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20M/75kg with mild persistent acne, 40mg/day for 7 months, second course - MY JOURNEY

 
MemberMember
56
(@kvn88)

Posted : 12/25/2017 4:03 pm

Hello fellow warriors! |

ABOUT ME:

  • AGE: 20
  • HEIGHT: 175cm
  • WEIGHT: 75kg
  • BEGINNING OF ACNE: 2012, age 15
  • (RO)ACCUTANE ROUND: 2
  • ACNE TYPE (*current course): mild, persistent = annoying/disturbing/noticeable   (*1st round I had horrible back,neck,shoulders,face acne)
  • DAILY DOSAGE: 40mg (2x20mg)

MY STORY
I'm 20 years old. My acne started destroying my life back in 2012, right when I started high school. I had horrible spots on my upper back, shoulders, back of the neck, hairline, some on the chest and sure a lot on my face. After everything failed, my then-derm prescribed me 20mg for 10 months. I was 50kg then. I don't really remember how (if) was my IB, but I remember that after 3 or 4 months in, results started showing. After I finished, I had perfect results! Skin was perfect, clear, unbeliveable. But not for long. 6-8 months after, some of the acne returned. Not as bad, but anyway. That was in 2014.

From 2014 till this year it was very dynamic. There were times when I had horrible face, and then it was time when I had "decent" face. But after all, it was never perfect as it should be.  Usually it was pretty good in summer time, and then gone bad when fall/winter started. Always!

I visited derm once again last year and we tried: doxycycline, zalna gel, + a lot of other creams etc.... and nothing worked. That was earlier this year. Asd summer again started, my skin improved and I didn't use any creams or pills. Then august ended, and summer almost ended. My acne slowly began to return.
I decided to visit my derm again. She straight away recommended another course of roaccutane. I was READY! I was very happy. Because I know thats the only medicine that helps!

CURRENTLY
So I started this course on 27th september this year. 20mg in the morning, and 20mg on evening. My comulative dose is 8760mg. After some calculating and reading online, I believe thats pretty low. But maybe it isn't required more in second course. I asked my derm and she said that here (Europe) dosages are as they are and that in USA they have a lot higher dosages. Dont know why but okay, I believe she knows what's she doing.

What acne type I started roaccutane with:
I started with mild but persistent acne. Few on the back (max 3-5 at same time but persistent and repetitive), back of my neck was bad, painful pimples that are under the skin, you know what i'm talking about, also whiteheads there, a lot of them were on the area where the scalp begins.
My face: forehead pretty clear, some spots on my temples, little bit on my cheeks, but most of it were on jawline/neck area, somewhere inbetween.
Not cysts or big whiteheads, but noticeable annoying and persistent spots. 

Sorry I don't have pictures from before I started. But it wasnt that bad, a little bit better than in current pictures bellow.

TODAY IS DAY 90, EXACTLY THREE MONTHS. 

My side effects and results so far, alright so here it goes, get ready:

DAY 1-5
Nothing changed at all

DAY 5
Lips started drying intensively (lips still dry till this day so I wont be mentioning them again)

DAY 5-13
Nothing much, maybe a bit dryier skin, but nothing much changed.
But one magical thing happened. No more back acne, no more back of the neck acne. Till today (25.12.) I maybe got 3-5 there max.

DAY 14
Prepare yourself now. Alright. So day 14 was a milestone. Like I said, I had spots on my jawline/neck , these little spots went full-on hardcore-mode now. Woke up with HORRIBLE red spots there, and I could see little whiteheads forming. I don't have pictures from here because I was afraid to even open the camera on my phone.

DAY 15-30 First month over, this is the time when I learned to avoid any possible mirror or frontcam.
- No improvements. Definitely not. It only went downhill a bit, but still most of spots were on the jawline/neck area. Some on the cheekbone also.
- My joints started hurting AS HELL. My mid to lower back was horrible. I could barely move when I went to the bed. Pain lasted for 10 seconds before I could move again and go to sleep.
- Nose! Oh my god my nose. It was SO dry! It hurt so bad. I had bloody boogers.
Sorry for no pictures. reason written up there.

DAY 32 second month started
"Please dont wake me up till april 2018."
My forehead and temple area EXPLODED! Everything from jawline/neck area moved to my forehead and temples. Great, now I oficially have whole face in acne.
Joints still hurts a lot!

DAY 33-75 
No change. Breakout after breakout. There seemed to be no end. Hopeless and depressed a lot. My skin was horrible.  
Somewhere around day 40-50 my nose stopped being so dry finally. Still a little but a lot better.
Joint pain seemed to decrease around day 50 also. Still there but better.

