85 replies to this topic

[gecko333]

Day 35, Week 5

So it's now been 5 weeks, it feels so much longer than that!
I got my bloods taken yesterday, I'm back in 5 days to get the results & new prescription with my derm, finger crossed I can carry on.
I hope they up my dosage, my side effects have been really mild, no nose bleeds, lips and skin not that dry, slight lower back pain (just feels as if I've been bent down a bit), and Accutane is all about the cumulative dose, the magical 120mg per kg of body weight.
I'm 65kg, so at 30mg I'd have to take it for 8 months. I've worked I'll need to be on 50mg for the next 4 months to get my cumulative 7,800mg dose.

Besides, I just want all this to be done with. I'd rather have twice as bad side effects for half the amount of time than vice versa, so I really want to be bumped up to 50, the thought of being on Accutane for 7 or 8 months is depressing.
I'll be discussing this all with my derm anyway.

Oh and that 'red one' on my right cheek I spoke about last time? Became the BIGGEST spot I have ever had in my entire life It had about 4 pores worth of pus, started emptying by itself yesterday and almost fully today as I gently washed - it bled a lot and has now scabbed over. I've put some sudocrem on it just because of the slab/bloodyness because it's really good at closing wounds, I don't usually use it on spots but I know it is great at sealing wounds.

I'll update again after my derm appointment!

x

Edited by gecko333, 13 June 2012 - 03:22 AM.

[gecko333]

Day 40 (5 Weeks)

So today my derm said my last bloods came back fine and bumped me up to 50mg for 6 weeks, pretty happy as I've started breaking out lately, and my dry skin/dry lips have almost gone away completely.

But I still have 19 days left of the 30mg tablets. So, Could I just take 40mg for 38 days, then 50mg for for the remainder of my prescription? I'll be taking the same cumulative amount of tablets in the time frame, just with a period of 40 inbetween instead of bumping straight up fro 30 to 50, what do people think?

Edited by gecko333, 18 June 2012 - 09:49 AM.

[gecko333]

Day 45 (6 Weeks)

Ahh I have three big fresh spots on my FOREHEAD. I hardly ever used to break out on my forehead
I'm scared to up my dose now in 15 days time.

Also, I'm thinking of getting braces, just write off the whole next 6-12 months as 'self-improvement' whilst accutane works, scars fade, and my teeth straighten. Would having to deal with Accutane and Braces be too much though? Discuss.

x

[jamie o]

Also, I'm thinking of getting braces, just write off the whole next 6-12 months as 'self-improvement' whilst accutane works, scars fade, and my teeth straighten. Would having to deal with Accutane and Braces be too much though? Discuss.

Got link for you on someone who had problem having braces while on Accutane, but they could have experienced more serve side effects than you are. This link is http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php/topic/127850-accutane-and-braces/
I also did a search and found that SupernaturalFanatic used to have braces while on her current course. I'd suggest you get in contact with her; she's really friendly and helpful.
Good luck with your Accutane course mate

[KennyDeWyze]

i am on my 4th pill today !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nothing special! yet

[gecko333]

i am on my 4th pill today !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nothing special! yet

Good Luck We're really similar heights and weights, I'm jealous they started you on 40

[KennyDeWyze]

day 5 now!!!
still nothing special!!!
i hate Epiduo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i have that bad acne cuz i have wasted a month on Epiduo and Doxy!!!!!

[gecko333]

day 5 now!!!
still nothing special!!!
i hate Epiduo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i have that bad acne cuz i have wasted a month on Epiduo and Doxy!!!!!

Yeah I know that feeling, I wasted 6 months on Epiduo and Lymecycline, although they didn't make my acne worse, they just didn't get rid of it, made my red marks scar and gave me loads of digestive problems.

[KennyDeWyze]

Hey buddy, I wanna know which daytime SPF moisturizer are u using??
I brought Cataphil Daily Facial Moosturizer SPF 50
Never tried before

[gecko333]

Hey buddy, I wanna know which daytime SPF moisturizer are u using??
I brought Cataphil Daily Facial Moosturizer SPF 50
Never tried before

I'm just using Aquamol, a normal none-spf moisturiser, and then layering some Olay Sensitive Skin SPF 15 on top, but I'm avoiding the sun in general, a much better form of protection.

