Weddingbee boards

Forgive me if this becomes whiny.

At 15 I started to take care of my skin, with making sure it was creamed and cleansed and pretty much protected after watching my father's side of the family have struggles with skin cancer and skin sagging/discoloration before their age.

I was constantly told by doctors and other medical professionals, I was one of the most healthy individuals they had seen. I had never broken a bone, my healing was extremely quick for a regular body and hair and teeth and skin was flawless.

Flash forward to 2007 when I started to manage my weight by doctor visits, medical diets and a mess of tests to drop #45 on the diet and then be diagnosed with PCOS.

Here is where they whining will come in...

My skin is shot! I mean red, splotchy, ugly pock marks on my face from infected nodular acne (a symptom from PCOS, thank you for that) and to put it blunt I feel fat b/c PCOS keeps fat on you but will reduce the symptoms to lose weight but makes it extremely difficult to lose weight… see the double edge sword?

I became severely depressed, lost my self confidence in my body, in myself. To the point that my fiancé and mother went with me to my last doctor visit and there my doctor recommended Accutane for my skin, as every other medication is so NOT working, the expensive medical creams and medical facials…doing nothing and I just wanted one thing to work on my body, either my skin or my weight.

She recommended accuatane and believe me when I say this stuff is really scary. It's federally mandated and you must have doctor visits for 6 months (every 30 days) during this time. Yes it's a 5 month long treatment of acne medicine. You have to fill out this 70 page booklet about how to prevent pregancy and how you are using two methods of birth control. You also have to take pregnancy tests every 30 days and can't do any vitamins, nothing your doctor doesn't know about, the only vitamin you can take is Vitamin D

IF you are not allergic to this medicine, then the fun begins!

No blood donating for 6 to 7 months (1 month before you start it and 1 - 2 months after you finish it) for the reason, this blood is given to a pregnant woman it would be DEVASTATING for the fetus, we are talking abnormalities, miscarriages, all sorts of nasty stuff.

I was all fine and dandy with that. I can handle all of those but then they talk about the side effects.

*Seizures

*severe stomach pains

*mental illness

*severe depression

*suicide

*bone loss

*Schizophrenia

*headaches

*brain bleeds

*vision impaired (DO not go driving at night till you know how this medicine will react in you)

*stroke

*muscle weakness

*Hearing problems

*High cholesterol

*Decreased red/white blood cells

*hearing or seeing things that are not there or do not exist (seriously?)

Oh and the most common your skin will be so fragile you shouldn't do any manis/pedis, waxing or poking at it in case it either tears off or gets severely infected.

The upside to this very scary medicine?

Apparently you will not have acne again... it permanently changes the chemistry in your body's bacteria and something like 80% of people will not have to take this medicine again.

Would you try this if you knew there was no other alternative? I would be done by March and my wedding is in May so that would give me enough time.

I'm just majorly freaking out about this and not sure what to do...

Help!

I took a six month course five years ago, and it certainly did the trick.  I had physical side effects (no depression thank god) that were difficult and painful to deal with however, and they lasted for several months beyond the course of medication.  All told, I found my cystic acne in my mid-20s so upsetting, that I would take Accutane again, but I am glad I don't have to.  The drug is intense and no picnic.

Also, I read olther peoples' replies and I don't think anyone mentioned this but forgive me if they did:  it is also expensive. You have to get bloodwork (pregnancy test and organ checks) every month.  And the pills cost a pretty penny.  My doctor gave me samples that he had in the office, so I never paid for the pills, but I still spent several thousand on visits to his office and blood tests and the like.  Accutane works, but it is a tough experience.

I'd be happy to discuss in more detail if you want to PM me.

I think you're a smart cookie to be so thoughtful about the pros and cons. I've been through some stuff (no skin issues though) lately and have had to make a similar decision about starting some rough prescriptions (anti-depressants/sleeping aid). I think the bottom line is, any drug has risks, but it also has advantages. I think if your acne is serious enough to warrant the treatment, it might be worth trying if you are carefully monitored by your doctor. Good for you for being so conscientious about your health - you have the right attitude! 

PS I did use Tetracyline in high school and it cleared up my acne in a few days! May be worth asking about?

I was on accutane during our engagement and did a 4 month course of the middle dosage (I can't remember the mg level right now).  Yes, it is a scary drug, but when prescribed appropriately, it is a very effective drug.  The first month was disturbing as the first layer of my skin would peel off my face (you could rub your finger across my cheek and come away with that top layer of skin).  But then I started using the Cetaphil moisturing creme (the big tub of creme) instead of the Cetaphil lotion and it kept my skin hydrated enough that it stopped peeling.  I also lived with chapstick in my pocket.  Your lips will need it.  When my husband took it, he was a teenager and the drug was still new.  His knuckles would crack and bleed, he'd get nose bleeds, as well as the intensely dry facial skin.  But guys aren't always as good as women about hydration, both through moisturizers and water so some of his side effects could have been lessened.

The thing to keep in mind is, this isn't a cure-all drug.  I still get occaisional breakouts, not nearly as bad as before and fairly rarely anymore, but still, you will have breakouts.  This is a heavily regualted drug because it can be very dangerous.  With the support of your family, FI, and friends, your mood can be monitored for depression and you can skip manicures and waxes, etc for awhile for the benefit of your skin.   Also, should you feel that the drug is too much for you, you can always stop it or ask to move to a lower dosage.  Talk with your doctor.  The very scary side effects you read and hear about have occurred to some people.  But take some of that with a grain of salt - they have to tell you every possible side effect - full disclosure.  Weigh the decision carefully, for you and you alone.  I went ahead and used accutane for my self esteem, it was important to me.  Make the decision for yourself.

I've taken it twice.  The worst side effect I got was painful heels, like I had banged them against metal.  It was weird.  Of course, I also had dry skin but I didn't NEED chapstick all the time.  It wasn't bad.  Just the heels thing.  To be honest, I wish I'd done a third round 6 months ago.  My skin isn't where I'd like it to be. 

Thanks guys. I normally don't like taking medicine to begin with. Never needed to when I was young. Vitamins and natural salves worked wonders for me.

Then the medicines and their side effects (which I read but don't take super seriously) but when a doctor sits you down and explains the side effects one by one. I start to get a little freaked out :)

I'm going to try it, no other medicines have worked and the pill got me pregnant (long story there) so I'm going to do it and just keep track of it religiously.

Thanks for all of your advice, it really helped me make what I think is the best decision for myself.

A couple side effects that I just remembered:  as others have said, yes, it totally dries you out.  It was during my time on Accutane that I discovered Aquaphor, which was a godsend for my lips.  My lips were so chapped that I would have to bring the Aquaphor with me to meals and reapply as I was eating and it was wearing off!  Not so bad, just kind of funny and a nuisance.

Also, as someone with iffy skin my whole life, I was committed to oil-free moisturizer and the like.  Well, when I went on Accutane, oh my god.  You wouldn't believe what I was putting on my face.  I was going for the thick creams that a normal person would put on their elbows.  I had to SERIOUSLY lotion up my face.

The last thing, and perhaps the most amazing, is that I have also been blessed (ha) with pretty oily hair.  Accutane took care of that.  I could literally go a week without shampooing, and not a drop of oil in sight.  I would finally shampoo when I figured my hair must just be dirty.

Ah, Accutane.  It keeps you guessing!