2 replies to this topic

[blooper111]

Ahh, the old boards of Acne.org, which currently I have not been a contributing member of in the past month or so. Why you ask? Probably because my face is flawless, except for a couple pesky scars, but in combination with a 5'o'clock shadow it gives me a semi-rugid look that quite possibly might attract some lady-friends. But that is another story in itself and isn't age appropriate for this website. Sorry youngsters, another time.

Well, back to what I came back on these boards to discuss is the desicion to start the dreaded, and often misunderstood---accutane. Poor bloak doesn't get any credit does he?

So you have a face full of acne and dread that time when you have to apply you facial creams, make-up, hell even brushing your teeth in the mirror produces a fury of rage and often makes you question "Why me, why MY face?" and not sure about anybody else, but it would make me imagine scenarios of what I'd do to get rid of just a couple pimples on my face. I often thought of such situations as taking a hammer and hitting my hand as hard as I could just to have a couple pimples jump off my face, or rob a bank to have a completely clear face. Well good thing i did none of the previously mentioned acts of violence to get a clear face. Instead, I ingested a small orange capsule twice daily. Maybe I took the easy way out, and I suppose i COULD have hammered my hand into oblivion, but where would that lead me? Well, into the ER, the total opposite way of my derm. (no seriously, it is the total opposite way, my derm's office is out East, and the closest ER is west off the interstate)

Sorry I keep blabbering. Well my point is, STOP with all these "but-but-but I heard it's the devil's pill, and the side effects are too severe for little Johnny", you're on a damn acne forum, you think there's rainbows and unicorns when you talk about acne? NO this place is going to be full of terrible stories of accutane not clearing up it's users and how the dreaded side effects destroyed their body. But do you think that happens to everyone?NO its rare infact. And most succes stories are never even printed, published, blogged, tweeted, hell whatever Internet device you use to get the story out, it ain't happening.

Most people that get cured toss acne.org into the back of their minds, never to be brought up again. Hell, the only reason I'm on here is because I've tossed back a couple pitchers of beer and am feeling a little talkative.

But, all in all, the point I'm trying to get across is, just DO IT already. Your face is bothering you that much, do something about it. Don't settle for antibiotics, it WILL only come back ten fold, and those damn things are over prescribed anyway. Doesn't anybody know that natural selection works on ALL reproducing organisms, that includes bacteria. If your face is bothering you, push right for the accutane. I wish I had done accutane from the beginning and not messed around with antibiotics. I actually hadn't even heard of accutane before I came onto this website, so I thought antibiotics were my only choice.

Well that's my story, I'm about 99.9% clear and am just about to finish my course. Thank you, you have all been a great audience and goodluck to everybody.

Also I'd like to add my story:

Currently taking 80mg daily accutane (once in the morning, once at night)

It has completely cleared me. I had NO initial break out, no dry skin, minimal joint pain, some back pain although nothing to get crazy about, no fatigue, no depression. I have had no bad side effects whatsoever.

Rare occurance or I am some sort of super human? Maybe. Or maybe this medicine isn't what its all chalked up to be.

I'm going on 1.5 months, closing in on 2. And i go back to the derm on Thursday. I will probably do a third month just to make sure. Why the heck not right? I drink excessively at least a couple times a week (I'm in college) and my liver functions have come back perfect. I eat pizza, chinese food, and the most unhealthy food on Earth everyday. I practically shower in milk because I love it.

I believe there is a thread above me with like 4-5 people crying over accutane, and how it has given them anxiety, depression, blah blah blah. Well i heard a great quote today, not sure who it is from but here it is: "Before you go on and diagnose yourself with low self-esteem or depression. Make sure you are not surrounded by assholes"

Well to be honest, I think that thread that's like 20 something pages long is a load of balogna (spelled it wrong, don't care, not looking it up).

Sorry if my thread doesn't make sense and is going on tangents but thats life and I suppose that the two pitchers I have consumed has played a significant role. well that's that, if you want you can message me questions, I'll probably check this website a couple more times this week and be gone with ya! Until I ever get a break-out, then I'll be back. So in order not to burn too many bridges, goodluck to everybody seeking treatment. It is out there, you just have to find it, whether it is in medication form, meditation form, or maybe all that dietary stuff really works. Who knows?

[titoziot]

Ah! It seems I've found a kindred spirit. I very much enjoyed this post. Here's some more fodder to entertain you whilst you drink merrily to clear skin, and to put those readers with Accutane woes at ease:

I just started treatment. My daily 40mg tango (for 10 days now) has been uneventful. I'm awaiting the initial break out, and if it does happen I'll probably rue the day I walked into Dr. Rau's office. BUT then I will find a pint and remember that I've been breaking out since I was 16 (nearly a decade ago mind you) so what's another break out, no matter how severe it might be.

My lips are chapped. But it's winter.

My knee hurts. BUT it’s the same knee I recently dislocated while dancing at a bar - thus break a small piece of bone off my knee-cap - which is currently floating around the primordial ooze in my knee. The increased pain could very well be the joint pain some people describe, but it might also the twisted placebo effect or that walking thing I do. Either way, I'm comforted knowing that if Accutane works for me I will be able to dance a bit more vigorously than I did when I damaged it. And alas! I may even find a partner to do these dangerous jigs with.

For a few hours after taking the pill, I notice a bit of blurry vision. But, by this time, I'm lounging on my couch watching bad reality TV or even worse political commentary, enjoying a glass of wine. So I figure there is little need for perfect vision. In fact, wine can sometimes have that effect anyhow, so tup! tup! All is well.

Depression, they say. Hmpf. Having moderately terrible acne, I've never been too inclined to complete happiness. So if the Accutane slump comes, I will again find comfort in the fact that I am at least trying to solve one problem that contributes to a less than ideal existence.

That pretty much covers the side effects most people comment on. They might very well get worse for me as I continue treatment, but when you put POTENTIAL side effects in context, it strikes me that the effects people complain about are ACTUALLY and USUALLY pretty mild and not necessarily unique to Accutane.

My derm told me that if anything odd crops up, I should assume its the result of taking Accutane and let him know immediately. Playing it safe is smart. But on the other hand, those risks shouldn't dissuade you from trying this treatment.

Like I alluded to, much of the side effects are magnified by the anxiety that the whole Accutane educational booklets/movies etc plant. Dont get me wrong - its important to know what can happen. But if we weren’t told that Accutane has been linked to issues of depression, I promise the vast majority of people who complain about it wouldn't pay a thought to the *mild* sleepiness, anxiousness they feel.

These forums are great. It's almost embarrassing how comforted I feel being able to read and talk to others undergoing the treatment and suffering from acne. But, like the previous commenter said, the nature of these forums put the negative aspects at the forefront and ignore the underlying fact: we all have acne and it sucks (to put it eloquently).

At 24 and blotchy, it was time for me to try something "radical". If acne woes are enough for you to spend hundreds of dollars on makeup (I still love you Sephora) and shy away from meeting people (Bob?), looking at people directly (I must really like your shoes...), or moving an inch to the left of your comfort zone: don't fret about the horror stories. I'm personally more concerned about how difficult it is to get those dang pills out of their packaging... Child protection = buzzed adult protection.

[blooper111]

Good luck to you and your treatment, and always remember, "You can dance if you want to, you can leave your friends behind. Cause your friends don't dance, and if they don't dance then they're no friends of mine"