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When I was 13 I took Retin-a-Micro, which is like a milder, topical version of Isotretinoin. I remember my acne being more inflammatory back then, and like your skin, my skin got much worse. That is something my recent dermatologist said, that the IB tend to happen with those with inflammatory acne. My acne is more noninflammatory today so I have not suffered a really bad IB.
But there is a point to this story. (1) Because you started with inflammatory acne, Accutane was going to make your acne worse for awhile as the same happened to me when I took Retin-A as a teenager (2) Do not be surprised if your skin improves only after the treatment. When I took Retin-A, my face cleared up only after I stopped the treatment and suffered a really bad sunburn. (3) You may need a second course in the future. Clearly acne came back for me after it cleared up the best it ever had after Retin-a. I don't want to scare you, but that could be the case that you need multiple rounds to stay clear forever or for at least more than a year.
Thanks for your post csacsa I'm just hoping I get to see my regular derm next time and we can carry on and take off where we left off and I do the full 6 months.
So it was day 100 yesterday, it's gone so fast!
Sometime in the week I woke up to quite a Heavy nosebleed but it's never happened again but it did
Scare me as I've never suffered with nosebleeds before so hopefully that was a one off.
Side effects apart from the one nose bleed is just the dried lips I've now got the chapped lips in each corner which makes eating hard but that's it, I really can not complain.
To look at my face now I have one active large spot on my left cheek and that's it's really, I still have some black heads and a lot of redness but I'm pretty happy right now.
Honestly I've not had good and bad weeks it literally changes by the day.
I am looking forward to the
Next couple of weeks but I do think it's all changing for the better now.
Yesterday's photo...
So it's day 109
I did take my weekly pic at day 107 I've just not had a chance to post.
I went in hope to see my normal derm yesterday to push him to let me take 6 months but unfortunately after waiting almost 3 hours after my appt time I got the top derm again. He said 4 months on accutane is standard and is not a cure for acne?! Can anyone shed some light on that? What are we doing this for then? I understand It doesn't work for everyone but i thought a high percentage of us would be cured?! So confused right now.
My skin is looking better by the day I've not had a painful spot to recall in a couple of weeks now.
Scarring isn't an issue for me it never has, coming on accutane was purely treat my painful cystic acne.
I tried to do a close up on my lips as they are taking quite a beating at the min. I'm generally not happy with my skin I feel that accutane has only cleared what it already cause from the IB, I know my day 1 looks awful but that was from being on yasim for 3 weeks hopefully like many have said my skin will carry on improving after my treatment.
I have maybe 2 weeks left 
Atleast I can say I tried
Photo time
I haven't had a group of actives that usually cluster all in the same area if that makes sense in weeks now thinking about.
Everyday is honestly getting better and better now, when I feel my face there are a couple of scabs but that is it, like you say it's just scarring.
Anyone following my log do not lose hope if accutane isn't working for you yet, it will. I've suffered for 18 years and it's working for me, Ive turned a corner nearing the end of month 4, I believe this is the beginning of something new.
I'll post my weekly photo tomorrow
I woke up to a large spot on the left side of my chin today, I don't recall having trouble with my chin for months now. It's not cystic but when touched it does hurt a little but it doesn't look like it'll be here for long.
For the last week I've grown 3 cold sores on the top of my lip which doesn't help with the dryness
Apart from this morning, waking up to 1 spot it's ben a very good week.... And come one one spot ( I'll get over it!) I use to have new ones come before others heeled
Photo time
So I got a prescription for month 5 which will be my last...
When you are on this journey it is honestly a roller coaster and you are always in hope for the day to come that everything will take a u turn but when you know you just know that it's worked!
I had a spot on the left side of my chin which has been acne free or a while and it turned into nothing!
I could not be happier, this week I've gone out and people have commented on my skin, no it's not perfect but going back weeks ago I felt even strangers staring at me.
