Please do not make absolute claims about accutane not hurting anyone. It's a gamble, noone knows for sure how their body will react to it.

Plenty of people manage to clear their acne without medication.

Please do not make absolute claims about accutane not hurting anyone. It's a gamble, noone knows for sure how their body will react to it.

Plenty of people manage to clear their acne without medication.

I understand some people can clear their acne without meds. But if your an adult and still have acne.... then you will most likly struggle with it for life. If you truly have Hormonal Cystic Acne (like I did) from age 12-37 and have suffered you whole life.... then all I'm saying is that accutane will clear you at a low dose and is safe.

I understand that it has it's risks. But like I said If you are HEALTHY and don't have issues going into it then its extreemly safe in a low dose. It has a bad reputation because Dr's don't know how to prescribe it and they #1 give it to the wrong candidates & #2 Overdose their patients on it. This is when you will have issues.

I came on here to help someone. Maybe that person isnt you if your opposed to accutane. But Accutane is an amazing drug when put in the right hands and used at a safe dose. I work in dermatology and we aren't in the business of making out patients sick. About 1/2 of our patients are on a baby dose of accutane and only issue is dry lips. I didn't come on here to push accutane. I came to educate people that it's safe if used propely. Trust me... I cringe when I see these poor people on high doses of it. Very sad that so many Dr's don't know they can get results with a low dose.

I literally tried EVERYTING for over 20 years and spent soooo much money on stuff that never worked. I wasted so much of my life crying due to my acne not wanting to leave my house. I know there are other people out there like me and if I can help one person then it's worth it.

And one more thing... My post was about how I took Sprio for 7 years. I felt AWFUL on Spiro. It robbed me of those 7 years. Mental, Mood & Emotional side effects. I was sooo depressed, tired, no energy, light headed.... ect ect ect! And I still had acne! That's the fruterating part!

Anyways... thats all

I've had better results with supplements and healthy lifestyle changes than all the crap doctors prescribed over the years. Doctors want to make you feel like you have no other choices because they want to make money. But whatever, it's your life, your choice.

Hello Crab76.

First, I have been enjoying your posts. I completely agree that we 'overdose' people by trying to get as much Accutane into them all at once as possible. There is zero good research to show that higher daily dosing leads to better outcomes. As a society we tend to have a 'more is better' attitude, and a need to get results as fast as possible. I think lower doses and longer courses will become much more common in the coming years.

However, I do think that you insistence that nothing else 'cures' acne like Accutane is a bit odd. First, you stated that after you stop Accutane, you may have to repeat your course. So it is not necessarily more of a permanent cure than anything else you have to continue to take, either intermittently or consistently. You also stated that you had great results for your acne with spiro, and did not like the other side effects. Many people do not have such negative side effects from that medication, and it is a great 'cure' for them while they take it. On the other side, many people have negative experiences with Accutane, even on low doses, and would prefer not to take it. Accutane is not necessarily the one best drug for everyone, the only way to get clear, or a cure by any means.

Personally my acne is hormonal like yours. I have taken Accutane, and it is indeed very good, but the only thing that keeps me consistently clear is Diane (a BCP). Personally, I would rather be on that (I have no side effects except a larger chest which is cool with me), than Accutane for years (side effects include ocular issues, the tendency to bruise easier, chapped lips).

I do think Accutane is great, and I do think that many more people could be helped by it if we changed the way we looked at dosing and multiple courses. However, I also agree with Wishclean that it is NOT the only way, and that many people find remission from their acne using other methods, including hormone therapy, topicals, natural remedies, or dietary changes. Some of these may be more suited to particular people than Accutane.

So, thank you for your post. I think it is important for people to know that super high dosing is not usually the best option. But please keep in mind that just as spiro was not right for you, Accutane is not right for everyone either, and not ALWAYS the best option.

