ACCUTANE Reviews (ISOTRETINOIN)Average Rating: 3.3 (746 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ACCUTANE with similar:
Type: Brand name discontinued; available as generic
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More on ACCUTANE: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ACCUTANE | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 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 | 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 | Cystic acne | Chapped lips and dry skin, primarily in the last month of treatment. Resolved within a week of ending treatment. | THIS IS A WONDER DRUG. I had cystic acne from about age 10 to age 35 when it became available in the mid-1980s. It totally cleared my skin and helped me physically and emotionally. It has been many years since I took Accutane, and my skin is totally clear and it helped the quality in terms of reducing scarring, pores and general appearance. People actually compliment my skin, which, for those of us who suffered so much is amazing. The first time someone complimented me (who didn't know me before treatment), I looked behind me to see who they were talking to and there was no one there. This drug is well worth all the precautions. I felt fine while taking it because my skin cleared within a short period of time. My son and nephew also had great results. | F | 60 | 5 months 1X day | 6/9/2010 | 1 | Chronic Cystic Acne | Loss of almost all scalp hair, still losing it, loss of eyebrows, lashes and body hair, change of colour, texture, thickness, elasticity of hair before it fell out. Conjunctivitis, permanent eye pain, problems with night vision, dry eyes, back pain, scalp pain, earache, joint pain, cracked bleeding lips, strange ridges in finger and toe nails. | TOXIC POISON. My dermatologist repeatedly recommended this to me, as a safe natural vitamin A product which would cure me in a short time, unlike long-term hormones, and the worst I could expect was to feel uncomfortably dry. I asked him 2-3X about any effect on my (beautiful, thick, curly red hair) and he assured me the effect was just temporary dryness and that as soon as I stopped taking Accutane all side effects would cease. Every time I expressed concern he would say to me : "Who's The Doctor??" I agreed to try it. After three months I stopped and that's when the hair loss started. I had never had a problem before and was not on other meds. What all the experts I subsequently consulted called Telogen Effluvium became chronic and never stopped. The doctors all denied it was related to Accutane! They're still prescribing it. Hoffman LaRoche isn't suffering, my dermatologist (now comfortably retired I expect) never suffered, Health Canada who approved it never suffered. They're all responsible for destroying my life and clearly others' but didn't pay even as much of a penalty as someone who steals a loaf of bread to keep from starving. Dr. L. S. in Montreal, I pray every day that YOU in particular rot in hell. If your doctor suggests you take this garbage, ask him/her first if they are willing to pay for your wigs. I'm thinking, no. | F | 59 | 90 days 40 mg 1X day | 9/26/2020 | 5 | Lifelong acne | dry lips, hair loss, dry skin, reddish skin, skin got worse for about a week before it got better. Now it is almost completely clear for the first time in my life and I am not mopping oil off my face constantly. | I've had acne for 47 years -- complete with cysts, breakouts on my neck, chest, back, even inside my ears! It would get worse, then get better, get worse, get better. My make-up was oil soaked within 30 minutes of putting it on. My hair was oily and stringy and had to be washed every day. This is the first time in my life that my skin has been clear and at age 58, its about time!!! I thought long and hard (6 months) when my dermatologist recommended Accutane, so I didn't make a snap decision. The side effect that worries me is the hair loss. I hope it tapers off some or stops. Barring that I hope it grows back when I finish the medication. I have a history of major depression, so I am watching closely for any problems there. So far, my mood is stable. Recommending a medication to someone else is iffy --- each person has to decide the risk-benefit ratio for themselves. | F | 58 | 3 weeks | 5/29/2005 | 4 | adult onset cystic acne | dry lips, dry skin, dry eyes, permanent thinning hair that started during treatment, joint and muscle pain, back pain | I took Accutaine for about 3 months but I don't remember the strength. The joint, muscle and back pain started soon after treatment ended. I never associated the pains to the medication until recently after reading what others have stated. I knew the thinning hair and other side effects were the result of the medication and figured it was worth it. Knowing now that the back, joint and muscle pains are most likely due to taking the medication I would not take Accutaine again if I could do it over again. The worst part is that my son took the medication at age 17 and he started having back pain (disc related). He regrets taking Accutaine and I regret encouraging him to take it. | F | 58 | 1X day | 6/7/2010 | 4 | Lifelong acne | blepharitis (inflammation of eyelids), hair loss, dry eye, dry lips. (I'm the 58 yr. old woman who did the earlier posting, when I was only several weeks into therapy. Here's the rest of the story.) | I took Accutane for 4.5 months. I had to reduce the dose after about 2 months, when the eyelid inflammation flared up. I went from 40 mg. down to 20 mg. day. I've been off for about 1 month and I still have the eyelid inflammation (although it seems a little better, but not much) and the hair loss continues. My skin is still clear and I am very happy about that. The acne is completely gone -- no breakouts at all on my face, back, neck, chest. Some mild oiliness has returned to my face -- but it is definitely within the normal range. Overall, I am satisfied -- but I had, and continue