Here are today's photos.
I've got a big wet gash under my chin where the skin has flaked off and is raw and wet underneath.
You can see that my skin is extremely dry on the lower half of my face.
The "No-Mo" method has certainly sapped my self confidence. I have stayed at home pretty much, although I did have to do the school run yesterday (head down, hoodie up!) and amazingly, I did actually go out on the evening with my family. I wasn't going to go but my daughter said I didn't look too bad. I was quite self conscious all the time I was out and I didn't want to speak to people, but I think that getting out of the house did me some good.
One thing I have noticed with "No-Mo" is that my skin is very flaky in the morning when I get up, but it does get better as the day goes on. By the evening it is usually a lot calmer and less flaky.
I really hope the feedback mechanism of my skin kicks in soon and that the skin starts to make its own moisture after detecting that it isn't getting any from outside.
I have a meeting with a teacher at school tomorrow morning, which I am dreading, because of how I look. Yes, I could slap on some cream, but I don't want to undo my hard work! I may send the hubby instead, or reschedule.
I want to talk briefly about MSM today. I had a comment yesterday from blogger Tracy, saying that MSM supplements helped her with her withdrawals and that a lot of people were getting benefit from it. I was initially keen to give it a try, but after a LOT of thought, I have decided not to for now, for the following reasons.
1. This whole moisturiser withdrawal is a bit of a science experiment for me. I don't want to add another variable into the mix. That way, if I heal, I wouldn't know whether to attribute the healing to the MSM or the moisturiser withdrawal.
2. Check out some of the comments left on yesterday's post. It seems that MSM is potent stuff and can affect the liver if taken in too high a dose. Also, I was told that it makes you feel worse before you feel better, so the timing isn't great for me right now!
3. I don't want to become dependent on something else. I have been dependent on steroids, dependent on moisturisers...I feel like I just need to let my body heal itself without interference from anything external. I don't want to be dependent on MSM supplements forever to keep the ooze under control. I think the body does have the power to heal itself if left alone.
4. I recently found out that I have another, potentially serious health problem, completely unrelated to TSW. I don't know if taking MSM would cause any further complications in this regard.
However, I would encourage those in TSW to at least do a bit of research and decide whether MSM supplementation is something that they would like to try. MSM reduces inflammation and helps the skin, bone and airways in the body. I have read a LOT of really positive things about it and I would be genuinely interested to see whether it is effective for relieving TSW symptoms.I have not ruled out trying it at some point in the future, but at the moment, I am just sticking to the moisturiser withdrawals.
Have you tried MSM or Moisturiser withdrawals? How did you find it?
10 comments:
Hello I have been following your blog. January will be my year mark for topical steroid withdrawal. I was using Dr. Wheatgrass all the way up until a month ago and decided to do moisturizer withdrawal. I do notice it's less red but I do have tons of flakes. I used hydrocortisone 1% on my face (perioral region and above my nose for 11 years) it stopped working and I didn't realize it was the problem the whole time until I researched the internet back in 2010. I was placed on protopic which was a miracle drug but I hate it's side effects and I my main concern was cancer. This past year has been a hellish nightmare and I have 3 kids and I feel I'm missing out on so much because of my face. I'm going to continue to stick with the moisturiser withdrawal. Some post I have seen from others say it takes a couple of months but well worth it!
Hi Amanda, congratulations on the one year marker!
Be careful with the Protopic. A lot of people on the itsan forum have tried it and say it can be as addictive as steroids and also lead to a rebound when stopped.
It's quite scary to dad that you've been off the moisturisers for a month and you are still flaky. It makes me wonder whether this is the right way to go! It's kind of an experiment on myself, so I'm not sure how it will work out.
All the best and please let me know how it goes for you and whether your skin improves with the MW.
Love, Lou x
Sorry, it should say "read" not "dad". I'm typing on the ipad!
