Feeling so down

[OopsyDaisy]

I didn't realise how down I was until I broke down in a flood of tears when I went to see the GP this morning.
I had to get a some more of the pill, and the GP said that my blood pressure was high. She asked if I was feeling stressed, and that's when I started bawling my eyes out.
It's been building up for months now. My LO has been suffering from eczema, which is something I can deal with if it wasn't for my MIL. She keeps implying that the eczema is my fault, from the foods that I feed her and she wants me to use this cream she bought from abroad but it's labelled in a foreign language so I haven't a clue what's in it so I've refused to use it and she thinks I'm being stubborn. MIL lives down the road, so is always popping around, and my blood boils everytime I see her as she's always got some sort of negative comment to make. I find I just can't say anything to her, as I feel that she's not my mother and that DH should speak to her, but he just ignores her (that's his defence mechanism since he was a kid) and tells me that's what I should do. I've tried explaining how I feel to DH, but he thinks I'm just being too sensitive. I can't really moan too much to my mum as I feel bad for bitching about my MIL, and I feel I can't open up to friends either as I don't want to bore them with my problems.
Now that the floodgates have opened, I just can't seem to stop crying.

 

[budge]

you sound like you needa pick me up.
Have you got a friend who you could go cinema with one night or something?
Ask your MIL or mum to babysit for a few hours.
I think that would do you the world of good.

 

[OopsyDaisy]

you sound like you needa pick me up.
Have you got a friend who you could go cinema with one night or something?
Ask your MIL or mum to babysit for a few hours.
I think that would do you the world of good.

Thanks budge.

Had a good long chat with DH about it the other night, and he realises how seriously it is affecting me now that my blood pressure has shot up, so I think he will stand up for me more now.

 

[lfc_sarah]

Yeah i agree with Budge.. a little "me" time...

 

[MissThing]

As I understood, one of your biggest worries is your LO's eczema. I am not interfiering, but, your MIL is right about certain foods.

What happened to us, was that Daniel had a TERRIBLE eczema. All around his face and arms. My GP was treating it unsuccesfully for 3 months! Starting with Hydrocortizone and anding up with antibiotics. My mum was telling me all along, that the only way to control eczema this bad is the right diet. And, of course being stubborn I didnt listen much (that is why I am feeling like a complete fool now).

Anyways, we got an appointment with a really good skincare specialist. What she advised was diet, diet, diet. Basically, it is easier to tell what Daniel could eat in the beginning then what he couldnt.

Meats: ONLY turkey and lean pork (all other meats my cause skin allergies, eczema is in the list)

Vegetables-potatoes, cauliflower

Fruits-rhubarb (dont know if its a fruit...)

Porridge-rice.

Drink-diluted prune juice.

Formula-hypoallergenic or soya one

Everything else is not allowed!!!!

That was it what we could give Daniel in the beginning. I thought - OMG, he is gonna starve and etc. But, after a few days he got used to this (we did have to add some formula or boiled prunes to make his food tastier. Also to make a puree we used stock from boiled meat)

Also for the few days we had to use a mild steroid cream to clear up the skin.

An, guess what-EVERYTHING cleared up in 3!!!! days. 3 day! When my baby was suffering from eczema for ages!

What you do, you give the basic list of allowed foods for 2 weeks to wait for skin to clear up. Then you stop using the cream, and every new week you try one new food. (Like, lets say broccoli) So, you add to basic list I gave you broccoli. Do it for the couple of days and see the reaction. If eczema appear-stop using broccoli. If everyhting ok, after a few days add new food (lets say apples) and see how it goes. If eczema appears-stop. Wait for the few days and try new food. And then so on and so on.

We have been doing this for the last 3 months, and discovered that Daniel has reaction to carrots, tomatoes, wheat and some other stuff (we are still on this diet, havent tried quite a few things). He is developing fine, eating-fine, putting weight-great.

I know it is difficult, but parents DO give useful advice sometimes

I hope this will help you

Good luck, and if you need more info about what we are doing - just pm me

 

[DebbieM]

 

[budge]

how you doing oppsy?

