At the age of 19 I developed a rash. At first it wasn’t bad, just a little itching on my arms and legs. It was designed to only dry skin and apply a little moist lotion to the areas. As the weeks turned into months, the recklessness worsened, so began three years of pure hell going from doctor to doctor, developing a minor heart condition from a prescription drug, developing drug addiction, and even contemplating death.
It was early in 1979 when rashness first appeared. Since the winters in the Midwest are usually dry dry, I concluded that it is a rash for dry skin. Various creams are used to help with itching, including Vaseline and Intensive Care Lotion. But as winter turned to spring and spring to summer, the rashness and itching grew worse. The rash started spreading all over my body, including my hair, so I decided to seek professional help.
My regular doctor doctor said it was just an allergic reaction to something (he didn’t know what), and gave me Prednisone in the form of pills . The method of calculation was to take seven tablets the first day, then six the second, and so on seven days less. He said to apply moisturizers to help with itching, and to take cold showers, not hot ones.
The rash went away, and I was finally relieved of all itching. I had scars, but they figured they would fall off in time. Moreover, I do not delay anything; I was happy as the itching stopped.
After about three weeks the rash and itching returned. I continued to use Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion, but the rash and itching got worse and worse. I went back to my doctor and he said he was going to send me to a film specialist.
It took four weeks for the skin specialist to come in and at that time the itching started making my life miserable. for sores from scratching. He told me he thought it was an Atopic allergy, but he didn’t know one of them. He had the same medication with my first born, the doctor prescribed it months ago and he said to continue using the skin moisturizer moricular. He never asked me if anyone else in my family had skin problems.
After taking the Prednisone countdown, he left recklessly. He came again to relief, and enjoyed life. I don’t need a skin moisturizer because the rash is gone. It was already late summer and I was pregnant for the second time.
I asked the OB/GYM about taking Prednisone over the summer and if it would hurt the baby. He didn’t say, because it was already my case before I got pregnant, which I was afraid of.
Two months into the pregnancy, the rash and itching returned. My OB/GYN commented, telling me my treatment-options, which really were none, as they refused to take me on any medications. while I was pregnant. I wouldn’t even take Tylenol when I had a headache for fear of harming my unborn baby. I’ve been using moisturizers to help keep the stretch marks stretch from developing and helping the itching.
I persevered through the winter and spring months of my pregnancy, applying Vaseline intensively to care for rashness, taking cold showers, and trying to calm down for the sake of the baby. My son was born on the first of June, my hands were red, raw and crying. It also hurts to bend the fingers. I, too, cried profusely, and had sores on my arms and legs. I got some relief with my hands as I started using rubber gloves in washing dishes, and my hands are a little better. So I continued for two more months until I decided to breastfeed. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I stopped breastfeeding and again sought medical help.
I returned to my doctor my medical-conditions, who was appalled by my condition because I had not seen him for almost a year. . I explained everything to him about the pregnancy, how he had been reckless with seeing the artist and how I didn’t want to take any drugs while I was pregnant. He did not give me any medicine; but I am an allergy specialist. It was the end of July and I was happy enough at once.
The technician did some allergy testing but found nothing that I was allergic to. I told him that I had never been allergic to anything in my life before, but he said that I might have developed a new allergy and it would take some time to find out what it was. I told him what the skin specialist said about atopic allergy, but this doctor accepted him. I also told him what he had done for a while in the past recklessness. Instead of giving Prednisone pills, he gave it to me in the form of a shot.
The rash and the itch lifted the next day, and by the end of the week the itch was gone and the stupid rash disappeared. He stayed this way for three weeks and, like clockwork, the rash returned. I went back to the allergy specialist and he gave me another shot. The same thing happened again. So the three week cycle began.
