# rosacea & other skin issues



## rubygirl

I suffer from graves disease and two days ago had a partial thyroidectomy on my right lobe due to hurthle cell carcinoma. I have 3 nodules, one was over 2 cm but it turned out it was benign. Yipeeee! well not just yet. I have to wait a week for the final pathology report but I'm hopeful. When I found out I had thyroid disease I thought maybe this is the cause of my increased rosacea flares and seborrheic dermatitis issues. I have huge large pores on my face that constantly clog with hard sebum but my skin is flakey and dry. It always feels grainy to the touch and was told by my derm this is the seborrheic component to rosacea. I was hoping that after my surgery my skin would some how miraculously be better but since I got home its a red blotchy dry mess. Im wondering if its a reaction to the pain meds also. I am currently taking 60mg of Armour and have been for about a month or so but havent seen any improvement in my skin. If anyone can offer any advice, as I have been emotionally and physically stricken with this for so long and I feel like my family is losing patience with me.


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## StormFinch

Try washing your face with Head & Shoulders, dry scalp formula. I have a lot of the same oily/dry issues, though so far have avoided rosacea. My mother just found out she's hypo and does deal with it however.

I use the H&S for everything, face wash, skin wash, shampoo. It's the only thing I could find to control my face as well as keep me from clawing my scalp off. I've got dry hair but little grains of sebum all over my scalp that itch like crazy. Leave the stuff on for several minutes before washing it off.

I'm 15 days post TT and the itch is better, everything went haywire for about a week afterwards though so it sounds like it might be normal. Here's hoping things will gradually calm down for you.


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## piggley

rubygirl said:


> I suffer from graves disease and two days ago had a partial thyroidectomy on my right lobe due to hurthle cell carcinoma. I have 3 nodules, one was over 2 cm but it turned out it was benign. Yipeeee! well not just yet. I have to wait a week for the final pathology report but I'm hopeful. When I found out I had thyroid disease I thought maybe this is the cause of my increased rosacea flares and seborrheic dermatitis issues. I have huge large pores on my face that constantly clog with hard sebum but my skin is flakey and dry. It always feels grainy to the touch and was told by my derm this is the seborrheic component to rosacea. I was hoping that after my surgery my skin would some how miraculously be better but since I got home its a red blotchy dry mess. Im wondering if its a reaction to the pain meds also. I am currently taking 60mg of Armour and have been for about a month or so but havent seen any improvement in my skin. If anyone can offer any advice, as I have been emotionally and physically stricken with this for so long and I feel like my family is losing patience with me.


Rubygirl, gosh, my heart goes out to you- when people are feeling well themselves they find it too easy to get impatient with even loved ones who are struggling with their health problems.( A nurse at the Hospital the other day looked at my Psoriasis, and said "Oh thats not too bad", -- "Not too bad if it isnt your Psoriasis!" was all I could say)
Anyhow, meant to say that I was reading a book recently by a lady who actually had Lupus, but found that the rash began to fade after she ate Sauerkrout.so .she added other pickled food, kefir, ect, and went gluten free with good results.
Obviously everyone is different (and you dont have Lupus), but it may be worth trying some pickled food ect and see if it helps.
( book is called Autoimmune, the Cause and the Cure..by A Brockley,)
Please dont anyone think I'm flogging books, its just that i got a lot from this one,
Hope you feel better very soon Ruby


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## Andros

rubygirl said:


> I suffer from graves disease and two days ago had a partial thyroidectomy on my right lobe due to hurthle cell carcinoma. I have 3 nodules, one was over 2 cm but it turned out it was benign. Yipeeee! well not just yet. I have to wait a week for the final pathology report but I'm hopeful. When I found out I had thyroid disease I thought maybe this is the cause of my increased rosacea flares and seborrheic dermatitis issues. I have huge large pores on my face that constantly clog with hard sebum but my skin is flakey and dry. It always feels grainy to the touch and was told by my derm this is the seborrheic component to rosacea. I was hoping that after my surgery my skin would some how miraculously be better but since I got home its a red blotchy dry mess. Im wondering if its a reaction to the pain meds also. I am currently taking 60mg of Armour and have been for about a month or so but havent seen any improvement in my skin. If anyone can offer any advice, as I have been emotionally and physically stricken with this for so long and I feel like my family is losing patience with me.












