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
 
 1  Acne It didn't work well (had to take 2 courses within a 5 year span, & each time, my acne came back), & 3 years after finishing the 2nd course, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. This drug is indeed poison. F 28 6 months
2/25/2015
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 5  moderate - persistent acne. Dry lips, dry skin, dry hair (bonus), loss of hearing in left ear, lower back pain. After struggling with acne for 6 years I was referred to derm. I am only one month into my treatment and the results have been AMAZING. The first two weeks were bad: my skin flared up really bad and was scarlet red and felt like my skin was burning. I currently only have two cysts- one on each cheek. My skin is soo soft. All my blackheads have vanished already. I have my derm appointment tomorrow and I cannot wait! Definitely worth the side effects in my opinion. I feel much more confident and happy within myself already. F 25 1 months
30
2/14/2015
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 4  Acne Accutane did wonders for my face. I had very severe acne that basically made me ashamed to show my face in public. I began to take Accutane and began to see miraculous results in 1 month. The side effects I got consisted of dry skin and dry eyes mostly. Dry skin is easily treated with lotion and dry eyes were very annoying. I ended up downing a few gallons of water probably each day and eye drops to combat that. Otherwise, no major side effects for me. I would recommend this IF you are incredibly desperate. The above peope had some bad experiences but I had none. If anything I got happier as the months passed and my face cleared up. I am 6 months past my course of Accutane now. My eyes continue to be dry and acne slowly creeps up every once in awhile but I know take a much less dangerous medicine as needed to get rid of acne. Again, read the side effects over and over, everyone is different. Also, watch your vitamin A intake on the medicine. You get way over your DV with the medicine alone. M 18 6 months
2/12/2015
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 1  Acne THIS "DRUG" IS LEGITiMATELY POISON!!!!! DONT EVER TAKE!!!!!!!!!!!! On top of all the usual side effects (every part of your body drying up to the point people presume you have leprosy), I got hit with a tonne of the "rare" side effects as well (OBVIOUSLY NOT THAT RARE). 3 months into my 4 month course: severe, crippling anxiety. Like being trapped in a waking nightmare with no way to stop it. Totally physiological, no life circumstances triggered this. Decided to end my course a month early and admitted myself into the ER for emergency psychiatric intervention. I now know why so many people have killed themselves on this drug. The psychosis it can cause is truly Hell-ish. Without medical intervention, dying would have been preferable to living with unending Accutane mind-poisoning. It's essentially the same experience that occurs when you severely overdose on vitamin A. The real fun side effects began shortly after my course finished. While taking Accutane, my hair completely changed it's texture. It became weak, thin, lifeless, dry, and wire-y. It all began falling out a month after my course ended. It continues to shed to this day. There is no baldness in my family. My face then began wrinkling. Fine lines began to appear around my mouth, on my forehead, and beneath and around my eyes overnight. It was like the collagen suddenly vanished from my face. My eyes became sunken and my skin became red and hyper-pigmented. Waking up each morning a Very few things in this world are truly awful enough to be deserving of the description "life-ruining". Accutane is one of them, right up there with thalidomide (made by the same company!) and agent orange. History will remember Accutane was being one of the most devastating, unethical, and entirely preventable tragedies ever inflicted upon modern society. This drug will not be on the market ten years from now, as the body of evidence continues to grow that this "acne medication" is actually poisonous chemotherapy with irreversible, gene-altering, long term side effects. This can devastate your body in so many ways that girls are actually given a BOOK of "potential side effects" they must read through prior to use. Most dangerous drug ever? Very possibly. M 23 3 months
40 MG
2/3/2015
