Re: venting AND need advice

[Guest guest]

I went through a bit of misdiagnosis with my rosacea. I went to one

derm, who was on the NRS list. She diagnosed me with rosacea, but her

treatments didn't do anything for me at all. I had a bright red face

and lots of bumps. (metrogel and tetracycline and later minocycline)

Next, I went to another derm on the NRS list who said that I didn't

have rosacea at all but acne. He recommended that I take a full

course of Accutane as that would cure my acne.

Then, I tried someone who was a clinical instructor at the University

of California at San Francisco(UCSF) and practiced at their campus.

She was not the NRS list. She said I had rosacea and gave me topical

Azelex/Novacet and oral Bactrim. She also recommended that I get C02

laser for my red, bumpy and slightly swollen nose, but she wanted to

try the topicals and oral meds first. The Azelex/Novacet and Bactrim

seemed to tone down the redness and decrease the bumps. I saw her

again in six weeks and she told me she was pleased that my acne was

clearing up. I asked her what she thought of the rosacea and then

told me I didn't have rosacea. I was a bit confused and asked her

about what she said the appointment before, but she said I had acne

and looked at me like I was from outer space for mentioning rosacea.

She seemed very rushed and I don't think she read the notes from the

prior appointment. She at least cleared up my face without

irritating it and I was set to see her again, but she moved her

practice across town and left UCSF.

I decided to try someone else at UCSF. I went to see a derm who was a

full professor at UCSF and had published in a lot of medical

journals. He was not on the NRS list. He diagnosed me with rosacea.

I was a bit pink with some bumps, but not bright red. I had stopped

the Bactrim a few months before and was using Novacet as a topical. I

had to stop the Azelex since it turned me red after about four months

of use. When I asked him about acne, he said I didn't have comedones

so I didn't have acne. I had the typical rosacea bumps. When I see

him, he always remembers that I have rosacea, or at least he reads

the notes he made on me from previous visits. He also takes a close

look at my skin. He is an exceptionally bright doctor and

professional.

I went to four different doctors in the space of 18 months and had

different diagnoses for the same problem. It was really frustrating.

I'm lucky that I live in an area that has many derms and two highly-

rated medical schools. If this guy at UCSF didn't work out, I was

going to go to Stanford U.and get a derm there. (I went to the

Stanford U. acne clinic as a teenager, and they basically did nothing

for me. I wasn't eager to go back there.)

I'd agree with questioning the doctor the first time you see him or

her. Why waste your time and money on someone who isn't going to help

you or even give you a consistent or correct diagnosis in the first

place? Not every derm keeps up or remembers the correct way to treat

rosacea. I wouldn't give that doctor more than a visit or two.

On a side note, my endocrinologist wanted to give me some

tetracycline and suggested I use some otc acne meds when I was a bit

bumpy last year. This was unsolicited; I didn't ask him about my skin

at all. I told him I had rosacea and the acne meds would make it

worse. He said they call it acne rosacea and he wanted to treat the

acne portion. I hope the NRS spreads it message further because some

docs aren't getting it.

Take care,

Matija

[Guest guest]

> Then, I tried someone who was a clinical instructor at the

University

> of California at San Francisco(UCSF) and practiced at their campus.

> She was not the NRS list. She said I had rosacea and gave me

topical

> Azelex/Novacet and oral Bactrim. She also recommended that I get

C02

> laser for my red, bumpy and slightly swollen nose, but she wanted

to

> try the topicals and oral meds first. The Azelex/Novacet and

Bactrim

> seemed to tone down the redness and decrease the bumps. I saw her

> again in six weeks and she told me she was pleased that my acne was

> clearing up. I asked her what she thought of the rosacea and then

> told me I didn't have rosacea. I was a bit confused and asked her

> about what she said the appointment before, but she said I had

acne

> and looked at me like I was from outer space for mentioning

rosacea.

> She seemed very rushed and I don't think she read the notes from

the

> prior appointment. She at least cleared up my face without

> irritating it and I was set to see her again, but she moved her

> practice across town and left UCSF.

