Accutane And Infertility (Page 9) (Top voted first)

I took accutane almost 14 years ago as a teenager. I am now a 32 year old woman who has just been diagnosed with infertility that they believe is linked to autoimmune issues. I truly believe that accutane is the cause of this; from the research that I have done it seems that accutane has been linked to other thyroid-related diseases, but that they have not yet been able to prove a link between accutane and infertility. There are, however, actually more people like me out there than I originally thought. Being diagnosed with ovarian dysfunction has been a horrific, horrific blow. And while there was plenty of information about accutane and birth defects, no one ever mentioned a possibility of future infertility. I was a teenager! This is a tragedy and I believe something should be done about it. If you too have been affected diagnosed with infertility and have taken accutane, please email me. There are plenty of suits against accutance. If there are enough of us, we can come together to do the medical research and get the help we now need.

REPLY

REPORT

I took accutane in 1999 for 7-8 months I was 23. In 2006 I suffered 3 miscarriages in the Span of a year and recently suffered another last may. peoole have asked me before about this possible correlation and recently my mother asked me if it was the possible cause of my miscarriages. I am not sure but I am pretty sure it's affected my body in some way shape or form permanently. Hopefully more research is done on this topic.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I too took accutane as a teen. I struggle with infertility of an unknown cause. I have pondered my treatment with accurate i. Relation to this.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I also took Accutane as a teen. I am now 25. I have not been diagnosed yet but I do believe I am infertile. I didn't think this could cause that but apparently I'm wrong ?? ugh

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Hi, I took accutane as a teen, never in combination with birth control, and once I began taking the accutane my periods became very irregular; I would get between 4-6 periods a year until I was 21 and got on the pill. The pill did regulate my periods but now that I'm off birth control (and trying unsuccessfully to conceive) I am having 8-9 periods a year. I am 27 now and so unfortunately I have to wait a full year of trying before my gyno will refer me to a fertility specialist. This has been such an awful process, I said for years that there was something wrong and no one believed me, not my parents, doctors, boyfriends and now I worry that it may be too late. I've had two irregular Pap smears in the last 12 months and have been doing everything I can to get pregnant, I feel like a failure and I'm so regretful that I took accutane. Besides these reproductive issues, I now have all kinds of digestive issues as well (IBS, hernia, hemorrhoids). And those I could deal with, the infertility is too much sometimes. I dread looking at that single pink line and I have gotten to where I hate my periods. Please keep posting on this issue.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I have a family member who took accutane in her late teens / early twenties who has had several I think 4 miscarriages over the last 5 years and is now only 32. She was told her eggs are old. I firmly believe that a drug that was originally intended as chemotherapy and is known to cause miscarriages while taking the drug could also cause long term effects! Unfortunately it has not been studied for long term effects so nobody has proven this to be the case. Infertility doctors should include this question on every case because we need proof of a correlation. The brand name drug has been discontinued but the generic is still out there and without studies on the long term effects on fertility people cannot make an informed decision. I don't believe anyone would sacrifice infertility for acne if they were informed of it. A long term study of patients who took accutane and infertility is needed but no one will do it because of the liability and legal suits! If you are thinking about accutane, don't take it!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Ive been saying this for years and your post sounded exactly like my own thoughts. Im going through all sorts of procedures just now to find out whats causing the infertility but ive been adamant its been accutane all along. I done the accutane treatment twice! Now im on the contant struggle of saving up for ivf which may not even work while worrying everyday anout how old i am getting. I hope if they find a link they will stop giving this to anymore kids. Or at least provide fertility treatment on nhs for those who have been ruined for life

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

My son took Accutane he was asked if he had a vasectomy. I am devastated no grandchildren, he is our only child.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Re: Charly (# 610)

