Most disgusting possible Eczema treatment might just work!

[BBOA]

*Offensive for vegetarians.... Do not read!

So I will try and be brief. Having been fully speyed 2 years ago I seem to now be allergic to pretty much anything I try and put on my body to help with anything from thrush to eczema. Weirdly, it doesn't irritate my skin where applied (apart from the apple cider vinegar bath for lady garden issues) but whatever I use gets absorbed into my bloodstream and causes anything from puffy lips, itchy face or hives. Anything actually medical is a complete NO, but it could also be any of the highly expensive 'natural remedies' from the aforementioned apple cider vinegar brewed by fairies in Somerset, to the balms lovingly made by earth mothers from Brighton!
Having developed what the dismissive dermatologist (who refused to actually look at it as I was referred for another issue) suggested was very sore discoid eczema in the last year and having been unable to use all standard treatments, I have been on a quest to find some relief for the endless nights of broken sleep due to the burning and itching. I've lost count of things to try, but then I started thinking about whether maybe butter or marg might do the trick. A bit more research led me to tallow. Basically high end beef fat, but must be from organic grass fed cows. Pork lard is apparently better, but that must be as pure as a vestal virgin and I can't be arsed to get it from a butcher and boil it up myself.
I bought myself a jar of Tallow to experiment with from our friends at A to Z at great expense - my grandpa would have helped with a rancid pot of the stuff if he'd still been around. I have a massive patch of eczema on each calf, so I started by putting said Tallow on just one patch on the first day and having had no obvious reaction, (apart from wanting to vomit as it smells like beef dripping) I have put it on my other leg today. I have to say leg 1 genuinely looks better than leg 2, being a day ahead. I am really hoping this actually works! I have been feeling really itchy today with some minor hives, but I'm hoping that's from the perfume I had to spray on my work trousers to deter the swarm of flies following me around.
The good news is that if you are not too sensitive to essential oils you can add them to it to take away the god awful smell.
I'll keep you posted, but please let me know if any of you have had similar issues and have found the answer.
In the mean time if the Tallow doesn't work, I guess I can Google how to make candles with it or make some paleo roast potatoes. P. A. Sorry to any vegetarians, but this really was a last resort.
I'm off now to look at someone's post about worsening allergies post menopause as I'm clearly not the only one and anyway my health anxiety needs feeding.

[DetroitLakes]

Post menopause allergies are the pits. I'm sorry you have similar issues to the ones I developed. Have you food allergies too? My skin won't tolerate much at all. No essential oils either. It does not mind pure jojoba oil and it soothed my allergic dermatitis.

I use the desert essence one. It doesn't smell of much at all, and helped my rashes. I use it as a moisturizer now. I have a different type of dermititis, not discoid ecxema. Perhaps it might be worth trying?

I'm glad the tallow is working!

[BBOA]

Detroit lakes.... Yes I have lots of food allergies too!I have a, really boring diet! The Dr goes pale when they see me as they know I can't take any meds.... Even ones I took like smarties before, like paracetamol!! I've had some meds challenges as the allergy clinic but even if I don't have a severe reaction I have ALL the side effects! No fun! Sorry to hear you have similar. Fingers crossed for the Tallow.... As I'm sat itching!

[DetroitLakes]

Itching can't be underestimated for sheer torture. I'm so sorry.
Cold water, running over the itchy area helps me.

I use a psoriasis emoliant, it's otc in the states, if you are interested I'll send you the details. I do not react to it, and it does calm it down.

I hear you with the boring diet. I'm no latex fruit or veg, no grains. No processed food. No soy. Very limited dairy, I can manage mature cheese and very small amounts of lactose free milk. I live on fruit, veg, eggs. Very rarely eat meat.

The swollen face, lips eyes, itching, stomach pain, diarrhea etc is so bad.

I found once I was very careful with trace allergens in my diet I got less itchy and felt better in general.

[BBOA]

Seem to struggle with emollients. Not sure if it's the paraffin. Get hives. As for steroid creams... Puffy lips! I'm not sure about you, but can't get any real answers apart from ' I can't possibly be allergic to all that stuff'!

[managedmis]

What exactly is tallow? Rendered fat?

[DetroitLakes]

Have your doctor's discussed mast cell activation syndrome?

[BBOA]

Detroitlakes.... No I haven't. Will do next time!

[BBOA]

Yes Tallow is rendered fat. The stuff you skim off the top I think.

[HasThisSoddingNameGoneToo]

You don’t have to apologise to vegetarians for things you’re smearing on your own skin!

“Fully speyed” - you mean you had a hysterectomy with ovaries and cervix removed too? Are you on HRT?

[BBOA]

Yes have had full hysterectomy. Was on hrt gel but became allergic to that too. Should note I also have thyroid issues /hashimito thyroiditis so my body hates me!! Apparently this is the reason I have spontaneous reactions.

[HasThisSoddingNameGoneToo]

Oh, you poor thing! That does all sound like a nightmare.

How are your legs today, after their Beef Bath?

[BBOA]

Hasthissoddingnamegonetoo... Day 3.a bit stingy this morning and this evening after 2nd application but seem to be tolerating it. Think they look marginally better. Saw GP for evening appointment last night and she's doing a biopsy to get a proper diagnosis,following silly behaviour of dermatologist. Still bleddy itching though!

[BBOA]

Just to update anyone who was interested.... The tallow worked!!!! Cleared up after about 2 weeks!