Any females here ever taken Accutane?

[JDkeystone]

I went to a dermatologist last month, and was put on antibiotics for my once mild acne which had flared up in the past few months (still haven't figured out why). But the antiobiotic he gave me only made my skin break out like 10x worse. I know this is a common reaction for many people when first starting prescription meds, but it has not improved for me at all (and those meds are now finished).

I'll be seeing him again in a few weeks, and he said if nothing's changed, he'll probably be putting me on Accutane next. I was excited at first, but I've been researching all the side effects and related "horror stories" from people who've taken it, and I'm now really nervous about trying it. I've been stressing out very much because of my most recent breakouts, but I don't wanna take something that I could regret later on. Was hoping to get some feedback from any women here who may have tried it, cuz I really don't know what to do anymore. Thanks...

[TeayotaSoupra]

Isn't that the one you see on TV about the side effects and the lawsuits going on?

I have an apointment in Feb for a new derm. and i'm hoping he can find something for me too been using pro active and it slows it down but not totally gone. Not to mention it's expencive and not something insurance can cover.

I'd probably look into other options though...

[JDkeystone]

Isn't that the one you see on TV about the side effects and the lawsuits going on?

I have an apointment in Feb for a new derm. and i'm hoping he can find something for me too been using pro active and it slows it down but not totally gone. Not to mention it's expencive and not something insurance can cover.

I'd probably look into other options though...

Yeah, that's the one. I asked him about the risks associated with Accutane at our last appointment, but he said they're way over-hyped and that he's been prescribing that drug for 25 years and never had anyone experience more than the usual known side effects (ie. dry skin, sore joints, nose bleeds, etc).

I might look into ProActiv, but it's expensive like you said, and not covered by insurance. I don't mind paying something to get clear skin, but it also needs to be something I can afford.

I'm doing a lot of reading on acne.org, though; they've got a lot of remedies listed there that some of their members swear by...might try one of those out first and see how my skin reacts.

[Miss_Goodart]

I've been on accutane 3x. Once when I was 15, then 18, and the last time was when I was 22 yrs old. I've seen a dermatologist since I was 11 yrs old....17yrs total now. If you have MILD acne there is absolutely NO reason for you to take accutane. Find a new dermatologist. I currently take an oral antibiotic 2x a day, and rotate between 2 prescriptions each night-a gel and a cream. How many different products (creams/gels/antibiotics) have you tried? Let me know and maybe I can help point you in the right direction. You name it, and I've probably taken it at sometime in my life. lol

I went to a dermatologist last month, and was put on antibiotics for my once mild acne which had flared up in the past few months (still haven't figured out why). But the antiobiotic he gave me only made my skin break out like 10x worse. I know this is a common reaction for many people when first starting prescription meds, but it has not improved for me at all (and those meds are now finished).

I'll be seeing him again in a few weeks, and he said if nothing's changed, he'll probably be putting me on Accutane next. I was excited at first, but I've been researching all the side effects and related "horror stories" from people who've taken it, and I'm now really nervous about trying it. I've been stressing out very much because of my most recent breakouts, but I don't wanna take something that I could regret later on. Was hoping to get some feedback from any women here who may have tried it, cuz I really don't know what to do anymore. Thanks...

[JDkeystone]

I've been on accutane 3x. Once when I was 15, then 18, and the last time was when I was 22 yrs old. I've seen a dermatologist since I was 11 yrs old....17yrs total now. If you have MILD acne there is absolutely NO reason for you to take accutane. Find a new dermatologist. I currently take an oral antibiotic 2x a day, and rotate between 2 prescriptions each night-a gel and a cream. How many different products (creams/gels/antibiotics) have you tried? Let me know and maybe I can help point you in the right direction. You name it, and I've probably taken it at sometime in my life. lol

Oh god, I've taken more topicals (both OTC and prescription) over the years than I could count. This now the 2nd dermatologist I've been to (the last one I stopped seeing about 3 years ago cuz my acne seemed to have cleared up for the most part). I would still get the odd pimple here and there, but nothing major. When I first went to my last derm, though (originally when I was 16), she classified my acne as "moderate" and put me on Benzamycin with Dalacin T. That worked for awhile, then lost its effectiveness after about a year. Then she prescribed me Clindets Wipes (did nothing), Clindamycin (nothing), Clindoxyl (nothing), Stievamycin (helped slightly, but not much), a few other creams I can't even remember the names for (did nothing), and then finally Benzaclin which worked great and seemed to clear my skin up to the point where I was hardly breaking out at all anymore.

