Acne.org Products
You mean like you hit the post button, and the site stops working, and you lose what you written? That's happened to me before too... the forums seems to shut down for a few hours some mornings...
I don't know if this will be of much use, but in 2006 I was lucky enough to get in contact with Dr Schulze (natural doctor) on another forum and asked him how to heal from Accutane. Needless to say I tried most of what he said, but at least he's on our side! Here's what he said:
"what about the high enemas?
anyway, my 5 Day Detox for the Bowel
reduces irritation and inflammation in the small intestine and helps absorbtion
It works from the Liver to the Anus and on everything in between
and my 5 Day Detox for the Liver are both annual cleansing programs
The Acutane is bad news
causes many Psychiatric problems
from depression, psychosis and beyond
another 5 Day Detox for the Liver is in order
because it is the Livers job to get the Acutane out of your blood
and residues can be still there
I do suggest some powerful exercise
and some daily hydrotherapy like the hot and cold showers
and maybe a change in jobs, friends, spouse, who knows?
an attitude adjustment
and some good psychotherapy with a new age psychotherapist
and read Nathaniel Brandon's Six Pillars of Self Esteem
but most important I would go see a local practitioner
I have trained hundreds of practitioners personally
for over 15 years in England
please contact the Association of Master Herbalists
or Herbs, Hands Healing"
You feeling better today?
We can tackle this.
Absolutely we can.
Get on that rebounder, or do some other exercise.
Make further progress each day.
Rest too.
Fit in some fun hobbies.
Read a great book to take your mind off this.
I recommend the Young Bond series (starting with Silverfin).
Some people have given it bad reviews because it doesn't fit in with their idea of what James Bond is.
But, trust me - The whole series is amazing and I remember very much enjoying each book.
I think this is the turning point for me though.
There may be certain things we cannot change and we need to make peace with that.
My adrenals aren't a big issue, because I can reverse it.
It's only the last couple of years I've felt really tired and that's because I've been letting this stress me out a lot.
The licorice root supplement should be the boost I need, and I'll do the rest myself by enjoying life again.
Nobody can avoid stress 100% of the time. Life IS stressful.
It's about how you deal with what you're given.
We can do a better job than we are, while trying to get our health back.
We need to live in the present moment, rather than thinking about how things were and what the future holds.
This moment is all we have.
Once we've dealt with the stress, we have a much better chance of recovering.
It'll take work on our part, but we can claim responsibility again for the outcome of our lives.
That's all for now folks.
Lol. Meanwhile the first half of today sucked for me. I took 3 VIt-D on an empty stomach and then didn't eat. Bad idea.
I just hope I can eat the pills with food long term. They do contain soybean oil, and I can't digest fat. I eat less than 1%, so the amount in the pills might be enough to trigger me.
Dammit. Gotta get fat malabsorption handled.
I just got some magnesium, maybe that will help.
Yea, sort of. I've got aother problem on my mind, which is not Accutane related (for once) that is distracting me... I wish I could share the optimism, but at the same time I know there is little point complaining about what has happened over and over.
I did like the video that Sergio told you about. I watched all but the last 5 minutes (got distracted). Although this part wasn't completely revelvent to us and our situation, some things are still the same (how bad the FDA are!) But like you said it was interesting. Some of the stuff mentioned in there was criminal, but I won't go on...
Colguy - Good luck if you see the doctor again. It's interesting you said your doctor has admitted it's use in chemotherapy, but didn't before you started it. Maybe you could ask him why.
Joseph - I admire your work "investigating" for a solution to this. I just hope some answers are found!
I feel really sad reading these stories. I was wondering, have any of you commited yourself to one of the more "radical" diets (by conventional, biased cultural standards), like paleo? I currently follow a paleo-ish diet with some inspired Gerson therapy aspects (mainly the heavy juicing), and though I've never been on an accutane course myself, I've read amazing anecdotal testimonials of better bone density, depression aleviating, and stuff like that. I don't know much about accutane storing in the body, but have you tried detox regimens (which kind of naturally go with those diets), like spirulina & chlorella, MSM, cilantro, etc?
