Hi all,
Hope you are doing well. It’s been a while since I have posted, had a busy month! I am currently on week 12 of a possible 16 week course.
I have had a bit of an up and down month 3. I was prescribed 50mgs to take (I was on 30mgs month 1 & 35mgs month 2). Unfortunately I haven’t managed the 50mgs – however my nurse said when she prescribed it that if I found it too much I could play around with lowering the dose slightly til I found one that I was happy with. I managed a few days during the month at 45mgs but my side effects (which on 30 & 35mgs were vertually non-existant, apart from the standard dry lips etc) really kicked in.
I found that I was quite up and down mood wise – not depressed – more anxious though, also the rash on my hands got really bad and sore and I started to feel achey. So mid way through month 3 I had a few days off and this really helped. The rash on my hands went and so did the acheyness and then I started back again this time on 40mgs and I am now feeling great. I feel on this dosage I am getting all the benefits and hardly any side effects.
So I went to the nurse yesterday and we agreed I would stay on 40mgs now probably until the end which could be 4 weeks 
. In the beginning I was really worried about not getting my maximum cumulitive dosage but now this isn’t bothering me as I have responded so well to the treatment and my acne was never too severe to begin with – just extremely persistant.
Skin wise my skin is fabulous, haven’t got a single spot on my face and haven’t had for ages. I have had the odd small whitehead but I imagine most 28 year old non acne suffers get these. My back is also clear 
The nurse said yesterday how well my skin looked too which was brill
I am finding the usual products helpful, carmex for my lips, jojoba oil to keep the flakiness away, simple moisuriser. Although my hair has really dried out and I only have to wash it 2/3 times a week I haven’t had the need to use t-gel or anything.
Hope you are all keeping well – take care!
Hi Betty,
Really glad you are coping with Roaccutane so well. I wish that I had done the dosage the same as you, rather than starting off on 20mg (1 month), 30 mg (1 month) and now I’m 60mg and and also I will have been on it for 5 months and 1 week when I finish (which is on the 15th March). I also would have been finished by now.
60mg is hard work. Don’t get me wrong the first few weeks were fine but now I keep getting conjunctivitis. My eyes are glued together in the morning. Not good when I can’t wear my contact lenses and look ridiculous in glasses. Anyway… enough of my ramblings.
So pleased that you haven’t got any spots, you must be over the moon. It looks like we’ll be finishing at the same time.
Have a good week,
V x
- Vanessa on February 11, 2013 at 9:25 am
Hi Betty,
xx
Our roaccutane experiences sound quite similar – I’m on week 12 at 40mg too. I haven’t been on a higher dose though and I don’t think I will reach my cummulative dose either as my derm has said my course is likely to be 16 weeks too. If all goes to plan I should be finishing on 15th March too and I cannot wait! It’s good that you have responded well to the treatment. My skin has been great too. Only had one new spot over the last couple of weeks so I really can’t complain! I’m getting a bit fed up of the side effects now – red face, dry eyes, low-ish mood. I can’t wait to finish and have a really big glass of wine! Roll on March
- cookie9 on February 12, 2013 at 9:09 am
Hi both,
Thanks for your replies
Sorry to hear you are suffering with your eyes Vanessa
conjunctivitis is horrible. At least you can relax knowing you have taken your cumulative dose by time you have finished so are more likely to stay spot free 
The way I am looking at it is even if I still get the odd spots I’m never going to be as bad as before and my skin is getting such a break now – before even when I wasn’t having a bad breakout I was covered in red marks from the old spots but that’s gone now.
Yes Cookie, I agree, I am really looking forward to finishing – a large glass of wine will be on the top of my list of things to do also! Lol x
- Betty on February 12, 2013 at 9:25 am
….. And maybe a spa day or a break to Centre Parcs as I won’t b worried about not wearing makeup to cover my spots! Yey!!!!!
- Betty on February 12, 2013 at 9:28 am
Like the sound of Center Parcs Spa! Went there a few years a go on a 40th with the girls… amaaazing!!
I’m so looking forward to going on holiday in the summer and going down the waterslides with the kids and not worrying about spots. Will be liberating!
I’m not a wine drinker so a large San Miguel for me please:-)
x
- Vanessa on February 13, 2013 at 11:21 am
Yeah love c. Parcs too, we try to go as a family at least once a year ….. In fact my last visit there prompted me to do something once & for all as I spent the whole time trying to keep my head out of the water so my concealer wouldn’t come off – not very easy when my daughter who was 5 at the time wanted to swim all the time
aggghhhhhh acne sucks!!!! Lol x
- Bettyeva on February 13, 2013 at 5:36 pm