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MONTH 2
Wow - time has flown by so fast! Wish my acne would follow suit. Well lestget right down to the nitty gritty.
PROS:
Skin still not dry
some partsof my face are still smooth
side effects are still minimal (escema on hands and itching that comes and goes)
CONS:
those clogged pores on my chin/mouth area have turned into underground pimples that are definitiely getting inflamed (i count 6)
breaking out way more on my forehead in large bumps but not horrendously so
The upside of all that is that those clogs have been there for a while so hopefully this meas they will be going away soon.
People say the magic starts happening in Month 3 so keeping my fingers crossed. i have no recollection of my previous accutane courses so here's to hoping they are right
On a side note, i got my nutribullet and while it is way better than my blending in breaking down my fruits and veggies, i am far from loving it. It heats up the mixture so you have to add ice and if you don't drink it right away, it returns to its pulpy state. Clean up is a synch though so can't complain there. My eating habits have taken a downward spiral and even though i am still dairy and gluten free, i am eating out much more and thats not good. My carb intake has gone up and i have not worked out.
My plan for the New Year is to restart my exercise plan (i have 3 months of PT to do), start eating more veggies and fruits, go easier on the carb, cook more and just try overall to be a healthier person.
Oh Accutane how i hate your little surprises. I do believe i have now begun my initial breakout. Forehead has several inflamed bumps that are very visible. Also, my chin and mouth is experiencing purging of those tiny bumps (they now are getting inflamed to the 10th degree). Not what i wanted for the holiday - brings back bad memories of my face last christmas
I guess i better get my big girl panties on and suck it up.
How does everyone else keep positive during the IB?
Week 9
Ok so it's not quite week 9 but i plan to be away from the org till at least late next week so here's my almost week 9 update
I'm Clear.........YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!
NOT
I wish i were but right now i am in the middle of a suck initial outbreak with several landmines on both my cheeks, one huge inflamed one and several smaller semi inflamed ones that are not going anywhere
It sucks hardcore but as i said to my derm, if this means that the process will move faster then i'm all for it. They say many people tend to experience consistent improvement during the 3 rd month so hopefully this will only last a few weeks and i can start to clear up. Chin is suprisingly ok - i have flesh colored bumps that will eventually come out (i think) but they are stubborn as shit.
So here is the run down of my accutane journey PROS and CONS
PROS
- dryness is returning to chin but overall, not bad
- forehead acne has slowed down so hopefully this will continue
CONS
- getting several INFLAMED acne mines and since i am light complexion, it shows so much (sucks hard)
- getting several under the skin cysts
- getting several smaller acne all over cheeks and jawline
- getting acne on my nose( why oh why)
- the itchies are returning so sometimes my face itches and my body is starting to itch more so more water for me
- i have noticed some thinning at the root of my hair (small patch) which i am not sure is accutane related as i am going through the process of going natural with my hair and i am still blow drying it which is a NO NO so we'll see. My hair is not shedding
I have been taking weekly pictures and at some point i will post. My Iphone camera sucks so not sure how helpful they'll be. If anyone has any questions or comments, please feel free to ask/share. We're in this struggle together
- getting several INFLAMED acne mines and since i am light complexion, it shows so much (sucks hard)
Somewhere between Week 10 and Week 11 (Day 75 to be exact)
Well i am rediscovering the joy of red marks that acne so graciously leaves behind. During this initial breakout, my right cheek seems to have taken most of the hit and it is covered in lovely red marks and acne. What a joy! I am greatful that most of the larger pimples have gone down but many smaller clusters have popped up and it sucks just the same. Good news is that my forhead is getting clearer. Unfortunately, my chin is breaking out more.....sucks to be me right now but as is life, nothing stays the same forever. Hoping by week 12 this shit is over and done with. Will update and Week 11 and hope everyone had a great Christmas!
Week 11 - Still in the initial outbreak phase
PROS:
not experiencing many side effects apart from dry lips and itchy scalp
CONS:
Facial dryness on my chin and cheeks are back. Not obvious but i feel it
breaking it multiple small clusters of bumps- not sure if these are clogged pores or what. They are sometimes itchy to boot
lots of red marks
breakng out again on my forehead but not as bad as before
chin jaw and cheeks are breking out in bumps too
Improvement has stalled and is at a standstill. My 3 month mark will be on exactly January the 12th so will let y'all know whats happening.
come on accutane - i ain't got all day
I'm in the 'i don't know if accutane will work for me' phase. Almost every single area of smooth skin is gone. It feels bumpy, lots of small bumps and a ton of larger inflamed bumps that leave horrid red marks. I am definitely feeing discouraged especially since i am more than 1/2 way through my course. I see my derm on January 22nd so i will discuss my concerns and see what she thinks about maybe extendind my course to 6 months if i continue to break out like this.
Life with acne is no fun
Not much of an update but a warning to all accutane/sotret/claravis users.
When they say NOT to have any procedures (facials, extractions, tattos, waxing, etc), LISTEN.
I just got my eyebrows threaded because i thought it would be better than waxing......wrong! I am splotchy and broken out so bad on the area where i threaded. Looks like a contagious rash which sucks but lesson learned! Hoping this clears up by the weekend. Off to work with my lesson learned.
