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So sorry you are feeling rough! I'm on day 50 and still breaking out and I know how you're feeling. I started feeling more confident after beginning accutane (because I saw improvement right off the bat) but now I'm kind of at a stand still and feeling self concious again. It's hard, isn't it??
It's still really early for both of us so hang in there!! Lots of healing time and try to think of these few months (a drop in the bucket of time really, right) as time for YOU 
So sorry you are feeling rough! I'm on day 50 and still breaking out and I know how you're feeling. I started feeling more confident after beginning accutane (because I saw improvement right off the bat) but now I'm kind of at a stand still and feeling self concious again. It's hard, isn't it??
It's still really early for both of us so hang in there!! Lots of healing time and try to think of these few months (a drop in the bucket of time really, right) as time for YOU
Thank you for your reply. Makes me feel so much better.,
Today I am kind of worried. I took my last birth control pill yesterday and was supposed to get my new pack today, BUT the pharmacy screwed up at following up with me and I didn't get it today. So I missed a day..but I am worried can iPledge kick me out if they find out? do they keep track of me using birth control? can I not buy it at all? Insurance is starting to charge me now for it..(( My derm wasnt working today, I couldnt reach him.
Day 30
Went to see my derm. He was like, "so would you like to increase the dose?" I am like ,"sure..." Anyways, he put me on 40 mg a day now. I wanted to pick up my accutane today, but the nurse sent them to the wrong CVS yuppieeee. I guess it will be ready tomorrow. My face is breaking out pretty bad right now. I think this is IB for sure..cysts everywhere. Right now I have like 7 cysts on my face. I am not gonna lie, I am scared to take 40 mg now... Good thing Ill have Sunday and Monday off..so 2 days to see the reaction.Ill just suck it up.
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
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!!!!! There is this bartender I have a little crush on (classic) and he is SO adorable, I go to his place every week. Yesterday he kinda ignored me. Every time he comes close I ask the most stupid questions and giggle like an idiot. All I think when he comes up to me is "cysts!! cysts!!! omg, he saw my skin, omg he think I am gross...CYSTS!!" And I just behave like a nervous wrack..no wonder he ignored me yesterday,anyways I came home and had hysteria for like an hour. Its just so exhausting to have no personal life because my skin makes me act all shy and scared, and I cant flirt when I look like shit.(((( F*cking sad.
Stop with these negative thoughts and emotions. For what? Just to impress some guy? Who cares if you have pimples on your face now there will be plenty of guys around after your cycle and when you have clear skin. Stop worrying about what some guy thinks of you.
So Five days on 40 mg
Day hm...36
Im still breaking out around jaw line, especially my chin, my left side is worse than my right side.. My lips are more chapped, no side effects beside that. I get at least 2 pimples a day, at least 1 of them is a cyst. Sigh.. Cant wait to be done.XD
Hey there.
I hope you are feeling better about things. I just wanted to tell you that I can totally relate to everything you are saying (especially about the guys) Like craze321 says, we shouldn't care what guys think about our zits but it's so hard not to 
I used to be so confident and I never felt like anyone was too good for me, but now I am so embarassed of my face. I have been so uncomfortble arounds guys for the last several months I have virtually become a hermit. I haven't been on a date in probably 2 months...the last guy I saw TOTALLY blew me off after we went out. He hadn't seen me since we were still in school and I had broken out terribly since then. I
just know people are disgusted by my skin, I know I am. But hey, we ARE going to be clear and all this acne is going to be history. Then we can tell all of those fools to F**k off and kiss our AAASSSSSSS!!!!
I'm sure you are like me. I'm not shallow at all, and I know that there is MUCH more to me than just my appearance, but if someone can't even look me in the face...Well, they most likely won't take the time to get to know me. Maybe they are shallow?? Probably not, it's just a fact. Appearances make a big first impression. They don't have to waste their time. They can move right along to the next pretty girl who probably has great skin.
Chin up
Must share embracing moment.((( SOme guy at the bar commented on my chapped lips. I forgot my balms at home cuz I took different bag..... and I guess the guy was tipsy and kinda of annoyed that I was talking to some other guy. And he goes to the bartender (the one I like), " Hey, bartender, that girl seems to be in the desperate need of the chapstick..I guess she was skiing or something." WTF!!!!!((( FML
Did you mean embracing? Or embarrassing? I am guessing the latter...
