BenT
15-06-2010, 11:10 AM
I was going to wait until the end of the accutane cycle and post it all, I'm 1.5 months from the end, but I'm posting now because really I could use any advice anybody has at this point - not happy about accutane at all.
Here goes:
Gicantor posted an Accutane Log in July 2009. I thought I’d post my experience too, since everybody reacts differently.
Acne history:
- I wasn’t too bad in highschool with acne, never broke out badly on my face.
- I have always had a little bit of acne on my chest and upper back. First dermatologist prescribed clindamycin lotion.
- My first cycle (test-E only) had no effect on the acne. Dermatologist presecribed retin-A, which had little effect.
- During my second cycle (test-E, NPP, dbol) I developed acne on my shoulders – 6 months later the acne was still there. Second dermatologist prescribed benzoyl peroxide, which burnt my skin, then stievamycin, which helped control the zits, and they got a little better, but still there.
- My third and most recent cycle (test-E, deca, var) reversed any improvement I’d had and worse – now to the point where it’s embarrassing, scars are taking forever to fade and skin looks bad. Dermatologist increased strength of stievamycin for point treatments, and prescribed an erythromycin / mild AHA. Three months later, no effect, skin still looks bad, dermatologist prescribed accutane – starting with ‘low dose’ and increasing over the course of 6 months.
30-JAN-2010
- start with 1x40mg capsule ED
3-FEB-2010
- after first two pills felt a little nausea, ate more food next time and that seemed to resolve
- lips slightly dryer than usual, but not too bad
- eyes getting dry and sore by day 4, got some eye drops
- skin feeling a little itchy, but not too dry
17-FEB-2010
- still getting some new pimples (mainly chest)
- need chapstick constantly
- eyes dry and sore, eye drops usually 1-3 times per day
- really noticed that my skin is not oily, it feels weird because I’m used to oily skin
- scalp is dry and there’s dandruff, which I never have normally
- some dry blood in my nose, humidifier at night is helping
- alcohol is a problem: doctor said 1-2 drinks per week with the accutane (which I haven’t exceeded), but it makes me really dehydrated and sometimes bad headaches, so I’m trying to avoid it altogether
23-FEB-2010
- Really tired. Sleeping 9 hours, but always so tired by 4:00 I don’t feel like working out.
8-MAR-2010
- Not so tired any more
- Alcohol not having as bad an effect, but still keeping drinks to a minimum.
- Eyes not so dry/sore any more
- Everything else is dryer – hands, lips and face especially.
- Getting spots of dryness almost like a rash on the back of my neck.
3-APR-2010
- Doctor said there’s some improvement, I disagree. He increased the dosage to 80mg and said 40mg was probably too low for my bodyweight.
19-APR-2010
- Acne seems to be getting worse.
- Still getting painful bleeders.
- Symptoms no worse, except eye soreness.
- Some soreness in upper legs, just took a week off the gym so it’s not from working out.
- Chest acne looks so bad now I don’t even want to shower at the gym anymore. Starting to worry this stuff isn’t going to work and I’m going to be stuck with this acne forever.
17-MAY-2010
- Acne no worse, but no better either
- Still getting painful pimples on my chest.
- Symptoms pretty much the same, noticing skin takes longer to heal – I’m accumulating burn marks and scratches on my hands.
- Hoping for a change in month 5.
1-JUN-2010
- dry lips and eyes still, legs still aching, but the red dry patches on my neck are gone
- got some sun and was outside for 20 minutes with no sunscreen – just got a little pink, no burn, the sun seemed to help a bit – I think I’ll start tanning slowly in the machine.
- acne seems to have improved – no new white-heads in the past few days, only one in the past week.
- skin looks better when I’m relaxed, but when I work out the red spots really show up all over my chest and it looks terrible.
- shoulders feel smooth; chest smoother, but can still feel small bumps all over
- if I still have no new zits in a week I’m going to start the peels again to help with the hyperpigmentation.
- doc is keeping me at 80mg until the end of July, then 2 months off before reassessment.
15-JUN-2010
- 4.5 months in and I start breaking out on my back. WTF?
- Depression feelings starting to get to me, I have really had enough. Accutane? F**k-u-tane.
- Does this stuff totally not work on some people, because I see barely any improvement. My skin is completely dry – no oil at all, but I still have acne – why?
