128 replies to this topic

[JR86]

Hello everyone.
I'll start off by giving you a little bit of skin history; fell free to skip this part if you don't feel like reading. All throughout high school I had clear skin just a few pimples like maybe 1 every three months, and they were tiny but, last year i went away to college and my skin has gotten progressively worse and worse. It started out as just a few pimples around my nose but then I started getting cysts on my cheeks and forehead, I called my derm but couldn't get an appointment for like two months so I used over the counter products, including proactiv, which didn't help, until then. my derm put me on doxy, Retin A and klaron. I used these for about three months and had no progress so, I was switched to Amox and Cleocin T, still using the Retin A at night. But I was still breaking out with cysts. Finally about 3 months ago I was put on Cephalexin which stopped the cysts. I was also put on Finacea (azaleic acid) later which didn't help much. When I was put on Finacea, my derm told me that this might save me from having to use accutane but, it didn't help at all.

So anyway those meds have helped ( no more cysts) but my acne is very persistent, and even though I'm no longer getting cysts I want to clear my acne completely. I still wake up with a new pimple almost every day, and they always leave red marks. Yesterday I saw the derm and she said my blood work came back fine so I can go ahead and start accutane. Unfortunately I have to wait until I'm registered with iPLEDGE before I can get the prescription filled, The derms office is going to call me back either today or tomorrow and as soon as they do I can go get my accutane. I'm taking 40mg/80mg on alternate days for 26 weeks. My cumulative dose will be 182 mg/kg so, hopefully that will get rid of my acne problem for good.
... I just got the call from my derm as I was typing this so I'm off to the Giant Eagle to go get my accutane!!

[Testosterone]

Yay!!!!!

Good luck buddy

[JR86]

GRRRR i just got back from the Giant Eagle (I had to walk because I don't have a car on campus) And they couldn't fill my prescription!!! They said I needed prior authorization from my insurance company so they called my doctor and she has to call the insurance company then I have to call the pharmacy later tonight to see if they authorized me yet. I guess it wasn't enough that the doctor prescribed me accutane, she also has to tell the insurance company that I need the medication. Such a pain in the ass. oh well.. i'll probably be able to fill it later tonight or tomorrow.

[nick_04]

Don't worry! You'll get tane soon enough

[Time4HighSelfEsteem]

sorry it is so hard ot get this med for you justin. i went through the same stuff. it will all be worth it though... abby

[JR86]

I got it! just got back from the Pharmacy. I told the pharmacist my name and that I had dropped off the prescription earlier but was waiting for authorization from insurance, and she was like "that usually takes 5 business days and since it's a holiday weekend it'll probably be ready by wednsday." then I told her I needed to have it filled within 7 days and she was like "oh is it the accutane?" so she went back and checked and my insurance approval already came through and the prescription was already filled. So it's a good thing I asked.

So anyway I got back and immediately popped my first pill The doctor told me to take it with milk but I HATE milk, I absolutely can't stand it so, I ate some yogurt. and just took it with water. I'm really excited and hopeful but, I'm also nervous about the side effects as well as the IB. my friends boyfriend took accutane when he was 16 (and he's still clear at 20) so I'm going to ask him about it.

I already got my aquaphor, Vitamin E and I ordered Dr. Dan's Cortibalm online so it should be here soon. I still need to get some eye drops but I'm pretty much prepared. If there are any other suggestions for what products to use while on Accutane I would love to hear them.

Wish me luck and clear skin,
Jordan

[JR86]

Well today has been a really shitty day so far (not accutane or skin related, although the state of my skin didn't help) but I'll spare you the details. Skin wise I'm already noticing a difference after just one dose, I had a new pimple that came up this morning, It's been hiding under my skin forever also My blackheads are starting to come up and are more noticeable. My skin looks worse today because everything is starting to come out of my pores plus that one pimple that came up is pretty noticeable and red. No side effects so far. It's really nice not having to put all those topicals on at night, I'm still using cleocin just until I finish up this tube but I stopped Retin A and finacea. Ok well I'm off to go get some food, then take my second dose of accutane, then class.
See ya.
P.S.
The Zetas upstairs were having a party last night and I really wanted to drink but I resisted. I decided I'm not going to have a drop of alcohol for the 26 weeks I'm on accutane.

[JR86]

My skin is looking worse today, still oily, and another new pimple. Plus the red marks look more noticeable today for some reason. My skin just looks really uneven and bad. I had a slight headache earlier today and yesterday but it's gone now, have been a little more thirsty than usual, and tired. other than that no side effects. I just Can't wait to see results from this stuff. I don't think I can face the world with my skin looking like this much longer. I just want to sit in my room until I clear up, Unfortunately that's not possible. So hopefully I will start seeing results in the near future.

[Wəəgəə]

Jordan, thanks for the encouragement!

I really hope this clears you up for good! Just keep in mind by about week 3 you have NO more oil. It's probably the best feeling in the world to wash your face at night and then in the morning it's not oily. Now I only wash to get the dead dry skin off my face, slap the moisturizer on and my skin feels so much better throughout the day!

So keep looking towards that goal!

[JR86]

So, It's day 4 i believe and I seem to have slightly less oil. No new pimples today. I've been having some headaches which I'm sure are from the accutane, but nothing major. I had one a little while ago but drank some coffee and it went away. I think the caffeine helps the headaches. Other than that no side effects yet.

