Tyler's Accutane Journal

2002-07-09T14:34:00.000-04:00

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

2002-05-13T12:22:00.000-04:00

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

2002-04-29T12:06:00.000-04:00

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. :)

2002-04-12T10:04:00.000-04:00

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

2002-04-12T09:35:00.000-04:00

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

2002-04-05T10:46:00.000-05:00

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?

2002-04-03T16:59:00.000-05:00

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

2002-04-02T09:52:00.000-05:00

This is my second day of my second week ... Day 10.

No major side effects to report yet -- certainly the sum of my aches and pains don't measure up to the annoyance of a major acne attack. Taking that into consideration, and knowing that this is temporary, I have no complaints yet.

My skin has become a lot drier -- just noticed that yesterday and today. Most notable, my forehead, which usually is oily beyond belief, is dry as can be. No complaints here.

No real sign of the "it gets worse before it gets better" breakout yet, but I am sure it will come eventually. I am only on 40 mg a day right now, so I think it may take a bit longer for me to get through the steps. Right now, I think the medicine is just starting to hit my skin.

Right now, blistex and facial moisterizer is keeping me in good shape. And an Advil every once in a while when my muscles ache.

One note on drinking -- I have had a few nights out during the past ten days and have felt no side effects or increased hangovers at all. Everything seems fine, except maybe I get drunk a bit faster and sleepier earlier in the evening.

I am still supplementing the accutane with a 400IU Vitamin E capsule every day. Routine includes Ponds facial moisturizer in the morning, some no-name moisterizer at night with Vitamin E and Aloe. Plus, I am using Clean and Clear Overnight Acne Patches for bigger zits here and there.

Guess that's it for now, catch ya' later.

Tyler

2002-03-30T00:04:00.000-05:00

This is odd ... maybe I am just exhausted, but ...

Last night, after work, I had two martinis. In fact, I didn't even finish the second one. An hour and a half later, I was passed out cold and slept for the next 10 hours.

Has anyone else found that this stuff makes you really sleepy or that it wears you out -- especially so when mixed with alcohol?

hmmm.

2002-03-27T17:10:00.000-05:00

Day 5. Nothing new, except that my joints are all sore. Am I imagining it? Possible, I guess ...

2002-03-27T00:35:00.000-05:00

Also, confession: My name isn't really Tyler. I took the name from Douglas Coupland's Shampoo Planet. It's the story of an older teenager obsessed with beauty products.

I guess that's going to be my story for the next 24 weeks.

2002-03-26T23:56:00.000-05:00

I am really upset about taking this drug. High anxiety.I feel as if my whole life is going to switch for the next six months. My mind is full of thoughts of exploding pores, volcanic eruptions and a face so fucked-up that i'll have to quit my job.

I am worried about how I am going to be able to look people in the face -- friends, clients, co-workers -- when my face is ablaze with redness, peeling skin, cracked lips and huge zits that are in constant need of medical attention. Six months of this?

Thinking about it that way, no wonder this experience brings about depression.

I read that it gives terrible hangovers. Great -- so I have to go through this sober?

Well, tomorrow is day four. My first week is almost over ...

I went to the store and bought Blistex (for the first time ever -- I never have chapped lips) ... some facial moisterizer with aloe, vitamin e and green tea extract. ... Talked with the pharmacist for like 30 minutes. Also got 250 Vitamin E's (400IU), took two when i got home (1,000IU is the max. daily dose, btw) and will take one a day from here on out. It's supposed to help things heal or something ...

Note -- I am smearing clindamycin gel 1% all the hell over my face, morning and night. Doc says it'll help, and I'm pouring it on generously. Stopped doxyclene 100mg daily when i started the new almighty and all-fearing accutane.

2002-03-26T18:06:00.000-05:00

Hi there.

My name is Tyler and I live in New York City. I'm a 29 year-old guy and have been battling acne since I was in high school. During the past five or six years, it has really calmed down a lot -- proof that time heals all wounds. But, it's still there and plus, I have seen a huge increase in the past two years of 'sebaceous cysts' around my ears and in my earlobes. These things are kind of like whiteheads that live way under the skin in your earlobes. They are harmless, but they puff up, look ugly and red, and NEVER seem to go away.

Doc put me on Accutane just last week to clear up both the sebaceous cysts and the acne.

I'm hitting a six-month regimen. 40mg pills once a day for now, and stronger ones to come. Doc tells me that starting slow and going for six months cuts back on the side effects. Good thing -- with the girlfriend problems and Sept. 11 looming in the all-to-near past, I wasn't looking forward to the suicidal depression.

Been on it for four days now.

My forehead is breaking out all over the place with big, under the skin zits. Damn. Some Korean girl who works behind the counter at the deli downstairs told me "you have a big pimple on forehead." Nice. Haven't heard something like that in about ten years. Other than that, just a few minor zits here and there.

The earlobe cysts are massive. Two cysts in my left earlobe, one the size of a small peanut, one the size of a pea. Right earlobe: One the size of a pea, six or seven that are small, and two that just won't stop oozing (if messed with). Damn tricks life plays on you ...

I haven't noticed any side effects yet. Skin is fine (if not really oily, since I dropped anything salycilic) ... Lips, fine. Mental health? Questionable :) ... Is my jaw aching from the side effects or was my steak from the other night too tough? I don't know, but that was yesterday and it's gone now.

I blew my nose and found some blood-colored stuff in the snot -- not too bad, but it did make me wonder when my nosebleeds were going to start. It could be from my once-a-week Cocaine habit (Is that smart!?!) ... Hmmm, have to think about that, and also my every-other-day pot habit, my usual 15-20 drinks a week and all those damn cigarettes. Really.

Fuck, I didn't want a lifestyle change -- just less acne. Maybe I should chill out and drop this stuff (the accutain). OR, maybe I could drop the alcohol, drugs and smoking. Interesting ...

This may seem like an easy choice ... clear skin healthy guy VS. stoned, coked-up drunk who chain smokes. But, unless you've lived in NYC, you have no idea how hard the choice is ...

Anyway, I will keep this updated. And try to post some pics, maybe.

Later,

Tyler