Congratulations on starting! I am in month two.

I will follow this log, and I wish you all the best!

Congratulations on starting! I am in month two.

I will follow this log, and I wish you all the best!

 

Thank you! I am very excited!! I am also on 20 mg once a day right now.

Day 3

I am not sure if I am taking my pill too late, around 8 or 8:40pm...yesterday it was at almost 10:40 pm(came home late). I woke up at 3 am and didn't sleep since...

I feel no different, my face is just as bad.

I got some more stuff:

Palmer's Body Butter

Avene's Water..travel size pack of 3

African tea

Coconut oil

Vitamin E and Fish Oil

Eye cream

Day 4

Took my 4th pill. Absolutely no changes in anything. I think my dose (20 mg a day) is too low. I am 5'8 and I weight about 130 lb.

Anyways, no dry skin or lips. A bit trouble sleeping but that might be due to stress at work. I dont have any new acne, only existing deep cysts( about 3) and bunch of tiny acne around chin, cheeks and forehead.

I found on 20mg I didnt notice much until about 2 weeks in when my skin dried out enough for my makeup to stay on all day! Then around 2/3 weeks in the black heads on my nose started to push out.

Dont worry about initial progress being slow, its all about cumulative dose, and the first month is all about getting your body used to the drug and checking for side effects. It'll appear to kick in eventually.

(I'm 110lbs for reference)

oh and I had SERIOUS issues sleeping, pretty sure it was related, but that has settled down now, most of the initial side effects have so hang on in there.

I found on 20mg I didnt notice much until about 2 weeks in when my skin dried out enough for my makeup to stay on all day! Then around 2/3 weeks in the black heads on my nose started to push out.

Dont worry about initial progress being slow, its all about cumulative dose, and the first month is all about getting your body used to the drug and checking for side effects. It'll appear to kick in eventually.

(I'm 110lbs for reference)

oh and I had SERIOUS issues sleeping, pretty sure it was related, but that has settled down now, most of the initial side effects have so hang on in there.

 

Oh, thank you for replying. I feel relieved now, I thought my body was not reacting to Accutane.lol I actually have some issues sleeping right now. Last night I woke up in the middle of the night for 3 hours. hehe

Did you have your initial break out yet? How is your skin now? Doctor told me that with 20 mg my initial break out should not be bad.

Yeah, I used to have trouble getting to sleep (but that is fairly normal for me) then I would wake up all the time! I think that took about 2 weeks to stop. It was really annoying because the accutane made me tired all the time, but my body didnt seem to want to give me any sleep, very frustrating.

I have indeed had my IB . It started towards the end of the month on 20mg and I thought it was bad, then when I got bumped up to 50mg all hell broke loose! I do have cystic acne though, and since I wasnt using any topicals before accutane I knew there was a load under my skin, basically everything that was a tiny bump has come up in a cyst. I'm super pale too so everything comes up bright red which is the worse when I'm looking at myself without makeup on. *sigh* I think it is calming down now though, touch wood!

So with that in mind, right now without makeup on my skin looks horrible! With it I'd say it looks pretty much how it before starting accutane, but my makeup stays on and my skin doesnt get oily anymore (sooo nice to wake up not all shiny!) The skin around where I have broken out looks much better and I find my red marks once the spots have gone are fading faster. I feel like I'm making slow progress and would prefer to be on a higher dose to speed it all up, but my derm is adamant, sooo.

I dont think I've had any 'new' spots as such, my IB has been mostly stuff I could already feel coming up, so even though mine was pretty bad, I think most other people would be ok! I do think the best thing about getting an IB on something like 20mg is that your skin isnt dry while it's happening! So its not going to be as painful, and you can def cover it all up with makeup.

On the 50mg now the skin on my face isnt that dry, nor are my lips, but I am getting some rashes on my arms that I'm moisturising.

Hope that helps I dont keep a log so I've just bombarded you with my experience there, haha

Week 1 ( Day 7)

I feel like my lips a bit more dry since yesterday. Still breaking out around my jaw area. SOmeone said my skin looks "better"..less bumpy I guess.

Yeah, I used to have trouble getting to sleep (but that is fairly normal for me) then I would wake up all the time! I think that took about 2 weeks to stop. It was really annoying because the accutane made me tired all the time, but my body didnt seem to want to give me any sleep, very frustrating.

