I'm on my second course and I'm still breaking out into month 5..its so frustrating! plus I'm on a high dose i just don't understand. My improvements have gone backwards from where i started, I'm just hoping eventually it'll pay off.

8 hours ago, cp11447 said:

I'm on my second course and I'm still breaking out into month 5..its so frustrating! plus I'm on a high dose i just don't understand. My improvements have gone backwards from where i started, I'm just hoping eventually it'll pay off.

What dose are you taking relative to your body weight? The first course i was taking .67mg/kg/day whereas now i'm up to 1mg/kg/day. I have read that a higher dose for a shorter amount of time reduces the risk for remission so hopefully by switching things up we will both clear up permanently, or at least make the acne more manageable once off accutane. I am thinking about talking to my doctor about even moving up to 1.33 mg/kg/day (100mg) for the final 2 months so I can really blast the acne.

Maybe because you're responding differently to this course it means you will have a different outcome (remission)! Stay positive, it can only get better from here!

1 hour ago, tranceaddict said:

What dose are you taking relative to your body weight? The first course i was taking .67mg/kg/day whereas now i'm up to 1mg/kg/day. I have read that a higher dose for a shorter amount of time reduces the risk for remission so hopefully by switching things up we will both clear up permanently, or at least make the acne more manageable once off accutane. I am thinking about talking to my doctor about even moving up to 1.33 mg/kg/day (100mg) for the final 2 months so I can really blast the acne.

Maybe because you're responding differently to this course it means you will have a different outcome (remission)! Stay positive, it can only get better from here!

thanks! I'm a female, 5'7", 110 lbs and i take 60 mg of abosrica a day one after breakfast and one after dinner since the very beginning. I have another derm check up in one week so i am going to take about maybe raising the dose to 80 but i really don't know if i need that much. since my acne was moderate when i started, my derm said it would be a "short and easy five month course" however thats definitely not the case since my skin continues to be worse than when i started in the fifth month. They think now i might need 8 or even more months it just sucks. but yeah I'm just trying to hang in there and stay positive and hope i clear up soon. acne effects me severely emotionally and socially and has caused a lot of trauma in my life so I'm just hoping it gets killed off really soon.

GracieP - I hear you, in the end I really hope it works out for you (and me). The emotional toll acne takes is awful, I'm glad there are forums like this where we can talk about it with others experiencing the same issues. It makes it better knowing we are all in this together!

Course 2, Day 35 (Week 5):

This was my first week on 80mg. I am taking 40mg in the morning and 40mg at night, trying my best to take them 12 hours apart which has been tough. The start of the week was awful and I got a tonne of cysts on my forehead. They were painful and very noticeable, I was so embarrassed I stayed in all weekend. Right now it has calmed a bit but i'm still getting new spots everyday.

Side effects hit me hard; headaches, flushing, red face, very dry arms and lips... and my stomach has been upset. I'm not sure if it's because i'm eating late at night to space the dosing 12 hours but I was up all night throwing up with diarrhea and now I'm in bed with flu like symptoms. I am going to take the pills during breakfast and again at dinner to avoid eating so late/going to bed full.

Course 2, Day 42 (Week 6):

For the first 2 days I had to reduce my dose down to 40mg because I was had a stomach bug. I felt dizzy, nauseous, had diarrhea and a headache for about 3 days. I am feeling back to normal now but it was awful. Very rare that it would occur so I am thinking the increase in dose had something to do with it.

As far as acne goes my skin was a lot better this week! I currently only have 2 spots on my forehead and 1 lingering one on my temple that doesn't want to seem to die. My skin has been a lot more dry recently and my lips continue to be chapped but the headaches have subsided. All in all things are progressing very nicely at this point in comparison to my first course.

Course 2, day 49 (Week 7):

Skin was horrible this week! No cysts but a lot of large pimples on my forehead and upper cheek/lower temple area. It was embarrassing going to work. Was really hoping this week would be an improvement but unfortunately I was wrong. My diet has been garbage as of late and I haven't been going to the gym newrly as much as usual so I'm sure that's not helping.

My my lips are a nightmare and I'm getting patches of tiny red bumps on my arms and forearms so I have to remember to moisturize after every shower. My bowels have been more sensitive too.

Crossing my fingers I will get over the hump soon.

Course 2, day 56 (Week 8):

Skin got worse than the pictures a few days after the post but calmed down a little as the week went on. After a massive breakout around my right temple I got another one that i'm dealing with currently but that's all. I'm still breaking out but maybe theres a little more time in between breakouts now. I've had to stay in the past few weekends because my skin has been so bad but I'm really hoping it's alright this weekend so I can see my friends.

Side effects are dry skin, mainly lips and rare flushing.

Course 2, day 70 (Week 10):

This week was full of highs and lows. To start the week my face was awful with a cyst and a bunch of other spots, but as the week progressed my face got much better and I actually had 0 actives at one point until 2 tiny spots developed a day later. Right now I have one spot just above my eyebrow on the right side, but other than that I am clear! Hopefully this continues as I have a national sales meeting in 2 weeks where I will be around colleagues pretty much 24/7 and it'd be nice to not have to worry too much about my skin.

