Acne Sucks!!!!

LegacyUser

'I'm not going to reveal my name or post a picture b/c I'm to embarrassed to even leave the house let alone reveal my identity haha, it's a shame but its the truth. I hide in my house all day and night crying b/c my self esteem is so low due to my acne. I've been suffering from acne since I was about 16. its been on and off, I am now 21 and its prob. the worst it has ever been. I suffer from cystic acne. My face is always swollen and hurts like hell. I feel like I have no life b/c this issue has completley taken over. It makes me feel better to know that all of you on here have the same issues. I've tried everything you could imagine, from creams to pills, proactive, masks, EVERYTHING. My derm finally recommended Accuatne. I was scared at first b/c of all the side effects and all of the wavers you must sign before starting the treament. Its like i was siging my life away. I thought deeply about it and figured why not.. whats another 5-6 months of hiding myself from the world if it gets that much worse. I've been on it for 3 weeks now, and to me this is the most weirdest medication I have ever been on! Its so damn expensive!!!When I first started it, the pain in my face just dissapeared. the swelling went down and my face cleared up. I was so excited b.c I could finally go out and have a good time with my friends. I'm a 21 yrd old female and cant even go out and have a good time b.c i'm so embarresed, so this made me very happy. THEN WEEK 2 CAME, I was so tired out of no where, i was sad,thirsty as a mofo, dry eyes, lips and nose, my face broke out worse then ever and I was an emotional mess again. I coudlnt eat anything,everytime i tried i wanted to throw up. I have stomache pains often and my lips and nose are dry as hell. I am ON WEEK 3 and still the same, my appitite came back but I'm just very tired and weak, dry lips and nose. I'm started WEEK 4 this week so we shall see. I keep telling myself that oneday its all gonna go away and i'll have my life back, there may still be hope. I cannot take much more... its not fair that we have to go through this. & the people that do not have to go through this have no idea what we go through in our daily life. Its a living hell. For others that are further into the medication, is my face going to get better???!'

the_god_swan

Your story moved me, I was in a similiar situation about 6 years ago (male, 20). My acne was mainly around my neck and lower face and would swell up into lumps and bleed regularly. As you can imagine i had no interest in showing myself in public, avoided going out with friends and certainly had no confidence with girls.
After many failed treatments i went on Roaccutance for a 9 month course. Many months passed before i saw any great results and i had the side effects to add to the mix (depression, dryness, rash on my hand to name a few). And no alcohol while i was on the drug.
But the good news is that Roaccutance worked for me, i had to wait the full 9 months to see long lasting results. Although there is a lot of bad press with this drug i still recommend it to people because it did what it set out to do and that was clear my skin and made me a happy person again.
Acne itself can cause depression so as far as i was concerned Roaccutance couldnt make me feel any worst. Stick with It I say and good luck

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Have you ever been on the pill?

The reason I ask is because the pill is often very successful at clearing up acne in girls. It is often prescribed and apparently is quite effective. Given that you're already on Roaccutane now, I would advise that you stick with it is it's not generally wise to prematurely terminate a course of anti-biotics, but do consult with your doctor/dermatologist regarding problems that you may be having.

...NB: not to be taken as medical advice, I'm just reiterating things i've heard.

Cheeky_gal

I was roaccutane myself about 2 yrs ago...cystic acne aswell! So I feel ur pain...I had two huge cysts on my face and had to get them both injected...very uncomfortable! I will tell you tho that roaccutane worked really well...no more cysts but the odd spot here n there which is natural! And yea, its completely normal the side effects you're experiencing, I experienced all those except for the loss of appetite...thats a bit unusual! Overall I wouldnt go back on roaccutane if u paid me....it made bloody miserable for about a yr afterwards, I experienced the depressed side effect! And my cholesterol hit the roof which was real weird cuz I'm pretty healthy and don't eat that much crap! I'd recommend you bring a tub of vaseline with you wherever you go...so like you can just apply it to ur lips or wherever! Dont worry tho...most people I know have been on it and its worked wonders for about 99% of them! Good luck!

