Accutane Long Term Side Effects (Page 78)

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 After I have researched this drug extensively, I can't believe that the FDA allows this drug originally made for cancer patients to be marketed for teenagers with acne.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

Could you please post to this link regarding your pregnancy(ies)?
Discuss/accutane-and-birth-defects-248974_s2.htm?ts=549614

Thank you

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My daughter took it about 2 years ago, and is doing okay. She also got rid of her acne.

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I took accutane when I was 19 years old. I couldn't continue with the last months treatment because I was suffering from severe depression and suicidle thoughts. I am 24 years old now and suffer from low back pain, slight insomnia and dry lips. However, those are the only side effects I have suffered and i knew those things going into treatment. I live a very normal, healthy lifestyle and accutane gave me worlds of confidence! My heart goes out to those who are suffering from accutane.

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I was on Accutane in 1993. I started when I was 15. I guess it was within a few weeks after starting or so and the skin on my shoulders, chest and back erupted into what I described as blood blisters. My skin looked like it turned inside out into what looked like raw liver on top of my skin. These sores were about the size of a quarter. Some where smaller, some were larger and in various shapes. I had to wear band-aids at all times. I only took them off to take a bath. A shower would have hurt. I didn't take gym and couldn't participate in any kind of sports for over a year in fear of someone bumping into these sores. My dermatologist said to just continue the Accutane and they would go away. They eventually did, but they scarred my skin really bad and the areas feel like gristle instead of skin. I know for a fact that was directly related to me taking it. I have experienced other issues for years now, but didn't connect them to Accutane until reading some of these comments. I have had headaches constantly for I don't know how long. My neck is always sore. My shoulders bother me. My chest hurts and I have to press on my ribs for relief like how I crack my knuckles. I experience constant fatigue. My lower back hurts too from time to time like how some people describe. I don't know if these are related to taking Accutane, but my blood work always comes back ok and MRIs on my brain and X-rays on my shoulder, neck and chest show nothing! Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

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I was curious as to the long term side effects of Accutane and what it's relation to Vitamin A overdose is because I have been suffering with all kinds of problems that didn't come up until at least 4-5 years after I had stopped taking the Accutane. I was on I think 80mg for about 8 months. My skin looks great, but I feel terrible.....ALL THE TIME! It started as lower back pain, for which I ended with a spinal fusion at age 23. The pain didn't get any better. In fact, I got even worse! Pain in the whole back, neck, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, and feet. It would probably be easier to list the things that DON'T hurt! I even have problems with joint pain in my right jaw joint and get frequent headaches. One thing I won't forget is when my orthopedic surgeon told me after my spinal fusion, that the disc they were removing to fuse was completely calcified. That doesn't sound normal for a 22 year old, who was relatively healthy otherwise. I have strong concerns that the amped version of Vitamin A in Accutane is what caused the initial problems. I refuse to undergo further surgeries at this point. I am hoping a good, healthy diet may be able to help relieve some of the pain. My whole body is completely stiff most of the time. I have to turn my whole upper body to look side to side because my neck hurts so much. I didn't think I'd have to sacrifice my health for clear skin. At this point, I'd rather go back to having acne and being overweight if I could be pain free! There was someone who mentioned of having digestive troubles.....been there, doing that all the time! I'm usually constipated, due to the amount and strength of narcotic painkillers I'm prescribed for my chronic pain. I get full/bloated very quickly when eating. Lately, I've been waking up feeling STARVING between 3 and 6am, but eating doesn't always make it feel better. At one point, I ended up in the ER with them telling me it was just a bad case of acid reflux. I think there may be something more going on, but I don't have health insurance, so I only go to the dr. when there is an emergency. I've already had to have my gallbladder removed. I am tired of being in pain every day of my life. I just wish I knew exactly what caused my body to start falling apart at such a young age. I know poor nutrition as a kid (too much soda and sweets and not enough fruits) probably didn't help much either, but I can't think it's just that alone. I feel like I just woke up one day and was hurting all over for what seemed like no reason.

