I think I've said this before, but really, I should be glad that the biggest problem I have is redness and super-dry lips (well, I hope so anyway---find out more when I have my blood tests in a couple of weeks) but I just find it so hard to manage. People keep saying, ''Wow, you've caught the sun'' when really, I've hardly been outdoors, it's just the damn medicine makes my face constantly warm and red. As for the lips, as a guy I must look so weird with these bright red lips---they feel like they're throbbing all the time. I could be imagining this, but it's almost like they adapt to whatever I put on them=Aquaphor worked like a dream for a week or so but now it hardly does anything. I have the dentist and hygienist soon and I'm dreading having my mouth open for so long as I honestly think they'll just crack right open 
DAY 51
Yesterday was kind of a landmark for me as I have this figure of 100 days in my head (in reality I think it'll be a bit longer than that but if I can reach 100, the remainder will be a cinch) so I've kind of reached the halfway mark. I've taken this week off work as holiday just so can I have a bit of a rest and generally catch my breath. Not sure if it's related but I've been really tired lately..
I've discovered that if I miss 1 day of smothering my arms in moisturiser after showering, my arms will completely break out in this eczema rash. It looks dreadful and is really painful.
Had a blood test yesterday in preparation for seeing the consultant next week and this morning there's a MASSIVE bruise where the needle went in. Never had that before, might be related or might have just been a heavy handed nurse.
The fishing season started this week so me and my girlfriend spent a few hours down the river last night---she works in the city and there aren't many better ways to relax than be around nature. Anyway, after only an hour or so in the 'elements' (on what was really a mild evening with a gentle breeze) my face was literally on fire-felt like I was coming down with a bad cold, but without the other symptoms. Caught some great fish but when I looked at the photos of me holding them this morning I was horrified---looked like I'd been in the sun all day and got really burned. There's actually white skin all round my eyes (like I'd been wearing sunglasses in the sun) but my cheeks and nose are bright red. I ended up deleting most of the pictures...
Lastly, this morning, my whole chin was covered in flaky skin that took me an age to exfoliate off and now THAT is bright red too. Had so many plans for today (gym, lunch with friends, more fishing tonight) and now I just feel completely demoralised and don't want to leave the house...
In short, I'm glad I've reached a milestone, but then I think, I've got to go through it all again---I haven't even seen that much improvement in my skin-although it's hard to tell with the constant redness. If a friend or loved one told me they were thinking of going on Accutane, I'd probably try and talk them out of it if I'm honest, and that's BEFORE I find out if it's destroyed my liver
I can relate to everything you say. So did your bloodwork indicate anything with your liver? High ALT\AST?
Similar to the bruising, I noticed cuts\scabs or similar take forever to heal on this stuff. Sunburns happen quick on this stuff. I've noticed that my nightly dog walk has cooked me more than it normally would.
I think your perspective is right. Shoot for the milestones along the way and not the end date. You will get there!
Haven't had the results back yet---gotta talk it through with the specialist next week. This drug just makes me feel so unsociable---mostly to do with my ridiculous looking red lips and flaky skin---and I'm a lot quieter than I was before...Also, the facial redness is really beginning to get me down. It looks like I have super high blood pressure when, if anything, I'm the fittest I've ever been. Packed up the weights entirely now as the joint pain was getting too much and I really want to limit my protein intake while I'm on this to give my liver/kidneys a fighting chance. Doing more cardio though and, interestingly, after a really tough session today my face was the least red it's been in ages---If I could stay like that I'd be really pleased.
Seem to be going though a kind of random 'shedding' process with the skin around my lips and chin. Some days it looks OK then the next it's red and peeling. Just gotta keep counting down the days now and pray that I don't have to continue with this any longer than I have to. When I think back a couple of months ago I was eating big, lifting big and generally feeling great---aside from bad skin. I just hope that once this is over I can get back to where I was and that this was worth it.
Best of luck with your journey too.
DAY 57
Had my consultation today and bloodwork came back fine. Had a chat about how I'd responded---he thinks I'm doing well but I haven't really noticed any improvement. Got a new prescription and all being well I should be off the stuff at the end of August.
Nothing majorly new to report, still got super-dry lips, ridiculous facial redness and recurrent rash/eczema on my arms---don't get it on my hands at all any more which is a bit strange.
