skin: the pill or more?

LegacyUser

hey all

dont really know why Im going unregged for this one but just looking for some thoughts/opinions...

As a teenager I never had any hassle with my skin, but now in my 20s I do, its really bad and driving me crazy. I have tried everything from topical antibiotics to oral antibiotics and nothing works. Visited a dermatologist again recently who advised the best course of action would be roaccutane for a couple of months along with the pill to make sure the pregnancy thing doesnt happen.

Thing is im terrified by the thought of this drug (roaccutane) I have heard so much bad press, and even the thoughts of how dry your skin can get puts me off. The other thing is that I know from past experience the pill turns me into a crazy person and I double in size almost overnight i feel like I would be creating new problems to solve a different one..

I dont want to keep going the way I am but Im really anxious about taking these drugs too. Anyone out there on them? How are you getting on etc etc?

Thanks guys.

BC

Have you told the doc about your previous experience with the pill? Different pills affect people in different ways. You may not get side affects from all pills so trying a different type to the one that made you crazy might work out fine...

As regards the weight thing. The pill itself doesn't make you put on weight it just makes you hungrier .So if you're very careful about not increasing your food intake you should be fine!

Faith

What Pill were you on? Dianette is commonly prescribed for clearing up skin, and it gets the job done. I didn't have any negative side effects from it and I was on it for 18 months.

gary the great

If you dont want to go on roccuntane try Pantothenic Acid first, its a B vitiman. You have to take high doses, try doing a google for information on it. Its working for me.

LegacyUser

gary the great wrote:

If you dont want to go on roccuntane try Pantothenic Acid first, its a B vitiman. You have to take high doses, try doing a google for information on it. Its working for me.

Haven't heard of this. I will look it up, thanks.

I have been on a few different pills and they all had the same effect on weight/moods. I was surprised that my dermatologist suggest roaccutane straight away, I know I have tried loads of other solutions but I always saw roaccutane as the ULTIMATE last resort. I know my skin really gets to me but I know its not as bad as others... I think maybe he prescribed it as nothing else has had any effect.

Seems kinda drastic to me I guess.

Fast_Mover

my frnd was on Roaccutane..her skin cleared up brilliantly..flawless, and she had no major side-effects..but i believe every person is different and just coz it works/ had no side effects for one person doesnt mean it will work for another etc..

I know another girl on dianette..that seemed to work too..

g'luck with it all..!
f_m

LegacyUser

im on month 4 and 1/2 of a 6 month roaccutane course...like you i didnt get bad acne til i was older (18/19) im 22 now and was TERRIFIED of roaccutane also, but it has been an absolute miracle...ive had no side effects apart from REALLY dry lips (easily sorted with moisturiser & lip balm) and dry skin on my face (again easily sorted with moisturiser) - and my skin is SO CLEAR...i mean really really clear not a blemish - far clearer than your average person. feels great, definately go for it because not too much can go wrong these days as your dermatoligst will have you taking blood tests every month, and if any side effect occurs you can just come off the drug straight away, it was in years gone by that the horror stories occurred, but that is mainly because people didnt understand the drug aswell as we do now so it wasnt monitored anywhere near as closely as it should have been.

so there you go i highly reccommend it just so long as you treat it with respect as its a powerful drug, and make sure your dermatoligist is a competent one.

also in the mean time check out www.acne.org the daily regimen there works extremely well (for mild-moderate acne)

LegacyUser

I've got a lot of sympathy for you cos I've been through the exact same thing. After going through ALL the antibiotics known to man, plus dianette and topical creams I was eventually referred to a dermatologist for Roaccutane.

However ultimately I decided not to take it. My acne is mild and hormonal - flaring up at certain times of the month. My brother (who had taken it himself for serious face/chest/back acne) said that I would be using a "sledgehammer to crack a nut".

Since then I've had laser light therapy and am back on Dianette and antibiotics. I still get acne but it's not so bad as it was. I don't know if one day I would cave in and try Roaccutane, but I do feel that it's an incredibly harsh treatment if you only have mild acne. But if you have really severe acne all month long then obviously just go for it cos no-one should have to live with that.

