202 replies to this topic

[jbird12]

Figured I'd share my experience with Solodyn as I've been on it twice now. The first was a 90mg dose over a 2 month period. I saw no changes in my acne...in fact I was having the worst breakouts in 9 years, though this started before the Solodyn (while I was on doxy). Other than the ineffectiveness, I saw no side effects.

I just started my second course about 10 days ago. This time I'm on a 135mg dose and I'm experiencing a Solodyn haze. Basically, I'm walking around like I'm disconnected from the world. I know it's the Solodyn as I noticed the side effects 3 days after I started my course. On the plus side, the higher dose appears to be effective against my acne, but I don't know how long I can handle the solodyn drunkeness.

[Hose3cu]

For all those success stories with dermatologists and medication, kudos to you. Honestly, I'm glad that you all had positive experiences and were able to rid yourself of or control acne. We all know what it feels like to have acne, and all of us certainly dream of the relief of being acne-free.

However, looking back at my experience, I wish I never ever went to a dermatologist, and I wish I never took any kind of medication. Though I've had acne my entire life, I went through a severe break out in the beginning of 2009. I never had cysts/acne like that before, so I immediately went to see a dermatologist for some medication. Little did I know, I was going to be experimenting with a whole bunch of oral and topical medications, each with their own different side effects. Long story short, I was given (at different times of course) Solodyn, Benzaclin, Clindamycin, Differin, Doxycycline and Desonide Lotion. Though I only took it for 3 weeks, the solodyn altered my breathing, and affected my mental state for over a month. I became depressed and anxious for weeks - I was never so frightened in my life. The solodyn and clindamycin caused the skin around my nose to dry out severely. I mentioned this to my doctor and he told me a) its just the cold weather, and b) its def not the medication. He suggested that I continue the medication even though the dry skin continued (I never had this before!!). Three weeks after taking solodyn and clindamycin, the breathing problem worsened - so he finally told me to stop the medication. The skin around my nose improved, but it has never returned to normal.

Now, months later, I still suffer from this dry skin / rash around my nose. Whenever I use a harsh cleanser that dries out my skin, the area around my nose becomes very flaky. Because of that, I only cleanse with Cetaphil, and I don't apply any kind of BP on my face. Even if I put lotion on it everyday, my skin its very rough - sometimes, tiny pimples will appear and then disappear within a day or two. The area can become very dry and red - so it gets embarrassing. Basically, there is always something going on around my nose - sometimes its bad, and other days its not as bad. But its always bad. I feel like my skin is always peeling.

I look at pictures of me from only 6 months ago, and I long for when my skin looked like that!

The sad part is that I saw this all happening. The day after I started taking the medicines, the skin around my face started to peel. I thought it was just a temporary reaction towards the medication, but now it appears to be permanent - or at least long term. I never had dry skin like this before, and I regret ever listening to the advice of the doctor. I should have listened myself - but I guess I wanted to rid myself of acne so bad that I decided to listen to the doctor.

[soccerguy1111]

Hose3CU... I'm sorry you had that kind of experience
However, in nearly all cases going to a dermatologist is the only way to get rid of acne. Solodyn works very well for me. I guess each person can have a different reaction, but in general i think solodyn is definitely worth trying.

[LandToSea]

Wow, there are so many misconceptions and misinformation in this post I do not know where to start. First off my qualifications are that I have experience in Adverse Event reporting for pharmaceuticals and hold a degree in Psychology. I am also labeled to be an excellent researcher by those who know me. I do not claim to be an expert in acne treatment, but believe that I can offer a clearer more sound perspective for those trying to make an educated decision here.

First off this page offers a lot of info for those who can understand it. It is the package insert that comes with Solodyn. You should always read these for each medication you choose to take!

www.medicis.com/products/pi/pi_solodyn.pdf

For those of you claiming to have cystic acne be advised that Solodyn is not indicated (determined to be effective) for Nodulocystic acne and therefore should not be expected to be effective against such. This does not mean it may not help in some cases, but the manufacturer is not advising it to be prescribed for such.

