53 replies to this topic

[oli girl]

I know this does not disprove any point you are making, and that's not my aim, but here goes.

I've always been pretty tall (~ 6' 2.5" right now), but I hadn't grown for a couple years before accutane. I'm now about 4.5 months in to my treatment, and in the last month or so I've had probably 4 or 5 people tell me I'm growing. This is pretty weird to me especially since I haven't heard this in years. I really am growing now though- not much, but enough for people to notice.

That's it... just thought it was interesting.

That is interesting. When you say growing I take it you mean height wise? How tall were you before accutane? I take it you are young also. I ask that cause accutane can also acutally cause excessive bone growth in a not so good way.

either way interesting. good luck

[Aimee_lou_uk]

Read what i said seefa *Moderator edit, personal attack removed. Further violations will result in warnings. - read the board rules. *.

I was referring to MUM OF ONES post, where she says that her son DID NOT have it done before and after,

I have many SHORT friends, boys and girls who didn't touch accutane, they are short, but so what? They enjoy life.

Im not saying its made up, or that this bone closure study is fiction, i believe it so... No i am not doubting many scientists opinions, or health professionals, like you state that I am, yet again with no evidence.

jsut was stating a fact that you cant take what she says as fact...

end of.

why don't you get off your high horse and for once be pleasant about someone whos opinion differs from yours. Its peoples negativity and bad attitude like yours that make me reluctant to come on here.

[Wynne]

This topic tends to engender heated disputes and words and belligerence and defensiveness when those behaviors are directed against someone. NO MORE PERSONAL ATTACKS. I have gone back through the entire thread and tried to find all the instances of rudeness and removed them.

Any further violations from any of the posters on this thread WILL result in warning increases no matter WHERE, which thread, those violations occur.

This thread so far is salvageable. Keep it that way. Polite disagreement is FINE, but NEVER attacking disagreement. It just causes anger and bad feelings and makes people want to avoid this forum, exactly as Aimee says.

[Sheefa]

why don't you get off your high horse and for once be pleasant about someone whos opinion differs from yours. Its peoples negativity and bad attitude like yours that make me reluctant to come on here.

High horse?? What a horse of reason and scientific fact? Enough of this discussion, you can denial the truth all you want. It has been proven to stunt growth and without taking accutane out of the equation, her son has taken it and so we can't, it's likely this is what halted further growth spurts.

[oli girl]

I though find it intersting that the person letsgopatriots orginally revied this thread. Told us to stop warning people about this and that it wasn't true and wants sources.
Yet he has yet to dispute anything I printed. hmm....I guess sometimes it's hard to admit the truth when ur wrong about something.

[user1987]

well.....I started accutane 2 months ago at 16 and a half years old. I am also a guy who is 5' 3". I was already done growing when I took it. Your son may have already been done growing, or very close to it when taking the drug. Even though he grew 3 inches in the last year, and only grew 1 inch on accutane, that may have been his last major growth. Even though he grew 1 inch, the drug may have stunted his growth, but he would have probably only gained maybe .5 inches-1 inch more(so 5" 3.5")

I took Accutane at the age of 13 years old and was 5'2'' at the time. I grew to a final height of 5'7''.

[user1987]

Premature Epiphyseal Closure-There are spontanous reports of premature Epiphyseal Closure in Acne Pts reciving recommended doses of Accutane for Acne. The effect of mutiple courses of Accutane on Epiphyseal Closure is unknown.

