Accutane

Has anybody here ever been on this medication before?

My dermatologist is recommending that I go on it for a few months. My situation is a bit weird because topical medications have done wonders for clearing up the acne on my face. Yet I still suffer from chest and back acne that will not go away.

I'm a little worried about trying this medication because of some things that I have heard about it. I'm also wondering if I should just wait it out considering that I'm 18 already. I may scar a little bit, but I don't see acne scars on my back and chest being a big deal like they would be if I had them on my face.

If anybody has some advice that would be great.

Here is the FDA warning page which is probably the most conservative
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/accutane/medicationguide.htm

Other sources of info
http://www.drugintel.com/drugs/accutane.htm
http://www.naturalessentials.com/accutane.htm
http://www.yourlawyer.com/practice/overview.htm?topic=Accutane
http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=18662&name=ACCUTANE


Do some research on the internet for some holistic or more natural treatments if you are turned off by what you read here.
Here is a place to start

Go here
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/search.htm

and enter ACNE in the search box.

I can understand your concerns. There have been some suicides and the parents thought it was the drug.

As I understand it, there have been studies and there was no correlation with the drug and the suicides. If you do decide to take it, work very closely with your dermatologist and you should be OK.

Personally, I wouldn't take it but then I wouldn't take most drugs unless I was absolutely desperate and there were no other options. Like you, I don't see a little scarring on the back or chest as a big deal.


Cher

I don't think that I have enough previous history with depression to worry about suicide or anything like that. I'm just concerned about physical effects.

While I don't know all the specifics, basically it's a very effective treatment for acne, but it's pretty dangerous.

1.You will probably have vision problems when you get older.
2.Being as you male, I'm not sure, but my wife had to go on birth control, and had a pregnancy test each month. If she had been found to be pregnant, they would have terminated immediately. Like I said, I'm not sure how it affects the male reproductive system, but I'd be careful. We don't want any flipper babies.

PM me if you like, and I'll ask my wife.

and was thrilled with the results. Two warnings, I'm sure your doctor has mentioned, don't get pregnant (deformed babies) while on drug and monthly blood tests. Some patients reported suffering from moodiness, not all.

Overall, I loved the results. A caveat, I too believed that acne and scarring from acne stopped or slowed after 18, for many it does not.

Being female, I was very reluctant because of potential birth defects.

My doctor put me on it as soon as it came out.That would have been in 1981 or so. It helped. I didn't kill myself, and I am fine. I was also a very angst filled teen and the Accutane didn't make me depressed, I was just normally pissed off..lol.
I still have 20/20 eyesight. It has been a long time. You have to go once a month for blood work I think.

with no adverse side effects. If it did affect my vision, I've never noticed (perhaps because my vision is so crappy to begin with). It did an ok job, but six years later I still have the occasional cystic acne flare-up, so no miracle here.

It was a pain having to use two forms of birth control, however.

Alas, I was born too early to benefit from this medication, so I had to suffer through until my problem cleared up spontaneously. However, a younger friend used it with great results. It really makes a difference. As an older woman, I really do notice how much better the skin of young people is these days -- and it is because those who have a problem now have a medical solution.

Don't make babies while on this drug, but otherwise I would never tell anyone to "wait it out" when they have an alternative.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

for a year when he was in high school. It didn't work for him and unfortunately he had some unpleasant side effects, such as puffy face, extremely dry skin, sensitivity to sunlight, dry mouth, etc. He still has acne on his chest, although most of his facial acne is gone (although he's 24 now, so that could explain some if it).
However, if your doc thinks it would work, I would give it a try. It works well for most people.

Stay away from this stuff at all costs.

and most of it is extremely dire warnings.