[PearlyWrites]

Hello,

I was wondering about the medication of Accutane for the treatment of Acne?

When I was younger, I had Cystic Acne and was prescribed this medication. It was over 10 years ago and was wondering if the warnings and side effects have changed at all?

When I took the drug, it cleared my Acne away but the side effects ranged from very dry skin, sensitive skin, sensitivity to light, and not eating any foods with vitamin A.

Also, never to get pregnant while taking Accutane.

Do you consider Accutane safe?

Thanks!

[writehandgirl]

I took accutane in my early twenties and I consider it to be a miracle drug. It completely cleared up the problem and made me more self-confident.

[PearlyWrites]

Yes, Accutane is a miracle drug but did you ever have any side effects from after the treatment?

I got really sick and it lowered my immune system and my body never fully recovered so I was wondering if you experienced anything at all from using it?

My sister was on it 2 times and didn't have anything happen to her so I guess it all depends on the person's chemical makeup?

[writehandgirl]

Oops. Sorry I must have missed putting that in my post.

I had minimal side effects, but they were:

1. Really dry skin. Especially my hands. I solved this with an intense lotion that my dermatologist prescribed. Very scaly and ugly.

2. I did have to watch my blood pressure. A few times it was a bit high and I got red in the face once or twice just talking to people.

Those were the two that came up. They didn't cause any real problems and, yes, you have to have your doctor watch your progression. My doctor would see me, I believe, every two weeks during treatment to make sure everything was okay.

[skud]

Accutane is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that accutane is known to cause severe birth defects in an unborn baby. It can also cause miscarriage, premature birth, or death of the baby.

from http://www.bbonlinepharmacy.com. it would be wise to consult a doctor in case you're pregnant, because the adverse effects can be dangerous to the un-born child.
however, acutane is a medication that treats nodular acne, which other anti-biotic products can't.

[writerchick]

My close friend used Accutane and it cleared up her bad acne amazingly well. The only side effects she felt was dry skin, but she much preferred that to her acne. The doctor told her, though, in no uncertain terms that she was not to take it if she was planning on getting pregnant, or even if there was a chance she could get pregnant. He was very stern about this warning.

[JacksonTN]

I have been on two different treatments of this medicine. Once in my early 20s and again about two years ago. (I'm 36.) Both times I had to discontinue it because it elevated my cholesterol level really bad. They said it wasn't the kind that would give me heart problems but would produce gall stones or kidney stones? Can you believe that?! I never knew that could even happen with cholesterol.

Also, I have had bouts of depression since being on accutane and I have read that it may be a side effect of the drug . . . even years later.

Edited To Say: It did clear up my acne!

[QueenAngie]

DS#1 has been on it twice. 1st time made things worse. Off for a period of time. 2nd time it cleared things up.

[ingosgirl]

Originally Posted by JacksonTN

I have been on two different treatments of this medicine. Once in my early 20s and again about two years ago. (I'm 36.) Both times I had to discontinue it because it elevated my cholesterol level really bad. They said it wasn't the kind that would give me heart problems but would produce gall stones or kidney stones? Can you believe that?! I never knew that could even happen with cholesterol.

Also, I have had bouts of depression since being on accutane and I have read that it may be a side effect of the drug . . . even years later.

Edited To Say: It did clear up my acne!

My ds took it and it worked amazingly well. I do recall both of us being required to read (and sign) a lot of disclaimers/warnings prior to leaving the office. One in particular was a risk of depression/suicide while on this medication. I don't recall anything being said about later years. It worked well for ds. However, he also had his cholesterol shoot up dangerously high and needed to discontinue the medication without finishing the last few weeks of the treatment. He was on it for about 4 - 5 months if my memory was good. I remember thinking that anyone without insurance could never afford this medication, though. The regular price is about $400 - $500/month of treatment. YIKES!