I have tried everything to get rid of my spots/acne, please tell me if there is something ive missed??!?!?!

[mad4myboys]

I use to get the odd spot on my face as a teenager but had bad back acne and had numerous topical treatments/anti biotics and nothing got rid of it. I grew out of it in early 20's. Then after I had ds1 (3.9) i had very bad spots on my face. I was put on citalopram when he was 8 weeks old for PND and was also on cerazette pill. So for the next 18 months i again had every topical treatment, every anti biotic treatment and saw 2 dermatologists who said only thing left was that drug roaccutane. I then was trying for ds2 so just left it all. Got preg and my skin was fine! Soon as i had ds2 (15 months my skin has been awful. I was put back on citalopram for pnd when he was 4 weeks and was back on same pill. It has got me soooo down. It is worse on the right cheek but mainly around my jaw. Again i tried all the stuff from GP and nothing has helped. Have bought numerous products OTC and hasnt got rid of it.

I take wellwoman vitamins which had vit b6 etc oness aimed at healthy skin etc. I came off citalopram a few months ago and swapped onto prozac to see if that was causing it but still no improvement. I also came off the pill few months back as dh had the snip. Anyway i have been advised NOT to take roaccutane because of my mental health history.

Have been using panoxyl for week or so....as advised on here...no signs of improvement... Anyone?/ so down about it. Really affects my self confidence

ive also been allergy tested and intollerant to wheat and dairy which i dont eat. GP has also checked me out for PCOS and has come back clear..

I had a similar situation and tried just about everything for years, then pretty much sobbed to my new GP one day and he prescribed Acnamino, 3 months later they'd completely gone.
You tried that?

I have every sympathy, its awful isn't it?
My confidence was destroyed and the pain from them was horrible, I had them inside my nose aswell!

I can't really help much more than give sympathy and reccommend Acnamino, keep on at your GP though, they don't know you're still suffering unless you tell them.

My spots up with exercise. I used to go swimming 3 x a week. I also felt really well once I got past the stage of feeling like I was going to die after a couple of lengths. Do you have a pool near you?

i dont like to swim, did use to before ds2 though. i go to the gym couple times a week...havent seen any improvement since i joined back in november...

bratley, what is that, is it an antibiotic? Topical?

What's your diet like? Refined sugar plays havoc with my skin. If I cut out all refined sugar, my skin totally clears up. It's usually very oily, covered in blackheads.

im vegetarian, drink loads of water. I have a good diet but perhaps unrefined sugar may be a problem? I always use brown sugar, not white sugar...dont really eat sweets but i do have wheat free buscuits which cant help?

Sounds like it may be hormonal? Try taking agnus castus...I used to have hideous chin spots after coming off pill and when due on...never again after balancing with it. Also you could try Mayan Abdominal Massage. Just a thought!

Do they still prescribe the pill Dianette? It's a v strong version of the birth control pill that did wonders for my acne in my teens. You cld swap the pill you are on for it.

erm try zinc ?

large scale vit c? (ie 500mg)

Acnamino is an antibiotic mad4, I've been on a few others before that worked for as long as I was on them, then as soon as I stopped taking them the spots came back.
Fingers crossed, this time they're not back yet!
My GP said they're specific to acne, they inhibits the growth of certain bacteria that cause acne, worth a try.
He also prescribed a topical gel to use for the first couple of weeks to speed up the clearing, but it dried my skin out so much it was flaking off and I felt more concious of that than the spots so I stopped using it!
And to top it off he prescribed Dianette contraceptive pill too! Just for good measure!

i cant take dianette as it is a combined pill and i cant take this. I was on the POP but now off pill because dh has had the snip plus thought it would do my skin good being off it! Ive always thought hormone imbalance but did take adnus castus for a while but it didnt do anything...the bloods i had done showed no eveidence of any hormone imbalance either....

hi mad4myboys

re your comment:-

"GP has also checked me out for PCOS and has come back clear.."

What blood tests did he do and on what days?.
I ask this as some GPs are highly ignorant when it comes to PCOS and do not therefore always recognise it. Were your LH and FSH levels checked and compared against each other in a day 2 test, if this was not done the result is meaningless.

You really need to determine the underlying cause and I would put money on it that a long term hormonal imbalance is to blame here.

BTW would not suggest you self medicate with AC as it can make some hormonal imbalances worse. If you use AC you'd be better off seeking the advice of a medical herbalist.

Is it that you cannot take the combined pill as oestrogen makes you feel sick? You sound v.similar to me if so. I have same skin issues.

I was going to post today about PCOS so am going to look into it.

Have tried everything including roacctunane - which made me go a bit unstable.

I really sympathise it does get you down.

A couple of things have worked for me - lavender oil directly on the t-zone area, and I've also started taking red clover supplements. Seems to have helped. Good luck.

i cant take combined pill as it gives me migraines.

With regards to the blood tests, i only had one lot of bloods done on one day (no special day) i had a few 'hormone' things testing...i think the LH thingy aswell as testosterone..cant remember exactly just that it was all clear.

I had irregular periods and heavy as a teenager and was put on pill. was on it continuously until came off for ds1, got preg straight away. before getting pg with ds2 i had a few months pill free before trying and i came on more or less regularly, if it was PCOS i would have probs wouldnt i? Ive been off the pill now i think 8 weeks and had 1 normal period so far...mind you have always thought im abit 'hairier' than normal but gp said just my genes

Have you ever seen a dermatologist?

If it seems like you have tried all the options your GP has come up with, why not ask your GP to refer you to a dermatologist for a more specialist opinion.

Personally I found Roaccutane the only thing that worked.
Who has advised you not to try it?
I know there are issues with mental health, but on the other hand, your skin affects how you feel about yourself and is affecting your mental health negatively now.

i have seen 2 dermatologists, they both said roaccutane is only thing left to cry although they never suggested it to be a hormone imbalance. My gp advised against it (she knows my whole history and with how my life is at the moment - ds2 having an operation next week) she said she really wouldnt risk it and i dont want to take it tbh

What puts you off trying it?

the risk of the mental side of it

Think they need to find the real cause here rather than just treat the symptoms. Many adult onset acne cases are caused by polycystic ovaries. Some derms do not necessarily make a possible connection between PCO and adult onset acne.

If your blood test was not done on day 2 then the result is meaningless. Also you should ideally have an internal ultrasound scan done as well to see if there are signs of polycystic ovaries. You ought to be seeing a gynaecologist and the gp should refer you to this person.

The fact too that you were put on the pill as a teen due to irregular periods could also be very suggestive of polycystic ovaries.

i had an internal scan done before i got preg with ds2 for something unrelated and there was no mention of any problems with regards to PCOS..... what about the fact that i didnt have any problems conceiving? Surely that rules PCOS out? I got pregnant straight away...

what i dont understand is why it is mainly on my jaw and mainly on he right hand side. I dont sleep on that side...dont talk much on he phone.....

but that is just my face, my back is bad aswell...