But then over the summer my skin suddenly started breaking out almost out of nowhere, and nothing helped. I had stopped seeing my last derm cuz I had moved, so I found a new one (the guy I saw last month), who said I had "hormonal acne", and that topicals were pretty much useless at my age. He put me on Minocycline (50mg twice a day), and I swear, ever since I started this drug, my skin has become a nightmare. Right now my neck and jawline are covered in red and pink scars from the most recent breakouts it gave me, and I'm still discovering new bumps almost everyday. I'm already looking into getting laser therapy to get rid of them (or at least reduce them). Like I said, I've had mild to moderate acne since my teens, but never to this degree. I wish I'd never gone on the Minocycline in the first place. ='(

[Rozlyn27]

I'm on it right now. (Just started a month ago)

I'm drying out like a prune and moisturize constantly + LIP BALM. Both my doctor and pharmacist said that the side effects while they can happen, aren't very likely too.

It's only been a month for me and while I personally don't see a difference yet, I've gotten some positive comments on my skin is looking.

I've known quite a few girls who've been on it, and they swear by the stuff.

Good luck!

[TeayotaSoupra]

My last derm. got pissy with me when I told her pro active seemed to shrink the pores on my nose. She snapped saying nothing can shrink the pores. I said fine.. made it less visable.. I told her after the 8 weeks or whatever I see no changes. She said "I do".. oh... ok.. right...

I can't remember what she gave me. One thing for the night and one for day. She said "many people like this because it also helps reduce wrinkles" yea uhm hi i'm 26 (at the time I was) I don't really have wrinkles.. I rather have the wrinkles than the damn pimples.. lets focus on that......
So now i've decided to wait for the actual doctor there and not his shadow. hoping he'll be better.

Most of mine are hormonal too since it's around period time. Damn birth control doesn't help... I don't think. hah

If anyone finds something that works please let me know! I'm probably mild too.. Just enough to be annoying.

[NOVA888]

I was on Accutane for mild to moderate acne, and then ended up hospitalized. Following that, I received a number of calls from Hoffmann-La Roche, wanting to interview me extensively.

It's heavy duty stuff, HEAVY DUTY! You'll have spectacular looking skin, but IMO, it wasn't worth the sides. Have you considered Tretinoin (Retin A)?

[TrizzleyBear]

I was on accutane when I was 16. Took it for 2 years and then I NEEDED to come off of it. I'm not sure what it was about the medication but it made me severely depressed. I guess that is one of the side effects of the drug.. along with major dehydration. Heck, I drank buckets and buckets of water and it never seemed to be enough.

I'm not sure if I would ever go on that stuff again if I had the chance.. I'm not a big fan of needles (regardless of the 14 tattoos I have), so, having to have my blood taken on a regular basis while on that medication just wasn't a bag of fun for me.

Some people I went to school with took the medication as well. A few swear it was the best thing they've ever taken and others.... well they swore it was the worst mistake they've made.

Glad you did your research. Just because the medication has worked for most people, doesn't mean it hasn't done some severe damage to other people.

[cindyw]

I took that years ago and only understand its perscribed for serious acne. I had very bad acne as a teenager and went into my adult life....I suffered for years but my doctor would not put me on accutane until I could not longer have children because of the birth defects it would cause a child if I were to get pregnant....so after I turned 30 I went on it and was only allowed it for 3 months. It worked awesome and I went for years without getting a pimple. It then started coming back so I went on it once more and have never had any since and its probably been at least 10/15 years....it is quite a harse drug but I had it bad. I knew all the side effects but was very desperate. So its really up to you...the only thing that happened to me was my lips, eyes and nose became very dry but other than that nothing else. The only thing I recommend you do if you take it is to take a probiotic along with it so you are getting the good bacteria back into your body.

[imperfectly_lou]

I went on Roaccutane (as it is known here in Australia) when I was 16 after trying numerous other drugs including Retin A and Minocycline. I had severe acne and was very depressed as a result.

