Drug Ratings for ACCUTANEAverage Rating: 3.4 (622 Ratings)
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Results are sorted by Date Rating Was Added Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ACCUTANE | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
  | F M | | | | |||
| 5 | acne | Dry skin but moisturizing helped, dry lips Vaseline lip care helped this, dry eyes occasionally sore achy muscles but not unbearable the only thing bad about this is I am a little more short tempered than before but I am on my last month and would recommend to anyone it works amazingly!!!! | F | 24 | 5 months 2x daily | 5/1/2013 | 5 | severe acne | Very dry lips and nose over all very dry Skin.full body itching dry couch ,mouth ulcers .mood swings.sore back. | My 3rd time taking the medication this time side affects seem worse,but worth every minute of discomfort. As it truly is an amazing drug for acne,acne wasted so many years of mg life hidding a way or covering it up as good as i could with expensive makeup.knocked my confidence.however still not perfect but so much better and happier.so plzzzzz stick with it . | F | 28 | 5 days 40 mg 1X D | 3/26/2013 | 1 | Acne | Accutane completely ruined my life, these are just a few of the permanent side effects i have- dry scalp, eyes, lips, sinuses and skin, pressure headaches, joint and muscle pain, severe back pain and severe depression. If you value your health stay well away from this poison. | M | 24 | 6 days | 3/17/2013 | 4 | severe acne | My son took this for 5 months when he was 19. No apparent side effects while taking it. Had to have a blood test every month to test his liver function before doctor would give the next month's refill. Acne is now completely gone. However, he has been experiencing anger outbursts (uncontrollable)for a while now. We have just started to think that this might be related to the Accutane. He is now 22 years old so it has been a while since he took the drug. This anger thing is very worrisome and we are looking into counseling for this. | So far the Accutane worked wonders. This acne thing was terrible for my son and made him very depressed - had him always looking at himself in the mirror studying the outbreaks. | M | 22 | 5 months 40 2X D | 3/13/2013 | 1 | folliculitis | I was given accutane (amnesteem) for folliculitis that had failed to respond to all other treatments. My face was always very greasy, so the doctor felt that a low dose of accutane for a short period would cure it. Pro: Within 2 weeks my face cleared. I have been off the drug for two weeks (after a 6 week course) and no recurrence of the folliculits, but its a bit soon to tell if I'm "cured" or not. If I knew then what I know now, I would have stopped taking this drug as soon as I had the result I wanted. Con: My inner sense of well being was completely destroyed. I could not sit still without panicking. I lost the ability to be happy about anything or to sense any enjoyment or sense of well being at all. I have never in my life experienced the type of anxiety and depression that I experienced when on this drug. If I had knowledge of my experience before I took this drug, I would never have taken it at all. I want nothing to do with accutane at all. Howe | I started taking the drug 11/5/12 last pill was 12/16/12. While taking the drug, I noticed that within 1-2 hours after taking it I would get very irritable, so I decided that I would take it about a 1/2 hour before bed, so that the aggression would express itself while I was sleeping. Within 2.5 - 3.5 weeks I started waking up in the middle of the night with a sense of utter despair and hopelessness. I'd tell myself it was just the drug and to shut up and go back to sleep. By 12/10, I wanted to stop taking it, but I had a Dr. appointment 12/17, so I kept taking the pills. The Doctor prescribed a different type of accutane to combat the depression.. The next morning, I woke up in a total panic at about 5:30 am. I went to the fridge and drank a lot of water and then laid back down, but the panic would not subside. For the rest of the day, I was experiencing sheer terror. I decided to skip the pill that night for fear of the side effects. By the week of Christmas, I was still having panic attacks that last for about 4-6 hours each. The panic was accompanied by a tingling and throbbing sensation in my head. Thankfully, there were parts of the day where I felt nearly like my old self again. Now on December 28, the panic attacks are much more mild and last about 1-2 hours. My fear is that they will never entirely go away. This drug has changed me and I hope and pray that the effects are not permanent. If you went though what I did, there is no WAY y | M | 40 | 41 days 40mg 3X W | 12/28/2012 | 5 | cystic acne. Blackheads. whiteheads | Gloopy eyes, dry lips, dry elbows and knees, muscle and joint aches (minor), rib pain (minor), dryer hair (bonus) | F | 31 | 9 months 30mg | 12/3/2012 | 3 | To clear mild, but persistent acne | Dry, disgusting skin, mood swings, bloody nose, mild hair loss and psoriasis. Not worth the side effects unless acne is severe | M | 17 | 4 months 2xD | 11/29/2012 | 5 | Persistent Facial Acne | During the course of treatment, I experienced the usual side effects of dry skin, lips, a few nosebleeds, and some temporary headaches. | I took Accutane 3 years ago as a last resort (80mg/day). I tried antibiotics, creams, etc. Nothing worked. I had bad facial acne since I was about 16 and it persisted into my early 20s. Three years later, and my face remains clear. I don't have to explain the kind of effects having acne can have on quality of life. It holds you back from so much. This drug has been a miracle to me and my only regret is not taking it earlier. | F | 24 | 5 months 80mg 1X D | 11/27/2012 | 1 | Mild Acne | Severe hair loss, Severe tight dry crepey skin, recurrance of acne after 12 months, severe depression from physical side effects, muscle wasting in face & upper body, MADE ME UGLY. Premature aging of skin, | DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG!!!!Roaccutane has runied my life. 3 mnths after stopping 10 mnth tx, hair began shedding like crazy and continues 18 mnths later I have about 25% of my hair left ( was long thick and healthy before accutane), my skin has become like a kabuki mask - tight and severley dry and Ive aged about 20 years in 18 months. SUICIDAL does not even begin to describe how depressed I feel. severe dry mouth, yellowing of askin on face, eye brow & lash loss - VERY patchy and not looking like they will grow back either. ROCHE, I hope you all burn n hell for eternity. My life has been robbed from me and I had a great one before this medication | F | 31 | 10 months 60mg/40 1X D | 9/12/2012 | 5 | Acne | Aches in my back, hands, feet, knees etc. Extremely dry lips, severe eczema all over my body, severe dandruff (with scabs from having to scrub the flakes twice daily), dry hair. | Fantastic results. My skin is beautiful. Prior to accutane, I had such terrible acne on my face, neck, back and chest after two pregnancies. The cysts would never heal or would heal, then return in a couple of weeks. I tried every over the counter product and oral and topical antibiotics to no avail. It was miserable. I have beautiful, glowing skin. Even the blackheads that covered my nose are gone! I would highly recommend this medication. I am very healthy, vegan and exercise regularly. My cholesterol levels actually improved while taking accutane! | F | 35 | 10 months 30mg 3X D | 6/30/2012 | 1 | For acne and it worked! | Changed my life forever, physically and spirtually. | All I gotta say is fuck this drug and i hope nobody takes it. | M | 18 | 3 years 70 2X D | 6/21/2012 | 1 | Acne | It caused anger problems. I got more violent and moody than ever. I never had a mood problem before taking acutane. It has been over a year and that problem has still not worn off. I would rather have felt with the acne than have anger problems for the rest of my life | F | 17 | 6 months 30 | 6/10/2012 | 5 | Adult cystic acne | Dry lips, dry skin | I changed my skin care regime to Cetaphil face wash and cream and noticed very little dryness. My lips remained dry throughout treatment, but I used Aquaphor on them and they were fine. My skin is clear for the first time since having babies and other than minor dryness I had no side effects. Totally worth it! | F | 33 | 5 months 40 1X D | 6/6/2012 | 1 | 1X D | 6/3/2012 | 5 | To help with acne | I read a woman who said the depression side is a load of crap and I want to say to her that she's full of crap actually, I am a terrifically upbeat person in living relationship with happy job and can tell you this drug mixes up your emotions in waves. I would say that if you are a sensitive character your natural worries and feelings will be enhanced and you will pass from waves of feeling worthless to feeling angry. Despite this and the incredibly sore dry lips this is the absolute cure for acne. My sister took it ten years ago and has not needed another course so far. I am into my second month and my deep dark blackheads and pores have almost disappeared entirely something I never thought possible. Thank god my nightmare is finally over. | F | 29 | 2 months 30mg | 5/12/2012 | 5 | Only option that worked | Extreme fatigue, very chapped lips, nose bleeds, dandriff,eczema, conjunctivitis, overall dry skin, hair loss (eyebrows and eyelashes specifically). I also had some changes in vision, as well as sensitivity to sun. One of the worst side effects was that the corners of my mouth got really dry to the point where I couldn't eat without causing it to bleed. Depression was another thing, but I was also dealing with many outside factors that could have played a part in getting the depression, but I think that the accutane had some effect on it as well. However, most of the side effects were treatable and I have been able to cope with them and I think that it will be worth it to have clear skin. I have been told that my skin had cleared up, but for right now the psychological side effects of the drug have kind of made me feel like there wasn't much of a change, but as soon as the side effects wear off, I will probably be greatful that I decided to go on accutane. | F | 17 | 4 months 40 MG | 5/10/2012 | 4 | Face Acne, very mild back acne | I have bad acne on my face and nothing else worked to clear it up. I finally decided to take Accutane. | I have had zero bad side effects, but i am super healthy. I workout 6 days a week to stay active. I have not lost any weight, or had any joint pain so far. This medicine did make it worse the first month i was on it, but it seems to finally be clearing up this week. I think the depression side effect is a load of crap. I believe everyone who claims they got depressed from it probably already had a mental issue. I would also like to know about everyones diet when they were on accutane. If you treat your body like a temple it will stay healthy and repair it self. | M | 24 | 50 days 40Mg 2X D | 5/8/2012 | 5 | Because its the best solution | I have chapped lips and dry skin but easy to fix with lotion an blistex. I do feel pain but only from my knees down. | M | 17 | 1 years 40 mg | 4/19/2012 | 4 | Severe acne since age 14 | Mild joint pain. Dry lips and very sun sensitive skin, especially arms. Got a severe sun burn on hands that took more than a month to heal. Just stay away from Sun - hat, hat hat!!! and Sunscreen too. Just avoid any optional trips that will expose you to sun. I had a horrible burn just with the sun rays falling on my hand while travelling in a car for few hours. | I have had acne problem since age 14 - tried various medications and stopped going to the dermatologist since 2002. Finally decided to do something about it in 2011. The pain of having acne was so suicidal - there was not a day/night that I was not conscious about my face. I felt so horrible and my self esteem was so low. I was terrified to meet people, go to weddings etc. I moved from US to Australia and was suggested to go to this derm in Sydney. It has been 4 months since I have been on Accutane. I still have the scarring from years of damage. But except for 1 breakout, my skin has cleared up. I have a habit of picking, so some dry spots on the face is taking time to heal. I can look myself in the mirror now, take close up pictures and no longer get scared to meet people. My dermatologist said because my condition is severe, I might have to be on the drug for another few months. But I already feel so much confident. My acne cleared up so much and with little make up, I can totally look nice. I did think I was depressed/had a lot of joint pain in the beginning. But I try to stay hydrated, active and confident and not to think about the side effects. Having Acne is more suicidal than the cure by accutane. So, I am glad that I am taking this drug. This was my last resort and I am glad it is working. For a period of 2 weeks, I had stopped the medicine, as I did not get a refill. Believe me, the chapped lips got better and my face was much smoother. I have heard that on | F | 37 | 4 months 40 2X D | 4/14/2012 | 1 | acne, open pores. | I took isotroin 30 mg (cipla), 20 capsules [oct/2008], at the age of 20 for acne as recomended by my dermatologist. Even today [ie jan 2012] after 3 yrs, i am not the way i was before taking isotroin (in terms of energy level,concentration and many more aspects) ->side effects i suffered- lack of concentration, unresponsive muscle, often get angry, pain in gums sometimes, nose bleeds during cold, heart beats too fast some times with difficulty in breathing, poor night vision/ takes time to adjust in dark, rarely sptos are seen when i blink, skin heals in a different manner, dry eyes / red eyes, thin skin/hair, nails break easily, very very very painful acne with colourless gel around jaw with bad smell which was not earlier, bleeding while passing stools, not able to memorise easily, face,voice keeps on changing, loss of patience, sleeping rate keeps on changing, cant work for a lo | it is much much better to have acne rather than living horribly due to side effects. | 23 | 20 days 30mg 1X D | 1/22/2012 | 1 | Light acne | I had some acne, not lots, but acne that wouldn't go away. I was prescribed this drug by doctors (outside the US) who are incented to prescribe it because there is probably a majority rate of success, and in their perspective the benefits outweighed the risk. I started getting depressed but not realizing it was from the accutane which is not as highly monitored overseas. I started trying to figure out ways to committ suicide as everything irritated me. I began to hallucinate that there was a man inside my apartment and needed to stay with friends. I began having severe memory loss where it disrupted my daily activities. For instance, I'd leave the house, forget where I was going and have to go back home but I'd realize I'd forgotten my keys and locked myself out and couldn't remember phone numbers etc. I'd forget whether I'd already taken my accutane that day so I'd have to write it on post it notes ie date and dosage. I'm sure I'd taken multiple doses on days I'd forgotten to write it down. My brain felt like Swiss cheese. I couldn't remember names of people. I eventually did commit suicide and woke up in the hospital. This is in addition to severe weight loss ie my shoe size went from an 8.5 to a 6 and I had