Vitiligo Support Forum

My docs have never checked me for certain vitamin deficiencies. I have Hypo-thyroidism, but the blood tests they keep doing check my T-cell levels. Should I ask them to run more extensive tests?

Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the amount of thyroid hormone in the body is below normal. 

Thyroid hormones are produced by the thyroid gland located in the lower part of the neck. They are chemical messengers that help regulate growth and the rate of chemical reactions (metabolism) in the body.

Treatment is simple and effective but is usually lifelong.

Most cases of hypothyroidism are due to inadequate production of thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland, referred to as primary hypothyroidism.

Severe Iodine deficiency

Iodine is needed to make thyroid hormone. In some countries (such as India and South America) the soil content of iodine is poor and hypothyroidism is more common. It is rare in the Western World since the addition of iodine to table salt.

Thyroid gland function is controlled by the pituitary gland, a small gland at the base of the brain. It produces a hormone called Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) if the body's thyroid hormone levels are low. This TSH stimulates the thyroid gland to make more thyroid hormone. In rare cases hypothyroidism is a result of reduced TSH production by the pituitary gland, referred to as secondary hypothyroidism.

The diagnosis is confirmed by blood tests. Levels of thyroid hormone are low in patients with hypothyroidism but may be normal in early or mild cases and only become low as the disease progresses. TSH levels are always elevated in primary hypothyroidism. In secondary hypothyroidism thyroid hormone levels and TSH levels are low.

 The disease may coexist with diabetes and pernicious anemia (low vitamin B12).

I think it is a good idea for all of us to get the B12 levels checked. As there are many reports which suggest that B12 and Folic Acid supplements can reverse Vitiligo.

Some doctors even suggest to get the eyes checked up as vitiligo sometimes affect the eyes as well.

 

 

 

One thing I noticed since I started taking the vitamins that my sleep which used to get disturbed very often in the night, gets disturbed less often.

Can't tell for sure why..

 

Do you know that the Celery contains psoralens that increase the skin's natural reaction to sunlight and can be used as a natural  "remedy".

Celery juice would be a good idea as it will have more psoralens in it rather than having a small piece of celery.

 

hi all

i remember logging onto a website about a year ago, it was called emilys vitiligo. Icant find it now, i just tries. It was buitlt and run by emilys father, who discovered their daughter had vitiligo at about 5 i think. it was like a diary af all the things they were trying, it was great. Her father was sick of doctore telling him there is no cure and decided to search himself, and basically devoted his life to it. They changed their whole lofestyles, drinking fresh juice often, taking vitamins, becoming vegetarien etc. made very drastic changes. the lifestyle change worked, and emily was getting better, i would love to find the site again and get an update. Her father supplies all the info about what he was doing to cure her, and was not making money from it at all.

I remember reading it, but decided it was too hard for me to follow, as it was strict, and the whole family would have to change their ways if it was to work. But i think i was just being lazy and i should have given it a go i think. if anybody knows the website address, let me know, i will let u guys know if i come across it. Vitamins played a huge part in her recovery. Her father also had a discussion forum on the site, with other people trying his diet, and they all had some sort of improvement.

 

hi again,

I just found the site, just tyoe in 'emily vitiligo' in google and 'emily's vitiligo will appear in the index under geocities.  But make sure you have a few hours to spare!!!  Her fathers name in Eric Fricker and he actually wrote a book about it which you can print out. 

happy reading!

Hi Jewels.

Thanks for pointing out this website, it has some interesting reading and talks about a wholistic approach to cure vitiligo.

Here is the link for the benefits of all the readers. Click Here

At work today a woman told me that her brother had vitiligo and that he took garlic capsules  and it reversed completely in less than a year! She said he had it really bad on his back and all over. I was wondering if anyone has heard of this as treatment and if there is anything bad that can come from taking garlic capsules...?

Garlic has few medicinal properties , it also has positive effects on some skin diseases, It purifies the blood  and also helps remove the stomach infections.

 

Here are few links

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic

 

http://www.emaxhealth.com/19/1024.html

Hi,

I am a caucasion male from UK, about a couple of years ago when I was 24 I started becoming more prone to sun burn despite wearing sun cream usually factor 10-15 previously. Looking back I now feel this may have been the start of my Vitiligo. I'm now 26, and in the last year have noticed white depigmented hair and white depigmented spots of skin appearing too. I am affected in the following areas: on the inside of my thighs there are small patches of very slightly darker skin with white patches inside the dark areas; the area around my eyes also doesn't tan, so looks like I have been wearing sunglasses permanently in the sun even if I haven't; some of my eyelashes and eyebrow hairs have turned white, this started last winter so not down to sun bleaching; a patch of armpit hair under my right arm has also turned white. The hair condition is likely to be Poliosis which is closely linked with Vitiligo.

I am hoping to see a dermatologist soon but in the meantime have been doing a lot of internet searching for possible natural treatments. Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid seem to crop up a lot when discussing vitiligo. Also a plant extract called Ginkgo biloba seems to be increasingly connected to Vitiligo treatment. I am sceptical of what I read on the net but am desperate to stop the spread and hopefully even re-pigment any way possible.

I have just started taking Vitamin B Complex which consists of B12 and Folic among others (120mg 1 a day), and Ginkgo Biloba (120mg 1 a day). I purchased these from Boots high street chemist. The Vitamin B complex costs about £5 for 180 capsule bottle, and the Ginkgo costs about £22 for 30 tablet pack. I plan to take both for 6 months, I know these things need time. I may have a rest period from the Ginkgo as it thins the blood and from what I have read seems quite a powerful natural medicine.

Looking on these forums and elsewhere Vitamin C crops up a few times too so i may try to get more of that into my diet. I eat fairly healthily so not usually a fan of Vitamin supplements, but this may be a case of my body needing some additional help. Hopefully I will find out at some point the activeness of my thyroid gland which could be responsible.

I will try and keep you all posted of my Vitiligo treatment with the use of Vit B complex and Ginkgo natural suppliments. I have included some links to a couple of studies I found interesting.

Cheers.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9394983

http://abchomeopathy.com/forum2.php/76793/

How many minutes do you expose your skin to the sun? Is morning the best time or late in the afternoon? I would think the afternoon may be too intense?