Armour is not the cure for everything BUT........................it is a hormone and it could set your body/system to rights.

What I would like to know is when are you due for labs? Your Armour should be consistently titrated by no more than 1/2 grain (30 mgs.) upward as needed and indicated by lab results and clinical evaluation. This should take place on an 8 week schedule.

Hopefully your doctor is mindful to NOT do this based on TSH alone!

You need the labs listed below for optimal titration. Once you are euthyroid (feeling good), hopefully the skin situation will abate. I know mine did.

Dr. Mercola (FREES)
http://www.mercola.com/article/hypothyroid/diagnosis_comp.htm

Free T3 and Free T4 are the only accurate measurement of the actual active thyroid hormone levels in the body. This is the hormone that is actually free and exerting effect on the cells. These are the thyroid hormones that count.


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## Octavia

rubygirl, I do hope you see some improvement. I've been dealing with rosacea for probably 5 to 7 years, though not to the extent you are describing (and probably a different "type" of rosacea). My cheeks are sometimes very red, and I go through periods of mild-to-medium acne breakouts (at age 43...ugh!) that last several weeks/months. My rosacea MAY have improved slightly since having my thyroid removed (almost 2 years ago), but not significantly.

Having said that, I do think you and I are dealing with completely different rosacea-related issues...so I am truly hopeful that you see some improvement.


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## rubygirl

cant thank you all enough for all the advise you have given me. I am at an all time low point in my life and this thyroid condition has only added to it. I am thinking that due to the partial thyroidectomy, my hormones are fluctuating drastically. Its like every bad thing about my skin has come to the surface. I have tried the Head and Shoulders shampoo but it is way to harsh for my skin. I have recently tried the conditioner in certain spots on my forehead that are affected by the seb derm but not the rosacea. Ive done so much research on SD and rosacea and am taking all the right supplements and have eliminated all the wrong foods but I do not see a difference. Stormfinch, nice to hear someone else has just gone thru surgery recently. Its only day 4 for me but as far as the procedure and my bodies healing time, I feel good. Its my skin that wreaks havoc on my mind and then affects how I deal with everything from where I go and who I see. I'm not sure when I need to follow up with my dr but I know my ENT who did the surgery sees me next friday. My endo will hopefully do lab work now that the nodules are out and 1/2 the thyroid. Piggley, thanks for the info on the autoimmune book. I know there is inflammation in my body, I just dont know what other measures I can take to control it. I know diet is a huge part and I have addressed that but havent seen any changes. I also found out that my rheumatoid factor was elevated on the labs that showed my hyperthyroid. I began taking Tumeric supplements and really thought I saw improvment in my skin but since the surgery everything has gone haywire. I literally have been in bed for days doing nothing and my skin is a dry, clogged, hardened red mess. My pores are huge and they are filled with solid sebum that needs to be pulled out. Its horrible. Tonight I rubbed a mix of oils I use when I sometimes do the oil cleansing method on my face and rubbed it around for a few minutes and could feel all the plugs and see the dead skin piling up everywhere. I then took a gentle washcloth and removed everything. I was tomato red after but was able to de-scale my skin. Everyone tells me to leave it alone and do nothing but after doing that for days my skin was worse. I am truly hoping my life changes from the surgery in a postive way because I dont know how much more I can take. Thank you all


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## piggley

Hang in there Ruby, I think you should if possible talk to the Dr and ask him if there is anything you can take that might help, you are having an awful time right now but it should pass soon.. hugs3

i have often thought that its the nasty skin eruptions that somehow jangle the nerves, not the jangled nerves triggering the skin eruptions.
.My Mother once said she felt like she was "crying inside" all the time when she had eruptions all over her face and was hospitalised, and when my Psoriasis flares i get very edgy and teary- 
I'm sure there are better times ahead, very soon,


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## midgetmaid

I also have the large pores and rosacea. I use baby wash to cleanse and oatmeal lotion for day and Curel Itch Defense at night. I saw a decrease in breakouts when I started this regimen.

