It definitely sounds like you have a hormonal imbalance, even weird symptoms like cold hands and feet are something I had really bad when I got pcos. Since you're still having your periods (although irregularly) it could be either pcos symptoms or estrogen dominance, or something else (anythings possible). it kind of bums me out that your gyno sounds so reluctant to test for hormones and get to the bottom of that--and its kind of dissmissive to say that it's only really an issue if you're having your periods as little as every 6 months. everything you've experience sounds like it's causing distress and is a result of imbalance. maybe try to push her a bit or get a referral for a new (better) gyno. you deserve to get to the bottom of this and it WILL help your mental health, even if it's not the entire cause of the anxiety/depression it can be a HUGE part. its true that blood tests can't show everything--for example, your testosterone could be in the "normal" range but you could still be really sensitive to the testosterone that is present, so that for YOU, that testosterone level is too high. esp if you are thin. Estrogen dominance usually means that the ratio of Estrogen to progesterone is out of wack, meaning not enough P relative to the amount of E. It actually seems to be more about progesterone level than estrogen level from what i've read, but again, a good thing to discuss in depth with a gyno. she should be educating/informing you about this. ask her lots of questions if you can. the fact that you have some excess body hair and erratic periods sound like symptoms of pcos, which doesn't mean you "have" It, just that there could be an androgen sensitivity going on. what you're going through emotionally sounds tough too--I've been there, trust. days of crying, you shouldn't have to live like that and you will get through this if you make changes. It took me seeing like 4 doctors and grilling them all before I finally started getting a handle on this. and hormone imbalances take a while to iron out, so patience is also necessary and just keep hoping that it will get better.
Since I had so many similar symptoms, I will just list what helped me immensely.
1. Ortho tri-cyclen Lo. I was not having periods after stopping bc, for 7 months, and this resumed periods, helped other symptoms, etc. my testosterone was double the high end of normal for women, and I would have had no idea if i didn't have a blood test.
2. Prozac. I had been on it before and it had helped, I tried stopping it as well but it was not the right time. Resuming it helped immensely. It took about 5 weeks to start working optimally, so you hafta be patient.
3. weekly talk therapy with a GOOD therapist/counselor. This is mega important. if you don't like a therapist/counselor, pretty much don't go back. keep hunting until you find someone you REALLY like, and they can help you make leaps and bounds. it's expensive and hard but worth it and can pull you out of deep ruts. it's also good to find someone who specializes in the kind of probs you are having--I found a lady who specializes in anxiety and does emdr.
4. miralax for digestive issues. anxiety and depression can wreak havoc on your digestive system, from loss of appetite, to stomach pains etc. I had never had digestive issues but I was having to pee all the time, having cramps, irregular #2, and my body just wasn't functioning properly. my gp gave me miralax and it helped immensely with the issues I was having.
5. not doing things that exacerbate anxiety which for me include 1 drinking 2 obsessing over diet 3 researching stuff on the internet that freaks me out. this is easier to do when you are already feeling better, which the antidepressant helps and the counseling too
best of luck to you, there are many ladies who have been through what you're going through right now and you are not alone!
It could be both or just an overall imbalance. Your list at the end of your post describes estrogen dominance. I had similar symptoms and they are largly relieved with supplementing natural progesterone. My period has been irregular for years until progesterone, now it's like clockwork.
Hormones can be out of balance even if "tests" come back normal.
Also, I started drinking spearmint tea (pure loose leaf from the bulk herb section) to help with my hirtuism (I have dark hairs under my chin as well that pop up under stress. When stress increases, progesterone levels drop.) There was a Turkish study that claimed it successfully helped with that but I haven't read anywhere that it can help acne. I think it also requires diligency like most supplements.
This is just my opinion, but I disagree wtih the above post. I think birth control and synthetic hormones are horrible for the body. They may help girls with acne in the moment, but they have a lot of negative long-term effects. It makes me sad that they are so freely prescribed for acne... I feel that birth control is what caused my hormonal imbalance. Regarding Prozac,one of the side effects IS acne... I would stay away from it. Again just my opinion, but I think anti-depressents are a bad idea and lead to dependence.
It definitely sounds like you have a hormonal imbalance, even weird symptoms like cold hands and feet are something I had really bad when I got pcos. Since you're still having your periods (although irregularly) it could be either pcos symptoms or estrogen dominance, or something else (anythings possible). it kind of bums me out that your gyno sounds so reluctant to test for hormones and get to the bottom of that--and its kind of dissmissive to say that it's only really an issue if you're having your periods as little as every 6 months. everything you've experience sounds like it's causing distress and is a result of imbalance. maybe try to push her a bit or get a referral for a new (better) gyno. you deserve to get to the bottom of this and it WILL help your mental health, even if it's not the entire cause of the anxiety/depression it can be a HUGE part. its true that blood tests can't show everything--for example, your testosterone could be in the "normal" range but you could still be really sensitive to the testosterone that is present, so that for YOU, that testosterone level is too high. esp if you are thin. Estrogen dominance usually means that the ratio of Estrogen to progesterone is out of wack, meaning not enough P relative to the amount of E. It actually seems to be more about progesterone level than estrogen level from what i've read, but again, a good thing to discuss in depth with a gyno. she should be educating/informing you about this. ask her lots of questions if you can. the fact that you have some excess body hair and erratic periods sound like symptoms of pcos, which doesn't mean you "have" It, just that there could be an androgen sensitivity going on. what you're going through emotionally sounds tough too--I've been there, trust. days of crying, you shouldn't have to live like that
and you will get through this if you make changes. It took me seeing like 4 doctors and grilling them all before I finally started getting a handle on this. and hormone imbalances take a while to iron out, so patience is also necessary and just keep hoping that it will get better.
Since I had so many similar symptoms, I will just list what helped me immensely.
1. Ortho tri-cyclen Lo. I was not having periods after stopping bc, for 7 months, and this resumed periods, helped other symptoms, etc. my testosterone was double the high end of normal for women, and I would have had no idea if i didn't have a blood test.
2. Prozac. I had been on it before and it had helped, I tried stopping it as well but it was not the right time. Resuming it helped immensely. It took about 5 weeks to start working optimally, so you hafta be patient.
