78 replies to this topic

[djdelmar]

The clarithromycin seems to be working, my face isn't as bad but it's still 'bad' in my opinion.
I'm seeing the dermatologist again tomorrow and I'm going to ask if he can remove the cysts.

[Ghost08]

My sister had a cyst on her wrist for a very long time, it was not painful but it was uncomfortable. The thing was huge.
Hers did not look irritated though like yours does.
Anyway, she stopped drinking soda, eating candy, and avoided sugar.
In about a month her cyst went down so much it's no longer noticeable. Her doctor told her it needed to be surgically removed and that was the only way to remove it.

I hope this helps you, please please try what my sister tried.

[combinationkey]

This really sucks! I really think you need to listen to your body. It's no coincidence that your skin/swelling is worse after dairy and unhealthy foods. You may want to consider a vegan/glutan-free diet (preferably exclusively whole organic foods). I don't know if you're opposed to or can afford this kind of strict diet, but you may be the type of person with a very sensitive metabolism (your skin, like all organs, is affected by overall health). This user has found a diet that works for him:
Given the fact that you've been to see SO many lame doctors, with marginal or no results, I think a comprehensive treatment plan is necessary. Get those cysts removed - they are definitely causing chronic inflammation. This kind of inflammation can take agessss to subside even when the source is resolved. I've (unfortunately) heard of it causing permanent swelling.
Accutane probably won't be a good choice for you, given your past history I think you're only going to see complications. This might sound a bit... silly... but I suggest you see a REGISTERED AND LICENSED natural homeopath. They know a lot about the variables that can affect skin, and can provide healthy alternative medicine.
I hope some of my advice helps, good luck!

[combinationkey]

This really sucks! I really think you need to listen to your body. It's no coincidence that your skin/swelling is worse after dairy and unhealthy foods. You may want to consider a vegan/glutan-free diet (preferably exclusively whole organic foods). I don't know if you're opposed to or can afford this kind of strict diet, but you may be the type of person with a very sensitive metabolism (your skin, like all organs, is affected by overall health). This user has found a diet that works for him:
Given the fact that you've been to see SO many lame doctors, with marginal or no results, I think a comprehensive treatment plan is necessary. Get those cysts removed - they are definitely causing chronic inflammation. This kind of inflammation can take agessss to subside even when the source is resolved. I've (unfortunately) heard of it causing permanent swelling.
Accutane probably won't be a good choice for you, given your past history I think you're only going to see complications. This might sound a bit... silly... but I suggest you see a REGISTERED AND LICENSED natural homeopath. They know a lot about the variables that can affect skin, and can provide healthy alternative medicine.
I hope some of my advice helps, good luck!

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/Nutritional-Holistic-adv-t48412.html

[combinationkey]

The thing is, it only went puffy after I squeezed the cyst on my nose and it's just slowly gotten worse, I also went on 2 courses of anti-histamines and nothing happened. I just got turmeric tablets delivered today so hopefully they work, and I'm seeing a new derm in 2 days.

Personally, I've experienced allergic reactions where I get rashes. I'd use an anti-histamine, and it would stop progression but not make the rash go away. weird? It seems like you're the kind of person, like me, whos inflammation doesnt easily go down. In my personal (and unprofessional) opinion, you need some kind of natural anti-inflamatory agent.

[y3rfd0g]

Hey, How are things going? I had read that you had some yellow fluid oozing from the scabs. This means an allergic reaction. I had the same thing after I was on the DKR for 2 months. Skin swelled, blistered, and yellow fluid oozed out.

What if you were having an allergic reaction to an antibiotic?

I hope you get the right help and knowledgable doctors who care about your problem!

[djdelmar]

Thanks for the posts.

I've been told to carry on with the Clarithromycin as it is a little bit better.
The thing is, some days it looks like it's getting better and then other days it's terrible (like today) it's so inconsistent! I think it may be to do with my salt intake. When I eat lots of salty foods e.g. bread or pizza the next day my face is bad.
What can I do about this? I hope I don't have to avoid salt for the rest of my life!

I've also been referred to a Lymphodema specialist, which I'll be seeing in a month.

[AcneBeGonePls]

Thanks for the posts.

I've been told to carry on with the Clarithromycin as it is a little bit better.
The thing is, some days it looks like it's getting better and then other days it's terrible (like today) it's so inconsistent! I think it may be to do with my salt intake. When I eat lots of salty foods e.g. bread or pizza the next day my face is bad.
What can I do about this? I hope I don't have to avoid salt for the rest of my life!

I've also been referred to a Lymphodema specialist, which I'll be seeing in a month.

Hey man, I've read your posts and looked at your pics, and all I want to say is stay strong, have a positive attitude and keep on fighting this thing. I think surgery should be your Last last last resort because the scars will be irreversible. I'd say try applying turmeric topically because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Maybe make a face wash out of lemon juice, salt apple cider vinegar and a couple of shakes of turmeric. Apply it to the face for 10 minutes then rinse it off. Also DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE! I'm sure you've heard it 1000 times before but whatever you do, in between washings, never touch it. I hope it gets better and stay strong, sometimes attitude is everything.

[girl11]

I'm sorry you've been going through this. I hope you find an answer as to why this is happening. If it has to do with cutting things out of your diet, maybe a nutritionist can help you? It's just having to figure out what it is with your diet. I hope this passes for you soon, and you find a doctor who can help you.

[davidtheskinking]

dragonfly21 make's some great points.

I recommend getting off milk and ALL dairy... this is causing more problems for you.

