Hawayun

35-year Atopic Dermatitis (eczema) sufferer. -excuse any typos- I'm one of those tried-everything-under-the-sun people. After having used steroid creams and an annual Prednisone shot for years, my doctor prescribed Protopic. I've been steroid-free for almost a year. Though not gone, my eczema has been significantly better.
Though everyone has their unique regiments and theories, here are some of mine: eczema often goes hand-in-hand with allergies and in particular, food allergies. Get tested and see if you can determine which, if any, foods you are sensitive to. Likewise, environmental allergies and seasonal triggers. Relaxation and sleep are key for recovery. Stress induces flareups and itching/scratching. WASH your hands often and keep you nails trimmed. Scratching typically leads to staph infections which REALLY triggers the red, irritated, enflamed and weapy lesions. Cethaphil green label CREAM not lotion. You have to lock in the moisture immediately after bathing. Aveeno "Daily Moisturizing Bath" (Oatmeal) -fantastic-. Mild detergeants (i.e., "All" Free Clear) without fragrances and bleach. I bring sheets and towels whenever traveling. Hotels use STRONG detergeants and cleaning supplies. Avoid strong cleaning solutions (i.e., on toilet seat) Use citrus-based options. Change sheets weekly and vaccuum around bed. I discovered my sensistivity to dust mites was causing me to scratch in bed and break out on my face. Dust mites were thriving on the excess skin I was scratching off -vicious cycle-. Cotton clothes and fabrics, avoid polyesters. Whenever possible, loose clothes. When I start to break out I do a quick review and try to determine WHY, i.e., I'm stressed, I ate something I don't usually eat, I used a new suntan lotion, etc. A perfect example: I noticed that after every dentist visit I had break outs on my face. It finally dawned on me that it was the gloves they wore and that I was highly allergic and sensitive to LATEX. Further testing confirmed it. My dentist now uses rubber gloves and I've noted my health charts in case I ever need emergency surgery (which would have caused anaphylactic shock from the amount of latex used during procedures). Yet another reason to get allergy tested. My test also revealed a high sensitivity to FORMALDEHYDE. I thought that would be a breeze. When would I ever come in contact with FORMALDEHYDE??? How about daily!!! "used in glue or adhesive in pressed wood products -particleboard- (my desk, my bed, my table), to coat paper products, as a preservative in some paints, coatings and COSMETICS, and used in certain insulation materials (fiberglass). Who would have guessed?
I keep ice packs in the freezer that I apply at the first sign of skin irritation. It helps. I've noticed that peeling skin after being in the sun is an irritant and can trigger a flare-up. The main thing is to remain positive!!! Worrying about eczema causes stress which in turn leads to.....exactly, more scratching and itching. You have to break the cycle. Exercise and diet help a lot. I tried and elimination diet for 8 weeks (fish and vegatables only!). My eczema decreased AND I lost 15 pounds. Losing the weight made me feel great and put me in a positive mind set. Needless to say, I gained it back and then some. I read a post elsewhere in this forum by a wife whose husband was borderline suicidal from his 40 year battle with eczema. I could relate to the "bloody sheets and pillow cases". The depression associated with our condition is horrendous. As a teen it was almost unbearable for me. Eczema is peaks and valleys. You have to make a dedicated effort to identify the triggers in order to ensure that you ride the peaks more often. Environmental changes can also trigger flare-ups, i.e., traveling. Think about the how many things change when we travel; we bath in water that's different (chemicals), we use different towels, sheets, eat different foods, maybe lose sleep. I'm not suggesting that anyone stop traveling, just keep these things in mind. Thus ends my novel. I've heard many relate eczema to "rott gutt", a condition in the intestines. Food and diet are mentioned alot. Here is a great website and organization, Nat'l Eczema Association for Science and Education (NEASE), check out the new audio "Controlling Your Eczema" and read the "Scratchpad": [url="http://www.nationaleczema.org/"]http://www.nationaleczema.org/[/url]
Take care, stay positive, get rest and hang in there!