Hi All:

Besides having PN, Alan has bits of psoriasis on his body. He has psoriatic arthritis (that's what the doctor said when he examined his toes).

He also has exema on his legs. When he is stressed (like in the hospital undergoing IVIG, well, you should have seen his legs). He has the clobetizole and sometimes it does help but most times it does not. I know there are psoriasis cremes out there but they are not covered by Blue Cross.

So here's my question. Behind his right ear, there are ALWAYS scales and raw, raw skin. Every day I gently take a warm washcloth and get them away and I put on a bit of vitamin E. Some days it goes away. He wears glasses by the way and I figured the plastic in the frame is irritating this part of his body. This DOES NOT HAPPEN ON THE OTHER EAR BY THE WAY. He has this between his eyebrows also and if I didn't get on his case to clear this up, he would leave the house with the stuff on. I gently put some vitamin e on this also.

But just now I noticed the ear and I said "my goodness, here we go again". It's like raw meat. If I didn't put the warm washcloth on it to gently remove the scales, he would not feel any discomfort, but when I do the warm washcloth thing he starts yelling. I say, "listen I have to do this, it looks terrible". then I gently put some vitamin E.

Do any of you know of a good gentle skin creme that I can put behind his ear that won't make it even more raw and will help with the scaling?

He won't see a dermatologist so that's why I ask. He says he has enough with the neuro, primary care, podiatrist, and chiro/neurologist and now the IVIG thing. I really can't blame him

Thanks, Melody

((((((Melody)))))),

This is not exactly what you asked for but I couldn't live without this stuff:

Tegaderm

I have psoriasis on my elbow and I've been having a problem with dry, itchy skin on my arms and back since menopause. Sometimes I scratch so hard that I tear my skin.

I've found that the Tegaderm is good for all sorts of things like that. It provides a protective layer until you can grow new skin. When I use it on my elbow, it peels off a lot of the flakiness when you finally remove the patch. I usually leave the patches on 24/7 for about 7-10 days until they fall off (or pick up too much cat fur around the edges ).

When I was a home health aide, I used Tegaderm for one of my male patients that had a horrendous bed sore on his lumbar spine (that was the only thing that healed it). I also had another woman with a stroke who developed itching and skin picking on her arm. The Tegaderm worked wonders to keep her fingers away from her skin until it healed. Probably would work great for your husband to keep the irritation of the eyeglasses away from the area until the skin fully heals.

For just trying the Tegaderm or for not using it very much, it's best to just buy it in either CVS or Walgreen's -- whatever store you have in your area. For more extensive use, like I do, I purchase the packets loose on eBay for much, much less than you'd pay retail. I've been doing that for a couple of years now and have never had a problem.

Melody, I don't think I've ever written to you before, but, I've seen you around. It's very uplifting to see how much love and devotion you give your husband every day. It's a really beautiful to see

Hugs.

Barb

PS: Oh, I get the 6 cm x 7 cm (2-3/4 in. x 2-3/4 in.) size Tegaderm and usually cut them either in half or in quarters. You still have either a half frame or a quarter frame to apply the patch with and it makes them last much longer, if you're counting pennies like me.

Barb:
Hi, nice to meet you. I've never heard of this. Is it a prescription item or over the counter??

Thanks much

Melody

Melody,

It's over-the-counter. As I said, if you're only going to use it briefly, you can just buy it at your local pharmacy. If you plan to use a lot of it, you can get good deals on eBay -- just search for 'tegaderm' and then sort by price (low-to-high) -- what you would be looking for would be 100 (6 cm x 7 cm) for $10-$15. Normally, they're about $1 apiece through the local pharmacies.


Barb

wow, never ever heard of this item.

I'll google it and see if it might help the hubby!!!!

Thanks much.

Oh, we just came home from our appointment (both of us) with our podiatrist. Guess what!!! I get to get a new pair of Comfort Diabetic Orthopedic shoes because my insurance plan covers it. They cost $165 for the shoes and some kind of insert inside the shoe. I picked out a nice sturdy pair (because I try and power walk every day using my IPOD.

