| Key to ratings for accutane: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine. |
| Rating | Reason | Side Effects | Comments | Sex | Age | Time Taken | Date Added | |
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| 4 | Acne | I cleared up after an initial breakout at about 3 months into taking it. I am 4 months off and started breaking out but nothing as bad as before. I may go on a second round. I feel like these posts I have read are all from the same person. Give me a break...I had NO real terrible side effects. I think some may have them but I really think this board is full of whiners. | F | 35 | 6 days | 2/6/2010 | 5 | severe acne | dry lips, hair loss, and joint pain | I realize that I did not start experiencing adverse side affects until I started taking the drug irregularly. I would take it in the mornings and then skip a day and take it the following night. One day, I started noticing, joint pain and hair loss. I decided to do something I should have been doing all along... take vitamins. I am happy with the results as I had gotten to the point where I did not wish to step outside my door to pick up the paper let along go into my office and work. I was just too embarrassed. I am employed full time as a financial analyst and attend college full time; and have not noticed a decrease in attention to detail or depression. I came to this site because of the joint paid I have been experiencing but once you understand the ideation, you can make better decisions for your life. The choice is truly yours. Accutane has truly been good for me. | F | 43 | 5.5 months | 2/3/2010 | 2 | acne | I had very dry lips and skin. I'm sure I had more side effects, I just didn't realize at the time. | I took Accutane about 8 yrs. ago. I am now having so many side effects. I have joint, knee, and back pain. My hair is thinning out. My vision is blurry and getting worst. I have very dry itchy skin now. And last of all,I even have THYROID CANCER. I didn't realize that Accutane can caused all these problems. I have seen so many doctors for my pain and problems and never got any answers from them as to why I'm having all these problems. From reading all other people comments on Accutane side effects, I finally realize this could be the caused of my pains and health issues. Oh and by the way, Accutane only some what helped clear up my acne while taking it but now I'm breaking out as always. | F | 34 | 6 months | 2/1/2010 | 4 | I have little girl skin (sensitive | May cause lips to be dry, strange sleep pattern, very exhausted for no reason, lack of concentration, varying in mood, lack of motivation. | I find all external things very manageable by doing the following. Although lips can very quickly become dry. I use “Blistex Complete Moisture” and have no issues. I apply like 10 plus times a day, but as a result I have perfect lips with no issues and don’t go anywhere without it. Skin becomes dry easily, so I use “Aveeno Moisturizing Lotion” after the shower. The doc told me the 3min role. Meaning put all lotions, lip chap, etc on your body within 3mins of washing that area to prevent dry skin and it works for me. I find the mental thing a whole different game that requires constant attention that is difficult to give. I am an average kind of guy, get good marks. But it all changed with the drug. Dropped my Avg. 10% due to a few things. Lack of concentration would be the main thing and I am exhausted very quickly, rendering me almost useless to concentrate for long periods of time, even if I am interested. As a result I have went from an avg. 5-7 hours sleep a night to a minimum of 8-9 hours. If I get less than 8 hours, I am junk. Can’t do much, days are hard, very low motivation, question my existence, oddly emotional?. Basically makes me think I am going crazy. There were some warning signs of this prior when I was only on 20mg, but now at 60mg it is full out. So if I were to suggest anything it would be. 1. Don’t do things that are important to you in life when you take this drug i.e. College, making first | M | 28 | 5 months | 1/26/2010 | 2 | oily skin, acne | mild to extreme headaches, darkening of urine, eye pain, mild to extreme fatigue (usually extreme fatigue) | after taking accutane for about 2 weeks now, i am starting to questing whether or not if taking accutane was a good idea. the thought of having acne free skin and non oily skin would be a great improvement in confidence. i am experiencing more difficulty concentrating than usual and i am alot more depressed than usual. headaces i am experiencing feel like my head is icnreasing in pressure and same is happening to my eyes. my scalp, forehead, upper cheek and nose are still very oily but in contrast my chin and mouth are incredibly dry and skin is flaking. initially before taking accutane my sleeping habbits could withstand being awake for extended periods (staying up for 2 days would be no problem, and sleeping for 4 hours would be no problem), now i can barely stay awake(or sleep) after sleeping for at least 12 hours. sofar the medication seems to have more side effects than beneficial/intended effects. i am hoping that improvements will show soon. i am currently on a 1-2 month trial period to see whether or not accutane is right for me, sofar its screwing me up more than i expected. i really hope it doesnt affect me negatively after i stop :s | M | 18 | 2 months | 1/24/2010 | 1 | Acne | Severe osteopenia,sjorgen's like disorder,chronic blepheritis,joint,muscle and tendon problems,hormonal problems (such as thyroid)low iron,fragile/thin skin and wrinkles. | Do Not take this Chemotherapy drug. It will ruin your life. I had 3 cysts the color of my skin. I have never been the same since. The doctor told me I would only have dry skin and body. I had only dry lips while on it till the last 2wks of tx which I stoped the med due to not feeling right. This poison continues to work even after you stop the med. It causes cell death, hormonal problems. I continue to still live with theese issues after 1-1/2. I am now on a drug to combat my chronic inflmation state with a drug that lupus pts take. My Osteopenia may or may not improve. My autoimmune thyroid disorder will always be a constant battle. To top it all off I still have thoose 3 cysts, they never went away. to the women who wrote about hormonal problems you can contact me and anyone elese who has questions or needs help | F | 32 | 8 months | 1/23/2010 | 4 | cystic acne | dryness of lips and face. looking back probably depression | I took Accutane in 1981-82. I had to have 2 rounds of the medicine but I do not remember the dosage. The first round cleared up my back and shoulders but it took another round to clear the cystic acne on my face. The only thing I do remember was the dryness and sensitivity to the sun. But since then I have dealt with depression through out my adult life. I don't remember the joint/muscle pain but getting older or what I have had creeky knees and such for a long time. My daughter,who took it at the age of 16-17 still has break outs and I am concerned about her taking it again. I would like to hear feedback on how the medicine has affected females and their hormones. I think that rather than losing hair it has messed mine and my daughter's hormones up and has caused an increase in thicker/darker body hair especially arms and chin. I went into early menopause at the age of 36 and have a thyroid condition. I don't know if these things are related to taking Accutane but I would like to find out if others have experienced anything similar. | F | 45 | 4 months | 1/21/2010 | 5 | moderate-severe acne | chapped lips, dry skin | I took 60mg of accutane for 10 months, 8 years ago. It was the only thing that worked with my skin after years of other medications. I was highly involved in sports at the time and noticed no aches or pains except those natural to the workouts and conditioning I was doing. Even my chapped lips and skin were't that bad. (I remember my doctor starting me at the lowest dose and upping it each visit until the 60mg dosage finally worked. And trust me, it was really obvious which dosage 'worked'. She said that a number of other doctors begin with high dosages and adjust from there, but the building up from a lower doseage was supposed to help combat some of the dryness and ensure I was using the lowest dosage possible for my skin). Anyway, I've been acne-free ever since. I still have dry skin (nothing a good moisturizer doesn't help), but have not had acne since (I can literally count on one hand the pimples I've had in the last 8 years). Accutane for me was a life-saver. My flawless skin (that I receive a number of compliments on being that I'm SNOW white, so any blemish would show) is the only indication of my time on this drug. I would recommend to anyone dealing with severe acne that he/she take with a (large) grain of salt many of the scares that are out there regarding this drug. | F | 23 | 10 months | 1/12/2010 | 1 | acne | Dry lips eyes nose | Took 80mg for 4 months in mid 80s when I was 19 had the basic side effects had to stop after 4 months could not take it any longer it was rough. But I have to stop here and say the drug changed my life the first for the good acne oily hair and skin where gone for good. I went for seven or eight years with no problems some chapped lips and dry skin in winter but then started having Bowel problems and muscle & joint pain lower back, elbows, hands, I get out of bed like a 70 year old man my back and kidneys ache every morning, Doctor thinks I have Fibromyagia but symtoms are not the same. I always blamed it on the Accutane but was told not possible. Then I started checking on the long term side effect of Accutane for my 14 year old daughter and started seeing the same problems over and over in people that had taken Accutane over twenty years ago. Don't do it | M | 44 | 4 days | 1/10/2010 | 5 | cystic acne | dry lips, dry cracking skin on arms and hands, nose bleeds inside of nose, mood swings, irritability, low libido, vaginal dryness. | My skin got a little bit worse the first and second month, but cleared up after that. It has been amazing most of the time. I have been moody about things that would not normally bother me. I also do not want to do many things I once did. I cannot wash with body wash because my skin gets too dry, my lips are only bearable because of medicated chapstick and prescription medicine. I would recommend accutane but be ready for the side effects. I am counting down the days until I am done. I'm only on it because absolutely nothing else worked. I want my normal life back. | F | 22 | 4 months | 1/6/2010 | 4 | Adult acne | Extremely