2 & A Half Years Steroid Free

As I hit a big mile stone yesterday I figured I'd better make some time to write a blog post on reaching 2 and a half years off topical steroid creams.

Right now I'm really busy with life. I finally have a full time job which I've been doing since the end of September, with two role changes during this time. I've been going to a lot of gigs and having more of a social life. I can't remember my last day of doing absolutely nothing, I always seem to be on the go right now.

I'm still taking Ciclosporin but no doubt I will be asked to come off it soon, but all of my blood tests come back fine each time so my body is in sync with it. I still haven't lost any weight yet but I trust that when my body normalises I will do. My diet is mostly clean but as always, there is room for improvement and I am switching ever more to a vegan diet.

I have also worn make up for long periods on a couple of occasions without any over-damaging effects. This makes me hopeful that my skin is finally toughening up. My eyelids were one of the worst targeted areas for applying steroid creams and it reached a point where liquid eyeliner would burn and eventually even mascara just applied to the eyelashes would cause an awful reaction. I doubt I'll ever be able to wear liquid liner again but I'm happy enough to get away with mascara. Also my eyebrows look fantastic now.

I've also noticed my intolerance to heat has diminished significantly. I've always had poor circulation in my hands and feet, and also have my lips turn blue, but recently I've noticed that this has switched and I'm much more intolerant of the cold. It got to a point where I was unable to wear layers underneath a coat or jacket because I would come out in hives, but now all I do is layer up because I'm freezing cold! I was a lot better over this summer period of tolerating the warm, but the true test will be going over to a hot country to see how I fare then.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still up and down with my skin but it hasn't prevented me from doing stuff recently and I can't remember when I last took a sick day from work because of it. Onwards and upwards!

Recent photo of me from a friends' wedding wearing mascara, eyeliner and eyebrow pencil.

I would dig out more photos but I can't be bothered to trawl through my phone so this will have to do you for now ;)

Hope everyone is doing well, and as ever I apologise for my online absence.

Still Plodding On

Hey guys, so it's been 2 weeks since my last update and there's just so much to tell you. Firstly, the reason I haven't put up any new photographs of my skin is because there hasn't really been much to show you in the way of change. I'm still dry, still getting red rashes from time to time so the pictures would just be similar to the others and I felt that pointless. I've also had a really hard time taking photos of my face. I just can't do "selfies" any more and if it's not that, then the camera keeps depicting redness that isn't there! Stupid thing. I also still have itch fits from time to time, though these are less and less severe and a very quick shower usually sorts me out.

The second thing I have to say is... *drum roll please*............. we're moving to Leeds! Yes, finally we're moving out of Lincoln and I am so damn proud that we can start to get our lives on track again. We've been stuck here for the last 5 years (6 for Shane) and it's just time to move on. I don't know if this is having an affect on my current red, dry skin because I can't say I'm not stressed. There's so much to do and finances won't be great this month but in a few months time we will be in a much better position. Yay! Also a few of my friends live in or around the area and my mum will be a mere hours journey away <3 I will however miss my Lincoln friends. Now that I'm finally on the mend I can be social but just as this is happening, I'm forging friendships only to leave them behind which sucks!

This past Wednesday I went to see my derm nurse and typically I didn't look my best but oh well! I was a little bit red and blotchy but that's probably the stress of trying to keep my skin nice to show her how well I've been doing. (FYI: I haven't seen her since October 2013!) She said the dermatologist had been given the go ahead to trial a new injection and I was one of the prime candidates. Well ha! I'm moving to Leeds so you can stick your injection (pun intended) I'm not going to be your guinea pig any longer! So that's the end of that. I have an open appointment if I need it, but otherwise I'm basically free.

My legs and back have retreated to their former white glory. The skin is lovely and smooth and doesn't require any moisture at all! Some areas get dry from time to time but I couldn't be happier. My tummy still gets the odd flare but it's nothing to complain about.

You can still see the scarring but when comparing it to how they were they're bloody fantastic! Here's a reminder of how they were.

I can't seem to stop scratching at my arms so they're a bit of a sorry state but I know they'll sort themselves out in their own time.

Similarly I can't seem to leave my neck alone at the moment. Last week it was fine but for some reason this week it's gone back to it's horrible dry self. Ho hum.

The brows are coming back once again but you can see a lot of creases and wrinkles from the dryness of my face.

This side appears to be my better side. Though the brows are still struggling.

And here I am. I'm a little bit red but I'm not too fussed. It doesn't look a bad red like it did initially. For people who didn't know how naturally pale I was they would probably think this was my normal tone... maybe.

Life does get better!

Hope everyone is well :)