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)

  

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

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More on ACCUTANE: Reviews Summary  |  Drug Safety Information

RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR ACCUTANECOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 3  Severe Acne dry skin, dry lips, muscle/joint pain I have taken 3 rounds of Accutane since I was 18 years old. I am one of the few patients who took this drug who experienced very mild side effects. Although my skin was great when I was on the medicine after each round my acne came back. I do not recommend taking multiple rounds of Accutane just because the long-term side effects are virtually unknown and the results are not guaranteed. F 24 6 months
30 2X day
7/30/2010
 1  Acne Dry skin, dry lips, dry sinus cavities, dry everything, thin hair, loss of appetite, depression, chronic sickness, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, chronic pain, extremely pissed off. This drug is not for anybody. No acne is bad enough to expose yourself to this substance. I took this 6 years ago, and I never even finished a course because I got so sick. My immune system was destroyed, and I picked up every virus or bacteria out there. It started out with chronic sinus infections, then got the flu, then was just sick all the time with whatever. I had to retake my last year of highschool because of this. A few years later I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Now it's six years later and I am in constant pain, I can't eat any foods I like anymore, and I'm nearly almost always depressed or angry. I can't afford hospital bills, and I've lost my motivation to do much of anything. Every day is a struggle. If you have read peoples experiences the with the drug and still think it's worth it to get rid of your acne, try and remember there can be life long consequences. No acne is bad enough to put yourself through this. P.S. Accutane didn't even fix anything, I still have bad acne on top of all this shit. M 23 5 months
2X day
7/22/2010
 5  severe cystic acne Normal side effects of dry skin and really dry lips, some mood swings I took a generic form of accutane four years ago. I had severe cystic acne for almost 10 years. The process of taking the medicine was a pain (monthly exams, pregnancy test, birth control, blood tests, sign up for the IPledge program) but the end result was so worth it. It is wonderful to have my face back, not constant soreness and bleeding. Of course I have some scaring from the years of acne but I am very pleased with the result. I would not recommend this to anyone with regular acne, only very severe cystic acne. I would recommend only as a last result but I have not had any long term side effects and I only get an occasional normal pimple(not a large cyst)now and then. F 32 4 months
? 2X day
7/19/2010
 3  severe acne & scaring. extremely dry lips and face, blood in stool, high triglycerides which id never had before, mood swings, depression, peeling under finger nails, sty's on my eyes, severe joint pain that still has not gone away after 6 months off of accutane. the doctors never warned me of all the side effects. the doctors were very worried about my high triglycerides . i got very anger a lot for no reason. now i have to see a chiropractor for my hip pain from accutane. i still have spots on my face from the pimples i popped in the past and around my period i still get break outs. im not sure if i would recommend this drug to anybody i know. F 17 5 months
30mg 2X day
7/15/2010
 1  acne DRY SKIN AND LIPS I FELT THIS MEDICINE WAS DESTROYING ME INSIDE AND OUT IM THIRSTY 24-7 and I GET HEADACHES IN SECONDS MY SKIN IS DRY HORRIBLE TERRIBLE DEATHLY DRUG WOULD NOT SUGGEST THIS DISGUSTING DRUG TO ANYONE!!!!!!!!!!! COMMON ON NOW its MANDATORY to be on birth control and look at all THE LEGAL PAPER WORK YOU HAVE TO SIGN TO EVEN BE ON THE DRUG! look how hard it is to even PICK UP YOUR PRESCIPTION!!! F 22 7 months
30 1X day
7/13/2010
