Experience w/Accutane

Anyone.. just curious since I am starting in one month in counting...


BTW - Very aware of the pregnancy issue so NO need to update me on that - They make sure you beat down over the head with the effects if your trying..

I don't know what it is???

Ok this is a long one:
I was on accutane for a year during college as was my husband so I can tell you our experiences but be aware everyone is different. Things to definitely expect are ( and note they increase as your doctor slowly increases your dose)...

Severely dry skin (everywhere) and chapped/ cracking lips esp in the corners, they will bleed: get aquafor for your lips/hands it really helps.

Sunburn even in the winter on exposed body parts like hands etc. Use sunscreen all the time

Skin becomes more sensitive to everything, ie be careful using soaps/body washes/creams etc. I had an allergic reaction/rash to everything except aveno bar oatmeal soap while I was on accutane, even detergents for the washer.

Effectiveness:
It took about 8 months for me to see real results with accutane but after that my face was entirely clear for about 2 years at which point the acne started to come back. Now I am on birth control that helps with the pimples on my face and it is definiltely more controlable than it was (no more under the skin big pimples) prior to accutane. I don't use any other acne meds anymore and am relatively ok with my skin (occasional break outs.)

My husband: He took accutane for 10 months during high school and has had no recurrence of acne after that point. His was mostly on his back and some on his face. His skin for the most part it totally clear now..

Overall thoughts: It will be a rough year and can be annoying but it is certainly worth a try when all else fails. It worked wonders for my DH and helped me though the effect was not as long lasting and I don't think I could ever go through it again. Neither of us had any of the severe/life threatening or emotional side effects from this medication. I was not on Birth control at the time b/c I wasn't sexually active and Birth control made me too emotionally crazy when I had tried it previously ehhehe. Good luck, tough it out because Accutane usually really helps most people. FM me with questions :)
HTH

TY I might FM you. I asked the Dr about the sun - he said no worries This makes me

The dryness he told me about.. but I asked him if it will make me age That is NOT what I want He said the 4 months he is prescribing it for should not age me

I understand this to be the MOTHER of all cures for pimples and Acne on any level and I just want to be GONE of it - I can't take it anymore. It is only the past year I am going through this and I am done

Esp if it cures me for good

Are you on the pill? That helped me tremendously.

Now I'm off it though and my skin is back in the sh1tter.

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Posted by gemmifer

TY I might FM you. I asked the Dr about the sun - he said no worries This makes me

The dryness he told me about.. but I asked him if it will make me age That is NOT what I want He said the 4 months he is prescribing it for should not age me

I understand this to be the MOTHER of all cures for pimples and Acne on any level and I just want to be GONE of it - I can't take it anymore. It is only the past year I am going through this and I am done

Esp if it cures me for good

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i know nothing about accutane so sorry for my ignorance but is it for acne? did you try retin-a? I had a prescription for a little while but i didn't really need it... now DH uses my prescription.

even for Retin-A you are not supposed to be out in the sun so i'm surprised there's not that issue with accutane...

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Posted by snwb08

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Posted by gemmifer

TY I might FM you. I asked the Dr about the sun - he said no worries This makes me

The dryness he told me about.. but I asked him if it will make me age That is NOT what I want He said the 4 months he is prescribing it for should not age me

I understand this to be the MOTHER of all cures for pimples and Acne on any level and I just want to be GONE of it - I can't take it anymore. It is only the past year I am going through this and I am done

Esp if it cures me for good

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i know nothing about accutane so sorry for my ignorance but is it for acne? did you try retin-a? I had a prescription for a little while but i didn't really need it... now DH uses my prescription.

even for Retin-A you are not supposed to be out in the sun so i'm surprised there's not that issue with accutane...

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A. I cannot go on the pill (been there done it)
B. It is not the same as the topical Retin- A ( it works similar but different)

DH was on accutane and it FUUKKED him up royally........I will talk to him when I get home but the warnings and side effects are like a novel

He got severely depressed, dry mouth, vomiting blood, extremely dry skin, weird allergic reactions randomly-Ill let you know later after I talk to him but he refuses to take it again and he has cystic acne which is way worse then acne

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Posted by PegaLega

DH was on accutane and it FUUKKED him up royally........I will talk to him when I get home but the warnings and side effects are like a novel

He got severely depressed, dry mouth, vomiting blood, extremely dry skin, weird allergic reactions randomly-Ill let you know later after I talk to him but he refuses to take it again and he has cystic acne which is way worse then acne

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omg that sounds awful. Your poor DH.

