Accutane (Isotretinoin)

[nvapro]

Just wanted to tell as many people as I can, my opinion, of anyone considering taking this form of medication to rid themselves of acne. I believe it is not worth the risk involved. I have many success stories and fails alike. I took it for about a month until I started having lower back pain and to be honest just threw it in the trash (expensive too!!!) and realized you know what, acne is natural and is not a disease. It is also a good thing your skin is producing sebum because that means your skin cells in your face are still alive and working (over-working not a bad thing). When you get older those skin cells start to die and thus you don't see to many grownups with acne.

Anyways point is I am having a lot of things going on with my body now (mainly nerves) my vision has decreased, my floaters have become more prevalent, I had (and still have) Tinnitus for months! Ringing in my ears everyday when I am fatigued and it is time for bed. Months we are talking about. Luckily it is starting to go away as I have had to lay off any sort of drugs.

Thats another thing you do not want to continue marijuana or adderall usage if you are a student and taking this drug. It will send your nerves into a crazy state. I can no longer smoke a joint because I did so regularly while on this medication. And trust me I was a healthy 20 year old male actively in sports.

This medication has not been tested by the rigors of science and yet they prescribe it to thousands. I mean look at the waivers you are signing!!!

May hear or see things that aren't real, suicide thoughts, liver abdominal bleeding, lower back pain, serious brain problems, stroke, seizure.

Christ, please just live with the acne you do not want these problems. Every human being is different and while some may tell you hey its a miracle it cured me, look, I am 20 and (used to be) above average health. I don't know if its genes or what but this Isotretinoin (Accutane) messed me up bad. Your are playing chance...The dermatologist does not know you personally or your habits. Isotretinoin is also a form of Chemotherapy!!!! Why would you take it to get rid of acne!? It is a quick fix, and as you all know nothing is free in this world. Everything is give or take. You will lose acne but you will have something else in return, possibly worse. Companies are making money and thats all that matters. We are numbers and statistics to doctors and big business. I would like to think we are individual human beings and this is why I am taking the time to write this. As of now my problems come and go, I may wake up one day and everything I touch that is cold, burns. Muscle twitches throughout my body. Ringing in my ears every damn day...And my vision.

Although I am not much of a doper or doctor type person I eat and train hard for my sport so I am planning to see a neurologists for CT scans and such. But I refuse to take any medication again. I will eat healthy food and drink water and that is all a human needs. You may disagree with me but look the human race has lived thus far. And diseases and neurological issues are sky rocketing in this day and age. I wonder why...

Just stumbled upon your post, I too have just finished my accutane dosage in September and am experiencing the same things you have just listed. Respond back when you get this, i have a few questions since our symptoms are very similar.

[nvapro]

No problem man, just message me here or email me. I took Isotretinoin for about a month, Jan - Feb, and started having noticeable lower back pain, wild vivid dreams, decreased vision both day and night, and said to hell with this crap and threw it away. Bad news is, it is October and I have all those symptoms to this day.

Best advice I can give is to eat healthy, drink plenty water, and sleep everyday at least 8 hrs. You cannot smoke marijuana (I used to) or any nerve affecting drugs. Alcohol is ok and cigarettes are ok as long as you have moderation. To this day my veins are more prevalent and my vision is ****. If I am fatigued the slightest bit my muscles twitch and hands clamp up. Circulation is poor and sometimes when I'm working on my car I have to hold my back to stand up LIKE AN OLD MAN. I am 21! And it is October (nearly 8 months ago)

I can't do anything, because I signed a bunch of waivers although I might just wait for that dermatologist in the parking lot one day and punch him in the mouth...better yet track down the accutane company CEO and punch him in the throat.

Which brings me to yet another symptom! When you are on this medication your body does not heal. I was in a fight while on this medication and the scars on my knuckles/fingers took so long to heal and scarring is more prevalent than normal. Your body does not produce sebum or oil and thus your healing is affected outside whilst I can only imagine on the inside.


Adam
silenceviolence@gmail.com

I'm 32 years old. I've had Acne since I was 13. Although the acne is not cystic anymore, I still suffer.....and I've been on Accutane TWICE.

I only suffered a heart attack and a few minor set backs, just to have to live with it for the rest of my life anyway. I had my heart attack at 23 years old. My lipid levels and cholesterol have never returned to normal and I still suffer from extreme dry patches all over my body. I used to be an avid runner and now I have to settle for monitored treadmill or walking.....we don't want to have another heart attack or a stroke. God forbid. I won't even go into the depression problems or the fact that I am sterile and can't have children either. Its an extreme overdose of Vitamin A.....of course it will screw you up in more ways than one....with long term issues.

Accutane is not a good deal! Stay away from it! I know I was desperate, I had SEVERE cystic acne for several years (and its extremely painful!). But with all the laser treatments and what not that are out there now, try that route first. It can't be more expensive than Accutane and your health will thank you for it. I am getting laser treatments now to fix the scarring and try to finally get rid of my acne. I am actually very pleased that it is not as expensive as I thought it would be!

On the bright side, I do look like a teenager!

Stay away from Acutane if you can. There are benefits to it, but its just not worth the long term risks and side effects and if anyone offers you a SECOND treatment.....RUN AWAY!!!! I had minor side effects the first round, but it was the second round that did me in, I think. And although they say the side effects are not long term, obviously they are.

