March 1997 Eczema Mailing List Archive

Royce: Yes, we all have this problem. That's part of the struggle living with this condition for a lifetime. It's a series of on-going problem-solving situations. What worked today triggers a reaction tomorrow and we're off on another trial and error series of experiments to find something else that works for awhile. Those of us who are lifers have to accept this. We don't have to like it, but we have to accept it. 

Whether it's things we're allergic to, or treatments for relief, it's always changing. We are like the Borg on Star Trek, always adapting to a new situation. That's part of the reason why some things are great for some people and bad for others. It's the timing. Maybe it would be good at another time, but not right now. Living with eczema requires tolerating the unpredictability of it. Again, we don't have to like it, but we have to resign ourselves to it.

There is an advantage to this. We have more experience in adapting to things in the world that are always changing. That is, if we apply our eczema skills elsewhere. Those of you out there who are also lifers, what other advantages have you noticed?

EJ was exclusively breast fed until 8 months due to suspected allergies. Stools were infrequent (low butterfat on my part due to mostly vegetarian diet) and trouble-free. As soon as we introduced solids, he began having trouble with constipation. The oddest thing is that he eats carrots, cut-up grapes, green beans, turkey and chicken bits, prunes, steamed apples, etc. I withhold bananas (though he loves them!) and potatoes. He can not tolerate ANY grain and eczema flares up with rice, too.

His stools are not hard and pellet-like now, but he strains and cries out so much. Some days I change a half-dozen or more small BMs. His bottom REALLY gets aggravated when it is like this. I am using Colace in his watered down apple juice and water, but he drinks the least of all my children.

I used a ped. enema for the first time once this month. We were BOTH so relieved when it had done its work. He slept all night and was agreeable for DAYS. I am reluctant to ever establish a pattern of assisting him like that. I would like to help with diet. But then, eczema babies have such weird diets.

Ring any bells out there?

I understand that the parents out there are doing their best to deal with their children's conditions. However, in reading all the postings, I notice that there is a consistent attempt to avoid steroid use. While I applaud questioning doctors' advice and searching for safe alternatives, I feel compelled to say the following about the use of steroids.

I have used steroids every single day for 40 YEARS and only recently began to notice the side effects. In considering the use of steroids, remember that when they say "long-term" side effects, there is a good chance that long-term means many years. If a child's misery can be alleviated by a reasonable amount of steroids for a relatively brief amount of time, then it's worth it. If my parents had been scared off of steroids, I would have committted suicide long ago... 

Royce asked about sunscreens. I use E45 sunscreen. I seem to remember it's SPF 25. It does leave a white film on your body, but it suits me. It might be too strong for some though - I burn at the drop of a (sun) hat.

We also got Desown from the derm. the mid of december, I use it very sparingly on my son (2.5 years) and I have to admit it does help. But like you it worries me to use it so I try to use it as the last resort. I think seasons has a lot to do with the problems, I am holding my breath for spring.

I have two girls with eczema 3 1/2 and 1 1/2. I have them on a restricted diet. Unfortunally they still itch but not that bad.They have been tested for multiple food allergies. Their diet is:Rice, rice cakes with jam (natural sweetners), Cream of Rice (breakfast), Puffed Rice (breakfast), Rice Dream (fortified w/ calc), chicken, turkey, veal, leafy vegetables, carrots, broccoli, peas, green beans, lots of legumes (protein, their meat intake is minimum), squash, pear juice (apple juice is too acid), cranberry juice, apple sauce (natural), peaches, pears. 

These are the basic foods that I give them other than their vitamins and supplements. The younger one also develop the sickle cell anemia trait and iron must be a plus on her diet. I buy most of their food in health food stores and believe me it could turn quite expensive. If anyone have any suggestions please feel free. 

Pat, If you have a farmer's market in your area, you could probably find organically grown veggies for a good bit less than you're paying now.

When one has broken skin and has been sweating, taking a cool to cold shower as quickly as possible after sweating is a big help. Taking a cool shower BEFORE sweating also prevents a lot of problems. Drinking lots of water several hours before one is going to be sweating I think helps too. The skin is the largest excretory organ in the body. It excretes waste products. If you can excrete the waste products by urinating perhaps there will be less to excrete through the skin. In any case drinking lots of water is always recommended as a good health practice.

My real problem is the eye area from eyemakeup or eye creams for wrinkles.It gets all dark and red under my eyes. I look 100 years old when that happens. The only thing that clears it up its the steroids and I hate using them. Any suggestions for wrinkles or eczema under the eyes?

Rita: I just saw your reply about this Chinese Herbal Treatment that I want my daughters to benefit from it but I don't know where to go. I read about Dr Sheehan's work in the UK. I contacted the Chi Centre in London and told me that I need to contact a Dr. here in the US that could prescribe Zemaphyte for my daughters. I ordered an ointment that it has been used in their clinic for kids with eczema. It should get it this coming monday. It is based on traditional Chinese herbs. 

In the meantime I would like to have Dr Sheehan evaluate my daughters to see if they could get this treatment. I have two girls w/eczema and I need help. Can you tell me a little bit about it and who to call? I also have some newspapers clippings that the Chi Centre sent me where they mentioned kids with this condition and how well they did. Let me know if anyone wants a copy. I would appreciate any info.

I have a theory about eczema around the eyes. I think specific foods may affect specific parts of the body. I am looking for evidence of this. I think other foods affect other specific parts of the body, just as certain herbs and medicines have a positive affect on certain parts of the body. I think we must discover and be aware of this. It will save us all a lot of trouble if we can categorize these body-part/allergic-reaction relationship. When a specific allergy in a specific part of the body, we can look at our list of allergens that affect that part of the body and eliminate exposure to the ones on the list that we are exposed to. I am thinking of foods primarily.

For years I had a lot of trouble with my eyes. I stopped drinking Lipton orange peko tea. I think because it was staining my teeth, and I discovered coffee, not because I was aware of any allergy problem. Recently I started tea again. My eyes started giving me trouble again, after many years of no problems.

For you it might not be tea. Perhaps it's something else.

Sherry, I don't know what to tell you about eye eczema. I don't wear makeup, because I can't pronounce most of the ingredients on the label <grin>

I stick to "Aubrey Organics" for my facial needs. No petroleum in those products. A much safer bet.

Melissa, I also used Desowen lotion for my baby when he first started w/eczema at 5 wks. old. Then he had to go on stronger cortizone ointments -- he's now 7 mos. I am also leery of using topical steroids at such a young age, but if that's the only way to help and get the eczema under control, you don't have much choice. Hopefully all of us (and babies) will get much better in the spring. The derm. says the worst season is winter because it's so dry. 

My son Brian eats only rice cereal, bananas (loves them, too), turkey, carrots, sweet potatos, green beans, squash. Lately he has had the same problem you described of several small BMs within a day. I was wondering what causes that for him. But a lightbulb went off in my head when you mentioned bananas. We've been giving him bananas with his cereal every morning now for the past couple weeks. Hmmm, maybe that's the culprit! But I wonder what could be causing it for your little EJ. 

Hi Shelley, Thanks so much for your input about using steroids for 40 years. I never realized when they say long-term, they really mean long term! Whenever they prescribe steroid creams for my son, it's always in timed increments -- first we tried twice a day for one week, then once a day for one week. If (and it did) the eczema comes back immediately, then we did twice a day for TWO weeks and once a day for TWO weeks. Three weeks ago they stopped all steroid creams after finishing the month-long treatment. Their next recommendation is to have the allergy tests (which I've mentioned before). 

About a week ago someone said that a child had asked them (I think it was at a preschool attended by an older sibling) "What's wrong with your baby?" I'm sorry it took me so long to think of this, but a good response is to simply say, "Allergies." AND then say gently (but hopefully within earshot of the kid's parent), "What's wrong with YOU to ask a question like that?" When your child with eczema hears this, he/she will learn that you are not ashamed of the eczema. He/she will also learn how to politely put those asking nosy questions on the defensive. In addition, you will be teaching less enlightened folks about common courtesy. 

My doctor prescribed DeSowen lotion for my face because of its gentleness & low % of cortisone & said that it's safe enough for babies. At first, I loved it- it isn't greasy & it helped clear up my skin. Then my face started getting a red sunburned looking rash. After going through about 2 bottles, I figured out that one of the ing. (propylene glycol) was irritating my skin. Someone else on the list said that they were allergic to this chemical in DeSowen also. 

Overuse of cortisone can't be good for anyone but if nothing else works... I have been using much stronger cortisone creams all my life & so far I seem to be in fairly good heath, except for the eczema. Two side effects I deal with are thinning of the skin and skin discoloration on my neck only (it just looks bad- to me at least- darker than my normal skin tone). Did anyone else get this side effect (I have a feeling I'm the only one because I think I mentioned it before). I hope Hanna is feeling better soon.

Here's some info about rotation diets... The two guides we used were:

The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, by Michael Murray and Joseph Pizzorno. This book has a short section on rotation diets, including a very useful two-page chart with an example diet. We didn't adopt that diet, but used their categories of foods. The deal is that you have to rotate food GROUPS, not just foods. For example, the "rose" family includes strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc. All of those foods have to go on the same day, then be avoided for three days... Since we have no degree in botany, we relied on their categories, but put them together in a way that fit Isaac's particular needs (and allergies). I would recommend this book, anyway--a very useful resource on "natural" solutions to all kinds of health problems. It's in paperback, cost $20.

Our other resource was The Complete Food Allergy Cookbook, by Marilyn Gioannini. We used this mostly for recipes for the non-wheat days, but she does have a 2-page explanation of rotation diets, and another example diet.

Here's an example--Isaac's current two-day rotation diet:

Day 1

• Proteins: lentils beef lamb
• Veggies: carrots potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant all peppers sweet potatoes, yams avocado beets artichoke hearts jicama
• Fruits: stone fruits: apricots, plums, prunes, nectarines, peaches bananas grapes, raisins cherries pineapple
• Oils: sunflower safflower
• Grains: wheat, oats, barley, millet teff, kamut, spelt, rice
• Sugars: molasses cane sugar honey

• Proteins: chicken eggs (mayo) all fish: tuna, mackerel, salmon, shellfish turkey all beans: tofu, kidney, etc.
• Veggies: all squashes: pumpkin, zucchini cucumber olives broccoli, cauliflower brussels sprouts, cabbage radish, daikon turnips
• Fruits: apples pears all melons blueberries, cranberries papayas, mangos rhubarb
• Oils: olive oil almond canola oil
• Grain: quinoa amaranth
• Sugars: maple syrup date sugar

Eucerin does ok for Daniel but he hasn't been real clear in a long time. Eucerin Plus makes him turn real red, he has a problem with the urea, I believe. He had a bad reaction to Carmol-10, also and that has urea in it. Right now we are back to cortizones for a few days and just plain vaseline... Still looking for Aquaphor... 

Your idea sounds ok if the Mom would have been there. Although I don't know if I could come right out and say it like that. But, I know if this becomes an ongoing problem Mama Lion will roar! Our children are our most precious little people with big feelings... I could be blunt to another adult but I also don't want to hurt the other child involved, she was just curious.

I have the opposite problem: light patches. I am pretty faired skinned anyway but have freckles on my face and arms that have disappeared in spots. A lovely look I might add. :)

Just this morning at Kindermusik class, a mother asked me if my daughter had chickenpox. Guess she was concerned that I was exposing the other children to some contagious disease. Anyway, before she even finished her sentence, I answered in one word "Eczema". As she proceeded to tell me that her baby has had some eczema, I sort of changed the subject, as I felt like she should have recognized the eczema on my daughter if her daughter has it, too. Was I being overly sensitive to her comments?

Tina, A pharmacist should be able to order Aquaphor for you. I used it for years then a ped allergy dr told my mom that Vaseline was better.

I have had eczema since birth and can tell you that children can be cruel. I still cry when I think/talk about some of the names that I was called in school. I think it has made me so much more companionate and sensitive to others feelings. Right now I work with a women that is beautiful, thin, immaculate skin... seems to have everything going for her but she can be the coldest most critical person, ugh!! I think that people with eczema could quite possibly be the nicest people I've ever met <grin>.

Tina, I agree with your assessment that the other child was just curious, and if that curiosity isn't answered, the kid will grow up like the insensitive adults who ask rude and personal questions.

When my daughter was small, our next door neighbor had a son in a wheelchair as a result of a car accident. She asked every question imaginable. Now that she's grown, she tends to confront able bodied people who park in handicapped spaces, and sees people in wheelchairs as individuals rather than as a faceless mass.

The point I'm trying to make here is that we can use our eczema or our kid's as an opportunity to educate, so perhaps the next generation won't view eczema as anything more than just something some people have, rather than the sum total of what somebody is.

Hi, everyone. I'm now about 8-9 months of using CHT twice a day and ointment, no steroids. I can't say that it's been fun all the time. I started out doing really well. Lately, since winter hit, I have been itchy and dry. Full body, almost constant itch. No fun. The effect that the CHT has is that if I scratched myself before the tea as much as I am now, I would have been to the Derm DR for Kenalog shots every couple of weeks. Even though my skin's red, etc, it's not at the weepy, "I'm going to lose it" stage. It seems much more resilient.

I keep drinking the tea and scratching and chalking up another day without going back to regimens that don't work for me. I also take corn starch bathes. These are different as they are not oily. They seem to help. Nothing dramatic, but soothing. I am waiting for the warmer, foggy weather of spring. Hopefully, the moisture will make my skin less dry. The only other thing is that emotionally, I am a tad depressed and tired all the time. I don't know if it's from the tea or the constant wearing down from the discomfort. More to come... 

Royce, The sides of my neck are brownish - kind of dirty looking. I have attributed this to aging and sun damage. My neck is often rashy, but I don't think I've used more steroids there than anywhere else. Maybe the neck skin is more susceptible to "browning"? 

Publix Supermarkets (only the big ones) and Goodings Supermarkets have a section of health foods where the Rice Milk is found. Chamberlains Health Food Stores also have them. The name is Rice Dream of Imagine Foods. Comes in different flavors like vanilla original or vanilla fortified w/calcium, chocolate, carob, or plain. Is a brown rice based beverage, looks and tastes like regular milk but more watery. My daughters like it because it tastes just like milk. It is sold in most health food stores. They are other brands available also. Remember rice milk. Rice cakes are made by quaker and find them at the supermarket or health food stores, come plain or lightly salted, cinnamon or butter flavor. Cream of Rice is from Nabisco. Is a hot cereal based on fine granulated rice. Find it at Publix or Goodings. You can also find it at most hispanic markets. It comes in a box and looks like cream of wheat. If you cannot find it call 1-800-909-RICE or http://www.creamofwheat.com. 

Someone described Simicort as a "herb product". I have the jar here, and although there's nothing heavy-duty in it, and certainly no cortisone, it doesn't qualify as a "herb product" either. The active ingredient listed is 1.8% salicylic acid; the additional cosmetic ingredients such as allantoin and flavonoids are from natural sources (as opposed to synthetically made).

Ann: I have that same thing on my neck, also under my arms too. Although my eczema is mostly limited to my hands. I can't really attribute this to aging, as I have had the "brown spots" since childhood. My brothers also have this too, although they DON'T have eczema. Don't know about you, but these patches don't bother me (itching-wise) - they just LOOK bad.

I did have a doctor tell me (once, years ago) that it was a fungus. He told me the name, but I just can't remember it. He also told me that a lot of people have it, in various degrees. This was, BTW, before I had any evidence of eczema (which just showed up about 3 or 4 years ago). I really haven't worried about it since then. I guess the "look" would be more bothersome to a woman than a man (is that sexist?). Do these spots bother you (by itching)?

Also (I can hardly believe it), my hands actually look NORMAL - for the first time in about a year! Really normal. You can barely see where my eczema was. My therapy has been only topicals - zinc oxide, Ultravate & Beta-Val - no internal steroids. Every morning (lately) I look at my hands in astonishment. My wife is getting tired of me saying, "look at my hands"!!

John, Can you please go into some detail regarding Ultravate & Beta-Val -? My brother gets eczema on just his hands. When we were young, he got some eczema on his arms and legs but that was about it. Now he gets it just on his hands, he will show me and I tell him to be cautious of soaps, then it clears up. He has asthma and had it pretty bad when we were kids. Anyway, I am very delighted to hear about your sucess. 

Julia's been doing a lot of small, yet frequent b.m.'s lately too. Hmmm, I had attributed it to teething since she's been cutting 4 teeth at once. Hers aren't painful coming out, but cause painful diaper rash. More like typical diaper rash from teething. 

I think it is easy to be sensitive when this awful disease overtakes our lives. We become sort of obsessed with keeping them comfortable, getting sleep, proper nutrition (when they can hardly eat anything anyone else is!), and also about their looks. We want more than anything for them to be normal, to fit in, to look like others too. We certainly don't like the reminder from strangers that our child IS different to some extent, least of all hearing it voiced as a suspicion that they may have a contagious disease. Plus, a lack of sleep (for the moms as well) makes us more irritable and puts us more on the defensive.

I've had the same exact thing happen to me... While in a store a mother of a 18 month old said to me, "Does your baby have chicken pox or something?" "No, eczema." "Oh, ok because I wasn't going to let him get near her…" (like that statement helped!) and then proceeded to talk about someone she knew who had eczema. I just wrote her off as kind of rude and ignorant. Most people who inquire are actually very nice about it and show genuine interest. I don't burn any bridges. I've actually found a few of these people to be helpful (other eczema moms, etc.) And as for the others who have nothing to offer (just questions) I don't mind educating them. I suppose it may also be because Julia's a baby. I certainly would not take to it as kindly if she were 3 years old or so (with more awareness, self-esteem issues, etc.). But we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it. 

Rice Dream is a trade marked name like Kleenex is a brand of facial tissue. It is processed by Imagine Foods. We find it in the health foods section of our Kroger and Publix. We try to buy it by the case through a food co-op called Ozark Cooperative Warehouse, 'cause we can save almost a dollar a carton!

To see if Ozark makes a run to a co-op group in your area, give them a call at (501) 521-COOP.

I have replaced milk in our family's diet with Rice Dream after reading [Fit for Life] and have been really surprised at how all the snorting and snurfing we'd have after eating milk products has just disappeared! Singing without phlegm in our throats has become easier, too.

John, Congrats on clearing your hands. Hope they stay clear. I don't think the brownness on my neck itches, but it's hard to tell since itching most everywhere is an everyday sensation for me. One thing I've noticed is that both the brownness and the eczema on my neck (and on other deeply wrinkled areas) do not extend down into the wrinkles. This makes me think it's a contact rash although doctors tell me it's all from airborn and food allergens. BTW, I met a business friend of my husband. He is from Germany and he asked me where he could buy Superglue! His tooth had cracked and he called his dentist back in Germany who told him to fix it temporarily with Superglue! 

