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Into my first week on roaccutane ...

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SAMGXXX
SAMGXXX

I'm going into my second week tomorrow on roaccutane. My face is red and tight/dry (also abit painful and itchy). Is this normal ?

0 likes, 172 replies

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  • shaun24303
    shaun24303 SAMGXXX

    Posted

    Guys, will the redness of the face go away? And are there ways to treat the scars?
    • emily_85782
      emily_85782 shaun24303

      Posted

      the scars fade naturally and if some don't budge then at the hospital a small procedure called abrasion is available that helps remove deep acne scars in the layers of the skin! Hope this of some help!

  • l92094
    l92094 SAMGXXX

    Posted

    Has anyone been on roaccutane twice?

    I started my second course (I did my first 2 years ago)

    I have only had three tablets (one per evening) but I got freaked out about long term effects so I stopped it.

    I am debating whether to restart it as I have only missed one pill but is there any long term health risks that are really risky to living a long life?

    I had no unbareable side effects last time and it worked amazingly for me.

    Am I worrying unnecessary ?

    Thanks in advance

  • skin123
    skin123 SAMGXXX

    Posted

    Hi there,

    Use Avene cold cream lip balm its fantastic! I am on my second accutante treatment jsut started the first one was 7 years ago nd worked wonders so I hope this will too!

  • john11849
    john11849 SAMGXXX

    Posted

    Hi everyone, I am knew here and this is my first post, so excuse me if I am completely off base and in the wrong place.  I live in the US and was on Accutane twice when it wasn't so highly regulated by the government.  Now, I don't know anyone who can get a script for it.  Anyway, so I started to develop bad acne again at around age 40 and the doctors put me on everything under the sun and of course it doesn't work.  So, I take matters into my own hands and order some isotretinoin tablets off the internet from a "Canadian Pharmacy".  Well, they definitely didn't come from Canada, but they do say isotretitoin 20mgs on the outside of the package, however the red pills have no markings. They were shipped from India.  I have been taking two a day for the past month, and I saw a distinct clearing of my skin and then all of a sudden this past week I have had two huge cysts to develop on my face.  I have also noticed that they make me very agitated and I will snap at anyone who gets in my way. I also have a raised temperature and heart rate.  All of those side effects though either have subsided a bit or I have just grown to tolerate them.  I was just wondering has anyone else had any success with these red pills with no markings?  And, are these two huge cysts to develop part of the latter stages and then the coast is clear, or is it all really a guessing game?  Thanks in advance for your input.
  • amber11762
    amber11762 SAMGXXX

    Posted

    Hi Everyone,

    I know I am months behind, but I have just found this forum and I NEVER thought I would post on one ever!! But this discussion has been so helpful, some of it actually made me laugh, everyone is so uplifting. I'm on my second week (40mg) and I am experiencing the drreaded first breakout sad It's a nightmare, but reading all of your stories has helped me think "I don't care" people can look and talk about me behind my back, but I know that in the end, I will hopefully have the skin I have always wanted. I'm using the Clinique Moisutre Surge Intense moisturiser and I haven't had any dry skin yet, I have dry lips, but not much worse than I normally have. The main thing for me atm is the breakout!

    I'm using Nivea lip balm but not sure if it is that great really, I'm apllying it every half an hour, so will probably move to the Euverin one soon.

    Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has posted on here and empowered each other because it really has helped me a lot! x

    • Alana12
      Alana12 amber11762

      Posted

      Hi Amber, 

      I am months behind too and can't believe i have never found this forum. I have done soo many searches on acne/roaccutane!

      I haven't yet started with my tablets, i have my blood test tomorrow then seeing the derm next Friday - a long wait sad currently my face is so bad, i stopped my antibiotics two weeks ago now and my acne has come back. Losing the will and don’t know how i will be able to wait 9 more days! My face is sore, itchy, red sad just reading your and everyone else's comments is giving me strength that it will (fingers crossed) get better! x

       

    • amber11762
      amber11762 Alana12

      Posted

      Hi Alana,

      How did you find the antibiotics? They didn't work for me at all sad don't worry, when you're in them you'll be so happy that you've finally started!! I had to wait around 3 months to start mine sad

      I'm in my 3rd week now and I have really dry skin and my lips have split on the sides and on the middle, they're numb most of the time, it's horrible, I've found cocoa butter the best for them, I was using Vaseline but I think that was making them worse! I've also stopped moisturing because I was worried it was putting oil back into my skin and causing more spots. I am still getting new spots everyday but they dry up quickly and they turn into just patches of dry skin that just peel off! I'm hoping that next week they will calm down a bit because I can't even cover it with make up anymore it's so bad sad but who cares because we are going to look like we've had plastic surgery after these tablets 😂 It's worth going through the stage of waking up and the first thing you think is "how does my face look today?" not wanting to go to work and just hibernating!!

      I wish you all the best on your tablets! I'm sure they will work wonders and give you your confidence back! X

    • Alana12
      Alana12 amber11762

      Posted

      Hey, I was on antibiotics for just over 4 months, the first lot of 2 months helped and it cleared, then it came back and now I have just finished my second lot it cleared it a bit but I still had those horrible under the skin spots! So all in all, a waste of time! Tbh i was put off roaccutane because of all the side effects and I am dreading my blood test tomorrow - I HATE needles lol! But i can't wake up another day and think how my face looks today.