dry skin on my face, dry scalp, chapped lips, joint/muscle pain. Neosporin Lip Health is the best thing I have found for my lips. | I took Accutane about 10 years ago with only the dry skin and chapped lips to contend with. I am into my 2nd week and my lips are very dry and this time I have horrible back pain and stiffness in my hips and ankles. The stiffness does go away after I have gotten up and walked around. I have found a fantastic OTC chapstick that helps better than Vaseline. The Neosporin Lip Health is fantastic!!! I have also been using the Walgreens Shea Butter Vaseline on my face/inside my nose at night. It has been helping. Since I knew what to expect I was prepared for the side effects. It does get better!!! I am thankful that my sister is a massage therapist and that is helping with the sore muscles. | F | 28 | 14 days | 12/27/2009 | 5 | Acne | Dry lips, joint pain | I took Accutane when I was 23, when it was first approved. It cleared up 13 years worth of acne in a few weeks, with few side effects. No lasting side effects.I took it again at age 40 but noticed severe joint pain, and discontinued after two months. I am taking it again at age 52 for the occasionall hormonal flair up and again have severe joint pain. I am slim, very active, work out, eat pretty well, don't smoke. The joint pain will go away once I stop the dug. For the other reviewers, please know they may not be revealing anything else about their lives: do they smoke? Drink? Take other drugs? Symptoms are different with each person and it's hard to say Accutane caused this or that. It might be, but other things may also be affecting ther symptoms. I know it is giving me joint pain, but every time I stopped it, I went back to working out, running, being in good shape. So you need to take care of yourself very well and not just blame Accutane right away. Every patient should dsicuss their treatment and side effects with their physician, as every patinet is unique and may experience things differently. | F | 52 | 3 months | 12/20/2009 | 2 | For severe acne | Im currently taking accutane and I have the normal dryness but a couple months ago, I felt a horrible hip and back problem and haven't been able to run without or walk a while without the pain returning. I thought it happened from too much physical activity but now idkk.... I also just had eye twitching and bLurryness today which made me come too this site. My cholesterol shot up 50 points in the first month as well but I'm getting it under control now. Anyways, should eye be worried about the eye problems and back/hip problems??? | F | 16 | 4 months | 12/19/2009 | 4 | cystic acne | Dry skin, chopped lips, constipation,increase of appetite, Mood swings, dry eyes, fatigue, back pain and recently left hip pain going all the way down to my heel. | I m on the first week on my 4 month of accutane, my back cleared up completly with just one zit or two left but everything else is gone. My face is 90% clear now. however i am scaredthat i have developped a hip pain on my left side...-i don`t want it to be sth permanent! | F | 28 | 4 months | 12/12/2009 | 1 | Pimples | Dry skin, severely cracked lips.....PANCREAITIS!!!!! | BEWARE!!! Before taking this tablet you have you seriously be aware of the life threatening side effects which actually don't occur untill years after taking it! I'm a 25 yr old man, I took Roaccutane when I was 16 for bad acne that I had...I wish I never did. When I was 22 I developed Pancreaitis (Inflammation of the Pancreas) Just like normal people would I had a drink or two at the weekend, I would never say I had a drink problem which seems to be a reason for getting Pancreaitis. Ended up in hospital with 10% chance of life, was in high dependency and was told I can never drink again for the rest of my life...being a young fella I still had the odd drink when I was out and again I have taken Pancreaitis twice more, the doctors have told me there is only a certain number of times I can take this again before there will be nothing more they can do for me, my life is more important to me so I stay away from having a sociable drink now which is hard because I'm only a young man but I'm getting married soon so life is more important. My Fiancee has been perscribed Roaccutane and I have talked her out of taking it, it's a serious drug, if I could turn back time I wouldn't take it again, my life has been ruined by this drug, Pancreaitis is a side effect of this drug! | M | 25 | 4 months | 11/27/2009 | 3 | Acne | I took accutane three years ago, it could be the biggest regret of my life. While on it, it was not bad at all. I used blistex DCT for my lips it worked very well. Anyway treatment ended and I still had some acne, but 75% of it cleared up. The doc tried to put me on another 4 months but I turned it down, thank god. Exactly 1 YEAR LATER I developed eczema. It started on my thighs and behind my legs. A few months later it was on my face right around my eye lids. I got steroid creams to combat it but they only helped a little bit. The following winter the same thing happened. Now it is November and my exczema will be back for the winter of 09/10. I regret accutane, it ruind by body but I'm lucky it hurt some other people out there worse then me. | If you value your body please do not take this. I took it three years ago and I am still hurting from the side effects. It cleared 75% of my acne up but it wasn't worth it to go through what I'm going through now. I have not taken a hot shower in 2 years. | M | 21 | 6 months | 11/23/2009 | 1 | Moderate Acne | constant severe itching primarily on the face/neck/groin and all over, Diarrea, Rectum/penile discomfort, Rectum bleeding, sores, dry patches of skin, bouts of anger/aggression. | My doctor prescribed Accutane in 1995 for moderate acne. I used the Accutane for the "recommended" time period. Afterwards, the side affects have "haunted" me since, without a cure or any releif I would strongly suggest you do not take Accutane. | M | 31 | 11/22/2009 | 5 | Severe Acne | Horrible mood swings, SEVERE dryness of the hands, arms, lips and face | This cleared up acne that i had for over ten years! Its been 3 years since I stopped using ACCUTANE and i have received so many compliments on how beautiful my skin is, i never thought my nasty pizza face would ever look so good. HOWEVER--SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS: you have to be lotioning yourself religiously, otherwise you will have nasty dry patches that begin to bleed from the severe dryness, my lips suffered the most, i looked like a crack addict. However, always carry around AQUAPHOR, it worked the best on my horrible dry spots. Also you will have angry fits of rage,..be careful! However after the treatment You will be glad you went through hell! | F | 22 | 6 months | 11/4/2009 | 2 | adult acne | Very achy joints, dry eyes, and chapped lips. No depression at all, although I was expecting it. Mentally I felt great while on it. | Face was 99% clear while on it, but started breaking out again as soon as I quit taking it four months later (not as bad as pre-accutane.) The main problem is immediately after I stopped taking it I suddenly developed chronic diarrhea and severe neck pain which I still have over one year later. Would not take again or recommend for those reasons. My neck is killing me! | F | 39 | 4 months | 11/4/2009 | 5 | pimples | severe anxitey,mood swings,horrible stomache cramps,headaches if i didnt take it with food,dry skin, chapped lips,nosebleeds,hip pain, lower back pain, direahha | works good but the side effects blow. and you have to know how to control them. | F | 19 | 5 months | 11/2/2009 | 3 | acne that would not go away | Im 21 now and I took Accutane in 2004-2006-ish and my skin dried up like a desert. I had oily skin tobegin with but now, its all dry. Every little thing I touched that was remotely sharp, i would get a gash in my skin from and going to get my eye brows waxed?! Forget it!!! I am still trying to find a lotion that actually works, Ive been using Gold Bond healing with Aloe and I need something different soon cuz my body is getting used to it (like it did with the Curel and the vasaline lotions and the Aveeno and Jergins and Johnson and Johnson.) Be careful with accutane, if you have dry skin already, either do not take it or be prepared to spend a lot on moisturizers( I recommend starting out with either Aveeno or Gold Bond)!! And for women on the medicine, get men's disposable razors, they dont have the moisturizing strips that will actually make your skin worse (my MAJOR problem area is my legs and arms) I would definitely proceed with caution with this medication! | F | 21 | 1.5 years | 11/2/2009 | 4 | acne | dry skin ovarian cyst? | this worked great for my acne, had only crazy dryness. My skin is very soft. About a month after I finished my 6 months, I had an ovarian cyst...not sure if it was caused by the medicine or not..but I ended up loosing my right ovary and fallopian tube! Sucks cuz I am only 15 and now I am scared I won't be able to have kids, because I have a couple of cysts on my other ovary too. Anyone else have this problem? | F | 15 | 6 months | 10/27/2009 | 3 | sever cystic acne | stomach pains on and off.. a little bit of lazy/tiredness the first few days. skin gets burned more easy from sunlight.. eyes get a bit dry not to bad... hair and scalp really dry. | M | 24 | 14 days | 10/26/2009 | 4 | Oily skin/mild acne | Dry eyes, scalp, and arms. Mild tummy aches and constipation. More breakouts experienced within first couple of weeks of treatment. | I have been on the 60 mg dose for about 2 weeks now and have been handling it quite well. My dermatologist had warned me that dry skin would occur and muscle soreness may also occur. So far, I have not experienced any muscle or joint soreness but I have noticed my eyes and scalp to be very dry and itchy. I haven't had any hair loss, but I can tell you, I have wanted to rip my hair out with how itchy my scalp has been. Lips have been a bit chapped but I have been using Burt's Bees which pretty much has knocked that out. My tummy has gotten a bit sore more than often and I have experienced a little constipation, I will try to drink more water. Everyone has different side effects when taking this medicine; I wouldn't assume that everything you read will happen to you. I haven't seen too much of a difference, in fact, my acne has gotten worse within the first week and a half, but it's starting to clear. | F | 23 | 2 weeks | 10/23/2009 | 4 | Mild Acne- Hated The Blackheads | I have only been on this treatment for 2 weeks and i am feeling rough. My twin sister was on this for 6 months last year