Fast_Mover

actually roacc ur post reminded me that my friend who was also on roaccutane suffered from dry skin and lips too..but as u said ud get over that when u see the results!!

LegacyUser

hullabaloo wrote:

I've got a lot of sympathy for you cos I've been through the exact same thing. After going through ALL the antibiotics known to man, plus dianette and topical creams I was eventually referred to a dermatologist for Roaccutane.

However ultimately I decided not to take it. My acne is mild and hormonal - flaring up at certain times of the month. My brother (who had taken it himself for serious face/chest/back acne) said that I would be using a "sledgehammer to crack a nut".

Since then I've had laser light therapy and am back on Dianette and antibiotics. I still get acne but it's not so bad as it was. I don't know if one day I would cave in and try Roaccutane, but I do feel that it's an incredibly harsh treatment if you only have mild acne. But if you have really severe acne all month long then obviously just go for it cos no-one should have to live with that.

That sounds just like me. I know my acne is entirely hormonal mostly cos of where on my face that I get it. I would not say it is severe cos I only get it on certain parts of my face but there it is really bad, and very stubborn, can take weeks for it to clear up sometimes, so it seems like it is there all the time!

I don't want to go on the Dianette for the same reason as my initial post though. Although I think I am running out of options. Im back on the antibiotics at the moment to see if that will help at all but I know as soon as I stop that I'll be back to square one.

Haven't come across laser treatment for it before though - how does that work?

leftofcentre

I was a spotty fecker as a teenager, and i went on roaccutane. It really is a miricle drug, it cleared everything up.

The doctors test your blood every few weeks so i do not think its that high risk. Be very aware of the placebo effect, if you try it and start to imagine all these terrible side effects then there is a 90% chance they will materialise. The mind is very powerful http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placebo

All drugs have side effects, thats just the nature of medicine.

There is some good info here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roaccutane
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acne

For the dry skin problem i would recommend: http://www.bio-oil.info/ and a chapstick

LegacyUser

Hey, I'm on Roacc as well at the moment, don't beleive all that stuff in the media, most people don't get any side effects. My skin got worse on it for a while but if you have a good derm your dose will suit your acne severity. I kept putting of Roacc cause I was scared of it as well, and now I have scars which are even worse to have then active acne, so do yourself a favour and get on it as soon as possible.

mysterious

sick&tired wrote:

hey all

dont really know why Im going unregged for this one but just looking for some thoughts/opinions...

As a teenager I never had any hassle with my skin, but now in my 20s I do, its really bad and driving me crazy. I have tried everything from topical antibiotics to oral antibiotics and nothing works. Visited a dermatologist again recently who advised the best course of action would be roaccutane for a couple of months along with the pill to make sure the pregnancy thing doesnt happen.

Thing is im terrified by the thought of this drug (roaccutane) I have heard so much bad press, and even the thoughts of how dry your skin can get puts me off. The other thing is that I know from past experience the pill turns me into a crazy person and I double in size almost overnight i feel like I would be creating new problems to solve a different one..

I dont want to keep going the way I am but Im really anxious about taking these drugs too. Anyone out there on them? How are you getting on etc etc?

Thanks guys.

Well I know lots of people who were flawless in thier teens , Now have acne in their 20s and its getting more common.

Firstly Acne is a vicious "beep" the more you try cover/clear/clean/stress the worse it gets.
1. have to stop stressing about it,

its never as bad as you think.
Most cases of Acne last 3 to 5years
It doesn't make you look ugly.