to have, definite side effects. So you need to be aware there are risks connected to this drug and some side effects may continue after you stop the drug. I'm certainly hoping that the eyelid inflammation and the hair loss cease with the passage of time. Who knows? | F | 58 | 4.5 months | 10/30/2005 | 1 | for acne | long term knee jouint problem, loss of hair(spotty balding) and under arms, decrease in vision, permanent dry scaly skin. | If I knew then the problems I would encouter now, I would have NEVER have used it. BEWARE! | M | 58 | 6 months | 9/8/2008 | 4 | cystic acne on face | Chapped lips,nose bleeds,dry eyes, sore joints, my nose constantly peeled so badly I thought it would fall off, rash on my arms, mood swings | I am a 57 year old woman - I have had cystic acne since I was 13.My acne has been devastating to my self esteem and personal relationships. This is my THIRD go around with Accutane since starting my initial treatment in my late twenties. A 6 mo treatment seems to last me 8-10 years. My doctor stated my second treatment should keep my face clear until menopause and I shouldn't have any more acne....WRONG. My face got so bad in the last couple of years that it seemed like I was constantly on anti-biotics. I eat a healthy diet and exercise. At one time I had over 30 sores all over my face. Accutane was a last resort. I read all of the literature on the side effects and agreed to gamble with them..nothing was guaranteed except my face is CLEAR. It's been a month since I took my last dose and my side effects are extreme lower back pain, peeling scalp, eye sties, mood swings (but that may be menopausal). | F | 57 | 5 months 30 mg 2X day | 11/23/2010 | 1 | Acne | I was prescribed Clavaris 40 mg at age 57. On day 17 my hearing or ears were ringing so bad I had to stop. My ears still ring all the time after 2 years. I went to a hearing specialist ENT and there is no recourse or going back to undue damage done from this drug. | You have to sign a waiver form to get this drug. It is a way to limit or deny lawsuits when you medically fall apart or are damaged by this drug. Tell the doctor NO WAY! Acne will not kill you but this drug will! You are not fighting cancer where you need to take this big a risk. Beware of this drug stay away! This drug has helped some but I feel from my experience to pull it off the market! Ban it! | M | 57 | 17 days 40 1X day | 9/16/2020 | 5 | Cystic acne, painful, unseen bumps | I was part of the trial for Accutane, before approval, so there was no cost for me, just forms and reports. I did have the usual dry skin, chapped lips, sensitivity to light and lots of body & joint pain. I also had a few headaches. | Since I was in jr high I had acne.I tried creams, antibiotics, sunlamp treatments & had dr cutting open the bumps, leaving scars. So,when I was asked by a dr if i was interested trying this, I jumped at it. It's been so long, since my experience, 2 of my sons used it only 1 stayed w/it the other fainted at his monthly blood draw. so the one that stuck it out has great clear skin, with no breakouts, his brother is not as clear, but it's his choice. I am entering my golden years & haven't had a breakout in many, many years. just the self esteem makes it worth it! For me it was a miracle drug. I owuld do it al again if I needed to. | F | 55 | 12 months | 1/3/2009 | 4 | ADULT ONSET CYSTIC ACNE | Lasting dry eye issues. Attribute severe lasting vaginal dryness to the use of this drug. Issues with intermittment moderate muscle/joint pain | I took 2 normal rounds of this medication in my early thirties. I think that each round was about 12 weeks in duration. I do not recall the dose. I think I took it once or twice a day but was told that it was critically important to not miss doses and to totally stay out of the sun. I do not know how else I would have cleared up the cystic acne I developed in mid twenties. It totally cured the issue to this day. However I believe I do have the lasting side effects that have been manageable. | F | 55 | 3 months 1X day | 5/26/2010 | 4 | Acne with open pores and bad skin | Very dry lips and dry facial skin especially around the mouth, skin looked very wrinkly, muscle pain towards the last month but otherwise I could cope with being on the drug. In the 3rd month I got chest pains under my ribs, so painful but did not last long only a few days but it was scary, I do believe it is one of the side effects. | I have just finished a 5 month course and can already see an improvement in my skin, my pores have closed up but they are still small and I have small white spots under the skin on my cheeks and chin which have white pus in, if I try to squeeze, the pus comes out like a small worm but it marks my face as my skin is so thin, so advised NOT to do this. I developed more lines and wrinkles around the mouth but now I have finished the course post 2 days I hope these are going to disappear as I do hope it is only the drying effect of the drug. I did not suffer all the side effects people write about, my hair did get dry but it also got thicker and my make up stayed on my skin and eyes all day without smudging which was a blessing. I would recommend anyone to take these tablets if they have bad skin but I am glad I have finished the course as I never felt my face was my own, I looked in the mirror all the time and became obsessed with how my skin and face was looking, I was like a dried up prune most days and I went through endless bottles of moisturizing cream. There was many a days I said not going to take the drug any more but I carried on going and the time does go quite quick. I can not wait to see how things improve over the next few months without taking the tablets and will update you after one month. | F | 55 | 5 months 40mg 1X day | 1/19/2011 | 5 | severe nodular acne since teens | severe dry eyes, blurry vision, peeling skin, dry rash on wrists and lower arms, slight depression at times. | This is my 3rd round. First was in