Anyone taken Roaccutane as an adult?

[Mumsnut]

I am over 50, have never been acne free, and it is now worse than ever

I have taken everything in my time except Roaccutane. A dermatologist I saw recently for eczema firmly recommended it. I am havering…

anyone experienced R in late
Middle-age?

I took it in my mid-30s (years ago now). I used to get great throbbing lumps in my face every month. The Roaccutane stopped it dead and it never returned. I only ever needed one course and no side-effects.

In my 30s, it was amazing. Did nothing for three months and three weeks, then everything magically cleared up in the last week of treatment. Side effects were strong (very dry skin everywhere) and couldn't drink on it, but it was the best thing I've ever done for my confidence and would do it again.

Yes for cystic and modular acne. Pretty rare to get them now.

It's good stuff but tightly controlled. You have to go every month to the hospital for an appt and check bloods and pregnancy.

Yes I’m on it at the moment for cystic acne. I’m on a low dose for a longer period to minimise side effects. I’ve had very dry painful lips, nose bleeds and can’t wear my contact lenses…but it’s working! I have monthly blood tests and can’t drink alcohol but totally worth it.

I did about 10 months on a low dose, finished just as we went into the first lockdown.

Best thing I ever did! I didn’t have horrendous acne but would get a huge cyst every month that would take about 6 weeks to go so I always had more than one. They were leaving pitted scars - even though I never touched them as they couldn’t be popped - and it was severely affecting my confidence. I also had skin like an oil slick.

I won’t say the treatment was side effect free, my lips were very dry and even now I can’t bear not to have some form of lip balm on them. Aquaphor really helped. Skin never got too dry, mostly because I was on a low dose but also because I used rose hip oil mixed into a good dollop of moisturiser morning and evening. I stopped all other skin care other than oil cleansing at night and cetaphil cleanser for dry skin.

Worst side effect for me was aching joints, I used to hobble around like an 80yr old for 5 mins after getting up from the sofa etc. However, I also discovered I was very low in Vit D at the same time so I’ll never really know which caused the pain. I did drink alcohol whilst taking it, probably not best for my liver but I’m still alive to tell the tale! I also made sure I took each pill with something relatively high in fat as it’s meant to help absorption apparently.

I’ve remained acne free since coming off the treatment. I never purged whilst on it and didn’t even get a single spot whilst on it either. My oily skin has come back a little but absolutely nothing like it was before. If my acne returned then I wouldn’t hesitate to do another course.

I went privately through Spire. I paid around £120 a consultation - think I had around 4 in total - and my private prescription was charged at standard NHS rate which was about £9.50 a month back then. Best money I’ve ever spent on myself!!

I was on it for Rosacea, in my 40s. It was like a miracle drug

Just to add - I was almost 42 when I took it. I’d had awful skin for 30 years by that point. My only regret is not doing it at least 20 years earlier

Did it at 40, now 45, it’s come back a bit but I blame wearing face masks all day in hospital.

Forgot to say I’m 47.
Also a brilliant side effect has been my very oily skin is now normal and I no longer need to wash my hair daily, I can go three days and even then it’s no where near as oily as before. My make up no longer slides off my face!

Yes when I was in my 30's. Never looked back and wish I'd done it years ago.

Hi I had it when I was 45 best thing for my skin ever

I took it for 6 months.Now I only get the odd minor hormonal breakout. While I was on it I experienced night blindness which was scary and I couldn't drive.I couldn't even see my baby in her crib at night with the light off. It has returned. My hair also looked fabulous. Horrifically cracked and bleeding lips. Use Aquaphor. It's a game changer. I also got sore ankles which is also a thing. It's powerful stuff. I think it's best to get it in winter months as you are extremely sensitive to UV.

This is all very persuasive

I can live with the cracked lips, etc, but would be afraid of depression/anxiety side effects

Those are rare side effects though. I think it would be worth discussing your concerns with your Dr.

Yep, I was 46 when I took it for 6 months. Absolutely the best thing I ever did. I wish I'd pushed for it earlier as I had cystic acne for 20 years and was permanently on antibiotics with a side order of penicillin when the spots got too infected.

The depression/anxiety side effects are rare and much less likely to occur in people without pre-existing mental health conditions. There is a lot of scaremongering in the tabloids about this but I read some medical papers and I found them very reassuring. In any case, you will be well monitored throughout the process and will have regular chats with your consultant.

I had very dry lips, skin wasn't particularly dry elsewhere, though. Was quite achey and needed evening naps in the last couple of months but it was 100% worth it and I'd take it again in an instant.

I had a history of depression/anxiety but my consultant didn’t bat an eyelid at prescribing it for me. She said I was more likely to become depressed by how much my skin was affecting me!

Can honestly say she was 100% right, my confidence soared as soon as the cysts stopped coming and I was no longer looking like I’d dipped my face in chip fat 🤣 Id forgotten about how less frequently I needed to wash my hair too, I could go days without washing it. I have now gone back to needing to do it every 2-3 days but it’s an improvement on every day like it was before Roaccutane.

Same as @ScoobySnacks1 i have a history of anxiety & depression and consultant said the same. I was already feeling low because of my skin and self esteem. It was more likely to help! They get me to do a mood questionnaire every month and I’m fine. In fact happier as my skin is clear.

Did you all get help on the NHS? I was figuring on just goi g to a dermatologist but the process sounds very expensive, with all those monthly tests

no pregnancy risk though

I was nhs.

I am NHS (on it now), although it took 20 years to get it! I have moved home a number of times and so moved GPs also. Each new GP wanted to start again on Duac/Epiduo, then Zineryt, antibiotics and so on which takes years to prove that they either don't work or for me even though antibiotics worked, that I'd get the cysts straight back within a few weeks of stopping them.
So only after living somewhere for 6 years did I get a dermatologist referral to my local hospital, who agreed I should go straight on them!
I think it really varies from area to area and between GPs themselves how willing they are to help you access treatment. I finally had a female GP who also suffered with acne who understood and did the referral. This also clashed with Covid though, so it took another two years to get the drug.
Hopefully others have had much quicker access!

I had a history of depression/anxiety but my consultant didn’t bat an eyelid at prescribing it for me. She said I was more likely to become depressed by how much my skin was affecting me!

Yeah I bet she didn’t, it’s a huge money maker. I wouldn’t do it. Have heard so many people who’ve had mental and physical health effects from it.

Yes, but I had to stop it in due to numerous side effects. Was gutted but really struggled and found the side effects were not worth it, even on a low dose.

In brief it brought on quite sudden quite intense anxiety which might have been manageable but the skin 'dryness' for me was very extreme. I have dry skin anyway but it was peeling off, incredibly sore and bleeding, my lips and eyelids were so sore and it was painful to eat/brush teeth etc. It also looked appalling and wasn't possible to wear makeup over the dry texture and I've not heard anyone else mention this before probably because it's seen as quite personal but I found it caused vaginal dryness which was sore, itchy, made sex agonising and generally it just did a number on me. It all resolved within a week of stopping. I had to sign a form to say I was using two forms of contraception, one of which had to be the pill which didn't bother me as I took it anyway but am not sure I agree with that in the broader sense

I'd spent ages holding out hope of going on it at the time and so didn't want to stop but in the end was glad to. On the other side of the coin I do have friends who've used it and saw it through (presumably with significantly less side effects or perhaps just better willpower, who knows) and their skin was so gorgeous on the other side of it. I remember being thrilled for them.

In the end what largely solved the acne for me was topical tretinoin via skin&me. My skin is not at all perfect now and I still have blemishes and congestion sometimes but not acne and compared to what it was I'm thrilled with it.