The ABC Homeopathy Forum
Advice needed for dyshidrotic eczema
I am looking for some homeopathic remedies to treat my dyshidrotic eczema. It seems to get worse every year, and last for a longer duration. I want this to go away, and am sick of medications and incompetent doctors. Please send any suggestions; I have answered the questionaire below. Thanks.Sex: Female
Age: 34
Please answer the following questions in a descriptive manner after careful analysis and recollection of previous experiences and happenings.
1. Describe your main suffering?
Excessive itching on fingers and palms of hands, caused by tiny blisters under the skin. This then leads to dry areas, cracking, and bleeding. On rare occasion occurs on the feet. Been diagnosed with dyshidtroic eczema.
2. What other physical sufferings do you have in your body?
Weak ankles (sprained and broken both), overweight, high stress and anxiety, have suffered from depression.
3. What mental sufferings / feelings do you have associated with your physical sufferings?
Severe frustration and feelings of hopelessness. Anger.
4. What exactly do you feel when you are at your worst?
Very depressed. Angry at self and world. Want to srawl in hole and disappear.
5. When did it all start? Can you connect it to any past event or disease?
Started in early adulthood, sometime in late teens or early 20s but not exactly sure when. Been suffering from this for around 15 years. Started birth control at 19; never made the connection but in reading posts on here I see that others have.
6. Which time of the day you are worst?
Usually itches worse first thing in the morning, but it's really bad all day long.
7. What are the things which aggravate your suffering and which are those which ameliorate the same?
Hot water aggrevates it the most. And scratching the itch. Allergy pills and topical steroids help it the most, but this is minimal and I'm looking for natural remedies to make it go away.
8. Do your think your sufferings have relation to any external stimuli (like, change of place) or any internal biological changes in the body, like, menses (in females)?
I have never noticed a correlation between the eczema and my periods. I have just had allergy patch testing done and got negative readings for all of the 50 allergens tested. I have noticed the eczema has gotten worse since moving from suburbs of Chicago, IL to Madison, WI 3.5 years ago.
9. When do you feel better, during hot weather or cold weather, humid or dry weather?
The eczema is always better in cold dry weather. I generally start breaking out in May and it lasts until Oct or Nov.
10. Describe your general mental set up? Are you Moody, Arrogant, Mild, Agreeable Changeable, Nervous, Suspicious, Easily offended, Quiet, Arguing, Irritating, Lazy etc.
I am stubborn and easily irritated and angered by certain things. However, I have lots of friends and am easy to get along with. I try not to let things get to me but am not always successful. I can be lazy but am also very active at times. I generally don't like to argue, but will stick up for myself when need be.
- How do you feel before or during a thunderstorm?
I like thunderstorms.
- Do you like being consoled during your tough times?
Absolutely. I like to know I'm not alone.
- Are you sensitive to external stimuli like smell, noise, light etc?
Generally, no.
- Do you have any typical habit or gesture like nail biting, causeless
weeping, talking to one self etc?
I bit my nails from the time I was a child until my mid-20s (eczema started before I kicked the habit). I cry when necessary but wouldn't call it causeless. I do tend to talk to myself often.
- How do you feel about your friends, family, your children and especially your husband / wife?
I wish I was closer to my family, both physically and emotionally. That said, we don't have bad relationships and get along well when together, but no one is good about staying in touch. My boyfriend and I have been together 4.5 years, lived together 3.5. Things are generaly good, but can be rough at times. It's usually because we don't see eye to eye, are stressed out about something, or just need some time alone. However, we always talk things out.
11. What are your fears and do you dream of any situation repeatedly?
I am afraid of ending up along in old age. I also want children but my boyfriend and I are choosing not to have them due to financial circumstances (we're both broke and lucky to have jobs, even if we don't make much). I have a teaching degree, but can't find a job.
12. What do you crave for in food items and what are your aversions?
I crave carbs alot. However, I generally only eat organic fruits and veggies, try to eat whole grains whenever possible, and have slowly changed my diet for the better over the last few years. I recently (11 days ago) stopped eating meat (still fish though) and stopped drinking milk. I try to avoid a lot of sodium, cholesterol, and fat. I also avoid fast food, fried foods, and processed and canned foods.
13. How is your thirst: Less, Normal or Excessive?
Depends on the day. I try to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day; sometimes it's really easy but more often it's a struggle.
14. How if your hunger: Less, Normal or Excessive?
My hunger is generally excessive. Although I eat well for the most part, I am overweight because I eat too much (too many calories) and don't work out enough (I just started working out about 5 months ago).
15. Is there any kind of food which your body cant stand?
I'm confused by this question. There's not much that my body can't stand, but I don't like the taste of liver, anchovies, spam, bologna, or radishes.
16. Is your sweat normal or less or more? Where does it sweat more: Head, Trunk or Limbs?
I sweat A LOT! Always have. Pretty much everywhere, but it's worst on my head. And my fingers swell up a lot when I work out or walk in hot weather.
17. How is your bowel movement and stool type?
Fairly normal. I usually go once or twice a day, and it's usually easy to go, now that my diet's better.
18. How well do you sleep? Do you have a particular posture of sleeping?
I think I sleep well, and I generally sleep on my sides, occasionally on my back. I toss and turn a lot, but I honestly think it's our crappy old mattress. I usually fall asleep right away, or after 15 minutes or so of reading.
19. Do you think you are able to satisfy your sexual desires in general?
My sex drive is pretty low. My bf wants it more than I do. I am usually satisfied when I want it.
20. How do you think you are different from others, if at all?
I tend to be more stressed out than other, and more dissatisfied with life in general. I hate that I can't find a job in my field, and am struggling financially, living paycheck to paycheck, even though I spent a ton of money going to college. But people always tell me that I'm full of energy and always in a good mood and have a smile on my face. I try not to let things get to me, but when I do, I usually deal with it alone.
