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This post is all about my experience with Dupixent for Eczema.
I’m no newbie when it comes to trying different treatment methods for my severe eczema. I’ve tried my fair share of treatments for eczema from creams to immunosuppression pills to light therapy to injections. You name it, I can pretty much guarantee I’ve tried it.
My point is, I consider myself a pretty good source when it comes to what works and what doesn’t work, although I know everyone’s body is different and just because one thing doesn’t work for one person doesn’t mean it won’t work for another.
I’ve seen several people sharing on social media about Dupixent being a lifesaver for them. While I’m happy this is the case for them, I didn’t have the same experience. I’d like to share how it went down for me.
Read on for my personal experience with Dupixent for eczema.
What is Dupixent for Eczema?
Dupixent, also called Dupilimab, is an injectable prescription medication for people with moderate to severe eczema and asthma. It’s typically only prescribed for people who have had no luck with traditional eczema treatment such as steroid creams or other topicals.
According to Dupixent.com, the Dupixent drug works by blocking the signaling of 2 proteins that contribute to a type of inflammation that plays a major role in atopic dermatitis. Additionally, it affects the body’s immune system to reduce the inflammation associated with eczema like itch, redness, and rash.
Common Side Effects of Dupixent
According to Dupixent.com, the most common reactions are:
- injection site reactions
- eye and eyelid inflammation, including redness, swelling, and itching, sometimes with blurred vision
- cold sores in your mouth or on your lips
- high count of a certain white blood cell (eosinophilia).
A growing number of people have also reported Chronic Urticaria (hives) and Bullous Pemphigoid (a skin condition that causes large fluid-filled blisters) after starting Dupilmab.
How to Take Dupixent for Eczema
When I was prescribed Dupixent for eczema, prior to my first treatment, I was assigned a nurse for one on one injection training through Dupixent MyWay. The Dupixent MyWay nurse came to my apartment and walked me through exactly how to administer the injections myself. I’m not sure if this is something that is still offered for Dupixent treatment, but it was extremely helpful and it took a lot of the fear out of the idea of injecting myself.
The Dupixent injections were shipped to me via mail prior to my scheduled dose in a cooler box with pre-filled syringes. You have to be sure to keep the syringes in the fridge prior to use as the medication needs to stay chilled.
About 15 minutes prior to administering the injection, I was instructed to remove the syringe from the fridge. This way, it’s at room temperature when it’s injected. I was taught to alternate between injecting the top of my thigh and my stomach. When you’re ready to inject, clean the area with an alcohol wipe. After that, just simply pull the needle cap off, pinch your skin, take a deep breathe, insert the needle into the meaty part of a pinch of skin, and push the plunger rod down slow and steady until the syringe is empty. There’s a pull lever on the injection which makes it super easy to push, stick, inject, and release.
Here’s a demo video to reference as well.
My dosage was 300 mg every other week which I believe is a pretty standard dose for Dupixent for eczema.
My Personal Experience with Eczema and Dupixent
Overall, my personal experience with Dupixent was not great. I’m not going to sugar coat it.
I was prescribed Dupixent after Cyclosporine stopped being effective for me. It was pretty new on the market when I was prescribed it, and I had to go through a pretty extensive pre-approval process before I was granted it through insurance. Luckily, my insurance did end up covering most if not all of it for me through Dupixent My Way.
Needless to say, I was desperate at the point in time I started taking it. I remember being at my complete wits end with my eczema and praying for some relief.
My Side Effects from Dupixent for Eczema
Within a day or two of my first injection, I had the actual worst eczema flare up ever. I went to the hospital and they tried prescribing me a round of Prednisone to calm things down but I refused, because at that point in time I also thought I might have TSW (topical steroid withdrawal), so I was really trying to avoid steroids at all costs.
Even though I flared up pretty bad after the first injection, it did eventually subside. After my 2nd and 3rd injection I started thinking maybe it was working. But the trend I was noticing was that it would get worse right after my injection and them calm down in the days or week that followed.
After about a month on it, that’s when I started to notice it was irritating my eyes. This was before I had Lasik surgery, so I was still wearing contacts. By the 5th or 6th dose, I was completely unable to wear contacts because of how itchy, red, and inflamed my eyes were. I know now this was the common side effect of Dupixent, conjunctivitis.
I also noticed that a majority of my flare ups while on Dupixent were concentrated around my eye area. It spread from my eye area up into my hairline and on my neck. Oddly enough, it was extremely prominent in a mask-like pattern around my eyes. It took almost 6 months of being off of Dupixent for my conjunctivitis to subside.
