I've been lurking on this site off and on for about 6 years and this is my first post! I've seemingly exhausted all routes to clear my skin and I guess I'm just looking for any feedback or suggestions in regard to what steps I should take next. I guess I'll just give you all a brief background on the history of my struggle with acne. Here it goes!
Thanks for replying to my post ladies!
I've actually had a hunch for awhile that it may be PCOS. I had an internal ultrasound a few weeks ago and was told that my doctor would not contact me unless there was a problem. The ultrasound tech said she wasn't allowed to tell me anything about what she saw but told me that I have nothing to worry about. I haven't heard anything from my doctors office but I'll give his office a call.
I've been debating wether or not I should spend the money to order a saliva hormone test online. Maybe that would uncover an imbalance that the blood test missed?
The reason I went for the ultrasound was because of the depression, bloating, irritability, spotting and I've been getting these sharp twinges in my lower pelvic area shortly before and sometimes after my period for the past few months.
I just feel like I have no cooperation with my MD, he doesn't take me seriously when I mention anything about a hormone/acne connection....this is the same doctor who prescribed Accutane to me for 4 years and told me that I will just have to keep with it or try more pharmaceuticals! I had to beg him to let me have my hormones tested. The Naturopath I saw didn't even consider my hormones an issue and she never had me do any kinds of testing other than the IGg food allergy testing. She just kept suggesting I purchase multiple products at every visit to "see if they would help me".
It feels like pulling teeth to get anyone to take this seriously and to help me find the ROOT cause of the acne. And my acne is not minor by any means, I literally have clogged pores and/or cysts on a large portion of my upper body despite a healthy diet, oil cleansing and a bazillion other things.
Sorry for the vent, I'm just so frustrated that I've been having to attempt to diagnose myself after spending thousands of dollars on medical professionals!
I know this is a quick follow up but I just called and spoke with my MD's nurse and she said that everything came back normal! That's great and I'm relieved to hear that. Can I still have PCOS with a normal ultrasound and blood work? I'm so confused now. I was kind of hoping that they would find an issue with the ovaries and then I would have a diagnosis...that's how desperate I am to get to the root of this.
Thanks for replying to my post ladies!
I've actually had a hunch for awhile that it may be PCOS. I had an internal ultrasound a few weeks ago and was told that my doctor would not contact me unless there was a problem. The ultrasound tech said she wasn't allowed to tell me anything about what she saw but told me that I have nothing to worry about. I haven't heard anything from my doctors office but I'll give his office a call.
I've been debating wether or not I should spend the money to order a saliva hormone test online. Maybe that would uncover an imbalance that the blood test missed?
The reason I went for the ultrasound was because of the depression, bloating, irritability, spotting and I've been getting these sharp twinges in my lower pelvic area shortly before and sometimes after my period for the past few months.
I just feel like I have no cooperation with my MD, he doesn't take me seriously when I mention anything about a hormone/acne connection....this is the same doctor who prescribed Accutane to me for 4 years and told me that I will just have to keep with it or try more pharmaceuticals! I had to beg him to let me have my hormones tested. The Naturopath I saw didn't even consider my hormones an issue and she never had me do any kinds of testing other than the IGg food allergy testing. She just kept suggesting I purchase multiple products at every visit to "see if they would help me".
It feels like pulling teeth to get anyone to take this seriously and to help me find the ROOT cause of the acne. And my acne is not minor by any means, I literally have clogged pores and/or cysts on a large portion of my upper body despite a healthy diet, oil cleansing and a bazillion other things.
Sorry for the vent, I'm just so frustrated that I've been having to attempt to diagnose myself after spending thousands of dollars on medical professionals!
I know this is a quick follow up but I just called and spoke with my MD's nurse and she said that everything came back normal! That's great and I'm relieved to hear that. Can I still have PCOS with a normal ultrasound and blood work? I'm so confused now. I was kind of hoping that they would find an issue with the ovaries and then I would have a diagnosis...that's how desperate I am to get to the root of this.
Did you go to a gyneacologist to do your ultrasound and they checked the ovaries specifically? Why the hell would they not tell anything directly or let you see, so damn weird..! When I did ultrasound for PCOS my doctor turned the screen to me and literally pointed out where the cysts are and immediately confirmed that my ovaries are polycystic. Can you go to some private gyneacology center and do it again?
