3 replies to this topic

[Juntothehoe]

Hi. I've been struggling with cystic acne ever since I hit puberty. Started accutane at 17 till I was 18, then stopped due to conscription in the army. First few months off accutane was fine, but it got severe (and worse than last time) after the 4th month. Now I'm on my 8th month without accutane and I recently convinced the army medical officer to allow me to continue eating accutane.

I started my 2nd round of accutane just 3 weeks ago, at 20mg per day. It was like a miracle, only the first week it improved. The 2nd week was fine too. However I am on my third week (last week) and the situation is getting worse, partly due to the fact that I'm learning how to ride a motorcycle at the military camp and I'm using a helmet that has been used by God knows how many people. My cystic acne are all swelled up and when I look in a mirror my face puffs up. It hurts whenever it is pressed on, whether intentionally or unintentionally. The area around my acne is blemished and a darker skin tone, possibly scarred. The skin on my back is starting to get very dry and flaky. I also experience nosebleeds now - already 3 times in the previous few days. The doctor said its because the medicine makes my skin dry. After the most recent nosebleed, I was advised by my parents to stop. And I did, reluctantly.

Today is day 20 of my accutane cycle and I'm stopping here, I'm feeling very depressed and haven't gone out in the past couple of weeks with my friends because of it. Yesterday was my birthday and I spent the evening crying and at night had a simple dinner with my parents. I'm not able to focus on any activities at all. I'm supposed to go for a run right now but I find it difficult to ignore the fact that my acne is getting worse and my self-esteem is plummeting. I might or might not go for a run after I finish this post, I don't know. Unfortunately, I'm unable to see my dermatologist until the next month because of the f*cked up scheduling the army has given me.

Please, if anyone has any tips or advice on how to improve my situation, I'd gladly appreciate it.

[heather135]

It's a shame you've experienced bad side effects so soon, and on 20mg! I'm on 70mg and I've still to experience a nose bleed! Did you not try putting some moisturiser on your nose to help with the dryness?

If you are definately not wanting to continue with accutane then as a fellow cystic acne sufferer I would suggest trying another less potent antibiotic and using some Benzoyl Peroxide on your face. I found BP to be very good when i first started using it, it helped to dry out the cysts and make them go down quicker. Speak to your derm about it when u next see them anyway, and I really do hope you find something that works for you. Cysts are so soul destroying!

[ClearDreaming]

While I understand not wanting to continue on accutane, I feel like you may have jumped the gun a bit due to perfectly normal side effects. I had a nosebleed every few days the first month of accutane, while I have always been prone to them (oh I'm too hot-nosebleed, oh I'm too cold-nosebleed) they stopped after the first month, and swishing a bit of Vaseline around inside your nose will help them. As for your acne getting worse in week 3, well an initial worsening is certainly common.

The only thing you have mentioned that would be a concern is any depression, but I think it's important to work out if that is the drug, or if that is the acne. Clearly if it is the acne, stopping accutane and continuing to have it isn't going to help.

I don't want to sound mean, I just think you need to look at it a bit more in the long run, you may stay off it for 4 years then wish you had stayed on before you gained some of the scarring you may have then.

If you really think about it and still decide to stay off it, I think the probiotic route some people have taken on the holistic board looks promising, as well as using a gentle routine and something like BP.

[Juntothehoe]

It's a shame you've experienced bad side effects so soon, and on 20mg! I'm on 70mg and I've still to experience a nose bleed! Did you not try putting some moisturiser on your nose to help with the dryness?

If you are definately not wanting to continue with accutane then as a fellow cystic acne sufferer I would suggest trying another less potent antibiotic and using some Benzoyl Peroxide on your face. I found BP to be very good when i first started using it, it helped to dry out the cysts and make them go down quicker. Speak to your derm about it when u next see them anyway, and I really do hope you find something that works for you. Cysts are so soul destroying!

Hi

I've been putting lotion on my dry areas, seems to help. And I've tried Doxycycline for about a month - that didn't even show any results at all. As for Benzoyl Peroxide, my derm recommends it though I find that it makes my face sting so I stopped using it.

While I understand not wanting to continue on accutane, I feel like you may have jumped the gun a bit due to perfectly normal side effects. I had a nosebleed every few days the first month of accutane, while I have always been prone to them (oh I'm too hot-nosebleed, oh I'm too cold-nosebleed) they stopped after the first month, and swishing a bit of Vaseline around inside your nose will help them. As for your acne getting worse in week 3, well an initial worsening is certainly common.

The only thing you have mentioned that would be a concern is any depression, but I think it's important to work out if that is the drug, or if that is the acne. Clearly if it is the acne, stopping accutane and continuing to have it isn't going to help.

I don't want to sound mean, I just think you need to look at it a bit more in the long run, you may stay off it for 4 years then wish you had stayed on before you gained some of the scarring you may have then.

If you really think about it and still decide to stay off it, I think the probiotic route some people have taken on the holistic board looks promising, as well as using a gentle routine and something like BP.

Hello,

I might have overexaggerated the side effects, but as I'm serving the army with requires me to be out in the sun often. Strangely, I didnt have nosebleeds on my previous cycle of accutane. I think it's better I put my self-esteem issues aside, seeing that I won't be able to leave the army for another 1.5 years, although I do wish to have the smooth complexion I had a year back whilst on accutane.

I'll discuss this issue with my derm the next time we meet, and see if I can come up with some kind of compromise ;/ Thanks for replying anyway.