Accutane -- Worse before Better

[Margarita]

Kayleigh wrote:

<quoted text> Also with reference to the break outs, dont try and treat them with anything, just let the meds run their course. And dont cake make up on to cover it , which is really hard i know, but the pores need to get all the rubbish out hence the break out . just make sure its clean and moisturised and it will be over before you know it x

Hey thanks for the reply !

Tell me more about the initial breakout? How long has it lasted for you and how far in your treatment did it begin to appear. I have friends who say it lasts about two weeks, others two months. Before accutane do you consider your acne mild,moderate, or severe?

[TheTruth]

Truth is I had tried every retinoid and antibotic there was. I was 19 and had the WORST acne I have/had ever seen. Really I still think I'm under playing when I describe this. Able to work and now pay for accutane, I began my course

Weight 140
I was on 40mg TWICE a day.
My IB was horrible, it started in MONTH 1 and I was still breaking out bad till MONTH 5, Month 6 is when things started to clear, and break out every now and then, at Month 8 I was pretty much clear. So my Inital Break was still really bad 5 months in!

After an 8 month course, obviously i had scars (mostly from BEFORE the accutane, believe it!)But after about half a year the scares mostly faded away(obviously not all of them). I break out one or two every now and then, but my body dosn't produce acne atnear the same level as before.

Coming from some one who had it BAD!, you have to hang in there! 5 Months in the IB phase was a long time, but compared to highschool was a cake walk! Although there are still some physcial, and physcholgical scars, accutane was the best thing to ever happen to me.

[jacob]

yeh my face has hit month 3 and taken a turn for the better!! Clearing up alot although i have soo many scars...
Anyone no what i can put on them to make them go down quicker?

[Talli]

i started my 1st dosage of it 2day.. i really hope it works!!=)

scared of the side effects thou..=(

[Talli]

i also heard you can get a really hairy face,is ths true???

[meetch]

hey everyone.

this has been my accutane course so fare:
14 days on 10mg
8 days on 20mg
and now on my 15th day of 40 mg

my acne was pretty severe before, but now..WOW. It is WORSE than ever, I have atleast 4 cysts growing on my cheeks and chin, which i have never really had before. And I am completly red and have more pimples at once then ever before. It is very embaressing because I am an acting student, and I have to be filmed everyday at school on close-ups.

I hope it gets better because I am losing hope :(

[d and m]

hey mecth dw mate, it will get better, i did exaclty what u did and lost hope, but it will work, just be patient :)

i am on my 3rd month still havin some break outs, and try not to touch ur face, i have horrible scars..

Good luck if u have any questions im here :)

[carden]

i have been taking accutane for about 3 months now. at first the dry skin and lips drove me crazy but i got in the habit of lotion and chap stick...dont leave the house without chap stick!! i have seen great results so far. acne is not 100% gone but its well on its way. i have also witnessed two friends take accutane a few years back and they have porcelain like skin to this day! it works if you take it right. and yes it is known to get worse then better.. the reason being that the medicine is pushing all the bacteria and dirt out of your pores...which is a good thing in the long run, just causes problems now. also my dermatologist recommended a wonderful facial lotion that has worked miracles on my dry skin.. its by cetaphil for dry and sensitive skin. you can buy it at walgreens or any drug store. its very moisturizing and light. good luck!!

[SonsMom]

I cannot believe how much better my son looks. In the 11th week and his shoulders do not have the red bumps on them anymore, blackheads on nose gone, swollen red temple pimples gone.

[jay]

Ryan Raymond wrote:

Andy said...
"Please do not take this medication! Someone I know just commited suicide due to the side effects of this medication. He had a pyschotic break and jumped infront of a truck!! He was only 18. Not everyone may have these side effects but why take the chance!"
Maybe he was depressed about suffering from acne. Thousands of people who do not take accutane kill themselves every year. Your statement is ridiculous and without merrit. I may have killed myself if it were NOT for ACCUTANE.

Thank You

[Anon]

I went to the dermatologist today, and she told me that when you are on Accutane, you have to be on Birth Control Pills [girls only] && also that Somehow Birth Control Pills help reduce breakouts and clears up skin.

[Robert]

Angie Thorne wrote:

Just wondering how many people have had their acne get worse before getting better on Accutane? I've only been on it for 11 days... the only side effects I've experienced are extremely dry lips which started after just a few days of use & sensitivity to the sun... Anyone care to comment? Thanks! Take care...

