SEVERE acne while on it

acne, in Louisville KY or a little east? [2008-10-14]
Do you know of a dermatologist (or very good other physician) in the general area who can tackle longstanding acne with something other than continuous antibiotics or Accutane?ie, not the run-of-the-mill dermatologist but a GOOD doctor? It (hard for me to know as i'm out of state) thanks.

Severe Avon ladies [2008-09-29]
Not busting on you personally, but I had to chuckle picturing the severe Avon ladies!

Severe warning about dangerous dog-toys!! [2008-08-29]
I came across this blog today on Craigslist: http://www.thechaistory.blogspot.com/ And if you have a dog, it It details what happened to a dog that was severely injured by a dog toy called a Pimple Ball made by Four Paws, Inc. The dog ended up losing his tongue, and the pain he had to endure was excruciating. The dog After watchinghis video linksof his poor dog's suffering, even though I have cats, I plan to be sure I don't purchase ANYTHING from this company, andhopefully you won't either.

I suffer from severe hot flashes that have been going on now for s/m [2008-06-10]
several years. I know hormone replacement therapy is very dangerous. I am about crazy with them as they have come back stronger than ever, every several minutes. This is life altering and I am not sleeping because of constant waking up all night long. I tried black cohosh some years ago at the suggestion of my gynecologistwhich in the beginning worked like a charm. Then I noticed it actually made them worse and more frequent, timing them to every 15 minues. Can someone please help with some suggestions that would actually help get back to somewhat of a normal life and sleeping pattern. Thanks in advance!

I posted earlier today asking for some suggestions to relieve severe s/m [2008-06-10]
hot flashes. Tonight I am doing a search for cures and came acrossa site that swears by apple cider vinegar. There are many posts on this site stating this has been a miracle for not only hot flashes but many other conditions. Now my question. . . How do you drink vinegar in water every day? I am terrible about any liquid medicines, etc. with a bad taste. Anyone use ACV? I wish there was a better way to ingest it. Thanks!

it's the only thing that works for my severe insomnia [2008-05-21]
i have tried everything else. it even when i i think my off-switch is broke. i get so jealous of people who yawn and say they my friends can call me at 3 in the morning and i'm as bright and cheerful as if it's noon.

I do know my flu started with a severe sore throat [2008-03-17]
and then progressed to a very high fever, and chills and then it coupled with bronchitis. But the other poster is right, my doctor said there are so many different types of flu around this year. If he gets worse I would definitely call the doctor.

Our stories are very, very similar. Due to my severe depression sm [2007-11-21]
something horrible happened which I cannot speak of here. It is the main reason I found God, so you and I are alike in that matter. As for God rescuing you like that - that is amazing. I guess we can just agree to disagree on this one. He saved you by showing you meds and saying it's okay to take them, and He healed me from my ailment without meds. Who is to say one is better than the other? That is why the saying goes that God works in mysterious ways! I am happy for you! Continue to do what you are doing. I am not judging you. I only spoke to NCMT through my own experiences. We all have our own experiences.

Have had a cough for a week - woke up last night w severe arm pain, all the way down [2007-10-16]
I have been coughing and kind of achy, yesterday hurt all over, no fever, but in the middle of the night last night, woke up with horrible pain, to the point of making me cry all the way from my shoulder to the joints in my hands. Both shoulder joints are sore, but the right arm hurts all the way down. I have taken Advil, used muscle rub and am working with my arm propped on a pillow. Anyone ever had this happen? Wondering if it is just muscle pain from being sick or if I got something out of whack in my cervical spine from all the coughing!! This stinks!!!

SEVERE acne while on it [2007-09-28]
Years later and I'm still left with scars on my face, chest, back, and arms from the horrible acne I had with Depo. I also gained around 50 pounds on it! I'm on Yaz now and it works wonderfully. I also started using Proactive a couple of months ago and it seems to be working just as well as the prescription stuff I was using and costs a lot less.

me too i will be 30 tomorrow and still have mild acne [2007-09-26]
I've been on Depo for over 4 years, thought that would eventually help but oh no...