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 3  for severe acne I experienced bleeding nose,very red skin inflammation,lower back poain,joint paint,sun burnt,low sex drive,severe fatique I will never advise any1 2 take accutane,cause it has damaged me physical and emotional.... M 22 6 months
20mg
1/30/2015
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 1  Acne Developed Ankylosing Spondylitis symptoms, lower back pain all the way up to my neck, hip pains which feel like they are eroding, elbow tendonitis I used to go to the gym a lot THIS DRUG DESTROYED MY LIFE I am now developing a form of ARTHRITIS that affects the spine and hips called ANKYLOSING SPONYLITIS.... I have had elbow tendonitis that didn't go away. DRUG NEEDS TO BE BANNED PLEASE DO NOT TAKE IT ACNE WILL GO BY ITSELF SLOWLY YOU DONT WANT A CHRONIC DISEASE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE! I will never have the same life again! I loved working out and now can hardly lift a 10kg dumbbell. I wake up with pain in my back and hips everyday. My acne never went have lots of scars and redness and still many pimples. Feeling suicidal PLEASE BAN THIS DRUG!!!!! M 17 3 months
60 2X day
1/29/2015
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 5  Severe Cystic Acne I am now 10 days into my 2nd Accurane theory session. The first ended 9 years ago. I must say that in the last 9 yrs I didn't break out much until real recently which is why I'm on Accutane again. It cleared my face up like magic. I didn't the initial flare up I have been reading about back then. However this session I am badly. Nodules on my neck and under my chin. I am actually going tomorrow to get injections of Cortisone in an attempt to cure these nodules that only recently appeared. Other than dry lips I've had never side effects, just carry chap stick. I recently read about people saying they have sexual issues on the medication then manta yrs after stopping it; I myself have never experience such a thing. My sex life is very healthy and consistent. I plan to do it a 3rd time if need be. It is the acne magic pill! F 31 10 days
60 mg
1/26/2015
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 1  Acne Extreme dry eyes (I am now 6 months post accutane and can still not wear contacts. I have been to many eye doctors and am struggling to find relief) dry skin, severe depression When I finished my course of Accutane, my face was perfect!! Sure, I had dry eyes so severe that they constantly burned, but hey I had perfect skin! Three months later, my acne all came back. This wasn't worth it and I wouldn't do it again F 22 8 days
30 2X day
1/26/2015
 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 vulgaris started on 10.11.14 faced Dy lips, Dry skin, and sever join pain in my right hip joint. Stopped taking it on 25.11.14 and went to arthopedic who said joint is infected and gave me augmentin and oxidil antibiotic IV for one week Now im on oral ciprofloxacin 500 two times for 4 week. Pain has gone but some time i feel little bit. DONT TAKE THIS MEDICINE M 35 15 days
20 mg 1X day
12/14/2014
 4  Acne From week one until I finished the treatment: Dry chapped lips. From about 2 months on accutane and until I finished the treatment: Feeling og being tired and exhausted most of the time. Every now and then: Dry or watery or red eyes, stiffness: ancles, hips. Chest pain It cleared my acne after I had tried everything else. My skin hasn't been as soft as it is now since I was 12. But the side effects are horrible. I just finished my treatment. If the acne is gone forever or at least for 1 year or more it was worth it. F 24 132 days
60 1X day
11/11/2014
 2  severe facial and body acne Chapped lips, dry eyes, nosebleeds. Unusual itching and peeling of skin (to the point of bleeding)inside of one ear, which I still dig at out of habit. I did also expierence neck, shoulder and backaches which I subsequently saw a chiropractor for, and did not realize it could be due to side effects, until I read this rating! My cholesterol skyrocketed during treatment. I am left with severe depression and anxiety. Seeing a therapist and phychiatrist for treatment and possible medication to help these effects. My grades in school have suffered and I no longer participate or have interest in my usual school sports. I feel very sad and seeing my reoccurance of acne hasnt helped matters. Of course my dermatologist wants me to try this medicine again at a higher dose! My mother will not allow it. Acne is back on forehead and will not go away, I was clear for 3-4 months only. Dermatologist has put me on an oral antibiotic now. Definitely not worth the side effects. F 17 5 months
