{"id":139834,"date":"2023-10-25T16:29:50","date_gmt":"2023-10-25T16:29:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magdelaine.net\/?p=139834"},"modified":"2023-10-25T16:29:50","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T16:29:50","slug":"my-skin-falls-off-in-flakes-my-mum-had-to-vacuum-the-remains-from-my-bed-as-i-screamed-in-agony-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magdelaine.net\/lifestyle\/my-skin-falls-off-in-flakes-my-mum-had-to-vacuum-the-remains-from-my-bed-as-i-screamed-in-agony-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"My skin falls off in flakes – my mum had to vacuum the remains from my bed as I screamed in agony | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"

A WOMAN claims her skin was so sore and flaky her mum had to vacuum her bed every morning. <\/p>\n

Amy Moldenhauer was shedding "an entire dustpan full" every night before the cracks oozed, swelled and started to burn.<\/p>\n


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The now-28-year-old first started suffering from eczema as a child, with itchy spots breaking out all over her body. <\/p>\n

She kept it under control for years, relying heavily on steroid creams, but decided to ditch the drugs altogether in July 2022. <\/p>\n

However, instead of clearing her flare-ups, it made her skin so sensitive and painful she was left "screaming in agony". <\/p>\n

Amy, from Melbourne, Australia, said: "My skin went bright red and looked like extreme sunburn.<\/p>\n

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"Before I knew it, my skin was flaking and I was shedding an entire dustpan full, at least once a day.<\/p>\n

"It cycled between oozing, swelling, burning and flaking.<\/p>\n

"Not to forget the red sleeves, when my arms, legs, palms and soles all become red and inflamed."<\/p>\n

After researching her symptoms, Amy concluded she was suffering from topical steroid withdrawal (TSW) – a serious potential side effect of using corticosteroids\u00a0and hydrocortisone\u00a0creams. <\/p>\n

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Both work to reduce inflammation in eczema, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis sufferers, but can actually make things significantly worse when people stop them after a long period of use, the National Eczema Association says.<\/p>\n

Amy said her skin would flake off so much that her mum Susan was forced to Hoover her mattress, quilt and pillows daily.<\/p>\n

And the pain was so intense, she couldn't even cope with the feeling of the wind on her skin. <\/p>\n

"I was super sensitive to water, movement, moisturiser, fabrics, temperature \u2013 everything," the breathwork facilitator said.<\/p>\n

"The pain was excruciating. The sensations and burning were so intense that I lost my ability to do many things.<\/p>\n

"The first few months I was mostly bed-bound, wrapped in towels.<\/p>\n

"I couldn't regulate my temperature so I would either be freezing cold or sweating. <\/p>\n

"I didn't sleep as the itch was so deep, and most of my day was spent scratching until I bled, as the pain of cutting open the skin was better than the itch."<\/p>\n

Amy also suffered from nerve pain, enlarged lymph nodes, oedema, eye dryness, swelling, skin atrophy, head and body hair loss, insomnia, extreme fatigue, depression and anxiety.<\/p>\n

She was struggling so much, she moved 9,000 miles to Canada to be closer to her mum.<\/p>\n

"It got to the point where she had to spoon-feed me in bed as I couldn\u2019t move," Amy said.<\/p>\n

"My daily routine was being pushed out of bed as I screamed or cried.<\/p>\n

"My mum would undress me, flake my skin off, change my gauze, re-dress me and vacuum the bed as it would be coated in piles of skin, then I would go back into bed.<\/p>\n

"Moving would crack open my skin and it was excruciating."<\/p>\n

The pain was excruciating. I was screaming in agony. <\/p>\n

Emotionally exhausted from the ordeal, Amy\u2019s mental health also suffered as she grieved the \u2018normal\u2019 life she was missing out on.<\/p>\n

She said: "I felt like a burden to everyone and just a shell of who I normally was.<\/p>\n

"I entered a really dark place of depression and at one stage would have a daily panic attack, mostly at the thought of moving or any time I moved.<\/p>\n

"My mum was my saving grace, as she would hold me through all my panic attacks, cook for me, feed me, change me and sit with me through the night."<\/p>\n

Thankfully, in August 2023, Amy\u2019s skin finally started to improve.<\/p>\n

She is now almost completely healed and looking forward to getting back to her \u2018old\u2019 life.<\/p>\n

But she is sharing her story to encourage others to ask for help and to be wary of steroid products.<\/p>\n

"The best thing you can do is give your body time, rest and accept support from those around you," she said.<\/p>\n

"But, for me, stopping obsessing over fixing my skin was when things started to change [as it helped me mentally cope with the pain].<\/p>\n

"I highly recommend breath work – your nervous system is going crazy and breath work is the best way to regulate this.<\/p>\n

"It also was key for me in managing pain, as well as managing my extreme emotions."<\/p>\n

Amy added: "Believe in yourself and your ability to make it through.<\/p>\n

"You will feel crazy at times, completely alone and [as if] no one has any answers \u2013 but I promise you it does get better.<\/p>\n

"To anyone going through [something similar]: ask for help.<\/p>\n

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"Get the support you need and give your body the time to recover.<\/p>\n

"And do your best to not scratch."<\/p>\n


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What is topical steroid withdrawal? <\/h3>\n

THE term 'topical steroid withdrawal' refers to a combination of symptoms that may emerge in the days, weeks and months after a person stops using certain medications.<\/p>\n

They happen because the body becomes reliant, or addicted, over a long period of time. <\/p>\n

The potentially debilitating symptoms of TSW can include:<\/p>\n