18 replies to this topic

[Grind]

Basically, i've been on almost half a dose of how much a full dose of accutain should be (40mg per day) - but i stopped taking it every day about 2 months ago. gradually i started to take it every other day, then every 2 days, and now pretty much every 3 or sometimes 4 days i take 40mg. so i've been using it for a total of 5 months and at my current rate of intake (40mg 2 or 3 times a week) i should have approximately 3 or so months supply left

the result is absolutely immaculate skin, never dry or flacky unless i take it more than once every 3 days, never oily and its smooth and a matt finish. i've never looked so good in all my life (i'm 26)

i've made many threads on this board, and many replies and all sorts of stuff, from helping people from going nuts to going nuts myself. its been a rollercoaster 12 years suffering with this disease, with ups (when i first went on antibiotics and it worked for 6 months), downs (after taking my first and last course of accutain, acne came back in full swing after 8 months). swings and round abouts really

i'm sure i could be helping my internal organs a bit with some kind of supplement

i know there are 2 dangers - 1, liver damage. and 2, calcium deposits in the spine.
are there any mitigating supplements i can take to reduce this

so with my 3 months left of 40mg every 3 days, i will see if i can speak to a private Dr. in the UK and let him know my findings, show him my pics of how severe my acne was and always has been, and let him see how i look now and how HAPPY AND ABSOLUTELY AMAZING MY LIFE IS, EVERY SINGLE DAY - and see if he'll prescribe me as much accutain as i want, because i'm going to let him know that one way or the other, i'm going to be taking this for the next few years and i'm not going to stop no matter what

i might decide to come off of it when i'm 30, and see what happens. but the first sign of a pimple or bit of oil, then i'm going straight back on it. i'm happy to live my life on this every day. because the side effects are basically complete happiness and joy. it is the ability to live a normal life for me, i wake up every day in a good mood and i have confidence like you wouldn't imagine. i am so positive and its brought me such positive things, i've had the best 3 months of my entire life and every day gets better

if the dr. says no, its un-researched blah blah blah or he doesn't know etc. then i'll try someone else. if that fails, then i'm going to buy it anyway as where i live you buy it over the counter it is perfectly legal. although it is DAMN expensive! but fuck it its worth it

sorry to go on, this was actually about the supplementation. i'm sure the side effects will take a pinch somewhere down the line regardless, and maybe i might end up in hospital. its the risk i am willing to take for the happiness i've been longing for 10 years - now i have it i'm not giving it up

[kangaroo]

Pinch your self mate. Everyday your on that stuff your skeletal system is taking a battering.

Accutane is powerful stuff, your heading for trouble.

[Grind]

i wouldn't mind seeing some evidence of that

i have about 4.5 boxes prescribed by the derm. so should last me 4 or 5 months

after that, who knows - but if i see any acne then i'm going to get more

but you have to ask the question... what is more important in life... lower health and amazing life... or good health and completely shit worthless life

[Timehealsall]

lower health and amazing life is>>>>>>> but unfortunately for me, my skin has already been destroyed by acne.


how is the low dose tane thing going for you? I might start it soon but scared

[Grind]

Skin is still perfect

I just take it as and when, I don't have a schedule or required amount. If I can feel it coming or see some dodgy looking oil build up, i'll pop a tain (20mg). That'll usually be enough for 5 days of oil free for me, with an unclean diet.

It will fix your acne, but won't fix your life

This low dose seems to have no visible side effects, but I wonder every now and again if it does still trigger depression. Most of the time it's my own fault as I have nothing to be depressed about that I don't get myself into on purpose - but I wonder if the tain pushes things in the wrong direction

But anyway, whatever, its 1 million times better than having acne.

[jhonyguy04]

iam so considering this!!

[andersoj]

Hey Grind, it good to see your still doing well.

I have been taking 10mg a week for over a year now. Perceptible side effects are little to non-existant, but I do feel like my skin on my body is more sensitive in an odd way. To be honest I am worried about my liver and skelatl system and need to get my liver at least tested. Although not everyday is so amazing, becuase I still have baggage and insecurities from my days of acne, I dont really think about my skin anymore, which is wonderful considering the degree I used to obsess. I'm on to my last pill and hate that I have to go to the derm and pay $300 to hope she will continue my treatment. I'm considering trying just Vitamin A now considering the extremely small dose that I respond to.

[Corrin78]

Here in the UK we are restricted. I get a months worth at a time....& I certainly wouldn't buy stuff off the internet.

Accutane is pretty harsh.....I'm sure there must be some research on the long term effects

[sd85]

andersoj, on 06 January 2012 - 01:21 PM, said:

Hey Grind, it good to see your still doing well.

I have been taking 10mg a week for over a year now. Perceptible side effects are little to non-existant, but I do feel like my skin on my body is more sensitive in an odd way. To be honest I am worried about my liver and skelatl system and need to get my liver at least tested. Although not everyday is so amazing, becuase I still have baggage and insecurities from my days of acne, I dont really think about my skin anymore, which is wonderful considering the degree I used to obsess. I'm on to my last pill and hate that I have to go to the derm and pay $300 to hope she will continue my treatment. I'm considering trying just Vitamin A now considering the extremely small dose that I respond to.