I watched some videos on the liver by the guy above, and he's really great to listen to.
I advise you check out the channel at it has some great videos.
[Edited link out]
I feel this is all reversible though.
Accutane is so linked to digestive issues, that it's no wonder so many people suffer long-term.
Whatever is working for me, my constipation is seemingly an issue of the past.
You need your detoxification pathways to work or you can't get rid of toxins (i.e. Accutane, if it is in our bodies).
Note how in the heavy metals video above he says about the salivary glands.
I'm not sure about you guys, but I drink lots of water because I have dry mouth (because of Accutane).
This could be stopping us from releasing toxins.
I heard something about disease not being able to survive in an oxygen environment.
This may be why I'm (possibly) getting better. I'm doing rebounding each day, and sometimes go for a walk too.
It gets the blood pumping, which of course carries oxygen around the body.
I feel I will be able to make further progress with continued use.
I picked up a badminton racket, as I'll be starting that tomorrow (will be doing it weekly).
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Immune-Renew-90-Vcaps/2485?at=0
The above looks like a decent supplement.
Reducing stress, a good diet, and exercise will be good for the immune system but sometimes you need something extra.
I keep buying things from iHerb, even though i'm low on money.
I spotted this product after placing another order, so I won't buy it now.
Anyone from outside should place an order before the end of November because it's free shipping when you spend over $40.
Notice on the above, that you can combine it with another great looking Vitamin C product and save money.
Beats getting ripped of my UK taxes and import fees!
Stefan
I feel really sad reading these stories. I was wondering, have any of you commited yourself to one of the more "radical" diets (by conventional, biased cultural standards), like paleo? I currently follow a paleo-ish diet with some inspired Gerson therapy aspects (mainly the heavy juicing), and though I've never been on an accutane course myself, I've read amazing anecdotal testimonials of better bone density, depression aleviating, and stuff like that. I don't know much about accutane storing in the body, but have you tried detox regimens (which kind of naturally go with those diets), like spirulina & chlorella, MSM, cilantro, etc?
Yes, I was able to get good results on an extreme elimination diet that pushes the boundaries of paleo, redefining the original human diet as starches and lean seafood, including shellfish. Now I'm experimenting with supplements.
It's been a while since I last posted here, but I just wanted to provide a quick update on myself; long story short, it's all great news!
- I'm not as dehydrated as I used to be: I don't feel the need to drink as much water; my lips are smooth and regaining their elasticity; my face doesn't have small blister marks anymore, and the redness / flushing has vastly improved; my eyes no longer fatigue as much.
- My libido is on its way back up. I never had full-out ED or anything, but there was a noticeable decrease in sex drive as well as performance. Both of these are correcting themselves very well and I'm continuing to see improvements every day to the point where this is no longer an issue.
- No more headaches.
- Sinuses are slowly but surely clearing up.
- The general lull of feeling like I'm constantly sick is lifting.
What I'm doing:
- A completely primal diet: Steak, mixed vegetables (ie. carrots, peas and brocolli) and potatoes are my staples.
- Walking outside every day (on my way to and from work, usually). Even half an hour a day works wonders.
- Turning off all gadgets and devices that emit a blue light at 9pm. This ensures that I am in bed at around 10 and asleep by 10:30, which is absolutely crucial in order to avoid the second wind (which is in fact a cortisol spike by your adrenals; don't let this happen!)
