Just found out...

Hello everyone,
My name is Acey, I am very pleased to meet all of you.
I am 20 years old, a wife, and mother, and I found out on the 12th that I have Vitiligo.

I suppose I am still in shock over it...I KNEW something was going wrong...and I had a feeling that it was this, but I didn't have health insurance for a while, so I just put it out of my mind, and didn't seek a doctors opinion...

My husband, daughter and I moved about 16 hours from our old home, to be closer to my family right on Christmas Eve. We moved to a new place where I was actually able to get insurance, so I did, and I got checked out on Monday, and the doctor knew right away what I had. I already knew...But I guess I was just in shock and didn't want to hear it...

We discussed it- and as far as we can tell, my Vitligo was an off-shoot result of my pregnancy with my daughter. Something went wrong after giving birth to her- and within the first week postpartum, I developed 2 marker sized dots right next to each other on my tummy. I thought maybe they were a weird form of stretch marks...but after 14 months of the spots growing and getting whiter , i realized something had to be wrong.

And also- during my 7th month of pregnancy- I developed a mark that looked similar to a bruise on my lower rib cage. I was concerned becuase I STILL had it 12 months later...And within the last 3 weeks, 2 small white spots have appeared inside of it- and are growing...

Finally, last week, I noticed that my "spots" had developed into one BIG spot, about 2 inches in diameter...

So- I finally got around to seeing the doctor- and now I am applying Ketoconazole cream to the affected areas each day...I certainly hope this will help...I dont know what it will do exactly- the doctor didnt explain it to me a whole lot...so im foggy on the whole thing...(If anyone can help me with this- I would be very grateful)

I am really really fair skinned, so the spots are not showing up as harshly as they could...For now anyways...

But I am so afraid that this will spread to my arms and face...i was a belly dancer before- But now I'm not so sure if I can continue with spots on my belly...So that's already out the door...and all I have left for a hobby/job is my acting/performing/singing at the local theaters...i dont know what I will do if this spreads and i dont get hired anymore because of the way I look...its all i have ever done and wanted to move forward in...and its like my dream just got flushed down the toilet...and to make the whole thing worse- is, where does my little girl factor into all of this??
What if SHE has this one day?? what will she think of her Mommy with spots?? Will she shun me in public becuase shes embarrassed??

And also..I'm scared to death about what will happen to my marriage...My husband is very understanding and very loving...He himself is disabled, so he knows what its like...But I am afraid he wont love me if I start spotting all over my body...what will he think?? will he even be able to look at me anymore?? He assures me it doesn't matter...But I dont know that for sure...as it is- I kept over 10 pounds of my pregnancy weight...so I'm almost 20 pounds heavier than I was when we got married...Now I'm heaver, and i have this...disorder...So i am terrified...I wonder, just how much can a husband take of changes in his wife??

I just have a lot of questions and worry and just...everything about this....I dont know where to turn...So thank God i found this site...I hope I can get some help here...i would truly appreciate it...

God Bless all of you...

Hi Acey....Oh my ! Ok, as far as starting now to develop spots and your profession, I understand your histeria. Having vitiligo is very traumatizing. But I am the mother of a 14 year old son and 7 year old daughter, they have never shunned me or felt embarrassed by my spots. If anything they have learned how to love and know people for who they are and not judge anyone by what they look like. Neither of them have vitiligo, ( hopefully they never will have it ). As far as your husband is concerned I am pretty sure he is head over heels for you, and no dumb spots are to come between that ! I have had long lasting relationships and this was never an issue. Except when they tell me I am being silly because I wont wear shorts or a skirt in the summer, but only we know how it feels to go out bare.
Please Acey, do not fret about your family, they will love you no matter what !!!!

Lisa

Replies

Acey April 14, 2010 at 5:14am

Well, thats all she said she could do due to insurance reasons- Other forms of treatment are not available for me with our junky insurance, so I dont have a choice...shes basically trying all she possibly can in order to help me...Since we cant get the normal items.
Lisa T. April 14, 2010 at 3:09am

Hi Acey....Oh my ! Ok, as far as starting now to develop spots and your profession, I understand your histeria. Having vitiligo is very traumatizing. But I am the mother of a 14 year old son and 7 year old daughter, they have never shunned me or felt embarrassed by my spots. If anything they have learned how to love and know people for who they are and not judge anyone by what they look like. Neither of them have vitiligo, ( hopefully they never will have it ). As far as your husband is concerned I am pretty sure he is head over heels for you, and no dumb spots are to come between that ! I have had long lasting relationships and this was never an issue. Except when they tell me I am being silly because I wont wear shorts or a skirt in the summer, but only we know how it feels to go out bare.
Please Acey, do not fret about your family, they will love you no matter what !!!!

Lisa
- Peet > Lisa T. April 14, 2010 at 5:31am
  
  Hi Acey, I understand what are you going through. Please don't worry and find ways to control the vitiligo since it's still in initial stage. As you mentioned you are fair skinned it would not show as much. Don't worry your family will still love you. Peet
- Acey > Lisa T. April 14, 2010 at 5:16am
  
  Thank you Lisa- That is very sweet of you...
  
  i know he will love me...I'm just afraid, as im sure you can understand...
Nadika April 13, 2010 at 11:50pm

Hello and Welcome !!!

I am sure your husband and daughter will continue to love you - no matter what. There is no way to tell if your daughter will one day get Vitiligo or not. So please don't worry about that now. Focus on the treatment you are on now, and yes, get a second opinion too.

All the best.
- Acey > Nadika April 14, 2010 at 5:17am
  
  I will be- if insurance will allow me to get one.Our income is so low- its at poverty level- actually- below it...so icant go to a doctor unless the insurance will cover it...hopefully It will go through and i will be able to see another doctor soon :)
Sarah M April 13, 2010 at 9:31pm

Hi Acey ( love the name) most ppl have felt the same way initially but believe me it'll get better. Ur daughter will love u whether u've vitiligo or not. ...
Btw, u said the doctor said u've vitiligo, right? R u sure about that? Ketoconazole is antifungal cream and it's inappropriate as it does nothing for vitiligo spots..... often vitiligo is misdiagnosed as a fungal infection and vice versa
I think u need to contact ur doc immediately or seek a second opinion so that they can make an accurate diagnosis. The earlier u treat vitiligo spots the more chance of repigmenting.

Stay strong!
- Acey > Sarah M April 14, 2010 at 5:18am
  
  Well- she basically gave me the stuff JUSt incase it might help. She said theres hardly any chance, but at least we can try.
  
  She said that it would be impossible for a fungal thing to last for 1.5 years- and that it was for sure vitiligo, but she is just trying everything just to be on the safe side.
- Nathan Yeti > Sarah M April 13, 2010 at 11:55pm
  
  Acey:
  Thanks for sharing your situation. I completely agree with Sarah's comments.
  
  As Sarah mentioned, it will get better. It appears that, you are certainly in the initial stages of whatever it is. Hence, there are very good chances that it is curable, although, each person's body is different and the results are different.
  
  I have heard more than dozen names of medicine for vitiligo cure. Never heard, Ketoconazole....As Sarah mentioned, it's something else, possibly. Skin is the biggest organ in human body. Often, skin conditions can be misdiagnosed. Stay strong. This is the right forum, you will like it here. And, welcome.

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