Worried about roaccutane

Hello, i'm 17 and had mild acne that was persistant and annoying. i decided to go on roaccutane because i didn't want to deal with pimples in yr 12. i have currently been taking it for 4 and a half months and am still getting new pimples. i'm getting desperate and wondering if i'm the only person this drug isn't gonna work on. plz tell me it works on everyone. ??

[koukla29]

This is normal - you will continue to get pimples even faster than before, and in the future your face will clear.  Hang in there - its working!

[ghetto_livin]

hey i've taken the drug nbefore for only one month and after my dose was totalled, my face was wonderful but the doctor sad that it gets worst before it gets better but maybe four months after you stop taking it the pimples come back.

[ghetto_livin]

so you cannot stop takin it because its 2008 and i was on the drug in 2007.

[loiloi]

Accutane can be prescribed for up to 24 weeks. If, 8 weeks after stopping you have a relapse, you may be prescribed a second course. For about 80% of patients one course is enough but 20% may have to take two or three courses. It is still your best hope of long term remission so don't give up, it would be very unusual to have skin resistant to accutane, assuming your dose is at least 0.5mg x your body weight x at least 16 weeks. Or, a cumalative dose of between 120mg and 150mg x your body weight. Loiloi x

[jomo4eva]

i am really worried about taking roaccutane i was diagnosed with hydradenitis suppritiva a severe case of body acne im always in pain with it and sometimes can't walk i get boils that bad.
iv'e suffered with it for the last 5 years and the doctors have only recently recognised it as hydradenitis suppritiva.
I got sent to see a dermitologist and he said i had to take roaccutane i am due to start this treatment in two weeks and im really worried as there is so much negative said about the drug i don't know what to do any suggestions would be much appreciated jomo4eva x

[loiloi]

Accutane is a powerful drug for severe acne resistant to other treatments. The most common side effects are dry skin and lips. Some people experience rare serious side effects, but this needs to be balanced against the fact that accutane has helped many people. You and your dermatologist need to agree that the expected benefit for you outweighs any potential side effects. Accutane is your best hope of a long remission from acne. Let us know how you get on, good luck. Loiloi xx

[PeterEW]

I'm sure there must be some merit to these horror stories that get thrown in your face when you google the infamous drug Roaccutane. I strongly suggest that you don't let all the bad publicity stop you from taking the drug (in my humble, non-medical opinion). Try your utmost best to try not to pay too much attention to the negative aspect of it all as well.

I have had acne since early high school days. I went through all of high school with very bad acne, mainly because my family couldn't afford a treatment of roaccutane. (No NHS in South Africa!). When I eventually managed to get the treatment it was great. I got all the usual side-effects...dry skin, skin sensitivity, etc. Its not pleasant, but it really isn't that bad. I never had the slightest hint of depression or anything of the sort. On the contrary, I couldn't have been happier to finally be on the treatment. I finished the 6 month course and my skin was perfect. It really was a great feeling.
So I am quite happy to recommend anyone to go through this treatment. Preferably don't wait as long as I did, because I now have the scars to haunt me.
BE WARNED!!! No matter what your dermatologist tells you, it is not a 100% sure cure. I am now 27 years old and my acne has returned. Its not so bad on my face this time, but my back looks like a war zone. I have been through the usual BS of anti-biotics that don't work and once again I have reached my limit. I am now buying roaccutane through the www. This I can't recommend. Its a dangerous choice to make, but my patience with the NHS has disappeared!!!

[jomo4eva]

Thank you for your comments on the drug roaccutane.I suppose it is only a few ppl out of the millions that take it that suffer from bad side effects. To hear someone elses oppinions really helps me.
I am due to collect and start the medication on the 10th of feb thank you for your veiws i have spoken to my dermatologist and doctor and i am going to go ahead with the treatment. But like i said thank you for your opinions it means a lot to me ill keep in touch and let you know how i get on.
jomo4eva xx

[PeterEW]

