Re: The hypochondriacs are feeding off each other

January 24, 2002

,

I didn't find your post offensive, and it did make me

laugh. But I think you were missing my point. MY

personal case of rosacea (signed, sealed, and

diagnosed by my derm) appeared as a result of a food

allergy. Once I got the allergy under control (which

has a fixed and measurable response that I was

outlining to someone who asked...), my skin improved

to the point of 95% perfect.

I do think rosacea is a recognized thing, although no

one seems to agree on what that thing is, especially

not derms.

I am absolutely convinced many, many people on this

site have allergies and have been misdiagnosed -- as I

was.

Many of them email me directly and describe symptoms

ranging from mild allergies to severe allergic

reactions. Some of them tell me things they don't post

here -- strange diets, letting their pets sleep in

their beds, etc. that could certainly cause an

allergic response that would reflect on their faces.

Please don't treat people who are willing to take

alternative routes to healing seriously -- like

dietary controls. It really doesn't seem that silly in

the face of accutane, a lifetime of antibiotics, and

letting people laser our faces for hundreds of

dollars!

Believe me, after years of great health, I though I

must be crazy when all of these weird symptoms showed

up at once. After being prescribed 5 drugs in a month,

imagine how relieved I was to realize that all I had

to do was change what I ate...

(Now I'll get 20 emails from people wanting to know

WHAT five drugs, if they worked, and if I know where

to buy them on the internet without a prescription!

)

Suzi

__________________________________________________

January 25, 2002

,

The first time I tried to respond to your letter, my post didn't go through.

I guess i can see why. However, I still really strongly feel the need to

respond to what you had to say. I found your post to be derogatory and

offensive. If I had been the person complaining about a runny nose, or weak

limbs, after reading what you had to say, I'd be afraid to post again for

quite some time. I feel that posts like that one bring down the

effectiveness of the support group as a whole.

That being said, I also feel like you were being quite close-minded. Is

anyone who complains of having a runny nose a hypochondriac? If so, I guess

the common cold is simply a myth. It is true that Seborrheic Dermatitis on

your cheek or lip probably isn't going to cause your nose to run, or your

eyes to water, or your left leg to feel weak. Its quite absurd for you

however to say that therefore anyone who has one of those complaints is

imagining it. For example, someone logs on here after being told by a

dermatologist that the rash on their lip is Seborrheic dermatitis. they

notice that their rash gets worse after eating certain foods, and is

accompanied by a runny nose.. Chances are they have a food allergy, and may

not have seborrheic dermatitis at all.

In the future I really hope that you think a little more about what it is

you have to say, as well as the language in which you say it before posting

a message to the group.

Adam

January 25, 2002