I will be going on Accutane next month

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Hi Everyone! Well heres my story. I have a really mild case of breakouts, but my skin has become immune to any treatments. I will be going on Accutane next month, I recently got all the tests done and I had to join an "I-Pledge" group online, which basically is a promise that I will not get pregnant while on the medicine, since it is known to cause birth defects. I'm really scared to start and I even feel a little bad that I am going to be messing with my body internally. Its really scary, but I have had acne for almost ten years and I am so sick of it. It really is the most annoying thing I have ever dealt with. My doctor told me that the medicine gets a worse reputation than it deserves, but I have been constantly researching the effects and everyone is always complaining about the dryness and redness and thats scary since I have to go to college everyday and cannot stay home if it gets too bad. Oh, well, guess I should just suck it up and get it over with. 23 more days until I start. I'll keep it updated. :)
 
accutane ruined my life. if your smart you will stop taking it now. i wish i could go back and reverse the terrible decision of going on accutane.
 
I dont know for sure...what the time frame is for the side effects...but I do know that most people start to see results around the 4th month of treatment.
I would talk to your sons dermatlogist, and see what they say. If they have any intensions of upping the dosage (mg) ... Ive heard and researched that everytime the dosage is increased, the side effects will worsen for the first couple weeks/months that your on the new dosage.
I would definitely consult with your sons dermatologist...they can give you a more accurate time frame that you can expect your son to have side effects.

Also...I just wanted to add...Being a 24 year old and having had acne for the past 12/13 years...I want to stress how important it is that (even through the worse side effects) your very supportive of your sons decision to go through with Accutane. I know that having my mom, and frienRAB support....makes a huge difference. Acne is such a difficult skin disease to live with...its erabarassing and can really damage your self confidence...and if he's taking the initial steps to get help...he will need your support. What seems like a small deal to someone without acne...its MUCH MUCH larger to someone with acne...
Just wanted to throw that in. Tell your son that we all wish him the best of luck!! Looks like he's going through it about the same pace that I am! 9 days and counting...

Keep your fingers crossed!
 
another good chap stick to try is:

"dr dan's cortibalm cream" You may have to ask a pharmacist if they have it available to buy over the counter, my local wal-mart had to order some in especially for me.

I've been on acutane for 21 days now and it has kept my dryness of the lips to just a minor annoyance so far. ceraphil cream has helped my face out a lot too. I apply it in the morning when i wake up after showering, and before i go to bed.

okstatefan
 
Congrats to those of you on accutane and to those who are going to start! I was on it four years ago and it really gave me my life back. I'm sure all acne sufferers can relate to my former feelings of insecurity. It's hard to be confident and I just wanted to blend in. I had acne from 6th grade to my junior year of college. I feel like my first years of college were ruined and I didn't get the full "college experience" because I was so ashamed of my skin. I did not go out and make new frienRAB; I did not join study groups or clubs on campus; I didn't volunteer to speak in class because I didn't want people to look at me. Sometimes, if my skin was particularly broken out, I'd even skip classes all together. There were several times I was in the car, driving to school, and I'd turn right back around and come home. I'd catch a glimpse of myself in the rearview mirror and realize I couldn't have people see me looking the way I looked. I was so depressed, but now I'm finally the confident woman I always wanted to be...

Accutane's side effects like chapped lips, nose bleeRAB, and dry scalp ARE rather bothersome, but trust me, the clear skin you get afterwarRAB is SSSOOO worth it! It was the only thing that helped get me clear and keep me clear.

Just pile on the moisturizer (keep some in the fridge, it helps with the redness and stinging, if you have those problems) and keep your head up! Also Aquaphor is a miracle cream! Put some up your nose if it's really dry. I had to and it really helped. There is also a hair mask called "cholesterol cream" I would get at the drug store. It's yellow and stinky, but if you put it on your scalp and leave it on as long as possible (I'd usually put it on Sunday afternoons and leave it on until the evening) it'll really help with the scalp dryness.

I try to add some encouragement whenever I see accutane posts, because lots of people are so negative (especially if they tried it and it didn't work for them) or scared to take the drug. There ARE some serious side effects, but taken correctly and under careful supervision of your doctor, accutane is a miracle.

Good luck to you all!
 
