IT WORKS! An Update on how it's going

Update: all the changes and tweaks and ongoing therapy is working itself out! I'm not "cured" or anything but it is a helluva lot better than a few months ago when I had to hide under scarves and cry from the pain...

Right now this is what it looks like:

 

Not too shabby! Of course the pink bumps are never going to be completely gone (or never say never? *hopeful*) but this is so much better than the red rash and open weeping sores I had this winter.

SO! What is my line-up of therapy and goods to bring my DWD under control? I'm so glad you asked:

-no cow dairy
-the least amount of sugar
-lots of water
*I do drink coffee, tea, and drink cider and wine but always in moderation/occasionally






Daily
-50 mg Pine Bark Extract pill
-Vitamin B (either B2 100 mg or a B100 complex) pill
-15 mg zinc pill
-100 mg magnesium (doctor said it will help with my headaches)
-lavender pillow mist + frankincense/lavender oil mix on pulse points (great for anxiety and to sleep)
-meditation 5 mins (needing to get this up to 10 in 6 months)
-Vitamin A 10000 IU pill (at night)
-Vitamin A cream (on affected area at night)
-SPF 15 or higher (depending on season and outdoor activity but ALWAYS at least 15)

Sometimes
-Multivitamin
-Vitamin D (on cloudy/stay inside days)
-probiotics
-CBD pills for anxiety; situational
-Germolene for spot treatment (when the pink bumps become redder)

So there ya go! That's what I'm doing, remember to talk to your dermo and/or doctor or health care professional when trying new things - and on that note what is working for you?

I haven't had to use Germolene in over a week! And I am glad of it, this stuff is potent and shouldn't be used daily.

I am drinking soy milk instead of any other dairy alternative so I can try and keep my hormone levels up too, at least that's the idea - I don't know if it's helping at all but tofu and soy milk are a part of my diet since I left birth control for an IUD.

I hope this helps you on your journey to wellness!

This is the worst.

Seriously. This is the worst my Darier's has been since back in my 20s when I didn't know what it was. It is sore, weepy, itchy, and this is better than last week - granted I needed to let my skin calm down after me trying to put everything on it (TL;DR Bio Oil will mess you UP!)

The pictures can't really capture how red/scaly/irritated/ it is (thanks iphone camera and my lame photography skills) and it's spreading past my usual areas to upper neck and my back... I haven't been this concerned in a while. Yes, I know it's only been 2 months since I went on the IUD and I hear that changing your hormones can affect your Darier's and I have always believed that - I mean, come once a month my "lady time" makes my skin flare up to the point of tears. Now it's at that as base level and it's driving me crazy....

So I'm doubling up on Vitamin A topically and orally in pill form. I'm even splitting the gel cap of the 10000 IU and putting it on the saddest part on my right shoulder/neck. Not applying cover up and letting it breath, lots of scarves and turtlenecks... I am going to talk to my doctor about hormone therapy to see if I can settle this down with more estrogen or progestin, as the low dose from switching t an IUD is the ONLY thing that has changed - I still eat the same, drink the same, and my supplements haven't changed. So that's gotta be it. 

I don't know if I can ride out my natural body chemistry - my friend said it took her body about 6 months to adjust to the IUD after doing pills for most of her life and that's the same boat as me. But, she didn't have her skin reflect her inner chemical circus! 

Gah. This is the worst.