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Accutane Part Deux

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(@lovelouisv)

Posted : 01/12/2016 3:15 pm

DAY 5

Oh, hai!  

On January 7th, I started my second round of accutane.  I will be documenting my progress throughout this second round, similar to how I documented during my first course.  My skincare regime is noted in my About Me profile, and will be updated periodically as products change. 

As far as symptoms go, things are pretty mild thus far.  My lips are JUST now starting to crack and need Aquaphor 24/7, eyes are starting to get a little drier, scalp is itchier than usual and I'm noticing less oily skin and hair.  Hands seem to be starting to dry out a bit, too.  I had headaches for the first few days as I did with my first course, but those have, for the most part, subsided. 

Really not much else to report.  I'm really hoping that the absorica will make a difference...I don't typically eat a very high-fat diet, so I'm thinking with my first course, taking claravis, the isotretinoin wasn't absorbed as well, thus causing a relapse. 

Wish me luck on this course - best of luck to my fellow 'tane users!  :) 

chicanery liked
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(@jones4545)

Posted : 01/12/2016 5:10 pm

I also started last week. This is my 3rd course and Im a dude, so thats a little different. Cant wait to follow your progress.

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(@chicanery)

Posted : 01/12/2016 6:21 pm

Hey, I really hope the second course sorts our your skin for once and for all :). Quick question - did your hair thin at all during your first course/after it? I'm so worried about hair loss. Sounds vain but my hair's my best feature. Thanks xx

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MemberMember
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(@lovelouisv)

Posted : 01/13/2016 11:39 am

17 hours ago, chicanery said:

Hey, I really hope the second course sorts our your skin for once and for all :). Quick question - did your hair thin at all during your first course/after it? I'm so worried about hair loss. Sounds vain but my hair's my best feature. Thanks xx

Hey! I didn't notice any hair thinning during my first course, but I know that varies from individual to individual. Hopefully that doesn't happen for you - I will keep my fingers crossed! But even if it does, I'm sure it will be temporary/reverse once you are finished.

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MemberMember
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(@lovelouisv)

Posted : 01/14/2016 2:00 pm

DAY 7

Skin is definitely considerably more sensitive today than it has been in prior days.  I used my Clarisonic this morning in the shower and it hurt a bit - I was like, yep, maybe time to reduce using it to once every few days or so.  I put aloe and then moisturizer on my skin after that and it seems to be doing better. 

Noticing a change in my vision - just like the last course, I notice that after looking at an object close up (such as a computer screen, phone, book etc), and then look across the room at, say, the timer on my oven, I am unable to make out what the oven timer says.  Eyes are also much drier - I think it's time to start using the drops more regularly. 

Lips are still peeling a bit and red, which I honestly don't mind - it makes them look nice and I don't need lipstick!  Starting to notice the "accutane flush" also, but again - this basically equates to needing less makeup as I don't need blush anymore!  :)

Starting to see that the blackheads in my skin are kind of thinking about coming to the surface.  Last course, I used a bunch of pore strips which worked but also took off a layer of skin (ouch!).  This time, I'm just gonna go the OCM route and get them out that way (hopefully it works)!  Luckily the blackheads that are in my skin are not NEARLY what they were a couple of years ago when this happened. 

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MemberMember
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(@lovelouisv)

Posted : 01/18/2016 3:57 pm

DAY 11

Things are going pretty well right now.  Lips are still dry, scalp is in the phase where it seems to be adjusting to the reduction in oil - it's still a bit itchy but not as bad as it was a few days ago, and I don't have to use dry shampoo anymore on 2nd day hair - yay!! 

Eyes are still feeling dry and admittedly I am not using eyedrops as well as I probably should be (on that note...hold please...gonna put some in right meow! haha).  :)  The brand I'm using is Systane and I really like it so far.  I used to use the gel eyedrops but those are weird bc I feel like it makes my eyes a little crusty and gross.  So yeah, don't recommend those. 