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erm...I've just started taking Accutane...and guess what, no long-term effects have been informed to me, only the short-term. And if Mother's who have their children's best interests at heart didn't research it on the internet, it would be because you have trust in what a dermatologist who is a specialist in that field is telling you as opposed to reviews on the internet that anyone can write that aren't 100% reliable.

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sorry that was meant for the post before yours!

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There seem to be thousands of (especially young) people out there who are suffering from after-effects of accutane and its relatives.Add them to the other thousands of people who have not inquired into this dirty little secret. Organizing all those affected into a huge world-wide legal suit would be a mamouth undertaking but probably the only way we can communicate with the money-hungry pharmaceutical industry which is known to use (and recommend) dangerous drugs for inappropriate illnesses.

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Joytyme,

I am very sorry about your sons hair loss but you have to realize that Accutane is the only medicine that can treast severe acne and sometimes the risks are worth it. In 1998 I suffered from very severe cystic acne that affected every aspect of my life. At my lowest point I barely left my house because of it. When I took it it changed my life for the better and I have no permanent side effects. For evey person that had a bad reaction to the drug that are more people whose lives have improved drastically. Severe cystic acne is not just a cosmetic issue and needs to be taken seriously. It has been proven that people with cystic acne are more likely to feel depressed and even suicidal. By the way the studies were done on young people that did not have Accutane in their system.

Daphne

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Hi im a teenager and my derm just prescribed me accutane. he told me to eat it at least 8 month to get my skin free from acne. I had researched it before going to see my derm. But he said that it's safe to eat unless you want to get pregnant or pregnant or still breastfeed your baby. I didn't sign anything (i.e agreement letter or something). I already purchased 30 pills, my questions are,

Can i eat that in 30 days without getting the long term side effects? Should i throw that away because the effect is not worth it (for eating just for one month). Plus i have gastritic problem. And im not considered myself as healthy person (rarely exercising)

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Hi Koko,

Are you male or female? If you're female (not sure if it's same for male) you ABSOLUTELY should have had to sign something - and maybe even a few things. There's a program called "iPledge" that you have to sign indicating you will not get pregnant (2 forms of birth control required) and you have to answer a series of questions each month in order to get your prescription and refills.
As far as side effects, everyone is different. It wouldn't hurt to call another dermatologist just for a consult/2nd opinion before you take it, even for 30 days.

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Im female. He didn't give me an agreement letter or anything. I wasn't asked to do some medical checks, he just gave accutane in a separate bottle (not in their strip, so everyone has no idea what pill is it.)
And my friend was on it in 8 months without knowing the long term effects (same derm) after the derm had said it was safe.
He even gave someone with mild acne the same pills (accutane).

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Hi Koko,
Thanks for the info. That's really concerning, as a female post-accutane patient. I don't know whether the iPledge program is a law or regulation, but I do know that it's extremely important and for a good reason. Here's a link to it: ipledgeprogram.com/default.aspx

From the rest of your note, it sounds like the dermatologist you've seen is practicing some shady business by not having you sign anything and providing the pills outside of the normal packaging. If I had the doctor's information I'd report him/her myself, but I don't. I strongly suggest you do not take the pills that the doctor provided you, and seek medical advice from a different and unrelated dermatologist.

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***** RECOVERY STORY *****

I've got permission to post this story that I had in my inbox the other day. The individual wishes to remain anonymous and thus any speculations to who it is I will neither confirm or deny. However, take it for what it is - good f***ing news;

