Accutane Long Term Side Effects (Page 66)
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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 After I have researched this drug extensively, I can't believe that the FDA allows this drug originally made for cancer patients to be marketed for teenagers with acne.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

Also, after reading your post again, the amt your son was taking is ridiculous. If you took dosages like this of ANY drug, you would experience side effects. This is like taking 8000mg of Tylenol daily, and then when your liver shuts down blaming the manufacturer of Tylenol and wanting it taken off market. The proper dosage which is available all over the net is 1mg/kg of body weight divided into two daily doses with meals. So, for an 'average' adult of 150 lbs this would be 70mg (you divide lbs by 2.2 to get kilos). 70mg divided into 2 doses would be 35 mg twice daily (30mg is the approp. dose). Your son was taking 3 60mg doses? so he would have to weigh 180 kg which is 400 lbs!! the MD who prescribed this should have his/her medical license taken away and be prosecuted for malpractice, not the drug company. I think these forums attract the people who have had horrible experiences (all of these forums are this way). You don't have the thousands of people with good experiences writing in- because they are not looking up something to blame their various afflictions on. Sorry, but this dose is just unreal. you might consider that this is truly, an overdose of Vitamin A. Any drug taken at these high doses would cause some adverse reaction or be fatal.

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To Bro needs help,

I wish I could answer you in one sentence or paragraph on the exact way to help your brother. I took my son, who also took Amnesteem ( Accutane ) which STILL have continuing health issues to a Holistic Healer which also was a chiropractor. his wife, a nutritionist also placed my son a special diet which part of it treated candida ( yeast infection ). Eliminating certain food from his diet help him with better concentration and was not as tired as he normally was before the diet. You have my heart-felt prayers. Also, if you feel your PCP doctor isn't helping as much as you fell he should or could be, you may want to get a second opinion from a specialist. If its the mixture of meds he is taking making him worse etc., there is always hope one way or another.
Best wishes,
Scott

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Hi Scott..

Yes, we have different experiences. I actually took it very late in life-at age 33. I was tired of the cysts that would occur in 'strange' places (back, neck, etc). I was otherwise very attractive.. these sporadic and random cysts also left dark scars on my very dark skin. I had just "had it" after 15 + years of dealing! I will admit that I am vain.. but I had lost weight and really blossomed late in life.. and this was my last affliction. Anyway, perhaps taking it later was really a good thing- maybe when you're still growing is when it causes more problems? it seems to be a teenage problem- although most people taking Accutane are probably teens. I don't recall any adverse side effects except the dry lips, bleeding gums for awhile. Anyway... also the dosage should be considered. I believe I was on a fairly low dose- maybe 10mg twice/daily vs. 20 or higher. These things might all be considered. I wish my parents had put me on it when I was younger honestly- as I suffered throughout my teens and 20s, which really affected my self image for life.

