Accutane Long Term Side Effects (Page 37)
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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 After I have researched this drug extensively, I can't believe that the FDA allows this drug originally made for cancer patients to be marketed for teenagers with acne.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

i was on roaccutane for 6 months at 60mg about 7 years ago.. i recently had a discectomy, i have chronic nerve and joint pain and suffer from stomach problems.. ibs type pain.. i only discovered this site today.. i would have recommended roaccutance to anybody as it cleared up my stage 9 cystic acne......... could this 'wonder drug' be the reason for my pain???????

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@jim. Sorry it's to late for me.. I already took accutane 9 years ago.. When I have kids though I ll make sure to get them drinking wine extra early to prevent acne.. Lol

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Vladd - So, I went back and read your posts. If you want to debate the DNA and Nathan's theroy why don't you go debate that with him and stop clogging up this thread.
I am not sure if you suffer from side effects or not, If you looking for help then fine we are here to help, but if you are here to just bash people then please leave.

This is a board for suffers to find help which I have dedicated myself too (not just this board) since being damaged 5 yrs ago

Also, I am a college grad, and married to physican Thank You!

So you don't agree with Nathan theroy (who is not a kid) fine great we all get it! There are studies out there and info from researchers and physicans even the orginal inventor of accutane has stated certian things.

Wishing you much luck and hopefully better mood and days :)

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To Johntorontocanada: I didn't suggest using grape products after your body is damaged from Acutane. I should have been more clear, sorry! I meant to say, use grape products in abundance before ever thinking of going on Acutane.
I probably have some very purified blood from living on grape products many years. Got rid of my acne and i still enjoy my wine today, every day. I didn't want to bring religion into the discussion, but have you noticed in every Biblical movie, Jesus and the apostles and all the Romans always drank wine? At the wedding in Cana, Jesus took Mary to the wedding. She rode a donkey across the desert to get there and her throat was parched. The guests drank all the wine before they arrived and boy was she thirsty. So, Jesus got to work and had servants fill 12 HUGE urns with water and made enough wine to make a Mexican wedding look dry. The guests asked why the host left the best wine for last. Evidently they either all had acne or were trying to prevent it. Need I say more???? Works for me, try it before you try Acutane. That's your Bible lesson for today. DON'T BUY ACUTANE!!!!!!!

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I'm not supporting accutane.

I am only talking about the DNA theory.

Not sure why you think I am pro-accutane, its funny how you are trying to convince me of something that I agree with, John you are a genius congrats :). I think only Oli Girl even knows what I am talking about thats why she was the only one that had a useless but proper response.

cat... your replies are the most intelligent good job.

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John,
Every disease is caused by pharmaceuticals and toxins. Hospitals would literally close up without toxins in the food and water. Pharmaceuticals are designed to weeken the immune system. Not quackery, but I don't really care if people think I'm a quack. You know Hulda Clark, Robert Beck, and Raymond Rife were all called quacks. It doesn't mean it's true. Ulcerative Colitis aka the disease of accutane is typically caused by bacteria with proliferation of yeast. Doctors use prednisone and sulfur drugs. They will not use drugs that specifically attack the yeast. They will not recommend a probiotic. They will claim diet is worthless. As long as you take sulphur drugs and not attack the yeast you will remain sick. Tell me why they won't advocate special diets or promote probiotics. Until you suffer like I've suffered you will always give them a pass for keeping people sick. I starved for four years thanks to improper treatment and had massive inflamation. I went to 5 big pharma doctors and all they wanted to do was put me on prednisone and lialda. One wanted to put me on 60 milligrams of prednisone. 60 milligrams would have given me a hard attack and given me tumors. To think that this isn't genocide by mandating immunizations is crazy. Look at the immunization they wanted to use in Texas. It's all about money. Did you know that now "poor" mexicans are coming down with UC? It's because they are getting acne treatment. The truth about pharmaceuticals is hidden. The lab tests done on the poor in India are falsified. Everything sounds like a quack until you understand how deep it goes. Evil does exist.