Hey. I wish you the very best of luck. Having dry and sensitive skin is what I mostly recall. I was a teen back then, so I found it fundamentally wrong to use moisturizers or anything of the sort. haha. I would recommend having good moisturizers handy. Obviously the drug effects the whole body, so that would include good face, body and hand moisturizers. Some good lip balm is a life saver. Check with your doc on what the best products are. Probably something thats not overly potent of heavy.
I also remember being particularly sensitive to the sun. It was a good old south African summer, so it can get very strong. Either way, avoid the sun.
Again...I was in my teen years when I was on the treatment. So I didn't take much notice to the no-alcohol rule. The drug plays hell on your liver, so avoid booze at all costs. I plan to take another treatment soon and will definitely be on a 6-month detox.
I think thats about it really. Try be as consistent as possible when taking dosage. Try not to skip out on a dose. Go as far as keeping a days dose in your wallet or something. You never know!
The placebo effect may be a bit of a gray area as far as science is concerned, but like I said before...try not to focus on the negative effects of the treatment. A positive outlook only helps the process!
Best of luck Jomo. I truly hope it works for you. I can't tell how good it felt when I had finished my treatment and had that lovely clear skin again.
Take care

[loiloi]

Please don't buy roaccutane off the internet. At best it will be a placebo and you will have wasted your money, at worst it could harm you. Where do you live now? If you are in the UK the waiting time to see a NHS dermatologist is less than 18 weeks and they can give you a second course of roaccutane (i've had 2 courses on the NHS, one 20 weeks and one 24 weeks). Roaccutane is also very expensive on the internet, wouldn't it be better to put this money towards seeing a private dermatologist if you are not satisfied with NHS treatment? loiloi xx

[PeterEW]

Hi there. I appreciate your concern, but I am confident in my supply of the treatment. It comes recommended. It is also a low dosage compared to what is recommended, so I feel safe taking it.  
My local GP clinic won't refer me to a dermatologist. They don't feel its bad enough. They don't have to live with it every day! They have no problem in having me all sorts of other antibiotics though. A private dermatologist seems to charge extortionate amounts of money for a single visit. Nevermind the additional visits while on treatment.
Thanks for the concern though!

[loiloi]

If your GP is unsympathetic, change doctors. Severity of acne has a lot to do with how it affects you psychologically as well as the number of lesions.
Again i need to remind people on this site that you should never take medication prescribed for anyone else nor buy drugs off the internet. A flashy website does not guarantee that the product is genuine. You should never take a course of prescription drugs without consulting a doctor even if you have taken the same product before. Accutane can cause severe adverse side effects and must be taken under supervision from a dermatologist.
I really do empathise with you, i am 31 and have had skin problems all my life. My son is 8 and he already suffers from acne. Please remember that lots of young people use this site. I would never want my son to buy drugs online. Loiloi xx

[PeterEW]

Agreed! I can wholeheartedly say that buying and prescription drugs off the internet is not a viable option. Roaccutane is an especially toxic drug and should under any circumstances be monitored by your doctor. I strongly advise that you do whatever you have to do to get this treatment through the proper channels.
I am taking an enormous risk doing what I am doing. Financially, it could well be a hoax. Medically I could be doing very serious and permanent damage to my body. Thats my choice though.
I wish the NHS would treat this disease with the severity that it deserves! It makes me sick to think that acne has been such a big part of my life for over a decade.

[loiloi]

Not all GPs are as unsympathetic as yours though, that is why i think you should change doctors. My GP acknowledges that the benefits of managing my acne outweigh the potential side effects of the medications i therefore have to take.
I was prescribed 20 weeks of roaccutane on the NHS in 2006, 0.5 x my bodyweight kg/ per day. After relapsing in 2007 i was prescribed 24 weeks of roaccutane again on the NHS, 1 x my bodyweight kg/per day.
When i took the second course the hospital had set up a nurse-led roaccutane clinic which enabled them to treat more patients. I saw the dermatologist at the beginning and end of my treatment and she signed the prescriptions, but the monthly check-ups were carried out by a nurse.
I really hope that a second course of roaccutane (prescribed by a dermatologist) results in long term remission for you. I have relapsed again and am currently managing my condition with oxytetracycline and cypertone acetate.
Best wishes and good luck. Loiloi xx