i get excema on my lips. a few times it has really gotten out of control - swollen, oozing yellow goop, wide red area around. this is what has been happening for me.

i also got poison oak on my neck and face at the same time.

it seemed to be clearing up and then i got a sunburn and it got bad again.

at times my throat glands have been quite swollen. that makes sense. and probably i have had a low grade fever.

i am puzzled that my thyroid seems swollen.

now it seems to be passing -- but my skin is dry, flakey, very itchy, red, and still swollen. the patches of excema and poison oak are not really visible. I have alot of thirst - probably drinking more water than i ever have. and i am peeing alot in the night.

the other thing that happened is a year ago i got bitten by a tick and the spot on my neck where i was bitten was red when this all started.

i am curious what has been going on with my body and if other people have insight?

as far as topical salves and ointments - they have not been helpful. a good oil balm, with no herbs was good.
i have been drinking licorice tea but if it were effective- i would have needed to make it far stronger than i have (eg. an hour of brewing didn't really do anything, maybe 10 hours would do it)

a steroid cream did help, but not at the beginning.

once i got a steroid shot and that really helped, but i have not gone that route this time.

to me, it seems like my histamines are out of whack. it is worse at night. the worst night was the day after the sunburn and my whole body was on fire internally. exercise is relieving - and i think this is partly that the fight or flight is helpful.