I don't mean to be rude, in fact, I am trying to support you empathically. So here it goes: Why would you care what some drunk guy thought? ...Especially if his comments were hurtful? Douchebags are dime a dozen, looking for non-douches in a bar is probably not the best idea, I speak from my own experience with females. Don't let a drunken male offend you. Especially if he was upset about you ignoring him for another respective male. Seems like you should be flattered, especially since he was interested despite your chapped lips! I mean...I know most people, especially me who post on this forum are invoking in vanity, but come on- it's about moderation.
As far as your IB, it happens. I am on my second course and I have probably one of the most mild cases I have seen recently on this forum; to the point where I had to bribe, beg, plead to derms (and it took 5-6) to give me the drug. That being said, even as mild as my acne was the first time I took it, I had a horrible IB, tons fo cysts (which was not at all my skin-type), It lasted roughly three full months, then slowly declined, and my skin was clear by month-four. It's only been...6.5 months since that course, and I'm 32 days into the second course on 80mg/day, and I am almost 100% clear again. The IB is just accumulation of clogged pores purging. 95% of us have been there that have used this drug, the results are spectacular and worth the wait. Remember, if somebody is judging you based on your acne, they really aren't a good person (I know that's easier said then done to accept). If you can find somebody who can look past that, then you're onto something. Remember too, that you are young, and in another few months, you'll have marvelous skin, which you can be proud of- and these anxieties will poof, it's just a matter of time! Keep enjoying your life until it's at that point though, every day is a unique gift.
Oh, I often go back to your post to check with my progress. So far I seem to have the same journey as you did. Now that the doc increased my dose to 40 mg I worry it might get bad now.lol How are you right now? Did your IB go down?
Hey sorry I have been away!
Yes my IB has gone down! Yay! I am coming to the end of month 3, and clearing has started. I don't think my skin looks much better as I have lots of marks, but I can feel that it's less congested. I have one cyst by my mouth that has been there for like a month (really getting worried that it will never go!) and a few other cysts that are going down slowwwwllly. But I can honestly see an improvement, so stick in there!
I thought i'd be clear by the end of month 3, but my friend who was on accutane told me I was silly and it's a long haul and to be patient, so I'm going to go with what he said. I can see that in 3 more months at this rate I should be clear!
Thanbks everyone for the feedback. Means a lot!!!!!
Day 51
The last 4 days my skin seems better, its not as irritated.
I started sneezing a lot, I guess nose dryness?
Also, my eyes are itchy...also dryness?
I found a great way to help my lips..Neosperin Oitment..before bed and in the morning, made my lips so much better.
HELP
Question:
About 5 days ago my eyes got puffy and red, still kind of red. BUT now I got these tiny bruises on both of my hips..very dark. I wonder if its Accutane?
Bruising on accutane is quite normal. Bruises may also take longer to heal as this drug slows your ability to heal wounds. As for the puffy eyes, i would ring your derm and get their take on it just to make sure you're not having a reaction. Rashes are one thing but swollen parts and puffiness are another.
Keep us posted and i hope everything works out.
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.
Drinking on accutane at the same rate as drinking when you're not on it is really a dumb thing to do. Just because you're not hungover and didn't suffer from insomnia, it doesn't mean that the alcohol is not affecting your body. As a repeat accutane user who treated my body like shit while i was on it, i can tell you that all the negligence can come back to haunt you years down the line. But it's your life, your body. Just don't be irresponsible by saying to others that its ok to drink away while on accutane.
HELP
Question:
About 5 days ago my eyes got puffy and red, still kind of red. BUT now I got these tiny bruises on both of my hips..very dark. I wonder if its Accutane?
Bruising on accutane is quite normal. Bruises may also take longer to heal as this drug slows your ability to heal wounds. As for the puffy eyes, i would ring your derm and get their take on it just to make sure you're not having a reaction. Rashes are one thing but swollen parts and puffiness are another.
Keep us posted and i hope everything works out.
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.
Drinking on accutane at the same rate as drinking when you're not on it is really a dumb thing to do. Just because you're not hungover and didn't suffer from insomnia, it doesn't mean that the alcohol is not affecting your body. As a repeat accutane user who treated my body like shit while i was on it, i can tell you that all the negligence can come back to haunt you years down the line. But it's your life, your body. Just don't be irresponsible by saying to others that its ok to drink away while on accutane.