Yes it is for acne. sm [2007-07-26]
I can see a big difference just since she started it as well as a cream. My son has had very little help with it, been on it for about 9 months. We are cautiously looking into Acutane. My SIL took it and it did wonders for her with no side effects, same thing for one of my close friends in high school.

We are having a severe thunder storm right now [2007-06-14]
and I am working like crazy becuse my dog won I just love my furry critters!

Best thing for acne? [2007-04-02]
Never had acne as a kid, but now i certainly do. Help???

Are you peri/premenopausal? Friend just dvdlpd acne and has had to go back on the Pill [2007-04-02]
s

My little brother suffered from severe migraines. [2007-03-28]
Finally when my Mom took him for an eye exam, he apparently had terrible vision. He would vomit and needed to be in the dark. Have you had her eyes examined as of late? Worth a short. Also, if these continue, you may want to have her seen by a neurologist. OR - She may just have a flu, there is a lot going around right now maybe since the weather changed. Not that a flu is a very nice thing to have, but hopefully she Also, try a washcloth with hot water across her eyes, that may reduce the throbbing of the headache itself and help her to relax.

I hear ya.....severe occipital neuralgia here too!!! [2007-03-16]
nm

Suggestions for severe dysmenorrhea, anyone? [2007-01-05]
You all have such a wealth of information that I just know someone will have a suggestion for me! I have had severe dysmenorrhea my entire life. I am talking pain so severe that it feels like an elephant is standing on my back and lower abdomen at the same time for 4 days a month. I am now beginning to have pain outside my cycle that is nearly as bad. Various doctors have suggested birth control pills, which I cannot take due to the severe nausea from the progesterone, to help the severity of my cycles. I am currently on a progesterone cream with, you guessed it, the same nausea I get from the birth control pills. What else can I try? This nausea is 24 hours a day and 7 days a week and makes me feel awful. I just want some relief from the pain of my periods without nausea as a trade off. Thank you so much for any help you can provide! :-)

had a chihuahua who had severe grand mal type ones and never came out of her last one; be persistent [2006-12-31]
;

Anybody ever take Paxil and have severe drowsiness.... [2006-11-22]
I started on Paxil 20 mg on Saturday and I can barely function during the day. I have to lay down every hour for about 15 minutes just to be able to work. It is very bad. Has anyone taken it at bedtime and did that work better for you??

I had a problem with severe dry skin patches also.... [2006-11-08]
I foundthis Super E Natural vitamin E ointment for$5.00 at my local drug storeand it went away almost immediately. Hope you find something that helps! http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?id=prod2377297CATID=100592skuid=sku2376775V=Gec=frgl_504684

Thank you for answering me. I [2008-11-11]
had just read an article in the August Reader's Digest about a man being treated for throat cancer, stage IV. The name is The Farther Shore by Stephen Reynolds, in his 40's. There is an insert in the article that might interest you. HPV and You While few people with HPV get oral cancer, the number is likely to keep rising, says Maura Gillison, M.D., of Johns Hopkins. 20 million Americans are infected, with 6.2 million new cases each year. So far, there is no cure and just one test and only to detect HPV in a woman's cervix. Only a biopsy can tell whether an oral cancer is linked to HPV, but a test to spot high-risk oral infection in men and women and a vaccine for men are both in the works. What you need to know: Most people with HPV infections don't have any symptoms. At least half of sexually active men and women may become infected in their lifetimes. About 23% of women ages 14 to 65 have high-risk HPV, including 35% of 14 to 19 year old girls. Gardasil protects against up to 70% of the HPV types that cause cervical cancer, but it is unknown if the vaccine protects against oral infection in men or women. While most infections clear up on their own without patients ever knowing they were exposed, the consequences can still be severe. For instance, one type of HPV raises the risk of oral cancer of 3,200 percent. The virus speads through any form of sexual activity, and condoms can't fully protect against it. Having more than 5 oral sex partners boosts the risks of HPV linked oral cancer by 340 percent. Sorry this was so long, but this is the most info I have seen on this and the numbers are, I think, staggering. I notice it does not address the vaccine in Australia you mentioned.

