Roaccutane WWYD??

[RD15]

So, today I’ve picked up my prescription for roaccutane. I would say that my acne is mild/moderate, but persistent. I’m really hesitant to go straight to the ‘big guns’ as I don’t feel like I’ve tried everything else. I asked about alternatives- like topicals (I’ve tried Differin) or other antibiotic (I’ve had Lymecycline) but his response was very much along the lines of, ‘What’s the point?’ In his view, they were short term solutions and topicals don’t target the problem from the inside. I felt a bit strong armed into it.

Anyway, I’m petrified of the side effects! The leaflet inside is like bloody War and Peace the list of potential problems is so long 🙈. I have taken it before, about 15 years ago and just had the usual run of the mill side effects, in addition to a HORRENDOUS initial outbreak 😫. I just don’t know whether to go for it or not?

Presumably you spoke with the doc about your previous experience and side effects? What did he/she suggest?

He asked me about them and said that since I hadn’t had any of the sever side effects last time, I’m unlikely to get them this time. He also said, I probably had a sever outbreak last time as it was common practice to go straight in on a high dose, which they don’t tend to do now xx

*severe

I really don’t see why you wouldn’t. Your derm is right - what’s the point arse-ing about. The rest is short term. You have chronic, persistent acne. You might get a little relief temporarily from topicals, antibiotics etc but you will continue to get grumbling acne that will leave little scars. So even if you only get one spot a month. That’s 12 marks/scars per year. Even 5 years will equal 60 little scars. Your derm thinks you need it, and they don’t prescribe it lightly.
Wrt side effects, you’ve taken it in the past and it was fine. You’ll get dry skin, dry lips, and probably v little else.

That’s my tuppence worth. I think fire ahead and be done for another 15 years. Good luck with whatever decision you make!

I don't remember significant side effects. My only terrible worry was not to get pregnant. You need to be very careful as no side effects are comparable to the harm it can be for the baby

Go for it! I’m approaching the end of my course and honestly it’s been life changing. My acne used to affect me so badly. It affected my relationships, my social life, work and my self esteem.

The side effects can be annoying, but I promise you they’re worth it. I’ve had extremely dry lips and skin - nothing that can’t be solved with a good moisturiser. I can also not wash my hair for 5/6 days and you would never know. The side effect leaflet is scary, and I wasn’t sure whether to take them. But you have to remember that they list all of the potential side effects, it doesn’t mean you’ll experience them all.

If your acne is persistent, and you’re over 25 then I say without a shadow of a doubt take it. It won’t get better on its own and topical treatments barely scratch the surface. Good luck x

Antibiotics etc tend to be relatively short term solutions. That’s ok if you’re a teenager and it’s just being put on hold whilst you “grow out” of it but when you’re an adult that’s not going to happen so the approach is a bit different.

I’ve had it twice and I’d have it again if I needed to. The first course kept me acne free for about 18 months before it recurred, I’ve been off the second lot for 3 months and it’s all good.

For me it’s been brilliant. I had dry lips (inevitable) and nosebleeds but nothing much else. My dermatologist starts on a really low dose then builds up as she finds its better tolerated that way. She also says that a lower dose for longer is just as good a shorter course of a high dose. The maximum is 1mg/kg, which I did do the first time but this time only had 75% of my maximum.

I’m glad I’ve had it (mine wasn’t severe either but was persistent). Having nice skin is lovely. It’s not for everyone but for me it was amazing.

I was also really reluctant to take it but I did and it had such a good effect I just wish I'd taken it sooner. I was on a fairly low dose too. I'd take your dermatologist's advice and agree with champion, I have some scarring and that's another reason I wish I'd done it sooner.

Please do it. I'm on a loooong low-dose course. I'm 40. Been suffering since I was 14. Been on the drugs for about 3 years. Life changing. Dry nose, but no other adverse effects.

I'm just starting month 4. I never had a real 'purge' as others can get. Side effects are dry lips which I think everyone gets. I ache all over now. Even the soles of my feet ache!! Which is annoying. But!! It's all worth it. I've not had any cystic acne since being on it.

