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20 Year Old Female Accutane Log

 
MemberMember
7
(@sarahlous)

Posted : 09/05/2013 3:07 pm

Day 24:

Skin looks pretty good. No breakouts currently. It's quite dry and it peels when I try to put on makeup. Still on 20mg. I think I'll stay on 20 for a few months.

Side Effects:

-Dry skin

-Dry lips

-Dry eyes

-Dehydrated

Quote
MemberMember
4
(@bluemoon3)

Posted : 09/07/2013 9:38 am

 

Keep posting! :) I am reading your log. I am on day 11 of Roaccutane, and it's my second course. I have been taking 20mg from the start. I have noticed similar side effects to your own, but I haven't felt unusually low or anxious. I was a little overly stressed last week, but I tried my best to pull myself out of it, and started to focus on things that made me feel calmer/happier. This really worked. You have to be slightly self-orientated on this medication; think about what makes you happy, and spend as much time as you can to encourage positivity. Personally, I really enjoy my own time, and I love devoting a couple of hours in the day to hobbies such as reading, writing and listening to music. It helps me to psychologically "recharge", and really helps to keep my anxiety/stress levels at a minimum. Go easy on yourself - or as a lot of us here say, "baby" yourself. Roaccutane is such a harsh medication, so we need to be extremely easy on ourselves!

As 'Like Moonlight' has suggested, Glucosamine supplements are fantastic for joint pains, particularly on Accutane. I haven't experienced any unusual aches or pains yet, but I take 1000mg of Fish Oil and 1000mg of Glucosamine Sulphate daily (Glucosamine Sulphate is the best form of Glucosamine for joint pain). You might want to consider MSM and Hyaluronic Acid too. You'll need to shop around first, because these type of supplements have a tendency to be rather expensive. I buy most of my supplements online, though. This saves me so much money and you can usually find an excellent bargain (just make sure they're sold under a respectable company, and they don't contain rubbish like some supplements do). There is a study that Glucosamine may work even more when taken with Fish Oil supplements, too.

- Don't give up on the Fish Oil; despite it being seemingly poor at helping your joint pains, it is a great aid for brain functioning, vision and anxiety. Fish oils can encourage a healthy membrane for our nerve cells, and when people are deficient in this, it can cause depression. Vitamin B's are also vital in aid of depression, but you can consume plenty of these in your diet (whole grains, eggs, fish, poultry, oatmeal etc). B6 is the most important of B vitamins when treating anxiety and depression. Look up foods that are high in B6, or perhaps consider a B6 supplement.

If you're still getting headaches, consider eating a bigger meal with your tablet. This helps to absorb the medication a lot more. I was getting headaches for the first couple of days, but when I decided to eat more wholesome meals (red meat, grains, lots of veg), the headaches disappeared. If you're vegetarian, you have other options too. Keep drinking too, it sounds like you're drinking enough water, which is great.

Good luck and remember - you're only adjusting, so give yourself time and go easy on yourself!

 

 

Oh, and I am keeping a log too, so feel free to follow me! :)

Quote
MemberMember
7
(@sarahlous)

Posted : 09/07/2013 9:09 pm

Keep posting! smile.png I am reading your log. I am on day 11 of Roaccutane, and it's my second course. I have been taking 20mg from the start. I have noticed similar side effects to your own, but I haven't felt unusually low or anxious. I was a little overly stressed last week, but I tried my best to pull myself out of it, and started to focus on things that made me feel calmer/happier. This really worked. You have to be slightly self-orientated on this medication; think about what makes you happy, and spend as much time as you can to encourage positivity. Personally, I really enjoy my own time, and I love devoting a couple of hours in the day to hobbies such as reading, writing and listening to music. It helps me to psychologically "recharge", and really helps to keep my anxiety/stress levels at a minimum. Go easy on yourself - or as a lot of us here say, "baby" yourself. Roaccutane is such a harsh medication, so we need to be extremely easy on ourselves!

