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Hey guys, I been following these posts for awhile now...i too have been dealing with some issues post accutane!!!It all started when i was on the drug 2nd time my liver enzymes were high my cholesterol my triglycorides blood pressure...derm said we need to stop u before more damage is done
i also at the time had red cheeks an flushing-classic rosacea although "im told its not that to this day still", also i suffered from dry skin like usual accutane people do on treatment low back pain left side kidney area and that was about it.....then a year post accutane i got severe dry skin no oil production whats so ever, hands and feet cold an pale white purple all the time-"told could be raynauds"..constipation issues which seems to be relieved if i eat whole grains an healthier....all in all ive had a list full of symptoms that dont seem to go away an i have no answer as to why im suffering....but i find it hard to believe it aint accutane considerin all these people with similar issues
ive had 24 hour urine test...pheocromocytoma test, carcinoid tumor test, echo cardiograhms, ekg heart, chest xray, back x ray, cbc, thyroid test- "even though i have every symptom of thyroid"
ANA TEST all come back fine...only thing high is liver which they said could be accutane still...LOL FUNNY THEY TOLD ME ITS OUT OF MY SYSTEM ITS NOT CAUSING YOUR HEALTH ISSUES YET MY LIVER ENZYMES COULD BE THE ACCUTANE....anyways sorry for complainin just fed up im always depressed now stressed out anxious because i have no many issues an i take it out on my loved ones...they dont understand they say its depression it could be i guess....just dont know how it could cause all these
1.dandruff now hair thinning out.....no history of hair loss in family
2.intense flushing from chest up-definitly think anxiety causing this....also heat? also red cheeks throughout day
3.severe dry skin...which is causing dermatitis like rashes?
4.dark under eyes- due to insomnia stress???
5.my tounge is white an has teeth marks on sides
6.dry mouth nasal membranes and eyes
7.cold hands and feet
8.constipation
9.weight loss-due to healthier diet??
10.heart beats heavy for no reason
11.sleep disturbances
and im pale due to not leaving house...now i have full blown anxiety becuz im looking sick all the time
i dont get it i have classic thyroid/autoimmune sjorgens lupus symptoms yet nothin showing up
i know alot of u have the flushing do any of u have similar issues????? or ideas on who to see cuz ive seen atleast 15 doctors past 2 years now nothing helping...they want me on lexapro i guess ill take it i just dont want worse symptoms.....AGAIN SORRY just very stressed out due to all this
HOPE YOUR ALL DOIN WELL AN HOPE WE ALL GET ANSWERS
Thanks
I'm positive all of those symptoms are either caused by your anxiety or your anxiety is causing you to think they are symptoms when in fact a lot of them are probably just over exaggerated in your head. I'd give the lexapro a go, it should help you a lot with anxiety/stress which will therefore help with the symptoms you describe. Good luck.
Prozac worked great for me for severe flushing. Lexapro is an SSRI in the same category, and presumably should help. If it works like prozac, not only will it help with your anxiety related flushing, but I also believe it does something an a neurological level to make flushing less likely to occur. As far as the dandruff goes I would try Nizoral. If the dryness your talking about is on your face, it's probably just a minor case of seborrheic dermatitis. I would try the raw honey and coconut oil regimen for this, which I have found extremely helpful for facial flaking/dryness. Information on this regimen can be found here: http://rosacea-support.org/community/blog/...b_derm_b-6.html . Believe it or not, clearing up the dandruff/dryness will likely help your flushing. Also, if lexapro helps to calm down your flushing episodes it may also relief you of some dryness because your overall facial inflammation will lesson.
well just a quick update....turns out my latest doctor found out my ANA test is high an speckled??
im seein a rheum...he said who should be able to help with the raynauds an possible sjorgens....dont know if the flushing has to do with this but who knows
hope all of u are doin better keep ya heads up
Hey Rob,
I disagree with Oil King. Your anxiety may be INCREASING your symptoms or giving you a heightened belief in them, but they probably are real. All of the things that you listed I have seen post tane sufferers have except for like the last couple which are probably due to you being stressed. The perfect example is flushing. I would not consider myself an anxious person, but I flush like crazy in hot environments, stressful environments. I would argue that i get anxious because I flush and not the other way around. If you haven't seen a rheum then yeah I would try that next, but you should research the rheums in your area to try to get the best one since your problems are not cut and dry...
