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
 
 5  Over production of oil Extremely dry lips. Eczema. Joint pain. Sunburn super easy. Mood swings. Besides the side effects listed above, accutane (Canadian form: Epipuris) changed my life. I’m not longer oily. Acne completely gone. So many compliments on my skin. I’d do it all over again in a heart beat. Halfway through treatment and I honestly can’t say how this medication has positively changed my life. It’s not for everyone, it’s hard on your body. If you can stick out some side effects, the reason you went on accutane to begin with will quickkly become clear. F 29 3 months
40mg
11/23/2018
 3  Lifelong moderate acne, not cystic The back and joint pain is the worst, along with dry, cracked, peeling, inflamed lips. Have also experienced eczema for the first time in my life. I don't know if I'd recommend this medicine, or perhaps only at a very low dose. I do love being oil-free on face, arms, chest and back. But have had some GI problems. And I'm very worried the joint pain won't go away. I have a lot of fatigue and I can't exercise without getting winded easily. My feet hurt as soon as I get out of bed and my left wrist will no longer fully bend. My skin is smoother, but not completely clear yet. Still get breakouts at the time of my period, so doesn't control hormonal breakouts. I really wish there were a miracle drug--at 41 I just wanted to be clear in my life for once. But I have to stop due to the side effects. My great fear is that they will be permanent. F 41 5 months
40 1X day
5/15/2017
 4  Acne, acne scars Dry everything.. Skin, nose, hair... Sore joint..... Little bit of mood swings ( I found I didn't want to leave the house much which is totally cool.. Lots of Netflix!) Dry lips and face are the worst thing. The skin around my nose became extremely sensitive and would burn even with cream. For face I used cetaphil moisturizer, and for lips I use aquaphor.. Overall- im happy- acne is terrible and although this is a very rough program I think it is worth it. You can't reLly conplain about how bad it is , when you take this medication you sign saying you acknowledge all of the side effects.. F 17 4 months
60mg
3/17/2017
 1  Acne Pimples Whiteheads Skin Erruptions Had this devil along with hydroquinoine based cream 27 months back. The cream I stopped usage after a week. The skin all over my body and prominently the facial skin has become extremely dry, cracked, rough, flaky and itchy. The skin has become hypersensitive and gets red even on slightest rubbing. The entire facial skin where I had most of the pimples is burned like a chemical induced burn causing severe pigmentation & tanning. Developed extremely hard folliculitis below the lips which has now spread to the entire lower jaw. They are extremely hard and raised making shaving a difficult one and doing that severly irritates the skin causing burning sensation and further damage to the skin. Can see similar sort of infection in the moustache, which has led to loss of hairs in moustache as well. Now acne appearing all over my arms which I never had. Acne, pimples are back on face in more rage. Problems are manyfold and nothing seem to work, be it medicines or the natural ingredients. Doctors, they won't even admit the side effects, treat me as a mad person, won't even try to admit that I have got folliculitis or similar thing that is disturbing me and making life a living hell for me. For loss of hair in moustache, everyone of the doctor I met said it was temporary, and its more than 2 years and that temporary phase hasn't passed. Don't use it friends. Nothing has been able to reverse my problems. M 36 2 months
20 MG
2/19/2017
Email
 5  Acne Dry lips, dry scalp, dry skin, joint pain, dry eyes. A little Weight gain. Honestly I overall love accutane. People leaving bad reviews were told the side effects before the started this drug. and their derm should have done monthly checkups drawing blood and asking a series of questions to make sure everything is well. F 16 3 months
50
1/10/2017
 1  Very minor forehead pimples I used to be very healthy. Run half marathons. Eat healthy, fit, ect. Severe breathing complications. Hair loss. Thinning hair. Eye lash and eye brow loss. Aging from dry skin. Mouth ulcers. Muscle pain. Suicide ideation. Cracked heals. Bowel and urine inconsistencies. Tinnitus. Self harming. Soon I will likely kill myself I am so depressed. I was told this garbage was safe. And it killed me. Save yourself. Not worth the risk. There is no treatments to reverse the damage, just symptom specific and even that is limited. People who take this drug will die early - suicide or not. I doubt anyone will live into there 60's-70's even if you didn't yet experience the hell. Hoffman LA Roche should be ashamed to exist. Murderors! M 27 2 months
20mg
12/30/2016
 1  Acne Lips and corner of mouth very dry and cracked. Head very dry and itchy. Slight arm/ankle joint pain. Tongue Buds swelling. I also noticed it started creating back acne, which I never had. also made forehead and around eye brows break out more then it did before. My doctor said it will get worst before it gets better. COME ON! BAD DRUG! Caused more side effects then it was worth. After stoping the medicine 2 weeks later, my tongue buds are still inflamed, slowly getting better. M 23 1 months
30 MG 1X day
12/14/2016
Email
