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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Hi everyone! It seems skin rashes are a tricky thing. As I mentioned before, my Grover’s seems to be at bay since starting cilantro. But, a couple months ago I began getting hive like rashes all over my body. The itching was similar, if not exact to my Grover’s but no red bumps, just a traveling itchy rash. My Dermatologists could not figure it out. I was not sure if it was Grover's related and Doctors could not tell me either. Again, I tried all the prescriptions they suggested. From steroids to Kenalog shots to various creams etc. nothing was working. So as we do, we read and research and scour the internet for answers. I came across a study that some doctors did on 9 Grover’s patients, and six of the nine found complete relief with Triple Antibiotic Ointment. So out of desperation (and since I had a tube in my medicine cabinet) I gave it a try. I applied to to my entire body. Within hours my rash was completely gone and has been for three days now. I will continue using it for the next few days and see if it continues. But I am SO happy to be itch and pain free again. It’s funny how non prescription remedies seem to be the most successful!. I’ll follow up and let you know how this new treatment works in the long run.
p.s. Thanks @gardeningjunkie for your continued support. https://www.mdedge.com/dermatology/article/67546/contact-dermatitis/antibiotic-ointment-treatment-grover-disease

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@kimass1

Hi everyone! It seems skin rashes are a tricky thing. As I mentioned before, my Grover’s seems to be at bay since starting cilantro. But, a couple months ago I began getting hive like rashes all over my body. The itching was similar, if not exact to my Grover’s but no red bumps, just a traveling itchy rash. My Dermatologists could not figure it out. I was not sure if it was Grover's related and Doctors could not tell me either. Again, I tried all the prescriptions they suggested. From steroids to Kenalog shots to various creams etc. nothing was working. So as we do, we read and research and scour the internet for answers. I came across a study that some doctors did on 9 Grover’s patients, and six of the nine found complete relief with Triple Antibiotic Ointment. So out of desperation (and since I had a tube in my medicine cabinet) I gave it a try. I applied to to my entire body. Within hours my rash was completely gone and has been for three days now. I will continue using it for the next few days and see if it continues. But I am SO happy to be itch and pain free again. It’s funny how non prescription remedies seem to be the most successful!. I’ll follow up and let you know how this new treatment works in the long run.
p.s. Thanks @gardeningjunkie for your continued support. https://www.mdedge.com/dermatology/article/67546/contact-dermatitis/antibiotic-ointment-treatment-grover-disease

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Thanks. The antibiotic ointment something we always have in the house. And I have an update too. As of July 1 I resumed my running. Grover’s started end of December. So far so good although it’s only been 3 days since first run. I take a cold shower immediately after morning run. Must exercise in morning as Texas heat is deadly. But hasn’t hit 100 yet.
Still have a lingering rash on hip and lower back but nothing like it was in January thru March. Cilantro is a mainstay in my morning routine.

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@frogger

Thanks. The antibiotic ointment something we always have in the house. And I have an update too. As of July 1 I resumed my running. Grover’s started end of December. So far so good although it’s only been 3 days since first run. I take a cold shower immediately after morning run. Must exercise in morning as Texas heat is deadly. But hasn’t hit 100 yet.
Still have a lingering rash on hip and lower back but nothing like it was in January thru March. Cilantro is a mainstay in my morning routine.

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When I started the cilantro I had a little lingering rash as well. It was mostly on my thighs hips and butt. But nothing too major. But then it started to get worse after a couple of months and started spreading all Over. Give the antibiotic ointment a try it may help you as well. Rash is gone for the most part just a little pinpoint itch here and there but I can totally deal with that.

