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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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) 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 | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ACCUTANE | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 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 |