My Struggles with Uncontrolled Moderate Eczema
Thank you to Regeneron and Sanofi for encouraging me to share my story and for sponsoring this post.
I’ve shared a lot about my life on my blog and social media, but one thing I haven’t shared yet is my struggle with moderate atopic dermatitis (AD).
For those who don’t know, AD is the most common form of eczema, and can lead to rashes that cover a lot of the body. The symptoms, like intense persistent itching and skin lesions, can be debilitating. It’s something I’ve been living with since I was 12 years old.
I first started noticing symptoms of my eczema on the backside of my knees while I was on a family trip to New York City. It was winter, so I was bundled up in layers and I could not stop itching at the backs of my knees. When I got back to our hotel, my skin was so red and irritated.
At first, my mom thought I was having an allergic reaction to the material of my pants, yet I had worn the pants many times before. After thinking on it she kind of just concluded it was likely eczema since I had it as a baby and my dermatologist said it commonly comes and goes at different parts in our lives. She headed over to a nearby bodega and bought an anti-itch cream specifically for eczema and it worked wonders, at least temporarily.
About four years later, my eczema started to reappear on my scalp. Now, at 22, I’ve been experiencing it on my face in little red patches, which has been tough, because I am always trying to hide it. As a content creator, it’s my job to post pictures where I’m put together, but with AD, that can be difficult.
Although I’m not currently on Dupixent, I wanted to share what I found in my research.
If you are struggling with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe AD, there is an available treatment option called Dupixent, a first-of-its-kind biologic, injectable prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat adults and children 6 years of age and older with moderate-to-severe AD (eczema) that is not well controlled with prescription therapies used on the skin (topical), or who cannot use topical therapies. Dupixent can be used with or without topical corticosteroids. This form of medication works from the inside to help treat a source of underlying inflammation that contributes to AD. Dupixent should not be used in patients who are allergic to dupilumab or to any of the ingredients in Dupixent.
In two 16-week clinical trials with Dupixent when used alone compared to a placebo, almost four times more adult patients with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis taking Dupixent saw clear or almost clear skin as compared with those not taking Dupixent (37% taking Dupixent as compared to 9% not taking Dupixent). Nearly half of adult patients taking Dupixent saw at least 75% skin improvement (48% taking Dupixent as compared to 13% not taking Dupixent) and some even saw at least 90% improvement. The most common side effects of treatment were injection site reactions, eye and eyelid inflammation, including redness, swelling, and itching, sometimes with blurred vision, and cold sores in your mouth or on your lips. Scroll down for additional Important Safety Information and links to the full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information.
If you have uncontrolled moderate-to-severe AD, talk to your doctor about what treatment may be right for you and visit www.dupixent.com to learn more.
Living with a skin disease can be really tough. And because people don’t talk about it, it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one going through it. That’s why I wanted to share my story, to let you know that if you have AD or eczema, you’re not alone. There are many different treatment options out there that can help you manage your disease, you just have to find the right one for you.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION & INDICATION
Do not use if you are allergic to dupilumab or to any of the ingredients in DUPIXENT®
Before using DUPIXENT, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:
● have eye problems
● have a parasitic (helminth) infection
● are scheduled to receive any vaccinations. You should not receive a “live vaccine” right before and during treatment with DUPIXENT.
● are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether DUPIXENT will harm your unborn baby.
○ A pregnancy registry for women who take DUPIXENT during pregnancy collects information about the health of you and your baby. To enroll or get more information call 1-877-311-8972 or go to https://mothertobaby.org/ongoing-study/dupixent/.
● are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known whether DUPIXENT passes into your breast milk.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.
Especially tell your healthcare provider if you are taking oral, topical or inhaled corticosteroid medicines or if you have atopic dermatitis and asthma and use an asthma medicine. Do not change or stop your corticosteroid medicine or other asthma medicine without talking to your healthcare provider. This may cause other symptoms that were controlled by the corticosteroid medicine or other asthma medicine to come back.
DUPIXENT can cause serious side effects, including:
● Allergic reactions. DUPIXENT can cause allergic reactions that can sometimes be severe. Stop using DUPIXENT and tell your healthcare provider or get emergency help right away if you get any of the following signs or symptoms: breathing problems or wheezing, swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat, fainting, dizziness, feeling lightheaded, fast pulse, fever, hives, joint pain, general ill feeling, itching, skin rash, swollen lymph nodes, nausea or vomiting, or cramps in your stomach-area.
● Eye problems. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new or worsening eye problems, including eye pain or changes in vision, such as blurred vision. Your healthcare provider may send you to an ophthalmologist for an eye exam if needed.
● Joint aches and pain. Some people who use DUPIXENT have had trouble walking or moving due to their joint symptoms, and in some cases needed to be hospitalized. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or worsening joint symptoms. Your healthcare provider may stop DUPIXENT if you develop joint symptoms.
The most common side effects in patients with atopic dermatitis include injection site reactions, eye and eyelid inflammation, including redness, swelling, and itching, sometimes with blurred vision, and cold sores in your mouth or on your lips.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of DUPIXENT. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Use DUPIXENT exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. It’s an injection given under the skin (subcutaneous injection). Your healthcare provider will decide if you or your caregiver can inject DUPIXENT. Do not try to prepare and inject DUPIXENT until you or your caregiver have been trained by your healthcare provider. In children 12 years of age and older, it’s recommended DUPIXENT be administered by or under supervision of an adult. In children under 12 years of age, DUPIXENT should be given by a caregiver.
Please see accompanying full Prescribing Information including Patient Information.
INDICATION
DUPIXENT is a prescription medicine used to treat adults and children 6 years of age and older with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (eczema) that is not well controlled with prescription therapies used on the skin (topical), or who cannot use topical therapies. DUPIXENT can be used with or without topical corticosteroids. It is not known if DUPIXENT is safe and effective in children with atopic dermatitis under 6 years of age.
DUP.21.12.0306.