Rattlesnake vaccine [2008-11-09]
I live in the San Bernardino Mountains in southern California. We have a lot of Western Diamondbacks here. There is a company called Red Rock Biologic that makes a rattlesnake vaccine. They get 2 shots a month apart the first time no antivenin required. I have read on Red Rock's website that they have different formulations for different parts of the country, depending on what kind of snakes are prevalent. You might want to ask your vet about this.

There is a genetic link, IMO [2008-11-09]
I have steroid-dependent asthma, but nobody else does--my parents, my brother, my daughters, no one! My middle daughter has terrible eczema like me, but she has no asthma. She has some allergies and another daughter of mine had food allergies, but none of them have the respiratory issues that I do with the allergies. Here's food for thought, though. In my family, my brother has type 1 diabetes. My father has rheumatoid arthritis. This makes me think of an inherited autoimmune component to our respective issues. Another thing is that my father and I are carriers of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. He has pretty severe lung disease even without being homozygous. The gene we carry is apparently linked to increased incidence of asthma, from some sources Iworse alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency gene, but he has no asthma. We are vigilant about keeping them out of second-hand smoke, so they all should be fine and without lung damage. I've always heard asthma was environmental, due to genetic disposition, sometimes emotional, but always crappy.

Asthma info [2008-11-08]
So I haven Something I have just been thinking about recently and thought this might be a good place to start. Who knows, maybe someone here has looked into this topic before and can give me some good info. or starting place. :) I have had asthma since early childhood. My mother was recently diagnosed with it for the first time in her late 50s. I am wondering if there is a genetic/hereditary link (or possibility of) and it is something that I should keep in mind with my children. I had always thought it was more due to environmental with me but now I wonder if there could be more to it with my mom being diagnosed. I also have pretty severe allergies and my niece was diagnosed with the same, both of us at the age of 3.

Hi; Oh DEFINITELY familial/genetic components to allergies/asthma....sm [2008-11-08]
Allergies run very strongly on my mom there are four of us, my brother had severe hay fever/sinus problems all his life, my sisters have the same, my sister Bev has had asthma which she outgrew, lucky thing, and I started out with just generic allergies that turned into allergic diathesis, which makes me allergic to SO MANY foods, animals, plants, trees, environment substances, chemicals, meds, molds, dust mites, etc., severe asthma, and now my docs want me to consider sinus surgery for polyps and a deviated septum. Also, allergies stem from the immune system, and I also have Sjogren If you go on some of the national information sites for allergy and asthma, they have some very indepth articles on the familial/genetic link to allergies. But please do not despair regarding children, etc. Sometimes one sibling will be mildly allergic, but another will miss it entirely, it is not a dominant disorder. I have three kids, and they are hardly affected at all, just a bit of pollen sensitivity in the Spring. Hope you are doing well!