And teenagers: Don't worry. Its not typical to have acne as long as I have had it, its very rare. Its probably something to do with how cystic it was when I was younger. (laser treatments, skin peels and stuff like that wasn't readily available to me when I was a teenager either).

[nvapro]

^ Thank you for your post. It pains me to hear your story and I feel fortunate being one of the lucky ones who threw the prescription away after 1 month of taking Isotretinoin. I also read the stories of that young man in the UK who did the full 5 month treatment and was diagnosed with schizophrenia and prescribed to countless anti depressants which eventually led to his suicide.

I also hear the retorts as to how this drug does not affect the human brain. Let me take this time to share something that I've never shared before. Besides the lower back pain, ringing in my ears, huge loss of vision, the transient ischemic attack (mini stroke) I had in April.

The first day of prescription, the second pill before bed time, I had the most intense dream. I heard everyone in the world who was awake talking all at once, voices I have never heard before, people I have never encountered in my life, all of a sudden it got silent and a little girl started whispering "It might be good if you get the princess..." I was conscious during this whole 1 minute dream and after she said that I started asking her by thinking "Who are..." and my thought was interrupted with "the snake...they call me the snake." And then I instantly wake up with full recollection of the dream.

Now I had never had such a realistic dream like that in my life. And for a month or two after Isotretinoin I had countless dreams or should I say nightmares because hardly any of them were good thoughts.

If this is not proof that Isotretinoin screws with your brain...Then the scientists and doctors need a slap in the mouth. And for what...Profits from acne.

Roche Pharmaceuticals....I'm coming for you.

[PAPERTIGER]

I have to agree w/ you NAVAPRO. I took took the drug Accutane in Feb 2005. Immediately when I started taking the med, I experienced the worst headache of my life. It felt as though my head was going to burst. I called my dr. immediately and he insulted me. Told me (in a nut shell) that I was over exaggerating and that If I could not handle the effects of the medication, that I should just get off it. I responded that I was just calling because, the flyer said if you get this type of headache, its states you should call your doctor. I was so disgusted w/ his response that night, I decided to get another dermotologist. When I got the new dr., he decided that I was on too high of a dose too early. He then lowered my dose and put me on dapsone with the accutane. So, I was on the lowest possible dose of accutane over a VERY LONG time. I think it was almost nine months but I am not exactly sure. However during this time, I experienced HORRIFFIC headaches (again I stress, pressure in my head). When I went to the dr, he would check into my eyes, with a second dr. present to see if a brain tumor was present (I guess these were consistent with the use of Accutane near the pituitary gland). He confirmed there was no sign of a tumor so he allowed me to stay on the lowest dose of Accutane. I stuck it out. Other side affects I had were, extreme body aches (felt like bad bout of the influenza virus at times), also had very chapped lips. Nothing else though.

Well, the VERY BAD part comes after I get off the accutane. Here I am in 2008 still SUFFERING every single day with terrible headaches. Sometimes I don't even want to live anymore. It has been confirmed by three neurologists that I have Intrcranial Hypertension (psuedo Tumor) Basically I have an excess of spinal fluid that goes up into my brain and causes swelling which makes my head hurt tremendously. Once I had a headache for four weeks straight. I am now on Topamax which has helped me a little but not much. They want to start Spinal taps but I am really scared. I'd rather just die I think than go on. I tell my friends that I wish I could go back to 2005 w/ the knowledge I have now and NEVER take Accutane. the pain I endure now is unbearable.

My words to all is, you may be the next one in line who gets the intracranial pressure. Its to die for. Deal w/ the acne, its not forever, this is.

[nvapro]

^ Thank you for your post! It hurts me inside when I read everyone's story. I also feel very fortunate for taking it only for 1 month when the dermatologist wanted 5 - 6 months. To this day I still get ringing in my ears (tinnitus) at night when I am tired and when I work out my bones ache!! My muscles are improving but every time I curl weight my elbows and knees and back are met with sharp pain. I am starting to take calcium and flax seed oil to hopefully get my bones back to normal :/

[acuann]

Navpro,
I commend you on trying to educate people on the dangers of accutane. Unfortunately, it is only one of hundreds of drugs prescribed that can cause all kinds of problems. ALL meds have side effects, some of them severe.

Please everyone, if you are prescribed a medication, look the med up on www.drugs.com and decide for yourself if it is worth the risk.

My last comment is to try acupuncture to help you with your back pain and help you detox from this medication. Acupuncture works!

You may also want to look at your vitamin D levels.

Best wishes
DOM

My son took Accutane about 10 years ago for a 2-3 month period. He initially was paralyzed from the waist down, not to mention the large scabs on his face that resembled chemical burns. UCLA stated it was the "worst case of side effects from accutane" they had "ever seen" He has had health problems since. Dr. are unable to give him a diagnosis. His symptoms are, fatigue, generalized pain, head aches, anxiety, insomnia, epstein barr syndrome, "sick" all the time, hypertension. This for a 26 year old who used to be an active baseball/basketball player. Any suggestions on finding a doc to help? thanks very much. a concerned mom

[nvapro]

Go away Dominic, nobody likes you, did you take this medication? Did drugs.com take this medication?

Just because you read books, watch movies, and study about war doesn't mean you have firsthand account of what war is like.
The same can be applied with doctors and the human body.