# My gut issues are causing severe acne and I need help fixing it?



## Stardock (Nov 8, 2012)

So I've always had acne since I was a teenager. I first started getting cystic acne when I turned 16. I continued to get cystic acne even after turning 18 so I went to see a doctor and I got prescribed 200mg minocycline for 6 months to control my acne. After stopping Minocycline, I didn't get that much cystic acne from the age of 19 - 21 even when I was eating unhealthy and rarely washing my face.

But when I turned 21, I've developed IBS-C, Gastritis, Acid Reflux, Impacted colon, Redundant colon, Unusually long and floppy colon, Slow colonic transit and Rectal prolapse.

This is what happened to me when I turned 21 in 2012:

*End of February*:
- Food poisoning from sushi. I bought a takeaway sushi(Salmon roe) that was for sale since the restaurant was about to close. Two hours later, I started feeling queasy in the stomach and then threw up.

*Mid March*:
- had an accident at work and caused many damages. I was in extreme stress and anxiety for 30 minutes. I was tensing my stomach really hard in response to the stress.

*Before 10th of May*:
- drank between 30 ml - 70 ml of 8 month old bottle of unrefrigerated, previously opened red wine that was stored sideways in a hot room and the liquid was touching the aluminium lid. I realised that the red wine tasted sour like a vinegar and within 5 minutes of drinking it, I started getting intense burning upper abdominal pain which lasted for 10 minutes.

*10th of May*:
- I started getting abdominal pain after eating baked beans with eggs so I went to the doctor saying that I think I have IBS after telling him that I'm experiencing abdominal pain after eating and constipation and I got prescribed antispasmodic medication(Buscopan Forte) for 3 weeks.
- The medication only temporary treated my abdominal pain during the day and the pain came back as soon as the medication weaned off. While on the medication, I started straining a lot in the toilet in a squatting position due to constipation. And while straining, I felt my lower abdomen physically drop down and at the same time 3 cm of my rectum popped out. It wouldn't go back in so I had to push it back in using my finger. This was when I've developed rectal prolapse.

*13th of May*:
- After developing rectal prolpapse, all of my symptoms worsened significantly. I started getting severe constipation, tenesmus, mucous discharge and abdominal pain whenever I ate food. I went back to the doctor and I was told to get 3 days worth of stool samples to test for parasites.

*9th of June*:
- I drank a sip of carbonated drink which caused my lower abdomen to suddenly become bloated like a balloon for 5 minutes. It was extremely painful that I thought my colon was going to explode. But after 5 minutes, the gas escaped somewhere and the inflation subsided. But I'm afraid my lower abdomen might have been damaged from this incident. This could be the cause of my floppy, thin redundant colon.

*10th of June*:
- The result for the stool sample to test for parasites in stool came back negative. So I had X-ray of my abdomen.

*24th of June*:
- The X-ray showed that I had impacted colon and I was put on stimulant laxatives(5mg Bisalax).

*Until 22nd of August*:
- I continued to get constipation without stimulant laxatives and abdominal pain after eating. For the next 2 months, no matter how many times I went to the doctor for my abdominal pain after eating, they continued to just prescribe me stimulant laxatives.

This is how much stimulant laxatives I've taken overall:

Bisalax 5MG (Took a total of 52 tablets):
- 42 tablets within 3 weeks(2 tablets every night) when I was first prescribed
- 10 tablets(1 - 2 tablets at night) occasionally when I became incompetent.

Coloxyl and Sena 8mg Senoside (Took a total of 40 tablets):
- 30 tablets in 2 1/2 weeks(2 tablets every morning and night)
- 10 tablets(2 - 4 tablets a day) used occasionally after been prescribed a second bottle.

*22nd of August*:
- Got fed up with doctors from the first hospital not doing anything about my abdominal pain after eating so I went to a different hospital. With the new doctor from the different hospital, I was put on Nexium(PPI) for 8 weeks and Psyllium husk. The PPI finally cured the upper abdominal pain that I've been having shortly after eating solid foods like biscuits. The doctor suspected that I had Gastritis because I was tested negative for Peptic Ulcer via blood test(although it's possible that it was healed by then) and Urea test(breath test) came back negative. I continued to get no bowel movements for up to 3 days or more even with psyllium husk so I had to rely on stimulant laxatives or coffee to get bowel movements. After the second X-ray with the new doctor, it showed that I was starting to get constipation again. When I asked the doctor why, he said that my colon had simply stopped working for some reason.