Lola123

Wow, you poor thing!! I've been lucky enough to escape acne myself but my brother and my best friend suffer badly from it.
I don't know much about how to cure it so to speak, but all I can say is that you probably notice it more than other people do. Plenty of people suffer from it so you're not alone. Hard as it is, maybe you shoudl try and force yourself to go out and try and enjoy yourself because,I reckon feeling like you can't go out because of it is making you more upset.

LegacyUser

I know how you're feeling, you poor thing.
My skin went bananas when I was 16 and I battled it for years until I went on the pill. That cleared my skin up, but it also made me very depressed so I had to stop taking it.
Acne is 100% caused by hormones, as you probably know, and the pill works because it's an artificial hormone. Unfortunately it's not a permanent solution.

I'm now 29 and I do get occasional breakouts but I've learned to live with it. Adult acne is quite common, so please don't feel you're the only one.

If you do decide to come off Accutane, please check out other options. My friend had ClearLight treatment in a Derma Laser clinic and it worked brilliantly for her. It's not cheap, but unlike drugs it's not invasive, it's painless and there are no side effects.
I'm sure there are other similar treatments available in the various skin clinics around the country.

It's hard for anyone who hasn't suffered with their skin to understand how devastating it is to wake up every morning and despair at your face in the mirror. But it will get better for you, I promise.

Saruman

I had it myself when i was a teen. I got roaccutane when i was 18 and 6 months later i was clear. I was never as bad as you describe (acne wise). As for side effects, i was lucky to only suffer from dryness of the skin and i was photosensitive too but no big deal.

I still suffer a little from "bacne" on my shoulder blades but that does not bother me. My face is clear and i only get the odd pimple everyone on the planet gets.

Anyway... what Sean_K said... the pill might work some wonders too.. and make sure to drink plenty of water! Especially on roaccutane

LegacyUser

Is your face going to get better? Yes, it should. However it will take time and you're going to have to deal with the side effects of the medication until it does its job.
Make sure that you don't use soap to wash and you use really rich moisturisers. Keep some on you at all times as well as some eye drops and something for your lips. Also make sure you stay out of the wind/sun as much as possible.
Week three saw you being tired and weak but if you didn't eat for most of week two then of course you were tired and weak!
Your face may clear and then flare at various stages throughout your treatment. If you're worried at all then speak with your doctor.
Remember that Accutane can and does mess with people's head so if you're feeling depressed speak with your doctor.
And ensure that you're getting all your blood work done and that it's clear.
Apart from that you're just going to have to suck it up and deal with it.

StormWarrior

I have heard that there is a kind of lightbox you can get that gets rid of acne. You sit in front of it for 15 mins a day and it emits special light that gets rid of the spots. I've read very good reviews of it, although have no personal experience with it. As far as I know they don't have any side effects, although you probably couldn't use it as the same time as the accutane since you're not supposed to expose your skin to light when on accutane. Maybe you should try a lightbox? Although they are a few hundred euros I think.

Dave!

StormWarrior wrote:

I have heard that there is a kind of lightbox you can get that gets rid of acne. You sit in front of it for 15 mins a day and it emits special light that gets rid of the spots. I've read very good reviews of it, although have no personal experience with it. As far as I know they don't have any side effects, although you probably couldn't use it as the same time as the accutane since you're not supposed to expose your skin to light when on accutane. Maybe you should try a lightbox? Although they are a few hundred euros I think.

Have a read about it here
http://www.skincarephysicians.com/acnenet/article_lasers.html

I believe I've read somewhere that it's basically as effective as sitting in the sun, because blue light is present in the sun too!

OP, I feel your pain! It seems that so do alot of others! I've had acne since I was about 13/14, and tried all of the topical treatments, and some tablets for a while too, but basically the GP saw it was too stubborn for those, and sent me to a derm, who put me on Roaccutane pretty much straight away.

