Accutane Experiences

Does anyone have any experience with UGL or pharma grade Accutane? I see a lot of positive things but also read some horror stories about people wanting to kill themselves etc.

I’ve ran it alongside at 20mg/day for 3 months and I’m still here. Never had any suicidal thoughts bro.

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Did it last summer. Felt much more irritable and quick to snap at people, but also had some depression issues I’d never taken care of. A small-dose antidepressant and some counseling took care of that, and the irritability. Never thought of harming myself. Also had to sign an absurd number of papers, that myself, a man, would never get pregnant while taking it. Gotta watch out for accidentally getting knocked up dudes!

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I have used oral isotretinoin in the past (brand name is Roaccutane in Europe). I’ve used pharma grade only and would never ever consider UGL stuff, since this med is so powerful. The dosage is 0.5 - 1mg per kilogram (1kg = 2.2lbs) I can’t remember the exact dose but I think I took arround 0.6-0.8mg per kg, I then only weighed 85kg so for me it was about 50-60mg.
I took it for 4-5 months.
I’ve never experienced any mental side effects.
However I did experience the following side effects:
Very dry eyes, it was so so bad that it hurt crazy and eye drops didn’t help… I thought about quitting, but then one doc that I know personally told me about eye gel to treat very dry eyes (BRAND NAME Vita - Pos) google it to find it or alternatives, cuz idk if it’s available everywhere. It did save my life I can’t and it was smooth ride from there.
Very dry skin and my skin is very oily, but it made it dry anyway. I did use oil based moisturizer, it did help alot.
My lips were chapped all the time, so i did use some strong lip balm which was quite expensive, can’t remember the main ingredient…

So to summarise:
The side effects are great to some and some don’t feel anything from it. All I can say is, it’s like steroids the side effects are personal and will hit you at your weakest point: for me it was dry eyes that nearly made me quit, but I found the solution and it was smooth ride from that point. My acne was very bad cyst like pimples on back, shoulders, chest. Roaccutane did clear it, however the scars left… I was acne free for almost 2 years, then mild acne came back (mild compared to what I was getting before using this med…) I would use it again if acne got out of control again. Best med for acne hands down.

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I had some pretty good back acne when I first started blasting. I ordered some accutane from an overseas pharmacy and took about 1/4 the medical dose based on what I read. Ran it for about 40 days or so. Cleared everything up and now I just get the occasional zit here and there.

Had no sides that I can remember.

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Roaccutane is a fairly nasty drug… WHEN used at the doses originally intended to treat acne. From the conversations I’ve had with a dermatologist, it appears it’s now more common to use an extremely low dose of roaccutane.

I’m unsure how exactly Roaccutane works (mechanism wise)… As a matter of fact, I’m not sure anyone knows for certain. I’ve seen a study showing it decreases the action of MMP9 in sebum, studies showing is causes sebacus cell apoptosis and more. However what’s concerning about Roaccutane is the fact that depression is a known side effect from this drug and animal models do suggest it has potentially negative actions on dopamine receptors and the amount of serotonin the body releases. Other nasty side effect exist from Roaccutane, elevated triglycerides, dry, bloody and cracked lips, hepatotoxicity and more come to mind. That being said all drugs have potential side effects, it’s a benefit/risk assessment you need to make for yourself (and we have doctors to make these decisions FOR us lol).

That being said it’s now being found that very, very low doses for a long period of time (say 5-10mg/day) is just as effective at treating acne than higher doses with far less incidence of side effects. My twin (fraternal) takes like 5 or 10mg/day (can’t remember) and it did wondered for his acne, only visible side effect being chapped lips.

So what’s you’re current cycle (if you’re acne is so bad)?

@zeek1414

Thanks all for responding.

