I'm posting this as I have a bit of a problem, and you guys seem to be quite intelligent, well travelled people who might, possibly be able to help...


You see, I suffer from fairly severe eczema, and it gets worse as we approach the cold autumn/winter seasons. I have steroid creams that can ease the symptoms, but I was wondering if anybody knows of any alternative therapies that might help. The further into winter we get the more I develop the skin complexion of Freddy Krueger, so any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.


Many thanks -


Dave

How about acupuncture?

Oats in your bath apparently!
Chloé

Try going to an alternative healing place and get them to mix up some oils for you - don't know which ones they used on me but they did get rid of it, although I do only get it very rarely these days...

Do not go to the Chinese herbalist on Chapel Walk. I had had what I, and my doctor, thought was eczema on my hands for a while and nothing cured it. I tried the herbalist out of desperation and he gave me these creams for my hands and lots of disgusting tea. Nightmare time, my hands erupted and cracked so badly that I had to wear gloves all the time. After several appointments with different specialists at the dermatology department of the Hallamshire hospital it was eventually diagnosed as psoriasis and ultimately cured.

If you want to know the particular unguent I was prescribed, and I still have some left, pm me for details.

My eczema is worse in the summer. It's not too bad at the moment because the doctor perscribed me some antibiotics because he suspected I have a skin infection. Although steroid cream helps, it never gets rid of it completely. I've given up going to see the doctor about it because nothing he seems to give me does any good. And when he gives you a perscription it's normally got about 6 items on it which costs nearly £40. It's more than I can afford being a student.

There's a chinese herbalist on Church Walk in town... I've got a mate who mixes oils too, so I'll ask her opinion...!

I recently read an article somewhere (I think it was in the Metro free paper) about a woman who was breading Doctor fish (http://www.doctorfish.net/index.html) . She swore by them, and had started breeding them to help others. The above link is the closest I could find but is the same thing.

Good luck!!

Ultra violet light helps people with Psoriasis, I would think it would help you too

Hence why it can be better in the summer if you get your shirt off in the sun

You can get a sunbed with the right kind of tubes, or go to sessions somewhere else

Discuss it with your GP first and she thinks it is a good idea, you can ask if they do anything on the NHS

Good luck

Thanks for everybody's suggestions, I really appreciate your help, and I'll talk over these options with my doctor.


Sidla, I'm sure that you are entitled to free presecriptions if you're a student. There's a lengthy, laborious form you have to fill in but it's better than shelling out £40.00 a time for your medicine. Ask for the form at your chemists.



:thumbsup:

Originally posted by Funky Dave
Sidla, I'm sure that you are entitled to free presecriptions if you're a student. There's a lengthy, laborious form you have to fill in but it's better than shelling out £40.00 a time for your medicine. Ask for the form at your chemists.
I have too much saved up apparently. I wouldn't want to break into them though, they're for when I want to buy a house.

I suppose I could pay the yearly perscription charge thingy, but I'd rather just live with it TBH, it's annoying sometimes but I don't let it bother me.

Originally posted by Sidla
My eczema is worse in the summer. It's not too bad at the moment because the doctor perscribed me some antibiotics because he suspected I have a skin infection. Although steroid cream helps, it never gets rid of it completely. I've given up going to see the doctor about it because nothing he seems to give me does any good. And when he gives you a perscription it's normally got about 6 items on it which costs nearly £40. It's more than I can afford being a student.
Sidla,
Next time you see your "doctor" get her/him to make you an appointment at the hospital to see a specialist. I kept insisiting until he sent me and then I kept going back to see several different specialists until one of them correctly identified my skin condition and prescribed me the correct cream to clear it up.

I tried that but he said there was no need for me to see a specialist.

I feel like I am a bit of a specialist in this field, not because I have it but my 10 year old daughter has suffered with it all her life.

We have seen GPs/Specialists/ Herbalists (and had the disgusting tea)

She has tried every cream going, the best moisturiser we have found is one called DoubleBase. Its fairly new and is like a Gel.

Ask your GP about it.

Originally posted by max
Do not go to the Chinese herbalist on Chapel Walk. I had had what I, and my doctor, thought was eczema on my hands for a while and nothing cured it. I tried the herbalist out of desperation and he gave me these creams for my hands and lots of disgusting tea. Nightmare time, my hands erupted and cracked so badly that I had to wear gloves all the time. After several appointments with different specialists at the dermatology department of the Hallamshire hospital it was eventually diagnosed as psoriasis and ultimately cured.

If you want to know the particular unguent I was prescribed, and I still have some left, pm me for details.

Not really the herbalists fault then if it was a wrong diagnosis?

Originally posted by fnkysknky
Not really the herbalists fault then if it was a wrong diagnosis?
Not really sure of the logic on that one. I showed him my hands and described the problem after which he sold me cream which made the problem 100 times worse.

So how was it not his fault?

Originally posted by max
Not really sure of the logic on that one. I showed him my hands and described the problem after which he sold me cream which made the problem 100 times worse.

So how was it not his fault?

You said before that you and the doctor thought you had eczema - the herbalist gave you a remedy for eczema which obviously didn't work. You get side effects from herbal medicine too - sounds a bit nasty in your case. Basically all I'm saying is it's not fair to tell people not to go because you suffered a side effect - it does happen as with 'normal' medicine. Maybe if your doctor had referred you to a specialist in the first place you wouldn't have had the problem.