I experienced every bloody side-effect in the world! I had sore joints and muscles, blurry vision, bad hearing, RIDICULOUS fatigue, fragile skin (scratch too much and I got a scab), increased photosensitivity, bloody noses, RIDICULOUSLY dry lips, diminished memory, and swollen thyroid glands. I also wasn't a very happy camper at the time, but I find it's a bit easy to pin that on Roaccutane. I do think that it affects you mentally somewhat, but as long as you realise that it's the medicine that's making you a bit disoriented, it's no problem. I don't think Roaccutane made me unhappy; I'd say it was more to do with the horribly disfiguring cystic acne that was all over my body! :rolleyes:

Thankfully my face cleared up straight away after going on the drug, but I struggled with it on my back and chest, and neck, for more than 2 years. It was extremely unpleasant, affected me socially (couldn't take part in sports that I wanted to, for example) and psychologically (self-esteem and confidence plumetted, naturally). It effectively ruined my first year in college, and I had to take a year out before continuing to second year (although there were other factors that contributed to this decision) because I didnt want it to ruin that also. It was bad enough having the painful acne, but I constantly struggled with the side-effects, most notably the dry lips (find a good lip-balm thing and carry it everywhere!) and the fatigue (would fall asleep while studying, as if I needed the help! Also in lectures).

So it was a long, hard trek, but I persevered for about 2 years on the highest dose (1mg per kg) of Roaccutane, because I knew it was the only thing that was having even a slight effect on the acne. My dermatologist said that I was an exceptional case, and that most people are clear within 6 months, so don't be worried about being on it long-term.

I've been pretty much clear for the past 3 months, with just the odd 1 or 2 small ones popping up I get an occassional big 'un, but I just ignore it and wait it out, and it's gone after a few days.

Any questions, shoot away......

edit:

BTW, you mentioned how expensive it is. I'm not sure if you're aware, but Roaccutane is covered under the Drugs Payment Scheme. Read about it here:
http://www.irishhealth.com/index.html?level=4&con=146

"The Drugs Payment Scheme allows individuals and families who do not hold medical cards to limit the amount they have to spend on prescribed drugs. Under the Drugs Payment Scheme, no individual or family will have to pay more than €85 (limit as of Sept 2006) in any calendar month for approved prescribed drugs, medicines and appliances."

It's easy to register for it and it saves you LOTS of cash.

Saruman

StormWarrior wrote:

I have heard that there is a kind of lightbox you can get that gets rid of acne. You sit in front of it for 15 mins a day and it emits special light that gets rid of the spots. I've read very good reviews of it, although have no personal experience with it. As far as I know they don't have any side effects, although you probably couldn't use it as the same time as the accutane since you're not supposed to expose your skin to light when on accutane. Maybe you should try a lightbox? Although they are a few hundred euros I think.

You mean a UV lamp? You can get them in Argos. I used to have one and gave it to my sister to tan her face.

dudara

OP, as you can see from the short selection of posters who have replied, you are most definitely not alone. The medicine that you have been prescribed is sever, but by all accounts, very successful when taken correctly.

Take the time to read peoples input here and stick with it.:)

chump

dudara, you should point out that under no circumstances should the OP decide to follow the advice of the previous posters who suggested uv-type treatments when on roAccuatane.

I don't see how people offered medical advice about skin conditions is any different to people offering medical advice for any number of diseases - which is forbidden here I believe.

OP, I've never used the drug you mention but from all I've heard it can work wonders. Best of luck with it, stick it out, and consult regularly with your dermatologist about your progress.

irlirishkev

I was on Roaccutane when I was younger aswell. As were a few of my friends. We all suffered from the same sort of acne. Mine was cystic like yours. Big bas*ards on my face. Usually on my neck and around the nose.. Always flared up at the weekends aswell typically.

Anyhoo, I went on the drugs, went through some side effects, dryness, mood swings, tiredness.. but they worked wonders! I was still getting a few big zits while I was on it, but once the course finished, they disapeared and never came back. It's ten years later now, and I rarely get zits. If I do, it's usually after a shaving cut or something like that.

Have faith, try to stick with it (on doctor's advice of course)..

K.

Firetrap

OP, I'm very sorry to hear how down you're feeling about your acne. I know how feel, having been there. I hope you've signed up for a Drug Payments Scheme card. You can pick up an application form in any pharmacy or from the health board. It'll take a bit of the sting out of paying for the Roaccutane though you'll still be 70-odd notes down every month.

It is a harsh drug to be on, make no bones about it. My abiding memory of taking it a few years ago is how many of those little pots of lip balm I bought to stop my lips from cracking. It really dried up my face as well and I couldn't wear contact lenses.

