20 replies to this topic

[kae_]

I started my first course about a year ago now. About a month ago or so I started to break out again, its coming back even a little bit more now.. its noticeable anyways. Especially compared to my completely perfect skin before. It is really frustrating, but I don't know. It will take a couple of months to get another derm appointment anyways.

Should I do a second course or not? I dont know if it will be worth it if it only lasts for 7 months or so again.

PLease give your opinions.

[DckSteel]

I started my first course about a year ago now. About a month ago or so I started to break out again, its coming back even a little bit more now.. its noticeable anyways. Especially compared to my completely perfect skin before. It is really frustrating, but I don't know. It will take a couple of months to get another derm appointment anyways.

Should I do a second course or not? I dont know if it will be worth it if it only lasts for 7 months or so again.

PLease give your opinions.

i say save yourself the money, time and side effects and try other alternatives like panthethine or saw palmetto extract.

they actually work the same or even better (in theory) than the accutane which just shrinks your pores but doesnt actually stop or decrease your oil production from the source.

[JR86]

accutane doesn't shrink your pores, but it does decrease oil production from the source. the pores aren't shrunk, their function (clearing oil from the sebaceous gland to the surface of the skin) is just normalized. if i were you i would go on another course of accutane. some people just need more than one course, i actually know two people who have achieved long remission after 2 courses (acne is still in remission, it has been several years since their second course.) and two others who only needed one course. there is a much higher chance for permanent remission with subsequent courses, even if a relapse occurred after the first course. people who relapse quickly after multiple conventional courses of accutane are also good candidates for long term, low dose treatment with accutane.

[j-boy]

..i think it depends on how severe or persistent it is now.. but try some other topicals first dude while waiting for that appt. with the derm.. just dont go crazy with topicals dude.. you dont want to aggravate your acne.. if everything else fails.. why not..? only you can decide..

[acne_blows]

i say save yourself the money, time and side effects and try other alternatives like panthethine or saw palmetto extract.

they actually work the same or even better (in theory) than the accutane which just shrinks your pores but doesnt actually stop or decrease your oil production from the source.

I say you ignore people like this who know nothing about the drug.

I think Accutane is worth going on every year for the rest of my life, if that's what it takes. If the side effects are minimal and nothing else works, why not? You also might want to look into a low dose maintenance treatment that is very slowly being introduced into treatment methods.

[ithappens]

i say save yourself the money, time and side effects and try other alternatives like panthethine or saw palmetto extract.

they actually work the same or even better (in theory) than the accutane which just shrinks your pores but doesnt actually stop or decrease your oil production from the source.

I say you ignore people like this who know nothing about the drug.

I think Accutane is worth going on every year for the rest of my life, if that's what it takes. If the side effects are minimal and nothing else works, why not? You also might want to look into a low dose maintenance treatment that is very slowly being introduced into treatment methods.

this officially goes down as the stupidest comment/post of the year

[acne_blows]

this officially goes down as the stupidest comment/post of the year

How's that?

[JR86]

yeah, i really don't see how that is the stupidest post of the year. that award probably belongs to kimmay or dog20. for one of their useful threads in the lounge. [/personal attack]

[acne_blows]

yeah, i really don't see how that is the stupidest post of the year. that award probably belongs to kimmay or dog20. for one of their useful threads in the lounge.

He's just bitter because he's experiencing hair loss from the drug. I understand the frustration, but my comment was hardly stupid. I've taken the drug a number of times with great success and minimal side effects (read: dry lips). There is no reason to stop taking it so long as it isn't causing me any problems. People have taken it continuously for over 6 years with no problems, and with my track record on the drug, I'm certainly not concerned.

ithappens, I understand your frustration with going bald, but that certainly isn't my fault and it has no bearing on whether or not I would continue to use the drug. Feel free to continue hurling unsubstantiated insults, though. If it really helps you deal with your hair loss, I'm glad to help.

[ithappens]

yeah, i really don't see how that is the stupidest post of the year. that award probably belongs to kimmay or dog20. for one of their useful threads in the lounge.

