ATTN: The dangers of topical steroids - please take note of this message.

Hi, I just want to give everyone here a bit of a heads up on the use of topical steroids (oral use or creams). I just want everyone to know just how dangerous they are and that using them long term does more harm than good. Way more harm. Please look at this website below and basically if you or your family are in the situation of having grown a skin dependency on the atopic steroids then you need help. P.s. I suffer with eczema and I am going through the withdrawal process from the steroids, I would not wish this on my worst enemy.

http://www.itsan.org/

Reply 1

Mushi_master

17

Cheers for that.

Guys, listen to your doctors.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 2

wasabi

2

Original post by Mr_Vain

Hi, I just want to give everyone here a bit of a heads up on the use of topical steroids (oral use or creams). I just want everyone to know just how dangerous they are and that using them long term does more harm than good. Way more harm. Please look at this website below and basically if you or your family are in the situation of having grown a skin dependency on the atopic steroids then you need help. P.s. I suffer with eczema and I am going through the withdrawal process from the steroids, I would not wish this on my worst enemy.

http://www.itsan.org/

This is exactly what happened to me. It's taken nearly 2 years for my eczema to disappear after stopping the steroid cream. It's done more damage than good.

Reply 3

Mr_Vain

OP

3

Original post by Mushi_master

Cheers for that.

Guys, listen to your doctors.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Not all doctors, some doctors are more clued up than others. Most are very unaware of this condition.

Reply 4

JKGB

13

Wow, quite interesting. I have mild eczema and only use hydrocortisone when I have a bad flare up (which luckily is only occassionally), but I've never really thought about the effects of them.

Reply 5

Mr_Vain

OP

3

Original post by JKGB

Wow, quite interesting. I have mild eczema and only use hydrocortisone when I have a bad flare up (which luckily is only occassionally), but I've never really thought about the effects of them.

Please try to refrain from using them, I am suffering badly now because of my dependency on them. It is going to take a while to get better because my skin is addicted to the drug now (I am not addicted, the skin just cannot cope on it's own and you are left with steroid induced eczema which is way worse than regular eczema).

Reply 6

JKGB

13

Original post by Mr_Vain

Please try to refrain from using them, I am suffering badly now because of my dependency on them. It is going to take a while to get better because my skin is addicted to the drug now (I am not addicted, the skin just cannot cope on it's own and you are left with steroid induced eczema which is way worse than regular eczema).

Oh that sounds horrible, hope your skin improves soon!

Reply 7

Mishiee

Oh maaan, I think this is what I have but my doctors and dermatologists keep pushing me to use steroids. :frown:

plus my “eczema" is just on my face, makes me look soo diseased. Ugh. I'm forever reading blogs from people who are going through / are out of this biatch of a disease..

Reply 8

Mr_Vain

OP

3

Original post by Mishiee

Oh maaan, I think this is what I have but my doctors and dermatologists keep pushing me to use steroids. :frown:

plus my “eczema" is just on my face, makes me look soo diseased. Ugh. I'm forever reading blogs from people who are going through / are out of this biatch of a disease..

I am on week 2 of withdrawal now and the symptoms have kept me from sleeping a good night but it is not awful like very long term users. I am shedding skin and get bouts of itching but other than that I am doing well. I have still been able to work. All normal parts of the recovery progress. I have my good and bad days.

Reply 9

Mishiee

Do you have the red sleeve thing going on yet ? I guess it'd be a bit too early for that to happen yet... How long have you used topical steroids? I think I should start my withdrawal journey soon... It's just that I'm a bit bit scared. It doesn't help the fact that I have no doctors on my side... Are you documenting all this? (it'd be super awesome if you are)

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 10

Mr_Vain

OP

3

Original post by Mishiee

Do you have the red sleeve thing going on yet ? I guess it'd be a bit too early for that to happen yet... How long have you used topical steroids? I think I should start my withdrawal journey soon... It's just that I'm a bit bit scared. It doesn't help the fact that I have no doctors on my side... Are you documenting all this? (it'd be super awesome if you are)

Posted from TSR Mobile

Nope, mine has somewhat levelled off to an uncomfortable but acceptable level.

I used topical steroids for a month in total, cumulative use over 1 year. With very strong steroids (i had another health problem too), i am talking 0.01 strength steroids. I then started using betnovate and hydrocortisone, with prednisolone tablets on occassion.

I don't know how bad it'll get to be honest with you.

Reply 11

Mishiee

From what I've read you don't get as much of a rebound with oral steroids (although they do have other pretty gnarly side effects associated with them)... . So I would assume it shouldn't take long for you to heal. Are you on the itsan forum?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 12

xxKiaraxx

14

Wow, I'm really glad now that I never used the steroid cream they prescribed me. It was mainly due to laziness and the fact that my eczema was relatively manageable, but still.

Reply 13

username129099

15

I used hydrocortisone as part of the stuff I used to control it for years and I was fine. That is one of the least potent ones. I had my eczema sussed by the time I was about 11 and just managed it pretty easily from there. I always used Oilatum bath emollient, every single night, along with standard creams like Diprobase, and then used hydrocortisone when a had any kind of flare up in an area. Most important thing with eczema is to keep it under control and that means using more powerful stuff if your regular routine can't keep on top of a flare up, and then ceasing use when you have it back under control.

imo, that website is just classic stay at home mom psudo science, Fox news is one of their resources, most of their articles are over 10-20 years old, there are like 5 of them. Its founded by Dr. Marvin Rapaport and is based on his own research of which the most recent article listed as published is 2003. Its not something which has gained much traction at all, and their excuses for why are valid for pretty much any medical study.

Reply 14

RetiredAccount89

18

Original post by Mr_Vain

Please try to refrain from using them, I am suffering badly now because of my dependency on them. It is going to take a while to get better because my skin is addicted to the drug now (I am not addicted, the skin just cannot cope on it's own and you are left with steroid induced eczema which is way worse than regular eczema).

steroid induced eczema ey?

you can get some forms of dermatitis that worsen with steroids like perioral dermatitis, but frankly thats a possibility with any treatment.

to suggest you should never use steroids because a very tiny proportion don't get better is rather daft.

most people get much better much quicker. it saves lives (bad eczma gets infected mroe often and can lead to sepsis and death).

so use topical steroids if needed. don't if you don't.

any website that trademarks its own name visibly is obvious a loon toon ville.

Jamie
DOI
1) Doctor
2) Used steroids on my own daughter which cleared up her bad dermatitis within a few days. i then stopped and have just been using epaderm and oilatum since (strong moisturisers rather than steroids).

Reply 15

Tiger Rag

22

I've used steroid creams a few times for eczema and another skin condition. The eczema was infected. But I have never used them long term. Only used them for a maximum of about 2 months.

Reply 16

Teenage Hype

17

Huge grave dig, anyone dealing with this?

ATTN: The dangers of topical steroids - please take note of this message.

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