Archive Page 2
Divine
Aggghhhhh…. I can resist no more.
I just have to scratch those patches of eczema on my tummy. I know I’ll regret it. Even as I do it, I know I will pay for it, but for one beautiful, perfect moment, it feels good…….
Filed under: Skin, eczema | 1 Comment
Allergy – to tapes
I’ve just been in hospital to have surgery on my ankle, and when I got there the nursing staff asked me if I was allergic to anything. Oh, yes I said. I’m allergic to lots of things – nothing that will kill me, fortunately, but plently that will make my life uncomfortable.
Fortunately I’m not allergic to foods or drugs, but I am rather allergic to adhesive dressings and medical tapes.
What elastoplast?
Yes. And micropore, and transpore, and virtually every other kind of surgical/medical dressing that contains a glue to stick it on. Even the ones which are for people with sensitive skin, the hypoallergenic ones, make me come out in a hot, red itchy rash which lasts for a few days.
Oh. Said the nurse. But we’re going to have to stick things to you during the surgery.
Yes, I said. I know. Please just don’t stick anything to me if you don’t have to, and if you do have to – try not to leave it in place for more than an hour.
Right, she said, and wandered off looking puzzled.
She came back with a red ‘alert’ bracelet for me to wear, so that everyone who saw me knew what was wrong.
So I had my operation. They did as I asked (welcome to private health care!), and I didn’t have a reaction. The special clear-sticky thing that held my cannula (needle) into the back of my hand was the only thing I had on for a while (about 15 hours) – and as luck would have it – I didn’t react to it!!
Hurrah!!!
Meanwhile, my eczema patches (the ones on my tummy) are getting worse. Meh.
Filed under: Allergy, Skin, eczema | 2 Comments
Bites
This isn’t about eczema, but it is about skin.
I sat in the woods on Sunday watching field archery. I didn’t notice anything in particular crawling or flying up my trouser-legs to eat me, but 24 hours later I have a collection of cherry-red, roundish flattened blisters grouped around the area of my lower legs, just above my sock line. The bugs had been munching me, and the bites were now very itchy.
They haven’t gone down over the last three days, either. My skin has reacted to them more than I would have expected. Mind you, I was bitten by a horse-fly for the first time a few years ago, and after a week, the bite areas swelled, got very hot, and itchy and created large dome-shaped blisters full of fluid under pressure. I hate to think what will happen if I get bitten again by one…..
At least these are relatively painless.
Filed under: Skin | 4 Comments
Scratching
I caught myself absent-mindedly scratching just inside my waistband where my eczema patches stubbonly remain after well over 12 months now. How long have I been doing this and not noticing? How will I ever know????
Meh. Gonna slap the hydrocortisone on tonight and hope for the best.
XX
Filed under: Creams, Skin, eczema | 8 Comments
Book Review
I recently bought a book called: Eczema: The treatments and therapies that really work. Its supported by the National Eczema Society, and written by Charman and Lawton – two medical professionals in the world of dermatology.
I’ve read most of it, and I found it really helped me to understand the eczema that I suffer from. Its in a nice Question and Answer format, and is an easy read. I won’t say that its cured my eczema – because i don’t think that’s ever going to be possible - but it has helped me understand what I can do to help myself.
Its certainly worth a look.
Filed under: Allergy, Creams, Skin, eczema | 1 Comment
The patches on my tummy got better for while. I was slapping on the emollient twice a day, and I really thought I was going to see them disappear.
But over the last two weeks I’ve been stressed out moving house and finishing my job at work – and they’re back with a vengeance.
And I’ve run out of Elave shower gel.
Meh.
Filed under: eczema | 1 Comment
Allergy Show
I went to the Allergy Show at Olympia last year, and have been sent the flyer for this year’s event. Again its at Olympia in London, and is on in June (15th – 17th June to be precise). I’m not going to be able to go this year – but I found it useful going along last year. As teh name suggests, its not just about eczema or asthma – there’s loads of help with food allergies and all manner of other related items. It was great to see what’s on the market now for us ‘Lergics.
If you order your ticket online its £6 or £9 on the door. You usually get lots of goodies.
There’s a programme of seminars on Sensitive Skin and Eczema this year – so if you get the chance to go, please report back anything you find!
Filed under: Allergy, Skin, eczema | 6 Comments
More Dry Patches
Remember the tale of the patch of eczema on my tummy that won’t go away?
Well, after 10 months of being lonely, it now has some friends. I’ve got two others, at a similar level (just below my waist), one on my front and one on my back. I just don’t get it.
Anyway, I bought new jeans today, some better quality ones that are much softer than the old cheap ones. Perhaps that will help.
Filed under: eczema | 5 Comments
Won’t go….
Well, the 5p-sized patch of eczema on my tummy that I’ve had since June 2006, still won’t go. If it had been on my arm or leg, I could have slapped on the emollient, and bandaged on a small dressing to keep it hydrated. I reckon it would have gone by now, had that been the case.
Trouble is, the patch is just below my waist-band line, and tends to rub a lot against my clothes, which makes keeping it hydrated a problem. I just can’t find a way to keep the dressing on without glueing the dressing to my skin, which is counterproductive, because I react to all the adhesive dressings I’ve tried – even the hypoallergenic ones.
Anyone got any ideas? If you’re used to wet-wrapping, how do you cope with covering your tummy and torso?
Filed under: Skin, eczema | 5 Comments
Elave – lovely shower gel
I bought some shower gel from this lovely on-line shop, and I’ve been trying it for a few days now. Since I’m used to using creamy E45 emolient, this is very different, and much more runny. Its a liquidy-gel, really and almost clear. It goes on easily – much easier than E45, and leaves you feeling clean rather than greasy. At £3.49 its not hugely expensive – especially compared to the price of rival shower creams for problem skin in Boots, so I think its worth a try.
The other one I use is E45 Junior Hand and Body Wash which is a gel and has coloured moisture beads in it. I think the Elave is better for using in the shower – it has certainly left my skin feeling a lot smoother and less dry than the E45 junior, but has given me much better coverage of my skin than the plain E45 cream. It may be psychological, but it seems to be working.
Has anyone else tried these?
Filed under: Creams, Skin, eczema | 5 Comments
