[Loreal]

Yay!! Im so glad its working for you so far!! Good luck!!!

[Loreal]

Welll... i forget what day im on ..... i just got back from mexico and while i was there i had a small breakout on my left cheek (very inconvienent when there are no mirrors or makeup or anything) but its pretty much gone now. today is a pretty good day.
I have two and a half packs left this month and and then one more month to go. overall i have had hardly no side effects. Dry skin. Thats it. LOVE IT. It makes me sooo happy. =]]
Same routine.

Song: You are my joy by david crowder band.

[vickih]

OK I'm freaking out. I've been on it now for almost 3 weeks, and I've had 2 bad breakouts on my chin. YOu know the kind that are mean and nasty and take forever to go away. I'm getting frustrated. I have another appointment next Friday, so maybe she'll up the dose.
I'm also noticing that the joints/knees are seriously hurting. BUT I read someone's post that when you take an OMEGA3 with the accutane, it helps, and I have to say it's much better. But I can still feel the achiness. I hope things get better.
: (

[Loreal]

Don't get frustrated yet. I know I did... but mine is just now (at the end of 4 months) starting to consistently stay clear. Even the other day i had a small crisis on the side of my left cheek...sweet.haha. but stick with it and don't get worried about it. actually when i got my dosage upped the first time is when it really freaked out.
but im sorry your joints are hurting!! that is the worst! mine did that at first but now its calmed down quite a bit. I haven't ever taken omega3, but i say give it a try! hope it works and hope you feel better soon!! good luck!! =]

[Loreal]

I have about 25-30 days left.
Right now the only thing bothering me is my back still. I play volleyball and after a game or practice I'm dying... but other than that and some chapped lips, this whole thing has been absolutely beyond worth it.

Start of last month pictures
[IMG][/IMG]

BOooooo... can't get it to turn. Sorrry.

[KristinaD]

Looks like your skin is doing great! I was on Accutane during my SENIOR year of high school...had blood tests every month. My skin got ridiculously dry, it was crazy! But, I had beautiful skin the month after I finished treatment!!! I still have moderate break out skin now, but overall pleased. If I had to do it again though, I would have to seriously consider...Accutane is not the best for the liver and I had a couple depressed episodes. Just thought I'd share! Glad your skin is doing great.

Goodluck to the rest who have started using it!!!

[Loreal]

I have 9 pills left! YAYYYY! =] It's gone super fast. Thanks everyone who read my log! Thanks for the advice, tips, and encouragement. Much appreciated.
My current routine is:
Morning:
Wash with Dove Moisture Bar (I have decided i don't like this method as much as using a pump cleanser...i worry about the bar of soap having germs that im rubbing on my face!)
Dove deep moisture moisturizer
40 mg. of Claravis (Accutane...generic brand)

Night:
Wash with Dove Bar
Thin layer of Vaseline
neosporin on the bad spots
40mg. of Claravis

My derm. said i have to have one more blood test, which we are going to do soon, and then I'm done! He said he would give us a follow up plan, which I'm not really sure what that entails... but whatever.

Side effects: (Overall...)
Sore joints, achy back (boo.... =[ )
dry, scaly hands
dry lips
dry face, but not too bad
This is super weird, but my derm had to give me medicine for my TOES!! Isn't that odd? I went to Mexico, and they started hurting like they were ingrown or something, then they started randomly bleeding on the edges, so we told the derm and he said it was an accutane side effect...odd.
I am more tired/drained of energy than normal...
I used to run alot, but during accutane, I couldnt...I would run a mile and almost throw up!
And that's pretty much all my side effects!! nothing too awful at all! So i would totally do it again!

Here are pictures: (ten days left until I'm completely finished) This is with no makeup on.
[IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[ADSCOSMETICS]

I knew someone who took Accutane and it REALLY helped him. I'm actually thinking of going to a dermatologist myself to see if it's right for me. Good luck to you!

[Loreal]

Definitly go see what your derm says...even though accutane is realllyyy expensive (ask for the off-brand) and there are side effects, its SO worth it.

[Ashley]

You're skin is looking beautiful!

[Loreal]

Thanks!! =] I have 2 1/2 days left. WOO HOO!!! =] My skin still pretty much looks like it did up above, so i will post pictures in about a month, which is when the derm said that all the redness will fade. Thanks everyone for reading my log!

[Dragonfly]

Your face really looks great - like you never had acne to begin with.
I'm curious what skin care program you are going to start, once the accutane is finished?

I have been on two rounds of Accutane - I have been using Retin A for years, which helps control black and white heads that occaisionally come back.

[Loreal]

Yeah I'm not sure yet, I will let you guys know what my derm says on monday... i don't have to go back but he said call when I get finished for a follow-up plan... so ill post what he says!!
carolyn, how clear has your skin stayed?? like does it come back really bad and go away...or...???

[Dragonfly]

The first time I did Accutane, my skin cleared up amazingly well.
I would say it took a year before some of the oiliness returned and I would get breakouts along my jawline.
It was somewhat tolerable at first, then I decided to see the Derm again - maybe two years later.

I went on another round and all the break outs stopped and the oiliness went away.
That was 10 years ago.

Now, in the summer my face and scalp get a bit oily but quite tolerable.
And I get the occasional breakout - I use Neo Medrol - topical prescription medication.
These breakouts probably tie in with my cycle.
Otherwise, I use Retin A everyday - really helps to keep black heads and white heads at bay.


Your face looks fabulous, by the way.

[Loreal]

Thanks Carolyn! =] Last pill last nightttttt!!!!! WOOOO HOOOO!!! =]=]
I'll post pictures in a month... and let you know what the derm says tommorow....

[Nubia]

quick question for any accutane users...

I just started accutane, its been only 3 days.. but my derm gave me 20mg a day.. after surfing the web and reading logs/journals.. 20mg a day seems like nothing... cmpared to folks starting with 40mg, 60mg , etc.. and smetimes taking 2 a day.

I hope my doc knows what he's doing...I mean, I'm sure he does but I hope it isn't too low of a dose to start with..

[Dragonfly]

When I first went on Accutane, the derm decided how much I should take by calculations of height, weight, probably gender, and probably duration of treatment.
Your derm might also be starting you off on a smaller amount and then will increase it after he/she sees how you are tolerating the Accutane - and how your skin is responding.

In my opinion, if a lower dosage is going to be really beneficial for you, then why go to a stronger strength and have more side affects to deal with?

I always advise talking with the pharmacist that fills your Accutane prescriptions - quite often they can answer medical questions and it doesn't cost anything to speak with them.

Good luck on the Accutane

[Nubia]

thx a bunch

[Loreal]

unbelievable. I got off the medicine on sunday. it was all good. wednesday i woke up and everything was fine. i took a two hour nap and had a HUGE spot on my cheek when i woke up that is just now starting to fade. sweet. love that.

OKay its better now. The dryness on my face is definitly going away.
I went to the derm and he gave me some medicine for my toes, haha, and gave me a perscription for tazorac for my face but i had tried that stuff before and it never did anything before so idk why it would help now... but its just a preventative...so idk. Someone gave me a recommendation for "Persa Gel"??? has anyone tried or heard of that?? Lately i have been washing my face with cerave cleanser and using zapzyt (an over the counter salacylic acid treatment) on the two spots i had, but today my face is good. yay. I haven't even had to use much moisturizer. which is big for me.

does anyone have any good gentle facial scrub reccomendations? something that would NOT break me out..haha.

[shelley s.]

Hah so I think I might have jinxed myself from my earlier comment from may.
My acne has returned full swing, and my dermie is put me back on Accutane :-(