Hey Shadylee,
I know the feeling of mood swings from hour to hour, heck, even minute to minute when it is about skin. I struggle greatly with patience, but it really is the key to spiro. I am happy that you do go out with your husband!! That is important. Something else I do to keep my mind off my skin is concentrate on something about my appearance that makes me happy (rather than doing something, which is what I wrote about last time). For instance, I bought a new eyebrow pencil, and now make sure my eyebrow game is killer when out and about. Or I plan out my next tattoo. It keeps my mind off my skin, maybe not for long, but long enough where I can be happy and look forward to something that will make me happy.
I know being positive is such a hard thing to do when feeling like this. I'm here for you, and I feel for you, things will get better!
Tysm for the support kirks and moonlight...much appreciated!
I swear I feel like i'm on Accutane..my skin changes in hours..late last night and today was feeling pretty good, so much swelling had gone down, I couldn't believe it..I never had cysts deflate like that..
fast forward to now..and have a couple of new ones to deal with..and of course had to mess with one..it just looked so ready to pop...its kind of near corner of nose but little more outwards towards cheek. Well I made quite the mess, I knew to stop but just couldn't help it, now its swollen and red...why didn't I just leave it alone???????? And have quite a large one growing on lower chin..My chin has been taking such a beating lately. Its so weird bc I never ever used to break out on my chin, it used to always be my left cheek. Now its always the chin, jawline, lower cheeks...ughhh
I have to say for some reason, and I don't know why..i'm actually feeling hopeful and haven't cried today..thats huge, lol
I'm so happy i'm having zero side effects, keeping fingers crossed!
Hey! I totally am with you on the fluctuating skin thing. Some days spring hope, and others complete misery. It will get better, just slowly (being patient is so hard). I broke out in paces I never have before while on Spiro, so that may be why your chin is breaking out. I broke out on my forehead, temples, and eyebrow region (which was never an issue before). I think that is normal with this medication while it is adjusting to your body. I was suggested Keflex on here, so I begged my derm to put me on that, and I think that has helped me. Also, hopefully the timing of you starting Spiro and the weather helps, my skin always looks awful in the summer with the humidity (I live in a humid area). That may just be me though (my skin is so bloody sensitive)!!
I hope today is one of your better days! Sending positive vibes your way.
All I can say is..I'm exhausted..
Saturday morning was feeling awful..skin was kind of a wreck..had to go get blood tests bc I want my derm to prescribe me the spiro not the endo. Want to keep skincare all under one roof..plus the derm is cheaper to go to than the endo. Last time I saw derm he said he wanted blood tests before he prescribed it. So did that very early Saturday morning feeling grotesque..come Saturday afternoon the 2 spots that were really annoying seemed to be deflating..so was in pretty good mood. Yesterday was pretty awesome..I felt like wow, maybe this will be the turning point..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA!!!
So woke up this morning, and the 2 cysts that were going down swelled up ..HUGE, and a third one growing...Just got back from derm, had to get them shot..they were that bad. The best thing was tho, which I cant believe, they had my blood test results already..I don't even get how that happened..2 days! so that was a good thing..so got my next scrip..sticking with 50mg for one more month. Go back in a month and she said she will up it if all is going well.
I just wld love a tiny break..just a few days where there are no new bumps..i cant believe I want my skin from a year ago..i wld kill for it now. Oh and I also have had this cyst on my neck for abt 2 months, its the most bizarre thing..It was a pretty big cyst and I got it shot..it went down in size but never went fully away, cld always feel a tiny little nugget left..so got it shot 2nd time 3 weeks ago and it went down but it still remained red..very frustrating..Like a week ago I cld feel the frkn little nugget again so had her shoot it again today..i hope third time is the charm..Its so frustrating bc it really hasn't gotten better in 2 months. Its this tiny tiny little lump but yet the red mark is like size of pea and it hasn't gotten any less red all this time. I've been concentrating on my face so much that I haven't really paid that much attention to it..Now its really bothering me..its really red, and its almost in middle of my neck..i really hope this shot does something. Also I know exactly where my next lump is going to be..kind of near corner of my mouth but almost on chin. It wasn't big enough to get it shot today, but I know the little tingle so well, and the tiny swelling..totally sucks
Well that's my complaining for today, lol
Day 15..still no side effects, that i'm very grateful for
well, guess what..more complaining!!