I guess it's nice to see that low dose can be a good option for some people. If low dose works, that's a pretty good deal compared to trying such a high dose right off the bat, since accutane does have a lot of negative side effects (esp at the high doses)

I'm going to try a different birth control first, as topicals have only cleared the top half of my face (amazingly well though) but if I that doesn't help, or if my back is still a mess after trying a new pill and the regimen, I'd rather try accutane first than resort to antibiotics, or spiro (I'm not a good candidate because I have issues that make raising estrogen levels past a certain point not a great idea- yes finding a pill that works is going to be really tricky!)

Yea definitely try the pill. The pill kept me "sorta" clear for many years. The only issue I had w the pill is that it's a synthetic progesterone... So when you get off your bodys natural progesterone is sooooo low becuase it didn't have to make it for all those years. For me.. I got off the pill at 30 years old. And my acne came Raging back with a vengence within a month of being off. That's when I went on Spiro. Then when I tried to come off Sprio... same thing... my Acne would come right back... worse than ever. This is why I say these treatements are a bandaid.

I've had better results with supplements and healthy lifestyle changes than all the crap doctors prescribed over the years. Doctors want to make you feel like you have no other choices because they want to make money. But whatever, it's your life, your choice.

Your very lucky. Everyone's acne is different. Some women are lucky to have just have minor blackheads, congestion, and small hormonal breakouts then YES of course supplements do help. But if you have deep cystic acne as an adult then you will spend way more money on supplements. Supplements are not covered by insurance. Retin A and Accutane is.

Dr's don't get money to perscribe accutane (just the office visit of course). And 9 out of 10 patients will be cured in their first course so we never see them again. I spent thousands apon thousands of dollars with my Natropath (who doesn't take insurance) trying to naturally clear my acne naturally with zero respone. Buying all these supplements & hormonal treatments that never worked. Now I spend my co-pay for dr visit & labs, & co-pay for my accutane. About $30 bucks a month if that since I only take my accutane every few days. So I don't agree that these Dr's make money off accutane patients. The Dr's that make $$$ of patients are the ones that spin their patients in circles not solving their problem. Giving them antibiotcs, topicals alone ect ect.

Hello Crab76.

First, I have been enjoying your posts. I completely agree that we 'overdose' people by trying to get as much Accutane into them all at once as possible. There is zero good research to show that higher daily dosing leads to better outcomes. As a society we tend to have a 'more is better' attitude, and a need to get results as fast as possible. I think lower doses and longer courses will become much more common in the coming years.

However, I do think that you insistence that nothing else 'cures' acne like Accutane is a bit odd. First, you stated that after you stop Accutane, you may have to repeat your course. So it is not necessarily more of a permanent cure than anything else you have to continue to take, either intermittently or consistently. You also stated that you had great results for your acne with spiro, and did not like the other side effects. Many people do not have such negative side effects from that medication, and it is a great 'cure' for them while they take it. On the other side, many people have negative experiences with Accutane, even on low doses, and would prefer not to take it. Accutane is not necessarily the one best drug for everyone, the only way to get clear, or a cure by any means.

Personally my acne is hormonal like yours. I have taken Accutane, and it is indeed very good, but the only thing that keeps me consistently clear is Diane (a BCP). Personally, I would rather be on that (I have no side effects except a larger chest which is cool with me), than Accutane for years (side effects include ocular issues, the tendency to bruise easier, chapped lips).

I do think Accutane is great, and I do think that many more people could be helped by it if we changed the way we looked at dosing and multiple courses. However, I also agree with Wishclean that it is NOT the only way, and that many people find remission from their acne using other methods, including hormone therapy, topicals, natural remedies, or dietary changes. Some of these may be more suited to particular people than Accutane.

So, thank you for your post. I think it is important for people to know that super high dosing is not usually the best option. But please keep in mind that just as spiro was not right for you, Accutane is not right for everyone either, and not ALWAYS the best option.

 

I totally agree. I know it's not right for everyone. Like I said I came on here to help "someone" not everyone. I wanted to share what fianally got me clear. My skin is crystal clear with no oil, smooth texture & tight pores for the first time in my life. And I'm 37!!! To me it's a mircale.

