Day 101 brings even more progress and I am delighted with the current state of my skin, which is the best it has been since withdrawals started.
I am so happy that I am starting to see results and real skin healing, as I didn't really expect any kind of results before 6 months.
I'm regaining some normality again, going out and socialising and not even thinking about my skin. It would be great if I got a good couple of weeks break before the next flare, because I am hoping now at this point that the gaps between flares will get longer.
I know that some people in the early stages of topical steroid withdrawal wonder whether it is possible to heal. I know I was one of them. I remember wondering in the early stages whether the promise of being healed was some kind of cruel hoax, or moneymaking scam. It is natural to be sceptical, especially as a lot of websites offer a "cure" for eczema, at a price, taking advantage of the vulnerable.
But this is real. I hope my photo documentation is proving this.
The photo evidence from Dr Fukayas research, as well as Dr Rapaports over 2000 healed, not to mention the many in Japan, the Facebook group and on the google support group who are healed or almost healed, PROVE that skin can improve when topical steroid medication is stopped.
The cure is free. All I had to do was cease using topical creams for my steroids.
Nobody has solicited any money from me. In fact, I have saved money, because I am not paying out for prescription creams.
The hard part is the withdrawal itself. Anyone thinking of withdrawing from steroid creams needs to consider the fact that they will be DISABLED for at least a couple of months, I'm talking burning, oozing skin, swelling, lack of sleep and pain. Workers would need to seriously consider taking 2-3 months off work in the initial stages.
That is why it is up to each individual to weigh up for themselves whether they really want to withdraw from steroid creams. It is a very hard process to go through, but I feel that in my case, it has been worth it. I'd never tell anyone "You should try TSW" because it is an incredibly personal decision and people shouldn't feel pressured into it without considering what is involved.
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Day 100 *hooray*! (progress photos before/after)
Yes, I finally made it to day 100! Amazing! It has actually gone really fast.
So where am I at this point in time? Pretty good actually.
Here is a photo of my neck that I took today. The rash is still there, but it is a lot paler and more diffuse. I like that there are also areas of white skin! Compare it to the picture below, which was taken during a flare a few weeks ago:
The skin was really angry here, so I am pleased with the improvement and the fact that the flares are getting less intense. I am hoping that the bad flare photos I took a few weeks ago, were the peak and now I have seen the worst of it.
Now for an upade on my leg wound....
Here is a photo I took today. I have been using the moist healing method over the last week or so and the skin is returning back to normal. Please compare it to a couple of weeks ago...
This is the same wound before I did the moist healing. It was absolutely raw, with lots of yellow discharge. I really worried that the area would get infected, but thankfully, it never did.
Now an update on my arm....
The red skin has really faded on my arm and turned a pale pink. Only the inside of the arm is affected, as the rest of the arm is normal skin. I no longer have the red arm-white palm which everyone gets at the start of steroid withdrawal. The skin is a bit flaky, but I think over the coming weeks this area will get a lot better, especially if I can get some sun on it.
Just look at the state of my arm previously....
Just a few weeks ago, you can see how wrinkly and damaged the arm was. The skin seems smoother now and able to hold more moisture.
Now for what has been a problem area, the back of my leg...
The skin here has improved a lot and is quite smooth now. Walking is not an issue. A month or so ago, I was really struggling to walk. This is how my leg was at its worst....
This was horrible and one of the worst symptoms. I am glad that my leg is returning to normal, as I am not normally one to sit around the house, and this has disabled me.
The improvements are clear to see. My skin is getting better every day and with the end of each flare I see better skin. I am confident that I will heal, although the process is excruciatingly slow and it may take another couple of hundred days before I see anything that resembles normal skin.
I am so grateful for the google support group and the addictedskin site that brought me to this point and helped me to realise that steroid addiction is curable. Kelly who runs the addictedskin site is trying to set up an organisation to help people affected by steroid addiction and has been funding it largely from her own pocket. Please consider donating via the addictedskin website to offeset the costs that are involved in setting up these support and information services. Since she set up her site, she had, to date only received 3 donations, despite the fact that her site has helped thousands of people.
So where am I at this point in time? Pretty good actually.
Now for an upade on my leg wound....
Now an update on my arm....
Just look at the state of my arm previously....
Now for what has been a problem area, the back of my leg...