21. What medications have been taken earlier by you to treat the diseases and do you have any particular symptom surfacing after the medication?
I have only been prescribed a number of different topical steroids, both in cream and ointment form. I don't like to take them due to the side effects steroids can cause, and it has caused me to get perioral dermatitis 3 times in 2 years, which then caused me to be on antibiotics for 9 months out of 2 years. I don't like using them, and only do when the itching gets to the worst, unbearable state. I want natural remedies to deal with this.
22. What major diseases are running in your family?
C-word (skin, breast, throat, liver, leukemia, kidney) all run in my family. So does heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. And IBS and obesity.
23. Describe, how do you look like? Describe your overall appearance .
5' 4.5' Brown hair and eyes. Overweight, but working on that and getting more healthy. My weight is also pretty evenly distributed to I weigh more than people think.
24. (ONLY FOR FEMALES)
Please answer the following questions:
(Please give details of your past menstruation if you have attained menopause.)
- Are the periods early, regular or late in general? How long do they last?
- Do you suffer from any kind of physical or mental discomfort before, during or after the periods?
- Is the flow scanty, normal or excessive?
- Is the blood thick bright red or pale watery?
- Do you notice any clots in the flow?
Periods are regular since I am on birth control. They usually last 4-5 days, and the flow generally stops at night after the 3rd day. Normal flow, medium thickness and dark red. Never noticed any clots. Cramps usually start anywhere from 12hrs before to 12hrs after the period starts, and lasts into the second day. I usually crave sweets from a few days before the period starts to a few days after.
Turtle1477 on 2011-11-14
This is just a forum. Assume posts are not from medical professionals.
GUIDELINES FOR GIVING HOMOEOPATHIC CASE INFORMATION
It is important to describe all your problems in as much detail as you are able. One word answers and short sentences are not particularly helpful. Discuss each problem one at a time, providing (as a minimum level of detail) the following information.
1. What exactly happens? Please give a LONG description not a short one.
2. Describe all sensations and pains. Each pain or sensation should be described in such a way that allows us to imagine having the same pain.
3. What causes the problem to get worse after it has started occurring?
4. What creates some relief for the problem?
5. What triggers the problem into occuring?
6. What time of the day or night does the problem occur?
7. When did the problem start? What was happening in your life at that time? Did some specific event or treatment take place just before the problem started?
Can you give more information on the following statements you have made.
High stress
Anxiety
Depression
Severe frustration
Hopelessness
Crawl in a hole and disappear
Stubborn
Lazy
Being alone
Not seeing eye-to-eye
Disatisfied with life
As well as this, please describe any traumatic incidents that have taken place in your life. Discuss anything that has had a lasting impact on you mentally, emotionally or physically.
Discuss the way that you manage or deal with your problems, or any problems that occur in your life.
Discuss any patterns you have noticed in your behavior especially concerning your disease.
Discuss any part of your life where you feel stuck or unable to change and grow, especially where this occurred around the beginning of your disease, or as the disease evolved.
Describe your childhood and the kind of environment you grew up in, with reference to your relationships with your family, your school experiences, and any serious childhood diseases.
Describe any reoccurring dreams you have, or any images or events that happen often in your dreams. If you had a reoccurring dream in childhood describe that as well.
David Kempson
Professional Classical Homoeopath
Dip.Hom.Med.1994
It is important to describe all your problems in as much detail as you are able. One word answers and short sentences are not particularly helpful. Discuss each problem one at a time, providing (as a minimum level of detail) the following information.
1. What exactly happens? Please give a LONG description not a short one.
2. Describe all sensations and pains. Each pain or sensation should be described in such a way that allows us to imagine having the same pain.
3. What causes the problem to get worse after it has started occurring?
4. What creates some relief for the problem?
5. What triggers the problem into occuring?
6. What time of the day or night does the problem occur?
7. When did the problem start? What was happening in your life at that time? Did some specific event or treatment take place just before the problem started?
Can you give more information on the following statements you have made.
High stress
Anxiety
Depression
Severe frustration
Hopelessness
Crawl in a hole and disappear
Stubborn
Lazy
Being alone
Not seeing eye-to-eye
Disatisfied with life
As well as this, please describe any traumatic incidents that have taken place in your life. Discuss anything that has had a lasting impact on you mentally, emotionally or physically.
Discuss the way that you manage or deal with your problems, or any problems that occur in your life.
Discuss any patterns you have noticed in your behavior especially concerning your disease.
Discuss any part of your life where you feel stuck or unable to change and grow, especially where this occurred around the beginning of your disease, or as the disease evolved.
Describe your childhood and the kind of environment you grew up in, with reference to your relationships with your family, your school experiences, and any serious childhood diseases.
Describe any reoccurring dreams you have, or any images or events that happen often in your dreams. If you had a reoccurring dream in childhood describe that as well.
David Kempson
Professional Classical Homoeopath
Dip.Hom.Med.1994
♡ brisbanehomoeopath last decade
Thank you for your response. I have tried to be more thorough with your new questions and have answered them below. There was a lot of overlap, so I hope I wasn't too redundant or left anything out! Thanks again; I look forward to reading your response and advice.
