Background

Hi all. I've just started my five-month Accutane treatment.This forum has been such an enormous resource to me during my research phase and treatment thus far and because of that I would like to share my experience with other's out there who are also searching for information.

I'm a 22-year-old female. I'm 5'5",130lbs and have been prescribed 60mg of Claravis (so far) for my five-month treatment. Growing up I had mild acne since the end of middle school. The blackheads, whiteheads, and occasional monster zit followed me through college. Things got pretty gnarly when I was 20-21 and cystic acne began to make a constant appearance around my mouth and jawline. I grew up in a family that didn't buy processed foods or use plastics or syran wrap, but after a year of "mild-mannered" treatments I surrendered and was prescribed medicine by my dermatologist. Antibiotics and topical creams proved useless and after a year of defeat and mild depression caused by my ugly breakouts (that were scarring my skin) I began researching Accutane, which my derm. had mentioned at one of my appointments.

I did about a year of research before receiving my perscription. The final decision was made after my dad found me researching it. "Accutane?" he said, "I had to take that stuff when I was your age - Twice!". I don't know why, but it never came up before. My dad had horrible cystic acne when he was my age that didn't go away until his late 20's. Remember kids, before you go diving for answers: research your family history.

A few months and blood tests later I was prescribed Claravis. I took my first dosage with what felt like a thousand butterflies flying amok in my stomach and here's what has happened since.

The First Week

The first four days I noticed no side effects. My skin wasn't dry, lips weren't chapped, face wasn't breaking out - all was good and well. One of theonly side effect I noticed during this time was that I was waking up in mild sweats every night. I've heard other people saying that they feel very warm after taking Accutane maybe this is a common thing*... The other side effect was the incredible headaches I was getting. During the first few days I got a headache every two or three days that wouldn't go away. I took ibuprofen to alleviate some of the pain which kicked in after about an hour.

On thefifth daymy lips began to chap (nothing major, not yet) and my appetite was gone. Usually I wake up at 7 and make a bee line for food. Now I go until 2pm when my boyfriend comes home for lunch before I remember I haven't had anything to eat. While some people may see this as a benefit, I caution those that are hypoglycemic or have high-caloric needs like me. Set timers for yourself and make sure to eat throughout the day - Accutane may take away your body's internal timer.

Onday sevenmy very least favorite side effect made a painful appearance. The previous day I had been at the garage helping my boyfriend fix his car. We were hauling parts around, ripping up and replacing the interior etc. The next day (day seven) I had a noticeable pain in my upper abdomen when I would bend sideways or forward in any direction. It didn't hurt to breathe, my heart rate was normal so I didn't panic. A quick search on this forum found that other's experience similar pain that they attribute to "sore rib bones". To combat this I preform stretching routines and take ibuprofen only when necessary.

Recommended Products

This is a list of what I'm using during my treatment so far.

• CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion PM/AM (AM has sunscreen in it!) -these are a bit pricy, but I've used them for a long time and they don't clog pores
• Aquaphor -What's Aquaphor for? Everything. This stuff is the only answer for dry, severely chapped lips
• Ibuprofen -doesn't stress out the liver and is perfect for headaches, bone aches etc.
• Lip Exfoliator -I use this every couple of days. I made one out of honey, sugar, and olive oil. A quick google search will help you find a recipe. This paired with a gentle warm-waterscrub with a toothbrush really helps to remove the skin that's past reviving.
• Water -when in doubt, water is the first answer to most problems

Well friends, that's all I have for now. I'll try my best to update this every week or so (I'm on day 10 currently). To those of you that have shared your stories, and especially to those that I have read, thank you for your courage and generosity. Bon chance to all! Till next time,

- N.

Notes

*I take my Accutane at night with a fatty meal (avocado, yogurt, cheese etc.) along with a glass of milk