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Does Accutane work? How do I get put on it?

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H

Hollywood

Banned
OK, here's the deal. I'm sick of getting breakouts and stuff on my face/shoulders/back ... it's not really really bad, but its annoying and stuff, and its been like this for a while. I've tried everything - over the counter shit, stuff through the mail, and now I goto a dermatologist who has just put me on like cream and antibiotics or whatever that don't seem to do anything (right now I'm on some shit called tazorac for cream, and on cephalexin antibodies - was on differen gel and doxycilin - and that didnt work).

Anyone here ever use accutane and is it a sure thing to work? I know its got side effects and stuff, some can be serious, but I really don't give a damn honestly. I don't wanna keep getting put on a string of shit that doesn't work. How can I just tell my doctor to put me on this shit and get it done with, and that I don't give a shit about any possible side effects or whatever at this point? Any advice?
 
T

Takuan

Member
After working in pharmacy for over a year, I learned nothing's ever a sure-thing. Sometimes people have to go through five, six different types of meds until they find one that'll do the trick, whether it be for acne, depression, or arthritis pain.

You can't "just tell" your doctor to put you on anything, but what you can do is tell him you've heard of the medication and its effectiveness and ask if he thinks you would be a good candidate for it. If you don't have any allergies to the medication, I don't see why he wouldn't write up a prescription for you, or perhaps give you a sample to see how well it works.
 
E

Ecrofirt

Member
accutane is very dangerous.

if I'm not mistaken, you have to get blood tests while you're on it, because it can really fuck up your liver.
 
I

IAmtheFMan

Member
Accutane should ONLY be used as a last case scenario. If you've been on the antibiotic/cream combo for more than a couple months and still haven't seen any results, ask your derm about different antibiotics aside from cephalexin; like a tetracycline derivative like minocycline.

Accutane not only has serious side effects, but it's also gonna be a pain in the ass if you go on it. You have to constantly have your blood monitored, in addition to the various other side effects that may occur (depression, etc.) It sounds like you have a mild-medium case too; don't jump the gun. Accutane isn't something that you want to go into lightly.
 
H

Hollywood

Banned
Well this shit won't go away ... I don't wanna be stuck another year like this. I rather take my chances for side effects that are pretty low risk (1 percent or lower maybe??) than get stuck like this another year.
 
D

Dan

No longer boycotting the Wolfenstein franchise
Yes, monthly bloodtests that checked for certain blood cell counts. It's not something they throw around anymore either after the suicides.

I used it for a bit, worked alright. Certainly wasn't a cure-all and I moved onto some other meds after quitting that. Can't say I can really comment on the side effects since I was depressed before I started taking it. I dunno, the bloodtests were a pain in the ass since you have to fast. I definitely fainted hard after one of them since I hadn't eaten in a long time.
 
H

Hollywood

Banned
I'm not worried about depression, because this stuff right now is actually one of the main causes of what depresses me. Honestly, I'm sure there are a lot of horror stories and stuff for people with bad experiences with meds. But I read stuff in the paper about things like Zoloft telling a kid to kill his grandparents - which is such BS. I had terrible anxiety and Zoloft basically cured it. So you know, I'm willing to take the chance of some side effects if the stuff is effective.
 
I

IAmtheFMan

Member
Hollywood said:
Well this shit won't go away ... I don't wanna be stuck another year like this. I rather take my chances for side effects that are pretty low risk (1 percent or lower maybe??) than get stuck like this another year.
Click to expand...

I know acne sucks, but seriously, just make sure you exhaust every other possibilty before considering this. Accutane is really reserved for severe cases of acne where absolutely NOTHING has worked. If the cephalexin isn't working, (and not working, meaning couple of months and no results) see if there's other antibiotics he'd recommend.
 
L

Lathentar

Looking for Pants
My brother and I went on accutane. It worked great for me!

The only probably I really had was dry lips for 6 months.
 
W

Willco

Hollywood Square
Hollywood said:
What does that mean? (In reference to Wilco)
Click to expand...

... basically what everyone else has been saying. I hope it's worth it for you, but if all else fails, I'll write a decent eulogy.
 
I

IAmtheFMan

Member
Hollywood said:
Is any antibiotic particularly stronger than another?
Click to expand...

Yeah; I mean there's different variations of 'em. Some are really specific while others are "broad spectrum" meaning they wipe out all different types of bugs. Meanwhile others may be very specific, but be really good at what they do.

Tetracycline is one of those that's really good at a lot of things, and it's derivative, Minocycline is often used in acne cases.

