#erythroderma

I am an ‘Eczema Warrior‘.

From just months old I had “baby eczema” but of course I didn't “grow out of it” like they said I would. I have always suffered, through my childhood, through my teens and now through my adult life. My skin was severe when I was a child through school, my skin was red, dry, cracked and not only bled but wept too. I tried creams, tablets, wet wraps, wearing mittens to bed, you name it I’ve tried it. I even had my hair cut short because when my skin around my neck got that bad my hair would stick to the skin causing more pain and irritation. I cannot remember much of how I suffered with it whilst I was young other than spending all day and night being plastered in cream and being bullied during secondary school having the usual “snake skin” name throwing which I try and block out of my memory but I can tell you my story from when it was at its worst just after I was crowned ‘Miss Black Country 2014′... It was April 2014 and I had won Miss Black Country 2014 and was preparing for the finals of Miss England 2014 where I would go to Torquay to represent my region against 59 other finalists. I thought it was the stress of winning my title and having to prepare for the biggest thing I had achieved so far, however after weeks of going backwards and forwards to hospitals with a rash on my face that spread and blistered I was admitted into hospital with Shingles. This happened twice in that year. I was discharged from hospital once the shingles virus had cleared and soldiering on I went on to represent the Black Country in the Miss England 2014 finals in Torquay during June. However was later admitted to hospital again with the Shingles virus (HZV) in July. It was after that year that my skin started to deteriorate and my eczema flared up more than usual and for a long time never cleared.

The collage of photos in this blog are photos taken just before I paid to see a private dermatologist during 2016. Every morning I would wake in a puddle of dry skin, I could not jauge my body temperature and was a constant shade of red and in a lot of pain whilst struggling to catch my breath when doing any physical activity. Yet again I was going backwards and forwards to hospital to be sent home with the same creams and tablets I had taken in the past with no answer to why my skin had gotten so bad, one emergency doctor even gave me Diazepam one evening in the hope of calming me down as they had tried everything else and just couldn’t get to the problem. This was until I could take no more and paid private to see a dermatologist at Little Aston.

I was diagnosed with Erythroderma, a type of exfoliative eczema. Instead of recognising that my skin was so damaged and repairing it my immune system tries to exfoliate the dry skin making my condition worse. I was given a course of strong steroid tablets, steroid creams and a tub of Epaderm, a thick ointment cream to repair my dry skin. I was unsure about the steroid creams and tablets in fear that I would end up with TSW, Topical Steroid Withdrawal which is the most common and dangerous illness eczema sufferers can get. However, once I had used those creams and had finished the tablets I was lucky enough to see the dermatologist on the NHS at Walsall Manor Hospital and am now on a long term course of an immune suppressant tablet (Cyclosporine) which helps kick my immune system into shape allowing it to help repair my skin alongside the Epaderm ointment. I had monthly check ups including regular blood tests as the suppressant can cause liver problems, luckily after being on the tablet for over a year now my liver is still healthy and it has not been affected.

I am now only having 13 week check ups and only have flare ups every now and again which is usually caused by either not keeping on top of my medication, using the correct moisturising routine, stress and worry or allergies which I also have a lot of. There has been a lot of changes from 2014 to now, 2018 that I haven't touched upon and most of skin related problems can be a side effect of your lifestyle, how you eat, how you think, how you keep yourself active etc. I have always been very insecure and not had very much confidence especially when I went through a nasty break up in 2015 but learning from that I now try and keep myself active, try and keep a positive attitude and surround myself with positive, supportive people.

I would like to thank my family (Mom, Dad, Sister and Step Mom) and also my Boyfriend (Ben) from the very bottom of my heart for their consistent support, patience and their love, because without either of them I do not know what I would have done or where I would be today!

I still suffer but am further forward than I was before which I can only be grateful for. I am always trying to find ways to better myself as a person, making the most of out life and keeping my eczema at bay but also trying to find ways of helping those like myself that have a skin condition. I have a few ideas but will save those for another blog maybe?

Until next time...