161 replies to this topic

[NeedAMiracle!]

So here is my long sad story folks!

Ever since around 7^th or 8^th grade in middle school I have been dealing with acne. I have tried everything I could think of and that has been recommended to me over the years. All the store products: Neutrogena, Acne Free, St. Ives, Clearskin, you know, all those. The other online products like Proactive, Max-Clarity, Skin I.D, and other pills. Then natural supplements like Neem pills, Pantothenic Acid (sp?), Zinc pills and more. Then there was the dermatology care that I had the highest hopes for and tried Retin-A, Atralin, Tazorac, Duac, Acanya, Tetracycline antibiotics, Solydon pills, but once again nothing. Then eating healthy, trying no dairy, birth control pills.. My last hope before Accutane was photo facial lazer treatments and extractions (which let me say hurt like no other) but of course they did nothing as well. What else was I to do now?

My derm had been trying to get me to go on Accutane for years now and I always said no because I was always too terrified to go through with it, (I’m not gonna lie the horror stories about the side effects still freak me out till this day..) But oh well, I am completely done with acne and I’m hoping this will finally be my savior for my face so I told my derm I am finally taking the plunge. Even any little improvement will be so much better!

I am 115 pounds at most, and about 5’5. I just FINALLY took my first pill of 40mg! I swear it’s torture having to wait almost like 2 months for them to register you and get all your lab tests done. I’m nervous but beyond excited to finally get this Accutane ball rollin’!

I know all about the common side effects such as superr dry skin and joint pain and all that so I am prepared with my materials for that for the most part. If anyone has any helpful tips, products, or stories to share it would be greatly appreciated!!

And sorry that was so long... just wanted to make sure my whole story was shared!

Edited by NeedAMiracle!, 15 April 2012 - 12:33 PM.

[NeedAMiracle!]

Thanks so much BeautifulDisasters for your quick reply that was very informative and helpful! I really hope Accutane works for you! Yeah I was way too scared forever to take it but everything I could pretty much ever try for my face failed so I lost about all my hope (hence the name saying how i need a miracle) haha hopefully Accutane is that miracle for me..
Yess, such a pain that was, not to mention the pharmacy i dealt with to get my Accutane was filled with some major bitches that worked there and made me feel like I was doing something horribly wrong to be taking this drug. haa

Oooh yeah that sounds painful.. My first pill was just last night so of course I haven't noticed anything yet. Im curious to see when my initial breakout will finally hit. I hope its not TOO awful with school and everything, but we shall seeee. Yeah I've loaded up on Aquaphor which was recommended by my derm and many others, but hmm i guess ill have to see how it works. But I did also notice the annoying goopiness of it and how it gets everywhere. Yeah I love CeraVe as well and also Cetaphil so I think ill just continue on using those ones. Okay thanks for the supplement advice! I already take fish oil, but ill have to invest in some others then too.
I never everr drink water, which i know is horrribleee.. But now i can't do that. Ha im gonna have to step up my game and start drinking a ton! Would water with some lemon be just as good? Since for me that tastes better.

[NeedAMiracle!]

Wow the SAME thing happened to me!! It was honestly the biggest hassle in the world trying to get my Accutane and I had to keep calling my pharmacy over and over and even had to call my derms office a few times to straighten everything out. I didn't get mine till day 6! If they took any longer I wouldve been locked out for a month or something they say and that would have seriously crushed me...
But I just had to pretty much help them do their job and finally got it. Yes exactly! Like we have researched so much on this, we know the risks, but it is all worth it if it means clear skin. Honestly people who have acne are the only ones who will really understand..
But yeah even my boyfriend makes small comments all the time like making sure to tell him if i start to feel crazy or like if i want to kill my self. I mean hes totaly kidding haha but still I know theres a serious side to it. And thats pretty much everyone elses reaction too with my family and friends.

Yeah thats all the stuff I love to drink so awesome! Haha right now Im drinking some tea with tons of water in it so its goin good Yes things are going just fine today with nothing new yet. I hope your new pharmacy choice with CVS goes much smoother this time!!

[NeedAMiracle!]

Yeah I doubt too many places have it, since its so serious and there are soo many steps till you can get it. So they probably just order it right there when you ask for it at most places and everything. Yeah the CVS pharmacy sounds like an improvement so far! If mine keeps doing the same thing then I will switch pharmacies too since last time was a total joke when getting my Accutane.
I am 17, so a few years younger than you haha, but i also have been dealing with acne for yearss. I started getting it when i was 12 or 13 so its been about 5 years now almost and nothing at all worked. I have some scarring now too and pigmentation and bad red marks. So i needed to do Accutane so these would stop getting worse. Yes I live in Arizona and our summers here in my town get to be 120 degrees or higher, so the sun and heat is awful, so I need to invest in something good. My derm recommended this sunblock called Cotz, but its somewhat expensive to me.Like almost 30 bucks for a container not too big, but its supposed to be the best. For face and body. I only have samples though right now which I will test out soon when I do some outside activities. I also bought this one from the brand Ocean Potion which is for your face and spf 45 which I will try out too. And some sunblock chapstick from them too. I have only been on Accutane for 1 day now so I cant really try them yet, haha but once I do I will share how they work.

