# For people who have taken accutane (for acne)



## ju_pa (Sep 21, 2008)

I just found out that accutane and roaccutane are actually killing more than just acne.

From source http://www.xsorbit1.com/users/davec//index.cgi?board=treatr&action=display&num=1085825080



> WHY ARE THERE SYMPTOMS FROM ACCUTANE?
> 
> The symptoms occur because an overdose of vitamine A interferes receptors in the brain and over time kills significant numbers of them. As I´ve stated before these receptors afftect among others dopamine, serotonine, norephinephrine, adrenaline and testosterone.
> 
> ...


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## Beggiatoa (Dec 25, 2004)

I used accutane back in 2001. First off, I must say this stuff works for acne like nothing I have ever tried and seen. I used to get lots of blackheads and after a couple doses, these things just fell off and never came back. It was pretty amazing. However, the side effects were brutal. The worst one being a horrible and lingering depression that persisted for sometime after that. It eve prompted a failed suicide attempt. This may not occur in all people but those that are predisposed to depression should definitely avoid this. Accutane is not something I would want to see distributed widely but for the few cases of cystic acne (an ugly thing), this is the only thing that works. For that reason, I would hate to see this taken off the market. One of my parents is a Dermatologist and I've seen before and after pictures of some patients. These speak for themselves.


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## Beggiatoa (Dec 25, 2004)

I've been reading more about this and it seems that Accutane alterns how the brain regulates Dopamine and Serotonin. Also, these effects can be permanent. I even read a specific mention of D2 receptors being affected, specifically. 

There are also many links that THIS is a cause of Social Phobia in many people. I used accutane and those few months were the worst in my entire life!

Hmm...


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## sawyoushine (Nov 21, 2008)

A friend of mine used this and it works great. There was a warning label on it though, so you take it at your own risk. And not to long ago I watched a television program about a man who was on accutane that drove him to murder. I'll get a link if I can find one.


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## Cypress (Dec 17, 2008)

Just make sure you check all of the side effects and watch out for them.


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## bheslop (Oct 17, 2008)

I took it a year ago. worked wonders. Never got depressed. It all just depends on the person.


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## mypasswordneverworks (Dec 12, 2008)

yeah I took it in my teen years. I took tons of other acne meds before that and was on pills for 8 years before they put me on accutane. It worked amazing and I was never depressed at that point in life. 

but, that study makes me wonder if there are any longer term alterations in my brian...


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## xboxfreak (Jul 22, 2008)

I'd like to go on accutane but these side effects as well as playing with receptors in my brain is something I don't need.


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## heymikey (Nov 19, 2005)

I took accutane twice. I didn't notice any side effects pertaining to mood.


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## kintrovert (Oct 28, 2005)

xboxfreak said:


> I'd like to go on accutane but these side effects as well as playing with receptors in my brain is something I don't need.


Yeah, from my experience - Accutane is overkill. Even though I had fairly severe acne at the time - I just thought Accutane was just to harsh of a treatment for it. I've taken Retin-A (a topical ointment, not a drug) - and I loved the results of that. Retin-A _might_ be a much safer alternative to Accutane.

The major side-effect I remember with Accutane is major hair-thinning. I hated to see my hair thin out so severely on that drug. Now, this latest finding is telling me that I may have suffered an even costlier consequence....


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## kintrovert (Oct 28, 2005)

Great - so does this mean I have to add Accutane to the ever-growing list of childhood "remedies" that may have exacted a crippling toll on my mental health?

So far I have...

~Childhood vaccinations (mercury exposure)

~At least 8 dental amalgam fillings (which put a constant supply of toxic, mental-disorder-causing mercury into my system that continues to this day. I've been recently exploring this issue, and want to get these fillings out a.s.a.p.)

~Allergy shots for at least two years (yet more "unecessary" mercury exposure)

~Braces - worn for two years (this might be pushing matters, but I recently read that the metal in braces can exacerbate the effects of the mercury?)

~Now Accutane?

My mom sent me to these "trusted" medical professionals to improve my lot and to facilitate a better quality-of-life for me - but what may have actually happened is that these treatments helped screw me up for life.


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## strawberryjulius (Jun 28, 2009)

eh, oh well. it worked well for me.


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## Lost_loner (May 3, 2008)

Accutane is fine if it's administered properly but unfortunatly for me I was put on this medication for far too long. In the past 3 years I've been perscribed Accutane 4x, at a dosage of 40mg. Initially I was an ardent supporter of Accutane even though it was simply a temporary soluton; however the last course I was on caused me to incur three months of severe depression and has possibly left me with memory loss, loss of libido and permanent bone damage. I use to be able to memorize a history review sheet within 2 hours while now takes me nearly double the time. It took me awhile to make the connection between these symptoms and accutane but once I did I ended my 4th course early with the intention to never go back on it regardless of how severe my ance is. A skin condition, that is completly natural btw, is not worth these life threatening side effects.