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@vladd If you do your research!! Not just on forms!! You will see actual doctors and labs that have facts and some hypothesis on what Accutane does to our cells.. It is a fact that it makes a change in our cells so that the sebrum glands shrink.. It also makes changes in other cells that they are not fully aware of but do cause some of the many other side effects people complain about.. Accutane has a long history of controversy over birth defects, depression and suicide, and other serious medical problems. Isotretinoin Side Effects and Warnings Updated May 28, 2010 Generic name: ISOTRETINOIN Brand names: ACCUTANE, AMNESTEEM, CLARAVIS, DECUTAN, ISOTANE, SOTRET, ORATANE, ROACCUTANE Isotretinoin is Used for A two-year U.S. congressional investigation found that many dermatologists have effectively widened the scope of isotretinoin use to include even mild acne despite the fact that the drug is approved for only the most severe, scar-forming and disfiguring nodular acne, which is untreatable by other means. The government found that 90 percent of women and nearly half the teens who received isotretinoin suffered only mild cases of acne. Therein lies the controversy surrounding this high-risk drug. The Power of Isotretinoin: Benefits and Risks Isotretinoin is a very powerful drug that certainly works miracles to clear up acne in a matter of months. One course, which is typically five months, results in prolonged remission of acne in up to 85 percent of patients. "But as powerful as Accutane (isotretinoin) can be in improving patients' lives, the adverse effects can be just as powerful," states FDA Consumer magazine. "The drug is known to cause miscarriage and severe birth defects. Patients taking Accutane (isotretinoin) may develop potentially serious problems affecting a number of organs, including the liver, intestines, eyes, ears, and skeletal system. And some patients taking Accutane (isotretinoin) have developed serious psychiatric problems." Many former isotretinoin users say their hair, eyebrows, or eyelashes have fallen out months, or even years, after stopping the drug. Some claim their hair loss is permanent. Why does isotretinoin hair-loss happen? Isotretinoin impacts the oil-gland function of the skin (including the scalp) and causes changes in cells that provide structure to hair and skin, all of which leads to hair and skin dryness and fragility, which can cause hair-thinning, hair-loss, and even baldness. Current and former Accutane users attribute aches and joint pains to the acne drug. A 37-year-old nurse with cystic acne claims Accutane caused her to develop permanent, severe low-back pain, severe joint pain and thinning hair. She writes: "Now, almost 7 years later, I suffer from severe back and generalized joint pain to the point I can no longer work full-time. Before Accutane, I was a healthy, active young woman. It definitely ages you prematurely. If you haven't had these awful symptoms, count yourself blessed." Experts agree that alternatives without serious side effects should be tried first. How Isotretinoin Works Isotretinoin inhibits the body's cell growth and reproduction, and oil-gland function. Isotretinoin also depletes the body's water-holding molecules, which bind, lubricate and protect tissue in the skin, scalp, eyes and joints. Common Reactions to Isotretinoin Pain and swelling of the lips Severe itching Alopecia (hair-thinning/hair-loss/baldness) Fragile and weaker skin Vision problems Decreased night vision (onset may be sudden) Conjunctivitis (pink eye) Contact lens intolerance Dry mucous membranes (dry nose, lungs, bladder, anus) Peeling skin on palms/soles Nail changes Nosebleeds Photosensitivity (sensitivity to light) Elevated triglycerides in the blood Elevated liver enzymes (indicating liver damage) Tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in ears) Joint pain and muscle pain Back pain Depression Serious Reactions to Isotretinoin Depression Erectile dysfunction (difficulty in maintaining erection) Violent behavior/aggression Psychosis (seeing or hearing things that are not real) Suicidal ideation (rare) Suicide attempts Hearing impairment Pseudotumor cerebri (swelling pressure in the brain) Osteopenia/osteoporosis (loss in bone mass and strength/weak and fragile bones) Hepatotoxicity (liver damage) Anaphylaxis (rapid and deadly allergic reaction) Allergic vasculitis (inflammation and damage to blood vessels) Major birth defects Cataracts/corneal opacities (can cause a decrease in vision and lead to eventual blindness) Premature epiphyseal closure (short stature) Neutropenia (low white blood cell count, which makes the body vulnerable to bacterial and fungal infections) Agranulocytosis (a serious condition in which white blood cells decrease in number or disappear altogether) (rare) Rhabdomyolysis (potentially fatal disease that destroys skeletal muscle) (rare) Inflammatory bowel disease (inflammation of the intestine and resulting in abdominal cramping and persistent diarrhea) Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas, an organ important in digestion) Vascular thrombosis (heart attack) Stroke Seizures Isotretinoin (Accutane) is the first drug in the history of medicine for which a woman has to sign a consent to read the warnings. FDA "Black Box" Warning The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires the following "black box" warning on isotretinoin, including Accutane, Amnesteem, Claravis, and Sotret, which means that medical studies indicate these drugs carry a significant risk of serious, or even life-threatening, adverse effects. CONTRAINDICATIONS AND WARNINGS Accutane must not be used by female patients who are or may become pregnant. There is an extremely high risk that severe birth defects will result if pregnancy occurs while taking Accutane in any amount, even for short periods of time. Potentially any fetus exposed during pregnancy can be affected. There are no accurate means of determining whether an exposed fetus has been affected. Birth defects which have been documented following Accutane exposure include abnormalities of the face, eyes, ears, skull, central nervous system, cardiovascular system, and thymus and parathyroid glands. Cases of IQ scores less than 85 with or without other abnormalities have been reported. There is an increased risk of spontaneous abortion, and premature births have been reported. Documented external abnormalities include: skull abnormality; ear abnormalities (including anotia, micropinna, small or absent external auditory canals); eye abnormalities (including microphthalmia); facial dysmorphia; cleft palate. Documented internal abnormalities include: CNS abnormalities (including cerebral abnormalities, cerebellar malformation, hydrocephalus, microcephaly, cranial nerve deficit); cardiovascular abnormalities; thymus gland abnormality; parathyroid hormone deficiency. In some cases death has occurred with certain of the abnormalities previously noted. If pregnancy does occur during treatment of a female patient who is taking Accutane, Accutane must be discontinued immediately and she should be referred to an Obstetrician-Gynecologist experienced in reproductive toxicity for further evaluation and counseling. Special Prescribing Requirements Because of Accutane's teratogenicity and to minimize fetal exposure, Accutane is approved for marketing only under a special restricted distribution program approved by the Food and Drug Administration. This program is called iPLEDGE. Accutane must only be prescribed by prescribers who are registered and activated with the iPLEDGE program. Accutane must only be dispensed by a pharmacy registered and activated with iPLEDGE, and must only be dispensed to patients who are registered and meet all the requirements of iPLEDGE. ABOVE: Roche Lab. Inc., Accutane Packge Insert, rev. 10/07. Dosage Forms of Isotretinoin EACH CAPSULE (Active Ingredient: Isotretinoin) Accutane 10 mg 20 mg 40 mg contains soybean oil and parabens* Amnesteem 10 mg 20 mg 40 mg contains soybean oil Claravis 10 mg 20 mg 40 mg contains soybean oil Sotret 10 mg 20 mg 40 mg contains soybean oil and parabens* *Accutane and Sotret contain parabens, which are chemical preservatives known to display estrogenic activity and mimic the body's hormones. These chemical-disruptors may interfere with the body´s endocrine system: the adrenal glands, the pituitary gland, the hypothalamus (in the brain), the thyroid, the ovaries and testes, the pancreas (which secretes insulin and regulates the level of glucose in the blood), the stomach, the kidneys, the skin and virtually every body system. A blinded, randomized study was conducted to determine whether vitamin E would reduce the toxicity and side effects of isotretinoin and the results showed that vitamin E does not.

