49 replies to this topic

[Verica]

Day 1

Hello Everyone,

So I'm a 22 year old female in Australia who a few months ago suddenly broke out in crazy cystic acne all over my face!
I have been taking birth control Estelle since I was a teen to clear my skin. Last year I stopped taking it as I want to be natural and I guess forgot the reason I went on it in the first place because a year after stopping I got such a disgusting breakout like i have never had.
So I decided that I'm going to have to go back on Estelle which I was annoyed about. So anyways I have been on Estelle for a month now and have also got prescribed Accutane (I'm using Oratane which is what we have in Australia i think).

I was so excited to take my first pill today, it was very cheap aswell. I paid $5.50 for 60x20mg packet and I was also prescribed an oral steroid called Prednisole (derm said it will stop my face from breaking out really bad from the IB and prevent scarring) which also costed me $5.50.
I also stocked up on Cetaphil cleanser for face and body, Cetaphil body moisturizer and Carmex lip balm.

So for the first 2 weeks I have to take 20 mg with 1 prednisole daily.
Then on week 3 I need to up my dose to 40mg daily for 3 weeks until my next derm appointment where he will prescribe me a 40mg packet and assess my next dose.

I have decided to get off Estelle since I am now going to get cured by accutane and so when my face is clear I don't have to worry about possibly getting acne after stopping Estelle in the future. If that makes sense

Well thats all for now, I'm so excited about starting this treatment and I hope I can say that in a weeks time when I will probably start experiencing the dreaded side effects. If I'm brave enough I might decide to post some horrible before pictures. AHH So terrible.


I hope someone else is starting at the same time as me so we can trudge through and talk about the ups and downs and progress. YAY

Edited by Verica, 27 October 2011 - 11:36 PM.

[Verica]

Just out of my excitement I thought I would take a photo of the products I bought today and the Red Rooster meal I had with my first pill hehehehe p.s I hate fast food but I couldn't wait to make something at home so I could take it. ah well. Also the Cetaphil is really such a great lightweight yet hydrating moisturizer.

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Edited by Verica, 27 October 2011 - 11:37 PM.

[dimegirl]

Welcome! I completely understand your excitement and am also excited for you! Good luck on your course

[dreamer003]

Best of luck! I'm almost a week in now, but haven't experienced any side effects yet, but can't wait for those to happen

[iwantprettyskin]

Good luck! I haven't had any problems with scarring but it varies from person to person. Cetaphil is great, but my personal favorite is Cerave so if for some reason Cetaphil isn't cutting it then you should try Cerave.

[Verica]

Thanks guys, I guess we are all on a hopeful journey to beautiful skin.
I very hesitantly took some photos this morning. As you can see there is a brutal war taking place on my face. Thank goodness for makeup because I would never face anybody like this. I hate hiding behind a mask but its helping me get through this with a little bit of confidence.

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Edited by Verica, 27 October 2011 - 11:37 PM.

[dreamer003]

Aww i think it's very brave to post those pictures without any make up on And who knows, after a while these will be your "before" pictures

[Verica]

Day 2


I have just downed my second pill and what I have noticed so far is immediately after taking the pills I feel extremely thirsty and get a dull lingering headache.
Other than that as you can see in my last post my face is the worst it has ever been in my life, I still can't believe I posted these online ahhhh but it's done now and my thoughts are positive that it can only get better from here.
I think I'm kind of strange , like when I was 12 and got my first underarm hair and odor I was celebrating and jumping for joy LOL everyone else my age was uncomfortable and embarrassed. ANYWAYS so yer like that I cant wait to get the dry dry skin and cracked lips hahaha only because I know it will be working to fight my face war.

Even though my skin isn't dry yet I thought I would start using the Cetaphil moisturizing cream all over my body anyways. To be honest I'm not quite sure I like how it feels on my skin. A bit too (how do I say it) muggy. Or maybe it's because my skin isnt dry enough to appreciate the moisture. I dunno.... Does anyone here know better absorbing moisturiser that doesnt leave a sticky feeling but gives great moisture?? Maybe like a Moisture Mist Spray...

Edited by Verica, 27 October 2011 - 11:38 PM.

[Discosteve]

Good luck! I'm only on day 9 and by day 5 I had extremely dry and flaky skin (i'm on 80mg so it might be different for you) but when your skin gets dry enough, Cetaphil works well. Just make sure not to put on too much because it can get a little greasy.

