Amnesteem User Reviews & Ratings
Amnesteem has an average rating of 7.8 out of 10 from a total of 27 reviews on Drugs.com. 75% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 7% reported a negative experience.
Condition | Avg. Rating | Reviews | Compare |
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Acne | 27 reviews for Acne | 568 medications |
Reviews for Amnesteem
- Sho...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- January 9, 2014
For Acne "I am 40 years old and have been struggling with adult acne for ten years now. My face has always been oily, and topical creams/antibiotics have only been temporary fixes. My dermatologist and I decided to finally give isotretinoin a try. I started taking Amnesteem in September 2013. The first three months I had moderate breakouts, as expected. But in December and so far this month, I've not had any acne, with the exception of a small bump I noticed today. I just had my last appointment with my dermatologist yesterday, where he gave me my last prescription. The only side effects have been dry eyes, skin, and lips, but not severe at all. Aquaphor for the lips and CeraVe for my face have been awesome. So far, very happy with the results."
- Anonymous
- February 23, 2016
For Acne "Young teens, I'm telling you, there is hope. I used to have such bad acne all over my face. I was so insecure and always so sad and it was beginning to make me depressed. I didn't even wanna look in the mirror. So I got on amnesteem. I had heard all the "bad things" about what it could do to you, but I didn't care I did it anyways. It was the best choice I had ever made. My skin is so clear I never really get acne anymore maybe one or two every month or so. It's so so so worth it."
Frequently asked questions
- What are the most common skin conditions? (with photos)
- Can Accutane cause permanent liver damage?
- Is Absorica the same as Accutane?
- How long does Absorica take to work?
- Anonymous
- January 14, 2011
For Acne "I am 32 years old and have struggled with acne since high school. I was completely freaked out about taking this medication after reading all the horror stories online, but after talking to my doctor, I knew I wanted to give it a try. I am in my 2nd month of taking the medication, and I have seen dramatic results. I have not had any bad side effects so far. I have had dry lips (to be expected), but they have not been bad at all (thanks to Aquaphor Lip Repair - I constantly put it on). My skin is dry, which is also to be expected. I wear contacts, and my eyes do get dry at times, but no drops help. I do notice joint aches at times, so I take Tylenol or Advil, and it helps. It's nothing severe at all. BEST MEDICATION EVER."
- Anonymous
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- August 21, 2015
For Acne "I've been on amnesteem or "accutane" for 3 1/2 months now I am now going into my senior year of high school and couldn't be happier about my skin. ive been struggling with bad acne for almost five years until now. I tried everything to help my acne and some things worked but my acne always returned. My only side effects are dry lips I'm on 40 and 80mg every other day. My face is so smooth and after the second month didn't have any breakouts. I also used to break out on my chest a lot but not anymore. I also haven't noticed any changes in mood. I was iffy about trying this but happy I talked to my dr and gave it a try Hope after I'm off the drug acne doesn't return, best luck to all struggling with acne I feel your pain."
Are you taking this medicine?
Your review helps others make informed decisions.- chr...
- December 25, 2008
For Acne "I have just completed my first month of Amnesteem (I had moderate acne), and I am extremely happy with the results this far. However, I experienced stomach ache, nausea, constipation, chest pain, headaches, lower back pain, sore throat, dry skin, extremely chapped lips, and fatigue. They all hit me at the beginning of week three. The good news is they all subsided by the end of the week except the constipation."
- Anonymous
- Taken for less than 1 month
- August 8, 2012
For Acne "Amnesteem worked very well for me. At first, my acne got worse and I was doubtful. After a few weeks, my skin really cleared and every morning I wake up and one more blemish is gone and the ones that are still here are smaller and less red. It is very important to wear sunscreen and always have Chapstick with you."
More FAQ
- Him...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- October 18, 2013
For Acne "I took this in my sophomore year in high school since I was suffering with severe acne all over my face, chest and back. Astonishingly, it cleared it all up within the second month. I felt great but got a call from my doctor saying that I should immediately get off this medication because my Liver Function Tests sky rocketed. It was very scary but my liver eventually recovered. A year later my acne came back, and came back hard. It was hard to go to school and I had bad cystic acne. I talked to my doctor and decided to go back on. I am now two months into the medication again and seem to be having a lot more side effects. I'm still experiencing bad acne with redness but I know it will clear up sometime. As for the liver, every things fine so far."
- Emi...
- April 2, 2016
For Acne "I've been on this medication for a week and I know what your thinking skip this review but DON'T!!!! I've always had bad acne and while I've already seen it improve my acne (I turn 25 next month) the side effects are NOT worth it. It's made me experience suicidal ideation off and on since beginning it, it's made me paranoid about a lot of things and people, I've been so nauseous constantly that I've already lost three pounds, my appetite is so suppressed that I can't even force myself to eat three times a day. I've been having intense anger outburst which is not like me AT ALL. This is me after six days on 40mg. I love that it's clearing my face but I can not justify a medication that makes me want to kill myself. This has been a terrible!"