Retinoid-Induced epiphyseal plate closure in guinea pigs-Vit A and it derivatives(retinoids) have been known to cause premature epiphyseal closure in humans as a unwanted side effect of chronic tx. The puropose of the present study was to determine if guinea pigs could serve as a animal model of retinoid-induced epiphyseal plate closure, and to utilize this model to study the mechanism. weanling male Hartley guinea pigs were treated ip via osmotic pump for up to 14days w/vechicle or 0.50-5.5mg/kg/day of the retinoic acid receptor(rar)-selective agonist Agn 190121. Histopathological exam of the proximal tibia of AGN 190121-treated guinea pigs revealed dose-dependent disruption of the epiphyseal plate. The natural retinoids all-trans-retinoic acid and 13-cis-retinoic acid also induced epiphyseal closure when admin. by ip injection for 10days. Prominent historical features of retnoid induced epiphyseal closure induced the loss of basophilic staining in the extracllular matrix of epiphyseal plate chondrocytes and invasion of the epipyseal plate by osteoclasts.
Note: You can read the rest of the study about them trying to see if reversible
Retinoid Induced Epiphyseal plate closure in guinea pigs; Stardeven Am,Davies PJ, Chandraratna Ra, Mader Dr, Johnson At, Thomazy,Va
fundam Appl Toxicol. 1996 Nov;34(1):91-8. Department of Biology,Allergan,Inc. Irvine,Ca 92713, Usa.

Isotretinoin effects on bone.
Digiovanna, J.J. 2001. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 45(5): S-176-82.
Isotretinoin has demostrated efficacy in wide range of disorders. The benefical effects of the drug, however, are limited by its adverse effects on the bone. Children exposed to high doses are at risk for premature epiphyseal closure, while adults on long term therapy have an increased tendency to depvelop hyperstosis and other changes of the bone. The knowldege of theese effects, in conjunction w/continued survelliance, are necessary for expert mang.& can ensure many years of efficacious tx w/minimal toxicity.
(really who knows really what's consider a high dose in each indvidual)

Here's another one you can look up: Skelatal changes w/chronic istotretinoin and etretinate admin. McGuire J. Lawson JP Dermatologica. 1987; 175 Suppl 1:169-81. Dept of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medcine, New Haven, Conn.

Premature epiphyseal closure is just one bone effect. I wouldn't just be worried about this one especially thoose who take multiple courses or one single high dose, or long term low dose or low dose.

Bone Denstities in Pt Receiving Isotretinoin for Cystic Acne-Leachman,S.A. Insogna,K.L.,Katz, L., Ellison A. and Millstone,L.M. 1999. Acne. Arch. Dermatol. 135(6): 961-965
(this study was done on men age 17-25, reciving only 6 months of accutane) Skelatal

Hyperostosis in patients reciving chronic, very-low dose Isotretinoion.
Tangrea JA KIlcoyne RF, Taylor PR, Helsel WE, Adrianza ME, Hartman AM, Edwards BK, Peck GL.
Arch Dermatol. 1992 Jul;128(7):921-5. Division of Cancer Prevention Control, national Cancer institute, National institues of health, Bethesda, MD.
(This study talks about Hyperostosis in pt on low dose getting similar skeletal changes as someone on high doses)

Greater trochanter enthesopathy: An ex of short course retinoid enthesopahty: A Case report
Dept of Physical Medcine and Rehab, UMDNJ-New Jersy Medical School, West Orange, NJ ETATS-UNIS

So I have many more studies regarding bones. So I will be waiting for the 1 by roche u talk about in 1985...Journal sources please.....

[Mickey Mantle]

Bummer for TD! My kid has been playing baseball since he was 5. Starting thirdbase Varsity High School in 8th grade. Great prospect for college scholarship in athletics also sporting a high accademic level.

Took Acutaine 6 months at 15 and a half - 5' 10". Stopped growing immediately. Today, a year and 3 months later he hasn't grown a millimeter. We expected him to be over 6' tall. You don't get to play college baseball if you're only 5'10" tall.

We were never advised about this possible side effect. He measurements were never taken by the dermatoligest that prescribed Accutaine and his passion in athletic were never considered by the doctor.

He's 16 and 9 months now. Is there anything that we can do to progress his height growth?

Is there any leagal action we can take against the pharm or physician for his loss?

[ItalianBoy]

No legal action if you have signed all the documents

Nothing you can do for his height growth

I wish I was 5'10''.

[oli girl]

Bummer for TD! My kid has been playing baseball since he was 5. Starting thirdbase Varsity High School in 8th grade. Great prospect for college scholarship in athletics also sporting a high accademic level.

