# An alternative to prednisone for skin issues?



## Eternal_Howl (May 31, 2014)

I've got bad contact dermatitis. It might even be gluten related for all I know. Last year the doctor saw my arm (summer, I tote around a canvas satchel for work) and said I had shingles after I said it was not contagious. The rash is back - short sleeves again. Yay. Last year she gave me a script of prednisone, but it honestly made me feel like crap. Is there anything else I can take? Skin creams don't help. Not sure how sweating into a sleeve will help me either since my hands don't react well to such things either. I've got super-sensitive skin. My body turns on itself badly at times. Arm is on fire right now and just applied some Wonder salve to it in the hope it takes away the burn - not the bumps. They'd take a week or two to go away and I would have to be off work.


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## theOcean (Jun 1, 2014)

Apparently you can be given prescription antihistamines to treat it, but otherwise the only treatment method I'm seeing that comes up is prednisone. Maybe ask your dermatologist about the antihistamines?


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## Eternal_Howl (Jun 1, 2014)

theOcean said:


> Apparently you can be given prescription antihistamines to treat it, but otherwise the only treatment method I'm seeing that comes up is prednisone. Maybe ask your dermatologist about the antihistamines?


About 10 years ago, I was on daily antihistamines for a while and unfortunately, they didn't seem to help much. I had already put up with about 2 years of suffering as my job at the time was causing it and I couldn't just wear rubber gloves to help. I'd have to wear some kind of cotton gloves so that my skin would sweat into the cotton and not just linger in the rubber. My sweat would be like acid to my skin and it got pretty angry, raw and there was a time I couldn't even hold a pen because I couldn't bend my fingers - too many craters and cracks. I ended up leaving a job I enjoyed because I got cancer (unrelated to the job) and decided I had a pretty close brush with death and shouldn't be suffering every day if I don't have to. The job itself was fine - just not how it affected me. Showering and washing hands was a nightmare and there were times I would just about scream in pain.

Now, I have the issue with my arm and I thought about trying antihistamines again, but not confident it would help. I've been on Loratadine (don't know what they call it here - Lortab?) I haven't seen a dermatologist here. They'd probably tell me to change jobs. The only way to avoid dermatitis in my case is by going back to an office job and then I end up with painfully inflamed knees and require cortisone to keep them useable - I know...sounds like I'm falling apart! A dermatologist said my skin has become sensitized. I guess that means like 'highly charged'. Even handling potatoes when peeling them (if I do it without gloves) can cause my hands to flare up. Any long term exposure to dampness is not good for me. Sorry for the long-windedness, but needed to clarify it's extreme. But when it's not acting up, it's not bad.

The more I read about my physical issues, the more I should have been aware a long time ago that I was ramping up for an auto-immune disease. It just seems so obvious now (even though I haven't been diagnosed).


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## Farmwife (Jun 1, 2014)

Oh my heart goes out to you. A lot of your story sounds like Grace.

Grace suffers with skin issues like eczema and cellulitis.
Hers has never been dx dermatitis yet.

I find that Loratadine did nothing for Grace but Cetirizine is awesome for her.
When we did one treatment at a time like Cetirizine it didn't works as well but when we did multiple treatments at one time it works. 
Her treatment protocol  is...............
Cetirizine, steroid cream, lotion (Vanacream), wet wrapping and a couple times in the past she's done a pred burst.

I hope it gets better.

HUGS


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## Eternal_Howl (Jun 1, 2014)

Thanks Farmwife. I haven't heard of Cetirizine before - will look at that. I find steroid cream can have minimal effect. It used to work a lot better than it does now. with what I have now, I'm loathe to put anything on my skin, because it can just aggravate it.


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## Farmwife (Jun 1, 2014)

Cetrizine is Zyrtec  I believe. I buy the generic. 

The Vanacream brand is the ONLY brand Grace can use. It's the most natural.
Of course like I said Grace doesn't have dermatitis.


