202 Responses

1. well, I’m really sorry for what happened to him… but I gotta say… he is sooooo damn HOTTTTTTT!!!!! 🙂

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   1. aahahaha.. yep 🙂

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   2. LOL I was going to say the same thing. Male-model!

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   3. My son took Isotretinoin for 5 weeks when he was 15. He is now 22 and still suffers with joint pain, stomach issues.
      He was really bad with side effects , which meant he could no longer train as he was doing a sports course & wanted to be Britains Strongest Man ! No he didn’t take steroids or any other drug , just Isotretinoin.
      His side effects started with pain in his arm, to the point that he could not hold a pen to write his name. He couldn’t concentrate & said he felt strange. He had episodes of his whole body shaking & ended up in A & E . They did a lumbar puncture to check his spinal fluid as the doc was very concerned… They could not find anything wrong apart from some low count of something in his blood tests ( cant remember what though now) .
      His eye lashes kept falling out, joint pain, bone pain, stomach pain, insomnia. Strange feelings of water dripping on his head & hands. He was so bad, he thought he was going to die. Having brought him home from hospital, his brother had to come stay & sleep in his room for a week ,as he couldn’t be left alone. I had to sit with him into the early hours until i was falling asleep. I also had a 5 yr old to care for. He suffered chest pains, dry lips & all sorts of other problems including light sensativity.
      He stopped eating at one point . The only thing he could manage was the mlk shakes they give poorly people that cant eat.
      It took over all our lives & was a living hell .
      He is now coming upto his 23 birthday , and has been a long and expensive road toward some recovery. He still has problems but has made some recovery. If he goes for a walk or excercises, he suffers for days & his hips ache. His eys are sensative to lights and cannot watch tv, use computers as he also suffers migraines.. He has not lived his teens as he should’ve.. He has lost the last 7 years not going to college, not going out with friends, not having a girl friend.. You know all the normal things that teens do. He spent 7 years trying to recover by eating healthy !
      My son was doing voluntry work just before he took this Poison – he has not been able to work and all doctors want to do is give out medication. Which he will not take !
      You people that think this is your saviour may not realise the horrendous damage this cancer drug is doing to you now, but in time you may get problems which no one will relate to this drug years later.. It kills cells & nerves which are more sensative.
      Unknown to me my sister took Roaccutane on & off for years for acne, she had the best pearly white teeth you could wish for.. In her 30-40 s she list most her teeth due to bone loss. This is also another Longterm Side effect of Accutane. I have heard so many stories of side effects , people taking their own life linked to depression after roaccutane ( isotretinoin)

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      1. Hi Mitch, Im so sorry to hear that, just know your son cant help it, its beyond what you or anybody else could comprehend..the physical effects are way easier than the mental and of course the drug causes us to suffer from them both. Sending prayers God Bless

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      2. Hello Mitch, I think that you probably don’t remember, but do you happen to know the dosage your son was on?

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         1. He was on a low dose and supposed to up it. Which didn’t happen cos of side effects..

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2. I took Accutane for several months. Kids in school called me “crusty-face” because my skin was so dry. Months later I came down with Crohn’s disease. I no longer trust Western medicine in the slightest bit and have treated my Crohn’s with alternative treatments. My acne is MUCH better for it too!

   Thanks for sharing your story. Accutane needs to be taken off the market completely by the FDA here in the US, I think it’s still available in generic form, which it shouldn’t be.

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   1. Yes, from my understanding, the company that made Accutane was getting sued so much over it that they sold the rights to other companies who can now manufacture and sell it under a generic brand name. Different name, same stuff.

      Sorry to hear you were another victim of this drug, but I’m really glad to hear that you have managed to keep it under control with healthy and safe methods!

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   2. how were you able to do it Reid???

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   3. Well accutane saves many lives as well and helps many people. No one should have a say in other peoples life. I was ready to commit suicide over my acne and accutane was the only thing that could save me. And i know many many people who said it saved them too.

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      1. Agree! It feels like death having these acne on my face. For teens, they can let their hormones subside as part of growth, but in my case as an adult(26 of age) I can’t take it anymore and suffer any longer. My sister is healed by accutane, she’s now 30 and she regret so much for not taking it since. Even me…now I’m trying to read about the side effects of accutane but I think just the same, living with acne or without acne with accutane…are both depressing. So which one is better, being depressed with acne or relieved after a good result of accutane in a matter of 6 months. Upon researching, I think I know now the answer. 🙂

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3. Such suffering. Really should get in touch with his spiritual side.

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   1. indeed. helps with acne, anxiety, and just about everything! 🙂

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4. I also took this horrible drug as a teen. I experienced the extremely dry skin and lips and some of the other side effects, fortunately I didnt have any of the psychological effects (That I can remember) but years later have been diagnosed with Crohn’s. I believe it was definitely related, although my specialist (drug pusher) says it is absurd to think there is a connection!
   The past few years I have leaned how to heal my crohn’s with out pharmaceuticals, just diet. I have a whole new outlook on western medicine and pharmaceutical companies!

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   1. Brian, dunno if you visit this page anymore, but I would like to hear about your story and how you treated yourself as I have been experiencing severe agony in the past few years

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   2. Brian, I would also like to hear from you. I haven’t been diagnosed with IBS or Crohns, yet, but the last 10 years have been terrible in many other ways. Something changed in me, my personaility, everything. It makes so much sense now.

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   3. Please get ahold of me my life is ruined, need a class action lawsuit. ambfiveoh@yahoo.com

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      1. I don’t recall the “this is a cancer drug” statement when I signed my future away from taking Accutane at 20 yrs old. My face hurt just existing from my nodular, cystic acne. 6 mos- thought it was the most amazing thing ever invented. EVER!
         My ears my neck my back and chest not to mention all my lovely new “sebaceous cysts” scars were going to stop. Well no a few years on acne came back slightly less aggressive. Little did I know I would end up sterile from multiple dermoid teratomas on each of my ovaries. I’ve been in surgery induced menopause since I turned 32. Three years of thinking I’m showing signs of lupus and it all seems simple now: I can’t be a mother because I was too worried about appearance. I have major OCD/GAD and depression which started two years after my Accutane series. Life lessons, folks. Good luck!

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   4. I guarantee you it is related, my ex husband took it when he was in his teens, and he developed Crohn’s disease too!

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   5. Brian my situation is the same. Took the horrible drug when i was 19, two months later i was diagnosed with crohn’s. I started having immune system problems since then. I took humira for 4 years and I also started having symptoms of Hidradenitis suppurativa in my arm pits. I am now 27 years old, got off humira and have been on AIP diet for 7 months now and I feel great! My crohn’s has not flared up and my HS cysts have gone down to almost nothing.

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5. (Excuse my English, it’s not my native language):
   What a coincidence. I just sent you an email telling you about Accutane saving me from suicide AGAIN and now there’s this post. Yes, I have taken it, am currently taking it – in an extremely low dose, according to my own experience, this is so much better than taking about 50 mg or more/day of the drug for a few weeks or months; I take 1-2 pills A WEEK and my skin’s great – and I’d take it for the rest of my life. This is not as naive as it may sound like, I do know about all the risks and I know what I am talking about. I also wished to be able to cure my acne in a more natural way. Plus, I feel sympathy for the great amount of people suffering from depression, anxiety and other severe side effects they were not properly told about before deciding to fight their acne using this treatment.

   However, just talking about myself here: In my case, it was my acne that took years from me. It took my youth, it took my confidence, my ease. It gave me a depression I am still suffering from and will presumably suffer from for the rest of my life. And this was way before I even knew about Accutane. On the contrary, when I started taking the drug in 2005 – I was 19 at the time – and was given normal, healthy skin that I had not had since age 10/11 … it saved my life.
   Admittedly, my acne’s still coming back as soon as I have not taken the drug for a month or two. And that’s what pushed me into another deep and severe depression. I know that the depression might not only be caused by the acne but that there are other factors, however, I know it’s the main reason for me hating my body so much. I started a therapy in 2005 and continued it in 2010 after having broken up with my first love. The therapy did not help me to accept the acne, though. Plus, eating healthy, trying to be disciplined all the time by quitting sugar, flour, milk… might have been healthy but did not and still does not show much effect on my skin. Topical treatments did not help either. What helped me, again, was Accutane in a low dose. I don’t want to promote this drug or anything but want to point out that there is also another side to it, the acne itself can be just as bad as the drug. It can give you a severe depression, too. Plus, not everyone has such severe side effects. In my case, it made me wanna live again.

   I completely understand your story, though, for I had to take Interferone Alpha for a few months in 2004/5. It’s also comparable to a chemotherapy and gave me just the side effects you wrote about in your post. It took me years to recover from it. Therefore, I am with you and am wishing you all the best. I so hope that you will recover from the drug completely. As I said, it took me years to recover from Interferone but in the end it worked. I hope it’ll be like this for you, too. Love to you.

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   1. I very much agree with this post.

      I’m so sorry for what you’re suffering, Stefan. I don’t mean to detract from that in any way, and I thank you for your article.

      However, the few courses of Accutane I’ve been on may have saved me from suicide myself. I was at the point of body dysmorphic disorder and being unable to leave the house or look people in the eye without bursting into tears. There were honestly days that I just wanted to be dead – years before I even touched the drug.

      Also, but for me, it was SO, SO difficult to get Accutane. No one prescribes it easily in my experience. I went to three derms, groveled and begged, and was put through the ringer with every topical and antibiotic that exists (yuck) before I got one to give it to me years later – insisting I couldn’t have it unless I failed to improve on this drug, then that one, then that one. It was horrible and hellish, and the reason I have scarring.

      Now, I would say natural is the way to go. My experience with Accutane actually turned me onto this holistic stuff, because once I’d cleared up, I noticed my breakups corresponded to certain foods. I ended up seeing a ND and being diagnosed with leaky gut. So now I know. But then, I didn’t, and I’m not sure I ever would have if not for my experience. And it is true that plenty of people DO stay clear, without side effects and pain.

      Also, now I’m an active, happy, healthy person with a social life who goes out on dates. What?? If you told me that’d be me four years ago, I wouldn’t ever have believed you. Ever. The drug gave me my life back and let me develop the thing I grew up totally lacking – self esteem. Which is a horrible thing of which to have absolutely zero for all your years as a teenage girl (12-20).

      I’m so truly sorry for what you’ve been through, again, but it really is true that many, many people who take this drug don’t have that experience. I do not think it should be taken off the market, nor do I think it’s always the wrong choice.

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      1. There are no words for how much I can relate to your post Body dismorphic disorder is the word. Actually, there is a sanatorium in Germany that offers therapies for people suffering from BDD. This sanatorium even works hand in hand with the dermatological department for they see a link between this disease and acne. There is an interesting book about the link between your skin and your soul, so to speak. In German, sadly. It’s really interesting, though: http://www.amazon.de/Die-Sprache-Haut-Wechselspiel-K%C3%B6rper/dp/3491421063

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         1. HI, i have suffered with Body dismorphic disorder for years now and, i didnt think of it to be related to my acne. i do live in germany howver…could you tell me any information about where the sanatorium is and how they actually help people, liek methods, time, etc. thanksc:

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            1. Sorry, I read this far too late. They’re in Gießen (UKGM) http://www.ukgm.de/infosys/news/list.php?a=185

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      2. Accutane ruined my life 17 years ago and I continue to suffer the side effects today. Don’t risk it, avoid it. Don’t ever take these horrid fucking pills.

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         1. How did they ruin Your life`?

            Would love to hear Your answer, just started this pills, and all of this freak me out.

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            1. Elizabeth, pay very close attention to your health and stop the drug immediately if you notice problems. Accutane destroyed my bowels. My acne was not worth trading my organs for.

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            2. I took it for a year, and dont recomend it, produced me rosacea and weird allergies and its been 5 years since i finished the treatment. I wouldnt take the risk , its not worth it.

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         2. Your absolutely right, accutane is a death sentence

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   2. hI absolutely agree with this post. I am in the same situation, just starting 30th year of my life and still suffering from acne and very very oily skin. Unfortunately isotretinoin didnt help me permanently, so i am taking it constantly, have no side effects apart from dry lips… the only thing that pisses me off is the idea of taking it for the rest of my life, but i wouldnt have any life ahead if this medication havent had been prescribed to me. It has chenged my life, gave me an opportunity to live my life! no one who didnt face an oily skin+acne will not understand us. And there is sooo many other medicined causing side effects, even chemiotherapy may kill you which doeasn’t mean cancer should not be treated right? so GOD bless Roaccutane and all its generic versions. And i really dislike when people that can cope with their acne want this drug to be banned-think about aothers who may not be so strong. i personally dont care about my liver, about anything i just want to lead a normal life, happy life, and this drug helps me to do this.If its withdrawn at any time i am withdrawn from life as well

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6. Sorry for the long post. But I really don’t think they should get off the market because despite all these bad things, this drug has also helped people and kept people from suicide – HOWEVER, the patients must be informed about the risks! The lack of information seems to be a common thing, though. I was not informed well about Interferon either. I got to know that it was used as a chemotherapy months after having been on it because I found it on the internet. My doctor did not tell me.

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   1. Hi there – I’ve actually been thinking about you and wondering how you’ve been doing. Thanks for sharing your experience with Accutane – you’re right there are definitely two sides to it – obviously it can save or ruin lives, and I am sincerely happy that it has made such a positive difference for you (and anyone who else who has taken it successfully).

      I think the most unfortunate part about the whole thing is just how easily they prescribe it, for people who don’t even have severe acne, or in your case – people who aren’t on the brink of suicide due to the acne. And how they prescribe to teens with regular teenage acne that will likely clear up in a year or so on its own without emphasizing what a risk it really is. Even if they did, it’s been shown that teenagers don’t have the part of the brain responsible for danger perception fully developed – that’s why they tend to have this bubble of invincibility around them. I know I did, maybe it was because I was older when I got severe acne that I realized that it was too risky.

      Anyway.. I’m glad to hear you recovered from the side effects of Interferon, and that others here seem to have healed from their accutane related Chrohn’s, so maybe there is hope for Stefan and others like him 🙂

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   2. I think you are a shill, or you are extremely naive, but I propend for the first hypothesis. Doctors DON’T TELL YOU SHIT! My ex husband doctor told him it was “vitamin A”, now he has Crohn’s disease my son took it too and his doctor didn’t tell him nothing, my son’s personality changed for the worse and he became angry, aggressive and alcoholic. Accutane is CRAP and is ruining people’s life. Inform yourself or STFU!

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7. Great that the author has reached out and spread his story. I have a very similar one and am STILL dealing with acne because I had to take anti depressant drugs after finishing Accutane because it had given me depression…and the SSRI’s made me break out horribly!! Ridiculous. Western Medicine in a nutshell….Props to you, Stefan.

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8. Eny, I wanted to say same 😀
   Hehe.

   I’ve never taken this medicine, but I’m fighting my whiteheads with Atrederm. It shouldn’t (rather) be dangerous if it’s just a liquid used for skin, right? It made my skin more sensitive, but it’s okay when I can moisturize it with jojoba oil :)And of course, I remember to use UV protection.
   Tracy, many thanks for this amazing site!

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9. Oh Tracey I had to hold back the tears whilst watching Stefan’s video! He’s so brave for talking so openly about his side-effects. Accutane is the devil and I can’t believe it is still being prescribed. I recently met with a friend of mine who has started taking accutane. I was so shocked! A couple of years ago I had passed on to her details of my amazing nutritionist who specialises in the treatment of acne and helped me eliminate mine. I was certain my friend would contact her especially after I had shown her all my before and after pictures and she had seen for herself how much my skin (and general health) had improved WITHOUT any drugs. This just makes me so upset… Doctors prefer to keep these pharmaceutical companies alive than there own patients.

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   1. Ally, Can you tell me who your Holistic doctor is? My son just went off the Accutane after 2 months because the pain was so bad in his knees. I hope there are other alternatives. My daughter did the program and was cleared of her acne but I think the doctor was too aggressive with his dose for my son. Anyway, let me know if you can help. thanks. katre

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10. Thank you, Tracy and Stefan! This is a decision I’ve been going back and forth over for YEARS. I hate that Stefan suffered this way and continues to suffer, but he is so brave for spreading the word to help others. You both have been so instrumental in how I think about my acne.

    Thank you, thank you, forever thank you.

    P.S. Stefan…are you single?! 😉

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11. I’m glad you contacted him Tracy! Telling you about him was apparently a good idea! 🙂

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    1. Oh, yes – thank you for mentioning him!

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12. I don’t know how I feel about Accutane. I wish I didn’t have to take it. I wish there was something else that worked to clear my skin. I’ve been using Accutane on and off for the past few years at a very low dose. I would take a 10mg pill every few days and it would clear my skin up. I would do this for a few months and then stop. My skin would be clear for a while but then the breakouts would return. No matter how much I resisted starting it back up again, in the end I would always resort to Accutane. Again, for some reason, low dosage works for me and that’s great because I don’t get to experience the more serious side effects like depression and feeling suicidal.. but even on a low dosage, there has been some permanent side effects I’m afraid. I have lost and continue to lose A LOT of hair and my eyes are dry and bloodshot at all times. Beginning of this year I decided to kick Accutane completely. I managed to go 6 months without it. At first, skin was ok.. but then it got really bad. Nothing I tried would help. I lead a healthy lifestyle. I eat well, exercise on a regular basis, drink a lot of water. I’m very laid back and relaxed so I’d say my stress levels are pretty low. I kicked dairy and sugar, I consume no junk whatsoever and still, my skin won’t clear on its own. Needless to say, I am back on Accutane again. 10 mg every few days and my skin is clear again. I feel horrible putting this poison into my otherwise healthy body, but for someone that has dealt with constant breakouts their whole life (im 31), sometimes I think it’s worth it.. or not! I don’t know! Acne makes one desperate.

