Accutane Long Term Side Effects (Page 79)

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 After I have researched this drug extensively, I can't believe that the FDA allows this drug originally made for cancer patients to be marketed for teenagers with acne.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

Sorry to hear about the various side effects that people have experienced. However, I'm sure there is a number of people who have taken this drug with no adverse affects. Just as, say, smoking does not kill everyone who does it. it is all our chemistry. Quite perhaps, all coincidences, maybe those who suffer from acne have a faulty gene that leads to adverse health effects when older?
As for blaming the drug companies and doctors, whoever else you consider your cash cow, what is the point? The referral process for the drug is strict. You are not allowed to take this drug whilst pregnant or conceiving. You have to sign a waiver for this drug. This drug is serious business and it does not hide that. Not one bit. You can easily search for consequences online. So if you decide to take this drug it is your decision. Not your docs, dermos, or any other healthcare professional who have dedicated numerous years of their lives to serve the public and look out for the populations wellbeing!

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Haha they dedicate numerous years of there lives to line there pockets with there patients money you ignoramus. Selling chemo drugs to children with mild acne is ok to you is it? 5-10 years ago when a lot of these ppl myself included took accutane after reading through the nice glossy leaflet provided by Roche they were assured by there oh so caring dermatologist that the only possible long term side effects were hairloss and IBS. Go join a pro accutane group, I think you'll fit in better there.

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It has been 5 years since my sister and brother in law put me on this. My shoulder is always in pain even though i stretch and do yoga and exercise. It's always popping ans grinding. My stomach feels like i've eating the spiciest food and i always have blood in my stool even though i eat the best of best foods that i can afford. i never eat fast food. and yet i always feel like i'm dying. shortly have taking this med. about 6 months i stopped working out. completely. i lost all focus towards it. I lost my hair even though it's genetic in my family. i lost mine at 16... 16 i was balding when everyone in my family lost it in there 30s or 40s. if you see all these reviews and choose you take it. you're destroying yourself.

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I posted on this forum two years ago when I was 18. I took accutane when I was 15 and today I see a psychologist who I had explained my story to. It is clear that accutane has had a permanent effect on me psychologically due to the fact that I look exactly like I did five years ago. I am the exact height and weight as I was five years ago, this might sound like a silly plea, but the truth is that not growing at all in high school and college is devastating for a guy, especially when your short and skinny to begin with. I was a top level athlete in soccer, which I have given up, in fact my head, hands, genitals, and bones in general are still the size of a young growing teenager.
How can I ever look at life the same knowing I wouldn't even look the same have I not taken the drug, I am looked upon by strangers as a young high schooler and my confidence has never been so low in my life. My acne was never horrible, I was still doing well with girls, but now that I look like a young kid my ability to attract women has been lost. I was always good looking and I was maturing steadily, but now I come off as a that tiny kid who never changed. On top of all this my voice still sounds like a fourteen year olds, strangers on the phone have even told me I sound young. I hope one day I become successful enough to discover a new and safer drug to provide to children.

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This is me exactly (Accutane, dermatographia, nightly hives for 10 yrs now)! Have you found anything to relieve your symptoms?

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I am a 32 year old female and am currently 5 weeks into my 2nd course of generic accutane (amnesteem) treatment.

I began my first course was when I was 22 and I have not had any lasting or long term side effects after treatment. I did not have any terrible side effects during my treatment but the medication cleared my acne completely until about a year ago.

Now, on my second course I am experiencing joint pain, extreme fatigue and stiffness. Weeks 1-4 started at 40 MG and now weeks 5-8 my dose has increased to 40 + 20mg. These side effects are slightly concerning since many people have reported in the blogs that these side effects did not go away even years after treatment.

I am curious to know if anyone else has experienced joint pain or fatigue while on accutane... more specifically if it went away after treatment or if it continues and for how long.

Any additional info would be very much appreciated.

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Dana,
I took Accutane 30 years ago as a 24 year old male. I had all the typical short term side effects, i.e. dry skin, chapped lips, nose bleeds, that stopped after I discontinued using the drug. My treatment called for a 3 month cycle on the drug, a 2 week break and then a second 3 month cycle. I was only able to complete the first 3 month cycle. I decided the short term side effects were too much for me and stopped the treatment. Now 30 years post Accutane treatment my life is a constant roller coaster battle. I have so many health issues I struggle to live a "normal" life. I have had bone and joint problems for the last 30 years since Accutane. I have Arthritis in my neck and spine. My bones and joints making popping sounds often. I've had shoulder pains, wrist pains off and on again. Seems like the problems shift around to different parts of my bones all the time. I've had many digestive/ stomach problems since taking Accutane, ulcers in my esophagus, acid reflux, IBS, issues due to intolerance of certain foods I eat that I had no problem with before taking Accutane. Prior to taking Accutane I had a great memory. Since taking Accutane I have trouble focusing on reading, concentrating on things. It's like I'm in a cloud at times, foggy like. I have had trouble with Depression also. Before taking Accutane I could eat all foods with no problems. Now, I have trouble with many foods, dairy products, spicy foods, fatty foods. Recently, I have become gluten intolerant. I read on here that other Accutane users have developed problems digesting gluten. My list goes on and on. I don't sleep well most of the time due to my neck problems. I have that "hollow look" in my face other Accutane users have spoken of. It's all really depressing. If I could go back 30 years I would gladly take my acne problem back. And btw, I still get acne sometimes. A couple of times the acne has formed cysts that I had to have removed. Accutane is not a guaranteed cure for acne! I would never recommend this poison to anyone! Think long and hard before you continue use of this drug anymore.
Ernest

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Ernest,

Thank you the detailed reply. I'm sorry to hear that you have so many lingering effects from this medicine. That is very worrisome as there are so many others who report the same long term ailments.

