agonized as you did as to should I do it or not..but my acne was cystic

did it, but had to stop after 7 months, could never get to a full dose due to side effects, but for most people it is a miracle drug

if you don't go the accutane route, you have to work harder to find your trigger, for me it was dairy and wheat....hard to give those up, but those two things were huge triggers for me

so if you don't go the accutane route, then you need to be religious about a topical regimine (this is war, you can't take a day or two off) and then try to eliminate some common triggers and see if you have any improvements

a lot of great info on this site for whatever path you choose, holistic, antibiotic, accutane, the acne.org regimine....but try to hit it from a couple of fronts

good luck with your decision

Done two courses of accutane and im glad i did it, i had some side effects like joint pain, back pain the usual dry lips but nothing that hasn't gone away by now... along with the acne! If you've tried for so many years to get rid of it go to your derm and suggest it, it is relatively safe since you have to get blood work done every month to make sure you don't damage your liver or anything like that and if it's affecting you in any serious way all you have to do is stop. It is simply the nuke for acne it isn't easy going through the course but it is worth it! Good luck and hope this helps!

Hi there,

I'm so sorry you are going through this and are feeling so down. I have felt the exact same way for a long time now. I contemplated going on Accutane for about a year, but my acne kept getting worse and worse (despite trying so many other treatments) and I had finally had enough. I started Accutane 10 days ago.

From my perspective, it seems like acne is really controlling your life and making you very miserable. So.... You could either:

A) Try more treatments, like antibiotics, ect. This may make you more miserable if it does not work, or starts working and then gets worse again. Also, antibiotics and most other treatments aren't usually long term cures, they are just a temporary fix.

B) Take Accutane, know that it is definitely going to clear you up and there's a good chance you'll be clear for the rest of your life. Will there be side effects? Absolutely. Will they be really annoying? Absolutely. But then it'll be over and you will feel so much better living an acne-free life.

Hey.

Thank you for replying.

The only thing I worry about if I do decide to go on it is my skin will go much worse than it actually is, the side effects scare me too

I'm actually really annoyed I am writing this thread and depressed that it has gotten to this stage.

I am now as the title says, contemplating going on accutane. I have had acne for 5years+ and it has just gotten worse as I've gotten older. I have tried everything you could name, from prescription creams to ones you can buy on the shelves. My diet is very healthy, I don't eat anything bad really.

My acne is not cystic, It is just very pimply type, my whole face is covered in these type of spots, it just looks like a complete mess. I am so tried of it, I've reached the end of the line now, it's beyond depressing me, it's eating me alive.

I'm so ashamed of it.

Please could anyone, who has used accutane before please advise me in their opinions and those who have just started it, also those who were going to start it but decided against it, why?

Thank you

So sorry that you are going through this. How old are you? My 14-year-old (soon to be 15) son just started Accutane and is starting his 4th week today. I just updated his progress and side effects on my thread so take a look. A lot of people experience a worsening of acne when first starting and this is happening to my son. His attitude is good though because he finally feels like we are doing something to help him in the long run. You have to go in with a good attitude and know that this is a fight. Things will most likely get worse before they get better but it seems like for the vast majority of people, the outcome is positive. After 3 years of trying everything, my son decided he was ready. We researched it and found a good doctor who was educated and willing to listen. The first dermatologist we saw had a "one size fits all" approach to Accutane that I didn't like. Our current doctor adjusts things based on how the patient is doing. He says that a lower dose for slightly longer is just as good as high doses right off the bat that cause more symptoms. They will also check your blood once per month to make sure your liver and cholesterol are ok. Take a look at my thread and let me know if you have any other questions. Best of luck to you!!!

I'm actually really annoyed I am writing this thread and depressed that it has gotten to this stage.

I am now as the title says, contemplating going on accutane. I have had acne for 5years+ and it has just gotten worse as I've gotten older. I have tried everything you could name, from prescription creams to ones you can buy on the shelves. My diet is very healthy, I don't eat anything bad really.

My acne is not cystic, It is just very pimply type, my whole face is covered in these type of spots, it just looks like a complete mess. I am so tried of it, I've reached the end of the line now, it's beyond depressing me, it's eating me alive.

I'm so ashamed of it.

Please could anyone, who has used accutane before please advise me in their opinions and those who have just started it, also those who were going to start it but decided against it, why?

Thank you

My personal belief is that if your acne negatively affects your daily life or emotional well being, then you should give accutane a try. There's no telling how your acne will react to more antibiotics in the future- it could get better, or maybe worse. I started accutane over a month ago and even though my acne has gotten worse, it's nothing I can't handle, and I know that by the start of next year it will be much better. If you can handle the initial worsening and the crappy dry skin and lips, definitely go for accutane.

Hey.

Thank you for replying.

The only thing I worry about if I do decide to go on it is my skin will go much worse than it actually is, the side effects scare me too

Trust me, I know how you feel. I was unbelievably scared of Accutane, I still am. I knew I would go insane if my acne got any worse than it was, and that's why I asked my doctor if I could start on a low dose. I'm on day 15 and my acne hasn't gotten any worse, it actually looks a little bit better already. You could always just express your concern about the initial breakout and ask to be on a low dose for the first month.

