Remember my eczema thread?? IT'S WORKING!!

[NanceXToo]

I got a variety of tips from you guys and online as to how to help my daughter with her eczema, which gets so bad in the winter, and I compiled a list of which things I wanted to try first (there were so many suggestions and I thank you guys for them!) and I put together a little routine that we've been sticking to for the past 2 1/2 weeks or so, and she has had NO BAD FLARE UPS! NO MISERY! NO DISCOMFORT, NO COMPLAINING, NO HUGE RED PATCHES, NO ITCHINESS, ETC!!

 

I know it hasn't even been three weeks yet but this is HUGE for us because this is normally a daily battle once it starts, and now it seems to be all under control!! I am SO HAPPY!

 

Here's what we are doing and a couple of before and after type pics if you feel like taking a quick peek:

 

http://nancextoo.livejournal.com/160161.html

 

:)

[Daisy]

Wow! Huge difference!

 

And you've reminded me to call my doctor for a different rx than Elidel. Thx.

[2cents]

WOW! Good work! She looks great now!

[Old Dominion Heather]

Wow, that is amazing! I'm so happy for you guys! My son and I have eczema as well and that kind of result is wonderful!

[Crissy]

Oh my gosh, Nance. The difference in the patches on her arms is tremendous!

 

I'm so glad to hear that you are finding some relief!

[lisabees]

:party: This is HUGE news! So glad it is working. Yea for Dr. Hive!!!

[Tammyla]

I'm am just so happy for her.:grouphug:

[5wolfcubs]

I'm so happy for your dd & you! The CJs Butter sounds great and just what I need for my ds with eczema and baby with a diaper rash. I just ordered a stick and the sampler -- what a lot of choices!!! I'm really excited. I don't usually order things immediately like this...I think and look and think some more. But the pictures of your dd's skin are just amazing! :)

[HollyDay]

Okay, you've convinced me!!!!! Now, what do I want to order?? Thanks!!

[katemary63]

So happy for your sweet DD. Great job, Mom!

[Catwoman]

:party:

 

That's great news!!!

 

Cat

[Pretty in Pink]

Thanks for sharing! Me eldest ds has developed patches just like your dd on the insides of his elbows and they bother him terribly. I'm going to start the humidifier tomorrow evening for him and order the CJs Butter.

 

What a difference!

[Amy loves Bud]

I'm so glad that it cleared up so well! Hooray!

 

I want to put this out there for you or anyone else reading. Romy had TERRIBLE eczema her first year. Backs of knees, insides of elbows, and mostly her neck and chin. Her neck and chin were completely covered and the skin was getting thick. I stopped all soaps/detergents/synthetic chemicals that I could think of.

 

Then one of my local hsing friends mentioned fleece. Well, that winter she was sleeping in fleece sleepsacs, and I was wearing a fleece jacket around the house most days. Her chin and neck, which rested on my shoulder much of the day, were the worst.

 

I got rid of the fleece and her eczema disappeared! I guess it just dries and absorbs all the oils from the skin. She hasn't had a problem since.

 

I just wanted to share that because it's a very easy thing to change and it might help you or someone else reading. I am watchful about synthetic chemicals because she had that issue, but three years later and no more eczema since I got rid of the fleece.

[Tree House Academy]

WOW! What an amazing improvement. We too battle eczema in the winter months with my older son. He will have 8-10 patches on his body (mostly back and upper arms) at any given time all winter long. I have to admit, though, it is NOTHING compared to how bad your dd had it. She looked just miserable! I am so glad you found something that is working. I pray it continues to work wonders for her. We found Cetaphil very helpful too!

 

We also use a lotion with menthol when we are itchy (I get it too, but not bad at all) called Sarna. It cools and soothes and makes you stop scratching. When you stop zyrtec, you may try some of the lotion to see if it can keep the itching/scratching under control during the off months.

