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Same here. Other than the dry lips, I don't feel like I'm on Accutane either. It's a good thing, but I still can't wait to be off this stuff.
Hmm. Who knows about the breakouts. Thinking about that always makes me wonder what's going to happen when we're off the drug. I mean, what really makes acne stay away once you're done popping pills? Guess we'll see. And hopefully we'll stay clear.
I think fasting before your next blood test will be a good idea. Hopefully things will go back to normal, but as long as your derm isn't worried, I don't think it'll be that big of a deal. To be honest, I haven't really been doing anything to lower mine... Oops. Lol.
I'm doing good. The three zits I had that were taking forever to heal the last time I posted an update are almost completely gone. Oddly enough, they started shrinking the very next day after I updated you guys. I haven't had any new breakouts in two weeks, I believe. I still have some small bumps under the skin where I have red marks on my right cheek. They've been there probably since I started my course. I'm not sure why they haven't budged... At least they aren't noticeable.
The dry lips are a big enough deal to me that I can't wait to be off of it. Seriously these lips just peel so much. Mine are actually starting to hurt and sting a bit. I have been using carmex the last couple of days and I think that is helping though. They seem to be peeling less, and I can actually stand the smell and taste of carmex. The stuff my derm gave me tastes terrible and makes my stomach upset if I swallow it, which is difficult not to because it melts into my mouth. Gross, I know.
Wondering about what will happen after accutane will makes us go insane. I just hope that the science behind the medication is correct and us meeting the cumulative dose is good enough. Otherwise I don't know what to do next. I don't want to go back on antibiotics or anything like that. I just hope the accutane is enough, and I don't have to do some crazy regime afterwards to stay clear. Im okay with a topical to help fade away the red marks other than that I am hoping I don't need to do anything other than cleanse and moisturize.
I haven't been doing anything to lower mine either haha. Other than I ate a bowl of cherrios the other day which I know isn't going to make a difference.
That is great news those zits are almost gone! Maybe posting about things on this site is your good luck charm 😉 I also have a small under the skin bump on my jaw you can't see it. I can feel it though. It has been there since the start of my course and doesn't seem to be changing at all. I always want to ask my dermatologist about it, I never remember though. I always feel so rushed there.
The dry lips are a big enough deal to me that I can't wait to be off of it. Seriously these lips just peel so much. Mine are actually starting to hurt and sting a bit. I have been using carmex the last couple of days and I think that is helping though. They seem to be peeling less, and I can actually stand the smell and taste of carmex. The stuff my derm gave me tastes terrible and makes my stomach upset if I swallow it, which is difficult not to because it melts into my mouth. Gross, I know.
Wondering about what will happen after accutane will makes us go insane. I just hope that the science behind the medication is correct and us meeting the cumulative dose is good enough. Otherwise I don't know what to do next. I don't want to go back on antibiotics or anything like that. I just hope the accutane is enough, and I don't have to do some crazy regime afterwards to stay clear. Im okay with a topical to help fade away the red marks other than that I am hoping I don't need to do anything other than cleanse and moisturize.
I haven't been doing anything to lower mine either haha. Other than I ate a bowl of cherrios the other day which I know isn't going to make a difference.
That is great news those zits are almost gone! Maybe posting about things on this site is your good luck charm
I also have a small under the skin bump on my jaw you can't see it. I can feel it though. It has been there since the start of my course and doesn't seem to be changing at all. I always want to ask my dermatologist about it, I never remember though. I always feel so rushed there.
The lips sound painful! Mine have only had a little peeling. I exfoliate them regularly with the Cure gel since the corners of my mouth get flaky. I think that helps a lot.
I haven't tried Carmex, but I'm glad it's working for you!
Yeah, I'm okay with using a topical once I'm finished Accutane. I like how simple things have been throughout my course though. Just a cleanser and moisturizer. Hopefully things can stay that simple for all of us!
I can't help but wonder how my skin will be up until the end of my course and afterwards. I've been lucky that things have been clearing pretty nicely since the beginning.
I see my derm in two weeks. I'm gonna ask him about the bumps under the skin.
The lips sound painful! Mine have only had a little peeling. I exfoliate them regularly with the Cure gel since the corners of my mouth get flaky. I think that helps a lot.
I haven't tried Carmex, but I'm glad it's working for you!
Yeah, I'm okay with using a topical once I'm finished Accutane. I like how simple things have been throughout my course though. Just a cleanser and moisturizer. Hopefully things can stay that simple for all of us!