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## Charlotte 2 (Oct 6, 2015)

Pssdt- I'm  not a Dr! This infor is my personal  exp:
exp..MAYBE-  clobetazole lotion (has some cortisone in it).I prefer lotion to let a drop here n there! ouch= not a cream to PAINFULLY TRY TO SMEAR ON PAINFULLY AREA(S)!.
(that cream would be akin to "self-induced pain!".    it is by  Prescription  only.
please  let us Crohnies ;-)  know the type of treatment, meds,etc you try out. And, most important...  how you're doing. 
  Good luck fellow Crohnie


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## Charlotte 2 (Oct 6, 2015)

Eternal_Howl said:


> About 10 years ago, I was on daily antihistamines for a while and unfortunately, they didn't seem to help much. I had already put up with about 2 years of suffering as my job at the time was causing it and I couldn't just wear rubber gloves to help. I'd have to wear some kind of cotton gloves so that my skin would sweat into the cotton and not just linger in the rubber. My sweat would be like acid to my skin and it got pretty angry, raw and there was a time I couldn't even hold a pen because I couldn't bend my fingers - too many craters and cracks. I ended up leaving a job I enjoyed because I got cancer (unrelated to the job) and decided I had a pretty close brush with death and shouldn't be suffering every day if I don't have to. The job itself was fine - just not how it affected me. Showering and washing hands was a nightmare and there were times I would just about scream in pain.
> 
> Now, I have the issue with my arm and I thought about trying antihistamines again, but not confident it would help. I've been on Loratadine (don't know what they call it here - Lortab?) I haven't seen a dermatologist here. They'd probably tell me to change jobs. The only way to avoid dermatitis in my case is by going back to an office job and then I end up with painfully inflamed knees and require cortisone to keep them useable - I know...sounds like I'm falling apart! A dermatologist said my skin has become sensitized. I guess that means like 'highly charged'. Even handling potatoes when peeling them (if I do it without gloves) can cause my hands to flare up. Any long term exposure to dampness is not good for me. Sorry for the long-windedness, but needed to clarify it's extreme. But when it's not acting up, it's not bad.
> 
> The more I read about my physical issues, the more I should have been aware a long time ago that I was ramping up for an auto-immune disease. It just seems so obvious now (even though I haven't been diagnosed).


Oh my gosh!
Have you checked put possible  elig for social security disability  due to health? there's specific requirements  to be met.  
  And, some able to learn a new working trade that's conducive to ones health cond (awell documented in medical  record).   it would likely be  Worth ckg out instead of your ongoing  suffering ... while you do your utmost best & o your job.
  Thats why these Benefit types are avail...to assist one when necessary.
   ...Hubby would take over counter antihistamine -- BENADRYL for  itching skin (+nasal stuffiness) taken at bedtime "because" it is "sedating"  Theres acertain ingred in BENADRYL but not in loratadine.(Loratadine, good for help with study nose). has to be taken several days to notice effect(Loratadine,that is) I'm no Dr, nor pharmaceuticst, I'm sharing stuff I kinda know. Please do more ckg before trying any MED without  Dr aware.Meds can/do impact  ea other.   
  good luck.


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## Eternal_Howl (Oct 6, 2015)

I wouldn't consider social security disability for this. I deem that reserved for those that really need it. Skin is fine at the moment. The weather cooled down. I seem to have developed either a sweat gland issue in my right forearm or just a one-sided reaction to sweat during summer. Weird, huh?

I agree with not taking meds before checking with the doc. But at the same time, sometimes the doc will say something doesn't have a negative effect of said thing and it does.


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## Eternal_Howl (Aug 11, 2016)

I just saw this thread I posted a while back. I think I've found what the issue is. I was not born into a place with hot and humid summers and because my skin is already sensitized to my sweat, it's both the sweat and the humidity. Heat alone isn't the issue. Best thing for me is to leave it alone or switch vocations (the latter is not an option).


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