14 replies to this topic

[Justin Time]

I am 15 years old, and currently under average height. I am growing fast, and building muscle mass, and I am happy about this. I have moderate acne, and I have tried salycyclic acid, bendroyl hydroxide, murad, nuetrogena, proactive, adapalene, and even apple cider vinegar.

I have heard accutane is like the chemotherapy of acne medications, but I read the thing and it said it may stunt bone growth. I don't care if my skin turns yellow and I have to avoid the sun like a vampire, my main worries in life today are growing taller and becoming clear. Are these things conflicting? Is there anything I'm missing?

[ABeachGirl]

I would look into the studies of accutane- I MEAN see what % of people that kind of side effect had an effect on ( that sounds weird). Then of course- ask your doctor.

[beentheredonethat]

I would look into the studies of accutane- I MEAN see what % of people that kind of side effect had an effect on ( that sounds weird). Then of course- ask your doctor.

This particular effect has not shown up in the clinical trials as far as i know. There are only a few anecdotal reports of premature growth plate closure - if Accutane does cause this, it's crazy rare.

[I will KILL it!]

I think it did that to me, and I only took it for 1 month! (I stopped that first time). I was about 14-15 and fairly tall for that age, but then I haven't grown for one fucking centimeter in 2,5 years !!

[Waiting for clear skin]

I think it did that to me, and I only took it for 1 month! (I stopped that first time). I was about 14-15 and fairly tall for that age, but then I haven't grown for one fucking centimeter in 2,5 years !!

lol i think there's fairly a number of explanations for your stunt in growth, quite possibly it was a coincidence that u happen to stop growing (premature growth spurt?) the same time you took tane. How tall are ur parents?, you should compare yourself to your parents to really see if you have stunted growth. If your dad's 6"7 and ur only 6", then i think there might be a problem.

[2bacnefree]

[quote name='Justin Time' post='1325297' date='Aug 31 2006, 03:26 PM']I am 15 years old, and currently under average height. I am growing fast, and building muscle mass, and I am happy about this. I have moderate acne, and I have tried salycyclic acid, bendroyl hydroxide, murad, nuetrogena, proactive, adapalene, and even apple cider vinegar.

I have heard accutane is like the chemotherapy of acne medications, but I read the thing and it said it may stunt bone growth. I don't care if my skin turns yellow and I have to avoid the sun like a vampire, my main worries in life today are growing taller and becoming clear. Are these things conflicting? Is there anything I'm missing?


from Package Insert
Skeletal
Bone Mineral Density
Effects of multiple courses of Accutane on the developing musculoskeletal system
are unknown. There is some evidence that long-term, high-dose, or multiple
9
courses of therapy with isotretinoin have more of an effect than a single course of
therapy on the musculoskeletal system. In an open-label clinical trial (N=217) of a
single course of therapy with Accutane for severe recalcitrant nodular acne, bone
density measurements at several skeletal sites were not significantly decreased
(lumbar spine change >-4% and total hip change >-5%) or were increased in the
majority of patients. One patient had a decrease in lumbar spine bone mineral
density >4% based on unadjusted data. Sixteen (7.9%) patients had decreases in
lumbar spine bone mineral density >4%, and all the other patients (92%) did not
have significant decreases or had increases (adjusted for body mass index). Nine
patients (4.5%) had a decrease in total hip bone mineral density >5% based on
unadjusted data. Twenty-one (10.6%) patients had decreases in total hip bone
mineral density >5%, and all the other patients (89%) did not have significant
decreases or had increases (adjusted for body mass index). Follow-up studies
performed in 8 of the patients with decreased bone mineral density for up to 11
months thereafter demonstrated increasing bone density in 5 patients at the
lumbar spine, while the other 3 patients had lumbar spine bone density
measurements below baseline values. Total hip bone mineral densities remained
below baseline (range –1.6% to –7.6%) in 5 of 8 patients (62.5%).
In a separate open-label extension study of 10 patients, ages 13-18 years, who
started a second course of Accutane 4 months after the first course, two patients
showed a decrease in mean lumbar spine bone mineral density up to 3.25% (see
PRECAUTIONS: Pediatric Use).
Spontaneous reports of osteoporosis, osteopenia, bone fractures, and delayed
healing of bone fractures have been seen in the Accutane population. While
causality to Accutane has not been established, an effect cannot be ruled out.Longer term effects have not been studied. It is important that Accutane be given
at the recommended doses for no longer than the recommended duration.
Hyperostosis
A high prevalence of skeletal hyperostosis was noted in clinical trials for
disorders of keratinization with a mean dose of 2.24 mg/kg/day. Additionally,
skeletal hyperostosis was noted in 6 of 8 patients in a prospective study of
disorders of keratinization.6 Minimal skeletal hyperostosis and calcification of
ligaments and tendons have also been observed by x-ray in prospective studies of
nodular acne patients treated with a single course of therapy at recommended
doses. The skeletal effects of multiple Accutane treatment courses for acne are
unknown.
In a clinical study of 217 pediatric patients (12 to 17 years) with severe
recalcitrant nodular acne, hyperostosis was not observed after 16 to 20 weeks of
treatment with approximately 1 mg/kg/day of Accutane given in two divided
doses. Hyperostosis may require a longer time frame to appear. The clinical
course and significance remain unknown.
10
Premature Epiphyseal Closure
There are spontaneous reports of premature epiphyseal closure in acne patients
receiving recommended doses of Accutane. The effect of multiple courses of
Accutane on epiphyseal closure is unknown.
Vision Impairment
Visual problems should be carefully monitored. All Accutane patients
experiencing visual difficulties should discontinue Accutane treatment and have
an ophthalmological examination (see ADVERSE REACTIONS: Special
Senses).
Corneal Opacities
Corneal opacities have occurred in patients receiving Accutane for acne and more
frequently when higher drug dosages were used in patients with disorders of
keratinization. The corneal opacities that have been observed in clinical trial
patients treated with Accutane have either completely resolved or were resolving
at follow-up 6 to 7 weeks after discontinuation of the drug (see ADVERSE
REACTIONS: Special Senses).
Decreased Night Vision
Decreased night vision has been reported during Accutane therapy and in some
instances the event has persisted after therapy was discontinued. Because the
onset in some patients was sudden, patients should be advised of this potential
problem and warned to be cautious when driving or operating any vehicle at
night.