I can't help but wonder how my skin will be up until the end of my course and afterwards. I've been lucky that things have been clearing pretty nicely since the beginning.
I see my derm in two weeks. I'm gonna ask him about the bumps under the skin.
I still want to get the cure gel, I am scared to add anything to my skin care at the moment though. I see lots of people's log where they say they could smear bacon grease on their faces and wouldn't break out. I am still feeling like if I were to take a breath wrong I would breakout. I just don't trust my skin yet. I am hoping that comes with this next month.
It really has been simple since starting accutane. That is for sure a bonus of being on the medication.
I see my derm in 2 weeks too!
Rachel and Betsy, I see my derm in 2 weeks, toooo!!!! Yeeehawwww!
Rach: I just saw your signature and it says you're doing 6 months??? How did I miss that? I thought you were doing 4, no?
Is anyone else experiencing periodic flushing like me? It's bad and annoying. I flush when I get nervous, exercise, spicy food, etc...I just hope this medicine hasn't given me rosacea like Retin-A did for a few years.
Rachel and Betsy, I see my derm in 2 weeks, toooo!!!! Yeeehawwww!
Rach: I just saw your signature and it says you're doing 6 months??? How did I miss that? I thought you were doing 4, no?
Is anyone else experiencing periodic flushing like me? It's bad and annoying. I flush when I get nervous, exercise, spicy food, etc...I just hope this medicine hasn't given me rosacea like Retin-A did for a few years.
Omg I see my derm in 2 weeks!!!! WEIRD.....
I still want to get the cure gel, I am scared to add anything to my skin care at the moment though. I see lots of people's log where they say they could smear bacon grease on their faces and wouldn't break out. I am still feeling like if I were to take a breath wrong I would breakout. I just don't trust my skin yet. I am hoping that comes with this next month.
It really has been simple since starting accutane. That is for sure a bonus of being on the medication.
I see my derm in 2 weeks too!
The Cure gel is super gentle. I don't think you'd have to worry about it irritating your skin. It hasn't made me break out or anything, which is a miracle. Lol! Could you imagine actually smearing bacon grease all over your face? GROSS!
Rachel and Betsy, I see my derm in 2 weeks, toooo!!!! Yeeehawwww!
Rach: I just saw your signature and it says you're doing 6 months??? How did I miss that? I thought you were doing 4, no?
Is anyone else experiencing periodic flushing like me? It's bad and annoying. I flush when I get nervous, exercise, spicy food, etc...I just hope this medicine hasn't given me rosacea like Retin-A did for a few years.
Hey Gina! Yep, I'm doing six months. My derm had originally planned for me to do four months, but he's keeping me at 40 mg. Staying at that dosage for four months wouldn't get me to my cumulative dose, so I asked my derm if I could take it for a full six months. Fortunately, he's willing to allow me to make the decision even though he doesn't think I need to be on Accutane that long. But I'll feel much better about my course if I reach a cumulative dose.
I've always had a bit of flushing, so mine isn't related to Accutane. I hate it...
Omg I see my derm in 2 weeks!!!! WEIRD.....
Lol! Love how we all see our derms around the same time. I see mine on Monday, August 13th, so I'll have to do my blood work next week! I'm sick of getting needles poked in my arm.
Sorry for the random disappearance! I went on a road trip with my friend to Utah for the week and got back early this morning. It was a blast though!
Rachel - I'm super jealous that you haven't had too much trouble with dry skin! I've always had trouble battling dry skin on my face, so I'm super worried about that aspect of taking Accutane. Right now I use Aveeno as my moisturizer when I need it, but we'll see how that battles the dry skin when I'm in danger. Also, what face cleanser do you use? Right now I use Soap and Glory, but I'm not quite sure if I should be using that while I'm on Accutane...I might need something gentler...
Sorry for the random disappearance! I went on a road trip with my friend to Utah for the week and got back early this morning. It was a blast though!
Rachel - I'm super jealous that you haven't had too much trouble with dry skin! I've always had trouble battling dry skin on my face, so I'm super worried about that aspect of taking Accutane. Right now I use Aveeno as my moisturizer when I need it, but we'll see how that battles the dry skin when I'm in danger. Also, what face cleanser do you use? Right now I use Soap and Glory, but I'm not quite sure if I should be using that while I'm on Accutane...I might need something gentler...
Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you. Hope you had fun on the road trip
Yeah, I'm definitely glad my skin hasn't been that dry. I really don't moisturizer either. The facial cleanser I've been using throughout my course is one I've used for years now. It's the Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash. It's super gentle and doesn't make me break out.
Whether or not your current cleanser will work will just depend on how your skin gets during your course. You definitely don't want something that will dry out your skin further!
How are you doing Rachel???
Yeah, where's Rachel!? We miss you!
Hey Taylor! Hey Gina! 🙂
Sorry I'm never around anymore. I haven't had any new actives in almost a month and haven't really noticed any changes now that all those zits have healed. Just dealing with the red marks. 
Other than that, I'm just busy working and finishing my cousin's wedding programs that I'm making for her wedding this Saturday.
How have you ladies been?!
Good! Flaky as hell. Trying out some new products, which I wrote about on my log. Skin is still doing good! Still extreme sun sensitivity though. I think I should stop going outside or something...
Red marks suck, but I'm trying a new serum by Caudalie called Vinoperfect. It's working a lot better than I imagined, and only after a week's use. There's no harsh acids, retinol, etc. Just a patented grape seed extract.
Day 84
Since I'm actually on this site today for a change, I figured I'll do a little update.
I don't have any actives on my face. The last time a new active popped up on my face was almost one month ago. I do have a zit on my back though, which is quite annoying, but I'll take it because it's the only one I currently have. I haven't noticed any change in the red marks on my face. It's frustrating because I hate having to cover them up every day. Will Accutane ever help them fade? If not, I can't wait until I'm off this stuff and can get my derm to prescribe me something for them.
Speaking of my derm, I see him in exactly one week. I will take my last two pills for month three this Sunday, so I hope everything goes okay with iPledge next Monday because I'll need my pills then! I don't want to be without them for even a day! 
So, that also means I'll get my blood work done this week. Shall we take bets to see if I still have high cholesterol? Because I bet I do.
I would also like some pizza for dinner. Just thought you all should know.
Woo hoo for no actives on the face , and boo hoo for the zit on the back. Back zits can really hurt! A month without a new active is amazing though! I have been clear for a whole week now haha. It is pretty awesome. Im not sure if accutane helps red marks fade. I hope so. I know mine have gone from red to pink but the pink is just hanging around and not budging at all.
I see my derm next tuesday and I start month 5! Crazy crazy!
I bet my cholesterol is still high too. Pizza, yum that sounds good. I am having spicey new orleans shrimp tonight. I love spice.
Woo hoo for no actives on the face , and boo hoo for the zit on the back. Back zits can really hurt! A month without a new active is amazing though! I have been clear for a whole week now haha. It is pretty awesome. Im not sure if accutane helps red marks fade. I hope so. I know mine have gone from red to pink but the pink is just hanging around and not budging at all.
I see my derm next tuesday and I start month 5! Crazy crazy!
I bet my cholesterol is still high too. Pizza, yum that sounds good. I am having spicey new orleans shrimp tonight. I love spice.
I am having trouble with spicy stuff on accutane! Normally, I can tolerate medium-hot spiciness, but I think now that I'm so dry, it's irritating my lips, mouth, throat, and stomach!
Woo hoo for no actives on the face , and boo hoo for the zit on the back. Back zits can really hurt! A month without a new active is amazing though! I have been clear for a whole week now haha. It is pretty awesome. Im not sure if accutane helps red marks fade. I hope so. I know mine have gone from red to pink but the pink is just hanging around and not budging at all.
I see my derm next tuesday and I start month 5! Crazy crazy!
I bet my cholesterol is still high too. Pizza, yum that sounds good. I am having spicey new orleans shrimp tonight. I love spice.
I am having trouble with spicy stuff on accutane! Normally, I can tolerate medium-hot spiciness, but I think now that I'm so dry, it's irritating my lips, mouth, throat, and stomach!
Spicy food irritates my lips now, too! Not quite my stomach, but it can worsen my flushing at times, but overall I try to eat more foods with fresh herbs in them. Lemon juice on salads irritates my lips and inside my lip since I now have a lover canker sore. I was wondering if the accutane caused the canker sore...or if it's just a coincidence.
Woo hoo for no actives on the face , and boo hoo for the zit on the back. Back zits can really hurt! A month without a new active is amazing though! I have been clear for a whole week now haha. It is pretty awesome. Im not sure if accutane helps red marks fade. I hope so. I know mine have gone from red to pink but the pink is just hanging around and not budging at all.