My mother had eczema and vitilago (I thought they were white spots, but could have been brown as she developed these over a period of years and I can't remember what her normal skin pigment was). I have always had one of those under my arm and was told by a doctor years ago that it was a liver spot. I have what they think is eczema all over both of my hands (I had it only on one hand for 1 1/2 yrs and recently developed it on my other hand as well as the fronts of my legs and now my face is starting to itch.). 

I've been to 2 dermatologists and the University for this and now I am back at the MD who recently took blood to determine whether to send me to an allergist or a rheumatologist. I've always had very nice skin up to 1 1/2 years ago and now I feel like I am getting leprosy or something. I have been shot full of steroids to the point that they caused all kinds of side effects and I've been on every kind of cortisone cream and antibiotic cream that is known to man and this is the first time anyone has bothered to draw blood. The dermatologists didn't even bother to take a skin sample. And the second dermatologist I went to told me I had to go to WSU because I've had too many steroids. WSU told me I was lucky that it is only on my hands, gave me a small sample of Aquaphor and told me to super-glue the cuts shut. And they charged $146.00 for this. 

Mine goes from blisters to weeping to drying out and then starts up all over again and NEVER goes away. The MD I went to is looking for an auto-immune disorder and I will receive the results of that today. Personally, I am hoping for an allergy. He is also looking for Addisons Disease (President Kennedy had that), because he also says I received too many cortisone injections and when you receive this much your brain tells your body to stop manufacturing it and never produces cortisone again. Any info out there anywhere for me? I am desperate. I cannot work, I can barely keep up at home because of my hands. I am 46 yrs old and have absolutely no medical conditions other than this. I have noticed that the muscles in my arms and legs have been bothering me a lot too.

Both Beta-Val & Ultravate are synthetic corticosteroids. Ultravate is supposed to be stronger than Beta-Val. They are both prescription drugs, you will need a scrip from the Dr. Neither are secrets, and they have been used (and mentioned) on the list by many of us. Your Dr should be familiar with both of them.

Beta-Val comes in a cream (tube) and I just found out it also comes in a lotion. I've never used the lotion, but I have been using the cream for a couple of years. Really works wonders on MY hands. Sometimes I see results overnite! Which ever I use, when I first put it on (I only put it on AFFECTED areas), it seems to make the area "redder" - maybe it's just making the area "glossy", I don't know. However if my eczema is ACTIVE, I can many times see it "weep" through the cream. It also (sometimes) makes it itch too. I try (REAL HARD) not to scratch, and after a while the itching either stops or is greatly reduced. If the itching is REALLY BAD, I resort to the old hot water trick. I know that some Drs frown on the hot water (mine doesn't) and it DOES take some practice or you can make it worse by actually burning your skin.

Ultravate comes in an ointment (like vaseline) OR a cream (no lotion). I liked the cream-style a lot better. Frankly, I didn't notice much difference between B-V or UV, even though UV is SUPPOSED to be stronger. I really have more experience with B-V because I only found out about the UV since I have been on this list. (late '96) My eczema since November or so has been limited only to a couple of flare-ups.

The eczema on my hands only appeared a few years ago, and I have never had asthma and I don't think I am allergic to anything - If I am, I am unaware of it. I have found out (through the list) that these things go hand-in-hand. I also have found out that eczema is very individual - seeing as how everyone is different, and eczema seems to be an auto-immune disorder, I guess it stands to reason... Being different, we all react in different ways.

Hi Kay. Actually, I have a similar problem myself (as an adult though) -I'm never sure if my experiences apply for infants but in this case I think it's worth mentioning so here goes... I think that constipation can definitely aggravate eczema. One theory that was relayed to me is that constipation can cause toxins to build up in the body for too long. These toxins can be released through the skin which can cause the eczema to flare.

A woman I went to once for polarity & reflexology had severe eczema at one time and said that enemas were her savior. At first, I thought that was really weird but she was so strong in her convictions that I went out and bought a water enema contraption. I was extremely hesitant about using this thing but I had been constipated for weeks and had eczema from head to toe- I was desperate. It definitely helped the problem and then I got nervous about using it too much. I was afraid my body would rely on them and not work on its own so I stopped and tried coffee in the morning and bran once in a while. 

I seem to be fine now but if I have the problem again I wouldn't hesitate to use the enema. I think it should be used until the system is clear enough to function on its own. Constipating foods like bananas, rice, etc. definitely should be avoided until the problem is resolved. The book "Back to Eden" (I can get the author's name for you if you're interested) promotes the use of enemas for eczema and other diseases. 

Ann: I will find out what that condition is. My brother has it worse than me and we were just talking about it (and my eczema) a few weeks ago. He knows the name. I had actually forgotten about it, but the next time I took a shower, I checked and it was still there. (Beneath the freckles & old age spots!) I wonder if there is any connection... Sometimes I feel like a paranoid madman, looking for these connections.

Funny you should mention the superglue. A couple of weeks ago I had to take one of my men to the emergency ward of a local hospital here, and remembering the folderol I started a while back, I asked one of the nurses working on my man. (I didn't DARE ask a Dr!) She says, "Oh, we use that all the time!" This was not a big-city hospital. I was so shocked I forgot to ask her any more.

Speaking of super-glue, it was recommended to me by the University. My eczema goes from blisters to dry, deeply cracked skin and I super glue those cuts shut. It works very well. The University told me super glue was first made for surgery.

For Melissa and Kim and all of us who are looking forward to spring: just to complicate the debate, my own eczema (adult, full-body, severe) tends to clear up dramatically in the FALL. My derm says this is true of a lot of his eczema patients. Perhaps it's a time after the sweats of summer and before the dry air and dust of furnaces. My skin is definitely aggravated by running the heater (blown air) in my house. On the other hand, it doesn't necessarily clear up in the spring or summer, after I turn off the heater, either. But I always feel better in the spring just because it's spring -- we have beautiful fields of bluebonnets!

This question is for Shelley, who's had 40 years' experience on oral steroids (and I thought I was the winner, with 13 years of prednisone, 10 mg/day, to my credentials). I'd be interested in sharing experiences. What dosage did/do you take? Have you found it to become less effective over time (you need more to achieve the same effect)? What are the side effects you said you are beginning to notice now? In my own experience, I agree with you, that life would have been totally intolerable without recourse to steroids, particularly for bad flare-ups. When it's all over your body and face, burning and oozing, making you physically and emotionally miserable, topical treatments seem like a drop in the bucket. 

For me, the everyday use kept it reasonably under control for several years, but lately seems to have lost its effectiveness, except at much higher dosages. I am trying to wean myself off. One practical reason is because it is getting harder and harder to get my doctor to keep renewing my perscription (he wants to try an immunosuppressant instead)! Right now I am in a sort of spontaneous remission, so I have gone down to 5 mg/day and, if it stays like this, will try every-other-day therapy in a while.

I know that it could take a year or more to get my adrenals back to full production on their own. I had a hair test that purportedly showed that my adrenals were severely depleted, but my derm said that no hair test can show that, and he did a blood test (I'm not sure what) that showed that my adrenals were OK. The worst side effect I am aware of from the prednisone is that I do have osteoporosis (I am only 48, and exercised, took calcium, and ERT, so I attribute the bone thinning almost completely to the steroids). Other than that (that's bad enough, I suppose, although at present I am symptom-free; it was just diagnosed by a bone density scan), I have not noticed any bad effects. 

I agree that prednisone is a lifesaver and a sanity-saver and although I'd like to wean myself off the daily use, I know I will still depend on it for flares. BTW, I also used it daily all during my pregnancy and a year of nursing, and my now 12-year-old son does not seem to have suffered any obvious ill effects, thank goodness. I'm not a doctor, but I agree with Shelley's comment that there seems to be an inordinate fear of steroid use, as if it were arsenic or something. It is definitely useful in short-term, specific situations. However, I do remember reading recently that some research has found bone-thinning effects from even a few weeks' usage, and also that it seems to be the duration more than the dosage that is harmful (i.e. long-term low dose isn't all that much better than long-term at a higher dosage).

We have a consensus among four of us so far with constipated babies! One private message recommended adding flax oil to the diet and said it eliminated the problem after only two days. No problems in six months, too! I e-mailed my pediatrician to see if there were any cautions she wished to express. If not, that ol' EJ boy is off to flax land!

Bananas and potatoes are definite stool stoppers (guess that's why they are the next step after liquids when healing from a diarrhea outbreak, huh?).

Debbie said that she was observing a painful diaper rash with the stools. Ethan has been bleeding small streams of blood from open and aggressive diaper rash sores. Once he stops going for a few days, he heals SO quickly.

I noticed some discussion about deproprevara & eczema, does anyone know any more about the relationship between the two? When I went to a homeopath he told me that my eczema was caused by stress & a buildup of toxins in my body, he told me that one of the big contributors was birth control pills, so I would be interested in deproprevara if it does not have similar side effects. 

I am currently without health insurance and cannot afford presciption topical steroids and Dr. bills, I have been using a mixture of evening primrose oil, vitamin E cream, and eucerin. I buy the evening primrose oil capsules, break them open, and mix everything up in a mini food processor. It does not make the eczema go away, but it definitely relieves the itching and is less expensive than topical steroids, without any side effects.

Lynn: I apologize for the misunderstanding. I have not taken ORAL steroids for 40 years, I've used TOPICAL steroids for 40 years. I've only taken oral steroids for up to a year a number of times, using 2 mg one day then 1 mg the next, 2 mg, 1 mg, etc. after starting with 8 and working down to 2. And have gotten injected steroids 60 mg Kenalog a number of times. But mainly have relied on daily use of topical creams and ointments. I agree that it's hard to wean yourself off. Thank god I was able to do it once I started taking prescription strength Tavist twice a day, which I do religiously. Since I started the Tavist nearly 10 years ago, I've only needed oral/injections a few times.

The side effects I have now are thin skin and bruises. The skin tears easily, so I get open wounds from the lightest scratching, which makes me prone to infection. I have visible tiny blood vessels on my face and black and blue marks all over. That may sound terrible but it's really not too bad. At first it was alarming but now I'm used to it. I've never been able to win any beauty contests so that hasn't changed. My only long-term concerns are getting osteoporosis and cataract problems, both of which I believe can be controlled with treatment if I get them.

I guess I'm fortunate to have relied on topical steroids.The problems with long-term oral and injected steroids are apparently much worse. That's why I think parents shouldn't avoid the topicals when they are necessary for kids in agony. Of course, everyone is different and there's no guarantees. I just wanted to make the point that some people avoid the side effects of topicals until many years later. While I've used topicals every day all over my body, I try to use the minimum amount necessary. Perhaps that helped me. Or perhaps I was just lucky. Who knows?

As for seasons, I do best in mild spring/fall weather that is neither too hot nor too cold. Wet/Dry doesn't seem to matter. Worst for me is too hot. Too cold is OK. 

I haven't noticed side effects from beta-val. Of course, I have only used it for about two years. The skin where my eczema surfaces (and I use creams) LOOKS a tad bit thinner, but that just might be because of the eczema condition, I can't really tell. And the eczema does come back, but I only use the steroid creams when I know there's a problem. I use it until it (almost) disappears, then again if it starts to look or feel funny. This stuff should be used sparingly. Zinc oxide you can use ALL the time.

Sue: Wow! Sounds like you've been through the (medical) mill! As far as the "auto-immune" stuff is concerned, I have always been under the impression that eczema IS an auto-immune disorder. I, like you, never had the problem til I hit my early 50's a few years ago. It came right out of the blue, on the back of my right hand, and then, a few months later, on my left. I knew nothing, and even though the backs of my hands looked like badly-cooked hamburger, I scratched on. Then, again like you, it started on my upper lip and around the edge of my nostrils. I have also had a couple of spots on the soles of my feet, but I didn't have too much of a problem with those.

By the time I got to my regular Dr, my hands were infected, looked terrible, and I was actually a little bit scared. He calmed me right down, told me not to worry about it, told me to get rid of the infection, and then start on the Beta-Val. He did NOT assign (and recommended against), any regimen of steroid shots, and told me that the regular, el cheapo, OTC antibiotic ointment was as good as anything for my small (he said) problem. He warned me that it wouldn't EVER heal if the infection was still present.

The steroid creams that I have used (Beta-Val & Ultravate) both say they shouldn't be used if there is infection. Have you tried zinc oxide ointment? Many of those on the list have had good results with it and it's another el cheapo, OTC product (my tube was $1.79). I don't see any post from you before today, have you read any of the old archives of the previous months' posts? They are available on the web, if you have access. If not, download the whole batch from the listserver for even more good ideas - support too. Also give you a reason to feel a little better, I might add. Sobered me up. (And there IS hope!)

Even though my hands look great right now, there IS a very subtle difference in the skin where my eczema shows up. On each flare-up I get a couple new areas, but most (not all) of the old ones come back too.

Haven't had any muscle problems - yet. Hopefully, this will prove transitory for you too. I don't remember anyone expressing muscle problems in combination with eczema.

I detect a slight note of frustration in your post. (Quite perceptive, eh?) For whatever it's worth, it would seem that our (everybody's) eczema gets worse when we get frustrated and worry about it. Naturally, that starts a vicious cycle. And it definitely responds to a positive, methodical, persistent and resigned approach to the problem. I'll let you know when I reach that point.

Tina, Have you asked at the counter for Aquaphor, I didn't find it on the shelf but when I asked for it by name, they had the industural size hidden off with the precription drugs. I didn't ask why. We are currently seeing a chiro. Don't know if it is helping or if insurance will pay but feel it's worth a shot.

Try to get some sleep, the world looks a lot brighter after.

Lynn, You are right my son's eczema was its best ever this fall, Sept. through mid Nov. I am trying to optimistic as to it being better in the summer but also it will be lots easier to get up in the middle of the night when its doesn't feel like I will freeze to death before we get back to sleep.

My son has taken Flax seed oil for several months and I think it does help slide things though... But it tastes bad, his first word was icky! 

I have persistent eczema (a redundant term I suppose) mostly on my legs right now. Lynn's message about oral steroids kind of scared me, I've only had one all over flare up and I hope to never experience that again! Lynn, isn't it possible that your long term use of oral steroids has aggravated your condition?

I tried prednisone and cried the whole time I was on it, which I later realized was a side effect of the steroid, rather than an inexplicable personality change. I think the depression lasted for about 2 more weeks after I went off the prednisone. I don't think I could try it again, because I would have to be suicidally miserable to do so, at which point a drug induced depression would probably be a really bad thing. Further, it was after the trial on prednisone that my all over flare up occurred.

Shelley, I'm curious how the Tavist has helped you. I did some reading in the PDR and had thought that Tavist might be a good medicine to try, but I was just guessing, hadn't heard anything about it. Are there any adverse effects to the Tavist? What dosage are you taking? I've taken otc TavistD for sinus symptoms, but I believe that the dosage of Tavist in it is too small to be effective for itching in relation to the decongestant that goes along with it, which I don't want to take too much of.

After reading the January archives, I bought some zinc oxide, but haven't had much result yet. I hoped that using it would enable me to stop or cut down on the daily topical steroid use, but no matter what I do, if I stop the topical steroids for more than a day or so, my spots grow and become red and weepy. Those of you who have had results with the zinc oxide, do you use it with topical steriods, or if not, how long should I try it before giving up?

Eczema tends to occur due to two separate things; the first is the standard asthma/eczema/etc allergic reaction route, but there are also people who get it due to contact with nasty chemicals.

Now since you say that you don't have the standard asthma/allergic reaction problems and you say that it is on your hands and you only got it a few years ago it would seem likely that you got it through exposure to some chemical.

(NOTE: I don't mean chemical in the synthetic case only - natural stuff is just as bad).

Did you use anything which might have contributed to it?

Do I have contacts with chemicals? Yes and no. Since I am an exterminator, I see the worst and the nastiest. But I probably don't get as much as you might think. I am very careful (always), use surgeons gloves like they are going out of style, and wash my hands more than most people might. I probably get more irritation from washing than actually working with the chemicals. I don't think that was what triggered it. BUT... 

A year or so before my first outbreak, we (me) adopted a stray kitten here at the office. The copious scratches I received from playing with him in his youth and my ignorance of the consequences, is what I THINK did it. Damn cat! We must remember that cat's claws get into the dirtiest places... (Cat Scratch Fever? It isn't just a song)

NOW what I do notice, is that any injury on my hands (even forearms) has the potential to turn into a problem. And if that injury is to an active or inactive eczema spot? Forget it. I'm back to square one. It almost seems as though my body now tends to react with an eczema-surge on the simplest of injuries. Before eczema, I never had any problems with healing injuries, even during the kitten episode. But now... 

I agree with your assessment of the two types. And it would seem, from being on this list, that the "asthma/eczema/etc allergic reaction-type" tends to be the type with the widest effects. Sort of places us "irritant contact-reactive" types as the "low-life" on the eczema-list scale of life!

Thanks for the information on Rice Dream. Talking about Constipation, my baby's stool usually looks hard, most of the time I can tell when he has bowel movement, because his face is getting red from hard pushing, looks like that's common to eczema babies. That's why we give him a lot of juice (1/3 apple juice, 2/3 water) every day, and he loves that.

A good change I noticed recently is that he doesn't scratch his face too much, whenever he tries to do this, we have his hand out of his face, then he concentrates on something else immediately, totally forgets scratching, and his face does look good, except those scars he still has from the herpes infection (hope that will clear up in several months). His face looks moisture too, I only apply small amount of Aquaphor once every day, it was several times a day before! All those changes happened after he was checked into hospital, and started to use medicine (antibiotics and acyclivoir for a week), his legs looked great too at that time. I think maybe this changing contributes the usage of medicine.

While he was in Baby Hospital I met a Pediatric Group, they are currently doing some research on children eczema, they developed two different eczema treatments for 2+ and 3+ years old children, the one for 2+ years old is a kind of non-steroid cream/ointment, the one for 3+ years old is just one shot. I can get their phone number to those parents who are interested in.

I can't believe that in my last message I forgot to mention the Flax seed oil! This is what I REALLY believe has helped my eczema & relieved constipation (1 Tbs. per day) -I also add 5 drops of Vitamin E oil to it.

As for the bad taste, I have mixed it with yogurt or soy milk (not that soy milk makes it taste too much better but that & a straw works for me). It can probably be mixed with many things but I was told to take it with a protein & not to cook with it.

I'm not aware of any cautions. The bottle I have says to take 1 tablespoon per 100lbs. of body weight.

Got a reply from my brother about the brown stuff. What we were talking about was "tinea versicolor" - a fungus disease. Did a quick search, came up with something that explains it pretty well. Don't know if this is what you have - sounds like what I have. My brother said there was also a picture somewhere that he found, but I didn't look that far.

http://tray.dermatology.uiowa.edu/PIPs/TineaVers.html

I have a 9 year old daughter who has had quite bad eczema all her life though, thankfully, it is much better than it used to be. She has had to deal with various unkind and ignorant reactions from others. Of course I told her that they were ignorant and that goes all the way through to the middle while eczema is only on the outside. What really seemed to help her was being told that most children had skins that were tough and ordinary but that she had eczema because her skin was so very special, like a fairy's, that normal things damaged it.

