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How Do I Get Prescribed On Accutane?!

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(@bradyod)

Posted : 05/30/2013 4:00 pm

Hey guys, I'm 18 and I've had moderate acne for about 4 years now, I've tried every single topical and medication out there for my acne and the only thing that works slightly is BP, but my acne is getting worse by the day. I've come to the point in my life where I don't care what anyone thinks, I don't care if i haven't got 'cystic' acne or 'proper' acne, I just want it gone. Its effecting my life so much to where I don't feel like I can do anything any more. I get so upset and it just feels like that NOBODY understands me. I've been to my GP a LOT of times and they won't even refer me to a dermatologist, she basically told me I would have to wait.... yes thats correct WAIT until my acne gets cystic. I'm getting extremely fed up and just want to at least try accutane on a small dose to see the effects that it has but I cannot get prescribed and I cannot afford it to go private.

please PLEASE can someone just guide me and make me feel like someone understands, I feel like the only people in the world who understand are the ones with acne problems, which unfortunately are not my doctors.

Has anyone been prescribed on accutane with moderate acne? If so tell me how! I am so desperate and I am finally pushing myself the hardest I can go to get rid of my acne for good!!!

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(@meowza)

Posted : 05/30/2013 5:24 pm

Hello! I feel ya on a lot of what you just described. I started getting acne around age 11ish and it just never stopped. My face was never severe, but definitely moderate. I do have some severe acne, cystic on my shoulders/back/sometimes armpits. But the moderate acne was extremely persistent. I'm 23 now and was just prescribed Accutane last month. I was turned down for it in my early teens because the docs wanted to persue other treatments, hormonal and topical, and turned down again around 19 because I had some depression and joint issues. Both understandable reasons to not prescribe accutane. I'm now on my fourth derm (not by choice, I move around a lot).

I think what it took was showing that the other treatments did NOT work. Hormone therapy failed me, BP stopped working, no topical or RetinA would do the trick. In fact, they just made my acne come back with a vengeance, same with antibiotics. Also to show that its persistent. I was trying to get rid of it for over 10 years by the time I was prescribed it. Another thing is the scarring, if you have a high potential to be left with permanent scarring, accutane becomes a more viable option to you. Another reason is if your parents had acne that continued into adulthood, which I did. Also if it is affecting you psychologically, which is sounds like it is. It did for me too sad.png I stopped going to the beach, going out with friends. It really affected my self esteem and confidence to look in the mirror and see my skin.

Its not a drug they prescribe lightly, because it comes with severe side effects as I am sure you know by reading around here and it is super important that you give other options a 3-6 month try each. And about the low dosage, for accutane to work, you need to be on the right dose to give you the best chance at long term remission, most doctors will agree it is somewhere around 1mg/kg I think. But your best bet is to find a dermatologist who specializes in acne, bring along a timeline of your skin and every treatment you have tried and the results you got from them, if any. Also to be honest with how the acne/scarring affects you. Be prepared to be open about other treatments but finding the right derm can also help too. I know most doctors and people will probably scoff and say that moderate acne doesn't warrant accutane but when you've been living with persistent moderate acne for 1/2 your life, I know it is a big deal. Will your doctor really not refer you? That really really sucks because a good derm can make all the difference! Have you tried going to a walk-in clinic that does referrals? I don't have a family doctor because I just moved to this city, so I had to go see a walk in clinic doctor. He was so compassionate, and had actually taken accutane himself, and was a huge advocate for me to see a good, acne specializing derm. Could you maybe see if there are any walk in clinics that you could go to? They can't prescribe it, but they can refer you to a good derm!

And I understand, totally. You aren't alone in this!

For reference I am in Canada, where the walk in clinics can't prescribe a drug that needs long term monitoring!

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(@tim714)

Posted : 05/30/2013 5:25 pm

You don't need your GP's permission to see a dermatologist, just find one in your area and make an appointment. A lot of them like to try antibiotics and topicals before putting people on accutane but if you insist they might go straight to accutane, depending on the Dr. Good luck

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(@avada-kedavra-acne)

Posted : 05/30/2013 5:28 pm

Me! I have acne prone/ roseacea skin that can scar(dark marks) very easily. Ive been going to the derm for 5 years and felt like their lab rat because nothing worked and products get getting shoved in my face. Anywho, about 7 months ago i got actually fed up and at my visit to my derm i said i want to go on accutane... and they said okay. End of story. :) acne doesn't have to be cystic to be eligible for accutane, its for it everything else doesn't really work. So so last week i started acctuane - it only took so long because i had to wait till i got back from university because i asked asked right before i left. but i came home for spring break and got my first blood work. Then when i got home about may 20th i got my second blood work- waited a week- and got accutane sent to my doorstep. :) I know it sucks- i feel like acne is so horrible. My bro who is 2 yrs younger then me went on accutane in high school and now had great skin. :)

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(@like-moonlight)

Posted : 05/30/2013 5:56 pm

I am assuming you are from the uk right? That is why you have to have a referral.

