218 replies to this topic

[GIMojo]

I'm going to have to say the accutane vs. smoking analogy doesn't stand. TRUE, they both have health risks. Accutane is non-addicting like smoking is, it is used temporarily, and it can solve a medical condition along with all the psychological baggage acne comes with. Smoking....doesn't do anything in itself that actually improves anything. Plus, the FDA has approved Accutane but governmental agencies are highly opposed to smoking.
Most people take accutane and have very few side effects.
BP could potentially be a carcinogen and shows signs of causing premature aging. You just don't know what can happen with stuff you put inside/on your body. There is no reason to hate a product that has literally cured so many people of their acne with little side effects.

it was just a general comparison to say that if it was without it's health risks i would take it, NOT that i just want to fight against accutane. And just like I said earlier, nothing CURES acne yet. There are only effective treatments

[GIMojo]

btw- I got minocyclin now from my derm and im as happy as can be.

[Penguin Lancer]

For SOME people Accutane completly stopes there acne, so its a cure to them.

[Sad Vicky]

I'm going to have to say the accutane vs. smoking analogy doesn't stand. TRUE, they both have health risks. Accutane is non-addicting like smoking is, it is used temporarily, and it can solve a medical condition along with all the psychological baggage acne comes with. Smoking....doesn't do anything in itself that actually improves anything. Plus, the FDA has approved Accutane but governmental agencies are highly opposed to smoking.
Most people take accutane and have very few side effects.
BP could potentially be a carcinogen and shows signs of causing premature aging. You just don't know what can happen with stuff you put inside/on your body. There is no reason to hate a product that has literally cured so many people of their acne with little side effects.

I agree 100%. For me accutane was a life saver. i probably be dead by now if i hadn't used it because nothing i used worked, and i got pretty depressed. i had few side effects( dry mouth, sun sensitivity, dry lips) and nothing else. But GI mojo is ultimately your decision and i hope you find something that works for you. Good luck.

[GIMojo]

For SOME people Accutane completly stopes there acne, so its a cure to them.

its still not a cure then, if it doesnt work for ALL people, now is it? BP and SA for SOME people completely stops THEIR acne, but is it a cure? no.

I have no idea how it went from my own personal opinion shared about how i dont believe that the company making accutane should make people choose

good health>beauty
or
beauty>good health

to arguing about wether or not accutane is a cure or not(which it isnt)

[LabGirl81]

I don't get your beef with Accutane.......

I guess I have the same issues with taking antiboitics......I'd never take antibiotics for acne, but I would take Accutane....to each their own I guess...........

[Penguin Lancer]

Cure- A method or course of medical treatment used to restore health.
It does not say that 100% of the people who use a course must have there health back for it to be a cure. Not all diseases and sicknesses can be cured with the same vaccine, but would you say antibiotics are not cures?

[GIMojo]

Nope, all of them are treatments. Some more effective than others. I would not consider accutane as a cure, if it only "cures" a selective number of people. I would however consider accutane an effective treatment, as it treats people's acne very effectively, but in many cases it comes back- in very very very little amount. And by that time, people just arent concerned that much anymore.

I don't get your beef with Accutane.......

I guess I have the same issues with taking antiboitics......I'd never take antibiotics for acne, but I would take Accutane....to each their own I guess...........

My problem with accutane is that it gives people something they really want, but at a cost of risking their health.

as I've said, it makes us choose between


Well being> beauty
or
Beauty>Well being

and that's what bothers me the most.

[Penguin Lancer]

I think i read that 85-90% of the people who take Accutane are CURED. Also, businesses aren't making us choose between
Well being> beauty
or
Beauty>Well being
They are helping those of us become clear when all other forms of treatment have failed. That fact, along with the IPLEDGE system and blood tests, companys and doctors are really monitering our health more than they normally would.

[GIMojo]

I think i read that 85-90% of the people who take Accutane are CURED. Also, businesses aren't making us choose between
Well being> beauty
or
Beauty>Well being
They are helping those of us become clear when all other forms of treatment have failed. That fact, along with the IPLEDGE system and blood tests, companys and doctors are really monitering our health more than they normally would.

sorry, i think that reading around here, more than 10-15% of people have some sort of break outs after they're done with accutane. Try reading it again. I have no doubt that accutane works wonders on people's acne, but more than enough times, I heard about people having breakouts after they're finished with their treatment. So i wouldnt jump to conclusions and say big numbers such say 85%-90%.

