Story from Jam Press (Grace Beeby TSW) Pictured: Grace Beeby April 2022. ‘I thought I was allergic to the gym – but it was eczema cream withdrawal’ A woman is sharing her harrowing ordeal after quitting “addiction” to steroid creams – and says she initially thought it was an allergic reaction to the gym. As a child, Grace Beeby suffered with eczema on her elbows, behind the knees and above her top lip, where she was prescribed steroid creams to treat the affected areas. In her teens, she began using the topical treatment daily, before developing a habit of applying it every hour – if not more. The 32-year-old quickly realised her “addiction” and her skin in a constant cycle of being irritated with no end in sight. She quit using them immediately, but then began suffering from intense itching and burning sensations – which Grace initially assumed was an allergic reaction to the gym. “I was going to a new gym and they were being very careful with cleaning – so I thought I was super allergic to something there,” the physiotherapy practice manager told What's The Jam. “I washed my face before and after getting into the shower straight as I got home. “I tried everything I could. “But my skin just kept getting worse and worse. Grace, from Christchurch, New Zealand, was diagnosed with eczema at eight-years-old. She claims that each time a cream appeared to be working, stronger ones were then prescribed – creating a “never-ending” cycle. While neither her mum, nor herself, had any concerns at the time, as they trusted the doctors’ advice, she continued using them for the next 22 years. She said: “Before I went into withdrawal, I had a chapstick container filled with medication, which I’d carry around with me wherever I went. “It was mostly my face [that was affected], but I still had a bit of eczema on my arms. “The upper lip and eyelids were the worst. “But then, after quitting, this only got worse and it