[AuntieM]

Hey Nance, that is great news! It is sooooo hard to see our babies itchy and miserable!

 

Over the years I have answered on many eczema threads, I can't remember if I commented specifically on the one you started. I would just add a couple of things...

 

Fish oil. These have been very helpful for my kids with eczema, when we start using the heater in winter, I start pushing the fish oil. Makes a big difference, from the inside out. Nordic Naturals makes a good one for kids, and Carlson's might, too (I use their regular stuff and have lately mixed it into fruit smoothies for the kids).

 

Find her triggers. Certain things will always cause a flare up, and these triggers are different for different people. Some of ours have been wool, new carpeting, canteloupe, products with too much corn. If you haven't already done so, keeping a food diary and a record of flare ups may help you find a correlation between things and help you identify and avoid the "triggers."

 

Your daughter is blessed that you are so committed to keeping the eczema at bay. You have to be tenacious about it, but you definitely can see reward for your efforts and that is a great thing!

[Sparkle]

Awesome! Glad to hear she's gotten relief. Good job, Nance!

[NanceXToo]

Thanks for all of the replies and for the additional tips and information! If this thread or the page I put up on my site ends up helping even ONE kid, I'm happy...because I know how miserable that poor kid is when they're itchy and miserable and self-conscious and so on.

 

I can't even tell you what a huge relief it is to have gone a few weeks in the winter months here without a single bad flare up... I thought we were just destined for miserable winters for the rest of our lives. This is a really good sign/really encouraging for me- if I can keep it under control for a few weeks in the winter, I can keep it under control ALL winter, right?!

 

I can't believe that there were such relatively SIMPLE ways of getting this under control and that neither a pediatrician nor a dermatologist could or would tell them to me.

 

I wish I had known sooner, like last winter, which was the worst winter we'd ever had. All I knew was I didn't want a repeat of THAT this year, and when I saw that her eyes were already affected in November, I knew that was exactly what was in store for us unless I could figure something else out... and it seems I did finally figure it out... I'm so grateful for that, and I know my daughter is, too! This was SERIOUSLY a quality of life issue!!!

[unsinkable]

Nance,

 

That is awesome!

 

I am glad for your DD & YAY YOU! for figuring it out.

[atozmom]

Thank you so much for posting this update!! I just ordered the tub of BUTTer and a stick. I also found the Cetaphil bars at Walgreens. Our local story carries a package of 3 or $8.00. On my way out the door in just a little bit to get those as well. Can't wait to get this started on my DS. We both thank you. :001_smile:

[NanceXToo]

Those of you who are trying out some of these things, I'd love for you to give me an update as to how it works once you get started! Maybe you could even drop a brief comment on my livejournal site (link in first post) so that anyone else coming across that page might further benefit from seeing other peoples' results. :)

[Vida Winter]

Nance,

 

Can you copy & past some of the info from your site (the products you're using) - I can't get it to load on my computer - some setting has it blocked for some crazy reason. My 6yo has had issues from birth and it is getting better but I'd love to clear it up completely.It's extremely dry where we live, which probably makes it worse.

 

Dana

[NanceXToo]

Sure, Dana. Here's the portion that describes what we're using:

 

HERE'S WHAT WE DID:

 

1. We started using a humidifier in her room every single night. I know this makes a difference because there were two different times she forgot to turn it on at night, and the following mornings, she'd have redness under her eyes.

 

2. I had already been making sure she put on lotion every single day. Now I began making sure she was doing it A FEW times a day. At least 3X a day I have her go in and put lotion on/remind her to do it. After doing some reading and getting some input, the lotion I decided to use is called:

 

CJ's BUTTer which can be purchased here:

 

www.cjsewingroom.com/

 

I exchanged a couple of emails with CJ and she was WONDERFUL. Extremely nice, extremely sympathetic, threw in a little extra something for us, shipped very fast...and I'm happy with the product and will be continuing to order it as needed myself. We're using CJ's chapstick under the eyes as it's small and easy to use there, and the lotion on all of the other areas. We've got both the lotion form and the 'stick/roll on' form, both of which work great.

