Started Birth Control- Kind of scared

[Faith1989]

Hey Everyone

For those who know my story and have read previous posts know I have blepharitis/ocular rosacea. I can get it under control until "that special time of the month" and it will flare bad. It's usually about 5-7 days before my period. No matter what I eat/drink, no matter how many compresses or steroid drops I use it will flare. Doctors think it is the estrogen spike that happens before menstration. Spikes in estrogen can cause inflammation in the body which doctors say flares my blepharitis. SO I tried to avoid having to take the pill to level out hormone levels and tried strict dieting, nutrional supplements ect but nothing worked.

I have tried other pills in the past but could not tolerate them due to their high estrogen. I am now trying Alesse which is low estrogen to androgen ratio. I am taking it continuously so that I do not get a period. My doctor said maybe if I'm not getting a period and my hormone levels get flattened out, I may not get a flare. I know the pill can cause "dry eyes" and understand why. I just don't know what else to do because I flare every month now! This has been going on for years and have been so scared to try this but it's time.

I am on day 3 today. It may take 3 months she said so I have a long way to go.

I just dont know how else to do this. This is a last resort.

[sophie0416]

I wish you all the luck in this world, I really hope it works for you; unfortunately, because of my birth control, I developed dry eye. I was fine before all that, but I hope it helps you.

[Hokucat]

I hope it works out for you, Faith. Your doctor's theory seems to be plausible, so it's worth a try. Let us know how you progress.

[Faith1989]

Thanks for the replies you guys. It has been a week, and my skin is definitely worse but my eyes haven't been affected. I was expecting my skin a bit worse in the beginning. I have never really given birth control a shot before so I know it wasnt "the cause" of my eye issues. Sophie, thanks for the encouragement. I am pretty scared of what the birth control may do but I have to try as my fluctuating hormones wreak havoc on my eyelids. I hope it doesn't make my flares worse. The pill is suppose to "level out" hormones so they don't spike and fall.

Sophie, have you had any luck with your hormonal flare ups? Have you tried a natural hormone balancer?

[MGD1701]

Hi Faith
I found this video, not sure if it helps. All these female doctors (3 professors) are pretty famous.
One (Dr Matossian) mentioned about hormone compound drop? (not sure the details as I watched it a few months ago).
Other doctors even do not know about such treatment but they were keen to try too - great for patients!!
I believe this should be safer than pills!!

Panel Discussion - May. 2016 ophthalmology management
Moderator: Kendall Donaldson, MD, MS
Panelists: Marguerite McDonald, MD; Cynthia Matossian, MD; Alice Epitropoulos, MD

http://www.ophthalmologymanagement.c...sease-in-women

[Faith1989]

Just writing an update. It's day 12 on Alesse. So far my rosacea is worse on my nose, I'm more depressed, eyes are a BIT worse but nothing major. The doctor told me most side effects go away within three months so I'm going to see if I do flare before my next "period" which I am not supose to get. To be fair, I haven't been very good eating wise, have been having cheese and more carbs than usual. I will stop this today. I just want some of my life back and not have to worry about my monthly flares! Sometimes (I'm lying, all the time), I look at people and wish just for a day I didn't have to worry about my eyes. Even if they are doing well, I still know eventually when I get my period that will all be gone. Sorry, I'm just venting.

Feeling sad today

[Faith1989]

Update I had to stop the birth control. After 3 weeks, I could barely get through a day at work without steroids and tons of drops. I could tell I was getting much worse. Possibly could of gotten better over time but I couldn't take it anymore! I could feel my rosacea coming back on my face which is under control with diet. I couldn't even tolerate any makeup. Anyway, it was a bad experience.

Going to keep trying to balance my hormones the natural way...

[MGD1701]

Hi Faith, thanks for sharing. Sorry to hear about it but glad you have a plan for the next step.

Rosacea: Can you satisfy my curiosity
1) Is it correct, rosacea mostly links with oily face particulary in T zone? And (inner) eye lid margin are often red?
(I have read a few articles from eye doctors who recommend people with oily face to wash face a few times a day - make sense, right?)

2) Diet: Could you share with us how do you get it under control with diet? Avoid sugar, processed food, meat, ...??

Thank you and good luck with your next approach!

[Faith1989]

MGD1701

Yes, I have a very mild rosacea on my face and it is oily. The rosacea on my face is not very noticeable at all. It sometimes flares on my nose if I have had too much coffee or it is hot out. I found when I was taking the birth control, my face flared daily. I did read somewhere online that birth control can in face make rosacea worse. Today is the first day I have felt okay in about a month with my eyes and face.

Regarding diet

I am not "cured" but went from not being able to tolerate lights or work to being able to hold a full time job in florescent lightening when my diet changed. I eat a paleo diet but still omit nightshades. Carbs are a trigger as well so I try to reduce those too. An example of what I would eat in a typical day would look like this:

Breakfast: hardboiled or scrambled eggs, berries, or Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel Protein Shake

Lunch: some sort of salad with protein or dinner leftovers

Snack: grass fed beef sticks, plantain chips (try to limit these), some sort of fruit maybe

Dinner: meat and veggies

My food triggers: too much coffee, any type of sugar, dairy (sometimes will have a bit of feta on salad), grains, gluten, soy, corn

I can have any sort of unprocessed meat and think meat is good for people with rosacea/gut issues (just my opinion)

Hope this helps!

I still havent been able to balance my hormones and I know this is a problem for me.

[MGD1701]

Thanks Faith.

Food source: I am not an expert but I wonder if source of egg, meat and fish (especially shrimps) matter?
Many might still have issues on antibiotics, hormones etc?

Great you have made much progress and to work again.

[MGD1701]

Hi Faith,
When you drink coffee, WHEN your eyes feel bad, in 2 hours?? just curious.
Thanks!

[Faith1989]

Umm usually yeah I'd say a few hours. It always depends how much I have. One cup in the morning is fine but if I have more in the afternoon, that's when I sometimes flare.

[MGD1701]

Thanks Faith.
Ocusoft HOCL spray, do you find it helps?

[Faith1989]

Yeah I find that it does help. I'm going to start using tea tree oil at night though too again incase of Demodex.

[MGD1701]

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