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Pemphigoid (itchy rash with big blisters)
I've had an itchy rash with big blisters, mostly on my feet, since 2014 when I had an allergic meltdown. I thought I was reacting to foods, pollen, etc. The rash comes and goes and seems to be getting worse. I've been avoiding vitamin A for 2 years and 4 months, but still have the rash. When you look it up Pemphigoid, it says it is an auto-immune condition that attacks the fibers that bind the top layers of the skin together and the treatment is steroids or steroid ointments, like Cortisone. I now also have Adrenal Insufficiency and am taking oral hydro-cortisone for that--I would die without it.
I think using a steroid cream for an extended time may have caused my Adrenals to stop making cortisol, which would be called Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency. Now I need to keep the steroids as low as possible in hopes that the adrenals will recover, if that is possible.
Does anyone know if excess vitamin A can cause this auto-immune condition? Or if the elimination of vitamin A will heal it? Has anyone here had this reaction to vitamin A?
Did you have the rash before you started taking the medication? Or did the rash happen after you started the medication? Have you had any prior rashes before this one and before medications? Sometimes it could be as simple as a food item even the kind of salt you use or oil? I heard of zinc ointments that might help rashes. I had a burning skin reaction to vitamin A ointment on my face a year and a half ago.
I never had a rash like this one before 2014. I used the steroid cream after it broke out to treat the insane itching. I went to several different dermatologists who all misdiagnosed it as an infection and gave me a lot of different antibiotics for about 6 months before finally doing a biopsy and finding that it was autoimmune. The antibiotics may have contributed to the problem.
Sorry to hear about your skin issues Judy. Medications always tend to make things worse down the line I’ve found - although life saving sometimes of course. Antibiotics messing up the gut biome will I doubt be helpful on the vA detox.
If bile is not getting out of the liver and into the GI tract properly it can exit via the skin as the liver has an ‘emergency exit’. Garrett Smith is doing some very interesting work in this area. I’ve also learnt a lot listening to Chris Shade. I don’t know if this could be an issue for you - but could offer an area to explore. As we know bile contains some very nasty stuff - especially when detoxing from vA - and we want it out of the body not recirculating.
Update on the rash: after I had the 2nd shot (Pfizer) the rash that had stayed on my feet or over 13 years spread all over. It is now on my torso, shoulders, arms, legs, forehead and neck. I still don't have a diagnosis: the dermatologist just gave me anti-fungal medication. I don't know for sure that the shot caused it, but I suspected that it might since it affects the immune system, and decided it was worth the risk. I'm doing some other things that may be helping to make it less severe, like taking resveratrol and PQQ. I will check out Chis Shade; thanks, Jenny.
Really sorry to hear about the spreading of your rash Judy.
This would be my take on it (not that my opinion is correct of course!). This is based on Garrett Smith’s recent work with other research/anecdotal evidence added. The vax damages the liver. It increases cholestasis. More toxicity exits into blood instead of gut. More toxicity tries to get out via skin. This sets up conditions for a skin problem.
My family member with CFS/ME is much worse since getting the vax. She clearly has toxicity issues. The vax made everything much worse. I think it damaged her liver further and increased cholestasis. Her increased cholestasis (more toxicity in blood) issue is migraines.
I would focus on liver health as the seat of this problem. Low stress, plenty of water, deep breathing, low toxicity lifestyle, low vA (of course), no alcohol, low sugar, only essential medication etc. Garrett Smith has changed the name of his programme to ‘love your liver’ and is focusing on liver health in general. It seems a very sensible idea but I’m not keen on name change!
I would stop ANY supplements until you are sure they are not causing further liver damage. Some supplements that seem to help in fact push the damage further into the liver and destroy health down the line. They may reduce toxicity getting into blood (and therefore symptoms) but they are not helping health. I would be extremely wary of any supplements.