As 'Like Moonlight' has suggested, Glucosamine supplements are fantastic for joint pains, particularly on Accutane. I haven't experienced any unusual aches or pains yet, but I take 1000mg of Fish Oil and 1000mg of Glucosamine Sulphate daily (Glucosamine Sulphate is the best form of Glucosamine for joint pain). You might want to consider MSM and Hyaluronic Acid too. You'll need to shop around first, because these type of supplements have a tendency to be rather expensive. I buy most of my supplements online, though. This saves me so much money and you can usually find an excellent bargain (just make sure they're sold under a respectable company, and they don't contain rubbish like some supplements do). There is a study that Glucosamine may work even more when taken with Fish Oil supplements, too.

- Don't give up on the Fish Oil; despite it being seemingly poor at helping your joint pains, it is a great aid for brain functioning, vision and anxiety. Fish oils can encourage a healthy membrane for our nerve cells, and when people are deficient in this, it can cause depression. Vitamin B's are also vital in aid of depression, but you can consume plenty of these in your diet (whole grains, eggs, fish, poultry, oatmeal etc). B6 is the most important of B vitamins when treating anxiety and depression. Look up foods that are high in B6, or perhaps consider a B6 supplement.

If you're still getting headaches, consider eating a bigger meal with your tablet. This helps to absorb the medication a lot more. I was getting headaches for the first couple of days, but when I decided to eat more wholesome meals (red meat, grains, lots of veg), the headaches disappeared. If you're vegetarian, you have other options too. Keep drinking too, it sounds like you're drinking enough water, which is great.

Good luck and remember - you're only adjusting, so give yourself time and go easy on yourself!

 

Oh, and I am keeping a log too, so feel free to follow me! smile.png

Hi! Unfortunately I am really bad at calming my nerves, it's always been an issue. But over the past few days my mood has definitely been better and that's probably due to the fact that my skin is starting to look better!! One thing I noticed was Accutane definitely makes me moody and irritable, and I heard that's the same for a lot of people. I'm trying to keep it under control though.

Weirdly enough my joints have stopped bothering me. Side effects I noticed in the first week or two have just disappeared - like the rash I got and the joint pain. Maybe the fish oil really did help. I've actually always made sure I take my tablet with a big meal. Granted, there were a couple times I had to take it with just a banana or a piece of cake... But those are rare occasions. But I think it would be good for me to cut out junk foods - maybe not entirely but for the most part. I kind of went crazy for a few weeks because pre-Accutane I was so careful with my diet, avoiding dairy and sugar ect. and once I started this medication I thought I could eat those foods again and kind of lost control sleep.png

Thanks for the support and I'll definitely check out your log!

Quote
MemberMember
4
(@bluemoon3)

Posted : 09/08/2013 1:02 pm

Keep posting! smile.png I am reading your log. I am on day 11 of Roaccutane, and it's my second course. I have been taking 20mg from the start. I have noticed similar side effects to your own, but I haven't felt unusually low or anxious. I was a little overly stressed last week, but I tried my best to pull myself out of it, and started to focus on things that made me feel calmer/happier. This really worked. You have to be slightly self-orientated on this medication; think about what makes you happy, and spend as much time as you can to encourage positivity. Personally, I really enjoy my own time, and I love devoting a couple of hours in the day to hobbies such as reading, writing and listening to music. It helps me to psychologically "recharge", and really helps to keep my anxiety/stress levels at a minimum. Go easy on yourself - or as a lot of us here say, "baby" yourself. Roaccutane is such a harsh medication, so we need to be extremely easy on ourselves!

As 'Like Moonlight' has suggested, Glucosamine supplements are fantastic for joint pains, particularly on Accutane. I haven't experienced any unusual aches or pains yet, but I take 1000mg of Fish Oil and 1000mg of Glucosamine Sulphate daily (Glucosamine Sulphate is the best form of Glucosamine for joint pain). You might want to consider MSM and Hyaluronic Acid too. You'll need to shop around first, because these type of supplements have a tendency to be rather expensive. I buy most of my supplements online, though. This saves me so much money and you can usually find an excellent bargain (just make sure they're sold under a respectable company, and they don't contain rubbish like some supplements do). There is a study that Glucosamine may work even more when taken with Fish Oil supplements, too.

