Grover's Disease: What works to help find relief?

Posted by 43219876x @43219876x, Sep 23, 2016

I have been diagnosed with Grover's disease under my breasts. I had a biopsy for diagnosis. Tried topical ointment with no really good results. Any ideas?

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@jbmakos

I am in my 4th year with Grovers. With me, it got worse as I also had skin bleeds easily ( treat spots wit hydrogen peroxide and wash garment/sheets).
I am a lot better now but still itch. But most of the skin bumps are gone. My treatment was/ Triamcinolone cream and Sarna anti itch lotion. But what also helped greatly was and is Light therapy in the Dermatologists office . A full box treatment(long light bulbs).
at 3 days a week maxing at 4 minutes per front and back each. Now I'm once a week at two minutes. But I skip a lot. Its a slow treatment. I still use the cream and Sarna as needed.
Good luck.

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Did the light therapy make it worse at first?

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@gardeningjunkie

Yeast can live inside and outside the body. My yeast issues were in the vulva, always burning, yet the vagina had no discharge or itch and yeast swabs negative. For years doctors gave me no help. Finally I went to a new gyno who said yeast can live inside tissue and had me read up on anti yeast diets. She said I could have the vulva biopsied but it was painful. I read up on anti yeast diets, Dr. Crook's simple plan solved years of misery in 6 weeks, without px med. Basically a detox with no sugar or carbs for 2 months, Zero, even natural sugar as fruit. Plus no fermented cheeses or mushrooms as they breed yeast. The yeast residing in the body will starve to death. After 6 weeks major improvement and feeling great at 2 months. Now 3 1/2 months later am allowed a moderate fruit serving a few times a week and non gluten carbs, just one small serving a day. I am so happy and motivated and now that my sugar withdrawal is over (yes it is addiction and the dying yeast sends messages to the brain to be fed, demands it which lasted me 6 weeks). Yet once the yeast has died off the sugar craving leaves. I can walk by desserts and my mouth no longer waters. Simple, inexpensive and if you are in enough misery you will give it a try. It's a challenge as all detox programs are.

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Can’t you take a medication to get rid of the yeast?

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@groversufferer

Can’t you take a medication to get rid of the yeast?

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Medication doesn't kill it all out. Although lower in number some still survive in our intestines. Traditional md's find it easy to prescribe meds, of course you can follow a diet to kill the yeast and take the meds too to speed it up. Yeast is fed on sugar and carbs, especially gluten carbs and also fungus foods like mushrooms or peanuts (they grown underground and most shells have mold inside which attaches to the peanuts) and no yeast products. It takes a minimum of 2 months for enough to die to lower the yeast waste which passes though membranes and into our bloodstream raising our histamine levels causing inflammation according to Dr. Crook a pioneer in believing diet can eliminate chronic yeast issues. Newer research shows a detox of a minimum of 3 months. Some herbal anti yeast supplements or fresh can speed up the detox, like oregano and others. Oregano grows grows wild in my herb bed, but the supplemental pills work also. During the detox the yeast will be screaming for sugar, sending messages to your brain demanding sugar. That's why you crave it. It is starving and wants sugar to stay alive. You can eat a big meal of protein and veggies and still feel hungry for sugar. Believe me this will go away but it takes about 6 months to not care about sugar. During the detox my mouth would fill with saliva just thinking of something sweet. It took more self control than I ever imagined and I never thought of myself as a sugar junkie and have never been overweight.
After the detox many foods can be reintroduced; safe carbs like rice and others. Still zero processed sugar for life as yeast can resurface quickly. Read the book I recommended it's elementary, inexpensive and still in print with a helpful update at the end of the book.
After following this plan I no longer require my Kenalog-40 corticosteroid shot to control my inner burning and stinging.
Everyone wants a magic pill, I used them on and off for decades only to have recurring issues. Why not stop the cause instead of treating the symptoms? Remember to also always avoid your tested allergens for life which will always raise your histamines too.

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I had ringworm a few months before I got GD. I wonder if I have a fungal infection or yeast in my body. Is there a test I can get to tell me?