*24th of October*:
- Had a Colonoscopy.

*November*:
- Diagnosed with IBS-C, Redundant colon and Slow Colonic Transit after Colonoscopy. The Gastroenterologist told me that my colon was abnormally long and thin/floppy for my age. He initially thought I had Sigmoid Vulvulus because during the Colonoscopy, my colon had flopped to one side which made it look like it was twisted. So he made me get an CT Scan to see if I truely have Sigmoid Vuvulus. He said my colon was similar to that of an elderlies.
- White powder came out of the bottle lid from the Ethical Nutrients IBS Support Probiotic and it was covering the capsules. I didn't realise there was a white powder until I swallowed the capsule with it and gave me an agonising stomach pain[1][2].

*May 2013*:
- had CT Scan which showed no structural problem other than the redundant colon.
- had defecography which showed no structrual problem with my abodomen other than the rectal prolapse.
- had surgery for rectal prolapse which cured constipation, tenesmus and mucous discharge.

*2015 Present symptoms*:
- Tenesmus, mucous discharge and difficulty defecating had been cured after Rectal prolapse surgery.
- Post rectal surgery: I often get sharp rectal pain after an intense exercise.
- Post rectal surgery: Whenever I get anxious or stressed, I often feel an uncomfortable tension in my rectum. This is affecting me a lot because I need to have some stress and anxiety in my life. I could ask my surgeon if there's anything he could do but I'm pessimistic about it.
- I often become bloated after eating foods like onions, dairy, excessive spices etc.
- I don't get constipation anymore, but I often get a Pellet stool(small, hard and round) if I don't eat enough fibre. I have to eat a lot more fibre than a normal person to get a consistent soft stool. This is probably due to either my slow transit or redundant colon.
- I rarely burp/belch now even after eating a big meal which could be a sign that there's a problem with my stomach valves.
- I often get Acid reflux after eating a big meal and while exercising.
- Gluten-free oats with organic rice milk and honey often makes me lethargic and slightly irritable. But I can't stop eating them since it's a good source of energy and it's the only main source of carb that I can eat since I've given up eating wholegrain bread.

Looking back, I think the cause of my Gastritis and IBS was from either:
- Food poisoning from takeaway sushi which caused me to vomit 3 months prior to getting IBS symptoms
- Very stressful accident at work which made me tense my stomach really hard for 30 minutes a month prior to getting IBS symproms
- Drinking 8 months old, previously opened, unrefrigerated red wine that was stored sideways in a hot room and the liquid was touching the aluminium lid. Realising that the red wine tasted like vinegar and within 5 minutes after drinking 30 - 100ml, giving me an intense burning upper abdominal pain for 10 minutes a week prior to getting IBS symptoms

And I think my floppy, thin redundant colon was caused from impacted colon/chronic constipation, drinking old red wine, painful gas inflation or when I developed rectal prolapse while straining in the toilet and resulting in feeling my lower abdomen dropping down.

After developing gut problems, I became concerned about my general health. So I've been tested for thyroid disorder, diabetes, celiac diease, nutrient levels and liver enzymes. Everything was normal except for my ALT levels which were slightly high which I think was due to me drinking too much coffee and feeling nauseous few months prior. Although I seem to have no illnesses, there's a possiblity that I might have prediabetes/hypoglycemia because I often feel light-headed/dizzy after eating sugary drinks/foods.

Although I've already had a Colonoscopy, I haven't had an Endoscopy yet. So I don't know if there's any problems with my stomach or my upper G.I. tract. I could get an Endoscopy to see if there's anything wrong with my stomach and what could be causing my Acid reflux. Is it worth having an Endoscopy? Again, I'm pessimistic about having tests like Endoscopy, because even if they find out that I have damaged stomach vavles, there's not much they're going to do about it.

One of the main reason why I want to fix my gut health is because my acne has gotten worse significantly ever since I've developed these intestinal conditions.