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    1. Exactly the same with me. I am perfect with a low dose, sometimes it’s even like… a pill every now and then will work like a miracle (however, that must show us its strength, right…?) – whenever I stop, my skin becomes bad and worse. As you said: In the end, I rely on Accutane. Have you ever tried Fruit Acid Peels? They can be expensive, however, I saw the absolute success with a friend and at least this is no drug that needs to be taken (though I know that it can be harsh on the skin). I had my first on Friday (5 more to go from now on) and have very smooth skin already. I think it really might be an alternative to Accutane, especially when you are suffering from oily skin and white-/blackheads.

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    2. I took a low dose as well when I took it, but unfortunately I still had severe side effects. I understand the being healthy thing and it not working, so you go back to accutane, but that is how the drug works. I put a little of my experience down below, but I forgot to mention I had mild acne when I took it, and when I stopped my face turned into a million little clogged pores. My pores and acne completely changed from mild to moderate with clogged pores. It has been several years, but those things eventually went away with the accutane completely out of my system. Just a suggestion, but one reason the healthy lifestyle may not be completely working yet, is because you may still be having the effects of accutane in your system. It may not be, but I just wanted to let you know the years I came off of it my acne was bad, but over time has almost gone away, so it may actually be the accutane just messing with your body still.

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13. I saw the doctor this past week for my addiction to picking (and popping) at my face thats been ruining my complexion for the past year. The first thing she decided to do for me was have me see a dermitologist about Accutane. That appointment isn’t for another month or two but I will be honest, I was pleased with the idea of trying the drug. Mostly because a couple of my friends went on it and now have flawless complexions and seem to be totally healthy. Now seeing this….I’m worried. Acne isn’t my problem its more picking at my face and body and I have not found any solution that as helped me with my awful habit. Quit frankly, Accutane is my last resort. Is it worth the risk even if the severe side effects are only 1% of Accutane users? Please help.

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    1. hi Cari-Kate – I’m confused – if picking and popping is your main issue, how is Accutane going to help this? I mean I assume you must have some acne to pick and pop (although you say it’s not really your main problem), but usually this is an fear based/low self worth sort of a habit that has an underlying emotional issue. I don’t really understand how Accutane is going to fix this ?

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       1. Also, Accutane will make your skin so sensitive! What if you won’t be able to sop the picking while on Accutane? This could give you pain and scars. When it comes to picking, I think that maybe a therapy’s a better solution for it might be a result from stress, nervosity…

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    2. Don’t take it..I’ll post my story down below. I had a picking problem as well, but to be honest thats more of an emotional issue you need to work on with yourself, and you can do it. I had friends who had also taken it, which is why i took it, and they developed side effects years after and some of their acne came back as well. Trust me, i felt the same way before I had taken it. And it isn’t one percent, I really think thats the only reported number.

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       1. Yes, exactly, 1% is the reported number which means that hundreds and probably thousands of cases don’t get reported and counted into the statistics

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    3. When i was on isotretinoin (accutane) i would peel a piece of skin on my lip and it would rip right off the lip and keep going. it may have contributed to an irregular lip line. also… unwanted facial hair, constipation, and sexual dysfunction are not typically things talk about freely. Your friends may seem fine, and pretend that they are fine, but how would you really know? Also, it is a teratogen causing disformities in babies – I can’t help but wonder how long these toxins stay in our body. What kinds of subtle effects do they cause to our unborn children after coming off the drug?

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14. I always thought about taking Accutane because my Mum did and she claimed it was a miracle drug. I’ve never had the severe cystic acne- just lots of pimples on my face, neck, chest, shoulders and back. When I did the research and found reviews of the drug, even though my doctor said the side effects were rare, I found mountains of negative reviews and something inside me told me not to and I’m so glad I didn’t because as I was searching for alternatives I came across this website and I haven’t looked back!!! What has helped me is diet, exercise, sun and supplements- holistic health. I look back as a teen and wish that I hadn’t taken antibiotics and The Pill as I really believe they have made my acne worse as I still deal with it at 27- BUT after about 18 months of healthy living my acne is the best its been since I was a teen 🙂
    Thanks Stefan for sharing and thanks Tracy!

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15. Hey I know this guy, I saw his youtube channel a long time ago. I feel bad for him, but I have to say that I think he’s making his problems much worse by building his life around them. I went on Accutane briefly, and while I got some bad side effects I found they were all seriously heightened by stress. When I cut my stress down and went on with my life I found they went away completely.

    Obviously not everyone is the same, so I’m not trying to insinuate that this guy could eliminate his problems as easily, but there’s something very unhealthy about centering your life around those issues. In fact the last video I saw by this guy was months ago, in which he said that he started to feel better after cutting down his stress. I took that as a sign that he was starting to see the light, so I’m kinda surprised to see him popping up on this website, at it again.

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    1. Hi Toni,
       That is a good point (although I am also not trying to say I know how it is for him or know what he’s going through), but you see it with acne itself all the time.. the more you focus on it, the more stress it causes, and then the more there is.

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    2. Well, I understand him for I had just as bad side effects while being on Interferone Alpha. It affected my psyche and gave me a bad depression. I was not in a good state anyway for I already had a problem wih the way I looked because of my skin but then I also started to suffer from severe hairloss due to Interferone. I lost a lot of weight, I always had flu-like symptons and had to take Paracetamols against those. It was ridiculous. I had to stop taking the drug because I simply was not able to live a normal life on it. However, it took ages until my hair stopped falling out, it took ages until it was like it used to be before. Even my curls were gone! Now, years later, I feel like I have overcome it. Considering all this, I can relate to his feelings and also his bitterness, for there’s always the thought ‘what if I had consulted another doctor for a second opinion’, ‘what if I had read about all this on the internet BEFORE taking the treatment’ etc.

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    3. It’s not a question of stress, it is a real and serious condition which is tragically permanent. It all depends on how long and how much this medicine is used. If one used it only very briefly, ie a couple of weeks, the negative effects are negligible, but if one obeyed a doctor and took it for a lengthier period of time (over two months), the effects are really bad and permanent. No matter how little stress there is.

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16. Mad props to Stefan for being brave enough to share his story with all of us! Thank you.

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17. Hey y’all.
    Thank you for the kind responses.

    Apologies Erin, as I’m taken! 😛
    Toni – I agree with you entirely. If you focus on something that is clearly a negative situation and focus most of your energy on it, it can make things seem unbearable. However, part of my knows that I need to keep spreading the word. Knowing what I know… I just have to keep doing it, though I think my videos have shifted a fair bit lately and I try not to repeat myself.

    Personally, I find it impossible to escape this. Anyone who gets sick suddenly realises what they had with health. I can still function, but no matter how much I pretend, my life is pretty rubbish now. Part of me KNOWS there must be a solution to this, so I can’t just give up and accept things the way they are. Because this isn’t what anybody should have to settle for.

    I’ve had a shift in perspective, but I will still always be looking for a way to improve this.

    I’m curious to know – ‘f.’ and Brian – What did you do, specifically to treat your crohns? I don’t have it, as far as I’m aware, but clearly something bad has happened to my digestive system. Message me on YouTube if you can! Would appreciate it.

    Also, here is a link to the documentary that aired in the UK:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgpYS33kMVc

    Thanks,

    Stefan

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    1. I am sorry for I don’t have a youtube account. I do not suffer from Crohn’s, you must have gotten me wrong – I think that was someone else. However, I used to have a flatmate suffering from Crohn’s disease and all he did was changing his diet and eat only wholefood (after Max Otto Bruker). He did not have to take any medication but felt great.

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       1. I also have a friend who has Chrohn’s… so severe she was in the hospital and everything, told she’d be on lots of drugs for the rest of her life. She changed her diet to whole foods and now she’s totally fine.

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    2. Hi Stefan,
       I am 21 and have been taking Accutane for a while with just the very chapped lips. I now have to carry chapstick everywhere I go and reapply every 2 hours or so to have healthy lips (such a painstaking drag). No other apparent symptoms, besides really dry boogers.

       I have a hard time believing that depression, anxiety, and maybe schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder are a direct result of Accutane. You said you began to take Accutane at the age of 15 yes?
       Well, I found the following graphs online.

       http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/miic-mmac/images/fig_4-1_e.gif

       http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/miic-mmac/images/fig_2-1_e.gif

       http://www.schizophrenia.com/photos/schiz.age.impact.3-1_e.gif

       Each of these show that Anxiety, Depression, and Schozophreniac disorders occur around the same time that you began taking Accutane. Just something to think about. I’m not saying that Accutane didn’t cause all three of your illnesses, but I think it’s a stretch to assume so. Just a thought. Tell me what you think. Thanks!

       Reply

18. I definitly agree with you that most people don’t talk about it enough. I took accutane twice for one month each time, and it was seriously living hell. This drug made me crazy. My sister also took it at the same time. I developed severe panic attacks and horrible painful intestinal problems(along with dry eyes, lips, skin, hearing loss, painful joins)…and thats only in one months time. The next year without getting extremely graphic developed a severe pain in my back and side and the drs. believe they were cysts but never found out what they were. The next year I developed hypothyroidism as well, which I eventually fixed. I never had these problems before, and I believe its all due to accutane messing with my body. It’s 3 years after I took the drug and I just now feel like my body is healthy again. My sister has dealt with intestinal problems ever since and has been to the hospital many times. My point is the drug is very dangerous and is definitely not worth the risk. I believe there are many more people that have had side effects but they don’t talk about it maybe because they are ashamed or the clear skin was worth the risk.
    But I would like to add that Toni makes a good point. I know that this guy is not making anything up because I experienced very similar side effects, but the more you do concentrate on something, the worse it gets. I can say my health problems went away with time, but I truly believe one of the main reasons was I stopped worrying about it completely. I think that is one of the biggest ways your body can heal. What you believe is your reality, will be.(I’m talking more for the anxiety, depression side effects).
    Anyways this drug is really no joke, and it is not worth the risk. I will never come near it again even if i developed severe acne.

    Reply

    1. Hi.
       Very curious to find out what you did to fix your thyroid problem, as myself and everyone with these side effects has either been diagnosed hypo or has the symptoms

       Thanks

       xx

       Reply

       1. Well that is a little more complicated, because obviously what worked for me won’t work for everyone. First let me start by saying I had a very borderline low grade of hypothyroidism. Doctors of course started me out on synthroid, but after doing my own research I quit the medicine, basically ate a lot of food(and ate much healthier), and kept my stress down. My body eventually leveled itself out, the better I treated it. Obviously it wasn’t just that, but it’s too complicated to explain everything here so I will suggest some books and websites that have helped me. The first website is one Tracy has mentioned before, but he talks about the thyroid very often: it’s 180degreehealth.com. I also bought the Schwarzbein principle a couple years ago to learn how to balance my hormones. Living Well With Hypothyroidism by Mary J. Shomon, and What your doctor may not tell you about hypothyroidism is another one. These all helped, but like I said the biggest thing for me was to stop worrying about it, and also as I continued to be healthy my body healed itself. Saying that though, I do get symptoms of hypothyroidism sometimes if I’m very stressed, or not taking care of myself. Hope that helped.

          Reply

          1. It did, massively.
             Thank you 🙂

             xx

             Reply

    2. Taking it for only one month means that you must have been on a high dose, though. i have always taken Accutane in a low dose but for a longer period – which does not only keep you acne free for longer but also keeps down the side effects. When I started it for the first time, I was afraid of the side effects due to my Interferone experience and took 10 mg every second day. I hardy had any side effects except for dry lips that could be treated perfectly using Carmex. How much did you have to take? I mean, there’s a cumulative dose you have to complete, you must have taken more than 30 mg a day, no? I am not surprised about this being hell. I am acne (and excess oil) free while taking 10 mg A WEEK – that shows how harsh this stuff is!

       Reply

       1. I actually didn’t take a high dose..I can’t remember what they started me out on because it was so long ago but maybe 40 mg at first(or whatever the general dose is that they prescribe most people). but it was too strong for me so I would take 20..and I wouldn’t even take it everyday. So I actually didn’t have a very high prescription and it still messed with my body. My sister took around 40 mg a day for 4 months I believe. I considered the 10 mg a day the second time around but actually they told me nobody made 10 mg, so I had to take 20! either way it was way too harsh for my body, no matter what the dose was.

          Reply

19. Thanks Stefan for getting the word out there on accutane. Although, not everyone has side effects, people should be aware of the dangers! I still think it’s crazy that a chemotherapy drug can be prescibed for acne.

    It sounds like your side effects really suck, but I think if you are persistent you can get healthy. I know people who have had cancer, gone through years of chemotherapy and managed to 100% regain their health through holistic means.

    I had a similar experience with taking a birth control pill for acne, which ended up making my skin worse and giving me weird side effects that lasted for years! I did manage to get my health back though, but it definitely took time and patience!

    You just need to get things back into balance! Good luck!!!

    Reply

20. Awesome post Tracy. My favorite vid of yours so far. You summarized what’s wrong with the pharmaceutical model in 5 minutes.

    Reply

    1. Thanks Sampson 🙂

       Reply

21. I am now 22, and took Accutane when I was 17 years old. I had tried EVERY other pill or cream prescribed by my dermatologist. While my acne was not horrible, horrible, I still have acne to this day. It didn’t do much of anything for me.

    To me, its frustrating because I do everything right. I recently came to the light about modern medicine and have steered clear from it since. I only use organic-holistic treatments on my face and take plenty of vitamins.

    It may be safe to say that the only thing that Accutane did for me was make my skin worse..

    Reply

22. I took Accutane 2 years ago. I must say I didn’t really experiment that much side effects during my course. Very dry lips, fatigue, horrible initial breakout (of course). The only side effect that really worried me was the loss of my period during 6-7 months. As soon as I finished the treatment, my period came back to normal. I really think it messed up with my hormones even If I wasn’t taking any contraceptive at the time. I dunno if it’s a coincidence, but now, 1 year and a half after I finished the treatment, I noticed my facial hair was getting more noticable. Nothing like a beard, but now I’m really paranoid about it but I’m scared it’s gonna get worse. I ordered some bottles of estro block I used in the past that really worked well for my skin, but now I’m scared that it will lower my estrogen level and that the facial hair gets worse because of too much testosterone in my body. If anyone could reassure me about it? XD

    Anyway, my acne came back after 6-7 months. It’s not that bad, maybe 1-2 big pimples a month with smaller ones from time. The funny thing is that while I was on accutane, I never broke down about my skin. I was like ”Well, I know I’m gonna be ugly for the first few months” so I was prepared for the worst. I got the worse cysts of my life during the first months of the course, but I was dealing pretty well with it because I knew it was going to get better. But now, when I’m getting a normal pimple, it seems to be the end of the world, because I felt like the drug would save me from acne for the rest of my life. Anyway, after a while, I decided to test my food intolerances with a naturopath and discovered that I was allergic to gluten, dairy and eggs. I’ve been able to manage my acne pretty well since I stopped eating these, but still, it sucks not to be able to eat whatever I want. I still break out but eh, that’s life.

    Soooooooooooo. My recommandation is that accutane is not worth it based on my experience, but I know it has helped many people and that’s pretty awesome for them.

    Reply

    1. Hi Porridge,
       From my understanding, it helps your body to detoxify the bad estrogens, but at the same time helps to increase good estrogen. So I don’t think that taking it would cause testosterone to run rampant and cause more acne!

       Reply

       1. Thanks for your reply! I’m gonna try it if I manage to receive it some day. It’s been a month since I ordered it! D:

          Reply

23. Thank you for this post. Tracy, I found your site back in the spring, just a few days before my scheduled appointment with my dermatologist to start on Accutane. I had a very bad feeling about it, but I was desperate. I was looking for videos on youtube about the drug, and found yours…it was a miracle. The next day I cancelled my appointment and started my holistic journey to “clear skin and happiness.” ^_^ I still have quite a ways to go, but I hope to get there someday. THANK YOU!

    Stefan-Thank you for sharing your experience. I’m so sorry that you’ve had such terrible problems as a result of this drug. I wish you the best.

    Reply

    1. Yay!! I’m glad that video made a difference for you. Good luck on your continued journey 🙂

       Reply

24. Hi All,

    I have to share my story with acne quickly. My skin was perfectly clear until I was 24 and then a new job and breakup gave my cystic acne that I tried to clear up naturally for 4 years! I had been following the holistic route prior to getting acne so it was no mystery what things to try (Acupuncture, Candida Cleanses, Liver Flushes, Colonics, Raw Food diet, Food Intolerance testing and strict adherence to that diet, NAET treatments, Infrared Saunas, supplements galore, etc!!!)

    After 4 long years I developed Body Dysmorphic Disorder and was so depressed I cried myself to sleep every night and laid in bed all day thinking of ways to end my life.

    I went to another holistic MD who also practiced psychiatry. I told her that I wanted to take Accutane but was too AFRAID of what could happen. She told me that I should embrace the treatment and face my fears. I needed to get a life back.