 1  Acne Joint pain...tingling and numbness in fingers...back pain...etc. This medicine has turned out to be the worst thing I could have tried. I was desperate to try something because my skin was terrible!!! My dermatologist said this would be best for my skin condition. I know I needed something but I'm certain that this was the wrong medicine for me. I've now been off it for over 2 months and the side effects that I was told would leave are still lingering around! I just want to be able to use my hands like I use too...I want to wake up without numb fingers every single day...I could go on and on...I would advise anyone considering this medication to consider other. F 35 5 months
40 MG
11/4/2016
 5  Acne Dry skin, very badly dry lips Best decision of my life. I took it when I was 23, I wish I took it years earlier. Dont drink on it! I ended up taking it about a month or 2 less than what was recommended by the doctor and it still worked great. I think when they first came out with the drug people were taking it for too long or too strong of doses. You will get the most dry skin you have ever had while on the medicine but you will not regret it. Once you get off the medicine, your skin goes back to normal. I went from having horrible acne to total clear skin. I never thought my skin would get so clear so quickly. M 23 4 months
1X day
9/22/2016
 1  For Acne Dry eyes, Insomnia, Chest pain, Bone pains, Eye lashes falling out , Depression, Light sensitivity, Severe Head pains, Chronic Migraines.. The list is Endless This drug has ruined my young sons life. 6 1/2 years in pain at the prime of his life. Missing out on social skills & college and losing his ambition to do sport. This is a Toxic Chemotherapy drug . They found a niche in the market to make the Drug companies Richer.. This is a Debilitating Drug and needs to be taken off the market M 22 6 weeks
40
8/27/2016
Email
 5  Acne -Dry lips - Dry face -my hair started to thin my last month of treatment. Taking Accutane/Isotretinoin was the Best Decision I made! I had Moderate acne and very oily skin and now my Face, back, and chest are Clear! I took it for 5 & 1/2 months, did not see a Dr and bought it off the internet. The Depo shot was my Birth control while taking it. I figured out my own dosage by how much I weighted and I started with 20 mg a day just to get used to it. Then went to 40 mg a day after a month. Then I finished my last 3 months with 60 mg a day, which was the correct dosage for my weight. 130 pounds. I avoided taking Vitamin A and drank plenty of water to help hydrate my skin. The best money I spent as well, compared to the years I spent trying everything else. I was tired of my acne killing my self-esteem, always covering up my chest and back, ashamed to take pictures. I know that depression is a potential symptom, but Taking Isotretinoin brought me nothing but happiness! I started seeing results in the first month. My pores shrank and my oily face and hair dramatically changed too. I have been off the medicine for a month and a half now still No acne at all, like not even one! My hair is back to normal now too, not as oily as it used to be. Overall I would strongly recommend it! But of course do a lot of research to see if it's right for you. But it is possible to take without a Dr. or dermatologist and without taking all the pregnancy & blood tests. Anyway hope this was helpful. Best of luck getting acne free! :D F 24 5 months
30 mg 2X day
8/26/2016
Email
 1   Never tried it but I just read a lady's story she said it was a drug from hell all the side effects was horrible.I lust looking 4 something to help my ugly scared up face xI use robe flawless wen tried coming suicide before F 38 1 days
7/29/2016
 1  Acne Took this drug from HELL when I was 22 and I'm 37 now. It has ruined my liver and kidneys. Many digestive problems. Depression, burnout,anxiety,suicidal thoughts. The mental stuff I manage through homoeopathy. Long term ligament and tendon dysfunction. Neurologically never the same. The list goes on. Do not take this drug. Acne is a symptom of an underlying problem. Usually related to toxicity or hormones which can be corrected by homoeopathy. Please do not take this drug. You might be one of the unlucky people who end up struggling for the rest of your life. I'm studying medicine now and I might have to stop because of this. F 37 7 months
40 mg
5/6/2016
Email
 1  acne *note: unable to post all symptoms due to post limits. Ruined my health at the age of 17. I'm 22 now and still not recovered. Suffer from EXTREME pain, systemically. **I was perfectly healthy all my life. I was actually the healthiest one in my family apart from having acne. DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG! Posted are my symptoms I constantly struggle with to this very day. Note: MANY of these symptoms are common among Accutane users. Accutane seems to be able to modulate MANY genes. Here is a forum thread related to the effects of Accutane: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/295030-repairing-the-long-term-damage-from-accutane/ Intense, chronic systemic muscle and joint pain *The pain does not come in waves. It's constant. It has never let up It feels like all of my soft tissues are calcified My muscle fibers are fibrous and knotted Hands and feet will tingle and tremor constantly Muscle spasms Joints all crack and pop (mainly elbows, wrists, and knees, and shoulders). They Very poor night vision (Accutane seems to cause vitamin A deficiency) Hair started falling out rapidly a year after the Accutane course. It would fall out in clumps in the shower. Dry hair texture *Through