Accutane Long Term Side Effects (Page 4)

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 After I have researched this drug extensively, I can't believe that the FDA allows this drug originally made for cancer patients to be marketed for teenagers with acne.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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16 year old on claravis,

I highly recommend you stop taking Accutane. I was never informed of the dangers like you are being informed now, however I had 1-2 friends that took it and were fine so I figured I would be fine as well. This was not the case. Although I have an older friend who took the drug in the 80's and has chronic health issues ever since.
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There are many different treatments for acne, especially cutting out all bad food, plus this will give you more benefits and you will notice your overall health improving. Definetley don't count on your dermatoligist to be honest, they make a profit everytime you see him/her for the bloodwork each month.

Wait until you have more information on Accutane and brain scans, immune system and so on, and you will see that it was worth stopping. Stopping treatment right away when physical/psychiatric side effects occur, and especially being aware of your body, the long term risks are much less.

Good Luck

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Thank you for your help everyone. I quit the accutane at a little over two months.

I am no longer depressed and I no longer have mood swings. I can also run and train again without lower back and joint pain (I am a high school wrestler).

The only problem that I am having is the scars and red marks that accutane left me with. I might go in for laser scar removal. If anyone knows a way to get rid of scars please let me know.

What really surprised me was how much food effects our skin. I used to eat extremely well for a 16 year old (no soda no sweets etc). But what I figured out is that I wasn't eating enough vegetables and didn't get the right dairy products.

I switched my milk to raw grass fed milk from Whole Foods and make a big fruit smoothie every morning and I eat a bunch of vegetables for lunch and throughout the day. Instead of meat I now have a protein shakes as well. Along with drinking almost a gallon of water a day.

You would be surprised on how much this has helped my skin. I no longer have ANY acne on my back and haven't had anymore whiteheads on my face (just the left over small cysts that will go away in time). The red marks seem to be fading as well, just not as fast as I would like them to.

All of this has happened and I have only been off the accutane for about a month!

Thank you everyone on this board you may have saved me from facing wayyyy worse problems and to anyone on this crap please go off of it and change up the food you eat.

Thanks again and if you know of anything that will help these scars/ red marks away faster please let me know.

-Rob

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Scared 16 year old at home,
I am glad to hear you are doing well again! The redness and scars are nothing compared to what might have been. Keep looking, I am sure you will find a different alliterative than Accutane to help you out with the redness etc. May God Bless.

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Melissa,
I am very sorry for your loss. You have brought me to tears. May God be with you in these trying times. Please read the report below posted by Ncc . He goes in great detail on known facts Accutane has caused. From the Heart, Scott

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Thanks Scott for everything. I feel like it's my fault for allowing my son to go on this drug and if he didn't he would be here today. I know it has only been a month since his death and I am still having a really hard time. But what is really weird is that last week I got a Legal Advertisement in the mail regarding Accutane and that they are gathering information to see if there is enough for a class-action case. They are only talking about ibs, colitis, and chroin's disease. After being told by the doctors that I would never be able to prove that Accutane is what caused my sons immune system to attack itself and give up trying to prove it, I get this letter in the mail three weeks after his death. Is my son trying to tell me something or is it just coincidence? And where do I start? Do I trust this law firm? Thanks again for your response and thoughtfulness.

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Melissa,
Yes, I would contact this lawyer you speak of. Hopefully he can help. If you would like, Email me at my email address and I can give you a list of lawyers I have found over the past 4-5 years. Please be patient if one doesn't fit your needs. Maybe the letter you received is God sent or it may lead you to someone that can help.

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Mark, Thank You for leaving valuable information on here. It's a must read.

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Thanks Scott...I feel that people should hear my comments and the comments of others. One more thing that I considered about Accutane...Why would any Doctor feel comfortable prescribing this drug to a teenager who is still growing and developing when they won't prescribe it to a pregnant woman? If it causes fetus abnormalities don't they think that it is too dangerous to prescribe to someone who isn't finished their adolescent growth cycle?

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Mellisa,
You mentioned you may be interested in speaking with a law firm. I spoke with Sharon Dunn at www.carrcarr.com today. I was pleased with the amount of time and concern she had. If you would like, go to their site and a window will appear a few moments after you are on there. Someone will ask you how they can help. Ask for Sharon Dunn. I can't guarantee anything, but it's a great place to start. Good Luck.