 

3. I had her stop using soap altogether. I stopped even the Dove for sensitive skin and decided to go with Cetaphil, a soap-free cleanser, instead. I ordered it from Walmart.

 

4. I switched to All Clear laundry detergent for her clothes only (I still wash the rest of ours with the generic stuff, and in the summer when eczema isn't an issue I'll probably use that for her too, but for now we're using this All Clear stuff). I just bought it at my local supermarket.

 

5. I bought Zyrtec non-drowsy allergy medication at the pharmacy. I give her one pill a night. From what I read (including on the Ask Dr. Sears site), this will help her not itch. And if she doesn't itch, she won't scratch. And if she doesn't scratch, she won't make the eczema flare up even more. See, it was like a vicious circle. I read it is safe to give for several weeks at a time. Then you should take a break. But if I think I need to, I'll go back to using it. This will only be in the winter months anyway.

 

6. I continue to use the prescription ointment, Triamcinolone Acetonide Ointment, on flare ups on an as-needed basis. Over the past two and a half weeks or so, the flare ups when they occur have been only in VERY small patches, and NOT happening every day, and I use just a bit of the prescription stuff and it goes away. I check her trouble spots daily to see if she has any of those flare ups.

 

We've been doing this routine for almost three weeks now and there have been NO bad flare ups, NO itchiness, NO red eyes, NO misery or complaining, NO huge, red noticeable patches all over her arms...she's like a different kid.

 

P.S. Here is the link to the eczema page on the Ask Dr. Sears site. It contains further helpful information:

 

www.askdrsears.com/html/11/T081800.asp

 

 

Hope this helps :)

[Vida Winter]

Thank you, Nance! I'm going to start using a humidifier right away, and some of the other things as we can get them.

[atozmom]

Update - I started using the Cetaphil cleanser on DS last week. I have noticed a big improvement just with that. I did order CJ's, but found that Aveeno makes a Eczema lotion now. I went ahead and bought that as well to use until CJ's arrived. The Aveeno Eczema was the first lotion I have used on him that did not burn. We have used it over that past week and it seemed to be helping some. Then CJ's BUTTer arrived yesterday! I really like it. Used it on him for the first time last night, so I will update our progress again next week.

 

Thanks again Nance for sharing this with everyone!!

[NanceXToo]

Thanks for the update, Ann-Marie!! Glad you have noticed some improvements! Are you doing the humidifier too?

 

I'm happy to say that things are still going GREAT here. I'm continuing to follow the steps I already told you guys about, and there have STILL been NO bad flare ups. Her skin looks great, she feels great, I'm so happy with how she's doing. It's been just about a month now, in the cold of December, with no eczema problems. This is just amazing to me still!

 

If anyone else has tried this stuff and has updates, I'd love to hear about them. :)

[BlsdMama]

Wow, that looks fantastic. I missed the first thread but could I add that I saw you're taking her in for allergy testing. Phew! That's wonderful.

 

If you're doing it, could you request blood tests BOTH for the IgG and the IgE? There are questionable motives behind it. Generally speaking they only usually test the IgG - like the RAST blood test.

 

But there are those that are finding that the IgE is indicative of food intolerances. It's still debatable whether or not IgE testing is actually reliable and of good use but there is ANOTHER train of thought out there that goes something like this:

 

Those of us who express an allergy/intolerance outside of the "normal" histamine reaction and have reactions that are non-histamine - digestive, topical (skin), etc., have a tendency to not find the underlying cause. And there is suspicion out there that it is continuing to consume or to expose ourselves to these intolerances that are later causing or leading to serious auto-immune diseases.

 

A positive on an IgG says, "YOU ARE ALLERGIC. STOP THIS FOOD."

