My Acne Diary - Isotretinoin, Roaccutane, Accutane

I’ve been on these pills for a week now…See the photos!

Apart from the sunburn look, my whole face is covered in tiny bumps giving a rough looking texture that I don’t think shows up in the pics. My chin is very sore and itchy, there are definitely things going on under the skin so I am expecting that to all surface soon. I can feel lumps around my nose and even the tip is sore. I really hope that I don’t get a spot right on the end of my nose! My whole face is feeling very tight, it feels like it may crack at any time, I suppose I will start to peel very soon.

As for products I have changed to Eucerin Dry Skin Replenishing Face Cream with 5% Urea for moisturising as I found the Nivea Calming cream wasn’t really easing the tightness. I have only just used the Eucerin once today, it stung a little when I put it on but I think It has helped a bit. I have done a small write up on the products I am using, with pictures, so anyone can see and It may help.

On another note, the weather was lovely today…I just thought Oh No! Even before starting these pills I was using Isotrexin gel and had to be careful in the sun, but this is ten times worse. I really don’t think a holiday abroad is going to be a realistic option this year as the drug not only affects your face (Which when I was on the gel I could cover with SPF and a hat) but your whole body. Oh well, It is only one summer out of many.

By the way, I took my 40mg dose of Isotretinoin (generic) with my lunch today, unless anything changes I think I will continue to take it at this time.

I know that to some people my face may not look too bad, and I suppose in comparison to some it is not. The recent photos show my face as it has been over the last couple of months, using a combination of Isotretinon gel and Yasmin (contraceptive pill) which gas done a fair job in controlling my acne. So at the start of the Accutane course my skin was fairly stable and the amount of cysts I was getting was greatly reduced.

Well, the sunburn look is continuing, I am an even darker shade of red today. Any change of temperature is playing havoc with my face and doing my exercise class left my face like a beetroot! Today I took my dose (40mg Accutane) at lunchtime.

As for what is going on with my face, I woke up having a very itchy chin, I have 2 active spots there today and can feel something going on under the skin too, so I am expecting to look allot worse tomorrow. It is also sore around my nose so I’m thinking something is going to happen there too. This could be the start of the ‘Initial Breakout’ I have heard allot about, it is your body purging itself. I think it can last a couple of weeks, so basically it has to get worse before it gets better!

Other things to note are my lips seem fine, they are never without balm of one sort or another. The eye drops are working well. My Dermlogica order has been delayed so I wont have my face wash and barrier cream until the 9th April now and lastly I have never drunk so much fluids in my life, I am always dashing to the loo. 

It was a bad idea to take my dose (40mg Accutane) so near to going to bed, I had allot of trouble getting to sleep and I felt a bit strange too, kind of light-headed and a bit sick. I think I am really noticing everything, mainly because I am writing this blog!

Well today I have had a permanent headache and my new best friends are a pot of Blistex and moisturising eye drops…The drops seem to help my headaches a bit when my eyes feel dry. My appetite has gone too, not that that is a bad thing, although I do need to eat regularly to top the nausea.

I returned to taking my dose at lunch time today, just because I can’t face it first thing in the morning and after last night I definitely don’t want to take it before bed.

As for my face, it isn’t looking too bad. I haven’t got any active spots at the moment, but as I said it has been a good few weeks for me and with the Yasmin helping too. I only have to look at the photos I have taken over the last few months to remind me how bad it can be. I am getting some slight peeling on my forehead, nose and chin and my face is getting redder, I look like I’ve got a mild case of sunburn. My make up is still looking ok, but I can see that when the peeling gets worse I may have to change a few things.

On the subject of my liver, I have been checking my eyes all day and became convinced they were turning yellow…My husband assured me that they weren’t and said I was being paranoid. I still took a double dose of Milk Thistle though!

Well, my face is still looking very clear, though I am mid cycle. I also think that the Yasmin (contraceptive pill) is helping too. I don’t seem to have much dryness and my lips seem ok too, but that is probably as I haven’t been without lip balm since I started.

I am still waiting for my Dermalogica to arrive so I have been using Simple foaming face wash and Nivea calming day cream, both of which I had already.

Two things to note. Firstly I have had a pain/ache on my right hand kind of under my ribs since yesterday, I have been paranoid that my liver is packing up so I bought some Milk Thistle, the seeds of this plant contain an antioxidant called silymarin which is supposed to help protect the liver, it’s worth a try!

Secondly, I went to my first exercise class since taking the first dose. I normally go a bit red when I work up a sweat, but, my face was like a beetroot and quite hot really quickly…At least I looked like I’d worked hard!

I am taking my 40mg Accutane dose with my evening meal tonight as I’m having a steak, it’s good to take it with protein.

It has surprised me how quickly this drug gets going. I have had a dull headache, nausea and my husband commented on the fact that my chin area looked a darker colour to the rest of my face!I took my 40mg Accutane dose at lunch time again as it was going to be my largest meal and contained protein, good for absorption so I’m told.

As for the overall state of my face today, it is still in a clear phase, my chin is a bit sore under the skin so may have something on the way there. My cheeks have become a bit red and overall my skin is getting drier.

I am still so thirsty and my lips are feeling dry, I can’t let the Vaseline, Carmex, Eight hour cream basically whatever is to hand, wear off!

My face looks allot clearer in this photo than it does really, as I said I am having a bit of a clear phase. The combination of the Isotrexin gel and Yasmin contraceptive pill have helped to settle my skin.

I took my dose (40mg Accutane) at about 2pm today, only because we were at a friends for lunch and I knew it would be my biggest meal of the day. I have decided to make sure I take the tablets on a full stomach as I think it may help to stop any nausea. I have felt really tired, not that that is unusual!
Other things to note are I am feeling very thirsty, needing to drink much more than normal and I am also feeling warmer?

After what seemed like such a long wait I had my appointment with the dermatologist today. He checked my blood test results, they were fine and also did a pregnancy test which was negative…Yeh!

I had to sign a form to say I was aware of the effects of the drug on an unborn child and he asked if I had any questions, which after all the reading I have been doing I didn’t.

That was it, I was given my prescription, told to make an appointment for a months time and off I went to pick up my first 30 day supply. I am feeling really good about doing this.

I am on 40mg of Accutane a day and am also continuing to take Yasmin (contraceptive pill).

I took my first dose, as soon as I got home! I couldn’t wait, I took them with toast and peanut butter and a glass of milk as it is recommended you have them with something fatty. I don’t know if it was just my imagination but I felt a bit rough after an hour or so, nothing too bad, just a bit sick. My skin is going through a good patch so I don’t have any major cysts at the moment and with my make up on I look okay!

Just for the record, I have stopped using the Isotrexin gel and will not be using any facial scrubs, I am going to stop using any face washes containing salicylic acid, BHA or AHA too as they can be too aggresive. I have ordered a new bottle of Dermalogica calming cleanser (I have used previously) and Dermalogica barrier repair too. I am also stocking up on vaseline for cracking lips. I will update on the effectiveness (or not) of these products.