[KennyDeWyze]

I am on this drug a week now!!
Nothing special,
Lips are just a little bit dry,
Switch to
NNeutrogena facial daily moisturizer SPF 15

But still haven't tried,
Since my face not dry.

[gecko333]

Day 51 (7 Weeks)

So I've been in Spain for a few days, laying on the SPF 50 everywhere and thankfully I haven't even gone a bit red.
I'm being good avoiding the pool and keeping as many clothes on as possible to avoid the sun, and not drinking of course.

I have a couple of new spots on my forehead, and that monster atop my nose is still there! Albeit smaller. Lately I've noticed that my side effects have pretty much completely gone, I never have to apply lip balm anymore because my lips are never dry, and I am only using the same amount of moisturizer that I was before starting Accutane. This sunday I'm going up to 40mg for 2 weeks and then onto 50, just to ease me into the higher dose.

It kinda sucks not being able to drink or tan, everyone's favourite things to do in Spain. Also cba to explain what Accutane is (don't even know where to begin to do that in Spanish) so I'm just telling people I don't drink, and that I burn super easy, seems to be holding off

[heather135]

Day 51 (7 Weeks)

So I've been in Spain for a few days, laying on the SPF 50 everywhere and thankfully I haven't even gone a bit red.
I'm being good avoiding the pool and keeping as many clothes on as possible to avoid the sun, and not drinking of course.

I have a couple of new spots on my forehead, and that monster atop my nose is still there! Albeit smaller. Lately I've noticed that my side effects have pretty much completely gone, I never have to apply lip balm anymore because my lips are never dry, and I am only using the same amount of moisturizer that I was before starting Accutane. This sunday I'm going up to 40mg for 2 weeks and then onto 50, just to ease me into the higher dose.

It kinda sucks not being able to drink or tan, everyone's favourite things to do in Spain. Also cba to explain what Accutane is (don't even know where to begin to do that in Spanish) so I'm just telling people I don't drink, and that I burn super easy, seems to be holding off

I have just joined as I have just started taking accutane myself. I have been reading quite alot about it since I started and thought I;d let you know that I've read a few people noticing that when their dose is upped they really start to see results, so good luck!

[gecko333]

Day 57 (8 Weeks)

Hola Amigos. I started taking 40mg on Sunday, doing that for 2 weeks before starting 50mg to ease me into it as I've been suffering quite bad lately with one side effect - tiredness!

It's probably a combination of the heat and sun, walking around so much (miles a day) and accutane, all of which are making me quite achy and just generally quite exhausted. So to ease me into my 50mg dose, I'm taking 40mg a week either side. So far, no real notice of worse side effects but it's only been a few days.
But does anyone have any tips on beating accutane fatigue?

I am however still breaking out a bit, I have 3 spots on my right cheek now, all in a line , they're being really stubborn! And can you believe that one on the top of my nose is still there? It's been about 3 weeks now, it just keeps draining and then filling up again! It's like dracula, keeps rising from the dead. Hopefully 50g will be the dagger in its heart xD

My skin is still not dry - although my lips and eyes were a bit drier than they have been as of late today, promising sign that the 40mgs is kicking in maybe?

By next week I'm hoping that my skin does start dry out more and the nose monster is dead once and for all!

[KennyDeWyze]

i am on 2weeks now!
my new side effect is moody!!!get pissed off way easier!!!!!!!!!!
damn!
i was yelling at my aunty last friday!
i used to have good manners.

also, lips are drier than before, skin around my nose is getting drier,

lots if black and white heads!!!!!!!!!!!!
seeing my derm in 2weeks,
since my side effects are mild,
she probably up my dose to 60mg/day

anyway, we'll have clear skin in no time!!!
kill all those sexy bitches!!!!!!!!：Ｄ

[gecko333]

So today has been 8 weeks! Not quite 2 months but still.
Anyway urgh.
Fucking skin.
I'm sick of having no life! Admittedly, having bad skin doesn't cause me to not have a life, it's a choice, but is it?
Although I'm perfectly capable of going out, taking photos of myself, I don't want to with such terrible skin.
I know that I'm 1/3 the way through and hopefully in 4 months all this will be over forever, they can't come quick enough.

