Topical Steroid Withdrawal {3.5 months in}

I've really debated whether or not to start documenting Noelle's withdrawal.

I know I started sharing about her eczema...but now I'm really feeling like what we're dealing with is very separate from her eczema.  Only time will tell, but this is how we are handling Noelle's current situation.

We believe she is going through Topical Steroid Withdrawal.  If you are interested in what that is, check out www.itsan.org

Yes, she definitely has eczema.  But these are not eczema symptoms and her skin is not responding like eczema does.

From what I've read (and I'm no expert), TSW (topical steroid withdrawal) takes time, time, and more time.  There's really nothing that we can apply to her skin to make it heal faster.  
And there's also nothing that she can take to make the skin clear.

It has to go through the withdrawal.

We ARE, however still gluten, dairy, and now corn free as well with Noelle's diet.  They are all inflammatory foods and I want to rule out ANY other possible factors while getting her through this!

And sadly, this takes time.  The exact time varies for everyone, but for many, it takes 2+ years.  The symptoms appear in "flares".

Right now, Noelle is in her 2nd flare since cutting out steroids 3.5 months ago.  This flare is a long one.  

I didn't realize it was TSW at the time, so I didn't take note of when it started, but it's been probably a good month or so in this condition.

I know that I've got lots of posts these days with varied subjects.  But I have gleaned so much support from other moms going through this that I feel the need to document Noelle's progress.  And if for no other reason, I have it documented for future reference for myself.

And for those that care for Noelle (which there are so many ;), you can better understand what she's going through as you read along with me.

So right now, at 3.5 months, she is miserable, perky, sad, inconsolable, happy-go-lucky, and then back to miserable. 

She has major ups and downs.  Her temper is at its highest and we are really trying our best to be understanding of her.

Tantrums are not tolerated in our house, so they are still addressed and corrected, but we have to approach her from the right perspective.

I have read soooo many testimonials of adults going through what she is, and they are able to use such graphic terms to describe what they are feeling.  Noelle is not able to do that, and I think that's why it comes out in such explosive ways instead.

She wakes several times most nights (NOT the norm for our kids).  She is unable to explain what is wrong or why she is so upset...she mostly just needs to be close to Mom or Dad.  

Stroking her back is very comforting to her, but sometimes we don't even need to touch her.  Just being close is enough.

And other times, she forgets :)  And she is Noelle. And we love love love when we see our Noelley.  We appreciate those times as we know she has either forgotten that she feels so terrible, or she actually has some temporary relief!!!

All day every day isn't unbearable.  It's just something that is now part of our every day life.

So that's how she's doing, and here's how she looks.

The past couple days she has woken up with puffy eyes.  The redness has spread up her neck and to her chin.  

She has patches on the sides of her eyes now and mild ones on her forehead.  Her eyelids have become scaly again and are beginning to flake.

Her wrists have improved some.  She has a tiny little boil (what I think is a boil) on her finger.  I've applied Melaleuca on it multiple times/day to prevent infection and it's looking better.

Her wrists do not look as brutal as last week...but if she starts itching, it only takes seconds for that to change.  

She's actually been wearing gloves most of the time for the last couple days.

Her arms are much much better.  The crease of her arms are just a tad dry, thank you Lord!

Her back remains her worst irritant.  Not much soothes it, she can't stand to have air hit it.  I apply melaleuca on the spots that she has scratched as I do NOT want infection!!!  The melaleuca oil seems to be soothing to her. But it changes regularly...one morning it will look all read and inflamed, and the next it will only be dry and flaky.

Her stomach is covered in red inflamed blotches, but they don't seem to bother her much thankfully.

Her thighs are also covered with the patches, but are not irritating her.  If her clothes are off, she'll itch them for sure, but as long as they're covered, she doesn't complain.

The backs of her knees are still pretty awful.  They aren't as painful as they were though.  They are bright red and sometimes shiny.  They are very very smooth as I think this might be fresh skin?  They were literally shedding skin last week and this week.  Very very flaky skin there but now it seems smooth...or raw, not sure which one :/.

Shed skin on the inside of her pants.

She does have a few tiny pimple looking bumps behind one of her knees.  Boils are very common with TSW, so I'm wondering if that's what they are.  I'm keeping an eye on them and applying Melaleuca frequently.

Her feet are the worst.  She's got elephant skin there (also a common symptom - extra skin that folds and wrinkles just like an elephant's) and they still look chewed up.  If she gets a chance, she can scratch those puppies till they bleed.  So I'm doing my best to keep her from them and keep them covered.

Her skin is extremely thin as well and seems to be easily bruised.

