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Accutane Journey - 19Yr Old Male

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(@dogmaster234)

Posted : 12/27/2013 5:16 pm

Hey all, this is my first post on the accutane log. I've always been a member on acne.org and have tried the regimen for my moderate acne, but my allergy to Bp made it worse in the long run. I quit the regimen and immediately called a derm office to find out I needed to wait 1 whole month before I could even see a dermatologist. I survived the month with oxy pads, but I still got the occasional zit and sometimes those red bumps that weren't as big as cysts or nodules but still hurt and never came to a head. I told the derm I tried several antibiotics and topicals, so accutane was immediately brought up. That's why I went there, so I accepted and was prescribed 20mg pills of Claravis to take once a day for 30 days. They plan to up the dosage later on, but I'm looking forward to the journey for clear skin.

 

WEEK 1: COMPLETED

I just made it through 7 days, and the initial breakout has already commenced. I have two big whiteheads on the right side of my chin and am getting maybe 1 or two more along the outline of my upper lip. I am doing everything to make sure I don't pick and don't get scratched, so I can avoid scarring damage. I am still just as oily as I was before accutane, but it's only been 1 week and the course lasts about 27. I have noticeable Post Inflamatory Hyperpigmentation on my cheeks and that is really more bothersome to me than actual acne. Luckily the IB isn't leaving very red marks, so I'm hoping the marks will be gone by the end of the course. I've been using aquaphor, but I don't really need it yet, no dryness or chapped lips yet. I do, however, need to drink a lot of water, maybe 6-8 bottles a day. I woke up one morning at 5am with a huge headache and luckily had a full bottle nearby to chug and go back to bed. From then on, I always keep a full bottle at bedside, and have yet to get anymore headaches/dehydration. I was thinking of buying vitamin E pills for the moisture, but I'll wait till dryness really kicks in. That's all for now.

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(@clearsummer)

Posted : 12/28/2013 3:05 pm

I'm nearly 18 and from the UK. Like you I'm taking 20mg per day for 30 days with a plan of upping dosage next month. I'm on day 17 now so we're pretty much at the same stage. I started experiencing drier lips and drier skin after about 1 week on this dose so expect it soonish. My IB is still happening at this point, after starting on around the fifth day.

Hope to hear from you, so we can fight this together!

My blog is here:

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/336245/-accutane-log-male-17/

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(@dogmaster234)

Posted : 12/30/2013 11:00 am

WEEK 2: DAY 11

Wow, that IB phase sure is fun. I mean, I expected an IB a few weeks into the regimen, but this started in a matter if days. It is pretty awesome, though, how all of the shit is coming out now and cells that take a week to turnover are taking days now. Luckily I don't get cystic acne so I'm only breaking out in whiteheads. Lips are finally starting to get dry, and in the morning I'm waking up with a few white specs on tiny random spots of my face. I have no idea if it's flakiness or what? They go away right after a shower, which is pretty cool. Another wierd thing is that my left side was always clearer than my right, but now it's the other way around. Regardless, the inflammation is still at a minimum so I can expect very little PIH from the IB, thank god.

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(@clearsummer)

Posted : 12/30/2013 1:57 pm

Hey

Quite lucky by the sound of things, my IB started after 5 days and today has been its worst day (Day 19) - quite a few inflamed red spots that I'm not sure whether hey will come to a head. A few whiteheads that have dried up quickly and have turned a scabby yellow colour eusa_think.gifeusa_think.gifeusa_think.gifeusa_think.gif

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(@dogmaster234)

Posted : 12/31/2013 2:11 pm

WEEK 2: DAY 12

Break out the lotion!

Well that was quick. Not even two weeks in and I'm whipping out the cetaphil moisturizer. I was hesitant at first because the last time I used cetaphil was for DKR, and I needed A LOT of it. It was thick and I needed it 4x a day at least. Luckily I only needed less than half a pump now so it was much better than I figured. I even think my face looks better now. The pimple scabs have fallen off on their own, and they weren't too fun to walk around with. I'm feeling a whitehead coming in on the corner of my right lip, and I big one looked to be forming on my left cheek but it faded before it became too inflamed or came to head. No new breakouts other than that, just waiting for the recent breakouts to start fading, but they're not that noticeable.

