An update....

I haven't written in a while, things have been busy, but I wanted to update as even if nobody is reading this, its good to keep tabs on my progress.

So after my last post, I went ahead with the fexofenadine - and much to my surprise, it helped with the itching considerably. At that point I decided I had to re-read the advice on www.dyshidrosis.co.uk and give it a proper go.

First thing I did was contact my Aunt in Mexico - she was amazing, and managed to get me Nystatin over the counter as it isn't even available in the UK on prescription. She posted it to me and I should receive it any day now.

I then had my appointment with the private dermatologist. She told me the following:

• The pattern of dyshidrosis I have, described as an 'apron' with a patch on the palm and strings up the fingers, is almost never caused by a contact allergy.
• She doesn't believe that eczema of this type is linked to food allergies or intolerances (she believes there is a link between childhood eczema and food however)
• I will probably be dealing with this for the rest of my life. How uplifting.

She offered me methotrexate and toctino...I turned them both down, though it is good to know toctino is an option in the future. She told me to use Dermovate again...two weeks of steroid application morning and night, and then every weekend to keep it at bay. I did tell her that Dermovate doesn't seem to help it, but she pretty much said that was what I needed to do to get clear.

I did however, ask her about the id reaction - is it possible, I asked, that this is a secondary reaction to a fungal infection elsewhere on the body?

"Highly unlikely and very rare" was her response.

I told her that I thought I might have a candida overgrowth following multiple antibiotics, which she pretty much rolled her eyes at. I also told her I had a small patch of scaly skin on my foot and wasn't sure whether it was fungal or eczema. She said it also wasn't clear from looking, but when I asked her if she would prescribe an oral anti fungal for me to try, she surprisingly agreed.  So, off I went with a 28 day course of Itraconazole.

She told me to take 1 a day....but I did my research and decided to take 2....its safe, I looked at reputable guidelines, and hey - I like to live dangerously. I also started a very strict low carb low sugar diet at the same time.

Amazingly my hands improved overnight...it was quite a drastic improvement and I had to contain my excitement. Four days in things were even better....my hands were looking almost clear. Then day 5 hit...and so did new blisters. I panicked, but tried to stay calm. Today is day 7.....I do have new blisters, but nothing like as many as before and they are less itchy, and seem to shrink down quite quickly. I guess I don't know what to expect with this - immediate improvement? Gradual improvement? Continued breakouts which are smaller and less severe? Its all completely experimental. But I have to focus on the positives, that things are looking up, at least for now.

Here is a progress picture - before I started, and today, day 7,