 5  Severe cystic acne on face and body Aching joints, like arthritis, felt like I was 90, extremely stiff getting up or down, sitting or standing, but once moving reasonably okay. Dry and chapped skin and dry hair, very tired, felt poisoned every time the dose went up, increased cholesterol levels, skin crawling, sleeping problems - tired but could not sleep with crawling skin - lead to exhaustion. So it is now a 8 months since I finished my Accutane course. As per the side effects it is very serious medicine, and I was very lucky all the side effect were gone within a month of finishing the accutane, but believe me it is like poison in your system. However for me this was a miracle drug, it was like having a skin transplant to pretty, normal skin which I have not had since puberty, I am full of confidence and very happy with the result. I could not recommend it highly enough and if your skin is bad enough you will try it anyhow, just wish I had over ruled my doctor and taken it years ago, honestly. It is very strong medication, and I am as healthy as a horse, so if you are an unhelathy person anyhow would not advise it. I would say that if your skin is bad enough then taking it with the side effects outlined here is still worth worth it. F 43 7 months
body weigh 1X day
7/8/2010
 4  Acne Dry skin. Moodiness. Irritability. Anger. This medication was a love/hate kind of thing. Accutane cleared up my face wonderfully, but while on the medication I was angry, volatile, and had severe mood swings. I would lash out on anyone who upset me. This drug should be taken with severe caution, and as a last resort option. F 21 6 months
30MG 1X day
7/2/2010
 4  moderate chest & back acne Extremely dry lips, it hurts to eat and open my mouth even when i apply gobs of aquaphor. Moderately dry skin, its hard to tan. Dry nose that has caused a lose of smell. Short term memory loss and fatigue. Joint pains while running. I've been on the drug for 4 months. It has done WONDERS for my skin. My main complaint is the dry lips. I haven't been able to kiss (pleasantly) in months. I've also had trouble smelling things, but it's not severe. I'm at the top of my class in high school and I started to struggle near the end of school. I couldn't remember things as well as I normally do. I don't think memory loss is permanent, but I'm positive accutane messes with the brain. Recently my friends catch me zoning out during conversations. I swear I'm almost A.D.D. now. Hopefully it will go away when I'm finished with my treatment. I promise acne will clear! Take the drug, it will clear your skin! M 16 4 months
20mg 2X day
7/2/2010
 3  cystic acne + regular acne Dryness: face, nose, arms, legs, vagina, scalp, nails, hair and especially lips. Dried bloody nose, fatigue, moody/emotional, hair loss, poor posture, lots of joint pains, headaches. I no longer have any acne but I have lots of scarring on my face, arms, and back that hasn't gone away. I'm supposed to be on a 6 month course but I don't see this coming to an end anytime soon. I had to stop working out because my joint pains increase dramatically when I do. I have a lot of side effects and just want this to be over. I'm very afraid it won't work :( F 20 4.5 months
60 MG 1X day
6/28/2010
 1  Acne I suffered dry skins and lips and hair loss. My skin aged rapidly which my dermatologist denied could happen. I then began to experience disabling fatigue, memory loss and loss of train of thought which have now been present nearly 2 years after stopping the drug. I want my life back. My skin still has break outs but not as bad, was it worth - NO. This drug should be BANNED. F 35 3 months
1X day
6/24/2010
 1  ADULT ACNE WHEN TAKING ACCUTANE I ALMOST IMMEDIATELY EXPERIENCED HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND JOINT PAIN. NEVER HAD THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE. YEARS LATER THE DR WAS UNABLE TO GET AN ACCURATE EYE EXAM ON ME. MY EYE SIGHT HAD CHANGED SO MUCH AND ALSO DIASGNOSED WITH THINNING OF THE CORNEA WHICH LED TO EYE SURGERY. I STILL CANNOT BE IN THE SUNLIGHT OR EVEN DRIVE WITHOUT SUNGLASSES. MY EYES ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO LIGHT. I NOW, WHICH IS THE MOST SERIOUS HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH A KIDNEY DISEASE. I FEEL THAT ACCUTANE ELEVATES AND PRODUCES DISEASES. MY SKIN WAS LEFT VERY THIN, LARGE PORES AND LOOSE SKIN. STILL HAVE ACNE FLARE UPS. I WORK IN THE MEDICAL FIELD AND JUST HATE SO BAD WHEN I SEE A TEEN OR ANYONE COME IN BECAUSE THE ARE GETTING READY TO START TAKING ACCUTANE..... I ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH HAIR THINNING. PATIENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA F 52 9 months
50MG 1X day
6/21/2010
 4  mild Acne and very oily skin Dry lips, dry skin, manageable joint pains. I have been taking a low dose because thats all that is really needed. Anyone on a higher 60 or 80 mg dose needs to speak to their doctor about lowering it to 20 or 40. The dose does not determine your results, the length of time you are on it does. A lower dose over a longer time would eliminate 90% of the griping and complaining on here. Yeah I do get sore joints and occasionally a sore back. I take fish oil and vitamin D and that helps a ton. Fish oil 2X daily, no joint pain. Taking fish oil is a small price to pay for the amazing skin I have. 20 years of fighting acne is over and I have my life back. M 35 4 months
