Other causes... other cures?

Skin, nail and hair health
1

Kudos to all of you have figured out food allergies are the source of your GA. To the rest of us for whom the cause remains more illusive, a few thoughts for consideration based on my own experiences as a sufferer, diagnosed about 2 1/2 years ago (and I'm 56 years old now). I have been gluten-free since my diagnosis, and changing my diet has not improved my condition.

Still a few thoughts based on my own journey:

1. Western medicine had no answers to improve my condition; only a biopsy to validate I did indeed have granuloma annulare. The extraordinarily expensive steroidal prescriptions were useless.

2. Eastern medicine and a naturopathic doctor have been a far better course for me. The treatment focuses on acupuncture and Chinese herbs (don't ask about the specifics since my TCM -- Traditional Chinese Medicine -- doctor often adjusts the herbs and they don't translate to English anyway).

3. Sun exposure: A double-edged sword because no one wants to trade a lessening of our unseemly but benign GA lesions for melanoma. Still, some treatments recommend PUVA and other diagnoses suggest an inability to internally process Vitamin D. I live in the sunbelt of the U.S. and an hour's exposure of sun on my legs each week seems to help immensely.

4. Lotions and potions- Although my naturopathic doctor have told me to avoid detergents, soaps, and lotions containing parabens, I've found for me that Eucerin "skin calming daily moisture creame with natural oatmeal and moisturizers" is fabulous (yes, it does contain parabens -- in layperson's terms are preservatives). 

A few thoughts for all of us sufferers and the medical community for further research:

1. My first GA outbreak occured about 5 weeks after I'd suffered the cold from hell, traveling from sinusitis to bronchitis over a period of about 8 weeks and being on at least two different antibiotic prescriptions. Just recently do to a non-GA related skin infection in a finger, I was prescribed Keflex, another antibiotic, a cephalosporin drug. 36 hours later, I woke up with a huge swollen red spot under my eye... certainly not GA, but the doctor later confirmed my allergy to this type of antibiotic... so wondered if there's a relationship between all those other antibiotics I took that early fall before my first GA outbreak occurred. 

2. My mother's sister (who's 25+ years older than I am) has sarcoidosis which is related to GA. Just wondering if there's a genetic tendency to these related conditions. 

2

Yikes.. This is Sally.. sorry for all the grammatical errors. Hopefully you all get the gist. Best wishes.

 

3

Hi Sally, I am the one who is on ROM antibiotic therapy for my GA. I have just taken my second course (once per month for 5 months) I still have GA but reports say patients don't see results until after month 3.

So, on the contrary it is my belief that GA is caused by bacteria and have found tons of evidence that supports the theory. I will attach the latest report I have found wherein out of 157 biopsies 127 of them tested positive for borrelia! I need to figure out how to post it again LOL!

Read up and see what you think. Julie 😀

4

Hi again in response to your question about sarcoidosis I think the only link is that they are both an immune response to something in the case of GA it is (in my opinion) my immune system trying to wall off and contain the bacteria possibly borrelia.

I can't seem to remember how to post a picture but the link is www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18616764

Please let me know what you think.

5

Thank you Sally for the update on your GA treatments, your experience is very similar to mine as well as the various treatments. In addition to sit in the sun for 1 hour/day or try to, I now juice greens like kale, carrots, celery and lettuce, eat no gluten, etc. I am also seeing a chiro who deals with the upper cervical section thinking if my body is aligned, it can cure anything. This is call desperation!!!!

I will look into borrelia, I never thought it could be bacterial but like I said - desperation.

Let's continue to inform each other of various treatments, I feel confident we will get rid of this awful skin condition.

All the best,

Carole

6

Thank you so much for posting your experience.  It is much appreciated.  I've had localized GA for a couple of years now.  It is a strange coincidence though that Sally mentioned sarcoidosis since I had sarcoidosis when I was in my 20's (now 61) and my mother also had it.  Please post your progress.  I'm hoping your treatment works and that by posting you will offer a solution for the rest of us.

