ROACCUTANE - any advice please.

[ListenToYourHeart]

Hey
Basically im 21 in a few weeks and have had severe acne since I was about 15, I've been prescribed different types of antibiotics and creams which have never worked or worked for a while then stopped :(

Now the dermatologist has offered me roaccutane, im due to have the first blood test for it on Friday but im terrified, the side effects seem awful.

Has anyone had it before? Or have any advice, Im 50/50 about taking it and can't even talk the decision through with a dermatologist as she seemed very rushed today and I don't even know if I will be seeing her before I start the course as I've already received the prescription but been told not to take it until I've got the blood results!

Any advice is helpful!
TIA

i have had 3 courses over the last 10 years. I still have acne. The first 2 times side effects were minimal. The last time terrible depression. i am trying to get GP to prescribe topical retin A cream at the moment. They are not keen maybe it is expensive

I thought this had been withdrawn? My sister was presecribed it as a teen and had nasty side-effects. Then there was the tie in with depression and was directly cited in a case of teen suicide in the states.

I'm obviously wrong, or it's been changed and reintroduced, but I would be wary and watch out for changes while you are taking it (if you chose to).

I have taken it twice (early 20's and early 30's). It really helped my skin both times and the only problem was dry skin while on it. Now I am older and wiser I probably wouldnt choose to take it but when I was younger having bad skin really affected my confidence and I did not regret taking it.

Thank you all so much for your replies!

I'm swaying towards not taking it, I was meant to have the blood test today and start the pills Tuesday if the results came back ok as I already have received the pills however I phones and said I wanted some more time to think about it as the side effects are worrying me to which the nurse replied with "oh don't worry so much about the side effects they are very rare and roaccutane will do wonders for your skin"

I feel though that I don't have a very good dermatologist, she never told me I had to go on the pill just got me to do a pregnancy test, she also never booked me in with a follow up appointment or gave me a chance to ask any questions.

I really don't feel I should take them but also feel like I don't have many options available, would be interested in trying a retinol a cream after reading one of the replies so think I will ring the hospital back Monday and ask to try that first.

God it's all so confusing all thanks to acne!

I don't think it's ever been banned Waspie, but Roche, who make Roaccutane have withdrawn it from sale in the US following a bunch of lawsuits. It is still available as a generic drug in the US but only under very strict controls - it is banned from Internet sales and sexually active women need to commit to two means of birth control. Your dermatologist sounds pretty cavalier OP, but OTOH it will possibly save your skin when nothing else can - only you can decide, after reading up in the side effects thoroughly, trying all other alternatives and taking all reasonable precautions.

I had it at 15/16. It saved my face and sanity. If my acne were to ever return, I would ba happy to take it again. The dry lips were terrible at the time (and the dry skin) but the results were amazing after so many years of looking for a solution.

I took it in my mid teens.

I got very bad dry cracked lips and nosebleeds. I didn't however have the more serious side effects eg depression which have been reported.

It improved my skin about 50%, then seemed to stop working so I was only getting about a 20% improvement. So I stopped taking it.

I took it 10 years or so ago. I was 30 then and had bad acne for many years which had failed to respond to any other treatments (I'd tried them all).

It was a fantastic cure for me. My skin was stayed very clear. I had minimal side effects (nose bleeds) which were temporary only.

I would definitely recommend trying it for long term skin problems.

I took it for rosacea and it worked brilliantly. I was on it for 8 months and my skin is only getting worse now almost 2yrs later (I think it's hormonal as my periods are just starting again after having DS 10 months ago)

The only annoying thing for me was the blood tests and pregnancy tests and having to take time off work to see the dermatologist every month.

I took it in 1996, so I would have been 29. I didn't get acne till I was in my early 20s but by my late 20s it was problematic and I got a dermatology referral. I cannot recall any side-effects. I doubt I took it for more than 3 months. My skin immediately and permanently improved and the benefits for me in terms of feeling happier and more confident were huge. After years on antibiotics for my skin I had really persistent thrush / candida which took me much longer to get over. As far as I can tell, 16 years later, I have no health problems that I connect with the Roaccutane treatment.

I have taken it twice and it was fine for me.

Dry skin and dry nose but well worth it.