Eczema

Lum

If you can't use Fucibet, have you tried Betnovate which is the same thing without the antibiotic? I have to confess that I'm curious as to what is preventing you using a topical antibiotic. There's lots of conditions that prevent you from taking oral antibiotics but normally topical is fine. Is it all antibiotics you can't have? What about Chlorhexidine, which is one of the active ingredients in the Dermol range of washing products? (Though sometimes Chlorhexidine can dry the skin out, so be careful not to use it too often)

I'm guessing that if you need the antibiotic based steroid then bacteria is a significant factor in your eczema, probably Staph, Next best thing to antibiotics would likely be to give the affected area a good wash, followed by Betnovate, and then by a good cream such as 50/50

Getting a referral is a sod. When I got mine it was by a locum doctor and then the GP forced me to come back in for an interview so they could attempt to cancel the referral. Then if you move house and end up under a different health board you've got to go through it all again.

It is well worth getting antihistamines as well as the creams, though I tend to eventually get used to them. Atarax is a good prescription-only one to start with. Currently I'm on Hydroxizone and Zarfirlukast for the itching and Methotrexate, Betnovate-C, 50/50 cream and most of the Dermol range for the eczema.

Patronus

Lum wrote: »

If you can't use Fucibet, have you tried Betnovate which is the same thing without the antibiotic? I have to confess that I'm curious as to what is preventing you using a topical antibiotic. There's lots of conditions that prevent you from taking oral antibiotics but normally topical is fine. Is it all antibiotics you can't have? What about Chlorhexidine, which is one of the active ingredients in the Dermol range of washing products? (Though sometimes Chlorhexidine can dry the skin out, so be careful not to use it too often)

Hi. I got extremely ill with C Difficile in October and my doc recommends to stay away from all antibiotics now, even topical, as I'm still recovering. If Chlorhexidine dries the skin out it might not be very good for me as I suffer from extremely dry skin but I might look into it to use now and again. Might be worth a shot. Thank you.

nashly

if i get a really bad attack the only thing that helps me is rubbing ice cubes on the itchy bit

Lum

I use Dermol 500 which contains chlorhexadine as well as moisturising stuff and so long as you use it just for handwashing it's fine, it only causes a problem, for me at least, if I start using it as a substitute for a moisturiser, even though the packaging claims you can do this.

I'm well aware of C.Diff as my partner had 3 bouts of it after a strong course of antibiotics in hospital. It comes back when antibiotics kill off all the other bacteria in your stomach and gives the C.Diff room to grow and multiply. I honestly can't see why a topical antibiotic would cause that unless you are eating the stuff or rubbing it into open wounds. Certainly she has had no problem using my Dermol, or even hibi scrub, on her skin and her infection was pretty epic eventually clearing up with a 3 month course of vancomycin.

jennie-jack

have you looked into the excema being secondary to an allergy. like dairy or wheat. alot of children i know get better skin when dairy free.

i have had excema as an adult and made a right mess of my legs when scratching, i ended up wet wrapping. i had zinc and icthemol paste with tubi fast to hold it in place. then changed the bandages every 3 days when i could bath and cream. too much bathing can also make the skin worse.

the paste was cooling too if you kept it in the fridge, i also found that slapping the itch helped and was better for the skin that scratching it.

faerie~spangles

I too have eczema on my hands. On the palms, down my fingers and on some of my fingertips.

My right hand is worse than the left, fortunately the itch is at its worst when I awaken and eases of during the day.

I've used all the the creams mentioned and had PUVA treatment.

I shower with Dermol and Epaderm and use Capasal shampoo, as normal shampoos burn my hands.

The Capasal dries my hair and today for the first time in over a year I used hair conditioner. (My hair is nice and soft )

When it first started I stopped using soap powder and just washed everything for longer and at a slightly hotter temp'. I did this for about a year and there was no difference to my hands.

I stopped peeling potatoes they made my hands burn and still do.

Stopped washing dishes :T rubber gloves burn my hands as do the hypo-allergenic ones.

I bought cheap, knitted cotton gloves from an online office supplier

I also laugh inwardly everytime a shop assistant drops my change into my outstretched hand:rotfl:

Last week the doc' prescribed white petroleum jelly and that seems to help with the flexibility of my skin and my fingers are more flexible.

Lastly water also burns my hands...

Lum

I'm guessing that's 50/50 cream (White soft paraffin in liquid paraffin) the doc gave you?

Water also sets off my skin, hence why I need to use the Dermol bath additive, and can only have a shower if it's a good skin day. I find rainwater to be a lot worse than tapwater. I also find hard water worse than soft water. Moving to the South Wales valleys (from Buckinghamshire) brought on a noticeable improvement with washing and bathing.

