Feb. 3, 2007 - update
So we had the appointment yesterday. It was extremely difficult, but Levi did very well, and I'm glad. It took me and two other nurses to hold him on the table, while the doctor poked him 22 times with various allergens, looking for reactions. He didn't cry, but he looked absolutely terrified and fought the entire time. I can't believe how strong he is. They wrapped his arm in gauze and he had to leave it for 30 minutes before they could gauge his reactions. When the doctor came back to remove the gauze, he absolutely refused to give her his arm back. Not that I can blame him. He just stood by my side and wouldn't look at her. Finally, after much coaxing, he looked up at her and said, "I'm scared." He just broke my heart. I finally had to take the gauze off and that's when he cried, though it didn't hurt. It was fear, I guess.
All that to find nothing. He has no allergies that they could find. I am a strange mixture of relief and frustration. I would hate for him to have to struggle with a whole bunch of allergies for the rest of his life, especially since they thought it was something like trees or grass, or something else really common. How do you avoid trees? So I'm glad that it's not that. But I'm frustrated because this leaves us back at square one. We don't know the root cause of his eczema and can only slap more prescriptions on it when it flares up and give him different antihistamines for the itching. My nephew just broke out in eczema for the first time. They are seeking out alternative therapies using natural health remedies and have been told that eczema is often related to digestion problems. Interestingly enough, their little guy has very similar eating patterns and problems to Levi, and it all started at the same age. So...we are planning to take Levi to a naturopath. I'm sick of getting no answers, just more prescriptions for drugs that can have terrible side effects. I'm tired of reading about the side effects of long term use and worrying about how often he needs the meds. I don't fault the doctors for not knowing the answers to his problem. But we've exhausted their resources and I'm not ready to give up yet. Summer is agonizingly painful and exhausting for Levi. I don't want him to have to go through that again that again.
Comments
Feb. 3, 2007 - my daughter
Posted by javamamma
My middle daughter had eczema patches from the time she was an infant. It was on her eyelid within a ?few weeks of her birth in Feb. 2001. Then over the next years, she had patches mainly in the creases of her arms (inside of elbows). Her's got worse in winter though. She still (at 6yrs) has dry skin but no patches like that. Maybe they can outgrow it if it isn't an allergy? I'll be praying for you (and him) though - doesn't sound like fun.
Feb. 4, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Happyhome
I'm so sorry it was so difficult. Reading about how scared he was brought tears to my eyes. I will pray you find answers for him soon.
Blessings,
Angela
