Posted By Rose (California) on 11/20/2015

You don't know how thrilled I am to have stumbled across this valuable website several days ago because it has offered me tons of more information than all of the doctors I've visited over the last couple of years. I welcome any helpful responses from anyone reading this but would especially like to hear from "Bill".

My story as short as possible: I'm female, early 50's, pretty healthy but I just found out this summer that I've been using steroids for my itchy eyes/forehead/face for over two years. Had no idea that going back for stronger prescriptions every time I would try to quit the steroids and they never helped, was bad for me. I was just following doctors' orders. Once I found out I was dealing with TSW or red skin syndrome, I've been seeking out just what to do from this point forward. I also went on a diet in June and was very successful losing 24 lbs. in 12 weeks! I just needed to lose a few pounds but those few pounds made such a big difference! Since I'm not supposed to mention the name of the diet here, I'll just say that it was beneficial to me in lowering my A1C and now I'm not considered type 2 diabetic, just sugar impaired-great news!

Anyway, back to my itchy face...so I decided to slowly wean myself off of steroids in September using just a wheatgrass juice shot product which I don't believe has really helped that much, but it was a start. Now I've been off of steroids completely for almost 2 weeks and my of course I'm flaring with itching, burning skin but thankfully it's isolated to just my face although now it's traveled down to my neck and upper chest areas.

It was just around this time that I discovered your site and thoroughly read and researched many of the illnesses and treatments by others here. Very helpful stuff! I have diagnosed myself as possible having candida because the dentist told me last month that I had a white coating on my tongue. That hint, along with other symptoms listed under candida, have me thinking this is what is causing the initial itching of my face. (The dermatologists I visited said it was contact dermatitis, dermatomyositis, auto-immune, but nothing definite.) I was prescribed every cream and ointment and they only made my skin worse.

Being the disciplined person that I am, I have decided to fight this candida thing and get rid of it once and for all and know that I can follow the Candida Protocol on this site. I went out and purchased the ACV, Vitamin C powder, L-Glutamine, Baking Soda, lemons, sea salt, and I'm waiting on the Iodoral to come in the mail. I still need to find the Gymnema Sylvestra Herb-I can't find the tea formula or a way to measure the 1/4 tsp as shown on the Candida Protocol. I also purchased the Milk Thistle today but decided to not go with the Borax or Turpentine-unless you say it's a definite requirement. I also got the quality probiotic that stays in the frig with 50 strains, an omega3 supplement, a D3 supplement, powder collagen, and a liquid vitamin with the requirements that were listed in the protocol. I've had endometriosis in the past, been on BCP in the past for over 10 years, had a hysterectomy 9 years ago, been divorced for 15 years, raising a child as a single parent, lost my parents, moved several times, have had great jobs but too many in one lifetime, and various other types of stress throughout my life. I had no idea that these stressors were significantly impacting my health in a negative way because I thought I was "dealing" with everything. I was dealing with it by eating out and shopping-my bad habits. But now I'm realizing that I need to slow down and focus on me and healing myself so that I can enjoy the rest of my life.

I'm a little nervous anxious about the protocol because my job keeps me on the go and out in the public so I've tended to eat at a lot of drive thru restaurants and I don't see how I can always get home to eat healthy or prepare foods throughout the day. And the protocol doesn't offer many food options because its more limiting than the diet I was on this summer. Right now, my eyes and lips are swollen and cracked in the corner I'm guessing from the die-off. I also have experienced chills, heat, sluggishness, and fog as other die off symptoms but nothing to detrimental. (I knew nothing about any of this until I read about it on this site-very informational! ) My face and neck are still irritated, red, and itch on and off but not nearly as dark or painful as it was just a week ago, so I call that improvement. That has to be due to the beginning of this protocol, I'm hoping, so I'll keep going! My bathroom looks like a science lab with every oil (coconut, castor, EVVO), ointments, creams, supplements, etc...all of the things I've tried since this summer to help ease or erase my itchy face symptoms. I've been dealing with this for way too long but I'm hoping this protocol is the answer. Luckily, I don't have much going on in my life right now to retire from so I will use this down time to focus on the solution.

Something else that causes my anxiety is the upcoming holidays and all of the foods that I can't eat this year. And also, I'm wondering, will I ever be "normal" again or will I always be sensitive to foods with relapses and flares. Oh I forgot to mention how I've also replaced soaps, detergents, etc. with naturals and I'm eating organic as much as possible. I wear no makeup and I use an oatmeal based cleanser and peroxide. The diet this summer helped to change my eating habits and I learned about what I should and shouldn't eat during that time (water, stevia, fruits, vegetables, etc.). Maybe that's why my TSW hasn't spread below my chest...? I'm only calling it TSW because that's the only thing that makes sense and candida because that's the only thing that fits my symptoms. All of my blood tests are fine except I need to lower my LDL some. I have dry eyes and I'm being treated for that. I can't remember anything unless I write it down and find it hard to memorize scripts now. I'm staying positive because I need to get my face back. These lines under my eyes, rashy neck, red face and swollen, dark lips and eyes are not attractive-lol.

No, seriously, based on all that I've shared, do you think there's anything else that I should be doing?...or something that I need to do differently?...or something that I don't need to do at all? I don't want to overdue it and cause more harm or spend money on supplements when I don't need to. I just want to get better-fast! With all that's going on in the world today, I know this seems like a non-issue but it is a very real issue to me-and maybe my issue can also help someone else reading it-like other's issues have helped me. Thanks for your time-I appreciate you helping all of us and look forward to hearing back from you soon!

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