Accutane Side Effects
What are the serious side effects associated with Accutane?
Severe side effects of Accutane include:
- Ulcerative colitis
- Crohn’s Disease
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Severe depression
- Suicidal thoughts
- Birth defects
- Liver damage, with symptoms of nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss, and jaundice (yellowing of the eyes or skin)
- Allergic reaction to isotretinoin, resulting in liver disease and other health complications
Many patients have experienced serious adverse reactions following Accutane treatment and have filed Accutane lawsuits to seek compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering caused by these side effects.
If you have experienced serious side effects caused by Accutane and wish to receive additional information about your legal options, please call 1-800-439-8180 or fill out the form on this page.
Are there additional side effects that may occur while taking Accutane?
Additional side effects of Accutane include:
- Acne flare-ups
- Severe skin dryness, especially on the lips, nostrils, genitals, and eyes
- Hair thinning
- Headache
- Hair loss
- Thinning of the skin, making bruising and cuts more likely and slower to heal
- Eczema
- Fatigue
- Brittle nails
- Increased sensitivity to sunlight
- Menstrual problems, including irregular or heavier period
- Gastrointestinal problems, including diarrhea
- Muscle pain
- Skin conditions and infections, including impetigo, paronychia, and pyogenic granuloma
Patients with a family history of depression are discouraged from taking Accutane, as the risk for depression can be worsened.
Accutane is known to cause severe birth defects, making the use of proper birth control imperative while completing treatment.
What should I avoid while taking Accutane?
Additional drugs
Patients should avoid taking vitamin A supplements, as Accutane is a derivative of the vitamin and large quantities of the vitamin can build up in the tissue and become harmful. Large amounts of vitamin A taken during pregnancy may also result in birth defects, just as the use of Accutane during pregnancy may yield negative effects on an unborn child.
Certain activities
Donating blood while taking Accutane should also be avoided. If a pregnant woman receives the blood donated by a patient on Accutane, birth defects may result, due to the presence of the medication in the mother’s blood.
Accutane may cause skin sensitivity to sunlight and artificial UV rays, such as those found in tanning beds. Patients taking the drug should avoid exposure to sunlight or sunlamps.
To avoid scarring do not have laser skin treatments, facials using microdermabrasion, or use wax hair removal products while taking Accutane. Patients should avoid any such treatments for 6 months after the last treatment with Accutane.
Patients using Accutane should exercise caution at night, as the medication can cause impaired vision.
What else should I know about Accutane?
Those with a sensitivity or allergy to paraben should avoid this drug.
Accutane should only be taken if prescribed by a doctor and should be taken only in the recommended dosage.
The capsules should be taken with a large glass of water to avoid any irritation to the esophagus.
Blood and liver tests may be requested while a patient is using Accutane to ensure the body is not responding negatively to the medication.
Accutane should not be used by women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, as birth defects are likely. Accutane cannot be prescribed to women unless they have agreed to participate in the iPLEDGE program, designed to prevent women who are pregnant or could become pregnant from taking the drug. The program requires that women use two forms of birth control and take a pregnancy test before receiving their prescription. Women are also required to take a pregnancy test each month and file the results with the program to ensure Accutane is never administered to a pregnant woman. If a patient on Accutane has unprotected sex, a doctor must be notified immediately.
A patient should notify a doctor if they have any of the following conditions:
- Personal or family history of mental illness or depression
- Asthma
- Liver disease
- Diabetes
- Osteoporosis
- Heart disease
- Eating disorders
-
July 30, 2010, 2:23 pm
-
July 30, 2010, 2:13 pm
-
July 29, 2010, 12:33 pm
-
July 28, 2010, 3:58 pm
