Hi everyone, this is my first time on this site.
I started off with Granuloma Annulare about 5 years ago. It started off as a small circle on my shoulder which I said to my husband I think I might have a ring worm or something. After going to the doctors he informed me that I had the start of granuloma annulare. I was referred to a skin specialist who treated it with injections, but eventually more appeared so was given a cream to apply all over the body. One day not long after that I was in the sun and virtually my back, elbows, hands, knees, feet, back of my legs and parts of my hips just erupted with it. I looked like I had big birth marks. No way could I go out into the sun of show my body. Cream was not doing anything then at this stage as it was so widespread on my body. Tried everything from ray treatment, to different types of medication but nothing worked. Ended up seeing a Professor in Sutherland Hospital who prescribed me with methatricate (small dosage) I have been on that for nearly a year and finally it has gone. I am slowly been taken off the medication now and hopefully it does return. Unfortunately all the medications that I was on do have side effects and sometimes you wonder if the treatment is worse than the problem. Feeling good about myself at long last. Fingers crossed. I hope this might help others too. Good luck.
Congrats. I also took methotrexate for 6 month. A few spots came while on it so I went off of it and got hundreds of new ones. They're everywhere. I do believe sun makes them worse. Doctor has me on plaquenel now for 3 months. Fingers crossed.
I first had it on my the backs of my legs ankles and back of left hand when I was 12. Treated with some soft of tape (which now makes my left hand look aged ty very much MD). It went away after I cant remember how long till now I'm fifty. It started on the tops of my feet and now its on the backs of my upper legs. Really bad. Im starting an elimination diet hoping its food related. Starting with dairy.
I got this a year ago, at age 65.....started w/ small spots on my back, then noticed getting them on arms, chest & legs....went to skin doc who did a biopsy to see what this was....1st she put me on a cream, when that didn't work, gave me an injection, & that didn't work, so she injected a few of my spots on my back....that didn't work either. Found a new skin doc...she did a bunch of research on it....6 weeks ago she lasered all of my back and then did blu light treatment ($1500.00 out of pocket cost)....then I had to keep 2 ointments on it 24/7 for almost 3 weeks....that waas a royal pain in the arse.....it hasn't worked at all.....the more I read now, they say it CAN be sun related...well, I've been in the sun all my life ( w/ sunscreen), so this amazes me! I'm now just praying it goes away on its own at some point (sooooooon) !!!! I really don't want to deal w/ a med and yucky side affects....
I have had GA for over 10 years. No medications worked and I was thankful that at least it didn't itch. Just looked horrible. In April I went on a diet that was no Carbs or Sugar or dairy or wheat etc. You know diets-nothing that tastes good. LOL And within 3 weeks my GA was gone! Now that I am at my goal weight I have started adding foods back in. Waiting to see if what will trigger it again. So 2 benefits from a healthy diet. 40#'s gone and GA gone.
Great news!!! Congrats please keep us posted if you find the trigger. Curious what you introduced back in first? Do you mean zero carbs? not even vegs? TY
Carilyn, sooooooooo good to hear from you !!!!! Congrats on weight loss and your GA being gone since you eliminated certain foods ! I've been on low carb diet for over 8 yrs....sometimes I cheat :-) But I love cheese & dairy....I will gladly forgo these products to see if it helps me !!!! I was wondering if GA could be systematic (systemic)....please, keep me posted as you add foods back in to your diet!!! I'm already 10 lbs. below my normal weight, so don't need to lose more !
Marsha
First time posting. I was diagnosed about 5 years ago with GA and cream didn't work, was hoping would go over time but getting worse flaring up and spreading on both lower legs. It is hard living in warm climate covering up as looks terrible.found doctor can only do so much and treatment looks like could be costly with laser.
I would love to test if diet can help, its so frustrating...