3. weekly talk therapy with a GOOD therapist/counselor. This is mega important. if you don't like a therapist/counselor, pretty much don't go back. keep hunting until you find someone you REALLY like, and they can help you make leaps and bounds. it's expensive and hard but worth it and can pull you out of deep ruts. it's also good to find someone who specializes in the kind of probs you are having--I found a lady who specializes in anxiety and does emdr.
4. miralax for digestive issues. anxiety and depression can wreak havoc on your digestive system, from loss of appetite, to stomach pains etc. I had never had digestive issues but I was having to pee all the time, having cramps, irregular #2, and my body just wasn't functioning properly. my gp gave me miralax and it helped immensely with the issues I was having.
5. not doing things that exacerbate anxiety which for me include 1 drinking 2 obsessing over diet 3 researching stuff on the internet that freaks me out. this is easier to do when you are already feeling better, which the antidepressant helps and the counseling too
best of luck to you, there are many ladies who have been through what you're going through right now and you are not alone!
It could be both or just an overall imbalance. Your list at the end of your post describes estrogen dominance. I had similar symptoms and they are largly relieved with supplementing natural progesterone. My period has been irregular for years until progesterone, now it's like clockwork. http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/320997-the-low-progesterone-high-androgen-connection-to-acne/
Hormones can be out of balance even if "tests" come back normal.
Also, I started drinking spearmint tea (pure loose leaf from the bulk herb section) to help with my hirtuism (I have dark hairs under my chin as well that pop up under stress. When stress increases, progesterone levels drop.) There was a Turkish study that claimed it successfully helped with that but I haven't read anywhere that it can help acne. I think it also requires diligency like most supplements.
This is just my opinion, but I disagree wtih the above post. I think birth control and synthetic hormones are horrible for the body. They may help girls with acne in the moment, but they have a lot of negative long-term effects. It makes me sad that they are so freely prescribed for acne... I feel that birth control is what caused my hormonal imbalance. Regarding Prozac,one of the side effects IS acne... I would stay away from it. Again just my opinion, but I think anti-depressents are a bad idea and lead to dependence.
kelseylee--Thanks for the encouragement 
I'm trying to stay strong, but it's hard because i'm a week from my period and my hormones are going crazy which results in a huge breakout. I can't do anything at all. I really think a therapist would help me, but i'm just not so excited about going out and putting on make up. I've been to a naturopath before and she was sort of counseling me through my anxiety, but it barely helped because she knew little to nothing about acne...not to mention it cost about $300 for each visit. I'm job-less and acne is definitely in the way of me getting one. It's pretty confusing with the everything out of balance. I think i will go see an endocrinologist to know for sure. I don't want to take any chance but i really hope they will help me out.
Wow, that's a lot of stuff to take. I'm not a big fan of pharmaceutical medicine, but i'm all for natural medicine. It's great if they are helping you though. I know for a fact that i will never in my life take birth control. When i read all those horror stories of how your acne come back worse after you stop the pill makes me scared. My digestive system is pretty horrible too..I was trying ACV daily for about a week, so far no help, but too soon to tell. I take about 2 tsp a day in a big glass of water. Number 5 is what i stress about all the time. I always Google a food before i eat it. If it's something that i don't usually eat, i would freak out for the whole day.
hearts-- I really think that my hormones are imbalanced. I emailed my doctor on Monday and she did not reply which is rude because when i message my dermatologist, he reply within hours 
I am trying to find an endocrinologist to test my hormones. What test should i ask for? I really hope it helps because I've documented where my acne gets at its worse is 1 week before my period. Right now my face is broken out and i feel so depressed I read online that within that week, your body creates estrogen to get your body ready for pregnancy Well, a week before my period, my breast gets really sore and swells up to one cup size bigger, which to me is a good thing, but it's not a good thing when my face looks like crap. This is weird because i never had a problem with acne during my period until a few months ago. Another thing i just found out is some dark hair under my lower lip. It's really confusing....I'm really debating whether i want to drink the spearmint tea or not because from the looks of it, i may have estrogen dominance which i'm guessing lowering testosterone will make it worse. Hmm, i might have low progesterone because I've been under a lot of stress and anxiety over my acne. I really don't know..it's so frustrating. I'm not big on birth control or anti-depressants. I really feel that if i figure out what is causing my hormonal imbalance, my depression may go away as well.
Regarding the post link you attached, there is a big chance that i may have estrogen dominance I've cut out a lot of bad estrogen though, such as drinking water from a water bottle and using non plastic dish ware. Maybe it's just not enough..but thank you for sending it. It 's really useful.
I won't know for sure, so i'll post again when i do seen an endocrinologist which is in 3 weeks.
Yeah, it's definitely a hormonal issue if you're getting the breakouts in your luteal phase (a week or so before your period.) I'm the same way. This is when we're supposed to be creating progesterone, but unfortunately sometimes we aren't making enough to combat the spike in estrogen.
Here is some more information on how progesterone can inhibit androgen production and DHT. http://www.progesteronetherapy.com/pimple-and-acne-cream.html. Besides natural progesterone, there are other natural ways to lower androgens and balance hormones without taking spironolactone (I feel the same as you, I dislike synthetics and pharmaceutical meds) like DIM, Calcium D-Glucarate, Saw Palmetto, Vitex, and vitamin D. DIM and CDG help regulate estrogen... this could be effective in your situation.
If you do start a treatment or supplement, please note that hormones can take a long time to adjust... sometimes 3-6 months to see results.
I hope this helps a little and I'm glad that you have an appointment to see a endocrinologist... please let us know how it goes! I really hope everything works out for you and you can get back in balance!
Hi guys-
okay first of all....none of these things are permanent. And it may sound like "a lot", but compared to the amount of medication circulating in our society and the pain of not facing your problems, it is not. I think to live depressed, anxious and isolated everyday is more extreme than accepting help from a doctor . taking some steps to help myself is the most natural thing of all, obsessing over "curing your problems naturally" I think is an unnatural and inorganic issue. Furthermore, your hormones got messed up because of emotional issues like anger, anxiety, turmoil and depression. If you are well and free, your hormones will operate appropriately. I went on and off birth control for years with zero issue, because I was not struggling emotionally. Birth control (while there ARE some bad ones out there) is not the enemy, in fact taking massive quantities of herbs to fix your hormones, which many ppl do, is just as extreme and potentially more so than taking a low dose birth control...and makes you just as "dependent".
