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Should I Do It? Accutane? Long Term Effects?

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1
(@mb99)

Posted : 09/30/2015 1:39 pm

Acne fluctuates a lot. Doxy didn't help. Derm said Accutane is an option.

 

What are long term side effects?

I am not scared about dryness and depression as short term but are there any long term effects?

Does accutane affect testosterone or hormone levels etc?

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6
(@princesshaley)

Posted : 09/30/2015 2:02 pm

I would definitely recommend Accutane. I am on Absorica right now and I am almost through with my first month and I have seen outstanding results already. I have not heard too much about long term side effects. Some people get acne back after finishing treatment but I think that has to do with the severity of your current acne. I would go for it, it is a good treatment.

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30
(@andrei11)

Posted : 09/30/2015 6:29 pm

That's my concern right now as well. My dermatologist told me that about 12% of the people are getting back a milder form of acne after their first course and that are no long term side effects, which is not true, because I read many stories lately about that. The long term side effects can be (of the top of my head): depression, joint, back and muscle pain, erectile disfunction, liver damage, IBS, hair loss and a few others. There are people reporting these side effects years after they finished an Accutane course. The number of people affected by long term side effects is probably under 10%.

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167
(@jazzguy)

Posted : 09/30/2015 6:40 pm

 

Hey Andrei11, I think you have your answer from your research that it is a minority of people that have or claim to have long term side effects. I can add myself to the success side of the equation. After Accutane in my 20s I am now in my 40s and have a wife and family and none of the side effects you mention...well maybe some back ache occasionally but I am 40 something so don't think I can attribute that to Accutane.

Good luck.

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15
(@chippy1)

Posted : 10/01/2015 5:49 am

That's my concern right now as well. My dermatologist told me that about 12% of the people are getting back a milder form of acne after their first course and that are no long term side effects, which is not true, because I read many stories lately about that. The long term side effects can be (of the top of my head): depression, joint, back and muscle pain, erectile disfunction, liver damage, IBS, hair loss and a few others. There are people reporting these side effects years after they finished an Accutane course. The number of people affected by long term side effects is probably under 10%.

 

I think its good to do your research and find out as much as you can about accutane before starting treatment but try not to hang on to all the negatives or worry about the stories you read online. It's like anything in life, you are more likely to hear about something when it doesnt work, than when its working as it should and things go to plan.........Many thousands (even millions) of people have used this treatment and had great results with none of the side effects mentioned....I used roaccutane about 7 years ago but my oily skin returned so have just started a low dosage treatment to control my over active oil glands (around my 18th day)......Important to get all the info you need before making up your mind but I really believe the side effects you mentioned are very rare.. I think dosage, health, length of treatment etc etc can all have an impact on the side effects you get...I'm hoping to stay on low dosage to keep any risk of side effects as mild as possible....just make sure you get a good lip balm as chapped lips seem the norm! ;) king regards

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33
(@acnehardcase)

Posted : 10/06/2015 1:51 pm

There are a lot of myths about this drug. Most are exaggerated or completely false. Trust what your doctor tells you. Except for pregnant women it is very safe and effective. The drylips are a bitch. You're gonna have to carry lip balm everywhere you go.

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9
(@saffronaide)

Posted : 10/06/2015 3:28 pm

Acne fluctuates a lot. Doxy didn't help. Derm said Accutane is an option.

What are long term side effects?

I am not scared about dryness and depression as short term but are there any long term effects?

Does accutane affect testosterone or hormone levels etc?

Dont use Accutane whatever you got on your face !
Accutane taked my life and it wont came back, i know people who suicide because of the permanent side effects of accutane , people are dying because of these drugs ; Accutane,Proscar,Finasteride,Propecia ! DO NOT USE THESE DRUGS EVER !
Make some search aboutaccutane and sexual side effects,hypotalamic changes on body.
Even Roche (the company who mades accutane) dont know how accutane works.. do not trust any doctors who dont know nothing about truths..
Have a good and organic day.

