So I am on my 10th week at 40 mg per day. My course is for 20 weeks.

I called the derm today cause I am still losing eyebrow hair and breaking out with cysts (I have about 4 cysts right now). Three of them actually are returning cysts.

Of course, I had to leave a message and the nurse called me back after speaking with the doctor. The derm said it's basically my call if I want to quit now. The nurse says that most people she has seen don't break out this far into the course. Going up to 80 mg is not an option since side effects only got worse for me.

My next appt is in 2 weeks. Your thoughts?

So am I, and my skin has been dry since week one. It's really frustrating, having to deal with dry skin, eczema, depression of not seeing results. But I'm sticking with it.

It surprises me that your derm is ready to call it quits so early. If you read these boards there are people who did not clear up until their last month of treatment. In fact, very few people clear up immediately. I didn't get really clear until about 4.5 months into treatment, and I'm still getting a spot here and there.

Don't be so impatient. You still have plenty of time to show improvement. Btw, I have looked at the pictures on your log and I can't tell a difference in your eyebrow hair, for what it's worth.

Hey

I just finished 3 months on accutane and I am still breaking out like mad and my skin is looking even worse than before. I am so scared and nervous about all the marks, scarring and of hopeless. So I definitely feel your pain and know how discouraging it is to be so far into the treatment and not seeing results. But I think the best thing to do is stick it out to the end because that's the only way to know if this will really work for you. I know how hard it is to maintain hope and forge ahead but that's what we need to do!

I also checked out your log and I don't think the eyebrow shedding is as bad as you think..it's hardly noticeable

For some people, they can start seeing results immediately, for most others though, it can take months and months and months. it will work in the end though +)

I had an initial breakout that lasted a good 3 months (over most of my face) and now the acne has condensed down to just my chin (I'm starting 5 months in a week). Although I have no idea if I will get better on this stuff, my derm said we're staying on it until I do not break out with new big ones in the last month....try to stick it out if you can!

Yeah, my derm also said I will quit the oratane once I go a good month without new acne forming. A little zit here and there not counted as "acne" but cystic = yes

I was on accutane for about 8ish months... my body was very resilient to the drug. I started in November of 2008 and my skin did not clear up until June of 2009... and I was on 80 mgs a day for about half my course. It took soooo long for my skin to clear up, but it has soooo been worth it!!! I have not had any cysts and all of my side effects went away. I have only had a few small zits pop up on my face, but they are gone in a few days.

so if you think that you can handle the side effects, staying on the medicine is definitely worth it. everybody takes to the medicine differently and for some people it takes longer to work.

Hey pes3108

Did you have any side effects? If so how bad were they? I am in month 4 and still not clearing up which is so frustrating because at this point I expect to be seeing some results. In fact the breakouts just keep coming and it's getting worse. I think my body might be resilient to the drug too...or immune or something? I duno. Another reason that leads me to believe this is that my side effects have been minor..almost nonexistent. The dry skin hasn't even kicked in that much yet and lips are fine. I am not complaining about this part because I don't want bad side effects but I am just wandering if that's a sign that things may not be working?

Did a derm prescribe it to you? How much you weigh? How many mgs you take?

It was perscribed to me from my dermatoligst. That's the only way to get accutane here in the U.S. I weigh 130 lbs and I am on 80mg a day.

i didnt start to see results until the end of my third month (week 12). I'd say stick with it