    She advice me to take a course and get lymphatic massages weekly to move the medicine out of my body. Drink tons of water, drink aloe vera juice daily to lessen my chances of IBS developing down the line. I also used an infrared sauna while on the medication.

    Basically, as soon as I started taking it, I became a happy person who got my life back! Within a year of taking it, I got married and I just gave birth to a healthy baby. I had a very healthy pregnancy.

    My holistic MD checks my blood every 6 months now 2 years post treatment and my body is as healthy as can be!

    I thank Accutane every day for getting my out of the darkest place I ever could be in. No one should live that way. And this is difficult for me to say because I believe in holistic natural medicine. Sometimes natural therapies are not enough to save you from the physical and psychological effects of acne.

    xo

    Reply

25. Aw man. I know its bad, but I was so desperate. soo so desperate. after having done enemas, grain-free, dairy-free, all whole foods, supplements, natural skincare, sun and earthing, exercise/yoga, drinking lots of water, candidates cleanse, liver cleanse… the list goes on. But I was still getting acne. still breaking out, and still making more scars. I’m on accutane right now, and it’s working. I wish There could have been another way, I wish I could have said I cleared my skin with holistic methods. But alas, no. I don’t recommend accutane, and I think one of the biggest problems is with how readily available it is. I know people with very mild acne who are on 6 month treatments! It should serve as a last resort, and even still it might not be worth it to some. I just can’t imagine living with this and creating more permanent scars just until I “grow out of it”. What if I never do? Better to do this now while getting pregnant is still far in the future. I can’t help regretting I didn’t sta start sooner. I just kept telling myself I would never do it. but I finally did anyway. There is just sooo many thing that can contribute to breakouts in todays world, and the endless stress just isn’t worth it. I’d rather be on accutane for a few months and get it out of my system, than be forever hating to look in the mirror.
    Anyway, Stefan, have you looked into the Primal diet? It might could help you out. It seems to be a cure-all, but I’m not super dedicated which is why it might not have ever helped my skin. So sorry you had a bad experience with this, but gosh your skin looks great!! wishing you all wellness!!

    Reply

26. This brought me to tears, for I went through the same exact experience, and now at 19 still have bad acne and suffer from the lasting side effects of the drug. I stayed on the drug for 8 months desperate to “deal with” the side effects for some relief of my acne. My mom and dad wanted me off the drug after a few months but I begged them to let me complete the 8 months that the doctor would allow. I completed it and was heartbroken when the results were less than satisfying to say the least. that was 4 years ago when I was 15, now at 19 I am still trying to cure my acne. I found this site today and love everything Tracy has said. I am looking forward to this and am be as positive as I can. Thank you so much for sharing your story!

    Reply

    1. We’re here for you Myranda! Sending you lots of healing love 🙂

       Reply

27. This articles definitely made me cry. I took Accutane in 2003 at the age of 16. Before the Accutane I was known for being outgoing, optimistic, and “bubbly”, regardless of my skin imperfections. It wasn’t until after I stopped treatment that the depression set in. In 2004 I became secluded, severely depressed, and suicidal. I started seeing a therapist and was given antidepressants. My acne returned, but my depression subsided. I have attempted to ween off of antidepressants a few times over the years, but I have only lasted about 6 months drug free before plummeting into suicidal thoughts again and getting back on medication. I have changed my lifestyle dramatically over the past couple of years; eating whole foods, cutting out my use of chemicals in the home, meditating, but I am too afraid to give up the antidepressants. I hope to some day free myself from the drugs, but I’m not sure how I will find the courage to do that. Accutane was a terrible decision.

    Reply

    1. I’m so sorry to hear this Kait 🙁 I hope one day you will be able to get off them and have it be okay. *Hugs*

       Reply

28. I took accutane and it was a hard decision to make, I was so low and frustrated with my skin after years of changing my diet. I was already depressed and anxious so I didn’t notice much difference when taking it.. Although I did feel slightly more anxious at times. I knew the effects would have on my liver, and the liver is at the root of those emotions, depression, anxiety and anger. I decided I would cleanse my liver after I stopped takin the drug. I believe that everything happens for a
    Reason and I think that cleansing the body after taking this drug had the ability to reverse any bad the drug has done.. And focus on meditation and changing the mind set, the mind is so powerful and I believe is also at the root of all problems/challenges. Whilst I do kind of regret taking accutane I also don’t because it brought me to a path that has changed my life and is my passion and love for life:)

    Reply

29. I’ve been taking Minocycline and used 0.05% tazorac
    for 6weeks and my acne got really worse. So i visted a dermatologitst a couple days ago and he wants me to take Accutane. I have researched about Accutane and I am awared of the side effects. My friends also took it and they look so flawless. However, they told me not to take it because it is not worth the risk. I cant make the decision. help me please….

    P.S. I have had acne since high school and i am now 22.

    Reply

30. Joint paint and stiffness

    Has anyone of you suffered from joint pain, knees, feet and shoulder tenderness and stiffness while on accutane. I’ve been on it for two months now and am worried about these side effects causing permanent damage…

    I phoned my dermatologist, who was not avail, but his secretary tells me she hasn’t heard of anyone suffering with joint pain.

    Dying to hear that I’m not the only one….

    Thanks
    Mary

    Reply

    1. Hi Mary, do you still have the stiffness after the treatment…it has been awhile now..
       How is you acne?

       I just started the treatment 2 and a half weeks ago and I also have back pain and stiffness in my spine.

       I worked physically really hard for two long days one and a half weeks ago and thought that the back pain comes from that but now I think it might be caused by accutane/isotretinoin :-/

       Does anyone have similar experiences?

       Reply

31. About 90% of what you said in that video is what I deal with too. If you’re in your teens and still going through puberty, don’t take this shit. I was on accutane for three cycles, and yes I was depressed with acne but if i could trade acne for the problems I have now I would gladly take the bumps. Fuck the doctors who recommended this drug when I wasnt mature enough to realize the long term risks. The only thing that saves me now is weed.

    Jacob

    Reply

    1. what is the long time problems?

       Reply

32. I’m a dad of 2 great daughters, one who did not get more than a couple of pimples in her teens, and the other who was so self-conscious and so into thinking that her peers knew better that she believed that her mild acne needed accutane. She started on it when she was 14 and remained on a mid to high dose for about three years. She was always a bit shy and was very slow to trust strangers. I 100% blame the drug (which was prescribed by her family doctor) for her altered mental state. Be careful before u take this drug!

    Reply

33. Thank you everyone!

    I decided not to take Accutane and i started using witch hazel to treat acne. has anyone used Witch Hazel to treat acne??

    Reply

34. I am so glad to have seen this video. I took this drug at the age of 15 (2006) for my acne. This drug was a last resort as I had literally tried and been prescribed everything possible. However, it has turned out to be one of the worst decisions I could have made. I am now almost 21, but I feel like I am going on 80. I have chronic back pain, as well as other joint pain, especially hips and knees. I cannot sit, or lie in positions for extended periods of time without excruciating pain and overall tightness in my joints. My joints crack and pop like that of an elderly person. It has gotten to the point where I cannot sleep through the night. There is no comfortable position to sleep in and I wake up every morning feeling as if I have been hit by a train. Also, I am extremely fatigued literally all the time. I have to take frequent naps and activities that I once enjoyed (like tennis) now cause extreme exhaustion and pain. I have always been a healthy and active person. I also have developed extremely irritable bowels. My digestion is all out of whack. Everything I eat, causes me issues. I have also experienced many of the symtoms Stefan mentioned while on the drug years ago, like excessive sweating, extremely dry lips, eyes, etc. I have also dealt with the severe anxiety and depression. My anxiety still persists and I completely relate to Stefan when he says he just wants to hide away from people and often feels awkward. I am still dealing with this issue every day. I have not been to a doctor about my symptoms, because honestly they have become the norm for me and I never thought to, but now they are getting progressively worse and severely impairing my life. I am only 20; I should not feel like and elderly person!

    Reply

    1. I’m so sorry to hear that’s what you’re going through Tori. I’m sending all my love x

       Reply

35. I feel bad that he had to go through the side effects but as soon as he started feeling the terrible side effects he should have stopped. That was his fault.

    Reply

    1. I believe he did stop the treatment before it was through. Let’s be compassionate without blame, he was a teen and he made a mistake not finishing it sooner. He had no idea the side effects would be permanent.

       Reply

       1. I agree on the compassion part. Even as adults, we’re also conditioned to trust our doctors to take care of us and when they reassure us that side-effects are “normal”, it’s easy to ignore our insticts.

          Reply

36. I’m sorry for what this young man went through from this drug and I know there are similar stories with respect to Accutane.

    In the late 90s, I took Accutane not once, not twice but three times. I have very mixed feelings about Accutane. I was 17 when I first started taking it. At that point, I had had acne since I was 8 years and like Stefan it was all over my face, back, chest, shoulders and upper arms. I had been bullied and harrassed for years, my self-esteem was in the toilet. I had seen a derm for years and tried every drugstore tx and prescription under the sun. My derm was very reluctant to give me Accutane but after everything else failed, she agreed to give me Accutane. The only side-effects I was told about where increased cholesterol levels, dry skin, and possible depression but this was down played. I wish someone had mentioned at the time this was a chemo drug because I think it needs to be given the respect it deserves – when patients are given chemotherapy for cancer, they are given very specific lifestyle recommendations to help their bodies cope…I think this is just as important for Accutane.

    I was lucky in that I did not have any debilitating symptoms. It did clear the cystic acne on my body but the acne on my face kept returning (come to find out years later, I have PCOS so it makes a bit more sense now). It did have positive benefits for my skin and I’m thankful for that. Honestly, in some ways it saved me psychologically at a time when I really needed it – I was entering adulthood and needed to feel more confident. All the spirituality or therapy in the world wasn’t going to help with that.

    However, although I don’t have Crohn’s I am 99% sure that this drug has permanently affected my bowels and digestion. I have chronic constipation and I need to vigilent in managing it because I have ended up an obstruction for no good reason in the past. I am also easily prone to IBS-like symptoms that were not present prior to Accutane. So the whole experience is bittersweet. Was Accutane worth it? Honestly, I can’t give a black or white answer to that question either way.

    Reply

    1. Shannon what have you tried to help with your bowel and digestion? What have you found works?

       Reply

       1. Kevin, there’s a few things that have worked well for me digestion wise – biggest was getting IgG food intolerance testing (which I did at the suggestion of this blog). Turns out I’m intolerant to gluten and eggs (I also had genetic tests for Celiac so I know that’s not it). I cut them out completely – took about 6 months to balance everything out but has made a big difference and on the rare occasions I “cheat”, I definitely notice a difference! I’ve also tried a few brands of probiotics but Align works the best for me. And lastly, I also found ditiching the birth control pill helped a bit, as well…although that may not be a remedy for you 😉

          Reply

          1. Hey Shannon, do you have an email I can talk to you further about this? Thank you

             Reply

37. (I’m not enlglish speaking but I will try to formulate myself as good as possible)

    I’m a 18 years and currently doing my 3rd accutane treatment. I took it for the first time when I was 14 or 15 years old. I’ve had acne since I was 11 years, and it later developed into cystic acne, which absolutely crushed my self esteem. I had huge cysts appearing in my face every day. Combined with this I also developed very servere asthma at the same time, which caused me to spend alot of time in the hospital throughout my teens.
    My face was absolutely cleared after the treatments, but the cysts started appearing again after a few months.

    Right now I’ve been on accutane for 9 months or something. My skin is 100% clear and my face looks better than ever. When it comes to side effects, I’ve had the regular stuff such as dry lips and eyes. Lately I’ve lost a bit of hair on the sides of my head, which I don’t know if is due to accutane or something else. Oh, and I have major mental problems as well, which I can’t tell if is due to the accutane or all the struggles I’ve gone through in my teens. Honestly, the last 4-5 years of my life have been horrible. I’ve pretty much isolated myself and basically played videogames all day. I’m failing at school, and I’m worried if the acne will return after I stop taking accutane.
    I’m determined to do anything in order to prevent my acne from returning. Seriously, I will do anything.

    Reply

38. I am an 18 year old girl. I am about to go into my 3rd month of Accutane. Aside from the horrible cracking and bleeding of my lips, muscle pain, and nosebleeds I have had some other really scary side effects. 6 days into the medication i started having numbness in my hands and feet. i was told that it was not a symptom of Accutane but did some research myself and found that it was. My doctor diagnosed me with pernicious anemia meaning that i no longer had the ability to effectively absorb B12 and that i can no longer produce red blood cells at a normal rate. I have had extreme numbing in my hands and feet and swelling supposedly caused by lack of oxygen to my veins so they couldn’t pump the blood properly. Now they are saying that i may have neuropathy. No one seems to know what is going on with me and I’m still hearing from some that it isn’t caused by the Accutane (although my doctor is starting to take my complaints more seriously), but i haven’t ever had problems like this before. Either of these things will supposedly be with me for the rest of my life and pernicious anemia can be deadly. What i can say only specifically about my dermatologist is that not only did they not inform me of these potental side effects but they denied that the symptoms I was have are related to the medication until i came in with studies I had found on my own. I do not recommend taking this drug without doing A TON of research into how it can effect you. I honestly thought I had done enough research but I had no idea it could be like this. It is really scary to be where I am at, think first.

    Reply

    1. Hi Hailey,

       thank you so much for sharing your experience with Accutane. I‘m sure that it‘ll be of great help for many people. In addition, I hope that you‘ll be able to recover completely from those tremendous side effects! I send you lots of love and strength,

       Svea
       xox

       Reply

    2. Hi Hailey, please would you be able to elaborate on the studies you have used to illustrate your case to your doctor? I am putting together a report to give to my doctor and any other professional that I see in the next few months. I haven’t been feeling right for a long time and it’s only this week that I’m realising it might be, probably definately is, accutane that did this to me. Would be great to hear from you. Peter

       Reply

       1. Hi Peter,
          I apologize for taking so long to respond. I will have to pull together everything I had to send to you but this is probably a great forum for you to look at. It has helped me so so so much!
          http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/295030-repairing-the-long-term-damage-from-accutane/page-169#entry3365479
          It is all about side effects of accutane and has ways to deal with them, most of them are all natural. It is a great support community.

          Reply

39. I hope you get this message Stefan. I am so glad to hear I am not crazy. I am 26 years old and have been suffering from anxiety and depression for over ten years. But I have horrible health problems as well. At such a young age I have lost my gall ladder to biliary disease which is most common in the elderly. I struggle with severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting daily among so very many other symptoms that keep me going regularly to my gastroenterologist. I am unabl to work. What course of action should I take my physical ?

    Reply

    1. OMG! I took it in 1989. Thats what im experiencing now, gallbladder was removed because it was dead, i had tendinitis surgery, carpool tunnel, and now at 47 my lower back to the top of my neck hurt BAD!! I want to jab a knife in my neck . I can’t eat anything because it destroys my stomach for weeks- diarrhea, constipation, bloated belly, Im unable to pass gas or go out without stressing im going to soil myself. I have no social life and now because of the lack of vitamins and pain i have severe fatigue after only washing the dishes, i take medicinal marijuana for insomnia but even after 11 hours of sleep im still exhausted … if i could do it all over again I’d stick to the acne and scares… now I’ve been told i might have liver damage I never drank…. some of you saying it saved my life; believe me i said the same thing, now im older and in too much pain to even enjoy life i used to love working out now i run or do other exercises and throw up water… so if you’re going to continue taking it. I recommend you enjoy your life to the fullest NOW and do everything you want before it attacks your body…

       Reply

40. I was just starting to feel good about myself and ready to start blossoming socially when hormones and acne made their ugly entrance. The acne was unresponsive and caused me shame and depression and probably spoiled my chances of a highschool relationship. After several months I gave in to trying Accutane. I knew about the physical hell from a friend, but I had no warning of the mood effects. Sure enough I suffered extreme dryness. Despite use of moisturiser and chapstick my lips painfully dried out, cracked and bled. Many years later my skin still has chronic dryness and flaking which bleeds if scrubbed off. My liver on the other hand is functioning 100%, no long term effect. But I strongly suspect that the decades of depression, ahedonia or general struggle to ‘keep afloat’ are partly due to the medicine. Though growing up with a physically and emotionally abusive mother and unsupportive father surely was a large factor too.

    Reply

41. Thank you for this post, Tracy! And thank you, Stefan, for spreading the word.
    I am 31 and 8 years ago I started getting pimples. Year after year it was only getting worse. Acne, depression and living with all this made me very self conscious, I even skipped lectures because my face was so inlamed.
    I tried topical solutions, AB-s, pill. The few creams that seemed to work, did so only for a month or two.
    Pills made me depressed, antidepressants then worsened it.
    My derm mentioned Accutane would be the next step. Luckily, I had a colleague who shared her experience with this med (I had no idea she was on it) and then I decided not to try it. Now I know it was a good idea.
    So I just kept suffering until one day I had had enough. Then I just went off everything, AD-s, pill, acne solutions. And started doing research.
    I went off gluten, dairy – my cystic acne went too. Depression was not so horrible anymore, although still there. My overall health got so much better. I am using herbs and vitamins, exercising, thinking positively (it took some time to learn to do that).
    Then I started cheating with dairy and BAM!!, pimples were back, severe depression was back. I did some more research and tried niacin aka vitamin B3, and it works for me. It’s quite a big dosage you need to take, but for me totally worth it.
    I also recommend to read about opioid peptides.