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Please help me as I am writing up a report for both my dermatologists about our results using cilantro as a detox for our Grover's Disease. For me it has been wildly successful and from my reading on this site and Earth Clinic I believe it helps at least 50%. I am grateful to Kimass1 for sharing this information about cilantro as this is the first summer in years I am clear and able to participate in family outdoor activities and best of all sleep deeply. To be pain free is all because of her caring about the rest of us that's why I am writing this up for my doctors who never were able to control it with various prescription medicines and I want them to pass this information along to their other patients.
Please respond and tell me if you tried it and a brief history of your results. Also explain how you ingested the cilantro, if fresh, frozen or tablets or pills and how long you tried it.
I still make my fresh cilantro smoothly daily, only missing a few days in over 3 months. I began the approximately the first of April and it only took a few weeks to notice an improvement in my early stage breakout (normally my recurring breakouts last for 6 months) and then about 2 months for the papules to totally dry up and fall off, yet during that time my itching and pain were dramatically less than normal breakouts. I am 99% free of all scabs and have zero pain or itching today, even when I sweat! Water no longer hurts! No stinging and can lay on my back or lean back in a chair as I did before I got this disease. If I press hard on my back I can still feel some tiny under the skin bumps, not as many as I used to when clear, but I know they are just waiting for me to stop my cilantro. I believe that is because with GD our cellular structure is permanently changed.

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Had Grover’s since January 1 but biopsy in February made it official. Itching was so horrible that I could not sleep. Got on Mayo Clinic discussion group, found out about cilantro, began taking and it cleared up within 10 days.
I take cilantro by 2 methods. First is a cilantro, yogurt and orange juice smoothie every morning. Secondly I take a cilantro capsule three times per day.
For one 5 day period (on trip) I took only capsules and did not break out. After 6 months I am back to running in Texas heat. Have had small outbreak of red bumps on back but no pain, no itching at all. One of these days I’m going to try weaning myself off cilantro just to see if I break out but that’s several months down the road.

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@frogger

Had Grover’s since January 1 but biopsy in February made it official. Itching was so horrible that I could not sleep. Got on Mayo Clinic discussion group, found out about cilantro, began taking and it cleared up within 10 days.
I take cilantro by 2 methods. First is a cilantro, yogurt and orange juice smoothie every morning. Secondly I take a cilantro capsule three times per day.
For one 5 day period (on trip) I took only capsules and did not break out. After 6 months I am back to running in Texas heat. Have had small outbreak of red bumps on back but no pain, no itching at all. One of these days I’m going to try weaning myself off cilantro just to see if I break out but that’s several months down the road.

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Thanks frogger for your update and will copy your information in my report to my derms. We are 2 of the lucky ones and even it stops working we can appreciate the break from GD symptoms.

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Diagnosed mid January. No biopsy. Two weeks later I stated with cilantro supplements, three a day. March 31st I switched to smoothies with cilantro. Grovers is gone although my skin still looks mottled. I use 1/4 bunch with almond milk, strawberries, blueberries, banana and a little protein powder. I keep thinking I may discontinue to see what happens but the smoothie is great for my digestive process and it has become a ritual I look forward to. I hate the taste of cilantro but am almost afraid to stop, especially since now the temps are 111+ in Arizona.

I like what you are doing. When you compile all the results will you please share so we can all give to our respective dermatologists?

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Both you and Frogger have replied with postive responses like I have. I see my MO derm in 2 weeks and hope I get more responses by then and plan to have them read the testimonials from both the earthclinic and Inspire.
I still have some tissue on my back with red spots which is healed skin from the Grover's rash. I don't know if it will fade in time and am grateful it no longer hurts or is active.
I also posted on the earthclinic stile, "Cilantro Cure for Grover's Disease" which has been inactive for a while and hope to get updates. On that site one man wrote his outbreak was going on for 6 years and this is the only treatment that ever worked and I hope it is still helping him.

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Hi All! Diagnosed in November 2018 through a biopsy. Found the earthclinic.com website around the end of January and stared the Cilantro in February and saw results in about 28-30 days and was rash and itch free for a couple months. Grover's rash is gone, but do now have a lingering hives type rash that comes and goes through out the day. Not as itchy as the Grover's but still a pain in the rear. NO red papules, and Derms all agree it does not present as Grover's and believe it is something else. I did stop the cilantro for a week and I started getting the red spots, so I started up on smoothies again. So in MY opinion the cilantro works. I drink a smoothie daily with about 1 bunch (1-2 cups of cilantro, a tsp of chloerlla blended with a container of flavored yogurt and orange juice.

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Kimass1- Thanks for update and a very good site explaining how cilantro is a heavy metal detox is timesofindia.indiatimes.com. and in the search mention cilantro heavy metals. They also mention how metals are also in our drinking water. I still have original fillings with mercury, 3, but I have also read that the removal process releases metal in our bodies and we are better off without removal.

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