I have deep cystic hormonal acne AND Rosacea. Accutane is a cure. But in some people (probably myself) they will have to repeat a course 8-10 years down the road. Espicially people with Rosacea becuase it's a progessive disease. Acne usually gets better as people get older. (thru menopause) But Rosacea gets progressivley worse after the age of 30... and espicially after menopause. So in my case and in other people like me I may need to repeat a course as you can not control your hormones.

Some people get Acne as a "phase".... if this is you... then for sure... accutane is probaly not needed and not worth the risk. But for those of us who have Chronic Cystic acne and Rosacea then I believe that accutane is the only cure. That's my opinion. But with that said I do NOT believe that accutane is right for all those people because if you aren't healthy to begin with then you can't take it. For example... we have a patient who has Hepatitis C. We will NOT give her accutane. No Way!!! So you gotta know your patients and be a good Dr. We will treat her Topically.

Anyways..... Didn't mean to set people off in this forum. Just wanted to share what worked for me. I suffered so bad thru my life and I know there are people like me who have cried at home not wanted to leave due to their acne... also people who have spent unneccessary time & money on treatments that don't work. Just tryin to help.

FYI, I had SEVERE cystic acne as well as other forms of acne. My face was a mess. I wasn't lucky, I just did my research and listened to my body. In 10-20 years' time is when the after effects of acutane and other drugs start to appear, so of course it's easy to say it's working in the short term.

And it's a stupid excuse to say supplements are not covered by insurance, so why not medicate yourself because it's cheaper. Just my opinion, I am here to show people that there are alternatives.

I'm not saying all naturopaths are knowledgeable about acne either. You have to do your own research before going to any doctor otherwise they'll use trial and error.

How long do you plan to take accutane every other day?

I don't care what the dose is, it's still accutane and it's still a very strong drug. There is a huge list of side effects that can happen by taking it (some minor and some very serious), and I have even read some saying that they have permanent damage even after stopping. Spiro and other pharmaceuticals have their side effects too but that's another topic.

Accutane works by shrinking oil glands and reducing inflammation/bacteria. Of course you're clear on it, but if you stop it there will be a chance of your acne returning especially if your acne is indeed hormonal. I was naive and let a dermatologist prescribe me Accutane back in high school. It cleared my severe cystic acne but after the course and a couple years, it all came back. It wreaked havoc on my body and mind but luckily I recovered from all the side effects it caused. I cannot even imagine taking it daily long term.

I'm glad your skin is clear, and it is your body and your choice as WishClean stated already... I just want to warn people that this treatment shouldn't be taken so lightly and has the potential to cause more problems. Also, I don't consider accutane a hormonal treatment.

FYI, I had SEVERE cystic acne as well as other forms of acne. My face was a mess. I wasn't lucky, I just did my research and listened to my body. In 10-20 years' time is when the after effects of acutane and other drugs start to appear, so of course it's easy to say it's working in the short term.

And it's a stupid excuse to say supplements are not covered by insurance, so why not medicate yourself because it's cheaper. Just my opinion, I am here to show people that there are alternatives.

I'm not saying all naturopaths are knowledgeable about acne either. You have to do your own research before going to any doctor otherwise they'll use trial and error.

The only reason I said that is becasue you said Dr's prescribe accutane to make money. I was trying to prove a point that prescibing accutane doesn't make the Dr money. That's all. Supplements are amazing. I still spend TONS of money on suppliments, eating organic, ect ect! I have no issues with all that. I did research til I was blue in the face and even went to school for skin and work in dermatology. This is how much I wanted to learn & be educated about this condition. So I definitely have lots of facts and knowledge to back all of this up.

How long do you plan to take accutane every other day?

I don't care what the dose is, it's still accutane and it's still a very strong drug. There is a huge list of side effects that can happen by taking it (some minor and some very serious), and I have even read some saying that they have permanent damage even after stopping. Spiro and other pharmaceuticals have their side effects too but that's another topic.

