Posted in Roaccutane Diary by sparklypickle


 

sparklypickle: Week 20 – The End – pics, stats, graphs and everything inbetween

August 31st, 2009

So that’s it. The last tablet has been taken. My journey with roaccutane is (fingers crossed) over.

As you may know from my frantic coment to my previous diary entry, I got me another mini pimple, or pimplet, which I like to call them (apparently this is a type of anemone too, but I reckon anemones are somewhat less attractive to have on your face though!) lets see:

le pimple miniature:

le pimplet anemone:

for sure, I think I had the lesser of two evils there…

I bought out the differrin early to heal it up faster too. OOooh random statement – check your bellybutton. Clearly I do not do this often enough, I was playing with my bellybutton stud and realised that there was enough dry flaky skin in there to make a snow globe…..gross huh ??(don’t screw your face up like that until you’ve checked your own)!!!

on to the main event then:

Before, during and after photos (all without make-up):


Out in the wild, completely free from make-up today

A graph of my progress:

The final stats:

approximate improvement = 94%

time completed =100% (5 months, 20 weeks)

dose completed =100% (5.000 mg)

unhealed lesions: 0

bumps waiting to surface: 2 (its the same two..still no action)

-

Positive effects of roaccutane

triumphed over the acne HUZZAH!!,

only needing to wash my hair every 4-5 days rather than every 2

reduced facial oiliness so no giant shiny nose or makeup sliding off

Enforced alcohol detox – good for systemic health

increased water intake (as above)

self-confidence boosted and depression elevated (and lowered anti-depressant dose as a result)

cleared up some bizarre skin condition on my knees and elbows which I’ve had since childhood but didnt think it was a condition (which I have now identified as psoriasis circumscripta)

-

All the side effects I had, classified by the level of discomfort caused:

1. mildly irritating – increased thirst, sleep disturbances and weird dreams, eye dryness requiring eye drops, itchy arms, slightly more erratic than usual periods, Eczema on hands and arms, but only for the last week..ugly, but  as my grandma says, you have to suffer to be beautiful!

2. moderately annoying- constant fatigue, hand rash, , itchy scalp requiring T-gel, flaky peeling skin, especially the chin area, increased downy facial hair, dry lips needing constant carmex, increased capacity to sweat, and perculiar upper lip sweating (daily)

3. very irritating and frankly uncomfortable- constipation causing repeated fissures, muscle and joint aches on occasion making it really quite painful to walk, or sit, or lay down, or do anything really,

4. painful and barely tolerable – waiting for my skin to actually stop having new spots and being told that I was making up the aforementioned side effects by my partner…basically, nothing seriously intolerable happened to me.

-

Advice to anyone taking or about to take Roaccutane:

drink plenty of water, dont drink (much) alcohol, wear sunscreen, behave yourself with regards to the two contraceptive methods (if youa re in the PPP (pregnancy prevention program). Remember that everyone reacts differntly to medications and not to get disappointed or upset if you have different progress or side effects than other people. Write a diary on this site and post pictures because it really helps you to see how far you have come, and the support is overwhelming too make sure you take your pills with some fat because the drug is only fat soluble and othewise wont be properly absorbed.

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Sparklypickle’s Roaccutane survival shopping list:

Neutrogena T-gel

Carmex

simple moisturising facial wash

simple light hydrating moisturiser

simple derma intensive relief cream

tesco comfort eyedrops

Dove Pro-age conditioner

some evening primrose or starflower oil capsules (if you are female)

Clinique superfit foundation (presumably females only)

savlon (for cracked mouth corners)

Sanex Dermo intensive shower creme (v moisturisng)

Thanks for paying attention, thanks for all the comments, thanks for coming out on a cold rainy night. Anyone with any questions, please ask away! Let’s see how I and my newly clear skin cope in the following weeks and months eeeeeeek!

Sparksx

This entry was posted on Monday, August 31st, 2009 at 6:40 pm and is filed under Roaccutane Diary. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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23 responses to “Week 20 – The End – pics, stats, graphs and everything inbetween”

  1. spottyguy

    31st Aug, 09

    Well done on your last pill!! Although I am fairley new to this site, I am sure many people have benifited from your endless advise & enthusiastic diary posts. Cheers & hope you never have another single spot again!! Keep up the good work.

    at

  2. jude123

    31st Aug, 09

    I’m wondering why you found the evening primrose/starflower caps helpful? thanks Jxx

    at

  3. jude123

    31st Aug, 09

    P.S You look fab xx

    at

  4. loulou

    31st Aug, 09

    Brilliant as always sparkly, please be sure to come back every now and then to keep us updated. I will miss reading your diary entries. Take care :o )

    Lou x

    at

  5. sparklypickle

    31st Aug, 09

    Hey, thanks, so I have taken evening primrose or starflower or a mixture for years to help with PMT etc and founds that taking it made my skin softer. There are reports that taking EPO or vitamin e can lessen the side effects of roaccutane (its used to treat excema and some forms of arthritis) , but others say there is no proof, all I know realistically is that if I took the EPO at the same time as the Roacc, then the roacc was better absobed because of the oil, plus EPO is good quality oil containing gamma linolenic acid (GLA) which can only be good news for your skin :)

    at

  6. jude123

    31st Aug, 09

    Thanks for that I’ve got some in the cupboard I can take. If I tried any vitamins or food supliments before treatment it used to make my skin much worse.

