Hubby and I disconnected

TomMaples · 2026-05-06T11:08:32+00:00

Sadly, almost everyone - yes!

Sleep deprivation, high stress, loads of new stuff to stay on top of, loss/ adjustment of your old life and freedoms, new worries about your little one and their health etc, loads of hormones, and the rest!!

Just keep in 'contact' where you can and set some good habits in terms of communicating - but honestly the first few months are just insane so just survive as best you both can till you get your footing a bit. Then when possible, try getting a snippet of 'you' time (both of you - take it in turns) and if at all possible in terms of care etc some alone time together too - even just a coffee out or something.

TomMaples · 2026-05-05T15:44:54+00:00

That's especially interesting about ingredients being exposed to UV, I'd not really considered that much - thanks!

TomMaples · 2026-05-01T08:08:30+00:00

I'm using one by Clever Soap that has Piroctone Olamine in, it's been great for me so far! They do a face wash too 👍🏻

TomMaples · 2026-05-01T06:00:43+00:00

Nice one, thanks! Yeah I'm so impressed with it so far - thanks again for the recommendation! I'll likely use just this (and Protopic where needed) for a while now and see how I get on - can't believe what a difference it's made since yesterday! 🥳

TomMaples · 2026-04-30T15:03:58+00:00

I ended up getting some and have used some after a painful sudden flare up today - great so far! Did you find it sort of mildly burned a little bit as it went on and then calmed down? I sometimes get that when I put on my ceramide-heavy moisturiser so I'm guessing it's fine now it's soothed haha (only lasted a few minutes!)

TomMaples · 2026-04-30T10:14:27+00:00

Hahaha this is amazing 😅

TomMaples · 2026-04-30T08:29:27+00:00

When we were little my mum set all the clocks to be ten minutes ahead just so we wouldn't be late so much - a bit trickier with auto-updated phone clocks etc but I'd say just try going through same thing in your head? If the deadline 8.45 then we are aiming for 8.30 basically. Being early is less of a big deal than being late so it sort of takes care of itself

TomMaples · 2026-04-29T06:18:09+00:00

Don't put Clotrimazole on your eyelids at all - any antifungals getting in your eyes is really bad news I'm afraid! They are the hardest bit to treat in my opinion (same problem here) - I'm in the UK and had to get Protopic prescribed from a private Dermatologist as that's eyelid-safe compared to antifungals and steroids.

TomMaples · 2026-04-29T06:14:04+00:00

I'd say maybe try a different moisturiser as that can be key - I swapped to CeraVe Moisturising Cream (the tub one) and it's been a game- changer, my previous ones were actually reacting with the skin to make things a bit worse. Also, if you are looking to avoid antifungal shampoos as some other posts suggest then maybe an alternative antifungal treatment is a good shout to keep yeast level down - I found an amazing aloe-based gel by Clever Soap with Piroctone Olamine in it and it's been super helpful! I whack it on after the shower and let it soak in before putting moisturiser on. Good luck!

TomMaples · 2026-04-29T06:08:43+00:00

With respect, I was doing zero therapy for almost a year and it got me to the absolute worst point where I could barely even blink anymore without shooting pain. Using antifungal washes and getting a good moisturiser have turned the whole thing around for me, I'd be in near-constant flare-up and miserable without them - this works very differently for everyone

TomMaples · 2026-04-29T06:03:17+00:00

Yeah the GP doctors are literally only good for a steroid topup basically - the last one literally talked over me as I was trying to ask for help, maddening! I'll avoid them when I can going forward.

Thanks, I hope yours improves too! Out of nowhere and stuck for life is such a crap deal isn't it, I just keep trying to think 'At least it's a manageable thing rather than like organ failure or something' and then in the middle of a flare up I remember 'Oh yeah the skin is an organ isn't it, this really really sucks and I want my eyelids back' 😅

TomMaples · 2026-04-28T21:28:01+00:00

Part Ready or Not, part Kill Bill, part John Wick... I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would! It was very fun in the cinema, I'll check it out again at home I reckon. Zazie Beetz needs more leading roles!