I'm not sure if I'm interpreting your message correctly, but are you saying that because it contains salicylic acid, it is not a "herb product"? Most, if not all, plants synthesize salicylic acid for regulation of various aspects of their physiology. Native American Indians found out that willow bark extract is an effective pain killer, and it turns out that the "active ingredient" is salicylic acid. This led to the invention of aspirin, which is acetylsalicylic acid, a closely related molecule. Both compounds are able to reduce inflammation in humans. Does the jar indicate what the source of the salicylic acid is?

I haven't written in a while but I feel that the topic of self-esteem is important. I am 20 yrs old and in college and I have face, neck, arm and hand eczema and people on a daily basis ask me what happed there and point to a rather red and gross patch on my wrist or neck. I just tell them allergies and shrug it off. 

My self esteem comes from knowing that I am smart and funny and I would hope that all children will grow up knowing that eczema is on the outside and it is what is on the inside that counts! I am going through a bad spell right now and I think it is because it is so dry here. My skin is itchy and tight and no amount of lotion seems to help. Has anyone ever used Curel lotion??? or has anyone's derm perscibed a lotion??? Well I am off to the derm tomorrow! Thank God!!! Remember, everyone has flaws and maybe without eczema we would all be PERFECT!!!! :)

I have an 11 year old son who has had atopic dermatitis for most of his life, mainly on his hands, forearms, ankles and feet. He has been on various steroid creams, ointments, pills, etc. (probably every one known to mankind!) also for most of his life on and off. He was 7 lbs. 4 oz. at birth. Now, at 11 years old, he is 5'7" and weighs 180+ lbs. 

I would like to know if anyone knows whether or not there could be a relationship between his extensive use of steroids and his size. I realize that the kind of steroids he has taken is not the same thing that body builders and the like take. He started growing about a year old after having been on lots of steroid creams and such for about 6-7 months before that. He was so covered with it that we basically had to put the creams over most of his body. He hasn't stopped growing yet! 

Ever since he started kindergarten he has been at least a head taller and 50 lbs. heavier than anybody else in his class and still is. He has a touch of asthma which tends to make him want to not do very much but, with his size, it has always been harder for him to do things. So it is kind of a vicious circle. His size makes him not want to do very many things and his asthma makes him slow down when he does get very active. He never has eaten "like a pig" so it's not that he eats too much, but he does have a healthy appetite.

Thanks to all who replied about the Aquaphor. My friend went to her pharmacy and asked about it. They do have it and it is kept behind the counter to mix with other things. The pharmacist then told my friend that it is mainly just petroleum jelly and didn't know why I would want it----but I am going to buy some in a couple of days anyway. Daniel is sick with some horrid cough, the Doctor has him on Albuterol and it is making him wild... so we aren't getting out too much right now.

Hi, Karen..I don't think you were being oversensitive that day in class with the other Mother. Sometimes people ask me what Daniel has and I tell him eczema then they proceed to tell me--oh, I have that on my elbows or some other little spot. I have a hard time with that becuase it doesn't seem to compare! But maybe they had it real bad when they were young, and I would never know that.

I just received an order form from a company called Ener-G Foods that has a lot of rice products in it. It is full of baked goods and supplies but not Rice Milk, I buy that at Health Food Stores. I have tried the bread that Ener-G Foods make, it is dry but Daniel loves it since it is the only bread he gets. This company even has hot dog buns (wheatless) and good stuff like cookies. Also if you're a member of the Food Allegy Network you get a 10% off coupon for your first order.

Here is the number:

Ener-G Foods 1-800-331-5222

The Food Allergy Network can be found here on the Internet, so can Ener-G but I have never got the site to come up.

I read John's note abt. tinea versicolor and want to add that the first time I had a full-body eczema. flare-up, it was diagnosed (by 2 different nurse practitioners) as tinea. However, the selenium sulfide treatment (body wash) that I had to use really made it worse, and finally I switched health plans and got the proper diagnosis! I've heard that everyone has a little bit of the tinea fungus on them; the prescription treatment I used is the active ingredient of Selsun Blue, which you can use if you think you have a tinea overgrowth. But it probably won't feel very good on your eczema!

I've been reading the "constipation mail" w/ interest. I think milk makes me constipated and causes a flare-up; I'm going to try milk again after this flare disappears, and see what it does. Or maybe it's the Ovaltine that I put in it! ;-)

Rachel, About your comments on steroids... Could it be aggravating my eczema? I suppose, but it's hard to tell. They say there is a rebound effect, whereby eczema gets worse after a bout with steroids. Since I take them every day, I would have to use that as a baseline and compare the times when I have "really" taken them -- i.e. at higher doses to try to control a bad flare. Sometimes, after a few days at higher doses (e.g. 20 or 30 mg) and then tapering off, the eczema has come back bad, although usually not any worse than the flare that caused me to up the steroids in the first place. But sometimes the clear-up has persisted even after tapering off. So the results are mixed. (As someone recently pointed out, that's what's so annoying about this disorder: it keeps changing its behavior even to the same stimuli).

As far as your depressive reaction to prednisone, I have heard of such a reaction from another person, which has always puzzled me, since I believed prednisone was an "upper". Personally, I usually always feel emotionally much happier when I am on prednisone. Part of that may be because I get depressed when my eczema is really bad and am ecstatic just because it clears up. But I think there is a true euphoric effect of prednisone, although I have become pretty tolerant to it and don't notice any effect at the doses I am taking. But, in the past, when I had taken 40 mg for a few days, I was definitely bouncing off the walls (feeling energetic and revved up, and also very UNdepressed). I guess we each react differently. If your aversive reaction helps to keep you off oral steroids, so much the better! I am not glad to have taken them for this long, and am committed to quitting once and for all.

Oh Tina!!! The first time my daughter's ped. gave her Albuterol, my husband and I sat on the couch and watched her run in circles around the living room. We started giving her less than the normal dosage and ran two humidifiers in the house, then moved one to her room at night. Another reason we cut the dosage is because she would get the shakes really bad. I took some of it myself (less than what she was supposed to take) and thought I was going to shake right out of my shoes!!! Well, hang in there... I hope he doesn't have to take it very long. Maybe as he gets better, you can just give it to him right when he wakes up in the morning and/or wakes up from a nap. I don't envy you any having to use that stuff, ugh!!

Cathy: As far as I know, steroids are supposed to tend to make a person SMALLER, not larger. Everyone I know who has taken them since childhood is under 5' 5" tall. Ask an endocrinologist to examine him if you are concerned about it.

Rachel: Prescription strength Tavist is twice the OTC dose. I believe that it works for me by keeping a steady amount of antihistamine in my system at all times. Zinc oxide I find soothing for dryness but does not seem to heal anything for me. I only use oral steroids as a last resort. Unlike you, prednisone did not affect my mood at all. And I've had no side effects from Tavist or zinc oxide.

Remember everybody's eczema is different. And each medication affects each person differently. If you are new to this condition, you will have to do a lot of trial and error experimentation to discover what works for you. Information posted to the group are ideas to consider. They are not sure-things. Just because they worked for someone doesn't mean they will work for you. And each treatment often affects a very specific symptom and not the rest of the problem. A combination of treatments is often necessary. Tavist seems to keep my condition manageable. My skin is not perfectly clear. I must use creams and ointments every single day. I have learned what's the best I can expect to look and feel, and accept the limitations. It's taken me 40 years and it's an ongoing struggle, so you will have to develop patience.

Just wanted to add my 2 cents about Prednisone. It's interesting that some of you feel emotionally revved up & some very depressed when you're on it. I am an emotional wreck on the stuff- first up & then down. About 2 months ago my eczema was so bad that my doctor immediately put me on Prednisone (25mg/day). At first, I was elated... I hadn't been in such a great mood in ages; my skin was clearing up and everything was wonderful. I thought I'd never want to get off the stuff & didn't know what I would do without it- what a high. 

By the 3rd day the sleepless nights started. After a week on it my skin was clear and I was deciding what I preferred- no sleep or clear skin. I was definitely leaning toward the clear skin but the lack of sleep was making me irritable. Then I started to wean off and as I did the eczema started to come back. By the time I went off the Prednisone my skin was almost as bad as it had been before I started. I was so miserable that I could cry at the drop of a hat. I'm not sure if the Prednisone or the lack of sleep combined with the relapse was depressing me. This drug scares me but I can't say I definitely wouldn't take it again.

Shelley's right on this one. Gary Coleman, star of Different Strokes, was on steroids for a kidney problem and I'm sure we all remember how short he is! 

Hi Cathy. I've always been small... especially when I was younger but I never attributed that to the use of steroids

Hi, Shanon! I am hoping Daniel doesn't have to be on this stuff too long. He is being totally weird. I will say though, he isn't scratching as much right now, he's too busy! He is running around the house, making strange noises, hurting himself-falling off of furniture, hitting his head under the diningroom table. The Doctor gave me a bug bottle of this med. and he is getting 1/2 tsp 3 times a day. He is still taking his daily nap though... 

The first time I took prednisone was heavenly... my skin cleared up in less than 12 hours... I finally had an appetite... I had sooo much energy. Unfortunately, I got on a self-medicating cycle... especially during times of high stress. After a couple of years of on and off the stuff, I realized that it was making me worse.

Aside: I found that I had very bad emotional side effects from prednisone made from NovoPharm called novoprednisone (they produce most of Shopper's Drug Mart house brand stuff). I couldn't even take Ibuprofin made by this company. I would get sick and hyper and break out. But with Apoprednisone, no mood swings and other emotional side effects. So shop around, fillers and binders can be nasty.

Anyways, I finally quit cold turkey and decided to never take it again. As well I avoid all allergens as much as humanly possible, drink 2-3 litres of water a day, and take vitamins (at least chlorophyll, calcium/magnesium, zinc, selenium and evening primrose oil).

Getting off of prednisone was hell, my skin was terrible. But I slept a lot and drank tons of water. After a few days I cleared up to a reasonable degree. I haven't had a major outbreak since but can notice that when I deviate from 'the plan' (eg. eat corn chips) I break out.

I think prednisone helped me to survive... but I now realize what a toll it took on my body and immune system.

I like the analogy that our health is like a bank account. We're born with a certain amount and can deposit (avoid allergens, sleeping enough, eating well, getting a massage) or withdraw (taking prednisone, drinking too much coffee/alcohol, smoking). I feel that during those few years I needed some major withdrawals but can now do some major depositing. Simplistic maybe but it helps me make decisions on whether to cheat and gives me immediate feedback for doing good stuff for my body.

When my doctor recommended the prednisone, he very casually related a long list of potential side effects, many of them quite severe and horrifying to me. Even though I know that most of the side effects these drug companies have to list have a remote possibility of occurring, there were some truly awful things he listed, and I refused to take it at first. One of the side effects he mentioned was depression, which I only remembered in hind sight when I was trying to figure out why I had been such an emotional wreck for that period of time. I don't remember the rest of the list. I'm curious now, I might try to look it up. But I do remember that psychosis was also on the list.

Someone recently said that his eczema started after he adopted a stray kitten. When I first got my eczema a few years ago, I was really worried that my cats might be connected somehow. Especially because the worst of it has always been on my legs below my knees, right where the cats rub against me. I eventually decided that they weren't causing the problem, although now I can't remember how I reached that conclusion. Maybe partly because giving them up wasn't an acceptable solution anyway. I have three cats and they are like children to me. Actually one of them had a skin problem for quite a while before I developed mine. His problem is gone now. He must have passed it off onto me. ;-)

It's funny, I never saw myself as someone who believes that you can take a pill to solve your problems etc, but every time I hear about something I haven't tried yet for the eczema, part of me fantasizes that maybe this will be the magic cure to make it go away. I'm finally beginning to let it sink in that there is no magic cure. But you know, maybe it's not so terrible to hope that there's a cure. Positive thinking and suggestion can be very powerful agents for positive change. Bernie Siegel writes about the "physiology of optimism, peace, love and joy". I'm definitely not there yet, but it's something to think about.

You sound amazingly mature and well-adjusted for a 20 year old!! It's taken me 50 years to learn to just shrug and say "Allergies." I don't know anything about Curiel lotion. But I do know that many lotions are actually drying and/or contain fragrances and other irritants that aren't good for eczema skin. Creams and ointments are usually a better choice. Your derm. dr. will hopefully make some good suggestions. I personally like plain old petroleum jelly and Eucerin cream (original formula).

I know exactly what your daughter is going through, and I can probably guess that it would be much worse for one of the feminine gender. I know my experiences as a child (then again, I am only *fifteen* now!) concerning the condition were not the best in the world, so I have an idea what she is going through. I remember the pain of playing sports, and swimming with the cracked hands, the bleeding, and the general "rawness" of the entire conditon. Thanks be to God I have outgrown 90% of it (with prayer, and extensive vitamins, which I stopped taking two weeks ago).

I've grown out of a lot of it, and along with vitamins, and treating my skin well, it's going away. I use Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion: Sensitive Dry Skin w/ Oatmeal. I have noticed that it leaves the skin more moisturized that most other lotions, and though it doesn't heal as much, but in conjunction with something else, it does wonders. It is best for me to use a very strong lotion, like maybe an alpha-hydroxy after I shower, and then for the rest of the day use this stuff. If I use more alpha-hydroxy, it makes me itch, yet the stuff helps shed the dead skin cells.

You are to be commended for dealing with your daughter so well about it. My parents took more of an attitude that it was my fault because I scratched so much, until I complained to my allergist, and he chewed them out for a LONG TIME. <g> He explained to them that it is NOT that easy, and that THEY should try to deal with it themselves, and see if they could make it. That was about about four years ago, and their attitude has changed dramatically (it's a bit embarassing to be chewed out by a doctor, I am sure). 

As she gets older, you may have to deal with the eczema problem differently, but none the less, your approach seems good. NEVER blame it on her, whatever you do (in the instance that she scratches a lot or something)! That causes more harm than good (at least from my experience). Be kind with her, and be understanding. 

I'm new to the list because of a flareup so bad I was miserable. My eczema is on my hands, fingers, inside elbows, inside knees and arches of my feet. I'm sure this flareup was because of vitamins, specifically a "B" complex that included torula yeast and brewers yeast. It was a horrible flare and nothing would stop the oozing. The day I stopped the "B" complex I could feel the change and the oozing stopped by the end of the day. I use neosporin ointment with great results. 

The Simicort label states: "Active ingredient: salicylic acid Additional ingredients: " and then it lists the cosmetic ingredients, explicitly specifying natural sources for the allantoin and bioflavonoids only.

Personally, I don't think it makes any difference whatsoever whether a particular chemical is derived from natural sources or synthetically produced. If anything, I'd prefer the synthetics, they're bound to be purer (no flaming, pls -- this is my personal opinion).

My only reason for pointing this out was that some people on the list may be of a different personal opnion and go buy Simicort thinking it's a "herbal cream" made from natural ingredients only. Its own label does not state such in any way, not even implicitly. *That* is why I don't think it's a herbal product; not the fact that it contains salicylic acid.

BTW, it does not seem to do anything for me.

John, are these latex gloves? Lots of people are sensitive to latex - I found out I was while working on a Burns Unit. It means that any latex then irritates you - even condoms. It isn't always a contact dermatitis thing either - you can get hives anywhere on your body, or a rash in another place than your hands.

I have had eczema on my right hand (mainly the fingers) for 1 1/2 years. A couple of weeks ago it spread to my left hand and fronts of my legs. I've had every kind of cortisone cream and antibiotic cream known to man + prednisone dose packs and 5 cortisone injections (between Aug and Oct). Lots of side effects with these. 

I thought originally that it was cleaning supplies I am exposed to on my job. But I have been off work for a few weeks with no improvement. Anyway, because of these steroids I had put on 16 pounds and didn't even know it (7 of which I have lost now with my normal low-fat diet). I was drinking this FF Hazelnut cream and noticed it caused an outbreak. I tested it by eliminating it a few times and the same thing happened each time I re-introduced it into my diet. I got a little bit better but started noticing that whenever I eat something with chocolate in it the same thing happens (FF or regular chocolate). 

Monday evening I had eaten some Low-Fat Chocolate Frozen Yogurt and Tuesday morning my hands were a mess. Oozing blisters, etc. It is now Thursday and I have not had any chocolate and my hands are drying up and itch very little. I just wanted some opinions about this.

Heather: Have you considered that you might be lactose intolerant? If not, try using lactase enzymes when eating dairy products. I use a generic one from Walgreen's called Dairy Digestive Supplement but there are brands like Dairy-Ease and others. I used to avoid all dairy products but now I can eat them if I take 3 caplets of these enzymes at the same time. 

A couple of things... I have found that certain things set off my eczema (like peanuts and chocolate, sometimes) and that once the eczema starts, just eliminating what started it off will not necessarily cure me, but definitely is one of the factors in getting it under control.

It is my understanding that allergy testing is not 100% accurate and you already know some or all of the things that set you off. For instance, if the allergist tells you that you are not allergic to hazelnuts you know better.

I have had cortisone (kenelog) injections right into the area where I am affected when my eczema has been fairly localized... you may want to try that (my derm mixes the kenelog with alchohol for the injections) to avoid side affects. This also stops the itching.

Also, I have chemical reactions which have been severe (to paint, polyurethane) which have taken a long time to get rid of (months). In my case, I ended up with eczema all over me and had to resort to cortisone pills to get it under control. you may be experiencing this from cleaning agents... a harder thing to deal with since you are exposed to them in your work, but you will have to figure out ways to deal with them if they are a problem.

I have a 20 month old who has had eczema since he was born. It used to be really bad behind his knees, ankles, cheeks and all the standard hot spots. Although he still gets it in those other areas, lately it seems to be concentrated mostly on his neck. He'll get these terrible flare ups on his neck, and I can't figure out a pattern. He is allergic to a zillion foods, but I am religious about avoiding all the foods he's allergic to. I'm wondering if the cause is likely environmental and that his neck is so affected simply because it's always exposed. Or is this simply a typical place for eczema to be at its worst... Any tips??

You mentioned that you are an exterminator, and have to use a lot of surgical gloves to protect your hands... Is it possible that you;ve developed a sensitivity to latex? I don't know much aobut this, but when I was searching the medical indices for information about Isaac's eczema, I discovered that sensitivity to latex is a big factor in "contact dermatitis," esp. on the hands, for many people. It's possible that it gets so much research attention because it's a problem that plagues doctors and nurses, but still, it might be worth looking into. Maybe those cat scratches allowed the latex to somehow get into your skin, and now you're in a cycle of continued exposure and reaction...

My daughter age 4, a lifelong eczema sufferer, has recently been diagnosed with molluscum contageosum. According to her Dr. and what I have read, this virus often afflicts atopics. Has anyone on this list had to deal with this?

