This is my 5th day on Roaccutane, a drug known to treat severe acne and other skin conditions. I was prescribed with 20mg of Roaccutane by my doctor when I visited him several days ago, after I’ve decided I had enough of the stubborn acne which have been popping up non stop on my face for the past months.
Pior to this I’ve tried various methods and even chinese medicine but sad to say, all efforts being wasted. Doc told me Roaccutane was a fairly strong medicine with several side effects, and most importantly I must never be pregnant when on the course as Roaccutane is known to cause birth defects on a large number of cases. Also, I’ll have to go through occasional blood tests to check on my cholesterol level. Oh well, I suppose these are the kind of times I should be glad that I exercise frequently?
The duration of the medication depends on your body weight, and I’m suppose to stay on Roaccutane for 12 months. According to my doctor, results will be clearly visible after 3 months and upon completing the course, my face will be stay clear for at least 4-5 years.
This was the first time that I actually hear of Roaccutane and it was only after performing some Internet research that I began to know more about it. Roaccutane seems to be a widely known medicine both because of its effectivness against acne and the adverse side effects. Some patients who took roaccutane posted horror stories of how they suffered from the long term side effects even after they stopped the medication. Things like suicidal thoughts, depression, bone disorders and stuff alarmed me and for a moment I was wondering what I have gotten myself into. But yeah, there are indeed cases where the patients were ecstatic about the results, and swears that Roaccutane is the only solution to their long term acne hell after trying tons of other methods.
After doing some serious consideration, I’ve decided to just continue on the medication and see how it goes. Pior to this, I was deeply depressed by the condition of my acne. I did suffer from acne problem when I was a teenager and they persisted for a few years. The condition improved after I took some antibiotics and my face was nearly flawless for a couple of years. Then one fine day they decided to make a grand comeback and since then I will see new acnes sprouting out every single day especially on the lower part of my face and the side of my nose. Looking into the mirror has become the one thing that I hate to do, and the whiteheads sometimes hurt till they bring tears to my eyes. Needless to say, my mood was terribly affected and I often snapped at people who love me and so deeply regretted it afterwards. The more depressed I was, the more they want to step closer to show their concern and the more I wanted to push them away.
Yes, some may say looks are not the only thing that matter, but it does has a major impact on a gal’s self esteem. One reason I started this blog was to keep track on my progress while on Roaccutane, and also to have a place to rant should I experience any of the undesirable side effects and not have to take it out on my loved ones again, hahahaha~
Some people say that they have a major outbreak for 1 month or so when they just went on Roaccutane. Well, I do have a couple of new acne that popped out after starting out, but nothing *VERY* severe yet… (prays hard)………………………
This is gonna be a long long journey and I shall hope for the best, for myself and all those out there facing the same plight :)
I am seriously thinking about starting the med. I have taken the initial blood test today and started the birth control yesterday. After reading all of the side effects and other’s experiences, I am terrified. I don’t want to have side effects that persist even after I am done with the med! I will begin Accutane at the end of August. I am unsure though because I have mild to moderate persistent acne. It went from a few blackheads over the years, to cystic acne at least a couple times a month. I have not tried the birth control method and don’t really know if my acne is bad enough to risk the effects… What do you think?
Hi Angel,
I think starting on Roaccutane is indeed a major decision, considering the widely known side effects that many have already experienced. Indeed there are also many people who are fortunate enough to enjoy the best outcome without major side effects, but guess it’ll be advisable to try it only as a last resort if everything else doesn’t work. And of course, do speak to your doctor to get a full picture of what is to be expected
Have you tried any other medication before this?
Hi Guys…
good luck to both of you…
@Angel – I also had mild persistant acne and went onto roaccutane – i wish i hadn’t tho… I won’t go into detail (it’d take too long!) … but basically my skin got so much worse than it had ever been, and the side effects were really very drastic (normal bearable ones like dryness, aches etc… but also severe mood swings and slight depression) – i cried a LOT during the 4 months i was on it (i was only prescribed a 4 month course)…
i since tried homeopathic meds (worked at first), severe dietry changes… also went on a course of antibiotics – which seemed to help… and i changed my skincare to an organic line for acneic skin – i feel that THIS is what has helped the most…
good luck to BOTH of you!
- Gecko
i’m thinking of taking roaccutane too, my skin isn’t improving with age and is just as bad as it used to be back in high school
have you tried taking diane or yasmin? they’re contraceptives but are primarily taken to inhibit testosterone and prevent oily skin.
i tried it before and was really effective for me, although i did notice a big change in my appetite.
Hi jillsabs,
I haven’t tried diane or yasmin, but quite some time ago my doctor did prescribe me some antibiotics. When I visited him this time round he said that the antibiotics will not work for me anymore and thus started me on Roaccutane.
If I do remember correctly, I’ve read somewhere that diane causes weight gain and perhaps that’s why my doctor did not put me on the course (he knows that I’m very concern with that too, heh)