I've had acne for over three years, on and off. As I've gotten older, it's gotten progressively worse.

My first outbreak was treated with Duac and cleared within weeks (I miss the days when a topical was enough to treat it!). When it returned 6 months later the Duac no longer worked for me.

I was then put on a combination of Dianette and Differin gel. I went to a dermatologist who prescribed me with a 3 month course of tetralysal on top of that and within a couple of weeks I was completely clear.

I came off Dianette and the antibiotics and was clear for another two months before my acne returned worse than ever before. Red, angry, nodules, cysts, blackheads. You name it, it was all over my face. I went back on Dianette but started getting constant twitches in my legs so I came off it and was put on Yasmin and Minocycline. The minocycline started giving me constant yeast infections so I was switched to Efracea (which contains doxycycline and is used to reduce pimples and red bumps often associated with rosacea).

I've been on Yasmin and Efracea for almost a year. I was never ENTIRELY clear- I would always get the occasional few spots under my skin on my cheeks, but compared to the red beard of pustules I used to suffer from, it was an incredible improvement. I went back to my derm last month and he told me to come off the antibiotic, stay on Yasmin and not to make a follow up appointment.

I don't know whether it's the lack of antibiotic, or whether Yasmin is just not working for me anymore, but in the past week, every pore on my forehead has become clogged and the spots are red and raised. My derm told me that because he believes my acne is hormonal, the antibiotic probably wasn't doing much for me anymore. I don't know what to do. Should I take the antibiotic again? Should I just ride this out and see what happens? Should I go back to my derm and ask for accutane? He's so expensive and often when I come to see him he can't remember my name and what we discussed in the previous appointment.

I'm 25, I'm getting married in a few months, and I feel like a walking pharmacy. I don't want to be on birth control (for the usual reasons nobody likes being on birth control) and I didn't want to be taking an antibiotic every day, but my desire to have clear skin outweighed my reservations about being reliant on medication.

TLDR- has anyone has experiences with Yasmin (or other bc) where it stopped working for them after a long period of time?

Thanks so much