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Hey ladies and gents,
I'm new to this forum as I just found out about this today.
Just a forewarning, this is going to be a long post because i'm going to run through my medical/acne history, so if you guys can bare with me that would be awesome! I have a good amount of questions as well.
Well to start off, i'm a male and 23 years old (going onto 24 next month). Thinking back to middle school and high school, my acne was never really severe, but I did have moderate acne up until freshman year of high school and then mild acne through senior year of high school (2006). Throughout college (fall 2006 to winter 2010), I had mild acne as well. In college I was pretty clear for the most part with a pimple here and there from time to time. In january of 2008, I suffered from a really bad flu which went away, but left me with bronchitis which I had for about a few months. I didn't know it was bronchitis so I figured it was just a bad cough, but eventually it got so severe that it began to hurt my back and because of that, I decided to go see a doctor. My doctor prescribed me some cough medicine and a 10 day treatment of antibiotics then I was all cured. However a month or two down the line in summer of 08' I started to have this weird stabbing sensation in the back of my right leg behind my knee. It was a nerve pinching from my right butt cheek all the way down to the area behind my right knee. I went to the doctor again and he told me to get an MRI scan. To make a long story short it turned out that I had a herniated disc. He prescribed me a steroid called prednisone for the inflammation in my back. I took that for about a month and I felt completely fine after that with no more pinching in my leg. A few months after that around october I had lower back pain (a sore feeling), so I remember taking a good amount of advil everyday, but it just turned out that my back was weak because of the lack of exercise due to the episodes of the herniated disc. HOWEVER in november the day of my birthday that's when I noticed that I had trouble digesting food, feeling bloated all the time. I went back to my doctor and he told me that I had heartburn (due to all the advil I took), so he put me on protonix for a month and a half. During that time I only ate meals that did not contain any kinda of citrus/acidic content. So by april/may of 2009, I felt 100% better from everything (no more heartburn/back problems) *phew*. Anyways the rest of 2009 and all of 2010 and 2011 I was completely fine. And let me just say that during that entire time frame I just had mild acne here and there with a pimple or two every now and then.
So here is where my acne problem begins. In march of 2012, I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (the last time I had one was in high school) one night and I just remember the next day my face broke out in hives/acne along the left side of my face and my forehead (i have oily skin - so i think the hives mixed with the oil to create crazy acne). At the time I had no idea where the outbreak came from because I was never allergic to peanuts before. I went to see a dermatologist and she prescribed me antibiotics called Doxycycline Hyclate 100mg (i was to take one capsule twice daily) and some facial antibiotic ointment. My acne cleared up within a month, however in late april, I started to notice something a bit different about my skin. I started to get a few more pimples than I was used to and they looked a little different as well (a few were itchy like eczema). I would have small red bumps on my cheeks forehead, nose, and chin. If I applied a little pressure rubbing my face with my hand, they would pop (sorry for the visual image). I didn't think much of it so I just went about my life. Around this past july, it was my friend's birthday, so we went to celebrate at a restaurant. They brought out this ice cream after they sang happy birthday to my friend and I took a small bite of it only to find that I had eaten a little peanut butter (they put a reese's peanut butter cup at the bottom of the ice cream).. before you know two days later i break out in hives again around my nose which turned into acne again. This time around I just let the acne go away by itself. I think I remember have a few of the antibiotics left (the ones that were prescribed to me by the dermatologist) so I took only one or two. A week or two later the acne was gone, but I kept having acne like break outs which I described above... I did a little research on this in August and I found that my root cause of this could be leaky gut. This is where I need you guys to come in to help me identify this.
I read that leaky gut comes from:
1. Antibiotics (a major cause)
2. NSAIDS (Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) aka Ibuprofen AKA Advil!
3. Steroids aka Prednisone
So based on that, I figured that it could possibly be leaky gut syndrome. I read that antibiotics kill the good bacteria as well as the bad bacteria, which allows candida to overgrow eating away at the intestinal lining. I'm kinda pissed that the dermatologist never told me that I should be taking probiotics with the prescribed antibiotics. So in effort to do something about it, in the past two weeks, I've cut out dairy, soy, and some gluten (I screw up here because I pack my lunch for work which includes a sandwich - I need to find alternatives to packing lunch). I started taking supplements which are:
1. Theralac (probiotics containing 30 billion active live cultures) - one a day
2. Symbiotics Colostrum Plus - two a day
3. Enzymedica Digest Gold (digestive enzymes) - one with every meal
4. Vitamin Shoppe Multivitamins Especially for Men - two a day
5. TwinLab Yeast Fighters (to kill candida) - five a day
6. L-Glutamine 500mg - three a day
7. Candex (to kill candida) - 4 a day (two at night and two in the morning on an empty stomach)
Two weeks ago, I went to see an allergist and got a skin prick test done. I tested for milk, egg, peanut, soy, wheat, fish, apple, pear, rice, rye, grape, cashew, tomato, white potato, strawberry, chocolate, melon, peach, almond, onion, beef, and pork. I came back with negative result for all of them EXCEPT for peanut. So I AM allergic to peanuts, but nothing else. However I don't understand why when I eat cereal with milk, I tend to have a small breakout.. which makes me think I have leaky gut because although I am not allergic to the food per se, I might have a food sensitivity to it because of my gut? Can anyone tell me if I am thinking correctly about this?
