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Stop using topical steroid creams!

Speedsterbeast

New Member
I tend to like posting threads on this forum related to signs musch more than random stuff, but I feel the need to share this tonight.
If anyone is or knows who is using topical steroid creams please stop immediately!
Below are some links to some websites that will explain it better than me, but let me just say that I am speaking from a lot of research from a lot of good sources, and unfortunately, personal experience.
I have been going through Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW) since the beginning of November. It was very disappointing to have to find out from my own research, instead of my doctor’s knowledge why exactly I have been suffering like I have been. It turns out that from over ten years of using steroids as a skin treatment, my adrenal glands have stopped working properly. The good news is that I will make a full recovery from this. The bad news is that it already is, and is going to be a horrible f#c@ing battle that may last up to three years. I won’t bore you with the details, except to say my nights are filled with fighting for three hours sleep with ice packs around my neck and arms to lessen the itching and nerve “pin pricks” that make me scratch my skin raw every night. On the upside, I haven’t started the “skin oozing” stage yet. Apparently I have to look forward to that in months 4-6.
Last week I was fortunate enough to speak over the phone to the pioneer of this discovery, Dr. Marvin Rapaport from UCLA. He has dedicated his life’s work to getting topical steroid creams banned from being used as treatment of any kind. He explained to me that eczema attacks us as infants and “burns out” in our adolescence. However, when prescribed corticosteroids as treatment, the skin becomes more inflamed from the treatment and it appears to be worsened eczema. So what do the doctors do? Prescribe us more and STRONGER steroids. And the cycle continues; for years for some of us. He also warns that many doctors either are uninformed of this, or deny it without an open mind. Dr. Rapaport also offers his advice to any doctor who will listen. He simply told me to tell my doctor to call him if he so desires at any time. I was sooo lucky to get to talk to this intelligent, patient, and selfless individual, who, I’m sure, will go down in the medical history books when he finally gets his message across to the medical world.
Anyway, here are the links. Some of the stories are very well documented by people who have gone, or are going through this horrific ordeal. And be warned that some of the photos are shocking. If anyone has any questions they’d like to ask me, I’d be happy to try.
Thanks for reading
-Cory

http://redskinsyndrome.squarespace.com/
http://itsan.org/
 

rjssigns

Active Member
Yikes! Another FDA "approved" treatment that will be taken off the market.

Me: Is this safe?
Doctor: Suuure...says so on the bottle.
 

Bigcat_hunter

New Member
I think any kind of steroids are dangerous. I had to take prednisone to fight parvo, ...yes parvo. I have no idea how I got it but it was horrible. The prednisone made me gain about 60 lbs, break out in acne and make me one pissed off ombre. Had to ween off it for months. I guess its better then dying though. Bad stuff.
 

Marlene

New Member
The prednisone made me gain about 60 lbs, break out in acne and make me one pissed off ombre. Had to ween off it for months. I guess its better then dying though. Bad stuff.

they gave it to me for a sinus infection, hardly life threatening, yikes. I think it most likely worked but now I am questioning if the risk was worth it.

glad to hear it worked for you bigcat even if the side effects were pretty bad.
 

Bigcat_hunter

New Member
Yeah, I later found out that long term use of prednisone cane erode your spinal disks! Not good stuff but sometimes it is needed. The parvo can be life threatening if not treated.
 

Jack Knight1979

New Member
I have used low grade topical steroids for years and years for skin problems. I've been weening myself of them and moving to a vitamin D based analog. It's not been an easy transition. Steroids are a bad scene.
 

John Butto

New Member
Goldenseal root

I think any kind of steroids are dangerous. I had to take prednisone to fight parvo, ...yes parvo. I have no idea how I got it but it was horrible. The prednisone made me gain about 60 lbs, break out in acne and make me one pissed off ombre. Had to ween off it for months. I guess its better then dying though. Bad stuff.
I am not a doctor but prednisone is used a lot to treat headaches such as migraines. If I am bad enough to go to a doctor I make sure to do a check on what he tells me I have and how to treat it. Parvo is mainly a dog disease, and for a human to get it it must have been horrible as you say. You should look into some natural ways of helping your immune system.
 

letterman7

New Member
I think any kind of steroids are dangerous. I had to take prednisone to fight parvo, ...yes parvo. I have no idea how I got it but it was horrible. The prednisone made me gain about 60 lbs, break out in acne and make me one pissed off ombre. Had to ween off it for months. I guess its better then dying though. Bad stuff.

My wife contracted that years ago. We couldn't figure out how except for the doctor thought it may have been through a tick bite that had it already. In any case, yes, topical steroids are definitely not meant for long term use!
 

Speedsterbeast

New Member
6 Months off Topical Steroid Cream

Started this thread a while back warning of the dangers of using coerticosteroid creams as a treatment for eczema. Well today marks 6 the six month milestone for me since I stopped cold turkey. This has by far been the most challenging thing I have ever done. It has both taken me to my physical and mental limits of all that I can handle.
I'm happy to state that I'm now sleeping much better than before, and the nerve pain and most of the oozing of the skin has subsided. Ice packs are only needed to sleep with occasionally. My skin is still very red, dry and tight, but it is much better than before. The intense itching only lasts for about a hallf hour and only attacks 3-4 times a day. My daily dose of Atarax antihistamine has gone from 300mg some days down to 75-100 a day.
Unfortunately I have not been able to find an allie in the medical profession in my area. All seven of the doctors I've seen have totally dismissed my suffering as being triggered by something else. One doctor even wanted to give me prednisone shots to treat my swollen, infected oozing arms and face. It is so frustrating because they are giving this poison to people on a daily basis to people and even children. God it pisses me off something aweful.
Anyway, I just wanted to try and get the word out a little more and share some info. So glad spring is here and I can work almost a normal schedule now without being such a slave to my health. Still probably have another year or two to go before my adrenal glands totally recover and I can say I'm healed, but I've come a long way.
If anyone knows someone who is using theses creams PLEASE show them these sites, and follow the links to other sufferes from here to learn about this horrific problem.

A site to a fellow sufferer who has claimed he is healed after 17 months of hell (his pictures are very similar to what I looked like a couple months ago. And they may look horrifying, but I can tell you that it feels ten times worse than it looks)
http://eczemahealing.blogspot.ca/

The ITSAN SIte with a news story about my hero. Dr. Marvin Rapaport.
http://itsan.org/
 

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
Just a word of caution to anybody with diabetes: steroids cause extreme elevations in blood glucose levels. We went through all of this just before dad's passing two weeks ago.
 

Speedsterbeast

New Member
Just a word of caution to anybody with diabetes: steroids cause extreme elevations in blood glucose levels. We went through all of this just before dad's passing two weeks ago.

Very sorry to hear of your loss. Lost my father two years ago. Was my best friend. You never get over it, but it does get easier as time passes.
I hope that his passing was not influenced by any doctor's neglegance. Any steroid creams should only be used for a max of 4 or five days, and yes, they play havock with all kinds if the body's natural level of so many chemicals. Including cortosol and blood sugar.
 
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