My Acne is finally clearing up bar having the odd one hear there, and In my experience i went through from over the counter to Doctors to pills to a having an appointment with a Dermatalogists (asshole)
He told me to go on Roaccutane straightaway even though my acne was not a severe case but moderate, it was almost like tellin me here your lunch. Roaccutane is bloody dangerous, my advice is to cleary consider your options and don't go on it cus some Gubsh!te tells you to. Nothing cleared it up
and going on Roaccutane is not an option, it might get rid of Acne but it might get rid of your hair! Roaccutane in my mind has no doubt that it has serious sideffects we do not know fully about.
2. stay away from harsh soaps?cleansers they are full of chemicals pretty much the same as what you have in your toothpaste. Water is all you need morning and night. (Makesure the water is lukewarm not hot as this aggravates the skin to produce more oil.) and splash with ice cold water. It does the job, seriously. It might not for all however.

3. Get plenty of rest, sleep is one of the best things I found as it heals the skin quicker.
4. Drinks lots of fluid and Water especially.
5. Plenty of exerice too. This flushes out the system
Some experts say that Nutrition has no link with acne I don;t believe that however, as food has an effect on your mental and physical health which Acne effects too. but a good diet will definatly help your overall complexion.
quick note, In many cases some people say acne and other allergies are heighten when a lot of Wheat and Dairy is in thier diet, I stayed of wheat and Dairy and to be honest I don't think it was much different only I felt better.

Anyway hopes this helps:)

mysterious

acnescars wrote:

Hey, I'm on Roacc as well at the moment, don't beleive all that stuff in the media, most people don't get any side effects. My skin got worse on it for a while but if you have a good derm your dose will suit your acne severity. I kept putting of Roacc cause I was scared of it as well, and now I have scars which are even worse to have then active acne, so do yourself a favour and get on it as soon as possible.

You are talking bull! here
A lot of generalisation here, I know 3 people personally I can find out just about anybody I know through somebody who has had a rough time on it, I asked around and found out the pros and cons to the drugs the three people who I knew personally have had Bad experience on that stuff, no not the dry chapped lips, hair thinning, weak mucsle etc, Depression my friend they have had a fair time going through it that just enough to explain. Yes there acne cleared up but 1 in particular had to go on three doses to clear them up, don't dismiss the sideffects to make it look like 8th wonder of the world.
Im not all against people going on it, if someone thinks they need fair play to them, I won't go on it and thats my preferance, Doctors and Derms have to be shot for batting pills like these over the counter like frisbies, Its deadly stuff, high does of Vitamin A is serious stuff. Hell dont come with crap like oh most people don't have side effects are you a medical specialist? Any facts here to prove your point? (just because you don't have serious side effects does not mean MOST won't)
My Dermatologist said there ARE serious side effects to the drug, and even went along saying it has not a good reputation for serious cases that have happened in the past, he even said he was reluctant to give roaccutane to some paitents, but, I still thought my Derm was an idiot, he was giving it to me with open arms , Money is power thats why its selling, its big business :rolleyes:

"most people don't get any side effects" You most know all
It annoys me when someone says everyone said that or most people do that its bull, everyone's different unless they tell you otherwise.

LegacyUser

You seem very anti-roaccutane there mysterious, dont let that cloud your judgement of the drug, especially if it could potentially mean someone not taking it and not getting rid of their acne.

It is a FACT that serious side effects from taking roaccutane are extremely rare, whereas the success rate of the drug is very high.

I was scared of roaccutane 4 months ago and i think if i had read your posts at that time, i may not have taken the drug. If i had followed your way of thinking i would still be miserable and suffer awful acne.

Thankfully i didnt and now have amazingly clear skin and tons of confidence, in fact im going on a 6 month trip to south america in around 2 months time - something i could NEVER have done when i had awful acne. Roaccutane has been a miracle cure for me and has given me a new lease of life.

To the origninal poster: Make your own mind up, but i highly reccommend roaccutane, just follow your derms advice, dont miss any appointments and monitor how you feel when you take the drug. I dont know how bad acne makes you feel but it made me feel like ****...roaccutane is the only cure for moderate-severe acne (apart from waiting it out and potentially sufferring from bad scarring later on).

They say roaccutane CAN cause depression, but no one can deny that it clears up your skin, for me it did the opposite, i feel great - it was when i had acne that i was depressed.

