@DR.D ... why accutane is so bad ?

[french_muscle]

Hey DR.D, I thought you'd be capable of answering my question, I know isotretinoin is very effective for treating acne but also got a very bad safety profile, why is that ? I do know it's a retinoid but I've read in the pharmacology profile that it's mechanisms of action are unknown, except that it reduces keratinization sebaceous secretions

 

[Mr.50]

French,

I have been on two courses of Accutane in my lifetime and I have to say that it is my understanding that the true problems for males are in the possible liver toxcicity. Pretty rough on the liver.

Many of the risks from the side effect profile that everyone is so up in arms about are with regard to women. If a woman is pregnant and exposed to Accutane it can lead to profound birth defects.

So it is my understanding that for us, tocicity is the main issue to worry about. i.e. not to be taken with any methyls

Of course I am sure that Dr.D will have a much more comprehensive answer then this.

Overall in my experience, except for the dryness and decrease in night vision, I felt like Accutane was not too bad.

Hey DR.D, I thought you'd be capable of answering my question, I know isotretinoin is very effective for treating acne but also got a very bad safety profile, why is that ? I do know it's a retinoid but I've read in the pharmacology profile that it's mechanisms of action are unknown, except that it reduces keratinization sebaceous secretions

 

[50joe]

I did the treatment once a while ago... mustve been like 7yrs, completely nuked my acne. never again has it resurfaced.

The side effect is the liver stuff. I had to get bloodwork monthly.

I remember being warned about reporting depression though. I know I read cases of people committing suicide and blaming it on the accutane. There are lawyers everywhere that will help you sue if you tried to kill youself while on accutane.

I never had any problems with it at all. Just got chapped lips and dry skin, but it was worth it in the end.

 

[Whiskey Steve]

I did the treatment once a while ago... mustve been like 7yrs, completely nuked my acne. never again has it resurfaced.
.

Three of my friends took it and thier acne is gone...

The side effect is the liver stuff. I had to get bloodwork monthly.
.

They had no idea it had anything to do with your liver...
I love how much some doctors tell you about what you are taking.... oh wait, i ment how much they dont tell you

I remember being warned about reporting depression though. I know I read cases of people committing suicide and blaming it on the accutane. There are lawyers everywhere that will help you sue if you tried to kill youself while on accutane.
.

one of them thought he was a lot more depressed

I never had any problems with it at all. Just got chapped lips and dry skin, but it was worth it in the end.

my friends where putting on chapstick everytime i looked at them

 

[Mr.50]

I actually have chronic depression and I actually felt a slight improvement on Accutane, go figure. Unfortunately, even though the two courses of Accutane have improved my acne it still has not completely resolved it .

I did the treatment once a while ago... mustve been like 7yrs, completely nuked my acne. never again has it resurfaced.

The side effect is the liver stuff. I had to get bloodwork monthly.

I remember being warned about reporting depression though. I know I read cases of people committing suicide and blaming it on the accutane. There are lawyers everywhere that will help you sue if you tried to kill youself while on accutane.

I never had any problems with it at all. Just got chapped lips and dry skin, but it was worth it in the end.

 

[VitaminT]

From what I hear, the worst is really the first couple of weeks on it. After that, with a strict diet, it isn't too much trouble. The common 1mg/kg is excessive for all but the most extreme cases in my opinion.

 

[Chippewa]

I know a young woman who has Body Dysmoprphic Disorder who became gravely suicidal while on Accurate, yet because of her mental health disorder she still intends to continue using it no matter what.

 

[PVSkyHigh]

I used Accutane while I was in high school, so about 5 years ago. It cleared my acne up SO WELL!! I went from having really bad white heads every single day, I mean I woke up every morning with atleast 4 or 5 new ones. Anways, I get one or two here or there, but to me it was possible the best thing I had done for my body.