Accutane works by shrinking oil glands and reducing inflammation/bacteria. Of course you're clear on it, but if you stop it there will be a chance of your acne returning especially if your acne is indeed hormonal. I was naive and let a dermatologist prescribe me Accutane back in high school. It cleared my severe cystic acne but after the course and a couple years, it all came back. It wreaked havoc on my body and mind but luckily I recovered from all the side effects it caused. I cannot even imagine taking it daily long term.

I'm glad your skin is clear, and it is your body and your choice as WishClean stated already... I just want to warn people that this treatment shouldn't be taken so lightly and has the potential to cause more problems. Also, I don't consider accutane a hormonal treatment.

I'm going to take it for about 6 months. I check my lab work every single month to monitor everything.

And Yes I agree it's a strong drug. But like I've said over and over the people who have these bad side effects 99.99% of the time were unhealthy to begin with OR they got overdosed by their Dr's.

I see you girls are just dead set against accutane and nothing will ever change your mind about it. And that's totally fine. It's not for everyone. You say there have been people who took a small dose who had permanant issues.... I'd really love to meet those people and see their lab work they had prior to taking the drug. I bet they had something off that made them not a good candidate. But there is no way to prove that.

And again the only reason I came on this board was because I tried every single hormonal treatment you could ever imagine with no results. Just want to share my experiance. I didn't mean to get people all worked up. Not my intent.

Hey, crab76!

I'm so sorry that my post came off as negative! I completely agree that Accutane is the best option out there at this time. Nothing is perfect - but this is pretty darn good.

I just wanted to point out that for a lot of people, especially women, hormonal therapies can be quite useful, even with Accutane. Since you posted this in the hormonal forum, I assume people battling hormones are reading it, and for some of them hormonal therapies (like BCP or spiro) may offer a more long term solution.

Women with hormonal acne are notorious for relapsing after Accutane. For me, Accutane was a miracle that helped me get everything under control. However, after Accutane, my acne returns without maintenance through BCP. I might be able to achieve the same maintenance through low dose Accutane, and I would consider this if I have any more issues in the future. But, the research on long term BCP use is better for now and gives me great results.

Your post really appealed to me, because I have been frustrated lately with all the high dose recommendations on this forum. So many posts talk about taking high daily doses when there is no research to support that this is better. Even the research on high cumulative doses is shady, and everyone on here that's into that quotes the exact same study, as though one study is a guarantee. It's not even a great study because the high dose people were on the drug for longer, so it raises questions about whether or not the dose, or the length of time are responsible for the effect (less relapse).

So I LOVE that you are on here asking us to reconsider our ideas about dosing and how we use Accutane. I just want to stress that Accutane isn't always a 'cure' or 'the only cure'. I say this not to discourage people from taking it, but to encourage them to consider it in different ways. Some people might benefit more from a long term low dose course, or from intermittent courses, or from even using it with something else, like a hormone therapy.

Everyone seems to think that you're just supposed to blow your body away with it, and then you're 'cured'. I liked your other post where you mentioned post-Accutane maintenance, and that it may involve continuing to use a topical or other preventative measures. I think I got a little defensive here because you specifically posted about hormonal therapies, which have been a god send for me for maintenance after Accutane, and kept me as clear as I was while on it. BCP also keeps me not oily, so Accutane is not the only thing to combat that, either. Everyone is a special flower - there is no 'one size fits all' method for controlling acne.

So I think some of us who have had great success with hormonal methods don't like the blanket statement that Accutane is the only or best way all the time. But I am not riled up, I assure you! I have really loved your posts, and I am super glad that there is someone on here with a strong voice supporting low dose Accutane. My derm (who is very opinionated, and pretty funny sometimes) said that the high dose craze is just a result of our Western society thinking more and fast are always better. We don't like to do things low and slow! I predict that in the next 5-10 years we will see a ton of research supporting low dose long term courses. The drug companies would surely love it if we could keep people on Accutane for way longer, and find other ways to use it successfully where it has failed in the past. It's win-win.

