|
[ Perleche & Perioral Dermatitis Archive ] [ Main Archives Page ] [ Glossary/Index ] [ FAQ ] [ Recommended Books ] [ Bulletin Board ] |
Search this site! | |
Dear Dr Stoll,
About 3 1/2 months ago, the corners of my mouth
started to feel very dry and itchy, and soon began to
"crackle", making it difficult to eat and open my mouth
generally. The pharmacist I saw (in France) told me that
it was "perleche" and that it is a vitamin B6 deficiency,
treatable with a vitamin B6 supplements and an antifongus
cream. After following her treatment for about 3 weeks,
things started to get better, but never really disappeared.
In the meantime, I became pregnant ( I am now in my second
month) and am therefore already taking vitamin supplements
(including a vitamin B complex) with folic acid, as
recommended by my doctor. I did show him my "perleche"
condition about 2 weeks ago, but he said that it was due
to the pregnancy. I very much doubt it since it started
BEFORE the pregnancy.
This week the corners of my mouth are very sore and itchy,
and some skin begins to "peel off", but things do not get
better ! I still apply the antifongus cream I was given
(eventhough it is painful to apply !), but it does not
seem to work much !
Please advise me on what I could do to get rid of this
condition, without harming my baby of course !
Thank you very much in advance,
Katia M. "
In Reply to: perleche posted by Katia on October 31, 1999 at 16:41:05:
I'll be interested to see what Dr. Stoll says about this. In the meantime, can't resist telling you my experience. I had cracks, peeling, dryness, & sores in the corners of my mouth for over two years as a teenager. My mother took me to several doctors. They gave me various creams and pills. One had a resident in his office and after my mother and I recited my tale of woe he asked the resident what he thought. The resident said, "Sounds like a vitamin B deficiency." The doctor was scornful and said, "With a well-nourished, middle class girl we don't suspect nutritional deficiency." The resident bowed and scraped and mea-culpaed and I continued to have my painful and embarrassing mouth. When I was 16 I read Adelle Davis, who described a condition exactly like mine and recommended eating brewers yeast to take care of the B vitamin deficiency that causes it. I started eating brewers yeast immediately. (Forgotten whether I ate one or two tablespoonsful per day.) In a couple of weeks the problem of 2 1/2 years duration disappeared completely. I've no idea which of the B vitamins cured the problem, or perhaps it was the combination of B vitamins in brewers yeast? Hope you can solve your problem, because I know how painful those trivial-sounding cracks in corner of mouth are.
In Reply to: perleche posted by Katia on October 31, 1999 at 16:41:05:
Hi, Katia.
It is hard to separate the B vitamins from each other and is a bad idea anyhow. A balamced B-100 formula is what I would be using for the perleche AND the pregnancy.
How sure are you of the perleche diagnosis? Why are you using the "anti-fungal cream"? Perleche has nothing to do with fungi. Perhaps you have a conbination cortisone and antifungal cream???? Look at your package insert.
When docs are not willing to take a good history they have no idea how silly they look by pontificating nonsense.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: perleche posted by Ann B on October 31, 1999 at 22:59:48:
Thanks, Ann.
Isn't it interesting how "delusions of omniscience" dulls the brain? What could the doc have to lose by recommending you try the vitamin B--except that he would have to admit that the resident knew more than the he did? This approach would be VERY inexpensive, no risk and within a few weeks he could have proven the resident wrong.
Apparently the risk to HIS ego was more important than ahything that might help YOU.
The reason I am so incensed about this is that this is what is going on all over the country right now as the allopathic monopoly tries, desperately, to hold onto their financial power base.
Today, if the resident stood by his correct diagnosis, he would be liable for removal of his license for quackery---especially if the patient used the remedy and it worked.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: perleche and pregnancy? posted by Walt Stoll on November 01, 1999 at 09:59:52:
Thank you for your prompt answer.
I am not sure of the perleche diagnosis at all. A pharmacist looked at my mouth in France a few months ago now and declared that it was perleche (which I had never heard of before nor since, until finding your site)
I will stop using the anti fungal cream, especially if it should contain cortisone, which sounds quite scary to me, especially in my condition..
I will also go back to the doctor and ask him to look at the question seriously or direct me to a dermatalogist..
If only health care in this country (UK) was faster and less unpractical, I would know where to find a dermatologist straight away AND would be allowed to go without being "referred" to one ! (I am French by the way and have only lived in England for 4 years)
Anyway, thanks very much for the advice, your site is fantastic,
Katia M.
In Reply to: Re: perleche and pregnancy? posted by Katia M. on November 02, 1999 at 16:43:11:
My thought on the fungus is that once the cracks are there perhaps fungus would come as a secondary condition. I know that in my years of having the problem I was given anti-fungus cream more than once and it often seemed to help a little bit, so I suspect it was clearing the secondary condition (fungus) but not touching the underlying problem (the B vitamin deficiency or imbalance).
In Reply to: Re: perleche and pregnancy? posted by Ann B on November 03, 1999 at 00:14:15:
Hi, Ann.
One has to be very careful about what docs prescribe for dermatological conditions. Since the advent of topical cortisone, many docs stopped thinking about diagnosing them. They just order a combination product that covers 95% of any diagnoses and make money hand over fist without thinking.
When a dermatological prescription helps a little or only temporarily, one can bet that they have been given such a product and that the "shotgun approach" contains cortisone which temporarily suppresses the symptoms of whatever is causing the inflammation.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: perleche and pregnancy? (Shotgun creams.) posted by Walt Stoll on November 04, 1999 at 08:24:31:
Hi Dr Stoll
I have stopped the cream now and I have to say that things have rather got better instead of worse ! (It might only be temporary relief but at least I realised that the cream did not help much) I put normal lip balm sometimes as my lips are very dry anyway (even when they don't crack up in the corners) and that seems to help, eventhough I am very careful about not becoming dependant of any cream or balm.
I am very worried though about this LGS thing... Do you think my "perleche" is related or due to this ? (I read your notes about this but I am still not sure what to do if I really have it ? Is there a cure, or do you have it for life ? Where does it come from and why does it appear so suddenly ? Is it due to stress ?
By the way, I also was diagnosed a few years ago now with "Factor-V-Leiden", which does not help to reduce my stress level (I am worried that I might soon be prescribed blood thinning agents/ anti-coagulants to "help" me through my pregnancy)
Thanks for providing such very useful and clear informations!
Katia
In Reply to: Re: perleche and pregnancy? posted by Ann B on November 03, 1999 at 00:14:15:
Hi Ann
Thanks for that. I have indeed stopped the cream now since it was not helping much anyway ! As you say, I am not even sure whether I had/have fungus or not, or whether it was supposed to cure perleche or prevent fungus instead !
The problem with the vitamins is that I can't really take more than what I am already taking at the moment, and I would rather live with perleche than harm my baby in any way !
Katia
In Reply to: Re: perleche and pregnancy? (Shotgun creams.) posted by Katia on November 05, 1999 at 13:40:24:
Hi, Katia.
Your questions lead me to think you have not yet found the archives.
Take a few hours to learn from what is on the archive link I have prepared for you below. You can also get information from the homepage and the glossary.
THEN, if you still have questions, write again.
Walt
|
[ Perleche & Perioral Dermatitis Archive ] [ Main Archives Page ] [ Glossary/Index ] [ FAQ ] [ Recommended Books ] [ Bulletin Board ] |
Search this site! | |