- Sleeping in until 9/9:30 every single day (I have a part-time job which allows me to be flexible with my hours)
Supplements (per day); note that I don't always take the night supplements, as sometimes I just fall asleep far too quickly to bother taking them. I feel fine the next day, but I still take them on a regular basis and wholeheartedly recommend them:
Day
- Vitamin D (10,000iu)
- Zinc (50mg)
- Omega 3 fish oil capsules (2000mg)
Night
- Magnesium Citrate (400mg)
- Vitamin C with Rose Hips (4000mg)
- 5-HTP (50mg)
What I'm avoiding:
[*]Grains (white rice being an exception); dairy; vegetable oils of any kind (notoriously bad for all kinds of reasons; mainly being their high O6:O3 levels which promotes inflammation. Inflammation -- like cortisol, adrenaline and what have you -- is essential in the right amounts, but we get bombarded with far too much of it from an onslaught of internal and external factors. Get your O3 in check by taking fish oil capsules and eating a primal / paleo diet (which is naturally anti-inflammatory), and you're well on your way to promoting recovery.
[*]Electronic usage after 9pm.
[*]Strenuous exercise in large amounts. If I feel tired, I don't beat myself up about it; I rest, and my body thanks me for listening.
Not really much else to add here, but if anyone has any questions I'm more than happy to answer them! [Edited image out]
...Right after I'm done playing Skyward Sword, that is. [Edited image out]
On 11/30/2011 at 12:36 AM, The Spy said:It's been a while since I last posted here, but I just wanted to provide a quick update on myself; long story short, it's all great news!
- I'm not as dehydrated as I used to be: I don't feel the need to drink as much water; my lips are smooth and regaining their elasticity; my face doesn't have small blister marks anymore, and the redness / flushing has vastly improved; my eyes no longer fatigue as much.
- My libido is on its way back up. I never had full-out ED or anything, but there was a noticeable decrease in sex drive as well as performance. Both of these are correcting themselves very well and I'm continuing to see improvements every day to the point where this is no longer an issue.
- No more headaches.
- Sinuses are slowly but surely clearing up.
- The general lull of feeling like I'm constantly sick is lifting.
What I'm doing:
- A completely primal diet: Steak, mixed vegetables (ie. carrots, peas and brocolli) and potatoes are my staples.
- Walking outside every day (on my way to and from work, usually). Even half an hour a day works wonders.
- Turning off all gadgets and devices that emit a blue light at 9pm. This ensures that I am in bed at around 10 and asleep by 10:30, which is absolutely crucial in order to avoid the second wind (which is in fact a cortisol spike by your adrenals; don't let this happen!)
- Sleeping in until 9/9:30 every single day (I have a part-time job which allows me to be flexible with my hours)
Supplements (per day); note that I don't always take the night supplements, as sometimes I just fall asleep far too quickly to bother taking them. I feel fine the next day, but I still take them on a regular basis and wholeheartedly recommend them:
Day
- Vitamin D (10,000iu)
- Zinc (50mg)
- Omega 3 fish oil capsules (2000mg)
Night
- Magnesium Citrate (400mg)
- Vitamin C with Rose Hips (4000mg)
- 5-HTP (50mg)
What I'm avoiding:
[*]Grains (white rice being an exception); dairy; vegetable oils of any kind (notoriously bad for all kinds of reasons; mainly being their high O6:O3 levels which promotes inflammation. Inflammation -- like cortisol, adrenaline and what have you -- is essential in the right amounts, but we get bombarded with far too much of it from an onslaught of internal and external factors. Get your O3 in check by taking fish oil capsules and eating a primal / paleo diet (which is naturally anti-inflammatory), and you're well on your way to promoting recovery.
[*]Electronic usage after 9pm.
[*]Strenuous exercise in large amounts. If I feel tired, I don't beat myself up about it; I rest, and my body thanks me for listening.
Not really much else to add here, but if anyone has any questions I'm more than happy to answer them! [Edited image out]
...Right after I'm done playing Skyward Sword, that is. [Edited image out]
Hello dude!
Good to hear from you, especially as you bear good news.
At some point, I aim to cut my supplements to the amount you are taking.
I'm still using up my chinese medicine for example, which can't hurt.
You're right about the sleep thing. I need to change my bad habit of 12pm sleep-time.