Hello everyone
MY son started taking Acutane 9 days ago. I have to be honest and say that I really do not like the side effects that I am seeing so far. He is suffering from alot of back pain and his face is extrememly dry and red . I am using Advil for the pain. For the dryness a friend of mine made a mixture of Shea butter, gylcerine oil and witch hazel. Finally his face is looking a little more moisturized. My son has found this to be a relief. I am hopeing that the pain will go away soon. All of these side effects have made him miss school and 4 of his baseball practices. Does anyone know how long these side effects go on??
 
A few. No big deal. I'm sort of journaling my acctuane treatment in another thread that goes into far too much detail. But I'm doing it in case anyone is as obsessed about this stuff as I am and wants a lot of details about the experience.
 
I will have to ask my pharmasist for that...thank you for the recommendation!

I use Cetaphil for my face too, and it ROCKS!! I have been on accutane for only 12 days...but so far so good....I put it on in the mornings, and before I go to bed...sometimes in between, and my face does get dry, but I have yet to "flake"... Do you have any recommendations for a face wash, or face scrub to use in the shower?
 
leonidas - I got a whole bunch of different chapsticks...but Blistex is my favorite so far..it smells good too...haha - I dont care for the way Carmex makes my lips feel after an hour or two...but that works too! I will have to look into the "Soothing Splash" ... haha...maybe they have it at Walmart? Thanks for the recommendation.

Question - Does anyone have a recommendation for minor back pain? Anything besides Advil? I have a hot pack, which helps....but just curious!?
 
:DYAY!! Good for you! It was a decision that I certainly didnt take lightly. I went to two dermatologist before it was recommended to me, even though my doctor had recommended it over a year ago!
Im almost done my first month of pills...I have my next Derm appointment on Monday...and Im looking forward to starting my second month! The only side effects Ive gotten so far is a bad rash on the top of both my hanRAB, and very dry skin. Chapped lips...but not too bad, and the occasional breakout, but it seems to go away overnight.
Good luck to you! I hope that you get the results you are looking for....Cheers to both of us for taking the plunge!
 
:D I wouldnt say obsessed! I think that its awesome that people take so much interest in whats going on with their body. I couldnt imagine going on this medication and not keeping track of the symptoms and wanting to know how other people on it are doing.........I keep a journal at my house that I write in every Sunday...just explaining what I found as symptoms that week and what I hope for as a result 5 months from now!
I got my blood drawn yesterday...Im getting used to the needles. Im not a big needle person! Maybe when I get my first tattoo...I wont be so worried! haha...I have my appointment with my derm on Monday the 24th...for another months perscription. Hopefully everything on the blood test comes out normal, I dont want to go off this, I think its a miracle drug!! haha...Seriously! My face has been almost completely clear the past week or two, and I have to say its the longest Ive ever gone without a big break out...so far, so good.
 
That would be nice since it would be cheaper. I got mine at CVS while I was standing around, waiting for my Accutane to be filled. I knew what was coming...

Yeah, I feel so manly whipping out my "Soothing Splash" lip protector 20 times a day.
 
Why so long to start? Everyone does the I-pledge thing these days. (I didn't have to do it 9 years ago.) In fact, once I took my I-pledge stuff in, my derm looked me over, asked some questions, and wrote out the prescription. Then I was told to get the prescription filled that day, then go get my first blood test. So, I started it all the same day, in effect.
 
Hello! I have been on Accutane since Noveraber and LOVE itt!!! It has been wonderful to my long 7 year battle with acne and all that comes with it. When I first started takin it i had dry skin... like peeling off in sheets.. for like a week or 2... then I had some neck and back stifness.. and the usual dry lips. When I went in for my 2nd test one of my levels of sumthin was too hig.. so i had to re-take it... but its fine now. It has really been wonderful... i would say within that first month i had alot of different side effects... but none bad enough to make me stop. So, I will be on it till probably june or july.. I love it!! my face really isnt that dry anymore.. i only use equate sinsitive skin cleaner... anything else was to harsh and drying... if you are having drying problems.. try that or some sort of milk cleanser... best of luck to you!!
 
That is funny! But its probably better than having your lips pealing all over the place!! haha...

I was told that I should use "Aquaphor" ... I heard that was really good. I just cant seem to find it at Walmart, and that seems to be the only store that I visit lately....but Ill have to check the drug store here in town...see what they have!

How long have you been on accutane?
 
That sucks. Have you told his derm? If the back pain gets too bad he may have to stop taking it. But you need to speak with his derm before something as drastic as that. The dryness is inevitable. Just keep slapping on the moisturizer.
 
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