20 1X day
6/14/2010
 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
 4  Acne Dry lips, hair, skin. Slow healing, sensitive vaginal/ anal pain. I have been able to handle all of the side affects so far until this week. I have decided to take 2-3 off of taking the medicine to see if I can heal faster and try to get rid of the sensitivity. It hurts to wipe after going to the bathroom. F 28 3.5 months
40 mg 2X day
6/9/2010
 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  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
 3  Severe acne Dry lips, soar back, overall very few side effects I am currently still on accutane and so far I've been very pleased with my results. I am only 18 but my issue is will this harm any babies that I plan on having later on down the road like 10 years or so from now?? F 18
60 1X day
5/17/2010
 5  SEVERE CYSTIC ACNE CLEAR SKIN ACCUTANE WAS A WONDER DRUG FOR ME. I WENT FROM BEING A LOVELY PRETTY GIRL, TO A 14-YEAR OLD RIDDLED WITH CYSTS UPON CYSTS - ALL OVER MY FACE, BACK, AND CHEST. I WAS GHASTLY TO LOOK AT, AND MY EGO WAS CRUSHED. AFTER ROUNDS OF EVERY ACNE MEDICATION ON THE MARKET, ACCUTANE WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT GAVE ME MY LIFE BACK. I HAVE HAD NO SIDE EFFECTS. SHOULD I EXPERIENCE THEM IN THE FUTURE (I'M AGE 46), I WILL SAY IT WAS A FAIR TRADE OFF. NO YOUNG GIRL DESERVED TO GO THROUGH WHAT I DID. THANK YOU ACCUTANE! F 46 6 months
? 1X day
5/14/2010
 2  Moderate Acne Dry Eyes, Insomnia, Very Dry Lips, Moody, Red rashes on arms and spreading to hands also legs. The first couple weeks my skin started getting worse. Then i started breaking out just like before starting accutane..but now since im getting all these rashes im starting to worry i might be allergic or something to it. So i stoped it a few days ago and now it seems like some of my rash it subsidding.i think once it fully goes away and im soon going to check soon in with my derm. And i get the ok.. to be back on it i just want to start at 20 MG per 1 day then and see how that goes. I really want with to work ive had acne since i was 12..high school was really rough for me i ended up wanting to go to cyber school just so i dont have to have to be around people who seem to always be prettier..there was only 2 kids in my grade with acne...so seemed lik everyone else had beautiful skin but me. So ive been in and out of depression for some time now...just realllyy hope it works... F 17 3 weeks
40 MG 1X day
5/10/2010
Email
 3  Acne I started the accutane course when i was 17 1/2 due to my very bad skin that posed a scarring threat on my cheeks. Even after the first week I had tremendous results- inflammation decreased and white/blackheads disappeared. As my treatment went on, the side effects became apparent. Suicidal thoughts, severe depression, moodiness, dry everything, etc. My skin cleared up even more as my dosage was doubled to 80mg. The second checkup brought alarming results- my creatine production in my kidneys was dangerously high. I was referred to a nephrologist only to discover that both my kidneys were working at 70% normal function. I was very frustrated but nonetheless I stopped the treatment. This was when things got worse. Two weeks after I stopped taking accutane, I became severely depressed and angry. I made my girlfriend cry almost every day and we were on thin ice. But the thing that troubled me most was my sex drive. Before my accutane treatment everything was fine, my girlfriend and I woul I have been off accutane for almost two months now and I am still experiencing problems. It seems as if every other week i'm horny, and others I am not at all. I feel very awkward, as I am young and i'm used to feeling horny all the time, and getting up never used to be an issue before I started treatment. I've decided that I need to see a doctor about this issue to receive any type of treatment or advice on how I can get back on track. I really want to return to my normal state as sex is very important to me. Please email me if you have any questions or advice on this matter. From my experience using this drug, I would not recommend it as the after-effects outweigh the benefits of clear skin. My sex life is much more important than my skin and I know there are other routes you can take other than accutane (Retin-A). M 17 2 months
up to 80mg 1X day
5/7/2010
Email

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