Misdiagnosis????

I was diagnosed with eczema over 2 years ago. I visited dermatologist in a nearby hospital. She looked at my hands and said it was eczema and prescribed a topical cream (Protopic - 140$ ). I used the cream for 3-4 months and nothing changed, my skin was getting worse and worse. Last year I went to Poland to visit my family and decided to see dermatologist over there. They said its an ALLERGY ECZEMA and NO cream will help it. In USA its too expensive for me to make allergy tests as it looks like I have diary products allergy. For those 2 years I was consuming large amounts of diary products without realizing it might have been the reason my hands are itchy, have bloody cracks and wounds. I started to have problems with my liver ( i was told by people from asthma and allergy group that allergens cause damages to intestines) Now I try to avoid milk and other diary product. Should I go back to this doctor and tell her she made a mistake or what/ Why didnt she suggested any tests?? The visit lasted 5 minutes and costed 150 dollars. I wonder what I should do now as 2 years seem to be a very long time Im a little bit worried that I made more damage to myself that my bad skin on my hands.

[ellencee]

MisiaK
I feel rather sure that the physician is aware of allergic eczema.

After one tube of cream, if you had no improvement, you should have followed up with this physician or any dermatologist and reported that the cream did not work. Then, additional diagnostic measures could have been taken. It was not improper for the original physician to have started with a cream for treating eczema.

If you have not had allergy testing and are not sure you truly have an allergy to dairy products, you need to obtain proper diagnostic testing. Call your local health department if you can not afford private medical care.

Best wishes,
EC

[pele]

Misiak - I know exactly what you are going through. I have had eczema on my hands for almost a year now and it can be very frustrating. I have found Elidel to be helpful, also Cordran tape which is a steriod. Using my hands for anything, such as paper work, or carrying shopping bags or wrapping Christmas presents can exacerbate the red areas on my palms and fingers. I have also found Neutrogena hand cream to be of great benefit. If you go to aad.org and click on eczemanet there is more information there. I wish you the best of luck. Pele