 

[xxsammyxx]

Carina - i wish they knew what they did now when i was a kid. I suffered the most awful eczema when i was little. My legs and most of my arms were covered in it and the cream they gave me stung like acid. I used to scream the house down. It used to bleed and itch and drive me mad. Mum was just chucked some cream by the docs and that was it basically! Its so interesting to hear your story and i think its a wonderful idea with the diet.

OOpsy - Is the cream that your mother in law gave to you Spanish or German? If it is i can translate the ingredients for you....

 

[OopsyDaisy]

how you doing oppsy?

Feeling much better thanks, budge.
I think writing it down helped a lot.
DH is now a lot more supportive, and helps defend me against MIL which is great.
And the sun is out too, which is extra

 

[OopsyDaisy]

OOpsy - Is the cream that your mother in law gave to you Spanish or German? If it is i can translate the ingredients for you....

It's in Chinese!!!
My GP says that a lot of Chinese creams contains the highest strength steroids, so I'm steering well clear of it.

 

[Ladybird]

Don't want to but in, but for your sake and your LO's sake I have to agree with what Carina said. My niece suffered with terrible eczema and saw a top dietician/dermatologist? in NZ. They paid a fortune but were told to go on the same simple low alergen diet and introduce foods slowly. I know it sounds a pain but the results are amazing and the relief is priceless. I seem to remember my niece was on a diet of chicken, rice, peas and pear. She is allergic (almost all eczema is an allergy (mostly food) rather than sensitive skin) to: tomato, apple, gluten, soya, citrus fruits, egg, yeast... nightmare! Oh, and wool!!

Good luck. You don't have to spend a fortune. Why not try the simple diet for a week and see what happens.....

 

[OopsyDaisy]

Don't want to but in, but for your sake and your LO's sake I have to agree with what Carina said. My niece suffered with terrible eczema and saw a top dietician/dermatologist? in NZ. They paid a fortune but were told to go on the same simple low alergen diet and introduce foods slowly. I know it sounds a pain but the results are amazing and the relief is priceless. I seem to remember my niece was on a diet of chicken, rice, peas and pear. She is allergic (almost all eczema is an allergy (mostly food) rather than sensitive skin) to: tomato, apple, gluten, soya, citrus fruits, egg, yeast... nightmare! Oh, and wool!!

Good luck. You don't have to spend a fortune. Why not try the simple diet for a week and see what happens.....

At the time that I wrote my original post, I think I was too upset and didn't make myself clear on what I was trying to say. I didn't mean to come across as believing that food has no bearing on eczema, as I have a friend who's baby's eczema responded positively to a change in diet and I have actually kept an eye on my LO's diet to see if there are any trigger foods. What I was meant to say is that MIL talks to me in a way as if she's pointing the finger at me and saying I'm purposely giving trigger foods which is why it upsets me. LO's eczema is fortunately only moderate at its worst, so if it wasn't for the constant comments from my MIL, I would be able to deal with the eczema easier as LO doesn't seem to be affected by it and is generally a happy baby. But anyhow, thanks to yourself and Carina, I now know how to start a "proper" exclusion diet to see if I can pinpoint any trigger foods. Fingers crossed.

 

[Ladybird]

Okay, I see. I think I was just so eager to add my experiences to see if we could help you and your LO that I didn't re read your post. May I add that I sympathise and know exactly what it is like to be constantly fending off an interfering, opinionated, critical, offensive, rude, MIL..... get the picture! Ooh, that feels better! I'm sorry but I have no useful advice. I have tried everything and nothing has worked. She really is something else!

 

[OopsyDaisy]

Oops, dunno what I did there, I hit the "bump topic" button by mistake.

Anyway, thought I'd give a little update anyway. Things are much better now as LO's eczema has disappeared for the time being. It doesn't seem like it was linked to any foods, so I guess it's just a case of it coming and going without reason. MIL has been much better lately, maybe because the eczema has gone, she can't blame me for anything. Just hope it lasts!

 

[Geordie&Bairn]

Im glad the exzema has got better and i hope you MIL continues to behave