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Recognizing Neurotoxicity1
The symptoms of brain injury from exposure to hazards like lead paint and toxic chemicals vary widely. But there are ways you and your experts can pinpoint the damage and its cause.
Raymond Singer and Dana Darby Johnson
Neurotoxicity—poisoning of the brain and nervous system—is a well-documented effect of exposure to many widely used chemicals, yet doctors (and lawyers) often fail to recognize it. Chemically injured clients often report a confusing array of symptoms, with no medical diagnosis. The symptoms may seem vague and unconnected, leading you to wonder, “Could these symptoms really be caused by a chemical exposure?†Once you recognize the signs and understand them in context—as a constellation of symptoms resulting from a toxic injury—you will have greater confidence in bringing your client’s case to justice.
A person who has suffered a serious chemical injury is likely to have sustained considerable damage to his or her brain and nervous system. This is important for a lawyer to know, because doctors often recognize only the person’s physical illness, not realizing that serious brain and nervous system damage may have also occurred.
Neurotoxicity can be documented, but perhaps not in the way you might think. A person’s ability to think, perceive, control emotions, plan, and manage his or her life can diminish drastically without anything being visible to a radiologist or neurologist on an MRI or a CT scan.1
The most reliable and widely accepted way to assess actual brain function is through neuropsychological evaluation. (This is true for head-injury patients and those suffering from dementia, as well as those affected by exposure to toxic chemicals.)
Researchers have noted that imaging techniques are often of little value in evaluating neurotoxicity.2 In our and others’ experience, imaging techniques can occasionally pick up abnormalities caused by neurotoxicity and may be helpful for forensic purposes, but they are not cost-beneficial for routine screening.3
Neuropsychological testing tends to be more sensitive to brain injury than CT and routine MRI scans, which provide only a static and relatively gross view of neural structure. In one study of six head-injury cases, CT and/or MRI scans yielded little or no evidence of neuropathology as detected by neuropsychological testing. Positron emission tomography (PET) scans, however, corroborated the impaired function.4 PET and SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) scans offer a more dynamic look at brain structure, but both of these tests still need interpretation as to the cause of the abnormality (which could be benign).
Common symptoms
What do chronic pain, anxiety, neurological problems, confusion, psychiatric symptoms, and cognitive declines have in common? They can all result from neurotoxic chemical exposure.
Symptoms of neurotoxicity include memory and concentration problems; confusion; multiple sclerosis or MS-type symptoms; impaired control of the limbs, bladder, or bowels; headaches or migraines; sleep disorders, including sleep apnea; eye problems that are neurological in origin; balance and hearing problems; muscle weakness; anxiety or panic attacks; depression; and other psychiatric or neurological symptoms.5
Other symptoms that could be caused by chemical injury include multi-organ system malfunction; lower or upper respiratory problems, such as chronic sinus problems; multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS); liver or kidney problems; and fibromyalgia or other pain disorders.
Along with nervous system dysfunction, the temporal association of any of these conditions with toxic chemical exposure tends to support the theory that the overall cause of the client’s injuries is a toxic insult to the body.

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Nancy..Yes he is in the USA. check out neurotox [dot] com. that is his website. obviously i cannot specifically write the web address as it should be. I do hope you can find some answers. No one seems to have any answers until our loved ones end up with something specific as a result from this poision...
Best of Luck and God Bless x

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After a few days of the abilify, we thought things were getting better, now he isnt talking, eating or drinking water. We were just informed by the doctor to take out the seroquel. we really dont know what to do. He is like a zombie. Please help if anyone can suggest anything.

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Mitch: This Dr. you are talking about Raymond Singer, is he in the US???? I have been to so many DR's From Physical to Psychiatric for my son, it's OVERWHELMING to say the least. Some Dr.s say my son is a MYSTERY, (Imagine being told you are a Mystery??) others say it's Thyroid, Nope oh it's a Tumor, Nope oh it's Adrenal Glands, Nope, ETC.... Psychiatric, then it's NOPE again..... They seem to pass this back and forth it's physical no it's Psychological, I am At my WIT'S END!!!! As I read all of these posts I can SENSE the FRUSTRATION and DESPAIR in all these posts. My HEART to goes to ALL of You,, No-One Understands what it is like to WATCH someone Suffering after ACCUTANE. It's HEARTBREAKING and I just PRAY that we all get answers... Watching a LOVED one SUFFER is Unbearable to say the least. I hope that this Dr. is in the US, I will TRY anything to SAVE my SON from His HELL.... Thank You in advance Mitch... GOD BLESS EVERYONE on this site, Please don't give up HOPE....

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Bro needs help.

Im sorry to hear your brother is going through so may health issues. Seroquel alone is a very powerful drug with many posible side effects.Sometimes anti depression drugs have opposite side effects. How much seroquel does your brother take per day? Have you thought of seeing another doctor for a second Opinion.