We are currently not applying all the topical creams and ointments that the doctor gave her.  I am only applying what feels good to her, and right now that is Melaleuca essential oil, sometimes Lavender, and following with Aquaphor.  It is petroleum based, which I'd rather not use.  But right now I'm just using whatever feels good for her!  And it could change tomorrow!

We are continuing with the supplements as I DO believe there is much to be done to heal her gut.  But I am not convinced that her current skin condition is the direct result of solely that....once we're through the withdrawal, we'll see!  This is a learning process, so time will tell!

Now that I am documenting it, I'm realizing that her skin actually has improved since last week....or at least since a few days ago. 

But the more I read, the more I also realize that it can change very quickly and for no apparent reason.

We have a long road ahead of us, and I hope to one day be able to look back at this struggle as a memory and no longer a present reality.
 

Homemade Whipped Body Butter

So, in my last post I mentioned that I had literally "whipped" up some homemade body butter for poor Noelle who is going through topical steroid withdrawal (right now she looks very similar to this little girl who has now recovered from the withdrawal!).

Well, right now there is not a whole lot that will actually sooth Noelle's skin. 

It seems that most of the time, less is more for her.  There's no "healing" her skin from the outside when going through the withdrawal...it's more of keeping her as comfortable as possible until her flare calms down. :(

That being said, Chris is using this body butter on the eczema on his forehead and it's helped alot!!

I also LOVE applying it after a shower.  The texture is so luxurious!!!

So here's how I made it. 
(The previous lotion bars contained beeswax, which I really loved.  But I was too lazy to get the beeswax shaved off this time ;)

You'll Need:
*1/2 cup Organic Virgin Cold Pressed Coconut Oil
*1/2 cup Organic Unrefined Shea Butter
*Around 20 drops of your choice of therapeutic grade essential oil (we only use Young Living)

 **You can actually skip this first step and go straight to whipping it up.  Heating them together just makes for a very very smooth texture.  You might have lumps or grains left if you don't melt them together...same effect though!

Start by adding your Shea Butter and Coconut Oil into a jar that has a lid.  ( I used the same mason jar that I used for my lotion bars)



Then put the jar into a couple inches of water heating on the stove.

Shake the jar up every few minutes as the ingredients start to melt.

 And please wait until it is ALL melted!

See those little lumps of coconut oil?  I should have waited until they melted all the way :)

So, once it's all melted, add your essential oil of choice, mix it in and pour it all into your mixing bowl to cool.

You can place in your fridge or freezer, but check every 15 minutes or so to make sure it doesn't FREEZE.

When it looks like this, it's ready to whip!

Turn on your electric mixer and just whip it all up!  It will take several minutes.

You'll see it transform into a beautiful fluffy cream!

 

Make sure to scrape the sides and the very bottom of the bowl.  You don't want big chunks of the cooled body butter stuck in the middle of your frosting...I mean lotion!

Then transfer to a glass container!  I used a couple small mason jars.

I hope you can tell from the pictures, but the texture of this stuff is just DIVINE!  I couldn't believe how it transformed after being whipped!

We chose to add Melaleuca Alternifolia (aka Tea Tree) essential oil.  It is naturally anti-fungal and is also known to be beneficial for eczema.

You can, however add whatever oil you prefer!
I still really want to make a cream with orange essential oil!

I love this body butter and will definitely be making it again.  No more drug store creams for us!

One recommendation: make sure you remove your  mixing bowl properly...or you might brake it.  I know this from experience :(

  Thankfully I still have the hand mixer for next time!

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional.  I simply make decisions on how to care for and improve the health of my own family.  None of the statements on my blog have been evaluated by the FDA and any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
This post also contains affiliate links to the company which I have personally used and recommend.  If you purchase through these links, I will receive a commission, however the cost to you remains the same!

Healing a 2 Year Old's Eczema {Part 2}

So it was just a few weeks ago that I wrote a post about our daughter's eczema(you can read it here).  We started to see such great improvement, and I thought for SURE we would see beautiful soft skin from head to toe in no time!

Well, sadly, that was not the case.  

Just when her skin was about 75% clear, it took a very bad turn.

All the sudden, her back broke out...not patches on her back, her ENTIRE back.  Her back looked and felt like crocodile skin.  There was no smoothness to it whatsoever. 

It was inflamed, red, hot, itchy, and burning.

I've never seen anything like it.  I couldn't really capture it on camera, and here's why.  Her skin was so inflamed and hot that it would blanch with pressure or movement.

Whenever she arched her back at all, you'd see large portions turn white with the pressure of her movement (normally that wouldn't happen, but it was so so inflamed).

