LipstickArtist

When i stopped my course, my derm told me not to wax etc for 6 months after treatment. It takes a month for the drug to leave your system but apparently your skin is still healing itself for a while after.

I just watched this on iPlayer.

The programme broke my heart and made me so so angry toward the end, mainly because of Roche and their attitude. I finished up a course of Roaccutane early as i was experiencing a lot of bad side effects. The drug has been out of my system for around two months now, and I still feel totally drained.

I've posted in topics before on here, so if anyone has seen them they'll already know how much I hate Roaccutane. I totally agree with Stefan and others who say the drug should be taken off the market. Note how Roche doesn't mention the fact its a chemotherapy drug - if people knew this they'd never take it in the first place!! Roaccutane cleared my skin. The question is, was it worth it? I regret taking the drug. The depression and various conditions I've opened myself upto is just not worth it in the slightest.

However, despite my strong views on the drug I do appreciate how the programme has taken both sides into account. A lot of people have had the 'wonder drug' experience and would recommend it to others. I think thats amazing its worked for those people. Its just unfortunate some of us, a lot more of us than the statistics record, experience awful and sometimes life changing side effects.

My heart goes out to Jesse's family and friends, as well as everyone else mentioned in the programme who has suffered because of Roaccutane.

Will, you were great on the program! Kudos to you, it takes a lot of courage to open up and be featured on tv like you have with acne. I'm so happy for you and glad your treatment was such a success! Good luck!

Well done to BBC3 and everyone involved, we need to raise awareness of the drug and make people think twice before taking it.

If you're not experiencing any redness or burning or any effects from the Clinique at all, I'd say keep using it and relax. Usually if a foundation or other product is going to react with your skin and cause discomfort, it will within a few hours. I'm a makeup artist so I thought it might be worth a comment! Throughout my course the accutane made my skin REALLY dry, so i used a thick moisturiser (gel, not a lotion) and after leaving it to do its magic, applied a good primer on top before foundation. I'd say keep on doing what you're doing as it seems to be working for you. I managed fine all throughout my course doing the same only using Graftobian hd Glamour creme as its a cream foundation so it really helped my dry skin. If you feel you'd rather switch products to be safe and you're a fan of Clinique, I'd second using the Redness Solutions foundation.

I finished my course about a month ago, taken off a month early because i was having extremely bad migraines lasting for days at a time, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting. Since starting my last month on the drug, ive felt generally ill. Extreme lethargy. Sleeping 18 hours a day, waking up feeling like I haven't slept in weeks. I've had constant sinus problems, joint and back pains, the list of side effects I've ended up with from these pills is as long as my arm. I feel extremely run down, as a result of this going on for months I'm now pretty depressed as well. Taking this has affected my day to day life. I've missed quite a bit of my college course due to feeling so ill.

Don't know about the rest of you, but the doctors in the UK are USELESS. One GP told me to go home and take paracetamol and ibroprofen when i told her about my migraines and my vision being messed up. She actually had to get a medical dictionary out and look up the side effects of accutane. "Headaches are listed as a known side effect, theres nothing I can do." Wow. I said I wasnt feeling myself and felt a bit out of sorts, and she gives me a leaflet for group therapy.

Do the pills work? Yes. I'm 90% acne free. I still have one or two actives on my face, but a lot of pigmentation on my cheeks and nose, I feel like rudolph! Just in time for Xmas..

I regret taking this drug. I've just turned 24, and I feel 74. My body is aching as I type this. I get out of breath if i climb a short flight of stairs and I've started coughing and wheezing at night time. I've heard accutane is a chemo drug? Sounds about right. Its sucked all the life out of me. I don't feel passion to do anything anymore.

Overall, I've experienced these.

Extreme fatigue
Dry skin
DRY LIPS
Pressure headaches/migraines
Nausea
Ears pop all the time like I'm on a plane..
Stiff neck
Sore dry eyes sensitive to light
Blurry vision
Can't see in the dark at all anymore
Trouble concentrating (brain fog?)
Joint and back pain
Extreme mood swings and depression
Heartburn?!
Rectal bleeding

I'm still experiencing most of these.

When I first got the referral from the NHS, I was terrified they wouldn't prescribe me accutane as nothing else had worked for me and it was my last resort. I couldn't bear the thought of just having to live with looking like I had some sort of disease all over my face. However I've come to realise the NHS dont actually care that much about whose put on what drugs. I seen one derm for an initial consultation before being put on the drug. She examined my skin. Said I was a candidate, and I signed the necessary paperwork. The different derm I seen throughout my course, never even seen my skin...ever. She never seemed to care. I'd come in every 4 weeks for the appointment and she'd ask the usual questions and give me the prescription. I had my liver functions checked about halfway through the course, and no one even bothered to tell me the results, I had to pester several doctors to go and fetch them. It sickens me the lack of interest, care and thought put into dispensing such a dangerous drug. Its controlled for a reason! I can't believe 13 year olds are being given this and not even having a proper consultation.

I just really hope that its early days for me, and all these awful side effects will wear off in time. Otherwise I see myself ending up as bitter and angry as some of you who have posted here after taking this deadly chemo drug. I've known people who have taken accutane and been absolutely fine. I guess we all seem to be the unlucky ones, although I'm starting to think theres a lot more of us out there than the statistics report.

Thanks, me too! Hoping they don't amount to anything or get anymore serious. I've been getting a few outbreaks but nothing too bad, hoping it stays this way as I can handle a couple of pimples compared to what i had !! Yeah, down with the NHS they get you in and out the door as quick as possible!