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 |
| 5 | Severe acne, canalizing cysts | I have experienced many of the side effects mentioned here but I am not sure if they can be blamed on Acutane. Some depression, dry eyes, intestinal problems, difficulty concentrating. All of these symptoms even 20 years after taking the drug. | This is a miracle drug and I can live with the side effects. I felt cursed with horrible acne for so many years that I inherited from my father and grandfather. It was not unusual for me to discover 2 or 3 new cysts everyday on just about any part of my body. I always had horrific bleeding and puss filled canalizing cysts on my face, back, chest and buttocks. It was painful and embarrassing and seeing dermatologists throughout my teenage years yielded no results. I went through dozens of different treatments from antibiotics to lotions to UV therapy and the doctor freezing off cysts. It is a wonder to me that I could have any friends and even meet a woman who would accept me as I was afflicted but somehow I made it through all that. When I heard about acutane (around age 27 in 1986)I immeadiatley went for the treatment, willing to pay any price. It was a miracle to me that in a few short months 90% of my acne was gone. I opted to not go for a 2nd treatment 5 years later. I can live wit | M | 47 | 90 days | 12/11/2006 | 5 | persistent ACNE | Dryish lips, musle and bone soreness, crying for no reason which I never do or did before. I was on a half does & it did not seem that bad while I was on it. But I have to warn you that this drug can cause PERMANENT DAMAGE! You know something is bad if major health insurance like Blue Cross will not insure you for sometime after you take this drug. | This should absolutely be a last resort. I have permanent eye damage definately caused by this drug! It also caused liver damage and I got Jaundice even though I got blood tested every month, I sweat a lot more than I did before I took it and my skin is now drier but not in a good way and my mood stability/focus never went back to normal. I was 20-21 at the time and I drank a ton of water, ate super healthy, worked out 30-40 min. 5 days a week. I had no previous history of any health problems, nor did my parents and I was not taking any other drugs. Please try everything else 1st,this has to be a last resort!It is soo toxic! I mean-eat healthier, multivitamin,Zinc,Omega-3's, lower stress level with meditation or something,good facials, DERMALOGICA Anti-Bac wash ,Skin Ceuticals C+E serum, oil control serum and oil free sunscreen in morining,Dermacia or Mineral makeup only!BP wash at night,Salicylic acid 2%+, glycolic acid toner, calming masks etc. Always look at the ingredient, funky | F | 23 | 6 months | 12/7/2006 | 4 | ACNE | Dryish lips, musle and bone soreness, crying for no reason which I never do or did before. I was on a half does & it did not seem that bad while I was on it. But I have to warn you that this drug can cause PERMANENT DAMAGE! You know something is bad if major health insurance like Blue Cross will not insure you for sometime after you take this drug. | This should absolutely be a last resort. I have permanent eye damage definately caused by this drug! It also caused liver damage and I got Jaundice even though I got blood tested every month, I sweat a lot more than I did before I took it and my skin is now drier but not in a good way and my mood stability/focus never went back to normal. I was 20-21 at the time and I drank a ton of water, ate super healthy, worked out 30-40 min. 5 days a week. I had no previous history of any health problems, nor did my parents and I was not taking any other drugs. Please try everything else 1st,this has to be a last resort!It is soo toxic! I mean-eat healthier, multivitamin,Zinc,Omega-3's, lower stress level with meditation or something,good facials, DERMALOGICA Anti-Bac wash ,Skin Ceuticals C+E serum, oil control serum and oil free sunscreen in morining,Dermacia or Mineral makeup only!BP wash at night,Salicylic acid 2%+, glycolic acid toner, calming masks etc. Always look at the ingredient, funky | F | 23 | 6 months | 12/7/2006 | 5 | Acne, lots of black/whiteheads | Dry hair, weird earwax, dry eyes, EXTREMELY dry, chapped lips, a few nosebleeds, fatigue, lethargy, joint pain, lower back pain, depression, moodiness, constipation, VERY DRY SKIN OVERALL, always sweating, ringing in ears and reduced hearing, cold sores, reduced vision at