He's just bitter because he's experiencing hair loss from the drug. I understand the frustration, but my comment was hardly stupid. I've taken the drug a number of times with great success and minimal side effects (read: dry lips). There is no reason to stop taking it so long as it isn't causing me any problems. People have taken it continuously for over 6 years with no problems, and with my track record on the drug, I'm certainly not concerned.

ithappens, I understand your frustration with going bald, but that certainly isn't my fault and it has no bearing on whether or not I would continue to use the drug. Feel free to continue hurling unsubstantiated insults, though. If it really helps you deal with your hair loss, I'm glad to help.

whether i'm going bald has nothing to do with my stance on the drug. i wouldn't say that i'm proaccutane, but i took it and i can understand why one would choose to take it, and i also realize that most people don't have the hair loss side effect that i have had because of it. However, you know nothing when you stupidly suggest to people that it is safe to go on the drug every year of your life for the rest of your life in order to maintain an acne problem. That is absolutely idiotic. If you knew anything about the drug it's that most derms won't prescribe it to someone for more than 3 courses throughout an individuals lifetime. If by three courses accutane hasn't worked for you on a reasonable dose there is a good chance it may never work, and it isn't safe to keep jumping on. no derm in their right mind would keep one of their patients on the stuff year in and year out even on a small matience dose. the matience dose is something that very few derms are willing to do, and the effects of being on iso for so long are still being studied. people like myself and mypoorhair have done considerable research on the drug, and are very well informed of it. it's people like you who come on here knowing nothing realistically about the stuff, and suggesting to people that it's safe to go on for years at a time, that my friend is just purely idiotic. anyway, there's not much more i have to say or argue with you about it cause there's no sense in arguing with someone with so little knowledge about it in the first place.

[acne_blows]

whether i'm going bald has nothing to do with my stance on the drug.

This is untrue. Your negative experiences will obviously impact your stance on it.

However, you know nothing when you stupidly suggest to people that it is safe to go on the drug every year of your life for the rest of your life in order to maintain an acne problem.

I said no such thing. I said that I would do so, if I had to, because I have had no ill effects. That is the beauty of having doctors monitor your health and the impact of the drug.

That is absolutely idiotic. If you knew anything about the drug it's that most derms won't prescribe it to someone for more than 3 courses throughout an individuals lifetime. If by three courses accutane hasn't worked for you on a reasonable dose there is a good chance it may never work, and it isn't safe to keep jumping on.

You are making assertions with no medical research to back your claims. I have done the research, and I have found nothing in the medical literature that points to it being unsafe, so long as it is prescribed properly.

no derm in their right mind would keep one of their patients on the stuff year in and year out even on a small matience dose. the matience dose is something that very few derms are willing to do, and the effects of being on iso for so long are still being studied.

There have been patients on the drug continuously for nearing a decade with no negative side effects. With a low dosage, the cumulative effect is minimal. Again, I have the study to back this.

people like myself and mypoorhair have done considerable research on the drug, and are very well informed of it. it's people like you who come on here knowing nothing realistically about the stuff, and suggesting to people that it's safe to go on for years at a time, that my friend is just purely idiotic.

I have been studying the drug for roughly 8 years, including the reading of scholarly, peer-reviewed medical literature, and I also have two dermatologists in my family. Please keep your ad hominem to yourself and think before you speak.

anyway, there's not much more i have to say or argue with you about it cause there's no sense in arguing with someone with so little knowledge about it in the first place.

[JR86]

and it isn't safe to keep jumping on. no derm in their right mind would keep one of their patients on the stuff year in and year out even on a small matience dose.

actually there is a new trend among doctors to use this kind of treatment for people who relapse quickly after standard courses of accutane. the side effects are very minimal at these low doses. the problem is the increased risk of pregnancy if this kind of course is given to a women of childbearing age.

[Brian_EIRE]

i totally agree with acne blows low maintance doses are the only real alternative for people whose acne comes back after accutane ill b going back for another course(4th one) and will continue on a low dose until i grow out of acne i wouldent care if i was on it for the rest of my life its makes my skin clear which is well worth it.

[AutonomousOne1980]

yeah, i really don't see how that is the stupidest post of the year. that award probably belongs to kimmay or dog20. for one of their useful threads in the lounge.

