Been a while since I posted so I think now is as good a time as any.
So what has happened since I last posted...quite a lot I guess! I have moved to South Korea to teach English for one. I was still on 300mg of ciclosporine daily when i left and i got an appointment with a derm here ASAP. The derm really does not like to prescribe me ciclosporine here. And it is EXPENSIVE. I am paying about $120 a month for my prescription. So I attempted to reduce my dose in the hope of being able to come off the meds at some point soon.
I have been on 300mg a day for a long time, over a year, so I had no idea how it would go. I reduced from 300mg daily to 200mg daily about 7 or 8 weeks ago now I think, and my skin has gone slightly crazy, mostly on my face.
Severe itching, some burning, LOTS of shedding, edema, oozing, insomnia, urgh.
I am seeing flares in places I have never had trouble with before, including on my face. Scabbing, oozing and flaking around my mouth, edema and shedding around my eyes. I have dated the pictures so you can see how it tends to flare and flake, heal temporarily, then starts the cycle again.
I am hoping this is just a flare happening because I am reducing, and that once my body adjusts it will calm down a little, but I'm feeling pessimistic if I'm honest! I am however looking into starting LDN soon so hopefully that will help. This is an expensive medication to take overseas!
Anyway, less chat, more pictures.
I intend to update once I have started LDN/began to reduce further so hopefully more updates soon.
Photos, oldest first
16th July 2015
Skin around my mouth had been dry for a long time, things started to get crazy on this day.
face very swollen, dried ooze around mouth
^^ trying to stop the ooze at work!! argh
^^^ post-ooze. very swollen around the eyes. smiling though!
17th July 2015, the next day.
^scabbing around the mouth. neck is very red with elephant skin
18th July...things get a bit crazy
^ burst into tears when I woke up and saw this. Took a shower and gently exfoliated. Then, applied zinc and lemongrass balm.
^post exfoliating and balm application.
^Later that day.
^comparison between AM and PM. My shower/exfoliation and application of balm really helped.
20th July 2015
21st July 2015
^feeling smug with my rapid healing!!
Things have stayed pretty stagnant since. Residual dryness around my mouth and a sore neck.
Sorry for bombardment of photos but it is useful for me to see them all together and hopefully others' will find it useful too!
Hope everyone is getting by! <3
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