I am not on this medication, but it is something my doctor recommended. I have been to scared to take it because i've heard that it causes depression and women have to be on birth control to be on it because it can cause birth defects. Are you putting anything on your face? Benzoyl peroxide or differin gel or anything? Or have you been in the sun or tanning?

I was on it for 5 months a few years ago. It did wonders for my face. I think I had a bit of redness in the beginning, make sure you moisturize real well. That should help it. The only side effect I had was really bad dry and chapped lips. They put me on prescription strength lip ointment. I didn't get the depression or anything else. My doc did require that I go on birth control pills because it is a real danger to have a child while on it. It can cause major birth defects. This danger can last up to 30 days after taking it, so be real careful with that. I don't know anyone who had any major side effects, however.

The side-effects of accutane are severe. There is a lawsuit that has recently been filed against the manufacturer for people who have died and have had significant liver failure due to the usage of this product. I advise that you stop this medication immediatly as it will interfere with the quality of life that you have. A patient of mine came to me complaining of severe abdominal pain and swelling and I dignosed that person woth acute liver failure and had to put him on a transplant list. As to this day he is worsening and has not et received a match for a new liver. I haev many other patients who have begun this medication or even finished the 6 month trial and then complained that they could not see anything in the dark. Those individuals were diagnosed wih night blindness and can no longer work teh late shift as two had.
This product has been found to have tremdendously horrid effects and will cause a damper on all peoples lives.

The best thing you can do if you want to go on this medicine is make sure you have a good doctor that will monitor you. While I was on this medicine I was required to have a blood test once a month that included a pregnancy test, a test for liver function (to avoid liver problems) and also a cholesterol test because it can shoot your cholesteral up. The drug is safe if used correctly and if you are being monitored correctly. I'd go back on it in a second if I needed to.

It affects everyone differently. I was on accutane for a while in high school and was fine. I also had to get tests once a month to make sure everything was cool. As long as you are monitored well by the doc, you should be fine. I had really bad acne and haven't had a breakout in 5 years.

Like said above though, it is dangerous and should only be used as a last resort. I tried 3 different meds before accutane.

Del, what were the three different medications you tried before accutane? How long did you try them? And, why did you stop using them?

I'm just curious because I too am putting accutane as a last resort due to the negative side effects and rumors. I'm using doxycycline. I have noticed that the redness of my acnes has gone down and there is actually less formation of acne.

I know everyone wants immediate results because everything nowadays is happening so fast, but nature doesn't go faster just for you. Some things you just have to be patient with for the best results. Chemistry courses teach you this. Sometimes the reactions in lab take a long time even with a catalyst but it really doesn't care if you have another class to be at. Accutane is "fast. Thats the common perception at least. Just in this post we realize the severe dangers of it and the fairly high probablility of the side effects. (i question how many patients oddbeani has given the accutane perscription to, and how many have come back with severe side effects. I don't think he would have said much if the percentage was small or he would just have to run around and say "don't take medicine it causes other things to happen in some people"). Perhaps the best thing to do is take something with low probability of side effects, and is proven to work in most cases, even if it has significantly slower results. I'm not saying wait it out, because i'm 19 and it has just gotten worse my whole life. I'm just saying quick results aren't always the best thing.

I am happy for all of you who have had accutane work wonders for you, and I wish the best of luck to your futures.

Del if you could answer my opening questions I would be delighted. Thank you.

*this post is nothing more than one mans opinion*

I had severe cystic acne for over 10 years and I certainly wish the product accutane had been available during that period! My father also suffered from cystic acne and my twin brother was also plagued with the condition, mostly on his back so it was not as psychologically traumatising for him. I tried almost every antibiotic, topical lotion and hormone treatment available, to no avail. I still have visible acne scars, despite having had two chemical peels, which probably only improved the appearance of my skin by 50%. I am now considering the punch technique to rid the remaining ice pick scars.

I have two daughters and if they are unfortunate enough to inherit cystic acne I don't think i'll even consider the alternative treatments, which clearly did not work effectively for my condition. The last thing I want is for my children to suffer psychologically from the effects and after effects of acne.

I have researched the product extensively and feel that provided with regular monitoring by the dermatologist my children will surely benefit, they too agree this is the best option, even if there are risks attached. Yes, it is a quick and effective medication with possible side effects but the faster they are cured the less scars and psychological damage they will have. Why on earth should cystic acne sufferers mess around with antibiotics and other topical treatments with the end result being a face full of scars? I am not implying that some of these treatments are not effective, just that they actually take ages to have any effect and then of course you have to mickey mouse around finding the right treatment, which could take years and a hundred cysts later with,of course, the scars to prove it.

I feel that accutane is a fast and effective medication with proven results and the persons I know who have been on it have all given extremely positive feedback, apart from the dry lips and eyes associated with its use.

I was monitored and still almost lost my vision, not just at night, but in the day: I am nearly legally blinde and the only thing that could be to blame is the Accutane. I also had severe depression, not from the Accutane, but from the birth control I was forced to take. I have been on Accutane for 8 years. I keep trying to go off it, and then end up back on it again and again and nothing else works. I am going to have to deal with having terrible acne at age 31 (probably continuing to the day I die from the look of things) just to save my vision.

I was on it for 5 months and was closely monitored. My cholesterol went a little high, but went down after I stopped the meds. Plus, I felt like I was like 80 years old (I was 22 and groaned when I would get out of a chair).

The main thing is when I started it, I basically had a HUGE break-out on my right cheek. Like solid pimples. It looked so horrible. The doctor gave me Prednisone for two weeks and reduced my dosage of Accutane. Instead of taking two pills a day, I took one, then two every other day. The break-out got much better. My skin has been so clear since then.

I waited two years past the time the doctor recommended starting Accutane before I finally decided to do it. I was afraid of the side-effects. Eventually, the cystic acne got too ugly and painful to live with. Nothing else worked--I tried everything. Now, my face is pot-marked, but clear. It's been more than 5 years.

My recommendation is to make sure you are having blood tests every single month and that you follow all the rules, such as abstaining from alcohol. Most people who take Accutane have little to no side-effects and most of the side-effects people do have are reversible. Like we've seen from previous posts, this isn't always the case, so just be aware of the potential issues and weigh them against the benefits.

"Bad Pill" ... you are clearly mistaken and/or putting yourself at danger because NO ONE is legally allowed to/supposed to be on Accutane for longer than 5-6 MONTHS ... you say you have been on it for ........ EIGHT YEARS??????????? Are you self medicating or something ...? Because you're simply mistaken about the use of this miracle drug ... and by posting stuff like you have, all you're doing is confusing newcomers.

And yes ... my face is puffy too ... and a red "flushed" face is an expected side effect of being on Accutane ... flushed face, horribly chapped lips, overall dryness, sometimes a rash develops from overly itchy skin ... but , trust me ... it works miracles.

I feel like I've gained weight too ... but c'mon people, for me ... I can admit that I struggle with even going out in public b/c I feel like I look like a freak w/ this red flushed face and bloody chapped lips ... so I think it's the sedentary lifestyle that accompanies the social anxiety caused by having ... acne.

: ) I can't wait till it's over ... another month!! Trust me, by month 3 or so ... maybe the 2nd even ... you will see a DRAMATIC difference ... a sudden "smoothing out" of the skin ... no more nodules under the surface, deep in the skin ... it's great. I still look like a freak though ... with my pale pale skin and flushed red face ... and bloody chapped lips ... I USED to be pretty ... one day soon hopefully I'll feel that again!

It's too easy to isolate and feel down right now with the way that I feel about myself and my looks ...

Good luck, guys & girls.

: ) Anastasia