In terms of side effects, the main issue was dryness. Every single oil duct in your body is thinned which meant I ended up with dry eyes, dry hair, nosebleeds etc. My lips were probably the worst. The oil thinning effects are generally permanent so since I finished Roaccutane at 17 until I was 27, I had very dry hair and sensitive, dry skin. Interestingly enough, in the past year I have begun getting oily skin again and the occasional pimple. The positive side to that is reduced chance of wrinkles etc, but it is strange to suddenly have acne again when I am nearly 30!

[JDkeystone]

I'm on it right now. (Just started a month ago)

I'm drying out like a prune and moisturize constantly + LIP BALM. Both my doctor and pharmacist said that the side effects while they can happen, aren't very likely too.

It's only been a month for me and while I personally don't see a difference yet, I've gotten some positive comments on my skin is looking.

I've known quite a few girls who've been on it, and they swear by the stuff.

Good luck!

Is it affecting your joints at all (pain or sensitivity)?

I was on Accutane for mild to moderate acne, and then ended up hospitalized. Following that, I received a number of calls from Hoffmann-La Roche, wanting to interview me extensively.

It's heavy duty stuff, HEAVY DUTY! You'll have spectacular looking skin, but IMO, it wasn't worth the sides. Have you considered Tretinoin (Retin A)?

No, haven't looked into that one yet. I'll check it out, but I'm not holding out much hope, tbh (very few creams have ever done much for me at all).

Do you mind sharing what you were hospitalized for? What kind of side effects were you getting?

I was on accutane when I was 16. Took it for 2 years and then I NEEDED to come off of it. I'm not sure what it was about the medication but it made me severely depressed. I guess that is one of the side effects of the drug.. along with major dehydration. Heck, I drank buckets and buckets of water and it never seemed to be enough.

I'm not sure if I would ever go on that stuff again if I had the chance.. I'm not a big fan of needles (regardless of the 14 tattoos I have), so, having to have my blood taken on a regular basis while on that medication just wasn't a bag of fun for me.

Some people I went to school with took the medication as well. A few swear it was the best thing they've ever taken and others.... well they swore it was the worst mistake they've made.

Glad you did your research. Just because the medication has worked for most people, doesn't mean it hasn't done some severe damage to other people.

Hooooooooooly sh*t...2 years??? Was that like non-stop (as in 24 months consecutively)? Or was there breaks in between? Cuz I've read you're not supposed to take Accutane longer than 3-4 month, tops. Damn...

I took that years ago and only understand its perscribed for serious acne. I had very bad acne as a teenager and went into my adult life....I suffered for years but my doctor would not put me on accutane until I could not longer have children because of the birth defects it would cause a child if I were to get pregnant....so after I turned 30 I went on it and was only allowed it for 3 months. It worked awesome and I went for years without getting a pimple. It then started coming back so I went on it once more and have never had any since and its probably been at least 10/15 years....it is quite a harse drug but I had it bad. I knew all the side effects but was very desperate. So its really up to you...the only thing that happened to me was my lips, eyes and nose became very dry but other than that nothing else. The only thing I recommend you do if you take it is to take a probiotic along with it so you are getting the good bacteria back into your body.

I went on Roaccutane (as it is known here in Australia) when I was 16 after trying numerous other drugs including Retin A and Minocycline. I had severe acne and was very depressed as a result.

In terms of side effects, the main issue was dryness. Every single oil duct in your body is thinned which meant I ended up with dry eyes, dry hair, nosebleeds etc. My lips were probably the worst. The oil thinning effects are generally permanent so since I finished Roaccutane at 17 until I was 27, I had very dry hair and sensitive, dry skin. Interestingly enough, in the past year I have begun getting oily skin again and the occasional pimple. The positive side to that is reduced chance of wrinkles etc, but it is strange to suddenly have acne again when I am nearly 30!

Thanks very much for the feedback (all of you). I'm still undecided, but after everything I've read, I think I'm leaning more towards not trying it. Especially this thread here from acne.org:

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/Neg...e-t229660.html

Reading through some of those stories freaked me out very much. It's nice hearing positive experiences from past users, but the negative ones (even if they're rare) are still enough to scare me into not going on it at all. As much as having acne sucks, I would not want to compromise my health longterm just to get a clear complexion. It's especially scary to read that a lot of the negative side effects (the more serious ones) often don't even show up til months or even years after going off the drug.

Still gonna do more reading, but I'm pretty sure I'll be telling my derm I need another solution.

[NOVA888]

No, haven't looked into that one yet. I'll check it out, but I'm not holding out much hope, tbh (very few creams have ever done much for me at all).

