Any Experience with Naturopathic/Holistic Medicine? Eczema/Rash Issues...

Updated on March 25, 2013
E.M. asks from Brooklyn, NY
6 answers

I have been dealing with eczema for a couple years now, but so far it has been mainly isolated to my hands, ankles and calves. I have been to countless dermatologist appointments, and they have basically told me that nobody knows what causes eczema and that I should focus more on managing the outbreaks than finding the cause. I have been extensively patch-tested for contact and environmental (a very mild reaction to nickel is all that came up), skin-tested, blood tested for food allergies (I came up with a mild allergy to wheat (specifically wheat, not gluten), a 2 out of 6 if that means anything to anyone), and ultimately have been prescribed various creams that do help but then the patches always come back when I stop using the cream. I went wheat-free for about 2 months and it seemed to help, but didn't totally solve the problem. Now I avoid big servings of wheat products (no pasta, no sandwiches or bread with dinner, etc), but I do have a cracker here or there, or soy sauce on my suchi, etc.

Anyway, over the weekend I completely broke out in a super-itchy rash all over my torso, arms, neck, and my legs are super itchy too (though they aren't covered in the rash). I have no idea what happened. I did eat a small serving of chicken that had some bread crumbs on Friday evening, but would that cause something this extreme? Geez this is miserable. I'm pretty sure I'm not pregnant. I have an appointment scheduled for later today with my dermatologist, but my guess is they're probably going to prescribe another cream and send me on my way.

Has anyone ever gone to a naturopath, and was it worth it (especially for something like this)? I am desperate, and sooo sick of itching!! I am a big believer in natural remedies and natural prevention (my family and I eat mostly organic and very little processed food, which is mostly what I attribute my otherwise very good health to), and my only hesitation going to a naturopath is they are expensive and not covered by insurance. If they can solve my problem then yes, it would be a worthwhile investment but I'm just concerned that I would go pay a bunch of money and just walk away with the same information my dermatologist has already told me.

I know you all are not doctors and cannot diagnose, etc, but any info or anecdotes about your experience with naturopaths (esp for skin issues) would be very much appreciated!

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So What Happened?

Thanks ladies. Went to my appointment and was given a cortizone shot to get my skin back under control for now (didn't really want to go that route but I'm so over being covered in a massive itchy rash! It was turning me into an irritable you-know-what). The doc still thinks it probably has more to do with the weather than anything I've eaten.

I did get a copy of my past blood work to take home though - not only am a level 2 for wheat but I'm a level 1 for corn, which he hadn't even mentioned before! I know a 1 is very low, but corn is in EVERYTHING! I'm sure the cold, dry weather doesn't help but my gut sense is that this is a food-based issue, and I've learned over time to put a lot of trust in my gut. Stove-top popcorn is one of my favorite snacks, too! Darn.

Candice M, good luck with your daughter! Frustrating to have to deal with a limited diet, but better to have answers than not know what's going on!

More Answers

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M.O.

answers from New York on

I haven't had that much experience with alternative medicine (for the same reason -- the expense), but the experiences I have had have been fantastic. And something like eczema is the perfect kind of thing to take to a naturopath. They can often give you a diet to follow and that's it, so it's not the kind of thing where you have to keep going back for new prescriptions.

However, I do want to add the proviso that the world of alternative medicine is incredibly diverse, and it includes some flakes and quacks along with people with serious and extensive training. I'd recommend looking for an ND -- a doctor of naturopathic medicine.

3 moms found this helpful

C.M.

answers from Washington DC on

we are currently doing an elimination diet with my 8 year old daughter. She skin tested positive for a lot of things, but one of them was wheat. 2 days ago we adding wheat back into her diet to test it. She has been gluten free now for about 3 weeks. Guess what? She broke out in hives. The reason we even went to an allergist was because she was breaking out in major hives DAILY. She was miserable. We still have a lot of things to test with her elimination diet, but I think now that we know it's wheat, she will be gluten free from now on. Next week we are testing eggs. I'm hoping that's not going to cause a reaction because being gluten AND egg free would be hard. Her wheat allergy was a level 3.

For you, if you have already tested positive for a wheat allergy and you clearly are having a reaction to it, then you really need to cut if off completly. You shouldn't even have it once in a while. You can't just cut back, you need to cut it out all the way. I am learning a lot about this lately and there are even hidden gluten in things that I would have never thought of. Things like corn chips from a restaurant can have gluten because they can share the same fryer as something that is breaded. Pretty much anything that's fried at a restaurant. Chicken broth has gluten in it. Soy sauce. All these things I have to watch out for now to keep my daughter healthy (of course I would jump to the moon and back if I could for her).

So, you can go and see a homeopathic dr. if you want to, but I have a feeling they will just tell you that if you know you have a wheat allergy (even a level 2) you shouldn't have any at all because it's obviously causing you a reaction. Allergies can get worse with each reaction. We have an epi pen just in case because she might just get hives now, but who knows what could happen later.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.S.

answers from Portland on

My family has eczema in it and THE biggest trigger is dairy, specifically cow milk. My niece, nephew, and sister all grew out of it, but my brother didn't and still can't drink a lot of milk. My daughter (3) has to drink goat milk or her backside breaks out so bad it will bleed. Have you tried cutting out dairy?

Another thing to try is Omega 3, 6, and 9. I have a good combo fish oil and borage oil pill from Vitamin World that has all of this in it. Curcumin (derived from tumeric) is also another really good one for skin. I use them to combat psoriasis, but since they are both skin conditions and the idea is to help the skin, it might be a good one for you to try.

Yes, I do think a naturopath might be a good way to go, but you are right, it can be very expensive. I found mine becuase she works in a family care practice, so I can see her and the insurance will pay for it. Maybe look around and find one that way. But, I just found her, I did a lot of research myself, and talked to the store personel to know what would help me the most. Good luck!

P.M.

answers from Indianapolis on

My husband and daughters ALL have eczema! So I've done tons of research to eliminate outbreaks. It could be food related. But think about everything else your skin comes into contact with. Here are my tips: NO soap, laundry detergent, or lotion that contain sulfates, dyes, or fragrance. NO fabric softener or dryer sheets. Use baby oil (or olive oil) to hydrate your skin. Use apple cider vinegar in bath water and in your laundry. Also, soap build up on your clothes could be irritating your skin. Only use a very small portion of soap per load (a teaspoon for liquid). Go a whole week without using soap at all to get any excess off first, then start fresh.

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R.M.

answers from Cumberland on

my daughter has had good results with CeraVe

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