and only experienced the basics side affects that everyone seems to get no matter what...extremely dry lips & face and the occasional mood swing. However she was started on a lower dose then me even though her acne was alot worse. I thought id be fine but im really not. I have upper back pain most of the time and the occasional chest pain. I get blurred vision and my eyes are killing me! Headaches on and off and im tired alot of the time,which doesnt change much actually as i do shift work but it is making it hard. Im definately not coming off the medication as i know it works but i know its gonna be difficult. Im just hoping that these are all i get. I can handle mood swings and the dry lips & face, just not the constant pain and the headaches. | I would still recommend it as not everyone gets the same problems....my twin is the prime example.....she sailed through!!! She looks radiant and i hate her for it! :-P My sister is just generelly better now, psycially and mentally then she has ever been. | F | 20 | 10/22/2009 | 4 | Acne from severe to moderate | Dry lips, dry skin, lethargy and headaches. | This drug seems to be working very well - I have put off taking it for about 18 years or so. I have pimples every day but nowhere as bad as they used to be. My skin is almost clear except for a single pimple and ever present blackheads. When I started taking it, I already had a history of depression and Irritable Bowel Syndrome but it seems as if the aforementioned conditions have not be aggravated by this. I find that taking a B Complex with Vitamin C & 1000iu Vitamin E help with the side effects. Always take the pill with a meal and a full glass of liquid. I have also been using Bio Oil for dryness and scars. I am on a low dose 20mg so maybe that could explain the lack of severe side effects. I have been able to exercise and wear my contact lenses throughout the month or so that I have been taking it. I will see what the future effects are & I have been so afraid to take this drug because of the side effects but nobody that I know who has taken this drug has any of these long term side effects so maybe it depends on the luck of the draw. Good luck to all those taking it but I really think that this should be a last resort... | F | 28 | 1.5 months | 10/9/2009 | 5 | severe acne | dry skin, lips, nose; small rash on the back of my hands | Wow! This drug has helped me a lot. I have been taking accutane for about a month and within the 2nd week I noticed an improvement in my skin. I am still taking this drug and everyday my face has cleared up more. Yes it does make your whole body dry you will need lots of chapstick. I reccomend aquaphor. Recently I have noticed a small rash with little red bumps on the back of my hand. This is a common side effect and these bumps go away with mosturizing lotion. I reccommend using this drug if your acne is affecting you life. I have a lot more confidence because my skin is clearer and it will continue to improve. Thank you accutane!!! | F | 16 | 1 months | 10/7/2009 | 5 | Mild acne | dry nose, chapped lips, stiff and sometimes painful joints, irritable bowel syndrome | I had suffered from acne ever since I was 12 years old and could not find any way to control it until I went to a dermatologist that prescribed Accutane. Be aware that this should be a last resort drug, which it definitely was for me after over 10 years of trying every other acne treatment known to man. I was prescribed 30 mg a day and after 2 weeks saw great improvement to my complexion. After about 8 months of treatment my face is so smooth and clear with maybe one small pimple while menstruating and even then it heals incredibly fast. You'll experience excessive dryness first, but that can be combated with the help of Vaseline and Blistex. After about a month my lower back became sore, but it's mostly my feet now that cause me pain when I walk. It's not a debilitating pain, but the first few steps in the morning do hurt quite a bit. After about 6 months on the drug I began suffer from a very mild case of irritable bowel syndrome. I've just stopped taking Accutane and in a matter of days all of my side effects have disappeared. | 26 | 8 months | 9/30/2009 | 1 | severe acne | Fatigue, vomiting, loss of appetite, severe liver problems, overall pains and aches | I took this medication in 2004 after spending four years trying to combat my severe acne. I went from one week being a healthy teenager to feeling like an old woman. I could barely keep anything down and lost my hunger for several months during and after usage. I was so fatigued and weak that I could barely sit at the computer. Bi-weekly blood tests showed that my liver count went from a healthy number of 5 to close to 1000. Needless to say I went off of it after a month. Worse, is that after six months of being off of the medication, my acne came back with full force and has been with me ever since. To this day, not only do I still have trouble with my acne, but I have joint pain, chronic dry skin, and I recently noticed that my hair is thinning in spots. I didn't originally correlate these side effects to the Accutane, but after reading the other comments, it's making me second-guess myself. | F | 23 | 2 months | 9/29/2009 | 4 | Back Acne | Dry Eyes, Dry Lips, Cracked Lips, Dry Nose, Hip Paint, Back Pain | I am on my 5.5 month of 6 months on Accutane for back acne. My back looks amazing, before it would constantly bleed from zits popping open. My wife says she feels like she is cheating on me when she rubs my back because it had never been smooth : ) I am praying my side effects go away quickly. The worst has been hip and back pain in my 4th and 5th month. If I sit for a while or sleep and try to get up it is a killer. My Dermatologist said those are all side effects that should disipate quickly. The dry lips and nose have been terrible, but I wanted to say I have tried over 5 kinds of chapstick, most stink. However, my Dermatologist put me on Chop Saver chap stick and my lips have been great ever since. One tube only lasts me about 3 weeks but this has been a lifesaver. I also put vaseline in my nose every other day, otherwise it is so dry it becomes very painful. The vaseline has worked well, I can tell if I miss two days. Lastly, the Cracked lips were really bad in the beginning, and once they crack, good luck healing them, so when I told my Doc about this, he gave me a prescription cream for it to apply 2x a day to the corner of my lips. They healed in two days and as long as you apply, the cracking won't come back. | M | 36 | 5.5 months | 9/25/2009 | 3 | Folicalitis | Dry eyes ( I have to wear my glasses everyday because my perscription changed) , chapped lips, moody/irritable, upset easily, itchy skin, body aches | So far nothing has cleared up... just side effects. but the doctor said it was normal- I cant wait to wear a tank top. But im worried about future joint problems | F | 20 | 2 months | 9/20/2009 | 4 | acne | dry skin especially on face, at least. extremely dry face, rare nose bleeds & dry mucus. | it's easy & my family saw results in 2 weeks. still on my 6 month run. | F | 19 | 4 months | 9/18/2009 | 3 | Dry Lips within 5 days. Stomach rumbling and distention within 20 days. Trouble sleeping. | I believe reading comments and possible side effects increased the negative effects I am experiencing. Some are very real but some are psychosomatic and have been managed by positive thinking. This drug would not be legal if it was detrimental to everyone so do not become overly paranoid like I did. It is important to monitor side effects and stop taking isotretinoin immediately if they become serious. However, this drug has helped millions of people without severe side effects so take this into consideration before freaking out. | M | 34 | 36 days | 9/6/2009 | 4 | moderate to severe lifelong acne | Very dry lips, dry nose causing nosebleeds, dry eyes, SEVERE lower back pain | Accutane definitely cleared up my acne. 2 months after discontinuing usage, I am still 100% acne-free. Aquaphor became my best friend while I was on Accutane. I tried several things for my dry nose, but not much really helped. My nose would get so dry and clogged up at night that I usually slept with my mouth open - not very comfortable. Those side-effects were manageable. My biggest problem was the lower back-pain. It was not a muscle pain. It was a spinal pain. This began about 3 weeks after starting Accutane. I was very active and was training for a marathon. This came to an abrubt halt. I had to stop playing golf, riding a bike, almost all physical activity. Even walking was painful. This lasted for the entire course of treatment. I went to a couple of different doctors, tried physical therapy, took Meloxicam daily, and nothing seemed to help. The pain spiked at the beginning and then very gradually got better. It started getting better very quickly after finishing the course of treatment. Two months after finishing treatment, my back feels ALMOST back to normal. I have started lifting weights and biking again with no major problems. Hopefully I can start running again soon. | M | 36 | 5 months | 9/4/2009 | 5 | Severe lifelong acne, cystic | Aching joints, like arthritis, extremely stiff getting up or down, sitting or standing, but once motoring okay. Dry and chapped skin and dry hair, very tired, feel poisoned every time the dose goes up, increased cholesterol levels, skin heebie jeebies, sleeping problems - tired but could not sleep with crawling skin - lead to exhaustion. | This is extreme medication, my doctor did not mess about and told me this. But I had extreme acne under control for most of my life but had exhausted every other cure and as a woman was really suffering from self esteem issues as it got worse, went down my back and chest and shoulders, my face could be used to frighten small children, and it always got worse under stress. The Accutane was like poison in my system, I feel sore and tired as if I am dragging myself around the whole time, eyes, skin hair nose ears dried out, vaseline my best friend....but the bottom line is it is a miracle cure for my skin and I can face the world again and smile at it, I am in my sixth month of taking accutane and my skin is wonderful, it was like getting a skin transplant. If it stays like this and the side effects go away it will have been well, well worth the six months of hard work. Will come back in six months time and update. | F | 42 | 5 months | 9/2/2009 | 4 | acne vulgaris | EXTREMELY CHAPPED LIPS!! dry skin in general, irritability, intolerance to contact lenses due to dry eye | Lesions worsened during the first 2 months or so and my skin looked