Pregnant Roaccutane

[DorritoPaws]

Hi everyone, posting here for traffic as I'm freaking out and hoping some of you have been in a similar position.

I was taking roaccutane for 7 months to help with cystic acne. Roaccutane causes serious birth defects in babies, so during the course of treatment I had to use contraception and have regular pregnancy tests.

At my last visit with the derm, he advised that I should wait 6 weeks before TTC. I finished the course on the 8th of June and low and behold became pregnant exactly 6 weeks later.

I'm absolutely freaking out here, worrying that the baby will suffer birth defects. I called my GP and can't get an appointment until next Thursday.

Has anyone else become pregnant so close to finishing roaccutane? I feel so utterly stupid!

I was told 6 months after roaccutane. I'm sure itll all be ok but only really the GP can tell you. Can you phone the consultant you saw when on roaccutane instead to speak to someone quicker?

I was also told 6 months after finishing. Unfortunately there us not much you can do bit wait until your scan. Im sure it will be fine.

If you were told 6 weeks, hopefully it’ll be OK. It was many years since I had roaccutane although only for 16 weeks, I think they said I needed to stay on the pill and use condoms for a month afterwards, I didn’t pay much attention as kids weren’t on the agenda for me then.

Googling says it comes out of your system in five days, so you may be ok. I may have misinterpreted that though.

You’re going to need to speak to an expert though to determine if there are possible issues.

Good luck.

6 months? Oh dear! I tried calling but the receptionist was hopeless is tried my GP instead. The leaflets state 4 weeks, but I'm struggling to find any studies or literature online for a pregnancy just outside of that

OP just wait til you see your GP. I think itll be fine. They tend to over egg these things for a reason.

www.nhs.uk/medicines/isotretinoin-capsules/

Says 5 weeks here

@pullingmysocksup thank you, I read that too but it failed to put my mind at ease unfortunately. I really wish we just waited a little longer. We've wanted to TTC for over a year and were so excited when I finished that we just dived in, adhering to the derms timelines. I never in a million years thought I'd fall pregnant straight away!

www.nhs.uk/medicines/isotretinoin-capsules/
NHS says a month/do a test after 5 weeks. Don't worry I'm sure it'll be fine

Get in touch with your GP/dermatology they can refer you to specialist antenatal care that knows what to look for with Roaccutane. I know you’re worried already, and I don’t want to add to the fire but it really can be very serious so please push to be referred to where they know how to monitor it accordingly and can inform you to put your mind at ease.

Sorry x post

I’m sure a pharmacist will advise you. They know more about medication than GP’s

Thanks @todeloo, that's good advice. I'll go to the early access GP in the morning instead and push for a specialist. Of course, I sat googling tonight and I read that sometimes the birth defects are missed as they can't be developmental and psychiatric

I’ve taken it a couple of times last time was a long time ago but sure I was told a month both times. I can remember thinking it doesn’t sound like long. If you google the half life of the medicine you might find that helpful, that’s how long it takes to clear from your body.

Speak to the dermatology department where you had the treatment. I doubt your GP will have a clue and will point you back to them as it’s not something they’re allowed to prescribe. Ditto with a pharmacist it’s a hospital prescribed drug so a high street pharmacist won’t have a clue. Do you have your consultant’s secretaries details? If so she’s your first point of call tomorrow.

www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/6470/smpc

Unfortunately I don't have the secretary's details, only the receptionist. I went private for this round of roaccutane to think the set up is a little different to normal NHS. I'll call the receptionist tomorrow though and maybe she can point me in the right direction. I would imagine that he'll just reiterate the 6 week timeframe?

Hi OP, not read the full thread but I am currently on roaccutane and my dermatologist has said since the beginning that it is only 5 weeks after finishing the course until it is safe to get pregnant.

Obviously tho different people have had different advice so try not to panic but do speak to someone as soon as possible, perhaps try speaking to 111 if you really cant get an appointment?

Just for context my dermatologist is NHS not private so not sure if that is different to any pp

@LatteLove thanks for that link. It states "f pregnancy occurs after stopping treatment there remains a risk of severe and serious malformation of the foetus. This risk persists until the product has been completely eliminated, which is within one month following the end of treatment."

So according to official documentation it's okay, but I still feel like I'm cutting it very very fine. Honestly, I feel so stupid, we waited so long for this, I could have easily waited another couple of months.

Thanks @KronksSpinachPuffs. That's what gets to me. My derm said 6 weeks, yours said 5, the literature says 4 and posters above were advised to wait 6 months! I'd really like a difinitive answer. I'm such a worrier that I probably won't believe now if the derm or GP advises that it's ok. Best of luck with your roaccutane journey, it's a horrible drug but worked wonders for my skin. PM me if your want any tips or tricks on how to manage the dry skin

DD was conceived approximately 5 weeks after finishing roaccutane. She is the picture of health. TBH we'd previously tried for years & nothing, so were astonished to fall pregnant so easily.

If the derm is saying 6 weeks I guess he must know there’s a chance of women getting pregnant exactly to that timescale and has said it on this basis. I’m not medical but based on that and the links I’ve posted hopefully it’s OK. Call someone tomorrow for (hopefully) reassurance

@AwdBovril amazing, thank you! Glad to hear all is well with your DD. Thanks @lattelove you've been super helpful. I'm going to call first thing in the morning and see if I can speak to him, and go to the GP if not. I'll update you all as soon as I know

DD was told 5 weeks by her dermatologist.

I've just googled its half life, the time it takes half of the drug to leave your system. It's 29 hours. So every 29 hours, half of the dose has been metabolised and is therefore no more. I would imagine that the five weeks is therefore very conservative and you and your baby will be absolutely fine. Not sure why pp's were advised 6 months, seems a bit over the top. I hope that helps put your mind at rest.

6 months was the old advice, I believe. It's been 5 weeks for quite a while now. Your baby is likely fine.

Do what a PP advised and get referred to a specialist anyway, to be safe, but try not to worry too much. Under current prescription guidelines, you're okay.