Is stress alone enough to cause eczema? And how to help??

[SloanePeterson]

I've suffered from pompholyx eczema on my fingers intermittently for the last 5 or so years. I know that it's brought on by stress and on occasion has been really bad, with weeping skin and unbearably itchy. I've had a little tube of steroid cream I've been ekeing out over the years that seems to keep it at bay. But for the last few weeks I've had awful itching to my armpits, elbows, knees and groin and I just can't control it. I'm under a great deal of stress generally as we have a dc with significant special needs, and this has ramped up as I have several hugely important meetings about his future coming up in the next few weeks. I don't feel hugely more stressed than normal but I know that this is bubbling away under the surface and on my mind all the time. The thing is, there's nothing I can do to make my life less stressful! And the horrible itch is driving me insane, especially in the evenings. I've had all sorts of health problems in the last year which have all been put down to stress by the doctor, from hugely painful and heavy periods to weird big lumps that have been appearing on my scalp. I feel so uncomfortable in my own body Is this really all down to stress?? And what on earth can I do to help myself? Looking for literally any suggestions, from the woo to the eminently sensible.

[ClaudiaWankleman]

I get stress eczema. What steroid cream are you using? Often the stuff prescribed isn’t strong enough. Try and paraffin based moisturiser - the chemists will stock one that is available over the counter.

[SloanePeterson]

I've run out and haven't actually used any this time round. Fucidin or fucibet? I think? I'll ask at a pharmacist tomorrow for the moisturiser thank you x

[hugoagogo]

That sounds horrible and I think it sounds as if you need to see the gp and maybe get referred to a dermatologist.
In the mean time I would try some antihistamines.

[Notthecarwashagain]

I've got a huge flare up at the moment, behind my ears (so painful!) and behind my knees.
I'm also v stressy at the moment (similar reasons)

Cutting back on dairy in the past seemed to help, but I need coffee and chocolate so that's just not happening for me right now!

Sorry for no help, but I really hope you find some relief soon.

[SloanePeterson]

Not, I'm with you on the coffee and chocolate! I don't think my diet is that terrible and I certainly done eat that much dairy but I'll see what I can do to help. It's just so unbearable, if I could climb out of my own skin right now I would

[Hulder]

I would say stress on it's own, no. If you are prone to eczema, you are prone to eczema. For example my DH isn't and so can get crazy stressed and won't get it. I am and so my eczema will get worse when I am stressed.

What struck me is that you have one tube of steroid you have eked out over years

It probably went out of date years ago!!!! Please go back to see your GP and get reassessed. You need a proper steroid (in date) not eked out to the nth degree, emollients applied liberally, to be washing with a soap substitute such as Dermol 500 and avoiding SLS at the very least.

If that isn't settling it, you need to see a dermatologist. Check your practice website and see if any of the GPs have a special interest in dermatology and if so, book to see that one.

[SloanePeterson]

Hulder, it's been possible to have several tubes on the go as it's literally just a couple of fingers that are normally affected, and I can go months, sometimes up to a year between flare ups. I will go to the doctors next week, I'm just so aware that all the crap I've dealt with health wise in the last year has been put down to stress (and tbh they're probably right) but I feel I'm not taken seriously. The period problems especially have been dismissed and that was soul destroying as I felt no one believed me.

[Highmaintenancefemalestuff]

I'm suffering a flare up at the moment. Mine only started at the beginning of summer, I went 9 weeks before seeing a doctor then my steroid cream (eumovate?) and dermol, which I was washing with twice daily, cleared it up in a matter of days. Unfortunatly it's not working this time and it's everywhere but my face! Im pretty sure mines partly due to stress.