Oh please, I did not force anybody to subscribe to my personal belief, nor did I claim to be responsible. I do, however, claim to provide anecdotal evidence that drinking while on Accutane isn't a big deal if lipid panel is within normal range. I realize the pharmacokinetics behind the medication may be beyond you, but fact is, I happen to be studying medicine. Acetaminophen is MUCH more dangerous in combination with alcohol, and the combination is consumed by millions. If we are going to play idealist, consuming a CNS depressant such as alcohol is bad for you any way, so don't do it. Caffeine, cellphones, and artificial sweeteners also cause cancer, so do not do them. I will continue my irresponsibility by offering my opinion, thank you for approval.
HELP
Question:
About 5 days ago my eyes got puffy and red, still kind of red. BUT now I got these tiny bruises on both of my hips..very dark. I wonder if its Accutane?
Bruising on accutane is quite normal. Bruises may also take longer to heal as this drug slows your ability to heal wounds. As for the puffy eyes, i would ring your derm and get their take on it just to make sure you're not having a reaction. Rashes are one thing but swollen parts and puffiness are another.
Keep us posted and i hope everything works out.
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.
Drinking on accutane at the same rate as drinking when you're not on it is really a dumb thing to do. Just because you're not hungover and didn't suffer from insomnia, it doesn't mean that the alcohol is not affecting your body. As a repeat accutane user who treated my body like shit while i was on it, i can tell you that all the negligence can come back to haunt you years down the line. But it's your life, your body. Just don't be irresponsible by saying to others that its ok to drink away while on accutane.
Oh please, I did not force anybody to subscribe to my personal belief, nor did I claim to be responsible. I do, however, claim to provide anecdotal evidence that drinking while on Accutane isn't a big deal if lipid panel is within normal range. I realize the pharmacokinetics behind the medication may be beyond you, but fact is, I happen to be studying medicine. Acetaminophen is MUCH more dangerous in combination with alcohol, and the combination is consumed by millions. If we are going to play idealist, consuming a CNS depressant such as alcohol is bad for you any way, so don't do it. Caffeine, cellphones, and artificial sweeteners also cause cancer, so do not do them. I will continue my irresponsibility by offering my opinion, thank you for approval.
No need to get rude at all (just because you are studying medicine doesn't give you the right to get snide) l. I get that that is your opinion which is fine and dandy but when you have many a college/high school age people using these forums as their sole source of information you have to be careful what you say (at the very least consider how your words may be interpreted). Sure other things can kill you but knowing what we know about accutane, its better to be safe than sorry and keep alcohol use to a minimum. But whatever, you're going to have your opinion and i will mine. Let's agree to disagree on this one.
Day 100
So Im taking 60 mg a day for over a week now. For a week I had no active acne and old ones were healing. But the last 3 days I got 3 new cysts. Im trying not to panic. It felt amazing having smooth skin for a whole week!!
As far as my face goes..Im using Cerave as I need it, skin gets dry around mouth and under my nose- looks weird with the makeup on. For lips I found that wet and wild lipgloss keeps them smooth for longer.
Day 82(yes, I was wrong before.lol)
My skin does not break out anymore. Its been just healing since the last 3 cysts. Spots healing slowly...so far no active pimples, smooth skin. LOVIN IT!!!!
I just wash my face twice a day, I love Jason's C Toner..cleans my skin so nicely. I use a little amount of Cerave twice a day. My lips are dry..have weird dry skin around my mouth and under my nose..barely noticeable. Seems like my eyes started getting dark circles..pretty dark.
Almost 4 months!!
Im 6 days away from completing my month 4! Im on 60 mg.
In my month 4 I had no breakout. I only had tiny 4pimples that disapeared within a day. My skin is clear and healing.
My major problem are my dry lips. I still coping with them, and nothing really helps.
I still clean my face with Biore cleanser(the white one, detoxing) then I use Jargon's Vitamin C toner..it cleans AMAZING. After that Cerave! I use Nivea for my lips and Loreal Lipgloss.I take Fish Oil and vitamin E when I remember...
I wanted to add that I just ADORE Neutrogena's Healthy Skin foundation. I love love love it. I've been using it for 2 months now, at first I used it for everyday and for special ocassions I would use Dounble Wear light. But now since the skin is healing so well I use it all the time. I apply it with a beauty blender, and just love how my skin looks and feels.
So Im in my month 5, started my month 5 on December 6.
I've been feeling tired after work for the past 3 weeks.. I was blaming it on the time change and the weather. I've realized its getting worse. I dont wanna go out after work or even on my days off. I feel very tired. I also have muscle aches like Ive been working out a lot, but I dont work out. At work all I wanna do is just sit and do noting..so lazy!!!!Feel weak. As far as my face goes, its all good. I got a tiny pimple on my forehead yesterday and today it was gone. My lips are still chapped ALL the time.