dry chapped lips and still do to this day. I lost years of my life from this drug since even after stopping it, my memory didn't immediately return. There are still times I wonder what happened when I went out with friends or on a date- I imagine it must be like getting | F | 22 | 1 years 30 mg | 1/20/2012 | 5 | Horrible acne for 7 years | Starting off I only had very dry lips, but after the 4th month my nose got horribly dry and my skin started to get very very dry and red almost like a rash that burned badly in areas (mostly my arms and neck.) My face got dry as well although there were no "burns." | You have to suffer through the dry skin and chapped lips, but in the end, for me at least, it was well worth the clear up of my acne. I used to have it on my back, chest, face and neck. It was completely cleared up except for tiny bumps that would come up once in a great while. | F | 17 | 6 months 120 MG 1X D | 1/18/2012 | 4 | Hidradenitis suppurativa | Dry lips/nose/eyes; slight loss of vision due to dry eyes; difficulty walking; extreme (to the max) fatigue; very bad back ache; joint ache; heartburn; loss of appetite; nausea | My HS lumps are finally drying up -- i am no longer leaking blood and fluid out of my lumpy areas. Some areas are even clearing. However, the drying effect comes with a price (dry skin, nose, lips, eyes). Recommend for bad hs not curable with antibiotics or surgery | F | 36 | 3 months 120 mg 1X D | 1/16/2012 | 5 | Cystic Acne | I suffered from severe chapped lips and sensitive skin. | I have suffered from acne since I was 13, through time, it progressively got worse and I was diagnosed with cystic acne. How it was explained, the cells in my body which produced sweat was somehow mutated and produced it at 2x the normal rate. The excessive amount of sweat caused oil to often fill up my pores and cause cysts all over my body. I was told cystic acne was incurable, my dermatologist suggested Accutane. At first I was hesitant because of the immense waiver I had to sign, but I had reached my limit and willingly signed. This drug changed my life. I suffered from chap lips and sensitive skin, but after 1-2 months, it reduced the production of cysts on my body about 95%. I am not saying this cured my cystic acne, but dealing with a bad cyst 2-3 times a year, is better than dealing with a cyst 3-4 times a month. This helped my self-esteem immensely because having such a severe case of acne causes unwanted attention constantly. "Did you get punched in the face?" , "Did you try to pierce your ears?" My dermatologist mentioned side-effects such as depression, and wanted me to notify him immediately if I had any feelings of increased depression. What anxiety / depression that occurred during the period, it was caused by having the acne for so long already, and in my opinion, had nothing to do with the drug and did not increase during the treatment. I would highly recommend this drug. | M | 24 | 3 months 30mg 2X D | 1/12/2012 | 5 | REALLY bad acne | I started taking Accutane because my acne had reached it's peak. My doctor said I'd see a difference after two months, but it worked after the first two weeks. I had severe dry lips and I was VERY sensitive to sunlight(when i was unaware of this i had gotten 2nd degree burns on my face and back.) But SUNSCREEN and LIPCHAP worked to help these side effects. Now, if you feel side effect that a normal over the counter drug will help, don't complain about it, lol. Also may I add if you know about the side effects and stress about it your head can impose those side effects and it would be all in your head, it's not necessarily the drug. | F | 17 | 6 months 30 MG 1X D | 1/7/2012 | 1 | Nodular Acne | Severe Panic Attacks, Heart Palpitations, Speeding Heart Rate, Severe Anxiety, Suicidal Thoughts, High Blood Pressure, Bloody Noses, lack of balance, nausea, twitching. | Started taking Accutane last October. After 4 weeks of minimal side effects my doctor doubled my dose to 30mg twice a day. Big mistake. Five days later I had a severe panic attack. Since then I have been to the those attacks almost every day in addition to constant anxiety, heart palpitations, irrational fears and suicidal thoughts etc. I been to the ER 3 times and am now seeing 2 cardiologists, a psychiatrist and a primary doctor. Very miserable, hopefully it will get better. | M | 32 | 5 weeks 30mg 2X D | 1/5/2012 | 5 | Acne - facial, chest & back | Very sevre chapped lips, back pain on right side really bad and dry skin, I'm still taking accutane nearly at my 2nd month now but I am noticing changes its a very good tablet | F | 15 | 6 months 25 MG | 1/4/2012 | 5 | mild acne even after tetracyline | Extremly painful back pains sice the first week. I'm on the 2nd month of my treatment now and its unberable, I can't even study without pain. Even when I go get a massage it hurts as soon as she puts slights pressure on my back. My joints have always hurt a bit as I have mild artheritis but with Accutane they clicked much more. | F | 18 | 6 months 35mg | 12/27/2011 | 4 | Mild Acne on face neck back chest | Dry, peeling skin. Red, watery eyes. Frequent nose bleeds. | It