My baby miserable from Eczema please help

amother

Thu, Apr 14 2022, 12:00 am

So the steroid the dermotologist gave helped it some what, I put on very little and followed her directions. But two days later it starts coming back and it never fully cleared it up.
My pediatrician just gave me a cream that he said is safer long term, it’s a compound that usually costs like 150 and isn’t made here, but there’s one store in Boro park that makes that compound maybe it’s called Ezra’s compound. Anyone know about this and how safe it really is?
The ingredients say
Niacinimide 4%
Tactolimus .1%
Ointment 30 gm
He said I can apply twice a day and can do it everyday .

amother

Charcoal

Thu, Apr 14 2022, 12:19 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Niacinimide is a type of b vitamin. Tacrolimus is a calcineurin inhibitor, my DC is on a different cream of the same drug class and uses it daily. I haven't heard of this compound before but these ingredients seem ok.

amother

Charcoal

Thu, Apr 14 2022, 12:25 am

amother [ Olive ] wrote:

Tacrolimus is a potent immune suppressant, much stronger than steroids.

But it's not as harmful steroids according to what I was told by multiple doctors. Although you shouldn't use it like a moisturizer and apply all over the body every day. It's meant for short term use on affected areas only. We were told to start by using it daily on the really bad areas for about 2 weeks and then every 2-3 days. But my DC uses a calcineurin inhibitor without any other ingredients so it might be a little different.

amother

Thu, Apr 14 2022, 12:32 am

I don’t know what to do. On one hand these creams are terrible on the other hand her face flares and has gotten infected. Like I used this new cream three times already and I see one side is looking infected almost. So I didn’t put the cream in tonight instead I put mupirocin and I don’t know what’s the right thing to do

amother

Chambray

Thu, Apr 14 2022, 8:54 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Anyone else have a input on this cream I was given. They say it’s not as bad as a steroid but what is it

They say it's not as bad as steroids because it doesn't thin the skin, but I had a really bad experience with something similar that officially works the same way.

My dc was put on elidel (which is similar) when he had slightly infected oozing eczema and it caused a severe infection. No doctor would admit that it was from there but I read on medical websites to never put it on open or infected eczema because it can cause bad infections so What

Also when I started weaning my dc off of it he had a really bad withdrawal reaction which BH only lasted two weeks but I was extremely nervous the whole time about how long it would last. Also read that this is normal. BH now the eczema is barely there but dc never had it bad until a one time flair up that was treated wrong with this product.

Basically use at your own risk and do not put it on open or infected skin.

Not_in_my_town

Thu, Apr 14 2022, 9:59 am

Tacrolimus is certainly less concerning than a steroid. That said, I personally wouldn't use it. I'm a scaredy cat at this point. That's just me...

But the dermatologist I trust over at UCLA -- the one who discovered the dangers of steroid overuse -- isn't concerned with it. He says the topical doesn't really work, but he does use a similar drug in oral form: cyclosporin. Not sure if he would use for a baby.

Sun is great for real eczema. Get her out into the sun. However, there's a good chance that there may some steroid damage at this point. Look for bright red/pink flaring and skin tightening/flaking. It will go in cycles if there is steroid damage. Let's pray not.

Refuah shelimah.

In the meantime, can I recommend using Eucerin Original Healing cream to moisturize her? Use the first time right after a very warm bath. Dry her off and smear right away. You can then moisturize her around the clock as needed.

During an itchy spell, please put some Balmex on; it calms down the skin a little bit as it has zinc, an natural anti-inflammatory. It doesn't have to be a thick layer. She doesn't have to look white.

You can speak to your doctor about Benadryl as needed.

Also, you can pick up Domeboro or Burrow's solution to make a compress to soak up the ooze.

Refuah shelimah to your baby!

amother

Oxfordblue

Thu, Apr 14 2022, 10:58 am

My baby at that age had horrible. My dr said it wasn’t food but drool. Everyone drove me crazy to cut out foods (I was nursing) and limit her foods. BH it went away on its own when the weather changed and she never had again

I have a teen son that had eczema since he was a baby horrible. Turns out it is seasonal allergies. He always gets pesach and succos time. (I think also stress related). We tried cutting out tons of foods over the years and blames yom tov on new ingredients. And then one day finally made the connection to the changing seasons.

