The red "flushing" has been greatly reduced thanks to a change in my birth control pill. I can't believe that whole time, not one of my doctors ever thought it could be hormonal -- I had to rule out many other things (including one dermatologist telling me it was rosacea, and another telling me it was related to my allergies and hives) before it occurred to ME that the hormone pill could be the source of the issue. But if you are reading this blog, frustration with the medical community is likely to be a familiar feeling and your head is nodding.
So the flushing/blotching was definitely due to the way the hormone was released from the pill, and here's how I know this:
- I was on a low-dose birth control pill for 10 months and had the flushing the whole time, pretty much daily to varying degrees, except on days during my "breaks" from the pill, the placebo days.
- When I changed to a new B.C. pill after seeing my gyne about this, the first month on the new pill was significantly reduced in the flushing/blotching.
- The second month, the pharmacy substituted a different generic -- same exact hormones, but must have a different way of releasing or being absorbed by the body, because starting week 2 on this pill, my rashing and flushing was worse than EVER before!
- By week 3 of that second month, I went to the pharmacy and they put me back on the other pill I had the previous month and explained to me that it could be an issue with the absorption.
- No more rashing/flushing/blotching since then.
This illustrates beautifully how differently a person can react to even the slightest changes in medications. I don't know if I am particularly "med sensitive" or not, but it certainly reminds me that I am my own best advocate and detective!
As we enter into early June, I just keeping hoping I remain hives free.