Retin-A and Accutane are in the same family, but I had no horrible sides from Retin, and it cleared me up well. It's prescription strength, and works well. But not quickly the way Accutane does. Retin took a few months of regular usage, but the results were great. It is strong though, and will turn over some ugly layers like you won't believe.

My skin has also cleared up a great deal now that I'm on keto/paleo/very low carb.

Do you mind sharing what you were hospitalized for? What kind of side effects were you getting?

I developed kidney pain, a UTI from HELL, then my kidneys started to spiral downhill. It was a scary, freaking nightmare, and it took some time to get my kidneys back into good health.

What also sucked is that a few months following treatment, my skin stated breaking out all over again.

[JDkeystone]

Retin-A and Accutane are in the same family, but I had no horrible sides from Retin, and it cleared me up well. It's prescription strength, and works well. But not quickly the way Accutane does. Retin took a few months of regular usage, but the results were great. It is strong though, and will turn over some ugly layers like you won't believe.

My skin has also cleared up a great deal now that I'm on keto/paleo/very low carb.

Cool; you actually have me quite interested now lol. I'll see if I can get some this weekend (or by Monday).

I developed kidney pain, a UTI from HELL, then my kidneys started to spiral downhill. It was a scary, freaking nightmare, and it took some time to get my kidneys back into good health.

What also sucked is that a few months following treatment, my skin stated breaking out all over again.

Wow, that's unreal. Sorry you had to go through that.

This is honestly why I made this thread here, and not in the regular Misc, though. Everytime a new acne thread goes up over there, so many pro-Accutane people immediately jump in and tell the OP it's the miracle cure they're looking for, and that they'll experience nothing more than just dry skin and lips. That might be true for some people, but to downplay just how risky a drug actually is for cosmetic purposes is ridiculous.

[DreamChsr]

I have been on Accutane twice. My first treatment was about 5 years ago and it made my skin flawless. The only side effect that I had was extremely chapped lips. This was at 40mg for about 3 months or so, BUT eventually my acne returned and I did a second treatment last summer. Huge mistake. My new derm told me that the reason my first treatment didn't work was because the dosage was too low and the treatment time wasn't long enough. The second time around, I was on 80mg and I became so fatigued, my body/muscles ached, I lost weight, and I developed pounding headaches. Worst part is I had hair loss and my hair hasn't been the same since. I had to stop treatment and sure enough, when I did, my skin went back to the way it was. I don't even have serious acne, but the type of acne that eventually becomes resistant to medications after using them for a while. DO NOT DO IT. The side effects outweigh the benefits by far. Sure, some people have had wonderful results with minimal side effects, but you never know how your body will react to it until you try it and by then it could be too late.

[DreamChsr]

BTW, fantastic progress. Keep up the good work!

[annahellokitty]

I know you said above that you don't like it when people down play its seriousness but im being totally honest when I say going on isotane (what it is called in New Zealand) was one of the best decisions Ive ever made. I had bad cystic acne which was incredibly painful and after going to isotane I have not had one pimple since and that was over three years ago.

the main side effect I experienced was nose bleeds (I still get them now) and dry skin. As it permanently changes your skin you have to be willing to live with the dryness for the rest of your life. Although now its no where near as bad as when I was on it I still have nosebleeds and dryness and well as extreme sun sensitivity but in my mind those things are easy to keep on top of but acne made me feel so awful about myself so for me the sides are definitely the lesser evil.

As an RN in training (graduates in July *does a happy dance lol*) I definitely advocate being informed and making informed decisions and perhaps getting a second opinion may be a good idea? either way you have to be willing to live with a lesser form of the sides for the rest of your life as it permanently changes your skin

[imperfectly_lou]

I know you said above that you don't like it when people down play its seriousness but im being totally honest when I say going on isotane (what it is called in New Zealand) was one of the best decisions Ive ever made. I had bad cystic acne which was incredibly painful and after going to isotane I have not had one pimple since and that was over three years ago.

the main side effect I experienced was nose bleeds (I still get them now) and dry skin. As it permanently changes your skin you have to be willing to live with the dryness for the rest of your life. Although now its no where near as bad as when I was on it I still have nosebleeds and dryness and well as extreme sun sensitivity but in my mind those things are easy to keep on top of but acne made me feel so awful about myself so for me the sides are definitely the lesser evil.