1. What exactly happens? Please give a LONG description not a short one. 2. Describe all sensations and pains. Each pain or sensation should be described in such a way that allows us to imagine having the same pain. Starting in about May of each year, when the weather begins to get hotter and more humid, my hands begin to get blisters. It usually starts on the index and middle fingers, then the ring fingers and thumbs, then the pinkies, and eventually the palms, and occurs on the palm side of the hands and fingers (not the tops). These blisters can be deep set, where you see them below the skin but they dont raise above the surface of the skin, or they can protrude above the surface of the skin, where you feel them if you run a finger over them. It also usually starts with single blisters scattered about and quickly moves to clusters in addition to single ones. The blisters are accompanied by itching, which starts out as mild but rapidly reaches a point of extreme intensity. I was always the type of child that scratched my mosquito bites until they ripped open, bled, and scabbed over, as Id rather deal with the pain than the itching. Its the same with my eczema. The itching is usually constant and there is nothing that provides relief. I literally want to rip my skin off it gets so bad. I try to resist scratching, but am not often successful. When the blisters rip open, either from scratching or naturally, a clear liquid oozes out of them and the itching continues for about 8-12 more hours. They eventually start to dry up, at which point there is more pain that itching. There is raw open skin exposed where the blister or cluster of blisters were, and this is very sensitive to water, soaps, lotions, acidic foods such as oranges and tomatoes, etc. These things cause the sores to burn intensely and hurt moderately. Lotions such as Eucerin and Cetaphil actually hurt and burn the blisters once they are open, so I usually use Vaseline to keep them from drying out too badly. Sometimes, usually at night, I will wear a pair of cotton gloves over the Vaseline to help my hands absorb it and avoid drying out too badly. I have also started using a locally made, organic and natural ingredient soap for this reason, but havent been able to find a shampoo that works for my hair but is still kind to the eczema. The hands dry out and crack along all the creases in my fingers and palms where blisters broke open. In the meantime, new blisters form under the dried skin, causing intense itching along with the pain. Nothing I have tried seems to provide any relief.
3. What causes the problem to get worse after it has started occurring? The only thing I can seem to tie to the worsening of the condition is hot water. Hot water makes them itch fiercely and does not help with the drying of the skin. I use cool water as much as possible, but must use warm to hot water for washing my face, dishes, and showering. I have tried wearing rubber/latex gloves over the cotton gloves when cooking and showering, but this makes my hands sweat and I think it worsens the problem. Therefore I only wear gloves when cooking with ingredients that cause the ruptured blisters to burn.
4. What creates some relief for the problem? The only things that have caused relief is topical steroid creams and ointments or allergy pills, and these only help with the itching. The ointments work a bit better than the creams, but are messy. Since there are a lot of warnings/issues associated with topical steroids, I try to limit use to only when the itching is most intense. As for the drying and cracking, I use a variety of noncomodogenic, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free lotions or creams as long as they do not burn the sores, and use Vaseline when the sores burn too much to use a lotion.
5. What triggers the problem into occurring? Hot, humid weather. As mentioned, the eczema usually flares up in May, when the weather starts to get warmer and more humid, and generally lasts into October. This is the first year that it has lasted into November. Although I recently had allergy skin patches done by a dermatologist, and the results all come out negative, I do believe that there also may be a seasonal allergen that triggers the eczema, as my allergies have definitely gotten worse since moving to this area 3.5 years ago. Once the eczema goes away in the fall, my hands are usually clear, with little to no minor outbreaks until it starts again in the spring.
6. What time of the day or night does the problem occur? This is an ongoing problem and it is constant during the 6 months or so of flareup; the itching and dryness occur all day. If I had to pick a time when its the worst, I would say when I first wake up in the morning for a couple hours, and in the evening as well.
7. When did the problem start? What was happening in your life at that time? Did some specific event or treatment take place just before the problem started? I cant pinpoint an exact year or age that I started suffering from dyshidrotic eczema, but I know it all started in early adulthood, in my late teens or early 20s. When I was 17, my parents separated; they were divorced when I was 18 in 1995. Those couple years was rough for me: I dealt with divorce and very adult things my senior year while everyone else was having fun, and then I graduated high school and decided to change my original plan of going away to college with my friends and instead stay home to work and go to community college so I was around to take care of my younger brothers, then 9 and 11. About 6 months into the new school year and community college, I started suffering from depression, so badly I couldnt sleep, work, or go to school. I dropped out and stayed in bed all day, crying. After about 3 weeks of this, my dad intervened and told me I needed to go to therapy. I will talk more about this below.
Can you give more information on the following statements you have made.
High stress- I consider my stress level to be high; compared to others, I really dont know as I dont know how much stress is average and how I compare to others or the norm. But I would say that mine is high. I had an ex-boyfriend that I dated in my mid 20s, a man I was with for over 4 years and thought I was going to marry. He did a lot of horrible things, and stole a lot of money from me that I am still paying off. I wont get into more specifics than that. I entered a debt consolidation plan over 2 years ago so the debt will be paid off in 2014 instead of the projected 2033, but almost 1/3 of my monthly income goes to this payment. Add in rent and everything else and money is REALLY TIGHT. I am fortunate to have finally found a decent job with the university but I am making much less than I did out of college, but thus is the situation with the current economic crisis. I have a teaching degree, but have been looking for a job in WI for almost 4 years now and have not been able to find one. Due the fact that I have to spend a lot of time and money on renewing my teaching licenses when they expire in June, along with the fact that I cant find a job, I decided to just let them expire and deal with it in the future if the financial and education situations in this state change. So I have an okay job, that I kinda like, but its not what I want to be doing and its not in my field. I make a lot less than I used to and live month to month, often running out of money in the last week of each month. Fortunately I have a wonderful partner that is paying all the utilities, health club membership, insurance, gas, etc while I am working to pay off my debt. He tells me that I am rarely relaxed, that I am very tense, and he worries about me as he just wants me to be healthy and happy. I worry a lot, usually about money and the future. I also can no longer afford a car, and although my boyfriend and I share his car, it is old and we dont trust it on long trips. So even though my family only lives 130-200 miles away, and I miss them very much, and I worry about my parents health, I cannot go home to visit often. Sure I can rent a car or take the bus, but that adds up as well. So this adds to my stress level, even just finding money to buy my nieces bday and Christmas presents is difficult.