I thought I was the only one...sm [2008-10-24]
who also has lost their life. Been at home home now for many years and the same thing has happened to me. Husband works late four nights a week. Love my children more than life and the thought of disrupting their lives makes me go into a panic attack. I used to have friends, wonderful friends of 30 years, but don't anymore. One went off the deep end after a divorce from an absolutely horrible man and hasn't spoken to me since and the other divorced a horrible nasty 500 pound slug and has since remarried and now has a new life and doesn't want to hear it with me anymore (even though I was there for the both of them during their horrible marriages divorces.) I have a large family with many sisters but they are so utterly cruel and narcissistic, the only way you can stand to be around them is you either have to be just like them or if you don't mind being destroyed because that is what they do. They destroy people including their family members. I, too, used to exercise every day walking four miles a day and exercising at the gym for about 1 1/2 hours a day. Lost 75 pounds and felt FABULOUS and had incredible stamina, but that has since all gone away and now I am right back to where I was. I have no money. My husband doesn't necessarily spend money entertaining himself but we are not financially together (and not because I am financially irresponsible but mostly because he is controlling and a wife with no money is not powerful). I have been applying for jobs outside of my house but haven't gotten one yet and unemployment in my state is through the roof. I feel as though I have lost my life. My children are getting older but my oldest who is in the 9th grade has ADHD and is very immature so to leave him for long periods of time during school vacation could be disastrous especially since he will be home with his two younger siblings who are 13 and 11. They fight unlike any other children you have ever seen. At the same time, I have an extremely difficult husband to live with who, most of the time, only sees his own wants. I sit here in my house (that we rent) every single day and try to figure out how to get my life back without endangering my children. My youngest also has severe ulcerative colitis and is probably looking at surgery in the next year to have his colon removed, which that in and of itself presents its own challenges to say the least. I don't know how I am going to get him or me through that one. I feel as though I have stress oozing from every pore in my body. I have nightmares when I sleep of becoming sick with cancer or my kids becoming sick with cancer. I have nightmares of being murdered or of someone else being murdered. I have nightmares of my sisters doing their terrible deeds to me. I, too, already take an anti-anxiolytic/ anti-depressant which does help but when you live like this, drastic measures need to be taken to get this straightened out and not just medication. I apologize for not being much help to you but I thought you needed to know that you are not alone and that there are others out there who are having the same problem. Just remember, this is a temporary situation and someday it will get better. That is what I keep hoping for anyway. Good luck to you.

No birth control sales, no candy sales, [2008-10-24]
CHANTILLY, Va. � A new drug store at a Virginia strip mall is putting its faith in an unconventional business plan: No candy. No sodas. And no birth control. Divine Mercy Care Pharmacy is among at least seven pharmacies across the nation that are refusing as a matter of faith to sell contraceptives of any kind, even if a person has a prescription. States across the country have been wrestling with the issue of pharmacists who refuse on religious grounds to dispense birth control or morning-after pills, and some have enacted laws requiring drug stores to fill the prescriptions. In Virginia, though, pharmacists can turn away any prescription for any reason. I am grateful to be able to practice, pharmacy manager Robert Semler said, where my conscience will never be violated and my faith does not have to be checked at the door each morning. Semler ran a similar pharmacy before opening the new store, which is not far from Dulles International Airport. The store only sells items that are health-related, including vitamins, skin care products and over-the-counter medications. On Tuesday, the pharmacy celebrated a blessing from Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde. While Divine Mercy Care is not affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, it is guided by church teachings on sexuality, which forbid any form of artificial contraception, including morning-after pills, condoms and birth control pills, a common prescription used by millions of women in the U.S. This pharmacy is a vibrant example of our Holy Father said Loverde, who sprinkled holy water on the shelves stocked with painkillers and acne treatments. It will allow families to shop in an environment where their faith is not compromised. The drug store is the seventh in the country to be certified as not prescribing birth control by Pharmacists for Life International. The anti-abortion group estimates that perhaps hundreds of other pharmacies have similar policies, though they have not been certified. Earlier this year in Wisconsin, a state appeals court upheld sanctions against a pharmacist who refused to dispense birth control pills to a woman and wouldn't transfer her prescription elsewhere. Elsewhere, at least seven states require pharmacies or pharmacists to fill contraceptive prescriptions, according to the National Women's Law Center. Four states explicitly give pharmacists the right to turn away any prescriptions, the group said. The Virginia store's policy has drawn scorn from some abortion rights groups, who have already called for a boycott and collected more than 1,000 signatures protesting the pharmacy. If this emboldens other pharmacies in other parts of the state, it could really affect low-income and rural women in terms of access, said Tarina Keene, executive director of the Virginia chapter of the National Abortion Rights Action League. Robert Laird, executive director of Divine Mercy Care, believes many of the estimated 50,000 Catholics within a few miles of the store will support its mission and make up for the roughly 10 percent of business that contraceptives represent in a typical pharmacy. Whether Catholics will be drawn to the pharmacy is uncertain. According to a Gallup poll published last year for an extensive study of U.S. Catholicism called American Catholics Today, 75 percent of U.S. Catholics said you can still be a good Catholic even if you don't obey church teachings on birth control. Catherine Muskett said she plans to shop at the drug store even though she lives more than 20 miles away. Obviously it said Muskett, one of about 75 people who crowded into the tiny shop for Tuesday's ceremony.___On the Net:http://www.dmcpharm.comhttp://www.naralva.org/instate/pharmacy.shtml

