Accutane

[tiff13]

I have had severe acne for 5 years now and have gone to a dermatologist for the last couple of years. I've been on all the cremes and oral pills. Today I visited the family physician and she suggested Accutane. I've been reading up on it, and some of the side effects scare the living day out of me. But its a last resort kind of thing.

I searched some of your guy's post on accutane and it sounds like all of you have had awesome results. Has anyone really had a huge problem with it? And besides chapped lips, what other side effects have you had? I'm a big outdoors person(skiing), has joint pain been a major problem for any of your?

I know I will have to have monthly blood and liver tests. And since I am a girl, I'll be put on birth control.

Are there any questions I should be sure to ask my derm. when I meet with him?

Thanks.

 

[llij]

I was on it twice. The first time, no joint pain problem. The second time, major joint pain problem. My dermotologist put me on prescription motrin to deal with the pain. I felt like I was 90 years old. He ended up taking me off of accutane one month early due to the joint problem. If I remember correctly, I don't think my situation is too terribly common. Apparently, my body was attacking my joints due to the medication. It was so long ago that I can't remember....

Good luck to you.

 

[luckywife]

My DH took it and didn't have any real problems with it. He, obviously, was told to avoid a lot of exposure to the sun while taking it. The doctor also suggested he not take a lot of other meds, like Advil and stuff like that. Other than that, he did really well with it and it worked wonderfully for him. He has said before that if it ever came down to it, he would use it again.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Nicolepa]

I've taken it twice, once in Jr High and again last year. I don't remember having joint pain the first time but my mom says I did. The second time, man it was horrible! My first day at Disney I literally couldn't get up the next morning!

Your skin will dry out (not just your lips) and you will feel like you are just going to crack you are so dry! I took mine in the winter so I wouldn't have to worry about the sun as much. If you pile on the sunscreen you shouldn't burn (much) while skiing as most of your body is covered up.

I also had problems driving at night while on it. My depth perception was just horrible.

Just an FYI if you are of childbearing age and aren't done having kids it will be hard to find a dr to give it to you.

All that said, I am so happy I finally did it. I spent 3 years trying everything before I finally gave in and let the dr prescribe it.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Good wishes, Tiff.

 

[MrsKreamer]

I wasn't personally on it but a good friend of mine and my uncle both were. They both suffered from anxiety after they started taking it. It stopped when they stopped taking it too, so both of them knew it was from the acutane.

Know that b/c you are a girl, even though you are on the pill, some doctor make you sign a wavier before they will prescribe it to you. The wavier states that you understand that Acutane causes serious birth defects, and that you will stay on the pill, and have an abortion if indeed you do become pregnant. My friend had to sign a wavier stating just that.

 

[luvdisney81]

My brother was on it, did wonders for him. The biggest thing we heard was drink water and stay out of the sun. Your skin is very sensitive and I think he wore a special sunscreen everyday. Most likely a scent free, oil free kind. Driving can be to much sun for you so be careful.

 

[Caradana]

For most who try it, it's a miracle drug. This is the only face you're going to get Might as well go for it. If it works, the self-esteem rewards are huge.

 

[DisTeach1]

I was on it years ago when it first came out when I was 16. I had problems with dryness, chapped lips, and my fingernails got infected and swollen. But, worst of all, I grew depressed, had anxiety, and ultimately took an overdose of pills. I know and believe there is a link between suicide and depression and Accutane. My son, poor thing, looks like he is going to have my skin problems, but there is no way I would put him on this drug! We are too similar in our personalities. Oh! And, accutane didn't work for me. I continued to have skin problems into well into my 20's!

 

[Disneyglobegirl]

Ask your Derm about Spironolactone instead!! My SIL was prescribed Accutane and had some problems then her derm prescribed Spironolactone and it has worked wonders without all the side effects of Accutane. Spironolactone helps women with horomonal outbreaks. If you think that your acne may be horomonal you may want to ask your derm about Spironolactone instead of Accutane. Good luck.

 

[bigmerle1966]

Know that b/c you are a girl, even though you are on the pill, some doctor make you sign a wavier before they will prescribe it to you. The wavier states that you understand that Acutane causes serious birth defects, and that you will stay on the pill, and have an abortion if indeed you do become pregnant. My friend had to sign a wavier stating just that.

My best friend, who has a skin condition was a part of the trials for that and she had to do the same thing. This was a long time ago when she was a teenager.

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

For most who try it, it's a miracle drug. This is the only face you're going to get Might as well go for it. If it works, the self-esteem rewards are huge.