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scared 16 yr old- I am soo glad to hear you stoped. I wish you continued sucess. I am no expert on red marks, but try a little joba oil or olive oil on them, maybe even add a little in your moisturizer. Eventually try laser therapy for scars....
Melissa, 1st my heart goes out to you and your family, know you are in our prayers. I posted the link of Roche's info for you and on page 46 it does state anemia, It is vauge could mean many things. Also page 8 talks about thier cardiovascular risks. Scott is right please read Ncc info. I wish you and your family good luck and hope you get justice.
Keep warning and spreading the word everyone, I pray one day all forms of Accutane will be taken off the market.
http:/­/­www.gene.com/­gene/­products/­information/­accutane/­pdf/­pi.pdf
Mark-they prescribe it out of one profit and two they are in denial and pharm reps don't exactly educate let alone be honest about accutane. Thanks

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I have read all 68 stories previously posted and I have to admit, I'm scared to even see this dangerous pill.
I am a 15 year old who has been suffering from mild acne for several years now and seeing as other oral solutions, as well as numerous face washes and masks have not worked at all, I met with my dermatologist today. We discussed the possibility of going on Accutane and I have to admit, I immediately fell in love with the idea of myself with celebrity-clear skin. But, fortunately, after doing some research and reading these stories, I have been inspired to decline my dermatologist's recommendation. As wondrous as the idea of clear skin may be to someone, it's not worth a lifetime of discomfort and depression. In response to Scared 16 Year Old, I think I'm going to try your dietary recommendations. And in response to everyone else who has mentioned that Accutane is a Vitamin A overdose, they're right. But one thing those people may be overlooking is that the answer is right in front of you. Vitamin A supplements. Go to your local drug store or Walmart and pick up a bottle of Vitamin A. Take two a day, continuously for several months and see if maybe it doesn't help at least a little bit. My mother used to take up to six Vitamin A supplements a day when she was younger and said that she broke out in hives and cysts, but that as soon as she realized that it was the Vitamin A causing her problems, she got off of it and suffered no long term side effects, except for clear skin. Something to think about I suppose.
As a closing statement- let me just say that my heart goes out to everyone who has been affected by Accutane. I hope that someone will put a stop to this madness soon enough to save countless young lives.

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Thanks Scott, I will visit that their website. Also, thanks for everyone who has added their prayers. It means so much to me. I didn't realize this drug has been affecting so many lives until now. I should have followed my gut at the beginning of my son's illness and looked further into it, but I was told I could never prove it. Do not let anyone you know take Accutane. I know it has only been a month since my son's passing, but I am of course struggling that I agreed to give my son a deadly medication not knowing all of the side affects at the time and that he would be alive today if I had known more.

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I have just completed a 6 month course of Roaccutane for Rosacea. My face is fantastic and the side effects whilst taking it weren't too bad. The aching feet, joints and dry eyes and lips were the worst. Now I have been off it since the end of January and I have been experiencing dizziness, shakeness inside, anxiousness and nervousness for no reason. My blood pressure has been very high even though I am on Blood pressure tablets and I have had an irregular heart rate and high pulse rate. My Dr has just sent me for multiple blood tests as Roaccutane can up the levels of clorestoral, triglyclicrides etc. Scary but will know more after results due back this week.

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Hello 50 year old just off Roaccutane,

Is Roaccutane the same as accutane ? I guess I could have googled it.
Good luck at your Dr. appointment, Hope the best for you.

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Acne Dame,

I am glad you decided not to go forward with Accutane. If you have mild acne, the dermatologist shouldn't have even brought this drug up in a discussion.

Ryan is now 19. He has a younger brother is 16. He also has a mild to moderate case of acne. It isn't cystic in nature. Drinking lots of water, cutting soda drinks and greasy foods and taking over the counter medications have help him tremendously.

Although some days are worse than others, he gets by fine without taking the chance of letting a dermatologist hold a hose while they pour gasoline down someones throat.

Having occasional acne breakouts is just part of growing up.

Best wishes... I am happy for you !

When I started this post, I hoped and prayed at least one person would read what I posted. Now many others and we could help prevent them from taking this horrible so called medication.

Everyone on here that has shared their story should be very proud of themselves. You have helped prevented 2 healthy teenagers from possibly taking this drug.

