acne, diet, hormones...my story

[thick skin]

I take a mulit-vitamin and a zinc supplement (30 to 50mg once a day). I, also, started taking something called Skin Eternal. It is supposed to be good for anti-aging and is similar to Dr. Perricone's supplements without the obnoxious price tag. It has alpha lipoic acid, Ester C, grapeseed extract, and I forget what else. Don't know if it works; I'm only 24, but my dermatologist said it couldn't hurt.

[SweetJade1]

Idealist and KillerBoots,
This was something that was originally for Idealist under the Hormones vs. Diet thread, but I'm sure it fits in just as well here:

Idealist,
It's definately the diet that's taking care of your hormones! I was dx over 2 years ago as either PCOS or Insulin Resistant, even though IR is the Precursor to PCOS, among other hormonal and metabolic disorders.

I took BC and Spiro (200mg) for 3 years and that combo didn't clear me ( around 50 - 70%), didn't stop my breakout cycle (8- 9 months of my worst acne) nor did it stop my menstrual cycle pain (always had a regular cycle).

Thanks to Mino clearing me for 3 months and then I stopped, I ended up with the worst breakouts and in new places (my lower arms and legs), DESPITE still being on BC and Spiro! So after about 9 months of that I sorta cried depression (to get off of the BC) and got referred to my former Endocrinologist (3rd time the charm) and he tested me for everything! He was really great and I ended up taking Avandia (2mg) and Spiro (150mg) for almost 1 year (got 70% - 85% clear) before I switched my diet.

I would like to add that when I took the avandia I gained 5lbs (spiro will cause you to loose water weight) and it slightly improved my menstrual pains. Around the same time I switched my diet, my Endo put me on 4mg of Avandia and my skin was looking good, I gained another 5lbs (yippee was 115lbs) AND my menstrual cycles were gone!!! So, when I started experiencing IBS symptoms and we couldn't figure out what the problem (tested me for everything) was I stopped the avandia...(and lost those 10lbs)

Turns out that I don't eat enough vegetables, so all I needed was a fiber supplement (Benifiber). Not only was I having IBS symptoms, but it threw my cycle off! I started having periods 2x a month! Although, they didn't hurt =) Oh and the interesting thing though was despite that disturbance my skin just kept getting better. ;-)

I know some people think it was some sort of placebo effect, but how do you explain the elimination of terribly painful menstrual cramps??? Not to mention, I stopped the avandia during my breakout period so I was a bit concerned that I would start breaking out again....but I didn't.

I don't know what's more "amazing". The fact that so far changing my diet has lessened my mild hirsutism even more, lessened my oil production, shrank my pores, got me so far 99% clear, or that it ELIMINATED my menstrual pain. Tylenol wasn't good enough, nor advil. I would pop 1800 - 2400mg of Motrin (Ibuprofen) a day and usually on an empty stomach to get rid of the pain. 3 years ago I discovered Gingo Biloba did the trick and so I switched to taking this 800mg - 1600mg a day, until I changed my diet and no longer needed anything! I was suffering with that for almost as many years as I've been dealing with acne. Even if my Customized Gluten Free Diet hadn't given my skin those kind of results, I would stay on it just for the FREEDOM and control of knowing that I don't have to depend on some pill to relieve that kind of pain anymore.

So, we all have options. Its inevitable that we must eat, so why not improve things in that department? Yet, I think most of us don't have to rely on all these medications to get by. However, if anyone else is reading this that was dx PCOS these are the available treatments (more extensive listing in the Archives) that work Directly OR Indirectly to control/balance our Androgen Levels, etc:

Birth Control - various forms, Estrodial (primary estrogen) will work as the anti-androgen to increase our Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) that has a higher affinity for the male steriod hormones. (follows along the pathway below)

Spironolactone or Flutamide,etc - Defined as Anti-androgens. Work differently depending on the drug, but will reduce your androgen production, thus reducing your enzymes needed for converting testosterone into DHT and therefore reduces our DHT (the most potent of androgens).

Insulin Sensitizers - Avandia, Metaformin, etc. Work different ways, but reduces your Insulin Resistance, by increasing Glucose uptake or Reducing Insuln Produced.