worse than it ever had before which was frustrating. Began to clear up and was smooth sailing for the next 3 months of treatment. I suffered from severe acne on my chest and back, and now it is completely gone. I have extremely oily skin so during treatment it was so nice to not have to wash my face and hair all the time. Within 2 weeks of ending, my skin was back to super oily again, which is disappointing. Looking back, I think my mood was affected, as I was very mean to my boyfriend during that time! Lesions popping up here and there, but overall I am happy I took this drug. People were constantly commenting on how incredible my skin looked. I will probably do another course to try and combat the oiliness though. Be patient with side effects, they do get better. | M | 22 | 5 months | 9/1/2009 | 4 | Severe acne | When taking accutane I experienced very very chapped lips, dry itchy skin, peeling skin, thinning hair ( fell out in hand fulls), blurred vision (while on accutane I developed astigmatism and had to get special contacts, this later went away), flash headaches -this happened at least twice a day, a sharp blinding pain behind my eyes that lasted about 5 seconds then went away, last but not least I was extremely angry and aggressive. I was constantly frustrated and annoyed, I was either yelling or crying. I also had kidney stones 5 years after taking the drug...I am not sure if it could have been caused by accutane. | It works, but it is a very strange drug and you should make sure that you communicate all symptoms to your doctor. | F | 21 | 8 months | 9/1/2009 | 4 | Moderate Acne | Chapped lips, dry skin, joint pain, insomnia, moody/irritable. | I have been taking Claravis for almost 2 months, I started out on 40mg, my Dr. just upped my dose to 80mg every other day... the side effects just got worse. I got my first nose bleed today, that's how I ended up on this site. My acne is horrible right now and all I can do is hope that this is the process. I was warned that it would get worse, after the increase in dose it has really started effecting me. I would reccomend this if you have acne, but don't expect an overnight miracle. I was getting facials once a week and only buying the BEST products for my face, I also tried everything the Dr had to prescribe. I have spent so much $ over the last 5 years trying to clear my skin and this is the first one to give me some hope. | F | 26 | 7 weeks | 8/26/2009 | 5 | Garden variety acne | Permanently chapped lips, permanently dried out eyelids and inside of nose. Eyelids and nose were not dry until 26 years after finishing accutane therapy. Eyelids are so dry that I cannot even open them at night. I had no other side effects and was happier after taking accutane because I was unhappy with daily pimples on my face--it really got rid of the pimples. I do think the combination of the permanent accutane effect and natural skin dryness due to aging created the painful eyelid and nostril condition I now have. | I took 60mg per day of accutane for 4 months in the fall of 1982 and again for 4 months in the fall of 1983. It was extremely effective on my acne. I have never seen another pimple. It caused the hair on my legs to permanently fall out too. I was not unhappy to see the leg hair disappear. My lips were permanently chapped since I took it in 1983. I had no eyelid or nose dryness till 2007. Unfortunately, now I have permanent eyelid dryness and extreme dryness inside my nose. My doctor of internal medicine is baffled as to why my nostrils are so extremely dried out. Accutane is my only guess. My ophthalmologist said the glands adjacent to my eyelashes have permanently failed. I think the accutane may have caused this because it permanently affected the skin all over my body. It is a really effective drug for acne--it works. However, you must be prepared to live with permanent side effects because it has a permanent affect on your skin everywhere. | F | 47 | 8 months | 8/19/2009 | 3 | Derm and Mom referred me | Dry Eyes/ Lips, Ecsema, Persistant Hair thinning, Distrust of modern medicine/ FDA | Worked wonders on my acne. Litterally never had bad acne since I took 40mg over 3 months at the age of 17. I did notice that my hair was thinning after the treatment was completed. I had thiick brown hair before the treatment and afterwards noticed my scalp showing on the top of my head. Both sides of my family have MPB in the genes so I figure that becoming bald is inherent, but I am positive that accutane sped this process. I also remember tennis matches having to wear a knee brace after treatment to deal with knee pain. Apparantly the oils your skin excreets to moisturize your skin also lubricates your joints. I feel real bad for the people who suffered life dehibilitating conditions from this drug and I am scared for my two little sisters (and myself) who also was treated with accutane. FDA is full of individuals who have conflicts of interest which is why drugs like vioxx and accutane have been passed for consumer usage. I am scared for what long term effects this drug may have on me but it's kind of silly trying to change the past. I am just going to be more vigilant about modern medicine. Humanity has walked the face of the earth for thousands perhaps millions of years and have survived just fine up to this point without the help of cheaply made toxic pharmacauticals. My advice for anyone considering this treatment is to simply say, no thanks. Remember that the term 'side effect' is just marketing bull. The drug causes all those things to happen, the manu | M | 22 | 3 months | 8/19/2009 | 5 | adult cystic acne | Dry lips, pain where Achilles tendon attaches to heel, some dry eyes and stiffness in the hips. The Achilles tendon pain was the worst side effect for me. It has subsided but was bothersome for a few months. | Absolute miracle drug! I suffered from cystic acne for the latter half of my life and had wasted my money on practically everything - antibiotics, Differin, Retin-A, Clindamycin, ProActiv, special cleansers, and probably other stuff I can't remember. Nothing worked. I just finished my Accutane treatment and the results are unbelievable. My skin isn't disgusting and oily anymore, and I cannot even remember the last time I had one zit. I finally don't have to put on makeup before leaving the house, and I'm no longer embarrassed to wear a tank top. | M | 33 | 6 months | 8/11/2009 | 5 | adult acne | dry skin, chapped lips, dry eyes, slight increase in cholesterol levels. | I took this drug in my late thirties after experiencing embarrassing break-outs on my face and very oily skin. I was thrilled with the results. My face was like glass -- no pores! But I did tire of the sore lips and dry eyes and was relieved to go off of it. Still, well worth it. My skin stayed good for about three years and OK for another 10. I have used Minocycline periodically for the better part of the last 5-7 years. When my son developed cystic acne at age 16, I didn't waste any time in getting him to the derm and getting him on Accutane. He took it for six months and hasn't had any problems since. That was five years ago. His acne is just like my sister's, who unfortunately struggled needlessly with cystic acne her entire adult life and didn't go on Accutane until last year -- at age 46. She loved it too. Now, at age 50, not yet in menopause, and experiencing poor skin quality again with breakouts seemingly tied to my cycle, I would go on Accutane but my derm seems reluctant because of my age and cholesterol levels. We have discussed Spironolactone but I don't like messing with my hormones. | F | 50 | 5 months | 8/10/2009 | 5 | severe acne | tired all of the time (however I was also student teaching, finishing my degree, and planning a wedding), i was definitely excessively tired with the meds though, extremely dry skin, especially lips. had some nose bleeds and nose is still very dry even though I've been off of it for 2 months, thinning hair started at the end of my 6 month treatment. i've lost gobs of hair. i'm taking vitamins, but i don't know if it's really helping. | after trying several acne prescriptions including duac, benzacline, retin-a, tetracycline, etc. accutane is the only thing that really worked over an extended period of time. the doc started me at 30 mg and then after 2 months he put me on 60 mg. i have not had any acne for months!! it completely cleared up my face for my wedding! i do have a couple of blackheads on my face that it didn't clear up, but the doc gave me another perscription of retin-a, so that may help. accutane is a miracle, and i would suggest it in a heartbeat.. having severe acne problems for over 10 years was rough. | F | 22 | 6 months | 8/1/2009 | 1 | Moderate to severe | Excruciating neck and back pain, hair loss,insomnia problems, loss of eyebrow hairs on ends only, eye irritations, loss of appetite, allergies, Triglicerides went sky-high from 120 to 450. Muscle aches, oh,I can go on and on. I am now depressed as I look older even though I'm no longer taking it. | This stuff is horrificly BAAAAD! Wish I had known of this site before I even tried 1-day of this. Derm Doc never advised me of these after-effects. Wasn't taking any meds for anything as I was healthy. My blood numbers before initially starting were perfect. I am still having symptoms, a year later. Initially, the Derm doc tried other meds/lotions & they didn't work, so that led to the Accutane. Derm Doc said she never HEARD of such a thing re the after-effects after I stopped. I am so angry. I had problems in early teens, but started taking birth control pills for gyno. problems which really helped my acne. After I had a partial hysterectomy @ 43 I had to stop taking the pill; acne returned. Spironolactone was very helpful, but by the time I turned 50 it made me go #1 too much, so stopped. I am breaking out again, plus all those horrible side-effects still & am frightened that it won't go away. I never had any menopausal concerns until now, this has changed my entire system! I used to have a lot of thick hair, now I can see my scalp. My Mom & Dad had beautiful heads of hair so it is not hereditary. My Mom is 89 & her hair is just now starting to look thinner on top. My skin started breaking out & returned to oily within 3 months after I stopped. I really do need to find out where to find a site re how I can get included in a Class Action suit. It is a dangerous MAN-MADE concoction. If you are 30 or older it should be a definite "NO". Be | F | 62 | 4 months | 7/31/2009 | 5 | moderate acne | dry lips, skin, etc. minor rashes from dryness (especially on arms and legs). nose bleeds from dry nasal passages. decreased appetite (lost weight). And the later months brought dry eyes and minor discomfort wearing contacts. I also had temporary headaches and muscle soreness in the first week or so, but went away after that. | This really is a miracle drug and is worth it if your acne is negatively affecting your life. Everyone is different and tolerates the drug differently. I am 115 lbs and took 80mg a day for 5 months, and definately found the minor side effects to be worth not having acne anymore! :) | F | 21 | 5 months | 7/30/2009 | 1 | Folliculitis | Depression, dryness, joint pain. | I was 40 years old when I first took Accutane to treat folliculitis (similar to acne). I was having severe breakouts on my chest. Accutane DID clear up the breakouts in about 2 weeks. BUT- the side effects were horrible. First, the dryness in my mouth, lips and ears was painful. I was drinking water constantly to try to combat dry mouth. I had to use Aquaphor on my lips and ears all day long. My hips were very painful while taking Accutane. I could never get comfortable. But the worst was the depression. It hit about 6 weeks into the treatment. I continued taking Accutane for another month, but I became completely despondent and irritable. I got into arguments at work and at home. It was horrible. I finally stopped taking the medication after a total of about 10 weeks. I stopped taking it a year ago, and I still suffer from dryness in my ears and mouth. I talk like I have cotton stuffed in my cheeks. I am not sure if the depression is completely gone, but I do feel a lot better. I would never take this again. | M | 41 | 10 weeks | 7/30/2009 | 5 | had acne vulgaris | cracked lips, eye dryness, nose bleeding due to dryness, muscle pains, loss of concentration, depression, hair loss (at first, but after a month or so it stopped) | though it has lots of side effects i did not experience any liver problems or increasing cholesterol levels. so far my skin is so beautiful and i've been having acne problems for 10 years (since i'm 11) | F | 21 | 6.5 months | 7/19/2009 | 3 | VERY oily, acne prone skin w/ cysts | VERY dry, chapped lips; dry, itchy eyes; HA; neckache; fatigue; dry, itchy skin; facial flushing/heat; mild nausea w/ decreased appetite. | I started my first week on 80mg per day - within a few days my lips & face dried out quite a bit. Lovely to not have an oil slick on my face for the first time in my life! However, increase in zits, headaches & neckaches, nausea, itchiness, some facial swelling & flushing, & more extreme lip/face dryness occurred so I cut back to 40mg per day. It's a bit better, I can tolerate this so far. I may cut back to 20mg per day - not sure. Need to talk with the MD about it. My skin is also extra sensitive now. I'm hoping to see some significant clearing of my skin soon so I feel that continuation of the drug is worth it. This was my last resort - after 20+ years of persistent acne & all other treatments, I have had it! Anyone else with facial flushing, redness, heat that just comes on out of the blue like a sunburn??? | F | 38 | 2 weeks | 7/18/2009 | 5 | cystic acne | extremely dry skin, cracked lips (minor) | I took Accutane when I was 16 and I am 25 now. This medicine was truly a lifesaver and I had virtually NO side effects. I never write reviews, but I felt I had to because of all the horror stories out there. People who are happy with their results aren't typically searching for the drug. I'm going back on for a second course-- I was on birth control for 7 years and I've experienced horrible acne for almost a year straight since going off. I don't think I'd need to do a second round of Accutane had I not been on the pill for so long. I have several friends who took the Accutane the same time as I did and their skin is still perfect. Even though I'm going to do a second round because of this hormone drop, my skin is still like 85% clearer than it was pre-Accutane. Basically, do it. It's ABSOLUTELY worth it. I didn't worry about my skin for almost 10 years. It was amazing. Good luck! | F | 25 | 5 months | 7/17/2009 | 2 | Acne from 12-43 | Severe neck pain, seized hips after sitting for short periods. Depression, crying spells. The good part was no oily skin. The inside of my ears were not oily anymore, and my scalp,chest and back were not oily. This DID NOT LAST BUT 2yrs. This is NOT a MIRACLE DRUG! Your Dr. will tell you that. Acne comes back most of the time. My neck pain went away right after stopping Accutane. My hips have NEVER been the same. I also received several letters for a Class Action suit against the maker for Accutane, allowing me the chance to sue them in 2002. I didn't respond. People. Antibiotics Work. Talk to your Dermatologist! Facials Really help too! Beware of Fraxil Laser! I broke out in 20 cysts and have 20 NEW scars! | I was so oily for 30 years, I could grease a frying pan right after washing my face. Acne was mostly on my chin and nose with a cyst here and there constantly. My face would clear for short periods. After suffering until 23, I tried Retin A. It worked for 2 years. I tried again later No luck. Broke me out worse. In 1993 I was a mess! I tried Accutane. I took it for 2 mths and my Dr. took me off because my Triglycerides were too high. I was so mad and upset because it had been working so well! I was 27 at this time and had No side affects. I later took it at 34. I broke out horribly! Immediately I had severe neck pain and my hips started seizing up after only short periods of time sitting! I became Very depressed. My husband wanted me off of it, but I was determined to get rid of my acne! I stuck with it for 5 mths. I could'nt take it anymore! I had not slept for 5 mths due to the neck pain! For a whole year I still had acne mostly on my chin. Then almost a year to the day I stopped, my skin cleared up, and the oily skin on my upper body was Normal. For 2yrs my skin was NORMAL. All of a sudden, it came back! My nose and chin nodules and cysts have been cleared by the antibiotics Bactrim and Minocyclin. They quit working after a year or 2. So you have to go back and forth. I won't take Accutane again though. I highly recommend it for younger people before the age of 25. Do it young! If you have had any injury to bones or joints, or depression BEWARE!!!! | F | 43 | 5 days | 7/14/2009 | 1 | mild but persistant acne | Joint pain, neck pain, anxiety. I practice aerobics 3 times a week, all of my bones/cartilages started to crackle even after the exercises, i was very scared. Started to research and found a lot of bad stuff about it at PubMed and here. Bone changes, chronic diseases, psychiatric stuff..so i quitted. It felt like poison, a very bad feeling. Didn't want to expose myself. Now i returned to contraceptives and my skin is great. I know it's harmul either but a lot more safer than Accutane. | Stop if you feel something is not right. This is not for every person. Stop before it's too late. | F | 32 | 12 days | 7/10/2009 | 4 | moderate acne | very chapped lips, dry skin, mood swings, dry eyes and mouth, blurred vision, bloody noes. After effects: dry skin and face, dry eyes, hives/rashes, itchy skin, muscle pain. | Accutane deffinatly cleared pretty much all my acne; afterwards i did have the casual pimple or two.. but nothing like i use to have before. i do recomend this for people with sever acne if you have tryed all other possiblities and have considered the sie affects and longterm afters of accutane. i tryed everything you could possibly thing of to rid of my acne, but nothing truely worked, which left my with the choice of accutane. | F | 15 | 6 months | 6/30/2009 | 3 | tried other products, to no avail | dry skin on my face & scalp. chapped lips. kind of hurts to open my mouth. | just continue to consult with my dermatologist about the symptoms & he's helping out a lot. prescribing certain soaps & lotions. | F | 19 | 8 days | 6/29/2009 | 3 | severe acne since the fourth grade | nothing yet...but i balm my lips like crazy in haste to experience anything undesirable! | i've just started the 'program' or whatever you want to call it yesterday.:D so im hopeful. tripping about the earlier posts but hopeful. nothing risked, nothing gained. just keeping positive & preventive. i guess all you really need is a strong mind set & healthy life style. then again, you need that to live in this world anyway. i've been through a lot with this persistant & irratably stubborn acne. it's hereditary for me & i've tried more products/drugs that i'd love to forget. im a dictionary now. lol. so here's to clear,healthy skin. | F | 19 | 2 days | 6/25/2009 | 1 | Acne | SEVERE and PERMANENT back and joint PAIN! Poor VISION and THINNING HAIR. This drug has ruined my life! BEWARE! | I took it at age 30 and was completely healthy before beginning it. 3 months later, the SEVERE PAIN came in my back and EVERY joint in my body! My hair thinned, and my eyesight became worse. I have also noticed my skin looks older, no doubt because of the lack of oil needed to stay looking young. It is now 8 years later, and I am unable to work full-time and have to lie down or rest frequently throughout the day. I, also, have a bladder lining disease. This drug wreaks havoc on your body! I am with the other person about a class action law suit. This drug has no business on the market! | F | 38 | 3 days | 6/16/2009 | 2 | severe acne, cystic acne | dry lips, fatigue, sadness, decreased libido, pain after ejaculation | Started 40 mg of Accutane 7 days ago. Difficulty with ejaculation. For an odd reason, an urge to defecate follows right after the orgasm ceases. Girlfriend got worried! I am stopping taking it immediately. My sexual health is not something I would give up for clear skin. | M | 21 | 7 days | 6/9/2009 | 4 | cystic acne | chapped lips, occational bloody nose, sadness | I took this medication when I was in my early 20's. I am now 44. For the last 17 or so years I've had some back, joint and muscle pain. It has gotten worse in the last five years. I was told I probably have fiber myalsia by my doctor. I only recently realized that this could be a lasting side affect from taking accutane. I am in severe pain every day.... | F | 44 | 4 months | 6/7/2009 | 4 | Adult Acne | At the time I took it I had to usual very dry skin and LOTS of breakouts (at first). Then, everything went away and I had very clear skin that was not oily like before. Now, 10 years later, acne is coming back slightly, but I was warned that one course of treatment may not be enough. | All in all, taking Accutane was worth the 3 months of looking aweful. I think it's funny how the people on this site are blaming Accutane for every medical or physical problem that they're having. Come