Hi, so background story.. I've been on 2 rounds of Accutane 20mg/ day (I weight about 100lbs) for 3 months within the span of 12 months. Each time I completed, I was clear but the acne crept up slowly within a few months.
My acne started to flare up again and it's getting pretty bad. It was mostly a few CC and bumps by my jaw but it migrated to my cheek. I went to a naturopath who thinks I may have a hormonal imbalance from being on birth control for so long. So she told me to take DIM plus, chasteberry, and GLAs.
It's only been a week but I don't want to waste another month trying to clear it and basically experimenting when Accutane will garuantee to clear me up. I wanted to do a hormonal imbalance test but I was told I have to be off birth control for 3 months first. So that being said, I don't even know if my acne is hormona . My acne doesn't get worst during my period and it migrated from my jaw to my cheek. My left cheek is completely blown up. My right side has some bumps by my jaw and the cheek is clear..
I'm on a waiting list to see a derm (4-6 months) and my GP hasn't heard of the supplements the naturopath recommended doesn't recommend I take them with Accutane.
So my question is should I take Accutane for 6 months with birth control (I only did 3 previously because that's what my GP prescribed) then take the supplements recommended by the naturopath once I complete? I still want to balance out my hormones. Or should I take the Accutane without birth control (I'm not sexually active) then take the supplements after? I'm worried that continuing Diane 35 will continue to alter my hormone .
Thanks!
9 minutes ago, Juwalker said:I thought birth control was compulsory with accutane. The ipledge programme? The derm will advise re whether any supplements are ok to take with accutane.
I live in Canada and we don't have that. If and when I was going to be sexually active again, I was going to get a copper IUD, something without hormone . Unfortunately it's a long wait until I get to see my derm so I don't know what to do in the mean time.
I would go with accutane without birth control so you can see your real progress. I think compulsory birth control in UK positively distorts the effectiveness of the accutane and people may then be taken off accutane too soon before cumulative dose is achieved. I am not a fan and admittedly have no experience of naturopaths so personally can't advise about that. Your call depending on how strongly you feel about it.
I am taking Diane 35 myself. That works really well for me on its own at the moment , but everyone is different. Of course if I came off the Diane 35 I would expect the acne to return as my acne appears to be hormonal. I would have tried accutane next if it hadn't or spiro. All the best.