314 replies to this topic

[ckyhimvillevalo]

i have been on acutan for about 2 weeks and i have had severe nosebleeds from out of nowhere in the middle of the mall at church andwhen i was sleeping along with my lips bleeding but i dunno if i shouls syop taking it
also i talked to my freinds dad and he was a counselor at the church and he is a doctor and he said that acutane thins your blood and that he was a helper for the blood drive also and that one of the questions is that have yo ever taken acutane or are taking acutane?(very odd) well im not sure if i should stop taking it
well thanx for listening
love ya sweethearts
-nipples

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[LolaNervous]

I'm just about to start on Accutane... I've been avoiding it for a while now but it seems to be my last choice. I'm really scared.. I don't know if that sounds stupid but I am. I'm not self concious with anything else other then my skin so it's really getting to me. I just wanted to know if most people experienced scarring and how bad it was and if it goes away.. are you sure I should do this? I think its better to live with the side effects for 6 months then live with acne for the rest of my life. I'll try and keep you updated with my progress... wish me luck

[simply]

They might manage to get the said amount of isotretinoin in the pill, but who knows if they could put it in such a way that it gets absorbed in the body at the same amount, uniform rate etc as the main drug does.

Actually, if I understood this explanation correctly, "AB rated bioequivalents" (= generics) have to be absorbed at the same rate as the brand name in order to be substituted for it, per FDA regulations.
Now, if only I could understand that chart... it does look like Accutane is ever so slightly superior, doesn't it?

[Rossignol]

Good luck! Let us know how you get on.

[sissuperstar]

I'm really sad b/c my insurance told me they cover Accutane and then after I was prescribed accutane they denied it saying that I have to do the generic before they will cover the accutane - so frustrated! Can people that have been on generic and had success please add their voice.

[simply]

sissuperstar, check out that link that I posted. Granted, it is on a site promoting a generic (Sotret, in particular), so you might argue that the company is just trying to sell its product. But maybe you can find the same research from a more objective source.
I have no experience with isotretinoin, and my opinion certainly isn't professional, but it seems to me that a generic should have the same results as brand-name Accutane. If there's a difference at all, it seems that it would be extremely slight.

[lilninjaho]

i have been on  acutan for about 2 weeks and i have had severe nosebleeds from out of nowhere in the middle of the mall at church andwhen i was sleeping along with my lips bleeding but i dunno if i shouls syop taking it
also i talked to my freinds dad and he was a counselor at the church and he is a doctor and he said that acutane thins your blood and that he was a helper for the blood drive also and that one of the questions is that have yo ever taken acutane or are taking acutane?(very odd) well im not sure if i should stop taking it
well thanx for listening
love ya sweethearts
-nipples

First of all introductions, my name is hollie i am 21 and i have been on "tane" for 2 months...i start the third...well today. Nosebleed are normal....you nasal cavities are drying out really bad, and they start to itch. I know this is gross, but it will feel like you constantly have dried snot in your nose (ewww) do not stretch your face or itch inside your nose, the skin is very fragile and the simplest form of irritation will cause bleeding. (my problem is i scratch in my sleep) Go to your local drug store and buy a nasal saline solution spray, it is ussually best to soak a q-tip and gently swab the inside of your nostrils. The saline will moisturize where your facial cream can not. Also your nose bleeds can be stress related. For example, it is finals week for me and i started bleeding right in the middle of literature exam. Try to relax (i know it is difficult) but super stress isn't going to help the nose bleeds or future breakouts. About stopping your treatment when you have already started. BAD IDEA. Accutane is like a contract, quiting before the due date will only make it worse. The first three months are supposed to be hell....but think of the outcome....it will be worth it in the long run. Hopefully. Peace. Love. and Hugs.

[lilninjaho]

Thanks zuzygue, I belive our doctors do know whats best for our skin. I am on my second week today and I think, aside from my minor breakout, that my redmarks have already decreased a bit. Oh, and if you ever do feel like you need to wear makeup again, you should really try bareminerals. It is the best makeup I've ever used and it looks and feels like you're wearing nothing! and its really good for your skin too! truly truly amazing...