DAY 75 till today
Well at around day 75 it finally felt like horrible breakouts stopped. My forehead started clearing intensively and it's now first to be pretty much clear. Still maybe 1-2 spots on forehead but a LOT better than before. On jawline/neck area I have maybe 1 small spot on each side of my face and thats pretty much all of my ACTIVE spots. Now, there are A LOT of red marks left after breakouts. I have basically whole sides of my face in red marks. My temple area is worst. In certain lighting it looks like I have perfect skin, but under the light, you can see a lot of these red dots. Is there anything I can do about those? How long until they all fade?

PICTURES
First, I'm sorry that I don't have pictures of myself during my horrible IB, but if you want to know how it looked like, look at current pic and imagine it about 50 times worse. I was ashamed to even open front cam on my phone, I was afraid to even look in the mirror. I'm still anxious about mirrors but it's getting better. Can't wait to look in the mirror again and to like what I'll see.
First few pictures are from times of my clear skin (summer time mostly). And 2 others are current with red spots left after horrible IB. If anyone knows how to fade them faster, I'll be more than pleased to hear!

Goodluck to all of you, people without acne can't even understand how we suffer! I know how you all feel! Everybody who is going through horrible IB right now, hold on! It will get better! Drug is working! Everybody who is still considering using accutane, DO IT! It changes your life. Good luck to all of you.

I'll keep updating in this thread, so stay tuned. 

First 4 pictures are from the times when I had clear skin. Last 2 are current.

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dw75 and sanjam95 liked
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(@dw75)

Posted : 12/26/2017 3:48 pm

Damn. I'm worried about relapsing after my course as well. Almost 1 week off, so far so good. I guess I won't know until after 6 months+ like your first time. Best of luck!

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MemberMember
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(@kvn88)

Posted : 12/26/2017 5:59 pm

2 hours ago, dw75 said:

Damn. I'm worried about relapsing after my course as well. Almost 1 week off, so far so good. I guess I won't know until after 6 months+ like your first time. Best of luck!

It wasn't as bad as first time, don't worry. But it was perfectly clear during last few months on first course and then for 6 more months after finishing first course. Then mixed. Some times better, sometimes worse, but never totally clear. Persistent annoying acne and I started again accutane now. But this time very bad IB..... I was on lower comulative dosage first time, so maybe thats why it returned. Thanks and goodluck to you too!

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118
(@jpablo)

Posted : 12/27/2017 5:51 pm

I know what relapse feels like bro..i wasn't on Accutane but other antibiotics. My skin was like yours for a while, perfectly clear..

then have that snapped away after about 5 or 6 months. My face is starting to settle again I Think? Fingers crossed after nearly 4 months of meds again.

if this doesn't do it this time I need Accutane. Getting married in 8 months! We can do this my man!

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(@kvn88)

Posted : 12/28/2017 4:41 am

10 hours ago, jPablo said:

I know what relapse feels like bro..i wasn't on Accutane but other antibiotics. My skin was like yours for a while, perfectly clear..

then have that snapped away after about 5 or 6 months. My face is starting to settle again I Think? Fingers crossed after nearly 4 months of meds again.

if this doesn't do it this time I need Accutane. Getting married in 8 months! If you haven't been on accutane and nothing helps your skin, I recommend it. It's probably the only thing that works good.
We can do this my man!

Yeah it sucks! You get through so much and at the end results doesnt last for long... But thank god there is always another portion of accutane available. 2nd course is in many cases the final course. If you haven't been on accutane yet, I recommend it. For me, nothing else worked.
We sure can do it man! Congrats on your marriage!

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(@kvn88)

Posted : 12/28/2017 6:47 am

DAY 93

No bigger changes whatsoever. The only active spots lately were the ones I marked on pictures, so total of 3. Everything else are just red marks, foot stamps of IB. Sucks.... My forehead is the clearest area of my face. Almost no marks.

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118
(@jpablo)

Posted : 12/28/2017 7:53 am

Things aren't looking too bad..onwards and upwards

Hyperpigmentation sucks, why can't it just disappear when the spot is finished.

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(@kvn88)

Posted : 01/02/2018 6:49 am

DAY 98

Good news and bad news.

Good news first: haven't had any new spot for 2-3 days now. Feels good. Skin is VEERY smooth, there is little to no bumps on my face.

Bad news: A lot of red marks. They are fading so slow omg, I'm now left with just flat red marks that are making it look like I still have a lot of acne. So disappointed about it. I thought that once I'll stop getting new pimples, my face will be decently clear, but it's not. It still looks bad with red marks, especially my temple are where I had horrible pimples on IB :( I suffered for 2 months with horrible IB, and now it looks like I'll have to suffer some more with just flat red marks....

I remember when I was at day 60 with horrible breakouts, and I prayed that on christmas day I'll be (atleast 85%) clear. With every week closer to the holidays I lost hope.  Now its new year and I'm still not satisfied with the results. If anyone told me the day I started accutane, that I'll have horrible skin till new year, I'd probably told him to stop bullshitting and I'd probably give up the first day. 