- Don't give up on the Fish Oil; despite it being seemingly poor at helping your joint pains, it is a great aid for brain functioning, vision and anxiety. Fish oils can encourage a healthy membrane for our nerve cells, and when people are deficient in this, it can cause depression. Vitamin B's are also vital in aid of depression, but you can consume plenty of these in your diet (whole grains, eggs, fish, poultry, oatmeal etc). B6 is the most important of B vitamins when treating anxiety and depression. Look up foods that are high in B6, or perhaps consider a B6 supplement.

If you're still getting headaches, consider eating a bigger meal with your tablet. This helps to absorb the medication a lot more. I was getting headaches for the first couple of days, but when I decided to eat more wholesome meals (red meat, grains, lots of veg), the headaches disappeared. If you're vegetarian, you have other options too. Keep drinking too, it sounds like you're drinking enough water, which is great.

Good luck and remember - you're only adjusting, so give yourself time and go easy on yourself!

 

Oh, and I am keeping a log too, so feel free to follow me! smile.png

Hi! Unfortunately I am really bad at calming my nerves, it's always been an issue. But over the past few days my mood has definitely been better and that's probably due to the fact that my skin is starting to look better!! One thing I noticed was Accutane definitely makes me moody and irritable, and I heard that's the same for a lot of people. I'm trying to keep it under control though.

Weirdly enough my joints have stopped bothering me. Side effects I noticed in the first week or two have just disappeared - like the rash I got and the joint pain. Maybe the fish oil really did help. I've actually always made sure I take my tablet with a big meal. Granted, there were a couple times I had to take it with just a banana or a piece of cake... But those are rare occasions. But I think it would be good for me to cut out junk foods - maybe not entirely but for the most part. I kind of went crazy for a few weeks because pre-Accutane I was so careful with my diet, avoiding dairy and sugar ect. and once I started this medication I thought I could eat those foods again and kind of lost control sleep.png

Thanks for the support and I'll definitely check out your log!

I know how it feels to be an anxious person. That's really good that you've been feeling better, though. smile.png Yeah, despite all these stories about Accutane causing depression, it actually helped to lift me *out* of depression during my first course. My skin got me down so much, so when it finally started to improve, I almost became a new person. My confidence elevated and I was so happy. I am looking forward to seeing improvements this time round, and hopefully my acne won't return! I didn't take Accutane for long enough last time, though, so I have a very nagging feeling that this might be why I'm taking it again. It didn't completely clear me either, as I stopped when I still had a couple of spots, and I continued to experience a couple of spots every now and then for two years, until they eventually increased. Oh well.

Fish Oil does help. I was taking Cod Liver Oil last year (until I realised that I probably shouldn't have done, due to the vit A content and being a previous Accutane user) and it helped my joints a lot. I noticed the difference when I stopped taking them. I searched for a high quality Fish Oil rich in EPA and DHA, without the vitamin A, and started taking them again. I take it with Glucosamine at lunch, and I'm hoping this will help to alleviate any possible joint problems. smile.png

I know what you mean about the food thing. I also tried the "acne diet", but I had little success. It drove me crazy. I constantly craved sugar because I avoided it. I eventually became miserable and felt like it wasn't worth it. Besides, if I ever achieved complete clearness, then going back to a normal diet (and I believe you can still be healthy with a treat here and there) would become frightening, and I'd be living on a low-GI diet for the rest of my life, growing fearful of chocolate, coffee and milk. I didn't want that! I want to enjoy food! The whole acne diet thing can just drive you down a rabbit hole. I honestly admire those who can do it and keep with it. It didn't do much for me anyway, as I have a hormonal imbalance. My acne flares up regardless of what I eat.