The improvements are clear to see. My skin is getting better every day and with the end of each flare I see better skin. I am confident that I will heal, although the process is excruciatingly slow and it may take another couple of hundred days before I see anything that resembles normal skin.
I am so grateful for the google support group and the addictedskin site that brought me to this point and helped me to realise that steroid addiction is curable. Kelly who runs the addictedskin site is trying to set up an organisation to help people affected by steroid addiction and has been funding it largely from her own pocket. Please consider donating via the addictedskin website to offeset the costs that are involved in setting up these support and information services. Since she set up her site, she had, to date only received 3 donations, despite the fact that her site has helped thousands of people.
Monday, 27 February 2012
Day 99 Products I Use
The flare seems to be subsiding. The skin is less weepy and less raw. This last flare lasted 6 days, so I seem to be at a stage where I flare for a week and then I am calm for a week.
I was re-reading Dr Rapaport's paper and it said that symptoms of withdrawal tend to peak by 4-6 months and then the flares get less and less. I'm not sure what that means for me, as I am almost at 4 months, but my flares seem to be less intense. I do know of some people who thought they were over the worst and then had a huge flare at 4, 5 or 6 months, so I don't know if I can rest easy yet.
I am starting to get an idea of the products that work for me. Everyone is different as regards what they can tolerate on the skin, and one man's medicine is another man's poison, but here are some of my topical steroid withdrawal "must haves":
Antihistamine: I always take an antihistamine at night to lessen he itch. I just use a generic supermarket product, like loratidine or cetirizine, but others have had success with prescription products like Atarax and Zyrtek.
Moisturiser: My skin likes the Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector cream, as it is rich, and great at moisturising very dry areas. I also like Zeoderm by Salcura. It cleared up my daughter's eczema within days, and I have just ordered another bottle from Amazon. I recently got to test the new Olay Total Effects Sensitive cream, which has lovely ingredients like Sea Buckthorn and Pro Vitamin B5, I found that it was well tolerated by my sensitive skin and contained no nasty chemicals. Other steroid withdrawal sufferers have found benefit from pawpaw cream, coconut oil, or the David Hoskins Psoriasis cream. Vaseline is usually well tolerated on even the most sensitive skin and is not absorbed, so forms a barrier on the skin.
Dressings: The very weepy skin areas and wounds require moist wound healing. I use a dressing pad with a layer of plastic to keep the exudate off the skin and apply a thin layer of vaseline to the wound, securing the pad with microporous tape.
Silk Pillowcase/scarf: I love my silk pillowcase and also use it as a wrap around my neck when my neck is oozing. The coolness of the fabric is soothing.
Suitable clothing: Brushed cotton pyjamas at night with socks over my hands to prevent me scratching! A bra that "seperates" to avoid oozing skin in the central chest area. Sometimes I also put a layer of tissue under the bra line to absorb ooze. In the day, I wear T shirts and summer skirts in the house. It is important to wear comfy clothing that can be washed frequently, because they will get greasy from the creams. I tie my hair back off my face.
Epsom Salt: I love my Epsom baths, which were a sanity saver in the early days. Dead sea salt and oatmeal baths are also good. One forum member adds coconut oil to the epsom baths to make it less drying. Epsom salt also adds magnesium to the body, which helps water in the body to penetrate skin cells and hydrate the skin.
Cleanser: Water can feel irritating on a sensitive face. I like Cetaphil, which I can wipe off gently with a cotton wool pad. The Avene high tolerance cleanser is also very good.
Supplements: I like a good basic multivitamin with Omega 3 and 6. I also take selenium and zinc.
Anyone considering withdrawing from steroid creams would do well to formulate a "survival kit" like this if they want to succeed.
I was re-reading Dr Rapaport's paper and it said that symptoms of withdrawal tend to peak by 4-6 months and then the flares get less and less. I'm not sure what that means for me, as I am almost at 4 months, but my flares seem to be less intense. I do know of some people who thought they were over the worst and then had a huge flare at 4, 5 or 6 months, so I don't know if I can rest easy yet.
I am starting to get an idea of the products that work for me. Everyone is different as regards what they can tolerate on the skin, and one man's medicine is another man's poison, but here are some of my topical steroid withdrawal "must haves":
Antihistamine: I always take an antihistamine at night to lessen he itch. I just use a generic supermarket product, like loratidine or cetirizine, but others have had success with prescription products like Atarax and Zyrtek.
