hey wendy! i started tane about 3 weeks before you---aren't you SICK of this?! i am still kind of breaking out--it is getting better, but with all the uneven skin tone(from ones that linger and linger...) it drives me crazy! i am just now starting to get the rash on my hands. i have noticed that it gets worse when i wash my hands with any "anti-bacterial" soap, is the heavier cream working for you or did you have to get a steriod? i just had my 4th month appt. on mon. and this rash showed up tues! go figure!oh, and my cholesterol went from 129 to 450---i had a weak night before my blood work and i had a serious pre valentine's day candy binge!:) so, i'm going to get my blood work done again-i'm sure it's fine now. anyway, i say all that to let you know there is someone else out here having to deal with all the lame stuff we have to do while on this! don't even get me started on the "ipledgeprogram"! oh ---thanks for letting me vent (i guess you didn't have a choice:() sorry--i don't mean to be so negative---i guess i'm just at that point where i'm ready to see results! hang in there! i love your log! (that sounds weird!)

Hey valintheville, i started tane in november and still breaking out now, its just frustrating isnt it .....

I know, right?! This stuff has skyrocketed my cholesterol...it's crazy. I am seeing major improvement in the actual acne, I've even been getting lots of comments lately on how good my skin is looking. I went to see my cousin in the hospital a few days ago after she had her baby, and she and her husband were amazed at how much better it looks. Feels great to finally be getting compliments on my skin, that is definitely something that has never happened before. I still have small whiteheads popping up now and then, and the big cyst under my jawline that has been there for a while now, but luckily it's in a well concealed place and not very noticable. Guess I can't complain much, my skin is at least 95% clearer than it was right before I started Accutane..lots of annoying side effects, but good stuff nonetheless.

Oh yeah, I was hoping I would be in the clear by now. I'm with you, the uneven skin tone and redmarks are what is driving me crazy...well that and this damn eczema. I want to be confident enough to go out without makeup, because you barely notice the scarring without it. When I use it, it makes it MUCH more apparent. I still have redmarks from the blemishes I had before Accutane, and that was last October/November. The redness is mostly on my cheeks beside my nose..looks kinda like rosacea (sp?). Maybe all that will disappear after my course and I can feel ok about going sans makeup.
I'm sorry to hear about your high cholesterol levels too. The lab worker I talked to seemed skeptical when I told her Accutane could be a possible factor, but it has GOT to have something to do with it, whether she believes me or not. She said it usually only affects triglycerides There are way too many Accutane patients with spiked cholesterol levels for it to not be a factor. If it can affect one blood fat (trigylcerides), surely it can affect the others. Sometimes I wonder about the medical personnel..lol.
Feel free to vent anytime, were here to offer and receive support

Hey Wendy,

I am in a very similar position to you, almost 25, started around the same time and getting very similar side effects. My cholesterol has gone up a lot too, from 4.9 to 6.1 (English way of measuring it, not sure how it equates!). From what my derm has told me, there is no doubt that it is caused by the drug. That's why they monitor cholesterol while you are on tane! It's scary what different "facts" you get told by different medical professionals. Surely there should be some kind of consistency!? But here in England, all the literature seems to say that Roaccutane (English name for Accutane) can cause a raise in cholesterol and should be monitored throughout the course. I already ate a low fat diet - I'm obsessed with eating fresh veg and poultry/fish every day!! - and my diet hasn't changed since starting the tane, so it has to be that.

I'm just waiting for my last few zits to clear up now, then I will be in for the long wait of the red marks fading. I have soooo many of them and I hate it! Even though I have less zits than I have in years, I look like I have 3 times as many as ever before!!!

Good luck for the future,

BettyCherry xxx

Congrats on your clear skin!! Feels great, doesn't it?
I just wanted to add that yes, accutane definetly makes your cholesterol go up!!! Mine sky rocketed last month.

One more month to go!!!

Laurel

hey---you guys are swesome! thanks for the support! i guess i should have clarified---those crazy numbers were specifically my triglycerides. i went and had more blood work today so i should know soon. i guess i should count it as a blessing in disguise...i need a reason to make sure i eat healthy anyway. i kept telling myself today, "remember, this is just a short season in life"--trying to keep it all in perspective! have a great week-end!

Yay, almost done! How are you coming along???

I've been clear for the past month!!

