yeah it is very frustrating to find one that actually cares that is for sure. i was supposed to go on accutane twice but this last time i was so convinced that the keflex would work that i begged the doctor to try one last thing before i started the accutane and continued on the spiro. thank god she wrote the script because it was amazing how fast i cleared up and like all the inflammation just went right down. i am so glad i didnt go on accutane because i do think the spiro works really well but just takes like 6-9 months to fully kick in. its the first few months that are like total hell though.
Thank you Tracy. I will call and speak to her directly tomorrow (when she is in the office, as she is only in two days a week). She needs to know how severely this is affecting my quality of life. I don't go out if I can help it. Work, school, groceries. That's not living. I do not understand why she is so hesitant when I have not had any adverse reactions to any medications before. She knows how severe this is! AGHHHH.
The left side of my face is seriously such a mess. The neck and jawline and chin and temples too. I hate this. Sorry for always saying the same spiel, but it just keeps getting worse 
Yes some dermatologists are very stubborn about prescribing meds. I had a derm who wouldn't give me anything but topicals so I had to change doctors. I have a good dermatologist now but unfortunately I might have to change since our insurance is going to make us pay $80 co pay and we are only paying $40 now. Im afraid the next derm wont even give me Spiro and ill be back to square one again.
As if things cannot get any worse, I have a neck rash that has spread down to my chest. It looks like a sunburn. I do not think it is the keflex, as this rash started before I began taking it. I think it might be klonopin which I was recently prescribed and have taken at night to help me sleep. Probably the inter-mixing of all these drugs. I'm not sure.
But now along with a cyst-filled face, I have a lobster-red neck and chest. With the ever-present cysts and scarring still on my neck. This is dreadful. When will this nightmare end? Oh, this just in, ANOTHER cyst in the middle of my left eyebrow. Spiro just isn't working. I've read through everyone's pages on here practically, and no one ever had as many cysts as this. No improvement whatsoever. It is worse. Far worse.
Kirks, when starting any new acne medication, the waiting game to see if it will work is one of the hardest. Especially with something like Spiro. I find that my constant habit of looking in the mirror worsens things emotionally for me so i suggest you limit doing that. Also, from the many logs i've read, many people report pretty knarly IB before results are seen 2-4 months in.
My on;y piece of advice is to distract yourself as much as possible with things and people that you enjoy
Chin Up hun!
try to hang in there even though i know how hard this is for you. do you get any of the cysts injected? when i was breaking out bad i went in for weekly injections until i got on the keflex because my cysts would never go away and even though it took time since they diluted the cortisone i believe it helped me get through that awful time. i 100% know how you feel though i didnt go out for 6 months i was in such a deep depression i thought i would never get out of and my poor hubby was so sad because there wasnt anything he could do to help me. the best thing you can do right now is to force yourself to go out and do something - anything just to get out of the house and try to keep up your regular routines so keep exercising and doing what you love because you will get through this and you will get to the other side. just try to hang in there and you can pm anytime. sending hugs and prayers your way 
I just can't keep doing what I love and going out when I wake up with new cysts every single morning. There are three right by me earlobe (one huge one), and matching ones on my other earlobe. Gathered ones on my jawline and neck on both sides. To accompany the one above my left eyebrow, there is now the biggest cyst I have ever experienced right on the inner eye/nose area. It matches the scattered ones all along my left cheek and temple. Inflamed and scarred ones, it is just a red mess. Still with the rash on my chest/neck area.
I don't get it, I've never had this many cysts before in my life, not even before the spiro!!!!! This is the ABSOLUTE worst my skin has ever been. As I've said before, I live across the state from my dermatologist. I am visiting home this weekend, so I scheduled an appointment with another doctor to get injections because my doctor is only in two days a week.
I don't think this is a normal reaction to being on Spiro. This many new cysts flourishing on my skin, still super oily, and new pimples/cysts in places they have never been before? I think spiro is making my skin worse. Over two months now, something is not right. I think I am the odd one out in spiro not working.
I feel you about accutane not being a cure. Why not ask your derm to sign you up for it. Since there is a 1 month waiting period, you can give spiro that extra month to kick in. Knowing that accutane is an option may at least calm your anxiety a bit.
Have you had your hormones tested?
I already did that--I have the iPledge stuff, would just need to get my bloodwork done. I still don't think I'll do it because of all the side effects. I already have joint issues. I have not had my hormones tested. I don't know what good that will do, or if there is any other medicine that can be given if irregularities are found. I mean, I'm already on spiro?
My face is still a mess (beyond the 7th circle of hell), and my rash is slowly, slowly calming down a bit. I'm depressed out of my mind and not sure what to do next. I just want spiro to work for me.
i really think spiro is going to work for you but it will take a lot longer to fully kick in. i would give the keflex time to work even though its hard. what did the derm say about increasing your dosage to twice a day? you figure they even can prescribe it for 3 times a day as well. also did you say you were trying to get in for injections? that will help so much. just keep an eye on your skin and i believe that in the next few weeks you wont be gettting nearly as many cysts at all or if any. also prednisone can be used too if you are like really going crazy and cant take it any longer. i know its hard i totally get where you are coming from each day you just feel more beat down than the last but you can get through this. at least its friday and you can just try and relax a bit over the weekend.
just know that i am thinking about you and sending prayers your way. keep me updated on things.