    Reply

    1. Thanks Clara! Your post has helped me. I’m going to check out niacin. I really don’t want to go down the Roaccutane route.

       Reply

42. I’ve had acne since I was 10 years old. I’m now 24. It comes and goes, and it’s mild now.
    I’ve cut out gluten and dairy and I’m vegetarian, and recently have found an all natural hormonal supplement that has helped.
    But I have an Accutane story that’s not too horrid.

    The first time I took it, I was 11. I’m still not sure if that was fully legal or not. I had very severe acne from a very young age. Because I was so young, they put me on a half dose. It didn’t work very well the first time around.

    2 years later, I began the treatment again. Full dose, for 6 months. It DID clear my skin, for about 2 years. Even when my acne began to reappear, it has never gone back to being so severe.

    While I was taking Accutane, the only noticeable side effect was dry lips and extreme moodiness. This could also have been contributed to puberty, but sometimes it was so extreme, it scared me.

    I know Accutane causes liver damage, and coincidentally liver damage can cause acne. I always wonder if this is my problem now.

    I’ve heard horror stories like this one before, and I can’t believe I actually took this drug (and so young too!).

    Yeah kids: stay away from it.

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43. I kid you not… I thought the picture above was Zac Efron

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44. I have a friend who started taking Accutane, then stopped taking it suddenly and then started again. When the doctor heard that, he stated that was the worst thing he could have ever done. The pain and damage caused from this powerful drug would effect him forever. Three years later, he is a shell of the person he used to be. He has all the symptoms described by thousands of people times a million percent and he is just done living like this. I am always rallying daily telling him to try something new, anything, I am always trying to stay upbeat and helpful. He finally told me he isn’t living a quality of life. He has not worked in years, dropped out of school and has removed every friend he has ever had, except for me. His condition is not only ruining his life but his sister who takes care of him. She and I only want him to get better but no matter how much we wish it, it seems like this drug is a nightmare and only brings pain and lose of life. I love my friend. I do not want anything to happen to him but I feel like I am not listening to him. I have read so many stories and they all sound the same. Is there anything that helps the damage caused? He has lost close to 60 pounds and can’t eat anymore. He has tried everything even the small bowl of rice he just consumed is causing him so much pain. Please someone tell me what to do, I am at a loss!

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45. Oh Accutane!! How this drug has change my life! First I am very happy for the people who have had great results and are happy and healthy. I think it is only fair to warn people of the ugly truth that can sometimes come from this drug. My doctor put me on this medication for three months. I finished it about 6 months ago. Towards the end of my treatment I began to feel strange, within a week after being off of it I suffered a complete mental and emotional breakdown. I suffered from terrible thoughts of harming myself and mutilating my body. I was paranoid and anxious. I also had a depression like no other. I was hospitalized for ten days where I learned that this was not the first case of this happening. Many people have suffered from these side effects. This was no walk in the park I was completely insane and scared to death!!!! I was put on two types on anti depressants one type of anti phycotic and one kind of anti anxiety medication. I have never in my life had a history of mental illness nor has any one in my entire family.Things are getting better now through family and friends I have found a lot of support. I also meditate everyday! I am slowly weening off my medications and starting to become stable. I am not putting this out there to scar people, these side effects are rare but can be very real! I was not warned that something so dramatic could happen to me. I would never want another human being to go through what I have gone through. For anyone reading this and thinking of taking accutane please be careful and know that there canbe life altering side effects even suicide. For anyone suffering now from any of these side effects please do not give up. It does get better over time i am living proof keep on fighting.
    All the best love and light.

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46. My son too was on Accutane, he now is in renal failure, and is waiting for a kidney transplant. We think it may be from the Accutane. Found out he had high blood pressure, which led to his kidney disease.

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47. Hi Everybody
    I have read about your experiences with Oratane/Accutane. I was prescribed to my daughter by a dermatologist. Because she had bad acre he prescribed 2 pills a day. This is where the problems started. Within a few weeks shortness of breath started to developed. After two months we went back to the dermatologist. He prescribed 3 pills a day. The shortness of breath persisted and she started to develop a pain in her back. Two weeks ago we went back to the dermatologist and after discussion about the shortness of breath he took her off Oratane. The pain in her back persisted and we went to our house docter who send her for an lung x-ray. She now has a pulmonary edema. Is there anybody else who had such an experience? Of cause nobody thinks it is due to the use of Oratane but it is very disturbing that her symptoms started after a higher dose of Oratane!

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    1. Hi!

       I’m not sure what you mean when you say 2 or 3 pills. I’ve had different dosages in different pills. I’ve been prescribed 1 40mg per day. The dermatologist will increase the dose, if they deem necessary. You must get your blood tested at a blood lab before your prescription can be filled. If your blood work reads that you’re liver is suffering, you cannot continue!

       And there are many factors that play into this. It may be that Accutane has caused the edema, however it may have been provoked. It is advised that you do not workout whatsoever because, at a molecular level, bodily repair becomes difficult, ex. cuts and scrapes take longer to repair. This is just part of the Accutane/Oratane. You also experience a lot of dehydration. Does your wife prefer to workout a lot? I would never advise intensive workouts while on Accutane, just because when you do workout, your muscles degrade, and they rebuild stronger. When the rebuilding process is hindered/inhibited, it can cause complications.
       Does she prefer to exercise?

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48. Hi Guys
    in the pasat i have problem with ansia cause i take a pre workout…
    well now i want this pharm and i don’t know what i do ???

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49. I think there needs to be a distinction between the effects of roaccutane and that of malpractice. I took roaccutane for close to 8 months under the guidance of an absolutely stellar dermatologist. He didn’t prescribe crazy dosages, nor go at it like he was trying to kill a fly with a hammer. He’d had decades of experience treating patients with the drug and his method was to begin at 10mg every second day for 6 weeks, before gradually raising that to every day, and after 3 months I was again titrated up to 20mg and another 2 months was raised to 30mg every second day alternating with 20mg on other days, but only so long as I could handle it. I haven’t suffered any lasting side effects since, and that was 5 years ago. In fact, given that my back is covered in scarring from cystic acne, which have thankfully faded and that the cysts were extending to my face, I have no doubt that if I hadn’t taken it I would have allowed my skin to be horribly disfigured. I honestly wish I had been able to take it sooner. Just like the right amount of paracetamol (acetaminophen/tylenol), will kill pain without causing harm, but too much will destroy your liver, roaccutane is a drug that I believe requires a sensible dermatologist who won’t overprescribe you a dosage that could increase negative effects. Even with a lower dosage that was titrated, whilst it took 6 months for my skin to completely clear, I have never had any form of acne over the 5 years since. The key here, is to be careful over who you trust, and make sure the dermatologist really knows what he’s doing before you follow what he says. Doctors make mistakes like anyone else, and whilst they spend years at medical schools and become qualified, I’ve found that some qualified doctors really just aren’t good at what they do.

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50. Hello I have just stumbled across this site. As a dermotolgist of 40 years I found it very disturbing at the points being made without any medical knowledge! A quick overview, I have been prescribing accutane for years now and have taken the drug SEVERAL times throughout my lifetime as have my children, nieces and nephews. Now let’s put some facts straight accutane in the treatment for acne is absolutely not a chemotherapy drug!!!! The chemcical Isotretinoin is in the drug class known as retninoid which basically means it is a synthetic form of vitamin A. Now what makes Isotretinoin a chemotherapy drug is the dosage. When admistered between 1 – 120 mg Isotretinoin is a large dosage of vitamin A. 300 mg onwards is considered chemotherapy. Afterall you wouldn’t class the vitamin A in your apple chemo would you? Or the vitamin A in your multivitamin supplement?

    There are dangers with all drugs and Accutane is no exception. You can get irreversible liver damage from something as common as paracetamol. You can get a lot of the side effects stephan mentions from again something as common as asprin. There is no scientific evidence that concludes that Accutane causes; depression, IBS, chrones or hypothyroidism. There have been 4000 reports of depression whilst taken Accutane, this is in the FDA, freedom of information act in which anyone can get a hold of for free. 4000 reports out of 13,000,000 patients. Now if you ask me that is so low that those 4000 people would have depression anyway either due to there acne or other reasons. There is so much negative press about Accutane and it just isn’t fair. Dr james del rosso a leading dermatologist in the world, has studied accutane for years and is totally behind its saftey. Isotretinoin like I said is in a group of medicines called retinoids, now there are many more oral retinoids and you never hear about them? That is because they are prescribed a lot less often so people just pick on the most commonly perscibed one.

    A lab test done in rats showes that after 2 years of chronic vitamin a toxicity they have hair loss, fatigue, and joint issue and after 2 weeks of coming off the drug all of there side effects go, even the unhealthiest ones. Saying accutane should banned is obsurd. There are thousands of reports or liver failure, death, brain damage from taking commen painkillers, so shall we ban them? So nextime your have an operation you can feel everything. Or the next time the dentist pulls your tooth out your are in agony for weeks. I get no extra money from persribing accutane. And do not perscibe dangerous drugs to my patients! I was part of a study back in 90s where we checked the saftey of Accutane. After 2 years of tireless study’s and work with leading derms we concluded that actually accutane is safer than most anti acne antibiotics but due to its imminent yet mild side effect like dry skin and lips it still should be a last resort. Another point a lot of drugs can cause hairl loss again accutane is no exception, accutane does not directly effect be hair follicle therefore your hair should grow back and if it doesn’t i shall but it bluntly – YOU’RE UNHEALHTY. Like some man said in another comment keep obesesing over the drug is so bad. It’s a case of mind of matter. Life goes on. Enjoy it while it lasts.

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51. P.s sorry for the bad spelling & punctuction. It’s not most doctors strong points plus with it being 3 am doesn’t help (I am part of a study in Boston) we are studying the saftey of acitretin!! A oral retinoid very similar to Isotretinoin. There is one big difference though. Isotretinoin has 55,456 adverse events reported in comparison to the 460 of acitretin (this is incredibly low) – tetracycline an antibiotic for acne has 2000 adverse reports!!! Makes me laugh really! Just shows the influence media has over the world. And when it’s to do with health it allows hypochondriacs to thrive. I have all the advers events associated with Isotretinoin reported by patients in front of me now and check this there are things like ‘turned gay’ ‘failure to thrive’ ‘constipation’ ‘ear wax over production’ ‘genital warts’ I mean have you heard this rubbish. I suggest everyone just lives there life to the full. There have been Many famous people who have taken accutane. Infact oscar winning matthew mcconuaghey took it as a freshman. He now is considered the best actor in the world and is a huge hollywood hotshot! Didn’t hinder his life did it. De ruekle

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52. Have just read Dr Reukle’s posts. A group of 14 parents of youngsters who took their own lives whilst on, or after taking this drug, had an interesting meeting on 25.4.14 with four of the directors of Roche, who marketed RoAccutane, and when asked, their Medical Director said that it most definitely WAS a chemotherapy drug, but when it was seen how effective it was on acne, they only used it for that. So i must contradict Dr Reukle on this.
    From all the reports in the media and in these posts, its obvious that for some people, this drug is helpful, for others, its a life sentence. And no one knows why.
    Severe cystic acne is a terrible affliction, i know, i had it, and it made me not want to socialise, all through my teenage years. RoAccutane did not exist then, but had it been available, i would have given anything in the world to get my hands on it, so i totally understand the feelings of anyone with bad acne, it makes you feel so unattractive and miserable. When you are 16 you don’t even think about mental illness or dying. You want to be acne-free and for the pain, mental and physical, to go.
    If it were possible to patent a sardine, i think Omega-3 fish oil would now be being swallowed on prescription by acne sufferers, and this would not only help to regulate their hormone systems and their moods, it would in many cases get their skin and system working properly. Keeping their dairy (especially milk fats) content down, has been shown to help greatly too. A ‘Stone Age’ diet helps too. (But there is no pharma money is promoting this kind of thing)
    Our son, a wonderful guy, researched loads of ways of helping acne, including having Blue Light and Laser treatment from Dr Tony Chu in London in 2011, all of which helped enormously. But sad to say, almost from the first few weeks of his taking RoAccutane in 2001, he didn’t know all this nutritional stuff and when he raised it with the dermatologist he saw, she thought it was nonsense. When he was 21 he got RoAccutane. OK, yes, he’d always been fairly body dysmorphic about his acne, aren’t we all if we have bad acne, but taking the drug he felt was going to sort all that and make his acne go away. It did, but he found his brain didn’t work the same anymore, he was shaking with fear, tears ran down his face for no reason, and suicidal thoughts invaded his mind and just would not go away, they went round and round in a loop like OCD. He asked to go into hospital as he felt he might even have to give in to the weird thoughts and kill himself. The psychiatrist in 2001 rubbished any suggestion that we needed to have concerns about RoAccutane. He just branded us as fussy parents. Over the ensuing 11 years, our son continually battled this feeling that his brain would not work, but he kept going, built a very successful web design business, and became known for his beautiful plant images which were sold all over the world. But he felt ill for the whole of those 11 years, and he was totally misunderstood by all the doctors who treated him cos none of them seemed to want to link RoAccutane with his symptoms – which, it turns out, are the same symptoms which many others, who have died, had. No one would listen to us.
    Very sadly, after being treated in an appallingly confrontational manner by a particular psychiatrist, even though once again we had tried to show that our son was struggling with BDD and had been treated with RoAccutane several times over the 11 years, he was made to feel that his suicidal feelings were all his own fault, and that basically, he should ‘get a life’. The pains behind his eyes and in his head, voids in his thinking, and endless suicidal thoughts, were so terrible, that he told us he couldn’t go on, and he a month or two later, he died. Roche insist that there is ‘no proven causal link with suicide’ of their drug. However, thanks to the efforts of many bereaved parents and many MPs, there is a new Government scientific investigation going on now to try to get to the bottom of this. I accept that the jury is out on whether this drug is lethal in some cases or not. but what I cannot forgive, is the attitude of the medical profession, who MUST by now be aware of the controversy over this drug, and yet do not afford the patient the dignity of even allowing for the fact that someone manifesting suicidal convictions but who has been taking the drug, could actually be brain damaged and not classically mentally ill. Our son died feeling that he was a loser and a time waster. One of his last emails states that he knew he had issues about the appearance of his acne, but he never thought of himself as ‘a bad person’. This whole business is a BAD business. There must be research, to get a good safe dose or a totally new drug, and nutrition needs to be understood and promoted, even it makes no profit for anyone. If we consider ourselves civilised, we MUST do it for the people who suffer acne and should not have to in this day and age. And there are people out there, like our son, who are (was) finding ways to cure it safely, and to lessen the bad effects which may have been caused by RoAccutane (Isotretinoin) ‘in some people’. So if you are one of those desperate folk, hold on tight, do not give in to the suicidal thoughts, because things are moving now and politicians are taking this very seriously. People are not going to accept the justification of having to treat one terrible affliction with something possibly even worse. Our son left a letter and in it he said ‘please help others mum and dad’. He was a wonderful guy in every way. So we must.

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    1. Hi Heather, I’m terribly sorry for the loss of your son. It’s stories like yours that make it so important that people realize how potentially serious this drug can be. So thank you so much for sharing that!

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53. Thanks so much Tracy – we miss him dreadfully, he was truly a wonderful guy, kind, talented, and cared wholeheartedly for others. His dad and i will try to do all we can to carry out his wishes and to help other sufferers. At least we have got the British Government taking us seriously now. But there is so much more to do, especially trying to get the medical profession to understand what is happening to the people who suffer such terrible symptoms. His name was Olly, and he wanted us to found an OLLY FRIENDSHIP FOUNDATION so that anxiety sufferers and their families would be able to bond together in strength and know that they were not alone.

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54. Roaccutane is the same thing as Accutane you are all right, but the reason why it’s now called Roacctunae is because the guy who invented this drug is called Roche or was his name, therefor they changed the name to Roaccutane…. Accutane is not a bad product it depends if you use it exactly as the dr had prescribed or not… The only reason why I can think these people got these chronic diseases is because they probably didn’t always eat before they drank it or they could’ve taken double dosis when maybe they skipped a dose, and remember this is a kind of an antibiotic which is dangerous and unfortunately if you don’t take the medicine exactly as the dr had prescribed you might end up having these chronic symptoms and the dr should’ve told you too incase you get these symptoms you consult a dr and they might lighten the dose that you were prescribed with or they could discotinue the dose and because these people didn’t care basically now they have lasting side affects…. That is why I went on the internet to do research as much as I possibly can about this drug so that I can know exactly what to do when I start getting funny side affects which seem real to me, never be too hasty to get rid of acne, currently I am but I am not that hasty that when I get weird symptoms of the drug end not caring and not go see a dr and either stop the medicine or just lighten my dose… It could also be that these people had been put on a dose that maybe was too high for their them to use, because they should give a dose accordingly to how much you weigh, and the stronger the dose the worse the side affects…. It depends all on you if you really use it on how the dr had said you should or if you followed your own advice at times, or if you were given higher dosage than what you were supposed to get….

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55. Thanks so much for this really informative forum.
    I have been given a week to research Roaccutane before I am prescribed it next week. I have had severe acne for the last 4 months. Though I have been having breakouts for the past 2 years. Bear in mind i’m in my 40’s and have suffered breast cancer. I have tried antibiotics, eating healthy, quitting alcohol etc. still, the acne is persistent. Having read all these posts frankly I am quite apprehensive as to if it’s the right drug for me. There are great results and there are truly heartbreaking sad stories. I’m not sure what to do. I do believe however that our diet plays a huge role in this acne issue. I’m on 100% healthy eating this week. Now I really pray it clears up so I don’t have to take Roaccutane. #scared #shaking #confused……HELP!