Moisturiser: My skin likes the Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector cream, as it is rich, and great at moisturising very dry areas. I also like Zeoderm by Salcura. It cleared up my daughter's eczema within days, and I have just ordered another bottle from Amazon. I recently got to test the new Olay Total Effects Sensitive cream, which has lovely ingredients like Sea Buckthorn and Pro Vitamin B5, I found that it was well tolerated by my sensitive skin and contained no nasty chemicals. Other steroid withdrawal sufferers have found benefit from pawpaw cream, coconut oil, or the David Hoskins Psoriasis cream. Vaseline is usually well tolerated on even the most sensitive skin and is not absorbed, so forms a barrier on the skin.
Dressings: The very weepy skin areas and wounds require moist wound healing. I use a dressing pad with a layer of plastic to keep the exudate off the skin and apply a thin layer of vaseline to the wound, securing the pad with microporous tape.
Silk Pillowcase/scarf: I love my silk pillowcase and also use it as a wrap around my neck when my neck is oozing. The coolness of the fabric is soothing.
Suitable clothing: Brushed cotton pyjamas at night with socks over my hands to prevent me scratching! A bra that "seperates" to avoid oozing skin in the central chest area. Sometimes I also put a layer of tissue under the bra line to absorb ooze. In the day, I wear T shirts and summer skirts in the house. It is important to wear comfy clothing that can be washed frequently, because they will get greasy from the creams. I tie my hair back off my face.
Epsom Salt: I love my Epsom baths, which were a sanity saver in the early days. Dead sea salt and oatmeal baths are also good. One forum member adds coconut oil to the epsom baths to make it less drying. Epsom salt also adds magnesium to the body, which helps water in the body to penetrate skin cells and hydrate the skin.
Cleanser: Water can feel irritating on a sensitive face. I like Cetaphil, which I can wipe off gently with a cotton wool pad. The Avene high tolerance cleanser is also very good.
Supplements: I like a good basic multivitamin with Omega 3 and 6. I also take selenium and zinc.
Anyone considering withdrawing from steroid creams would do well to formulate a "survival kit" like this if they want to succeed.
Saturday, 25 February 2012
Day 97 Leg Flare
Still in a flare today, but I'm coping OK. It is nowhere near as bad as my previous flares and I hope that maybe this means I won't have any more bad flares.
I'm still worried about the oozing on my legs, which seems to be neverending. The skin is quite calm in the morning, as I have been lying down in bed, but as the day wears on, my leg hardens and forces ooze out of the wounds on the calf of each leg. I am keeping the wounds covered and moist, but healing seems to have reached a plateau. The back of my right leg is also really raw again.
I'm going to try and keep my feet up today and minimise pressure on my legs. Boring but necessary.
The google group now has 91 members with new ones joining all the time. Soon we will go viral!
I'm still worried about the oozing on my legs, which seems to be neverending. The skin is quite calm in the morning, as I have been lying down in bed, but as the day wears on, my leg hardens and forces ooze out of the wounds on the calf of each leg. I am keeping the wounds covered and moist, but healing seems to have reached a plateau. The back of my right leg is also really raw again.
I'm going to try and keep my feet up today and minimise pressure on my legs. Boring but necessary.
The google group now has 91 members with new ones joining all the time. Soon we will go viral!
Friday, 24 February 2012
Day 96 Liz and Jake’s Blog
I haven't been able to update the blog because my son spilled tea on ther computer keyboard!
I have been having a flare since Tuesday, but it has been less severe than previous flares and slightly different as regards symptoms.
My biggest problem is my legs at the moment. They swell up slightly when I stand or sit for too long, so I have to try and lie down as much as I can and keep them elevated. In the evenings, the back of my leg goes hard, and yellow fluid starts pouring out of my leg wounds. The moist healing method is helping though, and I have started dressing both legs to heal the wounds. More keep appearing though.
My neck is oozing again, but not as badly as before. I am hoping that it will calm down when the flare subsides. My face looks pretty raw too. My eyes are still slightly swollen in the morning, but not as bad as the photo I posted on Tuesday. I know each flare leads to better skin, so I am optimistic. I have to be.