EVERYONE is an INDIVIDUAL as are the variables that cause and effect their acne. What works for one person may not work for 10 or 100 others etc. Acne treatment should almost always be a concomitant (joint) therapy of topical and systemic (internal) treatment. Acne is mostly caused by hormonal factors and there is no cure unless you can find a way to moderate your hormones. Acne treatments are simply assisting your body to maintain normal levels of sebum production, lessen Propionibacterium acnes bacteria in the follicle, normalize keratinization and reduce inflammation. These 4 factors are what cause acne symptoms. If you stop your treatment or part of it the cause is still there and symptoms will reoccur! The only time they will not reoccur is if while on treatment your hormone levels fluctuated back to a desirable level.

When it comes to listed side effects keep this in mind as there certainly is possibility of experiencing a psychosomatic effect which enables one to feel symptoms based on their mental perception or expectations. The laundry list of side effects you see listed in package inserts to meds or rambled off in commercials are ALL symptoms experienced by study participants and/or users of a drug. Whether they are found to be related or not they must be listed as a possible side effect. To understand the real validity to these side effects look at the PERCENTAGE of individuals experiencing them while on the medication as compared to the placebo group. In Solodyn’s package insert linked above you will see that most listed side effects were experienced at the same percentage in the placebo group. For example Headache was 23% for both the treated group and placebo. This simply means that on average over 12 weeks 23% of people will get headaches. Honestly, even the largest difference of 4% in a side effect being for dizziness at 9% for the treated group and 5% for placebo is not real significant. This means that 4 more people per 100 on average would get a headache or headaches if taking Solodyn.

As for those who experienced illness or side effects during Solodyn treatment I am not discounting that it MAY have been related to the drug but there is a strong probability that some other variable was the cause. I did not read one circumstance where there was conclusive evidence that Solodyn caused the illness or symptom. The Solodyn study was only 12 weeks which is why they can only recommend a 12 week treatment course. Doctors are allowed to treat as they feel is best given the info the pharma companies provide as a guide. As far as resistance building to treatment, Minocycline is the least susceptible of the acne antibiotics. Dosage is weight based with Solodyn at 1mg per kg body weight and can be seen in the package insert linked above. Higher dosing as some of the doctors have prescribed to the posters here is not recommended and is related to an increase in dizziness! The studies do not confirm an increase in effectiveness with doses above the recommended 1mg/kg so it is useless and not a good practice for doctors to prescribe this way in most circumstances. Solodyn does not require titrating, aka weaning on/off, as some other systemic drugs do.

Accutane is bad news! It is documented and has a black box warning along with a mandatory registry for patients along with blood tests etc. Yes, it works, but they do not know why it works which is scary!!! If you care to, read their package insert.

To conclude, everyone must try a treatment and alter it as necessary to elicit the best results for their body. Starting with the least risky treatment is certainly prudent and advisable.

[greeneyed]

Hello,

I did not have acne until I came to college, so I have been using the solodyn 90mg and I also use the cetaphil face wash in the morning and night time then I apply the differin 0.3% gel at nightime after I wash my face. So far the medication has been working.... at first my acne seemed to get worse but its a process that your acne goes through. The medication takes care of the acne you already have then the acne that has not come out yet, once that is done the differin will slowly get rid of the acne and in 3-4 weeks you will see the results. I used the solodyn for a month and I stopped because I think I might have a cyst on my ovary so I need to get checked for that. The differin gel really works it is prescription only. If the cetaphil face wash dries up your face too much just used the dove soap for sensitive skin it really works then apply the differin. Good Luck to everyone and do not give up....

[greeneyed]

For all those success stories with dermatologists and medication, kudos to you. Honestly, I'm glad that you all had positive experiences and were able to rid yourself of or control acne. We all know what it feels like to have acne, and all of us certainly dream of the relief of being acne-free.