- Starting to worry that I have permanently f**ked up my skin.
Here goes:
Gicantor posted an Accutane Log in July 2009. I thought I’d post my experience too, since everybody reacts differently.
Acne history:
- I wasn’t too bad in highschool with acne, never broke out badly on my face.
- I have always had a little bit of acne on my chest and upper back. First dermatologist prescribed clindamycin lotion.
- My first cycle (test-E only) had no effect on the acne. Dermatologist presecribed retin-A, which had little effect.
- During my second cycle (test-E, NPP, dbol) I developed acne on my shoulders – 6 months later the acne was still there. Second dermatologist prescribed benzoyl peroxide, which burnt my skin, then stievamycin, which helped control the zits, and they got a little better, but still there.
- My third and most recent cycle (test-E, deca, var) reversed any improvement I’d had and worse – now to the point where it’s embarrassing, scars are taking forever to fade and skin looks bad. Dermatologist increased strength of stievamycin for point treatments, and prescribed an erythromycin / mild AHA. Three months later, no effect, skin still looks bad, dermatologist prescribed accutane – starting with ‘low dose’ and increasing over the course of 6 months.
30-JAN-2010
- start with 1x40mg capsule ED
3-FEB-2010
- after first two pills felt a little nausea, ate more food next time and that seemed to resolve
- lips slightly dryer than usual, but not too bad
- eyes getting dry and sore by day 4, got some eye drops
- skin feeling a little itchy, but not too dry
17-FEB-2010
- still getting some new pimples (mainly chest)
- need chapstick constantly
- eyes dry and sore, eye drops usually 1-3 times per day
- really noticed that my skin is not oily, it feels weird because I’m used to oily skin
- scalp is dry and there’s dandruff, which I never have normally
- some dry blood in my nose, humidifier at night is helping
- alcohol is a problem: doctor said 1-2 drinks per week with the accutane (which I haven’t exceeded), but it makes me really dehydrated and sometimes bad headaches, so I’m trying to avoid it altogether
23-FEB-2010
- Really tired. Sleeping 9 hours, but always so tired by 4:00 I don’t feel like working out.
8-MAR-2010
- Not so tired any more
- Alcohol not having as bad an effect, but still keeping drinks to a minimum.
- Eyes not so dry/sore any more
- Everything else is dryer – hands, lips and face especially.
- Getting spots of dryness almost like a rash on the back of my neck.
3-APR-2010
- Doctor said there’s some improvement, I disagree. He increased the dosage to 80mg and said 40mg was probably too low for my bodyweight.
19-APR-2010
- Acne seems to be getting worse.
- Still getting painful bleeders.
- Symptoms no worse, except eye soreness.
- Some soreness in upper legs, just took a week off the gym so it’s not from working out.
- Chest acne looks so bad now I don’t even want to shower at the gym anymore. Starting to worry this stuff isn’t going to work and I’m going to be stuck with this acne forever.
17-MAY-2010
- Acne no worse, but no better either
- Still getting painful pimples on my chest.
- Symptoms pretty much the same, noticing skin takes longer to heal – I’m accumulating burn marks and scratches on my hands.
- Hoping for a change in month 5.
1-JUN-2010
- dry lips and eyes still, legs still aching, but the red dry patches on my neck are gone
- got some sun and was outside for 20 minutes with no sunscreen – just got a little pink, no burn, the sun seemed to help a bit – I think I’ll start tanning slowly in the machine.
- acne seems to have improved – no new white-heads in the past few days, only one in the past week.
- skin looks better when I’m relaxed, but when I work out the red spots really show up all over my chest and it looks terrible.
- shoulders feel smooth; chest smoother, but can still feel small bumps all over
- if I still have no new zits in a week I’m going to start the peels again to help with the hyperpigmentation.
- doc is keeping me at 80mg until the end of July, then 2 months off before reassessment.
15-JUN-2010
- 4.5 months in and I start breaking out on my back. WTF?
- Depression feelings starting to get to me, I have really had enough. Accutane? F**k-u-tane.
- Does this stuff totally not work on some people, because I see barely any improvement. My skin is completely dry – no oil at all, but I still have acne – why?
- Starting to worry that I have permanently f**ked up my skin.