LegacyUser

Eh, I'm talkin bull!? I'm on Roaccutane, have been for last 4 months and will be for next 8 months, so don't talk to me as if you know all about just because you picked up some hear say stories. Because of people like you in the media I kept putting of Roaccutane and now have horibble scars which get me down every day of the week. I remember when I first went to a doctor with only really mild acne, and he said Roaccutane, and I didn't go with it, the biggest regret in my life. I tried out all crappy stuff from seaweed face washes to evry antibiotic known to man and it kept getting worse. Yes, I've had side effects, but they're minor compared to the crap I had to put up with while I had acne, which every sufferer knows of. I've never been happier since I went on it, compared to the long never ending depression moods I would suffer while I had acne. The only time that I get down while on Roacc is when I think about my scars and having not taking it earlier.

To anyone thinking about Roaccutane, go on it, the side effects are definitely worth it, just make sure you go to a good dermatologist. I've beeen to 3 in Dublin, till I found a good one.

Victor

OK, chill folks.

Is one of the side effects aggressiveness over the internet?

Girlfriend

Sick & Tired, I think you should give Roaccutane a shot. Just be careful. I've never been on it, but a very close friend did. It cleared up his skin really well and his spots never came back, but he was manic depressive while he was on it, and really scary when he had a few drinks - it was like he was on drugs (in a bad way!).

I've had spots and blackheads since I was eight, getting gradually worse when I was in my teens, and now not so bad I'm in my twenties. And I can really identify with how it brings you down. It's s h i t .

Personally, I'd love to go on Roaccutane and sort it out once and for all, but evry time I've gone to a doctor they don't consider that my acne is severe enough. I nearly wish it was worse so they'd actually help me! I've tried antibiotics etc., and eventually found that the Pill worked really well, but it made me a bit psycho and my body didn't feel right so I stopped taking that and now I'm back to covering my spots with make-up.

I think you should try Roaccutane, but fukk the Pill. You won't need it cos Roaccutane will sort your skin out and you can just use a condom for contraception! (but beware that if you do get pregnant whilst on Roaccutane it could be very dangerous for the kid)

P.S. Acnescars, what's the name of your good dermatologist?

LegacyUser

Rosemary Coleman in Blackrock is good for getting the job done, if you know what I mean, she cuts out the bull**** and just gets straight to the point of clearing your skin, doesn't really listen. She's the best in my opinion, its also easier if you've already decided to go on Roacc before hand.

Nicholas Walsh, also in blackrock, is more the listening type, but I found him a bit rude on occasions, and my skin was getting wose under him.

LegacyUser

but he was manic depressive while he was on it, and really scary when he had a few drinks - it was like he was on drugs (in a bad way!).

This brings me back to my point about having a COMPETENT dermatologist. Did your friends doctor not inform your friend that under NO circumstances whilst taking roaccutane should he touch alcahol? It is extremely bad for the liver, its foolishness like that that probably triggers off the more serious side effects. Just for the record its ok to have about 1 or two pints a week whilst on roaccutane....NEVER EVER HAVE A FEW DRINKS ON IT!!!

OP: Get yourself to a good doctor (Dr. Condon in the blackrock clinic for example) and listen to what he has to say, he will give you the facts - nothing more nothing less....you have to ask yourself whos opinion do you trust more - a doctor who has spent his whole adult life studying skin or some bird brain on the internet who you know absolutely nothing about, who has never taken roaccutane and clearly knows very little about acne.

Girlfriend

Roacc wrote:

This brings me back to my point about having a COMPETENT dermatologist. Did your friends doctor not inform your friend that under NO circumstances whilst taking roaccutane should he touch alcahol?

Of course he was told. Unfortunately young men don't always listen.

Roacc wrote:

you have to ask yourself whos opinion do you trust more - a doctor who has spent his whole adult life studying skin or some bird brain on the internet who you know absolutely nothing about, who has never taken roaccutane and clearly knows very little about acne.

Like you?