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My Oratane Experience

 
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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 05/24/2012 1:16 am

Hey, my name is Jamie and I am 22 years old. I am a university student, studying at UOW (Shoalhaven Campus) for any Aussies on here. I just thought Id get this post out of the road before I start my treatment and my final uni essays.

 

I first started getting acne when I was about eight years old. Pretty much I am like everyone-else on here; I have used every cream, wash and treatment imaginable. Ive been on doxycycline tablets for around nine years. Most of the products would work for about a two or three months, with the aid of the tablets, then my body would adapt to it. As for what parts of my body tend to get acne, lets just say it would be easier just to point out that the only body parts that hasnt had acne is my hands.

 

The only common side-affects that bother me are the joint pain and the fatigue factor. Joint pain because I am heavily involved in sport, I have already had to give up martial arts and the chance to have a semi-contact fight. But hey my health is more important. Fatigue because I already have problems with getting to sleep, and also to replenish the energy I use in sport.

 

Did anyone find there were aspects of their life that they had to change? I mean beside the ones everyone knows, like alcohol and minimising sun exposure etc. I mean the type of things the dermatologists might overlook.

 

I have my consultation with my dermatologist in a few days, so hopefully Ill be able to get my script for Accutane that day. I have already done the blood tests through my general practitioner.

 

Cheers,

 

Jamie

Ps- Go Chelsea FC Champions of Europe

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(@randall-flagg)

Posted : 05/24/2012 1:29 am

Wish you the absolute best of luck on your journey, man! I've been on just about every oral antibiotic on the market today for acne, I've built up an immunity to most of them including tetracycline and a few others. One of the only antibiotics I've never been on is doxycycline. When you first started the doxycycline, how well did it work for you? Did it keep you clear for awhile?

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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 05/24/2012 1:45 am

Cheers mate. From what I can remember it did help. Sorry I can't say too much past that, it was so long ago when I started it. Also whenever I couldn't get to the gp's for a while, to get a new prescription, I found my acne flared up, even after being on it for the best part of a decade. So I can say it definitely helped minimise the severity of my acne. Lastly there is also a cream version of accutane, and I was allowed to use that with doxycycline. I just thought I'd mention it incase it was a prescription cream you hadn't used yet.

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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 05/28/2012 6:45 am

I have just been approved for Oratane. I will be starting on just 20 mgs for the first five weeks, my dermatologist was worried that my initial breakout would be pretty bad. So hopefully his right and my initial breakout won't be too bad now. After the first five weeks he plans on upping it up to 40 mgs. I am so glad that this is finally happening.

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(@err)

Posted : 05/28/2012 4:38 pm

Good luck. Hopefully the lower dose in the beginning will minimize the initial breakout if you get it, mine was pretty bad the first time. Its a relief finally going on accutane, no more need to play around with creams that irritate your skin and dont work. smile.png

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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 05/28/2012 7:15 pm

Good luck. Hopefully the lower dose in the beginning will minimize the initial breakout if you get it, mine was pretty bad the first time. Its a relief finally going on accutane, no more need to play around with creams that irritate your skin and dont work. smile.png

 

Thanks mate, and good luck with the rest of your accutane course also. Hopefully your second course will be more effective. I have also just read your log, obviously by the previous sentence, and I just thought that I'd tell you anything under half a mg per a kilogram of your body isn't meant to count while you™re on the treatment, as fair as for long term success. This is at least according to my derm. He said the first five weeks won't count towards the accumulative total my body needs from the Oratane. He has also done a fair bit of academic research and papers on it, and I just thought I tell you. If you have other evidence to suggest otherwise, I hope it works for you.

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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 05/28/2012 8:45 pm

Day One

Well I have just had the first of many pills. The acclimatisation/pre-test stage has begun. Because I am only have 20 mg/day I am, and my derm is, hoping that my initial breakout won't be too hectic. I'll upload pictures maybe a bit later on, I'm just a bit too busy at the moment. Thankfully my tablets are in a light foil-like packaging, so unlike most people I won't have to struggle with the cardboard packing.

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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 05/29/2012 2:25 am

Well I have got some time to upload some photo's. Acne is pretty calm, so hopefully that helps with the initial breakout.

post-177095-0-55580700-1338275399_thumb. post-177095-0-51647900-1338275645_thumb.

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(@catcatcat4)

Posted : 05/29/2012 5:50 pm

Hi, just to drop by to say goodluck!

8 years old, wow, I couldn't imagine how hard it'd be for you. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll find a solution sooner or later and hopefully it's the accutane.

Did anyone find there were aspects of their life that they had to change?