[NeedAMiracle!]

Yeah this medicine is way more serious so I'm not exactly sure what will happen yet or how it will go in the sun. I also never got sunburnt on my meds before either though too. Haha yeah that's a total bummer, to worry about the sun, but hey im in the same boat! Metaphorically of course hahaha and what are your plans for alcohol? Do you drink anything at all while on this or do you plan to at all? People have all kinds of different opinions on this so I just wanted to see what you were doing. Yeah I cant wait for mine to fade either. I will be ecstatic!!

Ohhh yes, seriously i live in actual hell here in the summer im pretty sure.. Your weather sounds much nicer haha and yeah it gets superr humid here too but also some days are so dry and gross. It just varies. And well even though its sooo darn hot I still always like to be outside. Either on the boat, at the beach, swimming and all that stuff. I stay inside a lot too but after a while you start to go a little crazy doing that. But honestly if you're not doing anything that involves water you're pretty much dead out there haha

Edited by NeedAMiracle!, 11 April 2012 - 12:32 AM.

[blackblake]

Have fun in the sunshine state! ( Born and raised here ). But yea I have had a few drinks as well. It was my friends birthday and i took him to wet willies ( Best place to buy drinks...EVER, though a tad strong ) a few days ago with no problem. It terms of sun screen, I use solbar. I honestly don't like using a sunscreen. I only use it if i am going to be in the sun for a long time. I have never noticed any type of sun sensitivity either though.

[NeedAMiracle!]

Yeah BeautifulDisasters that definitely sounds reasonable. I have just heard from soo many people like drinking anyy alcohol while on Accutane will be the death of you and blah blah. I completely understand that you are not supposed to drink a lot because it is so hard on your liver, but I dont see why just a little here and there would hurt too much? I know there are many people out there that won't agree with us, but oh well, thats their life. Ha and yes im sure a few months of drinking less won't be too bad if it means clear skin. Cuz i know thats how it is for me at least like with anything out there with side effects or down sides. If it means clear skin, its worth it, haha and I know most people won't be able to resist drinking sometimes while on Accutane so its gonna happen a lot. ha

Have fun in the sunshine state! ( Born and raised here ). But yea I have had a few drinks as well. It was my friends birthday and i took him to wet willies ( Best place to buy drinks...EVER, though a tad strong ) a few days ago with no problem. It terms of sun screen, I use solbar. I honestly don't like using a sunscreen. I only use it if i am going to be in the sun for a long time. I have never noticed any type of sun sensitivity either though.

Yeah so you noticed no difference when drinking? I have heard from a few people that they get drunk even faster or get hungover more while drinking on Accutane. Oh how does Solbar work for you? And how did Accutane go for you??

Edited by NeedAMiracle!, 11 April 2012 - 12:56 PM.

[NeedAMiracle!]

Anyone else out there feel like acne pretty much consumes their life? I know I sound pretty over-dramatic, but it's kinda true.. Every time im talking to someone I am constantly thinking "were they just staring at my acne?" or "i wonder how bad my acne looks right now.." I have to check myself in a mirror like a 100 times a day to make sure my makeup isnt coming off or if my face looks red or flaky. I've kinda hated spending the night places and vacations for the past couple years too because I have to wear makeup at night cuz my face will look awful without it. In the morning the makeup will look gross still though. Ugh its just so frustrating. I am constantly just thinking about my face throughout the day and what it will look like tomorrow. It's like the first thing I do every morning, check my skin in the mirror to see how things are looking.. I feel like all i do is research acne treatments. Haa I really hope more than anything Accutane will finally work for me... Does anyone else ever feel like this or am i just taking this way too far and being superficial?

Edited by NeedAMiracle!, 11 April 2012 - 06:47 PM.

[NeedAMiracle!]

Yeah I totaly know the feeling. Ha and yeah I'm already checking my face constantly, even though ive only been on accutane for 3 days! haha this will be a longg 5 or 6 months.. Yeah I moisturize a lot too and always carry a little lotion bottle for my face with me.
Awh girl sorry to hear that :/ I really hope it starts working for you soon! And me too! haha

[NeedAMiracle!]

Day 3:

Well guys its day 3 now. I still have no side effects showing, but I know those are soon to come. My skin is pretty dry right now, but it always is lately, thanks to getting tons of sun before i started Accutane. haha but it hasn't gotten any worse, and neither have my lips either. Hopefully I can get my initial breakout over with soon and it's not too bad..

I'm thinking of putting some pictures up too so you guys can see how my skin was when I started, but im not sure yet if im up for that.. haa

Edited by NeedAMiracle!, 12 April 2012 - 04:47 PM.

[mrjarjarbinks77]

So here is my long sad story folks!