And I bet you guys didn't know this but Accutane has been used for chemotherapy. It has an amazing ability to kill rapidly dividing cells, but unfortunatly it cannot distinguish cancer cells and normal cells in our body which could explain some of the side effects that I have experienced. This is a dangerous drug and should only be considered by those whose acne is VERY severe.

Accutane's mechanism of action is unknown but this website presents a theory of how it could work. It's kind of scary but definitely worth a read.

http://www.topix.com/forum/drug/accutane/T9QJ8DO1TLI41VBPN


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## captshiner (Sep 30, 2009)

im not even going to read the above link because I guarantee one of the mechanisms suggested is increased levels of IGFBP 3, which influences proper skin cell shedding - WHICH CAN BE CHANGED BY PROPER DIET. things like glycemic load and index. you don't need this garbage. 

as time goes on, the field of dermatology looks more like an absolute joke. acne; primarily a disease of the western world. imagine, your diet affecting the LARGEST ORGAN OF YOUR BODY


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## Jimminy_Billy_Bob (Nov 26, 2008)

I used accutane and it was the worst few months of my life. First my acne flared up to the point that my face was unnrecognizable. Then it altered my perception of things an I got very severely depressed. It left me in a pshycotic kind of state and for months after I stopped it I was sick with all kinds of mystery illnesses. It has left me with permanent detrimental changes to my body and brain chemistry and I regret taking it.

Oh it cleared my skin up nicely though...


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## ju_pa (Sep 21, 2008)

Jimminy_Billy_Bob said:


> Oh it cleared my skin up nicely though...


:teeth

I'm now free of acne, depression, blushing, severe anxiety, fatigue and moore...


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## Lachlan (Jul 3, 2008)

It takes a special person to walk around with bad acne with no mental effects.


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## dizzy99 (Mar 20, 2010)

Interesting to read about the experiences of others. I suffered and still do suffer immensely from accutane side effects. I developed ulcerative colitis and subsequently had my colon removed within one year of taking accutane. I wish that was the extent of my injuries. I also suffer from severe fatigue and depression. I believe my brain chemistry was significantly altered from high doses of retinoic acid.


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## calichick (Jul 30, 2010)

dizzy99 said:


> Interesting to read about the experiences of others. I suffered and still do suffer immensely from accutane side effects. I developed ulcerative colitis and subsequently had my colon removed within one year of taking accutane. I wish that was the extent of my injuries. I also suffer from severe fatigue and depression. I believe my brain chemistry was significantly altered from high doses of retinoic acid.


Wow, accutane caused that? :blank I've heard some cases where people have committed suicide due to the effects of this drug..

I think before people consider taking accutane (which is the last resort) they should try oral antibiotics. I've been on oral antbiotics for acne since I was 17, and I get my blood checked yearly. Antibiotics are a quick-fix solution. You can stop anytime you'd like.


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## sparkationsgirl (Oct 25, 2008)

> I think before people consider taking accutane (which is the last resort) they should try oral antibiotics. I've been on oral antbiotics for acne since I was 17, and I get my blood checked yearly. Antibiotics are a quick-fix solution. You can stop anytime you'd like.


I developed candida and gastrointestinal problems after taking rounds of antibiotics. It made me react to foods badly, and I experienced many unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms as a result. Be sure to take probiotics to counter the antibiotics. Antibiotics may be the marvel of modern day medicine-but in my opinion, it can be abused if not taken properly.

My skin problems started to improve after I stuck to a low sugar diet, and started eating whole grains, vegetables, organic foods, and the like. This helped stabilize my blood sugar levels.


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## calichick (Jul 30, 2010)

sparkationsgirl said:


> I developed candida and gastrointestinal problems after taking rounds of antibiotics. It made me react to foods badly, and I experienced many unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms as a result. Be sure to take probiotics to counter the antibiotics. Antibiotics may be the marvel of modern day medicine-but in my opinion, it can be abused if not taken properly.


Which antibiotic were you on?

I started on doxycycline when I was 17, and that did cause some of the problems you're talking about, but they were bearable. I would rather suffer through minor problems then have another cyst on my face.

But now I'm on minocycline, I haven't noticed any side effects and I've been on it for 2 years now...

Also, the other downside of antibiotics is that they won't work forever, because the p acne bacteria get immune to it which is why I had to switch over to minocycline.


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## IllusionOfHappiness (Sep 6, 2007)

calichick said:


> Wow, accutane caused that? :blank I've heard some cases where people have committed suicide due to the effects of this drug..
> 
> I think before people consider taking accutane (which is the last resort) they should try oral antibiotics. I've been on oral antbiotics for acne since I was 17, and I get my blood checked yearly. Antibiotics are a quick-fix solution. You can stop anytime you'd like.


I remember reading that also. It was the main reason I never asked for accutane. Figured I was already on the edge and didn't need that extra push. I was terrified of seeing it get worse before it got better...I thought it was already as bad as it was going to get.