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(@dogmaster234)

Posted : 01/02/2014 9:44 am

WEEK 2: COMPLETED

No new whiteheads for the past few days, my lips are still intact, and my skin can be moisturizer by a squirt of cetaphil. All is well. My left cheek is starting to smooth out from the IB, and my right already has been smooth. I know this ain't the end of the IB, but it sure is cool to not have multiple whiteheads to walk around with. 20mg a day for two more weeks, then bumping up. That's all for now.

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(@dogmaster234)

Posted : 01/03/2014 3:16 pm

WEEK 3: DAY 15

Well that whole shpeel about only getting whiteheads can go jump out the window. Yesterday I noticed an extra red mark on my right upper cheek, which is riddled with them, and it did feel slightly raised. Today it got a bit larger and it's very slightly irritating to the touch. Being only 2 weeks in, I can only chalk this up to the IB and keep moving forward. Another thing this morning was applying moisturizer. I use cetaphil, and today it made my face look and feel greasy. I probably used a full pump, so I'll probably just have to use a little less in the future. That's all for now.

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(@clearsummer)

Posted : 01/12/2014 5:13 am

How's it going now mate?

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(@dogmaster234)

Posted : 01/17/2014 12:41 pm

WEEK 4: COMPLETED

MONTH 1 COMPLETED

 

Well I just finished my thirty day supply of Claravis, and I'm having blood work done in 3 days. Next derm appointment in 4 days. At this point I am past the 20mg breakout, and I just got 2 active pimples after being clear for about a week. One's a little whitehead on my right cheek and the other is on my above the center of my chin. Although my face is very smooth now, the red marks are apparent but fading slowly. I'm guessing I'll be bumped up to 40mg per day and I'll probably have another flare up until my body adjusts again (last time took about 2 weeks). I have a lot of blackheads on my nose but they are slowly disappearing, and the ones on the side creases have already gone away. I've been using a very little amount of cetaphil moisturizer each day, and it isn't too oily for me now. Lips are a little dry but nowhere near cracking. I don't even carry around aquaphor, I usually just use it every once a while. One month down, five (?) to go.

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(@dogmaster234)

Posted : 01/21/2014 11:20 pm

WEEK 5: DAY 5

 

Today I went to the derm and he bumped me up to 60mg a day, which perfectly balances the 1mg per kg of body weight. Now I just need to hold out for the next five months. Lips are dryer but still no cracking. Got a pimple on my shoulder for the first time ever, which happens with accutane. My right cheek broke out and my chin broke out, coincidentally after shaving for the first time in a month or two. They are turning black now, but I still don't pick, don't really see a need to. Back to college with a friend who is also on accutane, so it should be good to see him. I just pray that tripling the old dosage doesn't cause a major flare up. I probably will have another IB, but please just whiteheads again!!!

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(@dogmaster234)

Posted : 01/29/2014 1:05 pm

WEEK ?: DAY ?

All right guys, I have no idea what the hell happened with my counting skills but I completely messed up the day count. I'm doing it based on the days I took accutane now

Week 5: Day 4

Dryness is really kicking in, and lips are getting chapped, but overall I'm still not really breaking out that badly. I got one on my right cheek and a painful one on the middle of my nose. Speaking of which, my nose is extremely dry, and I'm noticing blood in mucus from several cracks. I'm getting eczema on the back of my hands, and I feel dry specs on my ears. Aside from that, all is well, and I'm actually about 20% through the cycle if it lasts 6 months. That's all for now

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(@dogmaster234)

Posted : 01/30/2014 2:00 pm

WEEK 5: DAY 5

Pimple on nose broke open when I was asleep, so I took a shower, used some cetaphil cleanser, and covered it with triple antbiotic gel from CVS. I've had a spot on the right crease of my lip for a few days now, and I think it's coming to a head, sort of painful to open mouth fully. Looked in the mirror this morning and I'm looking pretty good, red marks have slowly gotten less red and I hope they are fully gone by the time I finish. That's all for now.

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