my 20's, second in my 40's. Side effects were not as pronounced and skin cleared up incredibly, lasting for years. This time only cleared up 50% and side effects very difficult to take, especially dry eyes/blurry vision. Now taking every other day. | F | 54 | 3 days | 5/22/2005 | 5 | Cystic acne, nothing else helped | Dry eyes and lips, curly hair (yay!), thinned skin, vague aches and pains in joints. | Started at 40mg/day went down to 10mg every other day. At 40mg got instant smooth, dry *touchable* skin, but eyes would stick shut and lips exfoliate in 30 sec.s - talk about conversation stopper! Kept taking less Accutane until found a minimum maintenance level. At 10 mg had a few pimples, blackheads, shiny nose, but no more cystic zits! Did miss the curls, though. If I stopped the Accutane, the acne came roaring back. It was like a toggle switch. Finally, went off for good in anticipation of minor surgery, decided to stay off because concerned about effect on bones, starting to feel achy. That was ten years ago. Aches went away but acne got worse and worse, spreading further and further, tho. didn't get cystic until just 6 mo.s ago, when seemed almost as bad as just before I started Accutane. Worse, my older skin does not heal or resist scarring as well as before. No point in going back to Accutane, though: started going through menopause (at normal age for it) and acne comes | F | 54 | 8 years | 5/4/2007 | 5 | Cystic acne, nothing else helped | Dry eyes and lips, curly hair (yay!), thinned skin, vague aches and pains in joints. | Continuation of previous post: No point in going back to Accutane, though: started going through menopause (at normal age for it) and acne comes and goes, riding hormone roller coaster. When hormone level drops, wipes out acne, brings on hot flashes and need to keep tweezers handy! Bottom line: Accutane made huge difference in my life - from disgusting, oily pizza face and upper body to silky skin, no need for make up, felt attractive, fell in love, got married, etc. Hoping bones not so affected by Accutane that it will make a second, huge, more negative effect on my life sometime down the road. (Have read that studies of bones changes due to Accutane mostly in German - not well known in N. America.) | F | 54 | 8 years | 5/4/2007 | 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 | 1 | Severe cystic acne | I developed severe cystic acne in my 20s and by the time I was in my early 30s I tried every antibiotic and medication there was. I was put on Accutane for the shortest course of 15 weeks. I developed severe headaches, totally debilitating. I also had the dry skin and eyes. It wasn't until several years later that I started developing the side effects. I lost my eyebrows, hair on my head thinned, my menstrual cycle ceased permanently so I was never able to have children, elevated liver enzymes, degenerative disc disease which has now developed secondary scoliosis that has progressed to the point that I cannot walk or even stand unaided. I developed major depressive disorder with suicidal ideation, generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks. These conditions have lasted until now and I am 54 years old today. | No Accutane cleared my acne for good it also ruined my life. I eventually lost my business and had to go on disability because of the severe back pain from the DDD and emotional problems. Please take this medication with serious forethought. | F | 54 | 15 weeks 30 mg 1X day | 9/13/2020 | 1 | Cystic acne | I took accutane about 30 years ago (I was in my mid 20's) when it was first introduced / new on the market and back then there were very little warnings for all the possible risks and long term effects. Since taking it, over there decades my health has been a slow but continuous decline in ways that aren't explainable by my genetics. My siblings are all healthy; my parents never had any of the health issues I've suffered from. I felt fine while using accutane. What nobody warned me about is what would happen to my health and body in the aftermath of using this drug. Had I known it was a chemotherapy I would have of course never touched it, but this information wasn't disclosed (intentionally, perhaps?) to me. Who would take this drug for acne (no matter how severe) if you know it's a cytotoxic chemotherapy??? NOBODY… well, only insane people. In the past 30 years I have developed damage to virtually every part of my body. By age 30, I had lost half my hair and couldn't work out normally anymore due to pain and stiffness in my joints. My age 35, I developed seriously dry eyes and some new digestive problems. I struggled with infertility throughout my 30's and was never able to conceive, despite trying many times and seeking fertility assistance. By age 40 I had serious bone pain, arthritis, and MRI showe | If you're reading this review thinking of using accutane, keep in mind that after ingesting this poison you will live the rest of your life not knowing how it will possibly ruin your health and body insidiously in the future. PLEASE READ THIS: zero.sci-hub.se/902/294a852b5aa6cb77485c16eeed8d6126/goulden1994.pdf The number of patients reporting either transient or persistent symptoms during the follow-up period was 74 (10-3%). Onset of symptoms ranged from 6 weeks to 10 years after stopping therapy. | M | 54 | 4 months 40mg 1X day | 1/2/2022 | 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 |
ACCUTANE (ISOTRETINOIN): This medication is used to treat severe cystic acne (also known as nodular acne) that has not responded to other treatment (e.g., benzoyl peroxide or clindamycin applied to the skin or tetracycline or minocycline taken by mouth). It belongs to a class of drugs known as retinoids. It works by decreasing facial oil (sebum) production. High amounts of sebum can lead to severe acne. If left untreated, severe acne may cause permanent scarring. FDA Approval Date: 1982-05-07 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)