As I said, side effects will not be a walk in the park but they are manageable and worth it.

Accutane/roaccutane is a serious decision, read through the threads so you're fully prepared and know the facts. I would advise against antibiotics, they made my skin so much worse once I became resistant. If you still think you have tried all options, then see a derm and talk it through.

I have been on roaccutane 6 weeks now and I think I'm experiencing my initial breakout *cries*. I was on 20mg for the 1st month, then 1 week on 20/40mg alternate days and now 40mg, which I believe is why I'm breaking out. My side effects have become worse in the last few weeks, my joints and muscles ache so bad some days I can hardly move, I feel about 80, in fact me and my Nan have been comparing aches lol. I get tired a lot and just have no energy. These aches started the day after my first pill. I've also had the usual dry cracked lips, they have blistered and bled occasionally but nothing I can't deal with. The side effects I'm most concerned with are if I start losing my hair (don't think I could deal with that), bowel problems (so far no effects) and severe depression. It has changed my moods, I am more irritable and inpatient, but not to a great extent, I get depressed anyway and I don't think I've gotten any worse so far.

You will get side effects, but everyone is different and if you never try you will never know, you can always stop the meds if you find them too bad or can't deal with them. I always said I would never go on it but in the end the ends justified the means. Also I am a pharmacy technician at a hospital and give out roaccutane all the time (like 5-10 people a day) and have yet to hear any horror stories.

Good luck!

I know exactly where you're coming from! I'm 28 and have been dealing with acne for years! Not necessarily a lot of cystic (although some of it is) but lots of pimples, white heads and hormonal acne (I had moderate acne that would flare up randomly and sometimes I'd be almost clear). I've tried more over the counter products than I can remember and also 4 different prescription topicals and minocycline. Ultimately nothing worked and I tried everything because I refused for over 2 years to go on Accutane. About 6 months ago I finally broke down and went on Accutane. I had some of the normal side effects (dry scalp at first, and I'm still dealing with dry lips!) and also some rare side effects (bolus tinea- blistering form of athlete's foot along with a staph infection that is a common secondary infection that goes along with it and I also got a corneal ulcer). I went off of Accutane for about 3 weeks due to the medication I was put on for the athlete's foot (harsh on your liver). Even with those side effects I still don't regret going on Accutane. The results have been AMAZING!!

Accutane/roaccutane is a serious decision, read through the threads so you're fully prepared and know the facts. I would advise against antibiotics, they made my skin so much worse once I became resistant. If you still think you have tried all options, then see a derm and talk it through.

I have been on roaccutane 6 weeks now and I think I'm experiencing my initial breakout *cries*. I was on 20mg for the 1st month, then 1 week on 20/40mg alternate days and now 40mg, which I believe is why I'm breaking out. My side effects have become worse in the last few weeks, my joints and muscles ache so bad some days I can hardly move, I feel about 80, in fact me and my Nan have been comparing aches lol. I get tired a lot and just have no energy. These aches started the day after my first pill. I've also had the usual dry cracked lips, they have blistered and bled occasionally but nothing I can't deal with. The side effects I'm most concerned with are if I start losing my hair (don't think I could deal with that), bowel problems (so far no effects) and severe depression. It has changed my moods, I am more irritable and inpatient, but not to a great extent, I get depressed anyway and I don't think I've gotten any worse so far.

You will get side effects, but everyone is different and if you never try you will never know, you can always stop the meds if you find them too bad or can't deal with them. I always said I would never go on it but in the end the ends justified the means. Also I am a pharmacy technician at a hospital and give out roaccutane all the time (like 5-10 people a day) and have yet to hear any horror stories.

Good luck!

Hello,

Thanks for your response - much appreciated.

I hope you're feeling better and your acne is improving, I've decided on another route of treatment before I fully decide to take roaccutane, hopefully this will work and I won't have to take it, good luck with the rest of your journey, wish the best.

I know exactly where you're coming from! I'm 28 and have been dealing with acne for years! Not necessarily a lot of cystic (although some of it is) but lots of pimples, white heads and hormonal acne (I had moderate acne that would flare up randomly and sometimes I'd be almost clear). I've tried more over the counter products than I can remember and also 4 different prescription topicals and minocycline. Ultimately nothing worked and I tried everything because I refused for over 2 years to go on Accutane. About 6 months ago I finally broke down and went on Accutane. I had some of the normal side effects (dry scalp at first, and I'm still dealing with dry lips!) and also some rare side effects (bolus tinea- blistering form of athlete's foot along with a staph infection that is a common secondary infection that goes along with it and I also got a corneal ulcer). I went off of Accutane for about 3 weeks due to the medication I was put on for the athlete's foot (harsh on your liver). Even with those side effects I still don't regret going on Accutane. The results have been AMAZING!!

Hello,

Thanks for your response - much appreciated.

I'm happy to know your acne is getting better and I hope it continues to get better! I've decided on another route of treatment before I fully decide to take roaccutane, hopefully this will work and I won't have to take it, good luck with the rest of your journey, wish the best.