so i stopped anti-biotics 2 weeks ago so they don't interfere with the labs i'm getting on monday.
i also ran out of my nystatin and had no money to buy more. (i am getting some tonight though)
anyway, MY FACE HAS BECOME UNRECOGNIZABLE!
even as a teenager, i never really had acne. it is NOT normal for me to break out! the spots on my nose almost look like blisters in person.
do you think that this is a side effect of stopping anti-biotics, or running out of probiotics? (i haven't had any other yeast problems yet and i've been eating yogurt everyday)
(it's a very unflattering angle, and the closeness of the lens distorted my nose, but it's the best picture i could get of my skin problem)
i will be seeing people i haven't seen in 5 years this weekend, and i am humiliated
has this happened to anyone else? any suggestions?! help!
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
yes, it might be your skin is just erupting due to the changes.
i recommend proactive. not cheap but it does work. if you don't want to go that route, neutrogena soap is great.
Posted by kellephant (Member # 24885) on :
thanks for the advice
it doesn't seem like regular acne though, it's kind of like blisters... and it's not responding to multiple acne products, including pro-active. i've been washing my face non-stop all week, and it actually seems to be getting worse. arg!
i just hope it goes away when i start the nystatin again... i have enough issues making me unattractive right now! haha Posted by cactus (Member # 7347) on :
I didn't check your pics... But, without looking... I'm going to guess that I went through the same thing when I got off of abx.
It was horrible - I had huge breakouts, that took forever to fully surface, and then forever to heal. It wasn't like normal acne either. Just as one would heal, another would appear.
I've always had good skin, so it bothered me and felt confusing - since I was feeling so much better, seemed like my skin should look normal, too.
I've been off of abx for some time now, and this is no longer an issue.
My guess is that it had to do with adjusting to the changes.
That doesn't help you for the weekend though, yikes.
Posted by dmc (Member # 5102) on :
you are beautiful young woman... It is so hard to believe but a llmd (my first llmd) said that sometimes when body gets toxics skin erupts to detoxs.
I broke out while doing certain abxs too& llmd said enviorment became toxic to spirochetes & they tend to move to skin surface to "get away".
I didn't just break out on face but on face, chest, back, hinney. It did clear but I felt like a leper for a couple weeks.
Have you tried Milk of Magnesium on it? I'd use a cotton ball & dab it at night. That is what finally cleared it in a week...I drank lots of water w/lemon too.
Posted by kellephant (Member # 24885) on :
it is comforting to know that im not alone at least!
at first i thought it might be from stress, since things have been a nightmare lately, but i've never had this happen from stress before.
i guess i should just be glad im a girl so that i can wear make up to hide it a little.
and i started my probiotics up tonight, and ill be back on anti-biotics on monday night, so maybe that will help it go away!
anyway, thanks for all your input Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Yeah, maybe anything you can do to detox.. even an epsom salt bath may help get the toxins out.
I know my cousin who has/had Lyme got rid of her constant boil-like lesions on her face once her lyme was under control.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
Believe it or not, you can wash your face too much. And you might be irritating your skin more by using harsh products and scrubs. If you strip your skin of it's natural protective oils the skin will overreact and produce more oil. So you need to find a balance.
Buy one acne protocol and stick with it for a couple weeks. Some good ones are Murad's acne kit, Proactive, and Clinique. They clean thoroughly without over drying.
Be sure to clean your make-up brushes regularly and toss old products. Old and dirty products can make your skin break out. And make sure to change your towel's and pillowcases frequently too as they can harbor bacteria.
You might also try taking some ibuprofen to help reduce inflammation. Many antibiotics work to help clear skin by reducing inflammation. The antibiotics also change the type of bacteria on the skin and can effect hormones.
Sorry I don't have any better recommendations to help you for this weekend. Hopefully your friends and loved ones will just be happy to see you as you are and not be judgmental about your skin.
Posted by kellephant (Member # 24885) on :
wow, thank you everyone for so much helpful advice! i really appreciate it!
and lol dcm, i feel like a leper too!!! my arms have had weird skin problems for years on top of it all.
i haven't been taking my activated charcoal lately... that would probably help with toxins. i will try some epsom salt. i've been living in my bathtub anyway lately, so i might as well!
sammy, good point... and i never thought of ibprophen... i'll try that too! i have some proactive already, so i will just stick to that for a while a guess
anyway, thanks again everyone!
Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :
It looks like it could be a lyme rash.
What does your LLMD say? You might try lemon juice followed by rinsing and then applying coconut oil.
Both are acids and can kill germs if you find the proactive uncomfortable.