Personally I had a little eczema on the back of one hand/wrist - I used a little vaseline everyday to stop it drying out and took pantothenic acid (vitamin b5) pills - it was gone in a week or so :)

Originally posted by fnkysknky
You said before that you and the doctor thought you had eczema - the herbalist gave you a remedy for eczema which obviously didn't work.
No, the herbalist gave me a remedy based on his diagnosis which caused me terrible pain, great distress and several days off work. The man is incompetent and I'm just warning people not to go there.

Originally posted by max
No, the herbalist gave me a remedy based on his diagnosis which caused me terrible pain, great distress and several days off work. The man is incompetent and I'm just warning people not to go there.

Fair enough but I still think your doctor is getting off lightly ;)

Originally posted by fnkysknky
Fair enough but I still think your doctor is getting off lightly ;)
You're right, he & she did mis-diagnose for a couple of years as did the first 2 consultants at the hospital. However, what they prescribed did not cause me to bleed into my keyboard.

Too much detail, perhaps?

Haha, well at least you're better now :D

Mind you I had something similar years ago when I was advised putting benzoyl peroxide would be good for a few spots. Sure it's fine if you don't mind your face cracking :o

I also suffer from eczema on/off. I had an allergy test at the hospital and found out I was allergic to aloe vera and certain preservatives found in many skin creams/ shower gels/ shampoos etc. I avoid all the things I'm supposed to avoid but I still get eczema periodically and it seems to get worse and more widespread each time. Like many others, I've been to the doctor countless times only to be prescribed steroid creams, which alleviate the symptoms slightly but don't treat the cause (whatever that might be!) I've heard about people avoiding certain foods that might aggravate eczema, such as wheat, dairy products & tomatoes. Has anyone tried this, and has it worked for them? Sometimes it seems like I'm allergic to my own sweat, & the only logical explanation could be that it's something I'm eating!

I have generally found that Chinese herbalists are inaccurate and over priced. My neice is currently having problems with some form of psoriasis.

We have told her to go to a traditional herbalists - my mother swears by hers which is quite interesting being that mother is a nurse!

I would say the same. You should find a herbalist that is registered with the National Instistute of Medicinal Herbalists - there are at least 5 in Sheffield. Their prices vary depending on their own costs. But you should get an initial consultation that last at least an hour and they will cover every aspect of your medical history NOT just the problem you are seeking help with in order to diagnose and treat the problem or indeed the cause.

Moon Maiden

Originally posted by meesh
Sometimes it seems like I'm allergic to my own sweat,
I'm exactly the same. It's loads worse in the summer.

I've had a universal contour wrap recently and the therapist mentioned that the wrap is particulary effective for people who suffer from eczema. More information about the contour wrap can be found at: www.universalcontourwrap.co.uk

If you are interested in the treatment, I'll tell you where I had mine done. I lost 7.3 inches!!! yay!

Also, my boyfriend suffers from psoriasis on his forehead/scalp and I use a product from Lush called "snake oil scalp bar".... It was about £3 and lasts ages. If you keep it in your hand for a while, the warmth from your hands turns it to oil and you rub it into the scalp. Chris loves his snake oil massages hehe! :D

Hi Dave,
I had eczema mainly on my right thumb that got worse in winter and much better at the ocean. Cracked, fragile, horrible.
It was chronic for 10 years.
My sister told me she was taking Glucosamine Sulfate for osteoarthritis. I tried it because my right knee doesn't like stairs.
So far this winter, it has cured my eczema!!
I asked a dermatologist and he told me that this is just anecdotal, there is no connection between glucosamine sulfate and skin conditions.
I am just so thrilled.
I would love to know why this is working for me and I suppose the first step is to see if it works for anybody else.
I take only 1/3 of a pill of Glucosamine Sufate, per day, in the morning for breakfast with my regular vitamins. It is made by Solgar Vitamin and Herb (UK).

Of course, I have only been exzema-free so far this winter, but there is definitely some benefit here and I would sure like to know how it works. I hope you have luck, too with it if you try it. If you do, could you e-mail me and tell me your results (good or nothing?)
Thanks,
Linda
fuggywater@hotmail.com

benzoyl peroxide would be good for a few spots. Sure it's fine if you don't mind your face cracking

I used benzoyl peroxide on my skin a while ago and it does work if you use enough. However, it dries up your skin and cracks it which looks a damn sight worse than the spot did in the first place.

What I would reccommend for anyone who is suffering from spots is Well Adjusted Cleanser from Virgin Vie... It's the best thing I have ever used on my skin and I'll never go back to any other product!!

I have a perfect complexion now that I've been using this product... anyone who's seen a photograph of me will know! The product's a bit expensive at £10 a bottle, but Clarins and Clinique's cleansers are much more expensive!!

Now for the sales pitch.... If anyone wants to know how to get hold of Virgin Vie's well adjusted cleanser, PM me and I'll pop an order through for you....

:D

I saw an interesting program the other day that suggested that al sorts of ailments including asthma, eczema, hay fever and other allergic reactions could be treated using intestinal worms.

One scientist has cultivated a colony of about 300 hookworms in his gut, and now no longer suffers from the sever hay fever that plagued him for 20 years.

Like I said above - vitamin B5 will sort your skin, your hair and your nails out. You might need a little zinc with it though to help your body process the B5 :)

Oh and the good 'side effect' is you feel a hell of a lot more awake all the time :D

Originally posted by Phanerothyme
I saw an interesting program the other day that suggested that al sorts of ailments including asthma, eczema, hay fever and other allergic reactions could be treated using intestinal worms.

One scientist has cultivated a colony of about 300 hookworms in his gut, and now no longer suffers from the sever hay fever that plagued him for 20 years.
I think I'd rather make do without the parasites TBH! It sounds disgusting!