122 replies to this topic

[jokerj]

i hate my skin i hate my skin i hate my skin
acne is breaking out
staph infection is back with a vengence
and eczema is breaking out everywhere it seems
kill me kill me kill me

really needing some emotional support right now

[willow569]

Sorry to hear things aren't going well right now. Have you been back to your doctor since all these problems flared up again? If not, it sounds like you might want to schedule an appointment.

[jokerj]

Sorry to hear things aren't going well right now. Have you been back to your doctor since all these problems flared up again? If not, it sounds like you might want to schedule an appointment.

thanks
actually i went about two weeks ago, and wouldnt be able to get an appointment for 3 weeks or so anyways, unless it was an emergency
of course, when i saw the derm, i was fine
haha

[jokerj]

DAY 21

three weeks since being on retin-a
wooooot

luckily, i think due to the retin-a, the zits on my face are clearing up more quickyl than usual
my shoulders and neck are still a mess, though, and my back and collar are nto great
chest is still doing well, though, the anitbiotics have really cleared me u there, whichis great, only a few tiny zits
eczema... ehhh
staph... ehhh
my gp doctor said the benzclin is too harsh while im trying to get over staph, and prescribed me clindamycin gel for now
hope that works out well enough!

[MisterTwo]

Hey joker,

Good to hear some progress is being made. Unfortunately, I am still breaking out from my IB. Thought it was over... boy was I wrong. I am on week 5 now so you can tell progress is quite slow. I just keep hoping the next week will be full of clear skin.

Hope the clindamycin works for you. I heard good things about it in conjunction with retin-a. Here's to clear skin

[jokerj]

Hey joker,

Good to hear some progress is being made. Unfortunately, I am still breaking out from my IB. Thought it was over... boy was I wrong. I am on week 5 now so you can tell progress is quite slow. I just keep hoping the next week will be full of clear skin.

Hope the clindamycin works for you. I heard good things about it in conjunction with retin-a. Here's to clear skin

thanks mistertwo
my only worry is becoming resistant! so scared!
hope your next week proves to be one of a complete turnaround!

[jokerj]

ok everyone
hoping this is my ib, cause its really sucking
new zits popping up throughout the day, SUUUPER flaky skin
turned out i'd been getting the wrong retin-a, the .04 instead of the .01, but i don't think my skin can handle the .01 then!

[jokerj]

also, just to add
bad shoulders right below the back of neck and down from there a bit
healing still on the shoulders
2 or so tiny zits on the chest
some small zits on my lower b ack, healing well and not too noticeable
plenty of neck buggers and red marks now forming there from them
and a GIANT painful cyst... on my booty
damn
and i think another one forming there, but i'm pretty sure i killed it early
damn again, though, still.

[jokerj]

mmm clogged pores coming to heads
mehh
overall healing well, though, as far as older zits

been putting my staph medicine on my face, still helping, strangely enough... gonna look more into that...

EDIT: also look into different supplements as of late...

[jokerj]

DAY 25

hey, a bunch of new, weird, painful little whiteheads on my face, plus flaking and peeling like maad
and some new little zits on my chest that have been bugging me
and still the stange shoudler and top of back zits
but otherwise only a few small pimples, which are healing nicely (except the ones on my neck, which are healing to look liek hickies, which everyone at school keeps pointing out) an redmarks + some teeny weeny tiny scarring (my skin heals well)

[jokerj]

i just made myself a delicious, though slightly modified version of the, green smoothie!
it might be a little high in sugar but i'm sorta okay with that... hahaha
it had bok choy, baby carrots, mixed berries yogurt, and bananas
mmmm... good breaky

ANYWAYS, TODAY- no new zits on my face!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! there were like one or two small ones under my jawline the other day, but today (knock on wood) no new ones popped up whilst i was sleeping
havent looked at my body yet, but i'm feeelin fiiine
also tried washing with the head n shoulder on my back, ches,t and bum last
i've tried before but i had to stop cause it turned my staff infection into giant welts
so we'll see now
but even without it, i'm doing pretty well (though very very very slowly progressing... pacience children)
compliments on the clearing from my best friend even
KNOCK ON WOOD KNOCK ON WOOD KNOCK ON WOOD
knock. on. wood. knock. on. wood. PLEASE KEEP GETTING BETTER SKIN! PLEASE KEEP GETTING HEALTHIER BODY!
been doing the naturemade probiotics
fish oil pills
sometimes garlic pills
admitedly, my antibiotic taking was a little out of wack the past few days, i took all my pills (in fact i think i may have accidentally taken an extra one... oops!) but not at the right times
but we'll see in a few days
also admitedly, not at all a very hormonal time of the month, so that probably is contributing hugely
but who cares!!!!


personal life-wise, tonight all my friends (and sister) are goign to this cheesy little homecoming dance thing at my school that I want to go to so badly and then they're all going to this awesome afterparty but i'd already promised an outside of school friend tht i'd see an edgar allen poe exhibit, which should be cool. oh well, my bf didn't really want to go anyways, but i did sorta want a dance night with the girls... :[
also not doing well in school AT ALL, which is not like me in the least. shoot i forgot to email my dean!
peace and love to all of you out there, may success be blest upon you all

[jokerj]

DAY 29
so my body acne is a little worse than usual since the antibiotics had cleared msot of it, but its still pretty clear!
a clogged pore became inflamed throughout the day, plus new clogged pores formed, and lots of flaking, but nothing horrible

lots of love to you all, may you all be thankful for what you have, and i include myself in that wish


i am so thankful for the life i live, because i get to live it (k.o.w.) even though i get very very frustrated and freak out frequently about my skin. my greatest goal is a great perspective. that and an even greater capacity to love.

