4 replies to this topic

[thefanbelow]

I've been on accutane for 6 months. My first 2 months were 40mg, and the last 4 were on 80mg. My skin is infinitely better but I had one pimple/cyst break out on my neck around 3 weeks ago and have had maybe 2-3 pimples on my back/shoulder since. I'm going to study abroad and would ideally like to be off accutane, especially at a high dose, when in another country. Would it be smart to go on a 7th month of accutane just to really up my cumulative dose and hope it cures my acne forever, or is 1 month not going to make much of a difference in the overall scheme of things?

Thanks!

[Quiescence]

Hello there...how much do you weigh please? Then I can calculate!

[thefanbelow]

Quiescence, on 09 January 2012 - 04:40 PM, said:

Hello there...how much do you weigh please? Then I can calculate!

160lbs.

[Quiescence]

Hiya, I forgot to ask what you mean by months - my derm does 'months' as 28 days (4 weeks) so I'll use that for calculations...

Going on that fact...you have eaten 11,200mg cumulative dose.

Converting your weight to kg will be approx 73kg - I rounded this up slightly just to be sure!

Reccommended MINIMUM cumulative dose for you is 120 mg/kg = for you 73 x 120 = 8760 mg (You've obviously well exceeded this)
Severe acne or those with extensive acne on the chest and back, higher cumulative doses of up to or above 150mg/kg total dose are used: 73 x 150 = 10,950mg

So you have well exceeded minimum cumulative dose, but have also exceeded the higher dose reccomended to stop a relapse by 1000mg... accutane stays in the system after you finish so you should still continue to improve after you stop. So the bottom line is that you should be fine to stop now after 6 months as you have eaten enough mg which research says should stop it from coming back....but of course everyone is different and this doesnt mean you definitely wont have another spell later in life.....for your liver/digestive system its possibly better to stop now, but this may also depend on your particular blood test results and side effects....basically its up to you and your dermatologist but technically on paper you're good to stop.

Hope this helps! x x

[thefanbelow]

Quiescence, on 10 January 2012 - 05:12 AM, said:

Hiya, I forgot to ask what you mean by months - my derm does 'months' as 28 days (4 weeks) so I'll use that for calculations...

Going on that fact...you have eaten 11,200mg cumulative dose.

Converting your weight to kg will be approx 73kg - I rounded this up slightly just to be sure!

Reccommended MINIMUM cumulative dose for you is 120 mg/kg = for you 73 x 120 = 8760 mg (You've obviously well exceeded this)
Severe acne or those with extensive acne on the chest and back, higher cumulative doses of up to or above 150mg/kg total dose are used: 73 x 150 = 10,950mg

So you have well exceeded minimum cumulative dose, but have also exceeded the higher dose reccomended to stop a relapse by 1000mg... accutane stays in the system after you finish so you should still continue to improve after you stop. So the bottom line is that you should be fine to stop now after 6 months as you have eaten enough mg which research says should stop it from coming back....but of course everyone is different and this doesnt mean you definitely wont have another spell later in life.....for your liver/digestive system its possibly better to stop now, but this may also depend on your particular blood test results and side effects....basically its up to you and your dermatologist but technically on paper you're good to stop.

Hope this helps! x x

Yup, we were going by 4 weeks as a month. I just got blood work done and see my derm on Friday and will see what she recommends. Thanks for your insightful answer!!!