Healing history

Treatment timetable (week 1 to week 15)

Week 1 – Start taking Chinese medicine. First two days there’s no real effect.
Feel~ Major itching started on the third night. It’s really bad that I was rolling in bed from 12-3am. I know scratching wouldn’t do me any good, but it’s impossible not to scratch! I was tired just scratching for hours rolling in bed. I could catch some shut eyes after 4am and wake up at 11 feeling tired. My body did not itch much in the day.
Look~ Patches also started to show in my thigh, upper arms. It seems to get worse than before. But I don’t see there’s way for turning back as steroid is not an option.
I later learnt that this may be my “healing crisis” (a term used by Shirley in her life long fight with eczema using natural method http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/eczema.htm).

Week 2 – I talked to my Chinese doc for milder medicine before I tear my skin off.
Feel ~With the milder med, itchness is not bad when I was awake and grew strong the moment I close my eyes. Could not sleep from 12-3. Very tiring overall.
Look~ New rash slow down on my waist, new rash sped up on thigh, upper arms, shoulders.

Week 3 – Continue medication
Feel ~ Similar to week 2. Only sleep from 4~11am
Look~rash at my waist and hip darkened a bit. Appearing of new rash continue to slow down.

Week 4 – My Chinese doc went on New Year vacation for a week. I just buy Chinese herbs on my own based on the last prescription from the doc. Not seeking immediate medical attention proved to be a very bad idea!
Feel ~ )&(#&(*#@#_ terrible, The itchness is almost painful at midnight. I felt quite hot and sweat in bed.
Look~ Rash started on my forehead and slowly on my face!

Week 5 – I found another chineses doc near my home. Major medication change. Started drinking flaxseed oil.
Feel ~ Much better than week 4. Still very itchy at early part of the night.
Look~ Skin dry up and flank off on my waist, hip, thigh. Drying up of skin is a natural healing process. I have problem moving my arms and turning my body in the morning because of the dry skin in these area. I went to shower in the morning to rehydrate my skin. It helps to wash off the dead skin and soften the skin at the joints. Eczema turns up on face, neck, armpit, side of chest.

Week 6- Week 8
Improvement with occasional minor flare.
Feel ~ Itchy night is a given and I kind of grew used to it. Sleeping quality continue to be poor. From 12-3 I always wake myself up by sctaching too hard. Occasionally I can sleep from 2am afterwards, but most night I really started my sleep at 3am.
Eczema on the face is specially bad. Irregular red patches on cheeks, around my eyes deal a great blow to my confidence. I am afraid to go out and aware of how other people look at me.

Look~ More skin flank off and my bed is covered in dead skin. I have to vaccum my bed every morning. At week 8, my thigh and waist seem to clear up a lot. Only darken marks remained. Major troubling area included upper arm, inner elbow, inner keens, neck, face.

Week 9 – 10
Feel ~ Itchness subsided a bit more. Occasioanlly, I could sleep undistribed throughout the night. Area of itchness included inner elbows and neck. Skin feel dry.
Look ~ Healing in progress. Skin flank off have completed on body but going strong at face and neck. The patches on my face “weep” a bit after shower.

Week 11- 14
Started sea salt treatment. Major improvement on face.
Feel ~ No longer itchy at night. Sleep improved. Sleeping is back to normal. Skin felt less dry.
Look ~ Skin regeneration sped up. Only very minor rash in inner elbows. Face and neck cured up.

Week 15 – Now
I think I am 95% recovered. The skin is a bit dry. I sometimes felt itchy on my face. Still continue to take Chinese medication and sea salt treatment for two more weeks to be safe. I feel normal overall.