Anxiety
I started suffering from panic attacks and anxiety in 2007 when I worked a high stress, high travel sales job. The employees all knew that a buyout and merger were in the works, but we didnt know when it would eventually happen or who would still have jobs. So I was expected to continue working hard and diligently, all the while waiting for the layoff call that I knew would eventually come because Id only been with the company for 8 months. I started having panic attacks and my doctor prescribed Alprazalom (Xanax) and it definitely helped. At this time, I started seeing a therapist for the 3rd time (see below in depression). The layoff call eventually came at my 13 month mark. I spent a couple months tying up ends, and moved to WI just over 2 months later (see below).
I still have some anxiety in my life, although I rarely need the meds anymore. I usually get anxious when dealing with money issues or being in a situation with a lot of people I dont know.
Depression see above in #7. When I started suffering from depression after my parents divorce, I started seeing a therapist. She was very helpful in working with me to find ways to deal with all the stress and bad situations in my life. She was also the first doctor to prescribe medication for depression I hated being on them but tried if for a little over a year before discussing with her to go off it. She taught me how to communicate and talk through my problems. I saw a therapist again when I started at the university, as I was under a lot of stress with work and school and felt I needed it to keep my head. I saw one again when the bad situation happened with the ex in 2006, and this therapist didnt do much for me. I tried meds again and decided I would never take them again, as they made me feel nothing. Yeah, they took the lows away, but I couldnt feel the highs anymore either. I felt like I was just existing without feeling, which is no way to live. He did suggest a book called Feeling Good which was my first encounter with cognitive therapy and it really clicked with me. Shortly after I moved to WI (see below), I started seeing a therapist again. I realized that meditation works well for me too.
When I am depressed, I dont want to do anything. I want to lay in bed and sleep and cry all day, avoiding the world and all thats in it. Its painful too, like my body just aches. Fortunately, I suffer these bouts less and less often, and when I do they usually dont last more than a day or two and are not nearly as severe as my past bouts of depression.
Severe frustration I get very frustrated with my living situation. Not where I live or who I live with, but just that life is not at all what I expected. Get over it, right? Well, to be honest, I never knew that being an adult would be so difficult. Growing up in American society, you watch Disney movies and are spoon-fed the belief that all relationships are perfect and everything about being a grown up is wonderful and fun. But this is not the case. Its hard, and it sucks sometimes. I get frustrated at my money situation. I get frustrated that I cant find a job in my field where I want to live (I could probably find a job elsewhere but I want to live HERE). I get frustrated that I have to turn down my friends sometimes because I cant join them with what theyre doing. I get frustrated that I cant have kids because I cant afford them. I get frustrated that people are destroying the planet and theres nothing I can do about it. I get frustrated that people treat each other so cruelly without any regard for feelings. Thats someone elses sister, brother, mother, father, friend, child. I guess Im just very sensitive, but I dont think its a bad thing.
Hopelessness
When I moved here, I went from visiting my boyfriend on weekends and getting all his time and attention, to living in the same apartment with him. This was a big change that we both wanted but was hard on both of us. I was living in a new city and state for the first time in my life (my previous cities were neighboring my hometown), had no job, no friends or family(other than my boyfriends), had no idea how/when/where I was going to find work, missed my family and friends, and would soon lose my car as my lease was up and I couldnt afford a car anymore. Eventually I saw a therapist, which helped immensely, found work (2 jobs I hated before landing my current one), and made friends. At first my boyfriend and I fought a lot, but weve worked through things and now talk about our thoughts, feelings, and problems much more.
Anyway, usually most of my hopelessness is due to my financial situation already discussed, my career situation already discussed, and the fact that I have no hope for the future of this planet based on how the world population as a whole (mostly developed countries) treat it. I also feel hopeless about my future, and think about it a lot.
Crawl in a hole and disappear This is not as much of an issue as it used to be, but there are times when I get so frustrated with life that I would like to disappear from this planet to get away from it all. In no way am I suicidal (although my father and maternal cousin both attempted suicide, and my maternal grandfather actually did commit suicide in his 70s), but I wish I could escape sometimes. Just to get away from all my problems for a little while would be so nice.
Stubborn I can be very stubborn, specifically when it comes to accepting help from others. I used to pride myself on being an independent, financially stable person who could support herself, and now I have to rely on others for help. It was very hard at first, and still isnt easy. I can also be stubborn if I disagree with someone; I like to talk about and discuss things but will get stubborn if I feel Im not being heard, and shut down by terminating the conversation.
Lazy Overall I am not a lazy person. I enjoy reading, knitting, and cooking, which I do regularly. I also enjoy painting, making jewelry, learning to play the guitar, and trying new things, which I do less frequently but try to do at least a few times a month. However, I can get lazy sometimes, especially when it comes to the television, and I get mad and disappointed in myself for it. I will often come home, sit down on the couch and turn the tv on (rather than going to the gym), and before I know it its time for bed! And we dont have cable or Netflix or any of that, so its not like I have a lot of good choices to suck me in. This is what I mean by being lazy. Im working on breaking my habit of turning on the tv, replacing that behavior with other more positive ones, and turning off the tv after watching the 1 show I turned it on for.
Being alone I feel sometimes like no one understands me, like no one can relate to me in any way. I seek out new friends, but often find that their ideas and views are so different from my own. Other than my partner, I really dont feel I have anyone I can confide in and talk to about anything, like I did when I was younger, and this is hard for me to face. I continue to see those people in my life.
Not seeing eye-to-eye - when I first moved to WI, my boyfriend and I fought a lot. It was a huge change for both of us, and I was an emotional wreck. Fortunately, we have learned how to deal with our indiffences and not take them personal. We talk about things now, were not afraid to say how we are feeling, and we know when we need some time alone away from the other person. When we do get in fights now, we know its usually because we are stressed out about something else (such as currently dealing with his sister who has breast canc and is currently in treatment), we need time alone, or we view things differently.
