Is It Worth It to Take Accutane?
Question by : Is it worth it to take accutane?
my doctor just told me about it because of my acne and he wants me to take it because it helps. However when I got home I started doing some research about it and i’ve heard alot of people saying not to take it because of all the long term side effects. I haven’t really tried anything to get rid of my acne except drinking water, washing my face, eating healthier etc. I’ve read that accutane is extremely dangerous, but alot of these posts are from a few years ago so im curious is anything has changed or is it still a last resort, risky medicine to take?
Best answer:
Answer by DrugCite
First, this drug is a serious drug, but it does work. If you have serious acne that you simply can’t control, this drug can be a miracle drug. However, getting through the treatment period (usually 3-6 months) is brutal. Your lips and skin will dry out. If you do your treatment in the winter, the problem is compounded. Also, it’s important to note that if you’re a woman, most likely you will not be prescribed this because it can cause serious birth defects if you happen to get pregnant. The major long-term fallout in the news recently has been with Accutane causing Irritable Bowl Syndrome. However, I have friends who have taken this drug and now they are completely acne-free and have no problems at all. Having said all that, here is a list of adverse events, or side effects, reported to the FDA by people taking the drug from 2004 to 2011. I hope this list helps (most frequently reported adverse events are at the top):
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
1268 (4.9%)
Pregnancy
1112 (4.3%)
Depression
715 (2.76%)
Colitis Ulcerative
684 (2.64%)
Crohns Disease
517 (2%)
Drug Exposure During Pregnancy
441 (1.7%)
Colitis
407 (1.57%)
Intestinal Haemorrhage
395 (1.53%)
Gastrointestinal Disorder
363 (1.4%)
Anxiety
357 (1.38%)
Rectal Haemorrhage (Rectal Bleeding)
293 (1.13%)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
287 (1.11%)
Suicidal Ideation (Suicidal Thoughts)
254 (.98%)
Blood Triglycerides Increased
248 (.96%)
Headache
245 (.95%)
Abortion Induced
230 (.89%)
Arthralgia (Joint Pain)
224 (.87%)
Dry Skin
218 (.84%)
Multi-organ Disorder
217 (.84%)
Lip Dry
210 (.81%)
Intestinal Obstruction
173 (.67%)
Anaemia (Low Red Blood Cells)
163 (.63%)
Abortion Spontaneous
159 (.61%)
Gastrointestinal Injury
157 (.61%)
CRC Pensacola FL Drug Treatment Conference 09/23/2011 on Local ABC WEAR TV —
Related Drug Treatment News 2011 Information…