So I captured what looks like some angry skin, but nothing like what it actually was.

You can only see the redness on the bottom left of her back...it really was covering it!

The poor thing would just arch in pain.  Nothing really relieved it.  

I lathered on our homemade lotion bars, straight coconut oil, straight lavender essential oil, melaleuca essential oil...nothing seemed to help.

In fact, we used our lotion bars so frequently that I used them all up within a couple weeks!

So I whipped up (literally....with a mixer) a new cream for her without the beeswax....because...I was too lazy to try to tackle that stuff again!  I'll post the tutorial for that cream this week.

The cream soothed her skin momentarily, but absolutely NOTHING helped her when it was so inflamed.  

I would just cry with her after a bath or shower.  The water, regardless of the temperature is very irritating to her skin right now, and like I said...nothing soothed it!

The back of her knees looked like fresh raw skin.  It looked like she had been burned.  It was super painful and she couldn't stop itching them.  The sides of her legs, outside her knees became dry, then hard and crusty.

The back of her knees then became leathery and very very tight.

Her stomach (which was beautifully clear at the time of my last eczema post) started breaking out in patches again as well and was extremely itchy.

The tops of her feet and her ankles looked like they'd been attacked by piranhas. They looked chewed, cracked, and sometimes bleeding.
 
The rest of her legs broke out again into patches that quickly cracked and sometimes bled.

Literally, the only completely clear parts of her body are her bottom, her girly parts, the bottoms of her feet and palms of her hands.

AND to top it all off, her eyelids started itching and hurting!  

I took a look at them, and they were leathery as well.  Poor thing kept rubbing and rubbing them and they started to flake.

Thankfully THAT part only lasted a few days and is better now.  But her forehead is starting to break out and she has dark circles under her eyes....

Which brings me to my next point.

She's not sleeping well.

She is usually a great sleeper...all my kids started sleeping through the night when they were a couple months old (but she was only 5 weeks!).

But she is waking multiple times in the night crying, tossing, turning, itching.  She's not comfortable and she can't rest. 

So she got a laser treatment from our chiropractor and that didn't seem to help this time (it had before).

It's been a nightmare.

So, I finally had it.

I got her an appointment with a holistic pediatrician.

As of today, interestingly enough, the worst part of her flare has improved, but she is still covered in flakes, crusty skin, scabbed skin, red inflamed skin...but not like it was a week ago.

We saw the doc today.
And here's what he thinks.

Yes, she has eczema.

But her current skin reaction is a combination of things right now.

Eczema is most commonly related to issues with the gut. 

If the gut is not digesting and working properly, it will many times show itself in the largest organ of the body...the skin.

This usually should point us to the internal issue so that it can be resolved.  

Instead, it pointed us, at a very young age...to topical steroid treatments.

Not only do the steroids suppress the skin issue that is telling us there is an internal problem, they also suppress the immune system!  So the body doesn't have the ability to fix what it needs to anyway!  Double-edged sword....with a doctor's signature on it :)

So, when we stopped the steroids a few months ago, she flared immediately, like I mentioned in my other post.  

It then got better, and just recently came back worse.

These are actually withdrawal symptoms.  Apparently there is a huge community of people online that are going through what they call "Topical Steroid Withdrawal" together.  You can check out this website to read more.

**BTW, my mom was the one who pointed this out to me last weekend...again.  And she was right...again.

So not only is Noelle's skin going through withdrawals from the steroids, her body is now able to tell us that something is indeed wrong internally.

So it's both!

He believes her gut needs some serious repairing...and it probably has needed it for a long time.

He gave us several homeopathic supplements to assist her gut's healing and gave us some other regimens he wants her to be following daily.

If, by any chance there are other parents reading this and want to know what he gave us, I'll list them real quick.

*Lycopodium Berberis pellets by Uriel - A gut remedy

*Aquilinum Taraxacum pellets by Uriel - Also a gut remedy

*Thuja Thymus comp pellets by Uriel - I think this was an anti-inflammatory

*Apis Belladonna pellets by Uriel - Also anti-inflammatory

*Bioplasma tablets by Hyland's - Restores natural cell function

Other regimens:

*Probiotic with 8-14 species and at least 3-5 billion active cultures/day.

*S. Boulardi yeast supplement with at least 1 billion cultures/day.

*Omega 3 - 500mg/day.  Example: 1 tsp chia seeds or 1 tsp cod liver oil

*Plant based enzyme with each meal to assist digestion

HOLY COW!

A little overwhelming!

But this regimen is designed to really bombard Noelle's gut and system with what it has been lacking for a long time.  