Dissatisfied with life - As mentioned above. Im not going to get into this again. Money, job, future, family. All these are insecure and are not the way I hoped or wanted them to be. I was always told that if you worked hard enough, you could achieve anything. This is not the case in todays world. And thats a hard lesson to learn and a tough concept to accept.
As well as this, please describe any traumatic incidents that have taken place in your life. Discuss anything that has had a lasting impact on you mentally, emotionally or physically.
Discuss the way that you manage or deal with your problems, or any problems that occur in your life. When I dealt with problems in the past, I would usually shut down and/or break down. It was avoidance behavior and my time working with therapists has definitely changed that. Now, I try to focus on the positive, I practice mind/cognitive therapy (which truly works for me), I talk about the problems with my partner, I journal, and I meditate. I know now that it is not healthy to keep things bottled up, and it is natural to share these things with others. Working out also helps with relieving stress from my problems.
Discuss any patterns you have noticed in your behavior especially concerning your disease. I have not noticed any patterns in my behavior concerning my disease. I get very angry, frustrated, and feel helpless when it comes to my eczema. Angry because nothing that Ive tried ever helps. Frustrated for the same reason. Helpless because I feel there is no hope.
Discuss any part of your life where you feel stuck or unable to change and grow, especially where this occurred around the beginning of your disease, or as the disease evolved. See all my other entries. It about covers all of this
Describe your childhood and the kind of environment you grew up in, with reference to your relationships with your family, your school experiences, and any serious childhood diseases.
I loved being a kid. My mom was a stay-at-home-mom when I was younger, and didnt start working until my very early teens. My dad wasnt around as much, but I saw him regularly. We had 5-7 people living in a small 2 bedroom/1 bath townhouse until I was 9, and then moved to a larger house in a neighboring town. My grandmother was very active in my life. She was the only babysitter I knew, and lived with us for awhile in the townhome. I loved her very much; she was one of the most important people in my life, had great influence, and was one of my best friends. She passed away 2.5 years ago, and it was very hard on me. I miss her dearly.
Both my parents used to smack us around; nothing too horrible but I was a child of the late 70s and 80s when that was more common and accepted. I feared my dad when I did something wrong, and my mom could be verbally abusive at times. But we had a very loving family and did a lot together. I remember lots of trips to amusement parks, farms and parks, apple picking, and going to relatives houses. We celebrated all the holidays, and my sister and I were surely spoiled. I loved to read, I enjoyed school thoroughly. I did go through a rough patch when we moved when I was 9; I had gone from private school to a new public school in my new town, and I was the weird new kid. Everything was different: the kids got to wear their own clothes to school (which youd think I liked, but I didnt; this was when I learned people get judged on what they wear), the kids knew about social studies and science, which I hadnt learned at private school, even the music they listened to was different. It was hard too, because for the first 2 months of school we still lived in our old house, so my mom would drive me to the new school every day, so I wasnt able to play with the other kids after school, which they did often. I used to cry every day during lunch, which I would eat in the office with the secretary, instead of in the gym with the other kids, and shed let me call my mom. But eventually I got over it. That was the only really traumatic thing I remember, otherwise I remember loving being a kid and loving school. I was in dance, and very good at it, and my parents struggled to pay for all the costumes, classes, and shoes. I had no serious childhood diseases that I know of. Jaundice as a baby and chicken pox twice. I got strep throat a few times too.
Describe any reoccurring dreams you have, or any images or events that happen often in your dreams. If you had a reoccurring dream in childhood describe that as well.
When I was a child, I often had dreams of running off a cliff, spreading my arms out, and flying. Eventually these evolved into just needing to run and spreading my arms to fly; I still have dreams occasionally where I fly. I also had a recurring dream as a kid of being chased by a scary monster I associate with the wolf from little red riding hood, and I was always being chased over a hill.
When I was in my 20s, I continuously had a dream that I would be murdered at the age of 27 by multiple stab wounds in a parking lot at night. I cant remember the exact number, bit I believe it was 11 stab wounds to the chest/front and 3 in my back. I was dead, but my spirit was hovering over the crime scene watching and listening to the police and others, and thats how I found out how I had died. Needless to say, I was much more cautious in my 27th year, and have not had the dream since passing that age.
[message edited by Turtle1477 on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:53:11 GMT]
1. What exactly happens? Please give a LONG description not a short one. 2. Describe all sensations and pains. Each pain or sensation should be described in such a way that allows us to imagine having the same pain. Starting in about May of each year, when the weather begins to get hotter and more humid, my hands begin to get blisters. It usually starts on the index and middle fingers, then the ring fingers and thumbs, then the pinkies, and eventually the palms, and occurs on the palm side of the hands and fingers (not the tops). These blisters can be deep set, where you see them below the skin but they dont raise above the surface of the skin, or they can protrude above the surface of the skin, where you feel them if you run a finger over them. It also usually starts with single blisters scattered about and quickly moves to clusters in addition to single ones. The blisters are accompanied by itching, which starts out as mild but rapidly reaches a point of extreme intensity. I was always the type of child that scratched my mosquito bites until they ripped open, bled, and scabbed over, as Id rather deal with the pain than the itching. Its the same with my eczema. The itching is usually constant and there is nothing that provides relief. I literally want to rip my skin off it gets so bad. I try to resist scratching, but am not often successful. When the blisters rip open, either from scratching or naturally, a clear liquid oozes out of them and the itching continues for about 8-12 more hours. They eventually start to dry up, at which point there is more pain that itching. There is raw open skin exposed where the blister or cluster of blisters were, and this is very sensitive to water, soaps, lotions, acidic foods such as oranges and tomatoes, etc. These things cause the sores to burn intensely and hurt moderately. Lotions such as Eucerin and Cetaphil actually hurt and burn the blisters once they are open, so I usually use Vaseline to keep them from drying out too badly. Sometimes, usually at night, I will wear a pair of cotton gloves over the Vaseline to help my hands absorb it and avoid drying out too badly. I have also started using a locally made, organic and natural ingredient soap for this reason, but havent been able to find a shampoo that works for my hair but is still kind to the eczema. The hands dry out and crack along all the creases in my fingers and palms where blisters broke open. In the meantime, new blisters form under the dried skin, causing intense itching along with the pain. Nothing I have tried seems to provide any relief.
