2 Years Steroid Free

So the day has arrived. I am now 2 years free from using topical steroid creams.

I am however still suffering though. I'm just going to keep this post short and sweet as I have a lot to do today (see: cake), but I can say that even though I'm still having blips and flares (mostly due to infections!) it has still been the best decision I could have made. I was looking at some of my old photographs and even though I still get blotchy rashes from time to time they are no where near the same in their formation.

That isn't me any more. The rashes are completely different.

I'm also pleased to say I'm no longer suffering from some of the unwanted side effects of topical steroid withdrawal either. For instance I no longer suffer from this:

Elephant skin

Nor this:

Full body coverage

Or this! 

Red sleeve effect

My allergies have distinctly diminished, though still exist only in a lesser form of severity. Life has been slightly easier to endure, though it would still be nice to be given an end point to this suffering. It would also be nice to stop getting so many bloody infections too. That is my main nemesis at present - not withdrawal but infections, both viral and bacterial.

I hope everyone else is well, and I hope I have given others courage to partake in this wretched journey that we should never have to face to begin with.

Best wishes,

Exhausted.

I'm absolutely exhausted, both physically and mentally. It's all becoming a bit too much to bare right now.

The past week has been such a challenging one; constant moisturising throughout the day to better my skin, to have all my hard work undone in less than an hour of sleeping. I give up. I'm defeated. My skin is weeping incessantly. It started on my neck, chest and face, as is its wont, but has since spread to my legs, arms and now my back and tummy. Literal full body weeping. I've been a bit concerned regarding my legs because they look worse than they ever have but I don't think there's any infection present as the areas aren't burning hot as they would be typically. I think this is just a side effect relating to the TSW but it's really wearing me down.

I wish I could induce myself into a coma for the next couple of weeks just to get some decent sleep and not have to constantly pack my body with tissue to stop the ooze. The heat obviously isn't helping matters either.

Photos are a little on the sparse side this week, which you'll agree is very unlike me! I've just been too consumed with the itch and the ooze to even want to take photos. So these are from the last fortnight.

 
1. Classic red skin vs. white palms. They were far redder than pic shows 2. Morning mayhem - look at all that tissue in the bin! (and floor...)     3. "Elephant" skin 4. Purple leg due to scratching
5. Donning my Dreamskin head mask.
All I can smell right now is ooze and it's driving me crazy. The smell is truly awful. It reminds me of rotting. Bork.
The Dreamskin mask isn't doing anything for me at the moment. It's supposed to help regulate your body temperature and help to heal by relieving itching and improving skin hydration but because I'm oozing so profusely it just ends up binding itself to my face.
I keep going through phases on a night time wondering if being fully clothed would be better or if being naked would work more in my favour. Neither seem to show any improvement, though at least when naked my clothes don't stick to me and get coated in smelly ooze. I am going through towels like crazy though. A large and small one for after my shower, one on the couch, occasionally one between my legs to help stop itchiness when I'm laying down, one on my bed on a night time. Wash, wash, wash. Ooze, ooze, ooze. Cry, cry, cry.