be careful if you have environmental allergies [2008-10-21]
my son has severe environmental allergies and we were told to never hang out his laundry as pollen can attach itself to the clothing and make his symptoms worse. We are also to run an air conditoner, not use fans and never open the windows to help cut down on allergens. So much for frugality in our home!!! :(

This may be your last chance, your only chance... [2008-10-18]
This may be the only chance--it may be the last chance for you to save your son. My son started in with smoking pot and drinking alcohol at about the same age. I, unfortunately, was too soft, was a push over, and I, too, didn't want to go overboard. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't regret my decision. Every time I hear the wail of a siren in the distance and it is coming toward this part of time, I cringe, and I wonder if theythe knock, associated with the police coming to tell me my son is dead. My son is 28 years old now, and he is not only an alcoholic (and a nasty, obnoxious drunk at that), he is addicted to meth. He will take anything just to get high. He stole the phenobarbital that I give to my dog to control his epileptic fits. He drank 2 whole bottles of cough syrup with DMX just to get high and hallucinate. It doesn't matter what the drug is, he'll take it. His primary jones is with meth. I saw my son the other day for the first time in about a year, walking down the street. If he hadn't had the particular one-of-a-kind jacket on, I would not have recognized him. He looks like a walking corpse. His face has morphed, looking like the faces of meth you can google. He's 28, but he looks older than I am (55). He was, at one time, brilliant, with an IQ in the 160s. Now, he is what I'd describe as dull-witted, unable to reason his way out of a paper bag. Even his voice has changed. He walks the fine line between severe psychotic episodes and sanity--and he is toppling toward permanent psychotic behavior more and more. In short, my son is dying, and he lives every day to get more and more of the poison that is killing him. Don't go into doormat mode. Tell your husband. Get mad. Do what ever you have to do--including having your son committed to a rehab facility against his will until he is of legal age. If you stay in doormat mode, you enable your son's habit--and it is a habit...one so well established that he thinks nothing of posting pictures of the crimes (and they are crimes, and YOU are responsible for what goes on in your home) on the Internet. If you don't act aggressively and act NOW, you will be responsible for its outcome. My son is dying because of my inability to act. Do whatever you need to do, including taking him to the police department--anything and everything. Once he tries meth, he'll be a goner. I'll be saying some prayers for you and your family. If you think Itoo harsh and don't do something, any refusal or inability to act right now may very well end up killing your son. I, unfortunately, am speaking from experience.

acne, in Louisville KY or a little east? [2008-10-14]
Do you know of a dermatologist (or very good other physician) in the general area who can tackle longstanding acne with something other than continuous antibiotics or Accutane?ie, not the run-of-the-mill dermatologist but a GOOD doctor? It (hard for me to know as i'm out of state) thanks.

A sad story...sm [2008-10-13]
I have a sad story to tell. My husband She was coming from a night out and was drinking and wrecked. She was ejected from the vehicle and suffered severe head trauma. She was put on life support and was found to be brain dead. Her parents had to make the decision to pull the plug. The doctor assured them she had no brain activity and could not breath on her own or anything. So they unplugged her yesterday. This young woman was I think if not mistaken 29 years old. She had 3 children ages 8, 4, and 2. They have no mother now. She was so disfigured from the accident that her boyfriend went in ICU to see her and hit the floor as he passed out from the shock of seeing her face. She never dreamed when she left to go out last Friday night that she wouldn I had the pleasure of knowing this woman for her brief time here on Earth. She will be so missed by her children and the rest of her family. The 8 year old boy is taking it by far the worst because he comprehends what death means and that he won The 4-year-old just knows mommy is in heaven but can The 2-year-old just doesn She just misses her mommy. Brief story about what the 4-year-old said to her mawmaw yesterday: They were going down the road and she had learned earlier that day her mama was gone to heaven. She was staring out the window at the sky because she was told that was where mommy was. She was just desperately hoping for a glimpse of mom I guess. Then she said mawmaw that And she pointed to the sun. It was shining really bright inside the car on them. It was a really sunny day. Her mawmaw says where baby? She said do you see the sun mawmaw? She said yes baby I see it. She said that She is watching me mawmaw. This is from a 4-year-old. Now if that don Pray for these children who have suffered probably the greatest loss they will know. And please don

