You brush your shirt off to get the tell-tale flakes of skin off only to look down two minutes later to see a million more. This is living with eczema. Part of it anyway. Every day you struggle with the embarrassment of going out in public with your skin peeling so much you look like a zombie straight out of the Walking Dead.
It's not pretty, it's not fun. Most days I wake up scratching myself in the middle of the night, worried what it's going to look like the next day. I constantly worry that the fast rate at which I shed my skin is eventually going to leave me skinless, which is absurd, but it's what runs through my head.
I've tried every lotion, cream, and medication you can name. Natural, not: I've tried it. And yes, I even tried tanning. Nothing works. The first time I was racked with this horrible skin condition, the flare up lasted a full two years. In that time, I saw EIGHT doctors, was allergy tested multiple times, and was tested for lupus (which included blood tests and MRIs). I was even put on dangerous medications usually used for organ transplants to suppress my immune system. NOTHING WORKED.
Eventually, I switched jobs and the symptoms started to subside on their own. I figured it must've been something I was working with, which could've been anything because I worked at Kroger. While I was pregnant, my skin looked the best it has ever looked. And, not a month after my son was born, my eczema came back worse than before.
Now I am struggling with whether or not to even bother with another pointless doctor who will give me prednisone (oral steroids) to temporarily solve the problem and a steroid cream that won't work. In the two years I suffered before I was on prednisone multiple times and gained fifty pounds from being on that medication. Never was able to drop the weight either, which is seriously unhealthy for a 5'2" person.
So I go on. I lather lotion all over and try to keep myself from scratching my scalp, my face, my chest, my stomach, my arms, my legs. I'm crossing my fingers it goes away sooner than two years this time. It's not easy to live with, and it certainly doesn't help my battle with depression and anxiety.
There is currently little research on the causes of eczema and an even smaller amount dedicated to finding a cure. I encourage you to check out the National Eczema Association. Eczema is not a fatal disease but it is debilitating and we need a cure. Eight doctors couldn't help me. Who can?
