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An Antidepressant That Doesn't Cause Acne?

 
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(@lmontgom)

Posted : 09/10/2012 5:51 pm

Lately I've been considering going on antidepressants. My skin has effected my emotional and psychological well being to the point that I don't believe therapy alone will help, and although I really don't want to be medicated for who knows how long, I also have to accept the possibility that the stress, anxiety, and overall depression that my skin causes me might be the cause of my acne, and it might not get better until I am healthier emotionally. I've been reading about different antidepressants (primarily the most popular - Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, Cymbalta, Wellbutrin, Lexapro), and it seems that most of the drugs actually cause acne, or exacerbate existing acne. I was wondering if anyone here has been on antidepressants that didn't have any effect on their skin, or if acne is a pretty common side effect of all antidepressants. I know it's a personal question, but I'd really appreciate any help and advice you guys could give me. I want to save my mental health, but I don't know if it's even worth it if the drug that's supposed to make things better ends up worsening the exact problem that screwed up my mental health to begin with. Thanks so much.

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(@green-gables)

Posted : 09/10/2012 6:05 pm

I have a close relative who has been on several different antidepressants. They all worsened her very mild acne to moderate level acne.

 

She has been taking a high dose of B-5 everyday for the last little while (B-5 is a weak natural anti-androgen), and she says that is counteracting some of the acne caused by the antidepressant, but it's still worse than it was before she was medicated.

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(@tuffluck)

Posted : 09/10/2012 6:19 pm

Pot helped me a ton with the emotional psychological effects of acne. just saying.

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(@snsdgirl14)

Posted : 09/10/2012 7:51 pm

I took Prozac for maybe 6 months and never noticed any effect on my skin.

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(@j-star-2)

Posted : 09/10/2012 8:22 pm

You're hilarious

 

Pot helped me a ton with the emotional psychological effects of acne. just saying.

 

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(@pinkpugsy)

Posted : 09/10/2012 8:22 pm

Imontgom, I've been on antidepressants for over ten years (serotonin-reuptake malfunction runs in my family). If it's an SSRI, I've been on it. I've never noticed any correlation with acne... the first eight years I was on them (ages 13-21), I didn't even have acne. I'm currently on a low dose of Cymbalta and my skin is clear thanks to Atralin. I've tried just about everything over the years to try to beat depression/anxiety without antidepressants because I hate the thought of needing a drug, but I've finally decided that if it takes a pill to make me feel normal then that's ok. One thing that does help a little (but not enough for me to use it alone) is folic acid. You can buy it OTC or they make it in prescription form under the name "Deplin." I recommend talking to your doctor or psychiatrist asap.. acne is hard enough to deal with without your brain chemicals going haywire. Best of luck!

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(@murph89)

Posted : 09/11/2012 12:47 am

I took Prozac for maybe 6 months and never noticed any effect on my skin.

 

Agreed. I'm on 40 mg and my skin hasn't been effected by it. It's reduced almost all of my anxiety

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(@lmontgom)

Posted : 09/11/2012 3:30 am

Thanks for the responses so far. I think I might talk to my dermatologist about antidepressants before I talk to my psychiatrist, but my psychological state has really been deteriorating recently, and while I don't want to be medicated forever, something needs to be done soon. For those of you that have taken antidepressants, have you noticed a positive effect on existing acne? I don't necessarily mean that the drug itself cured your acne, but that your improved mental health lead to clearer skin? I don't know if I really believe that stress and depression really have that big of an impact on your skin, but it's really worth looking into, especially if it means that I won't feel so horrible about myself all of the time. Thanks again for you input!

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(@lmontgom)

Posted : 09/13/2012 12:33 am

Anyone?

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(@murph89)

Posted : 09/13/2012 12:38 am

I'm in 40 mg of Prozac, and my anxiety has reduced tremendously, along with depression. Being less anxious could have contributed to my skin getting better, but I'm also on some great supplements. I do recommend seeing a psychologist vs a dermatologist to get meds. A derm doesn't know about anti depressants. Go see a psychiatrist...theyll know exactly what to give you.

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(@green-gables)
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(@lmontgom)

Posted : 09/16/2012 3:38 am

So my psychiatrist gave me prescriptions for Wellbutrin and Klonopin yesterday, but I haven't filled them yet. He prescribed the Klonopin mainly for my sleep issues (I've been on Ambien for about 5 years), but I don't plan on filling it since I don't really have a problem at the moment with my messed up sleep patterns. He suggested the Wellbutrin because I responded so well to Dexedrine (my ADD med that I was also on for about 5 years, which I stopped taking about 2 months ago), and apparently it works in a similar way to amphetamines. I'm really nervous about starting Wellbutrin, partially because I'm worried about the possible side effects for my skin, but I'm also really wary of becoming dependent on a medication. I've also read that SSRI's are usually prescribed as a first line of defense, to see how a patient responds, and then other meds (like Wellbutrin) are added on if the SSRI's aren't enough. Has anyone here taken Wellbutrin? If so, what's your take on the medication?

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(@lmontgom)

Posted : 09/19/2012 1:10 am

Anyone?

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(@lmontgom)

Posted : 09/24/2012 11:43 am

bump.

