eczema and sexual life

It sounds awful. Have you gone through the usual channels and been to see your doctor etc? Have you tried cutting out certain foods to see if it's caused by something that you're eating or drinking? I ask this because years ago my husband had an itchy rash, admittedly only on the soles of his feet but he also had rough bits on his elbows but they weren't covered in a rash. As he was overweight he went on the Cambridge Diet where he could only drink sachets of "diet food" for two weeks, This meant that he had to cut out all food and drink, one of the things was milk. Now milk is a well known trigger for ezema, anyway, within a few days his itchy rash had cleared up. As he'd got used to not having milk in his tea he decided not to start using it again and the rash has never returned. Perhaps you could try cutting out certain foods to see if it makes any difference.

I've cut down cow's milk, nuts and bread. going to test my self for candida albican tomorrow. To be honest, I know I shouldn't drink much alcohol and all that but sometimes I do. Not exactly sure what it causes, because it itches actually all the time, every day, non stop

Hi,

I suffer from bad eczema and I know exactly what you are feeling. In the summer my partner could not touch me, cuddle me or anything without it hurting or me then getting hot and itching. The sex was the same, although we could have it to some degree but I would find myself itching through it and then afterwards as well. I can sympathise so much with you.

Just a few things that you may want to consider:

- maybe change your washing powder, as this may effect what is wrong.

- change your diet a little to having plenty of water, which makes your skin softer (if your not already)

- maybe your eczema is infected, which is why you are itching all the time.

- perhaps you need to change your moisturiser because I found some I could use all the time was making me feel worse.

I got to the point where I wasn't sleeping for weeks, etc and went to the doctors and was given a 2 week course of oral steroids, antibiotics because it was severey infected and a strong antihistamine. It did clear up after 2 weeks but it did come back a few months later.

Since summer i have had 4 weeks worth of steroids tablets (not at same time), 5 skin infections including my current one and must have been through a million tubs of cream.

I will say this, if it is a bad as you say you need to go to the doctors ASAP, i was in pain for so long with it that if it wasn't for my boyfriend telling me to go I would have still had it. You need to get it checked out because if it is infected it will not go away until antibiotics are taken.

Just lay it on thick and demand to see a dermatologist, as it is effecting your life now bot just your health.

Hi, thanks for replying. I went to doctor back in my country in Jan he did me a finger test he said he can see no serious infection is in my system. The thing is I was two months on steroids and as the eczema is basically all over my body I got a steroid cream mixed with Vaseline. My skin looks 20 years older (I am 23), I was also on antibiotics to cure staph infection, which I guess was successful as my partner cleared his boils with the same antibiotics too. Another thing is somehow benzodiazepines are helpful, I am much calmer and the itchiness is reduced whenever I take some. But I will definitely go to see my GP and tried to convince her to refer me to a dermatologist. I'm glad, I am not the only one with this problem, I ve been writing on different forums and discussions about eczema and no one ever experienced what I have so far..

And also, can you recommend me some good moisturisers? My skin is very dry and rough, sometimes flaky too.

Hi,

I never had a finger test fir my infection it was all by looking at it, weepy yellow looking scabs and when they bled it was like water was mixed in with the blood. Plus if the skin is hit to touch it would suggest infection, bacterial one anyway.

Did you have steroid tablets or just cream? I had the tablets and then to the cream to put in parts the tablets didn't quite heal.

it does depend on your doctor's sometimes as they don't always like giving out tablet steroids but it is best thing I have had.

I would fight for dermatologist because it is a horrible condition that not only effects your skin but your state of mind too.

as for cream I swear by zerobase, on prescription. Worked for past year to a point anyway.

Oh I never had any weepy yellow scabs, my skin is just very dry, sometimes I break it by scratching then it looked like cut from knife or something like that.

Steroids, I am scared of using them since they have so many side effects. I only had a cream and like I already said it made my skin looking much older. Plus it just supress the problem and whenever I get off them it all comes back and even worse. How the tablets steroids work? Or if you don't mind telling me the name you are using, I will find some information about it

Well, will book an appointment again and see. Was at my GP's just a week ago with suspect of candida albicans in this case steroids wouldn't help.

I used prednisolone steroids and they were perfect for me. I know what you mean about side effects but as my doctor said the dose is so very small that it really doesn't have that much effect. You won't start getting huge muscles and all that, etc. It is such a small dose and for a short time.

The only side effects I felt was that I was tired, but most of that was to do with the eczema pain, etc. It can make you tired and feel a little bit ill but to be honest the 3 days of it is worth it if it happens.

My doctor did say it had to be oral steroids because it is all over my body there is no way that you can put cream on everywhere, it would take about 3 tubes to make sure it is covered. I would have thought the vaseline method would make the steroid cream work with less effect as it was too diluted down.

