Accutane
Okay, I’m on digest and have seen all the Accutane messages coming through and
I’m glad! I’ve
felt almost like an outsider lately because all of the board talk has been about
natural remedies,
and I don’t know about them. What I do know about, however, is anything (almost
everything,
really) prescription. I’ve been seeing a derm now for the better part of 5
years, and I love him.
I really feel like we are trying products that work, but that’s my opinion. A
few weeks back,
someone said that a dermatologist was expensive. It can be. Do you have
insurance? Do you have
prescription coverage? Because that makes it incredibly affordable. A visit to
my derm is
cheaper than some of the products that I was buying and failed me. If you have
the resources,
it’s not a bad idea to visit a derm.
As for Accutane, I feel that the FDA posted warnings about Accutane was a bit
biased. I know
that it is an incredibly serious and severe drug, but I think people need to
know about the
positive side effects of Accutane. While sadly, there are some people who have
suffered long term
risks with Accutane, and while whenever you take Accutane, you accept those
risks, the majority of
people taking Accutane don’t suffer long-term side effects. I just feel like
all information
online and in the media is slanted negatively towards Accutane, and I want to
change that.
Finally, I think the decision to take Accutane is yours. There is a lot of
conflicting
information, so I would find a source you trust– your derm, your old
pediatrician, the Accutane
book, whatever. Base your numbers and facts off of that person. The more
people you ask, the
more opinions you’ll get, and the more confused you’ll become. I do feel that
if you have a
strong feeling to not take the drug, you shouldn’t do it. You should always
listen to what feels
right in your heart. Also, if you plan to get online guidance in doing so,
please be strongly
selective in what websites you choose to base your decision off of. I’d go to
sites like the
American Academy of Dermatology, the Roche website, the FDA website, and medical
sites. Web MD
has a great great section– Is Accutane Right For Me? It’s worth checking out.
I think all of
these sites offer a more balanced opinion on Accutane– not too "it is so
great!" (because it’s
not always) or too "it is evil" (again, it’s not always).
I hope this has helped those of you questioning treatment with Accutane. If
you have any more
questions, I would love to help.
Take care,
Karyn
P.S. If you do decide to take Accutane, DO NOT try to buy it in Mexico or
online without a
prescription! It is NOT a drug you want to take without doctor supervision!