Accutane Long Term Side Effects (Page 18)
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I have a son that took accutane 60 mg a day for six months in a row three years ago. Now after many trips to doctors over strange medical problems, it seems accuatne is the culprit medication that has caused servere joint and muscle pain, severe dry lips, redness in face, eye infections of own immune system attacking itself, systems of osteoarthritis in both shoulders, both wrist and right hand, blood in stool, possible hair loss, abnormal liver function test results in AST and ALT. My son went from being a high school football and track athlete while taking this medication three years ago to someone that is in constant pain just washing a car. After I have researched this drug extensively, I can't believe that the FDA allows this drug originally made for cancer patients to be marketed for teenagers with acne. All one has to do is look online what vitamin A overdose does to someone and then you have the results of what this medication has done to my son. This drug needs to be taken off them market ASAP and the drug companies that make it need to compensate all teenagers that they have possible ruined their future. Shame on them! What is going on here?

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REPORT

God forbid anyone read the pubmed articles concerning Accutane/isotertinoin that were originally published OUTSIDE of dermatology journals. No rational person would take this drug if they could make sense of half of the basic scientific research. ...There is enough literature with negative implications to fill an entire page of this thread with links if they were allowed here.

Dr. Steve, I truly hope you do the right thing and file a MedWatch report when a patient complains of symptoms developed while taking Accutane, rather than convincing them it absolutely must be something else causing them.

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Yes BUT doctor Steve I am sure you are aware as I am,having worked with researchers and scientists who have done drug studies(not on roaccutane but others) that a lot of the 'evidence' reported is falsified! Drug companies and other 'professionals' push scientists or sometimes may not even have to push them..to report the results they want to see-that their drug is totally safe effective and amazing,I met a couple of researchers who left their jobs because of this,the company will only keep your contract running if you give them the results they want so what you are saying doesn't hold up for us who have suffered for years at the mercy of this drug-yes it works-very well but it ruins your body and mind in the process..

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There is 30 years of study of this drug. Why don't you go on pubmed and read some real research studies. these are much more valuable than peoples individual stories on the Internet the internet. Let's face it this drug has such a bad reputation people are going to blame all their subsequent health problems on them.. This type of anecdotal information is of poor quality compared to the dozens and dozens studies on this drug. If it was dangerous it would be pulled from the market. It is approved for used all over the world we have plenty of data supporting it's safety.

Accutane patients are my most satisfied patients. I have to say that's dermatologist many of them prescribe this drug in doses that are too high because they haven't done the same research that I have and this is responsible for some the side effects people are experiencing. in general and dermatology people regard this drug excellent drug a wonderful drug and they do this because they read the studies and have had good experiences with her patients . You may want to consider that the nothing experts might actually be right right. Seriously go to PubMed and read some real studies you'll be surprised on how safe and effective this medication is

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I don't like to be the bearer of bad tidings or gloom and doom but, I must tell everyone reading this that the long term side effects from Accutane poisoning don't go away. They just get worse with time. I can testify to that after taking this drug/ poison over 30 years ago as a young man of 24 at the time. I took this poison for a total time of 3 months. I started a second round of treatment which lasted for about 2 weeks at which time I decided that the short term side effects(severe nose bleeds) were just not worth it. Thank God I didn't continue the treatment! I would probably be dead by now if I had. I only wish that I had NEVER heard of this poison! My life has been a struggle for the past 30 years post Accutane treatment with all kinds of health issues. My health problems started during and continued after stopping the drug. I've had bone and joint problems, pain and degenerative disc disease, which have progressively gotten worse over the years. I battled depression after the treatment accompanied by weight loss. I've had GI problems including ulcers, IBS, acid reflux, hiatial hernia. I developed food sensitivities to things I ate in the past with no problems. Accutane has affected my ability to concentrate/ focus on things in my thought process. Writing this stuff now is taking me forever to gather my thoughts. It's a struggle. Sometimes I feel more alert at thinking but most of the time it's hard for me. It's like I'm in a fog. I never feel really rested and energized after sleeping like I should/ used to. I miss that so much. It seems that the last couple of years the Accutane side effects have gotten alot worse. On a typical day for me after I get out of bed, I shower and get ready for work. I have to look at myself in the mirror to shave of course. I see my red face in the mirror and the way my eyes are sinking back in my head. That's the "hollow" look that I've heard that Accutane users develop. It's true. I know personally. So my face is red and all around my eyes is kinda white like a raccoon. I look at myself and am self conscious of my appearance. I go to work and people ask me if I have been in the sun. No. They tell me I look tired and do I feel alright? I get alot of doubletakes (second looks) from people. I know what they are thinking. I wish I had my acne back now. It wasn't nearly as bad as this! I have developed gluten intolerance in the last year. Now I have more limitations on my already complicated life. I'm 54 years old and have never been married. And why? because the last 30 years of my life have been dealing with the results of a terrible decision on my part to take Accutane. Basically, I have lost the last 30 years of my life. I lost my youth and health to some drug company's greed to make money off people that are dealing with the issue of teenage acne. Young people that are at a vulnerable time in their lives making decisions that will affect their future. I hope anyone that is thinking about using this poison changes their mind after reading this. You need to just suck it up and tough it out. Acne usually goes away with age. I know there may be a few exceptions to this but, not many. Don't take this drug!!

