Questions from a Noob
Joined: 11 Feb 2008
Location: Birmingham, Al
| Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:19 pm Post subject: Questions from a Noob | |
| Hello everyone! First of all I wanted to say thank you to everyone on this board. Ever since I was told that I have Rosacea I have been in panic mode and this board has helped me to not feel as alone. I have a million questions and hope someone can help.
I went to the dermatologist about 2 weeks ago and was told that the bumps on my face were “almost Rosacea like”. She then prescribed Metrogel and sent me on my way with a brochure. I had no idea at the time what Rosacea really was. I thought it just meant that you had a more red complexion. I had always had that so I wasn’t too worried. Over the next few days I read everything I could and got a little scared. The Rosacea itself has gotten worse since my diagnosis. I am now pretty much red all the time and when I flush it is completely purple/red and burns. The pustules seem to be getting worse as well. I have been using the Metrogel in the morning for about a week now with no real signs of improvement. I also use Clindagel at night. How long does Metrogel usually take to work? Can it make the situation worse? I think that I am in the mild stage right now and I would very much like to stop the progression if at all possible. Does using something like Metrogel do this or do I need to do more? What types of medicines do I absolutely need to avoid? This may be a silly question but it doesn’t appear that any foods I eat cause me to flush other than spicy food. Is it possible for certain things such as raisins and milk to aggregate the Rosacea even if I don’t flush? I do turn a little red but nothing like a full flush. I know it isn’t too bad right now but its all I can think about. I am so worried about it getting worse. I look in the mirror every other second to see how red I am or if there are new bumps. Any help you can give me is greatly appreciated. |
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Joined: 18 Jan 2007
Location: western new york
| Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 1:43 pm Post subject: | |
| Hi! Welcome to the forum! You will find lots of useful information here, and there is a lot to sort through! Use the search feature at the top of the page, it can save you some time while browsing.
Metrogel is usually one of the first topicals to try, and it can be helpful. It comes in a cream or lotion formula if the gel is too drying. There is Finacea which is helpful in treating p&ps which are the acne like spots that can pop up. Avoid steriod creams, they will make your skin worse in the long run. Try to indentify triggers, such as certain foods, heat, cold etc. Treat your skin gently, find a cleanser and moisturiser that is non irritating for you. Good luck, and ask questions, we are here to help! |
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Forum Moderator
Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Location: Dorset, UK
| Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:28 pm Post subject: | |
| Hi and welcome.
I wonder why you have been getting worse since your diagnosis? It could be that the metrogel is irritating your skin. I would perhaps recommend cutting it back to just one area of your face for a few days to see if this helps. The best piece of advice is to listen to your skin and trust your gut. If you think something is making you worse then it probably is. Now to answer your questions: Metrogel can make you redder and flushy. NOt everyone get on with it. I apply it carefully to just the bumps-papules. You can get metrocream whixh may be abit more gentle. It tends to be the first thnig prescribed by doctors. Meds to avoid: hydrocortisone and things like benzyl peroxide or any harsh acne meds. Meds you may want to try: so many its hard to list out I would suggest that you look at the prescription med section but I like propranolol for anxiety related flushing. I also take antihistamine tablets-clarityn. Supplements-I always take pycnogenol but there are loads you can try. Foods- lots can make you flush or just get a bit redder of the following days. I find that if I eat certain things my skin looks rubbish for a few days afterwards. Everyone is different but most avoid cheese, tomatoes, strawberries, caffeine, chocolate, grapes (raisins). It is worth keeping a diary for a while to see if you can pin them down. I would suggest that you just spend some time reading through the forum and picking out a few things to try. I would only give one thing ago at a time and if you are trying a topical product to always do test patches. This is a useful resource: http://rosacea-research.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page Sarah |
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Joined: 26 Sep 2005
| Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:08 pm Post subject: | |
| Metrogel takes a long time to work, if your face gets worse you might consider asking the doc for an oral antibiotic, which works faster, such as doxy or minocin, or one of the mycines, you can still use the metrogel as well. | |
Joined: 11 Feb 2008
Location: Birmingham, Al
| Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:49 pm Post subject: | |
| Thank you for your responses! I had no idea that Metrogel could make me flush more and make the reddness worse. I thought that was what it was supposed to stop. It has certaintly gotten worse since I started using it. The p&ps are worse too. I seem to get a new one every hour. I will try and only use the metrogel on the p&ps and see if that helps. I think I am allergic to the doxy. The last time I used it bumps formed on my gums and my tongue went white. At this point though I will try almost anything. It is getting really depressing. I have gotten a lot of suggestions by reading forum and I think I might ask for the Financia next time. I have a really sensitive face so I am a little scared but if it cuts down on the p&ps I will try it out. Does it help the redness? I will also get the Claritin to help with the redness. And I think I will try the Lindsay lotion. I seem to be allergic to the Eucerin lotion.
Again thank you and I am sure I will have a million more questions soon! |
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Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Location: Netherlands
| Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 12:57 pm Post subject: | |
| Hi,
I understand you're feeling depressed and you want to try anything to get rid of the p&p's and redness. I went through this phase myself and it was terrible. I tried many, many things at a time and that was not improving my skin at all. Try one thing at a time to see what it does, otherwise you don't have a clue anymore about what works, what doesn't, and what makes things even worse. I have been on finacea for... (counting...) 5 or 6 weeks now and it really helps me. I have less p&p's (no total clearing yet, but still hoping) and the redness is gone. Not sure if this is caused by finacea or just because I gave my face time to calm down and found a good moisturizer (simply zinc/vaseline ointment). Finacea is definitely a little devil when you first start. It stings and burns, things might get worse at first: I got more redness and more p&p's but after about a week or two it got better. Good luck in finding what works for you! Best wishes, Angela _________________ Currently on Finacea and Xyzal |
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