After my fourth visit to the allergy specialist, he said that I was too young to get so many Prednisone shots and that I needed to find out what was causing the rash and treat it with a non-steroidal drug. I got really scared about this. One thing that helped me was going away. I would do great getting these shots every three weeks. I don’t have rash and itching. I could wear short sleeves and short pants and stuff that didn’t irritate me.
Now comes a part of my life that I’m not proud of. This doctor was located in the allergy clinic, and while I was sitting in the room, waiting to see my doctor, I noticed people. coming to receive their weekly allergy shots. They went up to the window and were just there to shoot. The nurse would check their chart, take them to the back and walk out the door for five minutes.
After three weeks and the rash started to come back, I did the unthinkable. I had nothing to lose. I knew when my doctor was out of office and I knew when the staff was busy, and I went to the clinic, up to the window and said, “Hi. I’m here for my allergy shot.”
The nurse pulled out my card and said, “We gave you an allergy shot.”
“I found one in the last three months,” I said innocently.
“Okay, so you have. Ok, come on in.”
And that’s how it went for four months, until my doctor finally caught up. We had a long conversation, and he said he would refer me to another skin specialist, as I could not find what was wrong.
I went to a new skin specialist and after several visits and more Prednisone, he couldn’t help me so I quit going to him. I have continued to use the Vaseline intensive care lotion all these months and I use it after seeing a new skin care artist.
This time it happened in July 1981 and I’m worse than ever. I have four beautiful children, two and one one year old. My relationship with my husband had deteriorated, so I was hesitant to help. The itching was driving me crazy. I had huge sores on my crying body, and I could hardly move my fingers, because my hands were so heavy and raw.
The lowest period of my life was upon me, as I woke up one morning, and thought that my ways might end my life. All morning thoughts of suicide go through my mind. How do I do that? Should I take the pill? What if the pills don’t work and I lay in a coma for years? What if this or that happened?
I went home and my mother, God bless her, stayed with me all day, and I never loved her more than at that time in my life. I was ashamed of what I was thinking. How can I leave my children?
I went to yet another appointment with a new skin specialist my doctor had booked for me. When this new doctor entered the exam room and before he introduced himself, I said with tears in my eyes, “If you tell me you know what’s wrong, I’ll get up and walk.”
Walking gently he took my raw and red hands in his and said: “I read the information your doctor sent me and we can never know what is causing your skin problem. But, I promise you, we can and find you some relief.”
Her nurse did a whole history on me, writing down everything I told her and asking lots of questions. Through these questions he learned that my older sister had an allergy to lanolin when she was a child. The first visit lasted two hours. The doctor had to put me on a Prednisone countdown because it would provide the fastest results, but he told me to monitor him very carefully. He said that he would not use any lotions or soaps, nor wash any dishes or do any laundry. He told me to use glycerin soap to wash and gave me a special hair shampoo. He prescribed Wibbi lotion, Aveeno Oatmeal Bath and gave me an oral prescription to help with the itching. I had told her about using Vaseline intensive care lotion and she said she wanted me to use only lanolin free products. Free Lanolin products were more expensive and difficult to find, but he suspected that based on his exam and family history, I was allergic to lanolin and Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion was the worst, if I could use his preliminary diagnosis correctly.
I did everything he said and noticed a change in rash right away, but I was still skeptical and waited three weeks for the cycle to start. Then for a few months it randomly gets better and better and doesn’t come back. After a skin biopsy I was diagnosed with an allergy to lanolin and also cobalt, nickel and tin.
that is 25 years I’ve had flare-ups since then, but I’ve never taken oral steroids again to treat (or any other illness), instead of a steroid cream. I have a mild heart condition which I am convinced is caused by the Prednisone. Today we do not use any lotions or soaps that contain lanolin and use rubber gloves to to wash. In order to achieve the smallest result.
Writing this article was difficult, as old feelings and emotions of shame, shame, frustration, and more. I shall never hope after death, I shall never contemplate death again. If someone has ever told you that they are having suicidal thoughts, take them seriously, as they are screaming.