Thanks alot man I appreciate it! I owe my life to this plant which is why I now dedicate my life to spreading the knowledge of this amazing medicine. I never expected any of this. To take it back to the start I was *** years old I Was literally the epitome of an athlete and healthy quite like yourself as I saw you mentioned. The death pill accutane turned me into what I could only expect it would be like at 80+ years old, after 6 months of 40mg per day...if I remember correctly 1 poison pill a day. Still remember near the end of the death treatment I found one of those pills crushed with a sickly orange goo coming out. Later to find out this poison is chemotherapy originally designed for brain cancer, which I now know is a whole other fraud just like most of the 'medical system', but that's another topic. Back to the point. I remember in the summer of 2010 when I was a month or two into the poison I suddenly realized my libido was becoming extremely weak and my feelings were slowly dying. I didn't understand what was going on I was only focused on getting rid of the acne. Time went on and I got worse and worse thinking it was only temporary. Never could i have imagined what these criminals had put me on for acne. By the end of the poison I pretty much felt dead. Extreme fatigue, extreme brain fog I could not think normally, could barely make sense out of regular things, at this point I was completely impotent with no more feeling in my body. Complete loss of libido. No thoughts or attraction to females at all. Emotionally dead. My joints in my legs ached bad and made cracking sounds when I would move them. My eyes were red and dry and I had horrible night vision I couldn't see outside at night even though I always had been able to in the past. My lips had a big split top and bottom from being so dry and cracked. They would split and bleed daily. I still have the scar lines from it. Basically the poison made me feel like I was no longer human. I don't know if I am forgetting anything but I think that about covers it. It was around 2 years until i really began cannabis treatment. I was feeling worse and worse no improvement at all to the point i was basically bed ridden with no hope. I eventually started off vaping and over the course of a few weeks my brain fog finally was clearing and I was getting some feelings back which was very exciting, but it wasnt always too consistent. The reason being i believe is the amount is very little being consumed compared to an oil tolerance. Also i feel that vaping/smoking is very mental so I believe most of the cannabinoids go to the lungs/brain rather than the whole body compared to ingesting oil. But it certainly began to clear up my mind. I began using RSO months later I believe a bit more than 1 1/2 years ago. Within the first few days i knew this was it. I took it very slowly and only increased my dose as I was comfortable but within a few weeks I was beginning to really feel the true healing power. I was feeling alive with energy each morning and I finally began healing. My mind was clearing up even more and feeling and emotion was returning. This is dated around a month or so. I no longer had joint pain and my night vision had returned.I continually increased dosage and I continued to feel even better and better. Every symptom just continued to feel better by the day. Libido and feeling continued to improve as did my energy and mind. Another thing that I think helped a lot is a few times a week i would mix some rso with coconut oil and put it in a condom and wear it. By this time it was around 3 months into treatment. I estimate I consumed around 50 grams of oil or about 12 ounces of bud. At that point I felt completely cured and back to normal. I continued to ingest the oil and continued to feel great. I have used the oil on and off since then as maintenance doses and I still feel great to this day. This oil is truly amazing. Throughout the course I didn't write down dates or measurements so it is mostly estimated. I continually listened to my body And feeling as I went along. That is the most important thing to remember on the oil. Take it slowly and build a tolerance. Once your tolerance is high after a few weeks or months the healing really begins. Start very small and give yourself time to build tolerance. 1/2 rice grain every 8 hours rick Simpson recommends, doubling dosage every 4 days. I started a bit slower but eventually built it up. We all have different tolerances and healing rates so always go at your own comfortable pace. It is important to use indica or indica dominant strains because they provide the best healing and rest. Many people have schedules so if you can only use at night before bed that's still okay. Sativas are not good because they are very mentally energizing and not suitable for healing the way indicas are. Some indica dominant strains have a bit of sativa enough to make a nice balance, but you are looking for potent sedative strains that make you want to sleep. These are the real healers. A few strains I used were afghan kush(indica), northern lights(indica), grand daddy purp(indica), white widow(indica dom), skunk #1 (hybrid). The indicas are definitely best but the hybrids were good to add in the mix for some euphoric good feeling. The best oils are a mix of strains which is what I did. Don't worry about cbd, simply go for potent sedative indicas and you will be good. I did not grow the bud I used for these oils, but I have knowledge on growing if you are looking for help. Growing certainly solves many issues in finding this medicine but sadly it is a risk as we know right now. I hope this was detailed enough to be useful and will certainly answer any further questions you may have. I apologize if there isnt a lot of detail but over my course of helping I didn't keep track of much besides how I felt and continued to improve over time. I would love to add more detail but I have been typing for about 2 hours now on my phone because I don't have a computer at the moment. I can't think of much else off the top of my head but Im more than happy to continue to chat and answer questions or help in any way I can. P.s. I tried finding a lawyer for a legal suit about 2 years ago but no one would take on the case unless symptoms included IBS or a few others... thats the corrupt system for us. I don't have money for a lawyer so I don't know how realistic suing actually is for me but I am still trying to collect info in the meantime. Very happy to talk to you as well man it's been an unfortunate part of our life but there is certainly a bright future ahead!"

