Accutane Long Term Side Effects (Page 48)

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 After I have researched this drug extensively, I can't believe that the FDA allows this drug originally made for cancer patients to be marketed for teenagers with acne.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 am 32 years old and I have taken accutane twice in my life. Unfortunately, i also still suffer a few side effects from it. It is now 2 yrs from my last course and 18 yrs from my first course. I respect and empathize with all who suffer ill side effects of this drug. But I do want to say that accutane has been known to be a HORRIFIC drug and cause VERY NASTY side effects. This drug has been out for over 20 years and all of its nastiness has been advertised repeatedly over and over again. Whoever consents to this drug is WILLINGLY putting themselves at risk. Why are you complaining about it now? You know the risk...you know the potential side effects...now that you have some or all of them...you want to sue??!! That's wrong. You shouldn't have consented to it in the first place!!! I too am paying the price but I knew what I was dealing with. I chose the risk in order to rid myself of acne...I am owning my decision....Own yours!!!!

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I am sixteen years old and I am currently taking Accutane for the second time. I was fourteen when i took it for the first time and the result were amazing, but due to the severity of my acne I am trying it for the second time after my acne returned. This drug is the best thing that ever happened to me. Yes I have experienced dry skin and lips and occasional stomach aches but other then that this drug is the best thing that ever happened to me. However, my acne was extremely severe and I had been suffering from acne since the fourth grade. I knew about the side effects when I took this medicine and I am prepared to deal with what may come in the long run. Though I would recommend to anyone who's acne is not severe and could be dealt with in other ways to not take this drug. For me Accutane was my only option. I spent six years of my childhood trying every cream, pill, and cleanser out there and none of them helped at all. If it wasn't for this drug my life would be so different. I am so thankful for this medicine. Anyone out there who has a similar situation as I did and Accutane is your only option, do it! I'm only thankful that I was able to get on it before they get sued. For me I already decided that no matter what side effects I have later, it's worth it. This is a personal decision that you have to make for yourself. Evaluate your own situation and decide if its worth it for you.

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Accutane was a lifesaver. I had awful acne in college that responded to nothing else. I experienced dry, cracked lips and perhaps mild persistent fragility of no facial skin. I am in my thirties now and more than 12 years after a course of Accutane, I am glad this treatment was available and that I suffer no significant adverse effects. Every treatment and medication has potential benefits and risks. One should make a point to understand these prior to engaging in any regimen. Accutane requires vigilance in medical and personal monitoring. Routine lab studies monitoring lipids and liver enzymes must be checked. Becoming pregnant while taking Accutane may produce horrible birth defects in a fetus. Before one takes any over the counter, prescribed, or "natural" medicine, one needs to learn from a reliable source what the risks and potential benefits may be. Then, whatever the results, one can say they were as informed as possible, made a choice given the possible known risks of treatment , and will accept the good and bad consequences. Bad risks do not equal bad medicine. Potential risks and benefits must always be weighed for a particular individual in a particular situation.

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Hi, im 17yrs old and have been 20mg of accutane for 4 months and than 40mg for a little less than a month, the only side effects so far that i have had is dry skin/lips and a wierd rash that went away. I exercise regularly and eat healthy. After now just reading some of these stories i realized it was not worth taking this pill, i really hope in the years to come i dont have any bad side effects and i pray for those who did and hope they recover well.

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hiii! my name is ioanna and i am 16 years old..i started the treatment with accutane 2 months ago.Actually my acne has finished i have only scars and this is the reason i decided to take accutane.i know all the side effects and i did it. i want to ask everybody here who took accutane if this medicine really cleans your skin because until now i didnt see any difference.thank youu

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Lou,
Thank you for your posting. I am glad you made the decision not to take Accutane( which should not be available in the USA since June 2011). Accutane Generic brands are still available in the USA, (medicinenet.com/isotretinoin/article.htm. These drugs are just as dangerous as Accutane.
Best Wishes,
Scott

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Miranda,
Most folks trust that their physicians and pharmacists areare knowledgable about the benefits and risks of a drug. Even ibuprofen has side effects (can ruin the lining of the stomach, cause kidney issues) but it is still prescribed and people consume large quantities. However, the testimonials here are not from a lack of someone doing their homework, after all, some have taken it with no side affects. When you have IBS, Colitis, fused bones and it is happening to you or your children, you're no longer a statistic, it's someone figuring how to contend with a complete life change and now living with a chronic health condition. Please consider a more empathetic response in the future when you post on a board that others are using to reach out for help.

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Both my daughters and myself have all taken accutane, twice actually, and I think my older daughter took it for about 6 months the second time which is kind of long, normally it's about 20 weeks. Both daughters took it at about 13 and again at about 18 (although the younger did only a 30 day round the first time). I took it at about 35 and again at age 41. We had no serious side effects at all and no long term side effects at all but I am cautiously looking at it for my son who has autism and lyme disease. I understand why people are afraid of taking it and if my son was not in so much pain from his severe acne, I would not give it to him. He is 17 so I don't think growth stunting is an issue. I just wanted to give our story so you could hear that there are people that have used accutane successfully with no serious side effects long or short term. I am now 48 and my daughters are 26 and almost 23.

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Did his behaviors improve? Did it ever completely clear his system?

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I am 50 years old,I had severe cystic acne. I took accutane when I was 15 it changed my life. All good. It was a cure. Are you sure accutane caused your troubles? I have nothing but good to say about accutane.

