Roaccutane
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Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Sunday 21st October 2012
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Any experience with Roaccutane? after suffering with acne for 10+ years I'm most likely going on roaccutane but after reading so much crap online I'm pretty scared so not really sure.

Tumbler

1,432 posts

195 months

Sunday 21st October 2012
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You can get it in a gel which you apply topically, rather than tablets, if you are prescribed the tablets then you will be offered regular blood tests.

Have you considered laser treatment?

Slobberchops

3,639 posts

230 months

Sunday 21st October 2012
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Used it years ago, best thing I ever did at the time, worked a treat and side effects were minimal.

W333

417 posts

252 months

Sunday 21st October 2012
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My Mrs is taking it currently (has done for three months), the side effects and the speed at which they come in are incredible.

It doesn't stop the spots very quickly in some cases frown

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Sunday 21st October 2012
quotequote all
W333 said:
My Mrs is taking it currently (has done for three months), the side effects and the speed at which they come in are incredible.

It doesn't stop the spots very quickly in some cases frown
Would it be possible to describe the side effects she has been getting?

mcelliott

10,468 posts

210 months

Sunday 21st October 2012
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I suffered very severe acne from the age of 15 to 21, after taking every single treatment available went to see a skin specialist at the age of 21 who put me on a course of Roaccutane. Very very effective, my course lasted approx 3 months, nothing happened for the first 3 weeks but after that my acne started to disappear very quickly. Side effects were certainly no suicide tendencies as reported in the press - had those feelings when my acne was very bad, but I did get very dry skin, lips and nasal passage. Ultra sensitive to sunlight, i.e. cover your skin with very high barrier cream, and just general muscle soreness, but nothing too bad. To be honest, it completely changed my life - well worth it.


Edited by mcelliott on Sunday 21st October 21:22

AudiSport

1,499 posts

245 months

Sunday 21st October 2012
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It's a very strong, powerful drug with some nasty side effects that you should research before hand.

For me, they were;
- very dry skin
- cracked dry lips
- sore dry eyes
- general dehydration

The drug worked for about 2-years each time I took it before the spots came back. That said, they have never come back as bad as they uses to be. So, I would recommend you try it for yourself. Some years on I do still feel some of the side effects left over..

Beware, when you first start taking the tablets your skin can get much MUCH worse, however this subsides after a week or two - so do stick with it.

All in all a very strong, but well used drug. It has many side effects that you should research, however for me the end result was worth hassle. However, I'm not cured!

Pints

18,451 posts

223 months

Sunday 21st October 2012
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More than ten years after taking it, my wife still suffers side effects: dry hair, skin and lips - can't go anywhere without a tube of Carmex.

AudiSport

1,499 posts

245 months

Sunday 21st October 2012
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Pints said:
More than ten years after taking it, my wife still suffers side effects: dry hair, skin and lips - can't go anywhere without a tube of Carmex.
Same thing for me, very dry mouth and eyes. My body has never really been the same - although I'm only a few years on from my second go at it. There won't be a third.

bennyboydurham

1,617 posts

203 months

Monday 22nd October 2012
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I took it at the age of 23, was a miracle drug for me in that within about 4 weeks I had perfectly clear skin. The only side effect was very dry lips. I HAD to have a tube of blistex everywhere I went. If it ran out it became uncomfortable very quickly.

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

225 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
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bennyboydurham said:
I took it at the age of 23, was a miracle drug for me in that within about 4 weeks I had perfectly clear skin. The only side effect was very dry lips. I HAD to have a tube of blistex everywhere I went. If it ran out it became uncomfortable very quickly.
Same here, dryed the fk out of my skin but litterally changed my life for the better & never needed another course, almost 20 years later.

wazzow

110 posts

228 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
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I am on it right now. Done about 3 months so far. All going well apart from the dry skin and lips. Agree about the lips, even one day without putting anything on them is not good.

I have had some other side effects like my muscles are pretty sore and stiff if I have been sitting for more than 5 minutes. At the start my wife commented that I was really grumpy (more so than usual!) and would snap at her for the smallest things. Thankfully that has gone now.

I would definately recommend it to you though. My acne is all but gone.