Hey, so bare-minerals is awesome? I always so it on the info-mercials and never knew if it truely worked. I am starting my 3rd month of tane...i hear it is the worst and you can possibly have a relapse but i am staying hopeful. Right now most of the cysts are gone..there are still a few on the sides of my face (right next to my ears) i currently use mac....i am a big fan of mac....but in order to conceal the redness, i find myself wearing an awful makeup line towards my jawline. My derm. recomended using green concealer but it looks so cakey. So to the point....i know BM is really loose makeup and ulta-light which is good.....but will it tone down my redness....it isn't so much acne but just redness. Thank you sweetie. Peace. Love. and Hugs.

[Makochan]

Hey, can I use those biore strips on my nose while on Accutane? The black heads have really come up and I want them out!!!!

[kel]

i was very lucky i have had two courses of roaccutane and had NO side effects at all,that i no off anyway!!
oh well tell a lie my skin was slightly more sensitive in thr respect that i would mark/scar easier if i touched!!!! which i didnt do again!".
other than that i had nothing dry lips,skin.NOTHING
but i used the pore patches and well i had a red patch on my nose for 2 days, so i wouldnt if i was you.

[hemidart]

Ive been on accutane for 3 months now doesnt seem to be makin my face any better just worse i still get breakouts and blackheads, just a cpl questions what do i do if i have a zit thats filled with puss do i leave it or pop it? I got sunburnt a cpl days ago really bad i geuss with accutane u shouldnt go out in sun didnt know that but what should i put on to heal it anybody know know any good techniques, thanks guys any help would be appreciated.

[Makochan]

Umm, I need immediate advice... I got the silly idea that umm, I want my scars to go away NOW (they are VERY bad and getting better very slowly) and umm, I bought some Neutrogena advanced solutions thing and it's an acne mark fading peel with CelluZyme and umm, it has salicyclic acid in it... let me guess that it's a big no no? I am only on 20 mg a day still and my face is getting really greasy and my lips are getting less dry and everything, just like before! Ahhhhhhhh!

[16yr old]

I have been on Acutane for 1 month already i dont know if i will be able to afford to buy accutane if my father gets fired. My skin is really dry mostly my lips they are super crakly they bleed alot. I have been puting lip balm on my lip and all. But my QUESTION IS DO I HAVE TO PUT MOSTERIZER ON MY FACE????? I havent really put much on these past couple of weeks and my face is, well just really red and a few pimples. Plz answer my question.

[Tanejunkie]

I was wondering about a few things with Accutane, I have been on it for some time and feel all the side effects. I was wondering if anyone out there knew exactly what goes on with Alcohol and drugs while on Accutane.  <_< Is it just the liver issue? or does it affect the Medication totally? Will it ruin the effects of Accutane.

I drank a few beers regularly without incident. It has doesn't stop the effect.

[bekk]

hi there,

im a new user and i have a question about vitamin a which i cant seem to find an answer for. i've been on roaccutane for 2 weeks.

i take a multivitamin which has a low level of betacarotene in it. betacarotene is found in red, yellow & orange vegies, and is the precursor to vitamin a (ie: the body turns betacarotene into vitamin a ONLY if the body is lacking in vitamin a).

can i still take my multivitamin with betacarotene in it?

i cant find a multi in australia without betacarotene in it, and i need to take a multi but i dont want to jeopardise the effectiveness of roaccutane.

im not really experiencing too many dramatic side effects (dry lips, thats about it) so im not too worried about that -- i just want to make sure the betacarotene is not compromising what the roaccutane is trying to do.

can anyone help?

