About Us
As seen on:
TSW Assist is a platform that discovers insights of methods used by the community to manage the symptoms experienced during topical steroid withdrawal.
People dealing with this condition spend time on forums and support groups trying to find the cure.
The reality is, there is no current medical cure.
But throughout the community, there are ways to manage the symptoms during the withdrawal period. There is a wealth of knowledge that come from the people with a lived-experience and their carers.
Crowdsourcing
Think of platforms like Duolingo, Kickstarter, reCaptcha, Waze, or Wikipedia. The success of these ideas were accelerated by crowdsourcing strategies.
When people unite for a common cause, great things can happen. We can all contribute to research about this condition. Together, we can build a vast knowledge database about products, medications, routines, methods, and therapies to help us all understand the withdrawal period better.
For researchers
If there are researchers, universities, or healthcare professionals that would like to collaborate with TSW Assist to gather more information to help the TSW community – please contact us.
How it works
1. Community Survey
People share their experiences through our survey.
2. Data Analysis
Our team will analyze and normalize the data using advanced algorithms and tools.
3. Insights shared
The insights are updated on our website each month and emailed to you. All insights will be anonymous.
Sufferers and carers
Survey answers and data points
Global community of subscribers.
Survey insights are from AU, NZ, and the UK only.
Insights last updated on July 25 2024
From the founder
At 7 years old, I was hospitalised at Westmead Children’s Hospital in Australia for the severity of my eczema.
Steroid creams were the only solution that gave me relief. It allowed me to live an eczema-free life.
After nearly two decades of using of the highest potency steroid creams, my skin health severely deteriorated.
Choosing to discontinue using topical steroids, I went through multiple rounds of withdrawals for six years. My skin felt like it was on fire. I had open wounds that wouldn’t heal, hair loss, thermoregulation issues, chronic nerve pain, and insomnia. It was a living nightmare.
Fortunately for me, I’ve been completely healed for 2 years and thriving. But millions of others suffer in silence, barely surviving.
I was supported by medical doctors, dermatologists, naturopaths, and TCM practitioners. I tried different medications, skin products, courses, and therapies to improve my condition. Some helped, and some made no difference to my condition. At the end, I was able to completely taper off topical steroids.
What also helped me were the anecdotal recommendations for specific symptoms from other TSW sufferers and their carers within Facebook groups. But this was an overwhelming process of trial and error. There was no tracking of the collective efficacy of these anecdotal methods. This is why TSW Assist was created.
From the founder
At 7 years old, I was hospitalised at Westmead Children’s Hospital in Australia for the severity of my eczema.
Steroid creams were the only solution that gave me relief. It allowed me to live an eczema-free life.
After nearly two decades of using of the highest potency steroid creams, my skin health severely deteriorated.
Choosing to discontinue using topical steroids, I went through multiple rounds of withdrawals for six years. My skin felt like it was on fire. I had open wounds that wouldn’t heal, hair loss, thermoregulation issues, chronic nerve pain, and insomnia. It was a living nightmare.
Fortunately for me, I’ve been completely healed for 2 years and thriving. But millions of others suffer in silence, barely surviving.
I was supported by medical doctors, dermatologists, naturopaths, and TCM practitioners. I tried different medications, skin products, courses, and therapies to improve my condition. Some helped, and some made no difference to my condition. At the end, I was able to completely taper off topical steroids.
What also helped me were the anecdotal recommendations for specific symptoms from other TSW sufferers and their carers within Facebook groups. But this was an overwhelming process of trial and error. There was no tracking of the collective efficacy of these anecdotal methods. This is why TSW Assist was created.
I believe the best information comes from people with a first-hand lived experience. Combine this with the care and guidance of expert healthcare professionals, and people can manage their condition better.
This platform is not the cure for topical steroid withdrawal or eczema, but a step towards a journey of integrative support.
Our future goal is to connect suffers and carers to health professionals who can support them. This integrated support could look like a combination of care routines, alternative treatment, and medical and pharmaceutical support.
In it’s current form, TSW Assist is a collective database of insights for the community and by the community.
If you are experiencing the symptoms of topical steroid withdrawal, I hope this platform is helpful for you. I wanted to create something that I needed during my hardest days.
Jason Vergara
Founder
Jason has worked in the Australian tech space over the past decade. With a recent focus on disabilities, he is passionate about human-centred technology that creates access to healthcare. Jason is the author of Taper: A Journey Through TSW and Eczema.
Jason Vergara
Founder
Jason has worked in the Australian tech space over the past decade. With a recent focus on disabilities, he is passionate about human-centred technology that creates access to healthcare. Jason is the author of Taper: A Journey Through TSW and Eczema.