Changes in diet, etc... never made a difference for me either.

Renee


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## piggley

midgetmaid said:


> I also have the large pores and rosacea. I use baby wash to cleanse and oatmeal lotion for day and Curel Itch Defense at night. I saw a decrease in breakouts when I started this regimen.
> 
> Changes in diet, etc... never made a difference for me either.
> 
> Renee


Agree midgetmaid, often the problem isnt someones diet at all.. assuming 
they are eating healthy,they are doing all thats possible.


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## midgetmaid

Changes in diet never helped my rosacea or breakouts, but after being diagnosed with gluten sensitivity and going gluten free, my eczema almost completely disappeared.

Renee


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## rubygirl

thank you all for you input and advice because it makes me feel like i'm not crazy. And piggley, your are so right about my skin causing the stresss not the other way around. My family wanted me to go on anti depressants to learn how to cope with my skin conditions but what they didnt understand was if i didnt have the skin issues I would have no worries. Treating the skin not the head will make me better. I dont want to learn to live with it. Only someone with clear skin would say that. Midgitmaid, do you find your skin itches? Last night my jawline was so itchy and I woke up with two hive like welts where it was completely clear before I went to bed. I dont get it because this is not a rosocea area. Do you find the products you use clog your pores?


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## jmill

rubygirl, did the skin problems start after you went on a new medication? What you are describing is almost exactly what I've had for a little over two years. I've tried everything to get it to clear up. I've been to three dermatoligists and have been gluten free for over a year. Nothing has helped. I asked my gastroenterologist to check me for malabsorbtion since one derm diagnosed it as follicular hyperkeritosis by taking a biopsy. That's supposed to be a deficiency of vitamin A. After taking very large (read toxic) doses of vitamin I got about an 80% improvement but at the expense of risking serious health problems from a toxic overdose of vitamin A. I'm now thinking it may not be directly related to the thyroid problem at all. I had some serious blood pressure spikes when I first got sick and they put me on some heavy duty blood pressure meds. I think one of them may actually be the cause. I will be following up with my cardiologist after the new year to see if a med change helps. Just something to think about. I think we get caught up in trying to pin everything just on the current thyroid med we're taking. Good luck with this, I know what you're going through.


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## rubygirl

jmill,
my skin issues have been around for some 30+ years but never this bad.
About 3 years ago my skin suddenly changed from the occasionally redness & pimples when I drank to getting weird hive like bumps daily. The texture changed as well. Dry, scaling and clogs that were wedged in the corners of my mouth so tightly I didnt know what to do so I changed my diet drastically and lost weight but saw no improvement. I went for intolerance testing and was found sensitive to many foods and stopped them and no improvment there either. Then the thyroid issue came to light 2 months ago. I have been on Armour (60mg) but nothing yet. I had a partial thyroidectomy 9 days ago and my skin is a disaster. Back to overall redness, blotchiness and flat red spots dotted all over my already pink face. Seborrheic Dermatitis is at its worse and ive tried all the typical treatments plus some natural and holistic ones as well. i cannot cut out any more sugar or processed foods to help that either because I already dont consume any. so to answer your question No my skin didnt start to act up when I started thyroid med. I also have high blood pressure and the funny thing is it helps my skin come down from a rosacea flare and also prevents them. I take Clonidine 2x a day. It also helps me sleep. so does xanax but this is super addicting


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## jmill

Some of the blood pressure meds can cause skin problems. Some beta blockers are worse than others. I found that the thyroid meds didn't cause a problem but when I checked my notes (I keep a log/record of med changes) that my skin problems started when I went on Coregard, a beta blocker. I hope you find some relief soon. I wish you the best.