Thanks again for your posts. It really is something to think about.

ACKGROUND:

The efficacy of isotretinoin at 0.5 to 1.0 mg/kg per day in the treatment of acne is well established and considered safe, although it is sometimes not easily tolerated because of its cutaneous side effects.

OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of low-dose isotretinoin in the treatment of acne.

METHODS:

In this prospective, noncomparative, open-label study, 638 patients, both male and female, with moderate acne were enrolled and treated with isotretinoin at 20 mg/d (approximately 0.3-0.4 mg/kg per day) for 6 months. The patients were divided into two age groups: 12 to 20 and 21 to 35 years old. Patients were evaluated at 2-month intervals by means of clinical and laboratory examinations. A 4-year follow-up was also carried out.

RESULTS:

At the end of the treatment phase, good results were observed in 94.8% of the patients aged 12 to 20 years, and in 92.6% of the patients aged 21 to 35 years. Failure of the treatment occurred in 5.2% and 7.4% of the two groups, respectively. Twenty-one patients dropped out of the study because of lack of compliance, and another patient discontinued participation because of a laboratory side effect. During the 4-year follow-up period, relapses of the acne occurred in 3.9% of the patients aged 12 to 20 years and in 5.9% of the patients aged 21 to 35 years. Elevated serum lipid levels (up to 20% higher than the upper limit of normal value) were found in 4.2% of the patients and abnormal (<twice the upper limit of normal values) liver tests were observed in 4.8%.

LIMITATIONS:

This was a noncomparative, open-label study.

CONCLUSION:

Six months of treatment with low-dose isotretinoin (20 mg/d) was found to be effective in the treatment of moderate acne, with a low incidence of severe side effects and at a lower cost than higher doses.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16546586/

Hey, crab76!

I'm so sorry that my post came off as negative! I completely agree that Accutane is the best option out there at this time. Nothing is perfect - but this is pretty darn good.

I just wanted to point out that for a lot of people, especially women, hormonal therapies can be quite useful, even with Accutane. Since you posted this in the hormonal forum, I assume people battling hormones are reading it, and for some of them hormonal therapies (like BCP or spiro) may offer a more long term solution.

Women with hormonal acne are notorious for relapsing after Accutane. For me, Accutane was a miracle that helped me get everything under control. However, after Accutane, my acne returns without maintenance through BCP. I might be able to achieve the same maintenance through low dose Accutane, and I would consider this if I have any more issues in the future. But, the research on long term BCP use is better for now and gives me great results.

Your post really appealed to me, because I have been frustrated lately with all the high dose recommendations on this forum. So many posts talk about taking high daily doses when there is no research to support that this is better. Even the research on high cumulative doses is shady, and everyone on here that's into that quotes the exact same study, as though one study is a guarantee. It's not even a great study because the high dose people were on the drug for longer, so it raises questions about whether or not the dose, or the length of time are responsible for the effect (less relapse).

So I LOVE that you are on here asking us to reconsider our ideas about dosing and how we use Accutane. I just want to stress that Accutane isn't always a 'cure' or 'the only cure'. I say this not to discourage people from taking it, but to encourage them to consider it in different ways. Some people might benefit more from a long term low dose course, or from intermittent courses, or from even using it with something else, like a hormone therapy.

Everyone seems to think that you're just supposed to blow your body away with it, and then you're 'cured'. I liked your other post where you mentioned post-Accutane maintenance, and that it may involve continuing to use a topical or other preventative measures. I think I got a little defensive here because you specifically posted about hormonal therapies, which have been a god send for me for maintenance after Accutane, and kept me as clear as I was while on it. BCP also keeps me not oily, so Accutane is not the only thing to combat that, either. Everyone is a special flower - there is no 'one size fits all' method for controlling acne.