on people, if you didn't read about the side affects, then that's your fault, not the company. Do I have achy joints, yes slightly, but I am almost 48 years old, too. That's expected. Plus, there are lots of other reasons why people can have achy joints. Don't be so quick to self-diagnose! | F | 47 | 4 months | 6/2/2009 | 4 | moderate acne | dry eyes, skin and hair. | I weigh 150lbs and take 80mg once a day. My skin is clear but a bit on the red side. I get minor cuts and scratches very easily (mostly on my arms and hands) which take a while to heal. I take my meds at the same time each day and drink plenty of water. I haven't had a single major side effect (other than the dryness, which, after having had very oily skin my whole life, is actually kind of nice). I wish I hadn't been too scared to take this drug sooner; my skin is scarred from years of acne, and accutane doesn't do anything to mend that. Don't panic about this drug. Its just a med like any other med. Take it, don't drink alcohol, stay hydrated and go about your life as usual. | F | 32 | 4 months | 6/1/2009 | 4 | cystic acne | dry/swollen lips, severely dry hair, exhausted most of the day, dry eyes, dry mouth, sexual dysfunction, joint pain | I'm beginning to re-think taking this drug. I was told by an aesthician that I'm way to old to start a drug like this and that it could kick me into early menopause?!? I'm going to find out if there are any side effects if I stop immediately. I'm wondering if anyone else suffers the sexual dysfunction?!?! I would really hate for my hair to be permanently damaged for the sake of getting rid of a few pimples. My acne was not severe. | F | 40 | 3 weeks | 5/29/2009 | 1 | acne | HAIR LOSS - please help!! My hair is falling out I am beyond depressed - finished accutane 3 years ago and now am a balding 22 year old female. I saw someone had success with laser treatment - please post or email details i am desperate!! awatson8686@gmail.com | F | 22 | 6 months | 5/29/2009 | 4 | Acne | Dry and itchy skin, chapped lips, flaky scalp, joint pain (especially in my knees), diagnosed myofascial pain in upper extremeties and irritable bowel syndrome | I first took Accutane 5 years ago. I never thought about why I suffered from IBS until a couple weeks ago when someone brought to my attention the severe side effects of taking the drug. The summer after my first treatment, I began having symptoms of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). I was formally diagnosed a few months later and had my first colonoscopy at age 24. This is my second time on isotretinoin, and I just completed my last dose 4 weeks ago. Last week Tuesday, my left eye was blurry as if my contact lens wasn't strong enough for that eye. I continued putting the lens in my eye thinking it would get better, but on Saturday I tried a stronger lens, which worked, but left me confused and slightly disturbed. Well this morning I woke up and after putting in my contacts, my right eye isn't seeing at 100% like it should. I'm calling my doctor to see what's going on. I'm convinced it is related to this medication. I didn't realize the severity of the side effects but now that I do, I would recommend alternative treatments for acne (maybe the blulight laser?). My skin does look amazing but at what price? Our health is all we have and I'm seriously rethinking my decision...although it's now too late. Lasers are the new starts of acne treatment. It may be worth a try. | F | 29 | 5 months | 5/26/2009 | 1 | Cystic acne of face, neck, and back | Severe Cystic acne of face, neck, and back Painfully tender dry and cracked skin and severe joint pain (not to be experienced by anyone around the age of 20). Every bone in my body ached with pain. Warning Of Note: My joint pain persists now 20+ years later. | I took Accutane only as a last ditch effort to rid myself of acne. When I first sought treatment, my dermatologist said I had the worst case she had ever seen for a woman under her care. I started treatment for my acne when I was 18 or 19 years old. My dermatologist put me on one medicine after another over a period of years including: Tetracycline, Minocin and Retin-A. Then, as a last resort, I took Accutane, which was the only drug that had a long term positive effect on my acne (- Don’t stop now - PLEASE CONTINUE TO READ MY COMMENTS!). While I took the drug for only 6 months (Now, 20+ years ago), I firmly believe Accutane did much more harm than good and so I continue my search of the Web for answers. (Thus, I came upon this website). For the last 20 years, I've been suffering from persistent joint pain and experience both weakness and severe bone-chilling and painful cracking in my joints (particularly in my knees, elbows and shoulders), just as I had when I was taking the drug, though it’s now significantly worsening over time. Also, since my later thirties, I have been suffering with chronic hives on my neck and face. Isn’t that Ironic – Don’t you think? :-) *** PLEASE EXHAUST ALL POSSIBLE ACNE TREATMENTS BEFORE CHOOSING ACCUTANE, and then ask yourself: "Is the cure worse than the disease?" | F | 45 | 6 months | 5/22/2009 | 4 | Acne | bleeding gums, ulcers, bloody stool, transient chest pain, joint pain, nosebleeds, palms and fingers peeling, night sweats, delayed wound healing, ringing ears, irregular heartbeat, muscle fatigue, blood sugar irregularities | Solved the Acne problem, but still not sure its worth it. Ive been off it 11 years and still have some side effects | M | 28 | 5 months | 5/20/2009 | 4 | Acne on Face | Very Dry cracked lips, Dry skin, Respiratory problems,mood swings | I really thinks it works my acne started clearing up like in 3 weeks I saw a major diffrence.I took it for a year and I have no acne | F | 23 | 1 years | 5/19/2009 | 5 | persistent moderate acne | Dry skin, chapped lips, hot flashes, night sweats | I have had acne since I was probably around 11 or 12 years old and I am now 22. It was always a lot worse right around when I had my period, but even when it was not so bad, it was always there. I mostly got it around my mouth, on my chin and huge ones liked to pop up on my cheeks. I literally tried everything possible. My dermatologist prescribed me with countless creams, cleansers and oral antibiotics but nothing worked. All that happened was my skin became very irritated and red, but it was not clearing up. Finally I switched dermatologists and the one I am now going to immediately recommended accutane. She said I was starting to scar and it was the only thing that would work. I noticed changes immediately. The first 10 days I was on it I broke out A LOT, but I was expecting this and tried not to get discouraged. My skin became extremely dry, so I could not even put makeup on anymore to cover it up. I also broke out on my back a lot, and I never really had acne on my back before. Now, I am starting my second month of treatment and my skin looks the best it has since I was a small child. The acne on my back is not clearing up but my face is. People are starting to notice and complimenting me on how good my skin looks. I can not wait until I am completely clear! | F | 22 | 1.5 months | 5/14/2009 | 5 | acne that just wont go away | Dry skin, skin easily scratched/broke surface and wouldn't heal, ecxema (already had, just flared up and wouldn't leave), hair loss, chapped lips | I started accutane after having the most resilient acne, it wasn't horrible, but nothing could make it go away. Spironolactone did help a bit though, before. At first I saw some clear up in the first month, but then month 2-3 were pretty depressing and I Was thinking, wow this isn't working, but then come 4th month-5th month, things got a lot better. I was on a high dose for someone my size, but I'm a redhead and we tend to require more medicine. My point is, don't get depressed when you read about people who clear up right away, I REALLY didn't. Also, skin lost oil within first week, which was awesome. Worst thing was the hair loss for me (already nervous about it, so maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought) and the fact that any scratch I got took forever to hear and my ecxema just wouldn't stop, but as soon as I was off, all the scratches, excema healed and didn't get any more. If you have acne, this medicine is worth it, just follow the directions and it's fine, I'd take dry sensitive skin for a solution. Knock on wood, been fine since about the end of the 4th month. | F | 27 | 5 months | 5/12/2009 | 3 | I took Accutane for acne | SEVERE joint aches and pains all over especially in the lower back and large joints. Severe allergy reactions to foods high in Vitamin A (such as carrots--by favorties). | Don't take this drug. I'm now 40 and took it in my late teens and again in my 20s. I have had joint problems ever since. | F | 40 | 12 weeks | 5/11/2009 | 4 | Moderate Acne | very dry lips, dry skin, rash, dry anus with painful bowel movements, joint pain, tiredness. My hair is not oily anymore :) | The side effects sound bad, but they are easily managed with a good quality chap stick, lotions, and facial moisturizer. Avoid all products for treating acne, they just add to the dryness. So far, lots of clearing. However, it is not completely gone. My back broke out very badly but is starting to clear up. I am on 40mg two times a day and I am at the end of my 2nd month of treatment. So far, triglycerides are fine. | F | 23 | 2 months | 5/6/2009 | 3 | mild to sometimes severe acne | so far nothing because i just started, have taken isotrentinoin in a cream form and experienced extremely dry skin | I just started taking accutane yesterday..i'm really nervous about all these bad things people say about it. I've delt with depression sense this dibilitating brain injury i endured in 2007 when i was 18..i'm afraid, due to this accutane, that it's gonna increase it. I used to suffer from panic attacks for months after my accident but was on some medications to supress those feelings. I still remain a little depressed to this day and i'm afraid that accutane may bring back some of those feelings. What should i expect? Are there any miracle stories out there? | M | 20 | 2 days | 5/4/2009 | 1 | Bad Acne On Face, Neck And Back | I took Accutane for 6 months. While on this EVIL pill, my acne cleared up, but gave me dry skin to the point of bleeding. I remember my body feeling achy all the time, and uponst waking from sleep, would leave a "cocoon" of dead skin behind me! I couldn't even smile, because my face would crack and bleed! Now, I have SEVERELY DRY SKIN, ECZEMA, WEIRD RASHES, IRRITATIONS THAT NEVER SEEM TO LEAVE, ODD LOOKING BRUISES BELOW MY KNEES, JOINT PAIN (this is a big deal as