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Jrad I know you must be upset.. But you must let other people have there opinion.. Not all doctors are out to hurt people.. Your starting to sound like that quack job doctor Noah the wanna be doctor... I am not a supporter of accutane what so ever.. But I don't support jibberish either

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@ Jim and the rest of ya...Ok I wasn't going to say anything but I am now.. I took accutang and still suffer from many of the side effects to this day.. Mostly extreM dryness!! Because accutane reduces the sebrum production, which makes some people stop breaking out.. Sebrum and dead skin cells is what clogs pores and forms bacteria and causes acne.. The problem is that we need are to produce sebrum to keep our skin, hair,eyes and so on healthy..

But but, this giberish about grapes curing acne @jim ... Please people natural things might be able to help with the after side affects from accutane.. But don't even come close for people that have cystic acne.. Like that doctor Noah's a con artist lol .. I know accutane is a dangerous drug and if you can use natural things great.. But don't expect amazing miracles with grapes

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Vlad keep consuming the fluoride in your water, the aluminum in your pans, and msg(all food addtives) in your food. The government and the pharmaceutical companies have brainwashed and poisoned you at a level that is incurable. Do not pass go and head directly to the nearest person in a white coat. They will prescribe you some drugs to make you dumber and more obedient to the agenda of profit for poison.

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Forget it fellow peops, vlad obviously doesn't have a life. This person is obviously deeply effected by accutane and so can't realize it yet.

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getting it published doesn't mean anything, i just use logic nobody cares about your opinions oli girl... you sound like one of those losers who hunt bigfoot and look for UFOs. That Nathan guy made a genuine attempt by actually studying accutane for years and years and we still have no clue if its true. But you and everyone else here? What is your medical training oli girl? Cashier? failed highschool biology? You read wikipedia and then think you have it all figured out.