Don't expect overnight miracles. It takes a while for any visible effects of acne medications to manifest themselves. It takes a while for your system to stop doing the acne thing.

On signing the disclaimers, try not to work yourself up into a sweat about the side-effects. For most people, the aforementioned dry eyes/skin is the only thing they notice. Those partial to the odd tipple mightn't appreciate having to stay off the drink either. I presume you have to have your bloods checked in between visits to the dermatologist as well just to make sure you're OK. If you think the medication is giving you other unwanted side-effects like pains or that you're feeling very depressed, go see your GP. Just to be on the safe side.

Dave!

Just FYI, my derm didnt mention staying off the booze to me, although it was probably on the leaflet with the drug. So I didn't deny myself that particular pleasure while I was on it, and I survived okay!

That doesn't mean you should do it though

AlphaMale 3OO

Had it bad too. Roaccutane is bloody dynamite and your skin will clear up. I have no doubt you'll be happy with the results. Been Acne free for 8 years because of it. Had sore joints, dry skin, horrendous lips. No depression though and the thought of finally being clear worked against any depression anyway. Think happy thoughts! Yes its harsh and my results were most apparant in the last 2 weeks and even after I stopped the treatment I still had some spots which COMPLETELY cleared within a few weeks. Drug still in the system and all that. You'll be enjoying a better social life very soon.

Caliden

Accutane is one of those 'get-worse-before-its-gets-better' medications.

You just have to bare it until your acne clears. I've read some great success stories about accutane and it does indeed work. Whether or not you'll need medication once you're off accutane depends on each person.

Just try and keep your lips moisturised with vaseline/lip balm becase it's a common side-effect and there's nothing more painful than split lips especially since our summer is over.

Saruman

chump wrote:

dudara, you should point out that under no circumstances should the OP decide to follow the advice of the previous posters who suggested uv-type treatments when on roAccuatane.

I do not believe anyone did advise the her to use UV treatment while on roaccutane. It was an alternative option to roaccutane. I believe everyone who suggested roaccutane told her to avoid sunlight etc.
StormWarrior for instance, who brought it up explicitly said not to use while on roaccutane

git_ireland

I had this for ages. I also went on roaccutane. The big fear for me was there has always been depression in my familys line. I had the dry lips sore eyes but it is all worth it in the end. I went on it for 8 months on a high dose. Couldn really drink. always pissed as a fart after a few. I never had this inferior complexion with acne. At the end of the day this is me and no one can change or fix my faults. Why live in fear of what people will say. I found Carmex very useful for my lips. And a bit of Nivea moisturiser.

Any way the moral of my story is I got it fixed, it did take time, theres no way to rush the process. Make sure you get regular blood tests to monitor any reactions.

I am delighted withthe results I achieved, I get the odd spot but it would only last one night with a bit of sudo creme unlike the old stuff which seemed to plant roots and keep growing.

Dont get distraught it will all be great in the end.

slemons

ya been there done that.
just stick it out and roac will clear you.
keep the head up.
btw i know its easier said that done but the truth is no-one cares how bad your acne is. you are you and thats it. dont let acne make you something you;re not#

good luck, head up.

LegacyUser

I got acne a hell of a lot worse on my back and shoulders than on my face (though that was bad too). Everymorning id wake up with blood on my back cause of it. Dont even mention going swimming and all that.

Went on roac for a few months. Just when I thought things couldnt get any worse I got really bad dandruff, my lips cracked constantly, my nose bled sometimes and I was really thirsty all the time. Real low point.

End result, couldnt be happier now. It is an unpleasant situation to be in but the results are completely worth it. Some people react different to the medication than others but in the end it does exactly what you hoped it would. I wish you all the best.

Villaricos

aw sorry to read this, but hold out with the accutane for a while, it is a get worse to get better type situation. Ive acne but never severe enough to go on accutane but a friend of mine did and she got the whole dry lips, face and her hair was like straw but wow if you could see her skin now! I am so jealous of her!

Hang in there, its tough, acne's a right pain in the ass but your definitely not alone in it and it will get better

LegacyUser

Saruman wrote:

You mean a UV lamp? You can get them in Argos. I used to have one and gave it to my sister to tan her face.

