Anyone taken Roaccutane

Yes, me - just shooting off to make dinner now but will respond properly later on.

Thanks will read once I have cooked our tea too?

My friend did and it seemed to work very well. She had to go on the pill for the period of the treatment and afterwards (even though she was single) as you cannot get pregnant whilst on it and also had to have regular monitoring. It did really really dry her skin and she also said she struggled wearing her contact lenses as it affects all bodily lubricatants and fluids I think!

She has just had a baby though and has been warned that because of hormones her spots may come back again.

After years of suffering I was given them in 2002, Never had acne again!!! I do get the odd spot breakout now and again, Bad things about them is they can make you feel a bit low, my skin went really dry esp on my hands, arms, lips and up my nose!!!! used bucket loads of vaseline!!! They also cleared up the acne on my back. They are great if you can put up with a few mths of irrating dry skin!!

I did when I was 14 or 15, so a good 20 years ago. I remember being weighed and signing a declaration that I wouldn't get pregnant which mortified me because at the point in my live I'd never so much as looked at a boy never mind doing that!!! I took it for 6 months and in that time my skin on my face came off in lumps and my lips fell apart. However I knew it was a means to an end and was grateful that I would get rid of the acne that had plagued my life for years before that. It took a further 6 months afterwards to get rid of completly but I've had nothing since - I had the odd 'period' spot but nothing like I used to. Totally worth it IMO

? Hiya

I was on it for about 4 months when I was about 22/23. I didn't have terribly severe acne compared to a lot of people but what I did have was very persistent and also very large spots and very painful, it took months for spots to clear up and nothing else, dianette, various antibiotics and topical treatments, worked at all. The dianette prevented it getting worse at the time of my period that was all.

Finally, I was so down about it, I burst into tears and GP referred me to dermatologist for roaccutane. He didn't put me on it right away as it's very expensive - at that time I was told the course of treatment was around £2000. You absolutely must not get pregnant while you are taking it, I was single at the time so it was OK.

I had a very positive experience on it - very dry skin like others have said including up my nose as a PP had also said. Yep, used loads of vaseline, and even now about 12 - 13 years later I can't sit in the sauna at the gym as the dry heat is too painful in my nose when I breathe. But it worked absolute wonders on my skin. I'm never going to have a flawless complexion, the years of acne put paid to that but I've never had the huge painful pus-filled spots that it is no exaggeration to say were ruining my life.

I was on the contraceptive pill until 2005 and was worried my skin would deteriorate once I was off it but it didn't. And I have also now had 2 children the youngest is 6 weeks old and my skin hasn't got worse either in pregnancy or following childbirth. Having said that at 35 I'd be hoping to have outgrown it by now.

I know it gets a lot of bad press due to poss causing mental illness/depression. I have suffered low moods/depression but largely after the birth of my first baby and given the length of time that had elapsed I'd be very surprised if the roacccutane had contributed to it. In any event I think that the continued acne would have been more likely to trigger depression.

So it's a big "yay" from me for roaccutane. It really improved my quality of life.

Snap - almost word for word. Although I lied to my consultant about my previous depressive episodes, it was my fault entirely! (I was 16 so allowed a certain level of stupidity). If you have had depression, make sure you mention it - clear skin may not be worth it.

On the up side, my Aunty had it as an adult, it worked wonders for her, her skin is lovely now.

My brother took it a few years ago. It worked wonders for his skin but he suffered with terrible cramps. He used to be up and awake for hours overnight with terrible leg cramps, just walking around the house.

The other thing is that you cannot drink large amounts of alcohol.

I took Roaccutane for 4 months earlier this year and despite it clearing my skin up I found it really tough to cope with...

On the positive side, it has cleared my skin up and I am really pleased with the results.

On the negative side, it made me feel really low and stressed but the worst side effect for me were the aching joints! I was basically in constant pain for 4 months and even though I knew what was causing it and that it was temporary it really got me down. I also had really uncomfortable dry tingly lips and nose bleeds.

I was told at the time that many people who take it have to take a second course of tablets as the acne often returns. I decided after taking it for four months that I would tell my doctor that I wanted to stop taking it and if the acne came back I wasn't going to take it again as it was just too tough on me. Luckily my skin is better and so I haven't had to face taking it again. I did however still have side effects for about 6 weeks after stopping taking it which were slow to wear off.

Although it worked wonders on my skin, the side effects of Roaccutane need careful consideration as they cannot be underestimated.

I took it about 10 years ago. The NHS referral was going to take 6 months to I paid and went privately. The prescription was about £90 for a month.

As everyone says, main side effect was dryness. I remember my lips being so sore and the inside of my nose going all scabby - and my ears too. Going out in the sun isn't advised and I stupidly went abroad and burnt very badly as my skin was ultra sensitive.

No depression for me whatsoever. In fact, the total opposite - for the first time in 15 years I had nice skin and could hold my head up high and talk to people with confidence, instead of keeping my head down and dreading being spoken to as I hated people looking at my face.

For me, the benefits far outweighed the side effects - it was a miracle drug. My acne did return after I finished the course but nowhere near as bad as it was and now at 38 following the birth of my first child I have clear skin apart from a monthly breakout.