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Hey everybody...
I have been on Isotretinoin for around 15 weeks now, and I have yet to see results. There were times when my acne did seem to get better, but in a matter of days it just got worse again (basically, exactly how things went prior to takin this drug).
I am extremely discouraged. When I started taking this drug at the end of August I was hoping to be seeing results by December.
I am taking this drug in Korea, but I don't think that should be affecting anything, since it's still generic Isotretinoin. I am getting all the side effects; dry skin, itchy hands/eczema, bloody noses.
My Korean derm won't increase my dosage. I explained to him that American derms/studies show that it is advised to take 1mg-1.5mg/kg of body weight...but he insisted I start at 20mg/day (I weigh 68-70kg). After 23 days he increased my dosage to 30mg. After taking 30mg for 50+ days and seeing limited results, I just started taking 40mg/day on my own, figuring I'd tell my dermatologist later. He advised against it and told me to keep taking 30mg.
My question is, does low dose accutane require a longer period of time to work than a regular 4-5month accutane course? I'm in the middle of my fourth month now and I just got another breakout today, and I ALWAYS have at least 3 active cystic pimples on my face. I don't care about the side effects, I just want to have good skin ASAP. It is especially stressful in Korea when the standard of skin is very high.
Thank you everyone.
Personally I would not consider 30 or 40mg a day 'low dosage'. It is a tad low for your weight, but not to such an extent that it would hugely affect your treatment. I weigh a similar amount to you and was on 60mg a day for most of my course. It took me a good 12-13 weeks to start seeing sustained improvement in my skin. Some people take even longer. My guess is you may just be one of those late responders. I would strongly advise you to continue to take the drug in the way your dermatologist has instructed. Give it time, and you will be rewarded with the skin you yearn so much for.
This could have been written by me. I'm also in South Korea and went on accutane for the first time here. I have problems with eczema flare-ups also and get at least two huge and painful cysts a month. The Korean doctor also refused to give me any higher dose than 20mg. He won't even up it to 30 mg (because I have eczema but I told him I wanted a higher dose but he refused). I've been on it for almost four months now (at 20 mg) and I'm still getting cysts. My face has been much better but the acne still surfaces! I also weigh 70 kg and what concerns me is that the doctor wants to finish me on accutane after the fourth month because according to him "Patients don't take it longer than four/five months" but on only 20 mg a month, no way have I reached the cumulative dosage for my body weight and I fear as soon as I stop the accutane, my face will return to the same!
It's so frustrating because I've voiced these concerns with him and he just tells me "the acne will be gone after" but I feel I'm doing this all for nothing! I'd rather go all out and have the acne gone then have to go on another four months of accutane later on because my dose wasn't high enough. I find doctors in Korea are not very 'preventative' when it comes to medicine in general.
Peck, I realize 30mg isn't super low but it is still less than half the dosage I should be taking on a recommended Accutane course lasting 4-5 months. Also, when I talked to my Korean derm about all the recommended dosage information, he said he knew and that a lower dose course of Accutane will simply take a longer time than then standard 1mg-1.5mg/kg course. I simply don't understand WHY he wouldn't prescribe me a higher dose during my 4th month, especially after he stated that the only side effects for males is dry skin/lips.
melvaughn, it's nice to see someone in a similar situation. I'm glad that you're skin has improved. I can't tell if my skin is better or worse...
Honestly, if I was in your position, I wouldn't want to risk taking less than half the recommended cumalative dosage, and might want to switch dermatologists in the worst case. It's kind of weird how easy it is to obtain Accutane here. No required blood tests either...have you gotten any voluntary blood tests? I also hope that the isotretinoin here is effective...
TRUST ME, your derm is doing you guys a favor here. Low dose accutane in studies is shown to be JUST as effective as the standard american dosage
Can you show me these studies?
Idk it just makes me nervous because I've been on this drug for a while now and I'm noticing limited results, if any. Also, I'm going back to the states next year and I won't be able to obtain Accutane there...so basically, if this one course fails to get rid of my acne forever, I'm screwed.
TRUST ME, your derm is doing you guys a favor here. Low dose accutane in studies is shown to be JUST as effective as the standard american dosage
Can you show me these studies?
Idk it just makes me nervous because I've been on this drug for a while now and I'm noticing limited results, if any. Also, I'm going back to the states next year and I won't be able to obtain Accutane there...so basically, if this one course fails to get rid of my acne forever, I'm screwed.
ive also heard that it doesnt matter what daily dose is, but rather the long term culmative dose. i understand your worried that the culmative dose wont be reached, but your derm will probably extend it longer if you havent got any noticable results by then anyway.
ive heard of derms opting for low dose, long term treatments, as opposed to higher dose shorter treatments. the idea is that the side effects will be lessened, but the same result is achieved by the end of it.
id be patient, and trust your derm. why do you think you wont be able to get accutane in america by the way?
I was on a low dose but for 7,5 months. My skin cleared more or less after 4 months. I was on 20mg for the most of the course except 2 months on 40 and 1 month on 30. My weight is 65kg. It does work, some people see results at the very end of their course, months 5 or 6.