cystic acne - Menopause Message Board

Beth Ann · 05-16-2003, 07:01 AM

Hello, everyone.
I'm just curious to know how many of you perimenopausal and menopausal women have this problem. I'm 35, too young for perimenopause, and too old for acne - but am suffering from both. I kept thinking the acne thing would go away some day, but I was wrong. What do you ladies do for this? I take tetracycline, but it doesn't always help. (I didn't want to post this question on the acne board because I wanted to direct it to woman dealing with the AGONY of menopause.)

Does it ever end??????

laur · 05-16-2003, 09:37 AM

Hi,

I had a complete hysterectomy 5 years ago at the age of 33. I had been able to control my acne until the year before the surgery with spironolactone, shich blocks the male hormone . Then one day my body changed and the hormones became "stronger" than the meds, so the acne started all over again. Even increasing the dose didn't help. Then I had the surgery and they all said that during menopause your skin will be radiant and glowing.........HUH!!!! My skin has been the worse it's ever been in the last 5 years. I have tried everything from the estrogen patches (which supply VERY LITTLE estrogen considering what you lose when the ovaries are removed)...so the testosterone in the adrenal gland is left to "compensate" for the estrogen loss...anyway, I also have tried to treat the acne with antibiotics, creams, lotions, and accutane......nothing made it go away, although the accutane helped, but I was still suffering. In january of this year I began taking a birth control pill called yasmin. Crazy since I no longer have any cycle..but I thought I would try it and it has relieved my menopause symptoms almost 100% and made my acne better. Along with this I also take 50mg of the spironolactone to further block the male hormones and the yasmin contains a progestin that is similar to 25mg of spiro, so along with the added estrogen, I am blocking the other male hormones...or at least some of them. My sex drive is better because I feel better about myself, and the hot flashes and night sweats and other nasty menopausal symptoms are pretty much gone.
I was terrified to use this birth control pill for HRT, but I am soooo glad I made the decision to try it. It's not perfect, but the last 5 years has been @#$# for me and menopause has been a complete nightmare....I would suggest researching something like this. I thought I was the only menopausal women out there to use BC pills for HRT, but It turns out I'm not alone. I pray that it continues to help me. The only side effects I have had is slight weight gain, but I think thats from feeling better. I lost a lot of weight from being depressed and worried all the time, but now I'm back from 98 to 107. Also, I have had a noticeable increase in my breasts of about 2 cup sizes and some breast tenderness. I would rather have that than cystic acne though.......anyway, sorry about the long post, but I , until recently, have thought I was alone with this awful menopause and the acne that comes with it. I hope you can research this and find something that works for you.
By the way, I post about this on the acne baord all the time ...

L

Beth Ann · 05-17-2003, 07:00 AM

Hello, Laur.
Ya know, I think I talked with you on the acne board a while back about yasmin. I was on it to a few years ago, but got off of it. I remember when I first started it, my acne became worse than ever, and I wouldn't leave my house for 2 weeks. Luckily, I was on vacation and didn't have to take time off from work, but who wants to spend vacation hiding out from the world? I'm sure not against trying it again. It never helped with my sweats, but I think after awhile it helped somewhat with the acne. My body seems to be going through even more changes, and it's about time for me to get my hormones tested again, although I've about given up all hope on doctors.
You're lucky you're not like me when you get depressed. I eat like a pig and gain weight! I've got 10 pounds on me now that I can't get off. Sometimes I think I'm depressed and don't even realize it. This whole menopause thing just frustrates the crap out of me. The doctors say my hormones are normal (at least, the last few times they were tested), but how can that be when I'm having hormonal acne break-outs and major nightsweats, and now hot flashes! It almost makes me want to become a doctor just so I can help women like us.
I'm glad that you're feeling better, and that you've got everything in control. I wouldn't have minded the increased breast size - I had to get implants for that!

MrsKramden · 05-17-2003, 10:30 AM

Hello

Although I did not get acne during peri-menpause or menopause, I did get it starting at age 21 and till (age 38)peri-menopause !

It stopped when I went into peri !

When I was 21 and started breaking out (not large acne, but many), I went through two dermotologists. They both prescribed tetracycaline. No great improvement. Later on in years, I found that salicylic acid topically worked like a miracle for me.

I am not a doctor, but I do not recommend tetracycline or ANY other antibiotic for acne. #1. It doesn't help the acne. #2. You build up an immunity to antibiotics so if you really need to take an antibiotic for what it's menat for , it won't work. #3. I knew a woman who ruined her stomach from taking antibiotics for acne.

I do hope that your symptoms become mild for you soon.Best wishes.

dragonwolf · 05-19-2003, 03:05 PM

As some who went thru the teenage years being called pizza face, I know what you are going thru.

I used everything on the market to no avail til I tried witchhazel. It is a mild astringent you can get in any drug store. I have had no problems for almost 20 years (except for those occassional period pimples) It is still working for me even in perimenopause. When I forget to use it, I start breaking out again

good luck

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dragonwolf