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(@murph89)

Posted : 09/24/2012 1:12 pm

Ive never taken Wellbutrin, but Lexapro and xanax have had no negative impacts on my skin. If your psychiatrist recommends to take this drug, do it. Do some research online to see if anyone has experienced acne side effects from Wellbutrin.

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(@tuffluck)

Posted : 09/24/2012 1:17 pm

Are you still on ambien? When I took it recreationally in the past I would wake up with break outs. Tested it a few times. I don't take those or any sleep aids anymore. Just my 2 cents.

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(@lmontgom)

Posted : 09/24/2012 4:25 pm

No, I'm not taking Ambien anymore. I stopped taking it when I went off the Dexedrine. Although I have taken it a couple times here and there, I've never noticed it having any effect on my skin. For the past couple months I've really tried to eliminate my intake of chemicals (I even stopped my birth control about 3 weeks ago, but I think I'm going to go back on it next month) and focus on my diet (I've been dairy-free since January and Gluten-free for a few weeks), but I haven't really noticed a change. I really think my anxiety and obsession with my skin could be a contributing factor to my skin issues, so I did start taking the Wellbutrin (today is my 2nd day). I know it takes a while to kick in, so I'll just have to wait and see what happens.

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(@lmontgom)

Posted : 09/26/2012 12:55 am

I've heard that antidepressants, including Wellbutrin, somehow have an effect on your hormones. Does anyone know how they effect your hormones, because I also recently started taking Zinc, which also apparently has a hormonal component, and I don't want to be taking too many things that will alter my hormones (as I said above, I also stopped taking the pill, but am planning to start up again in a couple weeks).

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(@lmontgom)

Posted : 09/26/2012 2:36 pm

Today is my fourth day on Wellbutrin, and I think it's already breaking me out. I have been breaking out lately, but the past couple days I've been breaking out with a bunch of these tiny, red bumps and whiteheads, mostly on my left cheek, and I usually don't break out like that. Of course there are other things that I've recently started doing that could also be breaking me out (the Zinc, stopping the pill), but I think I'm going to stop the Wellbutrin, since it's also giving me bad headaches and making me nauseas. I'll have to call my psychiatrist to let him know, but I was wondering if it's possible that my skin could be reacting so immediately to this drug, or if it's more likely that the breakout is being caused my something that's been in my system longer (like the Zinc, which I've been taking for a little over a week at 50mg). Thanks for any insight!

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(@snsdgirl14)

Posted : 09/27/2012 9:54 am

I just started taking Prozac again so hopefully it will have no effect...but like I said I took it a few years ago and had no bad reaction so yeah

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(@murph89)

Posted : 09/27/2012 1:37 pm

I just started taking Prozac again so hopefully it will have no effect...but like I said I took it a few years ago and had no bad reaction so yeah

 

I take Prozac too. It's had no negative impact on my skin. I'm at 40 mgs. What are you at?

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(@snsdgirl14)

Posted : 09/27/2012 2:41 pm

I just started taking Prozac again so hopefully it will have no effect...but like I said I took it a few years ago and had no bad reaction so yeah

 

I take Prozac too. It's had no negative impact on my skin. I'm at 40 mgs. What are you at?

 

Right now I'm taking 20 mg once a day, but will increase to 40 mg after a week or so.

How's it been working for you?

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(@murph89)

Posted : 09/27/2012 2:45 pm

Really good. I can even skip a day or 2 and it's still in my system to work. It was rough during the start. Made. E even more anxious, but that's all gone now and the 40 works well. I also take a 1/2 Xanax if I cant sleep or like this morning when I went in for a job interview.

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(@lmontgom)

Posted : 09/30/2012 2:30 am

So I've been off the Wellbutrin for a couple of days, and the weird breakout on my left cheeks is going away, but I'm still breaking out, and it seems like it's getting worse. My psychiatrist wanted to give me a prescription for Effexor, but I haven't really heard good things about it, so I need to talk to him about other alternatives. I really think I need something that manages anxiety as well as depression, because although I think depression might be an issue for me (even when I'm not breaking out I tend to isolate myself, I feel totally unmotivated and lost, I pull away from friends and spend most of my time alone, etc.), but the anxiety and obsession I feel when it comes to my skin is overwhelming and it stops me from functioning. For the past couple days I've been taking Xanax (usually after I wash my face at night and I feel the worst about myself), but it doesn't really do much for me; it calms me down physcially, like if I'm crying or incredibly frustrated, but the thoughts and the worry never really go away. I'm planning on getting a new therapist as well, since I know that I need to find a healthier way to deal with my skin issues, but sometimes I feel like there is no way I could ever simultaneously be happy and have bad skin. Honestly, I hope that depression/anxiety is what's causing my skin to break out, because after a decade of this, I would finally have an answer; it worries me that my psychological issues have nothing to do with the state of my skin, and that becoming healthier mentally might have no effect whatsoever on my skin, because that would mean that there's no solution. I really don't like the idea of being medicated, but I feel liek I have no choice anymore; I can't fix this on my own.

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(@mgx)

Posted : 09/30/2012 10:11 am

been on lexapro 2 months 10mg....... i don't think it worsened my acne, but my real concern then was lithium..... coz i know it may cause acne since it is one of it's side effects... off meds now.. haven't gone back to my derm and psych..... sighs....

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