-This flare is kicking my butt. It’s almost like I am back to square one. Temperature control issues, night sweats, the shakes, lumpy elephant skin, itching out of control, cracked, oozing skin especially on hands and feet. If I succumb to the itch and scratch even in one spot my entire body becomes wet. I am back to taking baths and back on Ambien. I am eating everything in sight, primarily as a distraction, yet have lost some of the weight I had gained back. The hydroxyzine doesn’t seem to be working as well as it was, so I have been trying other things such as naproxen. I am missing a lot of work.
My hopes on getting to Seattle soon does not look good, and that is the hardest thing of all.
The Good:
The Ambien works well. I am hoping getting some sleep will help turn this around. Hair has stopped falling out. I am enjoying watching the Olympics.
I am trying to keep a positive attitude, but damn, this really sucks. The encouraging posts on the ITSAN forum from veterans that have made it through TSW have really helped to keep my sanity.
Other stuff:
I am trying far less moisturizer this time around to see how it goes. The only thing I have been putting on is Eczemin Cream, and only when I have a bad itch. It seems to work as well as Allegra cream, but instead of antihistamines it contains the anesthetic pramoxine.
In researching UV-B narrow band light therapy, I think I want to give it a try. I found a really good deal on a nearly new 6 foot, 6 bulb unit for home use for around a grand, but I am having trouble getting ahold of my dermatologist. The machines have an interlock that requires a digital prescription key, so I need my dermatologist to prescribe it. She did want me to try it a few months back, but my insurance rejected it. Going in to an office for treatments would be a royal hassle, and a home unit would pay for itself after a few months, especially if I do not have insurance coverage.
Hi Dave,
ReplyDeleteI know flares can make you feel like you are back to square one, but time IS progress and you are a stage closer to healing. The flare will pass. When my skin was bad like that I used to just take it one day at a time and hope that tomorrow the flare would go away.
I can relate to the foodie thing too...everyone I knew on the forum seemed to be losing weight, but I put on over a stone with my chocolate and cake habit!
Please know that the red-skin community are here for you and will try and support you however we can. It's nice just to know someone cares and understands.
Stay strong. X
Thank you so much Louise! I do know you are right... I will get well again. In the meantime... chocolate and cake! As I write this I am munching on Sheila G's Brownie Brittle from Costco. OMG it's good!
ReplyDeleteSounds good to me Dave . I think i replaced the steroids with chocolate , i just couldnt get enough of the stuff haha . Keep going buddy . It realy sucks . Just keep doing things that feel good for you personaly . The flares do fade out and they do get less intense as time passes , its just a point of working through them mate . Hope you get some releif from it soon .
ReplyDeletecheers , John .