Diprobase/ Paraffin allergy - help!!!!!

[iris66]

DS (19mths) has eczema and numerous food allergies/intolerances. We saw the paed consultant last week & he prescribed diprobase. Unfortunately DS is now covered in the most hideous itchy rash wherever the cream has been and is literally scratching his skin off . Is there anything out there that doesn't contain paraffin/petroleum/lanolin and that works??? I'm desparate

[iris66]

bumping because I have to go but will bump again tomorrow. Any help would be so gratefully received.

[MegBusset]

Hi Iris66... so sorry to hear about your DS. Mine has bad eczema too and we have gone through every emollient you can think of. He didn't take too well to Diprobase either, but is fine with Doublebase so might be worth trying, it has slightly different ingredients. We also use 0.5% hydrocortisone cream for the worst bits.

Also before that we were prescribed Allergenics lotion, which is 100% natural (aloe vera and the like) and contains no paraffin products at all. Unfortunately my DS had a terrible reaction to it (skin burned and blistering) but it might work for yours? Would just say test it on a small patch of skin first!

[tatt]

have a look at aveeno, much recommended on mumsnet - ingredients on the website below. It's expensive but doctors can prescribe it.

Try him with a probiotic too, you'll probably have to buy that.

64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:P5rBsubxBsMJ:www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100004785.html+aveen o+ingredients&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=uk

[MegBusset]

Would just add that DS had a bad reaction to Aveeno too, so again, do a patch test first

[iris66]

Thank you for the advice. I did buy some aveeno a while back whilst searching for an alternative to aqueous cream (also doesn't work) but then realised Aveeno also has paraffin in it (the facial one has sesame oil too)

I'm going to try to get to speak to the consultant today as I know my GP wont prescribe whilst DS is under someone else's care. I've got some evening primrose oil cream which I'm going to try on him today (patch only!) to see if that helps as I can't tell which is eczema & which isn't so don't want to use the hydrocortisone - DS's poor little legs are just a mass of rashes, scabs and bloody weals

Thanks again

[slim22]

oh nooooo poor thing!!!

do get a dermatologist's advice quick.
In the meantime use natural products to soothe and moisturise. No mineral oils.

Waitrose's bottom baby balm is a great all over rub made of olive oil and chamomille.
Nelsons pharmacy have a good calendula soothing cream (in boots).
Use sulfate free glycerin soap (health shops) or Aderma range in posh pharmacies which is a french hypoallergenic wash with oats (aveenoo style).

good luck

[iris66]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. DS was significantly less scratchy today as I tried some Nelsons Evening Primrose cream on him. I saw on a thread that Rickman started in 2005 that her DD improved with Gammaderm (Evening Primrose based cream) so I've ordered some from the chemist & get that tomorrow. The consultant doesn't seem interested so I've got a GP appointment next week to get some on prescription if it works. Fingers crossed eh!

[slim22]

happy to see you found smthg that works.

I was prescribed omega cocktail for bad flare up of psoriasis by dermatologist. I have been taking evening primrose/starflower/cod liver oil supplements ever since.
And all I use is soap fragrance free wash and natural oils to moisturise. Seems to keep it in check

Apparently omegas and bioculture yogurt is the best preventive recipe for such dry skin disorders.

Give you DS yakult and lots of oily fish!

[iris66]

At long last I've been able to get DS to eat sardines!!! and they were in olive oil!!! I've been plugging away trying to disguise linseed oil (or any kind of oil) in everything & trying to get him to eat avocado & every kind of oily fish to no avail but today he woofed the sardines down. I could cry with happiness as his skin is just sooooooooo dry. here's hoping the cream works as well. (just had to get that all off my chest - I'm sure you'll understand)

[iris66]

BTW - sorry for not thanking you slimm22 He has live yooghurt every day but we'd had no success on the oil front (I'm a holistic therapist so you can imagine my frustration in knowing what to give him nutritionally but having no success) I appreciate your input and am really glad the regime worked for you

