Intro, how it happened

This page recorded my fight with eczema outbreak in early 2008. There’s my explanation (from a Chinese med kind of view) and review of the products and treatment I used. (feel free to skip down to the treatment section)

Background
I am now 26 and have eczema from a very young age. Before, eczema did not terribly affect my life. Sometimes, red patches showed up occasionally at my inner elbows, inner knees and fingers. My eczema is not food related although I know sweat and stress can make it worse. I normally applied steroid cream and the symptom goes away within days (although stronger cream has to be used in recent years). I have seen dermatologists and they said no cure, sorry. Also I know eczema, asthma and sinus allergy normally comes hand in hand. I also had asthma till I grew out of it in my teens, but not eczema.

Outbreak
It all began in Nov 2007. First it started off as small rashes under my chest. I thought, no big deal, just put some steroid cream on like before and it will go away. Yes, it did go away. Only more rashes return, so more steroid cream was applied. Because I was so used to it and because at the time I had public exam and I didn’t find the time to see my PD. I think the stress of the exam has fuel the disease and at the end of Dec the rash has turned into patches and spread down my waist. I went to see my PD.

The failure of western medicine

The PD prescribed steroid and allergy drugs and strong cream. For the first few days, the rash subsided a bit. Then it started to show up at other places, like my back. So even stronger drugs were used. At the end of the two week treatment, it just got worse and worse. Because of the drugs I took, although my body itch , it’s not very terrible and I can still sleep. At the time patches covered both sides of my lower chest, waist, upper hip, lower arms to elbows… The PD can only tell me to apply creams on the outbreaks. At that point I really had reservation if I should cover that much area of my body in steroid. I am quite sure it’s going to be a long term side effect.
I basically lose my confidence in western med and I went to see Chinese doctor. For some other reasons, I also quitted my job around that time. It’s a good decision because I could not have perform my job for the next two months.