We are praying that this will take stress off her system and her poor little body so that it can heal and she can be her normal self more often :)

He also gave us (well...sold us)two natural topical creams by Uriel as well as calendula ointment.

We are to put all three creams on every day, and our moisturizer on top of those to seal in the therapeutic qualities of the creams as well as hopefully moisturize her poor skin.

So that was today!

And I'm sorry if it was a bit lengthy, but like I said, I always found it helpful to read what other parents were going through.

I really needed a trusted medical opinion on this one though.  I was really tired of guessing and trying to figure out what was going on with her!

I'm glad we went and I would like to document her progress on the blog....even if it's just so that I can look back and see how far we've come!

Please remember to read the disclaimer!
 Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional.  I simply make decisions on how to care for and improve the health of my own family.  None of the statements on my blog have been evaluated by the FDA and any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
This post also contains affiliate links to the company which I have personally used and recommend.  If you purchase through these links, I will receive a commission, however the cost to you remains the same!

How We Use Thieves Essential Oil

In November I wrote a post about how we use essential oils on a daily basis in our home (read it here).  I said I'd be starting a series addressing each oil that comes in Young Living's Premium Starer Kit so you can better understand the value in it!

After a handful of other posts, I'm getting back on track :)

I'll start the series with one of my very favorite (I'm sure I'll use that term often) oils, which is their Thieves blend.



Thieves is just awesome.

It's a blend of 
Clove
Lemon
Cinnamon
Eucalyptus Radiata
and Rosemary essential oils

Its name is derived from an old tale from the 15th century.  The story goes that a group of thieves covered themselves in a blend of the above ingredients to protect themselves from disease...while they robbed the graves of plague victims!  They were said to have been caught, and to lessen their punishment, they shared the recipe that protected them from disease!

So is this story true?  Many believe that it is!  

Regardless, the blend that Young Living calls Thieves is highly supportive of the immune system!


There are several resources that list literally hundreds of ways that one can utilize Thieves! 

 I'll share the many ways that our family uses it and other options that you can use in your home as well!

• -Rub it on the feet of all the family daily to maintain a healthy immune system
• -When needing a serious boost to our systems, apply to the feet several times/day
• -Dilute with coconut oil or other carrier oil and rub into the spine multiple times/day when immune system might be compromised
• -Put in a capsule with a carrier oil and take internally.  If you have not taken essential oils internally, start with only 1-2 drops and work your way up.  We take several at a time now.  When our health is compromised, we usually combine Thieves, Oregano, Frankincense and Lemon in a capsule and take 3 times/day.
• -Oh, DUH! I almost forgot!  Put a drop or two of Thieves with a drop of Lemon in a shot of water.  Gargle that and it can seriously help a sore throat!!

Don't forget my post about boosting the immune system with essential oils!

-Put a few drops of Thieves in a small glass spray bottle and fill with water.  Use this to safely sanitize and clean any surface!  
-Make your own hand sanitizer!  There's a recipe here. 
-Put a couple drops in your laundry!  Give it a germ-fighting boost!
-Apply diluted Thieves on location with a hot compress to areas that need extra support (urinary, kindey support, etc).
-Thieves (diluted) can also be applied to the throat at the onset of soreness!
-Apply a drop to a canker sore or cold sore at the very onset!  It will probably sting, but others have claimed it stops the sore in its tracks!
-Use a drop when you "oil pull".  If you don't know what that is, you can read about it here.


-Diffuse, diffuse, diffuse!  Put Thieves in your diffuser (this is the one that we have and comes in your kit) and enjoy the many benefits of having Thieves all throughout your home!  
    1. Make your house smell amazing
    2. This proprietary essential oil blend was university tested for its cleansing abilities.
    3. For those that are in the room, inhaling the diffused oil helps to support the immune system as well!

     So, diffuse Thieves for 30min or so each day, and when ickies are in the air, diffuse more!!!
      If you only have one diffuser (like me), then move the diffuser to the different rooms in the home.

Young Living has an amazing line of Thieves products!!! 
You can check them out here.  We use the Thieves hand soap at home and love it!!!  It's so empowering knowing that I have no need to be concerned about the ingredients in the soap my kids put on their hands, which go in their mouths and sometimes in their food!  It's safe, effective, and smells great!

I think I've listed all the ways that WE use Thieves....share with us how YOU use it!

And remember, if you want to try Thieves, let me know!  I can set you up!
But if you are ready to get the full value of a starter kit and getting your oils at wholesale cost, read this post and contact me with any questions!