night, severe headaches, | My hair was dry, meaning that my scalp no longer produced oil so I could go like 2 weeks without washing my hair!!! my lips were always chapped, i would put vaseline like evry 1/2 hour... always tired i also had crying spells and was very depressed... i dunno if anybody has experienced always being hot... but i was constantly sweating even outside, i`ve only been on it for 3 months and have 3 more months to go... i was taking 40 mg a day by my dr. lowered my dose bcuz he said i had too many side effecs... So far, my skin is no longer oily (its so dry that i have to lather on the moisturizer by the liter in the morning after i wash it) but i still have pimples and i still get a few new ones once in all while... I dont think that my skin is SO much better but people around me say its slowly getting better I hope my skin gets completely clear... If anyone is in a similar situation, could u please email me so i can ask some questions...thx... also not sure if it`s worth all th | F | 17 | 3 months | 12/2/2006 | 4 | acne | very dry lips, dry scalp, dry eyes, headaches, moodiness | Please be patient this medicine works wonderfully. If you are like me and are not some of the fortunate who clear up after two weeks of taking this medicine, just keep taking it and be patient. My acne got so bad for the first couple of months of taking this medicine that I didnt even want to leave my house. but now after four months my skin is completely clear. I have however experience a slight mood change. And I honestly can not wait until I am free from having to take this medicine and just have beautiful clear skin. Its worth it and I thank God that this medicine exists, it has saved me from a lot of self doubt. | F | 24 | 4 months | 11/22/2006 | 5 | cystic acne for years | chapped lips, dry face, some muscle pains. | First off Accutane is absolutely amazing, I do not know why I didn't start it earlier. I've never been happier in my life, I noticed results after a week and a half of being on the drug. My oil stopped dead in it's tracks and my pores shrunk! Absolutely amazing! My face is so firm and tight because I no longer have big pores. I never broke out badly, only a few pimples on my chin, none on my cheeks or forehead. It greatly reduces the appearances of the red marks also, I think maybe due to the shrinking of the pores. I have two months left on accutane, I'm on the 20 mg, but as of now I'm completely acne free. The first two weeks you will notice all of your blackheads rising to the surface and you can just rub them off. My face is flaky at times but never oily! The only problems I've had while being on Accutane is, yes you do get very chapped lips, not really that big of a deal though, no loss of hair (my hair actually looks healthier because it cleared up the oil in that area | F | 2 months | 11/21/2006 | 5 | Cystic acne | Dry lips, transient joint pain, dry anus. No fatigue or depression. No redness or worsening of acne. | I use Aquaphor for the dry lips. I work out pretty intensly and have to watch out for joint fatigue so I don't get hurt (at my age I have to be very careful). I take Metamucil to avoid bloody butt tears. I try and drink a lot of water but it's been hard to do since I really hate water, unless there is nothing else to drink. Don't listen to that poster about accutane NOT causing depression. She posts on another site and goes on and on about the same thing. Not sure what her problem is. Lots of people complain about mood changes while on Accutane. She really doesn't know what she's talking about. If you get depressed while taking accutane, see your doc. They can put you on something until you feel better (which may be after you finish accutane). | F | 40 | 2 months | 11/19/2006 | 1 | severe acne | Did not clear up my skin and now have liver problems so my acne has gotten even worse. | Did not clear up my skin and now have liver problems so my acne has gotten even worse. When oh when will a dermatologist find something to help me??? It's been 9 years, and nothing close to a solution has been in sight! | F | 23 | 7 months | 11/19/2006 | 5 | moderate to severe acne; 20 + yrs | currently severe/acute joint & back pains | In response to the opinionated, narrowminded & naive comment about accutane "NOT" contributing to depression (or in the least, mood changes); simply because YOU haven't experienced the side-effects doesn't mean other people will not. Medications affect each