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56. Sylvie, I’m so sorry you are (naturally) feeling so confused and worried. I think gradually the scientific truth will come out about this drug, but writing just as an ordinary person right now, observing what seems to be happening, it does seem to me that hormones play a big part in this. If you use Vitamin B6 and omega-3 oils, and just keep a kind of Investigation Diary with your results, monitoring the acne and what seems to make a difference, you may well find the right answer for you. Also try cutting out dairy products cos they give hormones to cows and if your own hormones are out of balance, that might make you more sensitive and lead to acne too.
    Some of us have more sensitive systems than others, and cannot tolerate synthetic drugs. I know I couldn’t tolerate any form of hormone pills (like birth control etc) and neither could i tolerate steroids. I wonder if our son, (who so tragically died having had so many of the symptoms listed on this forum), was also unable to hormonally tolerate what this drug did to him. There is so much that pharmaceutical science is, as far as I know, not spending time and money looking at. And there is so much complacency and lack of listening to anecdotal evidence from patients amongst doctors, I am sad to say. One excellent doctor we know however has always said, ‘give the body the right ingredients and it will heal itself’. It may be that you are going to have to be a detective and keep a record as you try different things till you find what your own system is happy with, and then the acne will go. Having read what you wrote, I would put a lot of emphasis on hormones, as you mention getting over breast cancer. But this is just my opinion. Healthy eating, lots of oily fish, and relaxing and keeping optimistic, surely can do nothing but good.

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57. I posted a while back about the beginning of my experience with accutane. I was diagnosed with pernicious anemia ( I had less than 1/8 of the amount of b12 in my body that a normal person did). That was at 3 months into my accutane course and I was going to stop but all of the doctors assured me that as soon as my b12 was up everything would be okay. I continued to take it and as I was about to finish out my course I started getting headaches that made me feel like my eyes were going to pop out and my entire field of vision was flipping upside down. They sent me in for an MRI and found that I had 7 lesions in the white matter of my brain that had formed in recent months. Basically parts of my brain were shutting themselves off from blood flow and dying which is where the numbness they thought was coming from lack of b12 was really coming from. Several months and several specialists later I finally got a real diagnosis. I now have a very uncommon disorder called pseudotumor cerebri. It means that my spinal fluid builds up and puts too much pressure on my brain and optical nerves. It has also caused the nerve signals from my eyes to process wrong and my neurons to fire at random as well as a chemical imbalance to try to compensate for all the pressure. My current specialist says he sees this a lot with previous accutane patients. As a result of all this i will have to take medication and receive routine spinal taps to drain off the extra fluid and relieve the pressure from my brain for most of my life. I just wanted to share the rest of my story now that it has been almost a year. As I said last time, I cant speak for every dermatologist or doctor but mine DID NOT inform me well enough of the potential side effects. I do not recommend taking this drug without doing A TON of research into how it can effect you. I honestly thought I had done enough research but I had no idea things like this could happen.

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58. Hailey, this must be absolutely dreadful for you, and our hearts go out to you, having to cope with what you describe. It is however wonderful that you have explained this, as it makes sense of the pains behind the eyes and pressure in the head that our son Olly experienced. We know he was low on B12 after starting RoAccutane and we tried to get injections of it for him at once point early in the months he first took it but were not taken seriously about this by our NHS GP and told we would have to do them ourselves, which Olly did not feel happy with. You are so right about there needing to be masses more research into how this drug can affect you. If only all those on RoAccutane could get MRI scans, it would throw much more light on what was going on. Our son was begging to have one just before he died, as the eye symptoms he had were just as you describe them. How amazing that your current specialist says he sees this a lot with previous Accutane patients. Has he reported this back to Roche using the yellow card system? If not, would he do so? Also maybe to the MHRA who are looking into effects of this drug at this very moment.

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    1. Heather, I didn’t RoAuccutane technically I took Isotretinoin. I’m currently going through the process of reporting all this to the FDA and really anyone else who will listen. I know that some agencies won’t allow me to submit a complaint because they only deal with RoAcutanne or only deal in the UK. If you would post the links to that you are talking about I would be more than happy to work with my doctor to see if he would. I’m also curious Heather, did your son have any vision problems with his head pain? There were several times that I was driving and my vision flipped upside down. And then it got to the point where my vision was flipping upside down every night and it felt like someone was taking an ice pick to my head. It was horrible. The pain is debilitating. At my first doctors appointment for this (with a doctor I am no longer seeing) I used the word “debilitating” and the woman literally rolled her eyes at me. I can only imagine going for 11 years dealing with this pain and not having any answers and being treated this way. I don’t know what I would have done. Honestly I probably would have taken my own life because this is really no way to live. This drug changes the way you think though so I’m not saying that’s the right answer at all. I just really understand that place of darkness and pain. I am so sorry for what your family went through. It is a long road ahead for all of us that are recovering from the long term damage of accutane. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that a choice a made to get ride of something as trivial as acne at age 17 could have literally ruined my life.

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59. Hailey, our son complained of the terrible headache for several weeks before he died. It had been building up over time but in the last weeks, he said it was so bad he said he also had voids when he could not think or see clearly but he didn’t say he had an actual ‘inverted’ image. He also used to get red flashes behind his eyes but that was not at the end, it was a while before the pain became so excruciating. He held his head in his hands and said the pain was intolerable, especially in the area behind his eyes like a band across his nose and the eyes felt like they were being pushed out of his head. Despite endlessly telling the doctors this, no one would take him seriously. (When he begged for a scan – which he was happy to pay for,- he was told that it would show nothing as it was probably pain due to anxiety!) In his farewell note he tells us of the voids in his mind which seemed to be so terrifying, he said it was as if all his memory closed down and he couldn’t think any more or relate to where he was. He was logical and lucid however to the last, but frustrated, not being able to be understood about the pain. He said he knew his brain was not working right and kept saying ‘you will have to let me go, I am really ill Mum and Dad and no one seems to realise.’ We tried everything to get the medics and social workers to listen, knowing that he really would end his life if we didn’t get help.
    You are so right about taking a drug for acne and ending up like so many do on Isotretinoin. I have to say that yes, he hated the acne, but his attitude, as a biochemist, was to find an answer to the problem, never to give up on life. He had a good business, a lovely girlfriend, and everything to live for. Not till it became too painful to go on with and having a psychiatrist who did not take his pain seriously and thought he was attention-seeking and not making effort! He was such a dear and wonderful son, so talented and so kind, to the very last. Life without him is really empty, but we must go on and help others, as he himself wanted to do. Thank you for your kind and thoughtful words, they mean so much. We’ve alerted our group to your post and will get your words to the MHRA (like your FDA) somehow. Keep posting and in touch if you are able to.

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60. I wish I never took Roaccutane. (accutane was called “Roaccutane” in Australia). I just wanted to add my voice. I’m lucky I didn’t have any of the neurological side effects that others did, but it caused my moderate acne to become very severe, leaving me with permanent scarring which I wouldn’t have otherwise had. I had too much trust in the dermatologist, who said this was normal and it would clear up soon, etc. well, eventually it did clear up, but now my skin was red with scarring. A couple of months after stopping Roaccutane, the acne returned, just as it was before I started taking it. Dermatologist recommended Roaccutane. How stupid is he?!! No way. I later discovered 15% glycolic acid, which actually helped clear acne and scarring.

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61. I took Accutane at age 16-17 in 1998/99. I was monitored with weekly exams and blood tests. I never missed a dose, and I always followed instructions pertaining to eating and diet. I ate NO sugars and drank about a gallon of water per day. I suffered no unusual side effects during treatment and like many others, I wanted to die before I took this drug. Never socialized and hated school. At the time I felt this drug saved my life. Now fast forward 15 years later I have learned to live with IBD. Was my condition caused by Accutane? I may never know but for someone who NEVER got sick and had a very strong immune system prior to using Accutane, it seems a possibility. For what its worth I still have acne at age 32. It went away for a long time, but its back. Not nearly what it was, but enough to be embarrassing sometimes. Acne seems like the worst thing in the world when its bad but for most young people it clears up on its own. To this day I cant honestly decide if it was worth it or not but as I get older I think I prefer health over clear skin. Ironically after using Accutane, I have ended up with neither.

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62. Hi Stephan

    I kid you not I have been through the exact same thing. Everything you have described I have been through too. Its kind of crazy for me cause to hear someone else who went through the same thing as me is crazy. Accutane is hell. HELL. After 3 years I can honestly say im almost back to normal. I was extremely suicidal and had to get help for it.. they tried to put me on medication but any medicine (even advil) scares me now and i refuse to take it. I can tell you to get help but thats just a bunch of bullshit. I dont trust these doctors anymore. It was not until I made a change inside of me that i finally found my peace of mind. You have to stop sitting around feeling bad about yourself cause its you that makes yourself go crazy. i refuse to let me look up anything on my computer when i was trying to get better ( i binged now) i made myself go crazy looking at all the cases and side effects… at one point i convinced myself i had a brain tumor. DONT WALLOW GET UP AND MAKE YOURSELF HAPPY! YOUR MIND CONTROLS EVERYTHING! Its hard believe me i know but what you have to do is move past it! BE STRONG! and i wish you all the luck!

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63. Just wanted to put this out there- I had severe acne when I was 15, but my acne started probably when I was 13/14. Was prescribed accutane when I was 16 but only after two months I had to go off of it due to high liver enzymes reported from my blood tests. I was given a high dosage to start with which I think contributed to the raised levels. Anyway I still got pimples every now and then but nothing to the extent that I had before. I thought maybe I had just “grown out of it” but my acne has come back at age 21. Out of nowhere I started to get severe acne all along my jawline, chin, neck, and temples with occasional pimples in t-zone. Originally i thought it could be PCOS but blood test came back negative so I asked to give isotretinoin a try again. The first month my blood test came back perfect, but the second month liver enzymes were elevated again so doctor asked me to go off for two weeks and see if it would go down. The thing is the second month I was on it, i also took a liver support supplement along with isotretinoin. I completely stop the supplement as well for the two weeks and everything went back to normal. Now back on the course everything till looks good-but i asked my derm to be put on a lower dosage.

    I think putting too much of anything in the body is dangerous, overloading our system with prescriptions or supplements can have adverse effects. But acne as well can be just as damaging- not to mention all the scarring.

    So whatever you decide, keep in mind self-love. Don’t over do it. Diet for me definitely help (cutting dairy and gluten) but didn’t fix it. Acne patients are prone to inflammation in general, whether acne from inflammation is caused from digestion, hormones, food sensitivities, toxins etc. But we do have to be more cautious in how we treat our bodies as people with acne. Don’t take this as a negative, just view it as having to spend a little more love and attention to ourselves.

    Right now isotretinoin is helping me, and also helping my self-esteem. I am being careful and taking care of myself, which also involves doing whatever possible, in a healthy way, to get rid of my acne. I do not have to live with acne, neither should anyone else. Do what you need to, to live your life. I experienced so many negative experiences from acne in my teens that frustrates me, but I am trying to get over it and become a better person, which doesn’t involve acne. You can do the same, just be safe.

    Remember to fight for yourself, don’t give up.

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    1. This is a fascinating thread. A special thanks to the host of this site and to Stefan who so bravely put his story out there. I believe and understand every word of it.

       My story is unique in that I had LASIK surgery over a decade ago, an elective procedure where one must sign a waiver. Unfortunately, while I had excellent vision post-surgery, I landed with severe dry eye syndrome. It was so indescribably painful, debilitating, dehumanizing and flat out depressing, that I could barely function for two years. I saw many doctors about this hideous side-effect and my sudden onset of anxiety and depression.

       I was the 1% who had a bad outcome. I was the 1% you read about on the internet…that rare occurence of severe, burning dry eye that won’t go away. Does anybody want to take a guess at how doctors handle the 1%? They deny. They tell you there must be something else wrong in your life. Trust me, I heard it over and over.

       The beautiful ending here is that as horrific as those few years were, I had a tremendous amount of spousal support and enough self-love that I helped myself find ways to improve my level of comfort and get mentally healthy.

       I also found an online support group of people most who were exactly like me having had refractive surgery of some sort. I’ve met some very special people through that site. With years of effort, time, money, and holistic methods, I found manageable comfort. I went on to have two more children, a feat I never thought possible in those dark years post-LASIK.

       Curiously, and most relevant today were the scattered few people on my dry eye web site who had suffered the effects of a course of Accutane. Many were college students who were struggling just to get through school, barely able to manage the late nights, long hours, and demanding reading schedule.

       Today I’ve come full circle. I was permanently changed by my experience, not only in my eyes, but by way of my critical thinking and my understanding that magic bullets are not all they’re packaged to be.

       I’ve recently been highly pressured to use Accutane for my 16-year-old son who has been suffering a significant case of acne the last two years. It’s sad to see his handsome face this way, and I’m completely aware that as a teenager he could use all the help he can get. Growing up isn’t easy.

       But in the last few weeks I’ve sat with two doctors who applied a great deal of pressure on me about using Accutane on my son. They both had the raw nerve to pressure him in my presence, and while I was out of the room.

       Today I’ve been reading about those of you who had a bad experience with Accutane, the unlucky “1%” as I was. I know darned well there are so many tough cases that go unreported. I never went anywhere near my LASIK surgeon following those initial sad, desperate follow-up appointments post-surgery.

       Clearly my LASIK surgeon did not believe my pain, nor did he understand my anxiety. I could not bear his condescending approach, nor could I bear his words that I should be looking at other parts of my life while I sobbed about my pain.

       I’d bet my retirement I was NEVER reported to any medical entity as a bad outcome. He never knew how I suffered three months out, six months out…a year, two years…

       For those of you who suffer because you jumped right in, considered a drug or procedure to be low-risk, and signed the blasted waiver, please know there’s happiness to be found and life to be lived. And with this healing come the graces and the wisdom that come with experience.

       I reached into my database of wisdom today, and recognized clearly what was happening as the dermatologist condescendingly lectured me and my son on the ridiculous, exaggerated factoids about Accutane. He told us he had allowed Accutane for his own children…words almost verbatim as used by my LASIK surgeon prior to my surgery.

       In the end, I’m grateful that people come out safely on the other side of elective procedures and treatments. I would not wish my experience and discomfort on anyone.

       But, bad outcomes are a reality. And trust me, you do not want to be on the receiving end of a bad outcome, particularly when the people who tout these procedures and medications so readily are in total denial when confronted with the unfortunate 1%.

       This is one issue where I can pass along my wisdom to my children without requiring them to experience it themselves.

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       1. Thanks for sharing your story Diana, and good luck with your son, you’re a good mom x

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64. Diane, could I communicate directly with your extreme dry eye syndrome? I was left with that extreme dry eye syndrome (past 25 years) from 3 months of Accutane use in 1987, and I have had the same medical community denial that you have had. I can be reached at mgctomd@yahoo.com

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65. I’m only 14, and I took accutane cause I had a HUGE problem with my acne. My family would pick on me for it, create rude songs about it. Nothing worked. Even used two other much safer pills, and they never worked. Anyways.. I was on accutane for 2 1/2 months, a month ago. I HAD to take myself off. I was sooo sick. I had/have lots of nausea. Even till this day. Sometimes, at least more than 4 times a day, i feel like I’m going to have a heart attack. It may just be heart burn, I don’t know. Never had this before. As I said before.. I have nausea. Lots of it. I’m kind of worried and the section on the video confused me. Another thing I can say.. I regret taking this pill. My self concious took over and I thought the pill wouldn’t hurt me. I guessed wrong.. I don’t remember how it feels to have my body feel normal anymore /: since I stopped so early, I got all my acne back. Didn’t have one good thing to come from this pill, GRRR.

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66. I have a theory connecting Accutane with IBS/crohns/colitis years after treatment.
    Accutane is a form of vitamin A, called isotretinoin, which is actually created by the liver in small amounts. I read several studies on the connection between bowel diseases/dysfunctions and isotretinoin, and there’s no physical or chemical connection between any form of vitamin A and the bowels.
    My theory is that these people who develop these problems later in life after stopping their course on Accutane were actually experiencing acne due to poor diet and lifestyle, making them already predisposed to bowel diseases. The Accutane fixed the symptom, acne, which was telling them to “check themselves before they wreck themselves”. With that major symptom out of the way, they kept on with their same diet and lifestyle as before, creating the environment to develop crohns/colitis, without even realizing the consequences of the food they eat.

    And yes, diet and stress play a HUGE role in bowel diseases. My own father was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and he did have moderately severe acne as a teen, but never took Accutane. His naturopath told him it was from diet. He changed his diet and now, 12 years later, he’s almost 100% back to normal.
    Accutane isn’t to blame here. I have leaky gut caused by antibiotics and the western diet, but I’ve got it under control. I’ve also been diagnosed with “clinical depression” several times in the past, but I’ve noticed I only experience it when I eat wheat and corn (my major food intolerances).
    I take Accutane, and I experience NO side effects other than mildly dry lips. I’m on 80mg/day, in my second month, not a single complaint. Dry lips are easy peasy.
    And believe me, I did my research before giving it a shot!