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Scott- Roaccutane is Accutane in other countries such as the U.K. and such..Roche still sells Accutane in theese countries.
and i am glad that we can help, Keep spreading the word....;)

50yr old- I will pray for you and hope that things get better and everything is okay.

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My name is Aidan, and I'm a 15 year old girl who's been on accutane since Jan 4th, 2010. It's been a month since I've been on this pill. I skimmed through almost everyone's story on here. And I'm getting a little nervous. I had VERY oily skin. No matter what I used to wash my face, the oily skin would remain. I tried EVERY possible skin wash, gels, soaps, treatments, topical gels, creams, face washes. Also every brand like proactiv, neutrogena, clearasil, etc. After that, that was when my derm suggested accutane. I thought I did a lot of research, all I saw were people who were on the pill, and their results months after the pill- not years. So far, this pill has helped with my oily skin, which makes me extremely happy. It's at a normal level where I only have to wash it 1-2 times a day and have it normal. I had acne on my cheeks, chin, and forehead. My forehead is completely clear, my chin only has the occasional pimple. My left cheek has cleared up, and a little bit of my right cheek. However, my cheeks are now scarred.The scarring isn't like crater scarring, it's just instead of having a pimple, the spot is red. Fortunately, it covers with makeup. But my goal was to be able to go out without makeup and feel happy with my skin. The side effects I'm experiencing so far on this are: extremely dry/chapped lips, horrible back pain, joint pain (such as in my knees, wrists, shoulders). Before I started this pill, I was already a generally lazy person who'd be tired since if I didn't get a lot of sleep. I'm not sure if the pill is making me more tired because since the pill, I have been a lot more tired then normal. Another side effect I might be experiencing are mild mood swings. One minute I'll be in a happy and energetic mood, and the next I'll be very tired and wanting to keep myself from communicating with people. Two nights ago I went to my dermatologist so he could see the results of my first month on the pill. He went over my blood work and said everything was going good. (If you didn't know, you have to get blood drawn once a month). My mom and I were curious if there were any long term side effects with this pill. He pretty much slurred his words and didn't say much, but he said something like if I get x-rays spots will show up on my spine, something about weakening of the bones. He wasn't clear what so ever, almost like he was hiding something. What I'm thinking is that he knows that there are bad long term effects, but doesn't want to tell us because he could be afraid of getting sewed or the accutane company getting sewed.

Basically what I'm saying is that this pill has ridded some acne and I will be happy when this is over since I am a teen. I used to be so insecure with the way I looked and now I'm much more happier. I'm a freshman in high school and hopefully this will make the rest of my teen years better. However, I really am scared for my future. Is there anyone who can help me by telling me what the long term side effects are, or if anyone can relate to this? This will help me out so much.
Thanks, Aidan.

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Also, and my last derm appointment that I just mentioned, my doctor upped my pill intake to 2 pills a day. He said that it's not dangerous to do this and that it's fine.

If just one pill a day for a month is already giving me painful body aches, what will happen if I have to take 2 pills a day? I'm pretty nervous and scared. Another thing is that my mom thinks that I'm making a big deal out of the body pains, and she thinks that I'm just saying it to say it. She really doesn't know that I'm REALLY sore, especially in my back. I'm stuck and not sure what I really should do ;/

Thanks again, Aidan.

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Adian-I am the mom that has a 16 year old boy with severe acne and had a severe reaction to Clavaris or generic Accutane. There are many people who did just fine on the Accutane but as you can see, there are some of us who had horrific probelms. Can you talk to your mom about this and show her this site. Your acne doesnt sound very severe. Accutane is supposed to be used for severe cystic acne. The really deep stuff. You may not need it. Really us moms have been teenagers once and have been through severe acne. Your acne will clear as you mature without Accutane. You sound like a very intellegent and mature teen. Please discuss with your parents.

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Thank you for the reply, I appreciate that you took the time to read what I had to say. I have tried telling her, but she doesn't believe me. My derm said that I only need to go on the this for 6 months. I do not have severe acne as bad as I've seen on others; but since my derm tried everything else that's when he suggested accutane. It has helped a lot, I'm just worried. I'm going to try to stay on this for maybe about one more month, since I want my acne to be gone but I don't want to damage my body and get long term side effects.

Thanks again, Aidan.

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