However, looking back at my experience, I wish I never ever went to a dermatologist, and I wish I never took any kind of medication. Though I've had acne my entire life, I went through a severe break out in the beginning of 2009. I never had cysts/acne like that before, so I immediately went to see a dermatologist for some medication. Little did I know, I was going to be experimenting with a whole bunch of oral and topical medications, each with their own different side effects. Long story short, I was given (at different times of course) Solodyn, Benzaclin, Clindamycin, Differin, Doxycycline and Desonide Lotion. Though I only took it for 3 weeks, the solodyn altered my breathing, and affected my mental state for over a month. I became depressed and anxious for weeks - I was never so frightened in my life. The solodyn and clindamycin caused the skin around my nose to dry out severely. I mentioned this to my doctor and he told me a) its just the cold weather, and b) its def not the medication. He suggested that I continue the medication even though the dry skin continued (I never had this before!!). Three weeks after taking solodyn and clindamycin, the breathing problem worsened - so he finally told me to stop the medication. The skin around my nose improved, but it has never returned to normal.

Now, months later, I still suffer from this dry skin / rash around my nose. Whenever I use a harsh cleanser that dries out my skin, the area around my nose becomes very flaky. Because of that, I only cleanse with Cetaphil, and I don't apply any kind of BP on my face. Even if I put lotion on it everyday, my skin its very rough - sometimes, tiny pimples will appear and then disappear within a day or two. The area can become very dry and red - so it gets embarrassing. Basically, there is always something going on around my nose - sometimes its bad, and other days its not as bad. But its always bad. I feel like my skin is always peeling.

I look at pictures of me from only 6 months ago, and I long for when my skin looked like that!

The sad part is that I saw this all happening. The day after I started taking the medicines, the skin around my face started to peel. I thought it was just a temporary reaction towards the medication, but now it appears to be permanent - or at least long term. I never had dry skin like this before, and I regret ever listening to the advice of the doctor. I should have listened myself - but I guess I wanted to rid myself of acne so bad that I decided to listen to the doctor.

[greeneyed]

You should use the cetaphil lotion, many times the cetaphil face wash can dry out your skin more. Just use the dove sensative skin and a lotion that is oil free beacuse that caused your pores to clog up..

[bdon88]

Wow, it is very comforting to see that someone has experienced the same thing that I am. My story is exactly like yours. I will immediately stop taking Solodyn. How long did it take for your symptoms to subside after you stopped taking this medication? I want to thank you for sharing your experience on this forum to help inform others that may or will be experiencing depersonalizaton from Solodyn. The feelings I am experiencing truly are indescribable and very frightening.

,Brandon

[dan25]

prescription cost $1300 I paid $10 got a card from the derm, but they have tetracycline its about the same for $10 I'm guessing I'm a trial patient for solodyn just got it yesterday will post results.

[colleenroselle]

I used solodyn after using doxycycline. I don't know why my dermo switched me...maybe because I was on doxy for 4 years?? haha I don't know but solodyn kept my acne away although it didn't help with the small cystic acne below the jawline but overall it worked pretty well. anyone starting to use an antibiotic for acne needs to stick with it for quite awhile. For some people it takes less time than others to get out of the "purging" period. I had to wait 6 months! so don't give up it gets way better

[butters143]

my derm prescribed me this last week,so far nothing. i wash with cetephil and use this aczone cream he gave me for the morning and retina-micro at night. i really hope this starts working,i want my old face back

Edited by butters143, 27 September 2009 - 08:32 PM.

[dan25]

so its been 10 days now im 100% clear b/c of this pill and the regimen, but I'm worried about side effects and how long I can continue this pill. Does anybody know any signs to watch out for?

Edited by dan25, 28 September 2009 - 10:12 AM.

[shadie]

I feel that this is a total pharmaceutical marketing scam. My derm receives coupons in which I am able to obtain the medication for $20, sweet deal right? Not, so much. It's basically minocycline. The side effects appear to outweight the positive results. I have read lawsuits and other misc reports of this medication inducing lupus and other autoimmune disorders. So far my face hasnt really changed. I have noticed my hair is flatter and my face is soooo oily and blackheads galore. I gave it a month but now I am not convinced it will actually work. So much for miracle medication.