Went to work today, thought my skin was doing good. Was thinking maybe today wld be the day where nothing new forms, I keep hoping that happens. Its been months. Well got home, while I was washing my face, felt a new lump of course. Its right next to two i got shot yesterday. I swear I'm going to jump off a bridge..I just don't get it.
The worst part of it is I usually work with my best friend, but she's out of town so i'm working with her partner. He's a guy and I don't know him that well. I'm working tomorrow and Thursday with him. I'm just going to die if this turns huge. I was so self conscious today with all my stupid marks. When does this end?? Now I have super anxiety about working, I hate this so much.
my chin is just a mess..marks, new pimples and cysts always forming. I feel so ugly 
ughhh, I am totally losing it. I cant stop crying. I keep telling myself crying doesn't do any good..I need to be stronger than this. I just feel so defeated. I cant tell you how scared I am spiro isn't going to work. I wouldn't know what to do if it doesn't.
Its so frustrating to me..I just don't get why my skin changed so much. My tinnitus is off the charts right now, I need to calm down, but I cant seem to. Im only 2 weeks into spiro, I have such a long way to go. I am terrified it will never work. I hate looking in the mirror. My anxiety is thru the roof.
I would love to feel normal again
well...going to work in 15 minutes..I want to crawl underneath a rock. I don't deal very well with being in public looking like this, obviously.
have 2 new spots on left cheek that appeared magically late last night.
the chin cyst is out of control..its in between 2 that I got shot on Monday. Marks are left over from the shots. So now this stupid cyst looks HUGE bc its right in the middle..so it looks like one big huge spot. im so freaked out.
I woke up 4:30 this morning with the worst panic attack ever, my poor husband
I truly wish I didn't have to go to work, the anxiety I have now is ridiculous. I hate driving there, I always sneak looks in the mirror..the worst lighting for me..so bright and clear, can see every flaw..i'm going to try so hard not to do that this morn, just makes me miserable
aw shadylee, i just want to give you a great big hug right now and tell you its all going to be ok. i know how awful you are feeling and its really just the worst feeling in the world but you will get through it. you are so much stronger than you think you are. my best advice is to not look at your face all day at work even though i know you want to just try at least for today to not look at it. also stop bringing your mirror with you because it just makes the anxiety so much worse.
i know what you mean about the cysts because i would get one injected and then another one would pop up next to that one and then another one next to that. it just looks so odd when you have like 3 cysts right next to each other because it looks like one big one. when you get home tonight try to ice the cysts and take 2 aleve or ibuprofen that should help the swelling a bit. so is there any other antibiotic you can try at all that wont make your tinnitus worse? i believe that will really help the bad breakout you are getting now. i wonder if you can just take keflex for say 2 weeks or if it would make things worse? if not your derm can always put you on prednisone just for like 5-7 days to calm everything down. that stuff works very well but some derms are hesitant to go that route.
anyway keep your chin up girl and just try to breathe and know that it will get better. i do believe spiro will work for you i do its just going to take time.
Tracy, You are the best! Tysm for the support.
i'm just too scared to add antibiotic with my tinnitus. Spiro is a diuretic, and they aren't good for tinnitus either, so frightened to do a double whammy to my ears. I love prednisone, had a derm that wld prescribe it to me every now and then if she thought I had gotten too many shots in one area. I don't go to her anymore, and unfortunately my derm now wont prescribe it. I had actually stockpiled some..all I wld need was about 3 10mg pill in a 36 hr period and my cysts wld go way down. You're really not suppose to do that, its not good for you, but when you're desperate.... Also if I stayed on prednisone more than 3 days I wld have instant flare when I came off them..even with tapering. I found my best bet was take them for a couple of days, and then stop, it would take swelling down so much. I would kill for a couple pills right now, lol.
