Accutane Long Term Side Effects (Page 38)

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 After I have researched this drug extensively, I can't believe that the FDA allows this drug originally made for cancer patients to be marketed for teenagers with acne.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?

REPLY

REPORT

did accutane stop your growth when you took it at 14 or did you grow more? thank you

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I Did not add the Fact...that My Spine Has shrank nearly 2 inches...in the last 20 years....I have had some minor accidents...Out of which My Ribs BReak Rather Easily....When They x ray My Spine.... They (doctors) (xray techs)...Generally figure they Have My Xrays confused with a MUCh older persons....xrays...The Last time, summer of 2011, When the Doctor came to tell me id broken some ribs....She First...Made mention of My Severely Shortened Spine.....She said.."Im sure the Problem is NOT from this fall...But have You had problems with Pain..or Pinched Nerves.."...Your Spine is Shortened...To the degree.I confused You xray...with someones Much older...
I Told her...Yes..I have many problems related to Back Pain...
She also menationed the Number of Spurs...visible on the Xray....
I went back to the E.R. 3 times..over the next 10 day period...Each time..the Doctor Involved...Mentioned That I had a Severely Shortened Spine...."Quite Unusual...for a Man of My YEars"...And..My Obvious Musculature...(I am In very good Shape...for Someone with a Bad Spine...Loosley Translated...I have ALWAYS been in Great Shape...due to working 12 hour days...and lifting heavy items..in my work...
Even though...the Back pain is excruciating..
So....It is NOT like my Spinal problems are congenital...inherited..or ANYTHING but...related to taking this S*** in a Bottle..Accutane...or Amnesteem..or whatever the pushers have Renamed this POISON!...
I am A walking disaster...Increasingly debilitated...
I Will NOT remain silent....as I read of Young People taking this POISON!...
PLEASE..Look at my other posts..and contact ME First!...
I will tell you the TRUTH!....
God Bless...

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Jake,

To answer your question.....did accutane stop your growth when you took it at 14 or did you grow more?

Speaking for my son that took Amnesteem when he was 14-15 years old.....No, he never grew since than and he is now 21 years old. Thankfully he reached puberty by the time he was 15 and was and still is 5ft 10 in. He has two brothers, one that looks like twins to him although they are 3 years apart. Ryan's younger brother had a growing spell then and is now 6ft 1 in at 18 years old. According to a scale Ryan had taken when he was 12 or so years old, he should of been 6 ft or better by the time he reached 18. I have heard of so many stories of bones fusing together and kids not growing after they have taken these drugs. I hope you are doing well.

Together we are strong,
Scott

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

My son took accutane for 6 months until the muscle pain became so severe I insisted the doctor stop. After 9 doctors, he was finally diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis - a severe condition as a result of taking accutane. If any of you have back or tail bone pain or it hurts when you sneeze and all your tissues and tendons and muscles ache, go see a Rheumatologist and tell him to check for Ankylosing Spondylitis. The hip joints start to fuse while in a flare and it will cripple you if you are not treated correctly. I also have found a law firm to possibly take his case because he also has inflammable bowel disease thanks to accutane also. Altho it was 8 yrs ago, we are connecting the dots to accutane sure thing and one rheumatologist confirmed our suspicions once we told him we thought it was accutane.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I experienced similar paranoia, anxiety, and evenrage while taking accutane as a 20 year old. These attitudes destroyed me socially for the two weeks I was on it. I hope you find conclusions and help! I've since taken antidepressants, which seem to help some. Still have terrible panic attacks which doctors say are a result of low blood sugar / hypoglycemia linked to extreme adrenal fatigue.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I agree and resonate with your post here. However, I may have a different insight or two on the food connection to accutane. I had an awful reaction to accutane that threw me for a psychological loop- I became angry, paranoid of friends, and raging for the two weeks I was on it. In addition to IBS-C, gastroenterological issues, memory loss, insomnia, and eventually diagnosed with CFS, I mow have severe panic attacks over nothing. My nervous symptom is bonkers.