powerlifting was a big deal in my life), USED TO GO THROUGH WICKED MOOD SWINGS... The list can go on! I am 30 now, and haven't taken it since i was 15. I wish they would have informed me about the awful, permanent side affects! THANKS, TWERPS! YOU WILL BE JUDGED. | Anyone who takes this is simply desiring destruction for their body. If there are that many potential side affects, it is obviously terrible for you. Kinda like Radiation treatment - You know why it kills CANCER? Because it kills everything, including you! Don't be foolish. | M | 30 | 6 months | 5/4/2009 | 5 | severe nodular acne | SE:Mostly dry lips, skin and eyes but able to cont. wearing contacts.. I was in my early 20's in the 1980's. This was miracle drug for me. No more cysts! and skin looked great. | I took 2 rounds of accutane over a year in the 80's. Prior to this creams, lotions, antibiotics and it just became worse for years. As far as depression, hormonal changes in life can cause depression as well as acne--they seem to occur together. A teenage with acne can be depressed. My father had severe acne and has deep scars. I believe that I avoided this because of Accutane. Accutane has gotten a bad wrap. I have had 3 healthy children several years after being on Accutane. If they develop acne I would put them on Accutane. At age 46, with menapause coming, I am now starting to have increase breakouts, rare cyst. If it becomes bad, I would go back on Accutane. My skin for 20yrs has remained healthy until just recently. Even with breakouts now, I do not have oiliness. My pores recently seem to be enlarging and my skin has become thinner ...probably age and hormone changes. | F | 46 | 12 months | 5/2/2009 | 3 | Really bad Acne | Dry Chapped lips, Infrequent shooting pains in Abdomen/side, Blurry vision at times, and confusion | Within the first week I noticed how dry my lips were, they were so dry they were cracking. My body started to have some twinges of pain, my skin started to break out again, then it is started to clear, now almost 4 weeks later my skin looks about 60% better than it did. I am 33 years old and have battled acne since I was 12. Now I have a new lease on life, but if symptoms become worse I will stop. I am currenly on 20 mg, but go this Monday to be reevaluated for a higher dosage. | F | 33 | 4 weeks | 4/30/2009 | 3 | moderate acne, MRSA worsened it | bloody/dry nose, dry anus | All these comments are scaring the crap out of me, I'm very fit and built for a girl but not butch by any means. I love my hair, its one of my best features and losing it would kill me, also I have enough going on in my life that i don't need the extra joint issues and all these diseases. I'm a healthy person overall, I havnt eaten fast food since i was 13 except for those parfaits at mcds but i dont consider that fast food. I really could use some advice, I don't want to ruin my life because of some stupid drug to cure adolescent acne. | F | 18 | 25 days | 4/25/2009 | 4 | acne on face back and chest | Dry everything!!!!! Nose ran continually while on it. Sleep issues! NO ONE MENTIONS THEIR BLOOD WORK HERE!!!!! My Triglycerides when from 165 to 277 Total Cholesterol from 174 to 206! | Dermatologist insisted I take this on my very first visit. Did not ever try a topical medicine or antibiotic. I did NOT have cystic acne, but due to very sensitive skin I was having a lot of scaring on my face and back. It did improve my acne but I still get a few breakouts on chin and chest. I have read that the cholesterol and triglycerides should go down but they did not have me back for a blood test to confirm this. So I will have to do it on my own. | F | 20 | 9 months | 4/18/2009 | 5 | mild persistent acne | Very dry, peeling lips. Dry skin that sunburns quickly. Dry eyes. Mild joint pain in knees. Itchy flaky scalp for the first few weeks. Dry nose with occasional nosebleeds | The severity of my acne was mild to moderate, but after trying several different topical medications of increasing strengths, and even adding oral antibiotics, I did not see any significant improvement so my dr. prescribed accutane. If you are female, getting the drug is a real PITA due to the repeated pregnancy tests and the iPledge program. The side effects are also very annoying and I needed to keep lots of moisturizers, eye drops, and lip balm on hand. But, it worked wonders to clear my skin where nothing else had helped, and despite all the hassle I'm really glad I took Accutane because even now 6 months after treatment my skin is still clear. | F | 30 | 5 months | 4/11/2009 | 3 | severe acne | very dry lips. hair became wavy/curly | I started accutane when I was 16 and had incredible results. My skin looked great for about 2 years after my last pill then I started to break out again, but not nearly as bad as I was before starting. 6 years after accutane, I get the occasional pimple but overall my skin is pretty good. And my hair is still curly to this day! which is my only complaint. I consider myself lucky judging by all of the horror stories i have heard about accutane | M | 22 | 6 months | 4/7/2009 | 1 | acne | TERRIBLE HAIR LOSS, now forced to wear a wig, completely destroyed self confidence. disagnosed with CROHNS DISEASE. did not even have that sever of acne, wish i would have never taken it and would have read these warnings. DO. NOT. TAKE. THIS MEDICINE. unless you want to be bald!!! | F | 22 | 6 months | 4/4/2009 | 4 | Persistent, Nodular Acne | Dry lips-Aquaphor makes this not a problem. A little itchy on my arms where it's dry. I've experienced joint pain only twice. Two mornings I woke up and one of my ankles was sore. Advil took care of it immediately. A little bit of acne in unusual places like my shoulder. | I've read a lot about accutane on the internet and it is simply terrifying. I struggled with whether to go on it or not because of all the bad reviews. My dermatologist said not to worry and I went ahead and started taking it. I've been on it a month and a half and the side effects are basically nothing at all compared to the results I'm seeing. If I were you, suffering from acne, I would not let all these posts scare you. My hair is not falling out, my lips are managable, joint pain is very minimal and advil helps it. | F | 27 | 45 days | 3/31/2009 | 4 | severe acne since jr high | dry lips, dry mucous membranes (nose, ears, anus), watery eyes, back/neck soreness, fragile skin on hands/face, tiredness, and sweaty eyebrows. | I have struggled with acne since junior high. It has progressively changed and gotten deeper into my early 30's. I have tried multiple topicals, and nothing has really cleared up the deep cystic acne I had. I am on my 4th month of Accutane, on a 6 month course. So far I am very happy with it. Caused some minor side effects that haven't been too much of a bother as long as I keep up on treating them. I moisturize 3-4 times daily, and constantly use AquaPhor for my lips. The only side-effect that have caused some symptoms worth seeing a doctor for was anal dryness causing an anal fissure. I see a doctor once a month for check-ups and blood work to make sure my levels are ok and my symptoms aren't getting worse. Doctor says the tiredness could be caused by the muscle soreness. Accutane drys out the muscles so she said to drink lots of water and get rest. | F | 34 | 4 months | 3/30/2009 | 3 | severe acne | very dry lips, dry nose, eczema on hands, hip pains, blurred vision, loss of hearing, mood changes | im in my third week of this drug, first dose was 20mg, the 2nd week went up to 50mg, first 3-14 days i had a massive flare up. Huge cystic lumps formed across my jaw and washing my face everyday was so painful, i dreaded having to pile on the makeup, which didnt even hide anything. after the 14 day period things have started to look up. There`s been weeping, bleeding and soreness across my back but to everyone taking this drug, if you relax and sleep more often it really changes the way your skin heals, it basically can work overnight! =) today is saturday and ive decided to stay makeup free for as long as possible because its on my face 5 days a week -_- without makeup on it looks less bumpy whereas, the makeup piled on adds to the lumpy effect. The areas of acne appear dryed out but its terribly itchy. My doctor told me that that the more severe it flares up, it shows its working. Im keeping my fingers crossed but no one actually understands accept people on this drug. its frustrating. | F | 18 | 3 weeks | 3/28/2009 | 1 | moderate acne | My first round was age 20 and I had good results. I do remember feeling depressed at the time but it stopped shortly after the last dose. At age 40, I tried another round as I still struggled with mild-moderate acne. Worst mistake of my life. I knew about the depression side effect, but had no idea about the joint pain. After about 5 months when my provider happened to mention it, I finally figured out why I could hardly move. . | Unfortunately, I'm still having problems with my joints, I get easily fatigued, my mind is cloudy, my hair is thin and dry. These things started out of nowhere. I was VERY active and healthy, hardly ever sick and had all kinds of energy. I wish I would have read this forum and would have never taken it. It's absolutely not worth it. And to the person who believes that all of this is in our heads--if you knew me, you would never believe that. | F | 41 | 5 months | 3/23/2009 | 3 | acne | Much skin dryness while taking the drug. Mostly my lips, face, and hands. The dryness was tolerable and went from severe back to normal once I was off the medicine. It wasn't until about a year after finishing accutane that I experienced disappointing side effects. To keep this short I will just comment that I now have what my doctor thinks is fibromyalgia and it's symptoms started within a year after finishing accutane. There is no doubt in my mind that the accutane, at the very least, was a major contributor to fibromyalgia, if not the cause, although this isn't proven. And unfortunatly, my acne has returned. The accutane seemed to suppress the acne for only 2-3 years. | F | 27 | 7 months | 3/19/2009 | 5 | cystic acne | Dry eyes, dry lips, cracking on the inside of my nose, dry anus, possible joint pain. | This is my second round. This time I took 20mg instead of 60mg. Far less side effects. My acne started coming back after 2 years off accutane. The derm put me on the low dosage of 20mg and I cleared up almost immediately. I will use accutane for as long as it's available. It's been a lifesaver for my painful, cystic acne. | F | 43 | 4 months | 3/16/2009 | 5 | Sudden Adult Acne | Dry lips, spots of excema on arms and legs, some joint