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Hi Accutane... Nice To Finally Meet You

 
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(@shannon-louise)

Posted : 10/17/2012 8:34 am

Post Accutane:

 

mm where do i start? i am a 17 year old female from the uk who has battled with acne from the age of 11. it didnt bother me so much until about 3 years ago when i started getting cysts that stayed for months at a time, eventually they would vanish and come back up somewhere else.

docs started off by putting me on the pill, this made no difference to my acne whatsoever, i struggled for years trying to get some kind of treatment, meaning i was on tetracycline for around 2 years, (defiantly bad for your body to be on antibiotics for a long time!)

for months on end i was told to go on holiday, get some sun and use baby oil on my skin daily (ironic for somebody who has stupidly oily skin... neutral.gif ) so after 6 years of struggling i am finally starting my accutane journey and i have started this to get some support from people that actually understand what i and alot of other people are going through!

Hopefully if my bloods come back a-okay i will start my treatment on Tuesday. Fingers Crossed! eusa_pray.gif

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(@poptartie)

Posted : 10/17/2012 9:26 am

Welcome Shannon Louise!

I am also 17 and I am on my 3rd month of Accutane. I was terrified before beginning, but so far it has been FAR less scary than I feared. I am so happy with my results at this point. There are some side effects, of course, but most people tolerate them fairly well. We all start out looking for any little change, good or bad, so everything seems amplified.

I don't have cystic but I did have a face FULL of every other type of acne which stopped responding to any other treatments. You are definitely not alone here. Good luck and contact me if you have any questions. I also have a log if you are interested but I warn you, I babble a lot. haha

 

Take care!

~Celia

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(@shannon-louise)

Posted : 10/17/2012 10:54 am

hi! :) oo is it going well for you so far? the side effects do sound off putting but im hoping its worth it in the long run! its the worst then other treatments worked for a period of time then just stopped out of no where, so frustrating, and aw thankyou ill be sure to have a look at your log!

you take care also :)

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(@paulh85)

Posted : 10/17/2012 1:03 pm

Welcome aboard! :) Sounds like your persistence in getting through the medication minefield is going to pay off. Fingers crossed the Accutane brings you the results you're no doubt hoping for.

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(@leelowe1)

Posted : 10/17/2012 5:13 pm

Hi Shannon and welcome! I just took my third set of pills tonight s you are definitely not alone one your journey. Good Luck with everything!

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(@shannon-louise)

Posted : 10/23/2012 5:59 am

The day has arrived! bloods come back all okay except my liver function was a little high probably due to the fact i have a cold and i had glandular fever last year. gotta have another test in 3 weeks to keep an eye on it.

 

a little more about me, im a qualified makeup artist, and am also at college studdying my 2nd year, the products we use are going to irritate my skin for a fact. peeling liquid latex off is exactly like waxing, eeep.

 

also wondering if anyone knows if i can have a tattoo whilst on accutane?

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(@andrewbleah)

Posted : 10/23/2012 6:32 am

The day has arrived! bloods come back all okay except my liver function was a little high probably due to the fact i have a cold and i had glandular fever last year. gotta have another test in 3 weeks to keep an eye on it.

a little more about me, im a qualified makeup artist, and am also at college studdying my 2nd year, the products we use are going to irritate my skin for a fact. peeling liquid latex off is exactly like waxing, eeep.

also wondering if anyone knows if i can have a tattoo whilst on accutane?

 

No , not really, I was dissapointed too,wanted to make one on the chest:(, but I think 2 months post accutane it's ok.

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(@shannon-louise)

Posted : 10/24/2012 6:11 am

does anyone now roughly how long it takes for the side effects to kick in, (dryness etc) just so i can be prepared?

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(@aed2712)

Posted : 10/24/2012 9:39 am

I am on day 6 and I am starting to notice dryness on my lips, face, and scalp. Of course everyone is different, but I think around a week is common to see dryness. :)

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(@poptartie)

Posted : 10/25/2012 8:15 am

Hey,

Don't get a tattoo while on accutane. I had one done about 2 weeks before I started and I didn't have problems but come to find out, I could have. I understand that healing takes much longer and you may be more prone to infection. Might as well wait for a couple months after your treatment ends so you don't have some wonkey tattoo in the end. I wanted to get another body piercing done but I have been advised to wait...So wait I shall.

Side effects can start to kick in after the first couple days but there are SO MANY possible side effects it's hard to say what order they might arrive. I noticed dry lips after the first 4 days or so, but my skin actually got oilier first...then I had weird breakouts, then backache and sooo onnnnnn....I didn't start drying out until month 2 but it's still not as dry as when I was using Ziana.

No worries, you will see the effects soon enough. I promise!

