5th month in, no improvement?

[yea]

female, 140 lbs, 80 mg/day, just started my 5th month of treatment yesterday.
i've seen little to no improvement of my skin. before i started accutane, i have moderate-severe acne, but no cysts or nodules. in the past two months on accutane i've begun getting really painful nodules all over my face and i've seen virtually no improvement.
i see at least 2 new pimples a day and i know this because i've been tracking my acne with a picture chart. i know that everybody for the most part goes through an "initial breakout," but mine never ended.
my doctor won't extend my treatment and he's put me on cipro to help move along the process, but i feel like as soon as i'm off the cipro, it will all come back. i'm beginning to think all these side effects (mostly ridiculous insomnia and mild depression) aren't worth it at all, even though for everybody else it seems to be a miracle drug.
anybody else who's in an even remotely similar boat?

[Paula]

Hi,

I am also on Roaccutane and the maximum daily dose is 200mg. I am on 100mg per day and skin is looking great. I would go back to your dermatologist and discuss your dosage as I have heard of similar problems to yours that have been rectified with a higher dosage.

[yea]

hi paula,

i wish i could up my dosage but i can't for a few reasons. 1, it's my last month of treatment so i'm kind of up the creek. and 2, a few years back i formed pseudotumor cerebri while on tetracycline for acne, so the higher my dose gets, the more likely my PC is to come back. and 3, i've formed terrible insomnia (waking 3-4 times per night) and continually worsening depression.

i just don't understand how my skin has actually gotten WORSE on the miracle drug. before i went on it my acne wasn't THAT bad, it just didn't respond to any treatment so this was basically my last resort. but now i have typecast severe acne and i just have no clue what to do.

thanks for your input though.=]

[Paul]

Hey Yea. I'm sorry to hear that it's not working for you.

The accutane will still be in your system for months after you take your last pill. So there is still a chance that you will see some long lasting improvement.

You still have a month left, which is plenty of time for things to change.

I had a friend who didn't start seeing any improvement until near the end of his treatment. So don't give up hope!:)

Keep us updated on your situation.
__
Paul Michaels
Fort Lauderdale, FL
www.AcneTreatmentJournal.com

[RLA]

yea wrote:

and continually worsening depression.

Im no expert, but wouldnt it make sense that the depression could be related to your skin's turn for the worse, and not the actual accutane or dosage at all?

[Chuck]

^^^
That is what I have always thought when people say they are depressed, when it is at the same time as the worse acne.