How are they not making us choose between well being and beauty? The first thing i see when i opened the package of accutane was a fold up of a big sheet that outlines numerous health risks. Therefore I was left with 2 choices. Either go for accutane possibly get clear but risk my health or not go on accutane and be confident i wont have any accutane related health issues later on in life. Doctors do monitor our health more because there's a bigger risk and danger in accutane than in normal regular treatments. Which just proves that even the doctors are concerned about the risk of side effects.

Listen, if accutane was as safe as you try and say it is, doctors would be giving accutane all the time. But back to reality, there's a bunch of people here asking why they dont have accutane yet or how their"stupid" dermatologists can't give them accutane. Obviously there is much concern still about the drug, because it is still being used as a 'last resort' as oppose to a 'first choice'

[energizer]

I could use accutane but I stopped because of hair loss and facial redness. If it didnt have those two side effects I would take the chance with mental side effects without question.

[nila]

hmm.. it sounds to me like acne is not an easy part of your life.

your smoking v. accutane anology is

think of it this way:

people with cancer need to go through chemotherapy to get better... and it does have its adverse effects
however, people go through it in order to get better. in short, the benefits outweigh the risks.

( abit extreme for a comparison... i know!)

It sounds like you're a smart kid and that you are just looking out for your own well being which is totally okay. However, you can't form an opinion without educating yourself on the topic first.

When pharmaceutical companies do drug testing first they apply for patents. Once they get the patent, they have i believe 20 years to research, market and sell the product. Most of the time the research part takes around 10-15 years. Therefore, longterm side effects are recorded.

Also, while they are doing all this testing, they figure out a SAFE amount to administer to patients.

You have ED50 and LD50 dosages that are measured in a test group.

ED50 = the effective dose - the MAXIMUM amount given before we start to see any effect

LD50 = the lethal dose - the amount that causes half of the study specimens to die (usually lab rats).

Then you have a ratio of the two called the THERAPEUTIC INDEX.... the higher the number, the more effective and safer the drug.


I think that the side effects of Accutane really scare people away... but let's face reality! Read the side effects on ANYTHING and you'll never want to take it again.

And you of all people should not be as worried about the side effects.... the main concern with this drug is BIRTH DEFECTS... and well, you can't cause that lol. The other side effects are mostly dry skin, dry eyes, dry nose, dry lips. Drink lots of water and you'll be fine. Antibiotics have side effects too.. they dry you out too.

The depression stuff is BULLSHIT. Anyway, what kind of parent would let their kid stay on a drug, even though they notice the changes in behaviour... they wait until the kid kills themselves to cash out on it. Pathetic.

Anyway, I hope this perspective helps.

[nila]

mmhmm preach


FYI

"What are the possible side effects of minocycline?
• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking minocycline and seek emergency medical attention:
· an allergic reaction (swelling of your lips, face, or tongue, difficulty breathing);
· a severe headache;
· vision changes;
· confusion;
· liver damage (yellowing of the skin or eyes, nausea, abdominal pain or discomfort, unusual bleeding or bruising, severe fatigue);
· blood problems (fever, fatigue, easy bruising or bleeding); or
· genital sores or itching.
• If you experience any of the following less serious side effects, continue to take minocycline and talk to your doctor:
· nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or decreased appetite;
· dizziness or lightheadedness;
· sensitivity to the sun;
· dark "furry" tongue, black tongue, or swollen tongue; or
· vaginal yeast infection.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome."

-http://www.drugs.com/minocycline.html

[LabGirl81]

I don't get your beef with Accutane.......

I guess I have the same issues with taking antiboitics......I'd never take antibiotics for acne, but I would take Accutane....to each their own I guess...........

My problem with accutane is that it gives people something they really want, but at a cost of risking their health.

as I've said, it makes us choose between


Well being> beauty
or
Beauty>Well being

and that's what bothers me the most.

It's true Accutane isn't a cure, pre say, but it's the best treatment we've got. Are you not aware of the health risks associated with taking long term antibiotics?. I'm not a fan of the whole candida theroy (as in people are walking aroung with systemic candida and don't know it), but it is a real diagnosable medical condition, that most women who take antibiotics can relate to, because the effects are immediate and localized. The same fungi is also implicated in heart valve damage and heart disease. Taking someting like minocyclin for six months really fucks with your immune system and can case problems with digestion and the absorbtion of nutrients from food.......because cyclins (and macrolides abd sulfa drugs) are broad spectrum antibiotics.....the don't just kill the p. acnes bacteria on you face, they kill most of the microflora in our intestines.......And for that matter....the p. acnes bacteria is actually a benificial bacteria that helps keep out the nasty guys like strep and staph.........it's only bothersome if your pores get blocked up with improperly shedding and hyperkeratinzed skin cells.....There was a recent study that found ance patients who took long term antibiotic were twice as likely to develop upper respiratory infections (9% for non-antibiotic users.....jumped to 18%)

Eventually your bacteria will become resistant to mino, and whatever antibiotics you happen to try.....you can't take them forever.....and if you are an adult with acne, you may have it for the rest of you life......

