Acne.org Products
Hello fellow acne.org users,
I've lurked these forums for quite some time but have been reluctant to make an account. I've finally decided however, that today would be the day I'd sign up and start my accutane log.
Some background info.
I'm currently 23 years old. I started breaking out severely when I was 13. I was put on Retin-a, followed by Doxycyclin, Minocyclin, another antibiotic which didnt work and another topical I can't recall. None of them worked until I used Differn. I found profound success with this product.
Unfortunately this did not last forever and I started having massive breakouts again. When I was 15 when my dermatologist recommended I use Accutane. My parents were reluctant to allow me to use such a "harmful" drug and I was prescribed tazorac.
For the following few years I battled with terrible breakouts, the tazorac did little to combat them. That is until I found acne.org. I started using Dan's regimine and it worked extremely well at controlling most of my breakouts and clearing me up. But after a while it ceased to work at maximum efficiency.
I'm tired of essentially putting a bandaid on a bullet wound. I woke up this morning and looked at my skin with such disgust. I'm finally ready to take the plunge and start using accutane.
Where I currently stand.
I breakout regularly but no major breakouts unless I forget to use BP for 3 or more consecutive days. My skin is filled with acne scarring and I'm hoping to treat that after I put my acne into remission with the accutane.
Plan
I'm going to use 20mg of Isotretinion every day for 6 months. Possibly more, depending on how I tolerate the drug. I've decided on lose dose due to information I've read, and I'm a firm believer of using the lowest dose possible to achieve the effects you're looking for.
I will upload some pictures soon. Hope to have some followers.
I'm purchasing the Isotretinion right now and will start it as soon as it arrives!
Awesome! I hope it works good for you. I am three weeks in on 40 mg and starting 60 in a couple of weeks.
So far I'm breaking out more than usual, I am hopeful that the acne will pack its shit and go soon though.
You will have to keep us up to date on how you are coming along!!
I'm totally with you about the low dose thing. I just started 30mg/day of accutane a week ago and I'm doing it for 6 months. I've had acne for 10 years and have always been against taking accutane because of the side-effect horror stories. But the more I read the more it seemed that those worst-case scenerios were only with people on really high doses, and that people with milder acne who take low doses seem to usually have really good results. The thing that actually put the final nail in my decision-making coffin was when I read Dan's bio and discovered that his acne was also mostly cured by, not the regimen, but a low dose cycle of accutane.
So after a week, no horrible side effect. My eyes are kinda dry right now so I'll have to buy some eye drops, and my lips are a little dryer than usual, not chapped though. I've just been drinking more water that usually to keep myself hydrated and everything seems good. My skin already seems less oily.
I think your decision of 20mg per day is a good one and you will be very happy in 6 months. Good luck!
I've been taking roaccutane at doses ranging from 10-40g a day for close to ten years. This is my opinion:
If you've never taken this drug before, I'd advise you first take it under the supervision of a doctor, complete with monthly blood tests. You never know how your liver is going to react.
Accutane can come with some fairly severe and permanent side effects. Don't just write these off in your mind. Acknowledge and accept that your life could be dramatically harmed because of this drug. Then ask yourself if acne is worth risking that.
My own acne was severe enough and disabling enough to warrant any cost. I had exhausted most other options. But perhaps your situation is different.
Good luck in whatever you decide.
Don't you just love when someone comes in and says something like that to make you second think your choice and doesn't even bother elaborating...
I'm sure everyone even thinking about low dose treatment would love to hear your experience, tritonxiv...
I don't want anyone to do something they are going to regret because of me. That is why I didn't give my experience, which was positive.
Your experience may not be my experience. And my advice stands:
Don't use accutane unless you absolutely have to. And use it with the full knowlege and acceptance that something very bad could happen.
You're being too vague.... you first made it sound like your experience with low dose left you with some permanent negative sides. Now you're saying it was positive but still not saying whether or not you were left with any permanent effects.
The reason low dose is attractive to many is because people tend to report little to no side effects. Everybody knows there are still risks but if you would share your experience in a little more detail I think it would add to the 'data' that people use to make their choices. We'd like to hear as many opinions as possible so we can make the most properly informed decision.
Nobody is gaining anything by you being mysterious about your experience. Please give details... or you may as well have just not posted in the first place.
Nobody is gaining anything by you being mysterious about your experience. Please give details... or you may as well have just not posted in the first place.