[dan25]

still clear since last post im probably going to stop this pill hopefully I dont break out again I dont even care anymore but these antibiotics ive taken killed my mild acne problem.

[DrWin]

I feel that this is a total pharmaceutical marketing scam. My derm receives coupons in which I am able to obtain the medication for $20, sweet deal right? Not, so much. It's basically minocycline. The side effects appear to outweight the positive results. I have read lawsuits and other misc reports of this medication inducing lupus and other autoimmune disorders. So far my face hasnt really changed. I have noticed my hair is flatter and my face is soooo oily and blackheads galore. I gave it a month but now I am not convinced it will actually work. So much for miracle medication.

Currently, Solodyn, a minocycline extended-release tablet, is the most prescribed oral antibiotic in acne therapy (as of November 2009 per its manufacturer Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation). Solodyn was approved in 2006 by the FDA to treat extensive pimples, namely inflammatory papules and pustules, at a dose of 1 mg/kg in patients 12 years of age or older. Each tablet costs about $20 and one course of treatment is about $1,800, which lasts about 12 weeks. Typically, patients use an insurance co-payment system, so the bulk of the expensive treatment is shouldered by the health care provider or insurance company. However, the health care provider or insurance company then passes these costs back to the consumer in the form of higher premiums. I would like to point out some interesting information regarding Solodyn and its effectiveness.

According to an extensive clinical study (200+ patients) published in 2006 in the journal Cutis (Volume 78, pgs. 11-20) which was sponsored by Solodyn’s manufacturer, Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation, there were NO DIFFERENCES in the reduction of inflammatory acne lesion counts after 4 weeks and 8 weeks of daily dosage for patients taking the drug versus patients taking a placebo (a non-drug-containing sugar tablet). For example, after 8 weeks, the mean reduction of inflammatory lesion count was about 50% for Solodyn and 40% for the placebo. Essentially, because of statistical variability, there was no difference between one group taking Solodyn tablets, and another group taking sugar pills.

Additionally, in two more extensive clinical studies involving over 900 patients (per Physicians’ Desk Reference), the mean reduction of inflammatory lesion count after 12 weeks of treatment were 45% for Solodyn and 31% for its placebo. This means that on average, patients who were treated with Solodyn after 12 weeks still had 55% of their initial pimple count on their face, and that the antibiotic contributed only 14% more effectiveness than the placebo. In other words, the contribution from Solodyn for acne improvement was only marginal relative to its placebo, even after 12 weeks of daily administration. Please note that the results from patients taking the placebo may be due to the body’s natural immune system.

Potential adverse effects of Solodyn are also well known. Most significantly, the doctor’s warning on Solodyn state that it can cause fetal harm, and should not be used by women during pregnancy. In addition, couples, either men or women who are attempting to conceive children, should not use the drug.

In view of this discussion, should a drug with such low efficacy or effectiveness demand such a high price, both financially and physically?

[tbell]

hello everyone-

I was given this medication after years of fighting acne/rosacea. i have been on and off doxycyclin for about 5 years. after, nothing really worked .( dox gave me upset stomach and as for clarity of skin, worked a bit but,not as flawless as i wanted) so she finally gave me solodyn 90 mg. i was lucky enough to receive a discount card , where i paid 10 dollars for the prescription. Luckily, I experienced zero side effects from this medication, and it worked much better than the doxycyclin .my perscription has ended, I haven't been on it for a month...I understood that after reading random facts like " usage after 12 weeks is unknown" type stuff, I would rather forget about going any further with this treatment. I believe i took this for about 3-4 months.

I actually cannot believe how well it worked for me! usually after being off meds, right away i get very bad breakouts..so far I havnt had any breakouts ( *fingers crossed, knock on wood*)

that being said, I have stopped using metrogel as well. I have finally found a product that does wonders for my skin - Yonka. so, i can only hope I can maintain my new clear skin!!

one last word on solodyn- i ended up getting a cyst after 2 weeks of use. I disregarded this, knowing that it takes up to a month to see results from meds. I read that solodyn doesnt do anything for cysts. new cysts haven't formed, however i still have the same cyst from 3 months ago! I even have had cortisone injections 4 times! i have no idea if solodyn has any part of this, but it seems like I have a cyst with its own mind. it is not a giant cyst, but its a discreet cyst that is in a form of a line rather than a giant bump. I plan on seeing my dermo again soon, and if she suggests continuing with solodyn, I will only decline because of what was stated about usage after 12 weeks. unfortunatly, I loved the results, but im not feeling safe with the medication as a whole.