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The information is just now become available. I took Accutane in it's experimental stage; and now regret it. I have severe problems with pain, gastrointestinal and fatigue so bad, it is hard to do things. There was no information available at the time I took it. Don't judge people for wanting to try and help their kids by believing in a doctors advice. There were many suspicions about this drug 20 years after it came out, but nothing was out there because the legal suits and drug companies wouldn't allow it. I would not and have not given my child, who also suffers from acne, this medication now that I know what it does.

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Mandy, my 24 yr old daughter has been on accutane for 5 months and her doctor wanted her to continue for one more month. She suddenly last week developed severe joint and back pain. When she called his office and spoke to his nurse about her symptoms, he got on the phone and told to stop the Accurane immediately. I only pray that her side effects aren't permanent.

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Iv'e been taking Accutane/Roaccutane for 6 weeks (after trying everything else the medical profession has thrown at me over the years) and the middle finger on my right hand has swelled to double its normal size. I stopped taking it 3 days ago and its already beginning to become less painful and return to normal size, my lips are getting less dry, skin less red and muscles less sore (plus unfortunately first spots I've had in the 6 weeks, I can't deny it's not good sorting that). I think i'll have to either live with acne or maybe look into UV treatment or something. As I only get it on my back, I think the side effects are worse than the condition. The dermatologist really didn't clue me in on all of the side effects beforehand either......

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Have her thyroid, b12,sugar, Vit D levels checked!

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Sorry, but you shoudn't give such a bad advice. It is not worth of trying. As some other people have explained, once is enough to destroy your life. I have chronical lower back pain and joint pain and I only took this damned drug once. It was enough to destroy my health, perhaps forever.

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My son Died died at 27 from liver failure, 2 years ago. He was taking Tylenol and drinking vodka but not enough to kill. Once you have alcohol in your system they treat you like an alcoholic and you have to wait 6 months before getting On The transplant list...he took accutane when he wa 16... I feel like it destroyed his liver along w/the acetamenaphine!

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Hi Im Vietnamese. I tool this medicine for abt 4 months. Then my lips are so dried andhad problem then I stopped using it. After 1 week, my face is growing more and more small pimples destroying my face. Before taking Isotretionin, my face just grew some pimples near my pms. Now pimples still grow and Im very stressed down.

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I was treated w/Isotretinoin 5 different times. 60 mg/day for 6 months each round. I had to keep switching dermatology Drs. b/c none of them felt comfotable prescribing it to me more than once. BUT IT WORKED so I did whatever it took to have clear skin and stop my face from scarring even more.

During treatment, the only bad side effects I had were dry skin and chapped lips. Depression too, but that may have been due to other factors. Now, years later I am experiencing extreme lower back pain way too debilitating for my age (25). And, my acne is back. It always came back, but this time I can't just go fix it again with Accutane. I'm afraid the side effects have finally caught up with me and I'm terrified.

If I can give any advice, try it once. It really is a miracle drug, but don't be stupid like me. If your ance comes back, don't put the rest of your body at risk again. It's not worth it.

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I am 23 years old. My dermatologist introduced acutane to me to clear up my stubborn acne that always seemed to come back since the age of 16. Although some people do very well on acutane, let me just say I did not. I lasted a month on accutane until I ended up in the hospital with acute pancreatitis, as well as an inflamed colon. My gastro doctor immediately knew it was the acutane once I told him I was on it. I was in the hospital for a week in the worst pain I have ever felt. I now suffer from digestion problems & there are many things I can no longer eat. Acutane is not worth the consequences you may encounter!

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Scott, please stop it before it's too late. This is the best advice you will get.

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Bethany,
Please stop the drug now. If these side effects are coming from Accutane, they will just get worse. If you stop now, you may be able to cleanse yourself of this drug and be OK. Just my opinion.
Scott

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Im 15 and i have been on this drug for a month. I have the short side effects eg chapped lips , very dry skin and i get rashes if i put any sort of cream.i also have been experiencing extreme fatigue and back pain and find it a struggle to study. Since Ive been taking Accutane my bladder has been out of control I used to be able to get a full nights rest without getting up to go to the bathroom but now i go up to 2 times a night. I also becoming more depressive and i don't ever want to leave home to go anywhere. Should i stop this drug ASAP or in like 2 months ??

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Yes I i was on it when i was 12 till 14 and i do I have ibs and colitis from iysometimes blood in my stool and extram stomach pains depression extream headaches and back problems :-( and I am now 23

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The disease of the bladder I have isn't one of the 3 gastrointestinal diseases listed in the class I was aware of in 2009-10. How can we start taking legal action?

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I'm a 38 year old male. I take morphine sulfate for my bladder that's "cracked and bloody" according to the urologist who diagnosed me with Interstitial cystitis. Based on my symptoms and history another uro called the diagnosis chronic cystitis of the bladder(inflammation) with out taking a look inside. I took accutane in highschool 1993-94. My bladder symptoms started after I took the prescription. I was also diagnosed with IBS in 1997, but manage it with diet. I tried to work but am in debilitating pain of the bladder most of the time, but especially when I'm trying to sleep, and when I wake in pain and exhaustion from the REM sleep disorder the pain cause every day. I was approved my social security for disability in 2004. The foods I can now eat are a small percentage of foods most people can eat because of the low acid diet my doc out me on in 2011. The diet helps to keep the most intense flare ups but the pain is always a problem. By the way, this stuff is still prescribed under generics. Sue, sure. A class for bladders would be pretty sweet. Thoughts about litigation?

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Indeed.

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