Thanks guys and I am so sorry for all the suffering the children are going through with their eczema.

We're not doing to well really despite all the vatious creams.

I asked for an allergy test and they took blood last week (it was awful!) and I am awaiting the results ...

chickweed. when we was at the strawberry fair someone said about that.no idea on what to do with it.

hey
did you get the results yet from the allergy tests?

Hey Dani

What a mess!

First, we got diverted from the surgery to the hospital because the nurse "doesn't do children". Rushed to the hospital as I had put numbing cream on Carys' hands, had the test but got a call that evening telling me they had to repeat the test the following day because "the blood coagulated".

Then, afterwards, I made an appointment with a different doctor, based on the receptionist informing me the results were back. Turned out only the general test was back and not the RAST, which shows what the allergy is to - and I was told to make an appointment with the original gp.

Two weeks later (yesterday), saw the original gp - seems the total IgE level was not indicative of an allergy, being under 100. Still no sign of the RAST test results.

GP rang me last night to inform me that they hadn't taken enough blood to do the RAST test.

I'm not happy - my little girl had to go through two needles in her hand because the hospital cocked up the first time and now we have no definitive results. However, as the total IgE level was apparently not high, the gp doesn't think it is allergy related, although if it is atopic eczema, there must be something allergic about it, isn't there?

I do agree though, that I'm not putting her through another blood test as the IgE level isn't too high.

Now the infection is gone in the rash, we have been prescribed Elidel cream, but it's an immunosuppresant so I'm worrying about using that for too long.

I feel a bit lost, in all seriousness, as I don't know what to do to stop the eczema. Unless she will just grow out of it, although I grew into it as an adult.

Now I just found the following link, linking this new cream with lymphoma. I don't want to take the risk:

http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/case/elidel

Hi
well what a nightmare that sounds like - cant believe that they made such a c**k up of a childs blood test.

What a worry for you - I know how stressful it is. Its really strange thats its just developed so it does sound like a reaction to something:

a website i found quite supportive is
http://www.eczemavoice.com/
and it has good advice available.

I am not familiar with the cream you have been subscribed.

Have you tried the bandaging with the tar cream?? Its the one thing that got luca's under control so that i could keep his skin moist.

let me know and i will look up the name of that tar stuff.

Thanks for the link, Dani. The more information, the better.

This cream is a relatively new cream, as I understand, and was given approval in 2006. I am so horrified by the possible link (and lawsuit) to lymphoma I won't use it now.

Please do post the link to the tar stuff - I will try anything as long as it doesn't cause cancer or similar.

Hiya,

Its called Special Ointment No 1 and its made by Thornton & Ross.
Its a 500g tub and its like tar, the active ingredients are:
Ichthammol and zinc oxide.

Basically what we did, was a tiny amount of steroid ointment .5% on first, then the tar stuff and then a coating of petroluem jelly type stuff and then the bandaging over the top. left it overnight and in the morning his skin was smooth and moister again. We did it continuosly overnight for a month and kept the skin moist with Aveeno during the day and it eventually took all the heat and itchiness out of it and left us able to control it with Aveeno cream only, no steroid nothing else. However we also cut out dairy at the same time ( ish) and i have noticed recently that his skin has started to break out again as I have been giving him cheese and ice cream so it looks like thats coming back off again !!

Anyway, hope that it makes a difference - YOu should be able to get both the cream and the bandages on prescription and just say you want to try it and see if it makes any difference - it should give her some relief at night from the itching, and it also means that she can scratch the bandages but because the tar like xcream is on her skin it shouldnt make the skin break.

good luck again, and if you have any issues getting the cream, let me know as I have a big tub of it here still within date and would be happy to post it to you.

dani

Thank you Dani - you are a star!