A positive on an IgE says, "You might be allergic/intolerant of this. Stop this food for three weeks. Then re-introduce it and see if your body tells you NO!"

 

Eczema, recognized or not, is almost always the external sign of an internal reaction. Meaning eczema isn't the problem, it's only the symptom. :( You can treat the symptom, but the underlying cause is there. It's like a fever - I can force it down by using Motrin or Tylenol but it doesn't make the virus that caused my body to create a fever go away, kwim? The anti-histamine is probably doing wonders and right now I'm certain your daughter is so tickled pink to not be experiencing the pain and discomfort!!!!

 

But I thought, hey, if you're going anyway....... :) It's a different test, same blood draw. :) We recently went and saw your average run of the mill allergist for our daughter Rebecca and I was going to press her for the IgE and the IgG and was very pleasantly surprised when she suggested we run both tests! So perhaps it's becoming more widely accepted than I thought? At any rate, it certainly doesn't hurt! :)

 

On a sidenote - You might find the book on The New Childhood Epidemics (it covers allergy in detail) by Kenneth Bock a really interesting read especially if your library has it handy.

[delaney]

I just sent the link to my friend! Her daughter looks like this all year. I think it may be the dogs they have but she can try to see if this regimen helps. Great job mom!

[texasmama]

:hurray: That is wonderful!

[atozmom]

Thanks for the update, Ann-Marie!! Glad you have noticed some improvements! Are you doing the humidifier too?

 

I'm happy to say that things are still going GREAT here. I'm continuing to follow the steps I already told you guys about, and there have STILL been NO bad flare ups. Her skin looks great, she feels great, I'm so happy with how she's doing. It's been just about a month now, in the cold of December, with no eczema problems. This is just amazing to me still!

 

If anyone else has tried this stuff and has updates, I'd love to hear about them. :)

 

Our humidifier bit the dust, so not using one of those right now. One other thing that I am making sure we stay on top of is quick showers. Ds would stay in the shower all night if I let him, just standing under the warm water. Now I make sure he is in and out.

 

It is wonderful to hear that things are still going GREAT for your dd. Way to go mom!!

[stripe]

That is truly impressive.

 

I too am on the hunt for a lotion that does not burn. My favorite was shea butter (plain), but the one I have is "off" somehow, so I need to locate some normal one.

[ktgrok]

Yup, I have found that the Aveeno Baby Soothing Cream is the only thing that helps my excema and doesn't sting. You can buy it at any grocery store or Target or Walmart, in the baby section. Get the cream, not the lotion.

[Margaret in GA]

Wow, that looks fantastic. I missed the first thread but could I add that I saw you're taking her in for allergy testing. Phew! That's wonderful.

 

If you're doing it, could you request blood tests BOTH for the IgG and the IgE? There are questionable motives behind it. Generally speaking they only usually test the IgG - like the RAST blood test.

 

But there are those that are finding that the IgE is indicative of food intolerances. It's still debatable whether or not IgE testing is actually reliable and of good use but there is ANOTHER train of thought out there that goes something like this:

 

Those of us who express an allergy/intolerance outside of the "normal" histamine reaction and have reactions that are non-histamine - digestive, topical (skin), etc., have a tendency to not find the underlying cause. And there is suspicion out there that it is continuing to consume or to expose ourselves to these intolerances that are later causing or leading to serious auto-immune diseases.

 

A positive on an IgG says, "YOU ARE ALLERGIC. STOP THIS FOOD."

A positive on an IgE says, "You might be allergic/intolerant of this. Stop this food for three weeks. Then re-introduce it and see if your body tells you NO!"

 

Eczema, recognized or not, is almost always the external sign of an internal reaction. Meaning eczema isn't the problem, it's only the symptom. :( You can treat the symptom, but the underlying cause is there. It's like a fever - I can force it down by using Motrin or Tylenol but it doesn't make the virus that caused my body to create a fever go away, kwim? The anti-histamine is probably doing wonders and right now I'm certain your daughter is so tickled pink to not be experiencing the pain and discomfort!!!!

