Eczema - can anyone help me?

Hope you are continuing to improve. I know you said you had cut out gluten for 48 days but didn't notice any improvement. However have you been tested for Coeliac's. I suffered from Eczema my whole life until 10 years ago when I found I couldn't eat gluten. It took a couple of months for my skin to heal but I haven't had eczema since. Strangely my dermatologist had never thought about gluten being the issue.

I shall print off all of your messages . What a helpful, understanding, group of people Gransnet has.

My heartfelt thanks to you all.

P.S. No hives again today, I just can't believe my good fortune.

Lilylaundry

I would never ask for anything, complain about anything, love everyone and so enjoy my life 🥰

I hope you get to do this! How lovely that woild be!

Over the years I've cut out, for example, all dairy foods, food with gluten, anything white, as white rice, bread, beans,etc., for 48 days each at a time. Nothing worked. I paid £300 for a blood test for allergies. It came back 'a slight allergy to wheat' and was told I would have to eat wheat everyday in good quantities before I would notice the allergy.

But the good news is I may have a break through. A couple of days before asking for help from you wonderful people, I was about to buy my usual three litres of oat milk but the price had shot up I decided to stick to cows milk, which I have been tested for and am not allergic to.
During the next few days the hives gradually disappeared and today there is no sign of them and the horrendous itchyness has left me. Please, please, long may it last!

The eczema seems to have improved a little, especially on my face and arms. I daren't think about a life without eczema and hives. I'm in my 80s and if I could spend my final years free of it all I would never ask for anything, complain about anything, love everyone and so enjoy my life without having to bandage up every night, spend at least an hour moisturising my entire body at least twice a day and be able to go out to dinner without worrying about how I look and feel whilst trying not to scratch my face off!!

I would try seeking alternative therapies - We have a qualified herbalist (did all same exams as a doctor then further exams to qualify as herbalist) near where we live and also a chinese herbalist. Unfortunately we are in the South. but maybe the herbalist could help with an online consultation? She is a lovely lady who did a talk for our u3a. I don't know how to message you directly and don't think I can share her details on here without permission, but if you know how to contact me I will pass on. (sorry Im not more tech savvy!)

Crazyhorse - Diprobase is now called Zeroderm. It's just the same. I used to get the emollient on prescription but now only have the ointment for use as a soap substitute in the shower. They both really help.

Poor you. That's miserable. My sister discovered - at the age of 30 - that her dreadful eczema was caused by dairy and refined sugar. My father waited until his 70s to develop the dairy allergy. My DIL was born with a dairy intolerance - her face flares if she has more than a little.
My DS grew out of his. My DD gets very itchy if she eats oranges.
My advice is get all dairy out of your diet as a first trial. It means reading every label for whey powder which seems to sneak into everything.
Gut health is very important too. I like Michael Mosley's Clever Guts diet book for easy understanding of the digestive system.

My daughter had Eczema as a child and we tried everything daily baths with porridge oats in a clean pair of tights tied up and hung so that the water ran through it. Bath water is cloudy. This used with plenty of moisturizer really helped. The moisturizer I use now is called Doublebase gel, which makes your skin feel lovely (I have Lymphoedema and my Lymphoedema Specialist Nurse recommend it for me. I suppose like a lot of other things it's a case of finding what suits you. Good luck. X

PLEASE get yourself tested for intolerances. The standard medical profession has NO answers and will in all probability make things worse.

I agree 100% with undines’ first sentence, 100% disagree with the second.

Our youngest grandson had severe eczema from birth, along with other symptoms such as reflux, awful sickness, stomach pains. We were so lucky in that one of the GPS at his local surgery was a dermatologist, and saw him every fortnight, trying different diets, medication and creams, until she got him completely clear of all symptoms, including the eczema.

What worked for him was a strict no dairy, no gluten diet, combined with medication and an atopic cream. He can now manage without the tablets or the cream, and dairy is being introduced into his diet in a very gradual and controlled way. So far, so good. 🤞

So please, don’t dismiss the standard medical profession, but push your dermatologist for tests as soon as possible. You’ve suffered too much for far too long.

