyed with the idea of "colon cleansing" but truthfully it's an expense that seems un-natural to do.

Anyway personally have found "detox teas" appear to have a calming effect. Perhaps this might be psychosomatic but if it helps - why not. So now I have a stash of detox teas in my cupboard that are drunk when am feeling tired itchy/menstrual itchy.

Though have noted on the box that if you are pregnant - you shouldn't drink some of the herbs in the detox bag's concoction.

Are the Vitamins Working?

Nails and hair are growing. Skin has had less dry patches so yes I believe they have made a difference. Now just doing damage control from scratching.

Clean sheets and a clean room definitely make a difference :-)

Vitamin D3 + Vitamin E + a good dose of Exercise

Vitamins
Since Thursday 22nd December, I have regularly been taking Vitamin D3 and Vitamin E. So after 2.5 weeks, the skin texture does seem to have improved. Itching has lessened and dry spots havenot been appearing as frequently if at all.

If I can bear a luke warm shower, than the skin is certainly calmer than taking a hot shower......
I know, I know.....if you have been following me, you will say I should know better. After all a hot shower strips away the moisture your skin needs to keep. Discipline has been lacking.

Exercise
Yes - the sweat has again been bothering me. After giving away my water bottles on an expedition, have been drinking about two cups a day, which is hardly drinking. But it feels like my sweat is kicking out whatever garbage I've been eating over Christmas and it does leave me with an itch free night. I have taken 1/2 an antihistamine before sport which does seem to ensure (maybe it might be psychological) I am less itchy when I sweat.

Anyway I've got to do more training. I have a long 135 mile race to prepare for!

Naomi - I will write something for you from my own experience about helping your child cope with eczema on my next post.