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## midgetmaid

My rosacea didn't itch but I found out about the same time that I have eczema. If I scratched itchy places a rash would form. I later learned that eczema is sometimes called the itch that rashes. I also had ringworm-like lesions that the doc eventually biopsied and the report came back eczema. Small red rashes were present all the time. My doc wanted to put me on oral prednisone full time but I said no thanks. I managed it the best I could and later when I was diagnosed gluten sensitive and went g.f. the rashes cleared up. I know that rashes can be caused by a multitude of things, though.

Renee


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## jenny v

This might not help at all, but have you ever tried doing a mask of honey on your face, rubygirl? Medical grade honey like Manuka honey has been used for years in healing wounds and rashes due to its anti-inflammatory properties. I eat a tablespoon a day and use it as a mask one or two times a month. I'm not sure where you live but you can usually find manuka honey at a Whole Foods or Central Market or Amazon.com.


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## rubygirl

My daughter has excema and I've heard the expression "its an itch that rashes not a rash that itches before". I myself can scratch my skin and I'm left with a red mark for a couple of minutes to hours depending upon how hard I was scratched. I think this is called dermography?. I have tried manuka honey before as a way of calming my seb derm. I only tried it on my forehead for a couple of nights and it didnt seem to help. I wish I could post some pics for you guys to see and possible get some feedback on whether or not anyone elses skin looks similar to mine. Its always so inflamed with small red dots everywhere. Gluten free has not helped me in the slightest and I'm wondering what to do next. As far as beta blockers, I have heard they can cause skin problems before but the one that I'm on helps a great deal with my rosacea flushing. It suppresses my afternoon flushes unbelievable but has no effect on these red spots that appear daily. I did go off of it for a time and there was no change in the spots. I cant figure if the red spots are rosacea related as they are always on the lower half of my face toward my jawline


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## Andros

rubygirl said:


> cant thank you all enough for all the advise you have given me. I am at an all time low point in my life and this thyroid condition has only added to it. I am thinking that due to the partial thyroidectomy, my hormones are fluctuating drastically. Its like every bad thing about my skin has come to the surface. I have tried the Head and Shoulders shampoo but it is way to harsh for my skin. I have recently tried the conditioner in certain spots on my forehead that are affected by the seb derm but not the rosacea. Ive done so much research on SD and rosacea and am taking all the right supplements and have eliminated all the wrong foods but I do not see a difference. Stormfinch, nice to hear someone else has just gone thru surgery recently. Its only day 4 for me but as far as the procedure and my bodies healing time, I feel good. Its my skin that wreaks havoc on my mind and then affects how I deal with everything from where I go and who I see. I'm not sure when I need to follow up with my dr but I know my ENT who did the surgery sees me next friday. My endo will hopefully do lab work now that the nodules are out and 1/2 the thyroid. Piggley, thanks for the info on the autoimmune book. I know there is inflammation in my body, I just dont know what other measures I can take to control it. I know diet is a huge part and I have addressed that but havent seen any changes. I also found out that my rheumatoid factor was elevated on the labs that showed my hyperthyroid. I began taking Tumeric supplements and really thought I saw improvment in my skin but since the surgery everything has gone haywire. I literally have been in bed for days doing nothing and my skin is a dry, clogged, hardened red mess. My pores are huge and they are filled with solid sebum that needs to be pulled out. Its horrible. Tonight I rubbed a mix of oils I use when I sometimes do the oil cleansing method on my face and rubbed it around for a few minutes and could feel all the plugs and see the dead skin piling up everywhere. I then took a gentle washcloth and removed everything. I was tomato red after but was able to de-scale my skin. Everyone tells me to leave it alone and do nothing but after doing that for days my skin was worse. I am truly hoping my life changes from the surgery in a postive way because I dont know how much more I can take. Thank you all


Did you have a skin biopsy which confirmed Rosacea?

I am big on the Tumeric; stay on track w/that. How about a good Omega III like Carlson's coldwater fish oil?

Are you able to get outside and walk every day? Fresh air and moderate exercise could help the hormones stabilize and also help the body rid it's self of toxins.


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