      How did you manage 3 months with nothing? I cry every night and get so fed up. I was lucky to have good skin in my teens but now I’m 27 it sucks - how old are you?

      I have hardly slept since Friday as my face is so itchy and tingly - other than anti-histamine, paracetamol and ibuprofen and ice on my face I have no other ideas!

      I have heard Vaseline is not that good - have you tried burts bees - its bees wax lip balm and I’ve heard and researched good things about it?

      My dermo said to stock up on moisturiser - i think you should probably use it as your skin will get so dry? The cetaphil one people keep talking about has oil in it but i use La Roche Posay - so maybe ask your demo about that one!

      I am lucky that i work in an office with all girls and they have got used to the mess of my face and no makeup! Apart from work i have not been out sad but I will probably get to that stage of wanting to wear make up and my face being so dry i can't!

      This forum has made me realise how many people actually suffer from it and there is probably no need to not go out the house or worry what you look like, but people who have not had it don't understand! x

    • amber11762
      amber11762 Alana12

      Posted

      Yeah I did 16 weeks on antibiotics too and they didn't work sad I honestly don't know how I managed with nothing, I've tried everything there is though, creams, antibiotics, clesrasil, scrubs, masks, sulphate sprays EVERYTHING!!

      I'm 19, I've only had acne for around a year and a half, but it feels like forever sad yeah I've tried the beeswax lil balm too and that didn't work for me sad definitely recommend the cocoa butter though!

      Yeah I'll have to start moisturising soon, I have an appointment with my derm in just over a week so if I can wait until then to ask which one is best then I will, if not then I'm going to try a la Roche one! Which one do you use?

      Aw you're so lucky, I wish I worked with all women!! I guess I'm just so conscious of my face that I can't not wear make up and I've only just started my new job and don't feel comfortable enough to with them yet!

      Don't let it stop you going out, your friends don't care what you look like and when you're out having a good time, you just get on with it! But I will advise you not to drink too much alcohol on the tablets, I went out last weekend and had the same amount as I normally would and I was sick so much and I have never been sick from drinking alcohol before sad it isn't good for your liver and I definitely won't be overdoing it like that again!

      People who have never had acne don't understand at all, it literally takes over your life!

      When you've started your tablets, post back on here to let me know how you're getting on! X

    • Alana12
      Alana12 amber11762

      Posted

      I will let you know how i get on - hopefully my blood test goes ok tomorrow and then only 8 more days sad which i know will feel like a life time till i hopefully get the tablets! x

      Emis Moderator comment: I have removed product/company names/lonks as we do not allow repeated posting of these in the forums. If users wish to exchange these details please use the Private Message service.

      http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398331-private-messages

  • amber11762
    amber11762 SAMGXXX

    Posted

    I'm in my second month now and they have moved me from 40mg per day to 60mg per day. Not sure if this will help the aswful breakouts I am still getting, espeically next to both side of my mouth sad before taking accutane, my nose was so oily, foundation wouldn't stay on it for longer than 15minutes. Now it is not oily at all and it also isn't too dry so it's peeling, in fact none of my face is so bad that ir is peeling, only when a spot starts healing it turns to a little patch of dry skin. I'm worried about the spots next to my mouth scarring, is there anything I can do to prevent this? Still not moisturising as there is no need to yet. My skin is quite red, especially when I get out of the shower and feels tight all od the time, like I have left a face mask on for too long.I get nose bleeds everyday around 4/5 times, but that's not the end of the world. So far it's all going good apart from my chapped lips and breakouts everyday. Did anyon elese get moved up from 40mg to 60mg in their second month? If you did, did it work any better or quicker or did you see a dramatic difference?
  • stefi98524
    stefi98524 SAMGXXX

    Posted

    Hi fellow Acne-victims! smile

    I have also been dealing with acne for the past 10years. I was sincerely looking for a solution for all these years and only heard about Roaccutane about half a year ago!!

    For all of you who cannot wait to start Roaccutane: The last few weeks/days are the WORS wait, but be strong!! Because you already found the solution. You had acne for years and years, these few extra days/weeks will not count and at the end everything will be okay. Waiting lists etc. are super annoying but the hospitals have to make sure that you have all your tests done and you are good to go.

    I was several times on antibiotics, they don't help. I tried different diets, all the expensive and cheap face creams, face treatments... I am starting Roaccutane after all the tests and appointments in less than 2 weeks. smile

    I will surely be back to complain about my side effects here :D But hopefully I will be able to help someone as well once it's over.

    Take care all of you out there, and be patient, at the end it is going to be okay!

  • jo5555
    jo5555 SAMGXXX

    Posted

    Hi Samgxxx, I am also a roacutane user and on my second day of the course. How is your skin holding up and did you manage to recover from acne skin? Many thanks for the advise.
  • jo5555
    jo5555 SAMGXXX

    Posted

    I'm a new user to roacutane. This is only my second day on it. Feeling Abit dry but I hope it will definitely work ;(

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