Tags
Acne, beauty, Cry, dry, Isotretinoin, Knees, Medication, Moods, Oratane, Skin
So here we are at the 4 month update. The time between 2 months and now has brought some new things and treatments is coming along nicely.
If you want to see my beginning post & 2 month update see here & here for some back history.
Im now on to my 4th or 5th box ( oops I’m beginning to loose count). My medication has been changed to 1 tablet one night & then 2 the next then back to one the following. My dose is still at 20mg which suits me fine as i’d prefer to double up on tablets every second nights apposed to going up in milligrams ever single day. Some new symptoms have turned up and some old ones have increased. Im still keeping a diary of anything that pops up so here is a little breakdown of all thats been happing and the progress so far:
Symptom
Dry lips: Yep still here with vengeance, this is not going away any time soon so i am just still keeping up with the lip balms.
I have now for some reason been able to wear lipstick on most working days which i am loving but i still take off to eat, apply loads on lip balm then totally reapply. Sometimes at work i just can’t be bothered so i just spend the day with nude lips. Oh well a few hours a day is better than none at all i think.
Dry facial skin: My skin is still behaving. Occasionally i find a dry patch here and there but I’ve maintained a pretty good skincare regime, I’m still using loads of sheet masks, toner, moisturiser and face oil. I think I’ve been quite lucky to not have had excessively dry skin and anything that has popped up I have been able to deal with really well.
I had a consultant at high end counter who didn’t believe me at all when i said i was on oratane. She told me my skin did not look like ‘someone on oratane’ & totally dismissed my skin concerns. Ha your loss lady, no sale for you!
Dry body skin: Im still mad crazy about body moisturiser. I still religiously apply it morning & night and i must say i am really happy i got into such a great routine as it has definitely paid off. Viva la body moisturiser!
Reduction in acne: Absolutely. Occocasionally a wee little pimple pops up but by the next day its gone with absolutely no remanence at all. Yay.
Tiredness: Yep I’m still napping. Im still super tired and am kind of freaking out how i will go for my christmas period which is coming up soon (october to january is my retails christmas period…. kill me now!). I always extend my shifts & work some crazy hours and i am not looking forward to this and the effect it will have on me. Oh well we’ll just have to see.
Emotional: I’ve moved on from being a cry baby to the rudest, short fused mole you have ever met. The smallest things sets me off and i cannot contain my rage. I lost it with my power company as they sent me a ridiculous estimated bill & i definitely got my point across about.
I constantly feel like I’m going to burst out crying but if you asked me why i seriously couldn’t tell you as i don’t feel upset over anything but i can feel the tears welling up. But I don’t feel sad, i just feel really angry. Sorry i don’t really know how to explain it.
At work i must say i am generally the nicest, honest & approachable sale assistant you have ever met. Im usually quite submissive as you know the old chestnut “the customer is always right” but lately I’ve got a sharp silver tongue. I just sooooo over rude, obnoxious know it all pains in the arse as they hate the world & everything in it customers.
I really need to bite my tongue & snap out of the Mole on wheels mood I’m in. I know normally i would never speak to anyone this way. Its like the filter between my brain & mouth has been switched off. I know as soon as i hear myself speak i should not had said or spoke in the manner i did/do. I don’t do it all the time but i should even do it once.
Headaches: Im still getting these from time to time but nothing a nap or pain killer can’t knock on the head.
Dry eyes & nose: same same. Have not improved but have not worsened so its all fine.
Painful joints: Oh my lord my knees kill me. Constatly they hurt, like really really hurt. I have trouble getting out of bed i the morning as I’m all stiff and sore. I seriously look like an old woman. On a work day by the end of it I’m all sore and achy and just cannot wait to sit down. My left knee seems to hurt a lot more than my right for some unknown reason. Im really hoping that this eases up and disappears when i stop my treatment.
Here are photo’s from just before i started my treatment.
Progression so far, well here are 2 photos to show how its all clearing up.
And there are the recent ones:
So it seems the light in the kitchen makes me green like kermit the frog! But hey you get the gist!
And the treatment continues………… Wish me luck.
So what do you think of the treatment so far?
Sarah (@beautstoryblog) said:
Wow I believe it is looking a LOT better! 🙂 I think all the moisturising is also helping with the scarring (which of course is another crappy aspect of acne at any age isn’t it; it’s such a meanie of a condition for ppl to experience!). How long do you have to continue on with the meds, or is this a situation where one must keep taking it to sustain results? (Pardon my ignorance!) Good luck with the continued journey – and don’t kill anyone lol! 😉
thebeautydispensary said:
Thanks Sarah, yeah i must admit I’ve notices a huge change.The scarring had reduced dramatically in my eyes. I have to go back for a review in November. I’m seriously hoping that my treatment will finish then as i really don’t want to be on it longer than 6 months & especially during summer. Eep. I promise i’ll try & not kill anyone.
Pip said:
Your still beautiful to me xxx
thebeautydispensary said:
Naw thanks Pippy, you are the best sister Ever.
Tegan said:
Yay, look how good your skin is getting! I am so excited for you.
I’m 5 weeks down and going strong, not having a lot of symptoms apart from dry lips and skin (if i forget to moisturise) and also my period has gone haywire :|.
I’ve certainly already noticed a reduction in the cystic acne and i can totally see you’ve lost all of yours!
I have to say I’m really worried about getting mood swings too. I have a pretty stressful job and i take two Swisse Mood pills everyday and they help so much! If you’re after something calming i would highly recommend them. I take one in the morning and then another at lunch, and if i forget to take my lunch one i can totally tell the difference as i am very snappy and get stressed so easily. However once i take it within an hour i am so much more mellowed out and nothing seems so bad anymore.
I hope it’s ok that I’m on them but i tried to tell my doctor about all the vitamins i take (i also take hair, nail and skin as well as immune boosters and iron supplements etc) but he dismissed me and said there would be no problems.
I hope your joint pain eases soon. could you try some rubs that targets Arthritis or something? Maybe your doctor could suggest something. Hopefully with the warmer weather coming it won’t be so bad. Maybe the cold was making it a little worse.
❤ Tegan
thebeautydispensary said:
Hi Tegan, i was only thinking of you yesterday. Wow 5 weeks into your treatment, yay. I found the first month the hardest as i wanted everything to happen at once. Yes i am a little impacient. Im so happy that your acne is showing signs of reducing That is just awesome!!!!
I was put on Yaz contraception pill & my period has been like clockwork, really light & practically no existent which is fabulous in my eyes.
I asked about vitamins & supplements too and was told it was fine as long as i didn’t take any vitamin A.
Im thinking of going back to 1 tablet a day just to see how my moods are as I’m thinking perhaps the doubling up is the cause.
My doctor wasn’t too worried or concerned about the joint pain, just pretty much said to was part & parcel with the treatment.
Im so happy your treatment to coming along nicely & keep up the good work. If you need anything just email me lovely.