The only reason I would introduce the subject of something that helps your mood is when someone is struggling with anxiety, depression, feeling like they maybe don't even want to live, AND struggling with health problems that result from those very emotional issues. and even after all that said, I by no means believe that what is right for me is right for you, but please don't judge or think less of what i'm doing simply because you would rather not do so. Trust me, MANY ppl on here tried to cure their acne "naturally". I spent around $500 on herbs and stuff from a naturopath; after going to my wonderful and intelligent doctor from my teenage years, I spent $20 on stuff she prescribed that actually helped. Oh and NOTHING a naturopath prescribed helped, and she suggested I eliminate most food from my diet and have 3/4 of every meal be vegetables. I am already thin, and this just led me to be isolated from my friends and family and anxious about food all the time. So you can obsess over your diet, isolate yourself through this, despise conventional medicine, but you are in no way "winning" or being more "natural". I'm probably gonna like get yelled at for saying all this, but i'm just being honest.
As I've healed emotionally, my acne has healed. This is no coincidence. (And it is completely untrue that ssr's cause acne. If anything, they're unrelated.) My back acne is completely gone, and just a month ago I would touch my back and wince at the bumps. Sometimes emotional problems get so deep, we need a little help to get out. Whether this is therapy, family support, medication, all three or just the first and second, it doesn't really matter. My dad and three of his brothers and my grandma suffer with anxiety and depression, and many of them have taken medication when needed over the years, and most of them no longer do. Similar issues on my mom's side, so for me I am genetically hardwired for anxiety and depression. as a teen I dealt with it through perfectionism over my grades, looks and sports and didn't start to relax and enjoy life as much until taking a low dose antidepressant. trust me this is not the way I would have chosen things if I could have; nobody likes taking medication to be "better" and it can make you feel ashamed. But if it helps right now, and trying to stop taking it for nearly a year did not work, I accept "defeat".
I am hugely into most aspects of natural healing; I think all the amount of pills and otc meds will do nothing if you don't heal emotionally and address the roots of your problem and this is why I love therapy. I also eat very healthy food that I love, with my friends and family, exercise and don't consume drugs or alcohol. I also meditate and do yoga and read a lot of spiritual books. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hays is what i'm reading right now. But if I didn't take a few of those aforementioned steps, I would still be swimming in anxiety and mild depression, obsessing over my self image, and not even be able to address my deeper issues and accept and give love to my friends and family. The therapist I'm seeing now actually told me it's better for someone trying to heal in therapy to take ssri's (if they suit them) because anxiety and depression are so distracting that they can prevent deep healing, and they are just symptoms of emotional pain and low self esteen. I wish you the best of luck curing your acne....naturally.....but if you find dead ends over and over, know there are other options.
KelseyLee, That's great that all that worked for you. I wasn't trying to argue with you... clearly we just have diffrerent opinions, which is good! 
I just know that personally I went to hell and back with traditional medicine and none of it has been worthwhile in my experience. I've gotten so much further on the natural route and listening to what my body needs rather than what a doctor tells me I need. Perhaps some acne is related to emotions but that doesn't sum it all up... there are a lot of factors that seem to be in play here. I have been totally clear in some of the darkest times of my life and had breakouts in the happiest times.
I respect that there are alternatives to natural therapies and I'm so happy that you have figured out what works for you. In the end that's all that matters.
hi,
Im glad I saw your post. I think I can help, I only wish someone had told me this years ago!
Acne is hormonal to begin with. You have the exact same symptoms I had, and I have PCOS. Technically there is no 'test" which can confirt PCOS its a syndrome so the symptoms make the diagnosis.If you simply eat less carbs(dont cut out any food groups just cut down on bread past and empty calories like drinks, that alone helps PCOS women lose wight). You may have elevated male hormones or you may be sensitive to normal amounts. Either way, it cant hurt to take anti-DHT supplements because they decrease both acne and body/facial hair. I take a supplement with saw palmetto and spearmint. I had acne for 20 years, it only got bad last year and I took yaz birth control in October 2012. In 4 months I had clear skin, I still do now. I keep up with the supplements too. It causes the facial hair to grow in much less. If I were you Id visit a clinic and see what they say.
I recommend electrolisis when you can afford it, its so worth it!
Also, dont feel bad about yourself, its not your fault and you will feel much better when your skin is better and when you are doing something to help. Ask me if youd like to know about PCOS been there got the t-shirt lol.
Good luck.
Hearts-
Thank you for your reply--I know I got really defensive, the internet is a good place to vent . It's just hard cuz I really tried to go the natural route, but I just felt worse and worse. However, agreed that conventional medicine can have great downfalls. there is a documentary called Sick, Fat and Nearly Dead where it shows men taking like 15 medications a day given by doctors because of late onset diabetes and so many other health problems basically caused by diet & lifestyle alone. medications on top of medications, medications to mediate the side effects of other meds.
Interesting to me that you say you've been clear in dark times and had acne in great times. My life is like the exact opposite, but I really appreciate this alternate viewpoint because more knowledge is always better. never in a time of peace and emotional well being have I really had acne at all. but I got it a little, when I was stressed as a teen, and that's it, and then more recently when things have been crazy I actually developed acne (and ezcema). I guess I would say its highly correlated with anxiety for me, but not necessarily sadness or depression.
I would like to eventually go off conventional meds but from where I was at, they were a great help. I think its all about steps to get to where you want to be. Like changing your diet, it can't exactly happen all over night. taking steps to being healthier and healthier feels empowering to me and hopefully I won't need birth control in the future if I choose to go off it. I would also like to be off antidepressants but that has proved harder as anxiety and depression I had after stopping was worse than before I started them. which shows that they can be problematic but not taking them was..worse.
Hearts, what are your favorite natural routes or remedies that you have done?
And to the op, how are you doing?
Yeah, it's definitely a hormonal issue if you're getting the breakouts in your luteal phase (a week or so before your period.) I'm the same way. This is when we're supposed to be creating progesterone, but unfortunately sometimes we aren't making enough to combat the spike in estrogen.