The molluscum cause pimple like bumps, which spread fairly rapidly on her body. The Dr. says it is not overly contageous (somewhat like a wart) but it can spread to others, and that is the way she got it. I would like to know why this virus attacks people with eczema. Is it because the skin is often raw and the virus has a place to enter the body easily? The Dr. said that it is related to systemic steroid use and a weakened immune system. My daughter has never been on systemic steroids and we haven't used the topical steroids for months.

I am interested in hearing if anyone has had success treating this. The medically accepted treatments seem to be: 

1. do nothing (condition may worsen and eventually resolve in months to years)
2. curettage (individually scraping out each lesion)
3. freezing each lesion

We do generally use the latex kind. And I know that a couple of the other men I work with complain that it sometimes bothers them after any long periods. Usually, the way we use them, they are only on for a few minutes, not any length of time. Ours come powdered, that probably doesn't help either.

When my eczema first started, and I didn't know what it was (or care - work has to get done), the use of gloves was TORTURE! Even after a few minutes, they had to come off. Once the infections cleared up, and unless the eczema is very active, I can use gloves for the 20 minutes I might need to. If it is hot weather, maybe a lot less. Unfortunately, it is a necessity, but I do try to minimize it as much as possible. I wash my hands of the powder right away.

Since tangling with the cat, I am always aware that small injuries can develop into eczema, but the glove use has to be a factor, for sure. I even tried other glove types, and brands - they all seemed about the same, eczema-wise. I don't think anybody with eczema should use rubber/latex/poly gloves unless, of course, they absolutely have to.

The fact that I am an exterminator, sitting in front of a doctor or dermatologist, with eczema on his hands, is like waving a red flag at a bull. Most all jump on the chemical-thing, and it's usually downhill after that. This list helps more than those doctors.

I clean part time and I have had problems with the rubber gloves. I buy those thin cotton gloves at the drug store and put zinc oxide on my hand (I wear gloves only on my right hand), then put on the cotton glove, and unpowdered vinyl glove (latex free) and the rubber glove over the top of all that. Needless to say, I am looking for another job because the eczema recently spread to my left hand and I cannot work with 3 gloves on each hand. When I spray strong supplies I try to pre-spray the night before and wear a painter's mask while doing it (the fumes also seem to make me itch). But now I am wondering about the fresh paint fumes that is in every one of these apartments. I have been off of work for about 3 weeks and there is a little relief except when I eat chocolate which I have now discontinued.

My first outbreak of eczema occurred in January of this year. It actually started in December when my skin started to get itchy. In the first week of January I started to get red lesions on my left arm, on the left side of my back, on the inside of both knees, and under my right eye. These patches were extremely itchy. They were also very inflamed. The worst one on my arm was noticeably raised. 

I swim twice a week at a pool so I started to get embarrassed since I had this rash all over my arm and back. The itching continued to get worse. I had to spend all my energy on thinking about not itching. I finally showed my parents my skin. They told me to go to the doctor. I went to the doctor and the physician assistant that saw me did not know what it was. She had a doctor come in and he thought is was eczema. He commented that my skin was extremely dry also. 

The P.A. put me on Presnisone. They apparently thought is was bad enough to warrant putting me on oral corticosteroid. I was on it for 10 days. I had to take 4 a day for 4 days then 3 a day for 3 days etc. She also gave me Triamcinolon creme. I was to use this on the lesions after I was off the high dose of the oral drug. The Presnisone caused very dramatic improvements. It did not totally clear up the lesions though. 

After being off the Presnisone I have been using moisturizer twice a day and then I use the Triamcinolon when any place starts to get red and inflamed again. The moisturizer seems to keep my skin from getting itchy. Are there any comments about my treatment or my eczema? I am trying to get to the point of using only moisturizer and no steroids. I think that Triamcinolon is not a extremely powerful steroid. Is it appropriate to use this drug as needed for flare ups? 

I noticed that too whenever I eat chocolate. I never really tested it out, but I thought maybe it was just a coincidence.

I went to a "specialist" who gave me a prescription for Triamcinolone, both the ointment and cream, each in one pound jars with 4 refills. Two years later, I'm still generally unable to go more than a couple days without using it. But the refills expired, and I've still barely made a dent in the first jars I got. I'm guessing that means it's reasonably safe to continue using it.

Molluscum contageosum are caused by a virus called molluscopox which is not a human papilloma virus. The pimple like lesions may appear almost everywhere on the body. People with a weakened immune system are more likely to get infected by it. The lesions take weeks or even months to grow before one will notice it and will be spread by scratching. Young lesions drain a waxy core if squeezed, older ones may drain grayish, cheesy material. The lesions never get inflamed (my personal experience - I am suffering from livelong full body atopic dermatitis) 

The best way to get rid of them is surgical excision, done by your derm or GP. You may do it yourself but the doctor has the right hardware and technique. A good thing to do is to mark all 'single' spots in order not to overlook them. It also doesn't hurt that much, only where the skin is tight (on the head, around the neck). If you constantly remove all spots let's say for 3 months your daughter will get rid of them. About the source of infection, my doctor told me that it is not a rare disease, some children in the kindergarten have their first encounter with the virus. I had my first infection at the age of 15 - many lesions around my neck. Ten years of peace with this sort of infection. Then again many lesions, this time on my back. But again got rid of them after 4 months of constant excision. A good idea is to take food supplements and/or homeopathic liquids in order to strenghten your daughters immune system. 

I think a lot of us have problems on the neck; I certainly do. I believe the problems arise because shirts and vests etc often rub or irritate the neck. If its at the back of the neck then I wouldn't be at all surprised if a shirt label is causing irritation. I often chop the labels off and make sure the collar is smooth.

When its really bad I tend to turn the collar up so that the edge isn't rubbing on my neck; this sometimes helps.

Try and keep the neck as dry as possible; possibly using powder to dry up sweat; although making it that dry can itself irritate it.

Has anyone got any ideas on how to dry up the weeping blisters? I have used Gold Bond medicated powder with pretty good success. It seems like using any ointment or cream at this stage just makes it worse. I'm using Shaklee's Basic H as a soapless soap and it doesn't give me any problems. The Amway cortisone cream keeps my skin Dr. free most of the time. When I have a bad flare and the infections start in then I use the neosporin ointment.These preparations have kept me Dr. free for three years. 

Try zinc oxide. It works for me!

Our 13 months old daughter suffers from eczema. It started in April last year, when she was only 2 months old and it has been lasting until now. In the very beginning, only her face was affected, but now she has itchy rash on the face, ears, neck both legs and both arms bellow elbows (approximately 35% of the body is covered). During days and nights she sleeps very little and she itches herself making wounds, even until they start bleed. 

The worst thing is that disease extended toward breathing problems just before Xmas. She had lung spasm and she was treated in hospital one week. After that she had several problems with breathing (lung spasms) and we went to emergency, where she was given inhalation with Ventoline and injection o f corticosteroids. They tested her for allergy (RAST) and they found that her Ig (immunoglobuline) factor is extremely high (7000). They also found that she is extremely allergic to: milk, rice, potatoes and many other food products. Therefore, she is eating very few things at the moment: banana, broccoli, chicken meat, carrot and beetroot. Doctor told us that she actually does not have asthma, but that any virus cancause lung spasm and asthma like problems. When she is excited she is braething fast and it can lead he rin spasm, as well. Of course, we are very said and anxious.

So far, we have tried almost everything; ordinary western medicine, including steroid creams, and some herbal medicine but without ANY SIGNIFICANT SUCCESS. We found that steroid creams can improve situation, but it is only the illusion. When we stopped applying them, skin became very thin, and every area actually became new wound. My wife is vegetarian and she takes a lot of care on healthy food , so usual advices which we received from doctors: avoid spicy food, pork, salty dishes... were useless. Only thing which has some influence is weather. We found that her general state is better during cold weather. As far as breathing problems are concerned, Ventoline helps, but it does not prevent problems. Shortly, until now, nothing has helped.

Many people told us that she will probably outgrow these problems, but it has been lasted almost one year.

Silvio- I just got your message and feel for you. I also have had a child with many problems who finally was diagnosed with asthma at age 2. He is now 8 and doing wonderfully--but is has been a long and very educational process. We struggled for a long time, but what finally made a big difference for us was a good food suppliment program. But it takes a while to build back up. Avoiding dairy and sugar make a big difference. He is off all his medications now, but in the beginning twice a day nebulizer treatments with Intal kept him under control (unless he got ill and then we needed to use the Proventl) Does your daughter's skin react to soaps? I'm the one with eczema and like Liz have found Shaklee's Basic H helpful, also their Meadow Blend. I also have that chocolate addiction someone else mentioned. But when I cut it out for 2 months it didn't make any difference. Frustrating!

Silvio, I understand the frustrating you have been gone through, my 10 1/2-months old son had Eczema since he was 2-3 months, I gave him Chinese Herb for only one week when he had his worst eczema around 6 months old, that was the time we started introducing him the solid food and we didn't know he was sensitive to so many food. After we switch his formula to Alimentum and make him on stricted diet, his eczema got very good controlled, I think you may want to start testing on food first.

To see improvement from Chinese Herb, you have to continue taking that for a long time of period, at least weeks, it usually is a slow but harmful process. You may find some good Chinese Herb doctors in Western or Eastern coast. My son has only eczema on his legs now, and occasionally on his neck and face only when he eats some food he is sensitive to, but I will search some better Chinese Herb treatment for him after he is one-year old. His Ig (immunoglobuline) factor is around 900.

I am not completely against using steroids---I'm just afraid of them. We use them very sparingly now, more or less to prevent big outbreaks. But I still don't feel good about that. Eventually, this minor, short-term usage would turn into long-term usage, because her body would rely on this crutch for healing. And then it would be harder to go "cold turkey" to find alternatives.

I'm trying my hardest to find alternative methods for her immune system to heal itself. I know this is quite presumptuous on my part (I prefer to call it "hope"). However, we're having good luck so far with the diet/homeopathy/chiro approach. For a month now she's been doing great: sleeping well (might scratch a few times during the night, never really waking) and looking great (a few pink, little chapped patches here and there)! I'm hoping that it's mainly due to the homeopathy because that is the one that's most "cure"-oriented. (Supposedly, teaches the immune system how to heal itself, no longer producing allergic reaction... ).

If your child has food allergies and you are strict with the diet. Things seem to be getting better except the face? Reason might be that you eat all kind of foods that your child is allergic to and then give your child a kiss on the face.

Just thought I'll pass it along for somebody who might not have realized it yet... 

I work in a lab and also have to wear gloves often. What helps me is to wear a thin cotton liner glove underneath the latex (or nylon..any kind of glove is irritating to me). Not only does it avoid direct contact with the glove, but it absorbs the moisture. 

I have started taking evening primrose oil (6-8 a day) I've read that it can be very helpful, but it totally depends on the person, and that it takes a while to kick in. Has anyone tried Evening Primrose Oil? Has it worked, and if so, how long did it take before you noticed results?

I have also committed myself to drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day. I think this will definately contribute to good health in general.

I read on a Web page that lanolin can be an irriatant for eczema. I am using Lubriderm at the moment (a lot of it!), does everyone have problems with lanolin, or is it just a select few?

I have tried the homoepathy route before but have found it to be unsuccessful. I may go back to it again. At the moment however, I am not on much medication, just 10 mg. of atarax a day.

I want to FIGHT THIS THING and WIN!!! I am 21 years old, I feel like I should be having the time of my life, but in reality, eczema constricts a lot of what I do, (can't exercise due to sweat, etc.) and dictates my self esteem.

Sorry for the confusing report: I really DO think Julia's rashes have been due to teething, as she's not constipated and stools are not hard. But before teething, she did experience some more difficult stools--diet full of rice and w/ some bananas. But this was her only stage of difficult stool passing. I wouldn't even call them painful (no crying or anything).

I have read that eczema is often accompanied by either diarrhea or constipation. Both make sense; allergies to wheat, for instance, often cause diarrhea, and constipation makes eczema worse because of the high toxin level in the bowels the longer they are full. Enemas were suggested in a book I read but I wasn't about to that on an infant. So, I started giving her a little bit of prunes once or twice a day. She used to go once every other day. Now she goes two times a day, on many days. (I do also give her Flax Seed Oil, Colloidal Trace Minerals, and liquid Vit C daily) 

I'm still on the other end of the scale with our one yr. old. She's only gained about 8 lbs. since birth. I hear this is common as the itching overnite makes their bodies work overtime... plus a lot of meals were interrupted with itching fits. She just wasn't even interested in eating much at all for months (4, 5, 6, and 7 months). Her stomach seemed to be in distress. She eats better now but still not a lot. As for steroid use; she's only received topical ointments and not very much per application (the thinnest amount I could get away with).

Don't steroids make you puffy? When my husband had chemo he was very puffy from one of the steroids he was on. Plus a neighbor kid I know has been on Prednisone for some disease (I don't know which one) and she puffed out like a balloon in no time. She also started eating more and gaining weight. I've forgotten, do they stimulate your appetite too? 

Sue, According to a book that I am reading called "Allergies-Diseases in Disguise", you just hit the nail on the head!!! She says that you crave things that you are allergic to. Also, she says, if you crave sweets after you eat, you may have just eaten something you are allergic to. I must be eating things that I am allergic to all the time.

Some others on the list have mentioned a correlation between flare ups and constipation. She suggests a juice fast to clear the toxins from ones body to cure to flare up.

She says that allergies are curable!!?? Let's all hope, would that be wonderful.

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that it is irresponsible of a Dr. to prescribe steriods 2 pounds at a time with 4 refills?? Obviously Rachel did not overuse the medicine because she still has a lot left in the jars after 2 years, BUT it could give a patient the impression that they could slather the steroids all over themselves all the time. Perhaps the prescription was for two ounces (more reasonable) and it was misread by the pharmacist. Just sounded like A LOT to me. 

Date: 7 Mar 1997 12:21:39 From: Debbie Subject: Jeremy

Tara, My 12 month old, Julia, has in all the same places and, yes, it is a common place. In addition to Eucerin cream, vaseline or an occassional application of hydrocortisone ointment, I also use an anti-bacterial ointment (like Neosporin,etc.--I'm using a prescription one right now). There skin is so acidic and prone to infection. We parents of infants/children have had lots of postings in the last couple of months (located in the archives) that could be of interest to you. You may want to check 'em out!

Causes? Some have had success with chiroprators (Debbie), I had success with a gastroenterologist who diagnosed by son with leaky gut syndrom. He went from 100% eczema coverage to 15% in 4 days! He is on a restricted diet and we must be very careful of environmental factors. He is slowly growing out of this. ie. We added two new foods this week! Others have had success with herbal remedies.

My doctor said that Prednisone definitely can stimulate the appetite. He also advised to take it in the morning (w/ food) because it can make you hyper & taking it at night can keep you awake.

This is the same situation we had with our daughter, Julia, now almost 13 months. After a couple months of reading postings on this listserver (as well as the past archives) we came up with some things to try. I believe it's all stomach related for her because of spitting up, gas, and lots of twisting around while nursing, etc. Currently, she's the best she's ever been and we're all sleeping again. 

The changes we've made are: 

• Diet: Eliminated all but a few foods..foods that seemed to be mild on the stomach (rice, squash, sweet potato, applesauce, and pears..) She now eats more than that though and seems to be toler. 
• Homeopathy: She's been on a remedy---they boost the immune system to cure itself. 
• Chiropractor: The areas that correspond with her stomach and liver were extremenly tight when we started (and her eczema was bad then) and now she's doing great in both departments. 
• Supplements: Flax Seed Oil, Colloidal Trace Minerals, liquid Vit C 
• Household: Tide Free, double-rinse. Wash bedding every other day (or as often as I possibly can).

Hi, I'm new here. I'd just like to encourage parents whose babies have trouble gaining weight ("failure to thrive") to be careful in assuming they know the cause--very thorough testing to rule out other illnesses is a good idea. (We were sure we had figured out that our 8-month-old wasn't growing because she was allergic to wheat, but it turned out she had a very rare heart defect). Could anyone tell me about possible connections between eczema and Graves' disease? My mother has severe eczema, which started at the same time as her Graves' (hyperthyroidism), and though her Graves' was treated (radiation to kill the thyroid gland) 25 years ago, the eczema continues. 

Teri - I got an outbreak of these things a while back. They spread because they itch and when scratched get picked up and moved. I tried everything you mentioned, removing them 1 by one, freezing and acid. I ended up with a cuticle tool that dug out each one. I probably dug out 30 or 40. The derm doc said that if you remove some, the body builds up an immunity to them and the others go away. It seemed to work. They were not contagious to my wife or anyone else. Your 4 year old would not appreciate your digging them out, though. On top of everything, once they're dug out, the spot bleeds profusely. Believe it or not, freezing them is the least painful way to go. Whatever the method, they don't seem to go away by themselves. 

Do you remember what kind of cuticle tool? I might have this too. I'm going to the doctor on Monday because I have bumps on my skin which look like what has been described here as Molluscum. Mine just look like skin colored pimples or tiny bumps that have a watery substance in them which I noticed when I picked at a couple. They seem like they have a tiny white thing in the middle (a root?) and if I am able to pull that out it will bleed & eventually go away. (I think this sounds more disgusting than it is - you can barely see them if I don't touch them). I've seen them before (usually when my eczema is clear) but they usually just go away after a while so I never had it checked by a dr. I'm thinking that they are always there but in a remission. When my eczema is bad the immune system is probably in overdrive so the M. doesn't come out... maybe that's a weird theory which is totally wrong, I don't know.

Eric: I'm surprised that the doctors gave you Prednisone so quickly. (I've only been allowed to get Prednisone when I've had my entire body head to toe covered with eczema lasting for at least two months.) What you describe of your first outbreak sounds like something that could have been helped with Triamcinolone alone.

Terri: I get molluscum on my eyelids and around my eyes. I have scars from where a regular doctor cut them off. If they are in areas where you don't want scars, what I recommend is to find a doctor who does laser surgery. Lasers leave no scars. Not many doctors know how to do laser surgery so you have to call around and ask.

I have also noticed the difference between the child based and adult messages. I feel the same as you, but I am not ready to say we should just live with it. For the first time in almost four months, my son made it to 5:10 a.m. without getting up to itch. Man, thats almost mourning. I feel like a new woman, after those couple extra hours of sleep. El's skin is real good for the last 5 days. We have been seeing a chiro and I think it may help but I have really restricted his diet and that is also a major reason I am sure. I have a call into a dietian to see what are the fewest things he can eat and get the most vitimans and minerals. Only thing we are eating are: sweet potatoe, squash, milk, carrots, dry beans, and broccli, wheat, beef, and rice. This seems like a real short list but we have had some real problems, and I think that chicken and turkey have caused a lot of heart ack. Anyway just wanted to tell someone that understands how good it is to sleep.