40/10 2X day
11/9/2014
 3  acne 1 days
11/6/2014
 5  Mild acne A bit of redness, dryness, chapped lips, bachake, and peely skin. This isn't for everyone, so do your research, ESPECIALLY if you're a woman. If you take any other meds, just go look up if it reacts with the other in a negative way. It's cleared me up great, only took about a month. F 19 5 months
40 1X day
10/29/2014
 4  Pretty bad acne on face Back is a bit sore, sometimes headaches, lots of poo (maybe it's just me that's been going on before I took this) peeling skin on my face, chapped lips (the corners of my lips are the worst at the moment) constantly sleepy (but I'm always sleepy being a teen) If you want the results you want, then you should deal with the pain. Many good things come with a cost. It may not be for everyone. Hell, I don't even know if I will get the FULL results with me being on 3 more medications. It's been only a few weeks so far, and it's actually doing well, therefore I would recommend this. F 14 1 months
forgot .-. 1X day
10/27/2014
 1  Years of cystic acne Acne was clearing up, but my joints began to ache after one month. My doctor told me it was common but went away with every patient she treated. It got so bad she took me off. 6 months later and I have severe joint pain in my feet, knees, wrists, elbows, shooting pain and burning sensations. I have now seen an arthritis specialist who is running a battery of tests. I never had any joint related issues prior to taking it. My cysts are slowly returning and now I'm trying to figure out how to deal with all of this pain I never had. I hold out hope that maybe these horrible side effects will begin to go away, or at least doctors can help me manage my pain better than they have so far. I know this medicine has helped people, but if you begin to experience pain in your joints, you better think hard about continuing the medication and as my doctor asked me to tough it out, as I needed 6 months of treatment for it to work, I wish now I never went for help. I wanted to feel more self confident M 50 3 months
40 MG 2X day
10/26/2014
 4  Mild Acne on Face Back pain while lying down, mild. Fatigue constantly ... Showing signs of slight depression. Sleep alot. Dry lips and skin. Burning sensation in scalp, hair isn't oily at all anymore. Dry nose. Very dry eyes, got pink eye twice and have red eyes daily. Poop normal .. Lol so far I'm fine and see improvements, these side effects are easy to live with, you just gotta have faith. F 19 2 months
40 mg
10/20/2014
 3  acne I have been taking roaccutane for the last 2 months and my face started to clear 2 weeks into taking it.. But a few side effects I have experienced are: dry eyes, dry lips and lastly the one that's freaking me out is the pain behind my ankle it's super painful and I also have muscle pain in my thigh. Ps. This is only happening in one leg. Seeing my doctor next week so he can explain to me what the hell is going on with my ankle.. The pain just won't quit. F 27 2 months
10 mg
9/24/2014
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 5  severe acne dry skin everywhere, thinning of hair, extremely chapped lips, facial flushing. I absolutely loved taking accutane. It made me feel so much better about myself just 2 months into treatment. i recently got pregnant and my skin broke out terrible and it looks just like it does before accutane. I plan on going on a second course of accutane after i have my baby. this is truly a miracle drug. The side effects are worth it when you have clear skin in the end. The only pain about being on this drug is how expensive it is, and the fact that you need monthly drug tests. i can't wait to go on this drug again and clear my skin back up. F 20 5 months
40mg daily 1X day
9/3/2014
 5  Acne on face, back and chest Thumb nail split right down the centre from top to bottom. Skin on my arms and legs got thin. I am 33, took the drug when I was 18. Although it completely cured my acne and made me a much happier person, I am now still suffering from side effects. The nail on my thumb still sometimes splits lengthways, although very rarely and it isn't really an issue, just looks horrid. But my main problem now is my skin on my arms and particularly my legs is so thin that I just scratch an itch and I draw blood. My legs look absolutely awful, so I tend to keep them covered. Which I suppose is better than having to cover my face and not being able to wear strappy tops etc. F 33 4 months
1X day
7/11/2014
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