Here is some more information on how progesterone can inhibit androgen production and DHT. http://www.progesteronetherapy.com/pimple-and-acne-cream.html. Besides natural progesterone, there are other natural ways to lower androgens and balance hormones without taking spironolactone (I feel the same as you, I dislike synthetics and pharmaceutical meds) like DIM, Calcium D-Glucarate, Saw Palmetto, Vitex, and vitamin D. DIM and CDG help regulate estrogen... this could be effective in your situation.
If you do start a treatment or supplement, please note that hormones can take a long time to adjust... sometimes 3-6 months to see results.
I hope this helps a little and I'm glad that you have an appointment to see a endocrinologist... please let us know how it goes! I really hope everything works out for you and you can get back in balance!
Hi guys-
okay first of all....none of these things are permanent. And it may sound like "a lot", but compared to the amount of medication circulating in our society and the pain of not facing your problems, it is not. I think to live depressed, anxious and isolated everyday is more extreme than accepting help from a doctor
. taking some steps to help myself is the most natural thing of all, obsessing over "curing your problems naturally" I think is an unnatural and inorganic issue. Furthermore, your hormones got messed up because of emotional issues like anger, anxiety, turmoil and depression. If you are well and free, your hormones will operate appropriately. I went on and off birth control for years with zero issue, because I was not struggling emotionally. Birth control (while there ARE some bad ones out there) is not the enemy, in fact taking massive quantities of herbs to fix your hormones, which many ppl do, is just as extreme and potentially more so than taking a low dose birth control...and makes you just as "dependent".
The only reason I would introduce the subject of something that helps your mood is when someone is struggling with anxiety, depression, feeling like they maybe don't even want to live, AND struggling with health problems that result from those very emotional issues. and even after all that said, I by no means believe that what is right for me is right for you, but please don't judge or think less of what i'm doing simply because you would rather not do so. Trust me, MANY ppl on here tried to cure their acne "naturally". I spent around $500 on herbs and stuff from a naturopath; after going to my wonderful and intelligent doctor from my teenage years, I spent $20 on stuff she prescribed that actually helped. Oh and NOTHING a naturopath prescribed helped, and she suggested I eliminate most food from my diet and have 3/4 of every meal be vegetables. I am already thin, and this just led me to be isolated from my friends and family and anxious about food all the time. So you can obsess over your diet, isolate yourself through this, despise conventional medicine, but you are in no way "winning" or being more "natural". I'm probably gonna like get yelled at for saying all this, but i'm just being honest.
As I've healed emotionally, my acne has healed. This is no coincidence. (And it is completely untrue that ssr's cause acne. If anything, they're unrelated.) My back acne is completely gone, and just a month ago I would touch my back and wince at the bumps. Sometimes emotional problems get so deep, we need a little help to get out. Whether this is therapy, family support, medication, all three or just the first and second, it doesn't really matter. My dad and three of his brothers and my grandma suffer with anxiety and depression, and many of them have taken medication when needed over the years, and most of them no longer do. Similar issues on my mom's side, so for me I am genetically hardwired for anxiety and depression. as a teen I dealt with it through perfectionism over my grades, looks and sports and didn't start to relax and enjoy life as much until taking a low dose antidepressant. trust me this is not the way I would have chosen things if I could have; nobody likes taking medication to be "better" and it can make you feel ashamed. But if it helps right now, and trying to stop taking it for nearly a year did not work, I accept "defeat".
I am hugely into most aspects of natural healing; I think all the amount of pills and otc meds will do nothing if you don't heal emotionally and address the roots of your problem and this is why I love therapy. I also eat very healthy food that I love, with my friends and family, exercise and don't consume drugs or alcohol. I also meditate and do yoga and read a lot of spiritual books. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hays is what i'm reading right now. But if I didn't take a few of those aforementioned steps, I would still be swimming in anxiety and mild depression, obsessing over my self image, and not even be able to address my deeper issues and accept and give love to my friends and family. The therapist I'm seeing now actually told me it's better for someone trying to heal in therapy to take ssri's (if they suit them) because anxiety and depression are so distracting that they can prevent deep healing, and they are just symptoms of emotional pain and low self esteen. I wish you the best of luck curing your acne....naturally.....but if you find dead ends over and over, know there are other options.
hi,
Im glad I saw your post. I think I can help, I only wish someone had told me this years ago!
Acne is hormonal to begin with. You have the exact same symptoms I had, and I have PCOS. Technically there is no 'test" which can confirt PCOS its a syndrome so the symptoms make the diagnosis.If you simply eat less carbs(dont cut out any food groups just cut down on bread past and empty calories like drinks, that alone helps PCOS women lose wight). You may have elevated male hormones or you may be sensitive to normal amounts. Either way, it cant hurt to take anti-DHT supplements because they decrease both acne and body/facial hair. I take a supplement with saw palmetto and spearmint. I had acne for 20 years, it only got bad last year and I took yaz birth control in October 2012. In 4 months I had clear skin, I still do now. I keep up with the supplements too. It causes the facial hair to grow in much less. If I were you Id visit a clinic and see what they say.
I recommend electrolisis when you can afford it, its so worth it!
Also, dont feel bad about yourself, its not your fault and you will feel much better when your skin is better and when you are doing something to help. Ask me if youd like to know about PCOS been there got the t-shirt lol.
Good luck.
I find this weird i never had a problem with hormonal acne/break outs during periods until Feb/March of this year. Stupid hormones...
I absolutely agree about how your emotions messing up your hormones. Ever since i started breaking out, i had the worse anxiety and depression..not to mention i was really stressed. It's sucks because i'm over here stressing about my acne and it comes and creeps on me. I was really confused and i feel that i do have PCOS. Do you mind telling me what you know about PCOS? Will seeing an endocrinologist help at all? Yeah, it's definitely a hormonal issue if you're getting the breakouts in your luteal phase (a week or so before your period.) I'm the same way. This is when we're supposed to be creating progesterone, but unfortunately sometimes we aren't making enough to combat the spike in estrogen.