sure has cleared my skin up! However, as with any medicine, there are some adverse side effects. I've been suffering from back pain since being on the medicine, and my eyes are constantly red. My skin peels so bad that it looks terrible with makeup on. I still would recommend this drug to anyone who wants to rid their acne. This is my last month on the medicine and i can't wait to be done with the full results! | F | 15 | 30 MG 2X D | 12/23/2011 | 4 | excessive oil pockets in skin | Slight hair thinning. Severe chapped lips. | Loved how it made my constantly oily hair not oily at all. The skin on my face was thick with clogged pores and trapped oil. Although I still have visible acne pit scars, my skin is now a normal texture not overly thick and dense. | F | 48 | 6 months 80mg 1X D | 12/6/2011 | 1 | acne | severe dry eyes, eye irritation due to lack of oil in tear film, dry tight facial skin, weight loss. | Accutane cured my acne but I have been left with life long troublesome side effects. Most of them are due to the lack of oil produced in my skin and tear glands. Accutane works by shutting down your oil glands in your skin but also your eyes. Some doctors will tell you that you don't need the oil (sebum) but obviously god gave us this for some reason and I know why. My eyes are constantly irritated by environmental and other factors because I have no oily tear film and none of my meiobiam glands secrete oil. I can't even put into words how upset I am about this. I know accutane works by reducing the oil being secreted but I was never told that it was also happening to my eyes at the same time. I also know something happened to my digestive system or hormones because I lost 25 pounds while on accutane and have never been able to put on the lost weight in 18 years. So for me definately wouldn't take it again. Basically you are trading your health for clear skin. | M | 44 | 5 months 80 mg 1X D | 12/6/2011 | 5 | mild acne | I have very dry lips and thinning hair. i also have some bumps on my hands.... not sure if its because of accutane. | it cleared up my acne....hoping that it does not come back again. | F | 24 | 5 months 20 mg 1X D | 11/30/2011 | 3 | Persistant Acne | Chapped lips, feeling dehydrated, just overall dry | Here is the thing. If you have tried everything else for acne and nothing works then I would consider using it. Just know that everyone will react differently. About a year after i stopped treatment i began having panic attacks. I still have panic/anxiety disorder. I cannot say that the panic was induced by the meds but if i had to bet what caused it i would say accutane. Use as your own risk but you will have a significant reduction in acne. | M | 30 | 5 days 40 2X D | 11/14/2011 | 1 | Acne | Permanent side effects that I still have 10 years after the drug: total loss of sexual sensation, vaginal numbness, painful intercourse, loss of libido, low mood, anxiety, joint pain, food intolerance, cognitive problems, lack of energy, lethargy, tender spleen off and on, floaters, horrible night vision. | I would give, LITERALLY, an arm and a leg to get my health back to where it was before I took Accutane. It sure cleared up my acne permanently. So if you want to risk it, you'd be insane. | F | 36 | 6 months 20 md 1X D | 10/24/2011 | 1 | acne-father insisted | M | 26 | 30 mg 1X D | 10/20/2011 History | 5 | Acne | None to speak of. | I have had cystic acne since I was a teenager. I tried EVERYTHING. Nothing worked. I am very uncomfortable taking any prescription medication but I am glad I took accutane. My skin cleared up for the first time in 20 years. I dream I have acne and I am so happy when I wake up and see my skin. | F | 35 | 6 months 30MG 1X D | 10/12/2011 | 1 | Severe Acne | It dries your entire body SEVERELY. You might just be able to see the outer skin dryness, but what what you don't see is the internal dryness that this drug causes. I had joint pain to go with the dryness. | Acne disappeared completely, BUT i would rather be dead than like this. I am more depressed now than i was when i had severe acne. I was doing treatment when i was 17. Now 5 years later the side affects have killed me as a person. I use to be the most athletic, muscular, outgoing, funny and charismatic guy in my school. The only problem i had was acne and now since the treatment i haven't had a single zit on my face or body. BUT, I have lost 40 pounds (i now weigh 130 and look like a twig). I had a successful knee surgery two months ago because my bones are brittle. I use to have a 20-20 vision, now i am blind without glasses. I had to shave my head because of extreme hair loss. It hurts when i pee and poop. I use to be a great student, but now i have dropped out of college due to depression and lack concentration. In the past two years i haven't slept well a single night and i've been having constant thoughts of suicide. I have a hunch back now. None of my friends talk to me anymore because of the jerk i have become. I think my family has given up on me too because i'm getting worst day by day. I'm preying to god to take my life, I don't wanna live like this, I'm a burden on everyone's