My face cleared up a bit in the last two weeks, but yesterday I went to Cheesecake Factory with my family for my mom's birthday and I ate Grilled Chicken Fettucine with Tomato Sauce (some garlic added). Today I broke out with all those acne like bumps I told you about earlier in this post. I'm pretty scared to go eat out now because I have no idea what my body is reacting to.
SO is this leaky gut syndrome? Do I have candida? I think i'm going about it all wrong if it is leaky gut. If it is can someone direct me to a solid candida/leaky gut diet guide? Should I go see a doctor? Have any of you guys had the same experience? If you have or are going through it, what are you doing to fight it or what have you done to overcome it?
I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get healthy again. By the way I don't know if this helps, but I've started P90X last month because I heard exercise helps with acne. I'm at 33 days on the program so far.
I just want to say that all this acne or whatever skin disorder I have, is really bringing me down. It's legit making me sad, borderline becoming depressed over this. So if ANYONE could help me with this I'd be eternally grateful!!!! Please respond, as you can see i'm pretty desperate as of now. Thanks in advance!
Dairy causes breakouts not necessarily because of allergies, but because they trigger hormonal responses. See Dr. Hyman's article on this.
Do the ALCAT Test for food sensitivities, which is different than allergies. The test will give you a breakdown of what you can eat, should limit, and must avoid entirely.
Also, what helped my digestive and skin issues was switching to a primal diet (Paleo) consisting of unprocessed foods, especially triggers like dairy and wheat.
Do the ALCAT Test for food sensitivities, which is different than allergies. The test will give you a breakdown of what you can eat, should limit, and must avoid entirely.
Also, what helped my digestive and skin issues was switching to a primal diet (Paleo) consisting of unprocessed foods, especially triggers like dairy and wheat.
I did this test, did nothing for me tbh. I also took antibiotics for 4-5 months.
hey LJO are you better now or are you still struggling through it?
Yea i've been considering going on the paleo diet as I feel that it might be the best way to cleanse my system.
whoartthou1: yea I basically took antibiotics for about 2-3 months. they were per 100mg capsules (im guessing mine were really strong), but my worthless dermatologist never told me that I should've been taking probiotics while I was taking the antibiotics. are u going through leaky gut/candida conditions too?
hey LJO are you better now or are you still struggling through it?
Yea i've been considering going on the paleo diet as I feel that it might be the best way to cleanse my system.
Paleo is a lifestyle change. After eliminating and going strict Paleo for about 2-3 months, I notice my triggers more when I slowly started adding food back, thus isolating what causes me to react immediately or break out with acne and/or eczema a few days later.
The same rule applies: If it hurts, don't eat it.
You guys know that antibiotics change your hormone levels, right? As well as probiotics and leaky gut treatment, you may need to get hormonal treatment as well.
It can cause low estrogen. Some antibiotics cause the enzymes in the liver to increase the break-down of estrogens and thereby can decrease the levels of estrogens in the body. The other way that antibiotics could interfere is by reducing the re-circulation of estrogens within the body. Estrogens are broken-down by conversion in the liver to other chemicals which are then secreted into the intestines in the bile that is produced by the liver. Bacteria in the intestine are able to convert these chemicals back into the active estrogen which is then reabsorbed into the body.. This re-circulation is called entero-hepatic cycling. Theoretically, antibiotics can kill the bacteria that convert the inactive chemicals to the active estrogen.
Both men and women have testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone. Any time one of these hormones gets imbalanced, problems occur.
They also affect other hormones in the body.
