Monday, October 27, 2008

Totally OT...Accutane

This is totally off the topic, but I am interested to know if anyone has used Accutane for their acne? And if you have, what was your personal experience with it? What was it like during the cycle, did your acne get way worse before it got better? How long until your skin cleared up? Has it lasted for you or did you have to repeat your treatment? What other side effects did you have? After you were off the medicine, did the side effects go away?

I ask this because I saw a dermatologist a few weeks ago about my acne (which is mild). I requested Accutane since my sister just finished a four month cycle of it and now has gorgeously flawless skin. We both have similar skin, so her acne was mild as well, but my skin is definitely oilier than hers.

The derm I saw wasn't too gung ho on prescribing Accutane, but since I requested it he said he would prescribe it. He said he's rather try other alternatives first such as antibiotics and topical medicines. I went in with the mindset that I wanted Accutane. I have tried all other methods without success and after 20+ years of dealing with acne I want to put an end to it. Well now I'm getting cold feet about taking it.

As a female, you have to wait 30 days before you can start it to make sure you're not pregnant so I'm in my 30 day waiting period. While taking the course, you must use two forms of birth control because it causes very severe birth defects. The birth defects aren't the part that scares it me, it's the other stuff such as the potential to have depression, bad headache, blurred vision, dizziness, nausea, seizures, stroke, hearing problems, vision problems, lipid problems, well the list goes on. Then at the end it says, the common, less serious side effects are dry skin, chapped lips, dry eyes, and dry nose. I can deal with the common side effects, I'm just paranoid about the others. I realize if we all had to read a thick book about each and every medication we took that it probably wouldn't be so scary to me. My sister experienced the common side effects as well as had some joint pain that was minimized taking Advil daily. I had another friend who had the same complaints while she took it. I just don't know anyone else who has taken it and want some feed back.

If you'd rather not post a common, please do email me - noboty at kalama.com

Thanks for any insight. I'm still deciding on what to do.

11 comments:

Jacqui said...

I'd love to know what you find out. The Dr I saw told me my case was mild - I said only because my makeup is covering it well! I was given an antibiotic for the cystic acne but I still have the usual kind. I've read it could be related to being lactose intolerant if you continue to eat lots of dairy, as I do. I've stopped and I've seen a slight improvement. It could also be because I've slathered every last kind of acne treatment from washes to moisturizer. Adult acne bites especially since I made it out of my teens without a trace of it.

Micki said...

I haven't done it, but I have a close friend who just finished a four month course. She had moderate acne. To be honest, I thought she looked worse. She got these horrible dry patches-everywhere, not just on her face. They were definitely severe and her acne didn't seem to improve. Maybe it takes a month or so after you stop the treatment? Anyway, afterwards she started very mild birth control pills and that seems to be doing the trick.
She didn't have any of the other side effects that you mentioned.

Anonymous said...

I had a friends whose daughter used acutane. She had cystic acne and I would say her's was severe. She had the normal side affects and the less common depression and mood changes (but was also a teenager). They treated her for the mood changes and depression. But it completely cleared her skin- it's amazing. She's almost thirty now and her skin is still completely clear.

Naptime Seamstress said...

I have rosacea, which I think is different than acne, and since we're in the middle of our family-having years, I haven't used any meds. I am, however taking glucosamine for my TMJ and, according to my health store people, the sulfur in the glucosamine is responsible for the improvement in my rosacea. I have also read that dairy allergies or intolerances can cause skin issues. I'd tell you to check out the health food store and the Weston Price Foundation. The Price foundation has a lot of diet info and how it relates to different problems. Good luck!

Anne said...

Although you asked for personal experiences, I remember when my nephew used Accutane years ago. He had moderate acne. I do remember he suffered from unsightly scaly patches and very dry lips. His acne cleared, though.

My DD used antibiotic therapy for quite some time, but it stopped working. She takes low-dose birth control pills, and they have worked very well for her.

Anonymous said...

My oldest daughter took accutane as a teenager years back. It cleared her skin but after I read the many possible side effects(probably lots more known about it now that it is an older drug), I would probably have not let her take the risk. The younger daughter was prescribed a light form of the pill when her acne was getting bad and she also used proactive facial products in combination with the pills to get her face cleared up. Good luck with your choice mssewcrazy

Gorgeous Things said...

Have you discussed the possibility of rosacea with your doctor? It causes acne-like breakouts, but it can be treated with antibiotics and cream or gel. I developed it in my early 30s, and I have kept it under control with Finacea.

laura said...

I suffered from Acne for years. As a teenager I was given antibiotics, and then birth control pills took care of everything until I had my tubes tied in my 30's. After that it was back to mild antibiotics but I hate taking medicine. In my early 40's I started using ProActive and it really seemed to work. However I found it to be expensive and now I use Ivory soap with a buff puff (don't scrub too hard!) and Oil of Olay astringent because it doesn't strip my skin thus making my pores work overtime with more oil! So far I've been clear since the Proactive time but age probably has a lot to do with it. Good Luck!

Anonymous said...

My daughter (17 at the time) was having skin problems. We had been to the Dermo and she had tried a few things. Didn't work well. But then he put her on Solodyn which is an antibiotic i believe. He said last thing before we went to Accutane. I didn't really want her on Accutane since I had heard about the mental side effects plus limiting the sun exposure--which wouldn't work since she played softball in HS and now in college. So she went on the Solodyn and for the first month--nothing. I askled the Dermo about this and he said "give it a few more weeks". So at about week 8-9 we saw some pretty good improvement. Then she went on Yaz birth control because we heard that a) it helps with the skin and b) she would have to be on birth control for at least 30 days if she had to go to Accutane. With the Yaz and Solodyn combo, the results were great. After a few months she stopped the Solodyn and had a little "relapse" so she went back on the Solodyn for 2 months. She stopped that and has just been taking Yaz and her skin looks great-just a few zits at the end of the pill cycle. The dermo called the second round of Solodyn a "pulse" and evidently it was enough to kill the bad skin monster. Now if we could just get her to wear a visor on the softbal field along with the SPF 70 sunscreen!
Good luck with this. I am 52 and still get "period pimples". I think one should not have to get pimples AND wrinkles at the same time!
Nancy (mrsmoos)

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Ibraham said...

Hi,

I cannot prove it but, I was on Accutane (did two or three cycles I do not remember exactly how many) in 2002 between Spring and Summer.

March of 2003 I turned Lactose and Gluten intolerant!

Just like that!!!

I grew up eating dairy and whole wheat products my whole life, and no one in my family or relatives have such a problem.

Apparently there is some class action lawsuit in the works, but I am not sure if I can participate in it....

Thought, I should just share this with you....

ibrahimquadri @ hotmail.com