I actually did quite a bit of research over the weekend and found an interesting study indicating lower doses may also suppress the sebaceous glands without the serious side effects.

"Leading some researchers to posit that it is not cumulative dose that brings about permanent clearing as much as it is the length of time that the oil glands are suppressed." --Borghi A, et al "Low-cumulative dose isotretinoin treatment in mild-to-moderate acne: Efficacy in achieving stable remission."Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2011;

I think I will bring this up to my dermatologist and see what his experience has been.

I wish you the best as I continue to research this from all angles.

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I have been on the drug Accutane now for 7 months to treat a twenty year breakout of acne. I could not handle the higher dose of 55mg a day so I have stayed on 30 mg a day for a longer period. My side effects so far have been mild,,very tired and nose bleeds now and then and lacking motivation and creativity (which I usually have a lot of)..I did end up with a burst abcyss 4 months ago which led to peritonitis however, the abcyss could have been building up before I started the drug???!!! I am coming towards the end now (3 weeks to go) and my skin is clear and has been for 6 months...I do worry after reading lots of information, about the long term and invisible or internal side effects. I have lost a lot of time off work this year and I has been a struggle however I think back to the days my skin was so sore withacne I couldn't move or face anyone,,so I am glad to be where I am at the moment

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YAZ is also risk! My daughter was on low-dose antibiotics for a while, then on YAZ, then on low-dose accutane. Even before the accutane, she started changing. Today, she is 22, but looks like a post-menopausal anorexic.
She has massive constant hair loss, chronic fatigue, sleep problems, depression, and now eye infections and rage. It breaks my heart. I believe the acne would eventually have disappeared. My girl used to look like a supermodel, and now she is a wreck.
I fought these treatments when she wanted them, and I regret not being more firm.

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I know this is not related to Accutane, but I can't let such deliberate misinformation pass. Disgruntled Average, smoking damages the overall health of EVERY person who smokes. Even one puff changes the lung DNA forever. The toxins in cigarette smoke affect every part of your body and the full damage is most visible when you get older, but starts the moment you take that first puff. I have seen relatives dying from smoking and I have worked in a frail care unit. Smoking kills, eventually but definitely.

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Hi,, there are thousands of people with the same symptoms that you have. I am suffering severe joint pain and still haven't found a solution. Now I am trying glucosamyne but I can't share the results yet. Some people say that helps with joint pain. Good luck y best wishes.

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I also was prescibed accutane in my late teen yrs. Im 49 presently. Ive been through more health problems then i care to list. I have a moriphine pump, due to destruction of my skellatine system. I have not yet mentioned this to my neurologist as im going through treatment for a tumor now. I would gladly get together to discuss litigation. Im disabled and have been since i was 35.

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Indeed.

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I'm a 38 year old male. I take morphine sulfate for my bladder that's "cracked and bloody" according to the urologist who diagnosed me with Interstitial cystitis. Based on my symptoms and history another uro called the diagnosis chronic cystitis of the bladder(inflammation) with out taking a look inside. I took accutane in highschool 1993-94. My bladder symptoms started after I took the prescription. I was also diagnosed with IBS in 1997, but manage it with diet. I tried to work but am in debilitating pain of the bladder most of the time, but especially when I'm trying to sleep, and when I wake in pain and exhaustion from the REM sleep disorder the pain cause every day. I was approved my social security for disability in 2004. The foods I can now eat are a small percentage of foods most people can eat because of the low acid diet my doc out me on in 2011. The diet helps to keep the most intense flare ups but the pain is always a problem. By the way, this stuff is still prescribed under generics. Sue, sure. A class for bladders would be pretty sweet. Thoughts about litigation?

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The disease of the bladder I have isn't one of the 3 gastrointestinal diseases listed in the class I was aware of in 2009-10. How can we start taking legal action?

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Yes I i was on it when i was 12 till 14 and i do I have ibs and colitis from iysometimes blood in my stool and extram stomach pains depression extream headaches and back problems :-( and I am now 23

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Im 15 and i have been on this drug for a month. I have the short side effects eg chapped lips , very dry skin and i get rashes if i put any sort of cream.i also have been experiencing extreme fatigue and back pain and find it a struggle to study. Since Ive been taking Accutane my bladder has been out of control I used to be able to get a full nights rest without getting up to go to the bathroom but now i go up to 2 times a night. I also becoming more depressive and i don't ever want to leave home to go anywhere. Should i stop this drug ASAP or in like 2 months ??

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Bethany,
Please stop the drug now. If these side effects are coming from Accutane, they will just get worse. If you stop now, you may be able to cleanse yourself of this drug and be OK. Just my opinion.
Scott

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Scott, please stop it before it's too late. This is the best advice you will get.

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