It buggs me even more because it wasn't as bad when I started as it is now. But I guess if I wouldn't be on accutane these spots will came out eventually and it could take mooonths of bad skin. So I'm happy I'm already on day 98 and that I'm getting over this shit.

This is really mentally challenging. I've isolated myself for the past 2 months and I can't wait to go out there with clear skin again, to enjoy time with people like I used to. I lost all my confidence in last 2 months.

But because this is my second course, I know very well how accutane works, and I know what future will bring. Future is bright and 2018 will be my best year.

To anyone reading, don't be afraid to go on accutane. I don't even worry with side effect because all I see is my clear face in the future. Lip balm and moisturizer are my friends. Also drinking a lot of water. And some pain in the lower back, but THATS NOTHING! I'd rather barely walk with pain than look myself in the mirror and see my horrible face! This is the harsh truth and evidence of what acne can do to a person! 


So I'm almost 3,5 months on accutane now. A lot of people say that this is the time when you hit the curve and results kick in. I really hope so.. I really do.

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(@jpablo)

Posted : 01/02/2018 8:44 am

I can totally relate..I thought for new years I want to be clear, but after 4 months of bs antibiotics I'm heading to get Accutane.

I'm having a similar day to yourself..but we can do it.

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(@kvn88)

Posted : 01/05/2018 12:39 pm

GOOD FREAKIN EVENING |

DAY 101

What a day!! What a changes!! This can't be f****** true. I'm speechles, my skin turned 180 degrees through the span of ~5 days.

My face is getting so intensively clear! Only one side of the face and little bit of jawline is a little bit behind but everything else looks 95% clear, and I was here just few days ago disappointed and sad typing you how bad my situation still was.

Look at the pictures from today. Excuse my facial hair haha |

My forehead basically clear. I had battleground on my forehead few weeks ago and now it's clear. Impossible
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My right side of face also clear
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Left side a LITTLE bit behind but I'll give it a day or two. Red marks on temple area are more visible than on the right side. Also that spot under my eye was a cyst I believe, today some pus and blood came out. It was like a bubble. Annoying. But still a lot better than few days ago.
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My mouth/chin area clear
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I'm trully speechles. These changes are AMAZING! 

Dont give up people. Literally 5 days can make that change:

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(@jpablo)

Posted : 01/05/2018 1:07 pm

Awesome man! Glad to hear.
what side effects you got now?

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(@kvn88)

Posted : 01/06/2018 4:20 am

15 hours ago, jPablo said:

Awesome man! Glad to hear.
what side effects you got now?

Hey thanks man, I forgot to add my side effects yeah so here they are.

So I found out that always when something is happening/changing with my skin, side effects are stronger.

When my IB started I got bad back pain, dry bloody nose,... and then everything stabilised (IB stayed on my face) and side effect also lowered.

Now as it started getting better thats another change and I again have sore, dry and bloody nose and more back pain.

Maybe its just coincidence but thats how it is.

So current side effects:
- dry lips (from day 5 till this day)
- lower back pain (sometimes mid back)
- dry and irratable nose with bloody boogers (just ordered nose drops for this)
- skin isnt really dry, a little bit on certain spots but nothing hardcore, im confused because everybody gets HEAVY dryness.

And thats about it.

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(@jpablo)

Posted : 01/07/2018 5:49 am

Have you experienced any scarring?

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MemberMember
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(@kvn88)

Posted : 01/07/2018 12:52 pm

7 hours ago, jPablo said:

Have you experienced any scarring?

Little bit on forehead I'd say, but it's not even visible. It's not bad.
Temple area still have some red marks but they are fading fast. Really unexpected.

How is it going for you?

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(@jpablo)

Posted : 01/07/2018 1:40 pm

47 minutes ago, kvn88 said:
Little bit on forehead I'd say, but it's not even visible. It's not bad.
Temple area still have some red marks but they are fading fast. Really unexpected.

How is it going for you?

Good stuff man. Horrible. Doc on Tuesday, will be going private derm so hopefully get tane is a few weeks.

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(@kvn88)

Posted : 01/11/2018 10:42 am

DAY 107

Hello again, fellow acne-fighters.

I can't describe how much I missed washing my face and not feeling a SINGLE bump. It's so smooth. It's almost orgasmic haha

Tiny bit of FLAT red marks left, fading every day more. However on my left side of the neck, right under the jawline, I had spots there when I started, and even my IB started there, there are still like 3 or 4 active spots that I cant wait to fuck off already. That's not even on the face, it's my neck that is still having some problems. But its getting better everyday. The existing pimples are losing its strength and are smaller everytime and they dont last long. Thats what matters!

11 days ago I was miserable, because I had horrible red marks and few active spots. Now 11 days later, 90% changed to better. I was afraid that I have hyperpigmentation and that it will take MONTHS to fade. Boy I was wrong.