Here is some more information on how progesterone can inhibit androgen production and DHT. http://www.progesteronetherapy.com/pimple-and-acne-cream.html. Besides natural progesterone, there are other natural ways to lower androgens and balance hormones without taking spironolactone (I feel the same as you, I dislike synthetics and pharmaceutical meds) like DIM, Calcium D-Glucarate, Saw Palmetto, Vitex, and vitamin D. DIM and CDG help regulate estrogen... this could be effective in your situation.
If you do start a treatment or supplement, please note that hormones can take a long time to adjust... sometimes 3-6 months to see results.
I hope this helps a little and I'm glad that you have an appointment to see a endocrinologist... please let us know how it goes! I really hope everything works out for you and you can get back in balance!
>>Hi guys-
okay first of all....none of these things are permanent. And it may sound like "a lot", but compared to the amount of medication circulating in our society and the pain of not facing your problems, it is not. I think to live depressed, anxious and isolated everyday is more extreme than accepting help from a doctor
The only reason I would introduce the subject of something that helps your mood is when someone is struggling with anxiety, depression, feeling like they maybe don't even want to live, AND struggling with health problems that result from those very emotional issues. and even after all that said, I by no means believe that what is right for me is right for you, but please don't judge or think less of what i'm doing simply because you would rather not do so. Trust me, MANY ppl on here tried to cure their acne "naturally". I spent around $500 on herbs and stuff from a naturopath; after going to my wonderful and intelligent doctor from my teenage years, I spent $20 on stuff she prescribed that actually helped. Oh and NOTHING a naturopath prescribed helped, and she suggested I eliminate most food from my diet and have 3/4 of every meal be vegetables. I am already thin, and this just led me to be isolated from my friends and family and anxious about food all the time. So you can obsess over your diet, isolate yourself through this, despise conventional medicine, but you are in no way "winning" or being more "natural". I'm probably gonna like get yelled at for saying all this, but i'm just being honest.
As I've healed emotionally, my acne has healed. This is no coincidence. (And it is completely untrue that ssr's cause acne. If anything, they're unrelated.) My back acne is completely gone, and just a month ago I would touch my back and wince at the bumps. Sometimes emotional problems get so deep, we need a little help to get out. Whether this is therapy, family support, medication, all three or just the first and second, it doesn't really matter. My dad and three of his brothers and my grandma suffer with anxiety and depression, and many of them have taken medication when needed over the years, and most of them no longer do. Similar issues on my mom's side, so for me I am genetically hardwired for anxiety and depression. as a teen I dealt with it through perfectionism over my grades, looks and sports and didn't start to relax and enjoy life as much until taking a low dose antidepressant. trust me this is not the way I would have chosen things if I could have; nobody likes taking medication to be "better" and it can make you feel ashamed. But if it helps right now, and trying to stop taking it for nearly a year did not work, I accept "defeat".
I am hugely into most aspects of natural healing; I think all the amount of pills and otc meds will do nothing if you don't heal emotionally and address the roots of your problem and this is why I love therapy. I also eat very healthy food that I love, with my friends and family, exercise and don't consume drugs or alcohol. I also meditate and do yoga and read a lot of spiritual books. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hays is what i'm reading right now. But if I didn't take a few of those aforementioned steps, I would still be swimming in anxiety and mild depression, obsessing over my self image, and not even be able to address my deeper issues and accept and give love to my friends and family. The therapist I'm seeing now actually told me it's better for someone trying to heal in therapy to take ssri's (if they suit them) because anxiety and depression are so distracting that they can prevent deep healing, and they are just symptoms of emotional pain and low self esteen. I wish you the best of luck curing your acne....naturally.....but if you find dead ends over and over, know there are other options.
hi,
Im glad I saw your post. I think I can help, I only wish someone had told me this years ago!
Acne is hormonal to begin with. You have the exact same symptoms I had, and I have PCOS. Technically there is no 'test" which can confirt PCOS its a syndrome so the symptoms make the diagnosis.If you simply eat less carbs (dont cut out any food groups just cut down on bread pasta and empty calories like drinks, that alone helps PCOS women lose wight). You may have elevated male hormones or you may be sensitive to normal amounts. Either way, it cant hurt to take anti-DHT supplements because they decrease both acne and body/facial hair. I take a supplement with saw palmetto and spearmint. I had acne for 20 years, it only got bad last year and I took yaz birth control in October 2012. In 4 months I had clear skin, I still do now. I keep up with the supplements too. It causes the facial hair to grow in much less. If I were you Id visit a clinic and see what they say.
I recommend electrolysis when you can afford it, its so worth it!
Also, dont feel bad about yourself, its not your fault and you will feel much better when your skin is better and when you are doing something to help. Ask me if youd like to know about PCOS been there got the t-shirt lol.
Good luck.
hearts--Thanks for the article and suggestions. I am interested in Vitamin D. I've heard a lot of success stories for it. What i fear of is for it to either stop working if it does help me or when i decide to get pregnant in the future..i know i'm thinking too far ahead but hopefully i'll find something that would work with me.My period just started, so i'm looking out for a break out. I believe that when girls start spotting is when your body releases testosterone because you're not pregnant Hopefully it won't be that bad, but from what i know, it's never "that bad"kelseylee--I should have noted it earlier that i didn't want any medications, but i really appreciate you replying and telling me what you knowI definitely don't want to be dependent on anything, not even "natural medicine", but i would rather steer their way than using stronger prescription medicine. I looked up a lot of ways to "balance" your hormones naturally and most of them tells you to get proper sleep, exercise, diet and de-stress. It seems like it has helped you. I remember going on a "diet" to clear my acne, which made me loose about 8 pounds. I usually weight around 97/100 so i looked sickly ill. I gained back so weight and i kind of gave up. I just stay away from milk and sugar if i could. Now that i think about it, i never really tried hard enough to balance my hormones naturally. I should give it a shot and take it more serious.AuguriesofInnocence--After reading your post, i criedI'll try my hardest to cut out carbs, but without it, i get hungry after an hour. Is brown rice okay? I drink about 5 cups of 14oz water a day including 2 tsp of ACV and one 8oz of Yogi detox tea...I want to know more about spearmint tea, I have 2 boxes that i ordered but i was hesitant to try them because i thought my estrogen levels were high. How many cups do you drink and what has it done for you? Does it help with your oil production? Which brand do you drink?Thank you for your reply, it was really helpful.
hi,
Im sorry you feel bad about possibly having PCOS I promise its not the end of the world.