Ok well my skin is no worse for the wear. It's mostly clear, but I keep getting these huge annoying whiteheads popping up lately. I had one next to my nose last night and I couldn't resist popping it. I know I shouldn't have. All I had to do was press the skin next to it gently and out it popped...yuck. I dabbed it with Bactroban cream and it's almost gone today. I had one on my right cheek about a week ago (as seen below in the pics I'm about to post), and it's gone completely except for a small red mark. The scarring still looks bad, but god I'm hoping that is less evident with time after I finish my course. It makes me so self conscious. The redness and redmarks are still blaring, so no going out without makeup yet. Maybe one day.... Here are my most recent pics, taken Feb 27th. I'll be starting month 5 of Accutane soon. Doesn't look quite as good as I had hoped it would be now, but MUCH MUCH better than when I started. The redness is what makes it look so awful. First set is without makeup, second set is with. You can see the scarring I mentioned in the makeup pics.

Wendy, you look great, you really do. The redness is subsiding as well. Sooo happy for you!

Ok, this IPledge shit is beginning to be a real PITA for me.

As of right now I am without Accutane, but with my prescription in hand. I took my last dose yesterday, all that I had. I went to the derm March 7th, yesterday morning. I had not yet registered with the program, and my derm said that he hated to put his patients through so much trouble, but it was now required by the FDA. So he gives me my bloodwork lab slip, and my prescription, along with the new IPledge card and binder. He told me to have my bloodwork done immediately and tell them that it was important that he have my results back urgently in order to get me a password and enrolled, or else it could take up to a MONTH to get my prescription. So I give him my email address to mail my code to me, and I'm on my way.
I have to go to my husbands company medical center and lab to have my bloodwork done in order for our insurance to cover it. I take it over right after leaving the derms office, and as luck would have it, the lab tech was out for the week and would be back Monday. I told them the derm said it was important that I have it done immediately...to no avail. So I call him back, and he tells me to call back the medical center and ask if a nurse could please take 2 minutes out of her time to draw some blood. I call them, argue with them a bit, and still they say the nurses on staff are too busy and they have no extras, but they would call back if they could work out something (yeah ok). They never call back, so I ended up having to go to the lab at the hospital this morning and paying full price for bloodwork and a drawing fee, when I could have had it done at the other place for $10. Now I'm just waiting on the derm to email my code so I can get enrolled and pick up my prescription. Hopefully they will get back to me by tomorrow. At the rate we're going I'll be a week or more without my Accutane. It's all been smooth sailing up until now.

STILL haven't had heard from my derm today, I need my IPledge code..day 2 of no Accutane ...

For some reason I can't load the IPledge website either. It states that I am forbidden from viewing the site...WTH?? Anyone else having problems?

I FINALLY got it after going through hell. I had to call them for my password because I needed my prescription before Monday, and the first time, after waiting forever on hold, I was transferred to a *real* person <gasp>, and she asked me if I was inquiring about the IPledge program. I said yes and she transferred me right back to the automated system. So, I call again and after another long wait, I was transferred to someone that actually took the time to listen to me, and I was able to get my password to answer the questions and get my prescription. Long story short, I got it now. I'm so glad this is my last month (I hope). I'm actually getting compliments on my skin now..feels great, that has NEVER happened before now.

your pictures you posted last were AMAZING. The difference is incredible. You must feel really great about your progress. I am so happy for you! Sorry the iPledge is screwing you up. I don't have a password yet. I guess I don't exactly get the whole system. I am hoping my next derm appt I get more info. I got put through the wringer when it came to getting my first perscrip, but not because if ipledge, my bloodword was screwed up by the lab so I kept having to go back and do it. Anyway, i will only have taken 14 pills by the time I go back but I am going to keep my appt anyway instead of pushing it back so I can make sure my ipledge is ok and I can have some extra time to get anything done so I don't get my perscription help back because of the stupid program. Sorry if that doesn't make sense!

HI Wendy,

Just wanted to check int with you to see if you're off accutane. I think you must be or at least getting close. I hope you are doing well, your most recent pics are great. I bet the redness has even faded a bit since then, and should keep improving for you! I wonder what happened to Julie!

Take care!

Hi Wendy been reading your journal im in the early daysday four and your journal is helping me through it
i have to thank you alot
ive just started one
deanies blog
if you could read it also i would be forever greatful for your help and time x