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

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And I'd have got away with it too if it wasn't for you meddling kids

How about acupuncture?

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Little lost sometimes.

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...

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"Going cold turkey isn't as delicious as it sounds" (Homer Simpson)

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.

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A "liberal do-gooder" is someone open to new ideas for progress, tolerant of others and who does good works. - KenH 1/12/05

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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.

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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...!

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"Going cold turkey isn't as delicious as it sounds" (Homer Simpson)

I recently read an article somewhere (I think it was in the Metro free paper) about a woman who was breading Doctor fish . 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

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Work is the curse of the drinking classes - Oscar Wilde

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.

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And I'd have got away with it too if it wasn't for you meddling kids

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.

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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.

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A "liberal do-gooder" is someone open to new ideas for progress, tolerant of others and who does good works. - KenH 1/12/05

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

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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.

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?

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A "liberal do-gooder" is someone open to new ideas for progress, tolerant of others and who does good works. - KenH 1/12/05

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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

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.

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A "liberal do-gooder" is someone open to new ideas for progress, tolerant of others and who does good works. - KenH 1/12/05

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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?

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A "liberal do-gooder" is someone open to new ideas for progress, tolerant of others and who does good works. - KenH 1/12/05

Sheffield Cats Shelter

Sign the free swimming for over 60s and under 16s petition