BUT, the transexuals are on channel 4 at 10-11 tonight! Can't resist a bit of he-she's.
I too am playing Skyward Sword. It's a very good game! I'm only 5 hours into it though
Very nice, Spy. That's a clean paleo diet. I assume you weren't having digestive problems before?
My one suggestion for you would be try adding scallops to your daily diet and see what happens. They pack a huge mineral punch that should impact your libido and other areas.
Also you may want to take Brazil nuts to further raise libido, in case you're selenium deficient. I'd get TIm Ferriss' book THe Four Hour Body and follow his testosterone tips.
Hey everyone. Just checking up on the thread again. Glad to see people are still active in the discussion of recovery.
As usual I want to remind everyone the important of heavy sweating.
Accutane made a majority of pores on the skin tight (closed up). Skin pores are a vital pathway to brings toxins out of the body and coat the skin with protective oils.
To open and make the skin pores loose requires heat. Moving the body around does. Exercise.
The skin sweats and breathes and releases the junk the is built up in your body. When your skin can breathe better, your muscles can breathe better and expand.
So after time the majority of toxins in your body will be released, you will be strong, you will be warm, your skin will be oily. No more pain.
On 11/29/2011 at 6:21 AM, IndigoRush said:Note how in the heavy metals video above he says about the salivary glands.
I'm not sure about you guys, but I drink lots of water because I have dry mouth (because of Accutane).
This could be stopping us from releasing toxins.
Don't worry about this. The skin releases much more and should be the focus. If your thirsty, drink. And good on you for getting the blood pumping. Badminton is a very effective exercise for sweating.
Okay now for an update on myself. Currently I am paying off my small student loan (I went to college for 2 months). Money is not for me. I believe money is the main cause of the majority of problems in our world, the main being the destruction and poisoning of our planet. I won't go much into this because it is not the right thread.
I will be leaving to live near the equator where I can complete my healing, in the heat and living with just the basics. I will be much happier. [Edited image out]
OK, I figured out exactly what happened to me.
From the Mayo clinic, no less:
"Vitamin A toxicity may lead to intrahepatic cholestasis, a condition where bile cannot flow from the liver into the intestines. Treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid has been shown to greatly improve the symptoms of cholestasis."
So there it is. I need to take Ursodiol, also known as UDCA.
Does anyone have info and experience they can share about this drug? I would really, really appreciate not having to depend on doctors and internet research alone to guide me through this process. I hope there's someone here who can show me the ropes.
Really though coolguy, you're wasting your time even if you show your doctor the evidence.
They don't give a fuck unfortunately.
I wouldn't waste your time, unless you want to create an awkward moment for him (I wouldn't blame you).
In this country, America does have a 'let's sue everyone' reputation, so I've heard that before too 'snic'.
Welcome to the forum by the way.
We should be compensated, but you'll be wasting your time trying.
The amount of people in this forum now .... there is power in numbers you guys.
If anyone has an idea on how to take this further, I'm all ears.
you were asking for ideas on how to take this further. what about mentioning in your video the petition that oli girl told us about? http://www.change.or...about-accutane. would that work? or maybe you could reference this thread in the description box of your accutane videos so more people would read about it. or you could create another video on accutane but this time with a title that will create some shock value -> "Accutane is Chemotherapy!!!" . though with the downside you may expect some ignorant people to bash you for it. or maybe people working for Roche will try to intervene and try to neutralize your claim.
anyways i have a question. i asked my doctor why he didn't take me off accutane when i told him i was feeling some depression after 2 rounds. his response? he said i was adamant on taking it. does that sound right? are doctors allowed to just use that as an excuse? i have it recorded and that's what he said.
I was gonna call my book 'Roaccutane - Chemo for Acne', but decided against it.
I still think my original (why it should be banned) video covers everything it needs to. The views are always going up on that, and it seems to have gone down pretty well.
I don't know about the doctor thing man.
As far as they're aware, depression is a side effect while on the drug.