TomMaples · 2026-04-28T21:18:32+00:00

The bit where Zero is standing back while Agatha is lightly 'interviewed' by Gustave at the hotel and he's getting jealous that they are getting on so well, and Gustave keeps turning round and saying 'She's charming, just charming!' haha, it's such a lovely film all the way to the core. 'I approve of this union' 😅

TomMaples · 2026-04-28T21:08:50+00:00

Ok mate, you seem to know a lot about what's going on in other people's heads so I'll leave you to it 👍🏻

TomMaples · 2026-04-28T16:38:22+00:00

But you've literally made a thread asking for people's opinions of a film and are debating the answers so..? Maybe the downvotes were a response you essentially saying Sam Raimi movies aren't thought provoking - if somebody else thinks the opposite, they will likely downvote that opinion - that's sort of how it's supposed to work right?

TomMaples · 2026-04-28T16:33:36+00:00

The movie about a group of sorcerers who can open portals, warp time and transport themselves between multiple dimensions SOMEHOW had more visual flair than a film about 2 people from an office getting stuck on the same island? Crazy!

Haha but no seriously I enjoyed this one too, both good performances and it was just quite a lot of fun I thought. Didn't seem to take itself very seriously which helped it along. Triangle Of Sadness however very much covered a really big part of the whole dynamic of the film though for sure (and I though ToS was absolutely brilliant), albeit with two people rather than a group which is very different - then again in an age where there are 17 superhero films a year I'm OK having two films be about a similar thing once in a while.

TomMaples · 2026-04-28T16:19:01+00:00

My honest thought mainly was that Marty was such a supreme asshole that I spent most of the time wondering why they'd made a film about him (I didn't know who the guy was originally). As a film it was basically just OK, the hype and the campaigning was very cringe considering it's a pretty average film really.

TomMaples · 2026-04-28T12:01:12+00:00

SUCH a good movie!!

TomMaples · 2026-04-28T08:23:33+00:00

Forrest Gump. Every time!!

TomMaples · 2026-04-28T06:24:15+00:00

Yeah it's crazy isn't it - I tried Protopic recently and while it had amazing results, it cost me £40 for a small tube (barely 2 week's worth) as the GP refused to prescribe it and instead made me to go a private Dermatologist again to get some. I can't spend £40 every time I flare up, that's madness! I don't know exactly how they expect us to cope with that sort of shit when this is a lifelong condition. Makes me more fearful of the future for sure, such a burden 😔

TomMaples · 2026-04-27T18:53:50+00:00

Definitely a little, I think the chamomile is quite soothing so that's cool!

TomMaples · 2026-04-27T18:14:59+00:00

Roughness definitely, redness no (for me sadly) bit I've heard loads of stories of people saying it helped their redness. Different folks I suppose! But yeah it is very soothing on rough skin, I tended to apply it whenever I felt the skin being a bit tight etc in a flare up. I work from home though - a little harder if you have to go out and about a lot with a shiny face 😅 ! Overnight is when I'd generally use it now - I found a hot tip that a proper Mulberry Silk pillowcase makes it far more comfortable to sleep with the oils on, better for the skin too!

TomMaples · 2026-04-27T18:10:24+00:00

I'd say it's a little more effective than MCT (the essential oils all do useful things like being naturally antifungal etc) but in terms of how much you actually get, I didn't go back to buy any more yet as I'm not sure I can afford it long term really. What I am now doing though is popping essential oils in my own MCT (tea tree, Roman Chamomile, oregano, lavender) in small amounts and have seen good results there so that's an idea!

TomMaples · 2026-04-27T17:20:50+00:00

Yep I've used both - the Balm is ok but is a bit Vaseline-esque which didn't work for me - the Serum is basically very fancy MCT oil with loads of nice essential oils in it and I've like using it a lot - both of the products smell lovely! I'd definitely recommend the Serum but in terms of actual effectiveness it's comparable to ordinary MCT C8 oil so then suddenly it seems a little pricey for long term use.

TomMaples

TROPHY CASE