← Return to Grover's Disease: What works to help find relief?
DiscussionGrover's Disease: What works to help find relief?
Skin Health | Last Active: Dec 6 3:31pm | Replies (2018)Comment receiving replies
Replies to "I am male (75) with recently diagnosed GD. Also I had a TKR done in July..."
Chlorella paired with cilantro can help with eliminating heavy metals from your system. Chlorella should ideally be taken 45 minutes before cilantro. (I wash and freeze my cilantro to keep fresh. I break off a generous bunch and put in my smoothie.) I have been taking both - added chlorella a couple of weeks ago; cilantro alone did nothing for me. I take approximately 3 grams/day. I think it is making a difference.
My GD rash has faded considerably. My rash has changed from chicken pox like bumps to more prickly heat type tiny, barely visible bumps. Itching continues and is variable. Sometimes I think, "Yay, it's going away," and then I itch worse than ever, despite the fact that my bumps are barely visible. I think my GD is changing and my efforts are resulting in keeping it at bay, rather than curing. I am using witch hazel on bumps, I then follow with a moisturizer and arnica if itch is less, extra strength Bengay if it is bad. (Anything with menthol and camphor produces a burning sensation which competes with the itch.) Also, I take a drowsy making antihistamine at bedtime. I use chlorpheneramine because it's cheap and I can buy bottle of 1000 from Amazon for very little money. Basically, I take pretty much every bit of advice from people on this group. Dermatologists and meds have not been very helpful for most.
Regarding the source of your body aluminum, here's an article from the CDC outlining some common sources of aluminum: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=1076&tid=34.
The articles on removal of heavy metals with cilantro and chlorella do not mention aluminum. Here's a great summary article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3654245/.
Regarding the removal of aluminum specifically, there is a drug called Desferrioxamine which you might ask your doctor about. Here's an article about removal of aluminum using this drug. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3842106/ Also, there is some documentation of the use of mineral water to reduce aluminum via silica content of mineral water. Here is a couple of article summaries that addresses that. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22976072/ and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17435954/ I may try that myself, just in the interest of preventing Alzheimer's disease.
Itching is a most terrible torture:(
I took Accutane (Isotretinion) 40mg for 5 months, problem solved finally. My GD (that I battled for 5 years was gone the first week of taking it, but continued taking it for another 4 1/2 months). Lyderm (Fluocinonide) is a Class II topical steroid (stronger) but did absolutely nothing for me. When something doesn't work - go back to your dermatologist and move on to something else (topical). Triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% worked well for me most of the time even though it is a Class IV topical steroid. When I needed the really big guns - I used instead the Clobetasol propionate 0.05% (Impoyz) which is a Class I topical steroid (strongest there is). That would almost heal me but not quite, it would still return but sure was a relief. I have now been GD free for 14 months since starting the Accutane (Isotretinoin) 40mg last February, 2019. Occasionally I feel like pin pricks on my chest kind of what I would feel in the past with GD. Then I take (1) Accutane (Isotretionoin) 40mg pill for (4) days in a row. Problem gone by day 2. Again, GD free 14 months after having it (non-stop) for 5, maybe 6 years. There will be people on this site that will try to dissuade you from using topical steroids. Your condition is extremely chronic and possibly worse. If your dermatologist disagrees with trying something different right away from something that isn't working, then maybe you need a new dermatologist that's more experienced in this area.
I was scheduled for a TKR but insisted I have blood test for allergies. This blood test determined I was allergic to 5 or 6 metals and like you aluminum was high, nickle moderate and the others mild. My ortho was shocked, he said aluminum allergy was rare. Like you don't and never have cooked with aluminum. I don't drink sodas.
I sure hope you try the cilantro detox. I worked for me. It is a heavy metal detox and I also still take the chlorella tablets.
Frogger is another "old geezer", who doesn't blog so much anymore as he is still in remission I believe. He also had great success with cilantro. He is stopped using after he went into remission and although it put me in remission after a few months I was on it for about 10 months and went off in October because I started getting skin darkening on my cheeks. Over consumption of cilantro causes this. Still no new breakout. This is the longest I have ever been in remission.
Pressure caused severe pain for me, on top of the itching. I couldn't lay on my back or lean back in a chair or car seat. I know my skin is permanently changed as I always have a few bumps and scabs on lower spine area, but they are not itchy.
Stay hopeful, although my first outbreak lasted a full year, a year of misery, now 4 years later feel fantastic. One year is not unusual for a first outbreak. I am realistic and know it be back someday.
@mnitchke The only way you will know if the cilantro will work for you is to try it and patiently stick with it. For some it took months to resolve or lighten. It might be wise to also add chlorella (tablets can be purchased on internet) to help with the cilantro. I am a believer in the cilantro, cotton and whole 30 diet for the worst of the time. Click on my name and you can read my posts only. Start at the bottom, which is the beginning. That is much easier than trying to tell you everything I know.