Hello everyone!
Iv always been more of a lurker than a poster on here. But I've decided to maintain a log since I recently started Accutane.
A little background info..
I'm female, 24 (turning 25 soon) and I weigh about 56kgs. Iv been put on 30mg of Sotret (which is a generic form of Accutane). Iv had moderate to severe acne for as long as I rememeber. It didn't start off being bad.. it was usually just a few zits on my face. But it only got worse with time. I guess iv been to about 4 different dermatologists over the years and iv tried everything from BP to taking antibiotics to ProActive! Nothing seemed to work. Over the last few years I started getting really bad cyctic acne and the pain was just unbearable and my face is always just filled with acne and scars (thanks to my unrelenting picking).
So when I went to the derm this time he said that apart from cyctic acne, I also have seborrhea and early rosacea and prescribed 30mg of Sotret (10 mg in the morning and 20 mg in the night) everyday and asked me to apply Metrogyl gel in the night.
Its been exactly 30 days since I started accutane.. and the side effects have really kicked in. Im not sure if I really suffered from an IB because to me it just felt like a normal breakout. My lips are exceptionally dry for which thankfully Nivea lip balm works. Week 2 was the worst as I was not even able to move my mouth because my lips were so dry. But now its gotten a lot better. I did experience lower back pain this one day but after a good nights sleep it was gone.. so I'm not really sure if its because of the drug!
My throat has started to get a little sore... but I notice that everytime it gets bad if I drink a lot of water it gets better. My skin is super dry as well and I'm scared to use any mosturizer in fear of breaking out. So any suggestions for mosturizers that are good for acne prone skin are welcome! Also any suggestions as to what supplements I should be taking?
I'm going to see my derm this Monday with the results of my blood test. My skin is pretty good right now.. just a few zits around my nose and chin plus tons of blackheads. My cheeks and forehead are completely clear so I'm feeling really good right now. I'm hoping he will reduce my dosage to 20mg a day. I really don't want to be taking more than 30mg because iv heard the side effects can get brutal.
Wish me luck!
Hey sounds like you're doing well! I'm only on day 5 and I can notice my skin starting to peel a little. Other than that, I've had no other side effects, and I'm on 60 mg a day 0_o. I hope it keeps working!
Hi! Thanks! 
My skin is a little better now.. but week 2 and 3 were the worst for me... in terms of dryness and acne. But now its kinda settled down I guess. The dryness is still there.. but my acne is slowly clearing up.
I started getting the side effects only from week 2.. you are still in the early stages.. when the medicine really kicks in... just hang in there! Things will definitly get worse before they get better.. There was this one point where my nose was just covered completely in blackheads.. but now they've started to fall out too.
Good luck! 
You asked for a moisturizer suggestion. I like CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion and use it morning and night. Thoughout the day, it gives no shine and shows no dryness.
We started at almost exactly the same time, so I'll be checking on you.
Hey! Thanks! Best of luck to you too! 
How's your progress?
I dont get Cerave products locally where I live.. so ill probably have to order it online. Thanks for the suggestion 
Update
Day 34 - Went to the derm today. My blood work was all ok.. but my Vitamin D levels were pretty low. He reduced my Accutane dosage to 20mg per day and told me that this dosage will mostly continue till the end of my course which will be in another 5 months unless and until my acne flares up really badly. As I said before apart from a couple of pimples my face is mostly clear... no cystic acne at all. And my skin is pretty reddish.
Iv noticed that my skin is not as dry as it was a few days back.. I mean my nose and chin are still dry but my cheeks and forehead are not dry at all. I asked my derm about this and he said it was nothing to worry about. I just hope it does not mean than the drugs have stopped working or something because of my low dosage. Lips continue to remain dry.
Hey! Thanks! Best of luck to you too!
I dont get Cerave products locally where I live.. so ill probably have to order it online. Thanks for the suggestion
It's going well for me. Today is day 36, and I've had several good days in a row. My initial breakout occured in weeks 3 and 4, so hopefully the worst is over!
Hey! Thanks! Best of luck to you too!
I dont get Cerave products locally where I live.. so ill probably have to order it online. Thanks for the suggestion
It's going well for me. Today is day 36, and I've had several good days in a row. My initial breakout occured in weeks 3 and 4, so hopefully the worst is over!
That's great! Is your skin still dry? What is your dosage?
Still no cystic acne.. which makes me soo happy! But I still continue to get the smaller ones.
Update
Day 47 - Still no cystic acne(YAY!) and I haven't really gotten the small ones for the past couple of days either. So things are going really well apart from the fact that my skin is reddish around the nose and chin. But i guess this is normal while taking accutane? My skin and lips are still dry but not as dry as they were on week 2 and 3. And i don't think iv noticed any other side effects.
Update
Day 47 - Still no cystic acne(YAY!) and I haven't really gotten the small ones for the past couple of days either. So things are going really well apart from the fact that my skin is reddish around the nose and chin. But i guess this is normal while taking accutane? My skin and lips are still dry but not as dry as they were on week 2 and 3. And i don't think iv noticed any other side effects.
The redness is common, but moisturizing may help it. I used to get flakes under my nostrils before I started moisturizing there. Also, since isotretinoin makes your skin more sensitive, I'd avoid hot water, scrubbing, and aggressive cleansers.
How's the treatment going?
Update
Day 47 - Still no cystic acne(YAY!) and I haven't really gotten the small ones for the past couple of days either. So things are going really well apart from the fact that my skin is reddish around the nose and chin. But i guess this is normal while taking accutane? My skin and lips are still dry but not as dry as they were on week 2 and 3. And i don't think iv noticed any other side effects.
The redness is common, but moisturizing may help it. I used to get flakes under my nostrils before I started moisturizing there. Also, since isotretinoin makes your skin more sensitive, I'd avoid hot water, scrubbing, and aggressive cleansers.
How's the treatment going?
I've been mosturizing and it does seem to help.. I only have flakes on my chin.. which is barely noticeable so I'm not too worried about that! 
Treatment is going pretty good! 
I'm really happy!
How's yours?
Update
Day 67 - Still no cyctic acne! I did get a pretty bad pimple on my lip line though.. that really hurt.. I resisted the urge to pop it and now it's slowly healing away. Apart froms that my skin is pretty clear except for the occasional small pimple. Dryness is getting better although my lips are still pretty dry. I find that if I moisturize my lips before going to sleep then I don't really have to keep moisturizing them during the day.
I've been mosturizing and it does seem to help.. I only have flakes on my chin.. which is barely noticeable so I'm not too worried about that!
How's yours?
Update
Day 67 - Still no cyctic acne!
That's super news! I also don't break out much now. It used to be impossible to stop it, but now it's mostly under control. Another huge benefit is that my red marks now get time to fade rather than being overlapped by new break outs. What a relief it is to finally be on a medication that actually works!
Here's some shameless self-promotion: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/324110-27m-start-of-treatment-112312/
May isotretinoin continue to treat you well.