[LoganRuns]

hi there,

im a new user and i have a question about vitamin a which i cant seem to find an answer for.  i've been on roaccutane for 2 weeks.

i take a multivitamin which has a low level of betacarotene in it.  betacarotene is found in red, yellow & orange vegies, and is the precursor to vitamin a (ie: the body turns betacarotene into vitamin a ONLY if the body is lacking in vitamin a).

can i still take my multivitamin with betacarotene in it? 

i cant find a multi in australia without betacarotene in it, and i need to take a multi but i dont want to jeopardise the effectiveness of roaccutane. 

im not really experiencing too many dramatic side effects (dry lips, thats about it) so im not too worried about that -- i just want to make sure the betacarotene is not compromising what the roaccutane is trying to do.

can anyone help?

I've been answering this a lot lately. 12mcg BetaCarotene == 1 mcg Retinol Equivalent == 1mcg all-trans retinol (Vitamin A) == 3.33 IU. So 60,000IU/ of BetaCarotene would be required to be equivalent to the RDA for Vitamin A (5000 IU).

Logan

[poopah21]

Just a few questions

I'm 16 and was wondering. Do you need to go to the doctors and have them prescribe the generic brands for you? I haven't been to the doctors (never to a derm for my moderate acne) for a long time and my parents don't plan to make an appointment.
And how much does the generics prices range from?

[beentheredonethat]

Theoretically they will have exactly the same effects on the body (the other ingredients do nothing except to contain the drug and break down to release it).

The potential problem with generics is that bioequivalancy can be met provided that the rate and extent of absorption is between -20/+25% of the rate and extent of absorption of the original product. The generics are not required to produce identical effects, they just have to be in the same basic range.

With some drugs (for instance low dose estrogen based birth control pills), the dosages are so low that if a generic only managed a rate of absorption that was 80% (low end cut off) of the brand name - it could theoretically fail to prevent pregnancy. So with anything where the dosing is very precise, you need to check out that particular generic's bioequivalancy testing and determine if you think it's "close enough."

With Accutane, the information i have seen on the generic version called Sotret indicates that it's actually very close to brand name Accutane and tests well above the 80% equivalance cut off point. Some derms indicate an anecdotally (unproven observations from their own practice) higher rate of headaches and other undesireable side effects from generics. That may be a placebo effect though. Given Accutane's extremely expensive pricing, it's probably worth at least trying the generic. You can always switch to the brand if you seem to be having unusual responses like more severe side effects than what is expected for that dosage, or lack of response expected for that dose.

I'm 16 and was wondering. Do you need to go to the doctors and have them prescribe the generic brands for you? I haven't been to the doctors (never to a derm for my moderate acne) for a long time and my parents don't plan to make an appointment.

Generics are still prescription drugs, so yes you must have a doctor's prescription. In the case of Accutane you also should get some blood tests, pregnancy tests if female, and must complete pre-enrollment paperwork to show that you understand the potential side effects.

If your acne is severe, nodular, and/or leaving scars, you may need to sit down with your folks and have a serious discussion with them regarding your acne and how it effects your life. Maybe you can talk them into taking you to a dermatologist.

[kak72790]

:shifty: :confused: :doubt:
I have been on a lot of stuff from two dermatologists. I have had acne for two and a half years. It wasn't that bad in the beginnig but it started getting worse. My acne is bad to me but there are worse cases. On a scale from 1 to 10, 1 being good and 10 being bad...my acne is a 6.5. anyway...after countless treatments from walmart and proactive and a lot of retin-a micro stuff...and a lot of antibiotics...none of them worked. so my derm asked me about starting accutane. he said it was up to me. ik about the possible side effects. should i be worried. do the side-effects always happen. i'm ify. i'm going for my first blood test today. i might start it early next week. anybody have any advice? when do i take them..with meals? with water? and precautions? i have just heard so much bad stuff about accutane and not a lot of good stuff. i know in a lot of cases the acne get a lot worse before it gets better. i don't know if i want it to get worse then it akready is cause i don't want it to get worse and then not better after that..i don't want ot be stuck with worse skin... i don't know..any advice????