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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be fucked off with this dermatologist and want to cry/smack him?

173 replies

SneakyGremlins · 19/05/2018 15:18

Skin issues AGAIN Sad

I've been on immunosuppressants for a month to try and tackle a really bad eczema flare up, which got serious enough to land me in A+E with suspected sepsis. I was previously on steroid tablets which cleared it up, but was told I couldn't stay on them.

Saw the dermatologist yesterday and let him know that the eczema is coming back worse than ever, despite immunosuppressants, and that I've been experiencing side effects - nausea, and feeling extremely disoriented and woozy for hours on end Sad

All he said was "We can't keep switching you from drug to drug", and that was that Sad He handed me a prescription for two more months of immunosuppressants, and sent me away.

This is just too much to handle, I can't go through all this again Sad I have the doctor on Monday, is there anything I can say?

I would genuinely rather have 40 years less lifespan and have them be clear skinned years Sad

OP posts:
Ractify · 20/05/2018 02:52

The Australian brand of cream - Moo Goo - is fantastic for eczema, really helped when my son was tiny. If you could get it in the UK, it might be worth a try? Hope you get some relief soon.

OhOfCourse · 20/05/2018 22:33

I've just been allergy patch tested as my skin was really flaky and in some places bleeding. Turns out I am allergic to Disodium EDTA which is in nearly everything (foundation, lots of body creams etc) so I kept just making it worse.

Have you been for patch testing? x

Oliversmumsarmy · 21/05/2018 12:11

I asked for this and was told it doesn't exist.

Wolfiefan · 21/05/2018 12:20

What doesn't exist?

BobbinThreadbare123 · 21/05/2018 12:28

Just a comment about immunosuppressive meds. I took azathioprine for a while and it made me puke all the time and feel very poorly. I was swapped to a different one and had no problems since. There is something in some of them that is basically indigestible for some people, hence the vomiting. Some don't have this compound so you aren't so ill with it. Worth asking to swap.

sexnotgender · 21/05/2018 12:32

Have you tried Sorry you’re having such a shit timeSad

www.google.co.uk/amp/www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5257851/amp/Teacher-22-claims-UDDER-CREAM-cured-eczema.html

sexnotgender · 21/05/2018 12:33

Sorry my last post should have said Have you tried moogoo?

MiddleagedManic · 21/05/2018 12:40

Hi, not read the whole thread as in a rush, but, dc had severe eczema for several years. As others have said, steroids not great long term. Also, some dermatologists are just dreadful. We use the mildest washing liquid for clothes - bio-d. Never dry stuff outside in pollen season and tumble dry everything in winter. Always do an extra rinse. Eczema would flare up with eggs and stone fruits and still does with banana. They are hard to spot those ones. It's only cos I had the luxury of managing his food at a younger age that I even noticed.
Cotton/natural fibres for clothing. Regular bedroom cleaning for avoiding dust.
Probiotics if you fancy them....can't hurt to try.
Eventually we went private. Went for a combo of emollient/steroid/antibiotic cream that NHS can't prescribe mixed but can prescribe each one that you can then mix (you'd need strict instructions as not easy) but we were able to buy privately and it thankfully wasn't too much. I was far happier to use the antibiotics on the skin rather than have him go for light treatment, imunosupp, etc. that NHS offered. The cream mix made a huge difference. Sadly, Nice guidelines still don't include it - mainly cos eczema is low on priorities. There is plenty of research about eczema sufferers having a lot more of certain bacteria on the skin that could be worth looking at. You have our sympathies, it's a horrible thing that really can damage quality of life.

LakieLady · 21/05/2018 12:41

My friend suffered really badly with eczema. The skin on the back of his knees was often so bad that he couldn't straighten his legs without it cracking and bleeding.

He found that avoiding anything with sodium laureth sulphate in made a huge difference, as did bathing instead of showering, and bio oil helped ease it.

The thing that finally cleared it up almost completely was seeing an acupuncturist who was also a traditional chinese herbalist. He drank a cup of vile tasting brew every morning, and went to be needled weekly, reducing to once a month once it was under control. (The same guy also reduced the frequency of my migraines from at least one a week to fewer than 8 a year).

Sadly, the acupuncturist moved to Devon and it was too far for my friend to travel from Sussex, but he's kept up with the herbal tea and it keeps it at a tolerable level.

