Acne Medication and mental heath - Catch 22
 

I'm not really sure if this is in the right place but I wanted to ask if anyone has had experience with Roacutaine (sp) a treatment for Acne. It is quite a harsh treatment if I can use that word and can potentially cause Liver Damage so you need to have regular blood tests.

Anyway one of the problems is this medicine has quite a high possibility of causing mood swings and increasing Depression so when I saw the Doctor this morning (they are considering putting me on Roacutaine for Acne) she asked if I'd ever been depressed.

I said I had but didn't say I'm not totally sure I'm over it she asked if I'm seeing anyone at the moment and I gave details of my *useless* therapist so she can send a letter and ask for details about my mental health history I suppose.

Now, I feel it's a case of a catch 22. I'm worried that my therapist might say things meaning I can't get this treatment and then I'll be stuck with the Acne, they can continue to use milder treatment or he'll say I'm reasonably ok and I'll get the treatment.

I'm not sure how it'll effect me but I know I need to keep in mind the fact that when I get it into my head something will effect me in a certain way it usually does - because I know the Roacutaine might cause me to feel really low it will because it's stuck in my head.

I don't know because I don't know what my therapist thinks about my current state but I get the feeling he isn't intune with how I feel.

At the same time I keep feeling that it is all in my head and there is nothing wrong with me and such.

Syrup.

Venerome - Your reply was a great help.

The truth is I feel rubbish and my therapist isn't helping. My acne isn't too bad. I dunno the grease on my face is something else. I guess your right it's a balancing act.

I just don't want the treatment for my mental health to suffer because of my other medical treatment.

I'm seeing a Dermatologist.

can you try dianette>?

usually they use accutane as a last resort.. im not allowed on it cos of my mental health problems
x

hey,

i had two courses of roaccutane and i guess thats what sparked my depression n s/h off. of course it could just be a coincidence but my advice to you is to try and go for a different medication...it helped my skin but not my state of mind. If you already have any kind of 'mental health issue' (dont want to offend you) then i really would strongly advise against it.

*hugs*

xx

i went on roaccutane for about 8 months last year. at that point i hadnt been diagnosed with depression yet [even though i did have it at that point], so they let me go on it without a fuss.

i did notice that i cut a lot more when i was on it, but i dont think it had any more effects. apparently it decreases the amount of serotonin in your brain, which is pretty much the happy chemical...

apart from that, i've never had another pimple since. it really boosted my confidence and self-esteem, which really helped.

so yeah. sorry im not much help....