>

I like the style of the above dermatologist. First combining an oral

sulfonamide (bacrim) with a topical sufonamide (na sulfacetamide)

gets some points from me! And then using azelex once a day only is

great. I find that if I use azelex twice a day at the outset,

irritation is to follow. For those who want to use azelex twice a

day, at least use it hs for 2wk before thinking about doing bid. Or

else just use once a day only.

Another note. cea should be heard and not seen... Think about

this. Once rosacea is not seen anymore, the flush is gone due to

great treatment, the papules are gone, etc., the only way to tell if

someone has it is if they relate it to you by history. Your

treatment was excellent and worked so it looked like you did not have

rosacea.

> I decided to try someone else at UCSF. I went to see a derm who was

a

> full professor at UCSF and had published in a lot of medical

> journals. He was not on the NRS list. He diagnosed me with

rosacea.

> I was a bit pink with some bumps, but not bright red. I had stopped

> the Bactrim a few months before and was using Novacet as a topical.

I

> had to stop the Azelex since it turned me red after about four

months

> of use. When I asked him about acne, he said I didn't have

comedones

> so I didn't have acne. I had the typical rosacea bumps. When I see

> him, he always remembers that I have rosacea, or at least he reads

> the notes he made on me from previous visits. He also takes a close

> look at my skin. He is an exceptionally bright doctor and

> professional.

>

> I went to four different doctors in the space of 18 months and had

> different diagnoses for the same problem. It was really

frustrating.

>

Once again, my hat's off to you and/or your insurance for being able

to afford non network/non HMO dermatologists... If only the common

man could afford to do this, then we'd be in utopia... Or, Canada

[Guest guest]

> Then, I tried someone who was a clinical instructor at the

University

> of California at San Francisco(UCSF) and practiced at their campus.

> She was not the NRS list. She said I had rosacea and gave me

topical

> Azelex/Novacet and oral Bactrim. She also recommended that I get

C02

> laser for my red, bumpy and slightly swollen nose, but she wanted

to

> try the topicals and oral meds first. The Azelex/Novacet and

Bactrim

> seemed to tone down the redness and decrease the bumps. I saw her

> again in six weeks and she told me she was pleased that my acne was

> clearing up. I asked her what she thought of the rosacea and then

> told me I didn't have rosacea. I was a bit confused and asked her

> about what she said the appointment before, but she said I had

acne

> and looked at me like I was from outer space for mentioning

rosacea.

> She seemed very rushed and I don't think she read the notes from

the

> prior appointment. She at least cleared up my face without

> irritating it and I was set to see her again, but she moved her

> practice across town and left UCSF.

>

I like the style of the above dermatologist. First combining an oral

sulfonamide (bacrim) with a topical sufonamide (na sulfacetamide)

gets some points from me! And then using azelex once a day only is

great. I find that if I use azelex twice a day at the outset,

irritation is to follow. For those who want to use azelex twice a

day, at least use it hs for 2wk before thinking about doing bid. Or

else just use once a day only.

Another note. cea should be heard and not seen... Think about

this. Once rosacea is not seen anymore, the flush is gone due to

great treatment, the papules are gone, etc., the only way to tell if

someone has it is if they relate it to you by history. Your

treatment was excellent and worked so it looked like you did not have

rosacea.

> I decided to try someone else at UCSF. I went to see a derm who was

a

> full professor at UCSF and had published in a lot of medical

> journals. He was not on the NRS list. He diagnosed me with

rosacea.

> I was a bit pink with some bumps, but not bright red. I had stopped

> the Bactrim a few months before and was using Novacet as a topical.

I

> had to stop the Azelex since it turned me red after about four

months

> of use. When I asked him about acne, he said I didn't have

comedones

> so I didn't have acne. I had the typical rosacea bumps. When I see

> him, he always remembers that I have rosacea, or at least he reads

> the notes he made on me from previous visits. He also takes a close

> look at my skin. He is an exceptionally bright doctor and

> professional.

>

> I went to four different doctors in the space of 18 months and had

> different diagnoses for the same problem. It was really

frustrating.

>

Once again, my hat's off to you and/or your insurance for being able

to afford non network/non HMO dermatologists... If only the common

man could afford to do this, then we'd be in utopia... Or, Canada