well just a quick update....turns out my latest doctor found out my ANA test is high an speckled??
im seein a rheum...he said who should be able to help with the raynauds an possible sjorgens....dont know if the flushing has to do with this but who knows
hope all of u are doin better keep ya heads up
Hi all,
Just stumbled across this discussion and wanted to say that it's been really helpful to read through what all of you have said. I've been off Accutane for 7 months now, and while I'm still convinced that Accutane was the best thing that's happened to me, I'm becoming increasingly annoyed with the residual flush. Being self conscious of my acne for many years, my self esteem has been quite low and this flushing is making me even more self conscious and anxious (even the act of worrying about flushing is enough to bring on a flush!).
Like many people on here, I try to avoid all stresses that might induce flushing (e.g. got rid of the mirror in my bedroom; limited exercise--and I won't exercise with friends or in public; avoiding hot beverages and alcohol; avoiding sunlight). At school my flushing is awful, mostly because the building is too warm. At home I keep my bedroom unheated to avoid flushing, but that just means the rest of my body is freezing...it's like my face temperature and body temperature are independent. The worst is being in stressful situations, which is unavoidable since I am in med school and doctors are always firing questions (it's impossible to avoid being the focus of attention when your supervising doctor is drilling you, and doctors or classmates are watching everything you do). It's natural to feel anxious in these situations, but it's annoying that my classmates can feel anxious without letting it on, and my flushing gives it away the second I feel even an inkling of distress. Even when I do good procedures, I inevitably am told to "work on improving confidence" because to an onlooking doctor, beat red flushing = lacks confidence. Even the patients tell me to be more confident. It's getting so annoying! Flushing is constantly on my mind though--I make sure I get to the hospital early so that I can sit in a quiet place and let the flush settle from walking outside in the sun, and I drink copious amounts of cold water.
I've never told anyone that I was on Accutane, nor do I plan to. I can only hope this goes away, but flushed or not, life goes on and it's up to us to make the best of it. I mean, hey, at least I don't have (as much) acne! And if anyone's read up to this point, thanks for listening. Good luck to you all!
Oil king:
How is the Prozac going? Still well I hope.
I was wondering though, do you think it was ur anxiety causing flushing, or the heat? I sometimes flush because I'm worrying about flushing, so I dunno if that was what is happening to you?
Has it changed ur mood/attitude?
Are you happier or more energetic?
I'm still just wondering how it could possibly help with the flushing?
I'm on lamictal now, which apparently the strongest thing to help anxiety next to lithium, and I'm still flushing.
My doc also said prozac wouldnt be suitable for me, but I really want to try it if it can help with the flushing.
I'm at a loss as to what to do now.
Fractal:
I would give a beta blocker, preferably propranalol a go. It will likely stop any physical reactions to anxiety, and it seems that a lot of your flushing is being triggered by stress/anxiety.
Nick:
The prozac is going good - at least a 80 percent improvement in flushing. Recently I upped my dose from 20mg per day to 30mg per day. The result? I went right back to flushing just like I used to before prozac. I am back on 20mg per day and am wondering if I should try 10mg per day because maybe this would work more efficiently for flushing if 20mg works better than 30mg. Who knows. Prozac will definitely help you very much with flushing/blushing as a result of you worrying about flushing/blushing. Just google prozac and blushing. Even though flushing and blushing are two different things, they are mechanically very similar. Yes I do have more energy, but this is likely because I am no longer consistently worrying about situations that will induce a flush and therefore am more relaxed and not as stressed (stress makes you tired).
I think it is important for all post accutane flushers to take a few important steps to solve this horrible condition:
1) Wait 8-10 months to see if it will subside on it's own.
2) If it hasn't stopped or decreased (or worst of all worsened) try to get a prescription for a beta blocker and an anti anxiety. It is important to get any anxiety under control because that is the only part of flushing you have control of. Anxious flushing. Every post accutane flusher has it because we all worry about when/where we are going to flush. Getting these worries to stop is of most importance to a full recovery.
3) Avoid triggers if you have any (spicy food, alcohol, etc). Basically it is necessary to get flushing completely (or mostly) under control in order to become permanently in remission. If you are flushing routinely (i.e every night) you are weakening your facial capillaries routinely and therefore not likely to recover. You need to flush as little as possible while your facial vessels heal.