A sad story...sm [2008-10-13]
I have a sad story to tell. My husband She was coming from a night out and was drinking and wrecked. She was ejected from the vehicle and suffered severe head trauma. She was put on life support and was found to be brain dead. Her parents had to make the decision to pull the plug. The doctor assured them she had no brain activity and could not breath on her own or anything. So they unplugged her yesterday. This young woman was I think if not mistaken 29 years old. She had 3 children ages 8, 4, and 2. They have no mother now. She was so disfigured from the accident that her boyfriend went in ICU to see her and hit the floor as he passed out from the shock of seeing her face. She never dreamed when she left to go out last Friday night that she wouldn I had the pleasure of knowing this woman for her brief time here on Earth. She will be so missed by her children and the rest of her family. The 8 year old boy is taking it by far the worst because he comprehends what death means and that he won The 4-year-old just knows mommy is in heaven but can The 2-year-old just doesn She just misses her mommy. Brief story about what the 4-year-old said to her mawmaw yesterday: They were going down the road and she had learned earlier that day her mama was gone to heaven. She was staring out the window at the sky because she was told that was where mommy was. She was just desperately hoping for a glimpse of mom I guess. Then she said mawmaw that And she pointed to the sun. It was shining really bright inside the car on them. It was a really sunny day. Her mawmaw says where baby? She said do you see the sun mawmaw? She said yes baby I see it. She said that She is watching me mawmaw. This is from a 4-year-old. Now if that don Pray for these children who have suffered probably the greatest loss they will know. And please don

Anemia [2008-10-01]
Yes it is definitely related. I had severe anemia a few years ago and my hair was coming out like crazy! After I got fixed, my hair got amazingly better. I took IV iron therapy for 6 weeks and noticed immediate improvement in the way I felt after the first treatment. Once your anemia is corrected, go get a good haircut and you'll be amazed at how much better your hair is when it begins to grow again. Good luck!

Severe Avon ladies [2008-09-29]
Not busting on you personally, but I had to chuckle picturing the severe Avon ladies!

worst thing ever huh? (okay almost) [2008-09-16]
I'm sorry I don't have suggestions because mine was due to my severe sinusitis as well as the prednisone I was on. You would never think that losing your taste would matter... but having to eat food, just to eat it and taste NOTHING... I tell you what, i dont take the small things for granted anymore :) (of course there were things i was happy not to taste and/or smell... nasal spray was one of them, because i knew my senses were back after using that one day and gagging!!!) hope you get better soon!!

Oh goodness! Your poor mom! [2008-09-14]
Sort of have a similar story but my MIL was the one calling about my DH. She took DH to the ER for a severe attack of Crohn I stayed home with the kids. I am dead asleep and MIL calls at 11:30 p.m. and says we almost lost him. I asked what she was talking about and couldn't figure out what was going on. She tells me she thought he wasn't breathing, starts lecturing me about how I should have called her sooner to take him, that none of the triage staff would help my DH and she called 911 from the ER waiting room. I was far too disoriented to drive there as I had taken a sleeping pill. I felt pretty helpless. She phoned me again at 6:30 a.m. She apologized for calling like she did. He did indeed have a severe Crohn's flare up but his BP was fine as well as all his vitals. She insisted that the triage nurse falsified his vitals. Next time I'll call an ambulance for him instead of her. I hope your dad is okay today. Saying a prayer for you and your family (if that is okay).