I too am not totally against the use of steroids, only scared by it. DesOwen certainly has helped Hannah and I thank God her skin is looking better (only behind her knees is really bad and a few other dry-looking places here and there)! I try to use the lotion as sparingly as possible but it seems that we can't really go longer than a couple of days without it before her skin starts to get "angry" again. BTW, I started to use the zinc oxide ointment... I am hoping this will help too. But I think... Hannah is only 17 months old and if she has to continue to use these steroid products all her life what condition will she be in when she is an adult (e.g. thinning skin and/or thinning bones, etc.) I do appreciate all the feedback I received from my last message... it is comforting to know that when the doctors say "long-term side effects" the really do mean long term. But I still worry... 

Anyway, I am really interested in finding out about these alternative methods (diet/homeopathy/chiro approach). I don't really think that Hannah's eczema is diet related, but I am willing to try anything. I have to say that I don't know anything about homeophathy at all. What is this? Were can I go to get information on this? Any help will be appreciated. Also, what role does chiro. play in all of this? I must say, to me this really doesn't sound related. But I would like to find out more.

Debbie, It very well could be that the steroids have increased my son's appetite and he ate more than he should, but he has never fixed any of his own meals. I have always fixed everything and he hasn't eaten any more than the rest of my family. I feel like we eat fairly healthy (most of the time). Even as a baby he never turned down a meal, though!

Eric-- It was a little surprising to me that they'd go directly to the prednisone before trying some strong topical steroids, but maybe it was so bad that they thought it warranted that treatment... We used triamcinalone on our baby's eczema for a while, and it worked pretty well. Like any steroid, we try to avoid it, though, and we have been able to deal with Isaac's eczema with no steroids or antihistamines for the last year. (but MAJOR lifestyle changes--diet, environment, vitamins, etc)

What a lot of us on this list are looking for, however, are the underlying causes for our eczema. For many of us, it's allergies or sensitivities to foods, airborne molds, chemicals, etc. We can use benedryl to quiet the immune response, but what we really need to do is avoid the allergen. Because your eczema just started, it might make sense for you to think hard about what changes have gone on in your life that might have triggered it, and start "testing" things to see if changing them makes your skin better. We used to keep elaborate lists of what Isaac ate, played in, etc., looking for causes. He only tests allergic to afew things, but is sensitive to all kinds of stuff.

Now that you have eczema, you might have to start adopting a new attitude toward your doctors... questioning everything, doing your own research, etc. I don't want to go so far as to say that doctors can't be trusted, but our experience has led me to KNOW that they don't know everything--they often don't even keep up on the latest medical research, much less what's going on in the "natural" treatments. Most assume that if you're seeing a doctor, you're interested in receiving the traditional medical treatment, and that's what they'll give you. Some are very open about side-effects of their treatments, others aren't. Most are very well-meaning, but they seem to be hobbled, almost, by their medical training... they are NOT trained to listen to your intuitions, which I think are a KEY to figuring out your own eczema treatment regimin..

I'm not allergic to latex, and I don't know if the product that I'm suggesting has latex in it (for some reason, I think it doesn't). I use heavyweight rubberlike gloves with a knitted cotton lining for dishwashing; they're called MAPA Bluettes, and cost about $4-5, but they're definitely worth it. They protect from heat and cold, and the lining soaks up sweat; they come in sizes, so that they fit better than regular latex gloves in the dispenser packages. Haven't had any eczema. problems with them. I also saw a list of latex-free gloves in a back issue of "This Old House" magazine (last fall?).

There is some good info at the below location about it. Looks like a drs discussion... 

http://matrix.ucdavis.edu/rxderm-archives/molluscum

I'm looking for a few suggestions re: my 5 month old son's eczema. I haven't been able to figure out what triggers his flare ups. He still is being breastfed and I have eliminated milk and dairy products from my diet. I've recently started him on solids (rice cereal and a few veggies). It hasn't seemed to make his eczema worse, but it's hard to tell because I apply a low dose hydrocortisone cream (Westcort 0.2%) to the affected areas once a day. That seems to help control it but I would prefer not to have to use this cream forever. My husband and I have tried just about everything but are always looking for new things to try. The most affected areas consist of his forehead, behind and in front of his ears, around his mouth, his neck, his back and stomach, and behind his knees. We only use moisturizing cleansers twice a week for his bath. We use moisturizing creams that are fragrance and alcohol free (those don't seem to help much). I really think it's some sort of allergy because his nose and eyes turn red and water (it's hard to pinpoint the exact cause). 

Who is the author of the "Allergies-Diseases in Disguise" book you are reading. I think I need to read that too. We have a lot of allergies at our house and after experiencing good results with vitamins, I'm all for learning all I can. I also crave sweets all the time and would love a cure for that!!!

Does she give details on the juice fast? I tried that once without really knowing what I was doing and it didn't go well. Afterwards I read more about it, and found I should have also done some vegetable juicing and used organic fruits and veg, instead of just getting juice at the store!! 

I just bought an antibacterial mattress cover and pillow at a Linen's and More store. Supposedly mites can't live in them, even after washing. I actually think it works. My skin doesn't burn like it used to when I lay in bed. I think any bed and bath type store would have them.

Julie, My son had eczema when I was strictly nursing him and off dairy, eggs, and other foods I knew he was allergic to. Of course you can never know exactly all the foods he's allergic to , so maybe you're beating things yo shouldnt'. It's amazing how senstive they can be. My son reacts to pasta that is fortified with ferrous lactate (pasta is usually fortified with either ferrous lactate or sulfate). Of course no doctor ever told me to avoid the ferrous lactate pasta!!! So much of figuring out what triggers their eczema is trial and error, and I've definitely found that eliminating some things has helped, but my son still has it, so either I'm giving him somthing he shouldnt' be having, or other factors (possibly environmental) are affecting him. But minute quantities of the foods can trigger a reaction, at least in the case of my son. 

I nursed my son for 11 months, but then simply decided it was too difficult to track all the foods I shouldn't be eating... But I've found that the best is trial and error, it's a constant experiment. I've also found that you have to be off the food for 6-8 weeks to see results. My son is severely allergic to barley (which is in everything), and I found by eliminating cereals that had malt (which is barley) added to them significantly improved his eczema. Also I learned that almost all breads and bagels have barley in them, so I'd been giving him those foods for a year before I figured it out. 

No one told me barley was the second ingredient in flour!!! I had always assumed flour was simply wheat. These are the types of mistakes I would hate for someone else to have to make. So my best advice is to find out what your son's allergic to and avoid those foods religiously, and also find out exactly where the foods might pop up. It's amazing where lactate will show up, I've found lactate in frenchfries, processed meats, hot dogs!!! You really have to read ingredients carefully. I'ts a pain, but seemed to really pay off in our case. Good luck, Tara

Teri, She definitely intended for me to get the big jars, she said it was cheaper that way in the long run. I don't know why she thought I'd need so much. At the time I had it all over my body and she was recommending that I apply the cream, then soak in wet pajamas for a couple hours and then apply the ointment. I never did that because I found the wet pajamas to be more miserable than the eczema, and it eased up after a few weeks of steady, twice daily steroid applications. I find it interesting to read here about so many places that restrict steroid use. My bathroom cabinet looks like a steroid pharmacy, I have all sorts of tubes of varying potencies, all shapes and sizes, from the pound jugs to the boxes of sample size ointments from the first dermatologist I went to. 

Liz, I would try stopping the neosporin immediately. It may have helped at one time, but now, it may be part or all of the cause. Stop for 3 or 4 days. If you get better, you know why.

Ask you doctor to prescribe some other antibiotic. Pills work better than ointments. Ointments of any kind may make your problem worse. You are right. If your doctor is not helping you, change doctors. Do not hesitate a moment.

I used to ooze gallons it seemed before steroids came out, and the doctor always told my mom to soak me in boric acid solutions. If you can go out in the sun. It is great for infections.

If your work is the problem, then when you go on vacation, you should clear up. Or on the weekends you should clear up. You may be having reactions to the rooms or the air-conditioner. If they are damp and poorly ventilated and not cleaned very frequently they may be harboring mold/mildew which can cause the oozing condition.

Brown or dark skin which is normally white in caucasians who have eczema probably is in a stage of healing. If it is not damaged again it will move into the normal skin color stage. For me it takes about three weeks or less. It is surprising though, how little one has to scratch for so much damage to be caused. Even rubbing for a short time can do it. I theorize that eczema people have VERY sensitive skin compared to others. It cannot tolerate irritants very much. I wonder if there is research on that.

If my theory is true, what should we do about it? Eliminate all allergens from one's environment. Not scratch? Take vitamin C? Vitamins and minerals? Use ice! Get massages? Use vibrators? Swim on sunny days in the ocean? Exercise to relieve tension? Drink plenty of water? Find a miracle doctor? Pray? Call a best friend on the psychic network?

Yeast caused me INSTANTANEOUS CHOKING/gagging. I recovered after about ten minutes. I tried 1/2 a teaspoon of yeast powder. I was startled at the speed and degree of reaction. It was amazing.

BUT don't give up on vitamins. Drug store pharmacists can be very helpful in helping you select ARTIFICIAL/CHEMICAL VITAMINS, but one must read the labels carefully, and ask about any suspect ingredients. I use Centrum, but some List members caution against it saying the chromium it contains is a common irritant if not allergen.

Neomycin or any ointment/cream must be used warily for eczema people. After a while they can turn on you. Gradually they can change from helpful to harmful and you might not notice the cause. So, it's a good idea to stop using them for a few days anytime you start having trouble, just to see if it is the ointment.

Eczema and Graves' disease are both autoimmune disorders. I'm hypothyroid, and my eczema developed around the same time as my hypothyroidism... 

Steve, I believe your guess about the sensitive skin of people with eczema is right on the money. My daughter found this out the really hard way... she's 23, married. Her husband bought her a gift set of alpha-hydroxy products (to help with her damaged skin, he thought). She showered with the stuff (didn't think about it twice) for about a week, and immediately began having EXTREME trouble with her eczema. A dermatologist helped her trace the cause. He said she'd removed any protective covering from her skin and now was exposed to EVERYTHING in the environment... she has been having all sorts of problems since.

The dermatologist has advised her to use vaseline as an artificial covering for her skin until it grows back its own. In the meantime she's looking for anything that helps. We've gotten lots of great ideas on this list.

As to research... I don't know. Haven't looked. Someone ought to, though it seems to me that many of Bonnie's doctors have said that she does have very sensitive skin. Do they have knowledge about this or are they making assumptions?

I am 22 and last year started breaking out with eczema on my arms. I had never had it before. I was prescribed a triamcinolone acetonide cream and told to use 4 times a day, along with changing to a new soap like Dove and not taking really hot showers. 

Well without using the cream, I do keep breaking out. It looks bad cause my skin turns white and I'm a pretty tan person. And now I am finding it has spread very minorly to my legs. Does anyone have any suggestions on stopping its spread. I think my condition is pretty minor compared to some of the ones you have all been talking about, but I don't want to end up getting in those conditions if I can help it.

First thing I would do in your position would be to try and think if anything changed recently to cause the eczema - perhaps new clothes, new beding etc. You might have become allergic to something; but if you've never had problems before I think that is probably unlikely.

Try switching washing powders/conditioners - some can have nasty effects on those with sensitive skin and aggrevate eczema. You could find its a change in the contents of a product that you are using that is causing problems.

Try to keep your arms and legs cool using loose fitting clothing where possible; short sleeve shirts can help although if your in contact with desks a lot it might be more confortable in a long sleeve shirt.

Avoid getting into situations where you sweat a lot - that makes it worse.

Do you use any odd chemicals regularly - if so it probably doesn't help; although don't get paranoid - not everything is bad for you!

As an adult with eczema, I wouldn't use the word "naive," I simply see the parents and children with eczema at the beginning of a long journey that I started 40 years ago. It's like looking at a child and knowing how much suffering lies ahead, hoping that they will be one of the lucky ones to avoid a lifelong condition. I feel sorry for you on one hand, and glad on the other because you have found others with this condition who can give you the support you need to get through it.

Yes I spent my childhood and a number of adult years trying various treatments that didn't "cure" me (though not chiropractors) and now focus on symptom relief. I think my "story" is in the archives. "Cure" is a word I gave up on long ago. "Cure" is a word full of expectation of stability over time. This condition is always changing. There's no stability to it. "Symptom Relief" is a more realistic term for the same thing. When I have success with a treatment, I'm getting symptom relief. Those who are new to the game are tempted to call a successful treatment a "cure". That is, until they've gone through 50 so-called "cures" and finally realize that word doesn't apply to this condition.

As I've said before, you must be prepared for the fact that treatments work for only a certain period of time and then they don't work anymore so you have to go back to trial and error experimentation. The only good thing is that there are lots of treatments to try, which is why this listserve group is so useful. 

A radical proposal... I am told that babies are more prone to develop food allergies if they start solid foods too early. How about putting them back on mother's milk? This must be very hard to do for the mother but I wonder if it would help?

I would stop using Neosporin... It may be a big problem. Pills are better. And some sun. 

David wrote: >> You might have become allergic to something; but if you've never had problems before I think thats probably unlikely.<<

Actually, it's the MOST likely cause... one can develop allergies at any age, not just in childhood. In my case, my eczema is directly attributable to an allergy to milk protein which I developed in my 30s -- I never had allergies as a child... The MD who diagnosed the allergy was NOT a dermatologist, BTW. I'd spent years going from one derm to another, none of who could come up with the CAUSE, only put me thru yet another round of steroid shots and creams... 

The doctor who diagnosed the milk allergy connection to my eczema was an environmental MD who's original specialty had been pediatrics... eczema in children is a common allergic reaction to milk protein... 

Like I said, the irony of it is, I never had allergies as a kid.

I recently, a couple of weeks ago, wrote about a product I began to use following a bad flare-up and unsuccessful attempts to wean off of prednisone. I would suggest that you check out a www site for USANA products (http://www.usanainc.com). I am using what are called the Essentials and the Proflavinol supplement and have had tremendous results. These products are distributed through MLM. Check out the info presented. I know what I have experienced over the past 3-4 months and would be interested in hearing from others who might try these products.

Here is a little different twist on the same subject. My belief on this area is that in infants, eczema is probably most often set off by allergic reactions and can in most cases be dealt with at that level. In later life, those with eczema probably have developed (or have always had) additional factors which contribute to the problem (there is a large proportion of children who "grow out" of eczema). I also believe that allergies remain one of the triggers with those of us who have the problem as adults and it is one of the things that we have to deal with. Therefore, the emphasis among parents upon finding these allergic triggers is probably the right thing to do, while being aware that there may be other triggers to watch out for as well. If, therefore, removing the allergen for a child gets rid of their eczema, they are "cured" so to speak, since they will have "grown out" of it.

I was wondering if anyone has found a relationship between cooking (say with milk or cheese if that's what you or your child is allergic to) and an itching flare up? My 20 month old has eczema and a severe allergy to milk (among other foods). For the most part we try to simply cook things that the entire family can eat, meaning most meals do not contain any foods he's allergic to. However, every now and then we'll cook something with cheese or a peanut sauce, and it seems like this has caused our son to break out itching. Has anyone had similar circumstances? You know, it's one of those instances when you think, was he already itching before I started cooking, or has it really gotten worse since the cheese sauce has been stewing? If in can indeed trigger a reaction, should we make our home a dairy-free home? Any input would be much appreciated. 

I need a little moral support. I took my son in to the DR. on saturday, looked to me he had pink eye. The dr. perscribed prednisone for his skin. I think he looks the best he has looked in 4 months. I told the dr. I think it is bad stuff. He says "Not for short term use" Well, I left the DR. very depressed, and I thought maybe I was being to negavitive after what Shelly had wrote about not ignoring steriods. But then I thought back to last year, this was the dr. that started us on antibiotics and our life was hell for about 8 months (think he most really be Mr. preventive.) Anyway, we are not going to take the prednisone. I told him all the foods I had him off and while I thought his skin looked better he said "he can't be allergic to all that" So now I am thinking just get out of this office with out tearing his head off and you will be lucky. Anyway, we are eating a few things seeing the chiro and if he gets bad again, we will go see a specialist. (this dr. is a ped.)

Thanks for listening, I don't know anyone else who would understand the feeling I had when the Dr. said "lets take some prednisone"

Spectrogel can be found in Shopper's Drug Mart. 

The forehead rash comes and goes, I think it may have to do with the shampoo I'm using. Does anyone have any suggestions for a mild shampoo that doesn't irritate skin/scalp?

Does anyone know where I can get zinc oxide ointment WITHOUT lanolin? I want to try and see if lanolin is the cause of my problems.

I have a spot (about 2 inch radius) on my forehead. When I took a vacation to Australia about a month ago that spot as well as the rest of it (about 25% of my body) cleared up. After about a week at home, it came back with all the rest. I don't think there is anything special about the forehead if that is the spot eczema has chosen to appear.

Agh! I get burned up every time I hear about doctors treating their patients like that ("let's just put him on some prednisone!" "He can't be allergic to all that!" etc). It's like they take insensitivity pills every night, just to make sure they don't slip and listen to you or ask what YOU think should happen... 

So, sorry that doctor's visit was so unpleasant, and sending support for you to do what you think is best for El.

I have one question for you, though--are you thinking about switching doctors? We, like you, went through hell after our pediatrician put Isaac through six months of almost-constant antibiotics... then we began to educate ourselves, and now feel more comfortable about telling them "sorry, but no, we're not going to do that, and here's why." For some odd reason, though, we haven't switched to another doctor. I'm not sure why. I guess it's because we trust their knowledge of the traditional medical approach. And they're convenient, etc. If there was a way to find an M.D. who knew anything about alternative approaches, we would happily switch..

Julie-- you described your 5-month old and your struggles with eczema. I know it's easy for me to say (my son is now almost 2), but you might want to consider going back to just breastfeeding for a few more months, and then re-introduce other foods when your son's body is ready for it... 

We just went to a naturopath today, and she said that she feels that Isaac's eczema (which got noticable a month or so after we started giving him some foods besides breastmilk) was CAUSED by our too-early introduction of solid foods. She explained that babies' digestive tracts are very permeable, to allow for maximal absorption of the nutrients in breastmilk. When we began giving him rice cereal, bananas, etc., traces of the proteins in these foods leaked through his intestine, and were interpreted by his immune system as foreign invaders. So he developed an immune response too them--in his case, bad eczema and some snuffles. We never heard this explanation, so we kept on giving him these "bland" foods, and he kept getting worse.

By the time we started understanding the allergic response cycle, and eliminated many common allergens from his diet and rotating all the foods he ate, his eczema was such a problem that it didn't just go away in a few weeks or months. In fact, it's still there, but very manageable (we don't use any steroids or antihistamines--just get through the flares with creams and other tactics). She thinks that we might actually be in the lucky set of kids who outgrow their eczema, and I'm hoping she's right. But if we hadn't introduced the new foods so soon, she thinks we might actually have prevented the problem.

