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SweetDee · Dec 20, 2010, 05:15 AM

My good friend has a son that has very bad acne. I told her of this site and that I would post this question for some advice. She is currently giving him a face cream that in a prescription. It's called Benzaclyn (may be spelled wrong... sorry). Apparently it's not working. I went to a pharmacy with my friend and spoke with someone there and they mentioned this pill that dries out the skin deeply (to the point of being too dry for a spell but with the right face cream it balances itself), we both don't remember what it's called. Can anyone help jog our memory? I would be grateful. Thanks in advance all... and Merry Christmas!

tickle · Dec 20, 2010, 05:28 AM

Sorry, there are many meds for a bad acne problem and if she takes her son to the dermatologist (covered by OHIP) he will be diagnosed and given the proper meds. The only one I can think of that is prescription only, but has side effects, is Accutane.

Tick

SweetDee · Dec 20, 2010, 05:36 AM

Hmmmm, no that doesn't ring a bell. I don't think that is the one that the pharma recommended. It definitely is a prescription pill so you're right there. I wish I could remember... :P

tickle · Dec 20, 2010, 05:42 AM

Sweet. All acne problems are different, caused by just about anything in a young person. I don't think pharmacist is qualified to recommend one. As I said, dermatololgists are covered under OHIP, so there should be no problem getting a referral from their regular doctor and having the acne taken care of. A friend of mine took their son to a professional, was prescribed Accutane and worked out well.

Tick

SweetDee · Dec 20, 2010, 06:01 AM

She only recommended the name of the pill because we were in conversation about my friends son and she told us a story about how her daughter went through a similar journey. It was an "off the record" kind of recommendation, more like a suggestion.

Yes she will be taking her son to the doc to get a referral to see a skin doctor, unless her doctor can give them a prescription without a skin doctor. Thing is we live in Montreal, there is no "Ohip", but we have "Medicare", should take of the doctor bill, for sure. The biggest problem is that it's a 6 month wait to see a skin doctor here in Quebec.

Should she have him wait? Or if she can, should she bypass the skin specialist..

The boy is 18 and depressed like you can't believe. He just disclosed to his mother recently the reason behind why he never leaves the house and why he doesn't hang out with his friends anymore. Does he have 6 months more to wait? I'm worried... We don't think so... He's an amazing kid. I love him like my own!

Should she take him to the specialist? Or get the meds from her private doctor... Thankssss xoxoxo

tickle · Dec 20, 2010, 01:13 PM

Sweet, everyone in Canada who is a citizen has OHIP. Are they US citizens with medicare?

It is a long wait in Ontario as well, but not as long as 6 months. The problem is, he may go through a few medications if a GP prescribes something because the GP will not know how to deal with it.

SweetDee · Dec 20, 2010, 04:52 PM

No tickle OHIP is in ENGLISH CANADA only... here in Montreal Quebec we have something actually called "MEDICARE" for our Canadian citizen use, it serves the same purpose. French Canada does not use Ohip (the ONLY way Quebec would use Ohip is IF it were an abbreviation of a French word. It's against the law here for English to be primary. They especially would never use that to exemplify anything connected to the government. Are you Canadian?)

I am hoping that Accutane is prescribable by a G.P. especially a private one, my point being is that if my friend wants to bypass the 6 month specialist wait... she can have that option... hmmmm :-/... although thanks for taking the time, appreciated. Xo

SweetDee · Dec 20, 2010, 05:07 PM

Oh sorry I see you're from Ontario!. It took me by surprise that you were so firm about what Canada supports knowing I was from Montreal. I thought for sure living so close to this province you'd know... I have a lot of family living in Toronto. I go a lot... especially now due to Christmas :) Happy Holidays xo

tickle · Dec 20, 2010, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by SweetDee

Oh sorry I see you're from Ontario!... It took me by surprise that you were so firm about what Canada supports knowing I was from Montreal. I thought for sure living so close to this province you'd know... I have a lot of family living in Toronto. I go a lot...especially now due to Christmas :) Happy Holidays xo

Dah, of course you wouldn't have OHIP in Quebec, sorry.