 

Hmm, well I don't think it would apply to you but I can't water fast anymore (you need fat in your body in order for the medication to absorb and take full affect) so, I'm going to have to delay losing weight for a while unless I decide to diet the healthy way and I hear that for some people accutane could effect their sex drive whilst on it. But don't worry, there's a saying going that the more you think of the negative effects - the more likely you are to think they're happening, when really they're not, it's just your mind believing it or exaggerating the truth, if that makes sense? Oh and don't forget to get a good moisturizer and something for the lips! I'm in love with my cetaphil, I'm only just over a week into taking roaccutane but, I know my skin would be in a bad state if it wasn't for the moisturizer. I look forward to seeing your results, best of luck.

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(@veruca-salt)

Posted : 05/29/2012 6:21 pm

Best of luck to you! I also started on 20mgs and am really thankful for the low dosage, because my side effects have been really minimal. If you need any advice on what products/supplements/etc. to use, there's a TON of helpful information and advice throughout these logs :)

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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 05/29/2012 7:36 pm

Oh and don't forget to get a good moisturizer and something for the lips! I'm in love with my cetaphil, I'm only just over a week into taking roaccutane but, I know my skin would be in a bad state if it wasn't for the moisturizer. I look forward to seeing your results, best of luck.

 

Thanks heaps. If you want to try and lose weight in a more I guess traditional way feel free to ask me. I am really into sport and could probably suggest some exercises for you. Otherwise try going for a walk before breakfast, it's meant to speed up your metabolism and will burn weight easier. Obviously that might not be possible due to other commitments you might have. But you do have the right idea about doing nothing until after your accutane course. Good luck with your treatment also.

Best of luck to you! I also started on 20mgs and am really thankful for the low dosage, because my side effects have been really minimal. If you need any advice on what products/supplements/etc. to use, there's a TON of helpful information and advice throughout these logs smile.png

 

Thanks. Yeah I have looked through heaps of logs before I started, but thanks for mentioning it. I am glad to hear that your side-effects have been miminal.

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(@Anonymous)

Posted : 05/29/2012 9:50 pm

Good luck, Jamie! We're in this together. :)

 

I started 14 days ago and have been seeing fantastic results. This medicine has been a god-send so far. I've had acne for off and on for 10 years, so I can relate. I've taken every antibiotic, and doxycycline worked the best for me, but it killed my stomach and weakened my digestion. Have you experienced any of that? If so, I hope you're either eating lots of fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut/fermented veggies, even wine! or taking a probiotic.

 

I would say that so far, Accutane has made me very, very tired...but I am an athletic person like you and exercise maybe 5 times a week. I love to stay active so that part has been hard. I have tried to rest more, but I find that kicking my ass into gear by forcing myself to still stay active has been better for me overall in terms of mood and energy levels. I wouldn't say go nuts with the exercise, but I don't see it as a major issue.

 

I have been VERY sensitive to the sun, even 14 days in. I burned parts of my forearms just by sitting in the sun for 3 hours with the rest of my body covered, but not my forearms. So, be very very very careful living in Australia. I live in Seattle and burned that easily.

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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 05/29/2012 10:58 pm

Have you experienced any of that?

 

Thankfully I haven't notice anything from my time on doxycycline. I have always eaten a lot of veggies and yogurt, so maybe that helped, or maybe I was just lucky. Also I am glad that accutane has been working well for you.

I will definitely take your advice that you feel better after exercise. I'd be extremely frustrated if I had to give up playing sport. As for the sunburn, I only go out in the hottest part of the day for my soccer game, so I'll just put on screen and hopefully that prevents me getting burnt. Also it is getting into winter here now thankfully.

I will definitely follow your log, I'd actually viewed it a view times leading up to my consultation the my derm. Good luck with the rest of your treatment.

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(@scarface17)

Posted : 05/30/2012 7:08 am

Hey Jamie,

I hope that Accutane will be your saving grace! Good thing that we're heading into winter in Australia right now, pretty much be screwed if it were summer with our ridiculously harsh sun! I can also just blame any dryness on the winter cold, haha. Wish you the best of luck for your journey :)

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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 05/30/2012 11:09 pm

Day Three

So far there has been nothing much to really comment on. My face might be a bit drier, and my face also gets itchy every now and again. No real breakouts that are out of the ordinary. All in all pretty much what I expected starting on a low dose.

 

Hey Jamie,

I hope that Accutane will be your saving grace! Good thing that we're heading into winter in Australia right now, pretty much be screwed if it were summer with our ridiculously harsh sun! I can also just blame any dryness on the winter cold, haha. Wish you the best of luck for your journey smile.png

 

Thanks. Yeah I'd definitely have to agree that it's good that we're not taking accutane in summer. And best of luck for your treatment also.

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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 06/01/2012 7:19 pm

Day Five

I dont really have much to comment on. All that has really happened is that I now have a few more whiteheads, so no problem there. Does anyone know if putting a really thin layer of lip balm on can make you lips feel dry? Because I put a really thin layer on and my lips felt a lot drier, in a short period of time, even though they looked better than a week ago (before I had even started).

