THE GOOD:
- Three months have passed since I last used topical steroids! One month closer to being cured!
- My skin continues to improve, as does my body's ability to regulate temperature.
- I have managed to productively work full time this week.
THE BAD:
- The itching remains out of control. It's a tremendous psychological battle that I cannot conquer. When the itching starts, I know that if I succumb and scratch that it will become much worse very quickly. Yet I scratch anyway. This really pisses me off... I am simply incapable of not starting this insidious cycle. Once I start, the intense itching races around and as I chase it my body starts sweating, everywhere. The only way to calm it down is to hop in the bathtub. I don't know why this works, but immersing myself in not-quite-hot water normally stops the itching. If I am at work, however, a bath is not an option. I will pop 3 or 4 ibuprofen and hope they will kick in before I go insane. I try distraction techniques, such as walking around, making a phone call, or like I am doing now, write a blog entry. If the itch is localized, the Allegra cream helps too.
- Although my rash is better, little skin-tag-bump-pimple-things are popping up everywhere, especially on my neck. There’s, like, hundreds of them. I really hope that these will go away.
- The edema in my feet comes back at the end of the day, although nowhere near as bad as it was.
- I have been getting a strange feeling inside my head, a sort of anxiousness, that is hard to describe. My head feels like there's some kind of electrical storm going on inside, almost like my brain itches, It feels good to rub my forehead and area around my eyes and ears, but that doesn't make the feeling go away. I wonder if it is from taking too much ibuprofen?
Reading through your blog...interested in the Allegra cream. Do you think its a good product?
ReplyDeleteWorking on month 4. So stressful. Thank you for your blog. :)
Hi Alisa! Thanks for stopping by! I'm almost to month 11, in my 3rd flare, and Allegra "Intensive Relief Anti-itch Cream" has been with me the entire time. Everyone is different of course, but it's been one of the few products that has consistently helped me when I have an "itchfest". I also use hydroxyzine, which is a prescription oral antihistamine about every four hours that helps the itching and general agitation. I wish you the very best in your "adventure"!
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