Hi, I'm a guy who has struggled with anxiety for my 34 years on this earth. I've been on a daily dose of Xanax X-R as prescribed by my psychiatrist. My acne has been crazy with one point where the back of my head had fewer clear areas than broke out spots. Some had been erupted for years.

I was non-compliant with antibiotics because of fear of getting sick from them (very sensitive to tetracycline), and really bad at using creams and such. I made a last effort to go into the dermatologist and ask to be prescribed the creams and vitamins as my job now required me to be on camera frequently and occasionally do live presentations. I was shocked when my confession of non-compliance was met with a suggestion of the drug of last resort.

The med info was scary, but I was confident that I could handle the depression and I was only fearful of the skin pain and joint pain.

The cost really shocked me the first time which was $275 for 30 days of 40 mg. Taking the med for the first week stunk. I had to use the recommended wash (cetaphil), lip balm (dr. Dan's) and for the first time ever, moisturizer- cereve.

My depression kicked in, but I was very stressed that week and road it out (don't do this), then I leveled out within a few days. My lips then cracked out, causing me to become compliant with the lip balm. I felt like Napoleon dynamite with as often as I needed to use. My hands then went next. I had to use prescription creams for that.

I was much better about being compliant with taking the med and using the creams. Still had pain in my skin, but it was tolerable. By the end of the first month, my head was clear, but I still had acne scars and active breakouts. The doc increased the dose to 80mg. This was crazy expensive over $740 at the national drug store chain, but my dermatologist did a price study in our area and found that Sam's club was the least expensive. It was about $265 a month with their "plus " membership. I was concerned in months 3&4 because my arms broke out really bad, but I don't think it was because of the different generic.

I had to get used to dry and itchy skin all the time, but I did get a glorious month of relief when my family and I went to Florida for vacation in January. Sunscreen was a must, but I had a reaction to the first sample my doctor gave me, it felt like a really bad sunburn. Fortunately, I found this on our beach day, rather than while in the amusement park.

My skin was awesome in the Florida winter weather, but the day we landed back home, I had to shovel a foot of snow off the driveway. My skin looked like I got a little sunburn, but it's hard to tell if it was sun or accutaine- 2 weeks later I suspected it was the 'taine.

My next dermatologist appointment I was read the riot act for getting sun, but my skin was stable. At that point she told me winter in the Midwest is the hardest to take he 'taine. I had an especially hard time because we couldn't increase the humidity in our house that much because it was new construction.

My arms were the only part broken out still, and the dermatologist told me at our final meeting that despite using accuzone, I may need a steroid injection 3 months after the end. I did see some clearing, but it still comes and goes.

I'm in the final stretch, last pack and I would totally do it for the first time again, my anxiety was fairly calm throughout the treatment, only flare up has been the occasional panic when I didn't have my chap stick.

My biggest problem has been the dryness and flaking. Denoside has been in my briefcase every day. I do have joint pain that comes and goes normally but it was worse this year than what I remember. One thing that surprised me the most was that scrapes and scratches don't heal very fast, my dog scratched me just very small and not deep enough to fully bleed, yet I still have the visible scar.

I'm 13 days away from finishing, but there is still a long way to go. I'd definitely do it again, but have doubts about doing round 2 anytime soon. Moistuize and use your lip balm before they flake out. Definitely recommend Dr. Dan's Cortibaulm for the lips. Hope this helps. Btw, my psychiatrist saw no change in my mental health during the treatment. Definitely appears to be an answer to prayer that I wish I had back when I was 16, except I probably wouldn't have been compliant with taking every day with food.

Let me know if you have any questions!