Hi all,
Hope you had a good Xmas & happy new year 
I haven’t posted for a while due to Xmas, illness (flu 
all of us came down with it on Boxing Day) & because I didn’t really have much to report!
I am currently 8 weeks into a 16-24 week course, I started on 30mgs for the 1st month then at my 1st follow up app at the beginning of Dec they put me up to 35mgs (a very small increase as my bloods needed doing & they couldn’t do them there & then as I’d not fasted – doh!) and just had another app today & I’m now going up to 50mgs, no bloods required as she said my last ones were normal
I definitely feel reassured after today’s app, I was worried about my total cumulative dose & my nurse told me not to worry as we are going to work together over the next few weeks and keep reviewing it so we make sure I get the right balance & dosage amount without making my side effects too much & she said not to worry as they’re not going to discharge me as soon as 4 months comes along – they will just review at this point whether i will need to stay on the tablets for another 2 months or not. I am happy with this she also said I can alternate or lower the dosage myself if I’m struggling on 50mgs as long as I let her know.
Skin wise my problem area was always my chin & round my mouth & I’m pleased to report I’ve not had a spot on my actual face since about mid Dec , however, my recent breakouts seem to be on my jawline & my neck. They are those lovely type of spots that feel like peas under your skin, then – after about 2 weeks, once they’ve gone – they leave behind a red mark which takes about a month to fade! But nothing a bit of make up can’t cover. It’s lovely to be able to try loads of products on my face and touch my face without having to worry about whether it’ll make me breakout. I did a nice no7 hot cloth cleanser treatment on myself the other day to treat my skin & it felt really smooth after & I didn’t get one spot. A couple of months ago if I’d have done that my chin would have been covered 24hrs later.
Side effect wise my only ones have been a rash on my hands, which did get quite bad but has now faded & my lips have been really dry. I did have a week where I had a split in the corner of my mouth & every time I ate or laughed it would split open again Blistex sorted that though.
Hope everyone is doing well, sorry for the long post!
Betty x
Great news on the dose increase Betty! I’m so pleased for you as I know how worried you were about not getting it increased and missing out on the cummulative dose. I’m just a week behind you as my derm app is next week! I’m on 40mg and my skin is completely clear apart from old spots (the pea-like ones that you’re getting too!) so I doubt they will be increasing my dose anymore but I’m happy with that because I can see the results already. I hope the dose increase is a smooth transition and the side effects are kind to you
keep in touch xx
- cookie9 on January 13, 2013 at 9:27 am
Hi Cookie, thanks for your reply. Wow what a difference just a small amount has made, I’ve only made it to 40mgs so far as I tried 45mgs & had the worse headache ever on the same day – not sure if its coincidence but I’m just sticking to 40mgs for now as I can feel a difference. I’m happy with my skin too – not had any new pea like spots for about a week now so fingers crossed.
Hope you’re doing well
xx
- Bettyeva on January 14, 2013 at 10:30 pm