I completely understand how you feel when your MD doesn't take your acne seriously, some doctors are completely ignorant when it comes to this. Had once a dermatologist who literally laughed at my face when I told her that my stomach issues might be related with this persistant cystic acne (and at the end it was, cause it was hormonal imballance responsible for both my acne and constant bloating!). What I did was do my researche, demand for tests and then just tell them what to prescribe me. Because they had not a single idea on how to treat acne without their precious Accutane and wanted to get rid of me, they did everything I said. And it worked. So I had to come up with a possible reason and medical solution myself (thanks to this forum, btw!!!). So don't give up!
Btw, do you experience a lot of stress in your daily life?
Hi. Omg you sound exactly like me with your symptoms!
I also have normal blood work but have PCOS symptoms. No blood sugar issuesbut irregular periods, oily skin, acne and some excess hair. My blood work showed pretty normal hormone levels, very slughtly elevated androgens. I believe my body is extremely sensitive to them. Yaz was the only thing that worked for me in the past. I came off of it, huge mistake! Since Im in my 30s I wad hoping to come off birth control...no bueno. I'm going to tell the specialist i'd like to try Yaz + Spiro 25 mg and see if that does it for me.
I found that linolaeic acids such as sea buckthorn oil and rosehip oil help topivcally but not enough without meds. Im also thinking of trying evening primrose oil. I avoid dairy like the plague but no other foods seem to matter.
I just joined this site and i swear your story mimics mine except i didnt take accutane .Please keep in contact i really wish you well and i hope we both can figure this acne crap out. I'm amazed at all you've been through. I've had breakdowns and anxiety so much over this, I even lost a job because I missed so much work due to shame over my skin.
Ps i suggest changing doctors. Not to be sexist but ive hated male gynos they have NO IDEA what women go through with our hormones. I kept switching gynos cause of my insurance but I'm seeing an endocrinologist.
i suggedt you try spiro if you dont wsnt birth cvontrol pills . spearmint tea may help also, give it a try.
On 2/12/2015 at 7:53 AM, Sonder said:I've been lurking on this site off and on for about 6 years and this is my first post! I've seemingly exhausted all routes to clear my skin and I guess I'm just looking for any feedback or suggestions in regard to what steps I should take next. I guess I'll just give you all a brief background on the history of my struggle with acne. Here it goes!
I first started getting acne when I was about 13 or 14 years old. I was then thrown into the whole western medicine treatment using antibiotics, various topicals and then at the age of 17 came birth control pills. I was really anxious for clear skin for my graduation...so at 17 I was then given a course of accutane. The accutane (high dose) cleared my skin but I remained on the birth control pills. A few years later, around the age of 21, the acne began to return. I was still on the birth control and was switching to various brands at the advice of my doctor, to see if one could clear my skin (Yaz, Yasmin, Diane- 35, Marvelon). I did not have much success in finding a birth control pill that cleared my skin so I was given antibiotics again. I was given Minocycline and it cleared my skin very well. I took it for about 2 years until it began to stop working. I struggled for another year to find other medications that would work (oral and topical) and I was having no success. I had switched back and forth between various birth control brands this whole time as well. So at the age of 24 I was prescribed accutane again. Once again, the accutane cleared my skin and it cleared so fast in fact that my doctor gave me the go ahead to end the course early (after 4 months). Unfortunately, after about 4 weeks of being off the accutane the acne began to return. I was feeling helpless but was so desperate and blind to how toxic it was that I agreed to continue taking accutane, but as a low dose, long term course. My skin cleared up again but each time I tried to come off of the accutane it would be like clockwork that I would break out after about 4 weeks. I continued going on and off a low dose accutane course for 4 years!!! I was so scared to come off of it and didn't know what other options I had. One day I vowed to myself that no matter what...I had to stop taking it! I suddenly woke up to how awfully I had been treating my body. I became conscious of the toxic chemicals that I had been using for so long. So, I weaned myself off of the accutane (last January) AND birth control (November 2013)! I'm so beyond grateful that I woke up to this fact before I caused anymore damage to my body. Unfortunately, as I suspected....my skin began to break out again about 3 weeks later. This time though my skin went NUTS! I began to break out in all types of acne and cysts like never before. I began getting them all over my lower part of my face, cheeks, neck, jaw, back and chest! (My forehead has always been clear). I spent HOURS scouring the Internet, every single day for a cure or treatment that was more natural because I refused to use prescription drugs again. So, since then I have tried tons of vitamins, minerals, herbs and diets with no true success to this day. I have spent everything I have on these methods and I feel so lost.If you've managed to read through my whole schpeel, I am very grateful!!!
I know, it may sound so simple, but do you eat lots of cheese? For me , my acne was entirely related to this simple fact.