What you should know before beginning Accutane treatment
Jun 17 '03
The Bottom Line It is vital to discuss with your doctor the side effects and pros and cons of Accutane.
I am now halfway through my second month of Accutane treatment and I am very pleased with the results so far. I still have 3 months left so I can't wait to see how much better my skin will look. I never had a problem with pimples, in fact I never had more than 2 or 3 at one time. My problem was tender, firm, red bumps that would form under my skin and rarely surface. These were very painful, so painful that it was agony just touching my face to wash it.
After trying every over the counter medicine, Pro-Active, Murad, Differin, Retin-A, antibiotics (including Tetracycline and Erythromycin), and even having my face sprayed monthly with liquid nitrogen, nothing seemed to help very much. Accutane is a last resort acne treatment, so I went to talk to my doctor about it. I had no options left.
Accutane is used to treat severe acne that other treatments have not helped. Your doctor will decide if it is right for you and how much, how long, and when to take it. Females will need to have 2 negative pregnancy tests before they are able to get a prescription for Accutane. The day I received my prescription, I had a vial of blood taken and had to do a urine pregnancy test.
You will only be given a month's worth of pills at one time. This is to make sure that you go to your doctor every month for necessary tests and to discuss side effects. You can only get more Accutane if you go to your doctor. Females must have a negative pregnancy test every month while on treatment.
Accutane causes severe birth defects. You must not get pregnant while on Accutane or for at least one month after. You must abstain or use 2 effective birth control methods.
Accutane has also been said to cause depression, and some people have committed suicide while on treatment. This has made Accutane a controversial drug, since it can not be proven that Accutane caused the depression in the patients who committed suicide. No one know if Accutane caused this or if it would have happened even if they were not on Accutane treatment.
Side effects of Accutane I have experienced are dry skin, dry cuticles and very dry lips. Accutane can cause bone and joint pain, and I have had pain in my ribs that made my chest feel like it was caving in. I also get an occasional nosebleed. It is not severe, just a few drops of blood. I wear contact lenses and Accutane makes it difficult to wear them because my eyes get so dry.
I use Cetaphil on my face and Aquaphor on my lips and cuticles. These products really help the dryness.
There are other side effects I have not experienced such has muscle pain and weakness, loss of night vision, hearing problems, allergic reactions, breathing problems, and other side effects. Your doctor will discuss them all with you.
While on Accutane, your skin is more sensitive to UV rays and may sunburn easily. It is important to wear a high SPF sunblock when going into the sun.
About 3 weeks after I first began Accutane, my skin broke out very bad. This is the "initial breakout" some people experience. It doesn't last very long and my skin cleared up almost as fast as it broke out. I believe it was just my skin adjusting to the medicine, but felt I should mention it for those who are taking Accutane and breaking out. Don't get discouraged and don't stop taking it unless you talk to your doctor.
Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant or begin to feel extremely sad or depressed.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
jessicamc4
|
 - Top 1000 |
|
Member: Jessica
Location: East Tennessee, USA
Reviews written: 143
Trusted by: 72 members
About Me:
I'm back again and just writing for fun!
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.