Lymecycline - acne experiences

[IAlreadyHadOne]

I have just started Lymecycline today alongside Epiduo Gel for acne. My acne is not severe but is pretty constant around my chin/jaw area and it has been making me feel down and insecure for a long time. I thought with not wearing make up for 2 months (due to only leaving the house to work) my skin would have calmed down but if anything it has got worse.

I am wondering if anyone has been on this medication or similar and can share their experiences?

I think it takes around 6 weeks before I start to see results but I really hope it works! The information leaflet says it helps with black and white heads but those aren't my problem so fingers crossed it works for other types of spots.

Thanks in advance!

I will ring the doctor tomorrow and try and get the remaining six. Don't understand why the pharmacy didn't just give what the prescription in the first place then haven't when the doctor issued another prescription and now I have to ask again. They aren't taking calls either. Thank you.

I think thrush can be caused by antibiotics, thankfully no signs of that yet (touch wood)

Is roaccutane something you're on for a few months and then the tablets have a lasting effect or is it taken for a long time? The main side effects I have heard about is the link with bad mental health?

@whybirdwhy did you mean you had no sex drive? I have absolutely none and I wonder if it's related to this pill as it just doesn't interest me now which is not the usual me! I do want to come off it due to risks but I switched onto rigvedon I think it was called and it flared back up so doctor said I could go back on it ☹️

Didn’t work at all for me. As with another pp, the only thing that works for me is the contraceptive, Yasmin. Absolute life-saver.

@okimdonenow all hormonal contraception kills my sex drive. Except apparently the vaginal ring which I'm currently using. It's a bad time to be socially distancing

I've been on it for years. I've suffered with bad skin since my teens and I'm 51 now. Works wonders for me. I came off a few months ago and spots came back.

I’m 36 and have been using lymecycline for around 4.5 months now (6 months dose)
It’s not doing a anything for me at all, in fact since lockdown my skin has been worse, when the doctor prescribed it I had asked about roaccutane but he said only a dermatologist will prescribe that so let’s try this first. I wasn’t given any cream/gel to use with it though?

I was on dianette for years and that worked for me but I’ve now been told I was on it too long. Yasmin works for my skin but I would bleed between periods so had to come off it.

Roaccutane is taken for 6-8 months usually. Effects are long lasting. Very few people need a second dose. It works for 90% of people who take it.

With regards to the low mood side effects, this worried me greatly and I did a lot of reading on it. The studies that came out with this were not really conclusive. The nurse who prescribed mine said she has been doing it for 20 years and has never had low mood as a side effect. More commonly it is given to teens who are already suffering from mood swings plus many people with bad acne may already be suffering from depression. The studies linking roaccutane to low mood didn't look at whether the person was already depressed. It had no effect whatsoever on my mood. Had dried my skin out and I have eczema but this is temporary and should be gone in about a month now that I've finished. I have had some joint and back pain, which is common. But nothing unbearable. I've avoided exercise or anything strenuous, which you are advised.

You have to have monthly pregnancy tests and they won't prescribe the next month until they have had the negative test (bloods) as it's very dangerous for a developing foetus.

But it's worked well and I'm very happy with it. I no longer have greasy hair either!! I've never been in a position where I could go for days without washing my hair.

Under NICE guidelines is for cystic acne or persistent acne that doesn’t respond to what the GP prescribes.

If what your dr prescribes doesn’t work ask to see dermatology.

Do not suffer just because they don’t see it as a serious problem, it’s a horrible condition.

Lymecycline works really well for me!

okimdonenow sorry for the typos, (can’t multi-task), yes I meant I had no sex drive. I’m sure I had the same problem on another pill too but I can’t remember which now. I haven’t been on the pill since 2006 and I feel better for it.

Just makes you wonder what other side effects hormones have that you might not know about.

@Fluffycloudland77 if only it were that simple. My acne is both cycstic and persistent but my GP says not bad enough for a dermatologist referral.

The combination of Lymecycline and Differin is working somewhat but my skin certainly isn't clear. And I know the minute I stop it will come back and I'll be back to square one.

I've been back and forth to different GPs for years and none of them take me particularly seriously.

