Accutane on NHS - anyone with expirience?!
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Hi
If roaccutane doesnt work or if reluctant to go down the roaccutane route, a vitamin A based skincare range may help. Vitamin A has many properties e.g. its a natural exfoliator, locks in moisture, protects and strengthens the skin, detoxes the skin and balances oil production, stimulates collagen and elastin and evens out skin pigmentation.
With some expert guidance on how to use vitamin A products, having established if it's suitable for you to use and a review of your skincare routine, your skin will start to improve...
Happy to discuss further...
Liz
If roaccutane doesnt work or if reluctant to go down the roaccutane route, a vitamin A based skincare range may help. Vitamin A has many properties e.g. its a natural exfoliator, locks in moisture, protects and strengthens the skin, detoxes the skin and balances oil production, stimulates collagen and elastin and evens out skin pigmentation.
With some expert guidance on how to use vitamin A products, having established if it's suitable for you to use and a review of your skincare routine, your skin will start to improve...
Happy to discuss further...
Liz
Can someone please help and explain this to me - so can you get a dermatologist appointment via NHS? Or do you have to visit a private doctor to go on Roaccutane? How much does it cost?
Original post by BlueMyMind_O
Can someone please help and explain this to me - so can you get a dermatologist appointment via NHS? Or do you have to visit a private doctor to go on Roaccutane? How much does it cost?
As far as I know (and in my experience with other acne medication), you make an appointment with your GP to have a discussion about acne medication/Roaccutane. They might want to try other courses of treatment beforehand as Roaccutane is usually a last resort. The cost should be that of a normal prescription - £8.71 I think?
I am going on this treatment soon and wondered about the side effects. I moisturise everyday and wanted to know whether I would still have dry skin and how much to moisturise while on this? Also does this get rid of acne scars as well? I have been trying different treatments for acne for many years and it's always lead to acne scars but does this get rid of the acne or the scars as well? Also my dermatologist said people who have this usually get acne again a few years later. For those who have undergone this, is the acne worse than before and is the only treatment for it to be prescribed this again? Or are there alternatives?
Thank you for your help
Thank you for your help
Hi! I don't know your gender, but if you're a female like me, a specific string of the contraceptive pill called Dianette has been great for my acne; my doctor has suggested roaccutaine as a permanent solution, but while you take DIanette it's great. My skin is basically clear now. I don't know what will happen when I stop taking the Dianette, but having heard things from other people about Roaccutaine, I think it's the type of drug that really works for some people and is hell for others and you won't know how you'll react to it until you take it.
My dad took it when he was younger and had no problems, but then I know people who really suffered with it. I think it depends how much of an issue your acne is for you really as roaccutaine (as my doctor put it) is a last resort kind of thing (I have literally had everything else that doctors can prescribe for acne).
My dad took it when he was younger and had no problems, but then I know people who really suffered with it. I think it depends how much of an issue your acne is for you really as roaccutaine (as my doctor put it) is a last resort kind of thing (I have literally had everything else that doctors can prescribe for acne).
Hi everyone.
Just wanted to write down my experience with acne for anyone with a massive list of questions like I used to have.
I started getting bad skin when I was 13. At age 14 I went to the GP and started using ZINERYT. Zineryt worked so well for me. I had clear skin in just 2 weeks. No black heads or white heads or scars or blemishes. Literally just amazing skin. Only bad thing was the dryness of it! This clear spell lasted from May 2016 until January 2017 when I slowly started getting massive red spots. (It looked so weird coz it was clear everywhere else so the spots almost glowed!) I went back to the GP in May 2017. I was given DOXYCYCLINE, an oral antibiotic and told to stop zineryt. The zineryt had stopped working as the acne causing bacteria it killed became resistant to it. The doxycycline didn’t work however I don’t think I gave it long enough! Antibiotics take ages to work! Like three months so be PATIENT!!! So when I stated college in September 2017, I had spots but not acne if you know what I mean. Like clear skin with spots on it...
