My TS Story

Like most Topical Steroid Addicts [TSA], I've been struggling with Eczema / Atopic Dermatitis for virtually my entire life. I was diagnosed with eczema around 6 months old. According to my parents, they worked real hard to keep me off any harsh creams, so my mom only bathed me in oatmeal and eventually, my skin began to improve. At 3 years old I got the chicken pox and all hell broke loose. Unleash the itchy beast! After they went away, my skin continued to plunge and it started all over again.

During my childhood years through my late teens, my skin condition was just one big roller coaster. Seemed like most of the flares were triggered by season changes (I live in Southern California, what seasons?) mostly fall, since it does get a little chilly, dry and very windy from October to December. Trouble areas were always the inner creases of my arms, neck/face, ears and wrists. When I was 8 years old I was lucky enough to get impetigo up a down both of my arms. I can honestly say I don't remember much about it, other than not being able to go to school for a few days. It cleared up and I didn't have any real issues, outside of the eczema rearing its ugly head. I couldn't tell you what kind of TS I was using before the impetigo, since it wasn't until that time that I actually recognized a problem. Plus, it was also around this time that my mom stopped giving me the TS and I flared up a few days after cessation. I was made fun of for the white scaly skin on my face and scabs behind my ears. So, naturally we headed back to the dermatologist and this is when I began to take note of the types of Rx TS I'd been given. Which I have listed on a separate page and can be found on my "Rx List".

Somewhere in between my late teens thru my mid 20's I'd been on a combination of different TS, but for the life of me, I could not tell you which ones I was using at any particular point and time. Even as I sit here and type this, it all just seems like a blur. Remembering only, that I always had a tube or two in my possession, never ever without it... Because we ALL know what happens when you run out. During this time, my eczema/flares stayed pretty consistent in "severity", which was more bothersome than anything, but manageable. Again, all eczema/flares were pretty much exclusive to the problem areas I mentioned earlier, and again, I always had my trusted TS to keep the nasty red monster at bay.

It's all fun and games until you lose your health insurance and run out of TS. At 26 years old I had experienced TSW, but how would I have known? All I knew was I needed to run back to the doctor. I was about 10 days without and couldn't turn my neck or talk because my face hurt so bad. I was RED, swollen, burning and oozing around my nose and ears. That night I went over to my brother's house and found out that I'd stashed a tube in his bathroom and forgot to take it when I'd moved out just a month earlier. Glory to the heavens! I'd never loved my brother so much in my life!

After that, everything gets a little blurry again, but from 2010 - September 14, 2015 I always had a tube of TS and of course used it everyday. Can't remember exactly which ones I used other than the Clobetasol and Hydrocortisone 2.5% toward the very end. Neither were working much, other than keeping the flares, which still happened at least once a week, bearable.

Here's the interesting thing. Although my skin had been flaring constantly over the last 2 years, I refused to see a doctor. I knew that answer would be the same as it always was, my instinct was telling me that these TS creams were NOT right. Something told me that I needed to figure out what to do because I needed to stop. I had become extremely hesitant about using them, and I made a point to use as little as possible... Just enough. One night I couldn't sleep, so I decided that a little FB creepin' was in order (don't judge!), and I ran across an article on a page that I follow. It was baby Isaiah's story (can be found on ITSAN.org). The stars aligned and the world made perfect sense. My intuitions had not let me down! That was the moment I realized what the problem was all along. I knew what I had to do. I spent countless hours researching TSW, seeing that there was a whole group of people just like me. Here I was thinking I was all alone. I couldn't believe what I was seeing during my search, the withdrawal process and all, but I knew it was time. So, I decided on September 15, 2015 that I was all in and ready to live eczema free. I am faithful and confident that I will make it through this, and although it's scary and overwhelming, I know that it's the only thing that can and will be done.

Weather it takes 6, or 26 months to recover, it sure as hell beats having to depend on TS for another 22 years. The rewards, to me, are far greater than fear to hold me back. A positive attitude and support from my fiance, family and friends will keep me strong and not let me lose sight of who I am and why I'm doing this. I'm realistic, I know it'll be hard and scary... But, it's not brave if your not scared. Here we go.......