Day 1-7

Clarvis 20mg 1 x day evening

BCP 1 x day morning

ACNE UPDATE

First the good news: No dry skin, no dry lips, no side effects. Two old zits went FLAT in 2 days, and flaked off in 5 Days. all thats left of them is the hyper-pigmentation. QUATRO headed monstor on the bridge of my nose---gone!

UGH got a new freaking huge QUATRO headed monster on my chin right below my lower lip. I popped it once it breached the surface, F&*% it popped itself once i got outta the shower. It was ugly. The BINARY CYST system on my cheek is still going strong X2months. It hurts and is uncover able by concealer, because the weight of the concealer hurts it. It is still under the surface, and im not touching it! Wish my DERM freaking shot it with steroids BEFORE putting me on the TANE??? Now i cant do anything about it. Covered whiteheads overnight with clay mask to see if it'll dry them faster. will update if it works.

PRODUCT UPDATE

Had to completly stop the DUAC, all OTC preps. Use only gentlest "non-soap" would consider to wash only 1x day and rinse in the morning, but skin just a grease-fest (shallla la la la, shallla la la whooo whooo hooo- babay!).

EMOTIONAL

Stress this week was through the roof. had a bad thursday and friday at work. had 2 exams.

So had my first social experience with having to turn down alcohol. As a wine-lover, it was hard. I know i'm on such a low dose, and it prob wont hurt now.......but I want to protect my liver, and practice saying "NO". So I compromised and asked the bartender to mix 3oz of Riesling with mineral water. Had it with ice and a lemon wedge. Was a good compromise. My friends were very understanding.

QUESTION:

Has anyone out there who has been on ACCUTANE in the past used anything for their pimples to dry them up with success? Are there ANY products i can use?

DAY 6

PICTURES

UGH Here i am with my clay mask on. trying to dry out these buggars.

Good luck with your course! I love all the little nicknames you give you various zits and am VERY impressed with your dedication to a healthy diet, something I can only dream of. Yeah, I don't recommend drinking on accutane. I had one shot of alcohol and was wasted.

Hi, thanks for stopping by my log. What i love about accutane is that you can throw away ALLLLL your other crappy OTC and prescriptions! yay to making some room in my medicine cabinet I too kept my mask for spot treating though, trying not to use it unless i have some horrific IB b/c i don't want to dry myself out any more than I have to.

You can still get cortisone shots while on accutane. Good luck with your course!

DAY 7

Claravis 20mg 1x day

BCP 1x day

@kernalP : THanks! MOAP was actually my best friend's nick name for that cyst. It repeatedly pops up ever other month in the same freaking spot! YOU are sooooooo correct about the ALCOHOL. i was STUPID, STUPID, STUPID for drinking even a small amount!

@fashonjunkie: SOOOOO true! im so glad to be done with putting OTC crap on my face! and its so much less expensive taking the TANE. Thanks for the tip on the C-shots. the only prob, cause of insurance reasons, my derm is freaking 450 miles away! BOOOOOOO. But next time i go, i will have him shoot up any cycts on my face.

ACNE UPDATE

Skin is an oil slick this morning. I dont think for my height/weight that my dose is high enough? My acne has not seen any improvement. When one zit leaves, another one pops up in its place. My white heads have been strange, getting four or five in one mega zit, instead of spread out. They start off as little tiny white heads in like a STAR CLUSTER, and then they get inflamed, and become one giant MEGA zit. At which point, either I pick, or they pop themselves in the shower. There is so much pressure behind them, i dont have to do much, they just lyse ooze all over my face. Excuse me as i GAG BLLLLEEEEEGGGHH!

Had a question about Black Heads? I don't want to pick them, but mine are really dark, raised, and noticeable. They weren't bad when i used to get facials, but now i cant get facials. WWWAAAAAA. What i was wondering is if any of you had seen a clearing of BH's with TANE? DO they fall out? do they stay on your face for 6 MONTHS? Mine are TAUNTING me!!!!! I soooo Want to extract them. UGH.

SYMPTOMS

Stupid of me to think i could get along with ALCOHOL. I feel like i was hit by a truck when I woke up. Needless to say, last nights laissez-faire attitude towards wine will not happen again!

