Ban steroids as first line treatment for skin conditions
Ban steroids as first line treatment for skin conditions
Why this petition matters
Too many of us in the UK and worldwide are suffering from steroid withdrawal because we are given steroid after steroids for treatment for an alarming amount of conditions including the simplest of things like for nappy rash/dribble rash for babies, eczema, to any slight inflammation. The classic scenario is that "eczema" spreads to a new area of the body after stopping the steroid, and a stronger steroid is given. And repeat.
This steroid addiction and withdrawal is not the same as eczema, it is far worse.
We then suffer with an array of horrible symptoms from oozing to bone deep itching, insomnia, depression, suicidal thoughts and shedding of the skin. Steroid medications also affect the nervous system, vascular system and temperature control. It's more than skin deep.
Most doctors and dermatologists don't know how to recognise TSW skin, nor do they know how to treat it; most will just continue prescribing steroids.
Steroids are known to cause skin atrophy (thinning of the skin) and destroy collagen. Cortisol is a stress hormone,so WHY is this synthetic cortisol prescribed when it causes so much damage? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1783752/#:~:text=(Table%203).-,1%2C2,high%2Dpotency%20topical%20corticosteroid%20use
People on average suffer for 5-10 years, and like I mentioned with depression, suicidal thoughts, pain, and awful symptoms. Lots of people are often bed bound at some point, unable to work, or take care of themselves or families.
There is serious lack of support for many as it's not viewed as a disability. So many sufferers depend heavily on family to survive. There's countless documentation on tiktok, and other social media of people suffering with tsw. www.itsan.org is also a good place to see proof of countless people globally suffering from withdrawal of steroid medication.
Steroids given systemically have also been discovered to be more malignant causing than other systemic treatment, yet it is the first thing a doctor or dermatologist will offer a patient.
https://www.dermatologytimes.com/view/study-finds-jak-inhibitors-safer-than-other-systemic-agents
The physical symptoms cycle, and a flare can last anywhere from days to months. Mental health is also seriously damaged because of the fear, uncertainty of when it will end, and lack of support from the medical side. Doctors love to gaslight and threaten patients who don't want to use steroids.
I myself have suffered so many years of my life because I was repeatedly put on steroids and it exacerbated my condition. I've suffered mentally and physically, needing a carer at my lowest point, unable to do the simplest of things.
People have healed without any steroids which is clearly proof that steroids were the problem all along. You can see people joining this group everyday because they are experiencing the same thing: https://facebook.com/groups/TSWRSSsupport/
https://tswassist.com/topical-steroid-withdrawal-healing-stages/
Theres also many stories from parents saying social services threaten to take their babies/children away from them if they don't want to use steroids on their children. So many babies and children are also suffering with tsw.
If we don't get the change in our healthcare system and the support we need, more people will suffer as a result from most doctors and dermatologists ignorance, because they don't want to acknowledge the truth.
So please let's stop prescribing this poison to babies, children and adults and let's end this iatrogenic suffering. We need to be offering healthy alternatives, such as red light therapy for people and looking at root causes (gut health), and not masking symptoms and worsening the original condition.
If we ban steroids as a first line treatment it would also be easier to recognise what real "severe" eczema looks like, because it would not be mistaken with TSW.