On a brighter note, the sun is out here in the UK!!!! I had to take the kids into town after school and it was warm outside, so I was able to bare my arms for about 20 minutes. I really believe that this will help my skin, as Dr Rapaport is a big advocate of sunshine as a healer. The nice thing about the UK climate, is that the sunshine is quite cool and diffused at the moment, so I can build up my tolerance slowly as summer approaches.
I would also like to recommend a great new blog by a fellow skin friend. Liz is recording the progress of her partner Jake as he comes off the steroid creams. You can see their story at:
http://eczemahealing.blogspot.com.au/
The blog is particularly interesting, as Liz is using holistic methods to help Jake, such as vitamin supplements, massage and alternative therapies. I am very interested to see whether these methods will have an impact on his healing time, as very little is known about steroid withdrawal and if we can find a method that speeds healing up, then we will all benefit. She is doing a great job.
Also, the photos on her blog are amazing and well worth a look. It really is a well constructed site.
The other steroid withdrawal blogs are listed down the page on the right. They are all worth reading.
I have been having a flare since Tuesday, but it has been less severe than previous flares and slightly different as regards symptoms.
My biggest problem is my legs at the moment. They swell up slightly when I stand or sit for too long, so I have to try and lie down as much as I can and keep them elevated. In the evenings, the back of my leg goes hard, and yellow fluid starts pouring out of my leg wounds. The moist healing method is helping though, and I have started dressing both legs to heal the wounds. More keep appearing though.
My neck is oozing again, but not as badly as before. I am hoping that it will calm down when the flare subsides. My face looks pretty raw too. My eyes are still slightly swollen in the morning, but not as bad as the photo I posted on Tuesday. I know each flare leads to better skin, so I am optimistic. I have to be.
On a brighter note, the sun is out here in the UK!!!! I had to take the kids into town after school and it was warm outside, so I was able to bare my arms for about 20 minutes. I really believe that this will help my skin, as Dr Rapaport is a big advocate of sunshine as a healer. The nice thing about the UK climate, is that the sunshine is quite cool and diffused at the moment, so I can build up my tolerance slowly as summer approaches.
I would also like to recommend a great new blog by a fellow skin friend. Liz is recording the progress of her partner Jake as he comes off the steroid creams. You can see their story at:
http://eczemahealing.blogspot.com.au/
The blog is particularly interesting, as Liz is using holistic methods to help Jake, such as vitamin supplements, massage and alternative therapies. I am very interested to see whether these methods will have an impact on his healing time, as very little is known about steroid withdrawal and if we can find a method that speeds healing up, then we will all benefit. She is doing a great job.
Also, the photos on her blog are amazing and well worth a look. It really is a well constructed site.
The other steroid withdrawal blogs are listed down the page on the right. They are all worth reading.
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
Day 93 (photos)
I have read a lot of posts on the google group from people reporting swollen eyes during steroid withdrawal, but had not experienced it myself.
Until this morning.
I woke up and my eyes were all sticky and crusty. I don't think it is a regular eye infection. I think it is related to the steroid withdrawal, as so many others are experiencing the same symptoms. My actual eyeball is swollen and my eyelids are also swollen and very dry with long cracks in the skin.
Maybe it is my fault for using the mascara a couple of days ago.
As you can see from the photo, my eye is sore and the area around it is puffy. The eyelid is swollen and hooded. The skin on my face looks quite puffy and uneven today, so maybe this is the start of a new flare, I'm not sure.
This is the picture of my leg today, still using the moist wound healing technique. The wound looks paler and looks as if it is healing well, but it is still oozing quite a lot. I am getting similar areas appearing on my other leg, so have sent the husband to the chemist to get some more dressings!
Until this morning.
I woke up and my eyes were all sticky and crusty. I don't think it is a regular eye infection. I think it is related to the steroid withdrawal, as so many others are experiencing the same symptoms. My actual eyeball is swollen and my eyelids are also swollen and very dry with long cracks in the skin.
Maybe it is my fault for using the mascara a couple of days ago.
Monday, 20 February 2012
Day 92 (photos)
Wow, I'm on day 92. I really should consider having some kind of party when I get to 100 days!
I am still improving and haven't had a flare in over a week. Last week I spent every day out and about doing activities with the kids and socialising with friends. Yesterday I spent the best part of the day sitting in a hot auditorium, with no adverse effects on my skin, something I could not have contemplated doing a few weeks ago.