Tara--you asked about cooking with milk, and whether a kid allergic to milk can react to that, even if he's not eating the food... We haven't noticed that, but I do have one story that could lend a little credence to the theory that he's reacting to the milk fumes in the air (or whatever). I once bought some peanut butter and put it in a plastic container with a very tight-fitting lid. I didn't spill any on the outside. Later, Isaac, who is mildly allergic to peanuts according to RAST tests (and about 15 mos. at the time) grabbed the container out of the cart, and was licking the outside of it. I took it away from him, afraid that he'd get the lid off, but then said to myself, "don't be so paranoid. He can't get the lid off, and this is a thick plastic container... " So I let him hold it. And sure enough, ten minutes later he had welts around his face... Somehow, I guess, he was reacting to the peanut butter through the plastic... and he's not even "strongly" allergic to peanuts. So it makes sense to me that a few airborne milk particles could set your child off...

Mallika- There are a number of milder shampoos on the market - Neutrogena being one. Don't be misled by baby shampoos with their ads about being gentle because they're 'tear-free.' Their pH won't irritate eyes, but they're rough on hair. (as if we bought shampoo to pour into our eyes!) As far as zinc oxide ointment without lanolin, I think I'd let my fingers do the walking. Start calling drug and discount stores and let them look at what they have on the shelves. 

I just wanted to say that I know that Predisone is bad for all of us but I am coming off a short term use and my skin has not looked this GREAT in years! People are actually commenting on MY beautiful complexion!!!! That is a change! I just hope that in a few days I can maintain once the prescription is gone it is such a confidence boost to know that under my facial eczema is actually a nice face to look at! I think I would stay on this stuff FOREVER if I could!!!!!! 

I just wanted to tell you that I use Johnson and Johnson's Baby shampoo and conditioner, it is mild, smells nice and doesn't contain a lot of the large chem names that appear elsewhere! 

Linda--You said that your 7-month-old has another ear infection, and is on antibiotics again. I gather that this has happened before, and I wanted to encourage you to go see an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist. Soon! Our pediatricians diagnosed Isaac with ear infections about 8 times during his first year and a half. Each time they prescribed antibiotics, with scare stories about hearing loss, etc. The antibiotics TOTALLY screwed up his skin--I think becuase they messed with his immune system. By the time we had had enough, and went to a specialist, Isaac's skin was awful.

I can't tell you the shock we got when we got to the ENT specialist (a doctor at the local University hospital, in our case). We were expecting him to suggest even higher doses of antibiotics, but instead he said, "take him off the anti-biotics--he doesn't need them anyway." Apparently, ENTs who are up on the current research feel that the large majority of ear infections are a) misdiagnosed; and b) would clear on their own if the kid was given a chance. The damage from ear infections is caused when infected fluid sits behind the ear drum for months and months and months--not just a few weeks. In fact, the AVERAGE time to clear out that fluid is 6 weeks, with or without antibiotics. Furthermore, most ear "infections" aren't infections--they're just inflammations. The only way to know if an ear is truly infected is to gather liquid from behind the ear drum--something a pediatrician would never do.

For a kid with eczema, I think there is a good reason to go to great lengths to NOT give antibiotics. Instead, you can just wrack up some bills at the ENT--getting the kid looked at once a month or so, to see if the ears are draining, and doing tympanograms (I think they're called, to see if the ear drum is vibrating) and hearing tests (to see if hearing is being impaired). Since we started doing this, Isaac HAS continued to get periodic ear infections, but he has managed to get over them without antibiotics. Right now we're a little worried because he has had fluid behind his ears for a few months (actually, I'm on the way to a checkup in a few minutes), and we might actually have to have the tubes put in his ears if he can't clear them in the next two months. But that would have happend whether he got hte anitbiotics or not.

Bottom line: when it comes to a second ear infection, DITCH your pediatrician and see an ENT. They know more, and have better equipment to determine what the ears are actually doing.

My daughter, almost 3, is extremely allergic to milk & peanuts. However, she can have small portions of things cooked with a little milk, such as creamed potatoes, as long as we don't feed them to her every night.

Our allergist recommended a product called Vitamite as a milk substitute. It's found in the dairy section, near the non-dairy creamers. I use that in cooking sometimes, too.

If I decide to cook something that she is definitely allergic to, then I cook something else especially for her that I know she can eat.

Since my daughter is mildly allergic to so many other foods--wheat, yeast, eggs--that are in almost everything, it's next to impossible to keep all potential allergens away from her. We just try to limit the things that are likely to cause a flare of eczema.

Darcy, I agree wholeheartedly. While I know that prednisone is bad, it makes my skin look beautiful!!

Darcy, Just wanted to say I know what you mean!!! When I was 12 years old, I had a really bad episode of eczema and after all else failed, the allergist put me on a short but concentrated dose of prednisone. My face totally cleared up and after I came off it, it remained clear. FOR YEARS!!!! My eczema just came back two years ago, nothing huge, but it is still bothersome and my confidence isin't where it should be. SOMETIMES I AM SO TEMPTED TO GO TO THE DOCTOR and get on prednisone again just so I can feel totally eczema and itch free. Anyway, congratulations and I hope it lasts.

Hi Julie I have two girls with eczema and I don't use steroids on them fear to thin their skin too much. I use Calendula ointment, Goldenseal ointment, Propolis ointment or any similar natural product. You might be able to find these at any health food store. Hope this help. 

My impression is that your dr. is correct when he says that predisone is OK for short term use. This seems to be conventional wisdom among most doctors, chiropractors and others. I have taken cortisone/steriods throughout my childhood, without any long term effects that I can identify. I try to stay away from the stuff but it saves me when I have a bad flare up.

Like anything else it is a balance of risk and benefit. For some of us, the risk is worth the benefit. I would heed the short term usage advice. Good luck. These are tough decisions.

My experience is identical to Shelly's. I have had eczema for 47 years. It was debilitating as a child, through Jr. HS. There were times when I couldn't do the things that most kids take for granted. Through HS and college and beyond, it varied in severity from simply annoying, to being unable to work for 2 weeks at a stretch. For the past 10 years my condition has been very good, but always there. I recently had a flare up on my face and neck after a bout with the flu and a sinus infection.

At various times in my life, I have tried everything from Vaseline to cortisone shots. Sometimes the cortisone shots are the only things that provide relief. I am thankful for the cortisone/steroid treatments for the relief that they give, but I am also afraid to rely on them (like everyone else).

For me, symptom relief is a more realistic goal since it seems like I've tried everything at some point over the years.

Please also note that beyond the eczema, my life is great. Great family, friends, and work. I sometimes think that my ability to appreciate the simple things is greater because of my eczema experiences.

Try using CETAPHIL MOSTURIZING CREAM. It comes in a big 16 oz. bottle and it has done wonders for me. My dermatologist recomended it to me. You can buy it at wal-mart and it costs about $12. It lasts a long time.

There is also a soap called Cetaphil. It is very good!!!

I use a generic tar-based dandruff shampoo (a knockoff of the pricey Neutrogena shampoo); the smell doesn't bother me, and it's better for my skin than baby shampoo, which felt like it was burning. Still have a little eczema on my forehead, though. Guess it just wants to be there.

Question: has anyone else's derm. prescribed topical steroid ointments with wearing a plastic bag after applying them? My derm. told me that if I have a bad flare (back & arms), I should soak in a lukewarm bath, apply BetaVal ointment, and wear a plastic dry-cleaning bag for a couple of hours. Works, but it's a pain! I've asked this question before, but nobody responded. Is my Dr. just wacky?

No, the dr is not wacky... covering an area tends to concentrate the treatment.

Steve, Maybe I damaged the skin on my neck so severely from the repetitive scratching for so many years because even though it's been clear for a long period of time it is still as brown as ever. My neck has actually been clear of eczema for years - I just have this brown stuff left as a reminder of where I used to scratch the most. I think this damage is from the scratching, overuse of cort. creams & sunbathing (w/ the cort. creams). I have tried fading creams and other things but nothing seems to help. I guess I just have to get used to it.

I went to the Dr. on Mon. & to my surprise it's NOT molluscum. I was convinced that I had it. I'm so paranoid because I always think that eczema seems to make me more susceptible to other skin things but maybe that's not really true. He said that they are very distinct in that they are sort of concave in the center. 

Without realizing it, my doctors recommended using many things that aggravated my condition- Dove being one of them (I can't use it). I have ultra sensitive skin and can't use most soaps but Dove was really bad. I use Aveno bath & shower cleanser which is weird because it barely lathers but it helps my skin (probably because of the oatmeal in it). It's worth a try... it also comes in a bar but that doesn't lather much either. Basis & Oilatum used to be okay for my skin and these lather like normal soaps so maybe they would better. 

Almay used to make a great gentle shampoo I'm not sure if it's still available. The Zinc Oxide Ointment that I use doesn't list lanolin as an ingredient. It's manufactured by Clay-Park Labs in Bronx, NY 718-716-9018. Ing: zinc oxide 20% in base of Beeswax, light mineral oil & white petroleum. This works well for me. 

I found a zinc oxide cream at Revco, a store brand that also has only zinc oxide, beeswax, light mineral oil and white petrolatum. Your question made me realize that maybe I'm having a problem with lanolin too. I'd been having some success with a combination of claritin 1-2x day and zinc oxide 2xday, but this morning I used the one with the lanolin in it instead (which I'd bought earlier but hadn't seemed to help). I don't know why I did it, but my eczema itched and burned all day.

Has anyone had any luck with coal tar products? When I was in Australia last summer, I bought a product called "eczema cream" containing coal tar solution, zinc oxide and silicon fluid. I think there are other ingredients not listed "in an emollient base" but it also states it is lanolin free. It never seemed to help much but I don't think I gave it a very long trial. I saw in the FAQ that coal tar is mentioned, but I haven't seen any mention of it in recent messages here.

I've heard of this before but have never tried it. If it works, your Dr. can't be too whacky. Most of the things my Drs have told me don't work.

I have only been a member of this list for a few weeks but I have found something that completely cured my eczema. I've made a few posts regarding my hands (they were really, really bad and the eczema was starting to spread (a few spots on the fronts of my legs and my face was beginning to itch). I couldn't do anything without wearing a cotton glove and a vinyl glove. I only had the eczema for 1 1/2 years but it was a nightmare.

I started at the MD, went through two dermatologists, back to the MD who then referred me to an Allergist. I had read on here somewhere where a sunlamp is helpful. I was to go to the Allergist this past Monday and ended up cancelling my appointment because last Friday I went for a tanning session. My eczema was completely gone in 3 days and is still gone and I only had the one session in the tanning bed. 

One word of caution though. I stayed in the bed for 15 minutes. Twelve hours later my hands were healing but I had very large welts all over my body (they went away the next day). If my eczema comes back, I will go to this tanning bed and only stay in for 5 minutes. 

I must tell you that I have heard Dermatologists give these same treatments for eczema charging anywhere from $80-Up for one session. I really think a lot of us have been scammed by the medical profession. They keep us coming back for more (I was injected with steroids 6 times in 8 week with horrible side effects). My tanning certificate was $29.95 for 14 sessions and I will probably only use it when and if I have an outbreak. 

I know a lot of you out there have babies and children with this and after what I have been through, if I were you, I would try the holistic approach to the eczema. I wouldn't want to put my baby or child in a tanning bed but I would try to find a sunlamp and I would use the sunlamp on only the affected area. Compared to the antibiotic and cortisone creams a large percentage of you seem to be using on baby's skin, I can't see where a 5 minute treatment of UV rays would hurt. And if you are going to use a sunscreen, be sure it is Paba free. My son and I are both VERY allergic to Paba, as a lot of people are. Just wanted to pass this info on.

Chocolate-flavored Rice Dream is delicious warmed up as hot chocolate. They also make rice dream ice cream. There are times when I think milk products are aggravating my eczema, other times when I think there's no relationship at all. It may just be a low-level irritant, that only takes effect when other factors cause vulnerability (that darned Sherlock Holmes chase for elusive clues, again). But I try to minimize dairy just in case. Rice milk (or soy milk, for those not allergic) are disappointing at first if you think of them as milk but addictive if you accept them on their own terms.

I've found that coal tar products work really well if I get infected (I don't ever take antibiotics). I use Polytar bath emollient and some really gunky stuff from the chemist, coal tar and zinc oxide. I had to ask for it. It's sticky and green.

The combination of the two get rid of infections, but if I carry on using them after the infection has gone, then they seem to irritate me. But for infections, even serious ones where I've felt ill and feverish, they work to clear them up fast (4 days usually). For me, that compares favourably to antibiotics.

Hi everyone, I have also had luck with exposure to the sun and tanning beds with my eczema, but it has never cleared mine up completely. I just want to remind anyone who wants to try this that you have to be very careful about your exposure! Sunburned eczema hurts a lot. I have very fair skin, and when I initially go tanning I can only do about 10-12 minutes the first few times, then gradually you can build up to 20 minutes. I love tanning because it is also very relaxing, it helps to relieve the stress which can contribute to eczema. 

Sue, my son's doctor recommended he be taken to a tanning salon, also. It really did work. He told me that the effects of the tanning bed were insignificant as compared to the effects of the cortisone creams, etc. that we were putting on him constantly. So now through the winter I try to take him several times a month and then through the summer he is virtually eczema-free I guess because of swimming a lot. 

I don't know whether it's the sun or the chlorinated water or what, but whatever it is, as long as he is swimming, he is pretty clear. He went to a boy scout camp that was just during the daytime only for a week last summer and by the time it was only halfway through he was really broken out especially on his hands and feet (which are his worst spots) so getting hot and sweaty are really bad things for him.

I have been on and off for the past five or six years been getting ultra violet treatments from my dermatologist. One type is PUVA, where you ingest pills which make your body more susceptible to the UV to the point that you must wear UV resistant sunglasses while the sun is shining to prevent burning your eyes. The other has been a straight UV... I believe, UV B, and PUVA UV A light. 

I have been helped at times, less so or even worsened at other times when I have done this. What helps me (most often) are 2 treatments, 2 days in a row, where I burn my skin to the point where the eczema areas start peeling. Also, a day (or days) at the beach has similar effects at times. I believe that 5 minutes on a tanning bed is equivalent to 1 hour sun, and, in the UV treatment case (non PUVA), a minute is equal to an hour. It takes me currently about 8 minutes to burn. My latest round of treatments (last week and this week) have helped somewhat, but, alas, not cured. There is a steady stream of people getting this treatment from my derm, mainly for psoriasis. I am the only 2 consecutive day version, I believe... I tried this after it helped getting burned 2 days in a row on vacation. I tried the tanning bed as well with less success. My insurance covers the UV treatment at 80%.

I'd like to announce a new feature of the Rubber Room web page (associated with the Rubber LISTSERV discussion group): It is the first in a series of illustrated World Wide Web articles WRITTEN FOR LAYMEN about "A Brief Natural History Of Latex Rubber Allergy." The URL for the Rubber Room is:

http://www.Immune.Com/rubber

The initial article has been quite well received, and covers details not generally known about the possible sources of this life-threatening allergy.

I have heard of people being wrapped in gladwrap, I guess this has a similar effect. I assume it helps with getting the med. absorbed. 

My 21 month old son has just suddenly developed eczema on his face and neck. He seems to be really sensitive to certain foods (reacts to some things before he has finished eating them) and we are gradually eliminating more and more things from his diet. Someone has suggested trying the Feingold (sp?) diet, has anyone heard of or tried this and with what results ?

I have also been told that as he has always been a wheezy baby it is likely that as his eczema improves wih age, he is likely to develop asthma ... any comments ?

Ayurveda, the ancient healing art of India, believes that food plays an essential part in our health and sense of well-being. There are quite a few tips on the (topical) treatment of eczema in the book "Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing" by Usha Lad and Dr. Vasant Lad, published by: The Ayurvedic Press, 1994.

Eczema and Graves' disease are both autoimmune disorders.

I have had eczema all my life and was told my a allergy dr that I have a "sluggish" thyroid!... ? Well, I'm hypothyroid, and my eczema developed around the same time as my hypothyroidism... 

Does anyone else get a reaction to the nose piece of their eye glasses? I wore sunglasses when snowshoeing yesterday, and have huge welts on my nose from the nose rest. My eyelids are also swollen and cracked, I don't know if that is also from the glasses or something else. Has anyone found a non-irritating material for this?

Diane, I get a rash on my nose from my glasses when I sweat. I think it has to do with your pores being open, and your glasses being dirty. I have tried different nose pieces, but there doesn't seem to be much difference. I try to keep my glasses clean by wiping the nose pieces with alcohol, or any other disinfectant every few days. This seems to help a little.

Suggstions about food testing seems reasonable, but we have found many difficulties in that. There is no particular food for which we can say that is OK or not. Only thing which is sure is that our daughter cannot eat yogurt. Once we tried (only one spoon!) reaction was horrible; change in skin color, breathing problems. After she was given Claritin an attack stopped.

I use the Cetaphil soap with no problems. Any other soap I've tried, even just to wash my hands can give me hot, red, swollen itchy skin wherever it has touched. My brother gets eczema on his hands if he uses soap and he doesn't have any other eczema.

Kim, I feel the same exact way! Confused, frustrated... Why can't there be a health practioner who knows the values of both conventional and alternative medicines? One who could say, "In this case, your child would do best with this ----- method." I feel both forms of medicine have their merits in helping yet the two, in my experience, are at odds with each other. Each of them wants me to use their thing more or less exclusively and that creates a lot of guilt and confusion for me. It all drives me crazy!!!! 

I give Julia 1/2 tsp of flax seed oil. once a day. I stir it into some of her food, as it's thick (an oil!).

Julia is still doing well--it's been about 6 wks. now. Her worst flare-ups are far better than her best days used to be! On her "good" days now she sleeps through the night, has no day itching, eats well, and has barely any eczema, even on her face, which was her rough spot. We still have to be careful with food as she can flare really easily if we get lax. But, we've even been trying all kinds of wheat products (graham crackers, Ritz, animal crackers, bagels, etc.). While she may be a tiny bit worse for it, some days it seems to be the only way she'll eat. She's pretty stubborn! And she's just plain fed up with the same ol' stuff---especially baby food! Plus, she grabs things that her four year old brother has dropped or accidentally left in her reach... 

Dr. update: Biggest news is a ONE month weight gain of 2 1/2 pounds (at 13 months old, no less)!!! She's never had more than a pound per month before this! Very exciting. Blood work came back: Borderline low zinc level and iron level as they had suspected. So, they prescribed both of those minerals and told us to stop the colloidals, since it would be too difficult to gauge exactly how much she's getting. On the plus side, her IGE levels were nice and low--17. So, they did a RAST on her which we get back next week. 