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Posted by PegaLega

DH was on accutane and it FUUKKED him up royally........I will talk to him when I get home but the warnings and side effects are like a novel

He got severely depressed, dry mouth, vomiting blood, extremely dry skin, weird allergic reactions randomly-Ill let you know later after I talk to him but he refuses to take it again and he has cystic acne which is way worse then acne

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Ok ty
I told you I might do this but you didn't tell me Tommy did it

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Posted by gemmifer

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Posted by PegaLega

DH was on accutane and it FUUKKED him up royally........I will talk to him when I get home but the warnings and side effects are like a novel

He got severely depressed, dry mouth, vomiting blood, extremely dry skin, weird allergic reactions randomly-Ill let you know later after I talk to him but he refuses to take it again and he has cystic acne which is way worse then acne

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Ok ty
I told you I might do this but you didn't tell me Tommy did it

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I am talking to him right now, he said it causes severe depression, you are not going to be able to go to the beach (no sun), some people who have taken it have killed themselves, birth defects, severe dryness-he said he would recommend waiting until the winter if you are bent on taking this.

He said go over ALL the side effects with the doctor first, he thinks its overkill for you-but remember he took it about 7 years ago, I dont know if they have changed anything about it etc. He says he wouldnt recommend it to ANYONE!

BUT he said if it works-its fantastic.

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Posted by PegaLega

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Posted by gemmifer

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Posted by PegaLega

DH was on accutane and it FUUKKED him up royally........I will talk to him when I get home but the warnings and side effects are like a novel

He got severely depressed, dry mouth, vomiting blood, extremely dry skin, weird allergic reactions randomly-Ill let you know later after I talk to him but he refuses to take it again and he has cystic acne which is way worse then acne

---

Ok ty
I told you I might do this but you didn't tell me Tommy did it

---

I am talking to him right now, he said it causes severe depression, you are not going to be able to go to the beach (no sun), some people who have taken it have killed themselves, birth defects, severe dryness,

He said go over ALL the side effects with the doctor first, he thinks its overkill for you-but remember he took it about 7 years ago, I dont know if they have changed anything about it etc. He says he wouldnt recommend it to ANYONE!

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blah blah blah.... too late doing it It if sux I get off.

I know YOU know about the pregnancy side effects but you do know there is a certain amount of time ( like years ) that you have to be off of it before its save to conceive. . . right?

Okay sorry, I had to say it. Just becuase I know someone who got pregnant on it . . .and I just know its terrible.

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Posted by gemmifer

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Posted by PegaLega

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Posted by gemmifer

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Posted by PegaLega

DH was on accutane and it FUUKKED him up royally........I will talk to him when I get home but the warnings and side effects are like a novel

He got severely depressed, dry mouth, vomiting blood, extremely dry skin, weird allergic reactions randomly-Ill let you know later after I talk to him but he refuses to take it again and he has cystic acne which is way worse then acne

---

Ok ty
I told you I might do this but you didn't tell me Tommy did it

---

I am talking to him right now, he said it causes severe depression, you are not going to be able to go to the beach (no sun), some people who have taken it have killed themselves, birth defects, severe dryness,

He said go over ALL the side effects with the doctor first, he thinks its overkill for you-but remember he took it about 7 years ago, I dont know if they have changed anything about it etc. He says he wouldnt recommend it to ANYONE!

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blah blah blah.... too late doing it It if sux I get off.

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Here you go: take a look

Accutane

I had cystic acne pretty much my entire adolesent life- HORRIBLE (like over 30 injections a week bad), went on accutane, cleared it up with some pretty major side effects- dry mouth and vaj, hard to wear contacts because my eyes were so dry, depression, COULD NOT DRINK A DROP or I would get violently ill! BAD!

but it cleared up my skin save for a few little zits here and there....


FAST FORWARD 5 years- IT CAME BACK!!! My dermo tells me to go on it again, that I need another go of it. I tell her I don't want to and that I'm nervous because I want to have a family and my wedding was coming up (this was around last Oct.). My skin was a MESS! Cystic acne again EVERYWHERE (back, face, neck, behind ears, chest- all over!)

