Wednesday 27 February 2013

The discovery..

Hey there, my name is Megan and Im currently going through Topical Steroid Withdrawals or TSW. Not commonly known here in Australia, so Im wanting to share my hell journey through to healing process. It angers me to no end to think a doctor has over prescribed steroid creams and made me very very unwell when they are supposed to help you. Its also so frightening to think they actually prescribe these drugs to young children and say just slap it on like cream!

So about me,  I've had ezcema since a teenager along with dry skin, but only here and there. Maybe a bit on my hands, creases of knees and arms plus a little on my face. All at different times and very minimal. After I stopped breast feeding my son in late 2010 I broke out with ezcema on my hands.  I had clear skin before this for many years from what I can remember. The hand ezcema was treated with a steroid cream. Just as this went, I had a rash appear on my back which looked more like a pimply rash. The GP said it looked like scabies but sent me to a dermo anyway. He said unmanaged ezcema and prescribed Advantan along with a month tappered dose of Prednisolone. The pimple rash didnt go infact it got worse. It then spread to my butt, thighs then down to my leg. By this time I was beyond frustrated as I knew deep down it wasnt ezcema it was something else but what? I did skin allergy test and the doctor there said I was allergic to the sun! Another coarse of Prednisolone and more creams but still no result even keeping out of the sun. Oh another doctor said I had a severe dust mite allergy. Getting confused and frustrated even more so now.

Off to the dermo again, he got so angry with me because he said it was very unmanaged ezcema. He told me to put it on like moisturiser and keep doing it until he said to stop so I did. He made me feel so stupid. I decided then to do food allergy test and I came up allergic to wheat, rye, barley, yeast, diary all some triggers to skin disorders. Some progress I thought ..After many many visits to my Dermo Doctor and many arguments in his office over the rash, I decided to go and see a man who was a scientist but practised natural medicine. He had one look at me and said it wasnt ezcema, you have cortisone poisoning and its from the steroid creams Im using. He told me the only way to get well and healthy again is to stop using the creams. It will be like coming off hard drugs but in the end you will be healed. This day was the beginning of my night mare and my road to a steroid free body. The pic above is me while on the steroids looking pretty dam normal in the face anyway :)
Im doing this for my amazing children, they deserve to have their mum back to a normal healthy self. And for the doctor who did this to me, well watch out I'm coming for you when I'm healthy and strong again. 

8 comments:

  1. just <3 i did it for my kids as well.

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  3. Hi Megan
    I just wanted to thank you and express my gratification for your blog. I am 3 months into TSW and was just about to give up and go back to steroid creams until I stumbled upon your blog. I though my symptoms were unique to me and that it was the eczema worsening.

    There is very little information on the internet re TSW so I was so grateful to come across your blog which then referred me to ITSAN.

    You truly have been a god send. I believe in coincidences and me coming across your blog is the thing that means I will be steroid free and have clear skin one day. You are one of lifes angels and thank you again.

    All the best

    Pras

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  4. Is there a doctor in the Brisbane area (or anywhere in Australia) that can diagnose topical steroid addiction or poisoning and help with the withdrawal symptoms? I just came across this and think this might be my husband's problem. He was told that he had a severe allergy to dustmites causing his eczema but all these crazy drugs and creams he is on don't seem to be helping and have me worried.

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    1. HI Vanessa, I'm not in Australia so I can't answer your question. But I do have a terrible dustmite allergy and we are incredibly dilligent about cleaning, having an air purifier and no carpets etc. And I'm still having trouble as well. I just started the withdrawel of the topical 3 weeks ago. Its awful. But I'm hoping for more success later..... Good luck .

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  5. Hi Vanessa

    Im in Victoria but if you go to the aussie support group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/113627545472848/ someone there may be from your area that can help..And also go to my other support group which is international at https://www.facebook.com/groups/212642132257327/ for extra support. Probably the best to see if its the steroids is to just stop using them and see if he gets the symptoms that I listed on the blog. I do hope this helps.. Sorry for the late reply ..The blog keeps locking me out for some reason xoxo Let me know how you go .

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  6. Hello Megan:

    i am currently getting off topical steroids and reading your blog has given me lots of hope and i just wanted to know how you are feeling these days? Did u get your skin back? Are you happy with the results and living a steroids free life? Is there hope for me?

    Thanks so much Megan.

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  7. Megan,
    Thanks for sharing. I've just quit using topical steroids a week ago. If it wasn't for people like you sharing your journey I might still be on the steroid induced eczema roller coaster. It's encouraging to see so many that have stabilized what many thought was temperamental skin.

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