 

I have indeed had my IB . It started towards the end of the month on 20mg and I thought it was bad, then when I got bumped up to 50mg all hell broke loose! I do have cystic acne though, and since I wasnt using any topicals before accutane I knew there was a load under my skin, basically everything that was a tiny bump has come up in a cyst. I'm super pale too so everything comes up bright red which is the worse when I'm looking at myself without makeup on. *sigh* I think it is calming down now though, touch wood!

 

So with that in mind, right now without makeup on my skin looks horrible! With it I'd say it looks pretty much how it before starting accutane, but my makeup stays on and my skin doesnt get oily anymore (sooo nice to wake up not all shiny!) The skin around where I have broken out looks much better and I find my red marks once the spots have gone are fading faster. I feel like I'm making slow progress and would prefer to be on a higher dose to speed it all up, but my derm is adamant, sooo.

 

I dont think I've had any 'new' spots as such, my IB has been mostly stuff I could already feel coming up, so even though mine was pretty bad, I think most other people would be ok! I do think the best thing about getting an IB on something like 20mg is that your skin isnt dry while it's happening! So its not going to be as painful, and you can def cover it all up with makeup.

 

On the 50mg now the skin on my face isnt that dry, nor are my lips, but I am getting some rashes on my arms that I'm moisturising.

 

Hope that helps I dont keep a log so I've just bombarded you with my experience there, haha

 

good luck!

JB

Wishing you the best on your course! I'm just one month ahead of you. I'm still breaking out, but my skin is smoother and not as inflamed/congested. I just increased my dose from 40mg to 60mg for months 2-6. Hang in there!

Oh I didnt see you had quoted me! I've still been using mild spot treatment stuff (I know you say you arent meant to) and tea tree oil, as my skin doesnt seem that dry or delicate.

Thank you guys!

Oh I didnt see you had quoted me! I've still been using mild spot treatment stuff (I know you say you arent meant to) and tea tree oil, as my skin doesnt seem that dry or delicate.

 

DAY 12

Dry lips. Face is better, I spot treated my cysts with Retinol (guilty). My lips look AMAZING! They are bigger and fuller. First I thought it was my imagination, but my mom commented this morning, "Gosh, you look like you got botox injection, what have you done to your lips?" Anyways, I hope my IB will not be too bad.

I am drinking African tea, taking Fish Oil and Vitamin E. I don't like Dr Dans CortiBalm Lip Balm-so heavy on lips. I put on coconut oil or Castrol oil on my lips before bed. On my eyes I use Bee's Burt Radiance Eye Cream. The rest is the same.

Congratulations on starting! I am in month two.

I will follow this log, and I wish you all the best!

 

Thank you! I am very excited!! I am also on 20 mg once a day right now.

Day 3

I am not sure if I am taking my pill too late, around 8 or 8:40pm...yesterday it was at almost 10:40 pm(came home late). I woke up at 3 am and didn't sleep since...

I feel no different, my face is just as bad.

I got some more stuff:

Palmer's Body Butter

Avene's Water..travel size pack of 3

African tea

Coconut oil

Vitamin E and Fish Oil

Eye cream

 

Wow. Whats a lot of stuff you're putting on your skin. I put nothing on mine and had no problem. The only thing I needed was lip balm about 3-4 x day but that's normal because your lips have no sweat glands.

Also, many times I would miss my pill by a few hours. Sometimes, I would forget to take for a day or two, but still had no problem.

Day13

Still those nasty little bumps all over my face-my skin looks SO uneven and bumpy on the light, and big ones are healing. I just cant stand this skin. My lips are dry, and thats it so far.

 

 

Congratulations on starting! I am in month two.

 

I will follow this log, and I wish you all the best!

 

 

Thank you! I am very excited!! I am also on 20 mg once a day right now.

 

Day 3

 

I am not sure if I am taking my pill too late, around 8 or 8:40pm...yesterday it was at almost 10:40 pm(came home late). I woke up at 3 am and didn't sleep since...

I feel no different, my face is just as bad.

I got some more stuff:

Palmer's Body Butter

Avene's Water..travel size pack of 3

African tea

Coconut oil

Vitamin E and Fish Oil

Eye cream

 

Good luck, Accutane (especially the first three months) can be a bit tedious- and you will probably find yourself questioning why you did it, considering the annoying side effects (chapped lips, dry skin, etc) that go along with the IB most experience. However, around month 3-4 for most, things change faster than you could imagine, and for a lot of people your skin becomes flawless for the remainder of the course. It's really worth it. When you're done, you will look back on the time you spent in misery and feel it was allllll worth it. Patience isn't an easy virtue to have for anything- especially acne. But know you're on the right path.

