Roaccutane

[SheStoodInTheStorm]

Has anyone been on Roaccutane?
Seems like people either rave about it or are very critical of it.

I've had acne for fifteen+ years and I have had enough.

Unfortunately, because I moved around so much in my 20s every time I registered with a new doctor they'd want to try me on a new antibiotic before they'd discuss any sort of referral. Or they'd try and minimise it and talk about my lovely personality etc .

The number of things I didn't do because of my skin make me feel really sad. I have sons who are all adults now. Their teenage years have been quite a struggle for me. I've had to try and quell rising panic every time they've had a few spots and not say anything. I've been poised for the last 10 years or so to whisk them off to a dermatologist should they need it - determined that they would never suffer the way I did. Fortunately, bar a few teenage spots, they've all got good skin!

I hope that the tide is turning in terms of referral and being proactive with acne treatment but dermatology is a bit neglected in GP training and since GPs can prescribe everything except for roaccutane, most feel a referral is pointless unless that is likely to be the outcome. Like I say, since the press has been so bad a lot wouldn't consider that it would be used except for the most severe cases.

The thing that really made me consider it was when we had a day out with a friend who is a keen photographer. I knew he'd have his camera and would take photos of us. I spent ages on my make up that morning (even though I'm not a very "done up" person, that's another challenge, trying to look like I'm not wearing loads of make up when it is layered on!) I remember using my youngest son to hide my face and trying to turn my head so he didn't catch the worse spots. It's a poor do when that much thought goes in to someone taking some photos of a family day out.

stonecircle I really sympathise. I felt panicky and depressed when dd1s acne was really bad. Dd2 has spots too and sometimes I panic over them but so far they are not as bad. Dd3 is only 10 but has the odd whitehead by her nose, I can't bear to think of her lovely skin all sore and ugly looking

I am about to start spiro thanks to someone who mentioned it here.

It is meant to be really good. I am not a good candidate for roaccutance due to my mental health but it's still an option if the spiro doesn't work as hoped.

Spiro is fantastic stuff, and is almost guaranteed to work for women in their late twenties and thirties with hormonal acne. For me, Saw Palmetto has been a game changer. It works in a similar way to Spiro as it's a diuretic and blocks DHT. I am on a lot (1200mg) but I have flawless skin for the first time in my life.

I can't wait to start it.

It might make my boobs bigger too apparently!

I took is for about 6 months in my late teens after trying everything else available. It does seem to be a last resort. Personally, my experience was all good. It cleared up my skin completely and 13 years on, I have had very few problems with acne since. It did dry my skin out a lot and I found that change has lasted, my skin is very dry even now. No other side affects apart from that in my experience though.

I was given roaccutane 20ys ago now in late teens, i do have history of depression but it didn't seem to effect me in that way but i did get the chapped lips and occassional nosebleeds.
I had very bad acne before and although i did still have some spots after it was mild. I have found since dieting on low carbs my skins much clearer.

Can I make a plug for spironolactone? I took one course and the difference to my skin has been transformational - I wish I had taken it earlier, rather than getting to nearly 40 with terrible skin

I get occasional spots now, but not the big, angry, headless spots on my jawline. I have a topical antibiotic gel which clears them up usually overnight, and a retinol gel which is helping smooth scars and wrinkles

I had tried all sorts of antibiotics, topical treatments for years prior to getting a dermatologist referal. I can't have oestrogen contraceptives so the hormonal methods weren't an option.
I had cuts to my face recently and it brought back the awful feelings of self consciousness that i lived with daily back then.

Have seen it work miracles. DH used it and said it was the best thing he ever did. Nephew had acne so debilitating he could. It even carry a school bag without drawing blood on his back. After DH's success I told his mother and she took him to GP, he never looked back and is confident and acne free now. I remember picking it up on my DH's behalf once from a pharmacist who said that stuff saved my life. Like all meds there are side effects so just be aware of them.

Ds1 is being referred.
The dry skin being pulled across your face like a tight balloon he's already experienced on another tablet.

And the depression in men. I don't want that.

Some say it can take a year, 18 mths for treatment. What happens then? You tone down your tablet taking to say every other day? Or you stop taking it altogether?

It's not, is it? a short sharp fix of a treatment, and then it's done and you don't need it anymore? I can't believe you go from chronic acne suddenly end up with porcelain skin. And then revert to normal skin care washing , like the rest of us. Surely not?

I don't know what to do for him for the best. He's very into exercise (which apparently isn't helpful) , boxing, and doesn't want to mess with his hormones, be au naturel! So this isn't gonna work when we see the dermatologist is it?

You can moisturise on it, I did and yes after you have nice skin that just needs normal skincare.

Not sure how you think accutane affects hormones though?.

@Oblomov21

Ds1 is being referred. The dry skin being pulled across your face like a tight balloon he's already experienced on another tablet.

And the depression in men. I don't want that.

Some say it can take a year, 18 mths for treatment. What happens then? You tone down your tablet taking to say every other day? Or you stop taking it altogether?

It's not, is it? a short sharp fix of a treatment, and then it's done and you don't need it anymore? I can't believe you go from chronic acne suddenly end up with porcelain skin. And then revert to normal skin care washing , like the rest of us. Surely not?

I don't know what to do for him for the best. He's very into exercise (which apparently isn't helpful) , boxing, and doesn't want to mess with his hormones, be au naturel! So this isn't gonna work when we see the dermatologist is it?

I had acne until I was forty, when I realised I wasn't going to grow out of it. I had four months of roaccutane and my skin has been clear since (13 years). It doesn't affect hormones. I use usual skincare. It has changed my life.

The depression is uncommon but definitely a concern. When I was on it, I just asked my family to keep an eye on me. Both my daughters took it ( one with a history of anxiety and depression) and we just encouraged them to be open with us and let us know if they were feeling down. They were fine and have had clear skin since.

Ok. Thank you. Maybe in my mind the time that you were ok it, was a lot worse than it actually is. I read everything I could about it.

Hi OP

Roaccutane was the ONLY thing that worked for me (painful cystic acne).

I have a history of depression and anxiety, both myself and throughout my immediate family.

I suffered nothing more than chapped lips with Roaccutane. No MH side effects whatsoever. If anything it helped as my anxiety in particular was sky high when my skin was so badly out of control.

For me it was a miracle drug (in fact my dermatologist called it that)

I know it’s not the case for everyone. My experience only. But honestly it was a life-changer, I don’t know where I would have been without it.