Keep in touch,
Scott

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bro needs help..very sorry to heat about your brother. My son has experienced body shaking and hans have gone lighter in colour. My son will not ake any medication because of what has happened to him after using Isotretinoin (accutane). Just wondered if he has seen a Neurologist who specialises in Neurotoxicology ? My son suffers horrendous Migraine type pains but he also said he gets wierd sensations. I did contact a Raymond Singer in USA he apparently studies Neurotoxicology. As i do not have the funds to take my boy to the USA i didnt use him but he may be able to tell you if the problem is with the brain..
Please get your brother to eat well but be aware certain foods may make him worse. No processed food.
My heartfelt wishes to your brother and family.. x

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@ Marang. Hello sir. My younger brother is also experiencing what your child is going through. Like your child, He also took accutane 7 years ago. He has the similar cold hands and discoloration. He is now taking the medicine Abilify. I believe it is a schizophrenia medicine that the doctors gave him. He is also taking seroquel at night and also epival for his convulsion/seizure. He was on olanzapine for 2 months before he was put on Abilify last week. He is now able to properly brush his teeth and has been drinking water already compared to how he was a few months ago when he couldn't do any of these things on his own. But now that he can fix his hygene, he isnt speaking and has a blank stare most of the time. We also do not know what to do. My family is devastated. If any of you can please advise what we can do to help my brother. Suggestions is most welcome. People have been telling me to try to find a lawfirm but I am not sure this will do anything. I am afraid of the costs ... well aside from the fact that the medication pills he is on now are very expensive. much help and ideas would be appreciated. My prayers all go to everyone that is affected. THanks

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daughter took it 9 yrs ago, worked wonderfully on her skin had the dry skin and lip side affects while on it for 4 months. Cleared up her skin, no long term side affects yet. Eats well, very active, everything else ok

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YES...Exactly what the Doctor Told me some time back....when I had X rays..and a c Scan...for some Broken ribs....
My Spine is severely shortened...and the Doctor found extensive Arthritis...and Spurs...
WHen I asked...What age does my Spine Appear to be...The Doctor Replied...." I Honestly Thought We had your Scans confused with the 90 yr old....We scanned first"..."How the heck do you do the Work you do?"...he also asked..

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Worried Mom- Please don't let her take accutane. I took it twice in my 20's. Thankfully, I have now 4 beautiful healthy chidren, and 1 on the way. I pray everyday that my offspring were/are not affected by my use of this drug 10 years ago. But knowing what I know now about this dangerous drug, I would absolutely not allow it in my body or my children's in the future. Tell her to take a cod liver oil supplement, Norwegian Cod Liver oil is the best. Acne sufferers need this supplement!! Also, have her drinks lots of pure filtered water. Have her monitor her diet, as to what causes her breakouts, such as eliminating dairy or wheat to see any results. Also, topically have her try Dan's acne regimen from acne.org. It has worked wonders for me. I use the AHA daily and it totally made a huge difference in my skin. I also spot treat blemishes with Dan's benzoyl peroxide gel 2.5%. That works well too! Even though, the verdict is still out whethe BPO is safe, I think it's a lot better than accutane. Good luck!!!

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I took Accutane my Junior year of high school because I had a sebaceous cyst on my lip. I think it was a low dose and only for a few months. My face never looked better, but 16 years later I have never felt worse! 5 years ago I had hip surgery at the age of 29. I had 2 tears and arthritis. 2 years later I had tears in both of my knees, so I had those fixed.it seems that I am now having horrible sciatica. After an MRI last week I have learned I have a tear in my disc L5 and s 1. Could these tears be related to accutane? As a side note, I am an identical twin and she has no health issues. I am 33, but fill like I am stuck in a 90 year old body. It is beyond frustrating.

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Penny .. my son only took this for 8 weeks and he suffered all the syptoms plus more that you describe... He actually started with the pains whilst 6-7 wks into the course.. So it sounds likely that the drug is the cause. My son said he had to concentrate to breath because he felt he was gonna forget to breathe. sounds strange i know but he has had lots of strange feelings, physically and mentally.. i and many others know what you are going through.. my heart goes out to your daughter

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My daughter who is now 17 took acutane for 6 months 1 1/2 yrs ago and in the last 3months has been having chest pains, shortness of breath, tired all the time, just don't feel well, depressed, and worried all the time. How do I know if this is caused from acutane? Are all these testimonies from short term use or when they were on it for a longer periods of time?