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MemberMember
19
(@rittdk01)

Posted : 10/06/2015 4:44 pm

Took it when I was 24 now 33 no side effects. I did have minor bowel issues that started a year or so AFTER accutane. They went away with changes in my diet and I'm not sure if accutane had anything to do with any of the issues.

there is a very small minority that doesn't respond well to accutane. Most posting on here didn't respond well to treatment, otherwise they probably wouldn't b on an acne board.

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MemberMember
299
(@macleod)

Posted : 10/06/2015 10:09 pm

I can attest to long term side effects after Accutane which may be permanent. During my course I only experienced dry chapped lips and lower back pain, which was common, and to be expected. It wasn't until 2 months after cessation of the drug did my other side effects begin to appear. It succeeded in ridding me of my acne, howeverI have been dealing with many physical andneurologicalissuesfor the past 8 years, all attributed to Accutane.

I think you should be aware of the possibility of permanentside effects andmost of them shouldbe listed inthe iPledgepaperwork you are signing before you take the drug. No company opts to put waivers on their drugs if they don't have to. It's because people have reported these side effects to their doctors and the FDA.

Dubya_B liked
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MemberMember
6
(@princesshaley)

Posted : 10/21/2015 1:19 pm

Acne fluctuates a lot. Doxy didn't help. Derm said Accutane is an option.

 

What are long term side effects?

 

I am not scared about dryness and depression as short term but are there any long term effects?

 

Does accutane affect testosterone or hormone levels etc?

Dont use Accutane whatever you got on your face !
Accutane taked my life and it wont came back, i know people who suicide because of the permanent side effects of accutane , people are dying because of these drugs ; Accutane,Proscar,Finasteride,Propecia ! DO NOT USE THESE DRUGS EVER !
Make some search aboutaccutane and sexual side effects,hypotalamic changes on body.
Even Roche (the company who mades accutane) dont know how accutane works.. do not trust any doctors who dont know nothing about truths..
Have a good and organic day.

i'm sorry that accutance taked your life. i hope you get it back, but honestly if you were having issues during treatment then you should have been updating your dermatologist about the problems. They would have stopped progress if you were having bad enough side effects!!

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MemberMember
1
(@mb99)

Posted : 10/21/2015 1:23 pm

Acne fluctuates a lot. Doxy didn't help. Derm said Accutane is an option.

 

What are long term side effects?

 

I am not scared about dryness and depression as short term but are there any long term effects?

 

Does accutane affect testosterone or hormone levels etc?

Dont use Accutane whatever you got on your face !
Accutane taked my life and it wont came back, i know people who suicide because of the permanent side effects of accutane , people are dying because of these drugs ; Accutane,Proscar,Finasteride,Propecia ! DO NOT USE THESE DRUGS EVER !
Make some search aboutaccutane and sexual side effects,hypotalamic changes on body.
Even Roche (the company who mades accutane) dont know how accutane works.. do not trust any doctors who dont know nothing about truths..
Have a good and organic day.

i'm sorry that accutance taked your life. i hope you get it back, but honestly if you were having issues during treatment then you should have been updating your dermatologist about the problems. They would have stopped progress if you were having bad enough side effects!!

Agree. I believe serious problems only occur in those who have conditions already

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MemberMember
6
(@princesshaley)

Posted : 10/21/2015 1:55 pm

Took it when I was 24 now 33 no side effects. I did have minor bowel issues that started a year or so AFTER accutane. They went away with changes in my diet and I'm not sure if accutane had anything to do with any of the issues.

there is a very small minority that doesn't respond well to accutane. Most posting on here didn't respond well to treatment, otherwise they probably wouldn't b on an acne board.

exactly my thoughts! you are always going to read more bad reviews than good if you are on the internet. unhappy people like to complain for all the world to see.