I stopped the protopic January 2013 it's very addictive because it's like a miracle cream. My dermatologist even said I could use it indefinetly but that's also what I was told about the hydrocortisone. I didn't like the side effects. Burning, face always red, and the fact it could cause cancer. I don't want to be dependent on another cream. I did expierence a flare the other night intense itching around my mouth and I could help but scratch which made things worse. I ended up having to take Zyrtec which made me sleepy but did calm things down. Today no itching so far seems to happen during the middle of the night for me. The moisturizer withdrawal is an expieriment for me as well. I read post like yours and thought why not give it a try. I know it's been a month but with my usage of steroids on my face I have a feeling it's going to take awhile. I read one blog and it said after 4 1/2 months of moisturizer withdrawal they were healed. I'm just wondering if I will ever heal?
Your skin looks better to me - but it could be the angle of the pictures....I know I have to be diligent with picture taking in the exact same light and sometimes time of day or my skin looks much different. I find I am significantly less flaky, but don't know if it was the "No-Mo" or the supplements or the combination. I appreciate your post and why you are choosing not to do the MSM right now. I read everyone's comments and it seems someone mentioned the MSM helps detoxify the liver. I've never read anything where it is harmful to the liver....if you have a link to that information can you share it? I had liver damage I believe from TS and I am taking milk thistle for it, but I do not want to take ANYTHING that can harm my liver any further. I started with 4 grams (4000 mg) of MSM and increased to about 8 grams. It worked until I went back to work and my legs started to swell more - but went down when I went up to 12 grams....so I did the increase slowly over about 2 months time.
Anyway, I thank you for your reporting Louise!! And hang in there!!! Praying the "NO-MO" kicks in for you and your skin calms down!
My self conscious has been terrible this past year. It's been horrible. I am a stay at home mom THANK GOD because I don't think I could work in the public like this. I'm such a home body but I hate that this has taken away from my children. I would love to go to my children's Christmas parties at school and volunteer but looking the way that I do I can't. It's embrassing! Also no one seems to understand because they haven't been through it. I would love to wear makeup but as you know that makes it look worse. I will follow up with you to let you know how my moisturizer withdrawal continues to go. I'm going to continue to stick with it. Like you said it's free and I have spend over thousands the past year trying to find a miracle cream but nothing works. I'm starting to think it will probably take me atleast 3 years to heal. I normally don't respond to blogs I just read them but I feel your pain and know what you are going through and thought I would share my expierence so far with the moisturizer withdrawal and it was your post back in October and several other blogs I found over the internet that gave me the courage to stop moisturizing. Sorry to keep rambling on hope you have a great day and I will keep you updated!
I would upload a pic but I just joined your blog and it doesn't seem to give me an option just shows where to leave a comment.
Hi Tracy, thanks for the virtual hugs and prayers!
Amanda, I don't think you can upload photos in the comments section. You could try uploading one on the itsan forum though, as there are more options there.
I know you feel awful about attending events at school, but please give it a try. Very early on I'm my withdrawals, my daughter had an event at school and she begged me to go. I felt so ill, but I made myself go and I was really glad I did.
I got addicted to Shea butter briefly in summer around month 6 of tsw. After doing it mostly moisturizer free. I had used the odd bit of sunflower lecithin and comfrey cream around my wrists and neck but nothing anywhere else. At first the moisturizing was amazing! I could move and live, but then I noticed I needed more and more. Til I was going through a tub a day. Then I got a brutal flare and unlike other times this one oozed behind my knees. I remember before I used steroids that I never moisturized and anytime I did my skin would become drier. I knew I had to quit the Shea butter. Hubby was super supportive saying it's another addiction I have to kick. I couldn't move for days, my whole body was crusted over, I cried and cried thinking back on my carefree summer. Skin came flying off. After two weeks it was soft almost everywhere. One month it's fantastic and the best part is 1) saving money on creams 2) no greasy bed or clothes 3) no redness. I'm still tight around my hinges but not red.
Hey louise,
Ive been off moisturisers for about 3 months and im still really flaky, red, and dry.
I only have tsw on the face so.... I dunno it might take a while for it to be soft.
Im rough all over my face and it feels horrible. I question everyday if this is the way to go. Rashes come and go all the time. Same with these pimply things.
Its very itchy though and it looks bad. If you are anything like me, youll feel good but look bad but i do believe we will heal naturally if we let it.
I hope you do well. Love ur blog. And keep it up.
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