[harman]

Message withdrawn

[PigeonPie]

Just seen this. My sister can't use Diprobase but has been fine with Cetraban (?sp). Might be worth a try

[iris66]

harman - thanks for popping over with the advice. He's been too young for piriton up until now & I've been worried about giving it him anyway as he reacts strongly to colours/flavourings (found out the hard way with Calpol/disprol etc )so we tend to stick to homeopathic remedies wherever we can. Rhus Tox often helps the hives. I'll definately look up the aloe propolis - thanks

PigeonPie - DS has a Drs appt tomorrow when I'm going to try to get some Gammaderm on prescription but if he wont give it I'll ask for Cetraban instead. Thanks

[Tobeabreeze]

Hi Iris

I am so glad I have found this webspace today as I too am struggling with coming to terms that I am almost sure I have developed an allergy to parrafin/ petrolium/lanolin after using hydrous ointment (an emulsifier which contains them) to successfully manage my eczema for over 25 years. I am now 39 and have become increaslingly sore over the last three years, the last 8 months being unbearable.

I am so sorry to hear DS may be suffering the same but have hope in unity and working together to find a solution.

I have been doing research to find various creams and ointments to try, I have tried many!! now I am researching emulsifiers and cortizones which do not contain these products (parrafin/ petrolium/lanolin) as I feel after my own experimentation that my body can not tolerate these substances, creaming m akes me worse but I can not live without creaming!!!

I appreciate that each persons eczema is different so what works for one may not work for another. Sharing information I feel is our only hope.

I am only at the beggining of this research journey and hope to work tothether with others.

I agree patch tests will not show up an allergy to parrafin as it is only when I use it all over for several days that I get a reaction which means my body swells up all over and itches like crazy.

I am not sure how this webspace works but here goes i will try to post this.

Best wishes to all sufferers and carers out there.

Breeze

[iris66]

Tobeabreeze - hi and welcome I'm glad you found us too. A problem shared and all that (as well as the obvious benefit of pooling our knowledge). It sounds like you've had a hideous time over the past 8 months so I hope you get something positive soon.

FWIW I remembered last night (much to my embarassment) that my homeopath had treated DS to good effect with petroleum last year(the homeopathic version) so I've called her and she's sending me a weeks worth of remedies to try. The Gammaderm cream doesn't seem to be having much effect so far but I don't know whether I'm just being too eager to see results (we've only been using it 6 days)

[Sunflower100]

Good luck to you all. Eczema is one of those things that people dismiss as being a minor thing but when you and/or your litle ones have it its so much more.
My DS has it and seems to have numerous food allergies and we have so much to learn about how to help her out,

[hazeyjane]

Don't know if I have come in a bit late on this one.My 18 month old has eczema, when it gets really bad we use a prescribed cream 'elocon' on the very sore bits, and it is sorted pretty quickly. However we have tried loads of stuff as an all over moisturiser (her skin is really dry, and she scratches all the time), but all the prescribed creams seem to make her cry and often make her scratch more (it is very difficult to tell whether they make her sore, when she can't tell you!), when we last went to see the doctor she said to use Johnsons baby oil, but I would have thought that this wouldn't let her skin breathe, I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to try next, so any recommendations would be appreciated. Also, my 4 month olds skin is now looking very dry, and I am nervous about what would be the best thing to use for her, as I don't want to assume that she too has eczema, but would like to hear what mild moisturisers others use. (sorry for rambling)

[pagwatch]

I use coconut oil. It is gorgeous and the only thing my DD does not react to. You can buy it is health food shops or supermarkets ( as you can cook with it). It hardens at room temp but you just get some, warm it in your hands and smooth on.

[hazeyjane]

thanks pagwatch, strangely I found some coconut oil that a friend gave me which I forgot all about, so I used some at bathtime tonight. I'll see tomorrow how it looks.