If you're going to try Vitamin A, make sure you get it from retinol. Beta Carotene (another form of vitamin A) is water soluble, so it won't do a darn thing!

[jennifer36]

Eek, this makes me cringe. I was only on accutane for 4 months and I have some seriously permanent side effects. I have permanent joint pain in my wrists, elbows, knees and especially ankles. My elbows and wrists are actually so sore as I'm writing this. If you look it up, joint pain is a very plausible and potential side effect from the drug. If I'm standing for a few hours it starts to get too painful and I have to sit down. I also get more migraine headaches now than I ever did before I took accutane. Also now my skin is crazy sensitive, which it never was before my accutane course.

If you want to risk side effects like this then go for it, but for me it really wasn't worth it to have all this pain at only age 20 because of some stupid drug I took that never even kept me clear. My acne all came back within 6 months, but I'd never take another course in case the side effects I have now could get worse.

[slowandsteady]

why not just go for a normal, high dose 6 month course and be done.....?
It's not worth poisoning your body 'once every week or so' for the rest of your life.
You will regret it in the end.

[datsnotmyname]

This is an extremely dangerous proposition and I recommend that you share this with your doctor so that you actually understand what you're getting into.

[Grind]

'with my dr.' ha!

i don't have a dr. i live in different countries as and when, no where particular for more than a year. besides, dr.s have absolutely no idea, including derms. i've probably done more research than any dr. i've ever spoken to. none of them know any more than whats written in the general guide books

irregardless, i now take 1 x 20mg pill every 2 weeks aprox. i've been known to take 1 x 20mg after 3 weeks. the longest i have gone is about 3 weeks but the oil starts to come back, so i nip it in the bottom early by taking a tain then we're back on track. my skin is still absolutely perfect, not a single side effect anymore since i've lowered it to this super low level

i'm still using the original 4 month supply !! i have 1.5 boxes left at this rate they'll last until the rest of the year. and tain is easy to get hold of in asia should i need any more. but to be honest this will last. and i might even try lowering it to 1 x 20mg every month if i feel that the impact will be non existent / very minimal.

my body is adapting very well and i'm happy to go on with this until i die

having zero acne is just 1 less thing to worry about in daily life. couldn't ask for more really. i feel like a normal person and now having perfect skin has just become part of my life, although i still appreciate it ive forgotten what it was like to get a pimple or even a blackhead

i - love - it

[IndigoRush]

I.D.I.O.T.

[iAcne]

If I don't get accutane on the 31st I might consider this, after four years the oily skin is just unbearable, did you go on accutane (a high dose) ever?

[soloness]

Hey man !!- I am considering doing the same as you are. But I am bargainning on moving to the coast in about 2-3 years, where I am sure I wil never need accutane again. My skin ALWAYS clears when I am at the coast, its wonderfull. So until that day comes I NEED accutane. Anyway, my skin is manageable with 10mg 3x -4x a week, so thats 40mg maximum per week. I'll consider lowering it even further with some experimentation in the future. I'd be happy if i can go with 20mg/week. What supplements do you take to prevent any possible side effects?

And I agree with OP. I have realised that I'd much rather take accutane (extreme low does) for as long as needed, it makes life possible. I am depressed every single day when I dont take it because of what my nose and skin looks like.

Edited by soloness, 14 January 2012 - 11:38 AM.

[taluce]

IndigoRush, on 14 January 2012 - 09:25 AM, said:

I.D.I.O.T.

What's with the negative comment? If I'm not mistaken, you also took accutane. You only regret it and did research on it, because you had negative side effects. If he's doing fine, then let him continue with his treatment. I'm sure if he notices any signs of trouble, he'd stop.

[lovely777]

i am not a doctor, but i do know some about medications, and there are numerous deadly side effects for just about every medication you take, liver problems, immuno supression, kidney failure, and it is to each his own. each medication can effect people in different ways, every medication has effects that have killed people, a small percentage of people, but if you are not that percentage, then you can benifit from these medications. medications are available to help people, and it does most of the time. if you were in the hospital dying and they gave you a doctor ordered medication to save your life and cause your heart rate to increase, and you had an allergic reaction, and died, does that means that the medication does not work, or you just had a bad reaction, so the scientist will not pull the medication off of the market because it did not take well for you, because it saves many more lives than it ruins!!!! accutane is not for everyone, but it is for someone and somebodies out there!!

[labRat]

There are more risks than calcium deposits and liver function. That said, a number of the concerns raised in the responses here can be addressed directly. It might be worth getting a DXA scan (to check out bone density), look at your AST and ALT levels (liver function), and triglycerides and cholesterol.

That said, I'm curious if the OP is on the regimen he proposed last April.