No, acne ClearLight treatment is not the same as UV light or a UV lamp. It's a totally different treatment. I can only vouch for the two people I know who said it's worked for them.
Just an alternative, non-invasive option if someone wants to think about it.

Saruman

Oh yes a lot of people point out one of the side effects is depression. I know when i started on it, there had been a lot of talk about it possibly causing suicide etc.

Anyway all drugs effect different people in different ways. For me, i noted the side effects.. the dry skin etc.
I had the opposite effect to depression though. Depression is not something likely to hit me, thats too much emotion for me however as i could see results on roaccutane it made me happy as i knew it was going to work out.

One other "possible" side effect of the drug i developed actually is serious. I say possible as i cant say roaccutane was the cause. A couple of years after i came off the drug i ended up in hospital with Ulcerative Colitis symptoms. Im pretty certain i have cured myself (have not had any problems in years) by a change of diet, cutting out known causes like red meat and caffeine. It could have been years of caffeine abuse that caused it... however it is a side effect of roaccutane. In fact, if i was in the US its a lawsuit you can win pretty easy.

niavie

you poor thing.. im kinda in the same boat as you...i went on the pill for a while and it seemed to be working but has stopped...im going back to the doctor on friday... i also found zineryt to be very good...

mickd

Went on Roaccutane 7 years ago used to get acne vulgaris my back and chest. Was on it for 6 months it worked a treat i.e no more acne vulgaris. Its very good so stick with it. Take bio-yoghurt to protect the lining of your stomach as this stuff can be hard on it. I had routine blood tests done three times during the course to make sure the liver was functioning normally. Its difficult to take accutane during the summer months because its humid,when i went a day without shaving I came into work looking like Freddie Kruger with all my skin peeling. With regards to depression one is already fed up with their appearance that is why they go on the medication so I would discount it as a cause.

OMcGovern

I'd acne from 17 to 25 before one doctor finally referred me to a dermotologist, and they put me on Roaccutane. It worked a treat.

Yes, your skin will become painfully dry, and need moisturiser.
Yes, the inside of your nose may dry out, and need vaselin.

Look at the bigger picture, it's 6-9 months of discomfort, put it's worth it.
I'm sorry I didn't go on it earlier... well, I got so bored with docs just prescribing ineffective anti-biotics, that I abandoned their advice for years... my bad.

Stick with it, the best personalities are forged in fire.

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

i've never had acne on my face, i got some on my shoulders when i was 15-16 and yes i hated and tryed avoiding situations involving me taking my t-shirt off, like swimming , beach , holidays etc. im nearly 20 now and i have like the dryed out acne on my back if you know what i mean , i haven't had acne grow on me since i was 15/16 i think, the after effects are still in my skin and is noticable enough. im wondering will it eventually go away or what? im sorry to hear about some of your situations. i know mine doesn't seem as bad but it is when your about to get laid and especially if your sober your more nervous and try to avoid takin your t shirt off because you dont know what she will think...

slemons

just a heads up here, i dont know if you're heard of the acne.org regimen but its defo worth a shot.

basically it revolves around using benzoyl peroxide cream applied everywhere all over your face, regardless whether its broken out or not. This seems to kill off the sebum production.

It does work.
have a look and try for yourself. The products made and sold by that site are very good too.

http://acne.org/regimen.html

Lil' Smiler

Hey Pink21!!

I'm in the exact same boat as you. I'm 21 (just turned, 3 days now!!) and I suffer from Cystic Acne too.

Mine started when I was about 15/16 too. Since I was younger, I've not had the best skin. I have very sensitive skin, can use very little products, very sensitive to jewellery and have had impetigo as a child numerous times.

I think it's genetic but (this is the first time I am revealing this because it scares me so much) I self harmed when I was 12/13 because of a very difficult time in our family and our whole family was suffering from some sort of low point. I took it badly and damaged my face, I stupidly (i know it can sound funny) shaved my eyebrows off partially (I have no idea why). I damaged the skin badly and would keep picking at it, spreading infection around my face and makimg the cuts deeper and worse.

Finally I stopped because my self esteem was so bad, wouldn't and couldn't do anything, stopped hanging out with friends etc. I refused to go the dr, get counseling and fought through the depression on my own.

