95 replies to this topic

[tracy521]

you know when the first 6 weeks or so on spiro my face was like that too. first it started on my right side then my once that was over it moved to my left side. i dont really believe in inital breakouts but i believe i had a wicked one because i got pimples that were way different from anything i had before. i kept telling people that it looked like i was attacked and like i had mosquito bites on my face. it drove me bonkers so much that i ended up getting half of them injected because they didnt go away and i was too afraid to try and pop them.  i hate antibiotics too but they have just worked so well for me i figure i gotta stick it out for another month. they just calm down all the redness on my face so well. i was on 50mg of doxy for a while before this and it did the same thing and with that low dose you can stay on it forever so after the keflex i might ask for a low dose of that to keep things in check. there is another member on this board that does that and it works well. what topical are you using now if you dont mind me asking? i wasnt using my benzaclin for a while but have started it up again and i forgot how well that stuff works. its a hassle to put it on every morning and evening but its well worth it. keep me updated on your progress!!

[Someclearday]

Topicals ehhh.. I have a clindamycin foam that burns like crazy and Atralin which is a .05% retinol. Both don't seem to be very effective and I started slacking on using them. Maybe I should pick it up again, for some reason when I got my Atalin filled they gave me like 3 mega tubes of it for $25. It said "insurance saved you $1100.00" lol! I'm like what in the world. I don't really believe in the IB either but the way my skin has been lately I wouldn't be surprised. I wonder if th Atralin is gentle enough to use on the low Accutane dose? Seems like too much to me but maybe I'll ask. Retinols always make me flush easily and peel:/

[tracy521]

yeah i like clindamycin but feel that it doesnt do much to prevent my breakouts. i like that its really gentle though. yeah my skin hates retinoids too. i always get so red and then i peel so bad like i have had a bad burn or something its awful! i dont think you can use the atralin while on accutane but i think they are ok with spot treating with bp. so you are going on a low dose then? i wonder what your dose will be? i probably would have been ok on a low dose but i dont think my pa was really wild about doing it. i am suppossed to be taking 150mg of spiro now but am going to a wait until st patty's day is over because everytime i have had my dose upped i broke out but then again i wasnt on an antibiotic either. definitley keep me updated on your progress!

[Someclearday]

I went and got my bloodwork done today! I was so nervous, I even had nightmares about it lol. I barely felt it but man they took a lot of blood. I called and left a message to make an appointment for Friday so I'm just waiting on a call back from the derm. I'm so nervous something is going to go wrong with my bloodwork or something to mess this all up:/ my skin is so bad this week and I don't know how much longer I can put up with waiting.
I'm still taking the Spiro but I'm not sure what all is going to happen with that. I wonder what dose ill be on and all that too! Ill keep you posted!

[tracy521]

yeah keep me posted for sure. definitely stay on the spiro while on accutane to control the hormonal side of your acne. dont worry it will all work out just fine

[Someclearday]

My appointment is Friday! Ill let you know how it goes:)

[tracy521]

woo hoo!! awesome!! i bet you are nervous and happy!!

[Someclearday]

I am! I had my apt today. It was a nightmare to get the rx picked up though. Ipledge locked me out so I had to call, then Walgreens had me wait an hour because they couldn't access the ipledge so I had to take it somewhere else and luckily that worked pretty quickly. I'm so excited it might just start tonight lol

[tracy521]

i am so glad you finally got it! so did you start taking it yet?

[Someclearday]

Yeah today will be my 4th. day. I was so nervous taking the first one. Is like you're holding this pill that seems to have caused so much trouble but could also be the end of a 15 year struggle :/

So far I don't really feel anything/ no changes. She said I wouldn't see much the first month, maybe a little worsening as everything pushes itself out. How's your regimen going?

[tracy521]

thats cool! i am glad everything is goink ok so far. what dosage are you on?

yup everything is still really good. my face is healing up pretty well. i would like to start to get some laser work on my chin soon but i am so afraid that it will cause me to breakout. ugh! keep me updated on your progress are you creating a new log for it?

[Someclearday]

I'm on 40mg once a day. I was super dry when I woke up this morning. It's like the day after you use too much retin a or over apply product dry feeling. I have a few new pimples but I was warned I may not see much change/ it may get worse in the first month.
That's good to hear! What laser? Have you tried peels before?
I'll keep everything in one place here so I can go back and read it all once it's all over. Hopefully it'll all be over after this! I can't wait to post before and afters!

