POSTED UNDER Accutane REVIEWS
19 y/o Male Accutane Treatment
ORIGINAL POST
I am on week 10 of my 20 week course of Claravis....
torrance95June 12, 2015
WORTH IT
I am on week 10 of my 20 week course of Claravis. I was on 40mg the first two weeks and I have been on 70mg since week 3. I began experiencing dryness on my face within the first couple of days, however I did not experience dry lips until about a month into the course. By that time I started to get progressively dry lips, eyes, and nose simultaneously. I would say that these are the worst side effects that I have experienced thus far, and they have been greatly exacerbated by exposure to sun and wind (highly recommend using SPF and wearing a hat and sunglasses when necessary). Month 1 was a mainly a process of "pushing" everything out of my pores. I remember a lot of flakiness and blackheads being brought to the surface. I did have a slight initial flare in my acne but nothing too severe. The cysts that I did get healed much quicker than usual, but they left red marks that took quite some time to fade (some are still in the process of fading). I feel as though my skin is much more sensitive while on accutane. *Be careful not to pick at your skin or use any products that are too strong or may irritate it because your skin is not as tough as it normally is*. Month 2 was a continuation of healing and some minor breakouts here and there. What really helped me get through these first couple months was moisturizing frequently and drinking plenty of water. It's amazing how much your side effects can be minimized by just doing those two simple things. Other than that, you are free to go about your daily life, just remember to take your pill with a full meal so that it can gets absorbed better (I went a little overboard and took this as a nod to eat whatever fatty junk foods I could get my hands on - I do not recommend this as my triglycerides went up each blood test). The only other side effects that I have noted are tiredness and minor headaches every now and then. I find that it's best to stay active while on this drug or else all you want to do is stay in bed all day. My workouts have been affected since going on accutane and I can't lift the same amount of weight as I normally can. I don't know the exact reason for this, or even if it can be attributed to the drug, it's just something that I have observed. I also notice that I lose stamina faster and become winded and sweaty more easily. Other than that I am starting to see progress in my skin. My back has been completely clear for a couple weeks now, but I still have some trouble areas on my face that are beginning to heal and clear up. Like I said I am on week 10, halfway through my course, and I finally feel like I got over the hump. I'll try my best to update this as I go along so that I can hopefully help other users that are faced with the same questions that I had when I first hopped on accutane. So let me know what's up and I'll be glad to give you my best answer. Cheers :)
Replies (9)
June 20, 2015
You look great! I can't believe you're only 10 weeks in. Your skin looks so good that I would have thought you were much further into your course :) How are your post acne marks? Are they fading faster being on the drug?
June 20, 2015
Thanks for the comment Acra! As of right now I'm dealing with quite a bit of sunburn on my face and arms from being outside so much these past couple of weeks. I'm waiting for my skin to heal some more before I post more pics because my face is really clear, it's just red and peeling. I also cut my upper lip very badly last week and it is taking forever to heal. It just keeps opening up again and bleeding every time I move my mouth, especially when I smile. As for my red marks, they are continuing to fade day by day, but I wouldn't say that they are fading faster being on the drug. I actually think it is taking longer for them to disappear because my skin is so sensitive and paper thin nowadays. But it could also be attributed to my high sun exposure and lack of moisturizing these past couple weeks (I've been getting lazy lately lol). Hope that answers your question :)
June 20, 2015
Thank you! That definitely helps answer my question. I forgot that thin skin was a possible side effect. Makes sense. I suppose that's yet another reason not to pick if you go on Accutane lol. I look forward to seeing more photos once your sunburn heals. I'm super nervous about being sun sensitive while on Accutane (I have yet to start). I'm extremely fair, so I am going to have to really take precautions before going out in the sun. Thanks for answering my question :)
June 22, 2015
You're very welcome. Good luck with starting your treatment. It seems like just yesterday that I started mine. I hope to hear from you with updates!
June 22, 2015
Thank you! :) I plan to start a log of my journey and hopefully post photos. Good luck to you as well! I'll keep reading your updates.
Welcome to the community - I am really glad that you decided to share your Accutane journey with us. I found it interesting that you have lost stamina during your workouts - do you have any muscle or joint pain as well?
Glad you mentioned it, I would mention it to your doctor on your next visit. You can also post a question to the doctors on the site to see what they think. I really look forward to following your journey and look forward to your updates. If you feel comfortable sharing a video diary with us, please do - we would love that!