But the coolest thing was when Alan found out he might just be eligible for a new pair of othotics (covered by insurance). We have the same kind of medicare advantage plan. The podiatrist said "Alan's not a diabetic, right" ????? and I said "I don't think you have to be to get the orthotics". So he said "Okay, let's see if it will go through, but let's scan him first". I had no idea what scan meant. Previously for any kind of orthotics, Alan would sink his feet into this foam thing and it would take an impression of his feet.

BUT NOT ANY MORE!!!!! There's a new gadget in town and our podiatrist has it. It's some kind of BIO-SCAN THING. It was amazing.

Alan just gets on this red platform that's on the floor. The sensors scan his two feet and there right in front of us on the screen WERE ALAN'S FEET!!!!

I kept going "oh, just like Star Trek. The podiatrist started to laugh. He's a doll and he raises exotic flowers in his spare time. He does indeed take good care of Alan tootsies and mine too. I had an ingrown toe nail and you could have heard me yelp across the street. But I didn't have to get a shot this time. This guy just takes a second and goes "now be brave". It was over in a second. My feet are good and the most fascinating thing is that I feel everything the doctor did and Alan doesn't and we both have neuropathy.

Alan has had his for 18 years and I just started to develop symtoms. They come and go. I am under a strict diabetic protocol and I intend to do my darndest to hopefully slow down the progression in my feet.

But when the doctor starts to work on Alan, well he could stick a nail in his toes and he doesn't feel a darn thing. The doctor goes to me "Amazing, isn't he?" "he doesn't feel what I'm doing". Alan has a bad recurring foot ulcer.
Dr. Baird takes such good care of his feet.

So all we are waiting on is the phone call from the Home Infusion people and we'll be good to go.

So I'll let you know if I get my hands on this Tegaderm.

be well

Melody

P.S. Just looked up Tegaderm. Don't think it's what Alan needs. What he needs is an Aquaphor kind of cream. Is there anything better for his behind the ear problem. It's gentle right? Anybody else use this or a similar product????

Yeah, foot doctors can be amazing. I had a "secret" crush on mine years and years ago.

Guess it's not a *SECRET* anymore, huh!!

Good luck to both of you. Hugs.

Barb

Maybe he is allergic to the part of the glass frames that touch this area. My husband, who also has psoriasis, has the same thing behind his ear. He takes flax seed oil and fish oil, which have helped him overall considerably. It has been raw and oozing at times.
Cathie

Cathie:
When you say fish oil, I believe you mean the Omega 3 oil, right? Alan can't take this because he is on plavix and aspirin and he bleeds enough as it is. I Fish oil is also a blood thinner (at least that's what I read). He used to take it every day but when he went on the plavix and aspirin he stopped the fish oil. He eats fish once in a while. (I live on it). His psoriasis is going nuts on his arms. Yesterday he started yelping "i'm bleeding on my elbow). He had scratched the lesions, he tore some of the scales, and it bled. Of course, eventually it stopped but since the IVIG, he has had outbreaks. I have no idea why. Some of the lesions went away on other parts of his body and erupted on yet another part of his body. And since he shaves his head, (he likes it because he has thinning hair, and it's simple to keep), I noticed a thing on the top of his scalp the other day. I said to myself, "jeez, don't tell me he's getting psoriasis on the top of his head so everybody can see it". I immediately put some vitamin e oil on it. It has since disappeared.

Sometimes when you put some psoriasis meds on, he says they burn. So I would never put it behind his ear. The vitamin e seems to help a lot. Today, I'm going to buy acquaphor. That is gentle.

bye for now and thanks.
melody

Alan is so lucky to have you. You take such good care of him. Since I am down quite a bit, and not able to do all I once could do, I am afraid my hubby might want to come up there to New York and steal you away from him...

You are a great nurse!

Cathie

Tell him he's welcome. He can keep Alan company.

lol - you're funny

Melody