Lower Back huuuuurrrts. I have Back Problems already, and see a CHIRO 1 x week. I can barely afford it, but if i don't go, I cant walk/exercise. Im pretty active, I loooove indoor cycling "Spinning", and I take Ballet 1 x week.

im soooooo worried about the back pain. While on MINO i had similar pain in ALL of my joints and muscles. I have grade 3 degeneration of cartilage in my knees, hand have lived with arthritic pain for many years now. SO I dont know if the LB pain is from the accutane? Or if its just the same-ole same-ole. Will update if it gets better.

Nuckles are red and dry. Lips are fine (im freaking buying stock in lip-balm! sheesh im paying for some lip-balm mogul's vacay to MAUI this year!!!). Skin seems more sensitive/stingy.

EMOTIONAL RUBBISH

I feel crappy today. I have several group projects to do this Semester. OH and by the way, im in Nursing School. I have to wash my hands like 40-50 times a day. Therefore my NAILS look like crap. AND im vain about my Nails, they used to be so beautiful WAAAAAAAA Im being a Negative-Nancy today! And I have to use Purell like constantly, SO im going to be investing in Hand Cream also. ANY and ALL suggestions for Hand/Nail stuff encouraged!

After a night out with friends, constantly complimenting me on how tall, skinny, and beautiful I am, I feel a LOT better. I <3 my friends SHOUT out to friends!!!!

I spend most of my day W/O makeup, due to the physical labor of my job, it just melts off. SO i just go around with a red-pimply face, and take it as it comes.

The reason why this is problematic is that as a Healthcare Professional, people judge the F%$@ outta me when they see my pimply face. I get soooooo may "Health Tips" from little ole ladies in the hospital like "oh honey, that looks bad, do you take vitamin C?" or the always popular "you should wash your face more, with a wash clots, more frequently....etc" I HATE these back-handed insults! I Definately spend MORE time, MORE money, and have MORE education about skincare than any of those little f%$#ing BATS. UUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

During this journey, I am also trying to lose about 10lbs of post-divorce emotional eating binge weight. SOB SOB SOB.

FML!

On the upside, Ive got great supportive friends, and this entire website full of great people going through the same. LOVE man LOVE

I like to hike too, and spend time outdoors. Are you going to give up outdoor exercise during your course?

Hello SunniCali- sooo wish I was in Cali ( ) instead of cold Michigan brrrrrrr! So happy for you that you decided to take the 'tane plunge! I am just a bit ahead of you on the 'tane course and wanted to comment on your back. Day 5-9 I had horrible tension in my neck and lower back. Not painful just really irritating and uncomfortable. However, it is now Day 11 for me and the pain has subsided and I believe it will leave completely, so dont worry!!!

Keep your head up girlie!

@MOXIE1, Love the name! Moxie baby Moxie! Good question, and my answer is NO WAY! I am going to keep doing what I love to do, Im not going to let Accutane rule my life. What I plan on doing is modifying my time outside, Like going on my hike in the evening or early morning instead of the afternoon. The UV rays are the strongest from 10am to 4pm.

@ Lightening, OOOOOOOHHHHHH that's exactly how it feels! Thanks for dispelling my paranoid fear of the achys. LOL Ill stop by your log soon and see how your progress is? And i happen to think Michigan is gorgeous.......in the summer!

EVENING UPDATE

Just took my 7th pill . Made sure to eat, as i was totally not hungry! weird! I also scrounged up a bottle of Omega-3-fatty acid pills. I took 1 gram with dinner. I heard it helps with absorption? And i also know it has anti-inflammatory properties, and mood-elevating properties.

Hey speaking of Vitamins , Has anyone found a good Multi Vit without A?

Feeling better/calmer tonight. The BINARY CYST on my cheek is now 2 separate and smaller cysts. I think they will flatten by tomorrow. I think the green mask helped, so ill use it again tonight. The large 4-Headed monster below my lip looks less inflamed, but is still large-and -in-charge.

And I avoided the mirror, and thus picking all day long! Im thinking of moving my b-room mirror out for the time being.

