#and then I tested negative for every skin allergy test they did. I'm not doing it again

[tj-crochets]

Hey y'all! Weird question, do you have any advice for finding a good primary care doctor who will actually try to figure out what's going on instead of saying "Huh. That shouldn't be happening, it's weird. Oh well". Like, is there a specific sub-type of doctor, like internist or family medicine or something, that you've had good luck with? This question brought to you by coming off the long term steroids causing me heart issues, like I told the doctor it would because coming off of steroids (even short term ones) always does for me, and the doc who prescribed them saying "coming off of steroids shouldn't do that" Like, no, really??? Of course it shouldn't! That's why every doc I've ever seen besides endocrinologists thinks I have Addison's! It shouldn't cause that but it does. Also I give up on allergists. Like. It would be nice to have one to help me figure out my allergies, but the local ones I've been to don't believe I have allergies and I won't come off my allergy meds for two weeks to prove I do, so they are unhelpful

[meditating-dog-lover]

Eczema update 03/14

So my allergy patch test showed up as negative. I did not react to any of the patches, at least not strongly. I still have to wait until tomorrow just in case anything may develop, but it seems like this isn't the cause of my eczema. But the test was definitely worth taking.

I got the results for my food sensitivity test back and it was inaccurate. It says I'm sensitive to gluten, egg white, and cow milk. But I do not react or experience inflamed skin when consuming these, and I know gluten, dairy and eggs are common triggers for some people. While I do get inflammation after eating certain foods, like tomatoes, I doubt it is the ultimate root cause because I've eaten these foods in the past with no issues.

I take vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids, which are key anti-inflammatory nutrients that can help with eczema and most people are deficient in, but I'm not seeing a huge change unfortunately. I got the air purifier and its built-in sensor says the air quality in our house is clean. But our house is dusty and finding ways to effectively deep clean it while making it fun and not boring should be necessary. I vacuumed a lot over the weekend, the next step is to clean tables and counters and to clean my car.

My hands are red, inflamed, and dry. They are more red than the rest of my arm and the color shade and texture and dryness is different as well. I have a spot on my neck and by my left collarbone. I have redness around my mouth and cheilitis. Thankfully it is looking slightly better today and is less inflamed. But it still needs some time to heal of course. Perhaps the liver detox supplement is helping? Though it's too early to tell, I need maybe 1-2 months.

This got worse since I got back from Cyprus.

I can narrow this down to 2 things - gut health and detoxing. I vacuumed the house, cleaned the vents, ordered an air purifier, and started taking liver detox supplements. My patch test was negative and my food sensitivity test was inaccurate. Vitamin D, zinc, and omega 3 fatty acids did not sufficiently help me, though flaxseed helps to an extent for sure.

I have a phone call with a functional doctor next week and we can go over some solutions and tests related to gut health and detoxing. I've heard of many people who cleared their eczema through detoxing. When I say gut health, I don't really mean probiotics. I mean that the gut, just like the liver, lungs, and kidneys, is a detoxing organ and can accumulate junk and toxins and pathogens from some of the stuff we eat and swallow every day. So a safe yet effective detoxification method can help get rid of these triggers and can clean the gut. Probiotics/adding good bacteria to a compromised gut isn't going to solve it. The solution is to detox the gut. Same thing with the liver, which is why I'm taking milk thistle and dandelion.

I just started Anthony William's book "Cleanse to Heal" where he talks about detoxification that is useful for those with autoimmune conditions, which he states is due to the abundance of pathogens (like viruses and harmful bacteria) and toxins (like heavy metals and pesticides). All of us are exposed to environmental toxins and pathogens on a daily basis, and for some people this can cause irritation and even autoimmunity. I started the book today and I'm already on Chapter 7, and it's almost 600 pages long. I haven't gotten to the cleansing chapter yet, but I'll get there tomorrow as it's 2 chapters ahead from where I currently am. He is a fan of juicing, especially celery juice. I made some on Sunday and hated the taste. But if there is some healthy juice or tea I can prepare that can help with the cleansing process along with the dandelion and milk thistle, then I'll give it a shot. Of course I don't want to overdo it. I am drinking herbal hibiscus tea at work, but I'm drinking it because I like the taste and it helps me relax as I read, not to "cleanse'. I don't know if that's making any difference.

