Month 7.5

7.5 months down. It’s amazing how time can heal the body. The last pair of photos of my face/neck (below) are the most drastic change I’ve seen. My neck and face were incredibly raw. I had to keep it covered in various ways to avoid infection and allergens. Those red areas in the Before picture were oozy, open, linchified wounds now coming down and healing up. I was barely leaving the house back then – I was too itchy and raw. I try to use a light scarf around my neck to conceal my neck, which is my worst problem area. Something with a loose weave that’s breathable and non-abrasive. Kinda like this…

Loosely woven, soft scarves are nice for summer

HOT WEATHER. The weather lately has been so ridiculously hot (45C /112F) that I haven’t really bothered with a scarf in this heat, but I was sporting a scarf in late June when it was in the high 20’s (Celsius, or high 70’s/low 80’s F).  I was anxious about the outdoor concert (Tegan & Sara) I went to a couple weeks ago, but managed fine. I took off my very light long sleeve and wore a sleeveless tank. It felt a little weird at first but got over it quickly. Regarding body temperature regulation, I’m tolerating the warm weather more normally. In late May, I was heating up too quickly in 21C degree weather (69F) and flared. Though no human would tolerate 45C well, I was handling 27C (80F) fine. So no irregular body temperature issues. That seemed to be a thing of the early stages of TSW and addiction.

Remember: I used to use steroids only once (1 week course) every 3-4 months, so I was probably withdrawing as I was using it. I would overheat in 19C (66F) very easily and needed a fan on me whenever possible. I believe that the lack of body temperature regulation in the past is closely linked to steroid use and addiction, as I have seen a dramatic difference in how my body tolerates warm temperatures, and will be studied in the future when the bulk of the medical community recognizes (and acts upon) steroid addiction.

SUN BEDS. My face doesn’t seem to show obvious signs of TSW. Though I there was some minor ooze above my upper lip over the last couple weeks, as I stopped sun exposure for a month. I went into the sun bed for 5 mins and the wounds are closing up. Before you say anything, I am NOT recommending sun bed or tanning salons. I am using it to my own discretion. I’ve never used sun beds regularly and am generally anti-tanning. But given the medical situation I’m in, I am using sun beds minimally and cautiously. I was going 5 mins every 2 days, but this ended up being too much. I was becoming dark quickly after 2 weeks of that.

So I will be doing 2 mins twice a week for the next little while to see how that goes. Sun beds work for me because going out in this incredible heat for too long is just crazy, and I want to keep my perioral area in check as it has helped to close those open wounds and stop the oozing. I was going for UVB treatments at a dermatology office, though it was becoming inconvenient (a 2-hour bus ride roundtrip, every other day).

Dr. Rapaport recommends light sun exposure in the later stages of withdrawal. Listen to the ITSAN teleconferences or read the transcripts to learn about Dr. Rapaport’s view on sun exposure. I started getting some sun around month 4-5. At first, I experienced resultant itching afterwards though that is no longer the case – though it is difficult to pinpoint what causes some itching. I did not use sun exposure when I was raw and red, but when the redness was down.

SLEEPING. I’ve been sleeping regularly… as in my 36-hour long days are over. Yes, I was staying up for 36 hours at a time because the itching was so intense; I simply could not rest even after taking antihistamines. Benedryl seems to be my drug of choice. I was prescribed Atarax (a recommendation by my doctor and Dr. Rapaport), but didn’t fill the prescription for reasons unknown. Sleep has never seemed so precious after experiencing itch-induced insomnia. Existence was miserable. Now, if I sleep a regular 8 hours, I usually feel tired by early afternoon. Lately, I’ve been sleeping heavily and for longer hours (10-11) now that I can rest calmly. There seems to be a consensus amongst TSW-ers that they become fatigued easily and need rest more than healthy folk.

MOOD. I seem to be moving back into my same ol’ self. I’m starting to think about my academic future again and have been debating when that should resume. The infamous “Second Flare” that all my fellow red-skinners (others who are also experiencing Topical Steroid Withdrawal) experience seems to happen around the 8-10th month mark, so I am feeling apprehensive about going back too soon… My self-esteem is bouncing back from zero to some. I have a feeling it has to do with getting out more, seeing friends/family and frankly… being able to wear makeup again. It can camouflage my skin/face fairly well.

See!

My summer has been good so far. I’went to the local Sun Fest, which is a summer festival celebrating ethnic food and music. I saw Tegan & Sara in Toronto (though I would not recommend the VIP tickets for Downsview Park!) and had some good fun. I’ve been hanging out with friends and spending hot days indoors. 7.5 months feels like a comfortable spot. My need for baths are lessening – once a day for an hour, though that sometimes ends up being more like 1 bath every other day. I should be better about it, but the bathtub gives me the creepy crawlies.

Now for the update pictures. Some of these are pretty graphic, so Viewer beware if you haven’t seen what TSW looks like.

BEFORE & AFTER. Today (Left) Vs. March 2013 (Right)

Does anyone else have a lopsided face? See second photo down to the left. The one side of my face seems to be swollen (Edema?) and wonder if this is a symptom, or if my face has grown lopsided over the years. Not so sure, but I guess we’ll find out…