Sigh* signing off, gotta do some research and work on anooother school project 2-night, and read 2 chapters. AAAAAAAAAAA or maybe ill be a BIG FAT FLAKE and curl up in bed, and get some ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

DAY 8

Claravis 20mg 1 x Night

BCP 1 X Day

Omega-3-fatty acid 1g 1 x Night

Hey everyone. So yeah, Last night i was a tooooootal FLAKE! and i didnt do any of my reading b/c all of my time was spent on a video project. It turned out great. But now today, ive gotta make up a bunch of research. Or my group partners are going to kill me!

Just wanted to update y'all quickly. TOok some more Pics last night, and ill post them tonight maybe?

ACNE STATUS

GOod News: Skin is finally beginning to dry up. Lips are fine, eyes are getting itchy, Knuckles red. Little tiny peelys on my nose!

Cyst on my cheek is slowly but surely going down, now it has morphed into two smaller, yet still quite painful baby cysts. The large QUATRO Monster under my lip is almost flat! and is no longer as inflamed as it once was. I think that the Clay Mask ive been using at night for spot treatment is helping dry them up.

Black heads are still TAUNTING me. PIIIICCCCKKKK MMMEEEEEEEE. UGH GROSS!

SYMPTOMS

Back ache is all but gone. Weird it was like more of a muscle crampy feeling. Regardless, im going to my Massage Therapist, YUMMY, and having him work on it anyways. I think the OMEGA 3 helped, as did eating a real dinner. I believe that the alcohol i consumed on Sat lead to the Back pain on Sun.

EMOTIONAL

In a rightly jovial state this morning. It was like when the back pain left, my mood lifted instantly. thinking of increasing the OMEGA 3 up to 2 grams a day, but ill talk to my doc first. Have been veeeeeery stressed about the 2 group projects due this week. Family back home stresses me out also. Just so you all know, i do go to therapy, and im going on Tuesday. Its going to be a freaking Sob-fest, but you gotta get it out ya know?

Sheesh i almost feel PMS-y but, my monthly friend isn't due for 2-1/2 weeks! Thinking of going off BCP, I am single, celibate, and def not looking for a boyfriend post divorce. So if im not do-in IT, why be on the pill? I feel like its just more chemicals in my body, and accutane is enough!

Ill try and post some pics tonight showing the Horror of the Craters on my face, took a couple in HI-DEF. You will be disgusted......guarenteed!

Hey, i hear the blackheads do come out during your 'tane course. Apparently your pores will push them out, and when you run your hand across your skin it will feel like sand paper. They'll eventually fall out. I'm looking forward to this, b/c god knows what's on my back. Blackheads come out!!!!

@fashion junkie. PHEW! great, im looking foward to them falling out also. I dont like the idea of my skin feeling like sand-paper though

CONTINUANCE DAY 8

Here are some pics from last night. I got in reaaaaal close, so you can see some of the black heads. Its difficult for me to look at these. I can see all the damage and pitting done. I wish that I started Accutane like 6 years ago, and my skin would be smooth now. Ah well, Ill try and get some laser and microdermabrasion done after this course. (yeah right! like i have $$ to spend???? )

I added some pics of the dry knuckles if anyone is interested in the dry skin. Not bad now, but if i forget to slap lotion on them, they can get pretty scaly.

im exhausted. off to the gym 2-night......unless.....im a FLAKE! and just forget the gym and get some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Hi! I just wanted to wish you good luck on your course! I'll be keeping up with your log.

@faith Thanks, ill be checkin up on you also

DAY 9

Claravis 20mg 1 x night

Fish Oil 1g 2 x day

Just took my pill. Its freaking 3am and im dead tired!

ACNE

The white head below my lip is all but gone, just slightly raised, and guess what? no new break-outs today i think this is the first time in like 5 years that i have gone more than 3 days without any new pimples cropping up. The double cyst is still there, but is shrinking. Have noticed it is more painful to touch than normal. Skin looked flushed all day....wondering if i should have worn sunblock? or if it was emotional from being nervous about my presentation? but the flush has not gone down all day. my skin feels hot.

