Thursday, April 15, 2004
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day twenty-nine, week five
The plot thickens. The progress I was seeing last week is all but gone now... my body does NOT like the dosage increase, so I'm pretty miserable. I'm not any more broken out, but my whole face is blotchy and my eyes are red and swollen... basically it feels like I've been crying all day. Anyway, read on.
current medications/supplements:
- accutane 40mg (now 80mg every other day)
- Erythromycin
- Yasmin (birth control)
- 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:
- rashes and body acne
- delicate skin
- red, blotchy skin all over
- dry, irritated eyes
- dry lips
- dehydration
diet changes:
- went back to whole milk, but in smaller cartons (couldn't take the lowfat crap anymore)
WEEK FIVE REPORT: It's no worse than I thought it would be, but it's still no fun. I can't wear contacts for more than a few hours anymore, and I feel like a troll. My face is very dry and flaky, I constantly look tired and sick. I'm experiencing minor depression from this, basically just a low self-esteem thing. No extra anxiety or anything.
RECOMMENDATIONS: When having blood drawn during your monthly visit to the lab, stick with the arm that's easier to get blood out of! I thought I'd give my right arm a break (it was still bruised from LAST month) and try the left arm, but after poking it twice the nurse still couldn't get any blood out of it. With my sensitive skin and everything, and bleeding all over myself with all the extra holes in my arm, I actually passed out! (I was hungry too, that probably had a hand in it) So stick with the arm that's easy to poke.
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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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