Wednesday 22 August 2012

The stigma of eczema

Today I thought I'd share with you some of my experiences of people's attitude to me and my eczema.

It started from when I was at infant school. I remember when we would play games that involved holding hands. I remember the teacher telling the other children to hold me by the wrist so that they didn't "catch" my eczema. This would have been early 80's.

Only yesterday I dealt with someones ignorance. I was in a shop and the checkout girl hadn't noticed my eczema. As she put the change in my hand she noticed it. She quickly snatched her hand away, wiped it on her top and said "eugh!".

I confess I dashed out of the shop crying.

That was the worst. I've lost count of how many times shop staff have gone to put change in my hand but then suddenly dropped it on the counter instead.

HOWEVER, this is where I shock you. I totally understand.

I think my hands are gross too. I didn't realise until I published the photos on this blog. Up until then I hated peoples attitude. I guess living with my hands means I don't see them objectively.

Seeing them like that made me see how gross and repulsive they are.

I remember watching The Food Hospital and it was the episode with the lad with hand eczema. (He inspired me but more of that another day)

My first thought was "yuck!". Then I looked down at my own hands and realised they were much, much worse.

So there you go. I may moan about people's attitude but really it's no big deal. It's not that they think it's catching. Would I want somebody else's blood, pus and dry skin on my hands? If i'm honest...no.

Saturday 18 August 2012

It's not just me

Today I went on the hunt for rice flour ready for this elimination diet. My search took me to a local health shop where I met a lady who had followed the same process as I'm about to embark on.

She told me that although the diet is a long slow process that it would be worth it in the end. I how so. I can't go on like this.

She also passed on a tip to get through the hatred of sprouts problem. Par boil them, coat them in a butter substitute and put them in the oven.

Its just occurred to me that I haven't told you what foods I can have! I shall upload a photo of the paper for now and type them out when I'm at home. I'm sat on a bus at the moment!


Friday 17 August 2012

Disaster

I HAVE to start this elimination diet regardless of the advice to hold off. Look how bad its getting. :-(


Wednesday 15 August 2012

My right hand...the worst

This is my right hand. (Obviously!) I've removed the plaster on my index finger so you can see how bad the cut is. Its deep.

I can see why people shy away from me now. They're disgusting!

I'm desperate to sort this. I can't see me waiting until all the results are back. I just want to get going on this elimination diet.



Eczema on my left hand

I hate my hands. This isn't even them at their worst


Eczema on my neck

Obviously I never see my neck without messing around with various mirrors. I decided to take a photo. Oh I'm horrified!


All change again

Sorry about my absence. I've been away for the weekend as it was my birthday last Friday.

As you may remember I was due to start the elimination diet on Monday. Well when I got home there was a letter waiting for me to say they had found some abnormal white patches on my brain.

They asked me to go in and see them yesterday. I had to go for blood tests on Monday too.

As you can imagine the elimination diet was the last thing on my mind.

The neurologist now wants me to have a lumbar puncture to see if there is any inflammation on my brain.

She also found I was very deficient in b12. This certainly explains a lot of my health problems.

I informed my nutritionist and he has requested that I hold off on the diet until all the blood test results are back.

So I'm free to eat as normal again for a few more days.

I shall call the hospital again on Friday to see if they have anymore results.

I just til a photo of my had. It looks gross! Deciding if to upload it....

Friday 10 August 2012

Tests using a bio-electrical analyzer

I shall share the new diet with you tomorrow. Today I wanted to share with you what I'd done a few weeks ago in the search for answers.

I went and got a test done at Food Intolerance Testing UK I had been toying with the idea of going private for a long while but it costs hundreds of pounds and so I've never got around to it.

Well one day on Wowcher there was an offer for a test for £45 instead of the hundreds so I signed up straight away.

I went up there and the lady did the tests using a bio-electrical analyzer. I have to admit that whilst watching ehr do it I did get a bit sceptical. She kept fiddling with a dial that said "Sensitivity". I had noticed that she got a result when she'd fiddled with it. I asked her what it was for and she said it was due to my skin. Now logic tells me that once you've set it for the sensitivity of my skin then it shouldn't need fiddling with again?

Well the end results left me with intolerances to the following foods:

  • Eggs
  • Yoghurt
  • Pears
  • Coffee
  • Almonds
  • Hazelnuts
  • Peppers
  • Swede
  • Parsnip
  • Turnip
  • Potatoes
  • MSG
  • several food colourings (I shall have to look the E numbers back up again)
  • Tomatoes
  • Chicken
  • Lamb
  • ...and the list went on
So, I head off home quite pleased because a lot of the foods I had worked out already. I then spent the next 10 days avoiding all of the above. Oh my God did it make eating difficult!

Within 10 days I'd lost half a stone. This was due to just not enjoying my food so I just wasn't eating. Now believe me...I LOVE my food!

It was after these 10 days that I then saw Kristian. He explained about why certain foods came up but even though he is open minded I get the impression he is quite sceptical about them as I am.

For example...okay with milk and cheese but not yoghurt?

Anyway, she did say the results are only 80% correct so that leaves a lot of possibilities for error.

After seeing Kristian and settling on the 13th August as being my start date I am now thoroughly enjoying ALL foods until then. After all...it will be a long time before I eat some of them!

More info coming soon. Please bear with me as its my birthday weekend and I may not get around to posting......

Thursday 9 August 2012

Time to win the battle against eczema

I've had eczema since I was a child. I've lived with it all my life but at the age of 34 (soon to be 35!) I've finally had enough.

If you have eczema then maybe you are familiar with the looks people can give you? Ever put your hand out for change in a shop and they've taken one look and put it on the counter instead?

I even had a woman give me my change and then wipe her hand on her clothes whilst saying eugh.

As you may have sussed out by now, my eczema is mainly hand eczema. I also have it around my mouth which makes me look like I've either had an accident with a glass of Ribena or had a serious snogging session with a bearded man!

Anyway, what have I decided to do?

I've seen a dietitian called Kristian Bravin who I believe is a top dietitian in England. Well this is what I was told by the Doctor that referred me to him. On meeting him I must say that he was very pleasant, funny and very very patient and understanding.

So after a lengthy chat and a whinge on my part we've decided to embark on the Elimination Diet (otherwise known as the Exclusion Diet).

Rice milk
Lamb or turkey (I've opted for Turkey)
Rice (cakes, krispies)
Potatoes
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Cabbage
Brussel Sprouts
Apples
Pears
Green grapes
Water
7 - up(not diet)
Sugar
Golden Syrup
Gluten free baking powder
Sunflower oil
Dairy free butter
Plain potato crisps

THAT'S IT for 21 days. Then every 2 days a new ingredient


On 13th August (next Monday) I shall begin. I'm leaving it until then as its my birthday tomorrow and I want to enjoy myself. I doubt I would find a restaurant just serving rice and broccoli!

I plan on documenting the whole thing on here for my own benefit and anyone else who is dealing with eczema. I will post recipe ideas as I go along and tips about coping with eczema.

I shall share pictures of my skin as we go along in the hope we shall see an improvement.

I must stress....I am NOT a doctor and what I say on this blog is my own personal experience. Do NOT embark on the Elimination diet without the guidance of someone in the medical profession.

Tomorrows post will be photos and more details about what I shall be eating from Monday onwards!