CAP Therapy for TSW

Hey Everyone,

It's not easy for me to put this out there and ask for help, but some of you will know I've been facing a tough battle against Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW) for many years now.

My name’s Amy, a 26-year-old trying to live life to the fullest, but TSW has thrown me a curveball.

To give myself the best shot at recovering from this and getting my life back, I've found an amazing treatment for my condition called CAP therapy. There are only 3 clinics in the world who offer this treatment - based in the UK, Thailand & Singapore. Unfortunately the clinic in the UK is inundated with patients. To the point that they are no longer even taking people on their waiting list. Rest assured this is not a negative outcome as the clinic in Thailand is where CAP treatment was discovered and perfected. Jay who runs the clinic in Thailand has been carrying out CAP treatment for TSW patients for 15+ years now, so ultimately I know I will be in the best care possible.

Now, here comes the tough part… Medical expenses for this treatment, along with travel and accommodation, are no joke. It's a hefty financial burden. That's why I'm turning for help, something I have always struggled to do openly.

Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW)

is a condition that can occur (not always) when a person stops using topical corticosteroid medications after long-term or frequent use. I would argue that oral corticosteroid use contributes also. These medications are often prescribed to treat various skin conditions, such as eczema or psoriasis.

The withdrawal period is characterised by symptoms such as redness, deep-bone itching, oozing, burning, flaking, nerve pain, uncontrollable body thermoregulation, weight loss, and other uncomfortable physical symptoms (as well as the mental challenges faced with from anxiety and depression - psychodermatology).

This happens because the skin becomes dependent on the steroids, and your body doesn’t understand how to work correctly without the synthetic version of hormones which are normally produced by our adrenal glands.

Unfortunately TSW is still a topic of debate in the medical community, with most “experts” questioning its existence. I have had first hand experience of this; many GP’s and dermatologists disregard this disease as just “severe eczema”.

This is highly upsetting and distressing, as most of the time it can feel very lonely as people do not understand/recognise it.

Here is a great in-depth video, if you have the time to watch, made by another sufferer of the condition:

Other links to read for more info:

You may wonder why me… since not everyone who uses topical steroids will get TSW. I had eczema when I was born and all throughout my childhood & teenage years. The Dr’s were very quick to prescribe a low potency topical steroid cream. The cream helped, the rashes went away… always to return and spread to further parts of my body. This is at no fault from my parents, they were simply complying with the medical advice received. I was prescribed stronger and stronger potency topical steroid creams the worse the symptoms got (funny that). I had these creams on repeat prescriptions so I could pick up a new tube whenever I ran out. I was using these as if they were a daily moisturiser.

In 2018 I began seeing articles online about TSW and I knew from then, this was what I was suffering with. Unfortunately I wasn’t brave enough to withdraw just yet and I really wanted to do some more research into it myself. I ended up taking the plunge in September 2020, and that is when realisation and hell started.

A little about…

CAP Therapy (also known as Ultra-Pulse Contact CAP Therapy) is a new emerging technology in medicine.

CAP therapy has been scientifically demonstrated to restore the diversity of the skin microbiome, facilitating the healing process for impaired skin barriers while enhancing the rate of skin regeneration. It has a well-established track record of safety and effectiveness in alleviating symptoms associated with Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW) and expediting the recovery process.

Predicting the duration of my treatment is a bit uncertain, as it depends on how my body responds. Jay believes my treatment could take around 3-4 months in total, however it could be longer. It will be a tough process due to the accelerated healing rate. But also a short amount of time taken out of my life in order to make this ordeal a distant memory. Treatment costs are roughly £50 per 30 minutes. I imagine I will need 1 or 2 hours per week, totalling £400-800 per month.

If you’d like to dive deeper into understanding CAP therapy, please click the link for this website

https://decodingtopicalsteroidwithdrawal.com/treatment-serum (written by one of the co-owners for the clinic in the UK).

I imagine that my total medical costs will be a lot more than my targeted goal. Any donations, no matter how small, would be hugely appreciated and I also want to stress that I do not want anyone to feel obliged to do so.

I've been blown away by the love and support I've already received in my decision to take this next step. Your help won't just save me; it'll give me a chance to recover the Amy who was once before all this.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read through my GoFundMe page. I’m determined to keep fighting and regain a life that is full of possibilities and growth.

With love and gratitude,

Amy x