So I think some of us who have had great success with hormonal methods don't like the blanket statement that Accutane is the only or best way all the time. But I am not riled up, I assure you! I have really loved your posts, and I am super glad that there is someone on here with a strong voice supporting low dose Accutane. My derm (who is very opinionated, and pretty funny sometimes) said that the high dose craze is just a result of our Western society thinking more and fast are always better. We don't like to do things low and slow! I predict that in the next 5-10 years we will see a ton of research supporting low dose long term courses. The drug companies would surely love it if we could keep people on Accutane for way longer, and find other ways to use it successfully where it has failed in the past. It's win-win.

Thanks again for your posts. It really is something to think about.

Thanks Kim28. I guess I just felt a little attacked... becuase if you knew me you would know I have a huge heart and truly only want to help. I could have just gone on with my life with my clear skin and said "too bad to all those people out their suffering". But I honestly think every single time I see someone with acne that there is no need for them to suffer. I swear this is the reason I work in the field I do. I just want to single handedly help every single person and clear them up. no need to go thru 1/2 your life (like I did) with acne. It's possible to get clear.

Only reason I came in the hormonal forum is becuase I did all the hormone treatments too. BCP, Spiro, Vitex, Progesterone cream, DIM, Saw Palmetto, gosh... I could go on & on and on! I still take DIM & Calcium D Glucarate. I have estrogen dominance and I still try to balance that with these suppliments. I take Zinc every day too. But no matter what I did I still had bad cystic acne.

When I took Spiro it made me so depressed that I was on & off of antidepressants. Even put on antopshycotics (abilify ect) becuase I was suicidal. I'm 100% convinced this was all caused by the Spiro. My BF at the time can attest. I was soooo happy when I went off BCP then my face went crazy so I started Spiro 200mg. My face was sooooo clear and perfect but my mood went whacky almost within a month of being on Sprio and I sprialed down hill over a few years. Even dropping down to 100mg. He begged me to stop the Spiro but I was in a cloud of denial. I argued "NO....My skin is clear and that's all I care about". I was dilousinal. I suffered for so long. Finally dropping down to 50mg. I felt sorta better & got off of my antidepressants but my acne was back. I went on like this for a couple years.

I spent So much Time & Money on all these hormonal treatments. Went to esthetician school & started working in dermatology. I have learned so much. I started low dose accutane and stopped the spiro. I feel amazing! I'm back to my normal happy self. My friends and family can not believe the change in my personality and mood. It's like a switch was turned back on.

So Sprio may work for many.... but I came here to share my story of that it didn't work for me.

It's very difficult to control your hormones. They Will fluctuate thru-out life no matter what you do. Nothing you can do about that. But you can control your oil. This was my original purpose for the post.

It's not for everyone. But it may be for some.

Thx for responding the way u did. I only want to help. That's all.

I'm going to take it for about 6 months. I check my lab work every single month to monitor everything.

And Yes I agree it's a strong drug. But like I've said over and over the people who have these bad side effects 99.99% of the time were unhealthy to begin with OR they got overdosed by their Dr's.

I see you girls are just dead set against accutane and nothing will ever change your mind about it. And that's totally fine. It's not for everyone. You say there have been people who took a small dose who had permanant issues.... I'd really love to meet those people and see their lab work they had prior to taking the drug. I bet they had something off that made them not a good candidate. But there is no way to prove that.

And again the only reason I came on this board was because I tried every single hormonal treatment you could ever imagine with no results. Just want to share my experiance. I didn't mean to get people all worked up. Not my intent.

I'm glad to hear that you don't plan on taking it indefinitely, which is what it kind of sounded like to me. I really don't think it is safe long term.

It's not that I am dead-set against accutane it just scares me from my own experience and what I see others going through. I think it is over-prescribed and if you are correct about it being overdosed, then I think it seriously needs to be taken off the market until enough studies are done to find the correct and completely safe dose. I also get that some dermatologists are better than others so I think strong drugs like this should be more controlled... for example they have to start at a low dose and then work up if it doesn't help.