Keep positive! smile.png

Quote
MemberMember
0
(@chrln)

Posted : 09/09/2013 10:51 pm

 

Hey Sarah,

So I got my prescription of 50mg of Accutane (kinda freaked out because this is my first dose of it?) but I'm currently on day 4 and I haven't had any bad side effects aside from dry skin. I notice my skin has been really dry and I too find it difficult to put on foundation. My lips are peeling too which is so uncommon because my face is usually a grease pit. I purchased Cetaphil cleanser, tub of moisturizer and the matte finish lotion and aside from being ridiculously expensive, I really do like the products and highly recommend it. The only thing that bothers me is that I've noticed I'm getting black heads which is uncommon, any advice? I've tried exfoliating however it's a little too rough on my skin and I know I can't keep doing that as my skin increases dryness. I purchased The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil face mask which I'm going to try later on this week.

I have rheumatoid arthritis, which makes me really nervous about the joint pain but I haven't had any side effects with it yet. I got my wisdom teeth out almost a month ago and I've recently noticed pain in my teeth, I think it's somewhat relevant to accutane because I never had it prior which is very odd. As for my initial break out, I'm soooooo scared! Even my roommates have noted that my skin looks a little redder now but I'm going to try to keep positive and accept that the initial break out is just something that I will have to deal with. I know it will be beneficial in the long run. How was your first week of school? I started my classes and I've told my boyfriend and close friends straight up that I'm on accutane, told them about the side effects and explained that acne is something that I've struggled with for a long time thus this was my last resort. I feel like it lays grounds for them to comprehend how hard it is for me to have people stare at my skin and judge me, but my boyfriend and roommates have been really supportive. I'm here for you as well! :)

As for anxiety, I have TERRIBLE anxiety especially with school. It's only my fourth day of pills but I had a freak out today and found that I did feel much more overwhelmed than usual. I made a cup of tea and took a nap before class and I really found it helps. I also called my Parents and sat with my roommate just to talk about things, I find that really helps but I'm extremely worried that accutane will increase my rate of anxiety and conflict with school. My roommate's Mom is a psychologist and she said to try natural melatonin and Vitamin B for stress if it starts to get bad-wish me luck.

Do you have to get blood work every month as well? I have to go once a month to get blood work and see my Doctor for the dosage, he's looking to increase my dosage within the next two months which worries me because I'm only 110lbs and he has me on 50mg? What did your Doctor say about your dosage?

Anyways, good luck with school this week and I hope everything is going well! Hope to hear from you soon, keep posting. :)

 

C

Quote
MemberMember
7
(@sarahlous)

Posted : 09/12/2013 7:46 pm

 

Day 31 - a month on Accutane!!!

Sorry for not updating, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things at school!! Today I saw my doctor and he has increased my dose again to 30mg. I'm a little nervous but I just want to see more results. My skin has definitely improved - but I still get some minor breakouts here and there. The texture of my skin is still very "bumpy" and I really want it to smooth out.. Accutane is definitely making me tired. But I've managed to get some exercise in this week and I think it's helping a little to do that instead of sitting all day.

Side Effects:

Dry-ish skin (it's weird but some days I'm not dry at all, then other days I'm slightly dry..)

Dry lips

Dry eyes

Fatigue

Chest tightness?

 

Hey Sarah,

So I got my prescription of 50mg of Accutane (kinda freaked out because this is my first dose of it?) but I'm currently on day 4 and I haven't had any bad side effects aside from dry skin. I notice my skin has been really dry and I too find it difficult to put on foundation. My lips are peeling too which is so uncommon because my face is usually a grease pit. I purchased Cetaphil cleanser, tub of moisturizer and the matte finish lotion and aside from being ridiculously expensive, I really do like the products and highly recommend it. The only thing that bothers me is that I've noticed I'm getting black heads which is uncommon, any advice? I've tried exfoliating however it's a little too rough on my skin and I know I can't keep doing that as my skin increases dryness. I purchased The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil face mask which I'm going to try later on this week.

