ACCUTANE Reviews (ISOTRETINOIN)

Average Rating: 3.3 (746 Ratings)

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 DERMATOLOGICS

 Type: Brand name discontinued; available as generic

  

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)

  

Results are sorted by Gender with females listed first (reviews with no gender reported listed before females).

Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.)
5=HIGH (this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.)

Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38


More on ACCUTANE: Reviews Summary  |  Drug Safety Information

RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR ACCUTANECOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 5  Acne Dry lips, Dry skin, Depression
7/7/2002
 5  
1/12/2005
 5  acne Like everyone else, very dry lips. To the point where it was difficult to smile sometimes. Dr. gave me some protopic ointment and it helps. Dry bloody nose, dry patches on arms, very sensitive to the sun, minor back ache This medication has worked for me. Other then the side effects already listed, my skin has finally started to clear up. My dr. anticipates another month or two of continuing the medication until completion. The first 4-5 months were disappointing. Still had lots and lots of breakouts and my poor lips were going through hell (still are). However, now that I'm almost done with my 7th month, my skin looks great. Very clear and very smooth. I never experienced any of the depression or sadness. I definitely recommend using the medication if you are approved to do so. It took me a long time to find a dr. who would prescribe it to me. The monthly blood test are kind of a pain, but trust me, the results are worth it. Hang it there!! 7 months
7/20/2007
 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
 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
 5  Cystic acne Dry everything. Cracked lips. Bloody nose. Some fatigue. I have tried every product on the market. Proactive included. Nothing cured my cystic acne except accutane. It truly is a miracle drug, albeit with side effects. My acne started to come back after a few years, so I am on a 2nd round, which will be much shorter. I am a 37 yo female and have battled facial acne since puberty. 37 9 months
20 mg dail
11/7/2019
 4  Acne Extremely dry skin and chapped lips, HORRIBLE dry eyes And tailbone pain whenever I sat down or put pressure on it. It worked well, my skin is nice and smooth with only the occasional pimple. 14 5 months
30 mg
1/5/2020
 4  Sudden severe acne at age 38 Dry & cracked lips, pain in toe joints, slight pain and stiffness in knees and other joints. Not sure if pain is due to accutane. Seem to have less taste. Back aches...not sure if related. Antibiotics didnt work after 1 year. The drug cleared my acne after getting worse initally. My extremely oily skin is much, much better and more comfortable. Not sure if there are hidden side effects yet to come. I am very cautious especially since doctor advised me to go on drug for a year. Will consider seriously long term use. 100 days
10/23/2005
 4  
1/26/2007
 3  Moderate Acne Chapped lips, Bleeding gums Im optimistic about treatment. Yet this is pretty serious stuff. Within a week my lips were getting chapped pretty bad. Also, last night I brushed my teeth to a crimson surprise. I have pretty decent dental habits and history. I experience mild gingivitus time to time and it usually solves itself with good brushing and some listerine. This time around, I couldn't believe how much blood there was. Fortunately, this morning wasnt so bad. The sore seems to be localized to one tooth. I really hope this is worth it.... 25 days
8/22/2005
 3  acne dry lips and face. Got a cold sore on th 18th day. Anyone else get one?? 25 20 days
12/18/2006
 3  acne 1 days
11/6/2014
 1  Acne chills, intense headache, slight nausea, difficulty breathing in bed, pain in abdomen area I feel stupid for even considering a drug with such horrific "potential effects". As Most accutane users can admit however, the depression and social withdrawal that acne causes can lead a person to consider drastic measures. I am 100 pounds so doc put me on 20 MG (10 twice a day). Took one first night, next day took two. Within an hour after taking my second pill on the second day I felt extreme fatigue. The third day I once again took 20 MG in total and my body reacted instantly. Within an hour I had a wicked headache and crazy fatigue. This continued throughout night with insane chills... I couldn't keep warm in my bed. Felt exactly like battling a bad flu. I knew the next morning I was done with accutane. Your body is so smart and only reacts like that if it's got POISON in it. Stop now, I am so thankful I got bad enough side effects early. Some people on here are saying even a few weeks has caused them lasting grief. I can't even believe other stories I'm reading. If you think clear skin is a good trade for your health you've got to smarten up. I'd much rather enjoy fantastic sex with a face full of zits than have clear skin. Same goes for bowel problems. Most of the people rating this drug as a 4 or 5 have just come off of it. I'm noticing a trend that it is correlated to severe damaging effects that tend to show up later in life. Natural is the way to go, the earth provides us with everything we need. There's always new things to try so hang in thereandforget 21 3 days
20 MG
12/31/2014
