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Topical steroid withdrawal leaves bride with swollen eyes on eve of her wedding

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PHOTO: Getty Images
PHOTO: Getty Images

This bride woke up with burning eyes seven days before her wedding day.

Gemma Day (24), from Queensland, Australia, had been troubled by eczema all her life but was horrified to learn she was experiencing topical steroid withdrawal, reports Daily Mail.

Gemma had had her eczema under control until things drastically changed when she turned 13.

She was prescribed steroid cream by a doctor to help keep her skin condition manageable as it affected her whole body.

It appears that after repeatedly using the cream over the years, she had unintentionally become addicted.

She’d get flare-ups of sore and cracked skin every time she tried to stop using the steroid creams, reports The Sun.

Gemma, who works as an office administrator, was due to tie the knot with lawyer Brenton Day (25) on 14 April and decided to stop using the ointment.

This resulted in her getting topical steroid withdrawal syndrome, which is a rare adverse reaction related to the use of a topical steroid after it has been discontinued, according to DermNet.

Gemma woke up a week before her wedding with withdrawal so extreme her eyes couldn’t open, which meant she had to go back to the steroid creams.

“It (swollen eyes) is a common side effect of withdrawal from steroid creams and I was freaking out,” she said. She had to visit her doctor, who then gave her steroid creams again to get her through her wedding and honeymoon in the UK.

“It was only after my wedding that I realised I’d been addicted to steroid cream because of how much my skin flared up when I wasn’t using the treatment.

“I had to cave in and use more steroid cream to calm everything down before my wedding.”

Gemma opted to don a long-sleeved dress in order to cover up her inflamed arms.

“I had always suffered from eczema on my arms, so knew I could never choose a short-sleeved wedding dress and opted for a long-sleeved one.”

Gemma says her only regret is the hold which eczema has on her life, as it dictates all the big events in her life.

The newlywed revealed she’s worn make-up only 10 times in the past years but luckily managed to do so on her big day.

To keep her skin in a good condition she moisturises four times a day, drinks at least three litres of water and, most importantly, doesn’t scratch her itchy skin, Romo News reports.

“Now, I want other people with eczema to know they’re not alone and hope that sharing my story will help them,” Gemma said.

Sources: Aus.remonews.com, Daily Mail, the Sun

   

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