Mark...I'm with you bro. We gotta get time flying over here my face a wreck as well....the worst it's been in a loong time.

Kim...I'm in the exact same sitch as you. I am terrified of moisterizure b/c it always breaks me out but since I started peeling to the extent in which I cannot go out in public I started using neutrogena moisterizure for sensitive skin...so far so good but I only use a tiny bit and I use it only where I'm peeling

My lips went from fine to DISGUSTING from morning to night. What a rediculousyly quick turnaround. I had zero problems when i woke up and now I can't even close my mouth without getting pieces of lip inside of it...it's gross. STEPPING up that aquaphor.

Oh no!

Please, if u havent already, try to get the dr dan cortibalm..your local pharmacy can order it for you and its only $4.00

works insany better than vaseline or aquaphor

I stopped using it for ONE day and noticed a big difference

so i thought it might be giving me breakouts around my mouth so I reduced the amount I am using it and think its OK

Ive heard good thing about sensitive skin oil free neutrogena moisturizer

I havent moisturized yesterday and dont plan on it today...think want to let things flatten out,,if that makes sense...

Im not peeling so I think I can get away with it one more day..only 20mg

This THING in between my eyebrows is bugging me out a little

please please go away

GL

I've been using Aveeno moisturiser which my dermatologist recommended (think you can get it in the U.S.). It doesn't break me out too much and isn't greasy at all like a lot of other moisturisers. If i'm just staying in the house and my skin is really dry I use E45 cream which is oily and does cause a bit of a break out, but sometimes necessary to make sure my skin doesn't get sore.

Went out last night for drinks for the first time since starting this, no effect. Obviously alcohol doesn't really affect it.

Thanks for the suggestions Mark

good to know

My few drinks on tday didnt affect me either...

Have a good one everyone!

Kim thanks for the suggestion but I loaded up my nasty lips with aquaphor last night and I am shocked at how perfect they are right now...it's really strange..my lips are playing a weird game. From yesterday morning to last night they went from perfect to skin coming out in my mouth and sticking out in all different directions (really gross) and then from last night to this morning they are perfect again (thanks to the aquaphor!) I'm gonna stick with it for now but def. give dr dans a shot if these results dont keep up

I get it..definitely!!

aquaphor or cheaper and if it works, stick with it!!!!

I took a long hot shower today ( i know probably awful for my skin!)

when i came out my skin wasnt that dry but lips were coming off in sheets..fun fun

took paper towel and gently buffed them and they were all good..skin came off and i slathered them with vaseline

Holy crap....its day #13!!

Kim

Hey guys,

so i read i post about moisturizer from a girl who took accutane, and i dont know if theres any evidence to this but what she said made some sense to me. So she was saying that what accutane does is shrink your sebaceous glands which causes them to produce less oil. However, in the early month or two of the treatment your glands fight back and produce even more oil than before in order to try to make up for accutane restricting them. Eventually though accutane usually wins out and your glands just give up the fight. This initial fight is what some dermatologists believe why your acne may get worse (initial brekout) before it ultimately gets better.

So she was saying that her derm told her its important to use moisturizer daily even if you dont feel dry in order to make the transition for glands easier and hopefully calm down the initial breakouts in the first couple of months.

**anyways; ive been using Dans and the stuff is pretty amazing..i would definitely recommend it

update on me;

#day 19

-really not much different in my skin yet..not much worse than before starting but hasn't improved either

-my back pain hasn't came back since that one time.which is nice..i still feel like im slightly more sluggish than im use to..but this could be for several factors so im not going to put it all on the drug

-lips still dry and skin has been flaking around the nose and in between my eyebrows

Oh crud Dgray

I havent used moisturizer for the last 3 days and havent had ONE breakout (when I was getting them daily) and my skin isnt really that dry

A few minor minor patches I could buff away

Im so torn

I went the moisturizer route and was breaking out and now Im not..i dont want this to backfire either

I have a big bday party to attend this saturday so i am sort of freaking out on how my skin will react this week

Haha well Im not even sure if thats true..but it seemed like an interesting theory

