Very dry skin

[MrsSuzuki]

Had HA and stent fitted last December. On aspirin, clopidogrel, bisoprolol, ramipril, atovorstatin, pantoprazole.

Has anyone experienced very dry skin all over, especially on legs? I am using aqueous cream twice a day but skin keeps flaking off. Would one of these tablets cause this?

Lily

[10gingercats]

This started to happen to me a few years ago.My GP immediately gave me E45, a lot of it, and said to apply it gently EVERY DAY. After a few months I was able to see a great improvement, esp. on my legs and although I have been through a couple of traumatic health periods that have caused it to return I have soon been able to get it under control again with E45. Leg dryness can lead to ulcers so stamp on this sooner rather than later.

[MrsSuzuki in reply to 10gingercats]

Thank you for your help. I used to use E45 but it was expensive, so I changed to aqueous cream. Although I didn't have really dry skin, it has worked for me until the past couple of months on the various tablets and the problem has got much worse. I'll take your advice and try E45 cream again. Thanks.Lily

[SheldonC in reply to MrsSuzuki]

Speak to your GP and see if you can get it on prescription, assuming you get free prescriptions.

[MrsSuzuki in reply to SheldonC]

Thank you will do.

[Hidden]

Hello

I am getting patches of dry skin all of a sudden and as I have never had it before I have wondered if any of my meds are causing it

I am also using E45 which I find is helping

I know it is expensive but if it works it is worth it

Not sure if your Doctor would prescribe you some and even though prescriptions are not cheap if they did one for a big tub it would be worth it

Hope you get it sorted x

[Sewing19]

I’m on virtually the same meds as you and the skin on my legs is really dry. Daily moisturising is just about keeping on top of it. I never connected it to meds, just thought it was an age thing, but I’m only 68.😂 Thanks.

[VelvetSky]

I use Cerave cream following having Stevens- Johnson Syndrome last year. I found anything containing paraffin made it much worse. The Pharmacist was much more helpful than the hospital. The cream is about £15 a tub and lasts me about 28 days. I’ve never tried to get it on prescription as it’s a continual fight with the surgery to get my heart meds before I run out yet alone anything else.

[10gingercats]

I was also told by female GP that dry skin is often made worse by low oestrogen levels.

[Hidden]

Dear MrsSuzuki

I also suffered with the horrible skin shedding and it must be the drugs as I never had it before { pointing towards water tablets, but jury still out} anyway I stopped worrying which med was causing it and began to attack the problem itself.

A basic cream from my Drs {prescription} and a lesson on how to apply it from the nurse.

Don't rub it in but let it sink in after a bath/shower, pain in the neck but worked, don't use harsh perfumed soap, in fact the cream he gave me you wash with as well { runs to bathroom to get creams name, well I walked really!} Epimax emollient.

And it works !!!!!!!!!!! Have skin like a babies bottom. I think the secret to success is to wash with it and then leave it on the surface to sink in.

Just be very very careful as it makes everywhere slippery.

Hope it helps

[Silvasava]

I've found my meds make my skin dry, my lower legs and feet being the worst. I've been using Avon intensive moisture ( used it for years with cracked heels) its been very good. Ive looked at the ingredients and can't see it contains paraffin. It's a bit like whipped vaseline and a bit stiff to rub in but really does the job.

[Qualipop]

I have exactly the same problem but not caused by my tablets ( I don't think). Aqueous cream was useless and I'm allergic to E 45. Only thing that helps mine is Aveeno Cream. My legs look like crocodile skin, especially after a bath. Do not have hot baths. Exfoliate gently.

[dikda]

Whilst I 'hold a watching brief' on this site, I rarely contribute unless I think it may be useful. I cannot answer your specific question but do have a likely soloution to the dry skin. Some years ago - maybe more than 5 - for no apparent reason I developed a 25mm very dry skin patch with some tiny pustules on my right calf muscle. Candidly, it was totally insignificant an I just ignored it. Sometimes it enlarged slightly but then retracted similarly - it had a life of its own - so I continued to ignore it. It then itched intermittently so I fed it a range of emulsifying creams, which seemed to sustain it. I then lost interest and gave up. I noticed in my local pharmacy "O'Keefe's Skin Repair Body Lotion" @£3.99 (I think - first digit not really legible) for 190ml of white, almost liquid cream. This is non-greasy, very easily absorbed and only needs a tiny amount. I have NOT followed the instructions and applied it infrequently on a once per day basis on some 6 occasions only. My patch is now almost indistinguable from the surrounding skin. It worked for me as they say!

[MrsSuzuki]

Thanks for all your help. I've bought some Cerave moisturising cream today and will update you with the results.

[MrsSuzuki]

I thought I would update you on my dry skin 😉.

I started using Cerave moisturising lotion 8 days ago and after 3 days my skin is dry no more! It soaks in straight away, no need to rub it in much at all. A bit expensive at 16 quid but it's a large tub and will last for a while.

Lily