Rosacea? MRSA update -

I wanted to post updates.  My face is MUCH better.  Much better.  In fact people who have seen me over the last months have commented on how my face is a MILLION times better.
I've got a series of photos below:
August (2 months post surgery and post appearance of what I thought was a sebaceous cyst).  In this time, the "cyst" burst and spread infection across my face.  Shortly after this, I was given augmentin by GP.  Then I took it upon myself to see a dermatologist who tested and confirmed her suspicions of MRSA.  I was then put on clindamycin.

I was putting all sorts of things to "speed recovery" some of which only burned my face:  iodine, garlic, creams...  This is October where I decided (not doctors) that I needed to see infectious doctor.  It also - while on clindamycin - spread to the left side of my face.  The ID prescribed doxycycline.  I spent 14 days on doxy. 

Here you can see the left side of my face was also affected at this point.  There were also more pustules starting to form.  This point is still somewhere in the round of doxycycline.  But even after doxy, I was left with pretty much what you see minus the pustules. 

Around, November I went to see another dermatologist who diagnosed me with Rosacea.  I asked - MRSA caused?  She did not know because there was nothing to sample  - only really red bumpy skin.  She sent me home with more doxy with a recommend that I return and plan on spending 3 months at least on doxy.  At this point I ended up spending approximately 6 weeks on doxy and about a week or so on augmentin and clyndaycin.  I was also somewhat fed up with the prognosis of a 50% chance of reoccurance.  I was trying colloidal silver, garlic, tumeric, Phenomenal... with no results.
And in December I experienced a reoccurance -  but this time on the bridge of my nose (new place on face).  Also you can see the redness remains with budding little pimples/pustules.

I burned it with iodine (which you can see), and then even worst out of sheer desperation - bleach.  Totally stupid.  I would not do that again.   Also, I tried DMSO with one final capsule of doxy (which literally cleared up pustules in 2-3 days, but didn't control new ones). 
In January - I began TCM - Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang, an acne formula, an herbal paste, and a cream.
Her my face is today.

Current protocol (not totally regular - and I can then feel an itch re-emerge or a new little blemish appear).  But for the most part my face is good.  I plan on sticking better to protocol - to completely rid face and then be able to be pill free.
1 - 10 Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang and 5 Acne caps 2x a day.  Herbal paste and blue herbal cream daily
2 - I notice if I take 1-2 grams of lypo-spheric vitamin C it is huge boost to face
3 - I also notice if I drink at least 8 oz of fresh carrot juice - again huge boost
4 - Avocado seems to cause blemishes to appear.  So guac - is always followed by new blemishes or small pustules.  Less and less - so I use it as a monthly test to see my own progress.  Eat guac and see what next day or two brings - helps me gauge level of how my body is doing.

Update as of August 22, 2014 - and response to comment below:

 

I am no longer on the TCM protocol.  While on the protocol I was taking Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang and Acne Tea.

BZYQT is made up of White atractylodes rhizome, bupleurum root, tangerine peel, jujube fruit, chinese angelica root, liquorice root, dried ginger root, astragalus root, ginseng root, cimicifuga rhizome. 

Acne Tea is made up of hedyotis herb, patrinia herb, phiopogon root, rehmannia root, and scrophularia root.  Both of these were made into capsules by my TCM. 

The topical cream and herbal paste - I do not know what is in them.  They only say cream and paste. 

My TCM is in New York.  If you want her contact info - I can email it to you - please email me at denise@healinghacker.com. 

Additionally, and of profound help I was taking 1-2 grams of lypo-C .

And most recently, which seems to have finally cleared up any small remaining blemish issues has been the addition of probiotics - specifically 4 adult scoops of  the 6 strain probiotic.

I also routinely - couple times a week - apply aloe to my face.  I have some plants that I open up leaves from and slather on before bed.  So it's not from a bottle or anything like that.

I can now, over 2 years later eat avocado without blemishes. 

MRSA - The saga continues

It's been a stressful several months.  I had another outbreak on my face.  And after the dermatologist visit where she offered up doxycycline - I accepted and am on another round of antibiotics.  I am frustrated that nothing is working - or maybe that my expectations are off.  Plus my approach has been less than scientific - it's been a downright chaotic frenzy to throw everything at my body that even remotely could kill MRSA - and all I've done is spent 6 weeks on antibiotics now in the last 4 months. 

Bummer.

I tried Allimed - cannot say that it did anything, but as I've mentioned the cost was just kind of crazy.  It did improve my digestion - which made a nutritionist friend of mine curious as to whether or not I have some sort of yeast overgrowth in my gut.  That being said - the cheaper - garlicase has continued the benefits that Allimed started.  Also, I tried the cream topically and - didn't deliver.  Not saying that it doesn't work for some people - just didn't do it for us.