[dreamer003]

Yeah, Cetaphil isn't really working for me either.. I think you're right, our skin is just not dry enough.
I can't wait either

[hotburrito]

Verica, your acne looks a lot like mine did at the time of my IB. It's a lot better now (after three weeks of Accutane), so I'm wishing you the very best of luck Your features are very pretty!

[Verica]

@Hotburrito - Thanks, how are you finding it so far. I have seen some peoples acne that looked milder than mine who after treatment have scarring. Oh I'm so scared that I'm going to have scars



Day 3


I woke up with the same oily face this morning and quite a few of my red inflamed pimples have formed a white head. ewwy also my blackheads look really bumpy. But I guess that's normal anyways.
Does accutane clear out all of the pores, I have had these stubborn blackheads that I never pick (well sometime I used to scratch them if it felt really bumpy) and I have had them ever since I was a teen even though I didn't have any pimples. Will I ever get rid of them?? I couldn't imagine how I would get them out, squeeze them?

It's been around 6 hours since taking my 3rd pill and I'm feeling random little stings that make me want to itch the pimple like it's irritated.
I think I will need to switch from revlon colorstay (which covers my acne so well, except the million bumps) to maybe like a mineral powder that wont be so cakey. Does anyone know a good coverage mineral or healthy foundation or powder? I love the Australian mineral brand 'Nude by Nature' as it is all natural no talc or anything that can cause breakouts buuuut it doesn't cover very well.

Edited by Verica, 29 October 2011 - 12:01 AM.

[hotburrito]

Quote

@Hotburrito - Thanks, how are you finding it so far. I have seen some peoples acne that looked milder than mine who after treatment have scarring. Oh I'm so scared that I'm going to have scars ../../..//public/style_emoticons/default/sad.png

A lot better! I can PM you a picture if you want (I just don't want to post any publicly in case anybody I know in real life comes and visits this site), though I don't have any of me during my IB, just from today/yesterday - just assume that I looked a lot like you. You probably will have scars/dark/red marks, but you can always get treated for those six months post-Accutane. It's a long, arduous process

[Verica]

Day 5

My lips are definitely flakey and they feel weird like there is something on them, they feel tight. Also with my eyes I feel like I need to blink and squint more.
It was depressing putting on my makeup today, my face was stinging and it looks scabby and the skin around the pimple is peeling.
I am feeling good though!

That is all

[Verica]

Day 5 update


I spoke way too soon, holey moley I feel like a truck hit me. My eyes are sooo dry and to keep them open gives me such a headache. I'm drinking lots of water, had to wash my makeup off because my face looked so oily straight away even though it feels dry and stingy and irritated. I really need a better makeup that wont irritate my face but will cover all my acne. I HATE the word Acne grrrrr
I think I need to switch to taking my pill at night time because I have noticed it leaving me really zombie like and tired and hopefully by the time I wake up It should pass.
Wish I started like that. Sorry for being so whingey today.

[Verica]

Has anybody heard of Dermablend or BB creams. I'm looking for something good for my skin with good coverage?
Cheers!

[PaulH85]

Hi Verica. Just catching up on a few longs, thought I'd check in here.

All credit to you for being brave enough to post pictures. Just think though, by the end of your course you will be able to look back and make a comparison. Hopefully by that point, your skin will be amazing. Fingers crossed!

Regarding what you were asking the other day about pores... the Accutane probably will sort those and push the blackheads out. If you can resist any urge to squeeze them, it would be best to leave it and let the Accutane do its thing over time. Especially as Accutane can cause the skin to start thinning as it dries out, if you went crazy on those blackheads it could create some stubborn scarring and give you more problems to contend with.

Good luck!

[Verica]

Thanks Paul. I really hope accutane does a good job haha
No picking for me! It's so hard because of the skin peeling and white painful heads coming up everywhere

[restrictions]

Bleugh the peeling skin is impossible not to pick. I have to confess, I have picked the peeling skin (bad, I know) anyways good luck!

[dreamer003]

Hey Verica, how are things? You surely are feeling the side effects early on, I haven't even experienced those :-p
The skin peeling is a good sign though, and i think it's safe to gently pick at the peeling skin a bit.. Maybe with tweezers?
Anyway, hope you're doing okay