I don't have the patience to suffer a year let alone several years of TSW.
Before TSW, I was working towards weaning myself of TS.
My flares always won. What I didn't know was that I had to QUIT using TS completely and not buckle when the tough got going. How did I miss the anti steroid conversation after years of internet surfing for answers? I got distracted by this diet, this supplement, this magic skin application. Life was a just barely manageable roller coaster and I couldn't figure out my triggers. Was I allergic to the weather, something I ate?
My skin went through an intense first month of TSW. Every week, I felt like I had a new misery to add to my list of angry reactions my skin was having. Sometimes ice relieved me and other times hot compress. By the end of one month, Benadryl and Ibuprofen stopped helping me feel better. And true to TSW bloggers' own experiences, my monthly hormones promised a nightmare. My skinned cleared up right after. Down was my first TSW month and I enjoyed a calm complexion week at comic con.
That was the one week I missed a Bax treatment. I tried to schedule one immediately returning from my trip and found my chiropractor had gone on vacation. Noooooo!!!!!! My skin suffered, the pain escalated and I was up to three showers a day to calm the pain. I was put on antibiotics after I made a strong argument against taking steroids and was happy to not be put on prednisone. Been there. Done that.
After a week, I completed my script of antibiotics and started to worry. That time of the month was to return. After a couple of Bax treatments, I felt a bit more stable but had a sense of dread. My skin was starting to turn red and angry again. It was a slower simmer to angry this time though. I had adopted the NO MOISTURiZER stance that I had read on several blogs. I was soaking in Epsom salts and letting my skin dry out purposely. The pain was less but still zappy. I was also using natural pain / anti inflammatory medicinal options that enabled me to reduce taking ibuprofen and Benadryl.
Honestly, I now can't remember when I last took an ibuprofen. I still take Benadryl and melatonin though. Sleep is critical because that is when your body goes on full throttle mending mode.
I've also stopped carrying ice packs wherever I go. My skin has cleared up significantly and I'm at a calm that has me blinking. Is this real? I'm not wearing makeup but I wore a pretty dress yesterday and didn't feel compelled to hide under a rock. Something is different.
More thoughts at the next post.
jnet