I've been trying to drink more water (which I'm normally TERRIBLE about) and I'm looking at it as an "internal shower" of sorts - like I shower with water every day on the outside, I need to do the same on the inside?  That's what I'm telling myself to stay motivated to drink it, and maybe that's helping everything not feel as dry.  All of the products I'm using have also been helping keep my skin hydrated and not as flaky/dry! 

Oh, I did get a giant painful cyst on my right cheek on Saturday.  And the first pimple I ever got which is now a deep blackhead wants to do something, it's basically just red and irritated and looks like a giant empty pore but I know there is stuff in there.  I put tea tree oil on the cyst yesterday after I messed with it.  It seems to have flattened a bit today, but it's still kinda painful. 

All in all, going ok so far!  :) 

CNA7 liked
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(@cna7)

Posted : 01/25/2016 6:02 pm

I am really happy you are posting again for your second round. I just read your entire first round and was so dissappointed to hear it did not work out the first time. I hope you can stay on accutane longer, so that it make have the chance to work better. I am contemplating starting accutane beginning of March... I am so nervous, just like you were. I have the unique opportunity at this point in my life to try it (I work from home), so I have the availability to slather myself in moisturizers all day & not have to wear make up lol. But I am of course worried about the side effects... I only get cystic acne on my chin, I rarely get zits anywhere else, but from time to time a small one here or there around my mouth or forehead or nose. But the chin acne is just becoming unbearable and I can't even leave my house without having anxiety -- this is why i feel like its now or never to try accutane. If it's effecting me that much emotionally, I need to do something about it. Because nothing seems to help except (I was 90% clear) taking Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo BC and 150mg of spironolactone. However, I recently came off both back in September in hopes to try for our first baby, but now my skin is exploded in cystic acne on a weekly basis and it's put baby making on halt right now (since I'll prob start Accutane soon). My derm wants me to do 20mg, twice a day, but I think I will request 10 mg twice a day for the first month. Only because my acne is so localized. I've had all my hormones checked/androgens checked and everything checks out normal. Have you been checked for PCOS? or any other hormonal issues? I've definitely done a lot of leg work, spent a lot of money trying to cure my acne naturally, and to no avail. It's only get worse. Do you think that if my acne is localized to my chin that if i have an IB it will only happen there?

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(@lovelouisv)

Posted : 01/28/2016 6:26 pm

Hey @CNA7:)  Thanks so much for reading the first log and for following along on this course!  I'm sorry to hear you're having to put your plans to have a baby on hold because of your acne - it really sucks that it seems to take over/ruin our lives, doesn't it?  I think your plan to go on 10mg 2x/day is good, but I think one thing to consider is that accutane is a drug that works long-term (for most people) based on a cumulative dosage.  I think it's equivalent to 120-150 mg/kg total, which equates to 0.5-1 mg/kg on a daily basis.  If you take a lower dose on a daily basis, you may have to do a longer course to meet the target cumulative dosage.  Also, there have been some studies recently that seem to indicate that a higher dose course is most beneficial for preventing patient relapse.  Ultimately, it's up to you and your derm to determine the best course of action for you!  :) As far as your IB is concerned, I'd imagine the bulk of the acne would be concentrated in your trouble zones, but I'm seeing breakouts in areas I don't typically breakout, currently.  All in all, best of luck to you and I hope you do a log if you do go on a course!  

DAY 21

Soooo I'm in the middle of the dreaded IB.  I have to say I'm somewhat surprised about *where* I'm breaking out - before my first course of accutane, my breakouts were everywhere.  But since then, they've been mostly concentrated on my cheeks and on the sides of my face.  The breakout I'm experiencing right now is sporadic - some on my jawline, some on my forehead, some on my cheeks, and some on my nose.  I even have one on my upper arm and one on the back of my neck.  With the exception of my body acne, the spots seem to be healing relatively quickly, but they are painful cysts and don't seem to be getting everything out...I'm sure y'all know those zits that pop up and you KNOW they didn't really fully drain, but they decided to say "fuck it" and just heal anyway.  That's been the case with the majority of the pimples I'm seeing right now. 