He probably doesn't know about the extreme problems it can cause.
If it was listed as a side effect (and it would have been) and you still wanted to take the drug, it's not really his responsibility.
There's nothing that says he should stop people taking the drug if they get depression.
I think the depression is under-rated with this drug though.
I know that I was having bad thoughts on that drug. I got angry easily. I wasn't myself.
The suicides related to this drug are the saddest thing really.
Teenagers shouldn't be killing themselves over a drug, but it has happened many times.
I was thinking about making the best of this situation we're in though.
We have time. I still believe we can get better, and at worst we can improve our handling of it.
One massive benefit of this, for us, though is - We know the dangers of medicine.
Some in here may disagree, but I never plan on taking medicine again.
That may prove tricky with the pressing-down on herbs/supplements, but they're not going to be able to take away natural/organic foods (surely!)
Thing is, my diet was terrible when I had acne (partly because the doctor told me there was no correlation and who was I to question him?)
If I hadn't of got acne, I would of got diabetes or something.
It's best that this has happened to us early in our lives really.
I don't envy teenagers and young adults who go out regularly to fuck up their bodies with alcohol (or drugs).
Sure, it's fun at the time, but my health is much more important to me and there are others ways to have fun (i.e the new Zelda game haha)
You can carry on taping your conversations with the doctor (does he know you're doing it, or do you hide a microphone in your pocket?) but where's that going to get you. Maybe you can do some YouTube videos, and respond to my original Accutane video.
I feel like we have a responsibility to raise awareness.
Not entirely about this drug.
Many, many people believe it is the correct thing to do - Take a drug for a health problem.
That's so far from the truth, as we know.
It only ever fixes a symptom anyway.
My girlfriend's back is hurting, so they advised taking ibuprofen every day for 2 weeks.
This was yesterday, and I went with her.
The nurse was the nicest person and it's not her fault - that's what she's trained to say.
But, that's just not a good diagnosis.
You can get foods that are anti-inflammatory, i.e. blueberries, salmon.
Omega 3 oil, green tea and others.
They'd never say this.
They don't really consider what's causing the back pain.
She said about my gf being tall and, as she's an anxious person, tensing could be causing an issue.
So fix that first surely! Of course, you want to be rid of the pain ASAP, but there are better ways to do it.
Joseph, I'm not sure if you've read through all of this thread but Chico has already said that.
Nobody in here has taken that drug.
Chico takes a natural approach to curing it.
Read back if you've not seen what he said.
Have a good day guys.
Maybe I'll make another Accutane video soon, but I don't know what to say about it now.
I'm done talking about how bad it is for now.
I've done that.
I want to help people in our position by explaining that you can be happy regardless or what happens.
Laters
Really though coolguy, you're wasting your time even if you show your doctor the evidence.
They don't give a fuck unfortunately.
I wouldn't waste your time, unless you want to create an awkward moment for him (I wouldn't blame you).
In this country, America does have a 'let's sue everyone' reputation, so I've heard that before too 'snic'.
Welcome to the forum by the way.
We should be compensated, but you'll be wasting your time trying.
The amount of people in this forum now .... there is power in numbers you guys.
If anyone has an idea on how to take this further, I'm all ears.
you were asking for ideas on how to take this further. what about mentioning in your video the petition that oli girl told us about? http://www.change.or...about-accutane. would that work? or maybe you could reference this thread in the description box of your accutane videos so more people would read about it. or you could create another video on accutane but this time with a title that will create some shock value -> "Accutane is Chemotherapy!!!" . though with the downside you may expect some ignorant people to bash you for it. or maybe people working for Roche will try to intervene and try to neutralize your claim.
anyways i have a question. i asked my doctor why he didn't take me off accutane when i told him i was feeling some depression after 2 rounds. his response? he said i was adamant on taking it. does that sound right? are doctors allowed to just use that as an excuse? i have it recorded and that's what he said.