shoulders. People that have rated this drug a 5 have only been off the drug for a month or are still taking it. PLEASE DO NOT WASTE YOUR LIFE FOR THIS. The side affects trigger about a year after treatment. There's no way back for me but you can still save yourselves from this monster of a | M | 22 | 6 months 30 MG 2X D | 10/5/2011 | 2 | severe acne | Accutane only worked while I was on it. The acne returned after about two months of being off of it. The long term problem I have from accutane use (14 months later) is chronic dry lips with a clown line around the outside of the lips. I have tried everything under the sun and well as allergy testing. It was not worth it to me to have permanent clown lips and have the acne return. | M | 18 | 20 weeks 40 1X D | 10/2/2011 | 1 | Acne | Please do not take this drug if you enjoy who you are. I miss who I used to be. After taking the first accutane pill I have had chronic constipation. While taking accutane I fell asleep for three days and woke up extremely aggressive and irritable for the next two weeks. My friends were afraid of me. Since stopping accutane, my constipation has not gone away. I have to take laxatives twice daily, and I have intense nervousness and anxiety from accutane. I was a successful 21 year old musician, and I am now a pathetic 22 year old who fears going out doors. I'm not joking. I have seen several doctors and been to the ER several times for feinting, intense migraines, and lives issues all developing after taking accutane. I have met with the inventor of accutane, and no help there. I finally consulted an eastern/wholistic doctor who has prescribed me 5,000mg of fatty acids / 200mg l-trytophan daily. I recommend this to any one who has used accutane and suffered from side effect | M | 22 | 14 days 50mg 2X D | 9/28/2011 | 3 | Acne | Dry Chapped Lips, Extreme Stiff neck and pain in neck, dry nose, but no bleeding | So far I am liking the results. If I do "break out" It seems to dry up really fast. The stiff neck thing is becoming more and more of a problem. It has been going on for a week non stop. In the morning I can hardly lift my head off my pillow and have to turn my whole body since my neck is stiff. Im trying to grin and bare it. Just hope it goes away. | F | 28 | 30 days 40mg 1X D | 9/27/2011 | 4 | acne | dry skin around lips | helped a lot | M | 29 | 4 months 20 2X D | 9/26/2011 | 5 | Severed Acne | Dry/reddish skin, dry lips (peeled constantly) | After several visits to my dermatologist, I finally decided I'd had enough of my acne nightmare (I was still in high school, need I say more). I switched doctors, and the new one immediately put me on accutane. Approximately 2ish months later, my acne was gone, completely. I've never had a problem with acne since, and I'm now 33. This was like a miracle drug. | M | 33 | 2X D | 8/16/2011 | 4 | stubborn but mild acne mostly | Mild dry skin and lips joint pains Tiredness Chest pains Thin skin (but I had thin skin before) Eyes not dry or irritated No body dryness. No rash or any patchyness No depression or moodyness out of normal Loss of appetite All very mild and tolerable | I started out on 10mg a day for 10 days, then moved onto 10mg twice a day (morning and night- 12 hour intervals) for about 2 weeks then now on 20mg a day. Been on isotretinoin for about 9 weeks now (little over 2 months). For the first 2 or so weeks, I had the initial breakout that was pretty bad for me since I have never had that many cysts, pimples, or whatever. I had about 30-40 at one time and it was red, a lot of hard ones and some with whiteheads that were ready to ooze out- it was so frustruating and hard for me. To give you some idea on what my skin was like before this and why I decided to go on it: I struggled with my skin all my life. I am 35 but look early 20s and usually, most people think I have great skin because I am a full time model and I know how to cover them. I've always had stubborn acne that would take forever to go away or come up and when it did, it would become a whitehead and I would either pop them myself to flatten them or go to a facialist and have them do it (which heals better and doesn't look as scabby and big) But towards the end and right before starting isotretinoin, my skin was hard to control. Esp. hiding it from my bookers and casting agents, etc. was becoming impossible. I knew if I didnt have this in control, my career would be down the drain overnight. I took a 'leave' from my work and took the plunge to take this controversial medication. I did my research for months before this and knew exactly what I was getting into. M | F | 35 | 6 months 20mg 1X D | 7/8/2011 | 5 | facial acne at age 28 | nasal dryness, chapped lips | For me, Accutane is a godsend. My skin started breaking out terribly when I was 28, and I didn't know what to do, it was so unsightly. During an eight month course of Accutane, my skin was absolutely perfect, and since then, has been beautiful for the last two decades (I am now 49). I am so thankful for Accutane. | F | 49 | 8 months 20 mg 2X D | 6/24/2011 | 5 | Severe Nodular Acne | NEXT TO NONE. Dry lips that peel about once