individual differently (due to physiology, genetics, metabolism & biochemistry) and it's COMPLETELY erroneous to make a bold statement like that. | M | 36 | 2 months | 11/10/2006 | 4 | moderate cystic acne on face | very dry lips and nose, developed skin rash on backs of hands and arms, body aches especially in my knees | your skin looks phenomenal when you're on the medication - dryness and other side effects aside. but don't expect your skin to stay that way once you're done with treatment, i've been off the medication for about 3 months, and almost right away, my skin returned to the same oiliness it had been before i started the treatment. that was really disappointing, and now, i'm starting to get small pin-head sized pimples on my face again. don't get me wrong, the medication made my acne a lot less severe than it used to be, but it doesn't work miracles. i'm actually worried that my acne will continue to get worse again as time passes, and my derm told me that she wouldn't put me on accutane again if i "relapsed". bear that in mind when you're deciding whether or not to start taking accutane - it may not be worth it. | F | 26 | 5 months | 11/8/2006 | 1 | Scarring Acne | Of course I suffered the dryness which was bad enough, but like many others on here I was also diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Ulcerative Colitis), caused by the Accutane. | Since getting colitis from Accutane I have heard so many other horror stories (liver transplants, complete mental breakdowns) that I wonder why this drug still exists. Anyone reading this who is comtemplating going on it, do not. Although it seems that the odds of you developing some crazy side effect are small, it seems to be happening more than people realize, and none of them are worth the chance of no longer having acne. I would rather have the most acne covered face, than be now dealing with the much more embarassing and serious effects of colitis... | F | 23 | 6 months | 11/8/2006 | 3 | off/on acne, even cystic; 20 yrs | only on 2nd month but on the 1st month: dry skin, major chapped lips, slight nose bleeds, moodiness (more than normal), minor back aches and acne flare ups. now on 2nd month and no more nose bleeds, minor chapped lips (seems to be lessening), moderate/acute back/neck pains (difficulties getting in/out of bed), minor joint aches, moods seem normal, still some acne flare ups. | almost midway with 2nd batch of meds but hoping the back pains go away...and eventually the flare ups. hopefully only 1 or 2 more batches/months on accutane..... | M | 36 | 1 months | 11/6/2006 | 5 | mod/severe acne and cysts | Dry lips, dry face and nose. Some minor joint pain, headaches, and some nosebleeds. Nothing serious at all. | Accutane does NOT cause depression. Anyone that thinks it does, can't take responsibility for their own lives. If you want to clear your acne, take this drug and don't worry, you'll be FINE. | F | 26 | 6 months | 10/24/2006 | 3 | persistant scarring acne | Depression, un-provoked anger, crying and mood swings, dry lips, skin, mouth, nose, and throat. Cleared up acne very quickly and effectively, but side effects may not be worth it! | Drink at least a gallon of water a day & constantly apply moisturizer to your lips and skin. I lost my voice if I didn't constantly drink water while on accutane. My lips would swell up unless I put Aquiphor gel on them every hour. And I didn't believe that a pill could really change your personality, but this one seems to. I stopped taking it a month early but still have panic and anger attacks. It is hard to drive without road-raging and I lose patience with people like never before. I think that it made me defensive, insecure, and almost suicidal. It wore me out, but cleared my skin and scalp better than the last 13 acne meds I have taken. I don't know if it was worth it, though. