Support Leane's Battle with TSW Recovery

What started as an allergic reaction has taken our family down a road we never could have expected…

In July 2023, Leane started to experience an allergic reaction to secondhand smoke in our apartment complex in Washington, DC. The symptoms were manageable, and she was 7 months pregnant, so she decided to stick it out. Our daughter was born in September, happy and healthy. Two weeks after her birth, the secondhand smoke reached a level that was becoming dangerous for Leane and our kids, so we packed up our car and began a 4-month long moving process that eventually landed us in Birmingham, AL.

During this process, Leane’s allergies persisted. At one point, she was prescribed a steroid pill to help knock out the worst of the symptoms. Her symptoms calmed while she was on the steroid, but as she tapered off, she began to notice spots of intense redness and inflammation. As Leane had struggled with eczema throughout her life, we assumed this was just a particularly nasty flare-up. However, after a few weeks, we knew we were dealing with something entirely different. Leane’s face and scalp were entirely covered in red, raw, oozing skin that was not responding to normal eczema treatments. After a couple months of searching for answers, we were finally able to reach a diagnosis for Leane’s symptoms: Topical Steroid Withdrawal.

For the uninitiated (like we were at the time), Topical Steroid Withdrawal Syndrome (TSW) is a condition that can arise after prolonged use of corticosteroids commonly used to treat issues like eczema (think Hydrocortisone cream). The condition is marked by red, swollen, itchy, flaky, burning, oozing skin (along with many other uncomfortable symptoms) as the body works to re-regulate its immune response. As we soon learned, TSW is not for the faint of heart. The unceasing itchiness and pain have been described as a “hell” that leaves patients debilitated and unable to perform even the most basic of tasks. Within the TSW community, it is no surprise that patients are commonly referred to as “Warriors.” Leane has certainly earned that title. This has, without question, been the most difficult experience of our lives.

Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet when it comes to TSW recovery. While the healing process looks different for everyone, it takes most at least 18 months to start seeing significant progress. Leane is currently 1 year in to her recovery, and she is still dealing with persistent pain and discomfort. However, after months of learning about the condition and watching Leane’s body respond, we feel like we have a strategy to help us through the coming months. Leane has begun working with a naturopath physician who will be able to target the root cause of her health issues and best support her body’s natural healing process.

Our overall goal of $13,440 will help cover the cost of Leane’s treatment plan for the next 6 months and help provide some element of normalcy for our family. These expenses include the following:

Naturopath visits and dietary supplements: $400/month

Childcare (3 days/week): $1,440/month

Food (to accommodate Leane’s dietary restrictions and provide a few easy meals for the rest of the family): $200/month

Bath salt (for pain mitigation and hygiene): $200/month

Thank you for your willingness to support our family during this time. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions (or just to say hi). For more information on TSW, you can visit www.itsan.org.