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@gardeningjunkie

Medication doesn't kill it all out. Although lower in number some still survive in our intestines. Traditional md's find it easy to prescribe meds, of course you can follow a diet to kill the yeast and take the meds too to speed it up. Yeast is fed on sugar and carbs, especially gluten carbs and also fungus foods like mushrooms or peanuts (they grown underground and most shells have mold inside which attaches to the peanuts) and no yeast products. It takes a minimum of 2 months for enough to die to lower the yeast waste which passes though membranes and into our bloodstream raising our histamine levels causing inflammation according to Dr. Crook a pioneer in believing diet can eliminate chronic yeast issues. Newer research shows a detox of a minimum of 3 months. Some herbal anti yeast supplements or fresh can speed up the detox, like oregano and others. Oregano grows grows wild in my herb bed, but the supplemental pills work also. During the detox the yeast will be screaming for sugar, sending messages to your brain demanding sugar. That's why you crave it. It is starving and wants sugar to stay alive. You can eat a big meal of protein and veggies and still feel hungry for sugar. Believe me this will go away but it takes about 6 months to not care about sugar. During the detox my mouth would fill with saliva just thinking of something sweet. It took more self control than I ever imagined and I never thought of myself as a sugar junkie and have never been overweight.
After the detox many foods can be reintroduced; safe carbs like rice and others. Still zero processed sugar for life as yeast can resurface quickly. Read the book I recommended it's elementary, inexpensive and still in print with a helpful update at the end of the book.
After following this plan I no longer require my Kenalog-40 corticosteroid shot to control my inner burning and stinging.
Everyone wants a magic pill, I used them on and off for decades only to have recurring issues. Why not stop the cause instead of treating the symptoms? Remember to also always avoid your tested allergens for life which will always raise your histamines too.

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Thanks for you advice i will give it a go ,in regards to the cilantro treatment ,the advice is half a bunch ,where i live the bunches vary wildly from supermarket to markets, can you give me an idea of the weight in grams or ounces thanks and regards pat

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@daly

Thanks for you advice i will give it a go ,in regards to the cilantro treatment ,the advice is half a bunch ,where i live the bunches vary wildly from supermarket to markets, can you give me an idea of the weight in grams or ounces thanks and regards pat

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Good point. If the bunch is a good size I divide in half, then break in half and put into the blender. That's bout 2 good handfuls. I weight about 123 lbs, but don't know if weight is an issue in the amount needed. Others use more or less; very subjective. I mentioned an earthclinic GD sufferer was going on a 6 year initial breakout (longer than most have the primary breakout) and he was using 6 bunches a day and it was working for him. First time in 6 years he was getting relief. Very inspiring to read the earthclinic site on Grover's. Try the 2 handfuls a day, if it doesn't help after a few weeks increase it.
I know which stores have the freshest and biggest bunches and the best value, often only stopping in their for the cilantro. I learned it is best to stock up before New Years or Cinco de Mayo as the shelves run dry. I also learned from others to freeze individual servings so if I find giant bunches that look super fresh I buy extra instead and this comes in handy. Stems work great, I trim just a minimum off the end tips and toss before storing in about 1/4 inch of water or less in mason jar covered in a loose plastic bag with slits cut for circulation in the refrigerator.

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@suecee

Hi everyone. I am new to this forum. About a month ago I was diagnosed (after punch biopsy) with “probably” Grovers disease. I love that word probably. Mine started on my ear and quickly went to the back of my head. Went to the dermatologist no biopsy yet who gave me fluticasone cream for body and clobetesol topical solution for my head. Then it showed up On the top of my leg. I used the creams for a few weeks never really helping and then the bloom appeared on my back and on my chest. That’s when I had the biopsy’s.
I then received a prescription of halobetasol ointment. All these chemicals being rubbed into my skin. Did the 6 day steroid pack, felt a bit better. Came back with a vengeance. Now I’m on minocycline which is helping a great deal.its been 2 weeks and my Rx is for 3 months. I use charcoal soap, Sarna cream and Gold Bond exema cream. Last October I had an allergic reaction to a med which was an NSAID that sent me to ER. Reveived a shot of solumedrol. About 2 weeks later I began with hives. And boy I do mean hives. They were huge. Allergist gave me antihistamines. It was a tough winter for me. I had 2 colds and then bronchitis. The reason I’m telling you this is because I had a low grade temperature for months. I wonder if this caused the breakdown of my skin. Daily I feel very warm then I get a chill (way beyond menopause).
My new normal consists of a plethora of antihistamines and creams. A fan above me and one beside my bed. No underwear or bra as often as I can and alot of cotton. Would love to try the cilantro but I have a clotting factor so too much would not be good for me.
Thanks for reading.

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My experience is almost the same as yours. I believe mine was brought on by the shingles vaccine.

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@nodgabnoj

My experience is almost the same as yours. I believe mine was brought on by the shingles vaccine.

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I got Shingles vaccine midway through my Grover’s breakout. My dermatologist said it would be no problem—and it wasn’t. My Grover’s cleared up in 7 months. So do not things Shingles vaccine contributed to your Grover’s. My opinion only.

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@frogger

I got Shingles vaccine midway through my Grover’s breakout. My dermatologist said it would be no problem—and it wasn’t. My Grover’s cleared up in 7 months. So do not things Shingles vaccine contributed to your Grover’s. My opinion only.

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Interesting. I'm pretty sure that the vaccine caused mine, but your experience makes me question. What measures did you take to control the itching ? Thanks.

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Cilantro smoothies every day for 7 months. Rash subsided about 90% after first week. Also triamcinolone acetonide cream prescribed by dermatologist. That’s all I needed but I may be in the minority.

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