Hi guys,
just after some encouragement really.
I recently came off of Minocycline because of the effects it was having on me (I used it for a long time a few years back, nearly 6 years in fact, but when I tried to use it a second time around, I was stuck in a state of constant dizziness, like being perma-drunk).
I saw a dermatologist because antibiotics have given me pretty decent skin for years, like I'd get one or two a week. The result of this is that I started to get extreme anxiety when the antibiotic started to fail. I have no coping mechanisms any more.
Because of this, I saw a dermatologist who prescribed me 20mg Roaccutane a day, (partly for my back acne, which I barely look at but she said was where most of the activity was) saying that low doses have been shown to have an equal effect, just perhaps not the same chance of knocking it into remission unless taken for a much longer time.
I really want to know if this is enough. I have an initial 3 month prescription but it terrifies the hell out of me that I'll have to go back in three months time and it hasn't worked at all, and my skin actually just slowly reverts to where it was pre-antibiotics even (I don't even know what that is as I've been cycling antibiotics for almost 10 years...stupid I know, but I never read up on it and It was a repeat prescription and was working). It'll be easy for her to say, "okay, let's up the dosage to 40mg" or something like that. But I'd have had to go through weeks of hell to get to that point if my skin really does go bad.
There still really isn't that much on this site about low dose users. Sure there are people taking 20mg doses but they are quite often 40kg females.
Additionally, the dermatologist also said I shouldn't even moisturise, because she has experience of moisturising making accutane less effective on some occasions.
I went cold turkey on the regimen and antibiotic on sunday night. But after my skin started to go down hill in just those two days, I picked up the regimen again (I've never done the full amount of BP, it's probably just two pea sized amounts and then moisturiser). Was planning to do it until my skin tells me I can't.
So what I really want to know is one: will 20mg be enough to make any difference (my hair and eyes are drier but my skin is yet to change, I'm on day 6).
and two: will i hinder the results of the accutane by continuing my BP/moisturiser regime?
Thanks in advance.
Hi,
I am a 60 kg girl who has been suffering from moderate acne since I was 18. I never had cystic acne but had lots of white heads and comedones, which were very very persistent and quite enough to affect my appearance and confidence. I also had mild back acne. I waited for all the acne to go away on its own till I was 23 and then felt I've had enough and finally saw a dermatologist. My dermatologist prescribed me 20mg of accutane to be taken once a day for 6 to 8 months. Tell you what, that's the best thing that has ever happened to me.
Accutane is powerful stuff, even in low dosages. I started noticing the difference in about a week and a half. My very oily face started getting normal. All my zits were gone in 15 days and new zits did not develop. It's been 4 months since I got into the course and over this period of time, I got just three noticeable white heads on my face, which disappeared quickly. And we should talk about my back! My back has never been so clear and smooth, there is not even a tiny bump on it. I weigh 60 kg and have been taking 20 mg a day, which means I've been taking 0.3mg/kg a day, which was quite enough to clear my moderate, persistent acne. You weigh 85 kg and if you go on 20mg accutane, you'd be taking 0.2mg/kg a day. I am not sure if its enough for you, all I can say is that accutane is powerful even in lower doses, atleast for me. Maybe you should ask your dermatologist to increase the dosage to 30 mg a day?
Good luck!
Hey pushpa I've been on 20mg a day for 10 weeks so far for comedonal acne. The comedones are not budging at all. How long did it take you to see results and how did your comedones purge? I have so many
Hi missy,
Accutane works at different rates for different people, but it does work in the end, don't worry 
Some people see immediate results while some people have to wait for 4-5 months. Hang in there with the 20mg. It took me 15 days to start seeing the results and I was completely clear after three months. I did get two or three unnoticeable white heads and comedones after that, but it was no big deal, they went away in 2-3 days.
Leave your skin woes to accutane, that's the best decision you've ever taken regarding your skin. I know how comedonal acne feels and I really hate to say this, but you need to be patient and give it sometime Try taking accutane with lots of food, preferably fats. Also, I've taken ACV orally for 3 weeks during the second month of the treatment. Maybe that helped too? I don't know. My skin continued to improve even after quitting ACV and I owe the improvement to accutane.
As you might have already known, comedones are caused due to the overproduction of oil in the sebaceous glands. Accutane works by shrinking the sebaceous glands; all I can say is- Accutane works. Give it time. You'll be happy again
How much do you weigh btw?