I have also been battling impetigo on my son's face.  I get rid of it and then a week later it reappears.  I have avoided the doctor because so far I've been able to get it to go away.  However, I know something is going on because it keeps coming back.  My concern with antibiotics is that we are already battling food allergies and asthma.  Plus with me - I've been on meds way too long - and I want to spare my son that.  So we need to lick this thing naturally.

I am however, working with our MD/TCM doctor and she has agreed to send us Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang.  I read another paper on it - and it has about a 50% success rate.  The theory seems to be that it stimulates the immune system (NK cells and macrophages), improves the nutrition status by enhancing digestion, and possibly prevents MRSA from creating biofilms.  Other than that it has not been found to have any bacteriacidal properties in vitro.  Go figure.  I'm hoping that it does it for us.  For the cases where it works - it has been found to not only rid the body of infection, but carrier status as well.  Sounds like a dream - I know.

I found a brand online - but our Dr suggested that she do it through her manufacturer in China because she is familiar with their manufacturing and extraction methods - and also she has reviewed their CFA.  We anticipate receiving that in the next week or so. 

Topically though I can share what we've used.
Oil of Oregano (my son hates this because it burns)
In our more desperate moments - the turtles uv lamp - very weak - for about 15 minutes at night
A bath paste - sent to us by our MD/TCM doctor - wish I could tell you what it is - simply labeled bath herb.  I put it on the rash while he's in the shower and leave it on for about 5-10 minutes.  If you want the ingredients I can send to - simply email me. 
A white cream - called Cream #2 for itch, red, rash - again - no idea what is in it - got it at the TCM herbalist in town. (Happy to share her information via email as well).
And French Green Clay - I put a thin layer the rash area and my son sleeps with it on.  It helps keep him from itching it at night - and it dries it out.
I have also used manuka oil - but this rash is by  his nose and lip - and I don't want him to swallow the manuka oil.  Plus there is potential for lung damage if it is aspirated - again small chance, but not risking it.

At any rate, that's where we're at.  Winning some battles, losing others - but the war rages on.

I am working on an interview with some TCM practitioners.  Will post in the coming weeks.

Sinus infection, throat infection, impetigo and Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang

Long stretches between posts - but last week, my son broke out with impetigo around his mouth.  I have been battling little blemishes here and there with everything from the turtle's UV light to neosporin - keeping it at bay.  But last Saturday it kind of swept around his mouth making a red blotchiness around his chin, near the corner of his mouth, and even by his nose.   I was lucky enough to have a scheduled call with our herbalist/immunologist and I sent her photos and we spoke about it.  She recommended that we use an herb mixture that she had given us for baths to reduce eczema, make it into a paste and put it on his face where the rash was.   We did that, plus used another herbal cream - from local TCM - and in 3 days it was gone.  I am thrilled.  I will continue the regimen for another couple weeks, possibly month.

I wish I could share the remedies - but the bath remedy is called - "Herbal Bath Additive" and comes in 10G silver packets - and the cream only has a small green sticker on it.

I myself have been battling a sinus infection / sore throat / cough for about a month.  I finally went to doctor - she swabbed my nose and throat - so we'll see what that results in.  In the meantime, I have desperately netied and snorted everything and anything to quell the pain:

apple cider vinegar diluted - burned like hell.  Couldn't say that I did it enough to see any benefits.

silver -  Flooded sinuses by leaning head over couch and frankly think that spread infection to ears because my ears then became engulfed in pain

hydrogen peroxide - flooded sinuses by kneeling on ground and placing forehead to floor while spraying solution of saline with 1/10th hydrogen peroxide until it bubbled out other nostril.  painful.  but in the end I am concerned that what is ailing me is MRSA again, and hydrogen peroxide has been found in studies to not be effective against MRSA - so I stopped.  My concern is that I was killing less pathogenic bacteria and leaving more room for whatever is pathogenic to grow.

oil of oregano - burns like hell too - and I just did side to side neti for a couple seconds then resisted blowing for about a minute.  This I think is helping.  I did it 3x today.

I've been gargling with Listerine and even entertained the notion of neti-ing it.

Internally, I started taking colloidal silver - 1 tsp, 5x a day.

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

In conversation with the herbalist, I requested Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang, which I mentioned here.  She thought that made sense.  It will arrive Tuesday.  I will take 10 pills 2x a day, and my son will take half of that.  She said it is an 800 year old recipe that is mild, designed to assist digestion, strengthen immune system, and assist in clearing pathogens.  I am hoping that this remedy will help me clear the MRSA internally for good - and also protect my son.  We will need to take the herbs for 2 months or so.