Generally the experience is mixed emotions, my only complaint are my dry lips but given the opportunity to have acne free skin forever ill take the dryness and run, it's something I've gotten use too!
Photo
The redness has been completely cut by like 90%! Go you!!
Your skin looks unbelievably better and I am so happy that Accutane worked for you, the great part is its only going to get better from here on out!!
WAHOOOOO! You're on the final walk to clear skin. Look forward to keep hearing updates.
So I am not able to array onto month 5
I got the prescription by my derm the last time I saw him but he said as it was earlier than usual I wouldn't be able to pick my tablets up at the pharmacy as the don't over prescribe and to collect a week before I run out.
Well I go to the pharmacy and she says my prescription has expired as I need another pregnancy test.
No one was very helpful! Id end up waiting for another month to see my derm to which there would be no point.
Strange how your derm can't apologise in not realising dates wouldn't help and not pre dating it for me, he can't even take 5 mins out of his time to write a new one out.
Oh well I'm happy anyway.
I'm going to focus on looking after my new skin I have been given, the redness is fading everyday 
Sorry
Right now I am hating my Dr office
I was on 60mg and doing fine and they were insisting i increase to 80mg (130 pounds)
Ive been fighting with them all week!
Now the script has been filled at the pharmacy and i have to pick it up or i will have to go for the whole pg test etc again
hahahahah
Hope everything gets straightened out soon1
kim
How is the tablets given to you? Is it just one tablet of 80mg?
Now I know what I know I really would of preferred a Lower dosage for a longer period of time. 4 months that's all I've done give it 2/3 months I know there are going to be problems
Knowing I don't have my tablets to take each night I have noticed I consciously worry about what I eat already
My Dr called in 75mg total (3/25mg tabs per day/how prescribed)
So they are making staying at 60mg a pain
so I can either drop to 50mg a day, bump and try 75mg day or alternate 75/50mg which will average out to 60-ishmg a day
Sorry for your mix up stinks!!
Dr should do something!!
when I thought i was going to run out of time trying to get this aquared away they told me i would just need to go back into the office for another pg test
In the past u lost out on the window for th emnth but now they just make u come back in..maybe contact ipledge?
kim
I'm in the uk Kim, I have to go to the nhs, they have all these rules and regulations I'm gonna try one more time going to the dermatologist tomorrow, I haven't taken my tablet for 5 days now, not sure if they'll say it's out of my system now and that it'll be like starting from day one if I get them.
Why is your derm wanting to put you up to 80mg if your happy with 60mg?
Why don't you try the 80mg and see what happens? If your not happy go down to 50mg then slowly build the mg's up again
GOOD LUCK TO U!
It seems silly you would need to wiat an entire mnth to get more pills
Even though I went for oily oily skin and mild-mod acne
mY dr insists if i dont increase to 80mg (130 pounds) my acne will not clear.
I discussed cum dosing and staying on 60mg for an additional mnth or 2 (think because of b/w follow ups etc she is trying to reduce the duration of my treatment to the shortest time possible)
BUt she is still insisting on 80mg
I picked up my 75 mg rx (25 mg tabs/3x day)
Im going to alternate 50/75 for now and see how it goes
My knees have been bothering me more and more...just afraid to go higher if i dont need too
GL
Kim
So I went to the dermatologist office and he wouldn't ben see me as at my last consultation he discharged me! How fraustrating is that?!??!? I'd have to go to my gp to be refered again which means id have to go through all the motions again which takes months.
I'm really unhappy about it I've had a cyst in my typical area which is under my jawline
I hear accutane works still afte taking the pills for a bit so I'm gonna wait and see what happens.