I've already been the dermatologist and I got prescribed 20mg Accutane for 6 months. But I had to stop taking it after 5 days due to not been able to cope with the severe side effects which were depression, mental fog and fatigue. So I'm now on 100mg Doxycycline which seems to be working. However, I don't want to rely on it Antibiotics forever(especially since I already have less optimal gut) and it's not tackling the root cause of my acne which is my gut issues.

If anyone has recommendations for things I should do/take to heal my gut such as supplements, probiotics, foods to eat/avoid, medicines, surgery, medical tests etc. I'd greatly appreciate it.
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Reckless things that I did in the past which I regret and might have caused my health problems: http://goo.gl/FkS4kZ
Colonoscopy, CT Scan report and Biopsy: http://goo.gl/prKZnF
My skin now after developing G.I. issues(it can get a lot worse than this): http://goo.gl/Ubgpz7
My skin 3 years ago before I had G.I. issues: http://goo.gl/6gfgTb
Blood test results for thyroid disease, nutrient deficiency, diabetes, celiac disease, liver enzymes etc:


http://imgur.com/all


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## Stardock (Nov 8, 2012)

Also, this is what I've been doing to fix my gut.

Possible cause/aggravation of acne:
Low stomach acid > Indigestion > Intestinal bacteria overgrowth > Leaky gut/Intestinal Permeability > Systemic Inflammation?
Elongated, Floppy, Thin colon > Leaky gut/Intestinal Permeability > Systemic Inflammation?
Slow Transit Colon > Leaky gut/Intestinal Permeability > Systemic Inflammation?
Hiatus hernia > Acid reflux > Systemic Inflammation?
IBS > Systemic Inflammation? 
Food Sensitivity/Intolerance > Systemic Inflammation?
Thyroid/Other autoimmune disorder > Systemic Inflammation?
Insulin resistance > Systemic Inflammation?
Diverticulosis > Systemic Inflammation?

Things to try:
Get sufficient levels of essential nutrients for skin everyday(Vitamin A, C, D, E, Zinc, Omega-3) from food or supplement
Eat anti-inflammatory vegetables to reduce Systemic inflammation
Drink high quality Green tea to reduce Systemic inflammation - I drink Japanse sencha(Kagoshima Sencha Yutaka Midori) from o-cha.com
Reduce Caffeine intake from coffee
Eat low Glycemic Index Diet to reduce Systemic inflammation
Eat low Carb Diet to reduce Systemic inflammation - I don't think I can go low carb since I need energy from carbs to function.
Drink filtered water instead of hard water/tap water - I'm drinking Pureau Pure water
Take high strength Probiotics - I'm taking VSL#3 
Avoid Wheat, Grain and Gluten containing food - I don't eat wholegrain bread anymore but I need to stop eating oats.
Avoid nightshade vegetables to heal Leaky gut - I'm still researching if that's necessary because I like eating nightshades and I don't have any issues digesting them.
L.Glutamine to heal Leaky gut - I'm too scared to take it so I'll consider it later when I know the mechanism of the chemical.
Bone Broth to heal Leaky gut
Betaine HCI/Apple Cider Vinegar to treat possible low stomach acid - I'm too scared to take it so I'll consider it later when I know the mechanism of the chemical.
Digestive Enzymes - I've tried it and it helped with the digestion but I can already digest food without it
Food sensitivity/intolerance test

After looking up food sensitivity test, it seems like they're not medically proven and expensive but I'll see if I can have it done anyway.

I feel like the most likely cause of my aggravated acne is due my leaky gut. After the colonoscopy, I was diagnosed with elongated colon with slow colonic transit. The gastroenterologist told me that my colon was unusually thin and floppy for my age and it was like that of an elderies. It was so floppy that my colon had flipped to one side during a colonoscopy which mistaked my gastroenterologist to think that I had sigmoid vulvulus. I believe that this thin, floppy colon is what's causing my leaky gut and aggravating my acne. I asked him if I could remove part of my colon that's elongated but he said that's not possible. I know I still have Slow Transit because I often get a Pellet stool(small, hard and round stools) whenever I don't eat enough fibre.

Here's what I've been eating, drinking and supplementing. I'm still tweaking my diet to make sure it's healthy and nutritious as possible and easy on my digestive system.