Hi marsha I was on low carb for a year and didn't see any changes. Then I decided to go on the whole 30 diet gave up everything. Cheese any dairy ,sugar,wheat,corn, etc. It took 6 months but my arms are finally clear and almost gone from legs and torso. It has been the only thing that has worked for me. And staying out of sun. I have the kind that itches. And leave in sunny Florida so it's been challenging to say the least, but it is working. Good luck. You can get the book I believe it's called whole in 30.
The diet was called "Ideal Protein". No sugar, carbs, fats. When you reach goal, you can start adding back in but not individual foods. Only problem I see now, is if it does start to come back I will have to go back to start and gradually add in fats, fruit, carbs and sugar one at a time. Time will tell.
Hope Plaquenel has worked for you. How is it going?
Is there any improvement eliminating foods from your diet?
Are you still free from GA? Did the diet work?
Any improvement with your GA?
Well was gone for a few months after coming off medication and then came back again. Started back on the methatricate and again has worked but unfortunately had a fall and broke my arm/shoulder in four places and with all the medication during shoulder operation the medication caused bad liver readings so had to come off the methatricate immediately. Unfortunately yes after a month or so the spots have come back not in all the same places but still a lot. So have now decided to not go down the track of medications due to side effects but also that once you come off them it returns so am now looking at changing my diet. I was told by a naturopath to not have any red things, such as red wine, red grapes, beetroot etc and say off yeast, chocolate and coffee. I don't know if I can survive on taking these things out of my diet but will try. Am resigned to the fact that I will have this for life but am lucky have a very understanding man in my life who loves me for me and not my ugly marks. Am now 63 so I shouldn't complain but feel for everyone who is cursed with this problem. Will keep you posted.
Good Morning
I'm afraid I did not stick with the diet. I eat a really healthy organic plant based diet. I did not see improvement when I eliminated dairy so once in a while when I want cheese I'll have it. Mine is on my but and is not spreading.
Unfortunately no, it has come back. I'm thinking it is related to dairy for sure as that seems to be the main thing I have added back. Yogurt in the morning. Fruits in the morning and of course sugar to a point. Not a a lot of breads. So I'm thinking I will go back to square one and see if that helps and then add back one at a time.
dairy makes sense to me. I eat cheese occasionally and mines not that although i had been eating the exact same when it reappeared out of nowhere
Hi Stephanie,
Always good to get up-dates from you and the others on this sight......we have comfort in misery !!! I tried the no carbs, dairy & wheat for 5 days, but then another (un-related) medical problem popped up, so I stopped the diet to concentrate on med. problem....I'm just going with the flow on my GA....bought some really classy long sleeved tops to hide spots on arms, chest and back.....I have a great support group of my own friends that just can't figure out how GA occurs ( it IS an enigma) , but they really sympathize with/for me :-) My sweet husband of 37 yrs has just learned to live with my SPOTS, as I have.
It would be SO great if all of us on this site could find a doctor somewhere that has actually treated GA with success?????
I'm assuming this post can be read by the others on this sight.....nice to know "we aren't alone" :-)
Wondered if anyone else had this experience? I read somewhere that if you have a collagen disease, you should not eat citrus. So I tried it...and it worked. I cut out tangerines, oranges, grapefruit, lemons or limes. No more lesions on my hands! I had been getting painful steroids injected into each bump (yes, I said bad words). Fast-forward a year later when my husband brought home a bag of the small tangerine "Cuties." They smelled so good and I really missed oranges. I ate about 6 of them. IMMEDIATELY broke out in lesions on my hands. I tried to talk to my dermatologist about it, but he poo-pooed the theory unless I could provide some medical journal write-up. I have not been able to find any info linking citrus and collagen diseases nor can I find the site I originally read it on. I have since cut out citrus again and only have flare-ups when I eat out and lemon sneaks into a dish. Hope this helps and I would love to hear if someone else heard this. All I know is I am off citrus from now on and looking to get my Vitamin C elsewhere.