Other posts in this series:
A day with Essential Oils
How we use Peppermint Essential Oil
How we use Lemon Essential Oil
How we use PanAway Essential Oil
How we use Purification Essential Oil 


Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional.  I simply make decisions on how to care for and improve the health of my own family.  None of the statements on my blog have been evaluated by the FDA and any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Homemade Lotion Bars

I wrote yesterday about my daughter's eczema and what has finally helped it heal.  (You can read it here)

I'd like to share with you the lotion bars that I mentioned that have so greatly improved the texture of her skin!

Please note that I do not believe these will "cure" eczema if the cause of it is internal (which I believe it usually is).  However, we've seen beautiful results with these after the diet change took place!

As I mentioned before, the coconut oil we were using was pulling toxins from beneath the layer of skin up to the surface.  Once that painful cycle started to subside, her skin was left anything but soft.  Some spots were leathery, some were dry, and some were even cracked.

The Shea Butter in this recipe has been so beneficial for Noelle's poor skin!!!!
It has brought back soft, smooth skin that we haven't seen in quite a while!

So, here's how I made them.  I purchased the Shea Butter and Beeswax from Mountain Rose Herbs.
I knew the ingredients that I wanted, as I got this recipe from Wellness Mama!

I looked high and low, from Amazon to other lotion making suppliers and couldn't find any other merchant with the selection and quality that Mountain Rose Herbs did!  Shipping is not the cheapest, but I found it worth it to me!  They are very dedicated to the quality of their products!

Anyway, here is what you'll need.

• 1 part organic, unrefined Shea Butter
• 1 part organic, cold pressed Coconut Oil
• 1 part unrefined beeswax (the more beeswax you use, the more firm the bars will be)
• Essential oil of your choice

I used 1/2 Cup of each ingredient and 15 drops of Lavender Young Living Essential Oil.

First you need to grate your beeswax.  That sounds easy doesn't it?

Well, if you're someone who has worked with beeswax before (which I hadn't), you'll know that it is NOT a simple thing to do!

I tried grating it with a cheese grater....that seemed tiresome, so I figured chopping a smaller piece off the block would be best!

That wasn't very easy either....

Proof that chopping doesn't really work with beeswax!

Finally, I figured out how to shave wax off with a knife and that's how I measured the remainder of it.

Next time I will DEFINITELY be purchasing the beeswax in pellet form!!!

Now, put the shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax into a jar with a lid (I used a large mason jar).

Place the jar into a couple inches of water in a pot on the stove and heat it up.

Shake the jar every few minutes as the ingredients start to melt.

Continue melting and shaking until all the ingredients are completely smooth and liquified!

Almost liquified!

Take the jar out of the pot and add your essential oil of choice.

You can really get creative with the oil you choose...I'll post some options below.

Stir the essential oil in quickly and immediately pour out your mixture into molds or muffin tins lined with baking cups.

Allow them to cool completely...it'll take a few hours at least! (If you need them sooner, put them in the freezer!)

Store the bars in a container with a lid until ready to use! 

The texture of these bars is so lovely!  They melt immediately into the skin upon contact so you can control how much you use!

Essential Oil Options:
Lavender: Smells amazing and is wonderful for the skin!
PanAway: For rubbing on aches and pains!
Joy: The smell is so uplifting as well as beautiful!  Would make a great perfumed bar.
Purification: Would make a great bug repellant bar
Peppermint: Would make a super refreshing lotion bar! 
Citrus Fresh or Orange: I will try this next time!  Either of these would just smell divine and be really refreshing as well!
Any oil, blend, or combo you like! You can be creative and use whatever oils you are using for their health benefits or just for their scent!

**If you don't know much about essential oils, read this post and feel free to contact me with ANY questions!!

So, we've learned so much about what goes into our bodies these last several months.  And because of this, I just tossed all our store bought lotions, creams, soaps, and shampoos that have ingredients I cannot pronounce and wouldn't want inside my children's bodies!

I'll be making things myself, or purchasing from Young Living. (we already use their shampoo and toothpaste for the kids)

So if you are wanting to make the same decision for your family's health, then start with trying out these lotion bars!  You won't regret it!

Check out the different ingredients available for lotions, soaps, salves, and anything else you might need for homemade toiletries.  As well as TONS more stuff!!!
Click on the banner below to check it out!
**I was not contacted by or compensated by Mountain Rose Herbs in any way for the contents of this post!  Don't think they know I exist! ;)



Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional.  I simply make decisions on how to care for and improve the health of my own family.  None of the statements on my blog have been evaluated by the FDA and any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
This post also contains affiliate links to the company which I have personally used and recommend.  If you purchase through these links, I will receive a commission, however the cost to you remains the same!