I can't give you be-all end all advice about what meds to go on since I'm only a lowly med-student right now, but my advice is to go see your derm, and let him know if the cephalexin isn't working, and see if there's any other antibiotics available. However, I still hold by my "don't do Accutane unless you really need to" vibe.
 
H

Hollywood

Banned
Anyone got numbers for the serious side effects? I don't think it can be even as high as 1% because it wouldn't be on the market. I have an appointment in a couple weeks - if I see no change I guess I'll have to talk about stronger alternatives.
 
A

Aurum

Member
Hollywood said:
I'm not worried about depression, because this stuff right now is actually one of the main causes of what depresses me. Honestly, I'm sure there are a lot of horror stories and stuff for people with bad experiences with meds. But I read stuff in the paper about things like Zoloft telling a kid to kill his grandparents - which is such BS. I had terrible anxiety and Zoloft basically cured it. So you know, I'm willing to take the chance of some side effects if the stuff is effective.
Click to expand...

If you were on Zoloft at one point, I'd be very surprised if a doctor would even be willing to prescribe you Accutane... the mental/emotional side effects are very dangerous especially on people with some type of history of depression, and I doubt a doctor would want to take that risk.
 
S

Soybean

Member
I was on Accutane for about 6 months and it worked wonders. Absolutely amazing.

Like you, I had tried everything. Over the counter stuff, infomercial stuff (ProActiv actually worked very well, but even though it was a big improvement, I still had bad acne), and prescription stuff like antibiotics (minocycline) and Retin-A gel.

Finally, my new dermatologist said he'd put me on Accutane. Within 2 weeks I had no new pimples. I asked about depression, and he said in the thousands of people he's treated, he's seen very, very little of it. I'm 24, and it had no depressive effect on me. I felt much better about myself, actually. Blood tests occurred once a month and I never had problems.

As far as side effects, my skin got pretty dry. Especially the lips. I was using Chapstick constantly. Towards the end of the treatment (at my highest dosage) the back of my hands broke out with ringworm, which is a fungal infection of the skin. It sucked, but was easily controlled with over-the-counter fungal medications (like Lamisil). Now that I'm off Accutane, none of these side effects have persisted.

Again, I was on it for 6 months. Towards the end I think I was taking 90 mg a day, which I'm told is low to average dose.

It's not quite permanent. For a while I could totally neglect my face and it wouldn't break out. Now I have to use a mild over-the-counter treatment (those round pads). Also, ever since I started going to the gym regularly (and thus sweating more) I've been getting acne on the back of my arms and a little on the back. I'm going to go see my dermatologist again to see what I should do. I'll probably be put back on the drug briefly. Not looking forward to the dryness.

I don't want to push this, since it can be dangerous, but I do want to let you know that I did it and I'm extremely happy. I was very self-conscious of my appearance. Sure I was skinny and weak, but the face really bothered me, since it's what people look at the most. I just feel a whole lot better. It's something I don't have to worry about. Obviously you'll want to consider this very carefully, and ask your doctor plenty of questions.
 
C

Comfort_Eagle

Banned
I used accuatane and it really worked for me. Now, in my case I had been trying everything else possible for years and nothing worked. Eventhough its been 2 years since I have been on it I am still noticing my skin improve. You do have to get blood tests quite often, but it sure as hell didnt make me depressed. I really didnt notice any side effects other than dry skin and lips and whatnot. Just go and speak to a dermatologist and he can really explain what its all about and if you really need it.
 
H

Hollywood

Banned
Well I mean, I don't see how it could cause depression for me, because honestly if I was making a list of things I had low self esteem about - acne would be like - number one. I think I'm going to ask about it next time I go in.
 
L

LinesInTheSand

Banned
Accutane changed my life. I spent nearly a year going through every possible cream and pill they could give me with my face covered in acne and finally we got to the Accutane. Within a month I looked 10x better. A few more months I believe and I was completely cleared up. It's worth the "risks".

EDIT: As far as side effects go, my legs were noticeably weakened while I was on Accutane. My mile run went from like 7 minutes to 10+ during that time.
 
J

Jonnyboy117

Member
Accutane worked pretty well for me, though not as well as I'd hoped for. It is a difficult medicine to take because of all the side effects. It is probably the most effective acne medicine because it is the most bluntly powerful acne medicine...it drastically changes your skin chemistry. You can expect to start carrying around lip balm for at least a year and using it often, sometimes on your nose as well. One of the best things about Accutane is that it continues to work moderately well after you stop taking it, sometimes for years. Some people find that the length of its effect outlasts their acne period, so they literally never get acne again.