Ever since around 7^th and 8^th grade in middle school I have been dealing with acne. I have tried everything I could think of and that has been recommended to me over the years. All the store products: Neutrogena, Acne Free, St. Ives, Clearskin, you know, all those. The other online products like Proactive, Max-Clarity, Skin I.D, and other pills. Then natural supplements like Neem pills, Pantothenic Acid (sp?), Zinc pills and more. Then there was the dermatology care that I had the highest hopes for and tried Retin-A, Atralin, Tazorac, Duac, Acanya, Tetracycline antibiotics, Solydon pills, but once again nothing. My last hope before Accutane was photo facial lazer treatments and extractions (which let me say hurt like no other) but of course they did nothing as well. What else was I to do now?

My derm had been trying to get me to go on Accutane for years now and I always said no because I was always too terrified to go through with it, (I’m not gonna lie the horror stories about the side effects still freak me out till this day..) But oh well, I am completely done with acne and I’m hoping this will finally be my savior for my face so I told my derm I am finally taking the plunge. Even any little improvement will be so much better!

I am 115 pounds at most, and about 5’5. I just FINALLY took my first pill of 40mg! I swear it’s torture having to wait almost like 2 months for them to register you and get all your lab tests done. I’m nervous but beyond excited to finally get this Accutane ball rollin’!

I know all about the common side effects such as superr dry skin and joint pain and all that so I am prepared with my materials for that for the most part. If anyone has any helpful tips, products, or stories to share it would be greatly appreciated!!

And sorry that was so long... just wanted to make sure my whole story was shared!

Well congratulations on getting on accutane. I have been trying the past two years to get myself fixed up. I got probably 50lbs on you, I work out, I got a full six pack abs, low gi diet, i run about 6km every couple of days, and I have been battling this since I about the time you have been. I am now in my 20s. Unfortunately for me, it has only gotten worse. Adult acne has turned to cystic and nodular acne which can cause scars. I am looking to see my dermatologist and family doctor to get this stuff all fixed up. Hopefully, they will help me get on this immediately or else, I am going to purchase it myself. I hope you get clear asap. Good luck.

[NeedAMiracle!]

So here is my long sad story folks!

Ever since around 7^th and 8^th grade in middle school I have been dealing with acne. I have tried everything I could think of and that has been recommended to me over the years. All the store products: Neutrogena, Acne Free, St. Ives, Clearskin, you know, all those. The other online products like Proactive, Max-Clarity, Skin I.D, and other pills. Then natural supplements like Neem pills, Pantothenic Acid (sp?), Zinc pills and more. Then there was the dermatology care that I had the highest hopes for and tried Retin-A, Atralin, Tazorac, Duac, Acanya, Tetracycline antibiotics, Solydon pills, but once again nothing. My last hope before Accutane was photo facial lazer treatments and extractions (which let me say hurt like no other) but of course they did nothing as well. What else was I to do now?

My derm had been trying to get me to go on Accutane for years now and I always said no because I was always too terrified to go through with it, (I’m not gonna lie the horror stories about the side effects still freak me out till this day..) But oh well, I am completely done with acne and I’m hoping this will finally be my savior for my face so I told my derm I am finally taking the plunge. Even any little improvement will be so much better!

I am 115 pounds at most, and about 5’5. I just FINALLY took my first pill of 40mg! I swear it’s torture having to wait almost like 2 months for them to register you and get all your lab tests done. I’m nervous but beyond excited to finally get this Accutane ball rollin’!

I know all about the common side effects such as superr dry skin and joint pain and all that so I am prepared with my materials for that for the most part. If anyone has any helpful tips, products, or stories to share it would be greatly appreciated!!

And sorry that was so long... just wanted to make sure my whole story was shared!

Well congratulations on getting on accutane. I have been trying the past two years to get myself fixed up. I got probably 50lbs on you, I work out, I got a full six pack abs, low gi diet, i run about 6km every couple of days, and I have been battling this since I about the time you have been. I am now in my 20s. Unfortunately for me, it has only gotten worse. Adult acne has turned to cystic and nodular acne which can cause scars. I am looking to see my dermatologist and family doctor to get this stuff all fixed up. Hopefully, they will help me get on this immediately or else, I am going to purchase it myself. I hope you get clear asap. Good luck.

Oh mann I'm sorry you can't get it right now. Thats a bummer, because I understand that desperate need for clear skin so well..
Im just hoping this will work for me like i've seen it work for so many others. Thanks so much for the kind words, and i wish that you can get on Accutane somehow soon to see if it will work for you as well.

Edited by NeedAMiracle!, 13 April 2012 - 12:01 AM.

[NeedAMiracle!]

Okay so I decided to go fourth and show some... dare i say i it.. pictures. Eeek. Haha i look awful in them cuz I just got out of the shower and my eye makeup is kinda smeared on my face and I got the wet hair and everything, but oh well. That's not what matters here. haha

So as you can see I have quite a few big zits that are painful, but if you look closely you can see tonsss of little red bumps everywhere. Like every pore is clogged. Ugh, nasty. Its kind of hard to see my forehead one because of the shadowing in my room, but it is much, much worse than it looks here :/ The first one is my left side, then the middle picture is from my right which looks a little worse and more scattered.
Oh and on the middle picture, that is not some abnormal discoloration thing on my cheek.. hahah its the shadow from my camera.

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Edited by NeedAMiracle!, 13 April 2012 - 04:55 PM.