SYMPTOMS

got a niiiiice massage yesterday. My lower back feels allright now. Im off to the chiropractor tomorrow. yeay.

LOL the funniest thing, i broke out in an eczema rash across my chest b/c of a thermal i wore to bed last night. Here i was in the shower, looking at little checkers across my chest, thinking, geesh accutane sure makes my skin weird

EMO

Success on my presentation today Had to stay up soooo late to work on freaking group project. all i want to do is sleep. haven't worked out in 6 days, and im just so tired.

DAY 10

Claravis 20mg 1xNight

Fish Oil 1g 2x Day

BLISTER PACK DANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (this banana is re-dic-u-lous!)

Wooop Wooop ! I finished my first blister pack!

ACNE UPDATE

Looks the same. Two tiny little white heads popped up, on on my chin, the other on my cheek. They hurt. Pics will have to wait cause i leant my camera to a buddy, and anyways, my skin looks exactly the same.

SYMPTOMS

Ive had a "flush" all day , it seems to get worse with emotional stress. I slathered on the sunblock this morning, even though it was raining!

Hands are doing better, been slathering hand lotion on. Lips are much drier today. I noticed that i was reaching for that lip balm quite frequently. Heck, im puttin some on while typing this!

Notice a rash on the inside of my elbows this morning, I call that part of my arm, my "elbow-pits".

I slathered my thickest lotion on right away!

No emotional garbage for you tonight.

DAY 11

Claravis 20mg 1 x day

Fish oil 1 g 1 x day

Hello fellow acne haters!

skin dddddrrrrryyyyyy. and sensitive! today i wore a sweater that i had dry cleaned at an "organic" dry cleaners. i think they added fabric softeners and they shrank my sweater. but i wore it anyways to work. so all day, my arms were itching, and my elbows were raw, WAAAAAWAAAAA.

picked up like 3 more lipbalms. one burts bees one carmex. I put one in my car, one on my night stand, one in my school bag. and carry one in my pocket.

oh oh oh, i did get to go on a hike in the woods today! and saw the world's 2nd "oldest" tree. like, whatever, how do they know what the worlds 2nd oldest tree is? i think they just found a stump and named it the world's 2nd oldest tree, and put a plaque on it.

have a greeeeeat weekend!!!

Hey SunniCali!

I hate itchy sweaters, the WORST! Especially since your skin is extra sensitive thanks to the 'Tane. Hope it feels better once you slather on some lotion!

Do you find the fish oil does anything? I'm on my second day, trying to figure out what I should be supplementing to my diet. I, unfortunately, don't eat nearly as healthy as you - but I try!

Good luck with your course. And as painful as it may be to see pics of yourself without makeup, you've given me the courage to create photo log! Thanks!

DAY 11

 

Claravis 20mg 1 x day

Fish oil 1 g 1 x day

 

Hello fellow acne haters!

 

skin dddddrrrrryyyyyy. and sensitive! today i wore a sweater that i had dry cleaned at an "organic" dry cleaners. i think they added fabric softeners and they shrank my sweater. but i wore it anyways to work. so all day, my arms were itching, and my elbows were raw, WAAAAAWAAAAA.

 

picked up like 3 more lipbalms. one burts bees one carmex. I put one in my car, one on my night stand, one in my school bag. and carry one in my pocket.

 

oh oh oh, i did get to go on a hike in the woods today! and saw the world's 2nd "oldest" tree. like, whatever, how do they know what the worlds 2nd oldest tree is? i think they just found a stump and named it the world's 2nd oldest tree, and put a plaque on it.

 

have a greeeeeat weekend!!!

@RachL809: Hi, thanks for the encouragement

Reg fish oil: I take it for a lot of reasons: because i am vegetarian, for its cholesterol lowering effects, for my nails/hair, for its mood-stabilizing effect.

I have heard on this site that it helps your body "absorb" accutane better. But i don't know about that. I think b/c i don't get much fat in my diet, fish oil can't hurt as a supplement.

DAY 12

Claravis 20mg 1 x day

Fish Oil 1 x day

TGIF

Hey do any of you remember TGIF? I used to LIVE for that line up!