I think it was probably November when I tried DIFFERIN which is a topical cream that tries to unblock pores. I didn’t work for me. Nothing got worse but my skin stayed the same. But again I may have not waited long enough to see it work.
Eventually, maybe early 2018, I started using DUAC, a topical cream AND LYMECYCLINE, an oral antibiotic. I waited a few months just trying to be patient and without even realising, I had clear skin by APRIL 2018. Like full on, clear. You wouldn’t have known I’d ever had a spot! I’m writing this is September 2019, so it’s quite hard to remember dates, but some time in May 2018, I went to the GP again and I have no idea why but they referred me to the dermatologist for accutane.... can’t remember why but I’m almost certain I would have had clear skin at this point. Any way, with the lush summer sun of 2018 (it was 30 degrees for 8 weeks) I had a nice tan and clear skin and cancelled the appointment which was set for September 2018. I had clear skin from March/April 2018 until about January 2019. I was about to do my A levels so the stress would have contributed. I only had a few out breaks between January and June. Literally as soon as my A level exams were done, I had the worse skin. I have no idea why!! Maybe the concentration and motivation of exams kept my mind working! I also reduced my exercise when I started driving. But no joke as soon as my exams finished I had the worse skin ever. In June 26th, I woke up with some sort of evil cystic thing on my cheek. Felt so horrible, like a monster. I went straight to the GP on that day. It was IMPETIGO and she prescribed antibiotics for that and referred me again for accutane. (THANK GOD I HAD THE IMPETIGO OR WOULD HAVE HAD TO WAIT WEEKS FOR A GP APPOINTMENT THAT WASNT EMERGENCY). My NHS GP asked the surgery to send me a letter where I could select my own dermatology appointment. 1 weeks later in July I had it. Type in a code online and you can choose which clinic and when. The EARLIEST was 8th October at my local clinic. All other ones were like 30 week wait!! This was 14 weeks which made me sooo mad!! But NHS IS FREE and we must must appreciate it!! I kept looking online throughout the summer using my letter code to see if earlier appointments were available. The next available after mine was about February, 6 months later. So I was lucky I only had a 14 week wait. But I woke up one day and checked again and there was an available appointment on the 16th September. I was elated and booked it!! It was 22 days earlier than my original but it helped so much. So keep checking for cancellations! Even if you have to call your clinic all the time. Believe me, they happen! Remeber I cancelled mine last year! Before this, I was looking into going private. And trust me, i was quoted £1200! Imagine PAYING over a grand to go through the side effects when you can get it free on NHS. Pleasssseeeee be patient! My referral came round so fast with the help of countdown apps and taking it day by day! My GP told Me in June to book a blood test before to save time so on the 11th I had a blood test. DO THIS TO SAVE TIME! If you’re a girl, I think you have to be on birth control for a month before so do this too. My dermatologist wrote down what I had been on in the past, looked at my skin and told me (thankfully) that I had NO SCARS. He also prescribed an anti dandruff shampoo! Weird I know. He prescribed me 3 months of accutane on 60MG! I was expecting to have to go back every month for the next lot and start on 30MG. But no I got 3 whole months of the tablets and starting on full dose. He told me I will have a letter in the post and will need one blood test in 4 weeks to see if it is ok. He said I will come back to see him in 3 months for another 3 months prescription and again at the end for another blood test. He told me the side effects in detail and said it will probably get worse for up to 2 months (the first 8 weeks) and then improve from there.
