Letters From The Equator

I went to see a skin specialist today. I got really tired of nursing my wounds, which didn’t seem to go away, and I had suspected that I was spreading infections all over my body all by myself.

The doctor gave me a look that make me feel like I was truly an accomplished eczematic, or whatever they call people with eczema. Most of his other patients tend to see him for minor problems, and I should be as concerned as them regarding my condition, but I could care less.

Firstly, because 90% of all doctors prescribe the staple diet of antihistamines, antibiotics and topical corticosteriods. They’ve been the mainstay for dermatological treatment for decades. But recently, a different kind of drug has received some attention for eczema treatment - they’re called immunomodulators.

Specifically, the ones particularly useful to me are immunosuppressants, and I’ve actually tried one out called Protopic. The tube was so small and it cost so much that I didn’t pursue continued treatment for very long.

Now Doc wants me to try something oral (tablets) - Cyclosporin. It’s been around for at least 30 years, and it’s been used most often for kidney transplants. It makes the immune system dumb so that it doesn’t overreact when the organs get moved around like a bank heist.

Immunosuppressants like Cyclosporin are a temporary solution to immune systems who think they’re so smart they go overboard and attack its own host.

When people have conversations with me about eczema, it usually starts like this:

“oh my uncle also has it”

“oh I have it on my elbow”

“have you gone to see a doctor?”

Anyway, my dad who’s a pharmacist say he’ll try to source Cyclosporin for me. Then I’ll have to eat one tablet every day for the rest of my life.

Oh, joy.

Doc was actually being really good and telling me to go look up Cyclosporin on the Internet. He didn’t prescribe it to me because he didn’t have it in stock, and the last few guys he prescribed it to had left the country and cases like this were so rare they usually only order on demand.

I’m so unique and special!

Mom has urged me to go to an allergy test, and I don’t think it’s necessary, because I can easily say I’m allergic to “virtually everything”.

This includes stuff like:

• vegetable shortening
• hard margarine
• nondairy creamers
• MOST salad dressings
• MOST baked goods
• MOST processed foods
• canola oil
• peanuts
• stuff that is high in trans fatty acids (tranny acids?)
• fried foods
• saturated fats (fatty meats, chicken skin, turkey skin, fatty processed meats, etc.)

I am known to be adversely allergic to coconut milk, big prawns, usually very bony fish, crabs, and eggplant.

The solution diet for me includes:

• most fresh veggies and fruits
• foods containing omega-9 and omega-3 (but not omega-6) fatty acids (some fish, olive oil, etc.)
• foods containing gamma-linoleic acids (evening primrose oil, etc.)

That’s like saying you need to live the life of a monk.

Anyway, Cyclosporin is not a happy drug:

Cyclosporin helps to manage the symptoms of severe eczema by preventing the immune system from sending special cells called lymphocytes into the affected areas of skin. Reduced immune system activity reduces inflammation. However, the side effects of this drug can include high blood pressure, kidney problems, increased susceptibility to all types of infections, and a possible increased risk of skin cancer. Because of the risk of significant side effects, and the need for close and regular monitoring, oral cyclosporin is only considered in severe cases of eczema that are difficult to control with other therapies.

I think I need to live on a farm.