Hey everybody...I posted in here about 4 weeks ago after I had
finished 6 weeks of Accutane with zero results other than no more oily
skin.

I'm almost through 10 weeks.

So the treatment is approximately half over.

The Accutane has not made one bit of difference.

At all.

And now I can see why one might become depressed while on Accutane.

This is so, SO demoralizing. How do I start every damn day? Looking
in the mirror as I prepare to make a feeble effort to reduce the red
spots and bumps with concealer make-up. I'm a GUY!! I should NOT
have to fiddle with that crap! Sometimes I wonder why I do...it's
still obvious I have acne, it just makes the bumps look more pink than
red.

The red marks from old cysts and pimples simply DO NOT FADE!!

Maybe they are fading VERY slowly, but as soon as they die down, I can
*count on* having a new batch of 3-4 little cysts on my cheeks. And
less frequently, I still get a huge cyst or two on my upper neck just
below the jaw.

My acne has never been horrific.....I've been on the most powerful
acne drug ever devised.....my first treatment is almost half
over.....and yet these are the 'results' thus far.

I'm a 170 lb male. My dosage now is 80 mg a day....for the 1st four
weeks I was only on 60 mg a day. Maybe the 1st 4 weeks were wasted by
a low dose? Couldn't I afford to be on more than 80 mg a day now?
Could that be it? I asked my derm about any foods I might avoid...she
said Accutane is 'so strong' that even if a given food was a problem,
the Accutane would "overrule it."

Heck, I don't know that I believe these people who say food matters
anyway....

You know what I hate? I'm a 22 yr old male who has had confidence
problems with girls for a LONG time. And yet, I have enough
confidence to realize that my facial features aren't half bad. But
the perpetual presence of red and pink bumps just rips my modest
amount of confidence away. 95% of the guys my age have perfect
skin....at least the ones I'm around. Girls are more observant than
guys....soI know damn well that they can see a problem with my face
from across the room.

I hate this. I hate mirrors.

Ron Haskins <ronhaskins@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:euvpd0dol9gu0nqbi6pbv43mnrgtvn0eq0@4ax.com:

<snip>

Dont panic yet. Im on week 13 and its only now that new acne has stopped
appearing. I had quite a few cysts on my neck of all places. Now Im just
waiting for all the red spots to start healing which normally takes bloody
ages. Wait until the course has finished before you get all upset. Your
derm may decide to keep you on it for another month if needed.

Give it more time. For some, they don't see the effects until after the
course is finished.

Your derm is wrong, though. If food is causing your acne it will still be
the cause of your acne. You can't treat just the symptoms and expect
results.

ar

"Ron Haskins" <ronhaskins@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:euvpd0dol9gu0nqbi6pbv43mnrgtvn0eq0@4ax.com...

On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 04:54:47 -0400, "Grant"
<hatetheviruses@hiding.com> wrote:

What are those problem foods, again? Nuts and processed sugar?

What about simple sugars, like those found in flour tortillas and milk
products?

Physiologically speaking, how could refined sugar possibly clog your
pores?

Hi Ron,

The processed sugar itself doesn't clog your pores. It's a detox process -
I think. Or, it could be a reaction to something unnatural being put in
your body. Anyway, for me, processed sugar, nuts, peanuts, B12, and tea
tree oil make me break out.

ar

"Ron Haskins" <ronhaskins@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1m8sd05ejlh8hbptjc25e1i1a0sleg9tqp@4ax.com...

I know how you feel I've gone through the same thing. When I was on
accutane my acne didn't clear up until about the 11th week. I stayed
pretty much clear until a month after I finished my last pill. Now
I'm breaking out again. I feel hopless and depressed. All I can say
is hang in there accutane has worked for a lot of people maybe you'll
get lucky and it will clear you up for good in the end.

good luck

On 28 Jun 2004 18:18:34 -0700, vincent_cac@hotmail.com (milenko000)
wrote:


Are you going back on Accutane?

My derm says that for some people, after they've done 1 course of
Accutane, the antibiotics that did NOT work BEFORE the Accutane
suddenly are effective. I try to grasp at anything to keep the hope
alive.

Maybe you could take a maintenance dose of Accutane, like 20 mg daily
or every other day?

Yeah, I belive refined sugar causes your insulin levels to increase and
cause your immune system to be temporarily weakened allowing new pimples to
form and bacteria to grow.

"Ron Haskins" <ronhaskins@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1m8sd05ejlh8hbptjc25e1i1a0sleg9tqp@4ax.com...