Week One on Absorica (Acutane) - March 10, 2015

Due to the side effects of this medicine I have to be approved every month by IPledge to receive my medicine. To get started I had to have 2 negative pregnancy tests, and 2 rounds of blood work showing my organs functioning properly, both tests a month apart. I also have to answer questions online about birth control. It is very important not to get pregnant while on this medication. The birth defects are  major and severe. I was approved and my medicine was ordered and on it's way. Well if you know me then you know my luck... there was a bad snow storm up north and my medicine was stuck in it. This delayed me from starting my medicine by one week. 

I finally started my medicine on 3/12/15. I honestly had no clue how potent this medicine was. I already have experienced numerous side effects from it. I can't express how chapped my poor lips are. I have to apply chapstick every 45 minutes to an hour or they feel like they are on fire with pain. Have you ever sunburned your lips really bad? That's what it feels like. I also got a sty in my left eye on the outside corner. Not fun :-( I also became very nauseous and had to leave work a little early. (I have learned that just eating a croissant is not enough food for this medicine) My face peels around my nose and mouth, and my face is dry and itches. The strangest side effect is my skin will turn bright red as if I have a sunburn and then go away on its own hours later. Oh and I was not expecting the hot flashes, I feel like I am going through menopause really early. LOL! Thankfully I have been able to handle all of the side effects so far, I was just really shocked that I had them the first week on the medicine.

I am really excited to share that I can already see a difference in my skin. My arms are already showing improvement. It is drying the old spots out and limiting the new ones that appear. I have discovered that the disease chooses a new spot to attack. First it was my right arm, then my left arm and my scalp. My legs, feet and stomach were next. Now it is on my back. I find this disease to be very odd, I never know what to expect next. I have noticed fewer spots coming up but they are a little larger than when it first started. When everything began it looked like little bug bites, the largest would be around the size of a pencil eraser, now the largest are about the size of a dime. I have also noticed by looking at earlier pictures that the scars are slowly disappearing. This makes me so happy :) I know it's vein but I really didn't want to look like a spotted person the rest of my life. I'm really shocked that I am already seeing improvement. This is so great!! I'm not going to get my hopes up because my Dr did say it will get worse before it gets better. I guess my hopes are that because we caught it so early, maybe it will make a difference. Unfortunately most people with this disease are only diagnosed in the third stage. This is when the unique characteristics of this disease come out. I am very blessed to have been diagnosed in the first stage,  I found out this is extremely rare. My hopes through all of this is that by me sharing my story and pictures that someone else will be able to be diagnosed earlier. 

Through research I have discovered just how rare Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris really is. On one UK site it started that out of their whole population of 58 million people only 156 people have this disease. That really put it in perspective for me. I have searched the internet looking for similar numbers in the US, but I have come up empty handed. Don't worry I'm on a mission to educate the public, so what ever I find I will share. Speaking of sharing my favorite website on Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris has been http://www.prp-support.org/wp/ I am so thankful for this website! I have been able to learn so much about my disease in one place. Thank you to the person who made this site, I am very grateful!