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I was wondering what experiences people have had with medications they take that are not for their acne. Side effects and interactions with various regimens they've tried. (Prescription, topicals, diet related - anything.)
I'm currently on 250 mgs of Lamictal (mood stabilizer) and 100 mgs of Trazadone. (Sedative). I also take ten milligrams of meletonin at night to help me sleep. (Under psych's permission.) My side effects have included acne, weight gain, hair loss, and lowered energy levels. I use a topical treatment to help reduce the acne, but find with the medications, it does increase dryness and late day oilyness. Prescription acne meds, due to both lack of a MD doctor and fear of medication interaction, are not feasible. But I do wonder.
So what's ya'lls experiences?
I've taken alot of psych meds... Lamictal and a TCA similar to amitryptilline, as well as SSRIs, lithium, atypical antipsychotics and temazepam for sleep. As these medications came and went I didn't notice any change in my acne. I was using benzoyl peroxide 2.5% and that almost completely controlled my acne that had been mod/severe and cystic (before I took any psych meds.) However since I stopped using benzoyl peroxide my acne has returned and I don't know if the meds are making it worse. I'm currently on 300 mgs of lamictal so it is interesting to hear it has made acne worse for people... I wouldn't stop taking it though I don't think, it helped me so much. I'm still on lithium and risperidone which can make it worse too... but I don't think it is an option for me to stop taking them, I can't handle the craziness! I find this site very interesting: http://www.ehealthme.com/ds/lamictal/acne they study thousands of users of pretty much every drug there is and report how many/what percentage suffered with a particular side effect such as acne.
Have a relative that has been on a number of antidepressants. She never had acne before she started, now she consistently has moderate acne. I don't have her whole list her history includes Prozac, Wellbutrin, Zoloft, Celexa, and Paxil. Which I think is basically every SSRI. She's been on some SNRIs and other things but I don't remember.
She's also gained 100+ pounds since starting antidepressants.
She was on Adderall for a while as well and her acne exploded during that time.