It's a little unfair to say those who had bad side effects were unhealthy before starting... everyone is different. Spiro and other treatments didn't work for you and gave you side effects but have worked for others so that argument doesn't really seem valid. Whatever, though... I'm not here to argue with you. I just wanted to offer a different opinion and maybe bring up some points that weren't mentioned before.

I understand that you are just trying to help and I didn't mean to sound like I was bashing your success or efforts. Like I said before, I think accutane is over-prescribed as it is so I wanted to point out that it isn't a miracle drug without consequences for everyone. Again, I'm happy that you found something that works for you and I wish you all the best. (:

Hello! I used to come on this board all the time. So desperate to fix my skin. I took Spiro for 7 years. I had so many side effects and just felt awful. At a high dose my skin was perfect but I felt terrible. At a lower dose I felt better but my skin would break out still. I couldn't win. A year ago I started working for a dermatologist. He does not perscribe Sprio EVER. Spiro is a bandaid. Accutane is the cure....

I've had back acne(cyst, I think it's rosacea) for more than 10 years. and I'm a little bit fat, 85kg. So Maybe 20mg every other day isn't strong enough for me? Can I try 30mg or 40mg every other day(or every day) for half a year(or a whole year)? and then can I take 30mg or 40mg every week for long term use? What's the side effect if I take it overdose for long term(like forever)?

And would you please ask your derm if the low dose doxycycline (40mg per day) works or not? I think it's a permanent solution for acne or rosacea. Here's a link about it: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/339552-why-not-try-this-40-mg-doxycycline-per-day-for-long-term-use-no-side-effect-approved-by-fda-sounds-perfect/

Hello! I used to come on this board all the time. So desperate to fix my skin. I took Spiro for 7 years. I had so many side effects and just felt awful. At a high dose my skin was perfect but I felt terrible. At a lower dose I felt better but my skin would break out still. I couldn't win. A year ago I started working for a dermatologist. He does not perscribe Sprio EVER. Spiro is a bandaid. Accutane is the cure....

I've had back acne(cyst, I think it's rosacea) for more than 10 years. and I'm a little bit fat, 85kg. So Maybe 20mg every other day isn't strong enough for me? Can I try 30mg or 40mg every other day(or every day) for half a year(or a whole year)? and then can I take 30mg or 40mg every week for long term use? What's the side effect if I take it overdose for long term(like forever)?

And would you please ask your derm if the low dose doxycycline (40mg per day) works or not? I think it's a permanent solution for acne or rosacea. Here's a link about it: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/339552-why-not-try-this-40-mg-doxycycline-per-day-for-long-term-use-no-side-effect-approved-by-fda-sounds-perfect/

No your weight does not matter. I would never recommend taking more than 20mg. You may need a longer course but it's better to take it longer than to take it in a higher dose. You could do 20mg every day for 5 months and then drop to every other day. Then maybe twice a week, and then down to 1 x a week. And see if you stay clear. But this is something that your Dr would have to monitor. We wouldn't stop someone until they were clear. Some people need longer courses. I dunno about taking it forever. I don't think that is needed.

There are alot of possible side effects. It can effect your liver, your stomach, raise cholesterol ect. So serious stuff.

I would never recommend any antibiotic for acne or rosacea. They don't work. We all have bacteria all over us. Antibiotics kill the bacteria temporarily unitl the bacteria outsmarts the antibioic and build resistance to it. Oil is the problem. Not the bacteria. Acne is an inflammatory disease caused by too much oil. You must control the oil.

Hello! I used to come on this board all the time. So desperate to fix my skin. I took Spiro for 7 years. I had so many side effects and just felt awful. At a high dose my skin was perfect but I felt terrible. At a lower dose I felt better but my skin would break out still. I couldn't win. A year ago I started working for a dermatologist. He does not perscribe Sprio EVER. Spiro is a bandaid. Accutane is the cure....

