Ugh – Bad Dermatologist Appointment

Have to agree with you Avene products are great! When I was getting deep TCA peels it was the only brand I could use as my skin was red, sore and even water hurt but Avene soothed and helped healing. They make some great kits but I had to buy from USA site and get it shipped here but it was totally worth it!

Avene is amazing! So gentle and great, I wish I`d found it earlier!

Hi, Sweetie – darasparkle, SO pleased you`re going to see a different GP. Also pleased you`re using Avene as that is an excellent brand. The only other thing I can suggest is talking to a really good pharmacist, if you have someone you can trust. Their experience is so varied they can often assist more than a GP. Good luck, Hun and hopefully by the time I get back from holidays things will be so much calmer and better.

Have an incredible vacation!

I`ve really been enjoying using Avene it`s like you can feel how gentle their products are immediately.

Where are you off too?

Thanks, darasparkle. Family wedding then a week of total relaxation with just us (husband and me!) on The Sunshine Coast. You take care, won`t you.

Besides Cetaphyl for cleansing, are you using mild & gentle moisturisers that keep your skin hydrated, without aggravating the issue you`re dealing with?

I`ve been using the Avene range as my GP recommended as something mild and for sensitive skin.

Oh I`m a success story! I was on 10 mg of `tane for 8 months from May `14 – Jan `15. I came out of the journey with clear skin and have been clear since. I actually stopped breaking out 3 months into my treatment so if you factor that in than I have passed my two year mark back in Aug. But if you count from the date I got off the meds than I`ve been clear for a year and 8 months.

Side Effects

Dry skin (cleansed & moisturised with cetaphil and protected with spf 50+ sunscreen, sometimes used an umbrella if particularly sunny and no I didn`t care if ppl thought I was weird lol)

Dry lips (Dermal lip balm, a discovery I made when my pharmacist gave me a pack of free products because I was on `tane)

Dry eyes became super dry (used eye drops)

Sporadic hair shedding (took HSN supplement, helped immensely, should have taken it all throughout my treatment, regret stopping in the middle and starting up again later)

Eczema flares became worse (prescription ointment)

Sporadic joint pain (dull pain on back bone, took krill oil supplement all throughout my `tane treatment, I had pain in Aug, than it went away and came back in last month)

Dull knee pain in last month (Krill oil supplement)

Immune system weakened in last months of treatment, caught cold that took ages to go away

My side effects all went away once I stopped `tane. The oils on my skin came back gradually. It took about 3 months to see oil in my t-zones. I still take HSN supplements and wash hair with an anti dandruff shampoo with 3% salicylic acid. I will do this indefinitely. Its not that `tane is making my hair shed…that med has left my system long ago, its just `tane made me aware that I need to take better care of my hair. Hope that makes sense. And yes, everyone is different and my symptoms might not be the same as others.

The one thing that really puzzled me was the reaction people had when I told them I was on `tane. People reacted with a lot of hysteria which I found comical. Once I was annoyed at my boss (she was known to be verbally abusive to everyone) and one of my co-workers said I was reacting the way I was because I was on `tane. Hmm ok whatever. Fairly certain I would be annoyed regardless of whether I was on `tane or not. If given the chance to do it all over again (not that I want to lol) I would never tell anyone but my parents and siblings about going on `tane. Its no ones business and honestly the hysteria behind `tane is silly and grossly overblown (at least from my research and experience).

That being said I`m not an expert and I`m not trying to sway your decision on what you put into your body. Do your research and make that decision for yourself. What worked for me may not work for you.

Edit: sorry my comment is so long

That`s wonderful to hear! I`m elated that it worked for you. I definitely think it can get a bad reputation after a lot of the horror stories but people always forget to hear the good stories too! I was reading about the joint reactions some people have had happy to hear yours went away afterwards.

My cousin (male) was on it while he was a teenager when his skin was much worse than mine and he too is a success story. I`m more weary being a girl because of the pregnancy implications and that`s my biggest concern mostly as a TMI but I was on implanon last year and got a whole heap of side effects so I came on it and tried a different birth control the mini pill and I`ve only had one period in 8 `months so if I do take the tane` I will for peace of mind have to take a monthly pregnancy test to make sure.

Of course my concerns are anecdotal in that I`ve had some adverse reactions to medications before. I get motion sickness and flushed skin when drink/have spicy food or am emotional (upset and angry or heightened emotions I get rashes and face goes beat read). I was once told at an allergist that I`m allergic to myself to explain my weird skin reactions haha

I guess why I was most upset was he didn`t really seem to listen to my history and was immediately set on his game plan which seemed that he already decided what he was going to offer before even walking in the door as though I`m just a number and he tells the exact same treatment to everyone who walks through the door. And I have tried other topical creams doctors give you and that only responds with very burning skin/dryness everywhere the lotion is applied. Proactiv for an example was wayyyyy too harsh for my skin.

I did a skin trial back home which included a really strict regiment including meds and topical and that`s what I think has kept my skin great all these years (in remission as you say) so I think my skin has fallen off the wagon haha.

I`m in a highly stressful stage in my life so I do still feel that if I could stop the stress then my skin would calm down too.

I`ll see how I go with a long weekend to relax!

Dara This post is really interesting to me. It sounds like you actually know yourself very well and have recognised that Stress is having a huge impact on you.

I wonder if it`s worth finding some relaxation therapy and seeing how that goes before trying another dermatologist?

Obviously I am not a doctor or even knowledgable in most things, but it`s something that jumped out at me reading this post of yours.

All the best with it all xo

That`s a really good idea!! Thank you!!

I have been going to the gym 3-4 times a week for the past 6 months but maybe adding something more relaxing would be helpful 🙂