I check around every now and then just to see if there is anything new to try. I have not heard of the vitamin E so I will give that a try.
This disease sucks. I know. There is no known cause or known cure. You can only deal with the symptons and they come.
The thing that was stressed to me by my doctor was the fact that I am just going to have to deal with a certain amount of discomfort with this disease but that if you can find a regiment that works for you, then you will have a better time in dealing with this disease. I am currently on a couple of items. The first is a steroid based ointment which helps control the bumps if you can avoid biting, scratching, or picking them. I myself seem to have the inability to stop from biting them which causes my hand and arms to be broken out most of the time. The reason I do this is just because it gets rid of the bumps but also starts the process of getting rid of them. Although we all know this is probably not helpful, I have found it does not hurt either. If I pick them or not, this stuff just keeps spreading in no known pattern until it feels it has reached its happy level and then it starts the process of going away. It is an up-and- down cycle. Sucks to say the least.....
The second medicine I take it the Clarinex. It definitely help the itching as when you have an outbreak, you can feel the histimines flowing through your body and just about everything itches. This is the worst. There are also the secondary rashes that appear in places other than your hands such as by my armpit on the right side, my stomach, and especially my arms. I use Elidel on these areas because you do not want to use the steriod based stuff too much or it stops being effective. The Elidel is cool because it does not contain steriods and yet it helps to stop the secondary rashes.
Dyshidrosis has varying levels of intensity. This is a form of atopic dermatitis which is a generic term for alot of different conditions. It doesn't always affect the feet but it can. Mine are not. Usually if they have not by the time you notice it on your hands, then it won't appear on your feet.
Try to control your stress level. As you have gotten older, your body does not handle stress the same as when you were younger. I would also suggest trying some of the medications I mentioned but overall if the little bumps don't itch, leave them alone and they will eventually disappear on their own. Hang in there...It may be a long road.
One of the theories with this disease is that if you keep your hands in water, whether it be hand washing or latex gloves, it will cause your hands to blow up. I had to cover one of my fingers with a band-aid because I had cut it at work. The next day, BAM!, that finger blew up and now I can't bend it.
I use a coating of Vaseline and cotton knit gloves. It allows the hands to breathe so they don't get soaked in water from sweating and the Vaseline helps the hands to heal by keeping them moist without using water.
A lot of people in this forum use all sorts of hand lotions but I have found that just plain old petroleum jelly works the best. Yeah, it's greasy, but hey, if it works, USE IT!
Word of caution on the steroids: don't over use it. Your skin will get used to it and then it will stop working. I currently use two different types and switch between them over a period of about three weeks. It works for me....
It is hard not to chew on the bumps when they appear as they itch and make your skin numb. It doesn't seem to matter if I break them or not, but what does matter is that the itching stops. Sometimes it is so intense I just cringe. I take an allergy medicine to help control the itching which seems to help. I have to take a double dose though.
I have been on the Fluocinonide Ointment and have also gotten the steroid shot. My doctor was concerned about getting to many steroid shots in a short period of time without a bone density test. Make sure your doctor discusses with you the dangers of using the inject steroids.
I, too, have received the Kenalog shot(s) and have found they help to calm the inflammations and itching but eventually they do return. When this thing gets out of hand, I will return and get another shot. My doc says he doesn't want to give me one more than a couple times a year.
Written by Sydney S. © 2002-2006
Updated 3-12-2006
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