Accutane?

[shep88ner]

for anyone who read my other post about my crazy bad acne then this is somewhat of a follow up on that. i went to the dermotologist on tuesday and they took one look at me and put me on Accutane. ive read all about it in this little booklet they gave me about all the warnings and ive read all about it online about how dangerous it is.

 

my pharmacy is the worst pharmacy in the world so i STILL havn't got my prescription filled, so i have all this time to read. for anyone in here who has used it or knew people who used it...did it work? did they have any health complications?

 

i read about kidney failure and depression and all this...and also about all the huge birth defect warnings...however, as my dermotologist put it, "Since i don't have a uterus i don't have to worry about it." lol

[Leonhart]

It worked pretty well.

 

I got two bloody noses with it, not too bad. It dried out my skin badly though. I tore like paper and bruised easier than normal. I became EXTREMELY thirty and had to constantly drink water. At least 8 - 10 big glasses per day. Some redness on the face is to be expected too. That was about it. Took it for about four months and it took care of most of the problem. I still get the occasional zit, but nothing like before. I was a mess before (which really undermined my self-confidence and self-esteem).

 

I was depressed and sad way before I ever took it, so that had nothing to do with it. lol

[huntmarsh]

It worked pretty well.

 

I got two bloody noses with it, not too bad. It dried out my skin badly though. I tore like paper and bruised easier than normal. I became EXTREMELY thirty and had to constantly drink water. At least 8 - 10 big glasses per day. Some redness on the face is to be expected too. That was about it. Took it for about four months and it took care of most of the problem. I still get the occasional zit, but nothing like before.

 

cousin took it, she complained of the same stuff, but it looks like it did wonders for her

[Leonhart]

I honestly think it's worth four or five months of discomfort to clear up such a horrible problem.

 

I look ten times better now, and do feel a bit better about myself. It never "caused" suicide or suicidal thoughts in me at all, contrary to what the media tries to say.

[Aueft]

It worked okay for me. I was totally clear for 4 months afterwards, but I'm breaking out a lot more now, and may have to go back on it, or something similar. I'm still MUCH clearer than I was, though.

 

Wilhelm basically has all the side effects covered, though. I think it's worth it.

[CluelessGuy321]

I have been on accutane treatments 3 times @ 6month intervals each.

 

For me, all I would get is dry skin and chapped lips. My LDL Cholesterol levels also spike up in my liver and have not come down. My friend who only needed to take 1 treatment had his hair thin out and got nose bleeds.

 

All in all, Accutane worked for me while I was on it and a few months after, but I still break out. The last time I took Accutane was 3-4 years ago.

 

I refuse to go back onto Accutane as it is NOT a permenant fix for me. Instead, I am doing something called "Photodynamic Therapy" using a chemical called Levulan and a v-beam blue laser. It's expensive, but it's topical so I don't have the internal side effects and crappy feeling I get on Accutane.

 

If after a few months after you take Accutane your face does not clear up, I would look into Photodynamkic Therapy if you have the money for it.

[CharLit]

A friend of mine was on it for 6 months 3 years ago: her skin got a bit dry, but that was all, and it's really worked wonders for her! She was very concerned about the side-effects because she had a history of depression, but it didn't cause any kind of relapse in her.

 

Just remember, if the side effects are too bad, you can always stop!

 

Hope it works for you,

 

C

[StarLily]

gave me crystal clear, glowing skin

Then everything came back, but after accutane birth control pills worked for me (didn't work before) But, since you're a guy, that's not an option for you. Many people never see acne come back again.

[Jess...]

I'm not so sure about "Accutane", but I was on Roaccutane, (I'm assuming its pretty similar) and it was the BEST thing I have ever done for myself. i had really bad acne, and really self conscious about it, and it cleared it right up and I have perfect skin now! I have been off it for about 18 months or longer now, and in the time since I've been off it, I think I have had about 3 zits! Amazing considering they used to crop up about every day! lol. I had little scars, but they have faded and are really hard to see.

 

I got really dry skin, dry eyes, lips etc, I didn't get bleeding noses too often I don't think...I had a couple...but not too bad. Bruising easily, because it thins your skin out soo much, so you have to be careful because you brusie like 10 times more easily, even just a playful punch can end up in a bruise, and sunburn!! Never go out in the sun with sunscreen on while you're on it. I went out in my paddock one day, I was out for 10 mins. 10 MINS!!! and i came back like a beetroot!! lol so be very careful of that!

 

Also, you cannot donate blood, while you are on it, or for 6 months after you complete treatment.