For a typical meal, I eat steamed vegetables with Protein and Complex carbs.

Vegetables: Steamed Red Capsicum, Carrots, Tomato, Broccoli, Asparagus and Kale.

Protein: Pan Fried Chicken breast, Beef, Lamb, Pork, boiled Free range Eggs, Salmon(three times a week).

Complex carbs/Resistant Starch:
- Brown rice or Sweet Potato.
- I'm trying to avoid eating oats becaues they often make me lethargic and irritable. But I always end up eating gluten-free oats with organic rice milk and honey at least once a day because it's the best source of energy for me and I have trouble sleeping at night without eating oats.

Supplements: 100mg Doxycycline in the morning(for my acne), Probiotic(VSL#3) at night, 1250mg Viva Labs Krill oil and 1000UI Vitamin D3 with a meal

Caffeine:
Dark roast Coffee - I know coffee is bad for acne and the gut but it's one thing I just can't live without. 
High quality Japanese Sencha(Kagoshima Sencha Yutaka Midori) from o-cha.com - I heard that ECGC may help reduce acne.

Foods I negatively react to:
Onions(even when cooked) - causes bloating
Cow's milk and dairy - hard on my stomach and digestion
Sugary sweets/drinks - causes dizziness/light-headedness and bloody stool
Yogurt - gave me bloody stools a couple of times
Mayonnaise - uneasiness in stomach
Beans and Lentils - doesn't sit in my stomach very well

I have been eating like this for almost 2 months. For the past 3 weeks, I barely have gotten cystic acne even after going to the gym which usually breaks me out with cysts the next day. I think it's because I've been eating vegetables a lot more frequently. Out of all the vegetables, I think mainly cruciferous vegetables like Kale and Broccoli is helping the most. I'm not entirely sure if my acne can be completely under control through diet alone yet since I'm still occasionally taking Doxycycline and applying 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide on my face every night. I don't think I can eat any healthier than this since I've researched all of the healthiest vegetables and as far as I know, there's nothing I can do to improve my diet any further.

These are the websites that I've been using as a reference to eating healthier:

http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php
http://nutritiondata.self.com/
http://www.healthaliciousness.com/
http://vegetablesfruitsgrains.com/
My reduction in acne from high intake of vegetables further suggests that my acne is been caused from the chronic systemic inflammation coming from by my gut since it's probably the anti-inflammatory chemicals in the vegetables that's reducing my acne.

The only problem is that I'm not sure which part of my gut issues are causing the chronic systemic inflammation. It could be coming from my possible Leaky gut(since the gastroenterologist told me after the colonoscopy that my colon was unusually long, thin and floppy for my age and it was like that of an elderlies colon) or it could be coming from Pellet stool(small, hard and round stools) that I frequently get due to my slow colonic transit/redundant colon. It could also be coming from Acid reflux that I get after eating a big meal. I also have a feeling that a certain part of my colon doesn't have as much motility anymore due to it been damaged from severe constipation/painful gas inflation incident that I had in the past.

So although high intake of vegetables are helping me control my cystic acne, I'm only treating the symptom and not the cause. Unfortunately, I don't think it's possible to fix the cause since from what I understand, slow colonic transit, floppy and thin colon, redundant colon and damaged colon motility are all chronic conditions and cannot be cured through surgery or medicine.

Also, ever since I've developed these intestinal conditions, I feel like my IQ and EQ had dropped by 5 - 10 %. People say that your IQ doesn't change over your lifetime but I definitely feel a lot less smarter than I used to be before I had digestive problems. I now get tired more easily, I don't have as much energy as I used to have, I have less tolerance to stress and anxiety, I don't like socialising anymore etc. I'm guessing it's got something to do with disturbance in brain-gut connection as well as less optimal gut flora.


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## IBS is BS (Jul 2, 2012)

Hi Stardock,
That's a long post and a lot of decent information. I've skimmed it and will read it more thoroughly when i get the chance. I have a couple points/questions:

The doxy may be exacerbating other problems of your IBS despite its benefit to your skin. It may also not be exacerbating them in real-time. I.e. it may be setting you up for a future dysbiosis to a greater degree by killing off a large amount of bacteria in your gut. You may find a worsening of symptoms (even compared to prior to any doxy) once you discontinue it.