The people who compailn about Accutane failing them, come back here.....you don't hear about the other 85-95%, because ance isn't a part of their lives anymore.......they don't have to be here......

Accutane gets to the root of the problem.....overactive sebaceous glands........it also thins the epidermis and forces skin cells to renew themselves rapidly.....creating smaller and more uniform ketatinocytes.......

I'm not trying to convince you but exactly how are antibioitcs better than Accutane.....especially for severe acne like yours?

hmm.. it sounds to me like acne is not an easy part of your life.

your smoking v. accutane anology is

think of it this way:

people with cancer need to go through chemotherapy to get better... and it does have its adverse effects
however, people go through it in order to get better. in short, the benefits outweigh the risks.

( abit extreme for a comparison... i know!)

It sounds like you're a smart kid and that you are just looking out for your own well being which is totally okay. However, you can't form an opinion without educating yourself on the topic first.

When pharmaceutical companies do drug testing first they apply for patents. Once they get the patent, they have i believe 20 years to research, market and sell the product. Most of the time the research part takes around 10-15 years. Therefore, longterm side effects are recorded.

Also, while they are doing all this testing, they figure out a SAFE amount to administer to patients.

You have ED50 and LD50 dosages that are measured in a test group.

ED50 = the effective dose - the MAXIMUM amount given before we start to see any effect

LD50 = the lethal dose - the amount that causes half of the study specimens to die (usually lab rats).

Then you have a ratio of the two called the THERAPEUTIC INDEX.... the higher the number, the more effective and safer the drug.


I think that the side effects of Accutane really scare people away... but let's face reality! Read the side effects on ANYTHING and you'll never want to take it again.

And you of all people should not be as worried about the side effects.... the main concern with this drug is BIRTH DEFECTS... and well, you can't cause that lol. The other side effects are mostly dry skin, dry eyes, dry nose, dry lips. Drink lots of water and you'll be fine. Antibiotics have side effects too.. they dry you out too.

The depression stuff is BULLSHIT. Anyway, what kind of parent would let their kid stay on a drug, even though they notice the changes in behaviour... they wait until the kid kills themselves to cash out on it. Pathetic.

Anyway, I hope this perspective helps.

Very well said....and informative.....

[boiegrafikz]

It is just like any other every day risk. You could be walking down the street and get run over, or in a car accident just going to the supermarket. Don't worry about what might happen, worry about what will happen, and that is ur face will clear up. You could be dead tomorrow, just live for today. However I think you have made up your mind and there is no sense in trying to change it. Id take sore joints over death or dismemberment anyday. Afterall, EVERYONE gets sore joints as they age. And they have pills for that too

[GIMojo]

well cancer KILLS people, therefore taking therapy with side effects is justified. I mean... Death or side effects, right?

i gotta got to school, ill read the rest of this later

[S2000]

The last time i check ur gallery, acne were gone and left with scars on ur face so i figured all that happened because of the imbalance hormones when u go through puberty, or should i say u are still going through puberty (15 correct?) and i think accutane shouldn't be your case. I respect ur perspective with accutane but with a lot of people, its worth it. Wait till u grow older and still have a face full of acne, you'll realize that you're different with others around. I waited 5 years having severe acne then finally decided to take accutane, there's a chance of being clear or it may return milder. Because i already passed puberty so its not a puberty thing for me anymore, so i do believe many people on this site have the same problem !!

[GIMojo]

i dont think it was puberty. I have it in my genes. My dad has awful acne scarring

i still have a lot of acne. not as much though

[GIMojo]

I "happily" took the minocyclin mainly because my dermatologist finally realized that I didnt want to take accutane. It SHOULD be my decision wether i want to take it or not. True? Im less concerned about mino than tane, because the bottle didnt come with a huge fold up of health risks. For me it's also a sign that my acne as gone into the 'moderate' category. And that's an accomplishment for me.

My acne is not as bad anymore. It doesnt even qualify for accutane anymore. I cant go back on accutane even if i wanted to

You cannot say 80-90% of people got "cured" from tane just because they never came back here. I think very likely, if any acne came back, it was not even for them to piss themselves over.

I understand that everyone gets sore joints as they age, but rather not be getting it in my 20's.