So if anyone is currently in pain, know that even in ONE WEEK, everything can change to better.

SIDE EFFECTS
Horribly dry nose. I mean, thats reeeeally annoying. Everything is dry in my nose and when I clean it, everything that comes out is bloody. But I got my nose drops yesterday and they work good!

Dry lips as always, no change from first week.

Bad back pain... Especially on certain gym exercises. But I can still live with that (during accutane).

Eyes are fine. Skin isnt dry at all.. i don't know...

SOME THOUGHTS
Mental battle, depression, confidence lost

I've been sitting in a car yesterday, listening to "Linkin Park - One more light" and thinking about everything and how acne destroyed my youth. It was emotional. But at the end my thoughts were positive and motivated for the future, because I know how one week can change things.
But what I was thinking about was, how it ruined my whole high school. I was naturally more on the "shy-side" and acne made it worse. I was also always very skinny and ashamed of that.
Then I started working out and changed my look 100%, change was like a day/night. I was 50kg before, now I'm 75kg. I was shy and innocent then, but havent been anymore now. Got myself tattooed, full right sleeve and half sleeve on the left arm, everything was going well.
Until acne returned again, last year. My confidence was (is) again at the bottom. I mean, I can feel it deep inside of me, but just cant express it.
I was 15 when it started, and this year I'll be 21. I cant believe how many years I'm struggling with that.
I prayed to God yesterday in my car, prayed that this is the last time I have to worry about my skin. Because I'm tired of avoiding events, places and people. Tired of using excuses not to meet with friends. Just tired of it all. If someone told me the day I started with accutane, that my IB will leave my skin bad for 3 months, I'd probably fall in a very deep depression. Thats why it's good that nobody knows how his journey is gonna be.
You could have everything perfect in your life, but if you have acne, it breaks you mentally. This is constant mental battle. And now I get why one of the side effect is depression. If you experience horrible IB, you become depressed. I was. And I feel sorry for everyone who feels the same.

But, things are looking better. ZERO active spots on my face, zero bumps. Just slight red marks to fade. And then some time for left side of my neck, there are still like 3 active spots. But nothing like a week ago lol....

Stay strong guys/girls! It's so much worth it.

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(@jpablo)

Posted : 01/11/2018 1:05 pm

Any comparison pics?

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(@kvn88)

Posted : 01/11/2018 1:23 pm

17 minutes ago, jPablo said:

Any comparison pics?

Come back tomorrow. I'll do some photoshooting tomorrow |

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(@face-tips)

Posted : 01/11/2018 1:26 pm

Here I am! 18 years old now and my face has never looked better! I had struggled with severe acne for 3 years. Since I was 14 years old my face looked horrible and for the life of me I couldn't find a good treatment for it. For 3 years I had to deal with people's constant negative comments, hundreds on dollars wasted on different acne products, and the pain of looking at myself in the mirror. However, this finally all changed when I found the acne treatment called--Acne Free! This stuff changed my life. It took a good 26 days before the results were starting to become quite noticeable. But once they started they have never stopped. I have been using it for a whole year now and I am still very happy with it! I would recommend the 4 pack treatment, here is the link to Amazon where I found it to be the cheapest price. [Acnefree Severe Anti-Acne Cleanser Wash]

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(@kvn88)

Posted : 01/12/2018 4:21 pm

Pics as promised. Left side of the face visibly still fighting. But a lot better everyday. Acne are losing a battle against me. 

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(@jpablo)

Posted : 01/12/2018 7:03 pm

That's a serious difference even from the last pics. 1 week makes a hell of a difference on accutane. Congrats.

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(@kvn88)

Posted : 01/19/2018 8:38 am

DAY 115

Getting better everyday. Still not totally clear, tiny red marks still fading. Maybe 1 VERY little active spot. My left side of neck is recovering now, red marks there. I hate this area. Been dealing with it from the beginning.
I have HORRIBLY dry nose. Skin isn't dry AT ALL, but I think I'm paying the price with my nose. It's painfully dry and bloody, even If I moisturize it, my boggers are so dry and bloody. Ugh...
Lips also intensively dry.
Some back pain still there.

Other than that, it's getting better! No more nasty pimples and breakouts, feel kind of like normal person finally.

sanjam95 liked
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(@sanjam95)

Posted : 01/19/2018 9:18 am

Wait, we are one day apart? 

 

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(@kvn88)

Posted : 01/19/2018 9:22 am

2 minutes ago, sanjam95 said:

Wait, we are one day apart? 

 

Yeeah, you didn't know?

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(@dw75)

Posted : 01/20/2018 1:03 pm

My side neck was really bad too, Headphone wires would make it break out etc. Crazy how I've gone from sensitive skin to no sensitivity at all!

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