Eczema Frustrations!
Vent about a time that you felt frustrated by your eczema treatments or skincare products not working or unsolicited advice you received about how to care for your skin (“Have you tried…?”)!
I'm an 18-year-old dealing with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. For the past two years, I've been experiencing very frequent flare-ups, and it has been incredibly challenging to cope with this condition. To make things more stressful, I'm currently preparing for my undergraduate medical entrance exams, having just completed my schooling.
The frequent flare-ups have made it difficult for me to focus on my studies and live my life as fully as I would like. I'm here to connect with others who understand what it's like to live with this condition. I need moral support and advice on how to manage stress and stay positive.
I'm looking forward to interacting with you all and finding ways to cope with AD, reduce flare-ups, and live a happier life despite the challenges. i don't want to live like this!!
I have so much respect and admiration for you! Despite dealing with frequent flares the last couple of years, you aren't allowing that to stop you from pursuing medical school!
I have been living with AD my entire life, so I am all too familiar with how uncomfortable and challenging it can be to accomplish anything when experiencing a flare.
As far as ways to manage stress, and stay positive here is what I have found worked for me:
When I think back to a point in my life when my AD was at its' best, (and it wasn't perfect) it was when I was working out consistently every single day. I noticed that I was less overwhelmed by the stressful events of the day, I was sleeping better, and my skin would not flare up as often, and duration was shorter.
More recently, I have found listening to meditation just before going to sleep has really helped me. You may also findarticle how I manage stress helpful.
What sort of things bring you joy? Perhaps trying to carve out a few minutes everyday to enjoy those things can help increase joy and reduce stress.
Some days and weeks will be harder than others, so praying that you have less harder days!
Chava B. Wald, Moderator & ContributorThank you so much for your kind and supportive words, ma'am. They really made a difference and brought some positivity into my day.
That nothing works. I have never known a condition that affects so much given such little thought by GPs. Yes steroids will help when using them but then what? it comes straight back. Systematic treatments either cannot be used for long or come with a real % change of not working or not fully working.
Honestly I have seen friends children get hearing problems solves, heart problems fixed, one born without an arm thriving and care free whilst eczema seemingly is given a shrug or moisturise and yet doesn't end, every day treatments that just don't work. If I did all this routine and work and it kept it at bay then fine but its demoralising as it doesn't work.Thanks Chava, My Son has been on methotrexate before - worked for him. He cam off it in march and had crease eczema (managable compared to when he went on MTX) however he got a virus hand it has flared up his belly and nothing seems to be working. that's encouraging to hear that he was able to find some relief while he was on that treatment plan. Sometimes treating eczema can feel like a game of whack-o-mole. You get one thing or area under control, and then a different area becomes a challenge. Have you also thought about non treatments, perhaps other things that may be causing the eczema on his belly to flare. This article is a great resource. I got patch tested in my late 30's and the results were eye opening. Curious if you've ever done testing, if so what your experience was. Chava B, Moderator & Contributor
I have just about given up on any medication. I have had flares ups all Summer now into Fall. All, I have been able to do is try and mask it. I hate it. No one seems to know for sure what it is? Es
, it's so frustrating when we can't figure out what is going on or what may be triggering a flare-up. You're also not alone in struggling to find a medication that works. Have you tried any alternative or natural remedies? This article has some great tips that you might find helpful: https://atopicdermatitis.net/complementary-alternative-medicines Best, Sam S. (Team member)
The most frustrating part of this journey for me is when I find lotions, creams, clothing that have been working well on a regular basis and then BAM! all of a sudden, they decide to not work!
Thank you for the helpful information. I have been patch tested a few times but not recently. It's my pleasure, and my hope is that you will find it to help make living with eczema a little easier. If you don't mind sharing, you mentioned you were patch tested a few times - did you find the results changed from one test to another - assuming you were tested for the same thing? I was only patch tested one in my life, recently in my late 30's and the thing that came up most sensitive to, were things that as a child I was highly allergic to.