[dan25]

stopped taking because of diarrhea this pill can build up all your bad bacteria and give you a horrible case of diarrhea i stopped using it and everythings fine but im warning you your better off with accutane because there are side-effects that can be as bad as accutane and it wont even cure its just a short term clear and zinc has possibly helped Solodyn is not the answer.

[nikkipoc]

I have just started Solodyn and even though I wanted Accutane I am hoping for the best with this drug. I have been on Minocycline before and I didn't realize it was a type of minocycline until I picked up the prescription. I have also been on tetracycline, spironolactone, eyrithromycine, Keflex - I think I am forgetting one or two but the point is that I have tried it all. Up until last week I had not been to the dermatologist in five years because I had given up and at the time I was not interested in Accutane. I set up the appointment planning to ask for Accutane because I have had it with my cystic acne and I would put up with just about anything for a few months to have a cure of the acne. It was then that I discovered that she legally could not prescribe me Accutane without trying something else first through her. (Basically whatever I took 5 years ago doesn't matter) She said 2 months on SOLODYN and if the results are not good then I can start an Accutane course. I am bitter and negative about SOLODYN after I read that you should not take it for more than 12 weeks. What happens then? I would bet money that acne returns, so what is the point?

[nikkipoc]

hello everyone-

I was given this medication after years of fighting acne/rosacea. i have been on and off doxycyclin for about 5 years. after, nothing really worked .( dox gave me upset stomach and as for clarity of skin, worked a bit but,not as flawless as i wanted) so she finally gave me solodyn 90 mg. i was lucky enough to receive a discount card , where i paid 10 dollars for the prescription. Luckily, I experienced zero side effects from this medication, and it worked much better than the doxycyclin .my perscription has ended, I haven't been on it for a month...I understood that after reading random facts like " usage after 12 weeks is unknown" type stuff, I would rather forget about going any further with this treatment. I believe i took this for about 3-4 months.

I actually cannot believe how well it worked for me! usually after being off meds, right away i get very bad breakouts..so far I havnt had any breakouts ( *fingers crossed, knock on wood*)

that being said, I have stopped using metrogel as well. I have finally found a product that does wonders for my skin - Yonka. so, i can only hope I can maintain my new clear skin!!

one last word on solodyn- i ended up getting a cyst after 2 weeks of use. I disregarded this, knowing that it takes up to a month to see results from meds. I read that solodyn doesnt do anything for cysts. new cysts haven't formed, however i still have the same cyst from 3 months ago! I even have had cortisone injections 4 times! i have no idea if solodyn has any part of this, but it seems like I have a cyst with its own mind. it is not a giant cyst, but its a discreet cyst that is in a form of a line rather than a giant bump. I plan on seeing my dermo again soon, and if she suggests continuing with solodyn, I will only decline because of what was stated about usage after 12 weeks. unfortunatly, I loved the results, but im not feeling safe with the medication as a whole.

I read that also - that it is not "for" cystic acne. I read that online on SOLODYN's website after I returned home from the derma doc and Walgreens. I was pissed! BUt - as pissed and confused as to why she put me on this I am also a postive person and am hoping for the best. I have also had those longated cysts, I have one right now. I am almost 27 and after 15 years of fighting cystic acne I feel like I am at war with this bacteria and that it is going to take a powerful drug with maybe side effects to rid my acne and if solodyn does work, what happens after 12 weeks? SInce the doc said I only have to give it 8 weeks - thats all I am going to give it and then I am taking the risk of taking a course of Accutane. I will follow all of the rules - at this point I am willing to do just about anything.