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I was definitely in your sons shoes... I had severe acne on my face, back, and chest. It was embarassing and no amount of makeup could cover it up. Honestly, I don't recommend accutane to ANYONE! If you want to know more about what it has done to me, I posted about 2 weeks ago.
My sister took accutane and is doing just fine, but I have had severe side effects. To me, it just wasn't worth it. Even when my sister and I were both on accutane, your body gets SO dry. My hands were so dry they bled (as well as my lips) and my eyes were always bloodshot from being so dry, even after I used eyedrops to help.

I urge you not to put your son on it -- I wish my parents and I would have made the choice not to put me on it.
I hope this helps you!

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I have eye problems for almost 5 years now. I never took Acutane, but I showed my eye specialist a vitamin for the eyes which contains large doses of vitamin A. My doctor told me not to take it every day and to take half the dose every other day because large doses of vitamin A can damage the retinas. Since Acutane has high doses of Vitamin A, this explains your son's eye problems. For a natural fix for acne, anything made from the grape will cure acne. It purifies the blood, whether it's eating grapes, raisins, grape juice or wine. Stay away from sugar.

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Wow you sound like the dermdoc over in the infertility thread! I don't understand why people like you come in suffer fourms!
By the way Nathan had his theroy and work published in a pharma book ;)

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I dont agree with everything Bro said but he is making one very important pioint. Do everything and anything you can to convince your son that Accutane is not worth the risks.
My son has a bachelors in physics and another in Electrical engineering. He was going to ASU working on his PHD in E.E. The 1st year his professor said he was doing the work of a second year grad student.
He took Accutane for 6 months and had a psycotic episode.For the last two and a half years he has stayed in his room 20 hours a day.
My son used to be a delightful young man with solid goals . Today, Well, We are dealing with what we call the new normal for him.
Can I blame Accutane on all of this? Well, Hell yes I can.
Who Knows, maybe my sons mental illness was waiting to rear its ugly head anyway. But there was no signs of any problems.
The time line points directly to Accutane. I know Accutane at the very least triggered his 1st episode.
He is now diagnosed Schitzoaffective dissorder .
He doesnt have an acne problem anymore. I wish he did.

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I already said I know its a chemotherapy drug and I agree with what you say about chemotherapy. Did I even say anything about chemotherapy? Or do you just like talking about your googling skills on chemotherapy?

I just have a problem on how you medical geniuses (delivery drivers and accountants) claim to know what accutane does to your DNA and you telomeres. I didn't say anything about chemotherapy(theres no doubt there) i'm not sure why you are trying to convince me about chemotherapy its pretty funny thou

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vlad, I didn't say it was common d a. I said it's far from uncommon. Uncommon is rarely seen. Common is seen frequently. As far as the DNA thing~ accutaine is a chemotherapy drug, if you didn't know. What does chemotherapy do? "Chemotherapy is designed to kill fast-growing cancer cells. But it can also affect healthy cells that grow quickly. These include cells that line your mouth and intestines, cells in your bone marrow that make blood cells, and cells that make your hair grow. Chemotherapy causes side effects when it harms these healthy cells" retrieved from:

cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/chemotherapy-and-you/page5 ( The National Cancer Institute)

Side effects of chemotherapy:

cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/chemotherapy-and-you/page6#chart

No kid wrote this.

If your "not trying to bring more" than give it up.

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I took accutane as a teenager over 15yrs ago, and was lucky not to have any serious side effects. I do still have dry skin and lips, but that I can live with. As a teenage girl my acne was so bad, that I probably would have taken anything no matter the side effects. The doctor did stress all that could go wrong and my mother did research on her own, but none of that mattered as long as long as I got clear skin, which I did.

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the DNA theory was made up by a kid on some forum, his name was NCC or something how do you know what it does? what training do you have? are you even a doctor? what do you do for a living? you have no clue what you are talking about its so beyond your understanding its sad how people think. some accountants and people who studied biology in highschool are giving out medical advice on DNA and telomeres shortening on an online forum... its unbelievable how delusional you are JRAD, and you call me ignorant? i'll let it slide i feel sorry for you.

and if you think cystic acne is a common thing I don't want to reply to you. Accutane has done enough for all of us here so I'm not trying to bring more, and I'm sure people who have half a brain and can think for themselves understand what I am saying.

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