-I would say do whatever you find works best for you

Yeah I'd do what works. Plus my derm told me straight to avoid moisterizure as much as possible so there's that.,

SSSOOOOOOOOOOOBBBBBBBBBB

My face was not peeling but feeling VERRRYYYY tight last night..3 days NO moisturizer on 20mg tane

so I used a LITTLLLEEEE

and I wake up this am with a big sore red blotch about an inch wide by my nose

Ok so I am being dramatic, but its just frustrating

I dont know how I am going to amke it through tane if I cant use a moisturizer...but they all break me out

LRP was no good...so I guess need find something

I might go another day w./ out just to let things calm down

how is everyone else doing?

Kim

I woke up this morning with the biggest shiniest whitehead I have ever had..literally I feel like the tiniest squeeze would pop it but I've heard so many things about how easy your skin could scar while on accutane so I had a huge debate this morning...leave this monstrosity on my face or pop and hope for the best....

I am now sitting at work with the single most nastiest, biggest, juiciest whitehead I have ever had...it better go...SOON

outside of this my face is the regular mess it has become to be since starting taine....

Keeeeep on rollllin

YES that is like the nasty bugger between my brows..left it alone (I dont know how, But I did) and it is going down.....wwhoooooooooottttt-woooooott

just keep repeating..do not touch my face..this will all be worth it...this will all be worth it..this will all be worth it!

Have a good one!!!!

Km

I also woke up with a red big shiny pimple in between my eye brows...i hate breaking out there.they seem to take forever to heal up. I also got a big nasty one on my neck, which is a spot that usually never is broken out. as well as a few other just normal breakouts

derp: i would suggest to leave it alone. i also heard that you scar easier on accutane

well it looks like were all going out today fighting some demons about how our skin is doing...at least were in it together!

have a good day everyone, stay strong

Hey guys, im Ana and im currently on day 5.. I know, its kinda late and ypu guys are way ahead. But i found your accutane documenting very helpful. I hope its going great for you, i have not noticed anything yet. Im currently on 20mg a day of mayesta (its how they call accutane in Spain) one pill a day. Im horrified by the inminent IB haha. Have a good day!

Its like a bullseye between the brown..ugh

lets all keep busy, out of the mirror and heads up

Im off to do some xmas shopping

have a good one

Kim

Hey guys. I usually try to spend the weekend away from my computer cause I spend all week clinging to it for dear life. So here I am again with some bad news to report...

I am having full blown side effects now, and they are kind of alarming! Here they are, in order from least to most concerning:

Dry lips | No big deal there. I'm balming and it's fine.

Flaky skin | Still not such a big deal. Been gently exfoliating and moisturizing and my face looks pretty normal except for the...

Red face | My t-zone has gone pink/red and a little raised/rough textured. It looks like I am having a very mild allergic reaction and I can cover it with makeup. Gives me a "prickly" feeling.

Itchy, irritated scalp | The whole thing feels prickly and itchy. It is very annoying. Not much (but some) flakes. I use a selsun-blue style shampoo for seborrheic dermatitis which is kinda harsh and has sulfur in it, so I need to replace that I guess. I am avoiding washing it for the moment. Hello braids.

Weird light-headedness | This could be un-related, but the other night I was standing in the kitchen making dumplings and all of a sudden I was overcome by light-headedness and had to lie down. That made it better, and I tried a few times to get up and finish, but each time I felt like I was going to pass out. Hasn't happened since, but I've never felt that before.

(Brace yourselves, I'm gonna mention poop) Hard, painful bowel movements with blood | I've anal fissures before from hard stool, but this is on another level. I am literally white-knuckling the toilet seat it hurts so bad. Picked up a stool softener today and I'm gonna drink extra more water and eat more veggies. If tomorrow is another white-knuckle poo, I might have to call the derm. Otherwise I'm gonna try to get it under control by changing my diet and taking this stool softener and talk to him about it at our next appointment. I'm most worried about this one... I need my digestive tract to work for the rest of my life!

Welcome to the club Ana.