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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 06/04/2012 3:16 am

Day Seven

Today I bought some new stuff for my lips. One is a Lansinoh HPA Brand Lanolin, it's for breast feeding mothers- no comment lol, and the other is a QV SPF 30+ lip balm. The Lansinoh is amazing, I definitely recommend it to my fellow Aussies, since we don't have bag balm or Aquaphor like the American and UK users on this forum. Just don't get it in your mouth! I got some on my tonsils and my mouth won't stop watering. The QV SPF 30+ is just so my lips look all pretty, moisturised and protected for my football, soccer, games. I feel so weird using lip balms and other products on my lips, there goes any sort on manly reputation I had pre-Oratane.

My acne has flared up a bit, but nothing to bad considering what I got when I was in my teens. Past that just can't wait til July the 2nd. I'll get to up my dosage and go to a concert, that will be good day.

post-177095-0-51328700-1338797674_thumb. post-177095-0-83323300-1338797179_thumb. post-177095-0-23598400-1338797356_thumb. post-177095-0-43681100-1338797500_thumb.

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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 06/05/2012 7:43 pm

Day Nine

Just thought Id start off with saying, I am so damn happy. My faced has calmed down so much over the night. My face managed to somehow go from having 20 new spots of acne, in the afternoon yesterday, to calming down in just eleven hours. So I went form thinking I was starting my initial breakout, to being quiet content. Even if this is just the calm before the storm, I am happy just to see the results, because it gives me something positive to remember when my initial breakout does come. Now I really should get back to writing my pain in the you-know-what English uni essays.

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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 06/07/2012 8:27 pm

Day Eleven

My facial acne has been pretty consistent, maybe flared up a little bit. My acne has flared up on my body, but it was calm-ish before, so not too bad. No real side effects to comment on. The product they I use on my lips still makes my mouth water like crazy, but at least it does a good job of moisturising my lips.

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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 06/09/2012 3:01 am

Day Twelve

I wasn't really going to post anything to day, but my throat got really dry when I was playing football (soccer) and I was wondering if anyone has experienced this? I know it can cause your throat to dry a bit, but considering I haven't had any problems at training, or any other side effects yet really, I was just curious. Beside that there is nothing to really comment on.

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(@catcatcat4)

Posted : 06/12/2012 10:29 am

Hey there.

Hmm, my tongue is really dry, if that counts? I'm sure it'll go away after your course.

I remember, my friend's mum, who's Cambodian would always get my friend to take Tiger Balm to school whenever she had a blocked up nose or sore thoat. It's amazing. Just really strong! D:

But yeah, can't wait to see everyone's improvements! I'm almost addicted to browsing people's logs on here :l

Good luck! Btw, LOVE nando torres from Chelsea biggrin.png

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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 06/12/2012 7:59 pm

Day Sixteen

Starting to break out on my cheeks, neck, forehead and body. No really big versions of cystic acne that I can get thankfully. Only one made me scared, it was pretty much where I used to have a mole inbetween my eyebrows. A rather unneed remind of the crap I used to cop for it lol. My face has gone a bit red-er, so now it sort of looks like I have a dodgy fake tan. My lips dried out heaps, compared to what they were a few days ago, but still all good if I moisturise five or six times a day.

 

Hey there.

Hmm, my tongue is really dry, if that counts? I'm sure it'll go away after your course.

Good luck! Btw, LOVE nando torres from Chelsea biggrin.png

 

Can't imagine why you would be addicted lol. I spend a lot browsing the forums to. Time that should be spent on my final uni essay rolleyes.gif

Yeah Torres is awesome, and with the team we're building he will have players that will support. Unlike the greedy Sturridge. Are you watching the Euros? I can't wait to my last essay is done, then I can watch every game. Heaven for a football fanatic.

Also can't wait to see improvement in everyone on here. God luck also mate.

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(@jamie-o)

Posted : 06/17/2012 12:32 am

Day Twenty

The acne that I have is calmer now, but still roughly the same amount as in my last few posts. Skin looks healthier then usual, even with a bit of redness in it. I am only getting a few new, small, actives a day, and they tend to be taking the place of the ones that have cleared away from the previous day. The only place that is getting a little bit worse is my chest, but nothing too painful.

Aside from that I'm glad that I've finished another session at uni. I also seem to be having a side effect that is the reverse of what's logical. I tend to be really happy and even when I'm not and stressed from uni, all I need is a good song to come on and I feel better than I can ever remember being. Most probably just relief of using something that should cure me of my acne, but either way I love it.

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(@ajfortino)

Posted : 06/17/2012 11:20 am

YAY!

 

I'm happy for you bro!!!!!

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(@supernatualfanatic)

Posted : 06/17/2012 12:06 pm

Good luck! I'm glad you're not experiencing a horrible IB! I'm on day 61, I have a log but I post on Kaydon's and BeautifulDisasters all the time for my progress, in case you would like to look into other peoples. This course will have its ups and downs, but just remember that clear skin is ahead! We're all here for you if you need to talk or have any questions!

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