Month 33 - TSW Update

33 months deep. Not healed yet. The fight still goes on. Blah, blah, blah...

However, with all that being said my quality of life has returned, folks.

Firstly, feel like I should mention that I hope my duration of withdrawal hasn't discouraged or put you off in anyway. Remember we are all different. Some of us have been blessed with a stronger immune system, some of us have "used" longer than others, we've all slathered on to our skin all kinds of  different strengths of the steroid creams too. Some of us have even ingested oral steroids to add to our nightmare.

Words can often be cheap on the Internet. I guess what I am trying to get at is; KEEP on fighting!. Keep on going!. I know the darkness can swallow you up with this beast. But you have to keep heading towards the light. The light is happiness and a return to your birthright of a strong, happy and healthy YOU!.

Back to myself (like I mentioned above) I'm not quite there yet. It saddens me that I have to inform you that I took the plunge with starting immunosuppressants, Cyclosporine (Started the course on the 8th of November for the record). I'm well aware that a lot of you are against this option. However, trust me. For the sake of my quality of life, I had no other option. Have I messed up my healing time?. Truth be told?, I can't answer that (yet). All I know is that the imunno's are keeping my flares at bay and seem to be aiding with my recovery.

My plan is to stay on the meds for a good three or four months then discontinue. Hopefully my flares are much more manageable by then, until I reach the end that is. As we all know by now this TSW game is so random and weird.

Recorded a short video update. Had some near perfect skin days recently. As I said, I'm still not there. But, for sure I'm in a happier place, both mentally and physically.

All the best out there.

Good luck for 17'

Gary

Month 31

Hi,

Been a while. I hope you're well out there.

Thought I'd give you an update of my current situation with the withdrawal process.

Short summary; could be better.

However, the fight WILL and MUST go on.

Thanks for viewing. Good luck out there.

All the best!,

Gary

Quick update... BIG news!

Just literally within the last few days I've noticed a lot of healing occurring my fellow friends of this TSW nightmare. Wanted to give a quick update just to share the good news.

Not bragging or being disrespectful to anyone out there as I know how it feels when you're down in the darkness/pits of TSW hell & you see people getting better, etc, does that make sense?.

Feeling quite emotional as for sure, I'm entering a break, if not getting closer to being fully over this horrible, horrible nightmare.

Only time will tell I guess. To be honest I'm a bit anxious as I've felt this way previously. Last year before the Winter kicked in, here in Scotland I thought that I was on my way out only to hit a brick wall by flaring again, BIG time...

Fingers & toes crossed that I'm getting there now!.

I hope you find some peace with your skin today. 

Cheers!
 

27 Months update

Hello to you,

Today (June the 3rd) Marks 27 months now completed with my withdrawal. Not 100% healed by any means. Slowly but surely I feel like I'm getting there, but with all things that is the random condition called Topical Steroid Withdrawal, who really knows where or what part of the withdrawal process that I am at?.

To be completely honest I never imagined that TSW would take this much time to get too where I belong. Truth be told I thought that I'd be a normal human being at the one year mark of the withdrawal phase... Not the case my friends!.

It's amazing how well we people can adapt to change if forced too. My life has been on hold (like yours) for all this time with a few days of "normality" being thrown in there for good measure.

I go further into madness, I mean detail with the video(s) below. Two videos for the price of one this month. My device ran out of memory as I was recording the update. Couldn't be arsed making a new, complete video so two parts it is I'm afraid folks.

     

  
 

Thanks again as always for viewing the blog, really appreciate it.

Take care out there!

26 Months Update

26 Months and seven days are now behind me folks.

Earlier today I Recorded a quick video update whilst I was out for a walk around a country park here in the very warm and sunny Scotland.

Energy levels and mood have been improving massively over the last 9 or 10 days. Here's hoping the skin follows suit.

Will keep you posted if this is indeed the case!.

As always I wish and hope you're having a good skin day. If not, I hope you get some relief soon.

Take it easy and thanks for stopping by.

Gary

Two Years and Five Days Destroyed Now

So I passed the two years milestone on the third of the month just there. To celebrate I've made some whacky videos showing my undying love for a special someone, a special someone who has been there for me during this awful withdrawal process. Here's to you my love.

 

 

Anything to keep you going and keep the darkness at bay I suppose?. That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!. Flakes and dead skin be gone. You shall not pass!.

Thanks for popping on by. Take it easy out there.

All the best!

Gary

Video update - Just shy of two years from TSW

Hi folks,

Recorded a short video the other day with my recent progress on the spur of the moment whilst out going for a walk around a nature trail, near by my home. My skin has been getting better and better with my face being the clearest it has been in roughly four months compared to now. You can see how much my face has improved from my second last post from the blog. Just scroll down, what a difference!.

It's still cold and Winter time here, in Scotland. But, the sun was shining along with my mood so hence why I decided to make the video.

I can't quite believe the timing of my healing. I have a trip booked in Amsterdam tomorrow for my birthday which is on the Wednesday, the second of March. I'm still pinching myself as my mind has been blown. Honestly, it's just within the last few days that my face has cleared up. This is the best present that I could've asked for for my birthday.

Fingers and toes crossed that I continue to see progress with my skin. Dare I say I might be on the road to full recovery?. Who knows?. I could just be entering another break period, which is always welcome in this here parts too!.

Seriously though, I'm not naive enough to think that I could be free from the pain and madness that comes with this burden. As I am sure like most of you know by now, Topical Steroid Withdrawal is so random and diverse with regards to the progress being made with the old healing factor.

As always I appreciate you stopping by. Here's hoping we've not got long left to go now.


Will keep you posted!. 


Take care,


Gary

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwmoGBhS3Q4&feature=youtu.be

Hello Darkness, My Old Friend...

Well, I am nuts deep into the dreaded anniversary flare folks.

After having a break for a few month during the Summer the Winter months have put me right back in it again. Even though I was still flaring during my "break" period, my skin has taken a wrong turn down south since the start of November.

I've been holding off to post lately in hope for some good news to share with you. Sadly, that isn't the case.

All the original symptoms have returned. Even the horrible insomnia. Positively and strangely, I have enough energy to get me through the working day which is huge for me. I've only ever had a few days off from work during my entire time with withdrawal.

Is it a severe as my first "big" flare?. I dunno yet to be honest. My skin is getting worse by the day so I might not have peaked to that level. Judging by my previous updates from my blog my skin should be getting better by March/April time.

Got a trip booked in Amsterdam for my birthday at the start of March so fingers crossed my skin drops back into a more calmer period.

The anniversary flare is tougher to deal with mentally as you think you're on your way out then BOOM!, back to square one. Just have to keep pushing on I suppose and keep Kicking TSW's ass like a savage!.

Last good skin day. October 31st, Halloween,. My Sister & I.
I Dressed up as Charlie Brown from "Peanuts" for attending a Halloween party.

Looks like a penis, no? :)

All of the above photos are from November. The temperature outside here in Scotland started to drop as we entered Winter time...


Below are some images from December with the temperature dropping even more. You can see my skin getting worse with time.

The images below are from the other day (in January now).

As always, it's time that will heal us from this beast.


Gary