I'm glad all your drinks went down nice and easy! I have had a few here and there with no trouble, but I might cut it out just to keep myself hydrated (in light of my very dry pooper.)

Good luck with y'all's IBs! Hang in there and it will all be over soon. I have been having a breakout. I dunno if it is the IB, but I have a series of inflamed zits on my chin and jaw. They come and go quickly, though.

On the topic of initial oiliness: I have been having a weird combination of peeling and oiliness. Like, even more oily than before starting on my t-zone. I hope this passes soon. It is definitely not something I was expecting.

Have a great week everyone! Just two more left in the semester for me

Sorry to hear everyone's having a bit of a rough time right now. Hamdinger I would definitely get in contact with the derm if the worse side effects continue.

I'm actually seeing a bit of an improvement. My face isn't as red anymore, my dry skin isn't as flaky and is only at areas where I have acne and i'm not waking up in the morning to hundreds of whiteheads like last week. Also my forehead, where I only had a very mild breakout, has cleared up. Don't get me wrong though, still no significant improvement overall, but nice the side effects have lessened for right now. I'm expecting something will happen when my dosage doubles in a few weeks time.

I did notice some back pain while at the gym the other yesterday. I really hope this won't continue and be because of the tane as that would really suck.

Hamdinger, good luck out there. Sorry to hear about all that. Hopefully it passes soon and I would probably just confirm with my derm that all of that is normal.

Ana, welcome to the club...your not too far behind us! I'm sure we'll all be clearing right around the same time!!

How nuts would it be if we're still going strong at this in five months from now. You guys better not start disappearing when things are start going well!

Hi Ana welcome...day #14

not too far ahead!

and Im also on 20mg (can I ask how much u weigh>...do u know what your Dr has in mind for dosage going forward..increase or stay low dose longer duration?

as of this am im 128

Hamdinger

Im sorry about the side effects

I can relate

Even with Dr dan my lips are peeling..still not terrible

My blackheads and pores are GINORMOUS and my skin is a little red blotchy in certaan areas/bumpy chicken skin (especially an inch are by the left side of my nose)

Im a nut though and still using BP..I cant bring myself to use NOTHING

NOT peeling or terribly dry skin at the moment..only using moisturizer where needed..skin is tight like the tin man

Hair is SHEDDING and is is FREAKING me out

No issues with dry scalp/itchy etc

This is a big fear for me..I need to hold on to every hair i have!

I am beyond tired..I could sit and watch paint dry all day

Im usually on the go person..I eat fast, talk fast, walk fast..I now feel like I am in slooooow moooottiooonnnnnnn

No joint or body pains

and Ive also had bouts of dizziness....feeling light headed.....it happens anytime but i feel like more often in the evening after my 6:00pm accutane dose

Im sorta bummed with myself for canceling plans saturday night with friends for no good reason but I just didn't feel like it...lamo

Earlier today in the kitchen I closed my eyes for a second and felt like I was spinning.....

Hang in there

let us know what the dr says..maybe decrease dose?

Im on 20mg and supposed to go to 40mg but just cant see doing that now based on how I am feeling

kim

Hey! Well thanks,

Kim: i weigh about 49kg.. I dunno how much that is.. Probs atound 110 pounds (but i really dont know)

So the first day i actually broke out really bad BEFORE taking the damn pill. My body was just like, hey, so.. Since youll be taking accutane, here... Have some of these to start off with. Beautiful.

As if it wasnt enough, i caught a cold today and have spanish and german mid term exams and feel like a poop bag really.

I can relate to feeling like a poop bag...well done with the analogy.

MEGATRON whitehead update.. I opened my mouth too wide while eating dinner and it popped!..it better not scar....it was huuge

@OP

Have you read about accutane yourself? Do you know that accutane is a chemo-pill? Made to treat cancer in your brain?

Have you read all the many horrifying stories from past accutane users on here and on many other forums? Have you googled "accutane and long term side effects"?

Have you read about former cases run against the company behind accutane, called Roche? Former users of accutane suing Roche and winning?

I hope you don't end up ruin your life for ever, like me and many, many others.

Blegh!! shoo shoo!