 

I notice loads of people from the uk have issues getting referrals. Which really is unfair. As far as needing to have cystic acne in order to get accutane isn't true. Your acne just needs to prove resistant to other medications. It's quite common to need to try just about every antibiotic and close to ever topical for atleast 3 months. Accutane does come with a lot of risks which is why it is important to try everything else. Since you claim you have done that I'm not sure why your doctor won't refer you. Thats just plan wrong.

 

What if you met with your GP and asked for a referral for laser treatments or something like that? Make is something that your GP cannot help you with and that requires a referral. If your doctor is not all for accutane then maybe lying and saying you want laser or chemical peels or light therpy. Something along those lines. Then once you get the referral ask for accutane instead. Not the best way to go about getting it prescribed but you aren't being left with much of a choice.

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(@mmaguy115)

Posted : 05/30/2013 8:31 pm

Explain to your derm your struggle, explain how you have spent several years trying to find your cure and nothing works. Explain to him that while you understand Accutane is typically for serious acne, tell him/her you also understand its for persistent acne too. I spent 5 years going to a derm, eventually got to point where I tried everything and it was controlling my life. My acne wasn't serious, but it was insanely persistent. I asked about accutane, explained my story, and got prescribed it. Taking it was definately worth it and very life changing for me. Although I have to do another course, it didn't work for me the first time (guess im unlucky), I'm not hesitant to do another course because it did wonders for my skin.

If your derm says no, find another derm. I had to go to 3 different derms before one was willing to work with me. Some doctors are comfortable with accutane, others are not.

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(@ladolcevita95)

Posted : 05/31/2013 5:46 pm

Accutane is fairly easy to get prescribed, depending on your dermatologist. Try asking your dermatologist for it. Usually they make you try an anti-biotic first, and if that doesn't work, then accutane is suggested. A friend of mine took accutane, and she had little to almost no acne, but she wanted to reduce the oilyness of her skin. It all really just depends on who's your derm.

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(@louberr27)

Posted : 06/02/2013 2:26 pm

Hey OP, I know exactly how you feel, I was in the very same position - moderate acne that wouldnt respond to antibiotics or bp cream over a 5 year period. My GPs were useless, I actually changed surgeries because I wasnt being listened to at the first one and the second one was equally as unhelpful! Every time I asked for a referral they told me I couldnt have it because 'your acne isnt as bad as some other peoples'. GPs dont want to refer people to a derm because it costs the surgery money. The surgery will be allocated a certain amount of money each year and they have to budget to cover everything, including salaries. They dont want annyoing people like us moaning about our skin and using up their budget (I assume youre in the uk?) You get the picture. Anyway I resigned myself to the fact I wasnt going to get any help from the GP so I went online & found a private clinic that did laser treatment (I thought this was the only thing I could do, having been brainwashed by the GP into believing accutane was evil). I went in for a consultation as a private customer and it turns out that this clinic also take referrals from the NHS. The nurse (head nurse of the practice) that I had my consult with was horrified when I told her what had been going on and that I had been refused a referral to a derm, she said that I was a definate candidate for accutane, and she wrote me a letter there and then (on NHS headed paper) for me to take to my GP with instructions that I was to recieve an immediate emergency dermatologists referral. I took that to my GP and even though they still tried to fob me off with more antibiotics I stood my ground and insisted, and I did get my NHS referral within 2 weeks becauss of that letter. I am unbelievably grateful to that nurse for helping me, ive been on accutane for 4 months now and my skin is amazing. I know that ive probably been lucky to find someone like her to help me, but she also did explainto me that GPs actually have NO right to refuse you a derm consulation. If you go to a private derm off your own backand they conclude that you ARE a candidate for accutane, the private clinic can claim back the cost of your treatment from the GP. Im not sure if im allowed on here to name the clinic that I went to, but if you want to know you can messgae me (if you can do that privately on here, I dont know) but they have clinics all over the uk. I also think that you need to do a bit of research online as to what your rights are as a patient and who you can complain to. Write to the practice manager at your GP and make a stink! Unfortunately you are going to have to be a nuisance to get what you want, but keep going until you do, dont give up.

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(@topey1)

Posted : 02/27/2014 12:09 pm

I know exactly how you feel. I'm almost 21 and I've had it since I was 11. I saw a derm a few years ago and tried everything and nothing worked so I just kind of gave up. I've been hearing more and more about accutane and I have an appointment with a derm in a couple hours and I'm hoping to get prescribed it. I don't have severe acne but it affects me so much and I just want it gone. I have it on my face, chest, back and arms and I hate always having to cover it up. Nothing else seems to work and I'm willing to deal with the side effects just to get rid of it. If you are persistent enough about getting it will a Dr. usually prescribe it? Any tips? I'm at the end of my rope with it.

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