I got some tea tree oil from walmart to spot treat last night so I used that plus the proactiv mask overnight on a few of my big pimples and they seemed be smaller today. OMG speaking of which I am such a nice brother! I told my parents I was going to walmart last night ( because I wanted to get the tea tree oil and some visine incase my eyes get dry) and my mom was like "pick up some pads for your sister" so I was like "fine whatever." So in line at the checkout I was in between these two middle age women and they thought it was really amusing that I was buying pads. and then the cashier made a big deal about it I put my stuff down behind the woman's groceries who was in front of me and after he finished ringing her up he was like "are these yours too?" and she was like "no they're his" and everyone had a good laugh. So that was my fun walmart experience.

Until next time, Take care everyone. I wish you all clear skin.
Jordan.

Jordan, thanks for the encouragement!

I really hope this clears you up for good! Just keep in mind by about week 3 you have NO more oil. It's probably the best feeling in the world to wash your face at night and then in the morning it's not oily. Now I only wash to get the dead dry skin off my face, slap the moisturizer on and my skin feels so much better throughout the day!

So keep looking towards that goal!

Thanks Kyle, Yeah I'm already starting to feel less oily, It's a good feeling.

[Redsoxluva]

We've got a few of us on here who started on August 31st.. it will be interesting to see how we progress! I feel a little less oily too. Glad to hear you woke up without any new "friends" today. I had a small bump on my neck for like 3 weeks that is getting bigger.. I knew it was gonna come out sooner or later. Oh well at least I have long hair so I can somewhat cover it, but it's sort of in a spot that's not too easy to cover. Hope all is good with you at college! Luckily I'm not too tempted to drink these days. I quit smoking cigarettes 2 weeks ago and there's no way I'll be able to drink for a while. Those 2 things kinda go hand in hand for me!

[JR86]

Day 5
Today my lips are feeling a little bit dryer than usual, and I still have a headache. skin wise I have two new pimples today, well there not new but they have gotten redder and more inflamed. My skin really isn't looking that great. last night at dinner my mom was like "Jordan, I think your face looks worse than it did before you started accutane." Thanks mom. She has been giving me a hard time about going on accutane and I think she was just trying to get me to quit taking it. But why would I give up after just 5 days? She's right though, my face does look worse. It's mostly red marks though, I have about 6 active pimples.

I really can't wait to start seeing results,I have a presentation to give in class tomorrow; the assignments easy and I'm not really worried about it But I really, really don't want to get up and speak in front of everyone when my skin is looking like shit. I'm seriously considering going out and getting some consealer or something but, I don't want to do that because I don't want anyone to know I'm wearing it, Plus I'll be embarrassed to put it on if my roommate's around, Also If I start wearing it I won't be able to stop so, I don't think I'll start.

Later,
Jordan

[JR86]

Day 6
Super tired. Starting to feel very dried out. No more headaches though.
No new pimples either. and the ones I have are starting to go down. My face just looks really uneven and blotchy. plus I have a line across my cheek, like an imprint from my pillow (I just got up from a nap.)
See Ya

Edit: my back is starting to get sore, I'm not sure if it's accutane related or not, I was sitting in an uncomfortable chair for about an hour and now my back is pretty sore. Face is looking better

[Time4HighSelfEsteem]

jordan, glad your face is looking better! i am also starting to feel dry, not so much my face, buy my lips!! yay! almost a week for you....

[JR86]

Day 7
I finished off my first box of accutane today, 1 week down! my lips are slightly dry and my face is starting to look a little flushed, other than that no side effects. I did get a few new pimples today, a pustual on my chin, which i popped (couldn't help it) and I can feel another one starting to form in my chin, hopefully it's not to big, but it feels like it will be. my skin looks worse again today since it's starting to get pretty red. also my skin is feeling a little more oily again. I thought the oil was starting to go away but it's back.
I seriously can not wait to be done with accutane! and I'm only in the first week. I have absolutely no patience i just want my skin to look good now.

[Redsoxluva]

Hey Jordan,
Our current situation sounds a lot alike. Lips sorta dry but nothing anyone else could notice... flushed face.. altho I am already used to being red cuz of the 8 months of retin-a... I've got a lot of clogged pores coming to the surface. Not huge zits, just little bumps. My oil is back too. It played a trick on me over the weekend, I thought it was going away. Oh well, we've got lotsa time. I am on a 6 month course. So you finished your first box of accutane today huh? I don't finish mine til Day 10. I got 3 boxes of 10 pills each. Next month that should change cuz I am getting upped to 65 or 70.

[JR86]

Day 8
I started my second box of accutane today. My face still looks a little flushed, and it's starting to get a bit flakey in spots but nothing moisturizer can't handle. My hair is also starting to feel a bit dry. No new pimples today but, all the old ones are starting to get all flakey. I take 40 mg of accutane every day and 80mg every other day. Today is an 80mg day so, I think I'm going to take the second pill now since I just ate instead of waiting till tonight.

Side effects: slightly dry lips, dry hair, flakiness, flushed skin, extra tired (not sure if it's from accutane or school, or a combo of both), Extra thirsty.

I hope my side effects stay this mild through the entire course because so far they are barely even noticeable.

[JR86]

Tonight I was going to audition for a play but, I don't think I'm going to go. I'm really not in an auditioning mood today, not only does my face look bad but I just feel out of it. Should I force myself to go anyway? I don't want to regret not doing it but, I don't want to commit myself to it for the next few months either.

[Redsoxluva]

Hey what's up Jordan? So did you go to the audition? My skin is looking like crap today too. Good thing all my courses this semester are online. I did that on purpose so I wouldn't have to be in a classroom feeling like everyone is staring at my skin

[Time4HighSelfEsteem]

hey justin, how was the audition? i know what you mean about the commitment. i used to do musicals. glad your side effects are small. my head itched bigtime. thanks for your suport on my log. strange day...