7

Thank you Sally for such a comprehensive descriptive GA composition.  I too am a Coeliac diagnosed in 1991.    So I knew it was not gluten too.   My GA erupted last June - a month after a shock - which was the sudden death of a very dear friend.  I believe this is the cause.   Shock usually comes out of the body somehow.  My biopsy in January confirms GA.       It has disappeared from under my arms gradually but still on my knees.   I did not take the sterioids that I was prescribed - I was certain they would do me no good at all.    I am contiinuing on as usual but using almond oil on my skin and in the bath.   I am aware that GA can revisit at any time.     I walk 3-5 miles regularly and try to keep as stress free as possible?!   - I live in a beautiful part of the UK. so much easier in that respect.     I have another Dermatology appt end of this month - it will be interesting to hear what the medics think/say/prescribe... one year later.   I wish you well Sally.  Kind regards    Helen

8

I had not found the borrelia report so I do appreciate that tip. I will definitely read it. And good luck with the ROM therapy.... keep us all posted!

9

Thanks for the link! I just read the article. A separate Google search had many results associating borrelia with Lyme disease too. (Check out some pix of the Lyme disease "bull ring" rash... one -- not all -- of my GA outbreaks is eerily similar.)

From all these forums and discussion boards, my completely unscientific observation it that most of us sufferers seem to be from North America and Europe, which further makes me wonder about our exposure to this type of bacteria, a pathogen carried in small mammals.

10

There is something to be said for naturopathic medicine, and chiropractic care is certainly one modality. As someone with no medical background, though, I would venture the problem needs to be treated more systemically. Sure, though, do go for the treatment and do let us know if it makes any difference. I so agree with you we have to hang together as a community to share information... and, equally importantly, support each other.

11

Have you had any clearing of this GA?

12

No not yet just finished my 2nd dose of antibiotics. Most people don't report a change until dose 3 or 5. I can say that I have no new spots so that is a good sign at least for me. I will report back in another month.

13

Moms has been growing for 3 to 4 months. Started near breast but now on lower back and front of stomach. She is scare and panicing.  I have no help for her and it bothers me as well. How many antibiotic rounds and does that help?

 

14

I posted a link which explains the ROM antibiotic therapy, is a couple of weeks back on my posts.

I am healthy and have tried just about everything for this stupid rash, so it is worth it for me to try the antibiotics. I do know that for me cortisone injections have been the only thing that got rid of the spots almost immediately so if you have any that are on your hands or clearly visible and you can't cover with clothes I would suggest doing that. I had one on my hand and it was embarrassing so I got that one injected and now it's gone.

Good luck!

15

Hi, thought i had replied in this discussion, but i can't find my response.  I think there might be a link with SIBO and GA due to the treatment.  I realized this when i was diagnosed with SIBO (chronic acid reflux and constipation as well as 3 kinds of  GA biopsed since 2012.  SIBO treatment is 550 MG. Rifaxamin 3 times a day, and 250 MG metroNidazole, 3 x a day (or neomycin).  I previously took the ROM treatment weekly for 3 months, and gave up bec. no effect on GA. 

I will let people know if this SIBO treatment affects my GA....and if it does, it means we all have to change our diets!

16

Hi Marla, yes I think from what I have read GA is an autoimmune response to something the body is trying to reject and that "something" can be different in different people, elastin, bacteria, TB test, etc. I am going to test all the possible triggers till I figure it out 😀

17

Hi to all of you ... an update... I had my follow up appt with Consultant Dermatologist at hospital yesterday (post confirmation of biopsy/GA).   He was disappointed I did not take the sterioids prescribed last December and has given me topical steroid cream for a month.  I explained  that I did not see the point as GA was disappeariing on its own.   The GA under my arms has almost disappeared but is still on my knees and upper legs.   Because my GA is hidden my stress levels are low but I know it would be different if on face neck hands etc.  I agree that the body is trying to rid itself something?    I have changed my diet too and eat fish at least twice a week.    Thinking of you all.     

18

The injections are the only thing that's worked for me too. My rash has spread more just in the last year or so. I may try this antibiotic therapy. Seeing dermatologist in June.

19

What does SIBO stand for? What is the diet?

20

Kathy,

Since starting with acunpuncture and taking the Chinese herbal pills (my doctor prescribes "tea pills" which are tiny) all the spots on my arms have disappeared 100%. The spots on my legs are 95% gone as well. I still have a few spots on the tops of my feet and one on the back of my right hand. Certainly this is a benign route to explore, as acupuncture has many other salubrious effects. I would encourage all GA sufferers to explore Chinese traditional medicine. Do not try to self-medicate by ordering herbs from a website; instead, you need to find a qualified acupuncturist who can tailor a dosage for your own needs.