 

Do not worry about the suicidal thoughts, the depression, I was like that too, I thought "oh this doesnt sound good" but really, it clears your skin up so amazingly well, how could you get depressed over that! lol but seriously, it doesn't cause the depressive thought, I never had any

 

Go for it, jump in headfirst. After a couple of months, you will start to see results, but don't expect to see them overnight. Be patient, and the end result my friend, is WELL worth any side effects you may have to endure throughout the process. Trust me

[PharmD]

, as my dermotologist put it, "Since i don't have a uterus i don't have to worry about it." lol

 

Thats a very shallow statement coming from a doctor.

 

Im going into pharmacy and do have acne so I know a little about accutane (same thing as Roaccutane. Both are isotretinoin) It can have very adverse effects yet can be the best solution for cystic acne. There is tons of success stories of people on accutane. Everybody reacts to it differently. However, there are steps you can take to help minimize the side effects of accutane.

 

Watch your diet. Keep fatty foods to a minimum.

Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate....drink plenty of water.

Use lip moisturizers....

avoid alcohol

wash your face with mild soaps like Cetaphil and use a facial mosturizer( one that doesn't contain Benzoyl peroxide)

If you can, get a humidifier for your room.

 

I'm not sure if I can post a link to another forum on here but try this website (link removed )for further info on people who have tried Accutane and how it has worked for them.

 

All the best and I hope you clear. Acne is a monster.

[bozzman]

Accutane is not good I would not take it, it can cause a lot of problems.

There are a lot better solutions out there that don't cause any problems!

[shep88ner]

I read your post just now and i was slightly drawn to one thing you said...you put in the list of things to avoid you put alcohol. well...last night i went to a friends house and had around 6 beers. i had only taken 2 of these pills up until this point. i'm not going to drink anymore while im on it becuase i dont want to do anything stupid to get myself hurt. but do you think i'm ok if i stop now? you dont think i already could have screwed myself do you?

[PharmD]

but do you think i'm ok if i stop now? you dont think i already could have screwed myself do you?

 

no you are fine. but now that you know, stay away from alcohol.

 

Accutane takes a huge toll on your liver and so does alcohol. consuming alot of alcohol while on accutane is a double blow on your liver.

Alcohol also increases your body 'fat'( triglycerides) and so does accutane. ?High levels are to be avoided. thats why you have to go in for blood work every so often while on accutane.

 

I'm sure your dermatologist gave you a pamphlet to educate you on accutane. (it is required by law that your dermatologist educate you on accutane before you are put on it) Please read the info on there and also ask your doc if you have further questions.

 

Disclaimer. Im not a doctor and by no means should you take this as your only source of info.

 

All the best on you treatment.

 

PS My dermatologist refused to put me on accutane because she does not think my acne is bad enough yet I still flare up on occasion. Its frustrating, but I'm sure you already know that.

[terk2021]

shep,

 

I took it about 12 years ago. It worked well. Everything else just did not do the job. The only thing I will say is about 1 or 2 weeks into it, I had a massive breakout for about a week. It was getting everything out of the body...

 

I did have the chapped lips and dry skin, but that went away after I stopped taking it. I did drink, but not too much. I rarely broke out at all after I finished taking it. I think I did it for about 6 months.

 

Just be careful with it, and follow all of the docs instructions. It's a fairly potent drug...

 

Terk

[StillClimbing]

You are 18. Your acne is caused by a spike in your testosterone levels. It will go away with time...I would use topical agents (benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or differin) instead of toxic chemicals like accutane if I were you. Don't just take it becuase they dermatologist gave it to you!

 

 

I took it in college and it DID NOT WORK for me.

 

It did cause:

1)pieces of my skin to rip off if I touched too hard (like if I had an itch and scratched too aggressively)

2) severe light sensitivity (I would leave a class and be blinded by the outdoor light and need a friend to walk me home with my eyes closed!).

3)depression

 

 

I was one of a small percentage for whom it does not work. I do have cystic acne and now, at the age of 28, the best thing has been birth control pills with an anti-testosterone agent called spironolactone (I use Yasmin). I say that part for any women reading this post and realize it is not useful to you as a guy. But have you tried topical antibiotic cream or any of the other non-systemic avenues? Be careful of what you put in your body!

[shep88ner]

yea...ive used just about everything. first i started to use Clean N' Clear...that didnt do a thing. then i used another cleaner (forget the name right off), then i tried Cetaphil. Those did nothing. Then i tried this genaric acne medicine my girlfriend recommended...all it did was make my face peel. so then after all that i bought proactiv because it is supposed to be "so great". well...i used it, and it did a great job of doing absolutly nothing.

 

so that's why i went to the dermotologist. at this point i'm pretty sure accutane is the only thing left. im desperate to lose this acne because its my first year of college and it hurts my self-esteem so much to look the way i do. so i'm willing to give it a try and see what happens. i wouldnt have tried something this serious and severe without trying everything else first.

 

so right now im taking accutane and washing with Cetaphil (Cetaphil was recommended). i also take a vitamin E pill to combat dryness. ive only taken 4 of them so far so all the side-effects and stuff havent started yet.

