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Hi Carly!
Thanks for the advice! I am on 60mg/day. This is your 4th treatment?? Wow you must be a pro at dealing with this medication. I wish you the best of luck that this is your last course and that it really works for you.
Hey Josh, thanks for your post! Happy to hear my log is helping others. 
Day 25
The dryness has moved onto my arms and hands. They are getting very dry and flaky if I don't put moisturizer on immediately after showering. I've been slathering on body shop Shea body butter which makes my skin feel great. No new breakouts which has been great! Muscles have been a little achy but nothing terrible.
I sometimes find it awkward when I'm with friends and it's time to take my pill. The packaging makes it really obvious that I have to take a pill...nothing discreet about it. Lol. Anyone have any tips on how to take a pill without everyone around you noticing. I guess I could go to the bathroom and at least take it out of the packaging.
Hi Erin,
Yes 4th, I know completely ridic!!
Basically had the first course when I was 14 for 6 months and whilst the side effects were pretty grim it worked fantastically. Was clear for 3 years before it very slowly came back to an unmanageable level over another 2 years. It's worth noting though that even though it was bad it was no way as bad as when I was a teenager. I have never had spot on my forehead since and only occasionally got one on my cheeks. Anyway I think I was so traumatised by the side effects from the first time that I convinced the derm to put me on a lower dose for longer - obviously I now know this was a mistake. I also think looking back that I in no way knew how to manage the side effects properly the first time. So my skin was clear for for about a year before slowly creeping back to being a problem over another 4 years however it was very localised to two patches on my chin only so I once again convinced myslef that a low dose would work. WRONG!! Within a year it was back but this time on my scalp, where in all the bad years I have never had a spot!!!!!!! Over the past 18 months this got so bad and then my chin completely erupted too - grim!! Did all the antibiotics but nothing worked for my scalp so here I am again, hoping to God that I crack it this time.
Got my prescription today - 60mg too, which to me seems a really high dose, you look a similar build to me so I guess it must be at the top of the dosage range for our weight. I'm pretty scared I must admit. My skin is so much drier anyway now I'm older and ultra sensitive - even all the cylines gave me patches of eczema so who knows what this going to do!!!!
Certainly not a pro as it always throws curve balls. But here are a few things that have helped me before.
Paraffin wax hand treatments at a salon are great for dry cracking hands. At home though you can soak your hands in warm water and glycerine. Then coat in your preferred moisturiser, let this sink in a little and layer with some Elizabeth Arden 8hr cream or Vaseline, then put on some moisturising gloves and sleep in them.
Jojoba oil in put into a spray bottle is a good quick fix when you get out of the shower. Just spritz all over.
In the UK you can get something called Dermol 500 which as an over the counter product that gets prescribed for people with Eczema to wash with you can get it in a big pump bottle and is amazing for shaving your legs with.
I've also been looking at getting some of the Dermalex Eczema cream, it's supposed to strong but is steroid free. I've used the one for allergic reactions when I had a reaction to some scalp shampoo and it worked really well.
Aloe Vera gel is just one of my fave products anyway but you might find if you keep some in the fridge and put it on as a face mask for a couple of hours it soothes the redness. In the winter I sometimes use it as a night cream as it doesn't block pores and will be doing this throughout my treatment.
Also for the muscle aches try vitamin D and Glucosamine, this is what my pharmacist recommended last time.
In terms of the dry lips I've already mentioned my preference for Blistex and nipple cream, but I guess it's what works for people!!
Will keep checking back to see how you're doing.
Here's to clear skin!!!! x
Thanks for all the info Carlita! Good luck to you and it's great to have someone else on 60mg/day to relate to.
Day 28
My skin is pretty much clear - Super YAY!! My face isn't really dry at all. It feels the perfect amount of moisturized after I cleanse and apply moisturizer. It lasts all day...no more flaking or peeling on my face and it feels soooooo smooth. It's the softest skin I have ever had before. The redness has calmed down a lot too...thank goodness. My scalp doesn't itch at all anymore and I have been washing it every 4 or 5 days, it still doesn't feel oily at all...I just wash it so I can style it differently. Lol
I am definitely feeling it in my muscles and joints... They just feel sore and stuff like I worked out too hard the day before...even though I know I didn't. It takes me a minute to straighten out my back when I stand up.
Everything else is going along smoothly. I got a call from my derm today that my bloodwork is good and I got a prescription for the second month.
Still using aquaphor for inside my nose and on my lips all day. Love the stuff.
Thanks for all the info Carlita! Good luck to you and it's great to have someone else on 60mg/day to relate to.
Day 28
My skin is pretty much clear - Super YAY!! My face isn't really dry at all. It feels the perfect amount of moisturized after I cleanse and apply moisturizer. It lasts all day...no more flaking or peeling on my face and it feels soooooo smooth. It's the softest skin I have ever had before. The redness has calmed down a lot too...thank goodness. My scalp doesn't itch at all anymore and I have been washing it every 4 or 5 days, it still doesn't feel oily at all...I just wash it so I can style it differently. Lol
I am definitely feeling it in my muscles and joints... They just feel sore and stuff like I worked out too hard the day before...even though I know I didn't. It takes me a minute to straighten out my back when I stand up.