- Lem...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- June 5, 2018
For Acne "Taken for drug-resistant adult acne after all the topicals and some oral meds. I’m in my third month starting 80mg/day. First two were 40mg/day. Only side effects are chapped lips and back/knee pain. My skin is clear and I don’t need to wash my hair as frequently."
- Anonymous
- December 18, 2010
For Acne "I used the generic version Amnesteen and find the results are the same as Accutane. I've struggled with acne for about 5 years, 4 of those were in high school. I had super oily skin, pimples popping up everyday, and cystic acne. Alcohol wipes would not work and neither would any topical creams. My dermatologist recommended the treatment after telling her my problems. 5 months later and my acne is completely clear save a few bumps every now and then and a few lingering red spots. My face is no longer extremely oily and my back acne has cleared up very well. The only downside is that I still have scarring on my face and back. However, I highly recommend this medicine to all those who want their acne to be cleared up. P.S. users may get initial acne flares."
- TSl...
- April 6, 2015
For Acne "We are disappointed. My 14 year old son has taken 40 mg 1x/day for 18 days and his skin is worse than ever. He seems more moody than normal and his lips are super chapped (I feel like the chapped-lip police with my chapstick in hand). We really hoped for results of any kind with his cystic acne. We are going to try a higher dose after he gets the blood test in a week or so. He is discouraged. The cost of the higher dosage is almost prohibitive. Our insurance doesn't cover meds because we have a high deductible but we feel that clearing up his acne is important for his self esteem. It seems criminal to charge so much for meds."
- 40...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- April 14, 2016
For Acne "April 1st, 2016 I finally decided to declare war against acne & visit a dermatologist to formulate an attack plan. I've had periods within my life where my skin would clear up with over the counter treatments but as an Bi-racial/African American woman I found that All skin types did not refer to "my skin type". I found that my skin loved the Winter and Fall while the rest of me loved Spring and Summer. Within a short 2 weeks I've seen drastic changes in my skin from the luster to the minimum break outs that I would normally see this time of year. I have noticed moderate dry peeling patches that a little moisturizer hasn't eliminated & more wind burned type chapped lips but would definitely recommend Amnesteem to my fellow mature women!"
- Cam...
- September 19, 2010
For Acne "I am on my 18th day and have noticed DRAMATIC results. I have gotten many compliments. My skin is very dry though and I do have very chapped lips but the redness of my skin has gone away and I barely breakout anymore. My acne was pretty severe. I had tried everything (antibiotics, creams, gels, chemical peels, facials, etc.) I was very nervous about getting on this but I love it and recommend it to everyone."
- Anonymous
- January 3, 2011
"My friend was on it a few months before me and I saw her skin clear in about 3 weeks. I was looking forward to the same thing happening to my skin. Unfortunately, my acne got MUCH worse!!! For a little more than 2 months my skin showed no sign of improvement and I wanted to give up. My mom told me to hang in there for one more month, and I'm glad I did. After about 2 and a 1/2 months, my skin just began clearing. And once I started noticing a difference, all pimples were gone in a week. Dry lips were hardly there thanks to Aquaphor. DO NOT PICK at your face. No matter how many people told me not to, I did it anyway and have scars. Also, Cetaphil lotion is a blessing. Back pain started around month 3 but its a small price to pay."
- Anonymous
- May 30, 2011
For Acne "This drug definitely works. Covered in acne before starting the medicine, it only took 4 months and I am now acne free. But although it worked very well, many of the side affects are awful. Dry skin is bearable, but as an athlete, the joint pains made playing my sports very difficult. But worst of all was the depression. After about the first month, the depression hit and I rarely went a day without considering suicide for the next 3 months. It may work, but if you are going to use this medicine, be aware of some of the devastating side effects."
- Sho...
- April 10, 2016
For Acne "I am 49 years old & my skin NEVER broke out during puberty. When I was in my mid 30's, it hit me slowly and then real bad about 3 years ago. At first, antibiotics & Spirnolactone worked fine, then last year my body stopped responding to that treatment. That is when I started on Amnesteem. Aside from the initial pain in the neck of filing with the Federal Government to ensure I wouldn't get pregnant, I was excited to try it. The first month, my skin got really oily & broke out more, but my doctor said that happens. I am on my 5th month of treatment now, and my skin is almost clear. My only complaint is joint pain - I feel like I am 30 years older than I really am & I eat Tylenol like candy, yet I am told that will also subside."
