eczema on lips need help

[Monicaklemp]

I have had eczema on my hands come and go through the years. After having my first baby three months ago my lips just recently started to breaking out. They flair up when i eat and take about three days to heal after a break out. No lotions or ointments have helped. My Dr. keep telling me to keep my lips moisturized, but the only way they fully heel is if i let them dry out and keep a mostly liquid diet for a couple days. I am in so much pain when they fist break out. The break outs have been consistently coming once a week. It takes the rest of the week to heel my lips and then they break out again. I was tested for food allergies of soy, eggs, wheat, shrimp, walnuts, milk, cod, and peanuts and i came up negative. Any suggestions on what is all the sudden making me break out or how i can stop this vicious cycle.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
You can take the vit B complex(50 mg tablets) for some days but don’t overdo these as vit B is excreted in breast milk. Instead you can opt for diet rich in vitamin B like meat products, potatoes, bananas, lentils, beans, liver oil, liver, turkey, tuna, nutritional yeast and brewer's yeast.
I hope it helps. Take care and regards.

[Monicaklemp]

I took your advise and tried a liquid B complex. With in hours my lips started to feel better; less itching and swelling. It is the next day and my lips feel better and i didn't have irritation when i ate. I am hoping that the rash was just a deficiency of B vitamins. Since I am breast feeding and already taking a pre natal, I want to make sure I'm not taking too much potency of vitamin B for my Baby. What are the safe dosages for breast feeding women? I can't thank you enough, your advise as changed my life. I was so miserable before and now have hope that this is the cure!
Thank You!!!
Monica

[Monicaklemp]

Hello,
thank you for your response.
I am already taking a prenatal vitamin is it ok to add a B complex while I'm breast feeding?
It definitely feels like eczema. You mentioned it could be Atopic, could food be the developed allergic condition that is causing it to break out. I really want to find out what is causing the breakouts so i can stop eating it. I am seeing my primary DR. next week, but because my insurance is soon to run out, I want to make sure they run the correct test to find out as much as possible about this rash. Should i ask for the blood test Rast? Is there any other test i should ask for to help diagnose this rash?
Thank you,
Monica

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Firstly, It can be due to vit B deficiency. Take some vitamin B complex for some days and see if your symptoms improve.
Secondly, it can be due to atopic dermatitis or eczema("Atopic" refers to a group of diseases where there is often an inherited tendency to develop other allergic conditions, such as asthma and hay fever). Cheilitis (Inflammation of the skin on and around the lips)is often seen in atopic dermatitis. Diagnosed by blood test like RAST. Treatment is by topical steroids or oral therapy of corticosteroids in severe cases. Topical creams like tacrolimus ointment (Protopic) and pimecrolimus cream (Elidel) are also useful.
I hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.