I've been doing tons and tons of research on infertility, not just as it relates to Accutane but in general, as I'm quite desperate to find something that may help. I contacted a doctor who was part of an Accutane study back in 2000 and is a current professor of medicine. He informed me that his data concluded that, in the short term only (as that was the only data they were able to collect) fertility rates increased in women after stopping use. As I said, that is only in the short term, I guess we may never know the long-term effects. On top of this, I found that the outcomes for male fertility are much more dire in relation to Accutane and there is a proven link between Accutane and male infertility. My research has also concluded that heavy soy intake drastically effects fertility in all mammals, not just humans, so I've decided to cut all soy out of my diet (yes, it is hard because soy-based oils and proteins are in just about every processed food and more so if you happen to be vegetarian or vegan as I am). I'm keeping all you struggling women out there in my thoughts and I will continue to post any new information I am able to find out.
So far, my doctor has persistently denied any link between Accutane and infertility, which I find suspect as the link between male infertility and Accutane is already out there. Google Scholar is a useful tool for anyone seeking more information on the male infertility link.
Best of luck to you all!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Re: Megan (# 613)

Yes I agree. I took accutane as a early male teen. And I'm just now finding out I'm infertile. I know it was the accutane. But I've reached out to law firms and know one wants to help or even gets back to me. Please keep me in the loop for any updates with suits. Good luck to you and I'm sorry for your situation as well.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Re: zaheera (# 622)

I too was prescribed Roaccutane twice, at age 17 and 24. I was diagnosed with unexplained diminished reserve when I was 34. I’m now 35 and paying privately for IVF as the NHS have refused to treat me as my reserve is too low and doesn’t meet their criteria.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Re: Mike (# 14)

Hi Mike, I'm so sorry to hear that your sperm count is zero. My son was on accutane as well during his teenage years. He now has a lovely girl that he would like to marry and have a family with. I don't know if I should tell him to have a sperm count before trying for a family to save a lot of angst or just let them get on with it and see what happens. I would like to hear from any male accutane users that have been able to make babies please.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I was on accutane when I was 16 years old. I had blistered lips the whole time I was taking it. I was on it for 6 months. I have been trying to have a baby for 4 years now. I have been working with an obgyn for 9 months. I took serophene, metformin and provera. Nothing seems to help. My progesterone levels will not rise over 0.2. even with the meds listed up above which are designed to help boost my levels. The doctor says I am perfectly healthy and he says tests show no problems. He wants to send me to a special that I could never afford because he says invitro is the next step. I have a feeling it has to do with the accutane I took 6 years ago. My menstrual cycle has never been right since. i went 9 months without a period.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 5

To clarify, my comment is NOT to disregard the emotional trials of infertility and does not address anyone specific who commented here. It is just something I have noticed in general: women seem to have forgotten that in terms of biology, it is easier to get pregnant as a teenager than it is to get pregnant in your 30s. Of course women DO get pregnant in their 30s and 40s without help, but statistically speaking, once you hit 35, your chances of having a healthy baby though a pregnancy starts rapidly declining each month and year.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 4

I believe it does cause infertility. Think about it, It orginally is a Chemo drug from brain cancer. Still used in conjuction w/ other chemo drugs for rare and aggresive cancers.
I've read many articles lately on how young cancer pts have been perserving thier eggs and sperm as chemo can cause infertility.
I'd go into my story, but I have other issues outside of infertility due to Accupoision.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Dear T,

If you go to the top of this page you will see a link Accutane forums. Someone there has posted her remarks on infertility. She may be able to answer some of your questions.

Best Wishes,

Scott

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I took Accutane in 2004. In 2007 I had a healthy pregnancy. We tried again in 2009 and conceived easily just as before, but at the 20 week ultrasound our daughter was diagnosed with a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH). She was born in June 2010 and lived only 16 days. She had no syndrome associated with it and there is no family history of CDH. There is no known cause, but I recently read that in some cases it may be caused by damage to a gene. Even though her genetic tests came up normal, there may still be a chance that one of them was damaged. I can't help but wonder if this damage to my egg could have happened because of Accutane. Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have, we don't make new ones, so this drug could have affected the ones I have.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Also forgot to mention, as some others have noted I also have Thyroid problems, which apparently looks as though taking Accutane could acerbate that condition.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I can't tell you how both incredible and depressing it was to find this thread. Could there finally be an explanation for my fertility problems? I took accutane for almost a year when I was 22. I am now 34 and have been trying to conceive for 6 years. My husband and I were diagnosed with both male and female factor infertility 3 years ago and we have been through 3 failed IVF attempts to date. My husband's issues are one thing - low count, motility, bad morph - so we have always done ICSI. On my side though I have poor egg quality, and when trying naturally, anovulation - meaning I still have a period monthly even though I only release an egg about 60% of the time. The doc can find no reason why this is the case though. Our IVF cycles have all gone "by the book" but have always been disappointing in results - only 5 eggs collected in the first cycle despite aggressive stim, poor egg quality, and poor embryo quality. 21 eggs the second cycle, but only 6 embryos by the time we got to a 3 day transfer. Poor egg quality, and poor embryo quality. Needless to say, no successful implantations.

