Man, its been a long time since I posted here. Sorry about that, life's been real hectic over here in NYC.

Anyway, its been over three months now, and everything but the chapped lips have disappeared. I used to think in the beginning that this stuff was going to be horrible, but it really isn't at all. My first posts were so terrifying, and I feel sorta bad about them. For anyone just now getting on the drug, don't sweat it like I did ... like everything, its really not as bad as you imagine it to be.

Repeat: I've got no side effects except the chapped lifs and sorta dry skin, which are both being managed just fine. No loss of hair, no suicide, no weird vision, no loss of hearing, etc. etc. Just the lips and the skin.

So, I use medicated chapstick now, use Jergen's moisterizer (Ultra Healing) on my arms and shoulders, Nivea for Men After Shave Balm on my face, and that's about it. My apartment has a terrace, and I have been sunbathing my ass off, and haven't been burnt once. Not even a little bit red! FYI, I use SPF 8 and usually tan from 2 to 6. Once or twice, I sat out in the sun from 12 to 6 and had no probs, but that was after I built up a base tan. Whatever.

To celebrate the start of my fourth month, the doc upped me to 80mg a day and I'm still taking the 400IU of vitamin E daily.

Best of luck to all, and I'll write more soon.

Tyler

Must be 6 or 7 weeks now.

Up to 60mg a day, and am still taking 400 IU Vitamin E daily.

Nowadays, I just absorb the annoyances of the drug into my daily routine. Just add moisterizer, lip balm, and get on with life. I guess that's the way it should be.

One thing I just love about the drug is the dry skin. My forehead is so non-greasy, I love that.

Anyway, all is good. Doc, take me up to 100 mg, please.

:)

Later!

Tyler

some more notes for ya ...

The doc upped me to 60 mg a day. The increased doasge is being felt. I've got rashes on the top of both of my hands -- moisterizer seems to help this. and i just had my first nose bleed last night ... i sneezed and there it was. It ended quickly, but damn, a lot of blood for simply sneezing (right in the middle of a round of GTA-3, no less!).

I am starting to notice dryness in my eyes, but it could just be all the dust in the air from moving apartments last friday. Packing up and unpacking kicks up a lot of dust ...

I've started using some of the Nivea for Men line of moisterizers and stuff. They seem to work well, and they smell pretty good. :)

Just two quick notes ...

Clean & Clean Overnight Acne Patches are terrific. I use them to fight the pimples one by one, they work wonders -- and since they're just working on the spot, there's no real drying. In a day or two, these things go bye-bye and if there's a little extra drying, I just add a little extra moisterizer.

Second -- my scalp is real dry. I suppose I should be running Cetaphil into my scalp!?!

That's it.

Tyler

I am holding my own at 40mg a day. I have finished my third week and am rounding right into week four.

My rash has pretty much disappeared -- moisterizer really seemed to help, but maybe it just went away on its own. I just enjoyed a week of really clear skin, but that changed yesterday when a couple of new-comers showed up on my cheek. Damn. Boy, clear skin is really addictive. Can't wait to get to the end of treatment where clear skin is the norm, not the exception.

Anyway, I'm moisterizing my face at morning and night -- and that's working great for keeping my face pretty normal. Also, tons of Blistex. Everything is pretty manageable right now.

Okay, more later ...

Tyler

Well, Accutane is certainly running through my system. My lips are chapped as hell and the skin is split at the corners of my mouth, my nose and everything below it on my face requires moisterizer to keep it from flaking off and as of this morning I have a nice rash all over the top of my right hand.

Thanks to my pal Stuart for telling me the paranoia (mentioned in the last post) is all part of the game and something he went through too. New resolution: Just take the damn pills and deal with what happens.

But, what the hell do I do about this rash, Doc?

Today I have some mild hot flashes, a mild headache (900mg of aspirin pretty much finished it off), some light-headedness and real inability to concentrate. And maybe even some problems getting my eyes to focus.

So, it is accutane or is it leftover from last night's three beers, one 3mg melatonin and a quick swipe of coke on my gums?

Or is it something else entirely?

The paranoia with this accutane shit is too much.

Tyler