Always Something

[Katie618]

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[sharmom]

I am sorry to hear that. I hope things start going better for you. I do have eczema and DH. I have been on a strict gluten free diet for only six weeks, but I do find that the more stress that I deal with the more I break out. In my research of DH/celiac disease even with the medication and a strict gluten free diet, you could still get out breaks for a couple years.

Hope this helps!!

[sharmom]

I am sorry to hear that. I hope things start going better for you. I do have eczema and DH. I have been on a strict gluten free diet for only six weeks, but I do find that the more stress that I deal with the more I break out. In my research of DH/celiac disease even with the medication and a strict gluten free diet, you could still get out breaks for a couple years.

Hope this helps!!

[mf in CA]

I feel bad for you, Katie, and everyone with DH and eczema. I didn't have eczema until recently. My DH was just about cleared up when I suddenly developed large patches of eczema! WTF? I am not familiar with eczema so have been trying various things to treat it. I did see a doctor to find out if it was infected with herpes or staff or whatever... luckily that was negative but it is a stubborn case of eczema (as if DH isn't enough).

I think the herpes virus can just stay in your body or bloodstream and then create outbreaks when you're stressed or sick. Did your doctor say anything about this?

I understand about losing hope... I was there very recently, but we just can't. I'm trying to be really healthy and eat lots of veggies and fruits, as well as keeping myself and my skin really hydrated. I noticed that sugar and alcohol (even just a little red wine) made it more inflamed the next day.

At its worst I was covering it with aloe vera and wrapping it with bandages at night to keep me from scratching. I didn't even let my husband see my arms for a couple of weeks, which made me really depressed and cranky. It is slowly healing now, I'm hoping it heals soon as it's depressing to stay all covered up in the spring sunshine!

Let us know how your healing comes along, and what seems to be working for you.

[jesse]

katie,

im posting this because it may be worth your while:

anyway, anyone who sees this should attempt a "no table salt or iodized salty food diet" for a few weeks. if you have the same lip/mouth area dh/acne then its worth doing. i have also changed my soap from the dial gel which you need the sponge thingy to a bar of white ivory.

give this a go, lmk how it works for you; interested to hear some feedback. also, kosher salt is good, so keep some of that w/ you if you decide to do this and want to go out to eat.

only the best,

jdog

[Katie618]

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[Guest JennyK]

thanks for all your replies everyone... what happened after i originally posted this became a disaster...

as i said i got eczema herpeticum march2, went on some antivirals, and it came back march23rd. the dr re dxed me through an email picture ( i knew i had it again) and he warned me about it going into my eyes- rare but possible. i was home for spring break, went back to school on sunday, my eye started to swell on monday- monday night after class it was practically shut, needless to say, my mom drove up to my college tuesday morning to come get me. saw an eye dr up around school, she called Yale (where my DH dr is, they wouldnt help) so i went to my primary (all the way back in my home town) and she admitted me into the hospital through the ER.

was in the hospital for 6 days, my eye opened after 4. my hospital stay was awful, i was in isolation, was stuck in the ER as an admitted patient (i was waiting for a private room cause i needed to be isolated) so the ER nurses didnt help me.

on top of the eczema herpeticum they found staph and strep bacterial infections.

i can finally go back to school tomorrow.

i'm a senior in college- 5 weeks left, so the stress of school/internship/work got to me and i guess popped this virus out. i need to manage my stress better- i'm awful at it.

as for the salt-- i absolutely stay away from it, i have since i was dxed with DH in Sept 06

i'm started to look better and feel better from this virus. i just have my fingers crossed it doesnt come back.

thanks for all your support and suggestions

Hi Katie,

I started getting eczema on my face last fall. Sticking to a gluten free and dairy free diet helps but calendula gel (called Califlora by Boericke & Tafel) really helps with the symptoms of eczema. My sister mentioned she gets eczema around her eyes when she's really stressed out or when she gets a bad cold, and she said the itching is unbearable. I told her about this gel, she went out and bought it, and she said it helped relieve the itching and was very soothing. This particular brand is sold in health food stores like Whole Foods.

Sorry to hear you have to go through this right before finals. Good luck to you during your last few weeks of school.

Jenny