[Option]

I am also very curious to this anyone else have any more info is the concensus that it doesnt stunt growth? I dont remember my doctor warning me about this or reading it on the warnings in the package of medicine?

[beentheredonethat]

The warning on the package indicates only that there have been anecdotal reports of premature growth plate closure. There is no data on how often this happens, and since it hasn't shown up in studies, but has only been reported, it's not possible to know if it would have happened to these people even without Accutane. I wouldn't say that there is a consensus that it doesn't do this, more that it's unknown.

[chicagokate]

I think it did that to me, and I only took it for 1 month! (I stopped that first time). I was about 14-15 and fairly tall for that age, but then I haven't grown for one fucking centimeter in 2,5 years !!

haha yes i know a TON of people (including my dad) who were the tallest people in their class in like, 6th or 7th grade, and then pretty much stopped growing. My Dad was 5'10" in 5th grade and is now 5'11'' at age 52

[dmots42]

clinical trials havent shown much of an effect like that. I think what it might be, just to speculate, is more of a side-effect of the side-effects; the physical and mental stress associated with the treatment. For one, a lot of people seem to get depressed while on this drug. People often change their eating habits while depressed. I was always a short guy but to make things worse i stopped growing when i was 15. I had an x-ray done when i was 17 which actually seemed to show some indirect evidence that my growth plates were still active. I think the reason i stopped growing around the age of 15 was actually that i had, basically, stopped eating because i was so stressed out from going on and off of this medication. I wasnt doing it out of any obsession with my weight, i was just so depressed on accutane that i had lost the will to eat. Another factor playing into this was the fact that i was using a ritalin-like ADD pill (a long lasting stimulant called concerta) which tends to curb appetite quite a bit. Then there is the physical stress that accutane puts on the body, bones and joints especially, which probably also has a large effect, though i wouldnt know any specifics. If anything, all of this would be rare and, in some cases, preventable, anyway. I actually know quite a few people who have been on accutane and while none of them seem to have grown too much after having treatment, they havent seemed to have had their growth stunted. Several are quite tall, though they were already near their current height by the time they used accutane. I think that says more about the age that people generally start their accutane treatment than it says about growth stunting. They were all already 16 or 17 by the time they started their treatment and probably only had one or two more inches of growth in them anyway.

and by the way, i would definitely not recommend accutane for somebody who only has moderate acne. Especially if your weight lifting. I broke the cartilage in both of my knees from doing simple squats with a relatively light weight and had physical therapy for 9 MONTHS (i started to heal almost immediately after i had got off the accutane. And also, i had never had even a minor injury in my entire life before i went on accutane.). I happened to respond very poorly to accutane, though many people who get the effects only lightly report joint pains and NO ONE is recommended to put stress on their joints with heavy lifting while on the drug.

[accutanemom]

I would be very cautious about taking accutane if you're not happy with your height yet. I'm concerned that the reason there is no evidence that it stunts growth is because it hasn't been specifically studied. I'm guessing the FDA has not required it to be studied because it's not a dangerous or fatal side effect, so the drug company hasn't done it. I wish someone would do the study! I bet the data is already there in doctors offices. On a personal note, I'm fairly sure it stunted my son's growth. He started taking it at 13 in a period of rapid growth, and he stopped growing instantly. He was on it for four months and has been off for eight months now. He has recently grown a very tiny amount, and I'm hoping for the best.

[beentheredonethat]

No, the problem is that the side effect has not shown up in the clinical trials. If it happens it's very rare.

Regarding your son, what supposedly causes stunting is premature growth plate closure. If Accutane had caused his growth plates to close prematurely he would not have grown at all since then. It's very possible that the stress of the course temporarily stopped his growth much like it tends to temporarily stop hair growth, but that's not "stunting."

[accutanemom]

Beentheredonethat, I am very interested in information on clinical trials that actually looked at the issue. I haven't been able to find any. Have you? Thanks for any information.

[Marton]

Actually believe it or not I grew about half an inch, I have been on Accutane for 1 month so far with a low dose of 20mg/day. I was 5'8.5 when I started and and am now 5'9, I measured this at the gym with thoose fool proof machines were you step inside than bring the top down on your head to get an accurate measurement. I am male, 150lbs and am 22, so growth stunting was not a signifficant problem with me, at 22 I had assumed that I had reached my full height already but was surprised that I grew an extra half inch, maybe there's more to come, to tell you the truth I really don't, height has never been an issue for me, Im not tall but im not a midget either, so I dont really care, im perfectly happy with 5'9.

[beentheredonethat]

Beentheredonethat, I am very interested in information on clinical trials that actually looked at the issue. I haven't been able to find any. Have you? Thanks for any information.

It has never shown up in a clinical trial as far as i know. They can't look into the issue because if it is really caused by Accutane and not just a coincidence, it's so rare that it doesn't show up in the sample size used for trials. There is no evidence that this happens at all, only anecdotal reports.