I see my derm next tuesday and I start month 5! Crazy crazy!
I bet my cholesterol is still high too. Pizza, yum that sounds good. I am having spicey new orleans shrimp tonight. I love spice.
I am having trouble with spicy stuff on accutane! Normally, I can tolerate medium-hot spiciness, but I think now that I'm so dry, it's irritating my lips, mouth, throat, and stomach!
Spicy food irritates my lips now, too! Not quite my stomach, but it can worsen my flushing at times, but overall I try to eat more foods with fresh herbs in them. Lemon juice on salads irritates my lips and inside my lip since I now have a lover canker sore. I was wondering if the accutane caused the canker sore...or if it's just a coincidence.
I find that anything salty/spicy gets my lips super dry and agitated too. Had Thai the other night with a girlfriend and seriously halfway through the meal my lips felt unbearable and I had to kept bringing out the balm and applying it. She probably thought I was weird or ocd... oh well 😛
I won't lie the spicy burns my lips. So does salt, I had salted cashews the other day on top of a stir fry I made and holy cow the we're throbbing after that. I guess it hasn't stopped me from enjoying spice and salt from time to time though. I haven't noticed it making my stomach upset at all though.
Gina, I have a canker sore right now too! WTF accutane.
Lily, I apply lip balm all the time too, the other day I went out on my dads boat and left my lip balm at his house and I made him turn around so I could get it. He thought I was a nuts, like why the hell can't I go a afternoon without lip balm? Never the less I had to explain the whole accutane thing to him. Now he is worried because I am on such a strong medication... I'm like dad, I have been on it for 5 months now and I only have a month and a week left. Plus I told him about starting my course 5 months ago. He must be so worried he forgot all about it..... Lol
Good! Flaky as hell. Trying out some new products, which I wrote about on my log. Skin is still doing good! Still extreme sun sensitivity though. I think I should stop going outside or something...
Red marks suck, but I'm trying a new serum by Caudalie called Vinoperfect. It's working a lot better than I imagined, and only after a week's use. There's no harsh acids, retinol, etc. Just a patented grape seed extract.
That's good to hear, Gina! Well, except for the sun sensitivity. I haven't experienced that. I sure hope you're wearing sunscreen! 😛
That serum sounds interesting. I might have to check it out.
Woo hoo for no actives on the face , and boo hoo for the zit on the back. Back zits can really hurt! A month without a new active is amazing though! I have been clear for a whole week now haha. It is pretty awesome. Im not sure if accutane helps red marks fade. I hope so. I know mine have gone from red to pink but the pink is just hanging around and not budging at all.
I see my derm next tuesday and I start month 5! Crazy crazy!
I bet my cholesterol is still high too. Pizza, yum that sounds good. I am having spicey new orleans shrimp tonight. I love spice.
That's good progress, Betsy! I sure hope it stays that way! 🙂
Ugh. The red marks. They couldn't be more frustrating... I guess they'll disappear some day.
I didn't get pizza last night. My grandma cooked dinner and brought it to my house. Lol. But I'm still craving pizza! The shrimp sounds good!
I am having trouble with spicy stuff on accutane! Normally, I can tolerate medium-hot spiciness, but I think now that I'm so dry, it's irritating my lips, mouth, throat, and stomach!
Really? Huh... I haven't had any trouble with spicy foods except that they do irritate my lips, too. Not fun!
Day 84
Since I'm actually on this site today for a change, I figured I'll do a little update.
I don't have any actives on my face. The last time a new active popped up on my face was almost one month ago. I do have a zit on my back though, which is quite annoying, but I'll take it because it's the only one I currently have. I haven't noticed any change in the red marks on my face. It's frustrating because I hate having to cover them up every day. Will Accutane ever help them fade? If not, I can't wait until I'm off this stuff and can get my derm to prescribe me something for them.
Speaking of my derm, I see him in exactly one week. I will take my last two pills for month three this Sunday, so I hope everything goes okay with iPledge next Monday because I'll need my pills then! I don't want to be without them for even a day!
So, that also means I'll get my blood work done this week. Shall we take bets to see if I still have high cholesterol? Because I bet I do.
I would also like some pizza for dinner. Just thought you all should know.
So happy that you are clear! Yay, we're finally all doing well and looking clear! 😀
Pizza. Omg, now I want some. 🙂
Day 84
Since I'm actually on this site today for a change, I figured I'll do a little update.