Also, get anti-inflammatory foods in your diet like olive & coconut oil etc.

I would then recommend getting some probiotics in your diet through cultured vegetables or supplementation.

keep drinking more water, you should drink 50% of your body weight in ounces of water each day to stay hydrated. If you are drinking less than that then drink more! spring or purified water is best.

You are very close to clearing up, when I saw your pictures I thought "this isn't too bad, i've seen worse" so just keep on the right track and keep moving forward... It will get better.


David

P.S. In my experience (and in the experience of many other people) both doctors and dermatologists seem to be getting slower and dumber and people who understand health and "root causes" of things (very important) seem to be much more helpful. I would honestly stop going to both of them, especially if they haven't helped and have only made it worse. It sounds like they are just the 'prescribe this quickly and get the patient out of my office' type of people, that's no person to take health advice from.... your skin is your health.

[djdelmar]

The clarithromycin is really working!
Not eating dairy is also helping a lot. My skin is getting really scabby though, as if there is pus-y discharge on my nose and around it, I don't know why this is, could it be my skin trying to repair itself?

[AcneisFun]

Wow, I cannot believe that I found someone who has the same thing I do. My face is constantly swollen with the nose area being the worst. I have cysts that form on or around the nose. This has been going on for a few years, with the swelling still getting worse.

Without having medical insurance, I don't really have the benefit of bouncing around to specialists to see if I can find a solution. I am thinking of asking a doctor for clarithromycin if it worked for you djdelmar. I really hope you can give us a follow up so I know if I should take this approach.

[djdelmar]

Wow, I cannot believe that I found someone who has the same thing I do. My face is constantly swollen with the nose area being the worst. I have cysts that form on or around the nose. This has been going on for a few years, with the swelling still getting worse.

Without having medical insurance, I don't really have the benefit of bouncing around to specialists to see if I can find a solution. I am thinking of asking a doctor for clarithromycin if it worked for you djdelmar. I really hope you can give us a follow up so I know if I should take this approach.

The worst thing about my swelling is the 'lines' I have beneath my eyes, they are so prominent in daylight that I can't stand it.
I will say that the clarithromycin has improved it but it has not gone altogether, I've been taking clarithromycin for nearly 4 months now and I think I may have hit a 'plateau' in that it's not really getting any better than it currently is (It's been the same for about a month now).
I'm going to see a lymphodema specialist in a couple of weeks so hopefully they can help too.

[JamesHatesAcne]

Do you have raised scars on your nose? because I have some and they're pretty big, like the size of a pencil eraser.

I got them from cystic acne like 2 years ago and they really bother me.

Did your derm mention what could be done to get rid of them?

[djdelmar]

No, I don't sorry.

[djdelmar]

I went to see a lymphodema specialist and apparently my current infection (rosacea) is making my face puffy and I;ve been told to do lymph massages twice a day and sleep with as many pillows as I can.

[gf girl]

I had cystic acne. Although I thought it would go away as I got older, it didn't (even into my late 20's). Then due to digestive issues I started on a gluten free diet. I have never had such clear skin. Since I tested negative for celiac's disease I don't 100% avoid gluten but rarely have it. I was originally diagnosed with lactose intolerance, which is a symptom of a gluten intolerance.

Also, I previously tried antibiotics which did not help at all. My acne cleared up very fast after stopping gluten, almost completely. Then I took a round of antibiotics to ensure I would be clear for my wedding. I haven't had one of those painful, large under the skin bumps in over a year.

It's worth a shot, just give it a few weeks. I tried everything, and because acne made my life so miserable I hope sharing this can help some others. Just a note, if there's a chance you have celiac's disease you should get the blood test before stopping gluten because you have to be eating it to get proper results. Fortunately for me I'm just intolerant. Good luck!

[sareliz]

I, too, have suffered with cystic acne (along with all the milder types) for at least ten years. In fact, right now I've got a cyst on my cheek so bad that I'm hiding in my house until I can get it injected with a cortisone shot. I'm no stranger to the dermatologist's office. I'm also a pretty obsessive Googler. And to me it looks like the elongated cyst beside your nose could be 'acne conglobata'. From what I've gathered, it's when one acne lesion connects beneath the skin to another lesion, creating a sort of under-the-skin tunnel system. I know that's a terrible explanation, but I started looking into it awhile back because I think I've actually got the same sort of spot on my leg. Weird.

Anyway, if I were in your shoes, I would certainly be a little pushier with my dermatologist. I'd ask politely for him/her to inject the cysts, and perhaps for a dose of prednisone to help speed up the healing. Another thing I wanted to suggest is to reconsider Accutane. There ARE a lot of potential side effects. But personally, I believe that even if it only allows for a short time of relief from acne (though for some it truly does work as a permanent cure!), it is worth the risk. For people with mild acne, I wouldn't necessarily suggest accutane, but for someone who has tried many different treatments without success, I'd definitely propose the idea. I have used nearly every topical cream, ointment, antibiotic, etc, and nothing worked for me even minimally besides Accutane. I have done two rounds of Accutane. Both times I had pretty awful initial breakouts, but very little side effects otherwise. Obviously for me it was not a permanent fix, but I would gladly do a third round of it TOMORROW if it was offered.

Good luck, and I truly hope your problem is resolved soon!

[AcneisFun]

Hey dj I was just wondering if you could give an update to your situation. My face swells up pretty much exactly as yours does. As the days, months, and years go by it gets worse and worse. Just hoping you have found what works and can pass that info along to me.

Thanks