3. What causes the problem to get worse after it has started occurring? The only thing I can seem to tie to the worsening of the condition is hot water. Hot water makes them itch fiercely and does not help with the drying of the skin. I use cool water as much as possible, but must use warm to hot water for washing my face, dishes, and showering. I have tried wearing rubber/latex gloves over the cotton gloves when cooking and showering, but this makes my hands sweat and I think it worsens the problem. Therefore I only wear gloves when cooking with ingredients that cause the ruptured blisters to burn.
4. What creates some relief for the problem? The only things that have caused relief is topical steroid creams and ointments or allergy pills, and these only help with the itching. The ointments work a bit better than the creams, but are messy. Since there are a lot of warnings/issues associated with topical steroids, I try to limit use to only when the itching is most intense. As for the drying and cracking, I use a variety of noncomodogenic, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free lotions or creams as long as they do not burn the sores, and use Vaseline when the sores burn too much to use a lotion.
5. What triggers the problem into occurring? Hot, humid weather. As mentioned, the eczema usually flares up in May, when the weather starts to get warmer and more humid, and generally lasts into October. This is the first year that it has lasted into November. Although I recently had allergy skin patches done by a dermatologist, and the results all come out negative, I do believe that there also may be a seasonal allergen that triggers the eczema, as my allergies have definitely gotten worse since moving to this area 3.5 years ago. Once the eczema goes away in the fall, my hands are usually clear, with little to no minor outbreaks until it starts again in the spring.
6. What time of the day or night does the problem occur? This is an ongoing problem and it is constant during the 6 months or so of flareup; the itching and dryness occur all day. If I had to pick a time when its the worst, I would say when I first wake up in the morning for a couple hours, and in the evening as well.
7. When did the problem start? What was happening in your life at that time? Did some specific event or treatment take place just before the problem started? I cant pinpoint an exact year or age that I started suffering from dyshidrotic eczema, but I know it all started in early adulthood, in my late teens or early 20s. When I was 17, my parents separated; they were divorced when I was 18 in 1995. Those couple years was rough for me: I dealt with divorce and very adult things my senior year while everyone else was having fun, and then I graduated high school and decided to change my original plan of going away to college with my friends and instead stay home to work and go to community college so I was around to take care of my younger brothers, then 9 and 11. About 6 months into the new school year and community college, I started suffering from depression, so badly I couldnt sleep, work, or go to school. I dropped out and stayed in bed all day, crying. After about 3 weeks of this, my dad intervened and told me I needed to go to therapy. I will talk more about this below.
Can you give more information on the following statements you have made.
High stress- I consider my stress level to be high; compared to others, I really dont know as I dont know how much stress is average and how I compare to others or the norm. But I would say that mine is high. I had an ex-boyfriend that I dated in my mid 20s, a man I was with for over 4 years and thought I was going to marry. He did a lot of horrible things, and stole a lot of money from me that I am still paying off. I wont get into more specifics than that. I entered a debt consolidation plan over 2 years ago so the debt will be paid off in 2014 instead of the projected 2033, but almost 1/3 of my monthly income goes to this payment. Add in rent and everything else and money is REALLY TIGHT. I am fortunate to have finally found a decent job with the university but I am making much less than I did out of college, but thus is the situation with the current economic crisis. I have a teaching degree, but have been looking for a job in WI for almost 4 years now and have not been able to find one. Due the fact that I have to spend a lot of time and money on renewing my teaching licenses when they expire in June, along with the fact that I cant find a job, I decided to just let them expire and deal with it in the future if the financial and education situations in this state change. So I have an okay job, that I kinda like, but its not what I want to be doing and its not in my field. I make a lot less than I used to and live month to month, often running out of money in the last week of each month. Fortunately I have a wonderful partner that is paying all the utilities, health club membership, insurance, gas, etc while I am working to pay off my debt. He tells me that I am rarely relaxed, that I am very tense, and he worries about me as he just wants me to be healthy and happy. I worry a lot, usually about money and the future. I also can no longer afford a car, and although my boyfriend and I share his car, it is old and we dont trust it on long trips. So even though my family only lives 130-200 miles away, and I miss them very much, and I worry about my parents health, I cannot go home to visit often. Sure I can rent a car or take the bus, but that adds up as well. So this adds to my stress level, even just finding money to buy my nieces bday and Christmas presents is difficult.
Anxiety
I started suffering from panic attacks and anxiety in 2007 when I worked a high stress, high travel sales job. The employees all knew that a buyout and merger were in the works, but we didnt know when it would eventually happen or who would still have jobs. So I was expected to continue working hard and diligently, all the while waiting for the layoff call that I knew would eventually come because Id only been with the company for 8 months. I started having panic attacks and my doctor prescribed Alprazalom (Xanax) and it definitely helped. At this time, I started seeing a therapist for the 3rd time (see below in depression). The layoff call eventually came at my 13 month mark. I spent a couple months tying up ends, and moved to WI just over 2 months later (see below).
I still have some anxiety in my life, although I rarely need the meds anymore. I usually get anxious when dealing with money issues or being in a situation with a lot of people I dont know.