How long have you been taking VSL3 for? How's it going so far?


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## Stardock (Nov 8, 2012)

I've been taking VSL3 on and off for the past 2 months. I'm almost finished with the first box so I've ordered another one. I'm taking 2 sachets a day now because they've become less potent in just 2 months even though I had stored them in the fridge.

At first, I tried to buy VSL3 locally but none of the major pharmacies had it where I live. I asked the pharmacist if I could get it as a prescription from the doctor but they said that Probiotics are not considered drugs so doctors can't prescribe them to me. I could try to make an appointment with my gastroenterologist and see if he can prescribe me VSL3, but appointment costs are expensive and it takes at least 3 - 5 weeks to be able to see him.

So the only place where I could easily get VSL3 was from online: http://www.epharmacy.com.au/product.asp?id=49735 Last time I ordered from them, the ice pack was already melted when I received it.

I haven't noticed anything from taking VSL3 but I feel like it's doing my gut good so I'm going to continue taking it. Is VSL3 the most potent and effective Probiotic on the market for healing Leaky gut or are there better ones?


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## IBS is BS (Jul 2, 2012)

I'm not sure about 'leaky gut' but I've had success with a high strength probiotic. Browse around and you'll find my review on here.

Did you notice anything from taking Vitamin D3?


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## vanessa6801 (Apr 12, 2014)

I dont have any personal experience with acne, but ive read some good things on zinc for acne.

http://www.acne.org/zinc-reviews-200/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25157359

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/82356

I think its worth a try. (Dont take zinc in high doses for long periods as it can lead to toxicity). Good luck.


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## Stardock (Nov 8, 2012)

I've officially put my severe acne into permanent remission after juicing vegetables. I no longer have to rely on Doxycyline or Benzoyl Peroxide to control my cystic acne anymore. I can even sleep on my dirty pillow without worrying about getting acne the next morning. I can also go to the gym frequently now since I no longer get breakouts from the sweat. As long as I keep juicing few times a week, my skin seems to stay completely clear. In fact, juicing seems to be a superior treatment for my acne than Accutane, Antibiotics and Benzoyl Peroxide combined!

Why didn't any of my doctors or dermatologist tell me this if they're so called "expert" at treating acne, were they hiding this information so that they can put drugs down my throat? If I knew something as simple as juicing would cure my acne, I wouldn't even have agreed to take Accutane and risk damaging my brain and body... In fact, I feel like my cognition and personality has slightly changed and I don't feel the same anymore after taking Accutane. I deeply regret taking Accutane and I wish I hadn't.

I knew that the inflammations from my gut were the cause of my acne and I was right all along. This is the reason why I don't trust the doctors, their priority is to push drugs down our throat so that they get money in their pockets and they could are less about other safer alternatives even if it's just as effective.

Not only did Accutane cause severe depression and memory problems while I was on it, but I couldn't even remember a simple 4 digit number at work which is the reason why I had to stop taking it after 5 days. After I stopped Accutane, my doctor insisted that I should go back on it but I refused and I'm glad I did. The side effects from Accutane was a very traumatic experience for me and if I had the money, I'd sue Roche for ruining so many people's lives.


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## mr120 (Sep 1, 2013)

Congrats on finding a solution to a problem,

Has it had an affect on the gut problem?


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## Stardock (Nov 8, 2012)

Not effect on my gut, probably because most of my gut issues are chronic conditions like Acid reflux/GERD, Slow-colonic transit and redundant, floppy, thin colon.


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## il90 (Feb 20, 2015)

Hi Stardock,

could you possible tell me a little bit more? Like, which vegetables you use, if organic, how much daily? I juice too. I suspect that is how I'm keeping acne at bay but I can't really be completely certain (got off accutane a couple of months ago). If this is why you got rid off your acne then you know there was a nutritional deficiency involved. Have you considered which one? There are more people who have used vegetable juice to help acne, there is a whole thread on acne.org about it. However, it took people up to three months to be completely clear. I am surprised it only took your acne two weeks, some of my cysts can hang around forever!

Happy you found something that works that isn't Accutane or BP. Or any other chemical.


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