That is very positive news if you ask me! But again due to this individual wishing to remain anonymous I would rather individuals not publicly speculate as to who this individual is on public threads.

As some of you may have seen before, I truly do think this may be the answer to our problems. There's the anecdotal evidence, the science and my own personal experience too. I hope this can give hope to those with long term issues.

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Excellent reading!! Have been speaking to a few people about this over the last while and is very encouraging! I've not been on the forums much recently due to feeling so fatigued and rubbish hope everyone is doing ok! Can I ask, where do you get this oil if your in the uk? Also did you do any special diets eg, specific carb diet whilst using the oil or just eating normally? My symptoms are gastric as well as mental so need to consider whats best to do!:) thanks again for a positive story!
I hope lots of people are managing the protest at Roche tomorrow? I'm in Scottish highlands so too far away

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Thank you for your replies, April. Now i'm thinking that isotretianin is too risky to try. (Im on antibiotic now) Plus, i'm not suffering severe acne, at this time i only have 3 active acnes, but with many scars left. The derm was overgreedy huh.

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They haven't done enough research to KNOW of any long term side effects, that's the problem. A lot of people are having similar complaints about joint pain and all that. You can't trust doctors or pharmacists anymore because they're getting paid by pharmaceutical companies to carry their product. Look at all the legal suits going about over FDA approved medications and implant devices! Just because the FDA approves it does not mean there can't or won't be anything wrong with what you're taking/prescribed. As much as I love having clear skin, it wasn't worth the sacrifice of pain all over my body. The pharmaceutical business is all about who has the most money invested in their product. You don't think a pharmaceutical business wouldn't pay the FDA to change or omit certain facts in order to get their product out their first and fastest? The first business to put out a revolutionary drug like Accutane will gain the most profit since generic brands cannot make that same product until the original drug-maker's patent has expired, which I believe is between 7-10 years. Our government just wants us to believe certain things and to shove a pill down our throats and make us into "sheeple." They don't want us to think for ourselves. They want to dumb us down and eventually kill us. I don't believe in a miracle pill anymore. I believe in natural health. Eating healthy (not the Standard American Diet, which is abbreviated as SAD, which is actually the real emotion of sad) is the best way to make your whole body and mind feel good. Don't eat a SAD diet! Eat more fruits and veggies than ANYTHING ELSE! I just want people out there who are just starting on Accutane to know that a pill is NOT the answer.

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Shelby,

Diet has no relationship with acne. Before Accutane I tried everything including changing my diet which was healthy in the first place. If you go on acne.org you will see people have tried diets but it failed to help their acne. If you have severe cystic acne just eating fruits and vegetables will not help you. I know there are risks but it is a miracle worker with severe acne when all else fail and there is no guarantee you will get serious side effects.

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I was put on this for severe acne when I was just about to turn 14 in 2009. Mid 2010 when I was 15, I was finally taken off it. I had the usual side-effects e.g. dryness, blood noses etc... but I knew this was going to happen. When I look back on it I can see that I was also depressed, which at the time I blew off as me being a teenage girl with the world on her shoulders. A year a go I had an abnormal Pap Smear & another one this year. I have LSIL & a more increased chance of getting HPV & cervical cancer. They think this could have to do with the cervical cancer needle I was given at 12 (yay more experimental drugs their not 100% about!) but my mum suggested that roaccutane may have something to do with it? i have to go in for colposcopy soon and I will pitch it to them. But over the years my dried skin has gotten worse, I still get sun burnt like anything, my hair falls out & the depression has gotten worse before it's gotten better. I am just happy that I'm not the only one that has side effects from this drug years down the track.. Oh And after about a year of not being on it, heaps of stubborn blackheads have decided to permanently reside on my face. Cheers for nothing docs!

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I had roaccutane around 25 years ago. I had a one month course, it completely cleared my acne and it hasn't come back since. I've had no side effects whatsoever, I didn't even suffer from dry skin or lips.

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