As an RN in training (graduates in July *does a happy dance lol*) I definitely advocate being informed and making informed decisions and perhaps getting a second opinion may be a good idea? either way you have to be willing to live with a lesser form of the sides for the rest of your life as it permanently changes your skin

I agree with this 100%. I don't regret taking it for a second despite the permanent changes I've experienced. I was so horribly depressed due to my acne as a teen that I don't know how much longer I could have handled it for.....

[pinksocks]

I went to a dermatologist last month, and was put on antibiotics for my once mild acne which had flared up in the past few months (still haven't figured out why). But the antiobiotic he gave me only made my skin break out like 10x worse. I know this is a common reaction for many people when first starting prescription meds, but it has not improved for me at all (and those meds are now finished).

I'll be seeing him again in a few weeks, and he said if nothing's changed, he'll probably be putting me on Accutane next. I was excited at first, but I've been researching all the side effects and related "horror stories" from people who've taken it, and I'm now really nervous about trying it. I've been stressing out very much because of my most recent breakouts, but I don't wanna take something that I could regret later on. Was hoping to get some feedback from any women here who may have tried it, cuz I really don't know what to do anymore. Thanks...

IT'S AMAZING. FIRST 3 MONTHS - EXCESSIVE DRYNESS AND BREAKOUTS THEN LIKE OUT OF THE BLUE - CLEAR FACE. I have tried EVERYTHING and this was the only thing that worked. BUT MAKE SURE YOU FINISH THE TREATEMENT! I stopped after 3 months as soon as my skin cleared and the acne came back again because I needed another 3 months on the treatment.

All this "psychotic" or "skitzo" behavior is BS in my opinion - if you have a weak psyche and allow things like that to get into your mind, even without taking any meds, you'll have nightmares and paranoid thoughts (ever hear of placebo?) the only thing on my mind was happy i finally was getting clear skin and I was the most happiest person through out my entire 3 months of treatment EVEN considering I had to take a blood test every month while having a 3rd degree level phobia of needles. Good luck!

[Miss_Goodart]

I have cystic acne too. Very deep in my skin and they hurt bad. You have to remember that when you take accutane that your skin will break out BADLY. My dermatologist told me it pushes everything out of your pores which causes the severe breakouts. Each time I was on 80mg of accutane for 6 months. The first time I was on accutane it was extremely embarrassing and depressing to go out in public. My skin felt like it was on fire and was red because it was so dry. My derm. wrote me a low dose prescription for pain killers that helped greatly. I didn't mind having blood taken every month I was on it. It's made it very easy to give blood now.

I now rotate between retin-a and erythromycin, and take doxycycline 2x a day.

I would continue taking the antibiotic you are on. Your skin is going to get worse before it gets better and if you've only taken the antibiotic a couple months, it's not long enough to see if it's working or not. I'd give it a couple more months.

Have you tried differen-t gel? My sis had great luck with it.


The only thing I regret with accutane is the scaring I've been left with. I've had an obaji chemical peel done by a plastic surgeon, and for the past 6 months I've been having micro-dermabrasion done at a dermatologists office. It seems to be helping, but not as much as I'd like. I've consulted a dermatologist and plastic surgeon about laser scar revision, but the derm told me my scars aren't bad enough for laser and the plastic surgeon told me that laser can cause scars too. So I guess I'll stick with the micro-dermabrasion! I also tan (ya I know it's bad), but it seems to help hide my scars some and helps keep me clear! If anyone has had better luck with something, I'd love to hear about it!

[JDkeystone]

BTW, fantastic progress. Keep up the good work!

Thanks!

Anyways, here's a pic similar to what my acne more or less looks like right now (except with more scars in the jawline area):



Does this look bad enough to warrant even going on Accutane? How bad should it be before considering it?

[imperfectly_lou]

Thanks!

Anyways, here's a pic similar to what my acne more or less looks like right now (except with more scars in the jawline area):



Does this look bad enough to warrant even going on Accutane? How bad should it be before considering it?

Accutane is the last resort... your dermatologist will consider other medications including antibiotics and topical gels before they look at Accutane.

