My Rosacea

I have Rosacea & am currently having a flare up which has prompted this post.

I've had it on & off for 10 years. It coincided with my 1st pregnancy. I thought it was hormonal & didn't realise it was a skin condition. I thought it was adult acne & skin sensitivity.

I had a short period of good skin followed by a very bad period where I was put on a 3 month course of antibiotics. This had little to no effect so I was referred to a dermatologist at the hospital.

This was a frustrating time as every time I went I saw a different consultant so they had no idea if it was better or worse & I continuously had to explain. I was also suffering eczema at this time which was part of my referral & I feel this meant my rosacea was overlooked.

After 18 months of various lotions & potions my skin improved. The consultant seemed uncertain if this was due to treatment, hormones or just luck but I was just relieved everything seemed relatively normal.

This however didn't last and I've had problems on & off every since.

My eczema is under control. I need occasional steroid cream & use Aveeno moisturiser often. After much trail & error this was the best for me.

My rosacea however is not and has been a weird and very frustrating experience. A bad flare up can leave me in tears and it can effect my confidence and ability to socialise.  I feel like seeing a doctor is wasteful as some people are actually ill. I usually only go when I have a bad infection or am extremely low.

My rosacea occasionally effects my eyes.  I hadn't known this was linked until a couple of years ago & just thought I was unlucky.  I usually just buy some eye ointment from the chemist and get on with it.

However this week I've had a flare up with acne like spots & it has really effected me.

I started a new job recently & I'm now facing people daily & they are new people.  I'm in a school and a few children have commented on my red nose/cheeks.  As I also had a cold I just blamed it on that but it made me inwardly cringe and wish the floor could swallow me up.

I feel self conscious & less of a person when a flare up is bad.

A lot of people will not understand & I know it sounds ridiculous.

The trouble is it largely effects my nose, mouth & part of cheeks. When its just red it's easier to cover but when I have the strange spots make up clings or slips & it doesn't sit right therefore drawing more attention to the area of concern.

I've decided to visit my GP although already feel bad for taking their time. I called on Monday and have an appointment for Friday evening. My skin settled a little over the weekend and the spots have reduced but I want some medication so when another flare up occurs I can reduce the symptoms quicker.

I've tried Avene Antirougeurs Jour redness relief cream as its highly recommended but it makes my skin redder and seems to annoy blemishes so is definitely not for me.  I've also tried Clinque Redness Solutions in the past which also didn't agree with my skin.  Over the years I've tried several of the green tinted creams that most make up brands offer but none have really done the job.   I'm currently trying Dr Nick Lowe Redness Relief.  It feels nice and made a small difference this morning but I don't think its going to be the solution I was looking for.

If you'd like more info on Rosacea I've written a separate post so click here.

Wish me luck & if anyone has any tips or wants to share their experience I'd love to hear from you.

Emma xxx

Rosacea - Information, Symptoms, Treatment

Rosacea is a common but poorly understood long-term skin condition that mainly affects the face.

Rosacea often starts with a tendency to blush/flush easily and this can lead to other symptoms.

• burning and stinging sensations
• permanent redness
• spots
• small blood vessels in the skin becoming visible
• eye symptoms (inflammation of the eyelids, dry eyes, reoccurring stye).
• Thickening of skin usually around the nose (rhinophyma) This is uncommon and in severe cases.

The exact cause of rosacea is unknown, although it is thought it maybe abnormal blood vessels. 

Some people report certain triggers cause a flare up. Common triggers are -

• exposure to sunlight
• stress
• strenuous exercise
• hot or cold weather
• hot drinks
• alcohol
• caffeine
• spicy foods

Treatment varies dependant on the symptoms. Rosacea is a chronic condition that is incurable but can be controllable.  

There are a number of things you can do to help keep the symptoms of rosacea under control -

• avoiding things that trigger your symptoms if known
• taking good care of your skin and using products suitable for sensitive skin
• using make-up to camouflage persistent redness
• using an SPF daily

If you have round red bumps that rise from your skin (papules) and pus-filled swellings (pustules) caused by rosacea, there are a number of different medications to try which require a prescription.

• metronidazole cream or gel
• azelaic acid cream or gel
• ivermectin cream

If symptoms are severe antibiotics often used are tetracycline, oxytetracycline, doxycycline and erythromycin.  This can be for 1 to 2 weeks or a low dose for several months.

