#eczema story on the Facebook page

So in 29 degrees today I’m wearing
trousers and my lovely royal blue Stan Smith’s with socks! I wore a short dress to a party on Saturday and ended up having to borrow some leggings from host as legs kicked off and needed to be covered to calm them. With a 20 min walk after train, through grimy London streets, I can’t risk getting dirt on my not yet healed feet or by getting itchy legs in a dress… So I’ve also got some blue lovely cotton Tom’s for when at work… And socks will come off too!

So 2 weeks since started new job with #eczema all over arms and legs, so covered myself totally  in cream and clothing so as to not let on and be judged.. Used steroid once last Thursday and seems to have broken the cycle…which I desperately needed… Bottom pic was taken 05 July and top is from now… I still have intensely itchy times but improvement is happening. Thank flippin goodness! I may even be able to wear a bit less clothing in the oncoming 33 degree heat!

Honestly I really despair sometimes. Don’t we all? 2 weeks ago when I had had a mad awful allergic reaction to something unknown, the head of our GP practice prescribed me Fexofenadine but would NOT prescribe me two emollients that I had bought and tried. Doublebase Gel seemed really to calm the awful state, better than a greasy one this time. Cheap and non damaging. But no, he wanted me to see the Dermatologist GP to just get those. Another appointment, another queuing on phone to get one at 0800 on day you need it. The guy I need only works late on Mondays, so I hope to go after work. Waited to book today. On phone holding from 0800 to 0810 – when I get through he has no evening appointments left! It made me tearful. And I didn’t give in! I said that my eczema is severe and debilitating and that I NEED TO BE ALLOWED AN APPOINTMENT IN ADVANCE. Receptionist finally gave in and gave me a 7.30 pm next Monday. A whole week away. Luckily  I’m healing but less than a week ago I was seriously considering immunosuppressants again. If I had any other illness, I would not have to wait in this way. WE SHOULD BE TAKEM MORE SERIOUSLY! The pain, anguish, and the lack of general understanding. Ok! Today’s rant over as I head into 2nd week of new job, trying to look ‘normal’!

Well let’s face it, lack of sleep helps nothing and nobody. Always impacts on skin.. I’ve never mastered sleeping through even when skin is ok, but sometimes when I do, I wake up totally surprised and very pleased!

But right now – and nothing to do with skin – I wake up feeling blue at what our country has chosen to do. And to add insult to injury but only short term, our overpaid football team is also out! Aaaaargh!

https://twitter.com/lulustyle/status/746248461251641344But if I allow the sadness to upset my immune system it might!

So, got through those tough 2 weeks with 9 days of burning allergy reaction to normal eczema damage… Then – I’ve enjoyed the peace that steroid ointment brings and always have the hope this is it this time! A break! But no, I’ve cut down on the steroid and the itching has gone up. On arms and legs… Not terribly, but boring and annoying. I’ve had a headache a lot today… That’s not helpful. Think it’s the humidity and air pressure. I can hear lots of thunder in the distance tonight. Good! Bring it on and clear the air. I’m a blimmin delicate flower doncha know??!!

And it has left me! The swollen legs are no more and the rash and weird skin gone too. HOWEVER! Been only itchy once a day – usually early evening… And sadly last night it was an eczema itch that went mad. You CAN definitely tell difference between the eczema itch and others. And I went a bit frenzied and ended up traumatising myself a bit… One of my fingernails tore below nail line and hooked into the back of my leg and ripped deep. Disgusting. Blood dripping on floor and long thin scratch marks elsewhere too. I felt sick and too panicked to look at wound so got my lovely 15 year old out of her room and asked her to help. I was crying cos it’s horrible innit? She said it’s a bit deep but she stopped the bleeding, covered me in cream and gave me my cotton pyjama bottoms. Honestly it still makes me sad this morning even though I should ‘used’ to it by now after all these years eh?

Since 3 June and that severe reaction to whatever the hec it was, I’ve had sunburnt-feeling, burning, hurting legs, with the added bonus of intense, almost vomit-inducing itchiness. My arms were a lesser level. 3 days ago the burning stopped, but the draw to itch, albeit once a day, did not. And then there’s tonight. Nothing… My left ankle and leg is still a bit swollen compared to my right. And there’s still the remainder of a rash. But the redness has died down and… Even when I took my jeans off – absolutely no itching sensation! I didn’t even have to rush to get pjs on to protect myself from wanting to scratch! My feet played up last night, but that was an eczema-feel… So I whacked on the Dermovate. But, for my legs – all I’ve used since it happened is Bath E45 in cool baths, and various emollients. Now it’s  like something has physically left me – thank f**k for that! I’m so calm I’m excited! Aaahhhh!