I'm exhausted. I have terrible eczema on my hands that I've learned, after extensive testing, is caused by my allergy to MCI/MI (methylchloroisothyazolinone and methylisothyazolinone)... aka, everything that I touch.
MCI/MI are preservatives used in cleaning products, so I have to check labels on every hand soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, baby wipes, cleaning products, laundry and dish detergent, etc. If something doesn't have a label (like soap in a public restroom) then I absolutely do not use it. Well apparently I've gotten into something that I shouldn't have because I'm having a serious breakout that I haven't been able to get under control. I went to my dermatologist today- who is awesome- and she gave me a new steroid ointment to use, which for normal people means put some on and forget about it.
However, because I don't have normal skin, this is how I have to use it:
At bedtime...
1. Squirt about a quarter of the giant tube onto the breakout area (right now, all over)
2. Make sure it's unbearably uncomfortable
3. Put cotton socks over my hands to increase the misery
4. Sleep
Tonight the sleep portion of my routine isn't happening because I'm having an allergic reaction to the steroid. I am miserable. I've washed the ointment off of my hands, taken a Benadryl and sat with ice packs on my hands for about an hour. It's 1:00 a.m. and I'm wide awake. And miserable. Must. Sleep. Now.
2 comments:
have you always had the MCI/MI allergy? That sounds like ZERO FUN. And then to be allergic to the steriod?! Double misery. My sister has terrible exczema as well. Giving up dairy was the best, and then she has had it controlled by accupuncture and swears by it.
I developed the allergy right after we got married, about 7 years ago. The way the doctor described it is my boy just had enough and said no more, and now it gets really angry if I come in contact with MCI/MI. She thinks the ointment that was the vehicle for the stroid medication is what I had the reaction to. We're trying something else now, but it isn't working. I would LOVE to hear more about your sisters acupuncture! I've never thought of that as a possibility!
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