4) Once flushing is somewhat under control (as good as you can get it) take grape fruit extract. This will help your capillaries heal and develop strong, healthy vessels that wont respond to triggers so easily.
5) Wait 2-3 months and see if any improvement occurs. If not, continue to step 6.
6) Get a pulse die laser treatment (or a few) to remove the damaged vessels in the face so your body can grow new, healthy ones. Pulse die laser (v-beam) is less likely to damage post accutane flushers like IPL. IPL sends out multiple light wavelengths, which in turn can induce thermal damage in our already damaged skin. Pulse die lasers only emit one light pulse (around 560) which lessens the chance of thermal damage because it is more targeted towards blood vessels.
Thanks for the advice, Oil King. I didn't have any success in getting a beta-blocker. The doctor said that the flushing is not Accutane-related (I disagree) and that he thinks it's rosacea. He prescribed metrogel and counseling. I'll give the metrogel a try. I'm frustrated about the counseling though, and don't think I'll go ahead with it--I've already tried everything I can mentally to try to convince myself not to flush, at no avail.
Fractal:
Unlike other psychological conditions, flushing is unlikely to be resolved by counseling. Metrogel will do nothing for your flushing. I would try to get on an anti anxiety medication (preferably prozac or paxil) by whatever means necessary. Even if you need to "pretend" to have depression. Goodluck.
Thanks for the advice, Oil King. I didn't have any success in getting a beta-blocker. The doctor said that the flushing is not Accutane-related (I disagree) and that he thinks it's rosacea. He prescribed metrogel and counseling. I'll give the metrogel a try. I'm frustrated about the counseling though, and don't think I'll go ahead with it--I've already tried everything I can mentally to try to convince myself not to flush, at no avail.
Hi Fractal
I'm pretty sure 'flushing' is notated on the medication info sheet that comes with the medication. See also: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginf...ml#side-effects So I don't know what your Derm is on about if he is saying flushing cannot be related to isotretinoin. It's Rosacea induced by isotretinoin/retinol; this is not uncommon. and if he says it is Rosacea he should have no problem letting you try a Beta Blocker such as Propranolol. The NZ Dermatological Society (Dermnet NZ) recognises Beta Blockers as being a possible flushing/blusing treatment, and also Clonidine. I have posted links in some previous posts if anyone is interested, and the pages could be printed for doctor/derm reference. Of course, these meds don't get to the route of the issue which is inflammation, but they do help most people reduce flushing and redness if they cannot get/use anti-malarials Plaquneil or Mepacrine which have anti-inflammatory benefits.
Inflammation being the issue behind many Accutane side effects has been discussed in older posts if anyone wants to go back through this thread to collate further information. It has also been theorised that Accutane can cause lupus-like side effects, or lupus fullstop as was in my case.
Best, Shantelle
hey quick update been a little bit...rheum ran test which still waiting....says he doubts i have lupus...he said my flushing and cold hands and feet are my nervous system tthe sympathetic or para??? are messed up an its causing the issues i also have uticaria hives which could cause flushing.....so guess its not rosacea or lupus??? its still confusing
AND PISSIN ME OFF
thank u to all hope ur all doin good
hey quick update been a little bit...rheum ran test which still waiting....says he doubts i have lupus...he said my flushing and cold hands and feet are my nervous system tthe sympathetic or para??? are messed up an its causing the issues i also have uticaria hives which could cause flushing.....so guess its not rosacea or lupus??? its still confusingAND PISSIN ME OFF
thank u to all hope ur all doin good
WAIT!
cold hands and feet plus flushing could be a disease?!?!?!
I have had those symptoms for a while and no doctor has been been able to tell me why.
How do I get checked for lupus?
What about this other thing you are talking about rob?
WAIT!
cold hands and feet plus flushing could be a disease?!?!?!
I have had those symptoms for a while and no doctor has been been able to tell me why.
How do I get checked for lupus?
What about this other thing you are talking about rob?
yea man....im in same position have been for 3 years now....my hands and feet are always cold and u can see through them my blood vessels...face dry red hot sides face all the time....have your doctor do ANA test...mines positive...get that checked i been through so many doctors and still no solid answer....id say hang in there but its getting hard to do that myself....GOOD LUCK HOPE U GET ANSWERS AN IF U DO HELP ME!!!!
