Long story short, my birth control failed last week and ran to the store and took Plan B.
Currently, I've been taking 50mg of Spironolactone (I've been wanting to increase my dosage but the deem said no) for the past year along with Duac in the evening. I still break out a little bit, but only a few minor zits right before the time of the month. I broke out a little more than usual right before my last period, got myself the first underground zit I have had in a while, was unhappy but I knew with the Spiro it would go away fairly quickly.
Fast forward to now, ever since taking Plan B last Tuesday morning (10/28), I feel like I'm going back to square one with my face. I've been on Accutane, all the types of antibiotics, etc and Spiro has been my saving grace for the past year.
I've gotten at least 12 new spots on my face (not cysts, just regular pimples) and after researching what Plan B can do, I regret taking it. I was more concerned about not getting pregnant than anything else so this is totally my fault and I've been reading how it can ruin your face for months! I'm devastated!
I just started taking Cephalexin to see if it will calm things down, not familiar with that antibiotic but unsure if it will help since I've tried all the others in the past only for me to get immune to it. My derm wrote me a script back in the summer because I had a few nasty flare ups on my chin but I never took them because I cleared up before I got the script filled.
I get to see my derm at the end of this month and show her what a mess I've made.
Any suggestions?
How long does Plan B induced acne last?
Should I have my spiro dosage increased?
Unfortunately since plan B delivers a massive dose of hormones, not one knows how long it will take to clear up. Anyone who has suffered with true hormonal acne will tell you its one of the hardest to get under control. With that said, try to do things that regulate your hormones:
fish oil
evening primrose
borage oil
diet changes
A topical may help decrease the breakouts but the best thing will be time.
Good Luck
I don't know why some derms get so scared of spiro. Most women need 100mg to clear. I've purposely attempted to lower my dose AFTER I cleared up just on principle and I start breaking out again even at 75mg. This is after a few years of being on spiro. Adult hormonal acne is not something you grow out of.
Push your derm to increase your dose. Have a tantrum if you have to. Nothing gets a script written faster than an upset patient taking up a lot of time.
I took plan b in july and my skin has been a nightmare (along with other hormonal issues) for the 3 months since. I started using topical oxy on chin and it has helped, even though it is hormonal acne. I recommend looking i to Dr. sarah Gottfried's website on hormonal balance.
It's been a while since I posted this and wanted to give an update.
About a week after I posted this, I cleared up. I was taking Keflex 500mg twice a day and bumped up my spironolcatone to 75mg. I weaned off the Keflex after about 2 weeks since the derm only gave it to me for flare ups.
A month went by and a couple days before my period I got my normal breakout of 1 or 2 pimples, except one was a cyst. It bugged me but hey I went form 12 pimples to 2 pimples. Normally during and right after my period my face clears up and I don't usually get any new breakouts. WRONG! A week went by and while these 2 pimples were clearing, a few more pimples popped up. All around the cyst and other pimple that were already there, almost cluster like. Once one went away another in the SAME area popped up. The cyst on my chin looked like it wasn't going away anytime soon.
Freaking out, I called my derm and quickly went in for an emergency appointment. She gave me a script for Bactrim, which I have taken a couple years ago for about a year and it cleared me tremendously. Only this time I took it and had a bad reaction (swollen lips, sores in mouth, welts, itch eyes). So I called and she gave me Keflex again. She also told me to bump up my dosage to 100 mg of spironolactone and continue my duac.
A week went by and things just got worse. I got another cyst and MORE pimples ALL in the SAME spot! (right side of cheek/nose and a little along the jawline) Got 2 more pimples o Christmas and I cried hysterically over the weekend and would not leave the house. I had at least 10 pimples (small zits, a couple new/old cysts, and large zits). I also purchased a Tanda Clear + blue light a few weeks ago and started to use that multiple times a day to help with the bacteria.
I haven't really had a new pimple since Thursday (Christmas) and am due to get my period in a few days. Hoping last weeks nasty flare-up was my normal period flare-up x10 because of Plan B's effects still lingering? Is that possible? The cysts are almost flattened and few of the larger pimples have come to a head and popped, so they are much smaller/gone. So right now I have 2 or 3 actives that are healing.
I am ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED of breaking out again, especially like that. I'm hoping:
1. The antibiotic kicked in (or is helping)
2. Spironolactone at 100mg will work as opposed to the 50mg/75mg I was taking,
3. Plan B's hormonal imbalance side effect is done (it's been almost 2 months since I took it)
I'm thinking about going to an Endocrinologist soon as I am planning on getting married July 31st. My hormones have never been tested but I am pretty sure my flare ups are hormonal related, even more taking Plan B, acne was a nuisance that would come and go in Waves.
Any thoughts?