What I don’t like…

About the author

If you have vitiligo like me you will be delighted to know that you can get your color back. I tried everything in the US and not only did it not work, one time I was injured from a treatment. I found a treatment on the internet a few years ago and I wanted to do it, but I thought it would be too expensive. Then my vitiligo started spreading rapidly so much so that it was itching all over my body and every few days I could see more white areas. I went to a specialist to be bleached and she said it could be done but it is permanent and dangerous. I would have to put on the bleaching cream nightly for eight months and be very careful not to touch anyone. That is when the decision was made to travel to Germany to meet Dr. Schallreuter about her treatment. At this point, I didn’t even know if it would work, but I wanted to take the chance before bleaching myself. It was a wonderful experience and after the blood work it was decided I would be a good candidate for the treatment. She says it is not a cure, however, when you turn almost completely white and then start to get color back it feels like a cure. I am now mostly tan and I continually get more color. I have special prescription UVB lights in my house and two creams I purchase from Dr. Schallreuter. I put the cream on and face the lights for 15 seconds per side. When I first did this, it took 37 days to see color which first appear as tiny dots then get bigger then connect, but after that it just kept on working! It is an investment so you have to weigh the decision for treatment. A friend that I met because of the treatment had a great point you can have a car or you can have colored skin again. You decide. Of course we went to the Dead Sea in Jordan with the doctor for three weeks too so our investment was a bit more. This is something that helps but is not necessary. Here are some costs you should think about: 1. round trip plane ticket from your city to Germany (probably Berlin). My cost: about $1,000USD. 2. Blood work in your country to be able to take results with you. My cost: $15 co-pay. 3. Blood work, treatment plan, first bottles of cream, etc. for 1 ½ days in Germany while at the University of Greifswald. My cost: about 600Euro. 4. Two night minimum stay in Greifswald and food while you are there: My cost: about $300. 5. Prescription UVB lights. This cost varies depending on which county you live in. My cost: $3,000USD. 6. Monthly bottle of cream. My cost: About 92Euro. You should order two or more bottle each time because to ship it to the USA it is about 80Euro each time. Will I have to do this treatment forever? I don’t know and honestly, I really don’t care. The cream is wonderful for my skin it makes it super smooth and soft. Also, I had avoided the sun for over 15 years. I would go out but cover my skin with sunscreen and clothing and because of this I had unknowingly developed Vitamin D deficiency which gave me very strange symptoms that multiple specialists couldn’t figure out. My treatment cured my Vitamin D deficiency as well. Some of the symptoms were numbness, severe tiredness, and foggy thinking. http://www.vitiligo.eu.com/ It is worth looking into. Plus, if you decide to go now you know how much you need to save. Email the doctor and get information for yourself. I believe that she sets appointment for late summer through the fall. I fell in love with Germany and Jordan and I will go back as I can afford again and again for the remainder of my life. I wish you the best and a complete peacefulness in your skin just the way it is.

3 notes

April 16, 2012

What I don’t like…

When people in the medical field look at my skin and talk to each other as if I am not there and try to guess what it is or ask my how long have you had this bla bla bla. Hello! If I am not here to see you for the vitiligo and/or you don’t know what it is don’t talk about it. US medical personnel can’t help me anyway why ask me, what are you going to do for me? Cure me? Treat me? THAT makes me feel like a freak or a science experiment and I can’t stand it.

I have had lots of great experiences with US medical personnel, but I have had a few that really disturbed me. I have very high expectations. I expect to be treated with dignity, kindness, and concern 100% of the time from 100% of the medical personnel.

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