Turns out ANA can be high in healthy people??? LMAO...even with these symptoms...its all being blamed on my nervous system being messed up which can cause cold hands feet flushing and sleep an bowel issues....the hair thinning out an dryness and weight loss....who knows maybe stress??? anyways hope yall doin better
okay, so what can be the cause of the red cheeks?
I read that it could be Keratosis pilaris, accutane, and now lupus?
I dont really know what to think
I can i find out for sure what my problem is?
Maybe once i find out, i can start really focusing on solutions
Oh, and if im looking into laser treatment, which would be my best option?
Thanks
Right, so I have about one week left of five months on accutane and recently my face has been a deep deep red, much worse than any sunburn I have ever had. I have also got a clump of small, barely noticeable bumps to the left and right of the bridge of my nose. My derm told me I had Rosacea and wahat I am trying to figure out is whether I am flushing or not. My face is always hot and tingly?, but it doesnt get that much more red or painful at any point it just stays mostly the same. Sometimes it will get a little more red when I am embarrassed but I think that is just normal blushing. Any help would be appreciated, and I should mention that I have been getting alot of sun recently, but I am wearing sunscreen. Thanks.
I posted here a while back in late 2010 about my accutane flushing problem. I tried propranolol and it helps a lot as i posted. But anyway I am just posting to say that I decided to try taking generic Remeron for flushing. Quick background info; finished accutane September 2009 after 20 week course of 80 mg/day after initial 40 mg/day for a month with body weight of 150 lb. Acne has NOT come back so it worked there. Anyway suffer from intense flushing, red cheeks, blah blah same things as others on here. BASICALLY AFTER 3 DAYS OF TAKING REMERON GENERIC 45 MG NIGHTLY FLUSHING IS GONE. Normally I don't post things but I feel like you guys on here need to know this. It is UNBELIEVABLE is the best way I can describe. You cannot even tell how it is helping just that it is. I even had an extremely uncomfortable conversation in a hot place today and thought about "wow I am going to flush bad...." nope. I was like seriously holy cow. This is second time I've used it, I just ran out before from taking higher dose than I was prescribed so I do not believe I am speaking too soon as it worked then.
So look up side effects, do research, and if flushing affects you severely consider taking Remeron.
I use the dissolving tabs in generic form. Dose ranges from 15 to 45 mg. 15 did not help much. 30 did and 45 is the best for me, everyone is different so do not start at 45 mg. Good luck and say so long to flushing!
Side note: Remeron does not have sexual side effects like other anti depressants and beta blockers, i.e. propranolol, clonodine. Also so far Remeron does not change my mood or anything just makes me sleep more.
Pink cheeks have not gone away however yet. Hopefully in due time after not flushing for a while.
Oh wow!!! I didn't know other people had this problen after using Accutane!
The first time it happened, I was in Alaska, and I thought it was due to having some red wine and the altitude change. I NEVER flushed before in my entire life like this; I had red spots on my shoulders and cheast as well as my face.
5 years later after the Accutane, I still get flushed if I drink red wine or change altitude too quickly.
Wow.. Its taken me over 3 hours, but ive read through pretty much everything on this topic..
Took accutane 7 months ago, then started using the topical cream Differin. Flushing started around 5 months ago, and i havent touched an acne treatment in atleast 2 months, only to find things are gradually getting worse.
Seeing my derm and going to ask for a medication in a few weeks before this whole thing gets way out of hand. I am now flushing every night for atleast an hour.
Biggest triggers - Exercise, emotions, hot rooms, alcohol.
Is anybody from Australia experiencing this? If so, what did your derm say or prescribe?
Im writing down a list of medications to give him with a bit of info. The last thing i want to hear from him is "there's nothing i can give you, youll just have to live with it".
Wow.. Its taken me over 3 hours, but ive read through pretty much everything on this topic..
Took accutane 7 months ago, then started using the topical cream Differin. Flushing started around 5 months ago, and i havent touched an acne treatment in atleast 2 months, only to find things are gradually getting worse.
Seeing my derm and going to ask for a medication in a few weeks before this whole thing gets way out of hand. I am now flushing every night for atleast an hour.