I have rheumatoid arthritis, which makes me really nervous about the joint pain but I haven't had any side effects with it yet. I got my wisdom teeth out almost a month ago and I've recently noticed pain in my teeth, I think it's somewhat relevant to accutane because I never had it prior which is very odd. As for my initial break out, I'm soooooo scared! Even my roommates have noted that my skin looks a little redder now but I'm going to try to keep positive and accept that the initial break out is just something that I will have to deal with. I know it will be beneficial in the long run. How was your first week of school? I started my classes and I've told my boyfriend and close friends straight up that I'm on accutane, told them about the side effects and explained that acne is something that I've struggled with for a long time thus this was my last resort. I feel like it lays grounds for them to comprehend how hard it is for me to have people stare at my skin and judge me, but my boyfriend and roommates have been really supportive. I'm here for you as well! smile.png

As for anxiety, I have TERRIBLE anxiety especially with school. It's only my fourth day of pills but I had a freak out today and found that I did feel much more overwhelmed than usual. I made a cup of tea and took a nap before class and I really found it helps. I also called my Parents and sat with my roommate just to talk about things, I find that really helps but I'm extremely worried that accutane will increase my rate of anxiety and conflict with school. My roommate's Mom is a psychologist and she said to try natural melatonin and Vitamin B for stress if it starts to get bad-wish me luck.

Do you have to get blood work every month as well? I have to go once a month to get blood work and see my Doctor for the dosage, he's looking to increase my dosage within the next two months which worries me because I'm only 110lbs and he has me on 50mg? What did your Doctor say about your dosage?

Anyways, good luck with school this week and I hope everything is going well! Hope to hear from you soon, keep posting. smile.png

 

C

Quote
MemberMember
7
(@sarahlous)

Posted : 09/15/2013 1:53 pm

Day 34:

Bleh. Breaking out.. Not as badly as before, but I was getting used to relatively clear skin. Really bummed. My skin isn't even dry.. I don't understand what's happening.

Quote
MemberMember
7
(@sarahlous)

Posted : 09/25/2013 9:05 pm

Day 44:

Breakouts are still happening but less severe. Currently my face is mostly clear but a lot of scarring. I really was starting to feel the effects of moving up to 30mg - my lips got very dry and my skin was peeling a little, but today my lips aren't dry at all and neither is my face. I'm kind of tired of getting dry for a few days and then back to oily for a few days, I just want the dryness to be steady. It's just annoying.

Side Effects:

Dry skin.... some days.

Dry lips.... some days.

Dry eyes..... some days.

Fatigue.

Quote
MemberMember
7
(@sarahlous)

Posted : 10/04/2013 3:27 pm

Day 53:

Every time I exercise I get pimples. Every time I drink coffee I get pimples. Every time I get stressed I get pimples. Accutane is not helping.

Side Effects:

Dry ish skin

Dry ish lips

Fatigue

Quote
MemberMember
0
(@baybreeze)

Posted : 10/04/2013 8:03 pm

I feel the same way your not alone. I had gone on accutane back in high school and have only had small breakouts until just the past 3 months. I've started getting cystic acne which was completely new to me. Boy does it make you feel like crap. I loved going outside and live right by a beach but now all I want to do is stY coupes up inside because I feel like my face looks do terrible. I had finally gone to the derm but of course I get the one who would rather put me on a hormone pill which had only double my skin issue. I finally changed derms but now am just in the wAiting process of getting my prescription of accutane. It feels like times going by even slower and I just want to get it started. I'm also very worried about getting an IB but with how my skin reacted to the first medicine, I guess I can just deal. I just don't want to look at myself it looks do terrible and cover up doesn't even help

 

Your skins already on the path to recovery so just stay positive! Looking at so many peoples results of accutanes definitely worth it. Let's just hope we're lucky and don't get the terrible breakout in the beginning!

