Accutane® Side Effects
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Although Accutane® (Isotretinoin) can effectively clear the skin where other medications have proven ineffective, when taken over the long term, it can be a dangerous drug with serious long-term side effects.
Birth Defects
Accutane® can cause severe birth defects and death of a newborn or fetus if the mother took the medication while pregnant. Some of these birth defect side effects may include:
- Deformation of the face
- Damage to the central nervous system
- Heart defects
- Missing body parts
- Visual impairment
- Mental problems
- Learning disabilities
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Some patients who have a history of using Accutane in the treatment of severe acne have complained of inflammatory bowel disease. The two (2) forms of IBD are ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
Crohn's Disease
Crohn's disease, which is a lifelong condition of the colon, the small intestine, or both that alternately flares up and subsides. When the disease flares, it will do so on and off for life. Although Crohn's is not curable, it may be treated with medication and surgery. Side effects of Crohn's include:
- Abdominal pain
- Ulcers
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Poor appetite
- Sweating at night
- Rectal pain
- Rectal bleeding
The pain of Crohn's disease may be extreme and the side effects of the treatment, whether medication or surgery, can be severe. Medication, depending upon the type, may cause side effects such as:
- Heartburn
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Severe side effects of corticosteroids, including puffy face, facial hair, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and bone fractures, stunted growth in children, susceptibility to infection
- Risk of cancer
- Kidney and liver damage
- Fatigue
- Grave brain infection
- Muscle pain or weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Numbness or tingling in hands and feet
- Vomiting
- Seizures
If medication fails, surgery is the other option. Surgery, like medication, cannot cure Crohn's disease, but can help alleviate some of the pain and other symptoms. The side effects of the surgery depend upon where the disease occurs, whether in the intestines or the stomach.
Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis, unlike Crohn's disease (which penetrates the colon) affects the lining and surface of the rectum and colon. The places in the colon where the cells have been killed by inflammation are covered with ulcers. A number of drugs can help treat the condition, which can enter remission for a long time. When ulcerative colitis is severe, surgeons must cut the colon out.
Symptoms of ulcerative colitis include:
- Abdominal pain
- Bloody diarrhea
- Anemia
- Extreme fatigue
- Weight loss
- Reduced appetite
- Rectal bleeding
- Skin sores
- Pain in the joints
Depression & Suicide
Accutane® has been associated with mental health problems such as severe depression which is a catalyst for suicidal tendencies. The association between the acne medication drug and mental health problems has been studied over the last two decades.
Hair Loss
Many patients who've been prescribed Accutane® acne medication have reported hair loss during or after treatment. Some patients have reported hair loss even as long as after a year from treatment.
Accutane® is derived from Vitamin A and works to stop the production of oil in the sebaceous glands. The hair follicle becomes dry and prone to breakage due to the lack of oil available to moisturize it.
Though some patients have reported that their hair has grown back after stopping treatment, others have experienced permanent hair loss. Often the re-growth of new hair is weak, fragile and easily broken giving the patient the impression that the hair is not growing back.
Since Accutane® changes the chemistry of the sebaceous glands, normal hair growth should return once the sebaceous glands have begun to produce oil normally.
Speak With An Accutane® Lawyer
If you took Accutane® and have suffered serious side effects, you may be entitled compensation through winning a lawsuit. Contact us to speak with a lawyer about your rights to financial compensation.