My advice is to the original poster, and my advice is sound. My personal experience will do nothing but encourage the average uniformed candidate to blindly rush in, because my experience is the best possible outcome anyone could hope for.
My goal is to increase people's sense of skepticism and ensure they do not make this decision lightly. But to satisfy you, I will repost my and another long term accutane user's experiences. (which could have been easily found if you had done the relevant searches in the "Accutane" forums)
My expiriences:
- Slightly bloody snot in the mornings
- Dry lips / Eyes
- Slow healing of wounds.
- Thin skin on hands, easily cut.
- Moody
Another long term user's experiences:
- Being moody, tired, emotional (unable to cry though), suicidal, very sarcastic and negative. Unable to really enjoy something. Brain fog, unable to remember things (short term things. Long term things are still fine). Lately I also seem to forget what I was going to say, half way through a sentence
- Nose bleeds, constant feeling of having a cold (full nose)
- Decreased night vision
- Dry lips/eyes
- Numb feeling arround my crown jewels (but at the same time the feeling I'm on some sort of hormonal turbo mode)
- Balding (same as getting older balding, but It started when I started accutane. It seems like the clock just fastforwared years!)
- Stiff joints (I notice it especially when playing an guitar. I get a long much better when not on accutane. Goes a lot smoother)
- Farting and burping (it gets a lot less when not on accutane)
- Very slow and sometimes strange healing of wounds
- When I stop accutane I get extreme mucus/slime production from my mouth
- Low weight (and hard to get heavier) lost appetite
- Anal bleeds (because of dryness around the anus)
- Easier to get drunk (after a couple of drinks)
- Very red and bleedy gums
- Easier to pick up infections (less resistant)
- Lower back pain and terrible RSI
"I think it's not worth the risks. Also I noticed that after being clear for years I can't be bothered with acne as much as I did before I started Accutane. Maybe I say this because I found a acceptable alternative to accutane. I got a wake-up call because of my recent problems about the Accutane risks, so that also changed my perspective on things. Thought it would never happen to me because I thought that I already experienced everything so nothing new could happen..."
Welcome aboard, and good luck! I am just over 3 weeks in and I have nothing but good things to say about (ro)accutane so far. Hopefully you'll be the same
J x
Thank you joanna! I'll be checking in on your log regularly and I wish you the best.
Awesome! I hope it works good for you. I am three weeks in on 40 mg and starting 60 in a couple of weeks.
So far I'm breaking out more than usual, I am hopeful that the acne will pack its shit and go soon though.
You will have to keep us up to date on how you are coming along!!
I definitely will keep you all posted 
Wish you the best too Betsy!
I'm totally with you about the low dose thing. I just started 30mg/day of accutane a week ago and I'm doing it for 6 months. I've had acne for 10 years and have always been against taking accutane because of the side-effect horror stories. But the more I read the more it seemed that those worst-case scenerios were only with people on really high doses, and that people with milder acne who take low doses seem to usually have really good results. The thing that actually put the final nail in my decision-making coffin was when I read Dan's bio and discovered that his acne was also mostly cured by, not the regimen, but a low dose cycle of accutane.
So after a week, no horrible side effect. My eyes are kinda dry right now so I'll have to buy some eye drops, and my lips are a little dryer than usual, not chapped though. I've just been drinking more water that usually to keep myself hydrated and everything seems good. My skin already seems less oily.
I think your decision of 20mg per day is a good one and you will be very happy in 6 months. Good luck!
Yeah I leaned towards 20mg as I've done significant research. It seems low dose would be perfect for my age and severity of acne.
I hope my skin becomes less oily with the accutane as well! *crosses fingers*
You never know how your liver is going to react.
I am well aware of potential liver damage. However I supplement with high grade liver support. For the entire time I will be using Accutane I will not be using any substances that could be potentially damaging to the liver. This includes alcohol. I also follow an extremely strict diet.
Then ask yourself if acne is worth risking that.
Yes it is.
My own acne was severe enough and disabling enough to warrant any cost. I had exhausted most other options. But perhaps your situation is different.
My situation may be similar in severity to yours and many other users, but this is my decision. I've deliberated on taking this drug for years and I've finally decided to pull the plug. By any means necessary to achieve the goals I've set in life.
Good luck in whatever you decide.
Thank you.
Don't you just love when someone comes in and says something like that to make you second think your choice and doesn't even bother elaborating...
I'm sure everyone even thinking about low dose treatment would love to hear your experience, tritonxiv...
I never second guess myself. He would have little effect on my decision.