I think my greatest enemy is this 15x magnifying little mirror I always keep with me. I look at it so often. If im at work and have a second to myself I pull it out to take a peek..i just hate the thought of having a huge whitehead on my face and not knowing it...It shows way too much, and like my husband says, no one sees your skin 15x magnified! I just cant help it.
i'm feeling a little better than this morning, the guy I worked with was cool, I didn't feel that self conscious. He asked me to work Friday instead of tomorrow..at first I was like ugh, just bc I want to get work out of the way so I can just hide..but then I thought it wld be nice to be off tomorrow and regroup.
I've calmed myself down some, the anxiety is way less..i'm just praying that nothing new comes along today..i can deal with what I have right now, just don't want some crazy spot to happen..it seems late afternoon into night is when they like to come visit..
Ty again Tracy..cant tell you how much the support helps me 
How much spiro are you taking now? I had to do about two weeks at 100mg to see a change and then I dropped back to 50mg.
I have just finished my first week off spiro. So far, still clear. I've been using the mandelic acid line from MUAC and it's pretty amazing. Let's hope this continues. Accutane is still the nuclear option if I have to.
Hang in there!
Hi Samantha,
Im on 50 mg once a day now. I might up myself to 75mg bc I have extra 25mg pills. My derm wants to keep me at 50 mg till my next appointment which is Oct. 20th, although I was just there yesterday for cortisone shots. It seems like I have to go once a week now for the shots. UGGHHHH!!
Well its 3weeks 1day..still no side effects..YAY! Last Thursday was the first day in months where I didn't get something new. I couldn't believe it. Friday I had a couple of tiny things pop up, but nothing to worry about. I was feeling pretty good til like Saturday night and then I got 2 large spots. Very aggravating. Yesterday they were still very swollen so went and got them shot. One went down really well. The other one is still a little puffy and jeez it is redddd. Its right in area of the chin that I was having problems with last week. Its on my left side, kind of near corner of the mouth, but lower. This area is just a mess, so many marks, red, and you can see the holes where I've been getting the shots. I'm definitely going to have some scarring in this area .
I have 3 small bumps growing in different areas, not upset abt them, they are nice and small. I have one very large one growing near corner of my mouth on left side, almost in moustache area. Totally sucks. So frustrating when I just got shots yesterday. Its a weird one..its not really red yet, but its like its swelling the whole area around it. I'm trying my best not to worry or think about it. I have kept mirror time minimal today. I notice if I look a lot, I will end up picking and making my face worse.
My right side is looking pretty good, no actives and smooth. My right side has always been my clear side. The right chin area took a beating a few weeks ago but it cleared up pretty well. The funny thing is, I have never ever had a cyst on my right cheek, and very rarely even a pimple. If only all my face would look and behave like my right cheek, I would be one happy girl.
Not really happy with the way i'm looking..the red marks on the chin are just gross to me, and now having that cyst growing above that area...its not really helping me feel good. It is sooo frustrating going and getting shots and then next day having something new. I'm going to try to live this one out, its just getting ridiculous how many times I go for shots. I want to try for just once a week, which is too much also, but that's where im at now.
Although it is very hard to be positive, I am grateful that I have had no side effects. Also my acne hasn't gotten worse, this is the way it has been for months. I also had that one day of nothing new, so I just have to be patient, and try some positivity..
ok..its funny how a few hours changes everything...
have 2 new cysts that literally grew out of nowhere..and the one near corner of mouth has grown into a lima bean. I am utterly freaked out. I truly don't get how an area can be completely clear and within a matter of hours grow a cyst.
well needless to say just cried my eyes out. of course I have to go to work tomorrow. i'm telling you, i'm completely losing it. definitely somehow going to fit in shots tomorrow, these are just crazy. I'm at the end of my rope, I really am.
I know i'm a complete downer, but jeez this is just unbelievable. the whole area by the corner of my mouth is swollen. I've been getting some big cysts lately but this one is just crazy. I truly cant take this. when does this stop?
ok, I can officially say this is by far the worst my skin has ever been.
2 new cysts today..and tons of regular pimples. I used to be able to count my blemishes, now its too much.
Have a tiny lump growing in an area that was finally healing. The moustache area on right side I had 4 small cysts last month. The area was finally healing up, could barely see red marks. Now I have a lump growing right next to the area and its going to be a doozy. Its making the healing red marks noticeable again.
