Accutane, yes or no?

N

Not that Bob

500+ Posts
The dermatologist has suggested this for my kid. I have heard some frightening things. Do any of you have experience with this drug?
 
Never used it myself, but my co-worker has a daughter who takes it. Apparently, the doctor recommends her daughter take birth control pills along with the acutane. (Something to do about preventing future birth defects or regulating her period.)

I don't know if you're kid is a son or daughter, but if it's a daughter, I don't know how you'd feel about her also being on birth control pills. Something to consider.
 
I used it almost 20 years ago. Worked miracles. If you're worried about the possible psychological effects (severe depression, suicidal thoughts, etc.) I'd say the best thing to do is talk w/ your kid about all of these things in advance & just monitor things closely while they're taking the Accutane. I couldn't tell you if I was any more depressed or had wilder mood swings when I took it as a 16 year old. Hell, I figured I was just riding the normal teenage hormonal-emotional roller coaster anyway.
biggrin.gif
 
I used it and it worked wonderfully. I didn't get any of the psychological side effects but my entire body was painfully dry and my cholestoral shot through the roof. If I'd been on it longer than 6-9 months, I would have had to go on heart medication as well. I was pretty miserable while taking it just from the dryness and having to have blood drawn every month but in retrospect, it was worth it.
 
Accutane worked wonders for me. I only had to take one dose (six months), and haven't had but the occasional pimple in six years. Some people have to take the second one though (I think you are only allowed to take two six month doses). Its really strong stuff, as a friend's mother had to take it to reduce a tumor.

I've always had really low cholesterol, so that was never a problem. The worst thing about it was the chapped lips. They would give me this prescription "ointment" to use. It was more like smearing axel grease on my whole lip/mouth area. I would smear a glob all over. In two minutes, it wouldn't be there any more, and my lips would be chapped.

The reason girls have to get on birth control with accutane is that if you get pregnant while on it the baby will end up with horrific birth defects. It shows pictures on the box with all sorts of babies with freakish looking heads. I think they then want you to not get pregnant for a year or so to be on the safe side. I hope this won't be a real concern depending on the age of your child.
 
Thanks to all of you. Great information. It is a boy child, so I don't have to worry about the birth defects part, but I am concerned about the cholesterol and lipid thing. He is a very happy kid so I would hate to put him through a medication induced depression as well.

Thanks again.
 
A few notes.

It worked very well for me.

It dries the hell out of your whole body. Lip balm, face lotion and tissues are a necessity at all times. I had dried lips, peeling face and bloody noses daily, BUT I would do it all over again if I had to.

If you monitor the cholesterol, which the Dr. will do, you shouldn't have any problems.

The psychological effects of depression are almost assuredly related to teenagers not feeling good about themselves, due to acne, hormones, etc... Not the Accutane itself.

I know a lot of these replies sound pretty rough, but the stuff is good.
 
it's not nearly as bad as you'd think... the warning labels on the drug are hilarious... there's not much that can't happen to you according to the paperwork.. hell a couple of my friends today still make fun of the side effect listed as "rectal bleeding"...

I took accutane when I was 14... so that was almost 14 years ago.... took it for 6-8 weeks I believe... I didn't experience nearly the reaction some of these guys are posting about... sure I dried out, but not anywhere near the point of bloody noses, and certainly not rectal bleeding... you've got to eat a little more carefully to monitor your cholesterol, but otherwise it's nothing... a few blood tests regularly...

put him on it ASAP... I went through a few years of trying everything available from the dermatologist... haven't anything but the occasional pimple since I was on accutane..
 
It's a true miracle drug. I would deal with the chapped lips/dried skin again in a heartbeat. I took it when I was 14. I was one of the first patients that my dermatologist prescribed it to. Yes, I'm old.

I had horrible pizza face and after 6 months on accutane my freshman year, I haven't had more than 2 zits a year since.

I'm serious. It's a miracle drug.
 
Just tell your kid if he/she gets on it not to go out to Rangers' Opening Day without any suntan lotion on.

It was like an early Halloween at school for me that week, cause my happy *** looked like Freddy Krueger.

As far as the depression/mood-swings/etc... I've always felt that it might not necessarily be attributable to the drugs and possibly just linked to the fact that if you are frustrated enough about your acne to be taking Accutane, you possibly may just be depressed over/about your acne.
 
I am a dermatologist in Dallas. I currently have at least 25 patients on it. I have put hundreds of people on it and never have had a serious side effect. There are many nuissance side effects such as the dry lips, etc but they are tolerable. The serious and dreaded side effect is the birth defects if a female gets pregnant while on Accutane. For guys this is not a problem. If your child has severe, scarring, nodulocystic acne it is by far the best treatment. The main advantage is that @70% of patient's will be permantly cured after a 6 month course. All other acne medications may cause temporary improvement but work only as long as you are using them. While I monitor for depression and mood changes it really is an issue that has been overblown. There are no studies that show any increase in suicide or depression in patients on accutane. Accutane is not getting pulled from the market, but starting in July you will have to be part of a national registry and actually getting the medication will become much more difficult.
 
I think only like 3 other drugs have as stringent as warning requirements. Very bad drug. Keep in mind that because 15 or so users here had no problems, that means nothing. In a statistically significant sample size it causes big problems.
 
I agree that my child "deserves better", but what would you suggest? He has used retin-a, anitbiotic pills, antibiotic facial pads, and has monthly dermabrasion. What else is there?
 
I guess briefly to just raise him or her with a strong spirit with lots of confidence and esteem. The zits will go away eventually. If the kid is having a hard time socially it might be acceptable. If the acne may lead to scarring you might think about accutane but otherwise no way. If he will drink at least a gallon of water a day it might be ok. Thats a gallon of WATER. Not coke, tea, or anything else. Did I say gallon? Thats what I meant.
 
For the love, please ignore what suttree and slightly stoopid have said, take the advice of the actual dermatologist on this thread, and put your son on Accutane. I took it sophomore year at UT, and it seriously might have been the best thing to ever happen to me. The chances of depression, etc. are very low and the likelihood that your son will GAIN confidence from having a clear face is very high (happened to me). Do it.
 
another vote for yes. Used it when I was 16/17 and wished I had started it sooner. I don't have bad scarring, but earlier usage might have prevented what I have.
 
As a dermatologist I can get rid of adult wrinkles fairly easily. Ice pick acne scars are difficult if not impossible to improve. Acne will go away when someone turns 19 or 20, but if they are left with a lifetime of horrible scarring that could have been prevented by accutane, they you will have done your son a disservice.
 
Is anyone aware of any long term data regarding the teratogenicity of Accutane? Vitamin A compounds are lipid soluble, so I would think that there may be some risk of long-term toxicity. Perhaps not something to be concerned with in a male, but maybe in females.
 
Soriatane (acetretin) is a related drug that can stay in your system for years and lead to birth defects years down the road. Therefore it is not used ever in females of child bearing potential. Accutane is a differnt story. It is cleared out of your system in 10 to 15 days and has no long term teratogenicity.
 
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