[annahellokitty]

yea you can't really just "decide" to go on it as your dermatologist will try everything else first. I was on a cocktail of antibiotic and topical creams for 2 years before going on it and even then I only started out at 10mgs per day and remained taking the antibiotics. And also just so you know in the books like MIMS or new ethicals which is like a dictionary of every drug you can prescribe, the side effects they list are those that have EVER been experienced so that the drug companies cover their arses so some of those listed may have only occurred once and you have no idea of the health condition of the person who experienced it. if you look up paracetomol you will probably find anaphlaxis as one of the side effects.

So my point is instead of looking up "horror stories" on the internet why don't you talk to your dermatologist about what sides you are MOST LIKELY to experience? you will save yourself a lot of stress and unnecessary worry and get accurate information.

And if you are not satisfied with the answer get a second opinion from another dermatologist rather than those with a phd from wikipedia

[JDkeystone]

yea you can't really just "decide" to go on it as your dermatologist will try everything else first. I was on a cocktail of antibiotic and topical creams for 2 years before going on it and even then I only started out at 10mgs per day and remained taking the antibiotics. And also just so you know in the books like MIMS or new ethicals which is like a dictionary of every drug you can prescribe, the side effects they list are those that have EVER been experienced so that the drug companies cover their arses so some of those listed may have only occurred once and you have no idea of the health condition of the person who experienced it. if you look up paracetomol you will probably find anaphlaxis as one of the side effects.

So my point is instead of looking up "horror stories" on the internet why don't you talk to your dermatologist about what sides you are MOST LIKELY to experience? you will save yourself a lot of stress and unnecessary worry and get accurate information.

And if you are not satisfied with the answer get a second opinion from another dermatologist rather than those with a phd from wikipedia

Uh that's what I'm doing. The derm I'm seeing right now was the one to first suggest Accutane when I saw him last month, but that he wanted to try some other medications first before putting me on that. I even asked him about the negative reactions that Accutane has gotten so much bad publicity for over the years, but he said, point blank, they're overhyped and that he's been prescribing this drug for years and never had a patient experience more than just dry skin and nosebleeds. I'm not suggesting he's being dishonest with me, but I don't see anything wrong with getting firsthand feedback from others who've taken the drug, as well. Even if the people with the worst reactions are the exception and not the norm, I still think it's helpful to hear their stories (cuz I'm sure everyone who experienced the worst reactions all believed "nothing" would happen to them when they first took it, too).

I still haven't decided if I'm going to try it (since my derm has pretty much already said Accutane will be next if my skin hasn't improved, which it hasn't), but getting feedback like this will at least help me make a more informed decision.

[powerbarsssssss]

I went on accutane when I was 13 and again when I was 17. My dermatologist told me the clearance of acne is not as permanent when you do a cycle at a young age.

I didn't have cystic acne (only the occasional cysts on my chin). I had tiny pimples all over my face, chest, upper arms and back. I never suffered an initial breakout like some users do. My acne literally stopped forming when I started the drug and by month 2 my body acne was completely gone and my face started clearing dramatically. My facial acne did come back, but farrrrr less severe and was now responsive to topical creams.

The only side effects I suffered from were dry skin and dry lips, which I could combat with moisturizer and aquaphor.

[annahellokitty]

you did however say in your first post that you had been "researching" and that the information you have found on the internet was putting you off taking it. I'm not saying you should take it or not take it that is solely up to you. I'm just saying that anecdotal evidence isn't always the most reliable and you have no idea of the person's medical history, co morbidities, genetic factors, other medications etc etc etc so looking things up on the internet can make it more difficult to make an informed decision as the information may not be accurate.

[JDkeystone]

you did however say in your first post that you had been "researching" and that the information you have found on the internet was putting you off taking it. I'm not saying you should take it or not take it that is solely up to you. I'm just saying that anecdotal evidence isn't always the most reliable and you have no idea of the person's medical history, co morbidities, genetic factors, other medications etc etc etc so looking things up on the internet can make it more difficult to make an informed decision as the information may not be accurate.

I know anecdotal evidence is not the be all and end all in getting the best and most factual information when it comes to something like drugs and supplements and their effect on the body.

But just from the feedback I've gotten from this thread alone, and what I've also read on acne.org and other reputable sites, it seems the majority of the replies comes down to about 50/50 for those for it and those against it. Stories like Demetria's, for example, or a number of others on acne.org are pretty alarming. But when just as many people tell me how well Accutane worked for them and didn't give them any other side effects beyond drying them out, that's how I still remain undecided.