I thought I've read somewhere that low IGE tend to be more likely to be the type to grow out of it. I don' t know this for sure, though. I just remember reading a bunch of medical abstracts that led me to thinking that I hoped she would have a nice 'n low ige level. As for any leaky gut diagnosis, the stool sample was lost by my local hospital... so we gave another one while we were at our last boston visit, last week. You know, I am still highly suspecting a dog allergy, which would be major. Every household we go to has a dog! This could also contribute to her positive condition these days---I've been staying home! I'm waiting for her to stop teething (four teeth in a row up top--all within days of each other). Then, I can isolate one thing at a time. Stress or pain from teething interrupts her sleep. Being tired makes her scratch, etc. Chiro. says her back is the best it's ever been and we're now spacing out the visits.

In a recent issue of Mothering magazine there was an article regarding the overuse of antibiotics. I only had the chance to browse the article, admittedly, but it was extremely interesting. Said antibiotics are only needed about 30% of the time, the rest go away on their own. And that taking them when not needed actually worsens the cycle of chronic ear infections. Hmmm. 

My wife and I have been dealing with eczema in our 17 month old son since he was born. It wasn't diagnosed as eczema until 4 months old but in retrospect and relooking at newborn photos, we know that he was suffering from birth and probably before. In addition to eczema, he is allergic to eggs and is lactose intolerant. We have not ever had a day where there haven't been eczema skin problems but we have that somewhat under control.

The problem we are dealing with now and something that I haven't been able to find much reference to is a complete loss of appetite for solid food. Carson has always been a poor eater and has had something of a sensitive stomach because of the mucus in his system but for the last several months, he has slowly been eating less and less solid food and a week ago from today, he stopped altogether. He takes his bottle ok and drinks goats milk and juice but will not eat anything solid... nothing. It has been 4 days since he has swallowed so much as one cheerio.

With his dietary limitations it is hard to find new things to try anymore, but he won't even attempt to take a bite. We had him in today for an "upper G.I." x-ray that showed no problems with his gastro-intestinal system. Everything seemed to function and be the correct size for him. In the past we would notice a loss of appetite when he was having a bad flare-up but he would usually eat a little and then after about 3 days would eat pretty well. Now, he doesn't eat at all. He has been itching some but not like it has been in the past. The really odd thing is that he is gaining weight normally... in fact, he is at the top of the percentile chart for weight relative to age. He is a stocky boy but we are very frustrated at his total unwillingness to eat.

I noticed one person on the list mention something about her child eating better now which makes me think we are not alone on this issue. If anyone has any information or suggestion about appetites and diet it would be greatly appreciated.

My son has never stopped eating -- but my little nephew at about 2 years old did, due to bad teeth. His Mom had let him sleep with juice bottles and carry them around all day to the point that it hurt to eat solid foods. This probably isn't the problem at your house but I thought I would bring it up in case its been overlooked.

That is something that I would have never thought of about the teeth but we have been careful not to allow Carson to go to bed with a bottle and also he has never been a toddler that needed to carry a bottle with him. When he sinks his teeth into my arm or leg and then comes up with a big grin, I don't think his teeth are causing him any pain. This seems more like an aversion to the food itself. Today was another day without eating food other than his goat's milk. 

I have similar problems, sometimes, but not always. The bridge of my nose gets dry and cracked. Usually, this is accompanied by dry eylids. I'm not sure, but for me, it may be related to other pollen type allergies. The nose piece of my glasses seems to aggravate it.

Taking your child off of milk is not necessarily a cure for eczema. Perhaps some have found success in it, but my 21 month old toddler doesn't get an ounce of milk in his diet and never has (except when he accidently got a hold of some) and his eczema is terrible. Besides milk making him violentley ill, when he once accidently received it in a very low dose, his entire body broke out with eczema, normally its primarily concentrated on the hotspots (neck and joints). So I suggest taking your son off of milk, but don't expect miracles.

Milk is only one culprit... but it is definitely a place I would check first. When you take your child off something, it is essential that you also look at the ingredients of other products. Milk doesn't always appear there as milk... it can appear as whey, lactose, etc.

Other likely offenders (at least for my two daughters)... corn (which means corn starch and maybe even corn oil), whole wheat, barley, chocolate, cottonseed oil (you'd be amazed at the stuff this is in!), eggs (which translates in ingredients to egg-white and albumin), any nuts and nut oils... 

You may already have learned this the hard way, but maybe it can save somebody the trouble.

I have two daughters with eczema. Frances (3 ½) is allergic to lots of food and recently was found to be allergic to Airborne allergens. Chantel (1 ½) is more tolerant to food but allergies to Airborne were also found on her. She scratches and I am afraid her skin is going to be damaged. I keep their nails very short and clean. Long clothes at all times. 

I have been dealing with Frances' allergies for about 2 1/2 years now. She has come a long way and some relief from her skin problem is under control now. She is still very itchy specially at night, very irritable and lack of concentration, cries a lot, does not gain any weight. Diet has been modified and some environmental changes have been done. I give them some homeopathics, vitamins and supplements. Just started a Chinese herbal tea treatment in a local Chinese clinic. 

Sometimes taking your child off milk and all milk related products isn't enough. Our 2 year old has a dairy allergy, but when we took him to a dietician she also diagnosed an allergy to house dust mites and she tested him on various other food products (we took in samples of food we regularly eat and he proved intolerant to several). She gave us homeopathic remedies against cows milk and dust mites to help initially, and I hoover his matress both sides once a week. This resulted in a massive improvement, although there are still outbreaks now and then, most especially when he's ill.

What 's this homeopathic remedies against cows milk and dust mites? I have no idea at all, anybody wants to tell me? Does it help?

Regarding the really stubborn forehead rash: it comes and goes as it pleases. I have no idea how to find out what is irritating me. The strange thing is that my steroid ointment helps all other areas of my body, EXCEPT for my forehead.

I'm starting to suspect that maybe lanolin is the culprit. I'm going to stop using lubriderm on my forehead (I use a lot of it) and start using something called Complex 15 (which is lanolin free.)

If anyone else can give me any other suggestions, please do. I have stopped itching the area, the eczema just won't go away.

Mallika, there is a new lubriderm called "seriously sensitive" which does not contain lanolin and I find very good.

Mallika: I also have difficulty with my forehead. The only thing that clears it for me is Elocon cream 0.1%. But a few days later it comes back. I'm just glad the Elocon helps for a few days at a time. Every other steroid I have does nothing for it. 

Recently a little dispute erupted here... My allergist old me that I should NOT use Elocon .1% cream on my face because of the possibility of damaging the skin. My dermatologist, on the other hand, said that it's fine for use on the face as long as it is not for an extended period of time.

The drug manufacturer's representative also sided with the dermatologist.

Jeremy, I'm not sure if I'm using the same ointment as you or not--mine is ELOCOM 0.1% and my dermatoligist said that it is okay to use on my face but sparingly. I don't feel comfortable putting that stuff on my face but sometimes it is necessary.

I think that it's all a matter of balancing between risk and benefit. I wouldn't put too much faith in what the drug company says because they want to sell their product as much as they can.

Perhaps you can get a second opinion from another dermatologist.

What might help your forehead out is if you slowly wean yourself off cream instead of using it for spurts at a time and then suddenly going off. My dermatologist suggests that I use the cream, then once I'm a bit better, use it every other day and so on until I'm at a comfortable level and I can go off.

Strange, but today my forehead rash is nearly gone.

I've used Elocon and many other cort. creams on my face (& body) for almost 30 years to get rid of the rashes. Stupid maybe but I did it anyway. The side effect I experience is something that I feel is minimal and would prefer over the rashes any day. My derm. warned that this would happen... I guess that the skin is thinner and a few small broken blood vessels (I think that's what they are) are visible. Nothing a tan won't cover up. I'm looking forward to the summer sun.

I have eczema on my eyelids. And as soon as I get them cleared up, I get another outbreak. 

Courtney, Facial makeup can cause contact dermatitis. Are you using makeup? What are you using to wash your face? What are you putting on your eyelids?

Are your eyelids inflamed where the eyelashes are (with crusting where the lashes meet the lid)? That would be called blepharitis. If that is the case, belpharitis may be suppressed by frequent washing with zinc or tar anti-dandruff shampoos.

I had a discussion with one of the health care professionals I see regarding Leaky gut syndrom. It has been hypothesised that Leaky gut could be a root cause of food releated eczema. He said that Leaky gut is a result of poor digestion due to a lack of Hydrochloric acid. Because food isn't broken down enough in the stomach, the body compensates by absorbing larger chunks of stuff in the intestine. This leads to many problems including eczema, candidia, and parasite infestation. I was just diagnosed with a candidia problem, which is a symptom of Leaky gut. So he suggested I take a HCL supplement. He recommended Betaine HCL and Pepsin. I'm not a qualified health proffesional, so don't take any of this as 100% accurate.

Mallika, Thanks for your advice but I do exactly what you say above. It just comes back after a week of not using it. Well, that's the current pattern anyway. After 40 years of this, I've had thousands of strange patterns that last for awhile and then transform into something else.

Jeremy, this debate has been going on for at least 40 years. I heard the same thing when I was a child. I've also had doctors say that I wasn't using ENOUGH cream to have an effect (when I took the phrase "use sparingly" seriously). We're all guinea pigs in an eczema experiment. Nobody knows anything for sure. Each case will have different side effects from the same treatment. There's no treatment that works for everyone. Treatments that do work will eventually no longer work over time. Our symptoms change over time. Treatments must change accordingly. These are some of the basic facts that must be accepted for chronic sufferers. 

Ref your question about homeopathic remedies, we were supplied with Cow's milk & House dust remedy by our dietician - they came from "DM Harrison, Homeopathic Chemist, Llangwyryfon, Aberystwyth, Dyfed. Whether you can order them direct I don't know. The extent to which they work is obviously not conclusive, but our son was given them when his allergy was first diagnosed, to help build up his immunity, but obviously he stopped having all dairy products at the same time. With the dust mite however, with my giving him this for 1 week and then hoovering his matress twice a week for one month, a month later he had no reaction to dust mites when re-tested! I do continue to hoover his matress however, as he still has occasional outbreaks of eczma, and for the effort involved it seems worthwhile.

Dr. Bob, are you saying that milk used in cooking is OK? Also, what about cheese or butter? I was thinking of using goats milk along with the soy and rice products I purchased. Is goat's milk different from cows milk enough to use? I guess to me they would be about the same.

When I was an infant, I was taken off cows milk and put on goats milk (dr recommended)... over 50 years ago. Just goes to show there is nothing new in this world. It cleared up. My eczema did not return for a for 6 or 7 years, and then it was seasonal (probably external allergins). Later, when my mother opened a custard stand, peanuts and chocolate (a lot of it) brought on an onslaught. 

Lubriderm makes a product called "Seriously Sensitive Lotion" for extra sensitive dry skin that is 100% LANOLIN FREE, dye free and fragrance free. I have started using it and love it because it is not greasy or sticky to the skin as some other lotions tend to be. I buy this product in the CVS Stores.

Our son is lactose intolerant... just about any dairy product even in minor doses gives him stomach gas and severe cramping until he vomits. But, he has no trouble with goat's milk. The thing that you have to watch for is that there is not much iron in goat's milk so you have to be careful to make sure your son is getting sufficient iron from other sources.

Have you ever heard of a situation where the baby with eczema is 100% breast fed, and the mom is very careful eating no dairy, mainly vegetarian, all organic foods, and still baby has eczema pretty bad? 

Did anyone ever try Robertson's Medicated Skin Repairing Ointment? They have a web site at: http://www.academy.net.au/Eczema/eczema.html.

Re: Minerals, does anyone in this group take T.J. Clark's colloidal minerals? There is a wave of thought that was sparked by Dr. Joel D. Wallach that claims taking a colloidal mineral supplement will lead to a healthier and longer life. A search on AltaVista for Dr. Joel Wallach will bring up a lot of info on this topic. One web site for those interested is http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/a1health/

Is anyone taking Knox Unflavored Gelatin (2 packs in the morning everyday with juice) for better skin?

In case anyone is curious, my web page about Eczema is located at: http://www.angelfire.com/ct/Eczema. 

I tried some boiled milk, and noticed that it tastes just like powdered milk. I am guessing that boiling the milk denatures the proteins, specifically whatever protein(s) that cause allergic reaction in many of us. Denaturing the proteins is also what changes the taste. Since powdered milk tastes like boiled milk, I'm assuming that whatever process they use to dehydrate the milk denatures the proteins in a similar way. If this is true, then using powdered milk may be just as effective as using boiled milk, and may be more convenient for many of us.

Did you know that ... "Jojoba Oil, because it is hypo-allergenic, is used in the treatment of skin problems such as acne, psoriasis, and neurodermatitis." See:

http://www.ultranet.com/%7Eadamo/CA_Gold/news.htm

and

http://www.armchair.com/warp/jojoba1.html

For anyone concerned about thinning hair, you'll want to read this as well. I bought a bottle of it at the health food store.

We have a 13 month old daughter (eczema since 3 weeks old... ) seemingly allergic to all kinds of things. Julia doesn't eat too much. When she's exposed to whatever it is that makes her flare up I've been noticing about a 3 day cycle of symptoms including loss of appetite for solids (still nurses fine though). Since I've been treating her eczema as a stomach problem rather than just a skin problem she has improved remarkably. It has always seemed to me that when her eczema is flared her stomach seems to hurt --cranky, twists and turns a lot while nursing, and even spits up (used to be several times a day, now barely ever spits up). 

So, I never force the issue because if it hurts, it hurts. But, instead, I try to repair stomach damage by not giving her anything that will further aggravate it (when she WILL eat) and I encourage her to nurse as much as she wants. I am careful with my diet too though--no dairy at all, no eggs, no tomatoes, potatoes, peanuts, chocolate,... a little wheat, ... very little sugar, greasy foods, spicy foods, alcohol... etc. (I may be forgetting something). It's a long list though.

I also give her Atarax (a prescription antihistimine) which supposedly helps heal stomach inflammation as well as reducing the itching on the outside. Itching on her face is among the last of the apparent symptoms though, and loss of appetite is one of the first signs for me that the cycle is beginning. It's also become sort of a warning for me, timewise, to help deduce what triggered the new cycle.

Julia is finally gaining now at a good clip because she's finally been sleeping well too. The first month she started eating well (Jan.) was followed by sleeping well and looking good since Feb, as well as itching less. So, with our experience, the stomach upsets/lack of appetite seem to preclude the eczema. Also of note, Julia boycotted the original introduction to solids (around 5 months old) for about 3 months. After that, the only way we could get her to eat was to offer her some kind of finger foods to keep her occupied while I snuck it in. Even still, this is how I get her to eat the food that's good for her (baby foods) while she eats rice or something herself. But at least she eats now!!

I have been using some drugs lately (topical hydrocortisone .05%, occasional antibiotic cream, and the Atarax) since the healing process has begun on its own but at the time when her appetite first increased I was only doing the homeopathic remedy---NOTHING else (but Eucerin). We're still doing the homeopathic remedy too. And now I'm going to try weaning her off the topical stuff again. She actually doesn't have it that often. But I'm curious to see how much good it's doing. I fear that even these small amounts of drugs may be messing up her immune system and interfering with or undoing all the good the homeopathic remedy had been doing.

In my experience, powdered milk is just as bad as raw milk. Boiling or baking does denature or breakdown the protein but boiling is at a much lower temperature and is not quite as good as baking with milk. Some folks can tolerate cheese and yogurt but most with significant eczema need to avoid all milk products that are uncooked--this includes powdered milk found in instant cocoa and pudding, etc. What I have people do if they want to determine if milk is the cause of their eczema, is have them avoid all milk products -religiously- for 3 months, then after they are better they can experiment by adding back certain foods like yogurt or powdered milk. The eczema will return if the food they add is unacceptable. It is slow but simple, and it works. 

Debbie, Your recent post was very interesting. I was impressed that you've been able to recognize the cycle of eczema flare-ups and loss of appetite. Now I'll try to be more aware of any patterns effecting my son Brian. He recently had an ear infection and eczema on face was infected. During that time he didn't have much appetite -- but it's hard to know somtimes if it's from eczema or ear infection, or teething, etc. I guess I should just keep a log of his behavior and health, (and foods) and see if there's a pattern. Did you ever keep a log to help you? Anyhow, I'm glad to hear that Julia is eating better and gaining weight -- that's such good news! I rarely have a problem getting Brian to eat unless he's ill so he has slowly, but steadily gained weight. Take care. 

Brian's eczema was soooo bad last week that the derm put him on prednizone. I too (like the other mom who wrote last week) am not happy about putting him on prednizone, but his eczema was severe -- all over his body and face and something needed to be done. He's also on 0.05% cortizone cream for all over. He goes for allergy tests next Tuesday so we needed to get his skin cleared up for that. How can they test for reaction if it's all red and flared up?!

I'm not looking forward to taking him for the allergy tests, but as you've all said in previous posts, it should help clear up his eczema (at least somewhat) if we know what's causing it. He has to be off his antihisthamines for 72 hrs. before the appt. so I'm sure he'll be scratching a lot those 3 days (oh Happy Easter). Since the new medication, he looks so much better already and is so pleasant and playful. He just seems to be himself again! Last night he had trouble going to sleep (itching his head) and I hadn't given him an antihisthamine because he fell asleep before I could give it to him. But once he was in a deep asleep, he slept the whole night -- so hopefully he'll be ok those nights before his testing.

I've been wondering this for more than a year now, and maybe some of you have your own observations. Since my eczema has become worse, I've noticed that when I suffer a minor skin abrasion (examples: if my watch buckle digs into my arm, or if I'm carrying a heavy hardcover book against my arm, if I squeeze a pimple, etc.), I develop a *huge welt* at the injured area, quite out-of-proportion to the actual injury.

Is this perhaps an example of a super-vigilant immune system, which eczema seems to be in many people?

I have not used the colloidal minerals regularly, although I have received at least 14 copies of the Joel Wallach tape. But for another perspective (anti) on their use, see Dr. Andrew Weil's website (http//www.hotwired.com/drweil/) (and look under his "Archives" section for 2 Jan 97). I am personally a big fan of Dr. Weil: he gives sensible advice, alternative but not kooky, and his website is worth checking out. He has a section on eczema, too, in his Database.

Hi, Linda--Sorry to hear you have had a bad time with Brian's eczema lately. If it makes you feel any better, we are having a rough time again. It used to be that Daniel would sleep from 8 pm to about 4 am then come to my room and sleep until about 7am--he needed the extra comfort to fall back asleep. For the last couple of weeks he is taking up to 2 hours to fall asleep and then is waking up every half of an hour or so, all night long. He is still on his antihistimine and we are following his diet to a T. Maybe he is just hitting the terrible twos early--because he doesn't just whine and sob, he throws major tantrums. One night he screamed for 2 and 1/2 hours. He doesn't act like he is in any pain, he does't want our bed, he doesn't want a bottle, creams don't help---we are seeing our family doctor Friday... Oh yah, he's not scratching the whole time, just part of it, it is like he is really, really mad. During the day, his skin is not too bad, still red in the face and hands are always pretty sad looking.

