Hey

It sounds like a somewhat high dose to begin with considering you weigh 55 kg. I think derms usually start at lower doses so people gradually get used to the treatment and especially the side effects - it can be a bit overwhelming to have cracked lips, eczema and all the rest thrown at you from the beginning. If you find you can't tolerate it I think you should ask your derm for your dose to be lowered for the first month and then, maybe, try to raise it again in month 2.

Hey

 

It sounds like a somewhat high dose to begin with considering you weigh 55 kg. I think derms usually start at lower doses so people gradually get used to the treatment and especially the side effects - it can be a bit overwhelming to have cracked lips, eczema and all the rest thrown at you from the beginning. If you find you can't tolerate it I think you should ask your derm for your dose to be lowered for the first month and then, maybe, try to raise it again in month 2.

Thanks for the advice, yeah I think your right...Plus what with uni being full on at the moment the added stress and side effects from such a high dose might be too much. I'll phone derm tomorrow.

Cheers mate

Your concern and particular situation is similar to what mine was when I started my course, so I figured I should share my experience, in case it helps your decision.

I've had moderate acne (mostly hormonal and) for the past 17 years (!) and finally had enough when my back decided to break out horribly last December (never had much of a problem with back acne before then). Although I never thought my skin was bad enough to warrant taking Accutane, I was so fed up that I decided to use my last resort. I weigh 63 kg and my derm started me on 80mg/day. I was pretty freaked out, but she told me she likes to bring out the big dogs in the beginning, because she feels it works better that way and decreases the course length (i.e., 4 months as opposed to 6 or so). She said if the side effects were too much we could always decrease the dose. So I trusted her expertise and started on 80 mg/day.

I'm on day 36 and have not had any major problems, so far. My side effects seem pretty typical compared to what I've seen on the forums (i.e., dry everything and somewhat sore back - I might be imagining the sore back, though) and completely manageable. Really the only thing that I notice on a regular basis is the dry lips. Annoying, for sure, but tolerable with lots of Aquaphor. I was worried what my 1 month bloodwork would look like with such a high dose, but everything was normal, so I'm continuing with my 80mg/day dosage. I am also quite lucky that I have not had the dreaded initial breakout...at least not yet (fingers crossed). My skin began improving after the first week and has continued to do so. Since the end of my first week, I've gotten maybe two or three measly pimples per week (!) and they don't stick around very long. Before Accutane, I used to get two or three nastier ones about every other day that would get inflamed and take forever to go away. My derm says that's a good sign - hope she's right!

So, you might want to go with your derm's advice and see how your system handles it. You can always drop the dosage if the side effects are too bothersome. Let me warn you, though, that I thought the side effects were the worst from about Day 5 to Day 12, mainly due to a very very itchy scalp and general itchiness all over, but I guess my body adjusted. Since then, as long as I use lotion after I shower, and after I wash my face, I don't even notice the dryness (except the lips, of course).

Hope this helps!! Good luck!

You're lucky your derm is raising it up early on. It will help you BIG TIME and in such a short amount of time.

For eg - look at me. I've been on 40mg/day for the past 8 months. I'm 58kg and 161 cms tall. Yep. I'm still going. Acne still here. Hasn't cleared for me. My derm is stupid is all I can say. Will never be clear.

Goodluck!

I'm in the same position.

I weigh 150 pounds and started on 80 mg a day. 2nd month will be 90 mg a day.

i weigh 57 kg and was also started on 60 mg/day for my first month. while the dry skin and chapped lips were a lot to deal with right away, i haven't experienced many other side effects. i would say i've had a moderate IB, but i just saw my doctor earlier this week and was prescribed 60 mg again. it hasn't been an easy month but i'm trying to power through until my skin starts to clear up!

like chopper said, i'd listen to your doc, start at 60mg and see how you respond. good luck with your treatment!!

Hey guys,

 

I got my prescription from my derm yesterday and weighed me Im 55kg and he told me to take 20mg pills three times a day straight away. From what I gathered most people start of on 20mg and 40mg a day not 60mg, alos my acne is not even severe I would say its mild-moderate. Im really worried my body wont be able to take such a high doese without a build up. Now im dreading a huge IB... =[

 

Does anybody have any advice.

 

Thanks

 

Oh p.s. you can follow my accutane diary from saturday on youtube 'Andytane'

i weigh 57 kg and was also started on 60 mg/day for my first month. while the dry skin and chapped lips were a lot to deal with right away, i haven't experienced many other side effects. i would say i've had a moderate IB, but i just saw my doctor earlier this week and was prescribed 60 mg again. it hasn't been an easy month but i'm trying to power through until my skin starts to clear up!

