Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Another bother with eczema....

My eczema does not seem to show any sign to be abated. What seemed like a simple skin discomfort has developed into full-fledged eczema in a space of less than a year.

During my trip to Shanghai, I had another outbreak of eczema. It was not helped either with Shanghai being cold, most days the temperature never break the 10degC barrier. I have always had problems with the day being cold; my skin would get very dry. This time, it was worse; I developed eczema spots on my legs and arms.

So this morning, I went to Panaga Health Centre for help. I had been going to the Skin Clinic at RIPAS Hospital, but after repeated similar prescriptions, I got fed up. One of the doctors at the Skin Clinic also said that one of the doctors at the Panaga Health Centre had an interest in skin diseases, so I thought I might give it a try. I heard almost the same things too; my skin was too dry, it could flare up anytime, bla, bla, bla. But I also learnt a few other things. The doctor believed that I might not be allergic to any food and the eczema was probably contact eczema. I also told to ditch my current Johnsons and Johnsons' pH 5.5 shower cream, which I had been using since I swtiched from Dettol a few months back. I was advised to use soapless shower cream, one of which was from QV, which costs something like BD35 per litre!

As a reward to my effort to see the doctor, I was given a big tub of moisturiser (I was also told to stop using Vaseline or Nivea moisturiser!), a big tub of soapless shower thingy (to see if they would actually work), a nice package of oatmeal-based ointment (which is to be added to my bath water and I would have to soak for 10-15 minutes), some steroid cream and some anti-histamine tablets. I left the Health Centre, looking as if I had just shopped at Guardians!

Another wait for a fortnight would tell if this regime of medicine would actually work. I hope it does.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi, what is the link to the panaga health centre? I've been trying to google it, but only your blog came the closest to it.

thanks

Bulgemeister said...

Hello Anonymous,
I am not too sure if there is a public website for Panaga Health Centre.

But you could contact them at 3373033.