Well it's been almost a year since I came off Roaccutane, and I thought it would be worth doing another post about how life has been since I came off it.
In terms of my skin, I think I've been pretty damn lucky, as I am very happy with the state it's in these days! Yes, I was gutted to come off it after only 3 months, and yes, I do still get the occasional outbreak but it is nothing like it used to be, and I'm confident that it won't resort back to that. I have good skin days, and bad skin days, as you can see below.
 |
| Good skin day (surprisingly not edited!) |
 |
| Bad skin day (and bad photo!) |
In terms of the issues I had with digestion, the symptoms wore off once I came off Roaccutane, but came back a few months later, before going away again. After a long time of the problems going and coming back, I recently had a bout where it was very regular, and my GP soon referred me to a gastroenterologist. Just two days ago I went for a 'procedure' at the hospital (I'm desperately trying not to go into too much detail as it's pretty gross stuff!) and have been told that I have something called 'proctitis', which is essentially colitis in a smaller area. Thankfully, no more tests or procedures are needed at this point, and I have been given tablets to sort it out. Here's hoping that'll be the end of that!
Did I develop colitis from Roaccutane? I'm not sure. After researching a little online about how it can be developed, one possibility was overuse of antibiotics - and as many of you will know, a GP will prescribe many antibiotics before you are referred to a dermatologist, and it is a possibility that this was the cause for me. Perhaps Roaccutane did then make it worse...who knows.
The most important question is, do I regret taking Roaccutane? If it was the cause, do I wish I'd never taken it? The answer is absolutely not. What has happened to me recently has been truly horrific and something I wish never to relive again, but my confidence and happiness has increased SO much from having clearer skin, I finally see photos of myself and don't see the spots first. I don't feel self-conscious talking to people because I'm worried they're thinking "She's really spotty...". Some people may think me foolish or naive for thinking that way, but all I know is how I feel within my own skin, and I finally feel comfortable. It's been a challenging year, but I'm on the mend, so things are looking up :)
The advice I'd give to others considering Roaccutane, is simply to make sure your dermatologist is fully aware of all of your family history. I was asked about historical problems in the family, and anything I have had previously, but I wasn't asked specifically about siblings and direct family issues, and as my brother also has an IBD, it should've been mentioned right at the beginning. Maybe it was my own fault for not bringing it up, but when you have acne and you want to get rid of it, you'd do anything to do so. In hindsight, very foolish. Don't make the same mistake!
Good luck to anyone out there who's going for it. I would still recommend Roaccutane any day of the week, just be mindful of what it can put your body through.
Louise x