Depression see above in #7. When I started suffering from depression after my parents divorce, I started seeing a therapist. She was very helpful in working with me to find ways to deal with all the stress and bad situations in my life. She was also the first doctor to prescribe medication for depression I hated being on them but tried if for a little over a year before discussing with her to go off it. She taught me how to communicate and talk through my problems. I saw a therapist again when I started at the university, as I was under a lot of stress with work and school and felt I needed it to keep my head. I saw one again when the bad situation happened with the ex in 2006, and this therapist didnt do much for me. I tried meds again and decided I would never take them again, as they made me feel nothing. Yeah, they took the lows away, but I couldnt feel the highs anymore either. I felt like I was just existing without feeling, which is no way to live. He did suggest a book called Feeling Good which was my first encounter with cognitive therapy and it really clicked with me. Shortly after I moved to WI (see below), I started seeing a therapist again. I realized that meditation works well for me too.
When I am depressed, I dont want to do anything. I want to lay in bed and sleep and cry all day, avoiding the world and all thats in it. Its painful too, like my body just aches. Fortunately, I suffer these bouts less and less often, and when I do they usually dont last more than a day or two and are not nearly as severe as my past bouts of depression.
Severe frustration I get very frustrated with my living situation. Not where I live or who I live with, but just that life is not at all what I expected. Get over it, right? Well, to be honest, I never knew that being an adult would be so difficult. Growing up in American society, you watch Disney movies and are spoon-fed the belief that all relationships are perfect and everything about being a grown up is wonderful and fun. But this is not the case. Its hard, and it sucks sometimes. I get frustrated at my money situation. I get frustrated that I cant find a job in my field where I want to live (I could probably find a job elsewhere but I want to live HERE). I get frustrated that I have to turn down my friends sometimes because I cant join them with what theyre doing. I get frustrated that I cant have kids because I cant afford them. I get frustrated that people are destroying the planet and theres nothing I can do about it. I get frustrated that people treat each other so cruelly without any regard for feelings. Thats someone elses sister, brother, mother, father, friend, child. I guess Im just very sensitive, but I dont think its a bad thing.
Hopelessness
When I moved here, I went from visiting my boyfriend on weekends and getting all his time and attention, to living in the same apartment with him. This was a big change that we both wanted but was hard on both of us. I was living in a new city and state for the first time in my life (my previous cities were neighboring my hometown), had no job, no friends or family(other than my boyfriends), had no idea how/when/where I was going to find work, missed my family and friends, and would soon lose my car as my lease was up and I couldnt afford a car anymore. Eventually I saw a therapist, which helped immensely, found work (2 jobs I hated before landing my current one), and made friends. At first my boyfriend and I fought a lot, but weve worked through things and now talk about our thoughts, feelings, and problems much more.
Anyway, usually most of my hopelessness is due to my financial situation already discussed, my career situation already discussed, and the fact that I have no hope for the future of this planet based on how the world population as a whole (mostly developed countries) treat it. I also feel hopeless about my future, and think about it a lot.
Crawl in a hole and disappear This is not as much of an issue as it used to be, but there are times when I get so frustrated with life that I would like to disappear from this planet to get away from it all. In no way am I suicidal (although my father and maternal cousin both attempted suicide, and my maternal grandfather actually did commit suicide in his 70s), but I wish I could escape sometimes. Just to get away from all my problems for a little while would be so nice.
Stubborn I can be very stubborn, specifically when it comes to accepting help from others. I used to pride myself on being an independent, financially stable person who could support herself, and now I have to rely on others for help. It was very hard at first, and still isnt easy. I can also be stubborn if I disagree with someone; I like to talk about and discuss things but will get stubborn if I feel Im not being heard, and shut down by terminating the conversation.
Lazy Overall I am not a lazy person. I enjoy reading, knitting, and cooking, which I do regularly. I also enjoy painting, making jewelry, learning to play the guitar, and trying new things, which I do less frequently but try to do at least a few times a month. However, I can get lazy sometimes, especially when it comes to the television, and I get mad and disappointed in myself for it. I will often come home, sit down on the couch and turn the tv on (rather than going to the gym), and before I know it its time for bed! And we dont have cable or Netflix or any of that, so its not like I have a lot of good choices to suck me in. This is what I mean by being lazy. Im working on breaking my habit of turning on the tv, replacing that behavior with other more positive ones, and turning off the tv after watching the 1 show I turned it on for.
Being alone I feel sometimes like no one understands me, like no one can relate to me in any way. I seek out new friends, but often find that their ideas and views are so different from my own. Other than my partner, I really dont feel I have anyone I can confide in and talk to about anything, like I did when I was younger, and this is hard for me to face. I continue to see those people in my life.
Not seeing eye-to-eye - when I first moved to WI, my boyfriend and I fought a lot. It was a huge change for both of us, and I was an emotional wreck. Fortunately, we have learned how to deal with our indiffences and not take them personal. We talk about things now, were not afraid to say how we are feeling, and we know when we need some time alone away from the other person. When we do get in fights now, we know its usually because we are stressed out about something else (such as currently dealing with his sister who has breast canc and is currently in treatment), we need time alone, or we view things differently.
Dissatisfied with life - As mentioned above. Im not going to get into this again. Money, job, future, family. All these are insecure and are not the way I hoped or wanted them to be. I was always told that if you worked hard enough, you could achieve anything. This is not the case in todays world. And thats a hard lesson to learn and a tough concept to accept.
As well as this, please describe any traumatic incidents that have taken place in your life. Discuss anything that has had a lasting impact on you mentally, emotionally or physically.
Discuss the way that you manage or deal with your problems, or any problems that occur in your life. When I dealt with problems in the past, I would usually shut down and/or break down. It was avoidance behavior and my time working with therapists has definitely changed that. Now, I try to focus on the positive, I practice mind/cognitive therapy (which truly works for me), I talk about the problems with my partner, I journal, and I meditate. I know now that it is not healthy to keep things bottled up, and it is natural to share these things with others. Working out also helps with relieving stress from my problems.
