Jinxed for Infection

So I clearly jinxed myself the other day as out of no where an infection has taken hold. Miserable and peed off that I had to ring in sick. *le sigh*

Currently sat here with kitchen roll strung around my neck/ clutched to my face to staunch the yellow ooze.

Me before going to the doctors this morning.

Hey there gammy eye

Month 21 Topical Steroid Withdrawal

Hi guys,

I didn't mean to go so long without updating. Here is something I meant to tell you about. A day or so after writing my previous post, I developed pompholyx/ dyshidrotic eczema on my hands and feet. I've had it on my hands once in the past, to which the GP misdiagnosed it and told me I had scabies (lolwot?) and of course it wasn't, though that's a story for another day... It was this bubbly eczema stuff which went away with steroids, but of course that was before my steroid withdrawal so I panicked a bit this time knowing I might be in a bit of a pickle.

I've had to really up the contrast for you to see as it is ridiculously difficult to photograph.

Basically I was given antibiotics, which did their job of clearing up the infection and was told to restart my Ciclosporin to control the rest of my skin and to help the pompholyx and that was that... Although of course it's never that. The pompholyx buggered off but the infection came back a few days after finishing the course. Urgh!!!

I rang up my dermatology nurse on Friday just to let her know it had come back and she wanted me to see someone, however there was no one available to see me and I didn't want to resume the antibiotics so decided to try something different. For the first day or so I did what I normally do and let my skin dry out to cease the infection from spreading. However it was so unbearably painful that I needed to try something. I filled the sink up with water, epsom salts and a few drops of tea tree oil and used a face cloth and just planted it over my whole face. It was fine until it all dried out again.

Later on I tried just putting tea tree oil straight onto a damp face cloth. Never again. Oh my good God! The pain! It's definitely one that needs diluting.

I then came up with the idea of mixing a few drops of tea tree oil in with my white soft paraffin, and sparingly applied it to the infected areas. It left my face a bit red but a bit later it had calmed down my face significantly and I was starting to peel all over. I repeated this all weekend, mass shedding occurred, and low and behold the infection has gone! Hurrah!! I'm still left with some spots and redness and stuff but as it isn't a systematic treatment, I do expect it to take a bit longer. I'm so chuffed though.

From now on I'm going to be adding drops of tea tree oil to my emollient when I need to use it.

Three cheers for tea tree oil!

Also apologies for those who have emailed me and gotten no reply, I've been pretty much AWOL and moping around feeling sorry for myself. Hopefully I shall be back on form soon.

Month 18 TSW

Last Saturday I reached my bench mark of 18 months, however I have been unable to sit down and blog because work has been pretty manic recently with the build up to Christmas and all of this Black Friday malarky, of which I have had to work. Luckily my store didn't get any aggro and I'm not starting until a little later today so although busy, I'll have missed the huge rush, if there even is one...

So how am I?

Not great really. The infection came back for the third time however the antibiotics aren't doing anything. Last night I must have scratched myself raw because I've woken up oozing all over my neck, cheeks and ears. It's pretty grim :( Especially so since I haven't had any oozing of this sort for a long time. I'll just accept it as one of those things.

No photos today as I simply cannot be bothered to pick up my phone. So you'll just have to take my word that I'm not that great. Obviously this is nothing at all like past flares as I don't get the hives that accompany them any more. Yet it is especially painful today and I can barely move my neck because it is so sore and I'm keeping it moisturiser free. Today will be a fun day at work I'm sure.

Maybe I'll feel more inclined to post photos later but for now -

Over and out!

Edit:

I changed my mind. This blog does act as my form of diary after all.

Infected Eczema

Hey guys,

Thought I owed you all an update. So around the 22nd October I was given antibiotics for a bacterial infection that had started to crop up around my nose and mouth. Within a couple of days this cleared up and I finished my course of antibiotics.

Fast forward to the 27th; moving day. This was me after hours of running around, loading and unloading, carrying heavy items up to our top floor apartment. No hives. I was on top of the world.

27/10/14

However as we know this is me and my life is never simple.

Fast forward to the following Monday (3rd Nov) I could see some redness occurring on my face and such but this was the day I went to see my derm nurse and for some reason my skin always goes a bit backwards when I see medical professionals. Funny coincidence that, huh? But we shook it off as just that, Afterall the rest of my body was perfect.

The following day I woke in the early hours to a sickness bug. This carried on for the entire day and I was so weak I couldn't even drink fluids.

The day after (Wed 5th Nov) my skin was becoming a right old mess but I didn't want to ring in sick at work. So braved it and went in even though I could see the beginnings of infection returning.

5/11/14

5/11/14

After my shift I went straight to the hospital to see my derm nurse as she had previously said on Monday that she would rather me be seen there than by my GP. So off I went and was swabbed and given a longer course of antibiotics.

The next day (Thursday) I woke up feeling terrible and my skin had worsened and was visibly spreading. I decided to go to work anyway as I figured the antibiotics would soon start to kick in.

Friday I woke up and was far, far worse. My eyes were now completely affected and crusted shut together. It was now on my chest, back, backside, legs and arms. I was a mess and it hurt so bad I couldn't move.

7/11/14

This brings us to today (Saturday). It hasn't improved at all and the antibiotics don't seem to be working as quickly as usual. I am however going to wait it out until Monday for improvement but if not you can bet I'll be straight back to the doctors.

8/11/14

For some reason the redness and swelling isn't being depicted so clearly by my phone. I think it's because smart phones these days are made to give more "flattering photos" for the vain upon us, rather than depicting what is really there. But alas you can see I am suffering.

I haven't felt this horrendous since my last bout of MRSA. I also have a wisdom tooth coming through which of course isn't helping matters, especially given that I can barely open my mouth as it is due to the extreme dryness. Ho hum. Suck it up.

Fingers crossed the weeping will soon stop as that is definitely the worst thing ever with infection.

Eczema Herpeticum No. 9 Cont.

So if I had any doubts about what it was I certainly don't now. Very characteristic herpeticum. Hopefully now that they've dried out they'll soon disappear. Couldn't happen at a more inappropriate time. Cheers body!

Red Skin Syndrome Journey - 2 months

Currently on a downwards spiral. It just isn't improving at all. The majority of this weekend has been spent soaking in the bath as I just can't stand the itchiness that ensues merely an hour or so after I get out. My glands are more swollen than ever and the full body oozing is constant now. Sometimes I am able to pass out from exhaustion but other times I'm tormented by the itch and the ooze...

Outside I can hear birds chirping, kids playing and music being blasted out whilst people make the most of this rare opportunity of sunshine which doesn't last very long here in the UK. I'm sat with blinds closed to ensure that the neighbours don't get a peak at my raw nakedness. Raw being the operative word really.

This morning I got in touch with my GP who has prescribed me a higher dosage of the antibiotics I've just tapered down on from my hospital stay. Not really happy about this as I'm sure they would be at least working in some way against the spread, but she didn't want to prescribe me any alternatives. Ho hum. We also talked through my medication as there is a lot that seems to be missing from my repeat prescriptions and she wasn't phased at all when I told her I was no longer taking the steroids. Wow. At least they're off the repeat now anyway.

I'll put a cut in for the photographs I just took because they might be a bit embarrassing for people who know me in person. I'm not ashamed of my body though and these are strictly to show people the suffering I am enduring.

NSFW