Quote
MemberMember
7
(@sarahlous)

Posted : 10/14/2013 5:16 pm

Day 63:

Just been in a terrible mood recently because I've been breaking out like crazy the past week or so. It's just as bad as it was pre Accutane, if not worse. Doesn't really make sense that I would have an IB this late into my treatment. And It's been a month since increasing my dose to 30mg. Anyway I have 3-4 large pimples that are not healing at all even though they've been there for more than a week. My doctor wants to increase my dose to 40mg. Tomorrow I'll get my blood test results back which I'm nervous about.

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@kelsey)

Posted : 10/15/2013 1:56 pm

Hi Sarah!!

I just TODAY had my first blood test to start accutane and now it's the 30 day waiting period before starting. Thanks for the log, it really helps me to feel more prepared for what's ahead!

Quote
MemberMember
7
(@sarahlous)

Posted : 10/16/2013 11:33 pm

Hi Sarah!!

I just TODAY had my first blood test to start accutane and now it's the 30 day waiting period before starting. Thanks for the log, it really helps me to feel more prepared for what's ahead!

Good luck, hopefully we both have clear skin soon!

I feel the same way your not alone. I had gone on accutane back in high school and have only had small breakouts until just the past 3 months. I've started getting cystic acne which was completely new to me. Boy does it make you feel like crap. I loved going outside and live right by a beach but now all I want to do is stY coupes up inside because I feel like my face looks do terrible. I had finally gone to the derm but of course I get the one who would rather put me on a hormone pill which had only double my skin issue. I finally changed derms but now am just in the wAiting process of getting my prescription of accutane. It feels like times going by even slower and I just want to get it started. I'm also very worried about getting an IB but with how my skin reacted to the first medicine, I guess I can just deal. I just don't want to look at myself it looks do terrible and cover up doesn't even help

Your skins already on the path to recovery so just stay positive! Looking at so many peoples results of accutanes definitely worth it. Let's just hope we're lucky and don't get the terrible breakout in the beginning!

How long did you have clear skin before you started breaking out again after Accutane?

Thank you for your support.

Quote
MemberMember
7
(@sarahlous)

Posted : 10/17/2013 10:00 pm

Day 66:

Been on 40mg for 3 days now, 3 pimples still have not healed and they have been around for almost 2 weeks.

Side Effects:

Dry lips sometimes

Very fatigued

Unexplained weight gain?

Quote
MemberMember
0
(@baybreeze)

Posted : 10/19/2013 3:20 pm

Hi Sarah!!

I just TODAY had my first blood test to start accutane and now it's the 30 day waiting period before starting. Thanks for the log, it really helps me to feel more prepared for what's ahead!

Good luck, hopefully we both have clear skin soon!

>I feel the same way your not alone. I had gone on accutane back in high school and have only had small breakouts until just the past 3 months. I've started getting cystic acne which was completely new to me. Boy does it make you feel like crap. I loved going outside and live right by a beach but now all I want to do is stY coupes up inside because I feel like my face looks do terrible. I had finally gone to the derm but of course I get the one who would rather put me on a hormone pill which had only double my skin issue. I finally changed derms but now am just in the wAiting process of getting my prescription of accutane. It feels like times going by even slower and I just want to get it started. I'm also very worried about getting an IB but with how my skin reacted to the first medicine, I guess I can just deal. I just don't want to look at myself it looks do terrible and cover up doesn't even help

Your skins already on the path to recovery so just stay positive! Looking at so many peoples results of accutanes definitely worth it. Let's just hope we're lucky and don't get the terrible breakout in the beginning!

How long did you have clear skin before you started breaking out again after Accutane?

Thank you for your support.

It's been about 4 years. I had finally gotten rid of all my discolorations in July and was completely comftorable with not wearing any makeup. After that is when i started breaking out again, I'm guessing from stress? I'm really not sure what triggered it but it just keeps getting worse. Before the first round of accutane I didn't really get any cystic but now that's what I'm dealing with. Have you seen much progress? I feel like 6 months will take forever and I am still just waiting on getting the prescription, I had the first pregnancy test a month ago.

