My skin is ruining my life

Hi guys. Got another skin update for you today. I can’t wait until I can finally say that it’s getting better. My skin is getting worse and it seems to be bringing a lot of other symptoms along with it. 

Like I’ve said many times before I’ve had eczema my whole life. I was born with it and it’s never really gone away. However when I was younger it was quite manageable with moisturiser. Fast forward to around 2021. I was taken to hospital with eczema so severe my heart rate was 162, I was visibly shaking and had a temperature. It hasn’t got better since.

I do have a rare day where my skin is calm but they don’t happen often at all. I’ve tried gluten free, dairy free, low sugar. Nothing. I’ve tried staying away from animals. Nothing. I’m constantly vacuuming, dusting, cleaning and doing laundry to avoid any allergens, dust, mold etc and my room well actually the whole house is spotless. Again, nothing helps. I take antihistamines which are prescribed by the doctor but even they barely touch it. Allergy tests have shown the same one allergy of lanolin which I of course avoid but they haven’t shown anything else. I’m exhausted. 

I walk around almost every day now with red blotchy skin. It’s starting to look like I’ve been burned. Asides from it being incredibly painful it’s affecting my self esteem. My skin is so dry I can’t wear makeup very often or can’t bear to even wear clothes that aren’t loose pyjamas as I don’t want anything touching me. I avoid going out sometimes because I haven’t slept and getting ready is painful. I sit at my desk at work re applying cream constantly and wincing with pain. It shouldn’t have to be like this. Many of you might only see a rash but it’s ruining my life. I have another dermatology appointment in January which is a long time away. My last appointment was August last year. I do of course understand that the NHS is stretched but I wish it didn’t have to be this way. The only other help I get is my GP constantly wanting to give me steroids which help whilst I take them but I’m back to square one afterwards so I don’t want any more.

I don’t want any sympathy from this just understanding that when I say my eczema is making me ill. It really is. It’s not just a rash. 

Laura x