I suspected I had it a few years ago because Ive never had normal periods, had acne and had some facial hairs which didnt belong (I am blonde so why did I have dark hairs?). I asked my then-derm to do a blood test for excess androgens, which he pretty much brushed off because he thought I didnt fit the PCOS "type"--overweight and insulin resistant. I am thin and have always had perfect blood sugar
So last year, I saw a different gyno for an unrelated cause, he looked at my acne and my history of irregular periods and immediately suggested PCOS. He ordered a bunch of bloodtest, all of which were in the "normal" range but I still have the condition. I was tested and I do not ovulate regularly. This doctor wasnt particularly nice either, he made me feel very uncomfortable. I stopped seeing him and now see a female--much better! I did see an endocrinologist to rule out any other problems such as thyroid but he just prescribed yaz which you can get from any gyno. Ive had no side effects from yaz, no mood swings no weight gain etc just much less oil and clear skin.
The best thing I did for my PCOS was to go on yaz, since month 4 of yaz I have had NO acne. All the things youre doing sound fine to me. I definately dont recommend cutting out carbs we all need them, just make sure they are not junky carbs like cakes, chips, fast food atc. Brown rice is much better than white, sweet potatos are better than white and whole grain anything is better than non. What they call complex carbs digest slower so you dont need to eat all the time. I find for me, using gluten-free pasta is an easy way to lose weight, I am not particularly sensitive to gluten but it tends to put weight on most people. Steel cut oats are better for you than quick cook. I really dont have any dietary restrictions, I eat healthy during the week and have drinks and desserts on weekends. I am 5"5 and 120 lbs. Dont set unrealistic goals or you will feel deprived and binge eat, trust me Ive done it.
There is no actual estrogen in soy or spearmint, spearmint helps regulate oil production. Yes it does work, it also helps slow down body/facial hair growth. I just make a container of tea and keep it in the fridge its easier and you dont have to go make cups of tea all the time. I tend to drink 1-2 cups of tea in the summer in the winter I just take 1 spearmint capsule because I dont like hot beverages. There are other herbs for hormone balance something called dong quai and pther Chinese/avervedic herbs...chasteberry...but Ive never tried them.
I want to add, PCOS is a really misleading name, a lot of women with it never have ovarian cysts, I dont have them. The medical name is Stein Levanthal syndrome. When I was first diagnosed I felt bad like there was something wrong with me, but its just a condition like any other, its not your fault and you can treat the symptoms. I feel 100% better than I did last year. I got pregnant on my own and have a 7-year old son so not everyone has fertility issues either.
If there is anything else just ask, Ive done a lot of research on this because you have to be your own health advocate.
)
Yeah, it's definitely a hormonal issue if you're getting the breakouts in your luteal phase (a week or so before your period.) I'm the same way. This is when we're supposed to be creating progesterone, but unfortunately sometimes we aren't making enough to combat the spike in estrogen.
Here is some more information on how progesterone can inhibit androgen production and DHT. http://www.progesteronetherapy.com/pimple-and-acne-cream.html. Besides natural progesterone, there are other natural ways to lower androgens and balance hormones without taking spironolactone (I feel the same as you, I dislike synthetics and pharmaceutical meds) like DIM, Calcium D-Glucarate, Saw Palmetto, Vitex, and vitamin D. DIM and CDG help regulate estrogen... this could be effective in your situation.
If you do start a treatment or supplement, please note that hormones can take a long time to adjust... sometimes 3-6 months to see results.
I hope this helps a little and I'm glad that you have an appointment to see a endocrinologist... please let us know how it goes! I really hope everything works out for you and you can get back in balance!
>>Hi guys-
okay first of all....none of these things are permanent. And it may sound like "a lot", but compared to the amount of medication circulating in our society and the pain of not facing your problems, it is not. I think to live depressed, anxious and isolated everyday is more extreme than accepting help from a doctor
The only reason I would introduce the subject of something that helps your mood is when someone is struggling with anxiety, depression, feeling like they maybe don't even want to live, AND struggling with health problems that result from those very emotional issues. and even after all that said, I by no means believe that what is right for me is right for you, but please don't judge or think less of what i'm doing simply because you would rather not do so. Trust me, MANY ppl on here tried to cure their acne "naturally". I spent around $500 on herbs and stuff from a naturopath; after going to my wonderful and intelligent doctor from my teenage years, I spent $20 on stuff she prescribed that actually helped. Oh and NOTHING a naturopath prescribed helped, and she suggested I eliminate most food from my diet and have 3/4 of every meal be vegetables. I am already thin, and this just led me to be isolated from my friends and family and anxious about food all the time. So you can obsess over your diet, isolate yourself through this, despise conventional medicine, but you are in no way "winning" or being more "natural". I'm probably gonna like get yelled at for saying all this, but i'm just being honest.
As I've healed emotionally, my acne has healed. This is no coincidence. (And it is completely untrue that ssr's cause acne. If anything, they're unrelated.) My back acne is completely gone, and just a month ago I would touch my back and wince at the bumps. Sometimes emotional problems get so deep, we need a little help to get out. Whether this is therapy, family support, medication, all three or just the first and second, it doesn't really matter. My dad and three of his brothers and my grandma suffer with anxiety and depression, and many of them have taken medication when needed over the years, and most of them no longer do. Similar issues on my mom's side, so for me I am genetically hardwired for anxiety and depression. as a teen I dealt with it through perfectionism over my grades, looks and sports and didn't start to relax and enjoy life as much until taking a low dose antidepressant. trust me this is not the way I would have chosen things if I could have; nobody likes taking medication to be "better" and it can make you feel ashamed. But if it helps right now, and trying to stop taking it for nearly a year did not work, I accept "defeat".
