So what’s changed in this past week? Well, just as I though the initial breakout was calming down it didn’t stop. I’ve continued to breakout (not quite as bad as before) throughout this past week, although now it seems to have calmed down a little. I currently only have 3 “actives” on my face, nothing worth mentioning on my shoulders or back. I’ve noticed that I’m getting more acne in places which I’ve never really had it before, particularly my jawline – I developed these clusters of quite sore bumps and white heads near where my jaw bone meets my ear (weirdly on both sides of my face, almost completely identical).
The worst place I’ve noticed for the sore, under the skin, red lumps is my temples – although this has always been the problem area for me, I guess I just forgot about it because of the other medications I was on that seemed to keep them at bay. I also seem to be getting small little bumps and *tiny* little white heads on my forehead, something which I’ve never really had before.
Side effect wise, it’s pretty much the same as it was last time. The joint pain isn’t always there, but if i move my back too quickly or bend down at a funny angle then it’s quite painful. I’m managing the dry skin with my army of moisturisers that seem to help a lot – since starting this my skin has been very flaky which is unfortunate but unnecessary 
The only side effect to have gotten worse is my lips – They now feel constantly dry and I’m applying my blistex quite regularly now. I’ve had a bit of a cold this week so I suppose breathing only through my mouth wouldn’t have helped much. I haven’t had my lips or nose bleed in a while, which again surprised me given how much I was sneezing during my cold 
A possible side effect I didn’t mention before (I’m not too sure if it is a side effect) is that I notice that I’m feeling really quite tired recently – as in I’ll come home from sixth form and just fall asleep on my bed for a few hours.
Anyway, all in all it’s been a pretty standard week on Roaccutane. I’m not expecting any results just yet and I’m just living each day knowing it’ll all be better in the long run. I’m just dreaming of the day of not having to spend an hour every morning applying 3 different moisturisers and little dots of differin to my skin – and I know It’ll come soon 
As I said before, I’m currently on 40mg a day, I’ve got my next blood test a week today and a week after that I’ve got an appointment to see the dermatologist – and i’m hoping he’s going to up my dosage to 60mg a day. I think he said something about starting me on 40mg to get me used to the drug, and should the side effects be quite mild then he’ll think about increasing me to 60mg. I’m quite light, at 5ft 8, 55kg I think 60mg for around 5/6 months should be about right for me (with this whole cumulative dosage thing, please correct me if I’m wrong!)
It feels really therapeutic to actually talk about all this, even if no-one replies
Here’s to week 5!
Tags: 5, Start of, week, week 4
Sorry!
“…since starting this my skin has been very flaky which is unfortunate but unnecessary”
Should read “Necessary”
My mistake
- Jack Salter on February 5, 2013 at 11:13 pm
Hi Jack,
It’s really good to hear how positive you are being about Roaccutane and accepting that it’s going to get worse before it gets better. Good on you for doing this at 17. I think I’ve said this to a lot of teenagers/20 odd year olds, that I regret not doing R sooner (I’m 36). My brother took it when he was 17 and it cleared him and now 20 years later he is still clear.
Regarding the cumulative dose, I don’t think you will be on it for 6 months if you have started on 40mg and hoping to go up to 60mg. I’m 60kg and I was on 20mg for a month then 30mg for a month and now on 60mg which will take me to 5 months, one week. So hopefully you should only be on it for 4 months or 5 at the most. I maybe wrong but thought it was worth mentioning.
Regarding the side effects, I’ve only got 4 weeks to go and I noticed that you don’t necessarily have the same side effects all the way through (although the dry lips and skin are a given). Your body does adjust, so hopefully the tiredness thing might ease up a bit. When I first started I had really dry eyes but after 4 weeks this went. When I went up to 60kg I got a red rash on my hands, this cleared up in a few days fortunately.
Wishing you all the best Jack, you should start seeing some improvement after 8 weeks (this is what my dermatologist told me) so hang in there and it was the case for me.
Take care
Vanessa
- Vanessa on February 6, 2013 at 9:15 am