I'm also worried about possibly having to deal with sore joints if I go on it. I have bad joints as it is (due to severe hypermobility), and this already makes working out more difficult for me, cuz it limits a lot of what I can do.

[Sydneypac9]

I tried many topicals and a few antibiotics that made me have red dry patches on my face. At one point it looked like i had a really bad sunburn. I was on Accutane for just a month due to lose of insurance. I had great results. My skin broke out more the first 10 days then it was gone. My skin was dry but i just put on extra moisturizer. After i stopped my skin was so clear for almost 4 months, then i broke out bad. If i would have stayed on it longer im sure my acne would be gone for the most part. I really didn't like having to get my blood drawn every month (i pass out every time). I didn't have any bad side effects. The only bad thing that happened was i waxed my eyes and upper lip and it ripped my skin off. I didn't know that, so for a week it looked like i had got in a fight. I had a scab and it hurt to talk or laugh. I looked like i had a mustache. Really embarrassing. I've had some breakouts since then but they haven't been as bad as before i went on Accutane.

Drinking tons of water really helps with acne too.

[twixychick]

Oh god, I've taken more topicals (both OTC and prescription) over the years than I could count. This now the 2nd dermatologist I've been to (the last one I stopped seeing about 3 years ago cuz my acne seemed to have cleared up for the most part). I would still get the odd pimple here and there, but nothing major. When I first went to my last derm, though (originally when I was 16), she classified my acne as "moderate" and put me on Benzamycin with Dalacin T. That worked for awhile, then lost its effectiveness after about a year. Then she prescribed me Clindets Wipes (did nothing), Clindamycin (nothing), Clindoxyl (nothing), Stievamycin (helped slightly, but not much), a few other creams I can't even remember the names for (did nothing), and then finally Benzaclin which worked great and seemed to clear my skin up to the point where I was hardly breaking out at all anymore.

But then over the summer my skin suddenly started breaking out almost out of nowhere, and nothing helped. I had stopped seeing my last derm cuz I had moved, so I found a new one (the guy I saw last month), who said I had "hormonal acne", and that topicals were pretty much useless at my age. He put me on Minocycline (50mg twice a day), and I swear, ever since I started this drug, my skin has become a nightmare. Right now my neck and jawline are covered in red and pink scars from the most recent breakouts it gave me, and I'm still discovering new bumps almost everyday. I'm already looking into getting laser therapy to get rid of them (or at least reduce them). Like I said, I've had mild to moderate acne since my teens, but never to this degree. I wish I'd never gone on the Minocycline in the first place. ='(

Your story is exactly the same as mine. I am 34 and have been off of my 8-month course of accutane for 6 months now. My breakouts started getting bad the closer I got to 30, and I tried every topical and antibiotic out there. The minocycline worked for me for about a year, then the cysts and zits came back full force. I, too, was reluctant to go on accutane, but I can now say, as scary as it seems, that it was a miracle drug for me. I would completely recommend it, based on my experience. My skin is flawless now, which is still a complete shock to me, as my skin looked JUST like yours in the photo you posted. I broke out all along my jawline, almost like a 'beard' of cysts & zits. Calling that 'moderate' is very subjective in my opinion. I was depressed and embarrassed by it. The accutane took a while (hence my overly long course of treatment), but in the end, the dosage got worked out and cleared my face up completely. Yes, I experienced VERY dry skin, especially lips, and learned quickly to carry aquaphor in my pocket AT ALL TIMES! But, to answer your more specific question of joint pain, I must say that, yes, I did experience that very negative side effect. It wasn't debilitating, but definitely noticable and annoying. Now, 6 months after finishing, I still have minor joint stiffness, but not nearly as bad as during treatment. It gets a little better each month.

I want to assure you that when you commit to a course of accutane, you stay in very close contact with your doctor the ENTIRE time. Keeping the lines of communication open with your doctor will ensure that any negative side effects will get handled quickly. The ipledge system that you have to adhere to is extremely rigid and ensures that you can't slip between the cracks. Your doctor and you are obligated by federal law (!!) to schedule your appointments every month so that you can communicate your experience with him/her (and to make sure you're not pregnant!!!)

Good luck with your decision!

[JDkeystone]

Thanks very much for the continued feedback, ladies. Question, though (for everyone)- did any of you experience joint stiffness/soreness to the point where it affected your workouts? Did your derm say if you had to limit your physical activity while on Accutane?