Accutane Long Term Side Effects (Page 77)

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 After I have researched this drug extensively, I can't believe that the FDA allows this drug originally made for cancer patients to be marketed for teenagers with acne.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

Anginver.. My son has had these problems & has cut out lots of things including pork which makes him ill. Also its possible he now has Caeliac disease. Hes stopped wheat and gluten but there is so much food that contains bad chemicals. He eats mostly brown rice ,eggs & beans unless i cook meat & veg for him. He somehow cannot grasp when meat is cooked so will not try do it himself !

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Before going on this drug I specifically asked my doctor if it affects my digestion which she said no I knew to ask from going on antibiotics for my acne. After I was done I got insanely sick chronic digestive issues depression and joint pains. After years of different supplements because other meds weren't working and I didn't want to go on any other drugs I tried hemp oil for inflammation and it's made a huge difference so far I think I needed the omegas. Look the stuff up it doesn't contain thc so don't worry about it being anything like marihuana. Do your research and give it a try I'm not 100% but it's making a difference after years of pain. I hope this helps at all. I know it has great long term affects it's a whole foods or amazon is cheaper.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

hi there how is your son now?? my 15 yr old son had isotretinoin for 8 weeks at the age of 13 as well and has not been the same since for the last 18 months. crippling anxiety and depression can not cope with being on his own at any point. as for friends he hasnt met up with anyone for months and months. we are thinking of trying neurofeedback as a last resort?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Alison,
Sorry to hear about your son.. You son only took the drug for 8 weeks, so there is a chance some side effects he has may go away. My personal believe is that these drugs where prescribed at to high of a doze and for to long of a period ( 6 months for most at 60 mg a day ) All I can do is suggest you be there for him, especially with depression and see as many doctors as it takes to get the help you need. Please look over this forum, and if you see anyone that has or is going through what symptoms your son is, leave them a message. We all are here to help others.
From the Heart,
Scott

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Hi Shana, how long have you been off it as of now? I'm 11 days in and I'm trying to stay positive but stumbling upon this site has really scared me. I'm trying to be healthy as possible, eating clean whole foods and doing some light exercise and I want to do yoga.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Me too. I had severe severe acne- acne fulmicans (??). You've never seen anything like this. It was awful. I couldn't walk past anyone without getting strange looks. I'm just coming off accutane for the third time. My skin looks great now. I do have achy joints, dry skin and lips and other side effects, but I'm so much happier now. I wouldn't recommend this for regular acne, but for those of us with rare forms of cystic acne, it is a lifesaver.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Alison, my son took 30mg of one of the generic Accutane 2 times a day for only under 7 weeks . I immediately tried to detox him with a gentle detox for the whole body and quickly realized that Accutane is like vitamin A overdose and that would not work. So i went to a herbal gentleman and told him what type of medicine i needed to detox and he suggested an Environmental detox,. I also have him a very strong probiotic and started giving him individual vitamins, like milk thistle, biotin for his hair. He has occasional stomach pains but he still eats horrible though. He had a mental health crisis close to 6 months after taking this medicine and it was awful. He felt like he wanted to kill himself, like he was not in his own body, but was fully aware that he did not want to hurt himself. We got him immediately in to see a psychologist and he recommended we ask his primary physician for Zoloft. He is on a small dose of 25mg per day. It took about 1 week for him to feel like himself again. That had helped his anxiety a lot. I do believe that he has always had some type of social anxiety but the Accutane brought out social anxiety and many others of manic anxiety and things like that. He still gives me a hard time about going to school but he is much improved. I don't believe the theory the nurse practitioner gave us on how kids are already depressed because of their acne but when he had the acne he went to school, when his face cleared on the medicine after about 10 days, i could not get him off their couch with a very beautiful clear complexion. Btw, my son never had cystic acne and did get his acne back after being off the accutane for a couple months.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

My son was 14 when he tooik accutane for one year. At age 19 he paniced when hiis hair started to fall out. As baldness does not run in our family, I thought back to the days when his lips, eyes, mouth and skin were so dry and caused him so much discomfort. There seems to be many side effects that can manifest years later. How many others have suffered from baldness using accutane? What can be done legally regarding this afflication?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