- Anonymous
- July 29, 2010
For Acne "I'm at my 12 week mark. My doctor said I can be done now if I wish to be, but I'm going to go one more month just to be safe. My face, chest, and back are completely clear of acne. My side effects have been the normal: chapped lips (use aquaphor), dry eyes (eye drops), and just recently- joint pain. I've always had some joint and back pain but it's gotten much worse the last couple of months. It may not even be related to the medication. However, I am getting an MRI just to be safe. I love the medication this far. I've heard horrible stories about people having bad side effects for years and years after, but I wonder how much of that is really related to the medication. People naturally get joint pain, etc. as they age."
- par...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- April 23, 2016
For Acne "I am a 40 year old male who has been subject to moderate acne my entire life starting at age 13. It has never been debilitating but it has caused certain self esteem issues (rather it has exacerbated self esteem issues). In an effort to make this as concise as possible, 99% of all that is on the internet will all the "bad stuff" written about this drugs are NOT true. Although my experience is one case, my case is a solid and reliable example of the true effects of Amnesteem / Accutane. The biggest issue with this drug are the insurance companies and the constant monthly battles to get them to cover it. Remember folks, having insurance is not the same this as having access to proper care and insurance coverage. BEST DRUG EVER!"
- mar...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- May 31, 2017
For Acne "I used Claravis for my first course and everything went well. The side effects that I remember were extremely chapped/dry lips, dry skin, dry hair (which I didn't have to wash for a week), joint pain, headaches. I repeated the treatment because some acne was reappearing but nothing compared to the begining so I took a much lower dose. The second course was with Amnesteem (because it was the one available at Walgreens in that moment) and everything was going well until my liver enzymes were elevating each month and I had to stop the medicine. When I recovered, I went back to Claravis and liver enzymes got normalized. My doctor said that he experienced the same side effect with other patients."
- Acn...
- June 19, 2011
For Acne "I have been struggling with acne since I graduated high school. It got REALLY BAD. Around that time (high school) is when I first took isotretinoin. I took it for about 3 months and it worked wonders for me. However 8 years later the bad acne has reappeared. I take Amnesteem now. I'm in my second week and its making it worse. I don't remember this medicine doing this the first time. The only side effects I've experienced was dry lips, dry skin and dry eyes so far. I hope this gets better for me. If it does I will update this comment."
- the...
- January 28, 2010
For Acne "I am 15 and have been taking Amnesteem for about a week now because I have very bad acne on my cheeks and I must say it is very effective. Since I started this my skin dried up and my acne redness is definitely going away; however, it was kind of crazy the first 3 days cause my big red spots started getting white heads but they dried up very quickly and then flaked off in a day or two. I am 15 and the only bad thing about this is the chapped lips, dry skin,lower back aches, and I have arthritis in my left knee and it seems that it is making it hurt more but other than that this medicine is A MIRACLE!"
- Anonymous
- December 8, 2010
For Acne "I started using this medication...You cannot drink, need two methods of birth control, lips chap badly, skin gets dry and gets rashes, trouble going to restroom, severe mood swings, always feeling sleepy and tired, started feeling depressed and suicidal. That's the possible down side...I started taking it about two years ago. My treatment only lasted about 4-5 months, had to cut my treatment short because of depression. It worked wonders on my skin. My skin was really REALLY BAD BUT My dermatologist told me that if ever I were to get 3-4 pimples at the same time, to consult him asap. My skin had been absolutely clear for a year....a couple of months ago, I begin to notice bad acne reappearing."
- Bio...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- February 19, 2015
For Acne "I'm 18 and have severe acne all over my back- at least, I did. 4 days after starting Amnesteem my acne was almost all gone. 2 weeks into the treatment and I don't have a single pimple or blackhead. The side effects are taking their toll, however. Red burned face from getting sunlight for over 2 minutes. Dry flaky face. Dry bleeding lips. Good news is that my doctor said I am responding so well that instead of 5 months, I may only need 2-3 months."
- Anonymous
- December 3, 2009
For Acne "I have been using Amnesteem for 5 months now and I am about to turn 17. I have had many side effects but the results are so far good. Before I started taking Amnesteem I had a lot of acne mostly on my face and back, all of my face has cleared up but my back is not yet finished. Most of the side effects I had were, itchy skin, depression, chapped lips, feverish chills but nothing that I couldn't handle. My skin has been greatly affected by this medicine but in a good way. Lately I have been experiencing sore throat but is most likely not from the medicine. Even though I only have one more month of my Amnesteem left to go, I hope that it's the easiest one."
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For Acne "My 16-year-old son was beginning to seclude himself in several ways from his friends despite his popularity because of his acne. Within a month of using Amnesteem, his acne was drastically better, and his personality was back to normal. We experienced no side effects from this medication."