[vermilion]

I just went to my new dermatologist yesterday.

 

My old one had retired and he had never really given me anything for my acne and everything he gave me for my eczema hardly worked. He never gave me refills of medicine so if I did find something that worked I had to get another appointment which could take months and by then my eczema would break out all over again...

 

This new guy was technically not even an M.D.- but a Physician's Asst.

 

But right after I explained that My pimples were painful if I pressed down on them and saw my clogged pores, he put me on Minocycline, an antibiotic with no bad side effects other than that it makes my birth control pills less effective (guess I'll switch methods). Which, of course, you wouldn't have to worry about- no uterus. It doesn't cause freaky birth defects like fetuses growing extra limbs or anything.

 

He also said he'd put me on stronger topical medications- Duac Gel in the morning and Differin at night.

 

Then he gave me a shot to stop any itch.

 

I was surprised when he told me I'm not supposed to wash my face with normal soap like I've been doing and that as a teen, you're not supposed to be moisturizing your face at all. I hate the tight, dry feeling, but if it makes my skin clearer, so be it.

 

Right after was washing my face with oil-free soap (such as neutregena orange bar/liquid or cetaphil cleanser) and putting on the Duac I noticed a difference.

 

My pimples got A LOT worse. It really freaked me out. They started to get red and raise up into big bumps. But it turns out this was a

good thing. My pimples were just coming to a head. My face was just blotchy all over but after using Duac everything sort of separated into big red pimples and then slowly got smaller.

 

I washed again at night and took the minocycline and used the differin before bed. This morning, there is no pain when I touch my face. My skin doesn't have any bumps except for two- but they look a lot better. And my pores on my nose used to be clogged with blackheads but now it looks a lot clearer and my pores are two times smaller.

 

And this is all after only one day!

 

The reason I typed all this is to say, you might want to try more than one dermatologist. My old one didn't help out at all. He just sort of mumbled "Try proactive or something..."

 

And also, remember that sometimes it might take a while for some medicines to work and sometimes they get worse before they get better.

 

 

whew..that was a lot of typing....

[Jess...]

You are 18. Your acne is caused by a spike in your testosterone levels. It will go away with time...

 

That is not necessarily true. Some people have acne all their life. Thats what everyone kept telling me, "you'll grow out of it" or "its just a phase, it'll go away" but it didnt. It got worse.

 

The same person who rolled her eyes and said behind my back "she doesn't need Roaccutane, it's just acne!! it'll go away!" is now eating her words, and on medication for her own acne, and so is her sister...Hypocrites lol

[Leonhart]

Mine was caused by hormones as well. The doctor still prescribed accutane, and it worked well. Had it not been for her wise decision in doing so, I'd still be a damn monster!

 

Basically, one needs to decide whether it's worth the minor side-effects to have clear skin or not. I'd much rather have a couple nose bleeds and paper-thin skin for a few months than look like a hideous beast. But that's me.

[Jess...]

Basically, one needs to decide whether it's worth the minor side-effects to have clear skin or not. I'd much rather have a couple nose bleeds and paper-thin skin for a few months than look like a hideous beast. But that's me.

 

I second that!

[StarLily]

i had only taken 2 of these pills up until this point. i'm not going to drink anymore while im on it becuase i dont want to do anything stupid to get myself hurt. but do you think i'm ok if i stop now? you dont think i already could have screwed myself do you?

 

Two pills won't do anything. It's when you've been on it for a couple of weeks when you should be worried. During my first week of accutane, I said good bye to all the things I wasn't allowed to eat by... eating them.. I think I'm still alive.

Also, a lot of what you hear about accutane is just to freak you out. Just look at the side effects of any other drug. Accutane is just such that is not important to your health (not physical anyway), so people won't accept the fact that such a strong drug is used for beauty purposes.

 

Most side effects I got was dry skin and a little elevation in my blood cholesterol towards the end of my treatment... Nothing to worry about though.

[Leonhart]

I second that!

 

I only wish I'd taken it SOONER. I waited so long before seeking treatment. I could've been better looking years ago... instead of waiting so long to get help for it!

[Jess...]

I only wish I'd taken it SOONER. I waited so long before seeking treatment. I could've been better looking years ago... instead of waiting so long to get help for it!

 

Me too, I had bad acne for a couple of years, I wish I'd taken it sooner too, I could've been so much more confident throughout my high school years if I had. I only started taking it in year 10, and thats when my school life got really good, I had a lot more confidence, and just enjoyed life a lot more, knowing I had clear skin. Its a great thing isn't it

[StarLily]

well you are required to check your blood every month for your dermatologist to refill the prescription.

[StarLily]

Oh well I thought it was the same everywhere. You don't have to be so mean.

 

Don't be paranoid or you will drive yourself crazy. A minor headache you can get from anything will make you think you're dying.