Posted by kellephant (Member # 24885) on :
i thought it could be a lyme rash too... my LLMD never talks to me, so who knows what he would say. i think i will at least bring the picture to my next appointment though. i've been documenting my rashes with photos.
Posted by WildCondor (Member # 434) on :
Hi pretty lady!
It could be dermatitis, specifically perioral dermatis which can come from using flouride toothpaste...but that is usually around the nose and mouth mostly. just an idea. I would try erythromycin cream or proactive. It might not be that, could it be a product or makeup you used on your face? Is it only on your face? Sammy's advice is very good too. Hope you feel better.
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
Were you on doxycyline, or another abx that makes people sun sensitive?? Since it's more like blisters, that's exactly the kind of reaction that people get from doxy or other sun sensitive abx.
And, of course, we're into the weather where there's more sun. But people can get that reaction even in the winter just from driving! I know you've been off abx for about 2 weeks, but I think the effect can linger for a while.
Can't you get a hold of someone at your LLMD's? A PA? If you can't, that's not so good.
Posted by kellephant (Member # 24885) on :
thanks guys!
i've never had a problem with toothpase before, and i'm not using any new products of any kind, so i don't think that's the problem.
i haven't been out in the sun AT ALL for over a week... not even in the car, because we haven't had money for gas. we had the ration the gas we had so my husband could make it to work. i have spent a lot of time in the sun on doxy in the past though, and this has NEVER happened.
my face is the main problem area, but i do have some breakouts on my upper chest.
i really don't feel comfortable calling my LLMD's office anymore. they make me feel like an unimportant burden, and i'm so sensitive from everything right now i end up crying all day... so yeah, i'm gonna pass!
anyway, thanks again for all your input and advice
i just took my nystatin, and i will use proactive again tonight
you guys are all so supportive and awesome!
Posted by Wonko (Member # 18318) on :
I experienced breakouts of huge, puffy blemishes while on Factive. They were mostly on my back and were so fluid-filled that they would rupture during the day and stain my shirt...Talk about embarrassing!
My LLMD said the same thing, that it was a detox of sorts. I used anti-acne creams to dry out the lesions faster, but since it wasn't run-of-the-mill acne, it was an uphill battle.
I felt like junk was literally boiling out of me, and it was very gross. But with time, the blemishes came in smaller and lasted for less time.
For me, a silver lining was that I actually started to feel a lot better around that time! I hope you experience a similar improvement after your body clears this mess.
Posted by CD57 (Member # 11749) on :
I have the same thing, on and off! it is disgusting! My LLMD had nothing to say other than it was probably toxins, or possibly parasites. There was a thread on here about someone's face clearing up after they did a parasite cleanse.
Posted by lajamur (Member # 24593) on :
kellephant,
i would ditch the proactiv! that stuff can be really harsh and irritating.
also, don't wash your face more than twice per day.
are you on a low sugar/low carb diet? that could help in the short term.
i think you will see improvement in a week or two max.
sometimes when i have gone off abx in the past (pre-lyme diagnosis, for things like sinus infections), i have had weird breakouts. sometimes when i would finish a course of biaxin my skin would be fine for a few days and then all of a sudden i'd get these weird pimples everywhere. they did always clear up eventually, though. i bet your skin will return to normal soon.
Posted by karenl (Member # 17753) on :
Mold can cause horrible skin problems. Are you sure your home is mold free? Mold is invisible. My child's skin got better after we moved, but took some weeks. Someone told me she eats green wheat grass and that helps.
Posted by zil (Member # 12048) on :
Go see a dermatologist and find out what your dealing with. I broke out with cystic acne in my 30's so I know what your going thru. I'm not saying you have that or even acne but getting stuff on your face it hard to deal with even teenagers.
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
If it's not sun sensitivity from doxy, then it's probably toxins. In that case DETOX is the key! Coffee enemas, lemon or lime water, psyllium seed powder in water, etc. can help a lot. Do a search on these and pick one or two things and you will see how much it helps.
It's a rocky road to be sure!
Posted by eightybarb (Member # 24968) on :
kellephant, I also have the same problem. I also have acne on my forehead and cheeks. My LLMD says it is becasue of the ABX eventhough I have stopped the Abx 2 weeks ago just like you.
Posted by momintexas (Member # 23391) on :
I have this same issue.
I picked up some witch hazel at the store yesterday and I can already see a difference.
I have super sensitive skin so I have to be careful what I use. I just put some on a cotton ball and wipe down my face.
It seems to be drying out whatever it is on my face and it is not drying out my skin. It does smell funny though when you first put it on.
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