It's held me back from doing alot of things I'd love to do , like join the drama club when i was in school because i couldn't bare to look at myself and thought others felt the same. I lost friends and hid away from everyone and everything. The cuts etc finally sorted themselves out and I began to get a little happier when i was 16 and began working part time in a supermarket and no one treated me any different.

Then I started to get swelling under one eye and lumps in my nose, turned out i had a "bug in my nose" and from then my acne came out. I was on Anti B's for 6 months and it helped a little but then it was kind of on and off but when it was bad .... it was BAD!!!!

So last year, I had just had it, my skin was terrible, at the time i was going through alot of emotional stuff ad was badly depressed. I went to my DR and he suggested Roaccutane, 'm not sure why seeing as I was already depressed. I refused.

So at the time, I worked in a cosmetics distributors company for the summer. A long time friend is the national trainer for this company and she really wanted to help me because she's seen me through all the years. She recommended prescription products (prescribed by a skin trained therapist)
Danné Montague -King. I swear by these products. The course of treatments you have to go for and the products are expensive but I promise you they work!!!

check them out http://www.dannemking.com/

really, the pictures don't lie

This year, i soared in confidence for the first time in years.

Lately in the last month my skin went insane, i stopped sticking to the routine of the skin products and STUPIDLY put tan on my face which sent it mad!! and of course i picked at anything that was on my face or anywhere i thought something was coming up.

I don't know if anyone else finds this but I think I have an actual addiction to picking at the cysts, i have to squeeze them, can't leave them alone which I know is making t so much worse!!

My 21st party is tomorrow night, I have been so upset for the last month because I found the perfect dress and it all fell through as did 2 others I bought and a whole laod of other stuff relating to college, people not coming t my party etc
So once my skin gets bad and I get depressed it goes insane!! For the first time in over a year it is terrible. I don't know what to do for tomorrow. I've been in a terrible mood for the last month, it's affecting my relationship with my fantastic boyfriend but I think at this stage hes been so understanding and now he's just sick of it even though he loves me!! I'm not being much help though!! When I'm down, I'm very down as it seems to just be one thing after another

I didn't have enough time to get the treatments done that I should for my face but by all means I definitely recommend Danné.

If you can afford it I can easily tell you the best salons to go to near where you live, just let me know

slemons

dont over look Benzoyal Peroxide and the clear skin regimen on acne.org.
It has worked for hundreds of 1000s of people and the only side effect is some redness which goes away quickly. its cheap and quick.

it has also worked well for me, and ive recently gone back on ZMA and alpha male. these are 2 sport supplements loaded with zinc etc to naturally boost test and used to wreck my skin. since ive started on these 2, ive been using BP and really careful with my skin. Not a breakout yet. For me acne.org is the answer. Nothing near as nasty as roaccutane

Back Prince

its weird i(16) have to say i know a load of people dont suffer from it and when u go down a street and u look at people there skin is so clean and it makes me feel dirty and as if everyone is staring at me. i usaully am a fella who doesnt care wat people thinks of him but i dont like the looks or the comments that come with my acne i am now just after starting using bp and so far so good maybe the people out there dont see me as filty as they normally do

Lil' Smiler

I think we're all aware of that feeling Back Prince. It's quite upsetting, I think a lot of it is in my head that I think people are looking at me.

I even get worried that my bf won't be attracted to me or love me because of my skin and i constantly need him to reassure me. He told me last nigh that what i'm seeing when i look in the mirror is probably 10 times worse than what he sees. he says he can see beyond the acne anyway.

It's more to me the pain that the Cysts cause me rather than how they look, as they're cysts i can cover them up with make up luckily enough ( i've learnt since a young age not to cake the make up on and have been shown how to put it on so i'm not orange faced etc!!)

With the natural Danné products that i use, i use a cream that is 10% BP when my skins bad or 5% BP when it's ok and i use a moisture balancer as BP can tend to dry out the skin.

I'm going through a rather bad patch with my skin at the mo so hopefully it'll clear up soon. As much as i can't stand for people to look at my skin i'm just trying to have a more positive outlook on it. I really can't let it stop me doing the thing i want to do and have to do in life.