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(@shannon-louise)

Posted : 10/25/2012 11:44 am

Hey,

Don't get a tattoo while on accutane. I had one done about 2 weeks before I started and I didn't have problems but come to find out, I could have. I understand that healing takes much longer and you may be more prone to infection. Might as well wait for a couple months after your treatment ends so you don't have some wonkey tattoo in the end. I wanted to get another body piercing done but I have been advised to wait...So wait I shall.

Side effects can start to kick in after the first couple days but there are SO MANY possible side effects it's hard to say what order they might arrive. I noticed dry lips after the first 4 days or so, but my skin actually got oilier first...then I had weird breakouts, then backache and sooo onnnnnn....I didn't start drying out until month 2 but it's still not as dry as when I was using Ziana.

No worries, you will see the effects soon enough. I promise!

 

Hey,

Don't get a tattoo while on accutane. I had one done about 2 weeks before I started and I didn't have problems but come to find out, I could have. I understand that healing takes much longer and you may be more prone to infection. Might as well wait for a couple months after your treatment ends so you don't have some wonkey tattoo in the end. I wanted to get another body piercing done but I have been advised to wait...So wait I shall.

Side effects can start to kick in after the first couple days but there are SO MANY possible side effects it's hard to say what order they might arrive. I noticed dry lips after the first 4 days or so, but my skin actually got oilier first...then I had weird breakouts, then backache and sooo onnnnnn....I didn't start drying out until month 2 but it's still not as dry as when I was using Ziana.

No worries, you will see the effects soon enough. I promise!

 

hmm i think im gonna wait, id rather wait a few months than jump into getting one and regret it when it looks crappy, thanks for the advise! mm im only on day 3 and made the mistake of rubbing my face hard with a face wipe. this lead to having to splash cold water onto my sore skin! hmm i now the side effects are going to me a burden but i suppose you know its working then right? How are you getting on with it? :)

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(@patrickcampbell)

Posted : 10/25/2012 12:08 pm

Hi ive also just started accutane recently. I started around a week ago im experiencing no side effects as of yet my lips are a little dry thats all. I hope all goes well for you. I also wanted a tattoo but im going to wait till ive finished with the drug. Good luck let me know how it goes :)

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(@shannon-louise)

Posted : 10/25/2012 4:08 pm

Hi ive also just started accutane recently. I started around a week ago im experiencing no side effects as of yet my lips are a little dry thats all. I hope all goes well for you. I also wanted a tattoo but im going to wait till ive finished with the drug. Good luck let me know how it goes smile.png

 

Hi ive also just started accutane recently. I started around a week ago im experiencing no side effects as of yet my lips are a little dry thats all. I hope all goes well for you. I also wanted a tattoo but im going to wait till ive finished with the drug. Good luck let me know how it goes smile.png

 

hey :) oh thats good, hope you dont get the side effects too bad, i already have one tattoo i had back in may but i wanted another soon, not gonna risk it though as i dont want it to be messed up haha, how are you getting on with the drug so far? :)

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(@shannon-louise)

Posted : 10/30/2012 12:47 pm

Day 8!

 

hmm a run up of my 1st week...

i pretty much broke out straight away and a cyst that i had only just managed to get rid of came back up and within half the day it had tripled in size cry.gif was not happy atall, luckily it poped by its self 2 days after, still have new painful spots coming up but i have noticed that i dont have half as many blackheads on my nose yay, and my skin is getting ver dry around my eyebrows and my nose, to the point were the skin around my nose had split and bled cry.gifdoubt.gif lips are a nightmare bright bed and hot, vaseline has become my new best friend!

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(@chloelauraa)

Posted : 10/30/2012 1:18 pm

Hey I'm in the UK also, I'll be following your log! Good luck! :D

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(@poptartie)

Posted : 10/31/2012 6:58 am

I'm loving what Accutane is doing for me! LOVIN IT! I know that during the first month my skin was so weird! Breaking out in places I never did before and healing strangely. My acne was not worse...just different. And things would go from better to worse and back to better withing a one day period.

What are you using to moisturize?

I am addicted to Aquaphor for my lips. I sleep with it under my pillow...

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(@shannon-louise)

Posted : 10/31/2012 11:52 am

I'm loving what Accutane is doing for me! LOVIN IT! I know that during the first month my skin was so weird! Breaking out in places I never did before and healing strangely. My acne was not worse...just different. And things would go from better to worse and back to better withing a one day period.

What are you using to moisturize?

I am addicted to Aquaphor for my lips. I sleep with it under my pillow...

 

I'm loving what Accutane is doing for me! LOVIN IT! I know that during the first month my skin was so weird! Breaking out in places I never did before and healing strangely. My acne was not worse...just different. And things would go from better to worse and back to better withing a one day period.

What are you using to moisturize?

I am addicted to Aquaphor for my lips. I sleep with it under my pillow...

 

i know what you mean about difference in the acne, mines not any worse than usual but its very red and my makeup just slides off any pots hmm strange, glad its working out for you! on my face im using a simple cleanser, and just a nevea moisturiser for sensitive skin going pretty well, ive learnt not to scrub at my face though!