So not only did it not clear up my severe eczema, the negative side effects of Dupixent far outweighed any possible improvement in my skin.
Prescription Alternatives to Dupixent for Eczema
If you are like me and Dupixent didn’t work for you, or you don’t think Dupixent is right for you, don’t feel hopeless. There are a number of other medical alternatives to Dupixent when it comes to eczema treatment.
UVB Light Therapy for Eczema
After my treatment with Dupixent was a fail, I felt like I was back to square one. That’s when I started looking into alternative therapies for seriously. One of the common trends I was seeing was that people were having great success with tanning beds for the management of eczema. While I know tanning beds increase the risk of skin cancer, at that point in time I was miserable and desperate to try anything.
Lo and behold, I noticed after a few weeks of consistently tanning, my eczema started drying up and felt less itchy. So, at my next dermatologist appointment, I discussed this with my dermatologist. He was concerned about the risk of constant tanning bed use, so he actually prescribed me an in-home UVB light therapy bed. It’s this one by Daavlin.
If you haven’t tried UVB light therapy for your eczema, it’s worth discussing with your dermatologist. In the interim, you may even be able to get some relief from a tanning bed like I did.
Prescription Topicals for Eczema
There are many prescription creams that can provide great relief from eczema flare ups.
I know TSW (topical steroid withdrawal) is a real thing and I even belief I went through it on a small scale.
However, I have also been successful in the use of steroids in moderation and weaning off them properly.
Prescription topical steroids range in potency from Class 1 to Class 7 (class 7 being the least potent).
Some common topical steroids prescribed as eczema treatment include:
- mometasone furoate (Elocon ointment)
- fluticasone (Cutivate)
- amcinonide (Cyclocort)
- betamethasone dipropionate (Betanate)
- triamcinolone acetonide (Kenalog)
If you are anti-steroid, there’s also the following topicals for eczema treatment to consider:
- Protopic (tacrolimus)
- Elidel (pimecrolimus)
- Crisaborole (Eucrisa)
- Opzelura
I have not tried Opzelura, but I did not find Protopic of Elidel to be helpful for me.
Prescription Pills for Eczema
Cyclosporine for Eczema
A year before I tried Dupixent, I took Cyclosporine which did work for me but not long-term.
Cyclosporine is a systemic immunosuppressive medication (commonly given to transplant recipients). It lowers the immune response and in turn calms down severe eczema.
As I mentioned, it did not work for me long-term, but it did give me relief for almost a year so it’s worth looking into.
Methotrexate for Eczema
Similar to Cyclosporine, Methotrexate is an immunosuppressant which is used regularly for the treatment of severe eczema.
I have not personally taken Methotrexate, but I follow quite a few eczema sufferers on Instagram who were prescribed this and had great success with it for eczema control.
Rinvoc for Eczema
Rinvoc (upadacitinib) for eczema is the newest treatment on the market and it is taken daily in pill form.
Taking a pill is definitely preferred compared to having to administer an injection for obvious reasons.
According to Rinvoc’s website, it is a JAK inhibitor that blocks inflammation signals inside cells.
I have not known anyone personally to take it, but I will update this post if any new information comes to light in the eczema community.
If you have tried Rinvoc for eczema, please share your experience with it in the comment section of this post!
Cibinqo for Eczema
Cibinqo (abrocitinib) is another new immunosuppressant medication for eczema taken in tablet form.
Like Rinvoc, Cibinqo is a JAK inhibitor which claims to disrupt the process that leads to itch and inflammation. The reviews I have found are mixed with a common denominator of reported hair loss.
If you or someone you know has taken this medication for eczema, definitely drop a comment below sharing their experience.
Oral Steroids
Prednisone is the most common oral steroid used for the treatment of eczema in severe cases. I would not recommend unless it is a last resort, as I know firsthand how damaging steroids can be to your body.
Final Thoughts on Dupixent for Eczema
While Dupixent wasn’t a good fit for me, I’m still glad the FDA is broadening the options available to eczema sufferers. I also follow many fellow eczema sufferers on social media who have had great relief from Dupixent for eczema.
This post was all about Dupixent for eczema.
Other posts you need to check out if you suffer from eczema:
How to Recover From a Bad Eczema Flare Up in Under 1 Week
The Best Foundation Makeup for Eczema Sufferers
11 Tips to Finally Got Eczema Under Control Once and For All
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