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9
(@saffronaide)

Posted : 10/21/2015 2:16 pm

Took it when I was 24 now 33 no side effects. I did have minor bowel issues that started a year or so AFTER accutane. They went away with changes in my diet and I'm not sure if accutane had anything to do with any of the issues.

there is a very small minority that doesn't respond well to accutane. Most posting on here didn't respond well to treatment, otherwise they probably wouldn't b on an acne board.

exactly my thoughts! you are always going to read more bad reviews than good if you are on the internet. unhappy people like to complain for all the world to see.

You know nothing about accutane and all of the untold rare side effects.
You should check out the Repairing Long Term side effects of Accutane topic in this forum! Dermatologist cant help me like all other victims ,they know nothing !
Looks like you are really far away about what is the Post Accutane Syndromeand untold side effects from government !

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MemberMember
299
(@macleod)

Posted : 10/21/2015 2:55 pm

Took it when I was 24 now 33 no side effects. I did have minor bowel issues that started a year or so AFTER accutane. They went away with changes in my diet and I'm not sure if accutane had anything to do with any of the issues.

there is a very small minority that doesn't respond well to accutane. Most posting on here didn't respond well to treatment, otherwise they probably wouldn't b on an acne board.

exactly my thoughts! you are always going to read more bad reviews than good if you are on the internet. unhappy people like to complain for all the world to see.

lol

Acne fluctuates a lot. Doxy didn't help. Derm said Accutane is an option.

 

What are long term side effects?

 

I am not scared about dryness and depression as short term but are there any long term effects?

 

Does accutane affect testosterone or hormone levels etc?

Dont use Accutane whatever you got on your face !
Accutane taked my life and it wont came back, i know people who suicide because of the permanent side effects of accutane , people are dying because of these drugs ; Accutane,Proscar,Finasteride,Propecia ! DO NOT USE THESE DRUGS EVER !
Make some search aboutaccutane and sexual side effects,hypotalamic changes on body.
Even Roche (the company who mades accutane) dont know how accutane works.. do not trust any doctors who dont know nothing about truths..
Have a good and organic day.

i'm sorry that accutance taked your life. i hope you get it back, but honestly if you were having issues during treatment then you should have been updating your dermatologist about the problems. They would have stopped progress if you were having bad enough side effects!!

Agree. I believe serious problems only occur in those who have conditions already

Good hypothesis. Seems you got it all figured out.

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MemberMember
2
(@favreervaf)

Posted : 10/22/2015 9:42 am

I have taken two courses, and now taking Absorica (the new Accutane brand that absorbs better) for my 3rd (and hopefully final course). I've had no side effects except dryness and it went away after treatment. Synthetic vitamin A (which is what Accutane basically is) should have no to little effect on hormones. I've had no issues except clearer skin!

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MemberMember
568
(@leelowe1)

Posted : 10/22/2015 12:32 pm

Accutane is a rough drug and despite what many say, side effects can be long term. It doesn't happen to everyone but you need to make sure that this is your last resort and that you've basically tried everything else. Do your own research and make up your own mind. Take all reviews with a grain of salt ( both positive and negative)

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MemberMember
6
(@princesshaley)

Posted : 10/26/2015 2:19 pm

Took it when I was 24 now 33 no side effects. I did have minor bowel issues that started a year or so AFTER accutane. They went away with changes in my diet and I'm not sure if accutane had anything to do with any of the issues.

there is a very small minority that doesn't respond well to accutane. Most posting on here didn't respond well to treatment, otherwise they probably wouldn't b on an acne board.

exactly my thoughts! you are always going to read more bad reviews than good if you are on the internet. unhappy people like to complain for all the world to see.

You know nothing about accutane and all of the untold rare side effects.
You should check out the Repairing Long Term side effects of Accutane topic in this forum! Dermatologist cant help me like all other victims ,they know nothing !
Looks like you are really far away about what is the Post Accutane Syndromeand untold side effects from government !

Sorry for your troubles!!