It was a miracle drug for me for sure. I took it one time only and it cleared up my acne. That was six years ago and I'm glad glad glad it's gone!

Side effects; annoying but not devestating. Dry lips and dry eyes. I don't tolerate my contacts well anymore either. But that is it. Small price to pay for clear skin. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[aprilgail2]

My godson was on it but not for acne...they had him on it because it also shrinks brain tumors....the only thing they told us to be very careful of is that it cause suicidal thoughts and tendencies...

 

[GailT]

OK, I am touchy about accutane. Look it up on the internet, the side effects are not good. I took it in 1997 and it was a wonder drug but but in 2001 I found out I had MS, my immune sysytems is attacking my immune system. I now have no acne and it was great but now I have to contend with MS...I am not saying that was the cause but I wouldnt give that to a dog. When reading through these posts someone said her immune system was attacking her immune system. BE CAREFUl, I would take my big zits back if I could stop my MS ( not saying this caused it but I am thinkig it did)

 

[Serena]

My daughter was on it. She had the dry skin and lips and had a hard time dealing with it. It also temporarily turned part of her hair strawberry blonde and wavy.
It helped the worst of it, but not nearly all of it. Her cystic acne wasn't as bad, but it was hard for her to tell.
She probably needed another dose of it, but I couldn't afford it and she wasn't willing. My insurance wouldn't cover it and it was $700 a month.

Good luck, but be careful.

 

[Rachie0507]

DH was on it when he was 18. It was a miracle drug for him. He has such severe scarring on his back because his acne was so bad, I'm not sure if there is anything else that could have stopped it. His biggest problem was the dryness. His skin would crack and bleed. He had nose-bleeds all the time--sometimes he would wake up in the morning and his pillow would just be covered. He didn't have any other side effects.

My dermatologist recommended it when I was 15 and my mother refused. She is a nurse and she told me that there were too many conflicting reports about the side effects and she didn't want to take that risk. I think though it was because my acne wasn't that severe, if it had been like DH's I probably would have been on it too.

 

[CheshireVal]

It was a miracle drug for me.

I had constant acne and breakouts from the age of 12 up until I was 22 (when I started accutane). I had tried EVERYTHING-- Retin-A, antibiotics, spironolactone, the pill, the no-chocolate no-soda no-cheese diet, you name it, I tried it. Nothing worked. It really impacted my self-esteem. I always covered with makeup but didn't want to get close to anyone for fear they'd see my skin.

Finally I asked my doctor for Accutane. I was on it for 3 months-- a very uncomfortable 3 months because of the dry skin-- but I haven't had a major breakout since. I get a pimple now maybe once every 3 months and it's hardly noticeable.

I would recommend this drug to anyone who feels like their acne is controlling their life.

 

[kldmom2000]

This was my miracle drug as well
I'd suffered from severe cystic acne from the age of 12/13 on through my mid-20's. I'd done EVERYTHING there was to do prior to Accutane-Tetracycyline, Doxicycline, Retin A, Differin, Benzaclin, etc., etc., etc... When I finally began to work as a clinical medical assistant for a different dermatologist, she prescribed the Accutane and I had the benefit of seeing her 5 days a week for "check-ups" and adjustments on the meds. The only side effects I suffered were the dry eyes, chapped lips, and of course a red complexion-at first, your face will break out so much worse than it ever did before as the Accutane starts bringing everything out-then it will begin to clear up. I was fortunate in only needing one course of it-I saw many patients that did need 2 or 3 courses. My skin has been clear now for over 8 years with only a zit or two each month which I now can use prescription Retin A and Benzaclin to control. I went on to have 2 healthy little girls later on (ages 5 and 3) GL to you!!!

 

[USA Here I Come]

OK, I am touchy about accutane. Look it up on the internet, the side effects are not good.

I completely agree! Accutane caused me to develop a very severe head twitch, in my opinion it just isn't worth it. Make sure you do a lot of research before deciding if you want to go on it or not.

 

[mic&min]

This was also a miracle drug for me!! I have had many problems since I was 12 or 13 and didn't get on Accutane until my 30's. I love what it did for me and the only side effect I had was the dry lips.

My daughter just got off her round of Accutane and it worked for her also. She is 13 and she did have more side effects. The dry lips were the hardest for her to deal with because kids would tease her about her lips. She also had some joint pain but she has not complained about that since being off of the medication for 6 months.

Good Luck!!