Hi Tracy--
Thank you so much for those kind words, it made me smile. Which is something I haven't been doing a lot of lately.
I got some shots (like seven just in my jawline/neck area). I already feel some new cysts developing. I have one on my forehead that is like a third eye, and its matching counterpart is by my right temple. UGH. I want this to end so badly. I want my clear skin back! I've had an invasion of pimples and cysts on my chin and left cheek area. Still persistent.
The rash finally went away though. I am going on nine days for the keflex and around 78 days on Spiro. Still waiting. Hoping but not seeing much
I am so nervous, I just want my clear skin back! I want to be happy.
awe i am glad i was able to make you smile! i have been thinking about you so much and just praying that this nightmare will end soon enough. it really is like the worst thing in the world to go through and i know for myself that i have gone through a lot but for me this was the hardest thing ever. people that never had cystic acne just cant even attempt to understand the anxiety you feel everyday when you are finding new cysts. its just so awful but i know its going to get better.
i am glad you got the cysts injected and did the derm up the keflex? at this point i would think he would be prescribing you the max dose to stop those suckers from forming. if you are only taking 1 pill a day then it will take longer to work but it will work it will just take longer than if you were taking the 2-3 pills a day.
i am so happy to hear the rash went away for you. just try to be positive that its all going to get better and that your skin will clear up even though i know its hard. it sounds strange but for me when i was so sad eating my favorite foods and binge watching my favorite tv shows helped just to make me feel better even if it was just for a bit. keep hanging in there and know i am praying for you all the time. i 100% believe things will improve in even a few more weeks.
when can you go back for more injections? are the cysts that were injected going away?
Thank you Tracy
I'm still experiencing cysts along my jawline, but there is now this break-out occurring around my neck. Usually I've experienced this before, but not toward the center of my neck (much harder to hide) as my hair doesn't cover them. Still cystic and inflamed and not going away. The cheek area is still bad as are the temples and that spot on my forehead and the ones on my chin.
I don't ever see this ending!!! Still cysts?!?! And more in areas like my neck?!?! What is going on...it isn't better, it keeps getting worse. I am up to keflex twice a day now. Ughhh. Over a week on that, and almost at the three month mark on Spiro and nothing to show for it. I am miserable. 76 days on Spiro...should cysts still be forming??? What if this isn't working for me? I just want clear skin, I am still waking up with multiple new cysts. Now in places harder to cover up--like the front of my neck!!!
ugh thats crazy about all the cysts on your jawline and neck area. when i was breaking out bad i was getting nodules along my jawline that were like so hard it was crazy and then i got a few cysts on my neck but thank goodness that was it. i hate breaking out there for some reason. how is the skin today? any better? i would try to wait another week or so for the keflex to really kick in and then see about adding prednisone even if its just for 5 days. it will help a ton with the inflammation and most times it clears up the skin pretty darn quick. if you do a 5 day taper then you should be fine and you can take it with keflex (well not together but you know what i mean) from what i see online they will even prescribe the steroids for 2-3 weeks to get you clear and then you can wean off of them. something to think about for sure.
yeah its only been less than 3 months so it could easily take 6 months or longer for the spiro to kick in it just depends on the person and everybody is different.
Still dealing with cysts along my jawline and neck. Three really big ones just sprung up this morning on my left side, and another two on my right with some spots on my neck. My left cheek area is still inflamed as well as the mouth area. My right eyebrow area seems to be a hot spot too, with a giant and painful cyst there.
No improvement.
When will this be over?
As for medication Tracy, my derm is awful, and she probably won't prescribe me anything. I see her August 23rd. :/ feeling very down. Why is nothing helping??? 80 days on Spiro, about 11 on Keflex.
ugh i sure hope things are better for you today? any improvement at all? your derm really does sound like no help at all. any chance you can call and try to get in sooner or get on the cancellation list at least? have you looked for another derm in the area or is there nothing nearby? i know how you feel right now and its all just so awful but at some point these meds are going to kick in and start working for you i know it. more hugs and prayers 
Well, ninety days come midnight. My breakout on my cheek has cleared up some, and it is slowly fading. My eyebrow area as well. I had this sporadic cystic breakout on my neck, and one has started to go down (it was right on my windpipe). Another one I can tell is deep and stubborn. A small breakout on my right jawline with two clustered cyst and a couple by my left temple, but they are smaller than what was normal for me.
I have a question for fellow spiro/keflex users....I was out on a cloudy/overcast/rainy day and then later evening 8pm/9pm near sunset, and I had sunscreen on. i broke out on my neck/chest again, and my left shoulder. My right shoulder is tattooed, so I had that side more heavily covered in sunscreen. Could this be a photoallergy I have developed because of one or both of these meds?