Ive only been on roaccutane for 3 days now (@20mg/day) and have not experienced any changes so far, positive or negative. i would love if it 100% works!! i will be moved up to 40 mgs per day in 4 weeks. Good Luck everyone on it!!

[Julian]

I've read about 100 of the comments on this post and it seems like alot of you are in the same boat I'm in. I've been on Accutane for about 2 months. The first month, my skin seemed to improve a tiny bit and then all of the sudden my face broke out the worst it's ever been. It looks terrible right now. I have giant red nodules all over my face and I feel so embarassed at school. Everyone tells me this is normal but I'm starting to get a little impatient. I mean it's been like this for a month. When does it usually start rockin'?

[emichan]

I have been on Accu for only 7 days now. I am finding myself very tired and sore body a little. My skin is dry and irritated with a bit of a flare up happening. Also, I have had a bit of a headache that comes and goes...

Has anyone experienced this as well?

My acne suddenly got very bad this year (I am 26) which is embarrasing and gets in the way of my career/self-confidence.

I really need this medication to work, but I am a little scared of the side-effects, especially the headaches.

Thoughts?

[KMR]

emichan wrote:

I have been on Accu for only 7 days now. I am finding myself very tired and sore body a little. My skin is dry and irritated with a bit of a flare up happening. Also, I have had a bit of a headache that comes and goes...
Has anyone experienced this as well?
My acne suddenly got very bad this year (I am 26) which is embarrasing and gets in the way of my career/self-confidence.
I really need this medication to work, but I am a little scared of the side-effects, especially the headaches.
Thoughts?

What strength tane are you taking? 7 days is only scratching the surface. What you are experiencing is normal, however if the headach get worse or do not go away shortly you need to discuss with your derm and possibly go for a eye exam.
Don't worry bout confidence factor, just focus on what the positive outcome will be. Side effects are real, but manifest differently with each individual case. Honestly the only side effects for certain you will get are chapped lips, dry eyes, and nose.

Few tips to help:
Aquifor lip balm for lips and sore nose
Probiotics such as acidophilus and DanActive drinks
Vitamin C daily
Fish Oil daily (helps stabalize mood as well good for joint pain
Systane eye drops as needed for dry eyes.

Yes I have had the same side effects and some much worse, yup it sucks but hang in there!

[Margarita]

Hey guys

The last time I wrote to you guys was exactly one month ago, so this is my one month anniversary on Tane. I am currently on 30mg once a day and should be upped when I go in for my appointment next week. So far the only thing I have suffered from are dry lips. But aquaphor is the BEST for it. I'm still using my benzaclin before bed. I dont know if its a good or bad thing ! I do have one to two new pimples each week I'm not sure if this is the IB or if it will get worse as the treatment progresses! It really is NOT as bad as I expected. I will keep updating you guys next month. I do notice my zits will flare up and hurt the first day, and on the second day they are practically gone !

Hope everyone is hanging in there ;]

[Margarita]

Today is about a week from the last time I wrote to you guys. I have some very bad news. My blood work came back showing really high levels of Cholesterol
( 180 ) and really high levels of als and ast ( what ever that it..?).

Anyways I have only been on 30 mg once a day for a month. The dermatologist called me from his HOUSE PHONE advising me that I need to get a blood test first thing tomorrow morning because I need to TERMINATE accutane :[ He says it is doing severe damage to my liver. Right now I don't know what to feel. I'm devastated. I'm crying as I'm writing this because everyday I would wake up another day closer to finishing tane. Another day closer to clearer skin. I'd day dream about starting my modeling and acting career again. And now it is back to the same every day struggle. I've dealt with acne for eight years and NOTHING no antibiotic has worked. I am so dissappointed . I would like to know if anyone has experienced the news that I just received, and what they were able to do about it...

:[

[usedtobeclear]

hey i just started today! im nervous that the first few days are going to be horrible i hope i am lucky and dont have the big break up

[usedtobeclear]

out i mean lol

[Lilmama]

Hey guys this is like my third week of accutane and I've been getting headaches and dried lips along with cramping all over my body. The best I would say is aquaphor for lips and cetaphil for face. The cetaphil makes it look better and feel great. Im going through the break out and I tell ya, its terrible. I have big huge red cyst. If you are taking vitamins, STOP especially if it has vitamin A in it, it can increase the side effects. I just want people to know that this thing WORKS!! My sister had acne bad as hell and she was on it for six months. Her face looks AMAZING,she looks totally different. Her scars are still their but they are fading away. Good luck to all and if you get headaches, I promise you EXCEDRIN is the BEST, knocks it out asap!!!