[tracy521]

wow you are dry that fast? damn that was quick!! yeah definitley keep me updated on your progress i cant wait to see it. did you take before pics and everything? i dont think i ever saw your face so not sure how bad your acne was but i am sure soon enough you will be totally clear. i think i am going to do the polomar starlux500 1540 fractional laser. i have some indented scarring on my chin and then some scarring that kind of looks like a wavy line. its very hard to describe but when i saw this surgeon months ago he suggested that it would help smooth that out and help create new collagen over a 6 month period. i have had peels but it does nothing for this unless i get a deeper one but even then i dont think it can touch it. i have seen other surgeons that wanted to do dermabrasian, co2 ablative laser and core2 laser so i think this would be the least invasive and help me the most.

i wish you the best of luck and soon enough you are going to be clear and so happy!!!

Edited by tracy521, 19 March 2013 - 08:39 AM.

[Someclearday]

Yeah I have before pics. I took them for my derm because I HAD to go in wearing make up and decided to keep them. I hate when people want to see wedding pics or something I'm like "I will show you!!" so they don't stumble upon my face pics. Ill be sure to post them at the near end.

Yeah today is my 6th day and I'm already feeling it. The best way I can describe it is coming inside after a long sunny windy day at an outdoor event that you've had a drink or 2. Just dried out and chapped inside and out and a little run down. It's not terrible though and I'm glad to know that it's doing something. I had a little back pain last night but nothing unusual.

I've always wanted to try laser but the downtown scares me. I've done a couple feels and even waiting for the healing from that drives me crazy, especially if it breaks me out even more. After the Accutane I probably will do retin a and eventually a peel or two for red marks and skin tone. Let me know how the lasers go!

[tracy521]

so how are you feeling today? i hope you are doing better!! yeah i think with the ablative laser you have a lot of downtime but with the fractional laser its not too bad. i think the doc said i could get it done on my lunch and then go back to work. its about a 1 1/2 inch section of my chin that i will be getting the laser so at least its not my entire face ya know? thats good that you have pics!

[Someclearday]

Feeling dry!! Lol my lips look so shriveled and awful. Aquaphor is my everything right now.
I'm not really noticing a decrease in my larger pimples that form into whiteheads but the tiny ones are slowly disappearing. I used to feel them while I was washing my face and now it's getting a lot smoother.
Not really feeling anything internally physical as far as side effects. I have been a little more emotional about things but that's probably the addition of the bcp and my job disaisfaction which has always been there. My hair is starting to get a little less oily too. I hope one day I can go a day or two in between wasings like everyone else lol

How's your skin?

[tracy521]

hey how are you doing? how is the accutane treating you so far? i bet you are clearing up nicely now. i cant wait for you to show me those after pics of your amazingly clear skin! are you feeling ok?

i am doing pretty good i got 1 new zit but its near my hairline so you cant see it unless i put my hair up but other that things are clearing up nicely. i think i am going to pass on the laser for now and try medical microdermabrasian. its 3 times stronger than regular micorderm and is suppossed to get good results so i am waiting another week or two and will start those treatments. i get so nervous though doing anything afraid it will make me breakout but i think it will be good for my skin thats for sure.

well keep me updated on your progress! take care!

[Someclearday]

Feelings pretty good! The insomnia is settling down a bit so I'm just dealing with a little dryness. I have a couple new pimples that came up so I'm just dealing with these. I feel like there's no end in sight! I can't wait to start seeing results...
Microderm is really good! It's very exfoliating. I know how you feel though I'm always a little wary of new skin treatments. I feel like if I break out more and have more red marks it wouldn't be worth it. When's your appointment for that?

I have a job interview later today. I'm soooo nervous. And I hope I'm able to cover these spots:/

[Someclearday]

Starting to get really really dry. I feel sunburned all the time and my skin feels sore. I'm two weeks in and I think the IB is starting full force...

[tracy521]

oh no! i hope the ib goes away just as fast as it came on for you. just remember it will all be worth it in the end!! i havent made an appointment yet for the medical microderm but will do so in the next week or so. this is way stronger than the regular microderm so i hope it helps my skin. they assured me that it will so we shall see. i have had regular microderm with no issues but since this is such a deeper exfoliation i worry about breaking out but i think if i go when i am totally clear it should be fine right?

how are you feeling otherwise? are you more tired than normal?