Quote
MemberMember
7
(@sarahlous)

Posted : 10/20/2013 12:42 am

Hi Sarah!!

I just TODAY had my first blood test to start accutane and now it's the 30 day waiting period before starting. Thanks for the log, it really helps me to feel more prepared for what's ahead!

Good luck, hopefully we both have clear skin soon!

>I feel the same way your not alone. I had gone on accutane back in high school and have only had small breakouts until just the past 3 months. I've started getting cystic acne which was completely new to me. Boy does it make you feel like crap. I loved going outside and live right by a beach but now all I want to do is stY coupes up inside because I feel like my face looks do terrible. I had finally gone to the derm but of course I get the one who would rather put me on a hormone pill which had only double my skin issue. I finally changed derms but now am just in the wAiting process of getting my prescription of accutane. It feels like times going by even slower and I just want to get it started. I'm also very worried about getting an IB but with how my skin reacted to the first medicine, I guess I can just deal. I just don't want to look at myself it looks do terrible and cover up doesn't even help

Your skins already on the path to recovery so just stay positive! Looking at so many peoples results of accutanes definitely worth it. Let's just hope we're lucky and don't get the terrible breakout in the begi

nning!

How long did you have clear skin before you started breaking out again after Accutane?

Thank you for your support.

It's been about 4 years. I had finally gotten rid of all my discolorations in July and was completely comftorable with not wearing any makeup. After that is when i started breaking out again, I'm guessing from stress? I'm really not sure what triggered it but it just keeps getting worse. Before the first round of accutane I didn't really get any cystic but now that's what I'm dealing with. Have you seen much progress? I feel like 6 months will take forever and I am still just waiting on getting the prescription, I had the first pregnancy test a month ago.

Well, 4 years is quite a long time so that's good. But I can understand how terrible it must feel to have to go on Accutane again. I'm hoping that this permanently gets rid of my acne. I could manage a few zits here and there, but not what I have now.

In terms of progress, I thought I was seeing some but then it just recently got worse again. I suppose I'm breaking out less than I used to but the breakouts are just as severe. I have these bumps on my forehead that WILL NOT go away, and I've never experienced pimples lasting more than a week before. I'm not sure if this means they're cysts or what...

Yes, it can be a real bother to wait until you finally get the darn prescription in your hands. I hated having to jump through a bunch of hoops. Acne was completely ruining my life! Honestly the 6 months will go by fast though, I can't believe I'm already on my 3rd month.

Quote
MemberMember
7
(@sarahlous)

Posted : 10/26/2013 12:54 am

Day 74..

Day 74 and I'm still breaking out, pretty ridiculous considering I had mild to moderate acne to begin with. I've seen tons of people with very severe acne who have had much more of an improvement in this amount of time than I have, so I don't really understand what's going on. Maybe Accutane just won't work for me..

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MemberMember
0
(@poppycat)

Posted : 10/29/2013 4:35 am

PERSIST!! I know its hard when you don't see the affects but do the 6 months honestly, its such a small amount of time for such brilliant long term results!! Keep spirits up by excercising, try and focus on good things about yourself - what helped me was having another focus that wasn't just my skin. I have never been a gym person but it helped me on Accutane. I just basically tried to focus on being healthy, setting myself targets etc. It's important to focus your mind on something other than your skin, even if it seems impossible. x

Quote
MemberMember
7
(@sarahlous)

Posted : 11/02/2013 8:44 pm

Day 82: Haven't had a breakout in a few days. I still have some forehead pimples that are not totally healed, I've never had certain pimples stick around this long.... Weird. But at least it's starting to look better. Also I had DAIRY for the first time in gosh, 6 months? I can't even express how much I enjoyed drinking a latte again. I was sure I would get some new spots from it but I haven't yet.

Also.... Before a few nights ago I hadn't consumed any alcohol for over a year. Recently, however, some things have happened in my life that have made me want to drink again and although I know it's bad to drink on Accutane I had a SMALL AMOUNT on halloween and it was okay, didn't get drunk or get any type of hangover and I feel totally fine. It certainly won't be a regular occurrence though.