How can you guys prove that all these side effects are from accutane? Balding can be genetic, but can also just happen! Bloating and cramps are normal. You eat a lot of food, you get bloated. Menstrual cramps or even just heartburn can cause bloating or cramps. So eat right and that will save you from those side effects. And severe dryness is apparent! The medicine dries out everything in your body to make the acne go away and hopefully not come back. Your skin doctor should have informed you of that beforehand. Joint pains should have been discussed at doctor appointments. And IF any of these side effects concerned you, you shouldn't have put your child on accutane. Not trying to be rude, just stating my opinion.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Allie... So when you ask a Derm " if i het joint pain how long will it last" and are told when you stop the medication the pains will go away ! What would you think?. 6 weeks on med when joint pain started. Stopped medication at 8 wks. Now 3 years later after stopping med & still have the pains plus many other side effects. And now just 20yrs old. You dont suffer with all these problems for no reason. Chemo kills fast growing cells ! Not cancer cells when given for Acne. Nerves are more sensative & are damaged, the body is very complex and sensative.. Ignorance is bliss

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Allie, the symptoms that come from taking accutane are not just a case of 'eat too much food and get bloating!!' The actual problems you can end up with are life altering and many people's stories of this can be read on different forums; we are talking stomachs and intestines so inflamed that the body cannot process foods and therefore ends up totally weak and unable to function- I personally feel like I'm about 100yrs old every day with shaky muscles and extreme weakness,my hair also falls out in chunks,and many many other issues, as for dry skin-again it's not just a bit of dry flakiness, it's to the point that your skin is red raw and burns like mad,when mine goes bad it's just for a week or so then settles till the next episode(not sure why this is) but I'm sure if you knew someone with a skin condition that burned and was so uncomfortable then you'd really feel for them...it's just that ours is caused by a drug!.. The fact that all the folk I've read about including myself were totally fit and healthy before taking this drug and now as soon as we've taken it our bodies are debilitated for YEARS with seemingly no way out makes it pretty obvious that the drug caused it?... I live in the highlands of Scotland and my dermatologist prescribed roaccutane to me for very mild acne, said depression can be an effect but VERY rare, no mention of stomach issues or anything else etc..and to be honest at 19years old and no clue about pharmaceuticals you trust a doc and just want rid of the acne so you will just take a tablet if they tell you it will help...also if you look at the leaflets for many other medications heaps say,small chance of depression,hearing lossetc etc etc on the side effects butting most of these that IS the case, there's no distinction when you go to get roaccutane even though its a much stronger and serious medication, there is NO guidance for this dangerous chemical for young people and many more will take it some of whom will end up very ill too..hope this helps you understand more:)

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I took accutane for 6 months. The 60mg. I was a bright, happy teenager even with my bad acne problem. I tried a lot of products that didn't seem to help with my acne, so I went on the accutane course. I was 16 then, I'm 28 now and have been fighting with serious mental swings since I was about 17-18. I do have stomach problems and have tried to cure them naturally, with some success. Accutane without a doubt totally messed up my mind. I used to be very smart and quick and healthy mentally. I battle with suicidal thoughts every day for almost 10 years now. I wish I never took that accutane and just stuck with the acne. I have never told anyone about my mental issues because I'm embarrassed even though I know it has something to do with accutane and is not my fault. I try yoga and meditation and that does help, I just wish I had my mind back.... my jovial, happy, mind. I pray for anyone who has taken that medication. I also warn against taking it.. It's not worth it.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 4

Painter- i know exactly whst you are going through im 28 too and keep thinking is this what its going to be like for the rest of my life! I was always a happy optimistic person -and now totally different its like you end up with an altered personality! My hope is that we can find a way to detox this drug from our bodies or repair the damage and regain our good quality of life-thats what roche should be forced to do by the government- spend millions that theyve earned from this drug-researching a 'cure' for these seemingly permanent side effects!!!!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

On April 25th, 2014, there will be a demonstration in both the United Kingdom and the United States in objection of the long-maintained denial of life altering and life ending adverse effects of isotretinoin.

The U.K. demonstration will take place at Roche's United Kingdom headquarters and will be attended by Derek Jones, the director of the "Dying for Clear Skin" documentary, who lost his son to this drug. Other families who lost loved ones and several victims of isotretinoin are also expected to attend.

The U.S. demonstration will take place at the FDA HQ in Silver Springs, Maryland. The main goals of the U.S. rally will be to:

- Make it be known that there are thousands, or potentially tens of thousands left suffering severe and persistent adverse-effects over the course of the drug’s 30 year history.