ACNE UPDATE

Yes, ive got some dry-out, some sensitive skin issues, some eczema. Interesting the Twin Cysts on my cheek, have completely separated. They have not come to the surface yet, and the inflammation has gone waaaaay down. But they feel "hard", like they have little balls inside of them. Not that im even considering picking those guys . ooooooo aaaaaaaaaa. Ive ignored my black heads. And my skin seems to finally be drying out.

Had a bad reaction to some fabric softener yesterday, and my elbow broke out in a hive, and the hive broke open, so now there is a sore on my elbow. YUCK!!!!

Oh by the way, i forgot to mention, that i no longer have any body acne. it cleared up about 3 years ago. Its funny because if i ever get a pimple on my back, i just dab a little TTO (tea tree oil) on it, and it goes right away! But nnnnnooooooo. TTO just doesnt work on my face. TTO also works to prevent athletes feet, on those ear zits, in the belly button for the lint, i put the stuff on everything!

Overall feelin pretty good today. completed a project, and now the weekend is mine for the taking!

I feel down-right energized.

Here are some Pictures taken tonight. some newer stuff around my chin/lower lip area. Lots of small bumps under the skin esp on forehead/cheeks. Special shout-out to roomie for taking them

I have lip balm stuck everywhere, too! I keep a tube in my purse, I tube on my desk at school, a tube on my nightstand at school, a tube on my nightstand at home, and a tube in my bathroom at home. I can't live without it since starting Accutane.

Hey, we could write a song! about lip balm tubes. here, there, everywhere!

DAY 15

Claravis 20mg 1 x night

Fish Oil 1g 1 x night

Hey everyone, hope you all had a great weekend. Had a good time myself. Went out with my friends, and didn't drink anything but mineral water. It was OK. Although i really miss the occasional glass of wine, i think im better off now without it!

Skin Update:

Skin is tight, and dry, but it still gets oily about mid-day. I switched to washing with non-soap cleanser only 1xday and just splash with good 'ole H2O otherwise. Was doin great this weekend, broke out a couple of days, but then the little buggars just dried right up and dropped off!

This morning however, a large, ugly, inflamed, cystic, whitehead surfaced. I could feel it under my skin for like 2 days , and i knew it was a comin. And this afternoon, it broke the surface. I dub thee "ORTHUS". ive decided to begin naming my zits after monsters to describe their features from now on.

ORTHUS: KYON ORTHROS (or Orthus) was a two-headed, serpent-tailed dog, a brother

of monsters such as Kerberos and the Khimaira. He mated with the latter, siring the

Sphinx and Nemean Lion. www.theoi.com

Ugh its so frustrating! i was almost clear like a week ago. and now my cheeks and chin are all inflamed.

SYMPTOMS:

No body aches/pains at all! i think that massage therapist did such a great job. Im going back whenever i can afford it! My lips of course are getting drier. but ive been attacking them with lip balm like every 1/2 hour. i think this lip balm application is going to induce a freaking oral fixation!

EMO CRAPOLA: Feelin frustrated with the whole process today! Gotta get my labs done this week as i am meeting next week with my DERM. I want him to increase the TANE cause i dont feel that 20mg is sufficient for my weight/height. and at this point, i cant even tell if im having an IB cause i havent stopped breaking out at all since i began. I reeeeeeaaaalllly dont want to put my body through this crap and not get perfectly clear skin in the end!

THE END

p.s. hope to get some more pics like tomorrow.

DAY 18

Claravis 20mg 1 x night

Fish Oil 1g 1 x night

ACNE:

got some action on my face. in between my eyes, a new inflamed white head spewed forward. I dub thee LILITH. An original vampiric name because it is sucking the blood out of my forehead!

"Lilith (Hebrew: —Å“—„—Å“—„—ª‚Ž L„«l„«t; Arabic: ™ž™Å ™ž™Å ˜«‚Ž L„«l„«¡¹¯) is believed to have originated as a female Mesopotamian storm demon associated with wind and was thought to be a bearer of disease, illness, and death."