Took Acutaine 6 months at 15 and a half - 5' 10". Stopped growing immediately. Today, a year and 3 months later he hasn't grown a millimeter. We expected him to be over 6' tall. You don't get to play college baseball if you're only 5'10" tall.

We were never advised about this possible side effect. He measurements were never taken by the dermatoligest that prescribed Accutaine and his passion in athletic were never considered by the doctor.

He's 16 and 9 months now. Is there anything that we can do to progress his height growth?

Is there any leagal action we can take against the pharm or physician for his loss?

Nope, You signed the papers and it states in the I pledge book and the Rx info that it can cause episyseal closure in kids,teens etc.......It has long been known that it can cause this.
If you want to see if his ephisyseal has been closed you have to get an xray and if that is the case unfortunatly there's nothing you can do.

[john92862]

To Oli Girl,

Thanks so much for posting the links to the studies linking accutane to premature epiphyseal closure. I had obtained one of the studies, DiGiovanna "Isotretinoin effects on bone" but it cost $30 to get an full PDF copy.

Do you by any chance have full copes of the studies you listed? If so would you be willing to share them by posting pdfs?

I will post a full pdf of the DiGiovanna study in a later post and would be happy to share any other full articles I can obtain.

Thanks in advance.

John

[oli girl]

john92862, on 18 December 2011 - 06:56 PM, said:

To Oli Girl,

Thanks so much for posting the links to the studies linking accutane to premature epiphyseal closure. I had obtained one of the studies, DiGiovanna "Isotretinoin effects on bone" but it cost $30 to get an full PDF copy.

Do you by any chance have full copes of the studies you listed? If so would you be willing to share them by posting pdfs?

I will post a full pdf of the DiGiovanna study in a later post and would be happy to share any other full articles I can obtain.

Thanks in advance.

John

I will have to check my files I have a binder full and relook through this post of what I posted. WoW $30 for a full study huh? Also, I can see if I get acess to my husband medical online library of studies. It just might take me a little while with the holidays coming up. I assuming you have bone issues?

[john92862]

Yes, it is my 15 year old son - he has been on for 8 weeks (1mg/kg/day) and was having knee pain in both knees. For some reason when I looked through the side effects initially I missed this one, so could kick myself. Anyway for now we are discontinuing and will get a hand xray and get his growth chart updated. I see in one of the studies (the 16 year old soccer player in Switzerland) that an MRI was used to see if the knee growth plates were affected (in that study they were which is why it was published). I will probably try to get an MRI of his knees as well just for peace of mind. I am still evaluating all of the studies but for now am discontinuing.

If you have any full copies of the studies it would be greatly appreciated as they are very expensive. If your husband has online access to journals that would be the cheapest way to go. My initial views of the studies are that this is a real risk because iso clearly affects bones - the actual mechanism of action is recognized and proven in numerous studies (unlike the psychiatric stuff) - but the frequency of this complication to me is not obvious from the studies (which tend to just cite each other), so the risk reward decision for now is not clear.

I will post the one article I have tomorrow - forgot to bring it to work today to scan.

Thanks so much for the quick reply and any information you have would be greatly appreciated.

[nick :)]

Interesting experiment!!
I'm an identical twin.
Background info:
15 year old male (will end when I'm 16 in 3 months)
I started accutane in November.
I'm taking a 5 month course.
I'm 6'1". My twin brother is 6'2" (He is naturally taller than me by about one inch, for whatever reason )

I'm taking accutane. My brother is not. (I have cystic acne, he does not).

I think that I can report to you within months if my brother is still growing and I am not.
My brother and I have always been within 1 inch of height difference of each other.
always.

I am quite content with my height. However it would be strange/noticeable if my brother grew and I did not.

As of right now, my brother and I are probably still close within that 1 inch of height difference.

So far, side effects I have are dry lips, flaky dandruff, nosebleeds (no more b/c of a humidifier), and that's about it. Oh, and a bit of red face, but that's because I have extremely sensitive skin to begin with. I have cut back and only wash my face once a day, which has helped tremendously.

Edited by nick :), 17 January 2012 - 08:06 PM.