The tablets are like red little jelly beans and not even that big. As I’m on 60 MG, I have to take 3 a day after the fattiest meal. So I have peanut butter on toast and then eat them whole with water. I have a massive peeve of paper I made which I cross off each date I take it. So far I am ONLY 4 days in! My skin is for sure getting worse. Like ffs it’s so annoying you have to go through it getting worse first! But just think to yourself that that’s what would have happened even if you hadn’t started accutane. Just keep thinking that one day you’ll wake up and have clear skin coz it will happen. I’m lucky I got on it when I did because I am going that I’ll have good skin for Christmas and new year😁 I am really down but it’s been like this for months because I hate the way I look, especially as I spent my last year of college with lush skin. So I’m on my gap year and do things like walk to dog and have a part time job to keep me busy. DONT STAY in you room all day like me. Make you sooo down. I’ve thought about leaving my job but I’m not going to let my stupid spots win. I know I’ll one day in the next few mo the walk in there with lush skin and everyone will be like omggg!! And the thought of that is keeping me up. Also, talk to your friends and fam. They love you. Remeber thag the spots are ON you, not part of you. They will falls off and your skin will come clear. I cannot WAITTTT to have clear skin in the next 2 months but I have to go through the PURGE first. But I don’t really mind. It’s hard to tell ur mates you’re on accutane but tell them and they will support you. If they don’t, they’re not your mates. I’m really glad that I’ll have clear skin starting 2020. I’m predicting it will be my year! Full of confidence which will happen to all of you. Accutane is pretty much the closest thing to a cure for acne and it’s worth it.
For the last 5 years I have changed my diet, my life style and more to try to help. I still don’t consume dairy and believe me it made NO DIFFERNCE! Just a habit I can’t get out of yet. I switched from squash to water and started exercising which I do think helped! Diet for me had no effect on skin! But eating well makes you feel mentally good too! I’ve tried masks, washes, hot water cold water, steaming EVERYTHING!! And I’m finally on accutane to kick acne uo the arse. Hate the stereotype that acne sufferers are unclean. Soooo untrue. Please just stay patient and happy. Do what you need to do. Speak to loved ones and clear skin is everything.
Thanks
Just wanted to write down my experience with acne for anyone with a massive list of questions like I used to have.
I started getting bad skin when I was 13. At age 14 I went to the GP and started using ZINERYT. Zineryt worked so well for me. I had clear skin in just 2 weeks. No black heads or white heads or scars or blemishes. Literally just amazing skin. Only bad thing was the dryness of it! This clear spell lasted from May 2016 until January 2017 when I slowly started getting massive red spots. (It looked so weird coz it was clear everywhere else so the spots almost glowed!) I went back to the GP in May 2017. I was given DOXYCYCLINE, an oral antibiotic and told to stop zineryt. The zineryt had stopped working as the acne causing bacteria it killed became resistant to it. The doxycycline didn’t work however I don’t think I gave it long enough! Antibiotics take ages to work! Like three months so be PATIENT!!! So when I stated college in September 2017, I had spots but not acne if you know what I mean. Like clear skin with spots on it...
I think it was probably November when I tried DIFFERIN which is a topical cream that tries to unblock pores. I didn’t work for me. Nothing got worse but my skin stayed the same. But again I may have not waited long enough to see it work.
Eventually, maybe early 2018, I started using DUAC, a topical cream AND LYMECYCLINE, an oral antibiotic. I waited a few months just trying to be patient and without even realising, I had clear skin by APRIL 2018. Like full on, clear. You wouldn’t have known I’d ever had a spot! I’m writing this is September 2019, so it’s quite hard to remember dates, but some time in May 2018, I went to the GP again and I have no idea why but they referred me to the dermatologist for accutane.... can’t remember why but I’m almost certain I would have had clear skin at this point. Any way, with the lush summer sun of 2018 (it was 30 degrees for 8 weeks) I had a nice tan and clear skin and cancelled the appointment which was set for September 2018. I had clear skin from March/April 2018 until about January 2019. I was about to do my A levels so the stress would have contributed. I only had a few out breaks between January and June. Literally as soon as my A level exams were done, I had the worse skin. I have no idea why!! Maybe the concentration and motivation of exams kept my mind working! I also reduced my exercise when I started driving. But no joke as soon as my exams finished I had the worse skin ever. In June 26th, I woke up with some sort of evil cystic thing on my cheek. Felt so horrible, like a monster. I went straight to the GP on that day. It was IMPETIGO and she prescribed antibiotics for that and referred me again for accutane. (THANK GOD I HAD THE IMPETIGO OR WOULD HAVE HAD TO WAIT WEEKS FOR A GP APPOINTMENT THAT WASNT EMERGENCY). My NHS GP asked the surgery to send me a letter where I could select my own dermatology appointment. 