Side effects:

Fairly dry skin - not as bad as I expected

Dry lips

Dry eyes

Fatigue

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@rooth)

Posted : 11/03/2013 4:06 pm

Hi! I had similar issues of my face not seeming clear until about 4 months into taking accutane. I have no idea why...people react differently. I'm just jealous of the ones who get thier IB and then clear up by like...month 2.

I have a question about joint pain, btw (you mentioned you lift) how'd you get around it?

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MemberMember
7
(@sarahlous)

Posted : 11/24/2013 12:02 am

 

Day 103:

Passed the 100 day mark!

Skin is looking better. I still get some spots 1-2 times a week but they are not as inflamed as they were before. I hope it continues to get better. Still on 40mg for another month.

Side Effects:

Dry skin, eyes, and lips

Nose bleeds

Fatigue

 

Hi! I had similar issues of my face not seeming clear until about 4 months into taking accutane. I have no idea why...people react differently. I'm just jealous of the ones who get thier IB and then clear up by like...month 2.

I have a question about joint pain, btw (you mentioned you lift) how'd you get around it?

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MemberMember
0
(@dhin30)

Posted : 11/25/2013 2:07 pm

Hey Sarah!

 

So happy that I could read your log. Its really helpful. Im a 20 year old girl next year January and I just went to a dermatologist (literally few hours before I posted this) first time ever since I moved to Holland. Ive been dealing with acne since i was 15 and it has never been completely gone. Before moving to Holland I lived in a tropical country somewhere in Asia. Been changing dermatologists, clinics, medicationsbut none of it gave a significant change on my face. To keep my face clear, I have to regularly visit dermatologist first time 2x a month and then it was only once a month. It helped, but once I didnt Put my creams on for few days, it came back and I was hopeless that I would survive without those creams. I was also given antibiotics but only whenthe acnes were really bad. I thought that by movibg to another country that is different in climate and also less polluted would give benefit to my face but apparently its just got worse here plus the creams from my previous dermatologist didnt work at all. After many considerations (trying tons of acne porducts), i decided to go visit a dermatologist because im afraid of the scars it would leave on my face. The dermatologist gave me a direct advice on taking accutane treatment. I realky had no idea about it at all, he only said that it was a kind of vitamine A, i cant get pregnant during the medication also some bad effects. He also warned me about exagerrating issues regarding the medicine on the Internet. At first i was like, okay vut then after reading reviews and articles about it, happened to read negative posts about it, i felt so nervous starting the medication. Fortunately i found the forum and your log here, it really relieved me. Thank you so much and also other people that replied to your posts, ibdont feel that anxious as before. I hope it would work for me. I will be starting my treatment in the end of this week with 20mg for one month. fingers crossed :)

 

Cheers, D

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MemberMember
7
(@sarahlous)

Posted : 12/10/2013 9:43 pm

Day 120:

Although my skin is much better than it was, I was really expecting more progress by now. It seems that my skin has developed new kinds of acne, so I'm not even quite sure how to assess my "progress" thus far. My main problem area was always my forehead. For the past month or 2, it has been mostly clear but I get one small pimple every week or 2. The problem is now my cheeks and jaw, I have a bunch of very small pimples that come and go all of the time and cover my cheeks. Last week I got a cystic pimple on my jaw, I think I've only had 1 or 2 cysts before in my life. I don't really know much about them but this thing is just sitting there and it has not improved or began to fade at all. I'm getting really tired of waiting for clear skin... But I am obviously grateful that it isn't as bad as it was.

Side Effects:

Dry skin, eyes, and lips

Nose bleeds

Fatigue

Blotchy skin

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MemberMember
7
(@sarahlous)

Posted : 12/17/2013 5:05 pm

Day 127:

I have been bumped up to 60 mg for another 2 months. Hopefully the extra 20mg gives the results I should have by now.

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