u/Key_Substance_8524

I did everything right, low and slow, moisturize, SPF every day, gave it time. Everyone said give it time. I gave it eight months.

My face at month 8 looks basically the same as month 1 maybe marginally better, not the transformation i kept seeing on this sub.

Finally got my acne properly assessed actually understood what type of pimples I was dealing with specifically. The result explained everything. My specific acne type responds poorly to tret alone and needed a completely different treatment alongside it. Nobody had ever told me that and my derm certainly didn't mention it in our 4 minute appointment.

I'm not saying tret doesn't work. i'm saying knowing your specific acne type before committing to a course might save you 8 months of your face not responding and wondering what you're doing wrong.

Tried Preparation H, every store brand I could find, lidocaine creams nothing is actually fixing the problem. They help for a few hours then I'm back to square one. I've probably spent $100+ on OTC products at this point.

What's the best hemorrhoid cream people have actually found for chronic hemorrhoids? I'm not just looking for temporary relief anymore, I want something that heals. Prescription or OTC, completely open to anything at this point. How long did it take to see real results?

allodynia has made certain days of getting dressed something I dread and I don't talk about it

41f. Fibromyalgia for six years. The fatigue and pain are the things I've learned to talk about.

The thing I don't talk about: bad days and getting dressed.

On a flare day, a waistband is painful. Tags are painful. Certain slightly rough synthetics against skin are painful. Even a correctly fitted bra can be wrong by mid-morning. The clothes haven't changed. The body has.

I've adapted LIKE loose layers, soft fabrics, nothing significantly structured. I know what works when everything is angry. The problem is that I've let the bad-day wardrobe become every-day default, and I miss dressing with intention on the days when I actually could.

On good days and there are good days, I want to wear something that isn't a concession. But I'm afraid to commit to anything structured because a bad day can turn a good outfit into a source of real discomfort by mid-morning.

Anyone found a middle ground? Things that look intentional but can actually be worn through a flare if one arrives?

genuinely so frustrated with this somehow every women's supplement I look at is just iron, vitamin D, folate, maybe some evening primrose if they're feeling fancy and then they slap "for women" on the label and charge you double.

nobody seems to account for the fact that our bodies are doing completely different things at different points in the month. Our nutritional needs in week one are not the same as week three. why is every supplement acting like we're just smaller men who need a bit of iron

has anyone actually found something that feels like it was designed for how women actually work because i'm losing faith

There's no gradual decline for me. One day i'm okay, next day i wake up and everything feels different. heavier. like the volume on everything gets turned up and i can't handle things i was completely fine with 48 hours ago.

been trying to figure out what actually helps because riding it out every month is exhausting. started paying more attention to what i'm eating and taking during that window specifically rather than just doing the same thing all month and honestly it's made more of a difference than i expected. still not perfect but that week feels less like it completely takes me out

what are you actually doing to get through it because i need real practical answers not just "track your cycle" lol