Also, seemingly every blackhead on my face is slowly but surely coming out.  My skin texture is rough.  I'm using the OCM to assist with them coming out and it's working well but is still a slow process.  (For those that aren't aware of OCM, I am basically applying mineral oil to clean skin and using moderate pressure to massage the skin, and when doing so, I can feel grit/blackhead plugs coming out of my pores - this is BEYOND satisfying, haha!) 

Symptom wise, I'm noticing a bit more muscle soreness lately - we got a foot of snow last weekend during Winter Storm Jonas so needless to say, shoveling snow left me quite sore the next day!  The itchiness on my scalp has seemed to completely subside over the past few days.  My lips are still chapped.  Eyes are a bit dry but not unmanageable. 

Had a derm appt today, he's going to be bumping me up to 60 mg/day starting next month.

That's all for now, I will catch up with y'all again soon :)

 

Oh yeah @CNA7... I am very anti hormone medication, for personal reasons...I am on the copper IUD for birth control (copper is naturally toxic to sperm).  There are so many reasons I don't like hormone treatments ranging from picking the right boyfriend to major medical issues experienced by immediate family members, and I won't get into all of them.  But just realized I didn't answer that part of your question!  :) 

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MemberMember
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(@cna7)

Posted : 01/29/2016 8:43 pm

Omg, thank you so much for writing back! You are too kind. Thank you for your input on the dosage... I will prob ask my derm again what his thoughts are based in my weight, but both you and I are 110lbs. So maybe the 20mg twice a day will be good. I did go back on the Ortho BC because I've done just fine on it... plus, post accutane we hope to start trying for a baby so having the IUD only for a 6-7 months isn't worth it for me. But I agree, the less hormonal stuff the better! I will definitely to a log when I start the treatment, and I'll let you know when that happens, we can be logging buddies. <3 Hope the weather is getting better on your side of the country! :) 

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MemberMember
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(@lovelouisv)

Posted : 02/03/2016 11:26 am

DAY 27

IB seems to be subsiding finally, yay!  I am still getting little pimples here and there but the vast majority of my face (including The Great Blackhead Exodus) is clear! 

Lips are still chapped, they're cracking and painful.  I have the rash on the backs of my hands which sucks especially because I'm a germ-phobe and wash my hands about a zillion times a day, and this makes doing so painful/irritates the rash even more.  Eyes are getting drier, too...I'm noticing they're irritated if I have to focus on something for a long period of time, and if I have the heat on in my car, they get irritated.  Also, vision is affected a bit more - night driving is a little scary, I can't see as well.  This all happened during my first course and all symptoms went away after I was done with my course, so I'm happy knowing these symptoms are temporary! 

My skin isn't horribly dry - I'm honestly super impressed with the products I'm using (check link below for list!!)...they've helped keep my skin hydrated and supple.  It hasn't been flaky at all yet, which I'm very thankful about!  This may also be due to the fact that I've been diligent about drinking lots of water throughout the day. 

Anyway, that's all for now - I'll update again in the next few days!  :)

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(@ilovemypug)

Posted : 02/05/2016 9:09 pm

Thank you so much for logging your progress. I also read your 1st round log & it really helped me. I'll befollowing along this time too.....

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one getting headaches!

I'm on day 6. I took 40mg/day for the 1st 3 days---The stupid pharmacy had a delay in filling the prescription and there is a gap between my next derm appointment.Starting on day 4Ibegan taking my prescribed80/mg/day and have had terrible headaches. I also have a neck injury (sent for X-rays & MRI yesterday) so that might be part of it, but it's hard to say for sure. My eyes were super dry for thefirst 3 days, but aren't a problem anymore. I used eye drops for that and they really helped. My lips are getting worse everyday, but still not terrible. I've been using Chapstick, Carmex, Neutragena lip care or whatever I can find all day long and before bed. My hair is still oily and my face is still an oil slick. My face & behind my ears have already started breaking out all over.Now, areas where I never broke out before are getting painfulcysts (upper chest, lower back, shoulders, back of neck). I think this is going to be a long road for me, but I'm going to remain positive.

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MemberMember
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(@cna7)

Posted : 03/02/2016 12:42 pm

Looking fwd to an update girl!

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