Does anyone else hafta use steroids almost all the time?

[BeccatheGreat]

My eczema is horrible on my hands and feet, mostly my feet. My ankles and toe knuckles are the worst parts, along with my wrists and fingers/knuckles. I hate having to use steroids. The strongest thing I use is 0.1% Triamcinolone, but I use either 2.5% cortisone or OTC cortisone almost every day. I am sensitive to latex so I hafta watch about wearing tennis shoes (foam inner). I just don't know what to do anymore. My hands are in water a lot doing dishes, and I always have on socks and some sort of shoe. Ugh sorry for all the whiney posts lately. I feel bad venting to DH since he's been sickly the past week, and I really have no one else to talk to. :sigh:

[megameg]

:bighug: I'm right there with 'ya. Winter is the worst.

[romanlili]

When I had it really bad I always had to.

:hugs:

[chickipoo]

:hugs:

[bearista]

Becca...it sound like you and I are in the same boat. I have been using .05% Clobetasol Proprionate (may have spelled it a bit wrong) ointment almost daily.

I am also allergic to the chemical in rubber products...ugh!

Anyway, what I have been doing to cope w/all the daily "wet work" is to wear cotton gloves from CVS and then cover them with the Purple Nitrate gloves from Walmart. You shouldn't be allergic to the purple gloves, but I still wear the cotton ones as a barrier, because sweat seems to be a catalyst for my eczema/dermatitis. I do this when I wash the kids, wash my hair, wash dishes, touch wet laundry.

It hasn't eliminated the irritation, but it has been much more manageable.

HTH and big :hugs: It is so maddening and depressing and painful! :hugs:
~~~~~~~
Oh and I hate to say it, but my youngest weaned about a week ago, and I have seen improvement since then. Sadly, my skin problems were stressing both of us out and weaning came more abruptly than I had hoped or planned :( Sigh.

[BeccatheGreat]

You know even my nipples and areolas are chapped from Lucas nursing. He only nurses 3 times a day now but you can see what part goes in his mouth.
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[eapoosmama]

eczema is an internal issue first. you might do well talking to a holistic practitioner and get off the roids.

also, getting rid of ALL commercial detergents and only using natural (for me, cold press) soaps made huge differences.

[BeccatheGreat]

Is cold press the same as cold process? I can't really use much soap either, it dries me out and stings.
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[JustJacqueline]

eczema is an internal issue first. you might do well talking to a holistic practitioner and get off the roids.

also, getting rid of ALL commercial detergents and only using natural (for me, cold press) soaps made huge differences.
where do u find these>?

[Lauramaynot]

I have had bad eczema since I was a baby...it def. flares up in winter when it is dry and puberty was the worst! I actually was on oral steroids for 3 weeks when I was 13 because I had such a bad case on my face and neck. I think the best thing to do is get to a good dermatologist. A regular family doc may prescribe TAC that can help control it along with your bathing/soap/laundry/humidifier routines which is great if your mostly clear. However if your having a flare up that you can't get under control, you need to get to someone who can help you do that. My bad flare ups are usually hormonally driven, but if I get sick or my immune system is compromised, I flare and I get a secondary infection...which is the gross oozy thing :twitch: I have needed to mix antibiotics in with the TAC to get it cleared up. There are also bleach baths (http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/eczema/news/20090427/bleach-baths-may-help-kids-with-ezcema) which sound crazy, but when I swim alot during the summer I clear right up...so maybe that is worth trying...

[G&SMomma]

We have it in our house too and find that we're not near as bad if we take probiotics regularly.