Good luck with doctors and hope they can do something

Not sure if it's too late since I only saw this 6months after. I am also an eczema sufferer that went through the same thing as you, I also went through a staph infection aswell so I understand what you are going through. The main reason your eczema is reacting more then usual is cause your immune system is encountering new bacteria cultures, body oils, and chemistry from your partner. This by all means does not mean theirs something wrong with either of you being together. The only advice I can give you is to control the eczema this requires a lifestyle change depending if you are up for it. Here's some recomendations that helped me a bit:

1. Diet

-include more green vegetables in diet try to get some veges/recipes you like since you'll be facing these guys ...forever literally. I liked having alfalfa (I liked to lightly pan toasting it). AVOID eating too much tomatoes and bananas they have a high count of histamine which makes your antibodies react.

-Limit processed foods, I say limit cause it's hard in today's society to avoid them altogether.

-Limit red meats, I still can't do this myself as a meat eater I have tried it for 5months and it did improve my skin but I caved in during my 6th, so it's at your own discretion.

-aloe vera juice try to find them in grocery stores in the asian drinks sections never try to extract it from the plant yourself since certain parts are toxic when ingested. This drink is anti bachterial and contains some amino acids usually found in green plastic bottles (google picture it). (Tastes like alighter grape juice so no complaints on taste).        

 

2. Cleaning 

If you've lived with eczema for 18 years like I'd have, you know that a dusty room is bound to make your skin feel horrible so vacuum when needed and change bedding frequently.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not share a pillow with your partner. I know it's tempting I did the the same and learned the hard way that your partner's hair oils and eczema are like water and oil they don't go well together.

I know this is asking much but try to shower before sleeping or sex, this limits the bachteria exchange not only from person to person but from the outside environment to your bedding and room. On the plus side you can shower together and increase your relationship.    

3. Exercise

Many things you do from house chores, vacuuming is an exercise itself which is good.

My recommendation is to exercise apart from that, at home (important that it has to be at home) a few times a week when your eczema is not too extreme if time permits to get sweat and toxins out of the pores. The trick with this is to not scratch during the exercise and after.

I am aware of eczema getting itchy when the body is heated or when in contact with sweat. The mind set to adapt is that if your hands have room to scratch during an exercise that means you aren't exercising properly so grab something like a dumbell or rod while you feel the itch (it's all in the head your skin is not truly forming into a large rash without your hand rubbing it).

NOTE (this is why it's important that it's done at home): after your exercises do not give your body time or an excuse to scratch head straight to the shower and cool down your body. The shower after an exercise should be cold/cool to cool down your body this also calms the flare up that is trying to surface to the skin.

Another note on showers. I am aware that cold shower on eczema cuts hurt/sting and Sucks. I'd recommend to shower normally as you do and half way through or 3 minutes before you leave the shower to close the hot water tap and embrace the cold water with your body. This makes a WORLD's difference for your eczema (your aim is to get your body use to a cold shower but this may take a lifetime's work). 

4. Creams

*Sigh* These can be a headache and differs from person to person.

NOTE: Try to avoid getting heavily scented creams. WHY? because the high presence of alcohol in them (same with heavily scented soaps).

Some recomendations for body cream: Curel, St. Ives they are a good budget creams try to find ones that have collagen in the cream. Curel is fantastic cause they are made more for sensitive skin.

For Face and Neck I use something abit more expensive which is Kiehl's ultra facial cream.

Of course all these recommendations are mostly found in Canada simply cause i'm canadian (^) but you can still google them and look at ingredients and try to look for something similar in your own country if not accessible.

Another recomendation to those really dry days is Coconut oil, it can also be found internationally (make sure you buy the natural stuff without too much chemicals you have no knowledge of). This differs from person to person so try it on a patch of skin after showering before going crazy and putting it everywhere. 

Well thats all I can say for now. As a fellow eczema sufferer I wish you all the best and luck with your skin and partner.      

You may apply pure chimp super body combo. It helped me much in having no eczema.

Hi, I too have eczema. I think sleeping in an aircon room makes your skin dry however its less ichy. ( can put on lotiom before you sleep as well)

One important thing is to not be so stress. (Usually when you are stressed, the eczema gets worse) And also, changing the bedsheets frequently.(When you feel that its ichy and uncomfortable)

I also pet the bed clean before I sleep.

Sometimes if it gets so bad that u scratch it when u sleep, get prescription frm doctor, it makes you sleep better.

I recommend the Qv cream by the brand ego. They also sell body wash and lotion. I use them all, the body wash and the cream(if your skin is really dry). I recommend putting on the cream after you bathe. If theres infection (like weird water coming out of ur skin and feel sticky or bleeding) I recommend waiting for it to dry first before you put on lotion.

Hi Kat - I know this post is over a year old but I hope I can help. For a while I had a similar issue and it actually came down to being allergic to the mattress that I was sleeping on. The bed was causing the reaction and adding anti allergy protectors son the mattress and all of the bedding solved the problem very quickly.. As you had just moved in with your partner I assume that I may be possible that you have a new bed that he is not used to sleeping on.

Lack of sleep also prolongs the eczema and makes the symptoms worse so hopefully in a few weeks of getting better quality sleep this problem will go away for you both.

Hope this helps you or anyone else that may be looking for a solution to this.