Unfortunately I have always had cystic acne my entire life. It can go a month or so an be relatively mild then it will hit me bad for a month with deep acne on back shoulders neck and arms. It looks like I have some kind of skin disease lol I fucking hate it totally ruins my look. Steroids don’t necessarily make it any worse (altho I doubt they make it better) but it just kinda has a mind of its own as to when it will come and go. Iv tried everything not eating dairy using syclic acid body wash and spray. Natural vitamins and supplements and even mild antibiotics nothing has worked. I have a tren cycle I’m planning coming up and with summer around the corner I want to finally get this taken care of. Iv never had a problem with depression so hopefully that doesn’t occur.

I know you’re respected member here, with all due respect I don’t understand where you got that such low dosage of isotretinoin is effective? Maybe it is but not long term and people using 10mg or so don’t have ‘bad acne’ to deal with. The most effective dosage found is 0.5-1mg per 1kg (2.2 pounds) depending on the severity of acne. The effects are long term. I would say that people using 10mg or so have no need for isotretinoin, but should try antibiotics such as doxycycline first.

I know what you mean… I suffered from cystic acne on my back, shoulders and chest I have real bad scars left, I wish I knew about isotretinoin back then. If you self prescribe try 0.5mg per kilogram for about 12-15 weeks, it should clear you up nicely and it will last long term

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He used antibiotics (to no significant therapeutic effect), had moderate/severe acne.

So I just started accutane 7 days ago prescribed by a doctor. I’m on 40mg/day and it has caused my sinus issues to go crazy. It started by drying my throat out then my nose and eyes now I’m all stuffed up and think I developed a sinus infection. Iv read accutane is hard on the nose etc just wondering if anyone here experienced anything similar and how long it lasted.

Man, it’s a bit nasty. I wish I could remember my dosages, unfortunately I took it 15 years ago when in high school. I had HORRIBLE acne, back, chest, shoulders, face, woke up with bloody pillow case and sheets frequently.

The good : IT WORKED.

The bad : migraines (had to have my eyes checked as they were worried about blindness).

Got these nasty Lower back paints where my back would lock up and freeze when bending over just to wash my face. Would last a minute or two.

Super dry skin and went through tubes of chapstick for dry lips.

My uncle used it several years prior to me and swears his tongue is still partially numb after taking it.

Never had any suicidal thoughts though. They did make my mom and I both sign like 20 different statements giving up our right to sue if anything happened.

Again, I cannot remember the dosages. I tell everyone the same thing though… given all the sides, I’d do it again in a heart beat. Wouldn’t think twice.

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Man I feel this! I don’t have it on my face but shoulders, back, chest, and arms is bad. Iv ruined so many sheets and pillow cases I started just buying black bed sets.

Ya I stocked up on Chap stick, eye drops and hard candy. It’s only been a week but I can tell it’s working. I spent the last 10 + years trying everything else besides accutane so I’m left with no other option. I figure I can struggle thru for 6 months if I never have to worry about acne again.

Just hope this sinus shit goes away. I think the super quick drying out of my whole head so to speak triggered some sorta sinus infection.

Hang in there, I tell everyone that considers it, that regardless of my sides, I’d do it ten times again. I actually ran two full cycles of it when I was a kid as I had some return 2 years later. WELL WORTH IT.
The discomfort goes away quickly once you go off.

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Just wanted to add my latest accutane experience.
Maybe this will help someone considering it.

I started accutane or Roaccutane (isotretinoin) as suggested above at low dosages of 20mg daily to combat acne while crusing on test.

I have been running accutane at 20mg daily now for almost 4 weeks and I’ve to say, this time the experience is very different like very few sides and it managed to clear about 90% of my acne (shoulders, back, chest and some facial.)

Now for sides it’s really mild compared to last time:

  • Dry and chapped lips (lip balm, vaseline helps)

  • Somewhat dry eyes (using eye drops sometimes)

  • Skin got mildly dry (I’ve very oily skin naturally)

  • More hair dandruff (I always use anti-dandruff shampoo)

That’s basically it, almost all my acne cleared and skin is much cleaner too, but not excessively dry or something. I plan to run it for 4-6 more weeks and by how I feel.

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I’m using 40mg/day per doctor for 6 months and these sides are exactly what I’m going thru. It’s not neccarily horrible just very irritating. Especially the lips and bear dandruff but both are manageable.