Thursday, April 22, 2004
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day thirty-six, week six
I'm on my *LAST* tube of lip balm! Heaven preserve us all!! Unfortunately, the only place I can go for a fix is Albertsons, and they charge me out the butt for the good stuff. I'm planning on hunting down some Aquaphor eventually, not sure if they have it here in Utah.
current medications/supplements:
- accutane 40mg (80mg every other day)
- Erythromycin
- Yasmin
- vitamin e
current products:
- Neosporin cream with pain relief
- Visine Original and Visine for contacts
- St. Ives 24-hour lotion
- cetaphil moisturizing lotion
- cetaphil face wash
- blistex lip balm
- lots of water
current symptoms:
- aggravated coughing and asthma
- bloody nose
- rashes and body acne
- delicate skin
- red, blotchy skin all over
- dry, irritated eyes
- dry lips
- dehydration
diet changes:
- found low-cholesterol cheese!! yeah baby!
WEEK SIX REPORT: Not much to report this week. I seem to discover a funky new symptom every day... I had my first full-on bloody nose this week, and then also some really wierd, painful coughing. I was actually coughing up blood (gross, I know) but I think it was because of the bloody nose business, I'm not sure. I mad a very startling discovery... when your face is dry and irritated even though you're already using moisturizer, something that really helps is (dramatic pause) USING MORE MOISTURIZER!! Silly monkey. Seriously, I'm such a retard. Anyway, I'm less traumatized than I was last week, now that I've discovered my endless supply of moisturizer, like I mentioned. My face still looks terrible, but makeup definitely lasts longer when it's not coming off in flaky chunks with my skin...
RECOMMENDATIONS: when you hit the middle of the therapy, it gets easy to neglect the routines that really do help your symptoms, and you don't realize it until they jump out and bite you. So, from my experience, here's some things you should definitely NOT neglect...
- lip balm - stock up and keep one tube in every pocket of every pair of jeans you own (just remember to take them out before you do laundry... the grease stains SUCK).
- lotion - forgetting just a couple days in a row will turn you into a flaky, rashy swamp monster! Putting it on after you shower is a great way to lock in moisture before it evaporates. And don't give in to the temptations of perfumed lotion! It REALLY does sting!
- vitamin e - I talk about it a lot, but the stuff seriously makes the whole ordeal a LOT more bearable.
- lots of moisturizer! - learn from me, folks, no matter how much you put on, your face will probably absorb all of it pretty fast. Don't be afraid to be liberal if you need to.
- drink water - I'm no medical expert, but I'm sure if they did tests they'd find that Accutane users need about twice the daily water intake of our more fortunate Accutane-free compatriots. It's really girly, but bottled water really is your best friend (next to lip balm)! Don't leave home without it!
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The Guinea Pig |
My name is Allisan, I'm a 21-year-old college student with very bad acne and a chip on my shoulder. I'm taking Accutane to kick the thing in the butt once and for all, and documenting the experience for the benefit of anyone else considering giving it a shot. Read on, fellow acne sufferers!!
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About Accutane |
In Laman's terms... Accutane limits the body's production a natural oil called Sebum that builds up in your pores and causes acne. Generally you spend 5 months on it, and most people see results within 2 months. It has a 75% success rate after the first round, 85% after 2 rounds - that means that the acne never, ever comes back for most people. During the course of the therapy, the most common side effects are dry flaky skin, chapped lips, dehydration, irritation while wearing contacts, and backaches. Basically it makes your body tissue really sensitive to EVERYTHING. Some people also experience moodiness and, in rare cases, severe depression. It also causes some nasty birth defects, so they make absolutely sure you can't get pregnant while you're on it.
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Products I Swear By |
- Mary Kay medium coverage foundation
- blistex original lip balm
- neosporin cream (not ointment)
- St. Ives 24-Hour body lotion
- Cetaphil moisturizer & face wash
- Generic vitamin e supplements
- Visine original eye drops
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Products I Swear *At* |
Blistex Complete Moisture lip balm - Jackie recommends it, but I disagree! It's really thin (heavy petroleum-based ointments are the best) and makes your breath smell funky.
Victoria's Secret lotion - Love the smell, but it stings like a mofo. Same goes for Bath&Body or any other heavily scented lotion, accutane makes your skin VERY sensitive to that kind of stuff.
Proactiv products - great for semi-problematic skin, but totally useless for severe acne. They *do* give your money back, so it *is* worth a try. But if you're serious about dealing with your acne, try something else.
erythromycin - if you get this, make sure they prescribe the capsules, not the tablets. This stuff is powerful, it can really upset your stomach.
Yasmin birth control - makes acne *worse*, turns you into a hormonal one-woman soap opera.
Chapstick brand lip balm - nothin but glorified ear wax. Buy the medicated stuff, folks.
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