Everything else is going along smoothly. I got a call from my derm today that my bloodwork is good and I got a prescription for the second month.
Still using aquaphor for inside my nose and on my lips all day. Love the stuff.
hey erin, nice to hear that your skin is clearing up. I'm also on absorbica but a higher dose . (80mg), I was wondering what kind of moisturizer you use? my skin is flaking so much its crazy lol but its only on one side of my face.
i also get the same back pains as you describe, i feel like an old man when i lie down and i feel like my back is going to crack in half if i don't straighten it out lol.
also is that you in the picture? If it is you are such a babe!
TedD93
Thanks for your post. For a moisturizer I am using Atopalm intensive moisturizing cream. It is really thick and is the best moisturizer I have tried and it doesn't make me break out.
Yes, that is a picture of me. Lol. It was on a lucky day where I was totally clear. Hopefully after this round of medication those days won't feel lucky...just normal!
Day 32
On month 2!!! I'm looking forward to this month. I am really starting to enjoy not having oily skin at all anymore. Not much has changed since the last update. I got a small red spot on my cheek but it's very small and I'm hoping it goes away within a day or two.
I have noticed that my eyesight had gotten a little blurry. It's mostly on things that are lit up...like on TV, a computer, or a neon road sign or something. It's not terrible and it doesn't really concern me because I know this can be a temporary side effect of the drug.
Day 36
Oh man muscles are so achy lately. Especially my back and hips. I feel like an old lady when I get up from sitting or lying down for too long.
Skin is looking pretty good. I did get a few tiny new bumps and I'm pretty sure it is because I drank on Friday night. I haven't had any cyst type bumps at all since I've been on the medicine and hoping I never have to go through that again!
I have noticed that when I put in my earrings they hurt! Like the holes are trying to close up when I don't have studs in or something. It's very strange.
That is strange with your earrings. On the top of one of my ears it had started scabbing which I thought was really weird but it went away in about a week. This medicine can sure do some weird things sometimes. Yay with no new cysts. The one I just recently got bubbled up and popped/drained all in the same day, which hasn't ever happened before. So its hardly visible=happy girl!
Day 60
I am starting my 3rd month tomorrow. Woohoo! I got my prescription and I'm ready to continue on this path.
Updates so far...lips are relentlessly dry. The best thing for them is aquaphor and dr. dans cortibalm.
I have noticed that my skin is very easily peeled off. For example, I had an itch on my arm and when I scratched it a whole top later of my skin came right off. It didn't hurt but it was red and raw the next day. I gotta be more careful!
I got a mosquito bite on my wrist and it's a huge gross open sore. I'm using antibiotic ointment on thT to help the skin heal.
Acne update: my skin is clear and so soft. I have had no big breakouts at all in weeks. The only thing I have gotten are a couple tiny and I mean tiny little bumps. They only last about a day or two and then they disappear. I am so thrilled with how my skin has reacted to this medication.
Scalp is dry but not itchy at all. I wash my hair once a week now and I use aveda dry remedy oil which helps moisturizer my hair very well. I have noticed that my hair has lost it's usual healthy shine, but I'm hoping it will return when I'm off the medication.
I still have achy joints and back but it's nothing too terrible.
That's about it for now.
Day 67
Clear clear clear!!! I love this medicine!!! Here is a skin update pic. I really hate showing the before pic but here it is so you can see how much this medicine has helped me.
Hey all!!! Ok so I need some support from those that have finished their course. I took my last pill 2 days ago and literally the day after I got a pimple...big enough to hurt when I touched it and it's small but still not gone. Today I noticed another 2 teeny tiny spots one on my forehead and one on my nose. I'm freaking out!!!! Is there such a thing as a post accutane breakout?? What is happening? I thought I was supposed to be clear and STAY clear after finishing.
Ok so things have calmed down and I am clear!!! Yay!! It is day 5 since my last pill and my lips are soooooooo much better. I still use aquaphor but now it's every few hours instead of every 20 minutes and my lips aren't peely at all. My nose is pretty much back to normal and my eyes don't burn in the morning when I wake up anymore. Still have a little muscle soreness but that is feeling much better. Looking forward to enjoying my new skin without the side effects!
I should be thankful I've been able to wear my contacts up to this point. Hopefully a slight break of wearing my glasses will get them back into tip top shape!
Hey Erin,
How are things going for you? I just started my accutane journey and taking the same Absorica 60mg a day. I'm on day 5 and kind of freaked out. This morning after my pill my face got very red and felt almost warm/flush. Was this the same redness that you experienced? I started reading others reviews online that took accutane and reported the redness didn't go away. Sounds like your redness faded over time? I know this is an old post but hope you respond. Thanks
Dave
