The worst day so far...

Day 24

Itchy, swelling, red, crusty, oozing, painful and dry skin is what is going on in the below images. For sure my angriest skin day thus far since I started my withdrawal on the 3rd of March. My lymph nodes on my neck (left side) had swollen up as well as my face. The dreaded Eczema herpeticum was taking full affect. They say when the affected area of the skin drys over its part of the healing process. Have a look if you dare...

Home from work and ready to jump in a HOT shower

 

Close up of the "action"

Scratch marks and scabs on my neck. Very dry also and sore when turning my head!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I jumped in the shower to relive the itch and scrub off the dry, flaky skin on my face and neck. At this stage it appears that it's only my face, ears, neck and hands that are giving me the most grief.

 

My arms and legs to an extent but no where near as itchy/dry or sore looking as the rest described above. The only good news for my body during withdrawal.

 

Below are three images from when I came out the shower. Perhaps the wrong idea to scrub my face but the skin was all crusty and wanted to come off maybe with a little forced help form yours truly. 

 

*Please note - The below images are a bit graphic and may put you off your Breakfast, Lunch or dinner. Maybe even all three!, ha.

 

 

Notice the orange ooze next to my nose and on my eyelid

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After moisturizing from head to toe I jumped into bed for a nap (my sleeping pattern is still all over the shop). I woke up a couple of hours later, had a peek in the mirror and was shocked to find my skin looking worse!. I contemplated going to the hospital just in case the antibiotics weren't taking full effect to kill off the infection. I gave myself to the evening if symptoms hadn't subsided then I was heading off to the hospital for sure as I've read the infection can spread and do even more damage i.e. spread to the internal organs!.

 

 

Thankfully my dead sea salt had arrived that morning. I had a bath with the DSS late afternoon, soaking in it for 20 minutes while trying not to touch or rub my face. I also began a 24 hour water fast (How to do a 24 hour water fast properly: http://tinyurl.com/lerh6ng) as I've heard it can speed up recovery time with an illness while also being very beneficial for the body.

 

 

 

 Day 25  

As I write this *Late evening  - Friday the 28th of March, my skin is way, way calmer and about 80% healed from the infection. My face is still a tad red including little clusters of scabs on my cheeks. My swollen lymph nodes are no more as is most of my swollen face. 

 

Now, I'm not saying the 24 hour fast helped in anyway. Maybe the antibiotics just needed more time to kick in (been taking them since Tuesday the 25th) but it might have helped along with the dead sea salt baths, two in total for 20 minutes each. Fingers crossed that's the end of my Eczema herpeticum nightmare *third time in six month I've now contracted it!. Nearly approaching my first full month of steroid free skin. Lets hope the road is a little smoother here on out.

  

 

Getting there

 

 

 

 

 

 

Much better than yesterday

 

Neck and back of head looking a bit better

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers for stopping through my fellow itchy friends!.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!,

Gary

Doctor, Doctor... DAY 22 Pain & Gain

Day 22 - Had to visit the Doctor's today


After a terribly restless night's sleep last night I Had to pop over to see the Doctor this morning. The images below show why. Turns out my tea tree oil healing power regime was no match for the spread of the Eczema herpeticum this time :( After having an agonizing peek in the mirror to my horror, it looked like I'd been eaten alive by bugs after spending a night in the Amazon jungle!.

During my attempt of sleeping last night the itch sensation that I was feeling was completely over bearing. I couldn't stop scratching my face, neck and hands. The last couple of days have been the toughest yet during this short time from my healing quest from topical steroids. So the Doctor has prescribed me... Whoops, my bad. I see I failed to mention the steroid cream that I had been using at the start of my blog. It was the dreaded Betnovate, One of the strongest topical steroids available via prescription in the UK.

Now where was I?... ah, so the Doctor has prescribed me with the following: Flucloxacillin 500Mg (used to treat bacterial infections such as ear infections , skin infections , bone infections, and heart and chest infection), Aciclovir 200Mg (used to treat two common viral infections - varicella-zoster and herpes simplex) and Fexofenadine 180Mg (a prescription only antihistamine). Hopefully back to a more optimum "normal" skin level in the next couple of days. 

Thank you again for taking the time to have a read over. I hope your own journey towards healing is on the right track. 

Take care & best wishes,


Gary

The horror!, the horror!

Day 19 of TSW

Happier times before TSW/TSA at a family celebration

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Short Intro

23/03/2014

*Please note. I started this blog on day 19 of my withdrawal with the intention of documenting the healing process.

This is my first attempt of making a blog of any kind, so please BEAR with me!. I also apologize for my shockingly, poor grammar, build a bridge and get over it! :P


And so... one day after my birthday it began... Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW).

I've been suffering with eczema/skin problems, asthma and hayfever since I was a small nipper from the beginning of my life. Been using steroid creams on my body (even stupidly my face too) during the horrible flare ups which affected me from time to time. NOT any longer!.

By chance I found about about ITSAN - http://www.itsan.org/ a not for profit bunch of nice people aiding us scratchy folk with some vital, simple information.... STOP USING STERIODS!!.

Before we go any further, I would like to take the time to show my gratitude for those at ITSAN, the ITSAN forum members and the TSW Bloggers. Thank you for sharing the knowledge about what possibly... no WILL cure me and others from this horrible affliction.

WHAT A KILL JOY - A POEM by ME

What a kill joy when you wake up in the morning. Your duvet is all bloody, musky and crusty.

The bed, giving you a sore head is full with shedded skin of the dead. You go for a toasty hot shower, man you could stay in there for an hour!.


Once out the shower with its hot, super power you look in the mirror with a frown as your whole body is bright, angry RED. What a kill joy.

  
You cover yourself from head to toe in moisturiser before heading back to bed or with much dread, off to start the working day a head.


Sensitive, angry, RED eczema riddled skin. What a kill joy.

ONWARDS & UPWARDS

I read someone's blog who hit the nail in the head with TSW as far as I'm concerned. It's a mental game. You v. You.

Who wins?. It's all up to you. Plan ahead. Stock up on the essentials. Essentials being Moisturizer, anti histamine, clean food (the odd treat hear and there won't kill you;), lots of H2O and things to keep you ticking over (books, internet & entertainment).  


More posts & photo's to follow shortly...


Many thanks for stopping by,


Gary 

*I plan to keep this blog as updated as much as possible during my fight with TSW.