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I'm 28 and have been on acne meds for a very long time.
I was on and off Accutane from age 18 to 22--two cycles of small doses. Since 2009 I have been either on aldactone (worst drug--regret taking it, because it helped with body acne but not hormonal) and antibiotics. I have gotten nasolabial fold pimples in the same places and so often that I have finally started developing scars for the first time. My skin is scaly, discolored, and covered with whiteheads for three weeks per month. It has been this way since I got off Accutane
Starting in 2009, when I was on Aldo, taking supplements would cause big, hard pustules in weird places--eyes, ears, chin (including when I wax), stomach, shoulders. Walnut-sized. I think the follicular issues/"toxic"pimples and my hormonal issues work concurrently because sometimes the weird "toxic" pimples come around that time of the month if I am not medicated.
I have been on antibiotics for a year. It was a godsend for those first six months, but with time, not only have the drugs lost their potency--I am dealing with candida and have no idea what to do. My scalp is itchy; the sweatiness and body odor is pretty bad. It's been this way for six months and is particularly bad around that time of the month.
This week I stopped taking Doxycycine and am Diflucan to kill whatever has been causing horrible allergies to shampoo and the few supplements I could take without issue last year. I am getting excruciatingly painful "weird place" cottage cheesy lump pimples again. I took a capsule of OTC probiotics and activated a cluster of "weird place" pimples overnight. The Diflucan, like the candida, is making my body feel like a furnace and it's actually hard to sleep.
In other words, the disgusting symptoms of Diflucan/yeast die off are similar to candida itself. That's why I can't take vitamins anymore. I can't use dandruff shampoo.
How can I ever get back to normal? When will I know I'm clear to stop the Diflucan, and then try to deal with acne--even naturally? I want to take vitamin B5, I want to take Glutamate.
I don't think I've felt not-itchy and disgusting for a full year--waking up sweaty, itchy scalp, "bubbling", itchy acne that is lethal around my period.
Every typical antifungal solution (like rosemary soap, or zinc dandruff shampoo), everything I was able to use to heal wounds before (like vitamin C) is now causing my body to react violently due to yeast.
How can I metabolize the yeast now AND deal with hormonal acne? I can't stay off Diflucan forever--it's like imposing the flu on myself.
Do I need candidase or Glutenaid? If my body responded so horribly to probiotics, how can I deal with candida overgrowth? Should I try a different antifungal med?
(Note: I'll admit it, I eat some sugar and white flour. A little milk in my coffee is the only thing that keeps me from wanting to vomit. Diet changes aren't totally possible.)
This is enough to make me want to go back on Accutane, but I hated the raw skin and purging from that too.
This time last year I could eat pasta once in a while without my stomach blowing up to the size of a balloon. I would like that again.
What will kill the yeast without wreaking havoc on my skin and causing fatigue that makes it hard to work?
Okay --- first off it is going to take some changes to get your system to calm down. Years ago I was in a similar situation as yours. Reacting to everything...horrid acne erupting overnight continually and very infected, etc. What is making your skin itchy is that it is very inflamed right now. The pores are filled up with junk and it is infected and this causes the skin to itch. Your system is "itchy" too because of your diet and distress. It is in reactive mode.
To calm your system down try eating only whole natural foods that are also calming foods. That means no caffeine, sugars or dairy. Yes, I know this is hard to do but it is essential, believe me. Also avoid all added oils (margarine, cooking oils, fried foods, etc.) to help the gut function better. Eat things like herbal teas with non-dairy milks, salads (without dressings), steamed vegetables, whole starches like potatoes and rice, and whole flesh foods that are wild (ie wild salmon) or range-fed. Bake things, steam things, and avoid all fried foods and fast food places.
Don't worry about "probiotics". If you have a bit of undiagnosed rosacea along with your acne then eating things like yogurt and fermented foods will flare it up. Your body can naturally make its own probiotics if you eat the diet above. If you can't tolerate probiotics then it will take time but it will happen. P.S. I too can not tolerate probiotics...makes me break out every time!
You still need to kill acne bacteria to stop the itchiness but you can do it with a topical antibiotic versus an internal antibiotic. This works especially well when paired with a BP cleanser. See my regime below. I too took internal antibiotics for years and was skeptical that this would work. But it did. Took a little while to get total clearance but it happened.
Also, don't worry about Spironolactone. It is an extremely mild drug and only blocks androgen receptors. It is not a hormone itself...only controls the amount of androgens the skin receptors take up and hence it helps control acne. Spironolactone has been extensively researched and studied and is mild on the system especially in the very low doses taken to help control acne. It is 100% better than taking birth control. Don't worry if you need to take this, especially during the years your hormones are still fluctuating.
Hope this helps!