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67. I am glad that this information is being put out there. I took this drug a few years ago, I am grateful I haven’t had any apparent side effects, but I still wish I hadn’t gone on it. I had a 6 month course. My acne came back after about a year of clear skin, and I saw a naturopath, he said that due to taking the pill ‘diane’ on and off for a few years and as a result I had a build up of hormones that were in my liver and needed to be digested, this led to spots. (I was prescribed Diane for the acne!) He prescribed me with natural suppliments that would help to digest these hormones and keep my liver healthy. My acne cleared up just as quickly as it did while on accutane!

    Please find a (good) naturopath who will deal with your body and mental health in a natural way!!

    I am sorry to see what happened with Stefan, but I am glad that someone considering accutane may see his video and these posts!

    Thanks

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68. I started on Accutane (Isotretinoin) this summer mainly because of a few cystic acne and very oily skin caused by hormonal inbalance. Biggest mistake of my life.
    Due to the severe side effects I stopped taking it after only 17 days. My lips were bleeding, my skin was peeling like crazy, the skin beneath was shiny and sticky. I had sore eyes and nosebleeds almost every day. My joints hurted, I had backpain, my headaches turned to migraines. Awful. After quitting, most of the side effects went away, except for the shiny, sticky, weird-looking skin. My face was so tight with constant numbness/prickling feeling. I also noticed that I looked different. I then noticed that my skin was way more elastic than what it used to be. Beyond what is considered as normal. The countour of my face has changed because of that (hollow cheeks, more skin around eyes/eyelids). The skin on my face feels like dough! This is probably due to the collagen that was produced while I was on ‘tane, but something obviously went wrong. It’s not even listed as a side effect.
    I can’t take my skin back. I wake up every morning in tears. Accutane destroyed my life.

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    1. 🙁 Sending love your way Nina

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    2. Similar things happened to my skin shapes 12 years ago.I still struggle with this shit!Can’t describe it precisely ,but everything went wrong(includin’ facial+body hair)

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69. My son took Accutane for about 4 months during his senior year in high school back in 1995. We stopped it because he was so depressed and agitated that he gave us his car keys because he was afraid of going into a rage and hurting someone. A few months later, he left for college, but we were notified by the dean that he had stepped out onto a ledge in his dorm, had to be talked down, and we needed to come and get him. In the years since then, he has been severely depressed. It’s a permanent thing in his life. Sometimes I wonder how his life would be now…if we, as his parents, had refused to let him take the drug. Looking back, there are much, much worse things than being called pizza face by a bunch of cruel adolescents…

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    1. Hey Carol, I’m so sorry to hear this. Sending love to you and your son x

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70. I have had a real bad health history because my mom took isotretinoin accutane acne medicine when she was pregnant with me. I was born in 1978. My grandmother had told me a few months ago that she thinks that my illnesses are because my mom took this acne medication the entire time when pregnant with me. My mom has never bothered to tell me. We live far away from each other now. Well I have always suffered from severe anxiety. I was never treated until 2008. I have been on ativan then a new doctor told me my anxiety was the worst case he has ever seen so he put me on Xanax. That made me feel awful so back to 3 mg klonopin daily and at bedtime. It does not control the anxiety. I’m shaking typing this. I have bad insomnia and always have. I’m drained out in the day time no energy. I have bad case of depression and always have. I have been diagnosed with neuropathy and see a neurologist. I have to go to a Rheumatologist he makes me go to aqua therapy that they use on injured sports people. I don’t have energy to go but doctor ordered it twice. I can’t quit now. It’s tough for me to deal with my fibro cfs,skin lupus,neuropathy,rosacea,anxiety,depression. I feel like I’m dying everyday. Oh and I also have a bad case of Add/Adhd and my two teenagers have that part of it. I have suffered my entire life because my mother took these meds while pregnant with me. I even lost my entire colon in 2011. I couldn’t use the bathroom only 1 time a month. I almost died because of this. The doctor ran so many test on me and told me the colon had to come out soon or something bad could happen. My life is depressing and full of anxiety and stress. I can’t take depression pills they make me too sick. I also had such low enamel on my teeth when they grew in as a kid that the dentist had to put caps on all of my teeth until the permanent ones grew in. I still have issues with the enamel on my teeth and have several crowns and dental work. I know all of this was caused by the acne medicines. I wish they never gave this to anyone. I hope someone reads my post and let’s me know if they might know anyone else that May have had the same thing happen or any information you would like to share with me.

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    1. 🙁 hey Mitzy… sending you a ton of love x I’m so sorry to her what you’ve gone through!

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71. Hi, I took 2 courses of Accutane, several months each, years ago. I had to interrupt the second one because Accutane caused severe depression. Some 3 years later I got a neurological issue: my right hand dropped and I lost thumb extension. About a year ago my left hand got affected. I have mobility issues in both hands and severe muscle wasting in hands and forearms. I got diagnosed 1 month ago with MMN, multifocal motor neuropathy, a serious and progressive neuro-muscular disease. The cause is unknown, but I cannot help thinking Accutane caused all this. Now, I must know how to stop the damage and how to clean my system from Accutane, because there is no real, lasting treatment for my diagnosis.

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72. My son was a happy and extremely productive 22-year-old, a university graduate- which he paid for by working through his whole undergraduate- when he did a course of Accutaine for three months. I found him in his room banging his head against a wall, looked up the drug and its reputed side effects, and ordered him to stop. It’s been four years now and he is still not recovered. He suffers from sudden, uncontrollable anxiety attacks and has attempted suicide several times.

    This is not the kid I raised. This was a perfectly well-adjusted young man who had never had a depressed day in his life until he took Accutaine.

    That stuff is poison. I predict that there will some day be a class action suit against the manufacturer. I will certainly join it, when it happens, on behalf of my son- if I can keep him alive till then.

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73. I’m skeptical of some medical practices too, but at the end of the day, I’d have to say that you were in fact warned about the drug. Doctors don’t give out warnings for nothing.

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74. I was started on Accutane back in 2005 when I was 19 years old because my mom insisted my acne was getting worse in her opinion. It didn’t bother me as I knew that I had periods of horrible acne flare-ups and periods of lesser acne as well. I felt insulted that she wanted me to go to a dermatologist (I’d been to one years earlier and got chemical peels and special face washes that didn’t help) and I did not have the severe cystic, nodular acne that Accutane is meant to treat and my acne was mostly just on my face (lower jaw area was the worst) and maybe a little on my upper back. I had heard of the great success many people had with this medication and thought that maybe this would really work for me (because I tried almost everything else, except for dietary changes, which I didn’t really think had that much of an impact acne and getting clear skin) and it DID work to get my skin cleared up, which I am very happy about, even to this day, but I can’t help but think that some of the problems I now experience years later have something to do with this medication. My lips are still horribly dry and peely, I think it dried out the fluids in my joints (I now have horrible back pain and have been diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease for which I am on strong narcotic painkillers for), and more recently have been suffering with bouts of severe and unending vomiting. I was in the ER 5 times in a one-week span (3 times were in less than a 24-hour period), so I made an appointment with my GP to get a referral to a GI specialist. I have yet to hear from them to get an appointment, but I am still hopeful that it is nothing too serious. I did experience depression while taking Accutane (which I was on for about 8 months), but because of the horrible back pain and the chronic bouts of vomiting, I’ve never been more depressed in my life! I have suicidal thoughts at least once a day (although I know there are other factors that are contributing to this horrible depression), but I know I don’t really want to die……I just want to end the physical pain so I can actually get a REAL good night’s sleep! I’ve also been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, which includes having chronic fatigue no matter how much sleep I get……it’s never restful, restorative sleep. I wake up, but never want to get out of bed because I am so physically exhausted, but staying in bed too long makes the pain worse. I really wish I would have just listened to my own instincts and not let my mom talk me into something I didn’t think I really needed. Having clear skin feels wonderful, but not for the price I and many others have paid…..a lifetime of pain traded for clear skin. I didn’t realize I would be compromising my entire life just to get clear skin. Like most people who’ve taken a course of Accutane, I still get the occasional pimple here and there, but nothing like it was before. My whole life has flipped upside down and that all started about 2-3 years after stopping the Accutane. I doubt my claims would ever be considered by any lawyer, so I’m just stuck dealing with the pain the best I can.

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    1. Hey Shelby, I’m so sorry to read your story, seriously. Sending you the utmost love.

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       1. Thanks for the love Tracy! It’s always nice when someone is touched by my (or others’) personal stories. I have good days and bad days, but I wish the bad days were fewer and farther between. It was especially difficult for me at the time because my best friend had the most perfectly clear complexion and I was always jealous of that. Again, thank you so much for the love and compassion! Have a wonderful day! 🙂

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75. honestly I’m sorry to people who have suffered side effects. but I think this drug is amazing and should not b taken off the market.it has helped a lot of people and it’s true that a few are the ones that suffer from it. It’s just that at a forum like this its people who have suffered who comment coz they are the ones who search for it. However if u are suffering a lot from acne and it’s killing u, trying the drug my b worth it…If your dermatologist approves

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    1. its very sad seeing comments by ignorant people like you.. the ignorance is screaming from your words. first of, acne can be resolved in other ways. mine was cured with killing my candida.

       i guess you are so ignorant because you have not really experienced anything that would open your eyes to what this poison can do. it ruins the body hormonal balance. why do you think that it stops acne, tell me? it stops it because it messes with the 5ar enzymes, which are massively important for converting testosterone into dht

       to say in other words, this drug is literaly a castration drug that has the power to feminize men. still havent opened eyes?

       to say that poison like this should not be taken off market is moronic to say the least. if you would be ruined by it you would not be so painfully ignorant. always so in life, people always need something to change themselves, and event, whatever.. until then they remain painfully blind

       and also, i would bet my life that it left effects on you as well, that you might not be able to see, but it left them nonetheless. it permanently changes the brains chemistry, messes with bodies hormones, cripples immune system etc why do u think people have severe depression taking it. sigh……..

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76. So what were the permanent effects??? (other than getting rid of your acne)

    The only reason you’re going around blabbing about your miracle holistic cure is because you no longer know how it feels to not be able to get rid of acne no matter how hard you try – this is the only “cure”.

    Once some company creates a drug that works even half as well as Accutane but with minimal side effects, we’ll stop using it for good.

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77. well i have tried, to read as many comments as possible they are mostly negative, but some of these commenters were nevertheless too young to use the drugs, they were just passing through stages of puberty, some did not have severe acne and extremely oily skin, it was just mild. Now to me the so called horrible drugs have put a smile on my few remaining years, My acne started while I was 14 years; all the prescription drugs could do nothing, I started loosing hope when i was on my 30s, long past puberty, things then took a wrong turn, I started to have very long lesions on the scalp, chin and face, i was now looking like an alien, my self esteem was non existent, i avoided people and all other social gatherings, I quit playing guitar on my beloved music band.

    I started carrying baby powder and damp wash rag to try to control the oozing oils on my face, it was just horrible, white shirts were a night mare as they wi be grey or brown around collars within an hour, It was when i learnt about these drugs, I was informed about the side effects many of them too, I insisted and showed them medical cards from late 80s to Mid 2013, they didnt have a choice, I started the drugs when i was 40, today I am 42 and im so happy with the results, the mouth will be dry, body aches, painfull blurry eyes were common, but nothing could stop me, today i feel so energetic, i have high esteem, many of the side effects have just gone with the wind, so it is a matter of choice, no one can stop me from using the drug, it is a blessing to some of us.

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78. 1 year after stopping roaccutane I became pregnant. My son was born deaf and the doctors can’t give me a reason why. It has recently occurred to me maybe roaccutane is the reason. Advice is you can get pregnant after 1 month of stopping but after some research seems the drug is in your system longer than this. I also started suffering from anxiety after stopping the medication. I am wondering if anyone else has this or something else happen to their child after taking roaccutane?

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79. Hi Everyone!

    Searching for some advice/experiences with Accutane. My girlfriend had acne that she felt was sever enough to go on the drug because she wasn’t happy with the way she looked and was often embarrassed by the acne.

    A couple years later (I’d say maybe 3-5), she is now often depressed stating that it would be easier some days to just die. She is currently on medication to battle the depression. She has her ups and downs.

    We’ve recently started talking a bit more seriously about having children as we are getting older (early 30s). I started researching the drug to seek out others experiences of life after Accutane and the long lasting affects it has on someone. My fear is, even though it’s been years for her being off the drug, what the affects of the drug use would have on any future children she may have.

    Has anyone been on the drug and have had children years later? Should I be concerned?

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    1. Hi. I know a mother who took the drug and the truth is that their children have serious allergy problems among others. I do not know if it will be of that drug. They also have digestive problems. If I knew more mothers who had taken the drug would investigate , but so far only I know that person . a greeting

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       1. I no longer have ovaries due to multiple dermoid teratomas on each ovary. Never got to have children, never got pregnant. Took Accutane in 2002 for 6 mos, I was 20.
          Sister in law had two babies at least 5 yrs after two rounds of Accutane. Both daughters have hiatal hernias not associated with anything else. It’s also after two miscarriages and three years to conceive. I tried for 10 yrs to conceive but never happened. I’m now in my third year of menopause. Good luck, just say no. I loved my results at the time but had I known I would have long term depression and anxiety and panic attacks and sterility…. I’d have opted out.

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80. Hi y’all and thanks for sharing your stories!

    My name is Jillian and I’ve just started my course of Isotretinoin (Zenatane). I found this site while researching symptoms that I’ve noticed since starting my course 13 days ago.

    Before I go into my symptoms/ side effects, a little about me and my history with acne: I’m 33, 135lbs, african american, and I suffer from moderate cystic acne. I have tried pretty much everything under the sun to treat my acne and nothing has helped (which is why I’m starting my course a bit later than most people do.) I eat healthily and have gone the holistic route for years as well to no avail. The main reason I was put on accutane is from the severe scarring I was getting from my acne. I noticed that while I was on birth control I had no issues with my skin. I have since come off of the pill and my acne is back with a vengeance. Before I started my course, I got a second opinion and did copious amounts of research on the drug as well.)

    Here at Day 13, I’ve noticed severely dry lips and dry skin (which were expected.) The thing that helped me to stumble upon this forum was the number that the drug is doing on my tummy. I have never had stomach issues before and I have the most severe gas I’ve ever had in my life. It’s not smelly or anything, just very abundant. I’ve also noticed a bit of constipation as well. I looked into Accutane and IBS and it seems like that may be what’s going on. As much research as you do (or as I did) beforehand, you can’t fully grasp how the effects (if at all) will affect you; I don’t care how many sites you’ve read it on. I think you just hope that it won’t be that bad or that it won’t affect you like it did that other person. Accutane is a real gamble with real side effects, some which can last you an entire lifetime. I’m honestly contemplating discontinuing my course. I called my dermatologist today and she’s told me to treat the symptoms of my tummy otc and to go to taking my pill every other day to see if that helps. I really appreciate that she’s being sensitive to what’s going on and not telling me to just continue on like everything’s normal. I’m hoping and praying that my body just needs a little extra time to adjust to the drug and that going to every other day will help. If not I will stop taking it, I think. I know some things take time to adjust to and can take time to work. I’m not one of those people that is expecting a miracle cure over night or even in the first few months. I just don’t want to come away from this with extra health issues than when I signed on to taking the drug.

    Research, research, research. Listen to your body. Weigh your options and your health. Is your skin more important than your tummy? than your mental health? your eyesight? Only you can answer those questions and take those risks/ make those decisions; just make sure you’re checking in with yourself since you’ll be the one having to live with the consequences.

    Good luck everyone! I’ll try to post again with an update when/if anything changes. In the mean time, I’m praying for all of you and sending you love on your journeys. <3
    Jill

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81. I also took accutane and am suffering with permanent side effects almost 2 years on from my last pill. Mainly extremely dry skin, ibs, anxiety and hair loss.
    Is there any way for these side effects to be reversed?
    I believe that the human body can repair anything, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have tried almost everything. My next step is to follow ‘The amazing liver and gallbladder flush’ written by Andreas Moritz

    Please help 🙂 x

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82. Post an 8 month treatment of accutane my hair has been thing for another 8 months and gotten worse over time, is there anything I can do to reverse this damage to my hair. Its been getting worse and worse. Its severely thin and damaged, and impossible to manage. Its very brittle and destroyed.

    HELP PLEASE SOMEONE

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83. I took accutane in high school. I am now 22 and completely regret my decision. The doctor didn’t tell me about any of the adverse side effects. I didn’t wear sunscreen during my treatment and now have really dark freckles and skin discolorations which I never used to have. I wish I could turn back time and never take accutane and just wait for my skin to clear up. The doctors never tried any other treatment on me and just started me on accutane right away. I was only 13 and really didn’t know that pills could be bad for you. I just trusted the doctors and they really screwed me over. I get diarrhea and still don’t know why, and am now thinking it could be due to the accutane. My acne really wasn’t even that bad. I had to stop the medication because of my test results.. so it was definitely messing my body up. I am so angry with the doctor, but there is nothing I can do now.

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84. A friend, who is 41, took Accutane (or its equivalent) when he was 17. This week they found a cancerous growth on his eye. His skin was extremely dry and he was very sun sensitive, and always wore suncream, but not on his eye. He has had to have chemo drops in his eye and the tumour removed. I definitely think there is a relationship….just putting it out there….