When I was 22 the last thing on my mind was having a baby - I will be honest, I probably did not read the full long term side effects list. I just knew I couldn't get pregnant while taking the meds, which was easy enough. Fast forward 12 years and now I have this knot in my stomach that maybe something I did is the reason that we cannot get pregnant??? My derm never said ANYTHING about long term fertility issues - I always knew I would want kids one day, so that would have stuck out in my mind. And I doubt my mom would have allowed me to take it.

I know I read that not a lot of research has been done to date, but I would sure love to know if it ever is done and a definitive link is found. What a terrible thing for all of us to now be going through just because we took meds for severe acne! I would be happy to join any class action suit that comes up - not because of money, but just to make sure that warnings have to be given or the drug altered to make sure that this does not happen to more unsuspecting people.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

after so many years of infertility, you are all confirming what i thought! i took the drug when i was 16 ( now 37 ) after one MC and years of not being able to conceive, ive falled pregnant threw IVF/FET on my 4th go! I know in my heart this drug has caused all this, i just wish someone would prove it!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Since my last post in January, no succes with the ivf. I am now doing the 3rd cycle. Egg collection on Monday. It looks like there will only be 6 mature eggs. I asked my doctor if he knew of any link between infertility and Accutane, and he said he hadn't heard of any. The strong corrolation between people taking Accutane and infertility is due to the fact that women will polysystic ovaries, for example, tend to have severe acne. So the pre-existing fertility issue (which we haven't usually investigated BEFORE taking Accutane because we were mostly teenagers) is related to the acne, so Accutane is prescribed. Who knows, that is his opinion. All I know is that from now on, I will stick to medications that have been around for a LONG long time. In the past 2 IVF's, I had taken the progesterone cream CRIONONE. After hearing all this about Accutane, i researched it to find out it has only been on the market for 3 years! So this cycle, I'm going back to the injections, even if it will be more painful. No new meds for me. Just in case they realsie in 20 years that Crinone causes some kind of cancer or disease... After this cycle, if we are not successful, I am going to try with a donor egg. If my eggs are the problem, I'm going to try and bypass that problem. Success rate is supposed to be 50%.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I took accutane as an early teenager and sense then my period cramps got progressively worse I am 20 years old now and I...

1 REPLY

i had an ectopic pragnancy,left tubal, salphingectomy, 4 years ago, since than m having pcos, late period only after tak...

1 REPLY

I have heard that after a lady takes a regestrone tablet once she will not be able to get pregnant for 6 months. Is this...

3 REPLIES

i have just started these tablets 5-6 days ago as i diagnosed with swelling in uterus. Just need to know about the uses ...

1 REPLY

I took roaccutane in 1996 and again in 1997. Each time was for around 6 months. I had a 6 minute tonic clonic seizure in...

31 REPLIES

I am wondering if there are any women who have completed their suggested doses of Accutane and had children later. Have ...

10 REPLIES

I took accutane in 2004 at 63 years of age. I immediatetly started having problems with triglycerides, eyes, diziness, b...

2 REPLIES

Has anybody found any resolve for fatigue induced by accutane? It's been years since I've been off, and I'm ...

2 REPLIES

Son now 35 yrs. took accutane as a teenager. When he was in his late 20's he developed gout. His purine levels were ...

2 REPLIES

I was on Accutane for 27 days. I had to stop because of muscle weakness and erectile dysfunction. It has been a month no...

1 REPLY