Originally Posted By amazedncal2 YAY! Things sure sound like they are on an upswing for your little guy. You must be feeling better too mommy Thanks for letting us know. Continued good vibes coming your way.
Originally Posted By wendebird I suffer from excema. I've had it all my life, even as an infant, although I didn't have it to the extent as Wyatt. I can remember as a kid having big gauze pads on my ankles because I scratched them bloody during the night. Problem was, this was 1967 & no one knew what excema was. I was told I had measels, mumps, you name it. So I don't know the proper treatment for an infant. I know not to use anything with any scents in it. I personally only use Dove soap, plain Lubriderm, steriod cream & pure vaseline. When I have a bad outbreak, I do what nevadarebel suggested. Lather myself up with Vaseline before bed & then protect it with something cotton. (if it's on my hand I'll wear cotton gloves from the dermatology store) I feel for the little guy because it's bad. I have a bad case right now & I know how bad it itches. Poor baby. I hope they find something that works for him to keep it under control.
Originally Posted By LVBelle Klucky! On the radio the other morning they were talking about home remedies and one that they mentioned was using Crisco for eczema! They lady said it worked better than some of the creams that the doctor had given them! Hugs to your babies!
Originally Posted By beamerdog Hi Klucky! I have a couple of thoughts here. My son always had bad allergies/excema. The only thing that worked entirely were shots when he got old enough. We never did find a cream that helped. But he was lucky that his case wasn't that bad. Now, I have a ton of allergies, most of which are food allergies but one to cottonseed oil which was in most of the ointments that I was using to get rid of the symptoms of the allergy that I had! My dermatologist felt that I was getting a reoccurring case of poison ivy I really suggest like others that you have him checked out by a GOOD pediatric allergist. Good luck, baby ~ it sounds like you're doing an excellent job with a difficult situation. I know you'll get it straightened out. Do you have anyone to give the two of you some respite? If no relatives, maybe a visiting nurse? terri
Originally Posted By LadyKluck I know its been awhile but I thought I'd update everyone. Over the last 2 weeks or so Wyatt has slowly been getting worse and worse again until this past weekend where he got really bad. He had a huge breakout over his entire face, save his forehead, and his poor little body broke out to where he looked like a little red spotted dalmatian. He also just could not sleep at all because he was so itchy. Poor little guy was waking up about every 2 hours. The only way I could get him to sleep was to rock him to sleep. Needless to say, we both slept most of the weekend in the rocking chair and a whole lot of nothing got done this past weekend, but anyways. So I called the Doctor on Monday first thing in the morning & got an appointment for Tuesday (yesterday). Well, the doctor first appologized for me because he had actually recommended that we take Wyatt off of his medication for a week to give him a break from the steroids that are in it, and that's what caused the "flare up". I got pretty emotional at the doctor's office because this is just getting to be so extremely overwhelming now because its just not getting any better & also he's getting bigger and I can't really hold and snuggle with him to calm him like I could when he was a teeny tiny. Anyways, he's now back on antibiotics and oral steroids for 2 weeks again in addition to 2 different types of topical creams. One is for treating the eczema, the other is to help with the itching. So I guess we'll see what the next 2 weeks bring. I'm hoping it works like it did last time - especially considering his birthday is in a couple of weeks and I would really like to have a happy birthday boy, not an itchy one.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains Were you able to schedule in to an allergist for testing? There is hopefully a trigger for all this and maybe if you can find it you can help eliminate it or at least control his exposure to it... Sorry it's gotten bad for the poor guy again...
Originally Posted By TiggerPooh1973 Poor baby (and mommy)!!! I think you really need to get the allergy test done so you can rule out if it's something he is allergic to causing this. Hug the little dude for me!
Originally Posted By LadyKluck I talked to the dermatologist and he agreed that I should take him to an allergist - I was just waiting to find out if he could do the allergy tests but he says the ones they have are really basic compared to the ones an actual allergist will do. I am planning on finding an allergist, but I have to have a referral for one or insurance won't pay, so I'm waiting for his 1 year checkup (he'll be 1 on 7/10)to have the pediatrician give me a referral. I already have a list of the ones that insurance will cover - I just have to get the okie dokie from his stupid pediatrician. It's so rediculous - I didn't need a referral for the dermatologist & the insurance company won't accept a referral from the dermatologist because they're also considered a "specialist". Oh well - that's the insurance industry for ya...
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains Can you call the pediatrican and have them prepare a referral - maybe if they can he could even have the results for your one year check!