MiddleagedManic · 21/05/2018 12:41

And, yes, you can have allergy tests with eczema. Patch test harder, if no clear skin, but prick tests and blood tests are possible.

Ansumpasty · 21/05/2018 12:51

My son’s was very bad so that his clothes would stick to it and it would look like burns. We found synalar c from the dermatologist very good. The main thing was stopping citrus fruits, though. I know if he’s been drinking orange juice because he will be clawing at his skin only a few hours later.

Original poster
SneakyGremlins · 21/05/2018 12:54

Asked the GP today about side effects and apparently I have vertigo, nothing related to the meds Confused

OP posts:
Original poster
SneakyGremlins · 21/05/2018 12:55

I will ask GP about allergy test - seeing him in three weeks.

OP posts:
Furano · 21/05/2018 12:59

Can you be given some anti sickness meds to help alleviate the side effect of feeling sick?

sofato5miles · 21/05/2018 13:01

I red somewhere about a silver cream that suppresses bad skin bacteria. Could that be of any use?

SweetCheeks1980 · 21/05/2018 13:02

Have you used Betnovate Ointment ?

TheUterati · 21/05/2018 13:03

Have they looked at histamine intolerance?

I have immune and autoimmune stuff going on, one symptom of which is eczema like condition in the wall of my bladder. The main culprit for me is histamine. I am on anti-allergens, antihistamines (possibly for life) and stick to a low histamine diet. Has made a world of difference.

Original poster
SneakyGremlins · 21/05/2018 13:05

I'm already on antihistamines - betnovate didn't help Sad

Silver cream?

OP posts:
gnushoes · 21/05/2018 13:06

I've read about a Dutch product marketed as Gladskin which is based on new research and is apparently very effective. Don't think you can get it on the NHS yet.

farangatang · 21/05/2018 13:08

Oh OP I really feel for you! I have been hospitalised with eczema in the past and know how horrendous it is. To have the medication side effects as well must be awful.

I was advised to eliminate all soaps and fragrances and bathe briefly in warm baths with bags of oatmeal (felt like Cleopatra) which could help soothe skin. Pat dry, use acqueous cream to moisturise. Steroid creams for the very bad patches and this method is supposed to help support that healing and maintain the improved skin. Baby shampoo and washing hair over the tub, non latex gloves for hands. No wool. Natural fabrics as much as possible as polyester can cause sweating. Drink lots of water to counteract the dehydration from the broken and weeping skin.

I did an elimination diet (very hard) for 6 weeks and gradually introduced various foods. Found citrus very irritating!

Every little helps OP - hope your discomfort is relieved soon.

Was on homeopathic 'remedies' for at least 12 months. Utterly useless and a complete waste of money.

farangatang · 21/05/2018 13:09

Just saw the post about silver cream - this was brilliant for my DD's molluscum but I've not heard about it for eczema before. Makes sense, though...

ColdFeetAndHotCakes · 21/05/2018 13:10

I use Dr Bronners soap for my hair/body and exfoliate lightly every day with a flannel in the shower. I don't think it's recommended but the only way I can get my skin to stay moisturised is removing the flaky dead skin on top.

I highly recommend Lush in shower body conditioners. I found moisturiser I needed to apply several times a day and my skin would still be dry. The body conditioner is the only thing that keeps my skin moisturised.

Solasum · 21/05/2018 13:13

What worked for me was dose of antibiotics, course of super strong Elocon steroid, then protopic.

I’d really recommend the London Skin Clinic on Holborn. Yes, it is expensive, but it took only a few weeks for my skin to be comfortable again. The boost to my confidence has been priceless.

Sun in moderation also helps me. I find most suncreams irritating

MissConductUS · 21/05/2018 13:29

Can he put you on Humira? I know the NHS dispenses it for other conditions. It's supposed to be highly effective for your condition, with minimal side effects.

www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248215.php

I was on it for a while for ulcerative colitis. You have to auto inject with a pen, but it's not that difficult or painful if you do it right, and it's only once every other week.

YuleABUnREASTIEable · 21/05/2018 13:29

The prescriotoin cream protopic has been mentioned a couple of times here and agree it’s been brilliant for me. Took years before I was prescribed it and was prescribed by dermatologist not GP but nOw have it on repeat. Apparently it’s quite cost,y to NHS at roughly £100 for a small tube but it’s fantastic stuff. I had to use daily to get under control then I just use it abut once a week to keep it under control. Defininitely look into this if you haven’t had to try it already.