Eczema and Steroid Withdrawal

This is a feedback I got from one of my many patients who relied on steroid for his eczema.

He came to see me for his eczema problem.  He said that he had eczema since his childhood days and had been seeing western GPs over the problem. Initially the eczema was mild and not serious. It comes and goes. He was given steroid cream to apply.  But slowly, his eczema worsened.  He was given steroid medicine to take orally. Over the years, he had been using steroid cream (Betamethasone) and steroid medicine (prednisolone) on and off for the last 35 years.  When the eczema was bad, he had even taken  a dosage of 30 mg of steroid.  

He said his eczema was not getting better over the years although he had been seeing Western doctors. In fact, it got worse and spread to more areas, such as the hands, legs, body and face. 

Lately, he researched on the internet and realized that steroid had side effects. So he was determined to stop using steroid cream and steroid oral medicine. Two weeks after he stopped using steroid cream and steroid oral medicine, his legs were swollen like elephant legs. They were red, swollen, dried and cracked (especially his sole). He could not even wear his shoes.  His body and palms were also swollen. He found that his skin was hot especially at night but yet he felt cold at the same time .His appetite increased and he consumed double the normal amount of food. Gradually, he noticed that his eczema was oozing more profusely with time. He was also perspiring profusely at night (had to change clothes 3 times a night). His perspiration was smelly. He felt very uncomfortable during this time and he had to take two months unpaid leaves to stay at home.

Two months later, the swelling of his abdomen, palms and face slowly disappeared. The swelling of his legs was the last to disappear. His appetite also returned to normal.  It took  two months for the swelling to go off. The cold and hot feeling also subsided.

But his eczema was still bad and oozing; it was so itchy at night that he could not sleep all night. He could not bear the itch any more.  One of his friends told him that one Western GP by the name of Dr. Tan was very good in treating eczema and someone was actually healed after taking his medicine. So he went to see the Dr. Tan.  To his dismay, this Dr. Tan also suggested steroid treatment for his eczema which he declined.  After that he realized that all Western doctors would likely describe steroid for eczema cases. So, he decided to come to see a Chinese physician.

This month his eczema starts to flare up again. But it is not as bad as before (3 months after he stopped steroid).  However, he still feels itchy especially at night. Previously, he seldom perspires, but now when he jogs, he does sweat. At times when he feels sleepy, he takes a bath. After bathing, he could not sleep.  The itchiness comes and goes. For example, at the beginning of the month it may be itchy; middle of the month, less itchy.  He still feels itchy especially at night.

He asked to try Chinese Medicine. I told him that eczema can be healed. But he has to refrain from certain foods. He also has to take Chinese medicine and apply Chinese herbal creams continuously for 3~4 months. He should be able to get well.


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Symptoms of Severe Eczema 

Most severe eczema sufferers normally feel uncomfortable in hot weather and yet shun cold (怕热又怕冷). They do not like to be under the sun (which actually is good for their condition). They normally like to be in a room temperature around 24 degrees Celsius. These people seldom perspire and do not like to exercise because they feel uncomfortable when they sweat. Their skin is dry and they need to apply moisturizer daily. They do not sleep well especially when the eczema flares up and are easily irritated. After a bath they feel itchy and the eczema turns red. They usually have to apply moisturizer immediately. The itchiness is normally more intense at night than in the day time. Sometimes they could not sleep the whole night. Sometimes when eczema flares up, blisters, oozing, flaking and swelling can occur. When the eczema flares up, sufferers feel very itchy and when eczema gets well, they do not feel itchy (the itchiness is proportionate to the severity of the eczema 这是成正比). 

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Address of our  two clinics:

Yong Kang Medical Hall Pte Ltd.,

Blk 78A, Telok Blangah St 32, #01-05, Singapore 101078.

Tel： 9663 5600 (for appointments)， 6272 6400

Email: ong.swee.ling@gmail.com

Email: yongkangmedicalhall@gmail.com

Website: drongsweeling.blogspot.com

Eastern Healing TCM Clinic Pte Ltd.,

Blk 345,

Clementi Ave 5, #01-88, Singapore 120345.

Tel: 9299 9168 (for appointments) , 6276 6872

Email: ong.swee.ling@gmail.com

Email: easternhealingtcm@gmail.com

Website: drongsweeling.blogspot.com

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Look for more posts in www.drongsweeling.blogspot.com? There are more than 40 illnesses narrated in this blogspot. Just type what you are looking for in the search icon.

Forty Types of illnesses/cases    

1) Skin diseases—Eczema (湿疹), Atopic Dermatitis(变应性湿疹);  
2)  Hidradenititis Suppurativa (化脓性汗腺炎);
3)  Hives, Urticaria (荨麻疹);
4) Shingles (带状疱疹), Herpes Zoster, Postherpetic Neuralgia (带状疱疹神经痛);
5) Acne, pimples (痤疮), rosacea, Seborrheic Dermatitis (脂溢性皮炎;
6) Psoriasis (银屑病);
7) Hair Loss (脱发), Alopecia Areata (鬼剃头), Baldness (光秃);
8) Weight management ( 体重管理 ), Obesity ( 肥胖 ), Slimming (减肥);
9) Retinitis Pigmentosa RP (视网膜色素变性), Night Blindness (夜盲症), 

           Age-related Macular Degeneration AMD (老年性视网膜病变), 
           Retinal Degeneration (视网膜退化病变);
     10)  Glaucoma (青光眼), Cataract (白内障), Dropping Eye Lids (眼睑下垂);
     11)  Dry Eyes (干眼症), Itchy Eyes (眼痒症) , Eye Discharge (眼屎);
     12) Gastritis (胃炎), Bloatedness (胃胀), Flatulence (胀气);
     13)  Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS (过敏性肠综合症);
     14)  Infertility (不孕不育) , Menstrual Pain (经痛), Irregular Menstruation (月经不调), Amenorrhea (闭经);
 15)  Polycystic Ovary Syndrome PCOS (多囊卵巢综合症), Cervical Polyps (宫颈息肉),

             Endometriosis (子宫内膜异位症),Fibroids (子宫肌瘤;)
     16)  Cancer (肿瘤癌症)- Lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, nose cancer, 

            breast cancer, womb cancer, ovary cancer, stomach cancer;
      17)  Sprain and Injuries (铁打损伤);
      18)  Back Pain (Lumbo-Sacral Spondylosis)(腰痛,椎间盘压迫症), 

      Neck Pain (Cervical Spondylosis)(颈项痛, 颈椎病);

      19)  Knee Pain (膝盖痛), Swollen Knee (膝盖肿痛);
      20)  Child Therapeutic Massage (小儿推拿), Persistent Cough (久咳);
      21)  Poor appetite (胃纳不佳) for Adults and Children;
      22)  Asthma ( 哮喘 ), Sinusitis (鼻窦炎 ), Rhinitis (鼻炎), Breathing Difficulties  (呼吸困难);
      23)  Rheumatoid Arthritis (类风湿关节炎), Osteoarthritis (骨性关节炎), Arthritis (关节炎);
      24)  Constipation (便秘) for Adults and Children;
      25)  Diabetes Mellitus (DM), Diabetes (糖尿病);
      26)  Hypertension (高血压);
      27)  Urinary Infection (尿道感染), Frequency of Urine (尿频);
      28)  Insomnia (不寐 ), Anxiety (焦虑), Depression (忧郁症);
      29)  Goiter (瘿瘤), Hyperthyroidism (甲状腺亢进), Hypothyroidism (甲状腺低下 ).

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