I've met with the inventor of accutane. Absolutely no help, but he pointed me to a doctor, who led to another doctor, and so on.... And now I meet weekly with a pain care doctor who has figured out I have reactive hypoglycemia / extreme adrenal insufficiency.

I'm on a new diet where I eat no sugar, no bread, no caffeine and juice vegetables. I eat protein with every meal. I dropped out of college for the next 6 months to "rest." I take a small amount of antidepressants to deal with the panic attacks. I sleep every night at 10pm and exercise five times a week. Also- I'm fasting from sex, don't drink alcohol, and don't even play video games or watch movies that stress me out to the least.

I'm committing 6 months to this lifestyle to see if my nervous system can heal itself again after taking accutane. It's imperative to find a solution to post-accutane suffering, and if this lifestyle change helps, I'll contonue to share this with others.

Tests to get to check for adrenal fatigue from accutane: fasting glucose tolerance test (5 hour) and coristol test (24 hour urine). If you want a full work up to see your vitamin levels and food intolerances (my vitamin A was through the roof after accutane!) you can do so through Genova Diagnostics lab. If you struggle with CFS, they even provide you with a Kreb's cycle to view your protein to ATP production.

If you'd like to keep up with me on my journey for a post-accutane solution, email me

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I had terrible stomach pain, IBS-C, and issues after taking accutane for only two weeks. I'm finding sustenance and help through vegetable juicing and never again eating processed or artificial foods. Organic produce is your friend. Try digestive enzymes and probiotics in addition to carrot juice made from a vegetable juicing machine (I now own the breville juice fountain elite, works great).

Oh, and buy a gallon water container and drink up. Really helps.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I have experienced/been diagnosed by a pain care doctor with "extreme adrenal fatigue" which has led to reactive hypoglycemia and the myriad of symptoms with it. I'm like a different person, post accutane. The adrenal recovery process takes 6 months to 1 year of dedicated sleep, healthy dieting, no caffeine, no sex, no alcohol to fully recover.

This may be why many people like your daughter and myself may not experience healing unless taking a proactive approach to help the body recover. I did y lab work through Genova Diagnostics, but also took a 24 hr cortisol test, 5 hr fasting glucose tolerance test, and continue to meet with a pain care doctor weekly.

I'm progressing towards healing, but it's been a painful and confusing process. Please email me with any questions about my story or research process of understanding accutane's negative impact on nervous / endocrine system functionality.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Joey,
You ay want to look at this diet. It did help my son out.
Its called the Candida diet wich basically gets rid of yeast infections in your body. My son took this with a probiotic named Three-Lac which can be found online. I now have his younger brother on it for chronic headaches.
Best Wishes,
Scott

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

joey... you mention having carrot juice but this may not be a good idea for some as carrots are high in Vitamin A. I used to also give this to my son but he had a few bad times especially when he had eaten sweetcorn which is also a source of Vitamin A. Not so good when you do the research as to Accutane being a Vitamin A overdose or equivalent of. I would suggest things in moderation and really work out what makes you feel better and also the things that make you feel worse.
Healthy Eating is good and the way forward
God Bless to you all x

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I agree- lots of carrot juice is not a good option if you have a bad reaction to it for whatever reason. However, carrot juice didn't give me any problems, despite my Vitamin A being near 15,000 IU months after discontinuing my 2 week low-dose treatment of accutane. I think it's safe to say that I'm not a doctor, and proceed with caution if you do try carrot juice; but it may help other people's IBS-C like it did mine.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

THIS POISON KILLS AND DESTROYS YOUR HEALTHY BODY FROM THE INSIDE OUT....YES.....IT HELPS THE ACNE.....WHICH...IN MANY CASES IS FAIRLY BENIGN....COMPARED TO WHAT THE VICTIM IS LEFT WITH......20 YEARS LATER...I AM A TICKING TIME BOMB OF HEALTH PROBLEMS...ANY QUESTIONS

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

well I have been on accutane for about 5 months now and I am going on my last month--the drug has worked wonders for me.
I don't think anyone realized the depression I was in with acne. Almost to the point of killing myself. So when my derma told me about this, i knew it would be my lifesaver-literally.
So to all the kids out there who look at this site but know that there acne has lowered there self esteem into depression, i know how you feel. This drug has worked for me and honestly, i pray that i don't have long term side effects. But it has saved my life.
I am very very sorry to the ones that it may have effected seriously.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

