A Year On
It’s been very nearly a year since I finished taking isotretinoin now. So, how’s my skin?
My back, which was, of course, my main problem when it came to acne, remains clear. I had the cyst that was left after treatment removed, though it turned out it wasn’t an acne cyst, but an epidermoid cyst. It was just a coincidence that it was in the same place as my acne!
My skin is still a little drier than it used to be, but I’ve gotten used to that and have got a good skin care regime going now. I also still have to use my Carmex lip balm a couple of times a day or my lips do get very dry. I get the odd white head and the odd few blackheads on my face, but nothing much at all – certainly nothing worth complaining about!
The verdict in the end is that the treatment was very successful. A little frustrating at the time, but very definitely worth the effort and the risks. I do still check on this blog so if anyone does want to ask any questions, leave a comment and I’ll get back to you!
Six Months On
I thought it’d be worth writing to say how my skin is looking six months after finishing on Accutane.
I haven’t had a single spot on my back since I finished the treatment. I still have one cyst left behind, which I have been told I can ask to have cut out by my GP, but it could leave a scar that would be more noticeable than the cyst!
While my skin has never been especially bad on my face, it’s been almost totally clear for six months. I had a bit of a bobbly forehead for about a week a couple of months ago, but that was at a time of lots of job interviews, so I’m willing to put it down to stress.
Overall, while going for monthly pregnancy tests and all the kerfuffle was a bit of a pain, it was totally worth it. My liver results, which did go a bit high towards the end of my treatment, returned to normal swiftly, and I am delighted with the results.
Discharged
Well, I had my last appointment at the Roaccutane clinic last Tuesday. Pregnancy test passed – I now have permission to start a family if I so desire (which I don’t).
I have one lump left on my back, which one nurse told me was scar tissue, but two other nurses this time told me it’s a cyst. If it hasn’t gone down in a couple of months I can see my GP to get it chopped out… I have to wait because you can’t have such things done within three months of a course of accutane.
My skin is probably still a little bit drier than it used to be, but I’m not glued to my pot of lip balm any more, which is nice.
The End!
I went along to my appointment today (rather inconveniently placed at 3.55 – I had to leave work two hours early which is a lot of late evenings to make up the time…) and it was delayed by about half an hour. I didn’t really mind though – my boyfriend was there to keep me company and it’s not like they weren’t obviously busy.
The usual checks – pregnant? No. How would you describe the improvement? Very good. Dry lips? Yes, using Carmex. Dry eyes? No. Muscle aches? No. Do you feel miserable? No. Have you lost interest in things? No. Have you felt angry? Noooooo. Still taking the pill? Yes!
And that’s it. A quick glance at my back to show that I haven’t had a new spot in probably three months. A bit of maths to double check the dosage and the news that there was a slight miscalculation and I am actually a couple of days over the necessary dose and that I can stop!
So I’ve done it! I’ve made it through my isotretinoin treatment. I am very much hoping that my lips go back to normal and that my nose stops being so red nice and soon, and I’m going to keep a record of that.
I have to go back for one more appointment in five weeks just to make sure I’m not pregnant and if I need any topical treatment, I can get it then… but I’m done! Hurrah!
Bruised
Just an aside to say that since I wrote my last entry, the bruise on my left arm from the blood test has doubled in size. Attractive!
Blood
I went to have my blood tests taken today. I’ve technically had the full set of blood tests (3 lots) that you’d expect to have during a normal course of isotretinoin, but thanks to my lowered dose meaning I’m on the drug for longer, I had to have an extra lot.
The worst thing for me about the blood tests is that I have to fast for them. I’m a breakfast addict – I don’t start the day well unless I start it with a big bowl of muesli. Other than that, though, I’m not really bothered by being prodded with a needle.
My veins haven’t been very helpful the last few times I’ve had blood taken. Today my left arm wouldn’t give a drop, despite a wiggle of the needle (I don’t like the needle being wiggled, either, it’s not exactly a pleasant feeling). My right arm was rather more compliant, luckily.
I made the schoolgirl error of wearing quite tight sleeves so turned up at work this morning with two great big lumps showing under my jumper in the crooks of my arms. I could just feel the bruise growing on my left arm and now have a nice blue circle of about 2cm in diameter. Not my most impressive bruise (when I signed onto the bone marrow donation register, a medical student took the blood sample and the bruise was about 20cm in diameter, and streaked with purple!) but hopefully my last one.
All my other blood tests have been fine, so if these are I’m crossing my fingers that’ll be it for blood tests!
In news of other side effects – nothing new other than that the dry skin on the back of my hands has come back. Not as scaly as it was before though, so that’s good!
24 Weeks In
I was a little taken aback when the nurse told me I’ve been on isotretinoin for 24 weeks now. That’s pretty much six months… and to my disappointment, I have another eleven or twelve weeks of treatment left. I thought it was going to be just another four.