My girlfriend said my back looks a lot better which I need to keep reminding myself is the reason I went on the stuff in the first place but it's difficult when all the side effects seem to manifest themselves on my face.
Managed some lighter weight training today and have been doing lots of cardio (lost 5kgs in 2 months) so it's not all bad but I've lost tons of muscle mass and strength since I stopped heavy training and high protein diet---I really hope I can get back on track after I've finished the course.
I find myself being really tired at the moment and, emotionally, Accutane is really exhausting too
DAY 61
For the past few days, I've had a really weird pain in my right hand side under my ribs which I'm pretty sure is exactly where my liver is. It's like a bloating pain that gets worse with a heavy intake of breath...Has anyone else experienced this? Getting a bit concerned really...
Hey there,
I'm so sorry that you're experiencing those painful side effects in reality, i don't know anything about your case, but I've heard that long term low doses of accutane are just as effective as a high dose administered in a shorter time period. I wish that accutane users didn't have to struggle to become acne-free...
DAY 61
For the past few days, I've had a really weird pain in my right hand side under my ribs which I'm pretty sure is exactly where my liver is. It's like a bloating pain that gets worse with a heavy intake of breath...Has anyone else experienced this? Getting a bit concerned really...
Ok, there are a couple of things this could be before you get too concerned. I am not a doctor, but I AM a hypochondriac whose anxiety is triggered particularly badly by tummy aches.
Not to be gross, but how are your bowels? If you are experiencing severe nausea coupled with abnormal bowel movements, this may be a problem and you should definitely go to the doctor if it persists. If it's just the pain without any other symptoms, it is unlikely to be your liver or pancreas. If your pain moves downward, comes in waves, or is so severe it takes your breath away, this may be appendicitis (although you'd likely have other symptoms like nausea and vomiting, and a fever) . If it radiates to your back, it might be gallstones or a problem with your bile duct.
Now, more than likely, this is just a run- of-the-mill "side stitch", especially if you notice it while exercising or exerting yourself in some way (sometimes they come on spontaneously too).
Has the intensity of the pain stayed stable over the past few days (I.e. Not better not worse) or does it go away and come back? Sometimes pain like this can also be caused by indigestion.
Bowel movements are fine and other than the pain, I feel fine---in fact, today it doesn't seem so bad-even so, it's not nice and I really am wondering when I will 'turn the corner.' If I was experiencing any other symptoms like temperature, nausea etc I'd be straight down the doctors but it's more a consistent pain that gets worse if I breathe in hard. I do wonder, having lost around 5 kilos since I started the course, if it's my body trying to adjust to the volume of medicine? I know it sounds weird but losing nearly 5% of your mass must have some effect on how much the medicine you take (and how much of it) affect you? I might add that the weight loss is mainly down to dropping the weight training, lots of cardio and cleaning up the diet--it's not an 'alarming' drop in weight...
Bowel movements are fine and other than the pain, I feel fine---in fact, today it doesn't seem so bad-even so, it's not nice and I really am wondering when I will 'turn the corner.' If I was experiencing any other symptoms like temperature, nausea etc I'd be straight down the doctors but it's more a consistent pain that gets worse if I breathe in hard. I do wonder, having lost around 5 kilos since I started the course, if it's my body trying to adjust to the volume of medicine? I know it sounds weird but losing nearly 5% of your mass must have some effect on how much the medicine you take (and how much of it) affect you? I might add that the weight loss is mainly down to dropping the weight training, lots of cardio and cleaning up the diet--it's not an 'alarming' drop in weight...
Actually, yes - indeed that does. However, congratulations on the weight loss! I didn't see at the beginning of your log how much you are taking, but if you are already taking more than 1kg/kg a day, and you have lost 5 kg, that may raise the dosage in your system significantly enough to make your side effects more noticeable. You may want to bring this up to your dermatologist at your next visit in case he wants to adjust your dosage to compensate for your weight loss.
also, be careful with weight lifting and high impact cardio on accutane, the medication can make you more susceptible to bone and tendon injury.
Now in terms of your pain, did you notice it come on within a day or two of exercising, esp. chest, back or shoulder exercises? If so - it is highly probably that you simply over exerted yourself. I would take a break from weight training and high-impact cardio (like running or circuit training) for a while and see if that helps.
