Fucidin H.......... where am I going wrong? :(

[Levanna]

DD2 now has patches of eczema on her face, head, arms and legs. Her cheeks and ears are the worst areas. We have found fucidin-H fantastic, her eczema starts to settle from the first application onwards, and within a few days, settles completely. So I stop using it, and it flares up again within a couple of days (not to say I discard it (FH) immediately,I have applied it for runs up to 14 days). This time the GP prescribed fucidin (just the antibiotic cream, no Hc) to follow the fucidin-H after the eczema settled, but exactly the same happened. We use epaderm as an emmolient (the only cream so far which hasn't worsened the problem). I really don't now what to do . The only time she stays clear of eczema is with consistent Hc use, which can't continue indefinitely! I'm really concerned about scarring as her cheeks have had so little time free of either a rash, or weeping / bleeding / cracking. Her whole body isn't covered with a rash, far from it for which I'm grateful, but each time the eczema returns, more patches appear. What can I do?

Sorry to read this Levanna. It really is heartbreaking for you. What sort of washing routine do you have? My DS had bad eczema all over and I saw a Professor of Peadiatric Dermatology who prescribed a programme and it really is under control. If you search on the Eczema threads for my posts you will read a detailed programme if that helps.
I use Daktakort on the face and now I just use Diprobase. Would be interested to read your routine.

Meant to say, I used Daktakort on the face, now that it's under control, just use Diprobase cream.

Chicpea, thanks for your reply. I had no idea any particular washing routine would help! It seems to be another one of those things that we just fit in throught the day (that sounds awful! It's just we rarely ever do anything to routine as such and no-one's mentioned a specific routine would help!) I'll go and search for your thread!

found it ! I have washed each patch with cotton wool and water (one wipe per piece to avoid spreading infection) several times a day, but thought bathing too often would worsen it...time for a change of routine! Many thanks

Jimjams mentioned on another thread that you need to discontinue use of these things gradually. If you just stop it rebounds. Her tapering method IIFC consists of using the powerful cream until the rash goes and then every other application and then replacing with a weaker steroid and then finally nothing at all.

Thanks Kinderbob, I'll try that too . It makes sense really!

Another thing, when I told the Dermaologist I was using cotton wool in the bath so I could just throw it away, rather than a flannel and then boil washing it, he recommended I use a piece of cotton gauze as cotton wool does contain a small amount of wool which can irritate the skin. I buy packs 100 squares measuring 7.5cm x 7.5cm for about £4 per packet. I noticed a couple of weeks ago that he hasn't had very dry, cracked red cheeks for a while now and it did occur to me this week that it could be the gauze squares that have helped. I do use cotton wool on his nappy area though as his skin is okay there.

Am bumping this up so that Levanna can read my last post.

Oh! And wondered what washing powder you are using?

Chicpea, thanks for your advice re the gauze, it makes sense to use something like that. I've gone for a mixture of your technique and some bath ingredients recommended on another thread (same thread as your programme was on I think) unrefined sea salt/organic oats/ (I've added 2 drops of Lavender E.Oil too). First bath this evening and so far so good . Thanks so much! Oh, I use Ecover products for clothes washing/dish washing/house 'washing', I doubt it's that, but you never know!

Oh, and did I say !

I use Ecover products too! I read the other threads where Mums had recommended salts/oats, etc and thought I would try them if what I was using didn't work. Would be interested to hear how your DD's skin improves.

Still no improvement really for a while there, I thought we were getting there, now I feel as though I'm neglectful, as I can't seem to budge it, and the GP's have been of little help. I haven't really encountered eczema before, not like this. Is it here for good? How does it work (for some reason I'm having trouble grasping why/how it occurs). How on earth do I keep DD2's nails short enough? On the brighter side, there are no new patches. But the ones she has are so stubborn, she's frustrated, itchy and obviously sore and uncomfortable, and the skin on her little cheeks is looking really damaged already .

Hi Levanna. Just caught up on your latest post. I looked up the link you found where I posted on another thread and that's not the one I meant. Please have another look as I don't know how to do links for full washing/daily routine.
My son's eczema is sooo under control with the routine I was prescribed that I could sing it from the roof tops! I haven't used the oats, sea salt or lavendar oil as I would be too scared but it does seem that it has worked for others.
I think I posted my daily routine back in March/April/May last year? Shall try to look for it.
Am now using DoubleBase(sold in a pump) for washing in the bath as I believe it is richer than acqeous cream.
Re: cheeks, my Dermatologist prescribed Daktakort Ointment which really works. It's anti fungal and anti bacterial. DS has a dummy as well and he told me to remove it when he is asleep so that saliva doesn't remain on the mouth.

Levanna, I found the thread "Severe scratching to the head of my four month old" on Allergies and have bumped it up for you. HTH.

Levanna, is there any way you could get to see a specialist dermatology nurse or something? May be worth asking your GP. They can give you tips on washing, emollients, wet wrapping (where you apply emollient and cover it overnight - that way the skin is more effectively moisurised) etc.