1 weeks later in July I had it. Type in a code online and you can choose which clinic and when. The EARLIEST was 8th October at my local clinic. All other ones were like 30 week wait!! This was 14 weeks which made me sooo mad!! But NHS IS FREE and we must must appreciate it!! I kept looking online throughout the summer using my letter code to see if earlier appointments were available. The next available after mine was about February, 6 months later. So I was lucky I only had a 14 week wait. But I woke up one day and checked again and there was an available appointment on the 16th September. I was elated and booked it!! It was 22 days earlier than my original but it helped so much. So keep checking for cancellations! Even if you have to call your clinic all the time. Believe me, they happen! Remeber I cancelled mine last year! Before this, I was looking into going private. And trust me, i was quoted £1200! Imagine PAYING over a grand to go through the side effects when you can get it free on NHS. Pleasssseeeee be patient! My referral came round so fast with the help of countdown apps and taking it day by day! My GP told Me in June to book a blood test before to save time so on the 11th I had a blood test. DO THIS TO SAVE TIME! If you’re a girl, I think you have to be on birth control for a month before so do this too. My dermatologist wrote down what I had been on in the past, looked at my skin and told me (thankfully) that I had NO SCARS. He also prescribed an anti dandruff shampoo! Weird I know. He prescribed me 3 months of accutane on 60MG! I was expecting to have to go back every month for the next lot and start on 30MG. But no I got 3 whole months of the tablets and starting on full dose. He told me I will have a letter in the post and will need one blood test in 4 weeks to see if it is ok. He said I will come back to see him in 3 months for another 3 months prescription and again at the end for another blood test. He told me the side effects in detail and said it will probably get worse for up to 2 months (the first 8 weeks) and then improve from there.
The tablets are like red little jelly beans and not even that big. As I’m on 60 MG, I have to take 3 a day after the fattiest meal. So I have peanut butter on toast and then eat them whole with water. I have a massive peeve of paper I made which I cross off each date I take it. So far I am ONLY 4 days in! My skin is for sure getting worse. Like ffs it’s so annoying you have to go through it getting worse first! But just think to yourself that that’s what would have happened even if you hadn’t started accutane. Just keep thinking that one day you’ll wake up and have clear skin coz it will happen. I’m lucky I got on it when I did because I am going that I’ll have good skin for Christmas and new year😁 I am really down but it’s been like this for months because I hate the way I look, especially as I spent my last year of college with lush skin. So I’m on my gap year and do things like walk to dog and have a part time job to keep me busy. DONT STAY in you room all day like me. Make you sooo down. I’ve thought about leaving my job but I’m not going to let my stupid spots win. I know I’ll one day in the next few mo the walk in there with lush skin and everyone will be like omggg!! And the thought of that is keeping me up. Also, talk to your friends and fam. They love you. Remeber thag the spots are ON you, not part of you. They will falls off and your skin will come clear. I cannot WAITTTT to have clear skin in the next 2 months but I have to go through the PURGE first. But I don’t really mind. It’s hard to tell ur mates you’re on accutane but tell them and they will support you. If they don’t, they’re not your mates. I’m really glad that I’ll have clear skin starting 2020. I’m predicting it will be my year! Full of confidence which will happen to all of you. Accutane is pretty much the closest thing to a cure for acne and it’s worth it.
For the last 5 years I have changed my diet, my life style and more to try to help. I still don’t consume dairy and believe me it made NO DIFFERNCE! Just a habit I can’t get out of yet. I switched from squash to water and started exercising which I do think helped! Diet for me had no effect on skin! But eating well makes you feel mentally good too! I’ve tried masks, washes, hot water cold water, steaming EVERYTHING!! And I’m finally on accutane to kick acne uo the arse. Hate the stereotype that acne sufferers are unclean. Soooo untrue. Please just stay patient and happy. Do what you need to do. Speak to loved ones and clear skin is everything.
Thanks
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