67 replies to this topic

[Julz_theFace]

I finally decided that accutane, is going to be the best thing that has ever happned to me, i will be possitive and i will conquer this dumb ass acne. So every1 stay tuned for My adventure. Hope i can help any1 who needs it

Well, what can i say! Its difficult for me to describe my Feelings. Am i excited, or am i scared? hmmmm, i need to think about this.

Deep down i think i am excited but i know of what this drug can do. I have to stay possitive. I cant wait to look at myself in the mirror and say, wow! i have skin like Brad Pitt.

Acne History

Ever since i was 16. i am now 19. I suffer from a relatively mild case, but i do break out quite severly at times. It does get me down, and i find it most difficult to keep a smile on my dile at times. But, i have a chance to become CLEAR. YAY!

What doc said?

He first put me on an anti-biotic, 6 months ago. Cyclimycin, 50mg a day! It worked wonders for 4 months then all hell broke loose and my skin deterioated.(hope i spelled it ok).
I wash twice a day with clearasil, and used Neo-medrol lotion on the spots. It works ok, i suppose.
Now i am on 40mg accutane a day, and i just took my first pill. Guys, i need your support on this journey!

Julian

[kj1982]

good luck. its true what they say its a rollacoaster ride. be prepared for all sorts of changes to your skin over the next few months

[Julz_theFace]

Hopefully, my skin wont become too bad, and maybe with god and some luck, perhaps i wont experience any severe side effects. Hope is the key word there. wish me luck all!

[Mac]

Good luck to u...I'm on day 42 and like u was very sacred but so far so good....check out my log

[Julz_theFace]

THANKS MAC! DAY 42, seems so far away right now! i wish i were on day 42 already.

[TennesseeGrl]

See the accutane logs forum for all the best advice you could ever get!

But for me:
-Never go ANYWHERE without chapstick! Ever...ever...ever...ever. It SUCKS. I recommend anything from Bath & Body Works because they all taste yummy, aren't super shiny, and have aewsome staying power!
-Wash with a very gentle cleanser - time duration: just long enough to lather your face and rinse off. ~10-15 seconds!
-Oil of Olay Complete with SPF is a great moisturizer - not greasy, and has sunscreen - your skin gets extremely thin and sensitive while on accutane!
-Baby yourself on accutane - get lots of sleep, drink lots of fluids, eat food that is good for you. Treat yourself like you have the flu for 6 months! Your body is under a lot of stress.
-Always take accutane with a fatty meal - it is a vitamin A derivative which is fat-soluble, and it absorbs into the body much more efficiently when it has fat to bind to.
-Don't get Olay Quench moisturizer for your body. It smells like grandma. But the Olay in-shower moisturizer is GOLD because you don't have to wait to put on your clothes since it rinses off.
-Don't exfoliate any part of your body more than once every week or two. Your skin can't handle the microabrasions.
-Keep lots of bandaids - your skin is going to crack, peel, tear, and otherwise become damaged extremely easy!
-Keep a photo journal if nothing else, even though it can be painful to look at the pictures - you won't believe how far you have come.
-Be aware that you might get an initial breakout. Most derms won't tell you this because it is disheartening to think your skin will get worse before it gets better. (It will likely get oilier before it gets drier also!) BUT ... it will be all over with in just 2-3 weeks!

GOOD LUCK! Accutane is the best thing I ever did for myself. This is about all the advice I have to offer!

I am quoting myself cause I am just that cool

Do you mean that your start date was 12/04/06? Yours says 12/03/06. Just curious!

Just so you know, the time FLIES. I am on day 76 (!!!) and it feels like I just started last week! Time FLIES when you are clearing your skin and gaining back your confidence!

And funny thing - you said:

I cant wait to look at myself in the mirror and say, wow! i have skin like Brad Pitt.

Brad Pitt has terrible acne scarring and suffers from adult acne. http://www.dermsmart.com/encyclopedia/acne.htm

And this one has been posted before, but you'll enjoy it nonetheless:

http://skinema.com/Act1Acne.html

[Julz_theFace]

i really appreciate your concern, tenesse girl. You are trully an angel. I read all of you postings and you trully do care and its heart warming. Perhaps you should think about becoming an psychologist, just like me. Well, nearly time for bed..

[Jules70]

Hi Julian. Just wanted to leave a post and say I also took my first pill today so i'll be there with you for the ups and downs. I'm 35 and have been going rounds with acne since I was about 12 years old. Feel free to ask anything. Good Luck.