diet and supplements, I've got it to stop falling out. However, it's still incredibly thin Pictures of my hair: Chronic acid reflux independent of what I eat or do. (destroying my esophagus and teeth and tongue) *Slowly, this has gotten better over the years Red dots all over tip of tongue (inflamed taste buds?) Nutrient deficiency related? Infection related? VERY poor digestion and absorption (I had intestinal permeability with loads of nutrient deficiencies, like B vitamins, CoQ10, lipoic acid, despite nutrient rich diet and supplementation). Have done multiple things to try to heal my gut to no avail Can feel colon spasming sometimes depending on what I eat Intestines seem distended at all times despite what I eat. It doesn't seem to be gas as I fasted for five days and my intestines remained "bloated" looking Lots of tonsil stones which contribute to bad breath. The tonsil stones get WAY worse if I ingest any mucus forming foods like dairy or eggs Messed up neurotransmitters accompanied by depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, etc Very poor, sluggish blood flow. My blood seems thick and viscous Possible hiatal hernia with red inflamed stomach lining Abdomen remains tight. It's difficult to take a full diaphragmatic breath (p M 22 5 months
80 1X day
4/14/2016
 1  acne permanent sexual dysfunction avoid this poison at all costs.....please, look up post isotretinoin syndrome before you take this. M 36
1X day
3/28/2016
 4  Mild acne 3rd week in my body is starting to ache really badly, got my first morning headache and it was just unbearable I couldn't even get out of bed let alone thing of doing anything.. Very few mood swings Lots of food cravings at night and not hungry during the day after I take my Medicine My skin already looks completely clear from Acne with the exception of tons of white little heads all around my face (which I never really had before) Dry lips and skin too.. But not too bad Please keep yourself very hydrated with water and consistently drinking liquids they really do help with the side effects F 20 3 weeks
40mg
2/24/2016
 3  other meds didnt help my acne Nose bleeds, dry eyes, poor night vision, chapped lips and although i've only been on acctuane for about a month the starting of 3 weeks i am feeling extremely tired all the time no mater how long i sleep or nap for. I am starting to worry i am a student and i cant seem to study because id be yawning all the time and want to sleep. I have exams coming up too! :( im thinking about stopping this. Although my lips, nose and eyes are dry my face is still a little bit oily. F 20 1 months
40mg 1X day
2/23/2016
Email
 4  Severe cystic acne Dry skin for awhile, chapped lips, dry eyes, worse night vision/more light sensitive, itchy scalp for about a week at beginning, some nosebleeds, mild joint pain, lately lots of nausea. Currently in my 3/6 month. The medication has greatly helped my acne but the constant nausea is getting out of hand. May have to ask my doctor to lower the dose of stop altogether after 4 months. F 21 3 months
40-50mg
2/4/2016
 5  Mad flare ups of acne on face Cracked lips that sometimes bleed there that sore, red eyes that burn (my eyes are usually crystal clear white) dried my eyes out had to start wearing glasses for work instead of my contacts, rash on hands & arms, mood swings, lack of concentration big time! Also I'm bubbly, I don't seem to be myself I'm not as bubbly as I usually am I'm a lot more mellow...almost dull & boring at times, easily confused. Lethargic I haven't been to the gym & I went every wk prior to these tablets. & recently I'd say a week or so I've had bad joint ache in my ankle. My periods have been mega heavy since taking this drug my dermatologist said its not related?? Headaches, nose bleeds, skin peeling, dry nose Ok I'm 34, still currently taking this. I tried everything prior to this drug it's been the last resort. My acne is not as sever as other people but it was bad enough to make me unhappy as when I'd get a flare up the spots would all come at once & were huge & sore & red. I've always used body shop concealer pencil to cover my spots it's the best product I've ever used for my skin. Anyway I'd say take photos whilst your on this drug so you can see how far you've come in stages with this drug. The first week on it, I definitely wasn't me, I was mega irritable. My skin started to peel at first (like when you've been sunburnt & your skins peeling off) my spots started to improve within a couple of days I was well happy. Then they started to get worse. If any of you want to email me you can I will send you pics of what my skin looked like & what it looks like now. Anyway a week into it my skin was awful red & sore & mega sensitive I had to stop using my usual cleanser it was too harsh. I started to get headaches persistently for a long time (which I don't seem to be having problems with at this stage now) I found peppermint tea helped with headaches also my mood swings oh & also vasaline is best for your lips! Put a huge amount on just as you get into bed, your lips will look normal in the morning. Always carry a Chapstick in your bag & always use eyedrops! I'm really hoping my red eyes go that's one thing I worry about. I know a couple of peop F 34 4 months
40mg
1/22/2016
Email
 1  acne Extreme depression, suicidal thoughts, confusion, anxiety, hallucinations DO NOT GIVE TO TEENS Ruined my life Nearly took my life F 15 6 months
1/22/2016

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