 

But I thought, hey, if you're going anyway....... :) It's a different test, same blood draw. :) We recently went and saw your average run of the mill allergist for our daughter Rebecca and I was going to press her for the IgE and the IgG and was very pleasantly surprised when she suggested we run both tests! So perhaps it's becoming more widely accepted than I thought? At any rate, it certainly doesn't hurt! :)

 

On a sidenote - You might find the book on The New Childhood Epidemics (it covers allergy in detail) by Kenneth Bock a really interesting read especially if your library has it handy.

:iagree:

 

I looked just like the OP's dd my whole childhood. My parents tried all sorts of lotions, etc , but the real reason my eczema was so bad was my wheat/dairy allergy. In fact, when I was an infant my wheat allergy was so bad I was hospitalized for days until they discovered the cause for my life-threatening vomiting/diarrhea. And yet, when I turned 2 they put me back on wheat and that's when the eczema started. No one seemed to notice the correlation. :glare: aaaahhh, the seventies.

 

Margaret

[Rhonda in TX]

This literally brings tears to my eyes. DD struggled with some horrible, horrible eczema back when she was 6 years old, so I know what you've been through, and the relief you now feel at finding something that helps. I am so, so happy for you and your DD!

[J9Mommy]

Wow, that looks fantastic. I missed the first thread but could I add that I saw you're taking her in for allergy testing. Phew! That's wonderful.

 

If you're doing it, could you request blood tests BOTH for the IgG and the IgE? There are questionable motives behind it. Generally speaking they only usually test the IgG - like the RAST blood test.

 

But there are those that are finding that the IgE is indicative of food intolerances. It's still debatable whether or not IgE testing is actually reliable and of good use but there is ANOTHER train of thought out there that goes something like this:

 

Those of us who express an allergy/intolerance outside of the "normal" histamine reaction and have reactions that are non-histamine - digestive, topical (skin), etc., have a tendency to not find the underlying cause. And there is suspicion out there that it is continuing to consume or to expose ourselves to these intolerances that are later causing or leading to serious auto-immune diseases.

 

A positive on an IgG says, "YOU ARE ALLERGIC. STOP THIS FOOD."

A positive on an IgE says, "You might be allergic/intolerant of this. Stop this food for three weeks. Then re-introduce it and see if your body tells you NO!"

 

Eczema, recognized or not, is almost always the external sign of an internal reaction. Meaning eczema isn't the problem, it's only the symptom. :( You can treat the symptom, but the underlying cause is there. It's like a fever - I can force it down by using Motrin or Tylenol but it doesn't make the virus that caused my body to create a fever go away, kwim? The anti-histamine is probably doing wonders and right now I'm certain your daughter is so tickled pink to not be experiencing the pain and discomfort!!!!

 

But I thought, hey, if you're going anyway....... :) It's a different test, same blood draw. :) We recently went and saw your average run of the mill allergist for our daughter Rebecca and I was going to press her for the IgE and the IgG and was very pleasantly surprised when she suggested we run both tests! So perhaps it's becoming more widely accepted than I thought? At any rate, it certainly doesn't hurt! :)

 

On a sidenote - You might find the book on The New Childhood Epidemics (it covers allergy in detail) by Kenneth Bock a really interesting read especially if your library has it handy.

 

I agree. I hope you are able to find some answers !

 

I spent my whole childhood up to my mid twenties having so many issues that turned out to be related to food issues. I have actually never had testing. I just was fed up with not getting answers. It all started when we found out through testing ( blood-RAST) that my oldest had a dairy/egg allergy. We all went dairy free and suddenly I felt better. Haha. I use to live on Zyrtec and that stuff messed with my mood. I finally cut wheat out to help my IBS and it worked...as a bonus my random hives also vanished !

[Halftime Hope]

Very old thread resurrected today.