There are a lot of possibilities here [2008-09-09]
First off, he could have a panic attack 1 day and be fine the next. That Now, more importantly, the father So many people call it a heart attack when it really isn It could have been a gallbladder attack, severe reflux, angina attack, etc. (I Thirdly, men are just weird sometimes about how they deal with life-threatening situations. I wouldn If he lied about something like that, it Lay low for now and just keep an eye on his story-telling. You might even want to send his dad a get well card just to show good faith on your part and maybe give his dad a heads-up that his son is potentially using his health as an excuse. Most parents wouldn Good luck. Hope your relationship goes the way you want it to!

Glycolic Peel [2008-09-03]
I I am considering a Glycolic Peel at a local spa. Anybody have this done and if so how were your results? and more importantly..did it hurt? LOL

LOL....no....sm [2008-09-03]
I use the dandruff shampoo on my hair, because I feel like my hair oil contributed to the acne. The facial scrub I do in the shower every day, then when I get out and dry off I use the peroxide - if my face has been breaking out. It usually ends up being once or twice a week that I use the peroxide. How did I come up with it? You try having your face break out from the time you are 15 and still dealing with it when you are 40 - you'll come up with some crazy ideas too :-)

Let me try to be more clear...lol [2008-09-03]
I wash my hair with the dandruff shampoo...although I don I use the facial scrub in the shower to open up my pores so that when I put on the peroxide, it can get into my pores. If you just dab on peroxide without the scrub first, it won't do much.

Dry skin [2008-09-03]
I have that problem with many products too and my skin isn't dry to begin with but rather oily. Sometimes I am not sure which problem is more embarrasing, the scaly dry skin or the acne. I haven't had that problem with product though, even when I use it multiple days in a row.

OMG - same here! [2008-08-28]
It has not been good. I also have severe insomnia for the first time in my life. I have been tested for everything under the sun and am very healthy, but the severe PMS I have had for years has now evolved to nearly every day of the month with palpitations and anxiety for no reason at all. I am on very low-dose BCPs as a last resort after trying everything else you can think of since May and not doing so well on them either. Gosh, I wish someone would come up with an idea that I have not tried...We ladies need to stick together on this and see if we can figure something out!

Remember too well [2008-08-27]
We live in Mississippi now but lived in Florida a very long time, from Miami to Jacksonville and the panhandle. We did sit through a few 1-2 level hurricanes but were fortunate only a few days without power. After Katrina, so many of our friends and family were severely affected from New Orleans to Gulfport. We sat here in MS without power for over a week but lost nothing in it. We did have neighbors and friends that had their homes leveled by huge falling trees and three years later before one got their insurance to cover properly for them to rebuild. We were 200 miles inland with a lot of severe wind damage, so I am sitting on pins and needles knowing another one is heading in this general area and so many friends and family along the coastal areas. Lets just all pray for everyone's safety.

Yep, been on Yaz for 2 years! [2008-08-22]
I've tried many different pills, but always had side effects from them. Yaz is the only one where I don't have any side effects whatsoever. It also really helps with PMS symptoms such as bloating, irritability, cravings, mood swings - I don't have any of these anymore. I never had a problem with cramps anyway, so not sure if it would help with that. I was on Depo for 3 years and it was the absolute worst!! I gained 60 pounds, had horrible acne, and developed a rash on my arms because it made me very sensitive to the sun. I would definitely not recommend it to anyone! My sister and my cousin warned me beforehand not to go on it as they both gained a lot of weight and had acne on it, but of course I didn't listen :) Anyway, I've been very happy with Yaz and I've never had a problem remembering to take the pill. I take it at the same time every day.

Supplement to consider [2008-08-09]
There is a vitamin called OptiVite PMT (that is taken with a separate magnesium pill) that is shown to help with PMS. I don't know if it would help, but it may be worth a try. Above all I'd write down the symptoms and what you feel daily in a diary to show to your doctor. I'm sure your family thanks you for your insight--my mother had SEVERE mood problems but would never own up to it. She did some permanent damage with the things she would say and do to my bro and me. I hope you find some help for your PMS.