Eczema Support Group

I am so sorry you are dealing with this, prednizone is a miracilous drug, but I fear not meant to be used for any longterm lenght of time. And it has side effects that are scary. I have been there and done that! I having chronic skin problems so I have taken time to learn what makes it tick, so to speak. It is an audioimmune disease, so something triggered it, diet is so important and learning what you might be sensitive to. I have found most are sensitive to dairy products and wheat, bummer hey? Most Naturopaths can do a hair analysis which shows you much of the deficiences in you and then they have a more clear look at what are factors. The body is a whole, the MDs tend to treat a sysmtom which doesn't necessarilly get down to what is really going on. My most heplfull thing I use is a astringent soak I make from Myhrr, goldenseal and cayanne. It draws out the infections better than anything else I have tried, it also helps with the inflamation and swelleing and also somehow helps you retain more resistance to further infection. I also use tea tree oil alot, baths with this can help your whole body. If there is anything else I may know of I will share. You realize that you are also probably near menopause which may also be a factor in this all for you. I will say some prayers for you, and do yourself a favor and stay off the prednizone!!

Take PROBIOTICS it cleared up 80% of my son's eczema within less than 1 week!!

If you are diagnosed with eczema, 9 to 10 the doctor will just say to use lotion and maybe take Vitamin D which are both good to do. However, if you have eczema then you may want to read the below articles and take PRObiotics. A product like GNC: Digestive Health Powder (1/4 scoop daily) the pro & prebiotics along with digestive enyzmes help break down and absorb your food better so you get more nutrients going to all your organs... your skin being the largest and needing more nutrients stays healthier. It cleared up 80% of my son's eczema within a week!!!
I also believe that IF your body's eczema is not caused by an allergy THEN body pH may be the ultimate culprit because Probiotics have to be given every day. If you stop then the eczema comes back which means the GOOD bacteria (ie probiotics) used to absorb food are NOT surviving when they should. This was proved to me when even using probiotics I gave my son OJ for a few days in a row. The eczema around his neck was sooo RED. I figured the pH must be too acidic/LOW for the bacteria to survive. I gave him some baking soda in his milk before he when to bed to raise his pH levels and make his system more base/alkaline. By the morning the redness had when down from 9 to about 3 on a 1-10 scale.
Note I did not get this info from a doctor I just had to do all the research on my own.

HOPE this helps
PS pH makes sense because when you get a urinary track infection (UTI) you take cranberry juice which is low in pH or acidic to KILL the bacteria and get rid of the infection.
FYI Normal pH of blood 7.34, saliva 7.4
pH scale 0-6.5 =acidic 6.5-7.5 more neutral
7.5 & above base or alkaline
Veggies, whole wheat are base/alkaline
OJ, cranberry juice & sugar are acidic
SO try to eat more alkaline food, less acidic food and take probiotics IF your sure an allergy is not causing your condition

You don't say what your procedure was so I'm going to assume you had an operation with complications?? I know infections are vicious and you have my deepest sympathy for how very painful I know this must be for you. This is a time to be your own detective and figure out a strategy to fix this problem - if it came from nowhere it can go straight back there - but eczema seems to come with a vengence when it wants as is a stubborn mule to get rid of. Where do you live? I think chinese herbal mediciine is fantastic and had my life saved by my chinese practitioner. If you are in the UK i can recommend a good one. In the meantime, while you are figuring out your strategy, care and more care for your skin is needed. Very very very cold soaks morning and night to relieve the pain and inflammation would be good and I would suggest yoga or pilates , which won't make you so hot but will still give you the sporty buzz that you love.

Aww. I hope you have found some sort of comfort for your skin and disposition. I know that having discomfort is not only in play here, but what is actually affecting the health of your skin is creating an imbalance in your body system. Probably attributed to the "antibiotics" you used to help combat the series of infections, the natural bacteria in your body were made imbalanced by the killing off of some of the good bacteria - bifidobacteria bifidum and lactobicillus acidophilus - and allowed the yeast that it fights - candida albicans - to proliferate - causing the discomfort in disposition, sensitivity to acidic foods, and toxins in the air, as well as the itch and proneness to the dry, and probably thickening of the skin on your feet and the itch on your hands. Also putting on antihistamines will also sensitize the skin, too, and may have in part contributed to the sensitve itchiness. I have experience with eczema all over my body, and with my hands, the doctors have prescribed a more concentrated dose. I can only speak from my experience... eat alkaline (not acidic-based) foods and trying to stay away from yeast and sugars for awhile. Perhaps soaking your feet and hands in warm water with vinegar added will help kill the itchy bacteria. [As well, I am from Hawaii, and we believe that soaking in a Hawaiian salt bath will also heal the skin.] Keep your feet dry and do not cover so much with socks and shoes while you are healing. Change your socks thru-out the day since you do mention you love running and physical fitness. I don't know if this will help but I tend to think getting a new pair of shoes and keeping it clean and free from dampness might help, too. Good Luck.

Hi, I ended up in the ER 7 months ago on a morphine drip due to a severe outbreak. That's how I learned after all these years what I had was eczema. I too use Clobetasol, it works for me, just takes time. I agree, the Prednisone was a nightmare, but it worked. I moisturize within 3 minutes after showering - Eucerin Calming Cream and regular Nivea. Also, when I see a little spot starting, I dot couple drops Neem oil on it. It makes it go away if I don't use it constantly. One thing I found very helpful during an attack: GNC sells Masada brand Dead Sea salt. I soak my hand or foot for about 15 min in warm water with a cup of this salt and it seems to relieve some of the blistering. I have found only that brand works for me though. I wish you luck. I can relate to how frustrating it is.