Originally Posted By LadyKluck Unfortunately not, stupid idiots want to see him first because they haven't seen him since his 9 month check-up. You know I really didn't like this pediatrician that much before - now I'm REALLY condsidering finding a new one.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains If your not completely comfortable with your pediatrician switch... In our group there are 10 or so drs. My kids only see one - unless he is on vacation - then there is one other we will see then. I had to learn this the hard way with a misdiagnosis and frustration... Your pediatrician should be a partner in your childrens life - not an obsticle
Originally Posted By LadyKluck The place I take the kids to is kindof like that, only there's 4 doctors that share the office. I was just going to keep them going there for their immunizations and go to another doctor for actual illnesses and that sort of thing, but I think I'm just totally done with these guys after this. I mean Wyatt's had severe eczema for probably 6 months easily so I don't really understand what the heck he thinks he's going to see when I bring him in that's any different than the way he's been the last umpteen times I've brought him in! *sigh* Sorry, its just that this gets more and more frustrating by the minute.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains I totally understand - They are your babies - you only want whats best for them - it's frustrating when you don't feel the dr's are on the same page - the need to see the baby as a person not a just another patient!
Originally Posted By LadyKluck Isn't that the truth! They don't have to deal with the screaming, scratching, inconsolable bundle of joy at 1am, 3am, & 5am.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains It's not their heart breaking while trying all you can to help a helpless situation... They don't get it...
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 Big Hugs LadyKluck. I know it's really hard to change Dr's. So much simpler to just keep with the same and you have a lot to handle right now. Sometimes just going to another Dr. will give you a new insight or hope and you will be skipping out of their office If you have another Dr. in mind I'm thinking that now might be the time to go for it. Again big hugs for you and gentle hugs for your sweet baby.
Originally Posted By Tinkeroon {{{{{{{{LadyKluck}}}}}}}}} I think you need the hugs as much as Wyatt. You've also been through a lot! Wish we could help somehow. But we're right there pulling for you all. They just HAVE to find something to help him. Prayers and hugs from this end!
Originally Posted By LadyKluck Thanks everyone I really appreciate it - its really nice to be able to vent about it! There may be some good news but I don't know yet. I was on my insurance company's website doing a doctor search and I revised my search criteria a bit and got a whole other list of allergists that don't necessarily specialize in pediatrics, so I thought I'd call a few of them today and see if anyone will take him without a referral. So I'll let you know what I find out, but gotta wait until the doctor's offices open (another hour or so)!
Originally Posted By Kira LadyK I am probably not much of a help but everytime I see this topic it reminds me of one of my favorite country artists, LeAnn Rimes. I know that she also suffers from Eczema and I googled and found an interview/article with her on the topic. She has a few suggestions that may or may not help you, but it's worth a try. <<<"I began to educate myself about eczema so that I wouldn't be freaked out by all of it. I wanted to get to know my body. Now I feel completely comfortable in my skin. I found relief finally in Elidel, a steroid-free medication: it's a miracle for me and I use it night and day. Elidel, an ointment which is applied directly to the skin, changes the way the skin cells react to triggers which cause the itching and irritation to the skin. At the first sign of a tingle or itch, to control flare-ups, I use it," explains LeAnn. "Elidel doesn't harm my body, it helps it, unlike topical steroid medications that thinned my skin and made me more sensitive to the sun. It took a long time, but after years of trial and error and a lot of scratching I finally feel like I have my eczema under control," she says. "You have to learn what triggers make you itch - such as extreme temperatures, pollen or other allergens. I also started moisturising my skin frequently, at least three times a day, with a cream or ointment, rather than a lotion, because lotions can be drying to my skin. My doctor also recommends I apply moisturiser within three minutes after bathing, while my skin is still slightly damp, to help lock in the moisture and keep my skin hydrated. Much as I love a hot shower, I bathe with lukewarm water instead of hot, and pat my skin dry with a soft towel - never rub - to avoid irritating my skin. I try to wear clothing made from cotton or other soft fabrics and avoid rough, irritating materials like wool and linen. I usually wash my clothes with a mild detergent before using them for the first time. I keep my fingernails short, especially during a flare-up, so I don't break the skin when scratching. Since getting my eczema under control, this has got easier. I also make sure I drink plenty of water to keep my body and skin healthy and well hydrated. And I use a humidifier in my house in dry or cold weather." >>>
Originally Posted By LadyKluck That's awesome Kira!! Thanks so much! Wyatt has a followup appointment next Monday, I'll have to ask the doctor about Elidel! Especially considering its non steroidal - if Wyatt's going to have this for awhile I'd be much more willing to use something like that!