Lips are still very dry as are my arms and the back of my neck.

Course 2, day 90 (Week 13):

Last few weeks have been extremely busy. I've been traveling like crazy for work and haven't had time to update this. The last 2 weeks have been better although I'm still getting small pimples on a semi regular basis. I've been progressing but at a much slower pace than my first course. I currently have 2 very small pimples that probably won't come to a whitehead. I am very happy with the progress however I am not clear yet.

Today marks the first day of taking 100mg. I have 60 more days to go until I am done and I am praying that I will be remain clear after.

As for side effects the headaches and moodiness have subsided and I am just dealing with dry skin and lips. Aquaphor has been a lifesaver. Last time I only used blistex and it simply wasn't enough.

its strange that your second round is improving much slower than your first

16 minutes ago, JDtane said:

its strange that your second round is improving much slower than your first

I also had this experience. @tranceaddict I wouldn't worry too much, its just realllllly frustrating. I had a milder acne my second course, yet the whole course my skin was way worse and breaking out constantly and did not improve at all until AFTER i stopped taking it month ago and its been slowly improving since then. just hang in there, while you might have a few here and there, your skin overall looks great and the rest will match soon enough! good luck with the rest of your experience!

13 hours ago, GracieP said:

I also had this experience. @tranceaddictI wouldn't worry too much, its just realllllly frustrating. I had a milder acne my second course, yet the whole course my skin was way worse and breaking out constantly and did not improve at all until AFTER i stopped taking it month ago and its been slowly improving since then. just hang in there, while you might have a few here and there, your skin overall looks great and the rest will match soon enough! good luck with the rest of your experience!

I just started my second round for mild persistent acne as well. Hopefully I clear up in 2 months like my first course

On 5/16/2017 at 5:58 AM, GracieP said:

I also had this experience. @tranceaddictI wouldn't worry too much, its just realllllly frustrating. I had a milder acne my second course, yet the whole course my skin was way worse and breaking out constantly and did not improve at all until AFTER i stopped taking it month ago and its been slowly improving since then. just hang in there, while you might have a few here and there, your skin overall looks great and the rest will match soon enough! good luck with the rest of your experience!

Thanks Gracie! Really hope it's all worth it in the end, it would be so disappointing to have gone through this again only to relapse.

Course 2, day 118 (Week 17):

Still breaking out pretty much every day. Yes, they are smaller but it is still extremely frustrating and I don't get it. This course is so much different than my first and I'm confused as to why i'm not clear like last time. Hopefully the end result is different too and I remain clear, at least for longer than 2 months. 

I had my Dr's appointment yesterday and I got my last prescription for 100mg. I will be finished this course in a month and 3 days. I cannot even wait to be off this medication but i'm terrified that my skin will revert back to preaccutane. It's a roller coaster of emotions and I really hope this is the answer. 

As for side effects, the dryness is becoming unbearable. No change with my lips, they are still a problem although I'm getting dry patches of skin everywhere, my upper and lower arms, inner thighs, back of my neck and calves... it seems as though it keeps progressing and spreads everywhere. This hasn't been a good week skin wise but i'm hopeful this next week will be at least a little better. 

Trying to stay positive. 

Course 2, day 126 (Week 18):

This week was a whole lot better!! I currently have 2 very small pimples that will go away on their own within a day or two but no large or painful spots!! Very happy, hopefully this is a breakthrough? I have less than a month to go so hopefully I can clear up completely and stay that way.

Still very dry, peeling, red but those are the only side effects.

On 2017-6-8 at 3:32 PM, tranceaddict said:

Course 2, day 126 (Week 18):

This week was a whole lot better!! I currently have 2 very small pimples that will go away on their own within a day or two but no large or painful spots!! Very happy, hopefully this is a breakthrough? I have less than a month to go so hopefully I can clear up completely and stay that way.

Still very dry, peeling, red but those are the only side effects.

glad its working for you! Make sure to moisturise and wear plenty of sunscreen. It helps with the red peeling skin

Course 2, day 135 (Week 19):

Still had a few actives throughout the week. I am seriously baffled as to how I was perfectly clear last course on a much lower dose and this course I have yet to completely attain that. 

Still very dry and red. Thanks JDTane for the advice! I slather on moisturizer at least twice a day but I will definitely go get some sun screen as I am bad for putting it on when i'm out in the sun. 

Only 15 more days left and then I am done!! (hopefully forever) 

Course 2, day 147 (Week 21):

Currently have 2 small spots in the middle of my forehead that don't come to a head and will probably go away within the next few days. Still surprised i'm not clear. Last week was not fun as I had 2 larger spots that lingered a while. I only have a few more days left and I am not confident at all that I will be clear after this course but at least I will be done!

Side effects are the same: dry lips, dry face, dry arms, dry everywhere pretty much. I will post pics when I am officially finished!

3 weeks post accutane:

Well its back  was really hoping accutane was the answer for me but unfortunately I will have to keep trying to fight it. Very disheartening.