    at

  7. sparklypickle

    31st Aug, 09

    No probs, I guess its probably not gonna work for everyone, but it can also be applied topically to scars to help the healing, but only if you have no active acne, otherwise the oil will just make the acne WORSE!! I now wonder if part of the reason for my rollercoaster PMT was due to the upset of getting EVEN more acne than usual during that time!!

    at

  8. lynda22

    31st Aug, 09

    Well done Sparks – you look fantastic and you sound so happy and confident. I’m having an emotional day so I’m trying not to shed a tear of joy for you! The progress from your pics is very impressive, loving the make-up free shot. Please, keep us posted on life post-Roaccutane. This site wouldn’t be the same without updates from Dr Sparks.
    x

    at

  9. sparklypickle

    31st Aug, 09

    Thanks Lynda! Yes I feel very happy and confident :D my mother came to visit me and she hasnt seen me for over six months and she was amazed at the change because I havent actually had normal skin-coloured cheeks (or a smooth forhead) for about ten years, they have always been red from spots covering them!! I could do without the sweaty upper lip though..hopefully that will go away soon…you can see in that pic how shiny it is…mmmm sweaty grossness…

    at

  10. Vivi

    31st Aug, 09

    Wow!! You look amazing, and what improvement!! I’m so pleased for you, you seem like such a nice person and it’s been truly wonderful following you on this journey.

    Well done!!!

    xxx

    at

  11. tricia

    31st Aug, 09

    ‘Enforced alcohol detox’ I like that one, funny. Wishing you good health and clear skin always. God bless!

    at

  12. laurena

    1st Sep, 09

    Your skin is gorgeous! It has such a beautiful glow to it aswell, well done for seeing it through to the bitter end!

    x

    at

  13. jayy96

    1st Sep, 09

    hey sparks. looking gorgeous- skin is just looking absolutley stunning. uv just given me hell of alot of hope after looking at them pictures. hope u stay here & dont just dissapear just yet, we all need u!!
    thanx for all the advice, & more to come.
    jay x

    at

  14. teedo

    1st Sep, 09

    Well done…looking fab girl! Thanks for the advice…

    at

  15. fanniemarie

    2nd Sep, 09

    Your pics are fantastic, well done you, I’m sooo pleased for you and you sound so much happier than when you started. I’ll miss reading your updates. I’ve got the tinterweb back on at home now, silly BT! So will sort out pics, will need someone to take them to see if I can get the pit marks to show up. Your transformation has been so quick and so successful I’m sure you’ll soon get to the point when you laugh at the appearance of one spot and say ‘nice try but your not going to win this time!’ Take care and keep us updated on post roacc :D
    FM x

    at

  16. yasemina

    2nd Sep, 09

    sparks,
    i am sooooooooooooooo happy for you really!! you have a fansastic results here and it is very inspiring for me.plus all your support you gave to roaccutane sufferers here is very nice of you.and now i am sure you will not have your old pals pimples again so dont worry about this and keep on enjoying your clear skin..
    take care…
    ps.i love the hair colour it suits you alot…

    at

  17. sparklypickle

    2nd Sep, 09

    “roaccutane sufferers” lol! thanks for all the comments and complements guys x

    at

  18. dimstar

    24th Feb, 10

    Wow! Thanks for the link to this very comprehensive guide to the potential troubles ahead. Biochemist you say? No kidding!!:) I hope it’s all still working out for you.

    regards,

    Anthony

    at

  19. kb64

    25th Feb, 10

    You look brilliant and thanks for the detailed account, very positive to read. Please keep us informed on how you are getting on after R. Tis great to see some one looking so happy and confident outside and inside. Keep us updated.

    kb64

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  20. sparklypickle

    25th Feb, 10

    you are welcome,

    I may have been a big misery-moo-moo for a couple of months but I back on smiling form again :D I have two wedding to attend in the next two months an have no worries about my skin..this will probably come as a shock to the people I went to school with who always saw me as the spotty shy quiet one. Mwahahahaha. not any more :P

    xx

    at

  21. kb64

    27th Feb, 10

    Hi

    My hands go a really bright red and stay that way for awhile, did you ever get this. I’m wondering if it has anything to do with blood circulation ??? It’s been happening for the last 3 wks and I am not seeing the derm until early April. Don’t know whether to stop R or not. Any ideas.

    kb64

    at

  22. sparklypickle

    28th Feb, 10

    Hey, bright red hands, no that’s a new one on me. I had very dry skin on my hands and a lovely red rash at times. Well even now if my hands go from one extreme temp to another they do go a lovely tomato colour I suppose. Do your hands itch? is it a rash or all over redness? do you get tingling or coldness in your hands? I’d be surprised if is ciculatory if red, maybe if they were gong pale or bluish or tingling or feeling very cold or numb.. If this is the only side effect you are worried about? It doesn’t sound to me like a gooe enough reason to stop the tablets. maybe if your moisturise your hands more often they will improve? what triggers thte redness anyway??

    at

  23. ton254

    6th Apr, 10

    Well done! You made it :) I haven’t been on the site for a while… I hope everything is still nice and clear!

    at

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