For a second course is there usually a time limit that you can do another one? Or shall I try the regimen that this site promotes? Advice please?
hi acne*30 im casey, just started my treatment im on day 15 absorica,,,as a cystic acne sufferer for over 10 years now i would not give up on accutane for the life of me if i were you...pray and hope you can continue and finish the treatment......i know for me it is a dream beginning to come true and am looking forward to the end of the treatment and clear skin from here out......i don't break out really too much on the front of my face anymore....i used to look like a pepperoni pizza but i have scars all along my jawline...scars on chest,,and i still break out with cystic acne chest, back, and back of head and ears.....i feel your pain....so let's hope and pray you can finish your treatment...you've come so far already...
Hi Casey, the system isn't allowing me to carry on with treatment, I'll have to look into getting a second course but I doubt I'll be allowed it do it so soon. It's so upsetting and I'm feeling really down about it as I know month 5 would of been that miracle month for me that everyone talks about.
Oh no, Acne*30! I'm so sorry to hear they are making this such a pain for you.
I encountered some issues with my prescription during my last appointment as well. With the start of the new year my health insurance deductible started over and even with a discount I'll be paying $400/month for the next 3 months (thought I'd be done in 2) AND have to switch from Absorica to Claravis. But I'm thankful I was able to work it out. Hopefully you will find a solution, even if it's a couple months down the road. Because this medicine stays in your system for a while after finishing the time you've spent on it should not be looked at as a loss. For now enjoy how far you've come at this point
So a quick update. My lips are fine wahoo have been for a couple of weeks now. And yesterday I noticed the oils on my face and hair returning.
I've not had any active spots but my scarring is pretty bad. I didn't think it would bother me as all I've ever wanted in life was to
Be acne free but it seems I've jumped one hurdle to find another one twice as high in front of me. Time heals I guess. I hope everyone is getting on ok
Hey acne 30, I just started following your log today and my heart sank when I read your dermatologist discharged you one month before you were to be done. I just went to my dermatologists today and will start my second course of Accutane in 30 days. I did some research and I kept reading to give it 6-8 weeks between courses because your skin may very well continue to improve and a second course might not be needed. You have been such a trooper! I'm almost 28 and have had acne most of my life too. I'm going on a family ski trip tomorrow for several days and when I read your comment on being the spotty, pimply sister it made me smile. I totally relate to that! We've made it this far with this burden we can keep fighting to get rid of it. keep is posted on your progress bit I think it's going to keep getting better and a second treatment is common if needed
I Emmygirl thanks for taking the time to read my log. When did you decide to go for the second treatment? I was only on accutane for 4 months and oh my word it was so horrible haha I didn't expect any less thou! I just don't think I was treated fairly towards the end, I only ever had two blood tests and they were right from the beginning so I have no idea what my blood levels are like.
But I have been lucky I haven't had any serious flair up and my scarring is fading.
I still like to come on here to give myself some encouragement that everything will be ok.
Here's some photos I've just taken. Not perfect but a huge improvement I think
HUGE IMPROVEMENT! That is incredible! I've also heard your skin may have only needed 4 months and will continue to get better and you won't need another course! I started breaking out mildly 4 months after my treatment and rushed in to the derm and got on antibiotics and topicals ...all that fun stuff we are all familiar with after 6 weeks of it getting worse and larger pimples showed up I decided I wasnt going to wait for my face to get destroyed again. So I finished my treatment in July And decided about 3 weeks ago it was time! My derm was really great and said it does sometimes take two treatments and the chance of remission is exactly the same as the first time. She's upping my dosage and I'm going to make sure I'm eating a lot of fat when I take the pill! She doesn't think I got the full dosage because of that I'm really excited for you! Hopefully you just see constant improvement and won't need another course!!
hello hello
it seems common in the UK to only have a couple of blood tests my derm said that if it hasn't done anything after 8 weeks you will be fine which was really odd to me. On my first course i demanded 3 and all was okay. Also 4 months is fairly typical they don't keep you on it for very long suppose for safety reasons and probably liability on there behalf.
It keeps working for a few months afterwards until its out of your system so you should see some positive improvement,
All the best and i hope you keep improving