I am hugely into most aspects of natural healing; I think all the amount of pills and otc meds will do nothing if you don't heal emotionally and address the roots of your problem and this is why I love therapy. I also eat very healthy food that I love, with my friends and family, exercise and don't consume drugs or alcohol. I also meditate and do yoga and read a lot of spiritual books. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hays is what i'm reading right now. But if I didn't take a few of those aforementioned steps, I would still be swimming in anxiety and mild depression, obsessing over my self image, and not even be able to address my deeper issues and accept and give love to my friends and family. The therapist I'm seeing now actually told me it's better for someone trying to heal in therapy to take ssri's (if they suit them) because anxiety and depression are so distracting that they can prevent deep healing, and they are just symptoms of emotional pain and low self esteen. I wish you the best of luck curing your acne....naturally.....but if you find dead ends over and over, know there are other options.
hi,
Im glad I saw your post. I think I can help, I only wish someone had told me this years ago!
Acne is hormonal to begin with. You have the exact same symptoms I had, and I have PCOS. Technically there is no 'test" which can confirt PCOS its a syndrome so the symptoms make the diagnosis.If you simply eat less carbs(dont cut out any food groups just cut down on bread past and empty calories like drinks, that alone helps PCOS women lose wight). You may have elevated male hormones or you may be sensitive to normal amounts. Either way, it cant hurt to take anti-DHT supplements because they decrease both acne and body/facial hair. I take a supplement with saw palmetto and spearmint. I had acne for 20 years, it only got bad last year and I took yaz birth control in October 2012. In 4 months I had clear skin, I still do now. I keep up with the supplements too. It causes the facial hair to grow in much less. If I were you Id visit a clinic and see what they say.
I recommend electrolisis when you can afford it, its so worth it!
Also, dont feel bad about yourself, its not your fault and you will feel much better when your skin is better and when you are doing something to help. Ask me if youd like to know about PCOS been there got the t-shirt lol.
Good luck.
hearts--Thanks for the article and suggestions. I am interested in Vitamin D. I've heard a lot of success stories for it. What i fear of is for it to either stop working if it does help me or when i decide to get pregnant in the future..i know i'm thinking too far ahead but hopefully i'll find something that would work with me.My period just started, so i'm looking out for a break out. I believe that when girls start spotting is when your body releases testosterone because you're not pregnant Hopefully it won't be that bad, but from what i know, it's never "that bad"kelseylee--I should have noted it earlier that i didn't want any medications, but i really appreciate you replying and telling me what you knowI definitely don't want to be dependent on anything, not even "natural medicine", but i would rather steer their way than using stronger prescription medicine. I looked up a lot of ways to "balance" your hormones naturally and most of them tells you to get proper sleep, exercise, diet and de-stress. It seems like it has helped you. I remember going on a "diet" to clear my acne, which made me loose about 8 pounds. I usually weight around 97/100 so i looked sickly ill. I gained back so weight and i kind of gave up. I just stay away from milk and sugar if i could. Now that i think about it, i never really tried hard enough to balance my hormones naturally. I should give it a shot and take it more serious.AuguriesofInnocence--After reading your post, i criedI'll try my hardest to cut out carbs, but without it, i get hungry after an hour. Is brown rice okay? I drink about 5 cups of 14oz water a day including 2 tsp of ACV and one 8oz of Yogi detox tea...I want to know more about spearmint tea, I have 2 boxes that i ordered but i was hesitant to try them because i thought my estrogen levels were high. How many cups do you drink and what has it done for you? Does it help with your oil production? Which brand do you drink?Thank you for your reply, it was really helpful.
Hey just to let you know..vitamin d isn't like...something you can get dependent on or "stop working". your body needs it sort of in the same way it needs air and water, just not to the same extreme. It actually does function like a hormone though, which is part of why it is important. Getting a blood test @ the doctor might help alleviate some of your anxieties, you can get your vitamin d levels checked and if you're low, that's prolly not helping your mood. and also there are many other important health indicators they can check, including hormone levels. Also vitamin d has nothing to do with getting pregnant, except for the fact that it would logically be better to have adequate levels of vitamin d when you get pregnant for overall health. just like it would be beneficial to be adequately hydrated throughout a pregnancy. you can take vitamin d supplements, which I do, but sun is probably superior in a lot of ways as long as you don't stay out too long and get a burn. i think half hour direct sunlight everyday is "recommended".
I got really upset when I was having pcos symptoms, acne and lack of period, but it's really nothing to be super upset about. as far as body disturbances go, it's very low on the list of traumatizing things. of course if you've had heavy symptoms for a long time, that will be a little harder to treat, but if this is a more recent thing, you can get control over it easily. have you seen a doctor recently?
I second everything the above poster said about diet. It's all about complex carbs, lots of vegetables, and whatever sources of protein you like. and fiber. and not having massive anxiety around food or isolating yourself because of it (aka cutting out a whole bunch of stuff). you're already at a low weight, so restricting carbs is really hard. i'm 5'8, 132 lbs and I felt so horrible trying to cut out all carbs (including fruit) awful awful awful.
Birth control was a great, "easy" fix for me...I felt life was too short to spend the next x number of years trying to balance my hormones with a naturopath charging me a shitload of money for herbs. my family was looking at me like wtf and they are very progressive and liberal. not saying theres ANYTHING wrong this alternative treatments, just explaining. for me, birth control (ortho tri cyclen lo) cut sugar cravings by a lot (pcos symptom), gave me more energy, made me feel like "myself", basically made me stop feeling like shit. this helped propel my health in new directions once I had the energy and normalcy to function optimally. but yeah, some ppl hate birth control or don't believe in its uses, so follow your heart
Hey just to let you know..vitamin d isn't like...something you can get dependent on or "stop working". your body needs it sort of in the same way it needs air and water, just not to the same extreme. It actually does function like a hormone though, which is part of why it is important. Getting a blood test @ the doctor might help alleviate some of your anxieties, you can get your vitamin d levels checked and if you're low, that's prolly not helping your mood. and also there are many other important health indicators they can check, including hormone levels. Also vitamin d has nothing to do with getting pregnant, except for the fact that it would logically be better to have adequate levels of vitamin d when you get pregnant for overall health. just like it would be beneficial to be adequately hydrated throughout a pregnancy. you can take vitamin d supplements, which I do, but sun is probably superior in a lot of ways as long as you don't stay out too long and get a burn. i think half hour direct sunlight everyday is "recommended".
