Eczema is driving me crazy...GP is a bit useless...

I've had excema since I've been little. When mine gets really bad (bad meaning, bright red, bleeding and other rank stuff), I get prescribed the steroid creams that clear it all up but leave my skin really dry and awful, and not even moisturiser can get rid of the dryness.
So whenever I do have a bout of it, they now prescribe me the steroid cream to clear it up and then a massive tub of paraffin cream called Doublebase I think. It works so well, and when I run out of the moisturiser, I go back to the doctors and get some more, it's such good stuff.

Are the steroid creams working on you at all? It's worth it to just keep applying it every so often throughout the day so the skin has always got a layer over it. It does take a few days to get it to work properly, but if you apply religiously and stick to it, it will eventually go away.
I'm pretty sure excema isn't something you can just get rid of and never get again. I had a period of several years where I didn't get it at all, but in the past year it's come back 10x worse than before.

when i was little it was very bad, but it cleared up mostly when i was 5, then when i was 16 it came back but only a little bit on my face around my mouth, its hideous but its small
the GP is bloody useless, as soon as my exams are over im going to have to push him to do something more, either refer me to a dermatologist or something
every time i go they give me a different medicine and give different reasons for it, all useless and stupid..
steroid creams only work for specific types of eczema, mine is not irritative or red its just dark patch of skin tone that is visibily scarring, and so it will take something different to help me

good luck OP and write here how it goes, but definitely push your GP to refer you to a dermatologist, im going to do the same

Yep you have definately summed up how I feel the GP deals with it.....he is always telling me it is something other than eczema (to try and get rid of me I think....! when i'm pretty sure it is eczema or her just gives me steroid creams which aren't good!

Thanks for the tips everyone......I do already use a moisturiser called Cetraben (used to have diprobase but find this slightly better) and also use Dermol in the shower. I'm pretty sure it would be a lot worse without them but I think I definately need something more.....
I think I defaintely need to get reffered to a dermatolagist but I feel quite embarrassed asking as he may not think it is serious enough to need a dermatolalist....anyone have any experience of asking for a refferal? did you do it subtly or did you just come out straight and ask?!
xxx

i saw the GP every few months, sometimes it was a different doctor, but one time they said "i shouldnt lick my lips too much.." :| then another time it was avoid dairy, which i had done for a long time and that made no difference and meant i had to take calcium tablets, and another time it was me drooling whilst i sleep!!! ?!
steroid creams are a nuisance and dont work in my opinion...

dont be embarrased! infact i've had harsh words the last time with my GP, telling him that these creams dont work and that he's not helped me the slightest in the past 2 years... he gave me something difference, yet again useless and i used it religiously every day for however long the tube lasted

im going to go a day after my last exam and ask them to refer me to a dermatologist, state that its negatively effecting me psychologically aswell and that no medicines have worked in the many years i've been there and i've tried diet control too

Ok so i've had eczema since I was a baby (it disappeard when I was about four but cam back when I was about 10). It's not horrifically bad (like bleeding/weeping) and I know there are worse things that I could have by far but it is just very annoying....
Recently I seem to have developed it all over my body rather than concentrated in certain areas. It means that I can't exercise as sweat irritates it, I can't go in the sun because sun cream irritates it (i burn easily) and even showering is incredibly uncomfortable.
Over the years I have had steroid creams which have worked to some extent but they cannot be used over a long period of time as they thin the skin. Whenever I go to the doctor they seem to treat it as short term thing by just giving me a cream and sending me away without realising that it is incredibly long-term. I was wondering if anyone has been reffered to a dermatoligist and if so were they better than the GP? Has anyone had any longer term treatments for eczema that have worked such as changing diet?

Sorry this is so long!! Just hoping someone could give me any ideas about where to go next?!
Thanks! xx

Don't do this. It'll thin your skin which isn't very desirable.