a week. Dry skin. Even my doc was impressed with the lack of side effects and my dosage 80mg/day (2nd month+, 1st month was 40mg/day) That's it! No fatigue, aching, psycho suicidal thoughts etc etc. | Use Aquafor at night and it will save them! Just blistex chap stick a few times a day. Just use a good moisturizer every morning and i was fine! This has been an absolute god send! My skin is amazing now and i get comments all the time about something is just "different" about how i look (i used to cover it all up with makeup so now there's so much less of it.) | F | 26 | 7 months 80mg 1X D | 6/24/2011 | 5 | For acne on my face | The side effects were horrible.. my lips were dry 24/7 but after about 4 months of taking it my skin was legit flawless! i couldnt be happier :D totally worth it | F | 16 | 6 months 2X D | 6/21/2011 | 5 | severe cystic acne | very, very dry lips | I am not a pill-popper (Tylenol expires in our medicine cabinet!) but my Acne experience had made me desperate for a cure; this drug completely cured my horrific adult onset acne in a matter of months when I was 30 years old. . . I am now 36 and have beautiful skin (no scars). My doctor monitored me closely throughout treatment and now our 16 year old son is taking Accutane ~ praying for the same amazing results; so far so good! | F | 30 | 4 months 50 1X D | 6/20/2011 | 5 | Cystic Acne | Dry Lips, bad initial breakout | Don't second guess Accutane, just do it. I struggled with acne since grade 5 and decided to go ahead with Accutane while in my 2nd Year of university. I finished my treatment two months ago but haven't had a single pimple during the past four. Although the initial breakout is definitely a pain in the arse to get through physically and emotionally, it's all worth it in the end. My only complaint is my skin is back to being as oily as it was before.. I miss having dry skin and non-greasy hair! If you have any questions feel free to email me. | F | 21 | 4 months 60 mg 1X D | 6/20/2011 | 1 | Neighbor's kid is taking in and he was a normal happy kid with a few zits. Now he's sullen and has violent outbursts. I hope he kills the doctor who gave him this poison. | This is just one of many of the poisons big pharma is pushing. There is no need for a drug like this. The FDA should ban it but they are as bad as the drug companies who own them. | M | 17 | 4 months 40 1X D | 6/1/2011 | 2 | Server acne | At the time of taking it, I was depressed, moody, had hair loss, dry lips. But it did clear my face up eventually. I havent had a pimple in nearly 3 years. I have all my blackheads back though. | A year after accutane I was dignosed with a 23cm cyst on my left ovary which had to be removed, aswell as the tube. Now I'm getting the same thing going on, on my remaining ovary. Have a cyst on my kidney aswell as kidney infections and still have hair loss and dry lips. I'm still depressed every day of my life and have major mood swings and crying fits. I never had any of this BEFORE accutane! | F | 22 | 11 months 40mg 1X D | 5/19/2011 | 2 | white huge pimples filled with pus | i'm off the accutane for four months already, and the majority of my eyelashes and eyebrows are gone. Every day I experience a terrible loss of hairs. my eyes are incredibly dry and it kills to blink, to see in the light, and to read. | it's a great drug to clear your acne but consider the side affects. I'm extremely pissed that I took this drug. | F | 20 | 4 months 40 mg 1X D | 5/10/2011 | 5 | Acne | Dry flaking skin on hands and inside nostrils. | Whilst some people have had terrible experiences using this, I found it to be the thing that saved my life, as I was very insecure about the proliferation of acne I had. Five years on, and not a single outbreak has occured. | M | 16 | 5 months 30 1X D | 5/5/2011 | 1 | Acne | Joint and muscle pain throughout the body. chest pains. Abdominal pain and constipation. Lethargy. | ( ISOTRETINOIN ) knowing what i know now i would NEVER have let my 16 yr old son take this medication | M | 17 | 5 weeks 30 1X D | 5/3/2011 | 1 | Severe Acne | During treatment: Dry skin, chapped lips, thinning hair, major itching when my body would heat up through excersise or other activities where my heart rate went up. Minor joint pain and stomach aches. | This is a caution for those who consider this drug! I am 41 years old, and took accutane when I was 18 due to cystic acne on my face, chest and back. I figured it was puberty! I am male and at 18 was a serious athelete (Top 1% at just about any sport), don't drink or smoke, 6' tall 185 lbs and 4%-6% body fat. I spent a couple hours a day lifting weights, basketball, MMA, swimming, racket ball, competitive team sports, soccer, football, skiing. I have been into fitness since I was a kid and was truly in the best shape of my life. While on accutane I began to have joint pain in my knees, shoulders and back. I increased my water intake and continued with my active life style. Within 6 months, my knees were so bad I had to stop playing basketball. I went from jamming the ball to sitting on the bench. At 20 years old, both shoulders hurt and my mid and low back began to give me trouble. At 21 my back was so bad I could not work and went back to school. Accutane drys your body out so much and your joints end up taking significant abuse. Now after 3 knee surguries and cortizone shots in my back to function, I am living with joint pain beyond my years. In addition to this, I had an appendectomy at 21, and then went through a period of what I thought were ulcers, with fatigue, irritability and migrane headaches. I lost the ability to consume any alcohol. A good thing, YES, but my body would react crazy if a single beverage was consumed. 