I’m a bit disappointed because I was hoping to be off the medication before my birthday party on March 6th, but that’s pretty much out of the window. Ah well. It’s worth it to keep the migraines at bay, and I wouldn’t want to stop early because that increases the chance of the acne coming back.
Of course, it means another three or four trips to the hospital as well… thankfully work are very understanding! It also means more monthly pregnancy tests, which is kind of reassuring for a girl on the mini pill who doesn’t have periods!
I saw a different nurse today. I’ve seen four different people now. They’ve all been very nice, and I’ve not had much in the way of problems so I don’t mind. I can imagine that for people who find they are effected worse than I’ve been it would be nicer to have better continuity of care, though.
My back looks really good now. I haven’t had a new spot in a couple of months. I have one lump around my left shoulder. It was thought it might be a cyst, but they reckon it’s scar tissue and that it probably won’t go down now. I don’t mind. One little lump is a hundred thousand times better than acne all over the place!
One thing I really won’t miss when I come off this medication is my red nose. I look like Rudolph all the time!
Being a daft creature, I forgot to have my blood tests last month, so I need to remember to do that this time!
Mid-Month Update
I haven’t got a great deal to report at this point. My skin hasn’t had any new spots for about two months now – hurrah!
I do have one stubborn cyst which isn’t shifting just yet, but the nurse consultant did tell me that it might not go until the full course of treatment is completed.
Side effects wise, my lips are still constantly calling out for Carmex, and occasionally just peeling off completely, but as they’re well moisturised it doesn’t hurt or bleed or crack, so that’s good. My dry skin on my face is ongoing, but it’s cleared up on the back of my hands and my shoulders now.
My next appointment is at the beginning of February, so I shall update then unless anything of interest happens in the meantime!
Appointment
I had my appointment at the hospital today to check up on how my course of isotretinoin is going. I was hoping that this next month was going to be my last, but it looks like being another two because, thanks to having had a reduced dose. Boo!
Never mind though, because it’s doing a fine job. My back is clear except for one stubborn cyst, which is definitely shrinking slowly.
I have to have some more blood tests just to be on the safe side with the longer course, so I’ll book to have those at some point before my next appointment.
Still on 40mg for now!
Lip Balms: A Review
The most common side effect of taking isotretinoin is dry lips. It’s something I’ve experienced in varying degrees dependent on what dose of medication I’ve been taking, but it has been a constant. As soon as I’ve been on anything over 30mg I’ve had to pay close attention to keeping my lips moisturised or they’ve simply peeled off, cracked and bled. I woke up in the middle of the night a couple of days ago because my top lip had cracked – the pain woke me! I’ve also woken on a few different occasions to find streaks of blood on my lower lip.
So, what have I tried to keep them moist, and what has worked best?
Neutrogena Immediate Repair Lip Balm is in a little tub. It takes a little bit of use for it to soften up so it feels like you’re getting a decent amount on your finger tip to rub on your lips, but once it has I found it pretty effective. It certainly does offer immediate relief and it improves the appearance of extremely dry lips as well as making them feel more comfortable.
Carmex SPF 15 Cherry Lip Balm is another one which I’ve got in a tub, though it’s also available in a stick and a squeezy tube. I actually bought this because I’d lost my Neutrogena and the branch of Boots I was in didn’t have any… so I punted on Carmex (I chose cherry because I like the smell, but they have a plain version too). For a start, this stuff smells delicious – my boyfriend loves it! I have to say this one is an absolute winner. I need to use it about half as often as the Neutrogena to keep my lips feeling moist and supple, and they look so much healthier since I’ve started using it!
Blistex Intensive Moisturiser wasn’t too bad, but it drove me a little bit batty to be honest. It’s easy to squirt far too much out, and even if you don’t, it’s easy to end up with very visible smears of white goo all over your lips. It feels quite greasy, and feels as if it’s just sitting on top of your lips rather than actually absorbing in. It did the job well enough if I couldn’t lay my hands on either of the above, but I wouldn’t really recommend it.
Blistex Lip Splash is rubbish, to be quite blunt. It smells a bit strange and leaves lips feeling wet and unpleasant. When your lips are peeling off in chunks, the roller ball can get caught on the dry bits and rip them off, which is not a nice experience at all.
Vaseline Lip Therapy is a must for anyone taking isotretinoin. It isn’t so good for moisturising your lips, but it’s great at protecting them. I’ve been trying to remember to slick some on at night to prevent my lips cracking while I’m asleep. I’ve also got a pot of the rosy tinted version, which is great for girls! I find that having to put lip balm on 8-10 times a day kind of renders lipstick pointless, so a tinted vaseline can come in very handy.
Chapstick is okay, but it’s not really up to the challenge of isotretinoin lips! I find it sometimes makes mine feel a bit drier, in fact.
I’d love to hear about your experiences with any other brands of lip balms and moisturisers!