That’s disgraceful Mushroom, is there a different Gp you can see at the practice?.

Qwerty, my hair gets really greasy too, i have to wash it everyday. I know they say that makes the problem worse but I simply couldn't leave the house without washing it.
Is there a link to acne - excessive oils in hair and skin or something? Just noted you said Roaccutane has helped.

@Fluffycloudland77 I had a locum tell me she had to prescribe me Lymecycline to see if that worked before she could refer me to a dermatologist.

The Lymecycline didn't work but the doctor I saw next said she should have prescribed the Differin alongside it and my skin isn't bad enough for a referral anyway. Apparently the only options I have are put up with it, the pill, or keep trying different combinations of antibiotics and creams/gels

I'm nearly out of Differin so I'm hoping I get a different doctor when I make my next appointment and can convince them I need a referral.

Print off the nice guidelines and highlight the relevant bits. It’s all very well when it’s not happening to you but when was the last time you saw a dr with bad skin?.

Try and see a woman.

I would imagine so OP as greasy, oily skin produces spots hence the greasy hair. Roaccutane works by shrinking the sebaceous glands and basically stopping oil production so no greasy hair as well as no greasy skin. I'm loving the fact I sometimes need to think about when I did wash my hair because usually the fact it had been 2 days and was too greasy to wear down was always my cue.

@Fluffycloudland77 I saw this doctor a few years ago about my skin and his words were "Yeah I had a real pizza face back in uni so I know it's not great"

I doubt they're doing face to face appointments at the moment but I'll try to impress upon the next doctor that I can't just stay on antibiotics forever. Especially when it doesn't really work.

He wasn’t qualified at uni though. Post grad they don’t walk round with acne, most of them anyway.

Their not sticking to guidelines. If you walked in wanting to change gender you’d have more notice taken of you these days.

@MushroomTree @whybirdwhy I have been taking different pills for years now and my sex drive has got progressively worse I'm only mid-late twenties and I feel bad for my DP as I think he feels it's something to do with him, we don't have children yet so I feel like we should be making the most of it! It does really get me down sometimes and I wish I was more interested, I really need to do some more research and look at what's going to be best in the meantime. I'd like to come off the pill altogether and just remember what it's like to be 'normal' again without adding in any extra hormones.

P.s so sorry op to derail your thread! I'm going to do some research and I'll make my own thread if I need any more answers or advice 😊

Lymecycline worked for me for a while, but then stopped. I then went on doxycycline which gave me recurring thrush, then I caved and went on the pill. I had been avoiding it because I really didn't want to mess with my hormones, but I was desperate. Acne completely gone after 2 months.

I begged to go on roaccutane as my skin was really getting me down, but my GP said that my acne was not severe enough. It was similar to yours, so I think you would struggle to get referred but may depend on your GP.

@Fluffycloudland77 exactly. I also had to really put my foot down to stop him just prescribing me the pill because he seemed to think that was the only option.

@okimdonenow it's definitely worth looking in to. I've been on every type of hormonal contraceptive going over the years and they all kill my sex drive as well as a variety of other not nice side effects. My last try at any contraception at all is the vaginal ring and so far, so good but I'm keeping a close eye on it. If this doesn't work then I'm packing it in all together.

I have a DD and actually want to be sterilised but apparently at 28 I'm far too young to know what I want but that's a whole other thread!

There’s som really bad care on this thread from drs. It comes across as a mis-conception that roaccutane is only for the very worst cases but that’s not true. It’s for long term acne that doesn’t respond to normal treatments too & my dermatologist said it was a very rewarding drug to prescribe because patients were so happy with the results.

Yes it’s a strong drug but it works, you’ll probably only need to take it for 6 months max and then that’s it. I was only on it 4 months. The dermatologist told me to ask for a referral back to them if my acne returned because it was a waste of time to go back to prescription treatments again.

cks.nice.org.uk/acne-vulgaris#!scenarioRecommendation

NICE guidelines. We’re being failed by medics not willing to pay a referral fee.

If anyone’s using progesterone based contraceptives consider changing if you can, they make your skin oilier.