Hey I'm in the UK also, I'll be following your log! Good luck! biggrin.png

 

Hey I'm in the UK also, I'll be following your log! Good luck! biggrin.png

 

yay! its harder to find people in the uk! are you also on the drug? :)

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(@chloelauraa)

Posted : 10/31/2012 4:31 pm

Yep, I'm very early on though, taking my 4th pill tonight!

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(@poptartie)

Posted : 10/31/2012 4:57 pm

Yep, I'm very early on though, taking my 4th pill tonight!

 

Hang in there girls...You are not alone :)

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(@shannon-louise)

Posted : 11/01/2012 8:30 am

day 10 now!

broke out so bad this morning :( and in so much pain, can anyone recommend anything i can put on my face to stop the pain? im too scared to use any BP products or anything

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(@leelowe1)

Posted : 11/01/2012 3:57 pm

Shannon, i can only recommend that you leave your face alone and go through. I am going through what i believe may be the start of my IB and as much as it sucks, i have to go through it. Your skin is sensitive and any BP products will just make this worse.

 

Chin Up - we're all in this together

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(@shannon-louise)

Posted : 11/06/2012 2:03 pm

Day 15

so after a few days of hating accutane and thinking it was completely pointless as my skin was really bad. my IB has finally gone! i now have one cyst on my chin and a few lumps and bumps that im hoping arent permement, lips are not so much dry but very irritated and feel tight and sore, skin has started to flake around my nose, also had the lovely experience of having to put vasaliene up my nose the other night... felt awful!

i also have been feeling very down the past few weeks but that may be due to personal problems that i have

all in all im hoping this i the kick start to clear skin, also have to have a blood test next week, early as my liver function was a little high and they were concerned hope its back to normal!

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(@Anonymous)

Posted : 11/06/2012 2:22 pm

Hi I was just reading your post about recommending a product for spot treatments. I used neosporin cream and that really helped things along. I wouldn't do another accutane course without it. I broke out and was still getting acne into my 3rd month. Myself and a group of girls on here all used it. We all loved it. Other times I would spot treat with witch hazel. Im not sure if that helped though. Best of luck to you on your course!

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(@shannon-louise)

Posted : 12/31/2012 7:48 am

so i havent wrote on here for a few months as i felt like i didnt have anything to update, however thinking back i have alot

 

 

im now 3 months into my treatment, i still have spots and im still getting spots, on my cheeks where i never got any there before. i have a cyst that has been there about 6 months, its still fighting strong... it has halved in size though.

 

The derm started me off on 20MG to begin with to, within the 1st few weeks i seen a big difference, when i went back they werent as pleased as they should be so they bumped me up to 30MG... for 4 weeks i was taking them. didnt need a blood test that time as everything was fine last time.

 

i hadnt noticed any side effects other than dry skin and dry lips also dry hair. (not needing to wash it everyday) that was great compared to my very oily skin and scalp before hand.

 

i went back about 2 weeks ago. the derm i seen was a lovely lady who asked me to take my makeup off so she could see my skin naturally. to her amazement she commented on how well i do at covering my acne :D she also wasnt as pleased with the progress and bumped me up to 40MG... the highest i can go for my weight as i am quite thin but tall.

 

she gave me strict instructions that if i felt any different in myself to ring straight away and not to hesitate, this scared me a bit as it would.

 

since being on 40MG m skin all over my body and face is very red and quite patchy, any recommendations on how to fade this?

 

Also im a very forgetful person and sometimes forget a day of my pills, being on 40Mg would it be safe to take my normal dose in the morning then another at night time to make up for the missed day?

 

all in all alot of people i only see once every few weeks have commented on how well my skin is looking and how nice and smooth it is. myself havent noticed much difference but maybe thats because i spend alot of time observing my skin :(

 

also for a couple of weeks i have been very teary and getting frustrated very easily, im not sure weather its the accutaine thats causing this or something else? mm i may mention it on my next app.

 

hope you all had a good christmas and new year :)

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(@leelowe1)

Posted : 12/31/2012 10:15 am

Hi, we started accutane around the same time but at different dosages. I have been on 60mg through my entire course and i a a week or so away from the 3 month/90 day mark. I am also still getting spots so don't stress it. Some people continue to break out even to the final months of their course (even in places that weren't a problem for them before)

 

You have to try to be consistent with your pills and try to take it around the same time everyday WITH food that has fat in it as it is better absorbed in fat and it makes a difference. I take one pill with breakfast and one with dinner and that helps me remember. Don't double up on doses if you miss one, just continue your regular dosage the next day. Cumalitive dosage is more important that what you take each day.

 

The patchiness could be dry skin or excema so moisturize moisturize moisturize

 

The emotions could be linked to accutane so monitor that and let at least one person know that you are on it so they can tell if you are acting different.

 

Good Luck and keep us posted

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