Still have 'ole ORTHUS on my chin. In fact, he's grown a new head. and so now its 3-headed. But i can feel it flattening now, so im just going to ignore it .

BLACKHEADS! the bane of my existance! They are just sticking right in my pores and not budgeing. three on my nose have 2x in size since i started accutane, and now are raised, and i want to piiiiiiiiiiccccccccck sooooooo baaaaadddddd.

Nothing much has changed on my face, still breaking out at the same rate and even now it seems that my acne has gotten bolder than before. I dont think my perscription is high enough. Its enough to irritate my skin, but not enough to dry it out. So now my skin is red, irritated, and oily!

UUUGGGGHHHH im sooooo frustrated! Alll ive gotten so far is a life time supply of lip-gloss.

EMOTIONAL RUBBISH:

Feeling good today. Got to exercise and go outside this week. Did well on all my school projects, and have an extra day off of class. Bored and Exhausted. Just like one should be during one's midterms. ummmm why am i talking in 3-rd person??? weird.

So anyways, took some more pics for my Pimple-Bustin-Buddies out there.

WOW! I just looked through your log and you are making some excellent progress! You have almost no red marks.

@Jerichoa: Thanks! that's encouraging.

DAY 19

Claravis 20mg 1 x Night

Fish Oil--- 1g 1 x Night

B complex--- 1 x Day

Calcium + D---- 2 gummies 1 x Day

SKIN DWELLINGS: So the large 3-headed monster on my chin is all but flat and no longer inflamed. The very painful LILITH is still growing! and sooooo inflamed and raised, its occluding my vision, and it sucks cause i have to wear glasses. Shiny, red, and still hasn't fully erupted. SEVERAL small whiteheads/redbumps have been lurking under my skin in my cheeks, chin, nose, and inbetween my eyes. Im fearing these bumps to be waiting to erupt all at once in a massive IB, but i hope that the TANE is strong enough to keep em at bay or at least limit the time the IB lasts. Well see. Dont hold your breath!

BLACKHEADS: ewwwww. so today, since my skin is soooo oily, i took a tissue, and gently, very gently, wiped the corners of my nose (the blackheads were freaking itching!!!) and i think some of them are now gone. the smaller ones looked like little specks of dirt, and i just wiped them off my face. but the larger ones are getting bigger, and more raised. it does at times feel like sandpaper. Weird though, the black heads on my chin, and forehead have not dried out or changed shape.

BACK: i dont have backne, but ive recently broken out around my back and neck. YUCK! the blackheads on my back are also itchy, and today I wiped them with TTO and water on a cotton pad. Several large blackheads just came off with one swipe. Im going to keep doing this b/c it does not irritate the skin on my back at all, but would not recommend TTO on the face, as it is very astringent.

SYMPTOMS: Went to Ballet this week. and my feet felt more tender than before. This could be due to missing last week's exercise, so i'm not sure. DRY lips. finding that some LIP BALMS that were fine before, now irritate my lips. I'm allergic to sunscreens which sink into the skin i.e. Aveobenzene, but not to Zinc or Titanium dioxide. SO i think my lips were reacting to the sunscreen in that brand.

IN OTHER NEWS: Hey everyone, I lost 9lbs!!! since February, Ive been working very hard with exercising more and eating good, healthy meals, in order to lose some post-break-up depression weight. I lost another 1 lb this week. And i feel happy, energetic, and am in a very good mood since getting back to exercise. Here is what I'm doing to lose the weight:

1)Keep a Food Diary (on my i-pod)

3)Bought a Scale

4)Try to exercise at least 3 x week (increasing to 5 days soon)

5)Reward myself with pleasurable things other than food

(i.e. a massage or manicure, or a cute new shirt instead of a hot fudge sundae or cookie)

6)If I crave something.......I eat it! but i only try to eat exactly what i want.

Still got about 5-10lbs to go. But im giving myself 2 more months to do it. thats only 1lb per week.

First off - I LOVE your hair colour. It's just so vibrant. Congrats on the weight loss. Yeah, exercise usually make you feel better. Those names for all your zits - genius, I say. And it seems that everyone on here has that dreaded blackhead thing.