Luckily no doctors ever suggested I try it (that I can remember). I was on antibiotics for a bit, then switched over to Diane-35, a life saver recommendation from my dermatologist. It worked exactly as I was told it would, and with next to no side effects. All I remember happening was my arms getting slightly bigger, but that was nothing and it just faded away over time. This is primarily for my back, which is...completely clear now. I use small amounts of Proactiv on my face.


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## laruku (Aug 12, 2010)

*allergic reaction on 2nd accutane trial after 4 yrs*

The first time i've taken accutane 40mg for 6 months, it worked great aside from the side effects which were tolerable. 
Now, due to hormonal fluctuations i had to go on it again with the same strength BUT this time i developed an allergic reaction to it. Yes it treated my acne BUT by the 3-4 week i developed super dry skin so i got spectro eczema-didn't help. Then after 2 doc's checking out my disaster face; that is periorbital edema, rash, urticaria on the forearms, major itching and dryness knowing i was on accutane they thought it was a side effect and told me to take antihistamines. I finally saw my dermatologist and she said i was allergic and to stop immediately. I've been hiding for almost 2 weeks now cuz i looked like will smith from HITCH! Thankfully it's going down, just have to wait til its' out of my system in a month. PLEASE, as soon as these signs/symptoms occur - stop taking it immediately. 
Hypersensitivity occurs spontaneously i guess...sucks!!! 
Do the research prior to taking it - vitamin a overdose


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## bobthebuilder (Jun 17, 2009)

No, and I never will. My acne isnt terrible, persistent but not worth the risk of the stuff. My idiot doctor was actually gonna give me a script for it, even tho like i said, i had/have minor acne. Everday i see an advertisement on tv asking anybody who suffered a wide range of horrible things while on accutane to contact a lawyer, because the makers of accutane are getting sued left and right.


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## littlemisshy (Aug 10, 2010)

I wouldn't be too concerned. My husband took roacutane back in the late 80s and is perfectly fine.


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## impackt (Nov 23, 2013)

*accutane anxiety*

Hi there, icame accross the forum by as many of you, by researching the accutane
axiety problem.

anyway, i have been on accutane for about a month now, this is my third time in about 8 years. Im a 37 year old male who develop an acnenproblem well into adulthood. I never experienced it during teenage years apart from the occasional zit. Well that change when suddenly my skin became very oily. As u know nothing would work so dermatologist prescribed accutane the first time. I was on 40 mg for 3 months. Very low dose for a short time, i know, but my face has never been too bad like cystic acne can be. Anyway that cleared my face for about 3 years, then same again so had to go back on it.

During the first course i had minor side effects. Dry lips sore muscles and that was it. Second time i develop a few more dry hands, etc etc. Nothing too bad again.

which brings me to now. My face started to go bad again so finally convinced doc to put me on itnto get rid of this prob once and for all. I dont want to be the only 37 year old with a face of a teenager, is what i thought. Anyway, about 2 months ago i had 2 close friends die of very rare diseases at a very young age. That put me on edge and i thought evry time i got a minor flu-cold that i would end up like them. So i became very axious about my health. So after just 1 week o taking it i had my first panick attack which took me to emergency. I used to get panick attacks about 15 years ago which developed from smoking too much weed. So i guess i am predispose to devwlop extreme anxiety.

i started thinking about why am i getting them now and not before?? What is different?? One obviously was that the death of my friends had put me in an anxious mental state without having panic attacks but anxious whenever i got sick like i said.

The second thing that came to mind was the first 2 rimes i took accutane i was also taking a drug called tramadol or ultram. Ibwas prescribed this to help me with abdominal pain for a seperate medical condition. As i researched it turns out that tramadol is not only a strong pain killer but verysimilar to antidepressants and antianxiety drugs. It a serotonin releaser and a norepinephine inhibitor.

So i went into my third week with mild panick attacks which became anlittle more frequent. So i decided to try an experiment on my own. I went and got a prescription for tramadol and starting taking it daily. One 200mg tablet daily which is anhigh dose but because ive takennthem before i have a high tolerance to it. There are 50mg tabs as well. I tell you it has helped withnthe anxiety, if i feel it coming on i have abtab and i feel ok for the rest of the day.

I wanted to share that with you and hope it helps. Theres nothingbworse than feeling anxious all the time its very exhausting. 
I know it is another drug, but i think its a better choice than going on benzodiapines or a full antidepressant. Also i have realised that the panick attacks are not goingnto kill me, which is the main fear that i have. As you all know, you are convinced you are dying at the time.

talk to your doctor if you want to take meds but not keen on taking the normal meds to help with anxiety. Theres also a risk of dependanve onbultram but jsut like any other drug there needs to be a slow taper off the medicine to minimise withdrawals. Which is the main reason that people become dependant. They dont want to go through the withdrawal symptoms.

i hope this helps. Remember try to stay away from that mindstate. The minute u think and say to yourselves i have anxiety disorder u give it more control of your life. Slowly it will get better.

all the best


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## Zack (Apr 20, 2013)

I took Accutane in my teens and it cleared my acne. The main side-effect was getting nose bleeds. Who knows if it messed with my brain?


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