Kate Hodgkison: My eczema hell, how I finally got help

Kate Hodgkison can’t remember months of early motherhood after extremely painful skin issues caused her to be stuck in bed. But she sought professional help and now things are better.

I’ve lived with eczema my whole life.

Steroid creams were my normal go-to and sometimes oral steroids too. I never questioned it. No one ever explained the risks.

Things started to unravel four months after I had my son.

I was about four months post-partum when topical steroid withdrawal hit and the more steroids I used, the worse it got.

When I tried a steroid medication again and stopped, it came back with a vengeance and went rapidly downhill from there.

My eczema flared badly and spiralled into topic steroid withdrawal.

My skin was so dry, scaly and weeping I couldn’t walk, stand or control my body temperature and I had severe insomnia.

I was lucky if I got 20 minutes’ sleep.

Kate Hodgkison battled eczema. Picture: Supplied

I tried everything: more steroid creams, prednisolone, and I spent thousands on naturopaths, acupuncture, and creams from Instagram but nothing helped.

It seemed the more I used, the worse it got.

Nothing worked.

Everything was on fire and I was at breaking point.

I was in agony and so much pain, couldn’t sleep and was mentally and physically exhausted and was even hospitalised.

At one point, I physically couldn’t get out of bed for three weeks.

I had no clear skin anywhere, I was completely covered in eczema and my skin was cracked, weeping, dry, painful beyond words.

I couldn’t walk or stand and had to call on my family just to look after our son.

It was the darkest time of my life and I was completely mentally fried, I still get emotional talking about it.

I felt like my life was ending and at my lowest point, I had really dark thoughts – my son was the only thing that kept me going.

Kate Hodgkison's eczema. Picture: Supplied

I’d look at him and think, “I have to stay here for you.”

My family rallied around and my partner was incredible – I couldn’t have asked for better support and am so lucky we have a really supportive family.

I can’t imagine how people in the same situation get by without the kind of support we have.

My dermatologist had been urging me to try an injectable medicine, but I was hesitant.

I didn’t want to inject something new.

But when I reached breaking point, I gave in – it was a “just give it to me” kind of moment.

Within hours, I felt a shift, and within two weeks, my skin was back to just an eczema flare state.

Kate Hodgkison’s now happy with her skin. Picture: Supplied

It saved my life and now, I pay around $40 every two weeks for the injection and my skin is completely perfect.

What I went through was horrific, but I’m lucky.

I know not everyone has the support I did but I still grieve the time I lost.

It was so bad I can’t remember my son between four and eight months old.

I think I blocked it out.

I just want people to know they’re not alone and there is hope.

Mum Kate Hodgkison, 30, lives in Adelaide. May is Eczema Awareness Month in Australia.

People with eczema should always consult a medical professional about any change to their treatment.

Condition a contentious topic

Topical steroid withdrawal has caused controversy in the medical community, with some experts saying the condition is rare.

Eczema Support Australia (ESA) managing director Melanie Funk said she was concerned that misinformation could stop those affected by eczema accessing proper treatment.

“We have deep compassion for anyone going through a difficult skin journey,” she said.

“At the same time, it’s important to reassure Australians that topical steroid withdrawal appears to be a very rare reaction.

“The vast majority of people with eczema benefit from using topical steroids as prescribed.”

Dermatologist David Orchard said in most cases, eczema came back worse when patients stopped using steroid medications too soon.

“When they stop the steroids, they find it’s worse, but it’s actually the inherent disease doing that, not the withdrawal of the medicine,” Associate Professor Orchard said.

He said there could be side effects from using topical steroids for too long, but if limited, the benefits were great.

“For the vast majority, the rule is use it to clear and then stop,” he said.

“If you’re actually more aggressive with use (of topical steroid creams), you’ll find you end up using less, because once the affected skin is clear, the barrier is restored and you are less likely to need it again.”

Board member of the Australian Society of Cosmetic Dermatologists Aakariti Gupta said topical steroid withdrawal was a rare occurrence.

“There are a lot of myths surrounding topical steroids, but it’s a very safe treatment,” Dr Gupta said.

“What it is alluding to is patients report that their underlying skin condition seems to be worse after stopping topical steroids.

“It’s like any medication, if used incorrectly or outside of standard practice it can cause issues.”

According to ESA, Eczema affects nearly three million Australians.

Dr Gupta recommends speaking to your GP and getting a referral to a qualified dermatologist if you’re struggling with eczema.

– By Taylor Penny

Originally published as Kate Hodgkison: My eczema hell, how I finally got help