Glucocorticoids - Prednisone, Dexamethasone work to provide your body a form of cortisol, which balances out hormone production, etc. PCOS and NCCAH/LOCCAH (Late Onset Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia) can be misdiagnosed as one or the other and some people have both.

Progesterone - Balances Insulin Levels and reduces estrogen dominance, etc. Has ability to convert into either estrogen or testosterone (some people have broken out from this), but if you are deficient, can work wonders. Will balance hormones, eliminate acne, and give you a regular cycle so that you'll be able to concieve if you chose, in the future. Choose Natural Progesterone over synthetics (cause problems).


Of course, the alternatives to these would be:

Low Carbohydrate Diet - so many to chose from but find the right one and you can lose wieght, fix menstrual problems, conceive, have clear skin, etc. Based on what I've read, it works just like you were taking a combination of Accutane, Birth Control and other Anti-Androgens...seems to hit it from all angles.

Natural Anti-Androgens - Nettles, Saw Palmetto, Beta Sitosterol, Omega 3s, EFAs, Zinc - B6, etc etc

Natural Insulin Sensitizers - (work along different mechanisms) EFAs, ALA, Chromium (GTF or Polynicotinate), NAC, d-Chiro-Inositol, CLA, Selenium, Magnesium, Niacin, Vanadium, B5 (and B1, B6...just take a B Complex), and not to mention, several herbs (fenugreek, gymna sylvestre, Bitter Melon).

Natural Progesterone - Using Vitex/Chasteberry or Natural Progesterone Cream.

That's all my brain can come up with for now. I'm so glad you've found a combination that works for you. =)

[url]http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?p=782332#post782332[/url]

Take care

P.S. Somewhere in the archives is a list of hormonal tests and the kinds/brands of medications to take. If I can find them again, I'll repost it if you'd like.

[MissyPrincess]

Hi Jade, I think you are right. I have a syndrome called PCOS. ANy carbs that I consume go right to my stomach. The syndrome makes me insulin resistant. Once I started elimiating carbs, everything started to work so much better.

Also, if you suffer from oily skin, such as I, try mixing a bit of eptsome salt with iodine, then clean like an astringent. It will cause a slight drying effect, but just add a water based moister cream.

[Krist03]

Hello, Reading this forum has been interesting. Alot of Techincal stuff that confuses me but some of it I have read before. I would like to understand a bit better. or atleast understand my acne problem better. I am 22 yrs old. I am 5'7 120 lbs. (another thin one ) Im happy with my weight. Anyway I started having acne in HS I guess. it was bad for a while then my Jr and Sr year it cleared up pretty good. Then after HS it got bad again, Ive been to the derm a few times. tried certain gels and stuff, antibiotics worked kinda I think. my acne is on and off anyway. Its never completely clear but more severe at times than others. I didnt like the antibiotics, on top of that he gave me this face wash and Differin. kinda worked kinda didnt. I get acne on my back chest and of course face (T zone, forehead, nose, chin). I have very oily skin. The ance I get is like the huge pumps that sometimes pop sometimes dont. I dont force then if they dont come to a head, they just go away slowly but surely, Anyway, Im pretty sure I have hormone imbalance sometimes mabe not severe. I have a reg period. flow is about normal I guess being heaviest the 1st 2 days and bairly anything the last day. I never had problems with bad craps, sore boobs, and all that like some girls. for a while my boobs would get plumper and sore but that went away. I wonder what I could do to control my acne. I eat ok I guess. healthier than some. I eat alot of bread, potatoes, cheese, accasional fast food but I try to limit it if I can. I eat Pizza alot I. Anyway. Do you think I have that PCOS or whatever? I thought that was a disease where you have male hormonal problems. I dont have any symptoms of being a man,, lol I could have been mis informed. Anway any feed back would be great

Thanks!

[LizzardLady]

I'm kinda in the same boat. I'm no doctor, but you don't sound too underweight. I'm 5'2 and 125 and feel like I can slim down a tad bit. (I guess it's just where you carry
the weight - me, it's in the middle)

I've had acne since I was 12 (start of my period) and have always been on the thin side. My friends would say - "Sure you have acne, but you're thin".

I don't think there's a relation - I know the better I eat, the more it helps my skin, but won't totally clear it up. I think mine's hormonal.