I've had back acne(cyst, I think it's rosacea) for more than 10 years. and I'm a little bit fat, 85kg. So Maybe 20mg every other day isn't strong enough for me? Can I try 30mg or 40mg every other day(or every day) for half a year(or a whole year)? and then can I take 30mg or 40mg every week for long term use? What's the side effect if I take it overdose for long term(like forever)?

And would you please ask your derm if the low dose doxycycline (40mg per day) works or not? I think it's a permanent solution for acne or rosacea. Here's a link about it: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/339552-why-not-try-this-40-mg-doxycycline-per-day-for-long-term-use-no-side-effect-approved-by-fda-sounds-perfect/

No your weight does not matter. I would never recommend taking more than 20mg. You may need a longer course but it's better to take it longer than to take it in a higher dose. You could do 20mg every day for 5 months and then drop to every other day. Then maybe twice a week, and then down to 1 x a week. And see if you stay clear. But this is something that your Dr would have to monitor. We wouldn't stop someone until they were clear. Some people need longer courses. I dunno about taking it forever. I don't think that is needed.

There are alot of possible side effects. It can effect your liver, your stomach, raise cholesterol ect. So serious stuff.

I would never recommend any antibiotic for acne or rosacea. They don't work. We all have bacteria all over us. Antibiotics kill the bacteria temporarily unitl the bacteria outsmarts the antibioic and build resistance to it. Oil is the problem. Not the bacteria. Acne is an inflammatory disease caused by too much oil. You must control the oil.

This isn't true. There are plenty of people with oily skin but no acne.

Hello! I used to come on this board all the time. So desperate to fix my skin. I took Spiro for 7 years. I had so many side effects and just felt awful. At a high dose my skin was perfect but I felt terrible. At a lower dose I felt better but my skin would break out still. I couldn't win. A year ago I started working for a dermatologist. He does not perscribe Sprio EVER. Spiro is a bandaid. Accutane is the cure....

I've had back acne(cyst, I think it's rosacea) for more than 10 years. and I'm a little bit fat, 85kg. So Maybe 20mg every other day isn't strong enough for me? Can I try 30mg or 40mg every other day(or every day) for half a year(or a whole year)? and then can I take 30mg or 40mg every week for long term use? What's the side effect if I take it overdose for long term(like forever)?

And would you please ask your derm if the low dose doxycycline (40mg per day) works or not? I think it's a permanent solution for acne or rosacea. Here's a link about it: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/339552-why-not-try-this-40-mg-doxycycline-per-day-for-long-term-use-no-side-effect-approved-by-fda-sounds-perfect/

No your weight does not matter. I would never recommend taking more than 20mg. You may need a longer course but it's better to take it longer than to take it in a higher dose. You could do 20mg every day for 5 months and then drop to every other day. Then maybe twice a week, and then down to 1 x a week. And see if you stay clear. But this is something that your Dr would have to monitor. We wouldn't stop someone until they were clear. Some people need longer courses. I dunno about taking it forever. I don't think that is needed.

There are alot of possible side effects. It can effect your liver, your stomach, raise cholesterol ect. So serious stuff.

I would never recommend any antibiotic for acne or rosacea. They don't work. We all have bacteria all over us. Antibiotics kill the bacteria temporarily unitl the bacteria outsmarts the antibioic and build resistance to it. Oil is the problem. Not the bacteria. Acne is an inflammatory disease caused by too much oil. You must control the oil.

Thanks so much for your reply. But I read in an article "Rosacea, in contrast with acne, is a persistent dermatosis that tends to relapse if isotretinoin is stopped, independent of the final cumulative dose.". So, I am just worried about the relapse of my rosacea if i stop using Accutane.

i can officially say that with being on spiro for the last 16 months that the oil production in my skin has not changed one bit but i have been completely clear so i dont think oil is an issue at least for me because i am very oily especially on my chin area. the spiro works great for me with no side effects. i was going to go the accutane route my derm told me with my acne being hormonal that it would come back as soon as i got off the accutane so i figured no reason to even go down that road. so glad it is working for you though!!!