IMGAINARYFRIEND......how's your dd doing?

[foxinsocks]

was wondering how her rash is?

We go back in 4 weeks. He wants to re-assess after a solid amount of time on this regime. We've been on and off it so far as the antibiotic has upset her tummy so much. This time we've got to try to stick with it properly.

Yes, he was aware that the hydrocortisone is contra-indicated but he said that in a very very small concentration it wouldn't cause the bad effects and would help with the itch and redness. I'm definitely not putting it on her genitals tonight though as she hasn't scratched at night like that in weeks. I will possibly try it again on a very small patch of her face I think as she seems to tolerate it a little better there. i think it stings there because a lot of the skin is broken open so almost anything going on would really sting.

I keep wondering if the process of the bacteria is just doing its own thing regardless of what we do though. Much more of her skin is covered now than before and it's redder and drier BUT there are less pustules. I don't know if this is a good or a bad thing.

As always after a meeting with a doctor, you find yourself with a hundred extra questions you could've asked.

I can't wait to get her from school and give her a HUGE cuddle tonight though, I've been thinking what a trooper she was yesterday, smiling through it all.

ow ow ow...the pustules going away is probably a good thing I guess? but really, ow at sore skin.

Does it make a difference to her if the wash is warm or cold? I wonder if it's worth experimenting with the temperature to see if one or the other is more comfortable.

I bet 4 weeks seems like an eternity but at least it's some sort of timescale and hopefully, her poor tum will manage over that time so you can tell if the ABs have some sort of effect.

She really is being a trooper isn't she.

(He does sound wonderful the doc - glad he really took his time in the appointment)

It's very ow indeed.

And it all looks very dry. Everywhere, almost every single cm of her face is dry and has small dry bumps under the surface. If she even scratches or rubs it a little it gets very red.

She favours very tepid water to wash with. Warm is painful, cold she just doesn't like. Washing doesn't seem to hurt at all in general though, it's the creaming which hurts.

Kerrymum, he's a consultant paediatric dermatologist - one of the most famous in the UK it seems. Very experienced.

He took a biopsy. She's had numerous scrapes and swabs from the other dermatologists we've seen over the last few months but they haven't been conclusive.

He was pretty honest with us KM and said it's very rare whatever it is that she's got, poor mite. And he said without the results of the biopsy nothing will be absolutely clear. BUT he was 90% certain that one of his diagnoses would be correct.

She's ok in herself today. We were trying to persuade ourselves this morning that her skin was a bit better but by the end of the day we'd acknowledged that there's no change.

I haven't been putting the hydrocortisone on and she was much more settled last night.

ooh, I'm glad the biopsy has been done. Hopefully, you'll get the results soon. Glad to hear she's not suffering with those creams if.

Thanks fox. I was feeling very down about it yesterday, especially the possibility of it being a life-long condition or something freakily nasty (though very unlikely he didn't entirely rule it out so of course it's playing on my mind). I feel so desperate to see a change for the better. Every morning I open her bedroom curtains and feel so hopeful. I'm one of those nutty people who 'believes' in miracles!

if she isnt tolerating the cream so well, ask him next time if ointment may be better suited. dd1 cant tolerate cream as it 'nips' her skin, ointment she is fine with.

Yes, we've been over that point before actually and I can't remember why we came to the conclusion to use a cream ... there was a reason but it's totally gone from my head. I will mention it again though, thanks.

KM, our big stumbling block is that this definitely isn't eczema so all the things one might try can be potentially harmful to her at the moment. When she had eczema as a baby I used to make her creamy oatmeal baths but we've been told not to do anything other than exactly what's prescribed.

She's worse in the sun, her skin gets much redder when she's hot indoors too.

Well, the dermatologist said if it showed up anything different to the two main suspicions he has he'd get in touch with us within the next 2 weeks. Otherwise we see him again in 4 weeks.

how's your little star? any improvement?

Hi fox

It's hard to tell to be honest. I think more and more of her face is affected - there's now only maybe a 50p piece sized area on each cheek just below the cheekbone which is not at all affected. It's under her chin now and creeping down her neck and even behind her ears! BUT it seems to me and dp that it's not such an angry furious red as it was and the flaky areas are smoother. This could be due to the cream which she's allowed me to put on her face although I've given up going anywhere below the belt with it! Or it could be due to a change for the better ... Who knows at this stage ... But we're quietly hopeful.

How's your little star?

weepy - cried when we got to school and didn't want to go in! She had bad hayfever yesterday so I gave her an antihistamine last night and then she woke up all dopey. Couldn't get her buttons done up on her dress (she has issues with this anyway) and she was just in a general state. I think she's very overtired tbh.

I'm glad her rash isn't as angry. Let's hope you get those biopsy results soon so you know exactly what you are dealing with.

Oh, your poor dd. I often think it must be horrible to deal with a day of school when you're just feeling too tired. Mine reacts the same to antihistamines too. She also has hay fever! Have a lovely weekend, fox.

Hi KM, thanks for asking. No real changes so far. Occasionally her face is looking a bit paler but there's no real stop to the spread of it. The hotter weather doesn't help. She spent a lot of yesterday having very itchy genitals. I still keep waking up in the morning, opening the curtains and looking at her face to see if I can see a big change ... She's happy enough in herself though. She's just had a couple of days off school and done some nice things.

Oh no IF - I was really hoping there would be an improvement by now.
Mind you -less red can only be good? Does that mean it is starting to fade and will eventually all be gone?

Glad to hear your dd is still happy, she is a star!

It's so hard to say, hippo, the redness flares up and down even hourly. Sometimes you feel it looks less inflamed then soon after it looks really angry.

You must be on such an emotional tightrope, looking for the tiniest improvement

I hope you get some good results soon, I think of you and your brave dd often.

(does that make me sound like strange stalker woman

ow at itchy genitals - are you allowed to give her an antihistamine or don't they work?