I also managed to put on some makeup for the first time since withdrawal started. OK, it was only a slick of mascara and some lip balm, but it felt great and my skin did not react.
I didn't have time to post any photos last week, but the kids are back at school today, so here goes....
Here we have the old familiar "mug shot" which I have been used to posting. There are massive improvements on this photos if you compare it to the "bad flare" picture a couple of weeks ago. My neck area is pink, but not dry or flaky and the oozing has finally stopped. Last night was the first night where I didn't have to sleep with tissue stuffed down my bra.
A few weeks ago I couldn't move my neck and the skin was stretched tight, but now I have good movement and flexibility. I feel like this area may be healed in a few months.
Again, massive improvement to the backs of my legs. A week or so ago, I could hardly walk, my legs were swollen, cracked and bleeding. Climbing stairs was like scaling Everest! Now, the backs of my legs are smoother. The swelling has gone and I can walk normally. Please look back at previous photos to appreciate the big improvement here.
This is the photo that I want to spend some time talking about, and will be monitoring over the next few days.
I have mentioned in previous posts about a stubborn weeping patch of skin on my calf that has been troubling me for several weeks now. I thought that if I let the air get to it, that it would heal, but it just continued to worsen. Eventually, it did form a thin papery scab, but the scab tore off one night and the wound remained.
I put my problem to the support group, to see if anyone could advise me. One of the members, who is training to be a nurse, suggested a method called "moist wound healing". I googled the term and found many interesting articles, supporting the fact that wounds heal quicker in a moist environment that if they are left to form a scab.
I wiped the wound clean and put on a thin layer of vaseline before applying a dressing and securing it with microporous tape. I would regularly change the dressing and apply more vaseline.
The above photo is my progress after using this method for 2 days. The wound is paler and is healing well. It is oozing less, and I am not having to change the dressing so frequently. I am going to take regular photos to document the healing process.
Another thing that I have found useful in withdrawal is herbal tea at night. The one I use is called "sleep easy" by Clipper, and it contains cinnamon, chamomile, lemon balm and valerian. It knockes me out at night and makes me itch less. I am also drinking Twinings cherry and cinnamon tea during the day, as it is also a relaxing tea and makes me less itchy. It is worth looking out for these effective ingredients in choosing a herbal tea to relieve symptoms.
I am still improving and haven't had a flare in over a week. Last week I spent every day out and about doing activities with the kids and socialising with friends. Yesterday I spent the best part of the day sitting in a hot auditorium, with no adverse effects on my skin, something I could not have contemplated doing a few weeks ago.
I also managed to put on some makeup for the first time since withdrawal started. OK, it was only a slick of mascara and some lip balm, but it felt great and my skin did not react.
I didn't have time to post any photos last week, but the kids are back at school today, so here goes....
A few weeks ago I couldn't move my neck and the skin was stretched tight, but now I have good movement and flexibility. I feel like this area may be healed in a few months.
I have mentioned in previous posts about a stubborn weeping patch of skin on my calf that has been troubling me for several weeks now. I thought that if I let the air get to it, that it would heal, but it just continued to worsen. Eventually, it did form a thin papery scab, but the scab tore off one night and the wound remained.
I put my problem to the support group, to see if anyone could advise me. One of the members, who is training to be a nurse, suggested a method called "moist wound healing". I googled the term and found many interesting articles, supporting the fact that wounds heal quicker in a moist environment that if they are left to form a scab.
I wiped the wound clean and put on a thin layer of vaseline before applying a dressing and securing it with microporous tape. I would regularly change the dressing and apply more vaseline.
The above photo is my progress after using this method for 2 days. The wound is paler and is healing well. It is oozing less, and I am not having to change the dressing so frequently. I am going to take regular photos to document the healing process.
Another thing that I have found useful in withdrawal is herbal tea at night. The one I use is called "sleep easy" by Clipper, and it contains cinnamon, chamomile, lemon balm and valerian. It knockes me out at night and makes me itch less. I am also drinking Twinings cherry and cinnamon tea during the day, as it is also a relaxing tea and makes me less itchy. It is worth looking out for these effective ingredients in choosing a herbal tea to relieve symptoms.
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