When Daniel first saw an allergist his skin was too flared up to do traditional testing. But the allergist had us get blood drawn at our family doctor and sent it to a clinic for tests. Thats when it came up that he was allergic to peanuts, wheat,soy, potatos, and eggs. Then a few months later we did skin tests and it came up negative to the potatos and soy and positive to about 15 other items. Milk is not one of them though.

Dr. Bob, My daughter's allergy tests were highly positive for cow's milk and soy, so the allergist recommended Carnation Good Start formula. Apparently the milk protein is broken down somehow. And this has worked pretty well for her. Have any of your patients tried this?

Well, I had hope that my forehead rash was gone because I stopped using Lubriderm on my face (which contains Lanolin) and had started using something else. My forehead was totally clear for about 3 days and then yesterday all of a sudden it cam back full force.

I CAN"T FIGURE IT OUT!!!!

Hello everyone, I was reading something a few weeks ago about people being allergic to aspartame (I'm not sure about the spelling). One of the symptoms was severe itching. It is marketed as Nutra Sweet. Well, I have given up everything with Nutra Sweet (Diet Cokes were my down fall) with some good results. Now, I have had some good results and every time I drink a Diet Coke, I flare up. When I was in my early teens, I had blood tests done to find out was I was allergic to. The only food that showed up was swordfish (yuck, no great loss for me), I would recommend this method for people trying to find out what they or their children are allergic to. I received a 65 page report with many things that I would not have guessed (newspaper ink & facial tissue). I was also cleared up for 18 years and got it back worse than ever. I have also read that there is a correlation between constipation and flare ups and the book recommended fasting because constipation causes toxins in the blood that weaken it (just a side note).

Well, I'm just rambling but I thought I would throw my experiences out and maybe someone might find something useful.

The company that I use to purchase my pillow and mattress encasings has shampoo for sensitive skin 8-oz. for $6.99. They say "Ideal for anyone who wants to avoid the common chemical irritants found in most shampoos and conditioners". They are at http//www.natlallerty.com.

We are on day five of no milk and the jury is still out. While I think his skin looks better with still have the 2:00 a.m. itchies!!! But I will give the three months a shot, it seems to be the least expensive thing we have tried in quite a while. I have a bread machine too can I use the 2 TBST of powered milk in it since it is baking or is that not keeping with a good test? Also, what about the goat milk, smells kind of bad but I did get some powered that I could use in the bread machine. The rice dream is going ok.

I am the mom that had the fit about Prednizone. And I want you to know I had some other issues going on. First, my son looked the best he had in three months so I was not even expecting the sugestion of medication. Second, my grandma who died a year ago had been treated with prednizone, for lung problems (heavy doses) and before she died if you even touched her she bruised or her skin tore. Now I know that was not in our immeditate future but it was too close to live with for me. When I do sleep, I have nightmares so the skin thing is a real big issue. Anyway, I have heard that if the skin is bad they can't do allergy tests. I would think the prednizone would have an effect on the test but maybe not. The test itself is not bad at all. They stuck my son's back with 8 pricks at a time, while I held him my chest to his and he didn't even cry so go to the test with a positive attitude and I will hope for you that they find an allergy.

Hi Tina, Amazing how we are all dealing with tough situations all evolving around eczema. Sounds like you might need toothpicks to keep your eyes open this morning. I'm so sorry to hear about the change in Daniel's sleeping behavior. Makes you wonder what is causing it if you haven't changed anything. Well you hang in there 'cause I know it's got to be rough having a screaming child in the middle of the night. And remember, we're all here to support you, the same way you support me! 

Tina, My heart breaks for you and Daniel. I have had eczema since birth and have tried to get my mom to join the list because I am thirty-six now you may not feel like it now but you and he will both be fine.

I wanted to ask you a few things... do you have Daniel's mattress and pillows covered with encasings? The catalog that I use even has covers for the covers. My eczema came back (after an 18 year hiatus) when my husband and I moved into the house we live in now. It seems to be very dusty and sleeping was the worst. I have had great success with the mattress and pillow covers, washing the bed twice a week and wiping down the mattress encasing, and keeping the bed covered in the day with a blanket that we take off to sleep. I also take benadryl at night not just for the antihistamine but it helps me sleep more soundly so that I don't wake up to itch (I don't take it every night). I would also try an air cleaner that has an ionizer in his room. We have one of each that do our whole house but he may only need one in his room. Also, I have found that when I wake up with my face and hands bothering me, it is usually something airborne. We cut down two twisted junipers outside our house and my face cleared up immediately.

I hope you get some rest and the only known cure that I have ever heard of for the terrible twos is three. When my daughter turned 18 months I was ready to trade her in on another model.

Linda, Sorry to hear that Brian is having such a rough time. I have a question for you regarding the allergy testing and prednisone. I could be totally wrong on this, but isn't prednisone given to supress the immune system? And isn't the reaction of the immune system to various substances what is being assessed by an alergy test? If Brian is on prednisone (I'm sure he needs it, and I'm sure I would have done the exact same thing), will his immune system react to allergens the way it does when he's not on prednisone? Maybe you could wait on the allergy testing...

Best of luck with the allergy tests. Your son will probably do just fine. I think I hurt more than my daughter, and she was the one getting stuck! 

I have had allergies for 15 years and have had problems with eczema during that entire period. In the last 18 months this have gotten worse for me... I'm still in pretty good shape compared to other people I know with severe problems but I don't need to tell any of you that eczema is annoying. :)

Now on to my reason for posting. This might sound strange but hear me out before you judge for yourself... I have always had minor problems with eczema on my face. However, for three years before and during college I worked at Taco Bell managing one of those fine eateries (hehe).

If any of you aren't familiar with the way Taco Bell prepares and holds their products let me give you a real brief tour... All foods and toppings are stored in pans in a steam table. The steam table is kept at around 200 degrees to keep the food at a safe temperature. A side effect of the temperature is, of course, steam! Workers are exposed to this steam all day during normal food-making procedures.

Here is the part I and my doctors are trying to figure out... Each night the steam table is drained and cleaned with some pretty heavy duty chemicals to delime and sanitize it. The normal procedure is to let a sanitizing solution sit in the (turned off) steam table overnight. In the morning this is drained and simply refilled and turned on.

Now... here comes the interesting part. A couple months after leaving my job there I started have more serious eczema and skin problems in general on my neck, face, forehead ect. It seems to follow the same type of getting red, irritated, itching, then healing up for a while as the rest of my eczema except it is more recurrant and never fully clears.

Even more interesting is this - As part of health regulations all employees are required to wear hats when working on the steam line. I have a VERY visible line on my forehead where my skin problems completely stops cold -- You guessed it... Right at where the hat starts on my forehead.

It seems that my eczema was aggravated by this long-term chemical exposure and it's been difficult to get a opinion on the connection between the two. My allergist seems to think there is some possible chemical damage but it's difficult to get a dermatologist to hear out the above story -- you wait three weeks for an appointment and they try to get people through the offices like livestock. In addition because of the possibility of multiple things going on with the skin... Well you get the idea.

I *have* scheduled an appointment with more of a specialist in this area but I couldn't get in until the end of April.

So... My question is this: Has anyone else had any experiences like this where certain areas of their skin have become more prone to eczema due to chemical exposure? I'm not even sure if it's possible but with eczema it seems anything is. And if so, is this a permanent condition? Things like Elocon, Predisone, Cortisone treatments, etc don't seem to clear things up for more than a few days -- and I know you I can't keep using them forever.

When I worked as a Subway Mechanic 20 years ago I had a brief bout of eczema in the form which is more commonly called industrial dermatitis. It was caused by contact with all of the carbon composite dust from the brake shoes on the trains. (the dust was omnipresent in the carhouse). The way this prevented is people put on a cream called barrier cream and leave it on then wash it off after working. The cream is to act as a barrier between the dirt and our skin. I started using the barrier cream and also putting it on after work in a large amount and leaving it on. In a few days I cleared up and have never had the problem since. (The cars with those particular brake shoes were retired from service about 10 years ago).

Perhaps it was the steam itself that was to some extent the culprit. My daughter to be flares up whenever she has been sweating heavily. I hope your problem clears and doesn't return. Mine did.

Hi everyone, Thanks for your kind words of concern and support yesterday. I really appreciate it. Brian is off the prednisone (it was for 5 days) and the derm checked with the allergist before prescribing to make sure it wouldn't interfere w/allergy tests. His skin looks so nice and clear right now and it's soft (like a baby's skin should be.) His appt. is next Tuesday morning, so I'll be touch after that. Kim, thanks for sharing your experience of the tests for your son. 

I've had eczema for over 20 years and have tried just about all the lotions, creams, potions and alternative medicine stuff. Some seemed to work for a while, complex 15, Theraplex lotion, cream, oil and then exacerbated the eczema. While I was going to the Derm Doc I tried all the free samples of the latest and greatest. My CHT doc said not to use anything like that and gives me her own cream made from black bean oil and other exotic stuff which doesn't aggravate my skin at all. Just sometimes, it doesn't make the eczema any better. I am now pretty intolerant to any OTC lotions. My skin feels better immediately, but then gets inflamed when I use them over time.

The interesting thing, right now I am doing better in the last couple of days than I have been doing in months, but I changed my diet to very strict, healthy, taking some cleanse products and restarted grape seed extract and changed off of CHT to some pills the CHT doc gave me. Who knows what's causing the improvement? But, right now I'm just going to continue doing it all since I feel better.

I am a chronic sufferer of eczema since birth. I am a 29 year old male now living in Asia. Since coming here my allergies have become much worse, as has my asthma and eczema.

I have been unable to control my eczema at all, despite constant vigilance with dust etc. I have resorted over the past couple weeks, to cortisolone tablets, which are available over the counter in this country. I have placed myself on a dosage of about 20 mg per day, and plan to lower this to 5-10 mg. I am seriously considering maintaining this dosage. For the first time in my life, I feel very good. My eczema is under control, my asthma is under control, my stress level is down, and I feel like a human being. I can't remember ever feeling this good.

I am aware that their are side effects involved with this type of treatment. I am interested in hearing from people who have been on prednisone (prednisolone) tablets for elongated periods of time. I don't know whether I should risk some of the side-effects for the relief of feeling good and being happy with my physical state for the moment.

People tell all sorts of horror stories about prednisolone, but I am sure their are people who feel it has been a blessing as well.

Yes, that is one of the ways I have gotten a prolonged breakout. for me, exposure to paint, polyurethane, etc.. have brought on such a condition and I have had to go on predinose dosage (40-60 mg) tapering down to get relief.

Jamie, I feel like you, you've got to do what you've got to do. I, too was born with eczema although I had eighteen years of being clear, then moved into a new "old" house and broke out with a vengeance. I have it worse than I ever have in my life. There are times that I feel I will go insane with the pain of being in my own skin. I was wondering, I have heard many people complain of "thinning skin" as a result of use steroids. Personally that would probably help me, my skin is like an armadillo.

Anyway, maybe you could go off and back on it while you are looking for something more permanent. Quality of life is very important!!!

Whatever you decision make, I wish you all the best.

My son is 13 months old and has eczema. Like many other people we have tried everything. Right now he is taking Atarax for the ichting. We have found theraplex and a hydro-c lotion 1% is working pretty good for now.Recently we took him to a Contact reflex analysis doctor which was odd but Trystan has been improving. I am waiting before I believe it. Has anyone else ever heard of this method? I notice when he is teething his eczema acts up. Trystan is my third child and my other kids have no allergies and no eczema,but I might add he will be our last do to the demand he requires. Thank goodness he was not my first.

Our 18 month old has had eczema since birth and one of the things that we have noticed is that any stress at all, physical, etc. causes a flare-up especially teething. If he gets a cold, it is coupled with an eczema flare-up and on and on... but he is a great kid and we keep struggling 'til we find the things that seem to keep him comfortable and clear which as everyone dealing with this knows, is not easy.

There do seem to be some patterns and cycles to our son's eczema but every time we think we have a handle on things, we're thrown another curve.

I have an uncle who is now 69 and had childhood eczema. He has been a source for interesting insight into our son's eczema. If you think it seems like there is little information now, imagine what is was like in the 1920's and 30's. My father who is 12 years older than his brother tells stories of the various things they would try to keep him from itching including tying dish towels around his elbow joint so that he couldn't bend his arms enough to reach his face and scratch.

We use to find that Aveeno baths would help sooth some of the surface itching during bad flare ups. It might be worth a try but remember to rinse the tub well afterwards because it makes the surface very slick if you use the tub as a shower also. I have nearly fallen in the shower a couple of times myself.

I received the following message today:

>> My husband has severe eczema ... He has tried changing diet, steroid creams, prednisone, cyclosporine, vitamins, Chinese herbs, light treatments. The prednisone and cyclosporine work great during usage but he also has liver problems and cannot use these long term. His Dr. just put him on Accolate which is being used for asthma in teenagers. It is working! I would like to get the word out especially about Accolate because he is the first person his Dr. has prescribed it to. It has not even been used in a study yet. <<

Has anyone else tried Accolate for eczema?

When I had a flare that eventually had me in so much pain I ended up at the emergency room at the hospital, I went on and stayed on prednisone for about nine months. I didn't want to come off because from past experience my sking got worse when stopping. I also didn't want to lose my "normality", being able to eat (beer, cheese, bread - yum!) what I wanted, sit on grass, walk into stinky cat infested houses, sit next to perfumed idiots in the cinema - all of those things that the non-eczema people take for granted.

I also get massive emotional swings and uncontrollable anger whenever I come off cortisone. This is, I have discovered, an individual thing - my sister's mood swings when reducing dosage are like mine but not as severe and my dad doesn't get them at all. Anyway, I ended up reducing from 20mg to none over a couple of months, lessening the dose by no more than 1mg every five days (I had only discovered that I could get 1mg tablets - prior to that I had reduced in 5mg lots - too severe).

After tapering off for what seemed like forever, the eczema has been quite clear.

I avoid lots of things in my diet, take lots of C and live as dust-free as I can.

Anyway Jamie, if you need to use the cortisone you need to - sometimes the itch is so intolerable (not to mention the stares) that you must do something about it. I know I would never have got through some periods in my life without it.

On the diet question, Christine again posted the statistic that only 10% of eczema sufferers have food sensitivites - I can only say that *everyone* I have personally met with eczema notices worsening in their eczema that can be attributed to food. Especially moulds and yeasts. I must, therefore have only met those in the 10% group. Weird.

However, if I am misreading the post and Christine means *allergies* then sure, allergies are very different to sensitivites and very few people have true allergies.

Jamie, I am a long-term prednisone user, "survivor" so far but a worried one. There are periods of my life that I really don't think I could have gotten through without prednisone. There were times my skin was so bad, and made me feel so totally rotten all over, that I could barely get out of bed (yet I managed to function "normally"; I developed a high tolerance for pain and a "thick skin" about looking so awful).

I would resist for weeks, and then finally break down and take a high dose of prednisone. The relief was fabulous. I sometimes even used to feel sorry for people without eczema, because they could not experience the glorious joy of beginning to feel normal after being laid so low, physically and emotionally. It was like what I imagine it must feel like to be "reborn" after a near death experience. Prednisone is definitely a lifesaver, when you need it. For years, I had to fight with doctors and dermatologists to get any; I once coerced a friend, who had a prescription he didn't need, to get it filled and give it all to me, and I contemplated going to Mexico so that I could buy it over the counter. 

Then I met a doctor who thought the fear of steroids was exaggerated, and he put me on a maintenance dose of 10 mg/day indefinitely.Believe it or not, I stayed on this for 13 years! That did help keep it under control for the first few years, with increased dosages for flares. Then it got to be a habit, and it didn't occur to me that I could do without it. My skin sometimes cleared up pretty well and sometimes got really awful, despite the same level of prednisone, but I didn't want to recognize maybe it was no longer doing me any good .

Even during good times, I was afraid to risk deterioration if I cut down or stopped, and during bad times, there was no question of stopping. I convinced myself that 10 mg was just a low dose and that if I took care of myself generally (ate a healthy diet, exercised, had my eyes checked regularly), I would not suffer any adverse consequences. Since I rarely got sick and, in fact, always felt better the higher the dose of steroids, it was easy to remain in denial that the long list of side effects printed on the product insert did not apply to me. Well, one day my doctor suggested that I get a bone density scan, not for any symptoms but just because prednisone puts you at risk of osteoporosis. I was confident I had palliated my risk by eating lots of dairy products, exercising, taking hormone replacement therapy, etc. but was shocked to learn that I had full-blown osteoporosis already at the age of 47. 

I began taking Fosamax, a medication to help prevent further bone loss and help rebuild it, but, still in denial, I believed I could not stop the prednisone. I figured the Fosamax would work even if I continued to take steroids. Besides, my new dermatologist's suggestion that I could get off prednisone by taking imuran, an immune-suppressant, was even scarier. However, another bone density scan one year later was a wake up call, since it showed further deterioration of my bones. At the same time, coincidentally, my derm began to refuse to refill my prescription for prednisone. Fortunately, this all occurred at the same time as I discovered this list. 

As I have written before, the very day I discovered this list, my skin began to go into remission, and has stayed at least under control (compared to the horror it had been) since then, about 2 months ago. I therefore determined to get off prednisone once and for all, and have now weaned myself down to very low doses and will stop completely within a few weeks. Of course, my adrenals are probably shot and may take a year or two to resume normal functioning, but I will take care of myself. 

This list has been terrific, and has convinced me that there must be a component of mind-body connection to this eczema, if it has helped me to clear up. I think it is both the support of knowing that there are indeed other people out there who have had it as bad as I have (I truly had never met anyone with eczema even approaching mine before, and had been feeling quite isolated and sorry for myself), as well as just knowing that there are so many alternatives out there (I thought I had tried them all) and that if I have a flare up, SOMETHING will probably help. 

If I could go back 13 years and start again, I would definitely have used prednisone when I had intractable flare-ups that persisted for weeks, or if it were really important for me to appear reasonably normal (such as when I got married, or when I have had to give an important presentation at a conference), but would not have blindly stayed on steroids day-in day-out.I do not blame my doctors for this, though, since it was I who begged and pleaded for them. Well, I did not intend to write so much, but guess I had to get this off my chest. Thanks, y'all, for "listening".

Jamie -- The problem is "how much prednisone is OK?" Since I have spent years on the stuff in higher dosages than you're contemplating, I am not going to recommend avoidance and a low quality life. Like Sam during this period, I could do what normal people did. However, last week I went to buy a telescope to look at the comet. I was so pissed to learn that the lens had a black spot on it that wouldn't go away, right in the middle! I scrubbed the lens but the spot didn't go away. My wife couldn't see it and I realized it was the cataract in my eye. When I was younger facing the risk, I was much more likely to say that quality of life at the time was more important. Now that I have symptoms, I'm not so sure.

My advice -- Do what you need to do. But, be smart too, the side effects, given enough prednisone and enough time, are real.

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