[jokerj]

i'm so worried
the zits on my chest are coming back... small but numerous
they do seem to be clearing again, though


and these damn bumps on my legs just wont quit!


think perspective... think perspective...


face is looking great, no new inflamed zits... knock on wood... but my skin is SOOO SPLOTCHY! ugh. and it looks so dull and lifeless... wheres this even-toned, glowy skin everyone talks about the retin-a giving them?! hhahaha


p.s. tomorrow makes one month retin-a-wise

[jokerj]

AHHH FUCKING BUMOS NO MY LEGS!!! what are you and why are you spreading?!?!!!! jdghsdgdskas
othewrwise skin is great... cept for some small cyst-like things on my shoudlers and small zits elsewhere and SO MANY REDMARKS



BUT WHAT ARE THESE BUMPS ON MY ELGS
THEYD MADE ME CRY FOR ALMOST AN HOUR TONIGHT CAUSE I JSUT WANNA KNOW WHAT THEY FUCKIGN ARE!!!

p.s. one month anniversary of retin-a use
but i didnt do it last night and am not tonight because my skin was getting red and flaky again which moisturizer wasnt helping but tomorrow i start ny every other night again, or every two nights, depending on my skins texture

DAMN LEG BUUUUUUMPSSS!!!!

[jokerj]

so, first time i've done benzaclin lately,mostly been putting my antibiotic for my staph infection on my face, which i beleive worked WONDERS! if that's what's been doing it at least...
i got home early today, like 415 or around there, so i put some on any healing zits on my face, and the few clogged pores
i even did some on my back and chest
i'm going out at like 730 tonight tho so im washing it off my face in a about an hour
dunno if that will have done anything
and im doing some retin-a tonight


been really hypochondriac-ish lately... oiy ocd...

[MisterTwo]

Hey Joker. How's the regimen coming along? It seems like you are having more trouble with body acne than facial. Anyways just dropping by to say Hi. Keep us updated

[jokerj]

Hey Joker. How's the regimen coming along? It seems like you are having more trouble with body acne than facial. Anyways just dropping by to say Hi. Keep us updated

Hey MisterTwo
great to hear form you

so far my regimen is loosely:
morning-
shower, scrub very gently with sacylic acid scrub (alternating with hibiclens about once a week or sometimes more)
doxy 100 mg
moisturize with aveeno calming moisturizer
anti-bacterial cream (muniprocin/altabax... its for my staff infection but its all that seems to work... hope i don't get resistant buggies! please! knock on wood!)

night-
shower, scrub very gently with sacylic acid scrub (alternating with benzoyl peroxide wash about once a week)
doxy 100 mg
usually about 2 nights retin-a then one night benzaclin, though sometimes i ditch the benzclin night and apply the antibacterial cream again instead
moisturize with aveeno calming moisturizer

and lately i've been using head n shoulders as a shower gel

i also take vitamins, garlic supp.'s, fish oil supp.'s, and probiotics, alternating with each other, usually like 2 hours or more before my doxy in the mornings or evenings
anyone knwo if this is enough time between?

[austinsanity]

hey guys i have a questyion here so pleeease respond!
i'm wondering about tapering the doxy down a bit (since my dosage is sooo high)
but i dunno when to do it
i guess i should wait til i'm clear, but i may very well never be totally clear
hope i do get quite a bit clearer though
so is six months too long to taper down to 75 mg twice a day?
input please

If you're on doxycycline and taking 100 mg twice a day, I would stick with it. Unless you're a heavy drinker, it's probably not going to cause any damage. I was on minocycline (the broadest spectrum tetracycline derivative) at 100 mg twice daily and I didn't have any problems at all. The only situation in which I wouldn't take it is if I was still a teen (under 18). It'll turn the roots of your teeth a nasty yellow or grey.

As far as the supplements go, taking them 2 hrs. before the doxy should be enough. 1-2 hrs. was typically enough for me when I was taking the mino to retain its efficacy.

[jokerj]

hey guys i have a questyion here so pleeease respond!
i'm wondering about tapering the doxy down a bit (since my dosage is sooo high)
but i dunno when to do it
i guess i should wait til i'm clear, but i may very well never be totally clear
hope i do get quite a bit clearer though
so is six months too long to taper down to 75 mg twice a day?
input please

If you're on doxycycline and taking 100 mg twice a day, I would stick with it. Unless you're a heavy drinker, it's probably not going to cause any damage. I was on minocycline (the broadest spectrum tetracycline derivative) at 100 mg twice daily and I didn't have any problems at all. The only situation in which I wouldn't take it is if I was still a teen (under 18). It'll turn the roots of your teeth a nasty yellow or grey.

As far as the supplements go, taking them 2 hrs. before the doxy should be enough. 1-2 hrs. was typically enough for me when I was taking the mino to retain its efficacy.

uh ohhh... i am a teen!
whqat should i do?
can i just whiten them?

[MisterTwo]

How come you cut out Retin-A?