I got a tube of Vaniply and a few Chap Sticks.

Day17

All pretty much the same, dryish lips-hate them. I have breakout, got a couple cysts-I am not sure if its the IB or not since my skin was pretty bad this all year.

Also, I know for sure that alcohol and accutane = insomnia for sure.

Hey there!

I started 30mg/day about a week after you so I am interested in following your progress. I know it's going to be one hell of a roller coaster ride :/

I wish you the best of luck!!!

I have a log if you are interested in comparing notes! This is a journey better taken in the company of those who understand...

~Celia

Your not ment tO use spot treatments when on accutane , and alcohol shouldn't really be consumed either !

Your not ment tO use spot treatments when on accutane , and alcohol shouldn't really be consumed either !

 

I disagree in regards to drinking on Accutane. My physician was fully aware of my intent/follow through in drinking while on treatment. The only thing you need be aware of Is that consuming alcohol within 24 hours of your Lipid panel being drawn can cause an exogenous/artificial elevation in your liver panel; which may alarm your physician into blaming Accutane. That being said, for lack of better words, I routinely (weekly) reinvented being shitfaced on Accutane. I never had a lower tolerance, got hungover easier (I never get hung over though), experienced insomnia, etc. I personally think its alright to drink, just do it intelligently and in a manner not allowing it to interrupt your course.

Your not ment tO use spot treatments when on accutane , and alcohol shouldn't really be consumed either !

 

I disagree in regards to drinking on Accutane. My physician was fully aware of my intent/follow through in drinking while on treatment. The only thing you need be aware of Is that consuming alcohol within 24 hours of your Lipid panel being drawn can cause an exogenous/artificial elevation in your liver panel; which may alarm your physician into blaming Accutane. That being said, for lack of better words, I routinely (weekly) reinvented being shitfaced on Accutane. I never had a lower tolerance, got hungover easier (I never get hung over though), experienced insomnia, etc. I personally think its alright to drink, just do it intelligently and in a manner not allowing it to interrupt your course.

 

Yes, yes... I don't think it really matters that much. I am not drinking my life away, just 2-3 martinis a week and a glass of wine. I feel like I get drunk slower. lol I don't get hangovers just yet, but HORRIBLE insomnia the night after.

Your not ment tO use spot treatments when on accutane , and alcohol shouldn't really be consumed either !

 

I disagree in regards to drinking on Accutane. My physician was fully aware of my intent/follow through in drinking while on treatment. The only thing you need be aware of Is that consuming alcohol within 24 hours of your Lipid panel being drawn can cause an exogenous/artificial elevation in your liver panel; which may alarm your physician into blaming Accutane. That being said, for lack of better words, I routinely (weekly) reinvented being shitfaced on Accutane. I never had a lower tolerance, got hungover easier (I never get hung over though), experienced insomnia, etc. I personally think its alright to drink, just do it intelligently and in a manner not allowing it to interrupt your course.

 

Yes, yes... I don't think it really matters that much. I am not drinking my life away, just 2-3 martinis a week and a glass of wine. I feel like I get drunk slower. lol I don't get hangovers just yet, but HORRIBLE insomnia the night after.

 

Yes, compared to that weekly amount- I tortured my liver every weekend. Often times a liter of vodka, rum, or whiskey between 2-3 of us and at least half a dozen beers. As I said, reinventing shitfaced! And still here! I can definitely say that isn't healthy, even without Accutane. I'm sure you are fine. If anything red wine (assuming you're not going through cases is really good for your arteries as many studies suggest!

Here's to enjoying life- err wait 21 credit hour semester in 7 hours and I'm experiencing that aforementioned insomnia.

Day 21

Nothing major. My lips continue to be dry. Pores on my nose seem to be bigger like my blackheads want to get out,but can't. Have 3 healing cysts, a couple new acne around my hairline. Overall my skin is bumpy. Tomorrow at 7:30 am I have the blood work appointment before my work. My doctor's appointment is on 30th..NEXT week.

Day 25

I just hate everything. My lips are chapped, blackheads seem to be disappearing. Got huge cyst on my left cheek and little nasty ones on my right cheek. I am SO SICK of acne!!!!!