To tame the itching for now, I ordered an anti-inflammatory cream from Amazon that has very good reviews (Eau Thermale Avène XeraCalm A.D Lipid-Replenishing Cream). I put some flaxseed oil and steroids on my hands this morning. I put steroids on because I cannot put up with the discomfort and redness anymore. But applying an anti-inflammatory topical can help because I've been using petroleum jelly all this time and it's not necessarily anti-inflammatory.

In the healing journey at the very least I can apply an anti-inflammatory topical, but not a steroid of course. It's the only anti-inflammatory I have that isn't drying and doesn't leave a white cast (like zinc oxide does, even though it's harmless). Topicals would give some immediate relief as I'm healing and recovering slowly internally. And it's fine to use topicals, I just don't believe it is the only solution (again eczema isn't skin deep, it should also be treated internally) and believe it should not be a steroid.

I am mentally all over the place now and am frustrated and annoyed. But like I did last year, I will heal myself again and again. I've never gotten my detoxing and gut health professionally evaluated. So when I do, I feel like it can offer some useful insight. And I'm exposed to stuff all the time, in my car, walking outside, in my house, the foods I eat even if they're healthy, the water I drink, filling gas, etc... I absolutely cannot avoid any of these, but I can find ways to take a break and cleanse effectively.

And I may end up spending a lot of money on this, but it is worth it in the end because I don't believe a single cent I spend on my health and wellbeing is a waste (except for the food sensitivity tests, boo).

I'll do what I can now, clean the house, avoid tomatoes (temporary goal until the inflammation is tamed), take the detox supplement, use my air purifier, use an anti-inflammatory topical (non-steroid), meet with the doctor, maybe drink some juice along with the liver detox supplement, etc... Even though I don't want to overwhelm myself with supplements.

But detoxing can help definitely, though it takes time. And I'll get my gut health evaluated to see if I a absolutely need something like l-glutamine in case there are signs of leaky gut (this can also contribute to eczema because loose gaps in the gut lining can allow pathogens and toxins to enter the bloodstream and create inflammation and autoimmunity). I doubt I have any gut problems though, it anything I barely experience gastrointestinal discomfort. So I'm assuming I just need a detox boost. I'll see what the doctor recommends.

[tj-crochets]

Your medical posts have sounded similar to one of my friends and I showed her and she agreed especially with the weird allergy stuff! She was recently diagnosed with MCAS and it's related to POTS in some way so it might be worth looking into? She had to go to a specialist and that was the first time she'd ever even heard about it so I don't think it's something doctors regularly look for

Thanks! I do currently have a tentative diagnosis of MCAS; it's tentative because I have most of the symptoms and they all improve with antihistamines, but not definite because my tryptase blood tests are inconclusive. Unfortunately (as I'm sure your friend has found out) MCAS is one of those things with no definitive test, just ruling things out. I haven't been able to find a specialist but it is on my list to do when I can I'm glad your friend was able to find a specialist and I wish her luck on finding out her particular list of safe and unsafe foods. I know vinegar was very difficult for me to figure out, but once I did it made it waaay easier for me to manage my allergies. Also, like, idk which step of the process she's in, but do not despair if your skin tests for allergies all turn up negative. I had to go off antihistamines for two weeks to get skin testing done, and tested negative for every single allergen they tested while also being completely covered with hives because I was off antihistamines. Now that I know to avoid vinegar, I haven't had more than the occasional breakthrough hive in like three years, but like vinegar is not something there is currently a skin or blood test for for allergies