Thanks CoolGuy, I am hoping all of you in this thread signed the petition, post on your facebook, email it to your family and friends, well thoose that understand. I know there is over 15,000 suffers over the years. There was about 4,000 just this year. Hope all is well
Hi! I'm new to this thread/site.
I was just wondering if anyone has any for sure or most likely answers?
I took accutane from april 2010 to the end of august 2010. I had the normal side effects, dry lips, dry skin and... no acne.
In november of 2010 I noticed that my hair started shedding RAPIDLY! I would wake up and my pillow would be covered in hair!
And now it seems my side effects are getting worse
The side effects I still have are:
-Dry eyes
This just started again around three months ago. Its progressively gotten worse.
-Dry skin/Aging
I have wrinkles and sagy skin, and I just turned 20
-Hair loss
My hair continues to fall out and grows very slowly
-Intestinal issues
I became very sensitive to dairy (I've never had problems with dairy before)
Constipation.
Sensitivity to spicy foods. (Which sucks because I love hot hot hot food)
-Moodiness
I've definitely had the suicidal thoughts and bouts of irritability.
In june I began taking supplements for my hairloss. Up until I read this thread I was taking
-Saw Palmeto
-Biotin
-MSM
-L-Cysteine
-Vitamin E
- This hair skin and nails vitamin http://www.iherb.com/Solgar-Skin-Nails-Hair-Advanced-MSM-Formula-120-Tablets/22419?at=0
-Vitamin D
-Iron
I'm not seeing improvements and I don't know what to do. When I try to tell people what I'm going through they either don't understand or don't believe me.
Can anyone recommend a supplement or plan of action for me?
Have you tried something that actually worked?
I'm willing to do anything to get this terrible drug out of me.
Sorry dude, we're all doing our best too.
Not sure why you're comment came out all scattered either.
I think I've heard Saw Palmetto causing side effects.
Honestly, I think we're far from answers.
This is a long-term thing, so we need to limit our expectations or we will be constantly disappointed.
I'm trying though, despite it being a real struggle.
People won't believe you until people know about this drug, and that's probably not going to happen any time soon.
Currently, I'm taking:
Vitamin B Complex
Vitamin D3 5000iu
Vitamin C (Absorbic Acid) throughout the day, to help immunity
Liver and Kidney tablets (Just started these last week. 3-4 months worth supply to see if it helps)
N.A.C and Taurine (though I'll probably drop these when I run out)
Olive Leaf Extract (just added, for immune system)
Vitamin E (800iu daily - for adrenal fatigue)
5-HTP at night (will finish bottle and won't bother buying again. This was for depression, and it hasn't helped at all).
Magnesium Citrate (Stress depleted this important mineral).
I'm awaiting licorice root and a few others for my adrenal fatigue.
I'm continuing to learn about everything to do with health.
I'm 99% sure I have hypothyroidism as well as adrenal fatigue, and these two are known to go hand-in-hand together.
I feel that stuff like anxiety and depression are not fully in my hands.
I'm still reading self-help books every now and then, but I feel they relate to physical problems rather than mental.
For instance, I know it's silly for my to feel anxious just walking down the street, but I cannot help it.
With low adrenal function/thyroid, you're more likely to suffer from these.
I don't know really what else I can do to help my liver, so if these tablets don't work, I'm giving up buying any more.
I see my adrenal fatigue as something that can be improved and fixed... with time.
Once that's happened, things should start to improve overall, i.e. ability to deal with stress, anxiety/depression, sex drive, hair quality (perhaps).
Keep eating real foods, and try to be patient.
We fucked our bodies up big time with this drug, and we need to realise there won't be a miracle supplement.
Sucks, but it's true.
Hope everyone else is doing alright.
I'm knackered.
Night
Hey all
Stefan, thanks for starting this thread and your youtube videos.
I have some bad news. I'm almost 40. I took accutane when I was 15, in the late 80s.
Almost 25 years now. I'm not better. I can say it has completely ruined my life. Ruined any chance of a normal life. I don't think I would have been some superhero if I didn't take it, but this has been really, really bad.