You are really lucky the doc prescribed it! It took me months to get it prescribed when I took it a long time ago, doc spent months fobbing me off with topicals. Go for it!

Thanks for the advice everyone- you’ve really reassured me. He’s given me a 30mg starting dose, but as it’s made up of a 10mg and a 20mg tablet, he said I can start lower if I want and then obviously I’m seeing him again in 4 weeks. What doses did people start on?

@championquartz, you make a good point, although my active acne waxes and wanes, I’m left with pigmentation and scars which is just as annoying! Xx

Ps I’m 37, so definitely not going to grow out of it 🤦🏻‍♀️

Do it! I'm on it right now, probably finish is about a month. The side effects are annoying but not intolerable. It will change your life! I would just crack on, don't drag it out by taking 10s and 20s. I read it's actually better to get it done within 1 year at least anyway

The first time I had it I took 20mg for a month to start just to see how the side effects were (I was up to full dose at the end, 60mg for me) but the second time I went straight in at 30 but never needed more than 40. If 30mg is about half the maximum dose for you then that should be ok, you can always drop it back if you find it too much.

Thanks @taybert and @g0bbledyg00k, perhaps I’ll just start with the prescribed 30mg and see how I go xx

Both my nieces are on it. One - hardly any side effects. The other has just been admitted to hospital with what they have put down to the side effects of roaccutane - very low white blood count, horrendous stomach pains and fatigue. She’s had to stop it for the time being while her bloods improve.
But everyone is different and everyone will react differently to any drug.
Good luck!

He is sort of right OP, if it bothers you to the extent you are at the Gp requesting treatment then that is the most effective permanent solution. Long term courses of antibiotics are very bad for ones health as well at the end of the day.

I say this as someone who tried it at a very low dose and had to come off it/seek urgent medical assistance. It obviously wasn't for me and I was grateful to stop it and go back to normal BUT I am fully aware I was in the minority and if i could take it, I would, and was gutted it wasn't for me. I started to get side effects after about two weeks, and stopped at a month. Just remain calm, don't big it up in your mind, and look out for any symptoms should they crop up

I started on 30mg, two months on that then 40. I’d been on lymeceline for 4 months so no breakout. I just finished on 1st July.

It’s indicated for cystic acne OR persistent resistant, I’ve had both.

Totally going back on it if the spots return, she said to go straight to my gp and they’ll refer me again, seeing as they’ve got nothing to help me.

Ok 👌. Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond- I’m going to go for it and just hope for the best! Maybe I’ll update on here at a later date for anyone following 🤞

Personally I’d advise a low dose to begin with. Let your body adjust. I started on 10mg, took that for a month then upped it to 20mg. And so on until I got to 60mg. I found that too much in terms of side effects so went back to 50mg and have stayed there. Will be finishing soon. Feel free to ask me any questions.

I was on 20mg - side effects: dry skin, dry lips and scabs inside the nose (that was prob down to the fact that the time of year I had it coincided with the cold season).
I only had 3 months' worth. The doc was planning to do longer but I had to wait such a long time for an appointment for the 4th set of tablets she said that as i'd had a gap of about 2 weeks without tablets it wasn't worth me carrying on with them.
I've been without them for about 6 weeks and no issues as yet but time will tell.
For context I'd had Lymecycline before but the problem (chin acne under the skin lumpy ones) would return after the antibiotics finished.

I had a 6 month course when I was 17 and again about 6 years later. It worked the first time but pregnancy brought my acne back and it never left so had another course and it’s shown no signs of recurring apart from the odd spot during AF.
The dry lips and skin are a killer and I nearly sacked it off half way through the second course because my skin was so sensitive. Being outside and having any natural light on my face was agony. I couldn’t even walk the dog in October without my face feeling like it was falling off.

But honestly it’s been so worth it and I’d do it again tomorrow if I had to.

I started on 40mg and now on 70mg. It all depends on your weight!

Thanks everyone for the replies. A couple of questions:

How bad is it to have a few drinks while on it?
I know you can’t have waxing, but is threading ok?
Best products to cope with the dry skin and lips?
Xx