If you have tried many other medicines with little effect, I would recommend Accutane. Just be prepared to take it every day and be prepared to deal with the side effects. I would not worry about the liver issue; you have to take blood tests before getting the prescription, and if the tests show that you are at risk for liver complications, your doctor won't prescribe the medicine to you. You should also obviously not take the medicine if you are female and have any possibility of getting pregnant while you are on the medicine. It causes severe birth defects, because it is essentially an ultra-concentrated form of Vitamin A.
 
J

Justin Bailey

------ ------
I had really bad acne in high/middle school and tried many different products that didn't work for shit, so I finally got on acutane and my acne had completely cleared up in 3 months (permanently). My only real problem was really dry skin/lips. All I had to do was go to a dermitologist and get a prescription. My impression is that they'll only give it to you if you have a pretty bad case of acne - a zit here and there doesn't count. I would definitely check it out if I were you.
 
E

Echoes of Pink

Member
After one treatment cycle, all my acne was gone. I may get like one pimple a month now but it fixed me up nicely. The monthly bloodtests and having your skin dry out may suck in the short term but they are worth it if it helps you beat the problem. It is really powerful though so be careful, go to a dermatologist and find out if its what you really need.

As for physcological effects, I'm kinda on the fence. The more I think back to that time the more I think that acutane may have caused some problems. I went through a depressive phase during high school which may have been caused by it. It might have aggrivated a predisposition to depression or simply caused it by itself. I'm not sure.

All I know is that the depression lasted after I stopped treatment too I believe. I think its closing in on two years since I've taken that stuff and I think I'm starting to normalize again. During those two years I also went on Zoloft for a short time. I dont' want to scare you but I want you to realize that it may not be everything you want.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that its powerful and with anything that is that powerful, you need to be carful.
 
D

Drey1082

Member
You know what works extremely well, although it's a little pricy? Proactive solution. That stuff, even though it's an infomercial product, works extremely well. I've used tons of different products and that stuff works better than anything else I've tried.

I know I sound like the infomercial, but it's good stuff. The only downside is that if you miss a day using it, or one application, you break out like crazy. I missed putting it on one night and had a horrible breakout. You need to stick with it.
 
H

Hollywood

Banned
So what do I do, just goto the doctor and say 'put me on this shit'. I mean my doctor has basically just walked in and writes a presription and doesn't even ask me anything or look at anything. Seriously, its like she just gives me samples of shit thats left over in the back or something and writes some prescription.
 
X

XS+

Banned
It's more about what you put into your system than any topical application. Drink lots of water, which leaves your skin refreshed and healthy looking. Also, eat a lot of meat. I know it's crazy, but meat is great; it has protein, which lends wonders to the regeneration of your skin. Also, along with fruits and vegetables, I've found that a combination of Zinc and Vitamin A is GREAT. Zinc is basically a wonder vitamin when it comes to the maintenance of your skin.
 
L

lilraylewis

Member
I had terrible acne when I was 16. About 6 months on acutane cleared it all up. Like some of the others in this thread, I get a pimple maybe once every few months, but that's it. I'm 19 now. I posted a recent pic in this thread if you want to see what my skin looks like now.
But I warn you, make sure that you have exhasted every other option. Accutane is some dangerous stuff. It messed me up emotionally while I was on it. If I had it to do over again, I would not have taken it.
 
B

Belfast

Member
Sorry my post was so worthless guys. As a veteran of all different kinds of acne medication, including accutane, this is the only thing that, in the end, worked for me. Just the past summer as I went on a self-imposed diet of sorts, cutting out as much greasy food as I could and soda entirely, its the only time in my life I've experienced a real improvement in my complexion. Now, I still get the cocassional one here or there, but I would attribute that more to say...dirty sheetts or not having cleaned my electric razor blades in awhile...or oil created from my hair. Even accutane didn't do shit for me. This worked. Its worth trying and it has other healthy benefits, as well.
 
L

LinesInTheSand

Banned
Hollywood said:
So what do I do, just goto the doctor and say 'put me on this shit'. I mean my doctor has basically just walked in and writes a presription and doesn't even ask me anything or look at anything. Seriously, its like she just gives me samples of shit thats left over in the back or something and writes some prescription.
Click to expand...
I had the same problem and eventually wound up switching doctors. I wound up getting the nicest asian doctor in the world and he looked at my face and my problem and talked to me and acted like he cared and then put me on accutane. Maybe it's time for you to go see someone else.
 
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