I did do a few high intensity rowing sessions which I guess could have strained something in my midsection---pain is a lot better now. I don't do any hard lifting at the moment and DEFINITELY nothing that could put my back at risk (squats, deadlifts etc) mostly low intensity--long duration cardio.
Also, DAY63---Lips are probably the worst they've ever been at the moment-Nothing at all is working...
DAY 73
I don't believe this, the last 2 days I've had an enormous cyst on the back of my neck in plain view----same 'tingly' 'feels like it's full of nasty infected rubbish' sensation. I went on the drug to stop this from happening...The area around it is red and the entire side of my neck is really, really warm to touch. One helpful work colleague leaned right in behind me today and said 'Wow, you've got a massive spot on your neck'!! As if I didn't bloody know At 30, I still don't really know how to react to comments like this.
Also, facial redness is perhaps the worst it's been since I started--I'm desperately waiting to turn the corner-when did people start seeing improvements? I've got 47 days left and at the moment, this journey is just exhausting me, like climbing a mountain to be confronted by another one...
DAY 120
Well, that's me finished on Accutane and I hope more than anything that I never need to go on the stuff again...
Just been to the consultant for the final visit and he said he's very pleased with the progress and in fairness, that acne on my back has nearly gone---although there is still some lingering, purple deep scarring that he said will hopefully fade over time.
In that sense, the drug has done its job.
However...My lips have been bad the whole time I've been on it and when I say bad, I mean bad---If they're not constantly covered in Aquaphor or the green Burt's Bees stuff, they are on fire and bright, bright red.
Despite laying off lots of the weight training my upper and lower back is very painful and sometimes even picking up something light causes a kind of contracting pain.
I have eczema all up and down my right arm---the doctor said this 'should' go away.
My face---the lower half (i.e below the mouth) is continually covered in white, flaky skin whereas above the mouth is bright, sunburn red. To top it off, my eyes appear more sunken in with enormous black rings under them. I look dreadful and the elements only make it all worse. I used to love long walks in the outdoors, fishing etc, now the thought of going out in sun or wind terrifies me. Haven't shaved for about three weeks as this just causes a major problem with irritation and dry skin.
Also, the tiredness---I've never, ever (even when staying up writing essays for 2 days at University) been this tired...
In summary, I can only hope that these symptoms calm down as the drug works its way out of my system. That said, if someone seriously approached me asking about Accutane, I would probably try and talk them out of going on it and would seriously encourage them to try EVERY other avenue. Going on it is not a decision to be made lightly...
DAY 120
Well, that's me finished on Accutane and I hope more than anything that I never need to go on the stuff again...
Just been to the consultant for the final visit and he said he's very pleased with the progress and in fairness, that acne on my back has nearly gone---although there is still some lingering, purple deep scarring that he said will hopefully fade over time.
In that sense, the drug has done its job.
However...My lips have been bad the whole time I've been on it and when I say bad, I mean bad---If they're not constantly covered in Aquaphor or the green Burt's Bees stuff, they are on fire and bright, bright red.
Despite laying off lots of the weight training my upper and lower back is very painful and sometimes even picking up something light causes a kind of contracting pain.
I have eczema all up and down my right arm---the doctor said this 'should' go away.
My face---the lower half (i.e below the mouth) is continually covered in white, flaky skin whereas above the mouth is bright, sunburn red. To top it off, my eyes appear more sunken in with enormous black rings under them. I look dreadful and the elements only make it all worse. I used to love long walks in the outdoors, fishing etc, now the thought of going out in sun or wind terrifies me. Haven't shaved for about three weeks as this just causes a major problem with irritation and dry skin.
Also, the tiredness---I've never, ever (even when staying up writing essays for 2 days at University) been this tired...
In summary, I can only hope that these symptoms calm down as the drug works its way out of my system. That said, if someone seriously approached me asking about Accutane, I would probably try and talk them out of going on it and would seriously encourage them to try EVERY other avenue. Going on it is not a decision to be made lightly...
Congratulations man ! You were on such a high dose...
I'm pretty sure that your side effects will be gone in no time. Just stop thinking that you will be condemned for the rest of your life !
Congratz again!