Yesterday I said a good thing was spiro didn't seem to be making my acne worse. I take it back, its worse. Ive been crying all day, I looks so gross. I pray this is the bad before the good. I know it takes a long time for spiro to work, i don't know how much more of this i can take. The worst part is i had very minimal scarring. I can now see where i'm going to scar. I'm truly at my lowest.
ok, I can officially say this is by far the worst my skin has ever been.
2 new cysts today..and tons of regular pimples. I used to be able to count my blemishes, now its too much.
Have a tiny lump growing in an area that was finally healing. The moustache area on right side I had 4 small cysts last month. The area was finally healing up, could barely see red marks. Now I have a lump growing right next to the area and its going to be a doozy. Its making the healing red marks noticeable again.
Yesterday I said a good thing was spiro didn't seem to be making my acne worse. I take it back, its worse. Ive been crying all day, I looks so gross. I pray this is the bad before the good. I know it takes a long time for spiro to work, i don't know how much more of this i can take. The worst part is i had very minimal scarring. I can now see where i'm going to scar. I'm truly at my lowest.
Hey hun, so sorry you're struggling. With any new mediation/regimen/routine, you can't judge your skin on a day by day or week by week basis. It takes at least 3 month to make an assessment and with a hormonal medication, 6 months is a better indicator. While you're waiting, how are you de-stressing/keeping sane? What's your diet like? I haven't found the right diet/nutrition for my acne but i definitely recommend if you haven't looked into that route, you do. There is a lot of info on this site (too much if you ask me) and it may be worth seeing a naturopath who can better guide you with tests to take, etc. If you ever need to talk, let me know. I had to stop my accutane course because of sky high liver enzymes and high blood sugar. Sucks but i refuse to give up the search. You shouldn't either.
Hey Sascha,
Ty always for your support. I'm so sorry that you had to stop Accutane, I hope you feel ok.
I'm not in a good place right now and I know I need to do something to calm myself. I usually do a lot of walking/jogging but haven't done it in awhile. I just cant seem to motivate myself. My acne is taking my life over, and i'm not doing much to help my mental state right now. I'm so hoping I get out of this funk soon.
My diet is so so, but now am researching tons abt diet. I'm at my wits end.
As I sit here I have even more bumps forming. For the life of me I can't understand how my skin goes from getting maybe 4 cysts a month tops, to 4 cysts a day. How can skin change so much? I haven't changed anything. I've had 4 different blood tests in 2 months, everything comes back normal. Its just a frustrating nightmare.
I keep telling myself this will take time, I think I've read everything spiro on this site. I love reading the logs where someone thinks theres no way its going to work for them, but then months later they say spiro is their miracle. It gives me hope. I'm just so scared i'm going to go thru months of this and it wont work for me.
Sooner or later i'm going to have to get strong, not cry everyday. All that comes from that is swollen eyes and more irritated skin. I just cant seem to find that strength inside of me right now. All I want to do is hide in my bedroom all day and wait for all of this to be over.
Tyty always for your support and encouragement, you don't know how grateful I am. I hope you're feeling ok ..xoxo
Ty Green Gables,
Its so true what you say. I know I need to get out of this negative loop. As I've gotten older, I don't take life so much for granted anymore. Its funny how that changes. I'm so aware that I can look back on this one day and say, "why in the world did I waste all that time crying, not living life"..I truly have such a great life, i'm very lucky. I'm letting acne take that away from me.
I think it is such a great idea to focus on how I can change my mood, my outlook..Try to get out of this shell acne has put me in..I like to think that I can do it.
I'm making tiny tiny baby steps. I have the ability to call out of work very easily, I did it a few weeks ago for 2 weeks straight. This week my acne is the worst it has ever been but forced myself in. When I first go in i'm an emotional mess, anxiety, as the day goes on it lessens, I actually forget about my skin for a couple of hours. I also realize nobody cares about how my skin looks except me. Its funny how i'll dread work so much, wld give anything not to go in, but when i'm there I get to feel normalcy eventually, where i'm not even thinking about my skin.