 

like chopper said, i'd listen to your doc, start at 60mg and see how you respond. good luck with your treatment!!

 

 

 

Hey guys,

 

I got my prescription from my derm yesterday and weighed me Im 55kg and he told me to take 20mg pills three times a day straight away. From what I gathered most people start of on 20mg and 40mg a day not 60mg, alos my acne is not even severe I would say its mild-moderate. Im really worried my body wont be able to take such a high doese without a build up. Now im dreading a huge IB... =[

 

Does anybody have any advice.

 

Thanks

 

Oh p.s. you can follow my accutane diary from saturday on youtube 'Andytane'

 

hmm, ive had long chats to my derm and he says its unprofessional to start people on such a high dose. apparently a lot of derms did this in 10-15 years ago and it caused a massive initial breakout that left people with a lot of scarring. derms now tend to start off low and build up to avoid that. suppose if you arent having any problems, its all good im 63kgs and am on 20mgs for the first three months before increasing the dose.

Your concern and particular situation is similar to what mine was when I started my course, so I figured I should share my experience, in case it helps your decision.

 

I've had moderate acne (mostly hormonal and) for the past 17 years (!) and finally had enough when my back decided to break out horribly last December (never had much of a problem with back acne before then). Although I never thought my skin was bad enough to warrant taking Accutane, I was so fed up that I decided to use my last resort. I weigh 63 kg and my derm started me on 80mg/day. I was pretty freaked out, but she told me she likes to bring out the big dogs in the beginning, because she feels it works better that way and decreases the course length (i.e., 4 months as opposed to 6 or so). She said if the side effects were too much we could always decrease the dose. So I trusted her expertise and started on 80 mg/day.

 

I'm on day 36 and have not had any major problems, so far. My side effects seem pretty typical compared to what I've seen on the forums (i.e., dry everything and somewhat sore back - I might be imagining the sore back, though) and completely manageable. Really the only thing that I notice on a regular basis is the dry lips. Annoying, for sure, but tolerable with lots of Aquaphor. I was worried what my 1 month bloodwork would look like with such a high dose, but everything was normal, so I'm continuing with my 80mg/day dosage. I am also quite lucky that I have not had the dreaded initial breakout...at least not yet (fingers crossed). My skin began improving after the first week and has continued to do so. Since the end of my first week, I've gotten maybe two or three measly pimples per week (!) and they don't stick around very long. Before Accutane, I used to get two or three nastier ones about every other day that would get inflamed and take forever to go away. My derm says that's a good sign - hope she's right!

 

So, you might want to go with your derm's advice and see how your system handles it. You can always drop the dosage if the side effects are too bothersome. Let me warn you, though, that I thought the side effects were the worst from about Day 5 to Day 12, mainly due to a very very itchy scalp and general itchiness all over, but I guess my body adjusted. Since then, as long as I use lotion after I shower, and after I wash my face, I don't even notice the dryness (except the lips, of course).

 

Hope this helps!! Good luck!

Thank you for taking the time to write that, you have really put my mind at rest! God luck with your treatment!

Thank you everyone. I think for the time being I will continue on the 60mg and see how things go. I know the derm is only 20 mins away in car so thats comforting. *update* no new pimples on face but back is breaking out like hell, and I have never had bacne in my 5 years of acne...a little part of me hopes that the IB will happen on my back rather tha my face.. =/

thanks guys x

from what i've been reading, the higher doses have lead to a smaller or non existant initial breakout. probably because it shuts down the sebaceous glands a lot quicker. im going to be starting on 40/80mg on odd/even days as soon as my blood work is done.

No problem - I'm glad it helped!

Also, I forgot to mention that my back has JUST begun clearing up. My derm said the body acne is typically slower to clear. It was pretty bad when I started, but did seem to get somewhat worse over the first couple of weeks of treatment. So, yeah, maybe my IB was restricted to my back (no complaints here!!). Oh, and be sure to moisturize your back, as well. I just began doing that about a week ago and it has helped tremendously.

Today i got my first Presprection and my derm told me to take 60mg without running any tests (blood and liver) and that it would last for a hole year but he also forbidden me on doing any kind of sports. I was really afraid and I wanted to share this with you to get maybe some advices

Ps I don't have severe acne it's even very moderate

I'm all about always trusting the derm, but there's definitely some weird advice there.

First of all, I don't know how she told you to take the medicine before running any blood tests. I don't think there's a problem starting on 60mg, but a whole year on that dosage for moderate acne? Not sure about that one... Then again, he/she's the expert.

The sports one does sound like bullshit. I know people who have done Crossfit while on accutane.