I don't have any actives on my face. The last time a new active popped up on my face was almost one month ago. I do have a zit on my back though, which is quite annoying, but I'll take it because it's the only one I currently have. I haven't noticed any change in the red marks on my face. It's frustrating because I hate having to cover them up every day. Will Accutane ever help them fade? If not, I can't wait until I'm off this stuff and can get my derm to prescribe me something for them.
Speaking of my derm, I see him in exactly one week. I will take my last two pills for month three this Sunday, so I hope everything goes okay with iPledge next Monday because I'll need my pills then! I don't want to be without them for even a day!
So, that also means I'll get my blood work done this week. Shall we take bets to see if I still have high cholesterol? Because I bet I do.
I would also like some pizza for dinner. Just thought you all should know.
I'll look into the face wash you recommended earlier. Thanks! I'm glad to hear the progress is keeping up! The red marks are a huge pain in the butt though. From the little bit I've researched, it sounds like the red marks are just minor scars and just need time to go away, although they can take anywhere from 6 months - 3 years to go away depending on how deep they are. It says accutane doesn't necessarily get rid of them, but I do believe they help them somewhat. I'm super bummed it doesn't just completely erase it because I think that's mainly what I'm dealing with besides the basic acne. The red marks make it look 10x worse than what it is. I was using a face bleaching thing that was bleaching the red marks away for a while that I got from my doctor. It didn't really work, but I know I only tried one thing and I bet there are some better products out there. Keep staying strong dear! Happy 3 months 🙂
I'll look into the face wash you recommended earlier. Thanks! I'm glad to hear the progress is keeping up! The red marks are a huge pain in the butt though. From the little bit I've researched, it sounds like the red marks are just minor scars and just need time to go away, although they can take anywhere from 6 months - 3 years to go away depending on how deep they are. It says accutane doesn't necessarily get rid of them, but I do believe they help them somewhat. I'm super bummed it doesn't just completely erase it because I think that's mainly what I'm dealing with besides the basic acne. The red marks make it look 10x worse than what it is. I was using a face bleaching thing that was bleaching the red marks away for a while that I got from my doctor. It didn't really work, but I know I only tried one thing and I bet there are some better products out there. Keep staying strong dear! Happy 3 months
The red marks are definitely a pain! Mine have always gone away. It just takes time, like you said. I have only had one product actually get rid of my red marks quickly. It was this stuff called Biafine. My derm prescribed it for me years ago. I'm going to see if he'll let me try that again once my course is over.
But isn't Accutane supposed to increase cell turnover? If so, I'd think that would mean red marks and acne would clear up quicker. But I've had zits hang around for ages on this stuff! Who knows...
And thank you! Hope you're doing well!
Okay, so... I see my derm in a half-hour. My guesses about today's appointment? My cholesterol will still be high. My platelets will probably be low since I know I didn't drink enough water before my blood work. And he'll probably tell me I can stop taking Accutane, but as I've mentioned before, I intend to take it for a full six months in order to reach my cumulative dose. Fortunately, he is willing to let me make the decision on how long my course will be.
I'll update after the appointment. Honestly? I'm just crossing my fingers that iPledge doesn't screw me over.
There is always something wrong with my seven-day window. The window shouldn't start until your derm enters your pregnancy test results into iPledge, but mine always starts before my appointment and before I'm even confirmed in iPledge. Gonna ask about that issue again today and if my seven-day window is messed up again, I'll be calling iPledge today.
Day 92
I met with my derm yesterday. My cholesterol is sky high. It's usually around 205 every month, when it should be around 175. This time my cholesterol was 275.
I really don't eat that terribly. I take advantage of the fact that I'm lucky enough to eat what I want without gaining any weight, but I'm certainly not the healthiest person in the world because of it. However, he said my stress from helping my cousin with all of her wedding stuff last week could have contributed to the extremely high cholesterol level.
For some reason, he is letting me continue to take Accutane. I was afraid he'd make me stop right away when he told me how high my cholesterol was. However, he said if it's not lower next month, I will have to stop taking Accutane and see my physician.
So, I'm going to have to start eating better. And exercising. Thankfully, my cousin's wedding is over and I don't have to deal with the stress from that anymore, which I really believe to be the cause of such a high number this month.
My seven-day window, once again, did not start the day I met with my derm. It actually started on Saturday the 11th. Not sure about that...
And to end on a much better note... I haven't had a breakout on my face in almost a month. The zit on my back has healed. I don't have any active acne. So, hooray for that!