Lots of people recommend Aveeno for eczema. It's an emollient which you can buy from a pharmacy, although it is expensive and can be prescribed so worth trying to get your GP to give you a prescription.

Re washing, do you use any bubble bath type products? These are best avoided. I don't put anything in the bath unless my dses are really dirty! You can get bath products such as oilatum which help moisurise the skin, and you can use emollients such as aqueous cream instead of soap.

BTW, I don't think fucidin would help keep eczema at bay - it's an antibiotic cream (fucidin H is specifically for infected eczema - combination of antibiotic and steroid).

HTH.

Chicpea and Gingernut, thanks so much . I will keep an eye out for both aveeno and doublebase, in fact I think I'll give the GP a choice of either prescribing aveeno, or referring DD2 immediately . Thanks for bumping that thread Chicpea, I'll give that a go. Strangely enough, I added infacare to DD2's bath (forgot which DD I was running it for!) and it seems to have improved a bit (does eczema react well on occasion to something you wouldn't imagine would work?).
Thanks most of all for just replying, I'm finding this all a touch hard to digest, but you've really helped .

I don't know if this will be any help, but growing up I had terrible eczema (to the extent that my eyebrows fell out where it was there). In the end my mum took me to a private allergist... yes it cost about £150 in total, but it was sooo worth it. After establishing what I was allergic to, we had to cut them out of my life, and gradually reintroduce after my body getting a change to recouperate - I have had very little eczema since, and only stress related.

xxx

Levanna, just wanted to say keep your chin up. My dd has eczema so I'm always particularly interested in these threads - dd's eczema started when she was 2 months - she's now 5 1/2 months and I have tried so many different creams, homeopathy and I'm now in the process of changing her milk - I know it's hard but the best advice I've been given (from Mumsnet of course!) is to try and take a step back from it, and deal with it in a non-emotional way (not easy when baby is covered and uncomfortable) - I've cried lots of times in frustration, and then realised that wouldn't help - the only thing that would is for me to be almost business-like about it - make a list and work your way through it until you find something that works. Also, don't rely too much on your GP or hv - they prescribe the cheapest cream and work their way up from there - look at old allergy threads on here - I would have been lost without these - it will get better.x

I used Elocon/Ecural on DS's face and torso. DS's eczema was at its worst when he was about 1. Are we talking an open wet kind of eczema (which is what my DS had) or a dry eczema. Anyway, the eczema persisted very strongly on his thumbs and fingers and no cremes helped whatsoever. (He was on an antibiotic drip for 2 days in the first week of January, which cleared it up but ...)

I started taking him to a Naturopath and it has made the world of difference. She advised to take him off all dairy, reduce his intake of wheat based cereals for breakfast, avoid preservatives like 282 - often found in bread. She gave us some herbal drops he has has to take 3 times a day which target his lungs and bronchials, and a German Chamomile creme just to prevent infection. I couldn't be happier (or sleeping better).

HTH

I feel compelled to add that my Naturopath starts her treatment of eczema from the position that there is not a lot of point in treating the external symptom of what is an internal problem, which is what conventional medicine has been trying to do for years with not much in the way of consistent results when it come to eczema. She says that the skin is the largest organ of the body and that when something is going wrong inside the body than eczema is just a way of the body trying to expell it (I am sure I haven't put that entirely eloquently or accurately, but you get the idea). Anyway, I waited 2 years to try alternative treatments, and I really wish I hadn't.

flamesparrow, out of interest, what were you allergic to?

A friend of mine has a son who has had such severe excma he has had to be admitted to hospital for wet wrapping at least onec evry two months. He was also taken to hospital outpatients twice a week for wet wrapping in btween when they were at home. He was on several types of steriod creams over time, while they tried to establish which one helped the best, and it would only improve for short bursts of time. Eventually her consultant took some skin swabs, and it was found that he was carrying a nasty bacteria on his skin...stapphylococus (sp?). He was then prescribed strong antibiotics, and the excma has now gone down to just dry oatches of skin easily treated by diprobase and a special bath oitment (don't know the name, but it stains the bath yellow!!).
The difference it has made to the boy is huge. Before he looked quite disfigured at times, and it was so sad. Now you would never know he was so poorly.
I realise this may not be the case for you, and it may actually be allergies being the problem, but it may be worth mentioning about the skin swabs.

I was allergic to mixed moulds - which included yeast and anything malted.. its amazing how much its in - it even covered dried fruit. And also... Calor Gas!!! It explained why I always flared up at my mate's beachhut!

Levanna, I don't know if this woould help but in the worst episodes of DS's eczema Fucidin (H or not H) was useless, the infection only cleared up after he was prescribed oral antibiotics.

The worst thing of eczema (apart of the state of child) is that things start to go well, the flares start to clear up and you start thinking it is finally going for good just to return three days later. I believe that since I assumed that this thing was here to stay for a while, I'm able to cope better. It will get better, it may take some time, but it will improve. Be patient in the mean time and apply LOTS of cream. In our case a routine of Oilatum Plus in the bath, Eucerin 10% urea and HC as soon as a flare start to appear has helped a lot. We were also prescribed protopic but I believe your child is still young for that. Good luck and many hugs