Eczema Pompholyx on hands

[Shevicks]

I am suffering with eczema on my hands, and have had it for over 12 months. The doctor said that it is caused by stress (started after my husband died suddenly last year) and that the diabetes is preventing it healing properly. She has prescribed some hydrocortisone cream and it just does not seem to be getting any better at all. Does anybody else have skin problems that just don't heal, or have any tips for dealing with this problem?

I am recently diagnosed T2, on Metformin SR 4x500mg. I have been managing to keep my BS levels quite low, although I do not seem to be able to maintain the low levels achieved in the first two weeks. Two hours after meals I am around 8 and still at 5-6 before eating, except in the morning when I am usually 6.7.

 

[novorapidboi26]

Hey sorry to hear about your husband, and the skin problems.......

I cant offer any advice as such but encouragement I can offer....

The rersults you have given seem very reasonable, well within targets that would allow your body to heal to the best of its ability.....so well done.

My partner suffers from skin problems on her hands and has had to get the best cream availabe, unfortunately dont know what its called.....

I hope you can find the answers........

 

[Copepod]

Shevicks - applying hydrocortisone cream is a bit of an art - not too thick, not too thin, not too often, not too infrequently. Sometimes wearing cotton gloves after applying cream before bed and / or adding an appropriate product when bathing / showering can help, so it would be worth asking GP / practice nurse / pharmacist about that. If not getting anywhere, then worth asking for referral to a dermatologist / skin specialist, as skin problems are notoriously difficult to sort out.

 

[Caroline]

I'm sorry to hear about your sad loss and your skin problems.

I know a few people who keep getting recurring bouts which takes ages to heal. All are non diabetic, it takes thenm ages to heal too. Sometimes it drives them crazy so for the times they are watching TV or at bed time they have special gloves. Talk to your doctor or care team about the glove.

Some folks find doing relaxing things like yoga, tai chi or mediation helps as anything too stressfull aggrivates things.

 

[AlisonM]

Hi Shevicks, I used to have eczema very badly into my thirties and there were times when it just refused to heal. The hands are one of the worst ares to get it as you use them all the time. Here are few tips that might help. Don't wash them too often and don't use hard milled soap as that dries the skin too much. If you have to wash anything by hand, coat your hands in a barrier cream or something like Diprobase (you can get this from your doctor) and wear light weight rubber or latex gloves to keep them away from the detegents. Make sure the water is only hand hot and not scalding. The same goes for baths and showers, not too hot, no hard soap and try to use a PH balanced liquid soap like Dove or Simple.

At night if you can, try spreading your cortisone on some sterile gauze and wrapping it round your hands, put some stockinette bandage (or the cotton gloves if you can get them) over the top to hold it in place. If you can, wear dressing or gloves around the house during the day too. Also, try to avoid letting your hands get either too hot or too cold as both can make it worse.

What sort of eczema do you have the dry, cracking sort or the crusty, leaking sort (apologies for the mental images folks)? Different things work for different kinds. While it has probably been exacerbated by your loss, for which I am very sorry, there could be other triggers as well. for instance, it could also be allergy based, has you doctor ordered any tests? On the plus side, your blood sugar ranges look very good and that should minimise the effect of diabetes on your eczema.

I hope some of this helps.

 

[Shevicks]

Thank you for your replies. I will certainly be trying some if not all of your tips!

Alison, some how I seem to manage to have the leaking sort (starts out as blisters which if popped leave deep seated holes in skin) which then turn into dry cracking sort!! Also sorry about the mental pictures folks! I have 3 large patches of it on my palms, over in inch in diameter each which are always very pink and swollen.

I have to wash hands regularly due to my work, and I am worried if I do not get on top of this soon it is going to have negative implications at work.

Fingers crossed something will work - just off to see if I can get some cotton gloves now. x