If Capasal shampoo works for you then Alphosyl 2-in-1 is also worth a try, it's coal tar extract whereas Capasal just uses the whole coal tar. Supposedly it's just the bits of the coal tar that are actually useful for Eczema and Psoriasis. It works slightly better for me and is also a lot more pleasant to use since it's not as thick and doesn't smell as bad.

Have you tried nitrile gloves, typically blue, if rubber ones are problematic? So far they've worked for me. They're also useful if you're going to be getting paraffin based creams on the gloves as that stuff dissolves the rubber ones. You can get any pharmacy to order you a box of 100 for less than a tenner (order code is SN73 for medium), which is a lot more cost efficient than cotton ones which last longer but will still be manky within a week or two.

On bad skin days I end up using those gloves in the bath or shower too because even the medicated shampoos can make the skin sting, and if the skin is fragile then catching a tangle in my hair can cut through the skin if I pull on it wrongly.


Problem with eczema is people can make loads of suggestions about what does and doesn't work and what works for one person could cause a major flare up in another. It's really annoying.

ricky7

give "pro topic" a try...its quite good...also has less side affects then the stronger sterioid creams such as elocon, dermavate, eumovate.

Another lotion like cream you could look into is Eucerin lotion.

Also stay positive we will all help you get through it. It is a vicious circle but i think it is a case of trial and error to find what works best for you. All the best

Little_Mo_70

Patronus wrote: »

I really hope this is the right place for this, it's the only place I can think of really. I had eczema as a child and then grew out of it in my teens, when I reached about 19 though, it came back. It's horrendous on my hands, it itches like crazy, it's been so bad on my middle finger on my left hand that I can't straighten it out properly and I'm struggling to hold a pen!

It disrupts my sleep because I'm just so itchy, every thing irritates my skin even more - being in bed, being in clothes, being in the bath/shower. I don't get a moments peace from it. I broke my toes a couple of years back and since they healed I've had eczema all over them too and it gets so itchy sometimes I just want to cry.

I've tried a million and one creams - I know it can't be cured. The only cream I found that worked was Fucibet, it really helped with the itching. I can't have that anymore because I can't have antibiotics. I've asked my doctor numerous times if he can refer me to a dermatologist but he just keeps giving me more and more creams.

I asked him if I could try Epaderm which has really cleared up the milder bits of the eczema across my knuckles but it still doesn't do anything for the itch. It's driving me crackers and it's so sore, I can't even wear my rings anymore or anything.

I wear gloves as much as I can because I care for my Mother and have to carry shopping bags and stuff for her. I don't use any soaps on my hands at all, I use Epaderm in my baths and everything.

Does anyone have any suggestions at all? I feel like such a bother to my doctor with one thing and another this year but where do I stand on the dermatology thing? Is it worth asking him again? Would it be pointless seeing a dermatologist? Anyone found any miracles creams?

You have had a tough time with this.

I couldn't believe it when I read that your GP won't refer you. A GP is precisely that 'General' Practitioner. Specialist is one who specialises in a particular medical field.
Go to your GP and ask, again, to be referred to a dermatologist. Don't accept 'no'. It is your right to see a specialist for something you have suffered with for most of you life.

If your GP still refuses, see another GP within the practice or change surgeries. Don't feel a bother to your GP. Don't forget he is working for you and has no right to deny you specialist treatment if you request it. Politely insist to be referred to the dermatologist of your choice.

The main reason for my advice is that dermatologists can do tests, patch tests etc. You might be allergic to something which can be avoided. Your problem is made worse as you are a carer too so it's important to keep as well as possible.

Patronus

Little_Mo_70 wrote: »

You have had a tough time with this.

I couldn't believe it when I read that your GP won't refer you. A GP is precisely that 'General' Practitioner. Specialist is one who specialises in a particular medical field.
Go to your GP and ask, again, to be referred to a dermatologist. Don't accept 'no'. It is your right to see a specialist for something you have suffered with for most of you life.

If your GP still refuses, see another GP within the practice or change surgeries. Don't feel a bother to your GP. Don't forget he is working for you and has no right to deny you specialist treatment if you request it. Politely insist to be referred to the dermatologist of your choice.

The main reason for my advice is that dermatologists can do tests, patch tests etc. You might be allergic to something which can be avoided. Your problem is made worse as you are a carer too so it's important to keep as well as possible.

Thank you. Yep, using the hoover and cooking can be a nightmare. I am going to see him and will explain that I want to see a dermatologist for allergy tests as well as for advice on my skin. Thanks again.
:beer: