The Accutane Diaries

An updated look at my Accutane experience from start to finish

[aint-no-load-that-i-cannot-hold]

[words-words--words]

I don’t even remember what unchapped lips feel like.

[myskinsucksandsodoi]

You know what really annoys me. Is when someone tells me they want to get on Accutane or tell me to give them my own prescription. Yall fuckers don’t understand, Accutane is A LAST RESORT MEDICATION, DERMS WONT GIVE IT TO YOU UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY NEEEED IT. Its a serious drug, it’s not some little shit like epiduo (which sucks, just sayin) it has taken me what, 107 days of hell to look like the way i do now. My face used to be so bad it hurt to stand under the shower, i couldn’t lay on my right/left side. It wasn’t going to go away on its own. So i had to medically fix the problem that came with blood tests every month, watching your levels, pregnancy test after pregnancy test, the emotions, the depression, the exhaustion, the lack of sleep, over sleeping, complete loss of appetite, excruciating pain in my bones and in my back. Headaches, killer headaches where i can’t get my eyes to focus. And it just grinds my gears when someone with 2 break outs says “give me your accutane.” Cause i take that a little offensively. So sit the fuck down because all these people around me (out in public, everyone of yall on here are fantastic) have no idea what it’s really like to be on Accutane.

[accugirl]

Day Twenty-Nine

Sorry that I'm not such an avid poster, but like school. And life. Soooorrrrryyyy.

Anyway, the dryness has totally spread from lips to face. Like, I went back to Sephora and invested in an even better moisturizer (or so I thought) from First Aid Beauty, but every day at school, my makeup will last until about lunch then crack and look HORRIBLE on my chin.

I stopped using the topicals I had been sneaking, and we'll see how much that helps! There's nothing I can really do unfortunately. On the bright side, my skin's looking pretty ok! And tomorrow marks 1 month since starting Accutane, so I'll definitely take a picture.

Update on the bloodwork fiasco: I'm left with some huge bruises so my derm told me it would be fine to wait a week then redo the tests for her, since I can't go back to the clinic feeling like this.

[accugirl]

Bloodwork

Hi guys :( :(

I just tried to get my month 1 bloodwork done and I'm so so mad. The first guy couldn't get a viable vein and ended up poking me 239823 times. He eventually called in the "best technician" who got a vein, filled one vial and told me it wasn't working and she couldn't get any more. Now both my arms are bruised and I don't want to go back because it hurts too badly so my derm won't get the results back in time for our appt next week!

I'm so freaking annoyed. I went to the same blood clinic when I got my baseline work done, and the same thing happened, only they eventually got it. Main point: I am never going back to that clinic again.

If any of you live in Toronto, avoid Women's College-Sunnybrook Hospital at all costs. >:(

[accugirl]

Hey, I'm on accutane and I was doing the insanity program. For me all the month 1 stuff was fun it was like cardio and some strengthening. But month2 hit me like a bag of ricks and my body couldn't handle it and I was achey all the time in my joints. Mainly my knees and ankles. I think what I learned was if your gong to exercise give yourself some breaks, don't go 6 days a week and if your aching take a slow day.

Thanks for the advice!! I didn't go to the gym yesterday, and I think I'll lay off today too - but I can't go tomorrow! So that's three days off. I feel bad, but there's nothing I can really do; I'm still super achey today. At least I know it's normal :)

[accugirl]

Day Twenty-One

The updates:

My lips are super dry and I've been forgetting lip chap a lot so I find myself licking my lips, which I'm pretty sure makes it worse :(

As for my face, there will be a few tiny dry patches by the end of the day - but that's probably just because I haven't stopped using topical creams. I have an addiction, so sue me!!!!!

I should probably stop, but they were really helpful in containing my breakout a few days ago. My skin's so great right now - one light layer of foundation has been enough, without much additional coverup, which is so rare and new to me!

That's all; wish me luck

[accugirl]

Exercise

Hi everyone! 

Now I've heard that accutane can lead to sore joints and muscles (ps: also that fish oil can help with that!) but more importantly, that it slows the healing process in your body, which is why you shouldn't pick your pimples while on the medication or get any new piercings! So does this affect exercise?

I've been working out almost every single day and my legs are so so sore and they don't seem to be recovering quickly enough for me to workout everyday. I was on the treadmill and it was so painful, I had to cut my workout time in half! :(

What's going on?!

[accugirl]

Update:

The guy discussed earlier tried to kiss me last night and I full-on chickened out, ran home, and coated my lips in lip balm hahahahahaha I'm a loser :')

[accugirl]

Day Seventeen

Hey guys,

The breakouts really subsided with the help of some topical cream! Still no facial dryness so I’m allowed to use that :) :)

The lips though :/ Chap-stick means so much to me now than before hahahaha.

Nothing else to report! It’s all looking fine and good.

[accugirl]

Day Fifteen continued: the pictures *screams*

[accugirl]

Day Fifteen

Hello! Finished my first Accutane package today... Hard to believe its been 2 weeks! I must say, if I thought I was past my initial breakout before, BOOYYYY was I wrong. Just take a look at the pictures and see for yourself. This sucks. Breakouts suck. Acne sucks. On the bright side, my skin still isn't dry - just my lips. But that might be an issue because there's a guy. Ooh la la, there's a guy. Which means the potential of kissing. Dry lips + kissing? Nope. Wish me luck - I definitely need it. Pics to be posted next because I don't have my computer with me and Tumblr mobile is ultra-confusing.

[accugirl]

Sorry

No pictures today because I'm a big fattie fat liar and I hate myself and I'm really sorry

Tomorrow? Maybe? Feel like I shouldn't promise these things because its 1am and I have school tomorrow and hey, shit happens.

Skin: same as yesterday.

[accugirl]

Day Twelve

Hey guys!

Bought a new laptop today (and it's the Macbook Air so I'm really loving the weight compared to my old Pro) so no more sad phone attempts!

Skin has been pretty much the same except that the dryness is somewhat affecting my skin now in addition to my lips. Yesterday I woke up and one of my ickier pimples was dried out! I took that as a sign that I should stop using my topical creams with Accutane. I think it's time :(

The dryness hasn't seemed to be an issue throughout the day though. A pop of moisturizer in the morning lasts me!

Anyway, I'm so sorry because I know I'm looonnnggg overdue for a progress picture - its just been so hectic with the party and now replacing all my technology that was stolen lol.

Hold me to this: PICTURE. TOMORROW.

[myjourneytoclearskin-deactivate]

This shit just set me off. I saw it on instagram and apparently people think it’s funny.

Just so you know, when it comes to girls who have acne that wear foundation, we know very well that it doesn’t just magically make our acne disappear. We know damn well that you can still pick out the freaking bumps on our face. WE KNOW THIS.

WHEN WE WEAR MAKEUP WE ARE COVERING UP THE REDNESS AND DISCOLORATION AND SCARS AND DARK SPOTS AND GOING OUT WITH THE HOPE THAT WE CAN FEEL JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER ABOUT OURSELVES EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW WE HAVE ACNE

SO THERE IS LITERALLY NO NEED FOR YOU TO POINT IT OUT TO US YOU JERKFACES. WE KNOW.

[accugirl]

Day Ten

Hey everyone! The dry lips continue to be the only side effect - it’s totally fine since there’s no dryness in my skin (so makeup still looks good) and I’m really hoping that lasts! The party I threw last night was insane. The police broke it apart because of a fight on my front lawn - there were probably 300-400 people and my MacBook and my brothers cell phone & wallet were stolen. My parents were surprisingly chill about the whole thing! They hired a cleaning team to fix the house hahahahaha. But what this means is until my family comes home and I can go out and buy a new laptop, I’m stuck posting from my phone :/ Whatever - I’m very lucky that me and my friends were OK and that the police didn’t ticket me at all :) :)

Oh and I'm also a legend at school with a new badass rep. Mwahahaha.

[accugirl]

Day Nine

My initial breakout seems to be subsiding and people have been complimenting me on my skin in the past few days!

One noticeable side effect sort of started yesterday and that's dry lips. It's not the biggest deal in the world, I just find that I have to carry around lip balm and reapply every 20 mins or so?

Last night was difficult because they were chapped throughout the night :(

The worst part is that today I'm throwing this massive rager and I definitely want to hook up with someone - but my fricking fracking lips!!!!! Grrrrrr