Tick

SweetDee · Dec 21, 2010, 06:44 AM

No worries, it's easy to forget that Quebec is the angry little "family member" in the provinces that make Canada. But we were still on the same page about the fact that Ohip/Medicare will pay for the bill... :D

J_9 · Dec 21, 2010, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by SweetDee

I am hoping that Accutane is prescribable by a G.P.

Accutane is a very serious medication and birth control is ALWAYS prescribed along with it no matter the age of the person receiving the prescription.

SweetDee · Dec 21, 2010, 07:11 AM

Really? It doesn't make sense. Boys take Accutane and I'm SURE they do nottttt take it with birth control lol :D

J_9 · Dec 21, 2010, 07:17 AM

Yes, it binds with the sex hormones and causes birth defects with both men and women. It is a VERY serious medication and should not be undertaken lightly.

For male patients:

A very small amount of isotretinoin will probably be present in your semen when you take prescribed doses of this medication. It is not known if this small amount of isotretinoin may harm the fetus if your partner is or becomes pregnant. Tell your doctor if your partner is pregnant, plans to become pregnant, or becomes pregnant during your treatment with isotretinoin.

You can read about it here...

PubMed Health - Isotretinoin

And here...

Accutane (isotretinoin)

As well as many other places on the web.

This is a very POWERFUL medication and should be used only in extreme circumstances.

SweetDee · Dec 21, 2010, 07:40 AM

Okay let me make myself more clear: Are we talking about birth control PILLS (which is what I'd originally meant... ) or are you saying that men need to restrain from getting females pregnant during the taking of Isotretinoin/Accutane?

It's confusing... Thanks again :)

SweetDee · Dec 21, 2010, 08:16 AM

"Accutane is a very serious medication and birth control is ALWAYS prescribed along with it no matter the age of the person receiving the prescription."

That was a direct quote... hmmm not sure we're talking about the same thing... :/

tickle · Dec 21, 2010, 01:29 PM

J-9 is correct. That is why I suggested a dermatologist prescribe this med for the boy. There are many side effects that have to be considered.

tickle · Dec 21, 2010, 01:31 PM

J-9 is correct. That is why I suggested a dermatologist prescribe this med for the boy. There are many side effects that have to be considered.

Accutane Information from Drugs.com

J_9 · Dec 21, 2010, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by SweetDee

Okay let me make myself more clear: Are we talking about birth control PILLS (which is what I'd originally meant...) or are you saying that men need to restrain from getting females pregnant during the taking of Isotretinoin/Accutane??

It's confusing... Thanks again :)

I'm saying BOTH. Women are prescribed birth control pills AND men need to refrain from getting women pregnant.

It also has some very serious depressive side effects.

tickle · Dec 21, 2010, 02:37 PM

As for depressive side effects, my son took them years ago and accutane worked, no depression, and we read the side effects. Any thing serious the dermatologist went over with us. It all depends on the person, but you do have to use caution. You are only prescribed as many as the doctor thinks you may need; you go if progress is slow and he prescribes more, as he sees fit.

Accutane information should be read.

Accutane is much like the smoking cessation med zyban. Causes compete anxiety in some not in others. It didn't bother me that way.

So there you go.

I guess if this young chap is sexually active (although I don't think so from the information provided). My son wasn't, there were no warnings about carryover long term effects in this regard, nor do I think any are mentioned in the accutane information.

I am not arguing for accutane usage. No meds should be treated lightly, no matter how mundane. We are all different and react differently to med stimuli.

Tick

SweetDee · Dec 22, 2010, 02:54 AM

Thanks guys! You are both so helpful... :)

I had my friend read these threads last night when she was over and she's very worried about all the side affect of accutane. Her son IS depressed on and off due to his acne. I'd mentioned before that he doesn't socialize much anymore or even keep in too close touch with his old friends due to his insecurity about his acne. At 18 all his friends want to hang out with a lot of girls and he feels bad about himself right now more than ever. I believe he became antisocial at the beginning of his school year LAST YEAR... so his mom (and I... ) are worried about his state of mind, depression wise. Maybe Accutane would bring on thoughts of suicide with a kid like him whom is so pron to depression... Do you agree?