Research by Dr. Blaser has shown that 18 months after antibiotics are used to eradicate H. pylori bacteria, there is a:
- 6-fold increase in the release of ghrelin (the "hunger hormone") after a meal
- 20 percent increase in leptin levels (leptin is a hormone produced by fat tissue)
I would stay COMPLETELY away from all dairy products and peanuts. And be especially careful with dairy, you'd be surprised of all the foods that contain some type of milk culprit. And see if that helps any. Normally food allergies clear up within 48-72 hours. I'm not a strong believer that foods cause acne, as I've done my own tests (unless your allergic of course) but in your situation, especially since you've been tested and ARE allergic to peanuts, there's also a chance you have allergic tendencies towards other foods, including dairy. Everyone is semi allergic to dairy, even if you didn't "test" allergic. I know what you mean by feeling depressed- I got to the point where I didn't want to leave my house, ever. Do anything and everything you can to keep your mood up (exercise is a PLUS) and DON'T think about your acne. The more you think about it, the more you look at yourself in the mirror, the more you "feel" your face,-- it only reinforces what you clearly already know. -- But if this doesn't help, and if your lifestyle allows it, you might consider doing the "extreme". Go on a 72 hour water fast. I don't say this lightly, do your research and understand what foods to come off of after a fast and what to expect when fasting. But a 72 hour water fast does WONDERS for your digestive system, liver, kidneys, etc. It's essentially comparable to eating SUPER foods for months. Fasting allows your body to heal at an incredible rate- especially while sleeping. But like I said, do your research and see if fasting is realistic for you and your situation. The best of luck my friend 
whoartthou1: nah I only took antibiotics for about a month max. how are u coping with your leaky gut/candida? what active measures are u taking? any advice would help me too.
akko: i've never even heard of nizoral. i'm going to have to look into that, did u ever take antibiotics?
ljo: are u 100% cleared up after doing the elmination/paleo diet?
green gables: I had no idea, but really good to know, i'm gonna do some more research on that ish.
betterness24: haha yea i'm definitely staying away from peanuts, those hives/acne breakouts from a peanut reaction are no joke. yea dude I've been pretty down these days. I actually visited my doctor and he's never even heard of leaky gut syndrome. He just thinks that i'm overly stressed out over it which is causing me to break out even more. BUT idk i feel like he is overlooking my symptoms too easily. Like yesterday I had a chicken salad sandwich (wheat bread) and I had another breakout a few hours later.. regardless though i'm just trying my best to not stress out cuz last week for three days straight I had abdominal pain during every meal (sort of like the feeling u get after you break up with your girlfriend) and I think that at least was due to stress. I've been less stressed recently because i've just come to accept my condition and just hoping for the best. the most i've ever fasted was for 32 hours in high school sophomore year just to try it. I thought I was going to die of starvation hahaha 72 hours seems crazy. is it even safe? but yo thanks a lot for the encouraging words though, I really appreciate it!
whoartthou1: nah I only took antibiotics for about a month max. how are u coping with your leaky gut/candida? what active measures are u taking? any advice would help me too.
akko: i've never even heard of nizoral. i'm going to have to look into that, did u ever take antibiotics?
ljo: are u 100% cleared up after doing the elmination/paleo diet?
green gables: I had no idea, but really good to know, i'm gonna do some more research on that ish.
betterness24: haha yea i'm definitely staying away from peanuts, those hives/acne breakouts from a peanut reaction are no joke. yea dude I've been pretty down these days. I actually visited my doctor and he's never even heard of leaky gut syndrome. He just thinks that i'm overly stressed out over it which is causing me to break out even more. BUT idk i feel like he is overlooking my symptoms too easily. Like yesterday I had a chicken salad sandwich (wheat bread) and I had another breakout a few hours later.. regardless though i'm just trying my best to not stress out cuz last week for three days straight I had abdominal pain during every meal (sort of like the feeling u get after you break up with your girlfriend) and I think that at least was due to stress. I've been less stressed recently because i've just come to accept my condition and just hoping for the best. the most i've ever fasted was for 32 hours in high school sophomore year just to try it. I thought I was going to die of starvation hahaha 72 hours seems crazy. is it even safe? but yo thanks a lot for the encouraging words though, I really appreciate it!
Haha I completely understand the starvation issue, the first 48 hours are the hardest, after that you stop feeling so hungry. In fact when I started to eat my "first meal" it wasn't because I was hungry, I just knew I didn't want to fast any longer. And yes it is safe if you understand the purpose of it and what to expect. Like understanding what is normal to feel and short-lived during a fast (like headaches, dizziness, blurred vision ect.) and what are warning signs that you should end the fast (like a unmistakable feeling of TRUE hunger). Also, knowing that fasting isn't a time to do any strenuous or stressful activity- rather, a time for relaxation, meditation, and plain and simply, a lot of nothing. When I did mine I basically stayed in-doors, didn't drive anywhere, wore plenty of warm clothes, watched a lot of tv, and took generous naps throughout the day. The idea to fasting is to basically act how you would if you came down with the flu. You want to sleep, and give your body time to heal- in and out. Many injured animals will go into a period of fasting and sleep until their wounds are completely healed. This is because animals and humans alike heal much faster when our bodies energy isn't being used to digest food. Take away the digestion, and your body now has the energy it needs to heal other parts of the body that have been on "standby" until a more opportune time was found. But what happens in most cases is, that "opportune" time never comes- because we love to eat I don't recommend fasting over 72 hours without first consulting a doctor. And I wouldn't do it if your already sick- that defeats the whole purpose. Best to do it when your healthy and when you have a weekend free.
There's always hope! Don't give up!!