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone unless they are very carfully monitored bc I really think it causes depressed/suicidal thoughts in some people that can linger even after you are done with the pills. | F | 27 | 4 months | 10/24/2006 | 5 | 20 yrs of acne, cystic in later yrs | You must adapt to this drug rather it adapting to you. Every day can be different. I had severely *cracked lips*: drink a lot of water plus more and use intensive lip balm. *Nose bleeds*: keep your nose moist with a nasal spray and/or a triple antibiotic cream applied with a q-tip and rubbed gently inside. I was severely *fatigued* at times - take a B-complex supplement as advised by pharmacist (Huge difference! I couldn't have gotten through the day without it!). *Dry skin*: upgrade your moisturizer from the fruity light ones to a heavy duty grade. If you workout be prepared to scale down a bit as your *joints and muscles* will be sore and uncooperative. At times your *eyes* may be irritated especially if you wear contacts: have eye drops on hand. Your skin may become thinner so *bruising and scratches* will onset easily. Wounds in general will take longer to heal including active acne. If you are a picker, you will *scar* easily. A slight change in mood - a bit more emotionally sad. | I have had facial acne for just under 20 years. In later years it turned into cystic painful acne on my face and acne on my shoulders, back, arms and chest. I became socially withdrawn because it had become so bad. I am 100% clear on my shoulders, back, arms and chest. I am not 100% clear yet on my face where it was the worst. I went from about 30 active pimples a day on my face alone down to about 2-3 little non-cystic ones. I still have a few weeks left of the drug itself and the Dr. said it will continue to work for a few more weeks after that. Overall, I am very pleased with this drug and wished that I had started it sooner to save myself from years of sadness and scars. One last word of advice: take pictures before and during treatment! It truly helps heal the emotional scaring of acne. | F | 29 | 5 months | 10/23/2006 | 1 | acne | I had very dry skin, however when I was finshed I broke out with a terrible rash that I still have. It covered the side of my face and got worse. I still have it and have since I got off of accutane. I still have mild break outs. To me I would rather have acne then a rash that breaks out over my body that hurts and itches. | F | 17 | | 10/22/2006 | 5 | moderate acne for 20 years | Mildly dry lips and skin. | I have had acne for 20 years and nothing I mean nothing worked. I was so nervous about taking it because of all the side effects I have read about. I started keeping a log from the first day and literally the only side effect so far is dry lips and skin and a whole lot clearer skin!! Everything is stable including weight, mood etc I am taking a total of 60mg daily | F | 36 | 5 weeks | 10/15/2006 | 5 | Moderate Acne | I just finished my fourth month of this drug and it absolutely cleared my skin. I took it over the summer months which was not pleasant because I had to stay out of the sun but I live in Vegas so it is to hot to go outside anyway.. haha.. The dry lips and skin was annoying at first but I learned to cope.Also I do feel minor aches in my joints when working out. I work in the worlds largest hotel and deal with several hundred guests face to face on a daily basis. My acne really hurt my confidence and ablilty to look people in the eye. At some points I did feel overly sad but never contemplated suicide. I would recommedn this drug to people but also urge caution as it dose have its draw backs. Also be ready to give blood once a month. | M | 26 | 4 months | 10/13/2006 | 1 | Acne | Immediate: Every part of me was dry as a desert...it was horrible! Long Term: Have been diagnosed with Crohn's Disease (which is a living hell), constantly fatigued, achy joints, severe mood swings. THIS DRUG IS TOXIC - IT SHOULD HAVE A SKULL & CROSS BONES WARNING!! | This side-effects (immediate & LONG TERM) are not worth it. And, to top it off, I still have breakouts...You get nothing, but pay with your life. | M | 22 | 6 months | 10/4/2006 | 4 | cystic acne | Dryness of lips, eyes, mouth, etc. HAIR LOSS. Triglyceride and cholesterol increases while on the drug. | I took accutane when I was 15, and now I am 22. Seven years later, my skin is great. I love it, and I use Retin-A topically to keep recurring acne down, because I do not want to be on accutane again. Warning: MY HAIR IS VERY THIN NOW, and my Dr. told me it would grow back. IT DID NOT! I used to have a very thick head of hair, now it is about half its original thickness. NOTHING WILL GROW IT BACK. However, that is a sacrifice I am somewhat willing to make because of how bad my skin was before. I am still mad about it though because I have to volumize now, which was never a problem before. My doctor gave me the long list of side effects, but I don't recall being told about the hair loss. It came as a surprise to me. | F | 22 | 5 months | 10/3/2006 |