From reading the comments here we know this is a really serious, really big problem. There does not seem to be a cure of any kind.
I have most of the problems listed here by some of you:
Very hard to gain weight.
Chronic fatigue.
What seems to be psych problems regarding going out and being social but really they are somehow caused by the drug. The problems don't respond to drugs for anti-depression. The drug creates a kind of loop where you are unwell, but not really clearly in some definable way, so I avoid many situations because something is really off.
Doctors insist on misdiagnosing. They can't handle that one of their babies causes so much damage.
I recall reading that Roche knew that in rat/mice studies with the drug that a certain number the mice would withdraw from contact and get irritable and avoid touch. That happened to me. I have some kind of hypothyroidism. Very sensitive to stress. Lots of dietary and digestive problems. Odd fluctuation between constipation and too many bowel movements and again very hard to treat.
Sensitivity to alcohol too. Regular amounts will leave me pretty wrecked.
So what has worked, if anything? It seems to be the case that some focus on the liver is helpful. It doesn't cure things but it's useful. I think almost anything that is a bit of a liver tonic is at least mildly helpful. Plainer diets like the rice and fish diet or primal diets seem to be a bit better. I haven't found that avoiding butter and dairy really does anything useful. I don't like raw fooding much because I just waste away on that kind of diet. Avoiding gluten is better than not.
I've tried hundreds of supplements.
Very little works.
For one thing, they process differently in my body. The old primal defense formula was useful for the dry skin patches I got after using accutane. It did help clear those up after having large, scaly, ringworm-type patches post-accutane for 20 years.
I've been through what you guys are going through and I wish I had a solution. I don't. Over the years I've tried everything.
Thank you all for this thread. I don't know if anything can be done, but at least it's a start.
I'm not sure how long our threads can be so I'm going to stop here for this post.
On theories of what is going on. Accutane shrinks DHT receptors. This is known. I don't have the study handy but I've read formal studies confirming that. So on that point we needn't theorize. There's something to grab onto.
The reason test and DHEA stay high is probably due to the body producing enough but they have nowhere to go. It can create a feedback loop where the body doesn't get enough so it makes more... yet it can't be used properly.
My test is high normal, but I think it functions more like a poison and less like an anabolic or pro-health hormone in me, unlike when I was younger than 15. I often feel like I'm 80.
It's horrible how people think you should exercise if you're feeling bad or down after you've taken this drug. They don't get it. Exercise beyond walking or a bit of stretching and maybe some very brief light weightlifting leaves me really drained, often for days. My body just won't adapt anymore.
I think accutane sets up a poisoning reaction where what we naturally produce to deal with stress turns into a toxin. We end up trying to keep things very 'steady-state' all the time as a result. But life is not like that. There will be stress. And our natural response is compromised severely, turning our bodies against us. It can look like an auto-immune reaction or disease but really it's not that.
I don't know of any way of reawakening DHT receptors safely, especially not our own natural ones. Perhaps cycling some kind of hair loss product, using it not for hair loss but for priming DHT receptors.
Perhaps one can use a new class of drug called SARMs, selective androgenic receptor modulators. Some athletes are using it on the grey/black market like steroids.
I can't comment on whether either would work or how to get them. All pharmaceuticals leave me wary. Yet I'm still willing to try something that seems likely, even though I know little is. Accutane really seems to somehow change the body fundamentally, especially if used when young. Also especially if used by people with lower body fat, on low fat diets, or following some anti-acne antibiotics.
It probably does get stored in fat tissues. And it does dry out the moistness in the gut and cause IBS symptoms. Most of the successful lawsuits have been due to someone having to have part of their intestines removed following the accutane. But clearly people have many problems related to digestion afterwards even when it's not as severe.
I'd recommend everyone avoid it. It can create subtle or more dramatic problems that are way outside any regular norm. It's a hell of a risk that can ruin your life.