Today I have a "good" attitude..i'm hoping it sticks..
awe hang in there shadylee! i can relate so much to what you are going through and it really is the hardest thing ever. its an emotional roller coaster but i do believe spiro is going to work very well for you i just know it. is there any antibiotic you can take at all? i really believe that will help you so much if there is something that you can take. i am glad that you have been going to work this week. the more you get out the better you will feel and that will help your skin too. the constant stress of it i do believe makes things so much worse. lol if you like to drink i would hit a dark bar and get your drink on this weekend and just have fun. enjoy some of your favorite comfort food or whatever it is that helps to make you happy right now and know i am here for you. you can pm me if you want to talk more. sending prayers and hugs your way
I hope the spiro in the end works for you! I have heard it takes some time to actually work so try to hang in there. See if your derm will put you on Bactrim the antibiotic. I am getting my skin clear with Bactrim then I will start Spiro for my chin, jawline and neck breakouts. I really hope things start looking up for you!
Tracy, you are the best..tysm for the support..I really need to believe this is going to work.
Its so funny you mentioned about going to a dark bar, that's exactly what I promised my husband that we will do tomorrow, lol. I feel so bad, my hubby and I are pretty active and social, and we travel a lot. I've been hiding out so much. We live in a great little village, tons of restaurants and bars at our feet. Love to watch football on a Sunday in one of our favorite places, but haven't done it yet. Tomorrow going to go to an irish pub that's nice and dark. Its also going to be a rainy day so that helps too .
We are going to Aruba in 4 weeks and i'm praying I feel ok with my skin. This will be our 3rd time there and the saddest (weirdest) thing is, I can remember what was happening on my face each time. First time had nasty cyst on my left cheek, 2nd time one by my mouth that was just horrible. Its pretty sad that when I think back on vacations and I can remember what my face was doing. Hoping 3rd time is the charm in Aruba and I go with an ok face..not even asking for acne free, just no whopping cysts..
Today I got my period, right on time..I'm hoping that is why my skin got so horrible..hoping next week it will be a little better. I was wondering if spiro would affect my cycle. I've read lots where girls have wacky periods etc. I'm glad so far I really have no side effects. I don't even think I pee more often. I've always been quite the water drinker, so I pee a lot anyways lol.
Tracy, cant thank you enough for the encouragement, support and kind words...Really helps me..TY!
you are so welcome! you are like the sweetest person!!
ahh that is awesome you are going out tomorrow. i bet you two will have a blast!! my hubby and i are the same way always going somewhere and we love to travel as well. we just went to new orleans with a group of friends so you can guess how that went -ha! i am still recovering 5 days later - ha!
omg, aruba sounds so amazing! that is like super exciting! i bet once you get out in the sun that will help your skin as well. i find that when i used to tan and stuff my face was always so much clearer. i wonder if you can get some prednisone from your derm just in case you need it on your trip. i do think once you get there though and you start to relax a bit that you wont be breaking out as much. i think stress can really just make it all like so much worse. yeah i agree i wouldnt want to go away with cysts either so hopefully by then your skin will be much calmer and stuff.
that is great that your period is on time too. i think that helps as well and eventually you will find out that you wont breakout anymore before your period. i dont even know half the time when i am going to get mine which is like a godsend -ha! my only wish with spiro is that i took it like years ago.
anyway i hope you have a great weekend with your hubby and just get to enjoy yourself. you totally deserve it!!
UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
New ones forming..Promised myself I wouldn't cry today, well made it to 5pm and here I am, crying my eyes out. You think I wld stop all this crying already, but i'll feel new cysts coming on and its like automatic. How in the world am I going to last to month 6?
I am so praying I read back on this in a few months, and be so happy I stuck with it. I'm really starting to think spiro is making it worse, but have to stick with it, what else can I do.
Get your face underwater in the ocean as much as you can while in Aruba. Real ocean water actually contains very high levels of macrophages that are anti-acne.
Let yourself tan a bit too. Most people get a skin-clearing effect with some sun exposure.
Have you done all the smaller steps to balance your hormones already? By the time I was taking spiro I had completely cut out all sugar, dairy, and caffeine because they strongly and negatively influence your hormones. I was going outside frequently sans sunscreen to get the positive effects from natural sunshine. I was also taking Betaine HCL with each meal to reduce any negative reactions to food.
I don't have to be so careful anymore, but when your skin is in a bad cycle you need to be stricter to get it clear.