YES to all of this. Vitamin D is amazing for one's health. It seems to be that more and more people are deficient, and it's actually needed for healthy pregnancy! It can not only help with the skin and collagen but also mood, energy, bones, the brain, hair, blood pressure, and more. It's not easy to overdose on this one either, as some doctors actually recommend up to 10,000iu a day. And from what I understand we get thousands of IU in a short time in the direct sun. I take between 2000iu and 6000iu a day, depending on the season. We have very cold winters over here.
Spearmint: Let me clarify because it seems everyone is getting confused. Spearmint is a mild anti-androgen. It does not contain estrogen, testosterone, or progesterone.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiandrogen#Phytochemicals: Spearmint herbal tea has significant anti-androgen effects in polycystic ovarian syndrome. A randomized controlled trial
If you have excess androgens (which can cause acne, hirsutism, and other PCOS symptoms), spearmint could theoretically help you. It does not lower testosterone on a whole, it just lowers excess free testosterone. Here is the actual study paper: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19585478. That being said, it's a much more of a mild antiandrogen compared to other antiandrogens like spironolactone, DIM, natural progesterone, and saw palmetto. I would guess that you would need to drink a good amount of tea on a very regular basis to have noticable results. I'm not sure if the effects would be greater by taking a spearmint supplement instead.
KelseyLee -
I take natural progesterone, DIM, and vitamin D. I have only been taking DIM for 1 1/2 months, but am happy with the results so far. I took pictures before starting it all but I want to wait until the 3-6 month mark of DIM to post my results. My hormones seem to take that long to adjust completely.
This is unrelated but I thought I'd mention it for fun. I also take L-Cysteine occasionally (every few days or once a week.) It's an amino acid (another form is called Nac-Acetyl Cysteine or NAC.) I lost some of my very thick, long hair when I took spironolactone and when I stopped spiro it stopped shedding, but it was slow to grow back. I read on these boards that L-Cysteine helps with the shedding caused by large amounts of B5. I thought what the hell, why not try to see if it speeds up the growth. Sure enough, my hair started growing back and thickening up much quicker. Also, my nails have been growing long and strong which they never do. I heard Asians take L-Cysteine to "brighten" their skin and it increases collagen. ON TOP of all of that, I do like to party and L-Cysteine is detoxifying. Taken on a night of drinking makes it so I don't get a hangover. It is also given to patients who overdose on acetaminophen (tylenol).
^Amen to that. I know a lot of people dont like to be on meds/birth control but for me it "cross fingers" has been good with no side effects.
Like you I felt much more like my old self with the pill, life is short and Ill take an easy fix. Yeah I may have to stop taking birth control when Im 40 or 45 but thats 10-14 years of easy fix lol. Unless I have a reason to stop early like complications, then I will.
Feeling good in general is better than feeling like crap
Hey just to let you know..vitamin d isn't like...something you can get dependent on or "stop working". your body needs it sort of in the same way it needs air and water, just not to the same extreme. It actually does function like a hormone though, which is part of why it is important. Getting a blood test @ the doctor might help alleviate some of your anxieties, you can get your vitamin d levels checked and if you're low, that's prolly not helping your mood. and also there are many other important health indicators they can check, including hormone levels. Also vitamin d has nothing to do with getting pregnant, except for the fact that it would logically be better to have adequate levels of vitamin d when you get pregnant for overall health. just like it would be beneficial to be adequately hydrated throughout a pregnancy. you can take vitamin d supplements, which I do, but sun is probably superior in a lot of ways as long as you don't stay out too long and get a burn. i think half hour direct sunlight everyday is "recommended".
I got really upset when I was having pcos symptoms, acne and lack of period, but it's really nothing to be super upset about. as far as body disturbances go, it's very low on the list of traumatizing things. of course if you've had heavy symptoms for a long time, that will be a little harder to treat, but if this is a more recent thing, you can get control over it easily. have you seen a doctor recently?
I second everything the above poster said about diet. It's all about complex carbs, lots of vegetables, and whatever sources of protein you like. and fiber. and not having massive anxiety around food or isolating yourself because of it (aka cutting out a whole bunch of stuff). you're already at a low weight, so restricting carbs is really hard. i'm 5'8, 132 lbs and I felt so horrible trying to cut out all carbs (including fruit) awful awful awful.
Birth control was a great, "easy" fix for me...I felt life was too short to spend the next x number of years trying to balance my hormones with a naturopath charging me a shitload of money for herbs. my family was looking at me like wtf and they are very progressive and liberal. not saying theres ANYTHING wrong this alternative treatments, just explaining. for me, birth control (ortho tri cyclen lo) cut sugar cravings by a lot (pcos symptom), gave me more energy, made me feel like "myself", basically made me stop feeling like shit. this helped propel my health in new directions once I had the energy and normalcy to function optimally. but yeah, some ppl hate birth control or don't believe in its uses, so follow your heart
vitamin d is a really good idea, its too bad ur doctor didn't test u for that in the blood test. that's good if your hormones are normal because many ppls are not when they have acne and get tested, like me. remember, being underweight can mess up your hormones just as much as being overweight so you really want to strike a healthy balance. I get anxious about eating sugar too, and too much of it is definitely bad and bad for hormones, but you still want to make sure you're eating enough other food so you don't mess up your system or show signs of an eating disorder.
Have you ever calculated your bmi? at 89 lbs you are definitely underweight, so that's not good. i use a bmi calculator to make sure I am staying within the best range for myself. i'm really happy 4 you that you scheduled some therapy appts--and remember, if you don't like them, find a new one, no harm in that. I don't think vitamin d would have been enough for me in the state I was in, but I think I will be able to go off bc in the next few years cuz it has stabilized me and helped me get my body back to normal. keep us updated xx
Hi, okay so I literally have every single symptom you do minor a few details within them. I know I am a year late with this post but was wondering if you ever did visit endocrinologist or get any answers from a doctor. I am struggling as well with trying to figure out which hormone I have a problem with. It's so frustrating and I just want some sort of answer so I start making the needed changes. I have been tested once before but they said everything was normal but I don't believe that. I am at my breaking point and really could use some help!