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85. My brother took this for acne when he was 16 only for a few months. He was sun sensitive from it and at the time that seemed to be the only side effect. Now he is in his 30’s and over the last fifteen years as a family we have been through hell with his depression and suicide attempts. He was so happy when he was young incredibly driven and intelligent and handsome. Now he constantly had suicidal thoughts and has tried to take his own life a number of times. He has many friends and a family who loves him and a girlfriend he adores but the thoughts of suicide never go away. He was commited as an inpatient to a mental health unit earlier this year after trying to hang himself ( he has previously tried to gas himself in his car and overdose) he was treated and seemed to pick up then has now informed us he is coming for Christmas to talk to the family about why he can longer go on and will kill himself and wants us to understand his choice. He had none of these issues before being treated with this drug. Think long and hard about the future before letting any one you love use this. Acne will clear after some time mental health issues are for ever.

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    1. Seems to me your brother has Bipolar disorder ( I know because i have it as well, albeit much less serious that his case as you describe it ) Makes sense, because bipolar tends to show itself around age 18 – 20. Accutane does have depression and suicidal thoughts as side effects in very rare cases, but they stop after you stop taking the drug.

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86. I just want to share my experience;

    I had acne on my back from age of 18 to 28; not to bad

    I took accutane for 5 months or 4 ; and my acne went away. I had some side-affects while i was taking them; however when i stopped taking the pills the side-affects stopped.

    It cured my acne

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87. Very true everything about roaccuate, wish i never took it?, after few years now i have to live with many side effects that are destroying my normal life and my relation. Be smart and dont do the same mistake, better live with acne than with all body disfunction

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88. Hello everyone. I also took Roacutane when I was 15 (for 5 months) years and then when I was 19 (for 3 months). My dermatologist told me I had cystic acne, when really it was a comedogenic acne. It is a dermatologist who has prescribed this drug to people who had literally four grains. I was scared enough side effects when I read the medication and told my mother I was scared, but my mother encouraged me because I was suffering from the grains. During treatment I journeyed lips, I went dry skin and irritated me and I really hurt my back and I felt tired. I also felt apathy and sadness that had ever felt. It’s been ten years since and now live in the most terrible hell than anyone can imagine. I almost can not bend me, my column is very rigid and any movement causes a crack in my column. I’m always tired and suffer from erectile dysfunction. Knees, elbows, wrists, shoulders hurt me a lot and I continually creak. My lips are always broken and I can not restore it with cocoa or Vaseline. My depression has worsened because of my health and I can not stand me or hate anyone. I attempted suicide several times. I’m sure you’ll end up doing it because my body is a living hell.
    I’m angry with the doctor and I felt like murder him because I did not need the drug that has destroyed me. I am also very angry with my mother because if it had not been because she encouraged me had not taken the poison.
    Greetings to all from Spain.
    Isotretinoin death!

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    1. My heart goes out to you Fonnn!

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89. Please DO NOT take this horrible horrendous Drug. My daughter started treatment on it last year in October aged 12 by January a week after her 13th Birthday she was diagnose with Type 1 Diabetes, Her hair is also falling out from the after affects of taking this drug and the acne is reappearing

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90. Please do not take this awful drug. I made the mistake of agreeing to take it for moderate, but persistent, body acne. I was on it for 11 months, daily dose starting at 20 mg but moving to 40 mg. I deeply regret agreeing to take such a harsh drug. One year after taking it I am dealing with a whole range of systemic issues which I never experienced prior: (i) chronic dry eyes, (ii) dry lips and mouth, (iii) crepitus (joint creaking) in various joints all over my body (which can be an early symptom of arthritis), (iv) chronic foot pain in my left foot, (v) intermittent bladder pain, (vi) chronic constipation leading to piles, (vii) dry brittle hair, (viii) puffy eyes and dark circles, (ix) constant fatigue, (x) panic attacks, (xi) irregular heartbeat.

    To be frank, I do not think this drug should be prescribed unless the acne is so severe it may lead the patient to commit suicide. I was under the (mis)impression that any side effects would appear during the treatment and not thereafter. This is WRONG- symptoms can appear months, or possibly even years, later. In the same way that smoking does not cause lung cancer immediately, but much later on in life. The whole range of systemic issues simply is not worth it, and I wish my dermatologist had been more forthright about warning me of these. I have no idea how my health situation will progress- each day is a new challenge. Was clear skin worth this- ABSOLUTELY NOT.

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91. I am so glad I found this site. I was on Accutane when it was still considered experimental in Canada in the late 80’s as I had severe cystic acne. I am a female now in my early 50’s and I have suffered extreme depression, anxiety and self harm since that time. I ‘m not claiming this is a direct result of the drug however as Accutane was “last resort” attempt to control the cystic acne, which it did however if I knew then, what I know now…..I would never ever have taken it. Knowing that there may be an association is somewhat of a relief. I am sad to learn so many others have had horrible effects as well. I wish human beings weren’t used as guinea pigs before the long term effects were realized. stay well

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92. Unfortunately every chemical drug has potential serious side effects. While most people do not experience them, a few will no doubt . A lot of people do not know even common antibiotics can cause permanent liver damage, immune hepatitis, and all sort of other side effects. However, every drug has it’s benefits. I personally just started Roaccutane. I have a serious condition called ” dissecting cellulitis “. Basically it’s extra large nodular/cystic acne that effects the scalp and causes permanent hair loss. But that’s not the worst part. Those bumps become hard and elevated, making your scalp look like a freshly plowed field, and it’s incurable unless you have your scalp removed surgically. Basically, you can kiss your social life goodbye, and good luck finding a girlfriend.
    For me, this drug is the only thing that has the possible capability to cure my condition. Nothing else works except minocycline and that only suppresses it, and also it has it’s own long list of side effects when used for extended periods of time ( +50 days ). When i asked my derm ( who is a very nice 65+ year old doctor and also teaches at the state university ), he told me that this drug should absolutely not be prescribed for children and teens, as it will affect their bone growth/plates and can have possible life long side effects as a result. He told me since i am 23, i have nothing to worry about when it comes to my bones, it might cause some joint pains, but it’s temporary and will cease once i stop using the drug. However he insisted i have monthly blood tests to monitor my liver and cholesterol levels, and warned me to stop using the drug immediately if i noticed any kind of vision problems in the first few weeks.
    Bottom line, do not use this drug unless your acne is so bad that is interfering with your daily life. Everyone wants to look as good as they can, but 7 – 8 pimples on your face is not a good reason to take such a strong drug, instead use BP everyday, and keep your skin clean.

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93. I unfortunately took my teen son to a dermatologist for his acne when he was 14, over 10 years ago. She NEVER EVER me anything about all of these horrible side effects and that this drug is a chemotherapy drug, noone in their right mind would want to give this crap to their children, and especially not for something like acne. So unfortunately I trusted her and my son was on this crap for a few months, and after that developed depression, and was suicidal and aggressive. I never figured out why he had changed so dramatically, while he had never been aggressive in his life, and now he is still the same way and won’t even contact me or his father anymore. I hate that doctor and if I could find her she wouldn’t be around anymore. Furthermore, I believe tthat all the comments trying to sugarcoat or minimize this lethal crap are PAID by someone. Or you are just pure bastards who have no sympathy for people who went through real sufferings. I hate Western medicine and won’t use any of their crap for myuself or any of my family anymore.

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94. I just ended a 6 month treatment of accutane. I am 20 years old. 40mg once a day. The brands I took were isotretinoin and myorisan. During the treatment some of the worst symptoms were reoccurring eye infections that made me look like I had severe pink eye. Also the back pain became pretty unbearable. The dry lips were manageable with lip therapy Vaseline. My acne did in fact clear up. Which made me happy, but I’m starting to think taking accutane was a HUGE mistake.

    It has almost been a month since I’ve stopped treatment. And yes my dermatologist said it can stay in your system for a few months. But I have been experiencing the WORST fatigue of my life. I am 20 and feel like a frail old woman. It’s as if accutane sucked my soul out of my body. I also am dealing with insomnia. I can hardly do anything without feeling as if I need a nap during the day. Every movement makes me tired and my eyes feel heavy.

    I almost thought I got bit by a tick and had gotten lymes disease. Because of how tired I was all the time. But I have read enough to know that my symptoms are in fact from accutane. My back pain has also gotten worse it feels chronic.

    Even on 8 hours of sleep I still feel as if I am exhausted. Before accutane 8 hours of sleep for me would be perfect. Something is seriously wrong.

    For anyone reading this who is considering going on accutane. PLEASE reconsider. I know it seems like everyone is saying that online, but it is for a good reason. I was just like you. I thought I wanted clear skin over any side effect I read about. But I was not thinking clearly then. Accutane has brought the weirdest most frustrating symptoms into my life and they are such an annoyance I can hardly even explain in the right words.

    My dermatologist never told me about a lot of the symptoms I went through, especially the eye infections which he said were “dry eyes”. My vision has worsened. It is especially hard for me to drive at night now. Which never has happened to me.

    Another one of my own personal horrible side effects was it created even worse constipation problems for me. Next would have to be that since I started 6 months ago, I have NOT had a period once! I have to go the gynecologist to see what is wrong! Sexual dysfunction in guys is also very common I’ve read and I’m scared because I just found out my brother is considering taking it.

    I’ve also noticed that my brain feels foggy all the time and my cognitive recall is starting to fail me. I’ll go to say a simple phrase or sentence and can’t remember a certain word.

    This shit is so weird I wish I was making it up. The only reason I am saying it is all accutane is because I didn’t have any of these symptoms befor the treatment. Besides mild constipation.

    Accutane also left scarring that I didn’t have before the treatment. I think this might be a side affect, but it’s something to consider. Also I have developed discoloration under my eyes. (Black circles)

    I feel as if accutane changed my personality. I am always in a unchanging state of somberness and always melancholic.

    I pray that dermatologists stop prescribing this. Maybe only to the truly severe cases of acne. Because in all honesty I’d rather have my acne back than deal with what I’m going through.

    I just want to cry all the time at how weak and frail and pained my body feels. Accutane is a poison. PLEASE BOYS/GIRLS/MEN/WOMAN.. If you are thinking about taking accutane and don’t have ABSOLUTELY SEVERE acne. I am not kidding don’t take it. i thought I’d be strong enough and healthy enough to take the drug. I was so wrong.

    Many of us take for granted our body and our abilities to walk,run, get out of bed, see, feel happy. Don’t let a drug steal that from you. I know I took it for granted when I knowingly went on a drug I knew was intense.

    And for those of you still suffering from accutane symptoms. You are not alone.

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    1. I’m so sorry Tori, sending all my love your way..

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    2. Tori, how are you feeling now?

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95. I also began taking Roaccutane when I was 15, almost until 18. It reduced my acne but never cleared it completely. The only permanent side effect I cant relate to it is dry skin, sometimes drys up my skin starts peeling even now almost 9 years after I stopped taking it. I’m just now learning about the other terrible side effects and maybe this could be an explanation for my bad mood, depression and sometimes suicidal thougths (I always believed it was common for people to feel down from time to time but never spoke about it)

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96. Another Accutane whinger who has not even included vital details like how many mg a day he was taking. I went on Roaccutane/Accutane at the age of 21 for mild acne and DID NOT HAVE ONE PIMPLE FOR 20 YEARS. It’s a cure. Stop whinging about the side effects. You either want clear skin or you don’t. Accutane is a LIFE CHANGING DRUG. No one should have to tolerate a face that looks like a pizza. PS: I had hardly any side effects on it and am perfectly fine 26 years later!

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    1. I agree, while there are severe side effects of this medication, nothing is long term. I was on this medication 25 years ago, everyone on it will suffer from severe dry skin, peeling every single day. But they test your liver enzymes every couple weeks, and any woman is required to be on birth control. I had a rash on my hands every other week while on medication. Any GI disorders are based on your anatomy, family history.

