Acne Rosacea: Re: [rosacea] Having alot of problems lately

Hi Nic,

Thank you for your input. Yes, I am drinking between 8 and 12 glasses of cold water a day. I am taking Thera Tears Gel supplements which is a combonation of fish and flax oils. I also am taking 3 Flax seed oil caps a day. I was taking the Evening primrose oil too until someone mentioned that it was contributing to their flushing so I ditched that. A while back I ditched the Borage seed oil too because it was mentioned that it could contribute to the flushing too and then I see Dr. Nase reccomending it............uggggggg, how do we know what's right?? I keep my home pretty cool (much to the displeasure of my husband and two of my kids......the other two are like me, more warm blooded........hope they don't get this!). I also wear nothing but all cotton tee shirts even all winter long. I have been wearing ice packs alot now and been misting my face quite a bit right now. So far, for me, the ONLY relief I get is to be asleep...........don't know what I'd do if I
couldn't escape that way! I am on a low dose of Amitryptaline (Elavil) for fibromyalgia so even though it is an anti-depressant, I believe at 10mg. it doesn't have an anti-depressant effect so I think the only benefit I am getting from it is to help me stay asleep once I am asleep and it blocks pain senors at that low of a dose. Sure doesn't work for this neuropathic vascular burning, but I have no real fibro symptoms to speak of the last few years. I just got back from my eye doctor and he is not happy with the flare I'm in. He said my eyes are bone dry again and he did say to double or even triple the doxy again. He gave me an eye drop to use four times a day for only three days (can't remember the name now) so I am guessing it's a steriod to get me out of crisis. But he wants me back on Monday and wants to put plugs in my eyes. I asked him if he could reccomend a vascular doctor for this disease since although I love my dermatologist it is clear that this is so
NOT a skin disease. He shook his head and said, "Elena, they don't want you. They know it's a vascular disorder but they don't want to touch it." He said that when he goes to the doctor conventions that he invariably ends up knowing more about Rosacea than the dermatologists do. So, is trazaone an anti-depressant? And please do keep me and all of us informed of this eye mist you are going to try. I am a little nervous to see my derm because he may yell at me for not using the accutane that he prescribed me. I read the insert and warnings and could not bring myself to do it. I've seen alot of warning labels but the accutane one took the cake! It's still sitting here because I don't know how to dispose of it........it seems that toxic to me! But I swear now, I'd eat every last one to not feel on fire. I just don't want to go to that place again. But my eye doctor told me it was a good thing that I never took the accutane because it would have killed my ey es.
Anyway, sorry this got long. Thanks again.

Take care,
Elena

nic <nic_s_3@yahoo.com> wrote:
Hi Elena, I'm sorry to hear you're having a really bad flare. Afternoon flushes are common because of the increased body temperature at the time, and if you are in a highly stressed state all the time (which it sounds like you may be) then you'll be more likely to flush then. Mine's been pretty bad lately as well with the dryness and stress. i tend to suck on ice cubes and wear and eat as little as possible and stay in a cool room when I feel I'm prone to flushing - it seems to help. Although, I did figure out that if I used some type of skin care on my face - even if applied in the morning- I was more prone to flushing all day and I couldn't stop the fllush no matter what I tried.

My bout of flushing and stress also affected me sleep to where I was only getting 1 or 2 hours a night. I ended up going to a councelor, and its actually been pretty helpful talking to someone. He's kind of a crazy guy, which I love so maybe that's why. I also went to a psychiatrist, and he prescibed me a low dose of trazadone. I can't say it helped with the flushing directly, but it has helped to calm me so I'm less stressed and definitely helped my insomnia. I'm gradually weening myself off it because I don't like to take medications on a regular basis. I'll keep it for when and if I go through another bad bout of sleeping and stress-induced flushing. As for your eyes, mine are pretty bad too. I'm taking restasis,but haven't seen the benefits yet because it does take up to 6 months. My opthamologist recommended omega 3s - flax and fish oils or capsules. If you are going through a bad bout of eye problems, take a higher dose of dox - (100mg/day or 200mg/day) because
it thins out the oil layer so your glands don't get block. My doctor said to only do this when things are really bad, and then start to taper down and eventually go off. I'm trying out this new eye mist - I'll try it out for a while (haven't got it yet) and I'll let you know if it helps at all.

You may consider a temporary bout of anti-depressants or anti-anxiety to get you through this tough time and then try more natural remedies if you found they haven't been beneficial so far (meditation, yoga, hypnosis, etc.). I tried a b-blocker and it only mildly helped with my flushing...probably because my system was so overwhelmed with all those stress induced hormones. It only blocks the receptors that the chemicals bind to...it doesn't actually reduce the amount of chemicals if that makes sense so your system can still get overwhelmed. I've never tried clonidine.

Hang in there. I'm personally considering laser, but I do think its better to be in a clear state of mind when you make that decision because there is a healing time involved. Also, take time out of your day to do something for yourself that makes you happy...it could be something as little as saying a phrase that or looking at a picture that makes you smile or buying yourself a good book or a new sweater for the winter:) Take care

----- Original Message ----
From: Elena Mutter <emgm42000@yahoo.com>
To: rosacea-support@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, December 7, 2006 9:27:25 AM
Subject: [rosacea] Having alot of problems lately

Hi Everyone,
Well, it's offical that I am in a pretty bad flare at this point. I am flushing constantly now. It seems to be mostly afternoon, but now it's hard to say; it's kind of constant to a low-level degree and then it will intensify and then go back to this low-level flush/burn. Last night my right eye hurt when I closed it too tight and when I washed and looked in the mirror I noticed there is a bump on the lower outside lid of the right eye. I have never had styes or the chalazon's I've heard talked about. I know that winter is bad for me but this is a whole new level. The last month I have introduced the RED LED acnelamp, and the Aveeno Ultra Calming line of skin care products. But it could be a coincidence as I was noticing redness of a more permanant nature and increased burning since October. My eye doctor also reccomended that I stop taking the 80 milligrams of doxy and go back to the 40 milligrams and switch from Patanol eye drops to Elestat eye drops and
Restasis Eye drops. I have been doing that for about a week. And I am a total mess now. I am burning and flushing on face, ears, top of head, and eyes........ ..tons of heat coming off these areas. If I put my hands on top of my head you can feel the heat. If I put my hands close to my face, again, you can feel the heat. I am so afraid this is going to go into what happened to me a few years ago. I can't cope with that again. It was pretty unbearable not to be able to even be touched by your childs hand. Not to be able to have clothes on without excruciating pain. So far, it is just my face, eyes and head, but that is how it started before too. It is clear that dermatologist don't know how to handle this disease. Please, does anyone know what kind of doctors handle flushing disease?? I am in a very bad place right now and crying is killing me! I find that I am better when I first wake up but as soon as I get going....... .....take a shower and start my day
it goes bad very fast. I hate and am afraid of drugs but I'd take anything that stops flushing right now, I just can't do this anymore! What are the best ones for flushing again....... ....clonodine, lyrica and there were others too right? I read Dr. Nases passages last night for the eyes and he reccomended Borage Seed oil too, but didn't we establish here that Borage seed oil made us flush? And now Evening Primrose oil too? Why is it so contradictory? ? Sorry, this is long, I know and I am just very desperate and depressed now. The derm will see me next Tuesday and I am waiting for a call from my eye doctor but it is depressing because I know it will come to nothing and I will just have to pray it goes away again....... ...but what if it doesn't this time?? That's the fear that haunts me.....
~Elena

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