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

I got very sick after the first and second Shingles vaccine. Wish I had never had it. I suspect a connection with the vaccine and Grover's disease as well. Because I had shingles about 20 years ago, getting the vaccine didn't seem necessary but I agreed after being persuaded by Kaiser. Symptoms are so similar hard not to make the association.

I wound up with Grover's disease after the second Shingrix vaccination. For 10-12 weeks the blistery rash was driving me crazy. The Physician's Assistant termed it "angry". I also saw a dermatologist. Both doctors prescribed the steroid prednisone, and both times the rash nearly went away -- until I ended the prescription! I read that the symptoms typically last 6-12 months -- what? I read that cilantro could help, but it didn't improve my situation.

I turned to a local provider of homeopathic medicine and was (predictably) told prednisone only treats symptoms, not the underlying problem -- I was desperate to try something/anything! I spent about $100-120 on a combination of three medicines (in each case, about a thirty day supply). It worked! I didn't turn the corner immediately, but by the time I finished the itchy rash was gone (that was about a month ago, and I am still doing fine). It may or may not work for others, but it sure worked for me. I am attaching a picture of the three medicines I took.

I should have added that while I was taking the three homeopathic medicines, I also started taking Zyrtec (over the counter allergy medicine). Initially, when the symptoms were raging, I took two tablets per evening (the dermatologist said I could), and as symptoms eased I took one tablet and finally none.

Hi! I’m 45 and diagnosed with GD almost a year ago. I have tried ointments and oral but nothing has helped. I’m currently on prednisone but interested in trying accurate next. Any suggestions? Also dies following a grain free diet help? Thank you!

For me... Keeping my back cool, by sleeping in a hammock has helped. Perhaps even more has been Claritin in the morning and benadryl at night.

For me. .. acitretin 25 mg/day

Keeping my back cool has helped me as well. I like your hammock idea, I rely on sleeping on my back and side. Daytime antihistamine in the morning and Benadryl at night is my routine, which helps. I hate getting dependent on Benadryl for sleep, but as you all know, the itching can be intolerable. In addition, I use ice packs on areas of the body when they first start to get inflamed. This calms the redness and inflation and often prevents the itching that follows.

76 yr old white male diagnosed with Grover's. Rash has spread down arms to palms & back of hands and down to upper thighs, just started getting blisters, extremely itchy, head does not appear to have lesions but is also itchy, though not normally cold I feel chilled in 78* apartment. Also losing sleep.
Prescribed triamcinolone acetonide cream USP 0.1% and betamethasone dipropionate cream 0.05% by Dermatologist.
There were no dietary or environmental changes prior to onset.
Concerned that spread to palms of hands will limit use.
Is tetracycline likely mot help?

If you're like me you will try everything! Steroid creams help many (otherwise they wouldn't be used). For me they didn't do enough. I found a high strength 10% menthol cream, like Ben Gay, Icy Hot or knock-offs to be extremely effective in stopping the itch for 6 hours or so. Sometimes I mix with the steroid cream. Others here were helped (some dramatically) by Cilantro smoothies. Not me. I found two things in addition to the 10% menthol to help decrease symptoms by 70% or more: sleeping in a hammock (the key here is ventilation...make sure bedding and clothing and arm chairs are breathable) and antihistamine (Claritin in the AM and Benydryl before bed).

More on ventilation. Anything non-porous is bad: leather upholstry, foam or water mattresses, memory foam toppers, tight fitting polyester clothing, etc. . Your skin needs to breathe. Place one of those throw pillows with batting (not foam) between your back and your leather arm chair. Use a mattress cover that is made of bamboo or cotton I'm 67 and sleep in a hammock, but won't be able to do it forever because its difficult to get out of it in the middle of the night. So eventually I'll need to return to a mattress. The key is breathability.

Then there is UV narrowband light. My Doc has great success with it, but it requires going in five times a week for six months, then continuing twice a week maybe forever. So far I haven't been willing.

Sorry to learn of the severity for you. For ~20 yrs. mine comes and goes for months at a time and has been confined to torso. I once had a PCP RX tetracycline for rash, but the side effects appeared to outweigh the possible benefit.