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MemberMember
2
(@nicholas1994)

Posted : 11/08/2015 10:30 am

I came off accutane in June 2014 and it's almost 2016. My face, hair and scalp are still soooo dry and my ibs is still terrible. Can anyone tell me if the oil can come back? It might sound stupid but I miss my glow and my thick hair  :( 

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214
(@lore91)

Posted : 11/08/2015 1:50 pm

Accutane saved my life. Literally.. I was suicidal before taking accutane 🙂

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MemberMember
13
(@dakiramir)

Posted : 01/03/2016 5:51 am

Just to add, don't ever rely on your derm to tell you whether your side effects are bad enough for you to stop treatment. My eyes were so dry on my course. I was waking up with my eyes stuck to my eyeballs. This was at the halfway mark. I told my derm (who is very well respected) he told me it would go away after and to use eye gels which didn't help. I put up with it for a few more weeks based on his adviceand then quit. Reached less than half the cum/dose. Anyway. It's three months later and my eyes have continued to get worse. They get more bloodshotevery day and the daily discomfort is unbearable. My entire eyeball is covered in veins. Literally. I have all sorts of other side effects as well which are getting worse since. But yeah, I guess if you got it worked out, you got it worked out..... (I imagine the next question would be "were you on a high dose?", for the record. I'm 85kgs, hit 4400 mg after 17 wks.)

macleod liked
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MemberMember
19
(@sendmeangels)

Posted : 03/02/2016 10:05 pm

I've had acne for 18 long years. I put off going on Accutane for much longer than I should have. I've been on every cream, diet, and pill known to man, and nothing, NOTHING had made a bit of difference in my skin. I took my first course of Accutane in 2014, and it was a breeze. My lips were dry, my hair was dry (a good thing for me), and my skin was slightly dry. But after about two months, my acne was gone. I mean GONE. Not a single spot to be found, and until now, they stayed gone. I do have to go on a second round, but I think that for many people, Accutane is a great drug that has the potential to offer relief to people who suffer from acne. And most people don't need a second round. I just happen to have a stubborn case of acne.

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MemberMember
43
(@convinceme)

Posted : 03/02/2016 11:28 pm

1 hour ago, SendMeAngels said:

I've had acne for 18 long years. I put off going on Accutane for much longer than I should have. I've been on every cream, diet, and pill known to man, and nothing, NOTHING had made a bit of difference in my skin. I took my first course of Accutane in 2014, and it was a breeze. My lips were dry, my hair was dry (a good thing for me), and my skin was slightly dry. But after about two months, my acne was gone. I mean GONE. Not a single spot to be found, and until now, they stayed gone. I do have to go on a second round, but I think that for many people, Accutane is a great drug that has the potential to offer relief to people who suffer from acne. And most people don't need a second round. I just happen to have a stubborn case of acne.

Just curious, you emphasized that your acne has been cleared ever since taking Accutane in 2014 so why do you still need a second round? Was it under the advice of your dermatologist? I mean, what did he see in your skin to warrant a second round?

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5
(@nine_lives)

Posted : 04/26/2017 2:14 pm

Hello ladies and gentlemen,

It was only yesterday that I made the connection between ten years of sexual dysfunction and taking accutane. I was prescribed accutane at 14 years old for my moderate acne. It cleared up my skin but stole my sex drive. I can honestly say, I no longer have a libido or sexual desire, and I can only link this to accutane use as I have never been on other prescription meds and had normal sex drive prior to usage. Otherwise I am a healthy, athletic male, who has experimented with high levels of testosterone as well as other drugs but to no avail. My sex drive remains at zero. Words cannot express the regret and deep sadness I feel, when I reflect on the fact that I may have potentially lost one of the most important things in life which will and probably has affected countless relationships, my personality, my susceptibility to depression and the fun/excitement I have missed out on, in exchange for an acne-free face. This is beyond words. There is no justice here, and I doubt there is going to be a happy end to this story.

