Roaccutane anyone?

[twentyoneagain]

My friend's daughter is about to start taking roaccutane for her acne. Does anyone have any experience of this? She has tried everything else that GP recommended but nothing has worked to date. Hoping for some good results but she is worried about side effects.

I dont have experience but heard about awful side effects on documentaries on radio and tv

I found this site very useful.Yes, it does have side effects,as that list shows but it worked for my son. He took it for approx 9 mths and his skin is still clear over 1 year later. He found the cracked lips the most trying but soon learnt to carry lipsalve all the time. Also warn her that her skin will probably initially get worse.

My DD is about to start it next month after trying EVERYTHING for over 2 years-her dermo is great - we see her privately and get loads of time- she also has a teenage daughter and says that if it were her DD she would not hesitate to use Roaccutane.

We have left it as a last resort, although she was offered it immediately and her acne is not that bad- but is hormonal and will not go til she reaches menopause, so the dermo says.

She has been prescribing it for centuries, and says that in all that time, only 2 patients have become depressed- and if it is going to happen it happens in the first 6 weeks.

My DD has just finished her 1st year at uni, sowe decided to start the Roac. during the summer- you take it for 3-4 months, in case it does make her depressed.

You can get very dry lips and skin, but that doesn't last.

We are just hoping for the best- it will be so nice if it works as she has had spots since she was 12.

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i have taken it twice

the first time my skin cleared up for a couple of years, and then acne returned

had a second go and since then no more acne in 4/5 years

i had the milder side effects - cracked, dry lips and my skin was v sun sensitive (so lots of factor 50 for me)

CHRISTIANA - that happened to me, and the second go cleared my skin. It can happen like that

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chrstiana
yes.

I work on the dermatology day unit and help to run the nurse led roaccutane clinic. What do you want to know?

my friend has taken it
GP referred her so all on the NHS

My dp took this in his teens in the 70s and is now riddled with arthritis which is a recognised long term effect.It cleared the skin but he still has scars and has terrible arthritic pain.

I took it when I was about 18 - it really dries your skin and lips up, I wouldn't have minded too much if it had worked for me but it didn't which the dermatologist was quite shocked at.
The one thing that did work for me though was the pill diannette

Also many people who take it have problems with depression and alcoholism/addiction

I took it when I was in my early twenties and it was fantastic. Yes, it does dry your skin but when you've put up with acne for years this is nothing to worry about.

I have suffered again with acne now in my 30's, . BUT, I have now been prescribed some different anti-biotics, trimethoprim, and the results are amazing!! I have had anti-biotics before with no change whatsoever, I thought I would have to go through the whole timewasting process before I could get to see the NHS dermatologist for roaccurane, but these have completely done the trick. I have had 1 tiny spot since I went on them about 4 months ago, so it shows that, like a lot of illnesses, it is not a case of one type of antibiotic treats all, you have to sometimes try several before you find the right one.

If your friend's daughter hasn't tried more than 1 or 2 anti-biotics then maybe try some more first.

As for the side effects, yes, they do sound bad but I would be very interested to know how common they are. They always get a lot of publicity but I think most effective medications have nasty side-effects, it just depends how common or rare they are.

I think people who don't suffer from acne don't realise how it wrecks your self-confidence and self-esteem.

noddy- it is not true that MANY people have the side effects- SOME do. I am hoping my DD won't be one of them, but I trust her dermo- if she says she would give it to her own teenage daughter, i think that says a lot. And I am not someone who puts drs on pedestals- I do a lot of my own research too.

Helenn

It is also not good to take anti- bos. long term- my daughter has been on the for years- 2 or 3 different sorts- and her drs are now saying enough is enough and she should come off them. She tried Dianette twice and it made her feel terrible- weepy and sick.

Thanks for all the replies.

Friend is worried as there is a history of depression in the family but I'm sure drs will keep an eye on this.

Roaccutane seems to be the last resort, nothing else has worked and friend's dd has suffered terribly with acne. I do hope it is successful, it is horrible at any age but teenage girls are so self conscious .

No, true girlnextdoor, I think 6 months is enough - just hope the effect lasts a bit!

Reading my post back I do sound as though I am a bit evangelical/on commission. It just shows how it gets to you! And as twentyoneagain says as a teenager you are very self-conscious. I think my lack of self-confidence stems from the teasing I received as a teenager with spots, (my nickname was Scabby ***(surname)) , so I do think radical treatment is called for.

I am only going on the research we did when dp first noticed the effects and there are many people who have had side effects obviously not all!

My dp says he was desperate at the time and would have taken anything however the effects have been bad for him and at the age of 48 he still has occasional outbeaks!Not all drugs affect people badly I have been on strong medication for years and have escaped a lot of side effects aswell as suffering many.It is a balancing act

I recently finished a course and like most of the other posts just had minor side effects. Very dry lips so i never went anywhere without a mini vaseline with me. I got a few eye infections while on it as well and felt quite tired but that's all. My skin is definitely better now but not perfect - still getting the odd flair up at certain times of the month. I'm going back to see the dermatologist again next month so will see if they recommend a second course or not. (I'm 36 BTW)

I took roaccutane when I was 19, and like everyone else I didn't find the side effects too bad, just very dry skin and eyes. Had spot free skin for the first time ever, and stayed good for about 2 years until the helpful practise nurse changed my contraceptive pill and the spots all came back .
I'm guessing your friend's daughter isn't at the point of wanting a baby, but just to point out that I was warned by the dermotologist that there was a chance of fetal deformities if I concieved within 2 years of taking roaccutane, and I had to have monthly pregnancy tests while taking it.

babypringle - yes friend's dd was prescribed pill for acne and has to keep taking it (not that she has a bf at the moment) but they are very strict about it.

Fingers crossed that she gets good results.

i had an xp that took this as a teenager, he sites this as the cause of his paranoia.