He's just bitter because he's experiencing hair loss from the drug. I understand the frustration, but my comment was hardly stupid. I've taken the drug a number of times with great success and minimal side effects (read: dry lips). There is no reason to stop taking it so long as it isn't causing me any problems. People have taken it continuously for over 6 years with no problems, and with my track record on the drug, I'm certainly not concerned.

ithappens, I understand your frustration with going bald, but that certainly isn't my fault and it has no bearing on whether or not I would continue to use the drug. Feel free to continue hurling unsubstantiated insults, though. If it really helps you deal with your hair loss, I'm glad to help.

whether i'm going bald has nothing to do with my stance on the drug. i wouldn't say that i'm proaccutane, but i took it and i can understand why one would choose to take it, and i also realize that most people don't have the hair loss side effect that i have had because of it. However, you know nothing when you stupidly suggest to people that it is safe to go on the drug every year of your life for the rest of your life in order to maintain an acne problem. That is absolutely idiotic. If you knew anything about the drug it's that most derms won't prescribe it to someone for more than 3 courses throughout an individuals lifetime. If by three courses accutane hasn't worked for you on a reasonable dose there is a good chance it may never work, and it isn't safe to keep jumping on. no derm in their right mind would keep one of their patients on the stuff year in and year out even on a small matience dose. the matience dose is something that very few derms are willing to do, and the effects of being on iso for so long are still being studied. people like myself and mypoorhair have done considerable research on the drug, and are very well informed of it. it's people like you who come on here knowing nothing realistically about the stuff, and suggesting to people that it's safe to go on for years at a time, that my friend is just purely idiotic. anyway, there's not much more i have to say or argue with you about it cause there's no sense in arguing with someone with so little knowledge about it in the first place.

i think mskitty has been on it 5 times going on 6

there are other people that have been on it 5-6 times as well.

[DckSteel]

i say save yourself the money, time and side effects and try other alternatives like panthethine or saw palmetto extract.

they actually work the same or even better (in theory) than the accutane which just shrinks your pores but doesnt actually stop or decrease your oil production from the source.

I say you ignore people like this who know nothing about the drug.

I think Accutane is worth going on every year for the rest of my life, if that's what it takes.

If you follow that advice you will surely die from suicide , liver failure, IBS or many other serious side effects. Accutane is meant to be taken for a 6 month cycle--not everyday for the rest of your life loser!

[DckSteel]

i say save yourself the money, time and side effects and try other alternatives like panthethine or saw palmetto extract.

they actually work the same or even better (in theory) than the accutane which just shrinks your pores but doesnt actually stop or decrease your oil production from the source.

I say you ignore people like this who know nothing about the drug.

I think Accutane is worth going on every year for the rest of my life, if that's what it takes.

If you follow that advice you will surely die from suicide , liver failure, IBS or many other serious side effects. Accutane is meant to be taken for a 6 month cycle--not everyday for the rest of your life loser!

[JR86]

but multiple courses are fine, and safe. he's talking about going on an additional course. no one will "surely die" from taking accutane. and low maintenance doses have almost no side effects at all (because you are barely taking any accutane at all on these courses)

[acne_blows]

If you follow that advice you will surely die from suicide , liver failure, IBS or many other serious side effects. Accutane is meant to be taken for a 6 month cycle--not everyday for the rest of your life loser!

Wrong, incorrect, you're mistaken, and wrong again.

[kae_]

I've been trying to wait it out but it hasn't gotten nay better, ...worse if anything.
It brings down the confidence level so much.
I think I might make a derm appointment soon-- but I'll have to wait another two months or so to get into one.

[Me_23]

How much of a dosage would be considered for long-term low maintenance?


Accutane has worked for me *to a degree* in the sense that my skin has cleared up after several months and for the most part, remained consistent while on the medication... yet it never cleared up 100% and even on the drug I'd still have what I considered 'bad weeks' and even the rare breakout. This was on an 80mg dose and I weigh approx. 150lbs, male.

I've been on the medication twice with only an 8 week interval between courses and have relapsed almost immediately each time within a matter of a month or so.

It's been approx. 2.5 months since my last course and I am starting a new one again this week and hopefully my derm will increase the dosage (he told me he would start me off on the same, and gradually or eventually increase it over time) -- but I'm wondering if after the term of my course, a low maintenance long-term program might be right for me given my history?