Nobody is gaining anything by you being mysterious about your experience. Please give details... or you may as well have just not posted in the first place.
My advice is to the original poster, and my advice is sound. My personal experience will do nothing but encourage the average uniformed candidate to blindly rush in, because my experience is the best possible outcome anyone could hope for.
You assume I'm uninformed. But don't mistake lack of experience for ignorance.
My goal is to increase people's sense of skepticism and ensure they do not make this decision lightly. But to satisfy you, I will repost my and another long term accutane user's experiences. (which could have been easily found if you had done the relevant searches in the "Accutane" forums)
My expiriences:
- Slightly bloody snot in the mornings
- Dry lips / Eyes
- Slow healing of wounds.
- Thin skin on hands, easily cut.
- Moody
These are all very manageable.
Another long term user's experiences:
- Being moody, tired, emotional (unable to cry though), suicidal, very sarcastic and negative. Unable to really enjoy something. Brain fog, unable to remember things (short term things. Long term things are still fine). Lately I also seem to forget what I was going to say, half way through a sentence.
This also occurs with nutrient deficiencies. There are ways to combat lethargy, moodiness and suicidial thoughts. The mind is powerful. If you allow yourself to be weak and overrun with negativity then that is your decision and yours alone. You can't blame a drug on this.
- Nose bleeds, constant feeling of having a cold (full nose)
- Decreased night vision
- Dry lips/eyes
- Numb feeling arround my crown jewels (but at the same time the feeling I'm on some sort of hormonal turbo mode)
- Balding (same as getting older balding, but It started when I started accutane. It seems like the clock just fastforwared years!)
- Stiff joints (I notice it especially when playing an guitar. I get a long much better when not on accutane. Goes a lot smoother)
- Farting and burping (it gets a lot less when not on accutane)
................I don't even.....
- Very slow and sometimes strange healing of wounds
- When I stop accutane I get extreme mucus/slime production from my mouth
- Low weight (and hard to get heavier) lost appetite
- Anal bleeds (because of dryness around the anus)
- Easier to get drunk (after a couple of drinks)
I don't understand why people drink alcohol on something so liver toxic. It's as if you're asking for jaundice.
- Very red and bleedy gums
- Easier to pick up infections (less resistant)
- Lower back pain and terrible RSI
"I think it's not worth the risks. Also I noticed that after being clear for years I can't be bothered with acne as much as I did before I started Accutane. Maybe I say this because I found a acceptable alternative to accutane. I got a wake-up call because of my recent problems about the Accutane risks, so that also changed my perspective on things. Thought it would never happen to me because I thought that I already experienced everything so nothing new could happen..."
Thank you for this perspective but my resolve is clear. I've dealt with this problem for almost half my life. I grow tired of acne and accutane works; scare tactics will not deter me.
Thank you for this perspective but my resolve is clear. I've dealt with this problem for almost half my life. I grow tired of acne and accutane works; scare tactics will not deter me.
My goal is not to scare anyone, but simply ensure they make the right decision for their situation. Good luck and I hope your experience turns out great! ![=]](https://static.acne.org/ipb_uploads/emoticons/default_sideways.gif)
Hey everyone, time for an update.
Honestly I haven't noticed anything, and now my skin is getting worse. I think this may be an IB? I haven't a clue. It's been almost two months. I really hope my skin starts to show signs of improvement soon.
Sorry to hear you haven't seen any results as of yet, I've looked at quite a few accutane journeys and experiences and some take like 2 months to completely clear up while others take 5 or 6 or longer. I'm finishing my second month too and I'm clearing up partially in some areas and breaking out in others, I can't really provide you with any useful information or knowledge though, so sorry about that and good luck.
Hey everyone, time for an update.
Honestly I haven't noticed anything, and now my skin is getting worse. I think this may be an IB? I haven't a clue. It's been almost two months. I really hope my skin starts to show signs of improvement soon.
Sorry to hear you haven't seen any results as of yet, I've looked at quite a few accutane journeys and experiences and some take like 2 months to completely clear up while others take 5 or 6 or longer. I'm finishing my second month too and I'm clearing up partially in some areas and breaking out in others, I can't really provide you with any useful information or knowledge though, so sorry about that and good luck.
Thanks for posting 
Yeah I'm hopefully that it'll kick in around the 5 or 6 month mark. I'm thinking I should up the dose to 40mg.
Also does anyone have recommendations for moisturizers? My skin has been really dry and dans lotion doesn't reallly do the trick.
