A mother-of-two suffered terrible pain, red and raw skin after stopping her eczema creams for the first time in 35 years – and almost lost everything trying to treat it.
Christine Vyse, from Perth, was given various topical and oral steroid medications, as recommended by doctors, to treat her dry and sensitive skin from the early age of seven, after her parents noticed she was allergic to their dogs.
As her skin condition worsened, she was prescribed progressively stronger creams until she noticed that the highest potency no longer seemed to work.
After decades of relying heavily on medication, she finally eliminated steroids from her life in 2020 because she realized her eczema was not improving.
However, his decision came at an extremely painful cost.
She ended up suffering from topical steroid withdrawal (TSW), a debilitating condition in which the skin reacts after stopping use of the creams.
The pain was so unbearable that every morning she found herself glued to the sheets because of the exudate and blood seeping from her skin.
In a desperate attempt to soothe her paralysed and aching face, the mother said her skin treatments were costing her more than a mortgage.
Christine Vyse has told how she was left with extremely sore and raw skin after stopping using eczema creams for the first time in 35 years.
In a desperate attempt to relieve her irritated and crippling skin, the mother said her skin treatments were costing her more than a mortgage.
“My skin was constantly bleeding, red, scabbing and tearing. It was a truly horrible time. I’ve always been proud of my appearance and feeling so ugly and uncomfortable all the time was horrible,” she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘Waking up in the morning glued to the sheets by mucus and blood, with my hair stuck to my face, with cracks around my lips and eyes… just facing each morning was an extreme challenge.
‘I was very depressed and at one point I had dark thoughts, but luckily the mother guilt kicked in and I couldn’t have imagined leaving my children without their mother.’
Christine said her doctors began prescribing her topical steroid creams when she experienced a mild skin condition as a child.
“Over the next 35 years, my strength increased as I became trapped in a cycle of rebound flares from coming off steroids that presented as increasingly severe eczema,” she recalled.
Over time, she noticed her symptoms were getting worse out of control.
Like many other eczema sufferers, she believes her skin problems were caused by the continued use of topical steroids, prescribed by dermatologists and doctors.
Christine spent thousands of dollars on specialists, tests and skin treatments, including $3,000 on a red light therapy machine.
After decades of relying heavily on medication, she finally eliminated steroids from her life. However, her decision came at an extremely painful cost.
After four months of treatment, she noticed that her skin stopped tearing, bleeding and oozing.
“Over the years, I’ve tried everything: wet bandages, many dietary changes, several rounds of immunotherapy, allergy testing, and even CBD oil,” she said.
‘I stopped drinking alcohol, wine in particular had been a big trigger and avoided all the known triggers my tests indicated such as gluten, pork, cats, horses, tree pollen and dust mites.
“Stress makes it worse and I’m careful about what I eat. I might have a bit of cake on a birthday, but then I’ll avoid gluten like the plague.
His body was covered with severe eczema.
“At home, we removed all the carpets, curtains, plants and trees, which reduced the likelihood of me having an allergic reaction. Chemicals also irritated me, and when I bleached my hair, it burned any skin it touched within seconds.”
As a last resort, her doctor recommended an eczema treatment in 2020 called Dupixent, a targeted drug that prevents the body’s immune system from overreacting and producing more inflammation than normal.
While there is no cure for eczema, Dupixent has been described as a “life-changing drug” for Australian patients battling severe atopic dermatitis.
The drug is injected once every two weeks for the rest of the person’s life.
“It was $1,615 a month for a box of two shots, making it extremely unaffordable,” she recalled, adding that it was costing her more than $2,000 a month in medication, moisturizer and specialist appointments.
Christine’s skin condition was so severe that her husband began working on a FIFO (first in, first out) basis.
“I was really depressed and when I hit the breaking point my husband said ‘there’s no other option’ so he took a FIFO job to help pay for it. I felt incredibly guilty but I hit the breaking point,” she said.
Once Christine got her skin under control with the injections, she started using MooGoo cream.
Christine said she had to switch from working part-time to full-time just to be able to cover the ongoing costs of treating her eczema each month.
“It was costing us as much as taking out a second mortgage,” he said.
“But I was so desperate that if someone had told me rubbing dog poop on my skin would help, I would have done it.”
Once Christine got her skin under control with the injections, she started using MooGoo. cream.
“I found that the cream moisturized my skin without irritating it. It was well priced and easy to get, so it became part of my routine,” she said.
Within four months of using the medication along with Australian natural skin care, she noticed her skin stopped tearing, bleeding and oozing.
“It took us a lot of time, money and commitment, but the difference was incredible,” he said.
Christine’s skin condition was so severe that her husband started a FIFO job and she went from working part-time to full-time so she could afford $1,600 a month for her ongoing medication.
The mother cried tears of relief when the Australian government included Dupixent in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from March 2021, meaning the drug has been subsidised for all Australians suffering from a severe form of eczema.
It now costs just $41.30 per prescription on PBS.
“When it came out on PBS the following year, it was like winning the lottery because we were able to stop spending so much on medications,” she said.
Her skin has become ‘increasingly stronger’ in recent years.
“My skin is so smooth it’s changed my life. Now we don’t freak out when a rare breakout pops up and we know it will pass with a little MooGoo, watching what I eat and not panicking,” she said.
‘I wake up every day feeling happy and positive as I head to my morning Pilates class where I can wear an outfit that shows off my skin because I’m no longer ashamed or frustrated about my skin.
‘I’ve also lost weight because steroids made me gain a lot of weight over the years and now I’m at a point where people who haven’t seen me for a few years don’t even recognise me, which always makes me laugh.’
She now spends less than $100 a month on her skincare routine.
She now spends less than $100 a month on her skincare routine.
“I’m still on Dupixent, which costs only $41.30 per prescription,” she said.
‘I now have three MooGoo creams at my disposal, each for less than $25: the natural Double Cream with Ceramides, the Natural Soothing Moisturizer, and the Magnesium Moisturizer.
For those struggling with severe eczema or topical steroid withdrawal, Christine said: ‘Press your doctors and specialists for answers and new treatments.
“I was lucky enough to meet some great people, like my holistic nutritionist, who sent me for some tests and supported me through this process. They were expensive, but worth it.
‘If those tests ($400) were available through Medicare, it would help thousands more people who are struggling, especially with the rising cost of living.
‘I would also encourage people to seek out online support groups, such as Facebook, as there are many people around the world suffering from suspected TSW and it really helps to know you are not alone.’
For confidential support, call Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
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