pain, dry eyes. | After the sudden onset of adult acne at age 30, I had visited three dermatologists that prescribed over the counter meds that did nothing. I began to get hyperpigmentation and scarring, so I begged a new derm for accutane (sotret). It was the best decision for my skin. I had, at any given moment, 10 - 30 spots on my face prior to accutane...now I have zero. I get the occassional pimple, but it resolves in one or two days. I also never have to carry around oil absorbing sheets any longer. | M | 30 | 6 months | 3/16/2009 | 1 | acne | Crohn's Disease during treatment. | I have lost my life the past 5 years from taking Accutane. Caused Crohn's disease which has required surgical resection of my bowel. I am sick every day still. DO NOT TAKE THE RISK WITH THIS DRUG. IT IS NOT WORTH IT> | M | 25 | 6 months | 3/15/2009 | 5 | Back and neck aches requiring chiropractor help, gnawing abdominal discomfort and digestive problems (helped by enzyme supplements), occasional nausea, chronic chapped lips, bloody nasal discharge, dry eyes, itchy skin, headaches, sleepiness, insomnia. | The side effects were NOTHING compared to on and off YEARS of my adult lifetime being unable to take off my shirt in public, go swimming, being embarrassed when my wife touched me, due to severe nodular, pustular acne on chest and back. Its all GONE after 6 months of treatment. Scars are healing. Side effects are wearing off nicely. Tickets to Bahamas on the way! | 62 | 6 months | 3/11/2009 | 4 | Moderate persistent acne | Ribcage soreness and joint/back pain during the first week (went away), dry skin/lips throughout, stomach pains sometimes, slight mood swings (may have happened anyway=)), scabs do not heal as fast! soreness/dryness/blood when blowing nose, irritation over not being able to drink as much! | This stuff affects everyone completely differently, and you can't take any comments too seriously until you try it for yourself. Additionally, many side effects you hear people talking about may or may not actually be due to the accutane itself. If you feel as though you need a last resort acne medication, you should give it a try. I am not yet done with my treatment (at 3.5 months now), but my skin is now really starting to clear up big time. However, side effects such as the dry skin, chapped lips, and sore internal nasal area is worse this month. 8/8 people who I know that have gone on this stuff are still void of acne after 2 or more years. Accutane can be a lifesaver; side effects should definitely be monitered closely though. | F | 21 | 3.5 months | 3/8/2009 | 3 | acne on face, chest, & back | drowsiness(real tired and sleepy during the day hard to stay awake) loss of appetite, slight hair loss, dry eyes, heavy eyes, chapped lips(they hurt & skin peals off) dry skin, pealing skin, nail growth, dizziness, i get the feeling i am going to throw up, stomach hurts, back pain constantly, head aches, joint aches, and nose bleeds. | I really don't like being on it helps i have been on it for a while now and it has cleared almost all my acne up. but i am always sleepy. it is hard for me to stay awake at work, if i lay down i can go right to sleep where use to it took me about an hour after layin down to get to sleep. i feel sick all the time, & my back literally kills me! i thought it was something else but after reading the syptoms and side effects i new it was just the medicine. | F | 19 | 2 months | 3/8/2009 | 3 | Acne on back, face, chest | Joint pain, itchy flakey skin, and head. | Ive been on accutane for about 3 weeks now..face got somewhat worse during the first week but im starting to see some improvment. Skin is very dry and ichy. Also back and leg join pain. Side effects that ive experenced havnt been to bad. Eye sight same..blurry at times but same. Hope to see good results soon. | M | 17 | 3 weeks | 3/3/2009 | 1 | acne | exhaustion,mood swings, terrible anger, depression, irritability, dry everything, muscle and joint pain, scarring, skin that heals slower, pain during sex, lack of sex drive, abdominal pain. | I was CONVINCED I should to take it by dermatologists, all of whom assured me side effects would be gone within 6 weeks of stopping. I took it for 7 months. This was 10 yrs ago. Before I took it I almost never got sick, extremely active and strong, and was pretty much happy go lucky-nothing really bothered me. After I started taking it, I was sleeping 14 hrs aday, tired during the waking hours, my muscles and joints started hurting, I got terrible muscle cramping if I tried to do anything physical, and I mean like lift a gallon of milk compared to hay bales I used to easily lift on a regular basis. When I told them about the symptoms they said 'don't worry that's a normal side effect', and that they often have to prescribe Zoloft for mood/depression. so now I have another drug, yippee. I felt this way all the time, it did not go away. It did start to flip flop as the yrs went on, meaning more good days than bad. Now for about the last 3 yrs I have 'episodes' that come and go at will | F | 40 | 7 months | 3/3/2009 | 2 | facial acne at age 41 | dry lips, sensitive skin during and after sun exposure, muscle pain in arms | I was prone to acne as a late teen and during my twenties and did nothing about it except ineffective zinc, proactive sol. and over the counter acne lotions. Eventually, my skin was less oily in my 30s and okay. At 40, resurgence of acne, I was given accutane for 5 mos. it cleared my face but aged my skin everywhere else by 20 years. Very sad because I found out the acne was caused by a benign tumor on left adrenal gland, it was surgically removed. I wish I had not taken accutane. Avoid it if you can. Now I have seborrheic keratosis and the dermatologist says: your skin looks so old for your age!!! Thanks Accutane garbage. | F | 48 | 5 months | 2/28/2009 | 1 | Mistake by the pharmacy | Total Impotence | I took this drug by mistake for 4 weeks in April of 1996. I went from a fully functionable male to an impotent one in less than 2 months. Do not ever take this drug--deal with your acne and get on with your life, it sure as hell ruined mine as far as sex goes. | M | 54 | 30 days | 2/24/2009 | 3 | Darier's Disease | Severe joint damage in my left knee, dry lips, constant bloody noses, dizziness, severe depression, liver infection caused by accutane. | Don't be too scared by my side effects because I have been taking this medicine since I was 12 and I am now 28 so the length has played into the side effects. Especially the joint damage, and liver infection. Plus the reason I take it still is because no medicine has been designed to help treat the very rare disease I was born with and accutane helps to keep me looking like a normal human being. | M | 28 | 16 years | 2/20/2009 | 5 | Acne, mostly chin and cheeks | None | I was very conscientious to take each pill EXACTLY 12 hours apart with a little food so there was a continuous stream of medication in my system with no spikes of more. I was also very good about getting my blood tested on time. This is a SERIOUS DRUG! If your doctor is not making you get regular blood tests to get your prescription refilled, you need to get a better doctor. For me, this was a miracle. | F | 24 | 4 months | 2/11/2009 | 4 | cystic acne | after one week, slightly dry lips - nothing that some chapstick couldn't take care of. after 1.5 or 2 weeks, a severe breakout on my face, and my head/neck/back are slightly itchy. so many people act like this drug is satan in pill form, but for me the side effects so far are easily manageable. | i have had acne for at least 17 years. over the years i have tried everything imaginable and nothing ever made a difference. i've finally decided to take the plunge and try accutane. they've started me out on 40mg per day. my face used to be dripping with oil, and it's already noticeably less oily. i know that my current breakout is just part of the process. i'm really hoping that i've finally found a cure. i'll post another review when the treatment is over. | M | 32 | 2 weeks | 2/11/2009 | 5 | Moderate Acne | Severe dry eyes which causes very blurry vision, chapped lips, very mild depression, tiredness, thinning hair, slight joint pains. | I've had acne for over 10 years and became immune to most antibiotics so Accutane was my last resort. I'm in the final month of my 6 month treatment and really didn't start noticing the side-effects until month 4. None are very bothersome except for the blurry vision because I snowboard and need to have excellent vision. But my skin looks perfect now! All in all, 2 months of side effects is worth ending a decade of acne. | F | 23 | 6 months | 2/9/2009 | 2 | acne | dry skin and lips, SEVERE tiredness (felt like I was asleep the entire 5 months I was on it), back pain that I still experience today though it's not THAT bad, its still bad. Caused a huge breakout which caused scarring. I had no scars before taking this, but now I do. | I was on accutane about 5 years ago. It helped my skin, but I look different. Like it dried me up. Also had some SEVERE anxiety a whole year AFTER taking accutane. Thank god it went away. It was debilitating and messed up my life for a good amount of time. I would never, ever, take this again. | M | 23 | 5 months | 2/5/2009 | 1 | Severe acne | Severe neck and back pain, joint pain, arthritis, loss of movement | I started taking these pills just three days ago, and immediately after I started taking them, I got really strong pains in my neck. I've never experienced pain so bad in my joints before. I have lost all movement in my neck, and have been unable to preform most tasks at my work. I thought that maybe I was sleeping wrong, but after consulting a nurse (who informed me that a matress, no matter how hard, could never creating this painful and lasting joint problems) and several websites, I put two and two together to blame Accutane for my loss of movement. | F | 21 | 3 days | 2/3/2009 | 1 | cystic acne | SEVERE and PERMANENT BACK and JOINT PAIN! Thinning hair and poor vision. This drug has ruined my life! | I took it at age 30 and was healthy before beginning it. 3 months later, the severe pain came in my back and EVERY joint in my body! My hair thinned, and my eyesight became worse. I have also noticed my skin looks older, no doubt because of the lack of oil needed to stay looking young. It is now 8 years later, and I am unable to work full-time and have to lie down or rest frequently throughout the day. I am with the other person about a class action law suit. This drug has no business on the market! | F | 38 | 3 months | 1/28/2009 |
| Key to
ratings: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine. |