My husband is 5'3". His sibs are all a few inches taller. He was never on Accutane. What's the big deal?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Dennis,
I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm 33 years old now and I too took accutane at 15 years old. I have not been diagnosed with IBS; however, I suffer from stomach issues. I also have a bad back. It went out on me a 1 1/2 yr ago. I go to the chrioprator and live in constant discomfort:(

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Jussssst Wait for It....Believe ME..it Destroys...AND..Makes you Way more Depressed...than the Acne ever did...
TRUST ME

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I took accutane twice once when I was 16 and again when I was 19. The second time I took it I was pulled off it immeadiatly after a bloodtest reaveled my liver was basically failing. Since than my liver functions have never gone back to normal like they say they should. Ive also developed bowel issues, endocrine issues, rhenoids syndrome, and a ridiculous amount of mental health issues(panic attacks, Ocd, agoraphobia etc) that I never had before. I know its been pulled off the market in the US, but not overseas last I read. I know what its like to be a teenage girl with severe acne, I know it can be depressing and cause anxiety issues in itself, but coming from a person who takes extreme pride in their appearance taking accutane is just not worth it there are other options. Like my dermatologist said the second time I was on it "do you want to be alive and have some acne, or be dead and have clear skin"

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Emma, You say you've been on accutane 5 months and have one more month to go. It is Feb 2012. But... the drug was pulled off the market because of its devastating effects. So, please explain how you are obtaining this dangerous drug. You may not have side affects now, but you can't diminish the fact that many patients have had their good health destroyed by this drug.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Robert, please go see a rheumatologist. Spurs on your spine - sounds like my son and he was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis. Dibilitating and painful. Pain started in the tail bone. He doesn't have the gene for A.S. so that is why the doctors believe it was accutane that caused it. Research the disease and you will be able to determine if that might be what you have. Find a rheumatologist that specifically treats A.S. and knows what he/she is doing. Good luck

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Hi to you all
This has been the most scarest reading ever to the point im beside myself.I took accutane when i was 23 id been told about it at 20 but my mum pleaded with me not to take it saying my acne would soon go been of that age.I tryed everything i could from ever lotion and
potion and also natural.At 23 i could not cope looking like i did so i took it back in 1992 i will say it worked i felt greet never better UNTILL NOW ! I fell upon this site
looking for something else how shocked i was when
reading it i felt i was looking at myself in a mirrow.I now at 42 years suffer so much pain in and out of hospital for different test just this monday had a barrium meal waiting for yet another duodenal biopsy i've been told i
have fibromyalgia.Has anyone else been told thats what they have.PLEASE THINK TWICE BEFORE USING !

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I had Harvoni treatment last spring. I am not the same. My nervous system is a wreck. My anxiety problems have increased...

263 REPLIES

What are the long term effects of the brain and mood changes in people taking 30mg of oxycodone for years? Do they act w...

6 REPLIES

My wife has been using Nexito Plus for the past 4 years. She is doing good, but she feels sleepy in the morning time and...

3 REPLIES

my boyfriends complaining after taking large dosages prescribed by doctors for sleep that he feels loss of sight, blurre...

3 REPLIES

My doctor just prescribed me Tramadol for a chronic back pain issue. If I take this med every night, will there be any l...

2 REPLIES

I have been taking clopidogrel 75mg + atorvastatin 10mg + metoprolol 10mg + telmisartan 40mg for the past 3 years since ...

1 REPLY

I am 41 yrs male.For the past one month occasionally one or two of my fingers move sideways without my control and then ...

1 REPLY

My father has been prescribed ecosprin 75 along with Dytor plus 10mg, prolomat XL and cardace 2.5 by a cardiologist. He ...

1 REPLY

I was just prescribed this medication by my doctor, because of irregular periods. For the past 2 years I have had my per...

1 REPLY

Folks, like everyone else who has started MULTAQ, I am having second thoughts about it's effectiveness. When I first...

1 REPLY