- Ask the FDA why isotretinoin is still being regularly prescribed off-label for moderate acne in light of the harsh nature of the drug.

- Push for further scientific investigation into isotretinoin’s full range of biological effects. "The methods of action are unknown" is not a valid excuse to continue denying a causal relationship to side effects.

- Demand the FDA to require manufactures to list persistent ED as a rare, but serious possible side-effect of isotretinoin.


If you wish to attend one of these rallies, and do not want to divulge the particular side effects you suffer from, you won't have to. Just showing up and showing your support will help a great deal. Feel free to bring friends or family. This will be a good opportunity to make a difference and finally meet others who are on the same boat. I will post updates regarding each respective rally as more information becomes available.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 3

When you actually deal with horrible acne and have tried everything and nothing worked for me so my mother said it would be a good idea to try so how is that my fault im dealing with all these health issues because when your under age you don't have much of a say your parents do. Plus if you never have had acne and had to look at that and be made fun of everyday then don't comment, you are willing to try anything. Plus all medicine should be tested more then it has been before putting it on the market. All medication has different side effects to people so you were the 1 of 100 that hadn't had side effects. We are all here trying to get help and all your doing is making it worse.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Good Morning Scott and All,

I've lurked for a time and am a little late to the party but figured that I would share my story.

I was offered Accutane at 15 for severe cystic acne however after reading the side effects opted for a more holistic approach. I cut out dairy, sugars and other processed carbohydrates. After a year of this not working I went back to the dermatologist and started acne treatment from square one. You know the drill - here is a face wash, here is a topical cream, here is a stronger topical cream, here is an antibiotic, maybe you need cortisol shots, have you considered lasers, have you considered Accutane.

At 19 after taking several lasers to the face and revamping my diet so that it was training body builder clean - with no improvement from when I was 15 (I've had acne since age 9) I decided to give the Accutane a go. I was on it for five months 30mg at first then 60mg which was low for my 180lbs. I had minimal side effects and five years down the line I started to break out again.

This time, I went to an endocrinologist, an allergist and a holistic doctor. None found a reason for my acne so in 2013, without searching online because I had such an easy to of it the first time I went back on Accutane (generic Claravis). We did six months 40mg for 1, 80mg for 2 and 100mg for three. Still around 180lbs. This second course was dreadful, I developed blepheritis and subsequently and autoimmune that attacks the eye. I've had migraines while on the treatment that persist now 6 months off of the treatment. My joints ache, namely my hips of which I hadn't problems before but again developed while on the treatment and persisted.

When I googled all of this, I found you guys. I'm sorry that I hadn't researched before my second course. I hope all of you find the answers you are looking for.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

To my regret i did not find this page earlier. I started accutane recently and didn't take long to develop all kind of strange symptoms, my body couldn't take it.Day 10 I knew i had to quit,but the prospect of having acne free face was so inviting.Day 11 I found this page and immediately quit. I wish I had read all these postings earlier.A girlfriend took accutane twice 5 yrs.ago. She recommended me to go to the same dermatologist. Last year she suffered from kidney stone, depression, hypothyroid, unexplained stomach problem, all doctors were puzzled how she could develop one illness after the other. I have no doubts now that accutane causes all her illnesses. I feel like im sitting on a time bomb, i might have to pay high price later in life for those 10 days of accutane, my acne returned immediately btw on day 13. My prayers for those who lost the loved ones due to this evil drug..

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Dear Jessa and Dananeer,
Thank you for sharing your personal stories with us. I am so sorry to hear of your present side effects. Jessa, you story sounds very familiar to my sons. Dana, if you have only taken the meds for 10 days, you may have temporary side effects or none at all. I think it is the long term effects of 5-6 months on Accutane may contribute to the long term side effects. There is plenty of information on here of others that may have the same side effects as you. Please don't be afraid to contact them for any questions you may have. I would start out detoxification my liver ext with a colon cleanse fro GNC etc. Talk to your doctor about a colonoscopy if you continue to have stomach issues.
May you get better at God's Speed.
Scott

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Thank you for your kind words, Scott. I hope that your son is healing and that you are finding peace.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Speaking from someone who was given Accutane in the 1970s, no we were not told about the risks nor were we able to do this kind of research that is now at your fingertips online. My daughter has acne and has asked me to let her take Accutane and there is no way I would allow it. I have IBS, chronic fatigue and joint and muscle pain. I also had fertility problems and numerous miscarriages none of which run in my family.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

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