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I took accutane for about a year when I was 13-14. The acne got better, but I've experienced symptoms that have shown up or worsened in the past several years since. It does worry me, because many of the threads I read like this describe symptoms I have perfectly. The joint pain (knees mostly), stomach problems, rosacea-like redness, skin prone to dryness to the point of bleeding, etc.

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Dear WENDY....
GREAT that you say it Improved your PAst Life....
SURE Hope it was worth it in the Long Run...
For ME...Not so much...
Possibly the treatment that will shorten my life by more than 20 to 40 years..?...(already ruined the last 20)
I have been Ill for the LAst 20 years...in one way or another...SINCE my Own Personal ACCUTANE POISONING...
If I could help to keep one child OFF of the POISON....maybe that would even out the balance...

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For those looking for any new information and for all the non-believers, this is another example of how the manufacturers of these drugs and the FDA's information is WRONG. They both claim a small percentage of anyone that takes these drugs ( Accutane, Sotret, Claravis and Amnesteem) have any long term side effects or any side effects at all.

Please read: MediGuard Answered:

Based on information from iGuard.org, a free medication monitoring service, 67% of patients experience side effects while taking Isotretinoin (Accutane, Amnesteem, Claravis, Sotret). Some of the side effects reported by iGuard members include: Dryness, Muscle Pain/Cramps, Mood/Behavior Changes, Weight Gain, Fatigue, Nose Bleeds, and Itch/Rash. Please follow up with your doctor or other healthcare provider if you are experiencing any symptoms that worsen or do not go away.

One more time........67% ! And this is not all the side effects reported.

UNBELIEVABLE! Trust the FDA and your doctors now?

Sincerely,

Scott

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Hi Joel,

Thanks for your post.

I recently read that the medication Accutane and its generic brands ( Sotret, Claravis and Amnesteem).
are now considered to cause more deaths and health concerns then teenage car accidents.

I am grateful for anyone that has taken these drugs and claim to have no side effects, they have been truly blessed.

Gasoline and Clorox are known to kill poison ivy if you placed it on your skin, but would most people drink these products for 6 months to be free of poison ivy, I think not.

To all of your that are first time visitors to these post, please do your homework and have your parents also take the time to understand the risk seen here from over 500 plus people, then decide what actions to take. Look your doctor and dermatologist square in their eyes and ask them" would you let your son or daughter take 60 mg of these medications for 6 months". You may be surprised of there answer unless they simply receive kick backs and money directly from the makers of the drugs or they only believe what BIG PHARMA tells them along with the medical books they have read which BIG PHARMA claims to do there own test on the drugs and claim they are safe except such a so small percent or no risk at all . You may be surprised to find out they only had 1-20 people researched for side effects and write down damn well what they want for their results which they may have only followed for a short period of time.

Don't believe what the FDA tells you, do your own research. Remember its a government agency, need I say more ?

Parents...please do your homework, you will not get a second chance. If your placed on these drugs do to cancer, than the odds to kill the cancer very well may outweigh the risk of possible long tern side effects.

A huge percent of the people that have created this post have personally or their child doesn't just have what the drug company calls " less than 1 % chance of getting a certain side effect". Most past users of these drugs have more numerous side effects that seem that only seem to escalate every year and the PHARMA COMPANIES continue to add more and more side effects to their drug chart pamphlets to protect themselves as more and more people are proving these drugs can be deadly.

Even the FDA will admit that Accutane is on the top five list of there all time list of dangerous drugs. And that was before the internet has made it much easier to research drugs and read post like this one.

Bottom line...read what an overdose of Vitamin A will do to a human being.....that is exactly what may happen from taken Accutane, Sotret, Claravis and Amnesteem. Need I say more ?? I do believe their is a chance at a very low dose, someone taking these drugs can have a lesser chance of long term side effects. But the drug companies don't think like that, the more you take, the more money is in their pocket. Please do your research...... don't make the mistake I help make for my son.

May God Bless,
Scott

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