Not_in_my_town

Tue, Apr 26 2022, 4:11 pm

Of course the skin was better; the blood vessels were forcibly closed, causing the rash to resolve.

There is something called the drug washout period.... Basically, the steroid remains inside the body until it is fully secreted over time.

What you see is that if there is damage from the steroids, the patient will often respond well to the steroid while on it, but then when they stop, they'll be okay for a few days and then the rash will return, and over a period of time, worsen. When the drug is completely washed out, the rash takes a drastic turn for the worst in bad cases and the patient can look like a burn victim -- bright red or pink.

Putting a steroid on the face, on an infant is playing with fire. If she flares every time a steroid is discontinued, there is a real risk that she's developed steroid addiction. I pray not, but I can only tell you its a real risk.

Eczema cannot compare to steroid damage. Eczema is itchy and uncomfortable and painful, but steroid damage is hell on earth.

I'm not a doctor, but I have a lot of experience with this.

My suggestion: Wait and see what happens, keeping her as comfortable as you can with baths, Eucerin, Balmex, Benadryl or Atarax, and observe the rash.

Does it go in cycles? It is very itchy and oozy and then dries up and flakes off? After that, does it seem a bit better and then flares up again? Over time, is the rash spreading? Does it ever take on a solid red appearance? If yes, that is typical of steroid damage.

I'm hoping she just has regular infant atopic dermatitis at this point, which will resolve, IYH, in a few months, hopefully. I just pray that she doesn't develop an additional, worse condition on top of the original issue.

From one mother to another: Just be very careful. It's so hard to watch your child suffer.

amother

Banana

Tue, Apr 26 2022, 4:35 pm

I had this with my son. His skin was so bad he looked like a burn victim. Even the areas that were healed were purple and tight. What worked for us was not getting his skin wet at all no water on the skin. The doctor explained that water washes out the natural oils but people feel to keep clean they need to wash. So they wash more. The more they wash, the dryer the skin. The dryer the skin the less the barrier works. We didn't wash him (apart from diaper area and hands) for 3 weeks. Just wiped with baby oil and tissues. It sounds gross but it worked. Then we slowly reintroduced washing. First once a week in pre-boiled water for just a quick splash. Then twice a week and so on. As soon as I saw his skin start to flare, we stopped for 3 days. We are 2 years down the line and he is clean apart from behind his ears. He still has allergies but not on his skin.

amother

DarkGray

Tue, Apr 26 2022, 4:41 pm

Not_in_my_town wrote:

This so much! Op please be don't use it anymore

amother

Hawthorn

Tue, Apr 26 2022, 9:09 pm

if you are nursing--both you and baby should be off inflammatory foods (gluten, dairy, corn, sugar, processed food.) Take probiotics and vitamin D. Can also take turmeric pills. If you aren't nursing, just do this for baby. Use Weleda moisturizer and put baby in long sleeves/pants to minimize exposed skin. Give it at least 2 months, this makes a massive difference.

amother

Wed, Apr 27 2022, 6:51 am

Thank you all so much for your replies.
I really haven’t used the steroid that much to think it can cause the damage. The first week doctor gave it to me she said use 5 days and off of it 5 days, but I was nervous and only did 3 days and then off 3 days. Then I did once every other day I think and then I stopped. Didn’t use it for a while and then when bad flare I used it once, one application .

Also, the body Ezcxema isn’t bad, it’s the face that gets so bad and itchie, I am nursing. I should shmeared breast milk on it? Is this a real thing? Like I’ve had people tell me for ear infections put breast milk in ear, doctor told me never, it can make worse infection… so just asking if it’s real thing.
Thank you all for all responses

Not_in_my_town

Wed, Apr 27 2022, 7:09 am

So the thing is that even adults can develop steroid damage after using it even only for three days. The face becomes affected almost immediately in most people. An infant absorbs even more than an adult and becomes damaged even faster.

Here's my concern:

You used it, on the face on an infant, and then you didn't use it for a while and then it flared badly... so you used it again.

That is THE pattern of steroid addiction.

Remember the drug washout period? When the steroid is secreted from the body, the body flares up if there is damage, causing the person to run for the steroids again.

I'm not saying the baby has steroid damage. I'm saying it's highly likely.

I'm so sorry your sweetie is going through such pain.