Biggest triggers - Exercise, emotions, hot rooms, alcohol.
Is anybody from Australia experiencing this? If so, what did your derm say or prescribe?
Im writing down a list of medications to give him with a bit of info. The last thing i want to hear from him is "there's nothing i can give you, youll just have to live with it".
Guys, I haven't read all posts but I have been through this also. You can indeed get a flushing like effect from Accutane but I can assure you it's not the end of the world.
For one thing, as an immediate solution you need to get something cold. It could be a soda can, a piece of ice, whatever, and touch your face where the flushing is and hold it there for a minute or so. It will almost immediately counter act the flushing.
Also there is Eucerin redness relief lotion which will dramatically help with the flushing as well.
As for a more permanent solution which I have also done. Laser surgery, now this sounds like a massive undertaking but it's not. I've gone to a new doctor and after telling them my symptoms they've literally taken me to the back, and zapped with this laser all over, there is slight swelling but not bad if you tell them you don't want any bruising our purpra, and you'll notice that the flushing becomes less common. Last time I did it in 2004 it was like $300 dollars a treatment. (just remember you need to have been off accutane for at least 6-7 months first)
There are treatments for this, don't think it's the end of the world.
Wow.. Its taken me over 3 hours, but ive read through pretty much everything on this topic..
Took accutane 7 months ago, then started using the topical cream Differin. Flushing started around 5 months ago, and i havent touched an acne treatment in atleast 2 months, only to find things are gradually getting worse.
Seeing my derm and going to ask for a medication in a few weeks before this whole thing gets way out of hand. I am now flushing every night for atleast an hour.
Biggest triggers - Exercise, emotions, hot rooms, alcohol.
Is anybody from Australia experiencing this? If so, what did your derm say or prescribe?
Im writing down a list of medications to give him with a bit of info. The last thing i want to hear from him is "there's nothing i can give you, youll just have to live with it".
Guys, I haven't read all posts but I have been through this also. You can indeed get a flushing like effect from Accutane but I can assure you it's not the end of the world.
For one thing, as an immediate solution you need to get something cold. It could be a soda can, a piece of ice, whatever, and touch your face where the flushing is and hold it there for a minute or so. It will almost immediately counter act the flushing.
Also there is Eucerin redness relief lotion which will dramatically help with the flushing as well.
As for a more permanent solution which I have also done. Laser surgery, now this sounds like a massive undertaking but it's not. I've gone to a new doctor and after telling them my symptoms they've literally taken me to the back, and zapped with this laser all over, there is slight swelling but not bad if you tell them you don't want any bruising our purpra, and you'll notice that the flushing becomes less common. Last time I did it in 2004 it was like $300 dollars a treatment. (just remember you need to have been off accutane for at least 6-7 months first)
There are treatments for this, don't think it's the end of the world.
I have noticed iced water and/or pressing a cold flannel against the flushing will give some relief and shorten a flushing episode. The more you flush, the worse it seems to be the following day ive found. Appears to be a viscious cycle.
Ive been doing my best to temporarily avoid all triggers - nervous situations, alcohol, exercise, hot rooms etc.. in hope that my damaged blood vessels will heal naturally. Hopefully to the point where i will no longer experience any flushing at all.
Unfortunately i have no idea how long this will take, and i really love exercising, so this is a big drawback since it seems to be my worst trigger.
I havent considered any laser surgery. And dont think i will until some time in the future if needed, as i feel my skin is still quite sensitive.
Please consider the Eucerin redness relief lotion also. It's an amazing product, I wish I would have had it in 2004 when I took my second Accutane course. (it came out in 2005) I am on my 3rd accutane course and using the lotion now and it's really great. Google and read up on it.
Please consider the Eucerin redness relief lotion also. It's an amazing product, I wish I would have had it in 2004 when I took my second Accutane course. (it came out in 2005) I am on my 3rd accutane course and using the lotion now and it's really great. Google and read up on it.
Thanks for the suggestions brad.. does the lotion work for flushing though? .. or just for general redness?
When im not flushed my skin is a normal colour, but when i flush my cheeks will go bright red and usually takes a few hours to go back to its normal state - depending how bad the flush. I flush at night, so usually it returns to normal after a good nights sleep. Then repeats itself basically every night.