4. Your Symptoms Are Interfering With Your Day-to-Day Plans
Atopic dermatitis can really affect your quality of life. “Especially if you have moderate to severe eczema, it can impact school performance, work performance, and relationships with family and friends,” says Piliang.
If you find yourself missing out on activities because of your atopic dermatitis symptoms, in either your work or personal life, you should talk to your doctor about changing up your treatment.
5. Your Health Insurance Changes
It happens all too often: You and your doctor have tried different medications and found the ones that work for you, but then your prescription drug coverage changes. When that happens, you may not know whether your insurance will continue covering your current medications. “It can be really discouraging and frustrating,” Piliang says.
But if you talk to your doctor, they can send a letter to your insurance company explaining that you’re being treated successfully with a certain medication, and hopefully, the coverage can continue, she says. “It takes a lot of work on your doctor’s part and on your part to get that to happen, but that’s something you can work on with your dermatologist,” she says.
6. The Side Effects of Your Medication Are Bothering You
The side effects of atopic dermatitis medications, including itching, stinging, and burning, can be very bothersome, says Piliang. Plus, if you’re using a topical medicine, you may not like how it feels on your skin.
“Some of the ointments we use for eczema can be greasy. When you put it on, it gets all over your clothes and leaves stains, so you don’t want to use it,” she says. If you don’t want to use the medication because of the side effects or how it is applied, that’s a sign that you may want to try a different treatment.
7. Your Previously Well-Managed Symptoms Are Coming Back, Despite Following Your Treatment as Directed
“If your treatment stops working as well as it once did, that’s a time to come in,” Piliang says. People sometimes feel bad when they have a flare, and that may keep them away from checking in with their provider, she says.
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