OK I've got a long way to go until my skin is free from eczema and through this topical steroid and Protopic withdrawal journey... but I just realised something. I am free. Completely free of topical steroids and Protopic. I gave up both in February this year, cold turkey and I am not looking back. I know I will never, ever use either topical steroids or … [Read more...]
My Top 20 TSW survival tips
I'm now nearly six months into my journey with topical steroid withdrawal (TSW) so I thought I'd share the top 20 things that have helped me to get through this difficult time. They've all been gleaned partly from my personal experience but also from friends on social media who are also going through this or those who have succeeded in cutting out topical steroids successfully. … [Read more...]
10 tips to treat blocked TSW ears and ear eczema
It makes sense really when you think about it. If you have eczema on your body then you could have it inside your ear. It's very frustrating because you can't get to it to apply moisturiser and you can't scratch it! The latter actually being no bad thing. Since starting Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW), I noticed that my ears had been getting completely blocked and also … [Read more...]
Methotrexate Mondays – 12 weeks in…
I've been taking methotrexate now for 12 weeks in the hope that it will help to heal my eczema and allow me to stop using steroids, which have stopped working for my skin, but that's another subject altogether. I've touched on TSW or topical steroid withdrawal here before but watch out for much more in the coming months. Methotrexate is not a drug to take lightly. It is … [Read more...]
This is not eczema…
This is Topical Steroid Withdrawal!I've been wanting to write about my topical steroid withdrawal journey for some time because it's fascinating and it is improving... slowly. One step forwards, two steps back, that kind of improving. So sometimes it's infuriating but it's something I have to go through. I am now about 11-12 weeks into TSW and let's just say it's been … [Read more...]