Day 92 (Month 3)
Yay!!!!!! Can't believe i am in my 3rd month. If everything works out with my blood tests and derm appt on 1/22 then i only have 2 more months to go. I finally feel as if i am making some progress. Whether it will be consistent, we will see.......now on to the good stuff:
PROS
Threading breakout has all but dried up. It's a scabby mess but the active acne that threading caused has gone down significantly and is blending in with my skin more
inner cheeks are clear (knock on wood) but i still breakout along the hair line of my outer cheeks, just not as bad as before
Skin is starting to feel soft again when i wash and moisturize.
Hair thining that i was concerned about turns out to be genetic as my mom has the same thing. In any event, it hasn't gotten any worse
Side effects are all but gone
Overall, i am in a better place this week
CONS
Dryness is till an issue and with dryness comes flakiness. I'm thinking once i stop breaking out, i will exfoliate with something natural, like sugar and see what happens (gently of course)
Still itching randomly on occassion
I feel as this may be the corner i have been waiting to turn but we'll see as accutane can be an up and down roller coaster.
Thank You all for the support! Will be back in a week to update, after my derm appt which happens to be day 100
Have a blessed week!
Day # 97
i have some under the skin acne action happenin on my right cheek (grrrrrr!!) The dryness is also ridiculous. So freakinf frustrated with accutane, especially being this far in. On my next visit, i will speak to the derm about the possibility of extending my course to 6 months IF i am still breaking out.
Other than acne and dryness i am not experiencing much if any known side effects. With that said, i do think my depression is brought on mostly by my acne as when i am clear/mostly clear, i experiene a near normal level of sadness as opposed to when i am broken out. I do know that i need to work on not letting my outward appearance rule my self esteem and i am making efforts towards doing that.....ahh.....no one said life was easy, right.
WARNING: Beginning of my self pity party
My right cheek has a ton of red pimples now and it has extended down to my chin and right jaw. This is what i am talking about in terms of consistency - i will begin to clear for a few days and then, BAM - a new crop. This definitely frustrates me. in fact, the thing about acne that frustrates me overall is that i cannot control it. And i hate when people say its my fault for not:
trying this diet
trying this natural remedy
ETC ETC ETC
I have tried many of those things and i still have acne. Anybody else have those self pity days when you wonder WTF is accutane doing or in my case, not doing?
BTW....mirrors ae the devil.
Day 100!!! YAY!!!
Acne has worsened. I am now experiencing the beginning of heavy purging on my chin, under my lips, jaw and cheeks (both inner and outer). Trying not to stress it as it won't help any. Had my fourth prescription given to me today and my derm says that i shouldn't stress myself as i have 2 more months to go and a lot can happen between now and then. She refused to talk about extending my course and said we will make any decisions at the end of month 5.
I am incredibly frustrated with this process and trying to find other ways to occupy my time and energy. I have devloped an interest in cooking, especially paleo type foods so that keeps me busy on weekends. Also, i have taken to reading self help books, trying to figure out why i am the way i am. Maybe this experience is the ultimate test of my patience - who knows. But anyway, on to my acne report
PROS:
No known side effects except for dryness
CONS
increase in acne on cheeks, chin and jawline both inflammed and small flesh colored bumps
extreme dryness and flakiness
Not much left to say except i feel like shit emotionally, not depressed mind you, just exhausted with.........EVERYTHING.
Hope everyone is doing well. Will report again on Monday (Day # 106: Week 15)
Day 107
My acne continues to cycle. Bumps go down, new ones come up. One area of my face clears up, another starts to break out....sigh. I have also noticed what many do on accutane - that red marks hang around forever and ever and ever. The marks really don't bother me as much as the acne though. i would take a few marks if i could be clear forever.
On to the good stuff:
PROS
Dryness easing up a tad - must be due to warmer weather
while i am getting larger bumps, i only get 1 or 2 at a time unlike a cluster of huge bumps like before
CONS
Still breaking out.
Not consistently clear in any area on my face though my forehead is the least bothersome ATM
Noticing a lot more underground pimples popping up that leave marks.
My emotional state is that i am exhausted. I am gearing myself up for the fact that this time around accutane will not work for me. Not sure what my next step will be though. Birth control is out for me for sure, so maybe SPIRO and definately a retinoid....again.
Still, i have 7 weeks left so we'll see what happens from here
Week 16 (day 112)
PROS:
there HAS been improvement if you compare the beginnng of my acne's return to now
My acne is spread out which i guess is better than having everything concentrated in one area
My chin below my mouth is smooth and clear
despite a few reoccuring small pimples, forehead is almost clear
CONS
my face is red
i have many small reddish pimples appearing that give my skin a rough tecture (not sure what type of acne this is or if it is just clogged pores. There are so many of them
I am getting larger inflamed PAINFUL bumps that are leaving red marks. i have 1 right now that has been here for a week, hard as ever and shows no intention of letting up
Dryness is back as i mentioned before and my lips are dry but not as peely as before.
OVERAL IMPRESSIONS:
With my lack of CONSISTANT progress this late in the game (my 4th month), i am incredibly disappointed. Especially when i read that people have noticed progress between months 2-4.
My derm will definitely NOT increase my dosage (and i don't want that either) and i am VERY doubtful that she will extend my course (which i will not be opposed to).
What worries me the most is that with my 2 previous courses, i was clear by the 2nd/3rd month which is why i ended my course early.
Having to go back to the drawing board again fucking sucks
I have not tried Spiro but for some reason it scares me more than accutane as it may affect hormones and such (that was the same issue i had with BC when i took it).
Hoping your acne goes away. I plan to ask for retin A after my course as i am very doubtful i will be clear
So hate this process