[TennesseeGrl]

i really appreciate your concern, tenesse girl. You are trully an angel. I read all of you postings and you trully do care and its heart warming. Perhaps you should think about becoming an psychologist, just like me. Well, nearly time for bed..

I heart you.. take care! Can't wait to see how accutane fixes your already-gorgeous skin! Just remember to take care of yourself!

[Julz_theFace]

DAY 2

Yawn, good mornong everyone. I am at work now. So, i just took my 40mg of Oratane, (thats a geneRic for accutane) in South Africa. Had some breakfast before i took it. Im not much of a eater in the morning but you gota do what you gota do.

Woke up this morning feeling ok i suppose. Face looks the same, BUT do i feel a little bit of dryness coming allong? Hmmm, maybe, cant tell if my minds playin tricks on me or not. My skin does have a sort of wierd feel to it though. Maybe its just because im not taking anti-biotics anymore . I woke up with a few small whiteheads on my chin, nothing serious.

Im going to clicks later. (thats like a cosmetic store in Southern Africa). You buy shampoos, conditioners, all that stuff there. i want to buy a good moisturiser. Im thinking of nivea for men, oil controll. Hope thats ok. I will look for that ceraphil stuff, or whatever it is, but i doubt that us South Africans have this. Perhaps i should vissit a chemist, or drug store hey?

Im axious about how my body is going to react with this drug. I hope i dont get a huge initial break out. I need to study today, but im not looking foreward to it. Im studieng phsychology at the local univ. Have two big tests next week. Industrial Phsych and Phsych. In future i will post every night, cos i have not even got through my day yet.

Thats me for today
Julian

[TennesseeGrl]

Good luck! Accutane has given me temporary ADD and I am going to fail a few classes I had a 3.85 before but that's all gone to pieces!

Haha you are just getting up ... and I am just about to go to bed!

Your mind is playing tricks on you... Tane won't kick in until the IB which for me was at ~9-10 days. My face also got way oilier for about 2 weeks!

Just about any moisturizer will do.. but I recommend one with SPF that is not comodogenic!

And WOW, south africa! Y'all are from the coolest places! USA isn't that cool anymore now that I hear from people from Poland and South Africa! haha

Anyway, have a wonderful day! Nighty night from my end of the world

[Julz_theFace]

The IB is coming for me! ITS COMING like the FOG!!

The IB is coming for me! ITS COMING like the FOG!! Shit, im not looking foreward to it. Maybe just maybe, it wont kick me when im down. Screw you IB, Screw you. The funny thing is that the Derm told me that i might get a FEW more spots here and there. LIAR!

Imight only get back to you guys next Tuesday because of easter. Ill try my best to post everyday but life is hectic at the moment. Thanx for that input tennesseLady. Oh yeah, Good luck to ever1, even though you guys dont need it.

Julian

[mental-miracle]

good luck ! whats the temperature there?

[Julz_theFace]

Bout 25 degrees celcius, so add 33 to that and you got F I THINK

[mental-miracle]

but celcius is good ! and im jealous....10 C here...blah. waiting for the summer !

[Julz_theFace]

Thats to bad my man. Its on the eve on winter in South Africa. The derm says its best to go through this period in winter so you dont get sunburned. So ya.

[TennesseeGrl]

IB IS GOOD.

IB = skin purging nastiness.

no more nastieness = no more zits.

no more zits = clear skin.

clear skin = good.

Therefore, IB = good. It means the accutane is working in your system. Yay!

[AmberLynn]

Julian, it will all be over soon, I promise, then, no more pimples!! woohoo! Clear skin is in your future, hun!

[corrine_1980]

Hi Julian..

Thanks for stopping by at my log..
Gee South Africa... gosh.. this forum become more and more international..

Since you had a short history of acne.. I guess you'll be completely clear in just a few months..
So just hang on there ok..
And NEVER EVER pick out your pimples..

I pick out very badly in my 1st month and really regret what I have done..

Yeah My derm is also a liar.. he also said that only a small percentage of person will get initial breakout..
Gee.. They should make it very clear for us..

Anyway your IB is normal and it will be clear within 2-3 weeks..
Be strong and all the best for you..
Love and HUGS

Corrine

[trenem]

Good luck and welcome to the forum! Hope your treatment goes well for you once the IB is over! Good lucK!