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Key words you stated you had Severe Cystic Acne, in which Accutane is called for and you say your 50 and took when you were 15......Accutane wasn't easily attainable and wasn't distributed like candy as it is now. Kids are given high doses and on it much longer for mild/moderate acne which comes back anyways....

Also, there are suffers out there who took it back in the 80's. Much research, studies and even congressional hearings have transpired since you took it.... It has been proven to cause changes in the brain, effect hormones, alter dna, IBD & chron's, type 1 diabetes etc....

Many young teens have severe joint issues, osteoarthritis, bone loss, tendon damage, spine issues, alopecia and the list could go on....That is not normal.... Look up Accutane side effects, there is about 500 and people now have to sign and have monthly visits....You be crazy to take it in this day and age.....

I am glad to know though it worked for you & that your okay and it probably did as it is for severe cystic acne.

I could go on, but I will stop:)

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Oh and I forgot to mention Accutane is and was orginally for Chemo of pancreatic cancer, neuroblastoma etc... Chemo causes cell death...Chemo causes alot of things...

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Listen dude half of us that took it were NOT aware of any side affects I'm 33 years old I took it for about 6 months when I was 17 and it stunted my growth bad stomach problems and still have issues from taking that garbage ! Hell yea it did wonders for my acne too but that will go away in time after puberty anyway , if we wouldbhave known to have long term side affects that will never go away ill be damned if I would have tried it. Try proactiv and all that its Not worth it

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I am female and will be turning 51 this week. I was one of the very first people to take Accutane in 1982. I had struggled with SEVERE acne from age 12 to age 21. My dermatologist told me Accutane would CURE my acne. I was told not to get pregnant; no other warnings.
At first, it seemed like a miracle......skin clear for the first time in years!! I was a college student and was graduating that year. I needed to look good to get a job.

Well.....it was short-lived.....the acne came back full-force within a year. My dermatologist was stunned.....he said this shouldn't happen; so in 1984, I was put on a second course of Accutane......still no other warnings. Then the cystic acne returned again and I was put on Accutane a 3rd time in 1986. This time, even my dermatologist said had to be it!! Well, guess what??? To this day, I still suffer from acne. NOW THE REST OF THE STORY....
During all of this treatment between 1982 and 1986, I bagan having severe gastrointestinal problems with an imflammation, pain, bloating, constipation and diarreah. I also had severe depression with suicidal thoughts. I had aches and pains in all of my joints and muscle spasms. Exercise would bring on all sorts of weird symptoms such as itching etc. I developed low blood pressure.

I went from Doctor to Doctor and was accused of being a hypochrondriac or having psychosomatic illness. I have been put on many drugs such as Prozac, etc. but NOT ONCE was Accutane ever mentioned as a cause of all of this. The internet was not around at this time and I could not have known that the Accutane had caused all of these issues.

I am now suffering from Hypothyroidism, severe estrogen depletion and excessive testosterone. I have aches and pains, similar to fibromyalgia that I fight every day. My diet is very restricted due to numerous food sensitivities. AND I STILL HAVE CYSTIC ACNE !!!!

I hope anyone reading this will not take this HORRIBLE POISON !!! I am just now finding out what this drug has done to affect my health and my life. ACCUTANE IS THE PILL THAT WILL ALMOST KILL !!!

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To All,
To all of us that have suffered long side effects or have had loved ones suffer from long term side effects from Accutane, Please go to Change{dot} org and sign the petition under the word Accutane. Generic Brands are still available in the United States as Amnesteem, Claravis, Sotret and the public needs to know our stories.

To the 1% of us that have taken these deadly drugs and have had no side effects, I am truly happy for you. Please have respect for those who haven't been as fortunate.

Together we can make a difference,
Scott

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Yeah isn't it amazing how many things have happened through change.org, yet somehow as much as I have posted that link we still can't get enough signatures against Roche.
Sign it folks make a change

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Accutane is not for teenage pimples. Accutane is meant to be prescribed for severe cystic acne. Liver tests are done before and during use. All drugs carry risks, it is a classic case of risk vs benefits. For me at 15 years old and to have severe cystic acne it was a curse. It saved my life,you or at least changed my life for the good. I do believe accutane is being over prescribed. The risks are to high to be over used.

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To add a little more perspective to how I felt at 15 with severe cystic acne. I would have done anything to have a cure, not a treatment, a cure. I was desperate. Accutane was a miracle. It cured me. Now I am 50 and I never had any acne/pimples since. So the public must be educated to know the dangerous side effects of accutane and to have the knowledge to make a informed decision. Then people can decide if the risks warrant the rewards. But no one has the right to deny me the choice.

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Hi Stephen,
I was much like you......desperate for a CURE, cystic acne was destroying me; I was promised in 1982 that Accutane would do that......CURE ME.
Not only did it fail to cure me, but I continued having acne and was NEVER warned about the long-term, permanent, side effects. I am working with an endocrinologist and a gastro doctor to try to get thru the rest of my life without falling apart. The bad symptoms all started while on Accutane, and until recently NO_ONE made the connection. Instead, I was told the symptoms were psycho somatic, all in my head, etc. .........I am now 51 and just now finding out what has caused all of my health issues.

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Nobody has or did deny you Accutane or anyone elese. This is a board for suffers looking for help! Once again you are 50 and took it at 15 for what Accutane is called for, alot has changed in thoose yrs like I said in my previous post.

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