 

[sogone2day]

I was on accutane about 1 1/2 years ago for a bit. Sure it works to clear things up but till this day I have to deal with constant dry skin. Dry nose, itchy dry eyes cause they don't produce enough tear film, and chapped lips. I would make it your last option. I did also notice changes in my attitude to, for some reason I never wanted to go out any more and felt tired as hell. I guess that would of been an on set of some depression. I would never use that stuff again unless acne was very serious. An it costs an arm and a leg a pack of 30 pills at 20mg was about $320 canadian.

 

[PVSkyHigh]

I had very bad dry skin and lips to start with. Make sure you use a very mild face wash, I would actually suggest just using water and your hands, and stock up on Carmex or Chapsitck. Other than that I felt fine, if anything I had more confidence because my acne was going away. Stay nice and hydrated. This choice is just like any others, do they benefits outweigh the consequences?

 

[dess]

i had pretty bad acne all thru high school used it about 6 yrs ago in my senior yr completely wiped out all acne. ever since than haven't had acne except for the occasional once every couple of months which just started recently, probably due to my lack of face care though cuz the accutane spoiled me. my dr. told me to be aware of high cholesterol levels, nothing about liver toxicity but maybe that was secondary to the liver toxic, also heard of depression as a side

 

[anabolicgiraffe]

I took accutain in highschool and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. It totally cleared up my face and have not had a problem since then. The only side effect i had was i was very emotional at times. I would even go as far as breaking down and crying. It was very weird. I hadn't cried since elementary school. My gf at the time was like wtf are you crying LOL. It was pretty embarassing but totally worth it.

 

[sogone2day]

Also make sure you have a good sunscreen, i was told to use total sunblock. One day I went to the beach and didn't use it. The day after my knees and feet looked like a roasted chicken. Seriously bad almost second degree like burns. But everyones different but don't take chances.

 

[scooby]

French,

I have been on two courses of Accutane in my lifetime and I have to say that it is my understanding that the true problems for males are in the possible liver toxcicity. Pretty rough on the liver.

Many of the risks from the side effect profile that everyone is so up in arms about are with regard to women. If a woman is pregnant and exposed to Accutane it can lead to profound birth defects.

So it is my understanding that for us, tocicity is the main issue to worry about. i.e. not to be taken with any methyls

Of course I am sure that Dr.D will have a much more comprehensive answer then this.

Overall in my experience, except for the dryness and decrease in night vision, I felt like Accutane was not too bad.

HEY..MR.50 do u think i can take small doses of accutane while on EQ and cypanate????

 

[Mr.50]

You could be I still would not reccomend it. Neither of those should negativly affect liver enzymes too much but ther is still potential. With that said I am sure there are tons of guys out there that have done it.....

Mr.50

HEY..MR.50 do u think i can take small doses of accutane while on EQ and cypanate????

 

[VtecTypeR]

I've been on accutane for 5 months now and its the best thing I have ever done. After trying every other medication for acne none of them worked. Accutane is seriously a miracle drug.

 

[Ziricote]

Hardly a miracle drug, some of the physical sides can be held at bay with vaseline and 'dermal' shower creams (Dermol in the UK) and toxicity seems to be less of an issue than you would think (consider that you're not going to be capable to drink much of any alcohol and shouldn't be using any methyl substance) but the physiological effects can be dangerous.

Take your pick of any of these studies- Entrez PubMed

I'll mention that the whole sore joints, losing muscle and getting fat wasn't much fun for me personally although younger kids (e.i. 16/teens, who frankly shouldn't be on this stuff) don't seem to report that if you were to ask them.

 

[BigPHusers11]

hey...i took accutane two years ago and it works take it...screw supplements that are liver toxic for a while...knock on wood i had bad acne and its gone...yeah i still get dry and use chapstick and moisterzier...but thats it any questions PM...

 

[jjohn]

One of my friend took accutane, it worked well, got rid of his acne. A few weeks after that, he is diagnosed with a ganglion tumor. Thank god he got over the treatment, but this is when it all started for him. Plain unlucky? Not sure.