Redness can also sometimes be successfully improved with vascular laser or intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment. These treatments require a referral to a dermatologist and they're not usually available on the NHS, so you may need to pay for them privately.

My Crohn's Story

I have Crohn's disease and luckily have stayed in remission since my diagnosis 8 years ago.

I thought I would share my story to help any others suffering feel less alone and also to encourage anyone with symptoms to get checked out.  Its not the most glamourous disease and therefore people are a bit embarrassed to discuss it or get checked out.

For those who don't know Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) not to be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).  Symptoms often include abdominal pain, diarrhea (which may be bloody if inflammation is severe), fever, fatigue and weight loss.  It is a chronic inflammatory disorder, in which the body's immune system attacks the gastrointestinal tract causing all the stomach issues. 

I became ill in May 2008 when my daughter was 16 months old.  It started with stomach pains when I was eating. I'd get half way through lunch and bin it feeling full, uncomfortable and sometimes sick.  I visited my G.P who said it likely to be excessive stomach acid and gave me some tablets to try. Two weeks later I felt worse, had lost weight, had terrible stomach pains and had reoccurring diarrhea.

I went back to the G.P and it was then suggested I could be wheat intolerant. A blood test was taken for celiac disease. The test came back positive so I began a wheat free diet.  In 2008 gluten free bread was awful cardboard anyone? Unfortunately I got worse and was signed off work.  I had lost 1 1/2 stone and was weak and felt really low, was now anemic and suffering night sweats.

Another trip to the G.P and this time I took my partner and burst into tears.  Walking anywhere was a mission. Picking up my daughter was getting to be a huge effort and carrying her upstairs nearly impossible. I was tearful, tired and in pain.  My blood pressure was so low the G.P was surprised I hadn't fainted.  This time the G.P called our medical admissions unit at the hospital and I was admitted for tests.  As soon as a consultant read my history he suggested Crohn's. I'd never heard of it and he gave no information.  I had some tests an upper endoscopy, stool sample, blood tests, x ray and scans.  These proved inconclusive but I was told I was 100% not celiac so celebrated with a chicken wrap which instantly made me feel happily and then extremely ill. I was discharged with medication to treat Crohn's and a 2 page leaflet. I had steroids Prednisone and later Budesonide plus iron and calcium supplements. The steroids made me feel sick.  I was supposed to take them on a full stomach but couldn't eat. It was a vicious cycle. I was also totally paranoid about the moon face side effect.  I remember one of the few things I could eat were jelly sweets. Haribo kept me going.

As my tests had been inconclusive although steered me towards Crohn's and the tablets didn't seem to be helping a further test was ordered a Colonoscopy.  I had this on the 29th July 2008. I'd been ill for just under 3 months and lost 2 stone 4lbs in weight.  Thankfully these test gave me answers.  I had Crohn's. It was advanced but could be sorted. I was admitted to hospital again and given intravenous steroids and infliximab.  It was like a miracle.  By day 4 I felt human.  I could sit straighter and I ate my first full meal. The hospital food seemed heavenly. Not rushing to the toilet was amazing.  I stayed in hospital for 8 days and came out 5 lbs heavier and so much healthier.

I went back to work on reduced hours for a couple of weeks and then things went back to normal. For several years I had an infliximab infusions every 8 weeks at the hospital. It really was my wonder drug. About 18 months ago I was moved to azathioprine which is a daily tablet. I see my lovely consultant annually and so far (touch wood) I've been healthy. My last colonoscopy 2 years ago showed some active disease which I was surprised about but it just goes to show that the medication keeps it at bay.

I have very few photos from this time my album skips from 10th May 2008 to 26th July 2008 (A brief but much needed visit to my mum in Devon) and then 25th August 2008. I found the only photo I have of me to share.  It is weird to have no visual reference but camera phones weren't that common and in the grip of illness you don't really stop to take selfies.

I wanted to reassure anyone struggling that things will get better once your diagnosis is confirmed and you get the right medication for you. Things have progressed greatly since 2008 and the health professionals know more about the treatments required. I wish you the very best health and if you have any symptoms do get checked out.  For me my diagnosis was delayed due to my Celiac result.  I still test positive apparently I'm a medical anomaly!!!

For anyone having a colonoscopy I would 100% recommend sedation.  It's not the most pleasant experience but is the best at getting a diagnosis.
Take care

Emma xxx

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