Lilylaundry anxiety/stress can make eczema spread in this way. It recently happened to a family member who was also prescirbed steroids etc. Eventually she was prescribed low dose valium which, along with body wash, shampoo etc from the Aveeno range, cleared up the eczema within a few weeks. Her eczema still has to be controlled at times with Aveeno but no steroids either in tablet form or cream/ointment are needed.

I have used Hemp oil products from Body Shop for 20+years.

I agree with the probiotic approach have you considered using probiotics topically A split capsule mixed with yogurt and rubbed gentslly in worked for our dog. Where two years of vet treatment had failed. Not tried it myself as I am not a sufferer

Organic rose hip oil is very good for strengthening the skin and has anti inflammatory and antioxidant qualities. It can be used for eczema so could e worth a try.

DS2 had eczema as a baby and toddler. I got goats milk for him and found that it improved in the summer when he had been in the sea. I think sea water 'bath salts' are available in health stores and might be worth a try.

I suffered with psoriasis for years and it developed at a time when I had quite a bit of stress in my life. I tried anything and everything. Betnovate did help marginally for a time but it was destroying my skin and I became really worried about the problem as the months and years passed. The doctor couldn't help. The private consultant couldn't help - yes, I was THAT desperate I paid to see a private specialist.

My daughter happened to be working for Forever Living Products at that time and she suggested Aloe Vera Jelly. I had nothing to lose, I was desperate after years with the problem, so I bought some. Results weren't immediate but I persevered. It really did help and was incredibly soothing and after that I swore I would never again use Betnovate or Betnovate C or any other steroid cream which you just cannot use long term, no matter how good it is in the short term.

Anyway, I stuck with it and haven't had psoriasis for quite a few years now. It's worth a try.

As a girl I suffered with eczema particularly in the crease
S of my arms and legs. I don’t know why but my mother started getting bottle of sea water each week from our local shrimp man and get bathing me with it. My eczema got better and better. After a couple of years I didn’t need any medication and was free of eczema. Was it just a coincidence?

My daughter used to suffer badly. She kept a food diary to see if anything seemed to set off a flare up. Gluten was a problem for her, as was red food colouring.

SusieB50 I also use E45 cream as I felt I needed to get away from the steroids. I find it really helps.

LilyLaundry I also use aloe vera gel which is very soothing for itching and moisturising, too. I bought it online £10 for a kilo and I've found it really soothing and it lasts for ages. I know where you're coming from painful to walk. I hope someone comes up with something that suits you.

I don’t know if it works with people but we sorted our dog out using probiotic powder from the capsules for people mixed with Greek yoghurt. Rubbed gentle in. Certainly nothing harmful to people. Try a small patch Previously we had tried all sorts from the vet to no avail had

I have just received an order for a natural ointment from stinky-stuff.co.uk/skinstuff. They also do it for dogs, cats and horses. I've only used it once so far but it stopped to itching I get on my scalp. I'm not sure what the problem is but I have several small bumps at the edge of my occiptal bone which often get extremely itchy.

Lifelong sufferer here. I use Diprobase for moisturising, but I hear it’s now not available.
And when the eczema plays up I use Betnovate cream. I too used to have it on my eyelids and u der my eyes, but not any more. However, it has left me with dark circles . I don’t stick to any particular diet.

Have you tried taking evening primrose oil by mouth? Worked for me been taking it for years

Have a look online for African Black Soap. The bars not liquid soap. It’s amazing for all kinds of skin issues-you’ll see this when you look it up. A bar is cheap-£2-3-and definitely worth a try. Good luck

grannyrebel7

I was prescribed Betnovate for my eyelids and it cleared it up really quickly.

I can't understand why Betnovate would be prescribed for facial skin, in particular eyelids, where the skin is very thin. Betnovate thins the skin and should only be used extremely sparingly.

If your GP hasn't already, please ask to be referred to your Hospital Dermatology Unit. If the first GP doesn't agree, as to see a second GP.

put porridge oats in the toe of a tights, tie it off and rub the oatmeal and squeeze it all over your skin. Its very soothing