I have seen many people proposing reasons as to why accutane affects libido. I have a theory which I have not seen anyone put forward yet. However it seems to account for a lot of the reasons changing hormonal levels etc. has had little effect on libido. To look at the effect of a drug on sex drive we must ultimately look at the brain, as this is the place all libido and sexual desire is derived from. Hormones alone dont give you, your libido, hormones stimulate neuronal activity in specific areas of the brain, it is this activity which gives you a libido.

Bremner et al, is one of the only studies which looked into functional brain imaging of patients treated with accutane (Isotretinoin) (1).This study revealed that Isotretinoin specifically altered the activity and metabolism of a brain region called the orbitofrontal cortex in those who took Isotretinoin versus controls. Unfortunately, brain images were not taken after treatment was discontinued, so we cannot say whether these effects were reversed once treatment was removed or whether they persisted. I have contacted an author of the study for more information. Given the possibility that Isotretinoin can cause epigenetic changes, it is possible that these changes are maintained after treatment.

Now, interestingly one of the only studies which has been conducted on brain activity in hypoactive sexual desire disorder in males, which is essentially sexual dysfunction. Showed that, the major difference in response to sexual stimuli, in males with sexual dysfunction and normal males was a difference in the activity of the orbitofrontal cortex (2). As such, it appears the orbitofrontal cortex plays a key role in sexual desire, and it appears that Isotretinoin specifically alters activity of this brain region.

Given this, it seems highly plausible to me that this could be the culprit we have been looking for. However what is really needed now, is to see whether those changes in the orbitofrontal cortex remained after treatment had been stopped. As it is also quite possible that these changes were only temporary. If these changes in orbitofrontal activity/metabolism were reversed after a period of stopping treatment, then my theory is incorrect.

Unfortunately, this puts us fellow sufferers in a slight predicament. The orbitofrontal cortex is not a very well studied part of the brain. If it has been changed in a fundamental way, possible treatments will be difficult to come by. This will sound extreme, but I can only propose deep brain stimulation as a viable and potential treatment. This is a medical technology which is progressing at a rapid rate. It has recently been used for Anorexia, and so I can see someone easily making the case to use this for a debilitating issue such as sexual dysfunction. Interestingly, a deep brain stimulation protocol for the orbitofrontal cortex has already been developed by Scientists out of Oxford University. One was implanted into a woman with low sex drive, which markedly improved her sex drive. According to this article (3). However I cannot actually find the original paper, in which the woman had the device implanted. If someone could post it, that would be great.

I am sorry this is such a long post, but I wanted it to be conclusive and offer some hope, in a seemingly hopeless situation. I can only ask that we all investigate this further, but what is more important, is that we email and message researchers and neurosurgeons raising the topic of brain imaging studies and deep brain stimulation for sexual dysfunction. If we remain on forums and message boards, nothing will be done. Nobody will bother researching conditions which they dont know exist or see no clinical benefit in treating.

Sexual dysfunction in many ways is a far greater and more debilitating ailment than anorexia or many illnesses. It strikes us in a very personal way, and in a way that most people would never be able to appreciate or understand. Additionally, this may also be the mechanism by which other drugs such as Finasteride work.

Feel free to message me, also send over email address with your symptoms /info. We need to start to amass patient with these problems if we are to have any kind of case or chance of making this a legitimate topic of research/concern.

Also if anyone has had any success with Bremelanotide / PT-141, please let me know.

My email is [Edited information out]

I tried to make a group, as I feel we need something more concrete than forums. Please make better suggestions. - [Edited link out]

Much Love,

Nine livez

 

(1) - http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.162.5.983

(2) - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/articles/14561426/

(3) - http://brainblogger.com/2009/01/08/deep-brain-stimulation-for-pleasure/

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MemberMember
0
(@nuffi)

Posted : 04/28/2017 7:06 am

After about 3 months, I could not believe that my face was getting clearer! When I was finally done, my skin was clear! I was so excited!! I even recommend Accutane to one of my friends and her face turned out great as well. Hope this helps!

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