Antibiotics for acne?

[Wuxiapian]

Hi, everyone.
I'm female and suddenly developed acne a year ago - never had spots before in my life!
GP prescribed different lotions and potions but without any improvement. I had my hormone levels tested and they were fine. GP said it could be stress, but nothing had changed when my skin started to erupt.
Anyway, now, a year later, he's prescribed me Minocycline to take daily for 2 months. I'm not keen on taking antibiotics, but my skin's really starting to get me down and I'm prepared to try anything.
Just wondered if anyone else has used this drug successfully and if there were any side effects whilst taking it.

Hoping for some advice.
Thanks in anticipation.

Same as gingernut exactly. However the ABs did have a detrimental effect on my gut and I suffered from chronic Candidiasis for a couple of years, went down to 6 stone, was very ill. I really really regret taking them now (particularly as they didn't work!!)

I honestly think Dianette is the only thing that really works.I've had acne since I was 13.I was given everything-including Topicyline which I still use!However,when I was 18, I asked for "D" after reading a newspaper article. I was on it for contraception reasons for 9yearsand my acne disappeared for all that time-also the lumps in my head which I distinctly remember a lady doc.saying if I wasn't on this pill I'd have serious problems with...! I came off "d" when I was 26 as I wanted to start a family and not only did the acne reappear, I also got fat (although I do eat/drink too much so not blaming that totally on the pill!).I'm 38 now and still on Tetracycline lotion....My acne still gets me down and would love to go on "that pill" again.(have been sterilised so no excuse for doc to give it to me!). Tet.helps but nothing like Dianette....just don't use if you're trying to conceive...can cause birth defects in boys-allegedly...

by the way, also found Norethisterone (Utovlan)-the pill you take when you don't want a period on your holidays-works brilliantly too.(if you don't mind pms;swollen limbs;swollen tummy;really bad temper...!)

currantbun,your story is very similar to mine. i was on Marvelon etc.until the scare.

I had so many tubes of "retin a " in my bedroom i could have had a field day when they suddenly realized it was an "anti-aging breakthrough".! i remember it being in tubes and you'd put it all over your face and it would form a sort of mask that you peeled off! it was disgusting! (apparently it costs a fortune now though as it's THE anti-ageing cream of the decade!)Currentbun, you don't live in Wales do you? my skin-specialist was a lady called Dr.Elmslie.

Miaou, how do you manage your acne now, then?

Cutekids, wouldn't the GP prescribe you Dianette to help with your acne? I thought Dianette was prescribed first and foremost for women with acne but also offers contraceptive cover.

I don't! I have learned to live with it. Used to wear a lot of makeup but I don't even do that now.

To be fair when I said "like Gingernut" I include the description of very bad spots, rather than acne. It has calmed down a lot over the years but I'm sure my bad skin is one of the first things people notice about me.

Sorry, no help at all, am I?

hi, just wanted to suggest a cream called Differin/adapalene to everyone. i've tried everything on my skin and this has worked beautifully, along with cutting down on "bad" food! i think its very expensive to buy so not a lot of gps recommend it, but if you ask they can't really say no! you just apply a tiny bit at night and it took about 1-2 months to show a really good difference. i only get the occasional spot now and am having laser treatment for the scarring. i even feel confident enough to leave the house without makeup! :O

oh and by the way, i find that the freederm cleanser you can get now is helpful. i used it with the differin cream i got off my gp, freederm cleanser a.m, differin p.m. i hardly use the differin anymore, but once you get the improvement from that i think the f.d cleanser helps keep the spots at bay!

Wux - oxytet did nada. In fact it made my forehead very pimply so I stopped it. now just confined to cheeks again.

It's getting me down actually, fed up of it, but I'm not sure there's anything I can do really. everyone keeps telling me to go to the GP and ask for a referral but I'm just not sure anything will help. Think I'm just going to have to ride it out.

I found this short TV show It's got the head of the Acne charity in the UK who's a specialist DR talking about why it happens and who you can do about it.

My dd1 was prescribed Accutane (Roaccutane). and it cleared up her acne leaving her with beuatiful, unscarred skin on her face although she has some fading white scars on her back. But it was so worth it even though she had some nasty side effects and it was bang in the middle of working for her GCSEs (maybe that's why she didn't do so well?)