So I tell the dermo my concerns and I tell her also that I'm getting married and that I've heard it can disfigure you (shift bones in your face, etc.)- she tell me that I'm already disfigured so what's the difference. She goes on to tell me that I'll probably just be on an antibiotic the rest of my life. FUUCKING *****!!! Its still maked me mad just thinking about it!

So at my wits end, I considered it, then I decided to go an 'alternative' route. I got a good facialist in NYC. I ordered proactiv as just basic skin care and I ordered bare minerals.

I SWEAR TO GOD my skin has never been better!!! By the time my wedding came around, my skin did a complete 180! I still have scars. I still get zits every now and again but they're NOT cysts. This woman is a miracle.

I honest to God would not even recommend this method if I didn't do it myself. I was a hopeless case and it completely turned me around.

I would avoid Accutane at all costs! You have to go on a federal register while you're on it and for up to a year after. I think its actually federally madated that you practice some sort of birth control.

The dr. told me that few things are certain in the medical community but they know for a FACT that if you conceive a child while you have this drug in your system that if it is born it will have SEVERE brith defects.

IMHO, I would REALLY advise against it. You can FM me if you want...There's more details...its just too much to type. I'll give you the name and # of the facialist too! I got her through a recommendation from this site and I've recommended her out and everyone who has been to her raves.

Good luck with whatever u decide...if you have questions I'm here

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Posted by Belongs2DanBuckley

I had cystic acne pretty much my entire adolesent life- HORRIBLE (like over 30 injections a week bad), went on accutane, cleared it up with some pretty major side effects- dry mouth and vaj, hard to wear contacts because my eyes were so dry, depression, COULD NOT DRINK A DROP or I would get violently ill! BAD!

but it cleared up my skin save for a few little zits here and there....


FAST FORWARD 5 years- IT CAME BACK!!! My dermo tells me to go on it again, that I need another go of it. I tell her I don't want to and that I'm nervous because I want to have a family and my wedding was coming up (this was around last Oct.). My skin was a MESS! Cystic acne again EVERYWHERE (back, face, neck, behind ears, chest- all over!)

So I tell the dermo my concerns and I tell her also that I'm getting married and that I've heard it can disfigure you (shift bones in your face, etc.)- she tell me that I'm already disfigured so what's the difference. She goes on to tell me that I'll probably just be on an antibiotic the rest of my life. FUUCKING *****!!! Its still maked me mad just thinking about it!

So at my wits end, I considered it, then I decided to go an 'alternative' route. I got a good facialist in NYC. I ordered proactiv as just basic skin care and I ordered bare minerals.

I SWEAR TO GOD my skin has never been better!!! By the time my wedding came around, my skin did a complete 180! I still have scars. I still get zits every now and again but they're NOT cysts. This woman is a miracle.

I honest to God would not even recommend this method if I didn't do it myself. I was a hopeless case and it completely turned me around.

I would avoid Accutane at all costs! You have to go on a federal register while you're on it and for up to a year after. I think its actually federally madated that you practice some sort of birth control.

The dr. told me that few things are certain in the medical community but they know for a FACT that if you conceive a child while you have this drug in your system that if it is born it will have SEVERE brith defects.

IMHO, I would REALLY advise against it. You can FM me if you want...There's more details...its just too much to type. I'll give you the name and # of the facialist too! I got her through a recommendation from this site and I've recommended her out and everyone who has been to her raves.

Good luck with whatever u decide...if you have questions I'm here

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wow, that is crazy!! I'm glad you were able to find a different fix for it. I can't imagine dealing with those side effects.

just curious - was it denise's facial person? I still have that link bookmarked.

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Posted by PegaLega

[
Here you go: take a look

Accutane

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dork I have the pamphlet Booklet that is HUGE btw ! I just wanted some peps real experiences they could share.

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Posted by ant n tilde

yikes no waxing!

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I dont wax

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Posted by snwb08

wow, that is crazy!! I'm glad you were able to find a different fix for it. I can't imagine dealing with those side effects.

just curious - was it denise's facial person? I still have that link bookmarked.

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yea it is She recommended her to me and I know a couple other girls on here have used her. Lydia from Kimara Ahnhert Studio. A-MA-ZING! Seriously, it took a little while but she really fixed me


Rosella (MrsBartontoBe) joked and said- could u imagine all this time what u needed was just a few good facials

I know proactiv dosen't work for everyone but i found it a good compromise. I love bare minerals too...i don't feel like it clogs my pores and its just enough coverage (Im not a big m/u person anyway)