 1  Acne I had extremely sore joints. I could not run properly. My hip would partially dislocate. EXTREME depression (like hell on earth). Dry lips and bloody stool the list goes on and on... I took it at 16 foolishly thinking the side effects were temporary. Well I'm 27 today and I pop my back, fingers, and knees about 50 times a day. I can't eat carrots (vitamin a source) or drink ANY alcohol without feeling terrible. I defecate 8 to 10 times a day. I'm 100% sure Accutane caused this. I was extremely healthy before this. absolutely no health problems besides depression before taking Accutane. This stuff is poison. I'm sure my joints will only get worse as I age. I'm laying in bed with aching joints as we speak. I feel like I'm 50 years old not 27. No wonder they took the name brand Accutane off the market. It has destroyed people's lives. 27 6 months
80 mg
12/10/2019
 1  acne, open pores. I took isotroin 30 mg (cipla), 20 capsules [oct/2008], at the age of 20 for acne as recomended by my dermatologist. Even today [ie jan 2012] after 3 yrs, i am not the way i was before taking isotroin (in terms of energy level,concentration and many more aspects) ->side effects i suffered- lack of concentration, unresponsive muscle, often get angry, pain in gums sometimes, nose bleeds during cold, heart beats too fast some times with difficulty in breathing, poor night vision/ takes time to adjust in dark, rarely sptos are seen when i blink, skin heals in a different manner, dry eyes / red eyes, thin skin/hair, nails break easily, very very very painful acne with colourless gel around jaw with bad smell which was not earlier, bleeding while passing stools, not able to memorise easily, face,voice keeps on changing, loss of patience, sleeping rate keeps on changing, cant work for a lo it is much much better to have acne rather than living horribly due to side effects. 23 20 days
30mg 1X day
1/22/2012
Email
 1  
1X day
6/3/2012
 1  acne In the Roche pamphlet it is stated that the EXACT mechanism of isotretinoin is unknown. This information isnĄŻt all wrong, but the truth is that the mechanism of isotretinoin is pretty well known. It just hasnĄŻt been proven 100 % by lab essays. Well here are the hypothesis on how Roaccutane gets rids of acne. IĄŻll try to keep such a complex thing as simple as I can for everyone to understand. Roaccutane (isotretinoin) is a synthetic retinoic acid. The body uses retinoic acids to regulate gene expression!!. Gene expression!! means the way that cells are created (simplified a lot). Cells to be created needs transcription and replication of DNA. To put it simple, itĄŻs like making a cake. You need the ingredient list to be able to make the cake. The body needs DNA to be able to make the cells. Retinoic acids comes in this process by regulating the gene expression!!. It means that retinoic acid is a part of the creation of the cel In the Roche pamphlet it is stated that the EXACT mechanism of isotretinoin is unknown. This information isnĄŻt all wrong, but the truth is that the mechanism of isotretinoin is pretty well known. It just hasnĄŻt been proven 100 % by lab essays. Well here are the hypothesis on how Roaccutane gets rids of acne. IĄŻll try to keep such a complex thing as simple as I can for everyone to understand. Roaccutane (isotretinoin) is a synthetic retinoic acid. The body uses retinoic acids to regulate gene expression!!. Gene expression!! means the way that cells are created (simplified a lot). Cells to be created needs transcription and replication of DNA. To put it simple, itĄŻs like making a cake. You need the ingredient list to be able to make the cake. The body needs DNA to be able to make the cells. Retinoic acids comes in this process by regulating the gene expression!!. It means that retinoic acid is a part of the creation of the cel
8/20/2008
 5  Cystic Acne Dry peeling skin, nose bleeds, mild headache, chapped lips It is a wonderful drug. I have been acne free for over 10 years now. F 30 6 months
8/9/2008
Email
 5  severe acne. Last resort Severely dry lips, dry arms and legs. Extremely dry on the back of my hands in the colder months but has resolved. Delayed wound healing. Moderate hair loss. Dry scalp and hair. Lots of moodiness, fatigue. Crying spells. Joint, muscle pain. Possible IBS. Decreased Libido. Easily sunburned. Headaches. Increased triglycerides, unconjugated bilirubin. Ive got 10 days left of my 5 month therapy and I cannot wait to be done! My skin looks flawless and I'm psyched about that. My side effects feel endless, but I'm very hopeful and I'm staying positive. I have major issues with mood swings and taking it out on other people so that can be rough. And a lot of people don't understand that a medication can cause this. Believe me, I take responsibility for my actions, but the medication certainly inhances things. My hair loss is moderate. My resolution is washing my hair only 2-3 times a week. The natural oil keeps my hair less dry and stringy and I don't lose nearly as much. My libido has dropped tremendously and it's very frustrating. Any recommendations? Joint and muscle pain is rough. i feel 60! I can't wait to get back to the gym! F 25 5 months
8/15/2008
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 5  Lifelong Acne Dry, peeling lips Fabulous drug. Cleared up a lifelong acne condition that nothing else helped. Well worth the minor side effects F 35 6 months
7/18/2008
  

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)

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