[TheKnowing]

Hey having a similar lock-in mindset at the moment, its awful but just thinking ahead helps, just to think this won't be a problem in a couple months, it'll all seem long gone.
Thanks for the sudocrem recommendation that worked amazingly well before my latest breakout came and fucked things up again. Still using it on blemishes works really well for me.

[gecko333]

Day 57 (9 Weeks)

That week flew by! A few new tiny breakouts on my forehead but that's it, lips are dry again thankfully! Feeling that 50mg finally, also my hair is SO dry! it's unbelievable, it's like straw it's horrible, but I don't want to buy a nice expensive conditioner out here cus toiletries are so expensive in Spain.

I hope that by next week, my side effects haven't got worse, especially back pain because that took a while to kick in originally, and hopefully no new breakouts

x

[gecko333]

Day 64 (10 Weeks)

Hey! Right so been on 50g for a week and a half now, and there has definitely been some changes.

Breakouts - I have about 5 spots at the moment, this is the worst it's been for a while, one on each side of my cheeks, a few on my head, one on my cheekbone It's not too bad though, I was expecting a breakout after upping my dose, I was expecting much worse, so I can deal with it.

Hair - My god is my hair dry! It's like straw! Can't style it, and no amount of conditioner or olive oil seems to moisturize it, and the air is humid here in Spain so god only knows how bad it's going to be in England.

Aches - My aches and pains have got a bit worse, I only had it before in my lower back at night time, now I find my shoulders tend to always feel tense and a bit sore, I feel quite tired and just achy sort of like a mild flu.

Cuts & Nails - My hands keep cracking and cutting! They don't even feel dry, but my finger knuckles have been cracking and bleeding, and I keep getting cuts on my hands on my tough finger skin, and they take so long to heal, I guess I'm like a peach, the slightest bruise and I just cut and bleed. Also my nails are sore, a few of them have sort of detached from my fingers at the top, you know how when you cut them too short and then they're sore, they feel like that, which isn't cool. My lips are drier too, started cracking in the corners again.

Finally, this ones sort of embarrassing but I've been sort of constipated. I've been making sure I get 2 litres of water a day, plus I eat loads of fruit and veg which provides even more, and I've always been big on fibre, loads of fruits and vegs, brown wholegrain carbs etc, anyway now I find I'll be constipated for days then go three times in one day, which for me is really weird cus I was always clockwork before, every day after breakfast without fail, a part of my Morning routine tehe. Yeah so not cool. Also getting really bad heartburn and indigestion especially at night time.

So, defs feeling this upping of dosage
x

[gecko333]

Day 71 (11 Weeks)

Ahh, last night 4 or 5 new spots appeared, they're pretty small, but they're red, flat and painful, which from previous experience tells me they're going to be monsters that aren't in a hurry to go

My skin still isn't dry, I could easily get away with not moisturising in the mornings, and again my lips aren't that dry either. But that is more than compensated by how dry my hair is. Also I mentioned last week about the weird stuff going on with my fingers, my skin is sort of peeling around my nails, and I've had a few blisters, which is odd.

Still feeling pretty lethargic, not sleeping very well either, I guess the aches and dull headache probably don't help that. I really hope that my dermatologist does't suggest upping my dose next time, I don't think I could hack it, I'm already taking 0.79g per kg of body weight, the max. safe they could put me on would be 60g, but I'm getting the impression my body really isn't liking Accutane and I'm still not even half way through, I just hope that my symptoms fade as I get accustomed more

How's everyone else doing? Anyone else having any weird side effects or got any tips for dry hair? x