Discuss any patterns you have noticed in your behavior especially concerning your disease. I have not noticed any patterns in my behavior concerning my disease. I get very angry, frustrated, and feel helpless when it comes to my eczema. Angry because nothing that Ive tried ever helps. Frustrated for the same reason. Helpless because I feel there is no hope.
Discuss any part of your life where you feel stuck or unable to change and grow, especially where this occurred around the beginning of your disease, or as the disease evolved. See all my other entries. It about covers all of this
Describe your childhood and the kind of environment you grew up in, with reference to your relationships with your family, your school experiences, and any serious childhood diseases.
I loved being a kid. My mom was a stay-at-home-mom when I was younger, and didnt start working until my very early teens. My dad wasnt around as much, but I saw him regularly. We had 5-7 people living in a small 2 bedroom/1 bath townhouse until I was 9, and then moved to a larger house in a neighboring town. My grandmother was very active in my life. She was the only babysitter I knew, and lived with us for awhile in the townhome. I loved her very much; she was one of the most important people in my life, had great influence, and was one of my best friends. She passed away 2.5 years ago, and it was very hard on me. I miss her dearly.
Both my parents used to smack us around; nothing too horrible but I was a child of the late 70s and 80s when that was more common and accepted. I feared my dad when I did something wrong, and my mom could be verbally abusive at times. But we had a very loving family and did a lot together. I remember lots of trips to amusement parks, farms and parks, apple picking, and going to relatives houses. We celebrated all the holidays, and my sister and I were surely spoiled. I loved to read, I enjoyed school thoroughly. I did go through a rough patch when we moved when I was 9; I had gone from private school to a new public school in my new town, and I was the weird new kid. Everything was different: the kids got to wear their own clothes to school (which youd think I liked, but I didnt; this was when I learned people get judged on what they wear), the kids knew about social studies and science, which I hadnt learned at private school, even the music they listened to was different. It was hard too, because for the first 2 months of school we still lived in our old house, so my mom would drive me to the new school every day, so I wasnt able to play with the other kids after school, which they did often. I used to cry every day during lunch, which I would eat in the office with the secretary, instead of in the gym with the other kids, and shed let me call my mom. But eventually I got over it. That was the only really traumatic thing I remember, otherwise I remember loving being a kid and loving school. I was in dance, and very good at it, and my parents struggled to pay for all the costumes, classes, and shoes. I had no serious childhood diseases that I know of. Jaundice as a baby and chicken pox twice. I got strep throat a few times too.
Describe any reoccurring dreams you have, or any images or events that happen often in your dreams. If you had a reoccurring dream in childhood describe that as well.
When I was a child, I often had dreams of running off a cliff, spreading my arms out, and flying. Eventually these evolved into just needing to run and spreading my arms to fly; I still have dreams occasionally where I fly. I also had a recurring dream as a kid of being chased by a scary monster I associate with the wolf from little red riding hood, and I was always being chased over a hill.
When I was in my 20s, I continuously had a dream that I would be murdered at the age of 27 by multiple stab wounds in a parking lot at night. I cant remember the exact number, bit I believe it was 11 stab wounds to the chest/front and 3 in my back. I was dead, but my spirit was hovering over the crime scene watching and listening to the police and others, and thats how I found out how I had died. Needless to say, I was much more cautious in my 27th year, and have not had the dream since passing that age.
[message edited by Turtle1477 on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:53:11 GMT]
Turtle1477 last decade
Ok I have the background and story of your life now.
Unfortunately, most of that will not help me choose a remedy.
What I really need, is not a factual description of the events of your life, but the experience of a person who lived the events. I need the viseral responses, the emotions, the feelings, the reactions, the irrational thoughs and actions that resulted.
Good homoeopathic case-taking is like comparing a news story to a human interest story. One just tells you what happened, the other (homoeopathy) gets inside the person's life and allows you to imagine what it was like to live through it. Homoeopathic case-taking is a lot like counselling when done properly (but at the end we have a trick no-one else does - the remedy).
This is getting to the hard part for you - expressing your life in a way that allows me to really understand what it has been like for you, if it had been me.
Some of the expressions might not be direct expriences but just something you mentioned. Just talk about them in a more associative way if necessary.
So, using the story as a springboard for going deeper, can you describe for me the experience of (not the facts behind):
Worrying, Stress, Tension
Having little money
Told everthing would be wonderful but finding out it nothing is the way you hoped
People destroying the planet
People being cruel
Hopeless about the future
No-one understands me
Insecurity
Flying
Murdered
Suicide
Unfortunately, most of that will not help me choose a remedy.
What I really need, is not a factual description of the events of your life, but the experience of a person who lived the events. I need the viseral responses, the emotions, the feelings, the reactions, the irrational thoughs and actions that resulted.
Good homoeopathic case-taking is like comparing a news story to a human interest story. One just tells you what happened, the other (homoeopathy) gets inside the person's life and allows you to imagine what it was like to live through it. Homoeopathic case-taking is a lot like counselling when done properly (but at the end we have a trick no-one else does - the remedy).
This is getting to the hard part for you - expressing your life in a way that allows me to really understand what it has been like for you, if it had been me.
Some of the expressions might not be direct expriences but just something you mentioned. Just talk about them in a more associative way if necessary.
So, using the story as a springboard for going deeper, can you describe for me the experience of (not the facts behind):
Worrying, Stress, Tension
Having little money
Told everthing would be wonderful but finding out it nothing is the way you hoped
People destroying the planet
People being cruel
Hopeless about the future
No-one understands me
Insecurity
Flying
Murdered
Suicide
♡ brisbanehomoeopath last decade
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