I was just out for a bit. This is deeply discouraging, as now I am still broken out and experiencing redness and blisters. I took some bendaryl, but my shoulder/upper arm is still blistered and red. My neck/chest/collar bones are red blotches. I've never experienced this before. It was itchy earlier, but the benadryl did help. When will this skin nightmare be over?
i am pretty sure neither of these drugs can cause you to be come photo sensitive. only tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones can cause photo sensitivity. did you by chance have any exposure to poison ivy, sumac etc? it was crazy for me a few months ago i got the worst case of poison ivy i ever had in my life and had to use a topical and oral steroid to get rid of it. you should go to your family doctor and have them look at it if you cant get to the derm.
more info here:
Fluoroquinolone antibiotics are:
- ciprofloxacin
- levofloxacin
- lomefloxacin
- norfloxacin
- sparfloxacin
- clinafloxacin
- gatifloxacin
- ofloxacin
- trovafloxacin
- Tetracycline antibiotics are:
- tetracycline
- doxycycline
- minocycline
- oxytetracycline
here are the side effect for keflex - if you have taken it for a while then you are probably ok.
Cephalosporins generally cause few side effects. Common side effects associated these drugs include: diarrhoea, nausea, mild stomach cramps or upset. Approximately 510% of patients with allergic hypersensitivity to penicillins will also have cross-reactivity with cephalosporins. Thus, cephalosporin antibiotics are contraindicated in people with a history of allergic reactions (urticaria, anaphylaxis, interstitial nephritis, etc) to penicillins or cephalosporins. Cephalosporin antibiotics are classed as pregnancy category B.
ok so i just went online and found this info even though my derm told me that spiro would not cause photo sensitivity. i never had a problem but its worth asking your derm about. i dont even know how accurate this list but something to think about for sure. when i was on doxy it made me very sensitive so i just wore a higher spf and tried not to be out in the sun for too long.
http://blog.pharmacymix.com/drugs-that-may-cause-photosensitivity
Hey Tracy-
Thank you so much for that list, and all your kind words still. I know it may seem silly, but you really have been making a difference for me in getting through this.
I wonder if it was the doxy then leaving my system, since I was on that for a good number of months? And a high dosage at that (50mg to 200mg). Or maybe my tazorac? I have an appointment with my derm in a couple of weeks, so I will ask then. I like this keflex/spiro combo though. Still a bit oily in the T zone, but it has been SO humid where I live this month, so that could contribute to it. I just bought some baby SPF 55 aveeno sunscreen to wear now in addition to my daily SPF 15 aveeno lotion. At this point I am hoping and praying. I want these cysts off of my neck and face forever.
awe you are so sweet and i am glad that i am able to help you through this awful time. how are things today? i hope better for you i keep thinking about you and hope to come on here someday soon and read that your acne is stopping and that you are doing better!!
oh yeah its the tazorac that would do it. you cant really be in the sun with it but you said you had on spf right? i woudld get a good hat and then wear that spf 55 and you should be fine in the future. keep me updated thought what the derm says. i found this online about tazorac.
This medication may make you more sensitive to the sun. Avoid prolonged sun exposure, tanning booths, and sunlamps. Weather extremes such as wind or cold may also be irritating to the skin. Use a sunscreen (minimum SPF 15) daily, and wear protective clothing when outdoors. Wait until your skin has completely recovered from a sunburn before using this.
i dont think the doxy stays in your system for too long once you stop it. i just found this about it -
After oral administration, doxycycline hyclate is rapidly and nearly completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Doxycycline is eliminated with a half-life of approximately 18 hours by renal and fecal excretion of unchanged drug.
Thank you Tracy
How long were you on the keflex for with spiro? I am afraid to go off it if it is indeed causing this rash/hive outbreak because I have finally started to see some improvement, and it has come about going into my second week of keflex. I don't know if it is the spiro kicking in or the keflex, and part of me thinks the latter...I feel stuck on what to do, and with school starting soon, I want my skin to look better not worse!
Well, today I still have this rash on both of my shoulders/upper arms now. It is hive like and itchy. It is also on the front of my neck, with some areas along my collarbone. I honestly have no idea what this could be!! As if the acne/cysts weren't enough to worry about....gah
you are so very welcome!! i hope you are doing well today. i was on keflex for about a year. i was very very worried to stop taking the keflex but i slowly weaned myself off and had no issues. i do use a toner with AHA daily that i do believe really helps exfoliate my skin and keep my pores clear but if i were you i would stay on the keflex for at the very least another 3-6 months that way you are sure the spiro has definitely kicked in.
that is crazy about the rash. you should see your local doc about it he might want to put you on prednisone for a bit just to get rid of the rash. when i had that last rash though it was so bad i couldnt sleep for 3 nights because i was so itchy and then the rash was very very hot so i had no choice but to take the prednisone but i was so glad i did the rash was gone by the next day.