3 day hangovers from a 6 oz beverage! T | M | 41 | 6 months n/a 2X D | 4/23/2011 | 4 | Severe acne | Fatigue, cracked lips, slightly dry skin, severe mood swings, frequent stomach pain, migranes | I took accutane for about four or five months then moved, so I had to come off of it for a while. But about two months ago I started again, but my doctor had me at 60 mg a day. I had really bad mood swings and my depression is getting a bit worse. (My mom thinks it's because of the residual accutane from before we moved) I'm always tired and my energy level is frequently low. | F | 15 | 2 months 30 mg 2X D | 4/3/2011 | 1 | acne | dry everything!! | it worked alright but now a few yrs later (16-20yrs old) i have constant intestinal pain and fluctuating constipation and diarhea. i was and am a very healthy girl...i jus have VERY painful insides!! i understand the desire for beauty but....try something else!!!! not worth the pain im in now!!!! wish i could save everyone from this!! :'( | F | 20 | 6 months 30 ? 2X D | 4/2/2011 | 5 | acne | dry face, dry hands, cracked lips. | I have been on accutane for almost 3 months now and I have had great results. Before I started taking it I had severe Acne on my face and chest. At first my Acne worsened and I was descouraged but towards the end of the second month my face began to dramatically improve. Now I have almost no Acne! | M | 19 | 3 months 40 MG 1X D | 3/28/2011 | 3 | severe acne on my cheeks :'( | dry lips n face, rectal bleeding, skin rashes on hands,mood swings,redness of face which makes it seem like it is irritated | I am on accutane since nearly 2 months I guess I will be taking it upto 6 months. I am already going through so much of side effects of this drug...recently, i have developed skin rashes n rectal bleeding about which i am gonna talk 2 my doctor when i will visit him after some days...rest is alright...i also get angry a bit fast these days n have mood swings...moreover, my face gets red so fast these days that it makes my face seem so irritated!! :'( i really hate this side effect to the fullest! i have no clue if my face is gonna clear up n if this med is worth it...it will be known with time...hope i get better soon :( | F | 17 | 6 months 40 mg 1X D | 3/27/2011 | 1 | Mild Acne | dry skin, eyes, reduced vision, floaters, dizzy spells, panic attacks, MAJOR depression(post-usage) | Wow, I feel a comraderie with the rest of the victims here whose lives have been devastated by this drug. I am 42 yrs old, and like many others, took it in the mid-eighties when I was a junior in high school (16 yrs old). I had a hypochondriacal mother who took myself, my brother and sister to the dermatologist often because she wanted us to look perfect!(yes, I partially blame her, but I mostly blame the doctor and the evil pharm companies). None of us had anything worse than mild to moderate acne, mine being mild. I thought it was amazing at first, as it permanently rid me of acne. However, shortly after I started to have dizzy spells/panic attacks several times a day(in school, nonetheless), and I slipped into a depression for which no one could figure out why. I went to a semester of college, dropped out, and my father pretty much forced me to join the Army or get out of dodge(which was actually good for me). However, I have continued to have on and off bouts of depression and vision problems for the rest of my life. I feel a common bond with the rest of you with similar issues. Please feel free to shoot me an email any time, if it is just to vent. | M | 42 | 4 months 40mg 1X D | 3/24/2011 | 4 | Facial, chest, back and arm acne. | Dry/cracked lips, irritated/dry skin, red rash on arms/hands/legs, bloody noose, dry patches on skin, [I AM NOT SURE IF ACCUTANE CAUSED THE FOLLOWING: chest pain, tightness in chest, stomach pain, bowel pain, muscle ache.] | I have always been insecure about my skin and have tried EVERYTHING and none of it worked. I have been on the medicine for 3 months now and am starting to see great results. I had so severe chest pain in the first few weeks and my doctor said it was not from the medicine but something tells me it is. If you talk to your doctor about this medicine make sure you feel comfortable and trust them. I don't think my doctor is the best and he doesn't monitor my blood levels and says I don't have to have blood work done anymore, which I find odd because my brother went on it(with a different doctor) and had blood drawn EVERY month. Other than a few bothersome things I have a lot of hope in this drug. | F | 16 | 6 months 80MG 1X D | 3/7/2011 |