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97. I had acne starting, at probably around 12 years old, thought that I was “ugly” because of the acne, but endured, what I believed, would probably pass, and I thought that I had high self-esteem, because I thought, ugh–if I could just get rid of this ‘problem’. Well, we all endure something, I guess… some people are prone to weight issues, etc. It’s all genetic. My dad had oily hair… I remember that because I would smell his pillow and I could smell the oil on it… It stunk. I know, as most people here with acne that you are supposed to wash your pillowcases and bedding regularly. I thought, even as a child, that he needed to wash his pillowcase… MORE often. He never had acne, as an adult, and his mother said, he did have acne, as a teenager. Well, I suppose it’s genetic, then, but I did have acne and I don’t know if his was EVER as severe as mine. Mine was not SEVERE, but it was to me… The thing that bothered me the most was the oiliness. I know that some of you can agree, and attest to the oiliness factor, affecting your self-esteem, as well. That is what bothered me, the most, MORE than the acne. I found it gross. My face could literally take 30 minutes of washing my face with soap, OVER and OVER again, just to get a squeaky clean face, which had all the oils off of it. Only to start to return, after getting out of the shower. I took so long, in the shower, and people made fun of me, and didn’t understand. Ignorance. That is what it is… when people make fun of you, for something that they cannot understand… or empathize with… because they don’t have that ‘same problem.’ First upon, receiving acne, I would cover it, with makeup, and found a makeup that my grandma used, that was like ‘cake makeup’ and covered my face very well. It wasn’t liquid. It was a foundation in a ‘cake’ form (creamy)… but I still put powder over that. Because it was a foundation in the form of a creamy ‘cake’ foundation. I could cover my ‘acne’ and you would never know that I had acne. I became very good at my makeup technique and you would never know that I had acne. I hid it very well. I looked beautiful with makeup on, but found that my self-esteem suffered, because I felt “shame” when I took my makeup off… knowing that the ‘true me’ was ‘ugly’ and this is what I looked like. As I said, earlier, I started wearing makeup, around 12 years old to cover the acne, and around highschool, I guess my acne, got worse, I dunno, because I saw a dermatologist, and he told me, not to try Accutane, and we tried, everything under the sun, to fix the problem, the acne. We tried prescriptions, and nothing, really worked. I did find something (one prescription), that helped, but it made my skin sensitive to the sun, which he advised me to wear sunscreen… which I didn’t do… because I didn’t like sunscreen… I know… 🙁 That’s Bad! And during this time, going to him, I would be so distraught, at my problem, but I was saying that acne was the problem, because I wanted help, but it was actually the oil that I found so gross. It would start to build on my face, immediately after showering, and within 3 hours, I was an oily mess, again. I had 3 hours, from the time, I took a shower, to go out in public, before, I looked a mess, again, and had to return home, because I was too embarrassed, at the way, that I looked. Sure, their are other people who are overweight or have other issues, as I said, before… Things they can’t do anything about. But this is your face, and something, people look at you, and they think that you, are just gross, or nasty, and you should wash your face, but it was 3 hours, after taking a shower, that I would begin to look nasty again, so there wasn’t much, that I could do. I explained to my dermatologist that I would use those oil absorbing sheets, and that I would fill up the entire thing, and I would go through, two or three, of those sheets, back to back, to get the oil off my face, just for one setting, and that didn’t help my face, either. I was just explaining the situation. My dermatologist gathered that I was more worried about the oil than the acne, although, I wouldn’t admit it, because I wanted a cure, and didn’t think he would help me, unless, I said, that it was acne, that was the problem, so I lied, sort of, but of course, I disliked the acne, as well, but it was the extreme oiliness which was an embarrassment to me. He explained to me, that there was ‘no cure’ for acne, and that it was basically genetic, and he explained that ‘makeup’ could be worsening the problem, and he suggested that I stop wearing it, or either buy makeup from Clinique called pore minimizer makeup clear skin formula, which I did buy, which had very little coverage, and you could still see all my acne. It wasn’t like the makeup that I was used to wearing, at all. I didn’t fit in… in highschool… and felt rejected… so, I decided to take his advice to keep everything clean. My phones. I began to wipe them down. He was right. I could see the oil on the phone from just one use and would wipe the phone down after each use. I began to wash my bedding and pillowcases, MORE often, and I still do this as well… along with wiping the phones down with alcohol. He suggested that if I wanted clear skin that I should consider wearing no makeup and since I wasn’t fitting in, and being rejected in school, in a social setting, anyway, I didn’t see any reason, to keep up appearances, for a group, of people, that were rejecting me. So, I stopped wearing makeup, and pulled my hair back (which wasn’t very attractive). The pulling my hair back, completely, off my face, in and of itself, wasn’t attractive. But, he said, my hair, because it gets oily, easily, could be part of the issue, itself, so I stopped, wearing my hair down… I know, it was a lot, but I did all this in highschool, when most people are worried about their face, and skin, and fitting in, which I was, but since, I was being rejected, and saw ‘no way out,’ meaning that I didn’t think these people would ever accept me, and I knew why… That’s another story. The most popular girl in school had it out for me, and since everyone wants to fit in, they were going to reject me, simply because they were following the leader, and had their group, their clique, so to speak, and that’s cool… They probably wouldn’t have liked me, anyway. I’m kinda different. MORE unique in character. I do my own thing. And they seem to be more followers. I got picked on for things, like dressing, how I wanted to dress. It seemed like to me, people just pick on anyone who is different, has their own sense of style, does their own thing, or thinks for themselves, and since, I’m a leader, in that respect, they would never want me, to be a part of their group, because they are not leaders, they do not think for themselves, they are not individuals. So, anyway, I, during my most formative years, rebelled, against everyone, and said, f**k you, because they weren’t accepting me, and of course, I did, want to be accepted, and belong, even Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, suggests the need to belong, so, of course, I wanted to fit in, and belong, but since they didn’t accept me, I guess, it didn’t matter, what they think anymore, so, I just said, screw this, and didn’t care what anyone thought, and focused on clearing my skin, and doing what the doctor said, kept my hair back off my face, and cleaned my face before school, but of course, it was going to get oily, during the day, but I was keeping my face clear of any makeup, which would make the problem worse, I didn’t care what anyone thought, they didn’t understand, but they weren’t asking, Either. So, I just continued to do my own thing, and get ignored. Now, on to dating, I had my first serious boyfriend, and I think that he was a narcissist, and he wanted to show his parents, ‘my problem,’ this problem, with oiliness, because I look completely different with makeup on, when I would go around his parents, and of course, I cared about my appearance, in public, and around his parents, but he tried to trick me, into not caring, about my appearance, and go over there, to his parents, to show them, this problem, which I, in turn, felt was insensitive, and a way, of calling me out, and embarrassing me, and he also suggested, I wear makeup less, and encouraged me to dress down. Next guy, I dated, we lived with his parents, and he called his dad, into his room, to show his dad, the problem, my oiliness, and you know what, he could have easily said, hey, I think you’re getting oily again or it’s gotten out of control and you need to get in the shower… but instead, of saying, could you please take a shower, because I know, I have a problem, instead, he wanted to call the attention, of the problem, to his father, and embarrass me. Anyway, Like I was nasty, and gross, and could help it, and was neglecting myself. He knew I took a long time, in the shower, and complained about this, yet, he complains when my face is oily. Which have you rather prefer? Oily skin or being sensitive to my needs to take a long time in the shower to get rid of the oils? Then, he puts me down, over and over, again, saying, you don’t look like that, meaning that I don’t look the way, I do, with makeup on, and wants to put me down, and remind me, that I have problem, skin. Now, my mom, does the same thing, to embarrass me, again, as if I could control the problem, etc. She looks at me, in disgust, while I’m just sitting in the living room, minding my own business, and she’s putting me down, looking at me, in disgust. How pathetic, on her part, as a mother, that she is so inconsiderate, and disgusting herself, to have no compassion, whatsoever, for her own child. Then, she does a little surprise birthday party… Not a real surprise party where you tell your child to get ready and that we’re going somewhere and then, surprise then, with everyone there, when you arrive, but a surprise party, where she tells me nothing, about getting ready, or that company is coming over, knowing how long, it takes me to get ready, and she says nothing, and people start to arrive, basically, embarrassing me, because like I said, before, my skin is an oily mess, 3 hours after I get out of the shower, so what am I supposed to do, take a shower, every 3 hours? My mom does another incidence of embarrassing me, by telling me to come over to my next door neighbors, for shelter, because there is a storm, which has really already passed, but she just wants to get me out of the house, and embarrass me, in sunlight, because I was just fixing to get in the shower, and had waited too long, before taking a shower, and my face had built up, a lot of oils, and she wanted to embarrass me. She drug me out of the bathtub to do this, and kept on, and on, about you can’t take a shower, or bath right now, because a storm is coming, blah, blah, blah, and as soon as she accomplished her goal, of shaming me, as if I could do something about genetic traits that she gave me by having sex and getting pregnant with a man with those traits. She gave them, to me, so therefore, it’s her problem. Now, my boyfriend, at the time, was there, for her, to embarrass me, in front of, which was, why she did it, I believe, to embarrass me, and put me down, in front of him, and she knew that I really liked him, and she would flirt with him, in front of me, and put me down. Over and Over, it was always, about my looks, and how I wasn’t good enough for him. Now, my cousin, says, over and over, every relationship, that I have, she goes, behind my back, and tells these guys, she doesn’t look like that, because she wants them, to know that I don’t look the same, without makeup, on. AND her older sister, when we were on family vacation, tells me that I can’t wear makeup to the waterpark, and insists, over and over and over and over that it can’t be done and that it’s ridiculous. Why? Because she doesn’t want me to be able to cover up my breakouts and she wants to embarrass me and put me down and not allow me to cover that up and wants to show the world, my flaws, and embarrass me. I had a girl that was hanging out with me, who I just met, and she took a picture of me, as soon as I got out of the shower, because I had no makeup on, and she laughed and laughed, and kept looking at the picture, and I made her erase it, but she didn’t want to, and refused, and I was adamant about it. I looked beautiful with makeup on, and she was seeing for the first time, a problem, with acne, and instead, of being sensitive to my needs, she laughed and laughed, at me, probably because of her own insecurity, and feeling jealous of me, and now, she had some reason, to not feel that way, and wanted to keep the picture, to point out to the everyone, my flaws. Even the guy, who told me, over and over, “you don’t look like that,” took a picture of me, without makeup, when I was getting ready to go somewhere, and said, “ha! you don’t look like that.” He kept doing this, day, after day, saying, “ha!” He thought it was so funny! I thought, it was his insecurity, of course, but he kept doing it, and realizing, that he wasn’t going to stop, and that he was putting me down, over, and over, I realized, what he was doing, was abuse, of course, it was abuse, the first time, he did it. Laughing and laughing at me and then, of course, he was talking about me, behind my back, talking about how long it took me to get ready… and talking about this, with my cousin, the same one who tells everyone I date, she don’t look like that. And so, he’s taking pictures, saying, “ha. you don’t look like that.” I assume, saying, that I don’t look like I do, facing the world, with makeup on. Both grandma’s said, you look better with makeup. Not word-for-word, but one grandma, encouraged me, to wear makeup, to cover acne, and imperfections. She even acted like she didn’t know, who I was, when I came to her house, without makeup, she said, “I don’t know you.” I told, my mom, let’s just go. Let’s leave. Because it was obvious, what she was doing was abusive. Then, my mom, said, no. Let’s stay. Then, we stood there, and I think I must have said, something, and said, you don’t recognize your own grand-daughter, and she said, oh, “Crystal, well, I guess I didn’t recognize you. You look so different without makeup. Last time you were over here, you were wearing makeup.” Yeah. So what. Just because I was wearing makeup, last time, that doesn’t mean that I have to wear makeup, everytime, nor does it mean that I wouldn’t recognize her, without makeup, or that she shouldn’t recognize me, and she was saying all of this, while standing behind her iron bars door that she placed in front of her front door, on her house, for protection, because of her old age. But, I assure you, she is well, and fit mentally, and was just on a commercial, and very big into community for social reasons. Then, my other grandma, just like, seemed, like she was saying, out of contempt, like I was worthless, because I wouldn’t even try, because I was going without makeup, and she was just like, “Ugh, I don’t see why you don’t ever wear makeup. It’s not like it’s going to hurt you.” So, see, it’s like, people don’t understand, and they don’t get it, and they try and hurt you, and manipulate you, and it’s just like, well, I didn’t say anything about her, being gross, and nasty, neither of them, I mean, they do have their old age, and one of them, was FAT, and so, I’m not saying anything out of disrespect, but I’m just saying, no one is perfect, and I don’t go around saying stuff about other people, and the cousins, both female cousins, the one that tells all my boyfriends that “I don’t look like that” and the other female cousin, both sisters, that wanted me to be prevented from wearing makeup, to the waterpark, well, they’re both FAT, both of the sisters, and I’m not talking about anyone, to bring them down, of course, because I’m not saying this to anyone, in real life, but who are they to talk about me, or my mom, for instance, who is older than me, with her wrinkles, or the boyfriends, both of them, who put me down, and flirted with my mom, and rejected me, well, guess what, they were both irresponsible, and wanting me to take care of them, financially, because they are immature, and irresponsible with money, and one of them, had an addiction, I won’t say what to, because I hate to talk about that, but honestly, it was a very addictive substance, which is devastating to lives, and anyone who talks about me, is very immature, in general. I realize that some of these people think that, because I don’t fix up, all the time that I’m neglecting my appearance, or that I’m putting myself down, but honestly, I’m doing the best I can… Or I was doing the best I can… Over the years, by pulling my hair back, and not wearing makeup, this kept the problem, under control, but I still had oily skin, that was prone to breakouts, with makeup, so they know nothing, about what they are talking about, and I know, that all they did, was make a problem, worse, by talking about me, and putting me down, because they just drained, all of the energy, and life-force, out of me, because it is very draining, to be rejected, and not accepted, and that is what they were doing to me, and not love. Who cares about them? That’s the point that I’ve gotten to. It’s like, even with my mom, I mean, if someone can’t accept you, and love you, and have compassion for you, then, f**k them. Well, it’s a hard road, and a hard journey, and I guess you don’t get the parents, or the children, that you want, because honestly, maybe she would have liked to have had perfect children, without imperfections, and I would have liked to have had a mother who was compassionate, and loving. But besides her trying to put me down, because of imperfections, she has also tried to ruin my beauty, sabotage my hair, through ridiculous hair-cuts, and sabotage my hair, through beauty treatments, sabotage my weight, through cooking me fattening foods, that I never asked for, or said, that I was hungry, and she tried to ‘guilt’ me into eating, because she said, ‘she did it for you.’ But it was really about making you gain weight. So, all of this goes hand-in-hand, flirting with your boyfriends, sabotaging your life, trying to make you gain weight, sabotaging your appearance, through hair-cuts, and sabotaging your appearance, through damaging hair treatments, and perms, even the technician at the salon, knew what she was doing, and didn’t want me to get the perm, and she said, she was doing it with me, and then, got something else, something less invasive, and less damaging, to her hair… You can really mess your hair up, having perms, and so forth, and I had really good hair, and she was jealous, of this, because she had really good hair, in her youth, and it started thinning, as she got older, but she was still trying to do, the long hair, thing, and anyways, she was trying to sabotage my hair, because that is where she took her pride, just like she was trying to sabotage my weight, because that is where she took her pride. She always told me “exactly” how much she weighed when she got married, like who gives a f**k and you married someone who beat your ass and is a sorry husband, so who gives a f**k what you weighed. Did that keep you from getting your ass abused? Did that give you a loving family? No. Then, she wanted to put me down, and dress me, in these ridiculous clothes, which one of my grandma’s was my only source, of stylish clothes to wear to school. If it wasn’t for her, a lot of things, wouldn’t have happened, in my life, because I have a jealous mother.

    I guess I just started this blog to tell my story. Yes, you will go through, a lot of he*l in your life, if you have bad skin, and people will abuse you. People will try to point out your imperfections, especially if you are able to cover them up, they will want to expose you. And if you have a mother like me, you will have someone in your life, who not only wants to show your imperfections, to the world, but wants to create more, and sabotage what you do have going for you, your weight, and your hair, and your clothes, and she basically wants to encourage you to do things which are bad for you even if it is staying in an abusive relationship in which the guy doesn’t like you, so that they can team up, and put you down together.

    That’s my story. And my dermatologist I thought was a good person. That is the vibe that I got from him. So, I didn’t get Accutane. I believed and trusted him, when he said, that it would possibly cause negative side effects that were not worth the risk. He did tell me that it was a chemo treatment, but it’s only that at high levels, and I asked what is in it, and he said, vitamin A and I asked how, can that be bad for you, and he said, at higher doses, it is a chemo treatment, and I said, well, what about lower doses, and he said, no one knows the right amount, and they’re all just guessing at this thing, and that people have side effects, and then, when you go back to the dermatologist and tell them, your symptoms, they are going to look at you like you are crazy, and roll their eyes, and make you feel stupid, because no one wants to take responsibility, for this whole thing, and he said, do you want that, to have negative side effects, and there is nothing you can do about, it, and the dermatologist doesn’t want responsibility, because they are just trying to fix your problem, and there is no cure for acne. So, I suffered, and suffered, and I knew my mom was going to put me down, and use this against me, and she did… use it like a sword, and even the guy who was taking pictures, and putting me down, and saying you don’t look like that. Even his parents, were rolling their eyes, and putting me down, because of my appearance. His parents had money, and they probably expected a certain appearance, but what you see, is what you get, with me, and I was not putting on a show, and pretending like I was something that I wasn’t, like they were doing, with their son, because they were making it appear, like he had money, but it was actually theirs. It was the parents’ money, not his… It was not the son’s money… but they “the parents” were trying to get to my money… which like I said, that’s why both guys dated me was for money, because they were irresponsible, but his parents’ put me down, over and over, just like the son, and his mom, even took me somewhere, one time, and she was like this is my son’s girlfriend, and just looked at me, and put me down, like saying, ugh– this is his girlfriend. Like, I wasn’t enough. It seemed like they were always telling me that I wasn’t enough because I didn’t dress how they wanted me to or they were putting me down, because my face gets super oily, but like I said, what you see, is what you get, but their son, didn’t want to be with me, and they were just pretending and putting on a show, like he had money, in order to get to my money, and wanted me to take a position of inferiority within the relationship, and wanted to stay in charge, while I was relegated to step-child position. Like we want your money, but you’re not good enough, so we really don’t want you, and they didn’t want me to have any position, any say-so, whatsoever, and wanted to stay in charge, and this was the guy, with the addiction, who didn’t know how to handle his life, so they wanted to stay in charge, but I was responsible, so it was ridiculous. They just wanted me to hand over my money, and take a position, of inferiority, within the relationship, and allow him, and his mom, to take over things, and manage my money, as if it was his… and he was constantly, putting me down, saying, that you don’t look like that, and he wants my money, that it works, you don’t just get to come into someone’s life, put them down, and tell them, that they are not good enough, for a relationship, with you, but you want their money, and so that you and your mom, can stay in charge of your money, you have to accept this inferior position, haha, yeah, right, I’m responsible, for a reason, and that means, that you will not be in charge of my money, as if I’m an addict too, just because you want to be connected to your enabler, mother, and have her to continue to enable you, so that you won’t have a real relationship, with another female, because you are too immature, and you are not used to managing your own life and taking on responsibilities.

    They seriously, wanted me to come in there, and be the step-child. They wanted to stay in charge of things, his mom, and himself. He wanted to put me down, and say that I was not good enough for him, and think that he deserved for me to do his laundry, cooking, and cleaning. Entitled much??? And then, think that they were going to get that money, and that they were going to be entitled to it, too, and saw it as already theirs, because he was walking around, pompous, and arrogant, pretending like his mommy’s money, was his money, and saying that I don’t look like that, arrogant, and a fool, and thinking that he was going to get this money, just because they were laying a trap, pretending like he doesn’t want me, because he’s rejecting me, constantly, he won’t let me in, he won’t have a relationship with him, and putting me down, insecurity, saying that I don’t look like that, but meanwhile, thinks I believe his bullshit, arrogant, and pompous, ways, that the money was his, that he was spending, taking me out to eat, all the time, which I guess his mom thought she was going to corner me for money, thinking that it was already hers, and that I would want to be with him, and accept a position of inferiority, but I wasn’t.

    I wasn’t going to accept a position of inferiority, I wanted him, to accept me, but he didn’t know anything, and he wouldn’t accept that, that he needed direction. I was too mature, for him.

    Anyway, he didn’t want a real mature relationship. The only type of relationship there was / or is… He wanted a kind of his own making, where his mother, and him, stayed in charge, of me, my money, etc. He wanted to abuse me, and break me down, and tell me lies, about myself, that I was not good enough, for him, but yet, he wanted something from me.

    Money… because he was so immature, and incapable, of navigating his own life, and his mother was in charge, of bullying, and scapegoating me, because he, and she, would not take responsibility for the life they made. For example, he wouldn’t take responsibility, but she made him that way, depending on her, or women, for money, and the fact that he had no love, in the relationship, with his mother, and still desperately wanted her approval, he resourced, drugs, as a solution, and clung to her, because he still wanted her approval.

    He saw dad as the bad guy, except dad was the only one who showed him direction, like me, and said, that his actions, were wrong, yet, he held his dad accountable, for calling him out, on using drugs, yes, he actually got mad at his dad, for getting onto him, for using drugs, and held his dad accountable for this, for doing what was in his best interest, because he got no discipline, at home, from his mother, and his mother isolated his father, from his life, even though, they still lived together, and were married, so he saw discipline, as wrong!

    Well, I hope you post my comment, and maybe I will help someone else, who is going through similar things, as a side note, I believe my mom, is narcissistic, as well, as the two relationships, with guys, that I mentioned, which I believe that my choice, in relationships, related back to the parenting, and the upbringing, and what was familiar to me, and what I was used to being treated like… I was worthless, not valued, not loved, no compassion, etc. Narcissists pick on your imperfections because they have no compassion, and because they themselves, are insecure, and they wish to put others down, to lift themselves up, this is a nightmare, if you date a narcissist, and your mom is a narcissist, and they want to team up on you, to put you down, to both have control over you, drain you, of your source, your life energy, and put you down, so that your life will be worthless, which that is what narcissists, ultimately do, drain you, of your life energy, in order to convince you, that you are worthless, and not deserving of Love.

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98. SCREW THIS SHIT. I started this about three years ago due to awful acne and became depressed soon after. later on, my face was clear and it was great! But I wouldn’t have been surprised if I’d gone insane and flat out offed myself if I hadn’t gone off of accutane. I couldn’t stand anything. And here I am, three years later with the same shit acne. I went back on it because I hated my oily face and hair and acne. I TOOK FOUR PILLS IN THE SPAN OF A WEEK AND IT IS THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND THERE IS SOMETHING IN THAT STUFF THAT IS NOT RIGHT. I’ve screamed at like ten people and have cried about 284729 times. My muscles are shutting down and I’m really stressed out. My depression and anxiety are coming back. There is nothing that can rationalize this drug. Absolutely nothing.

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99. Has anyone heard of any links to cancer in later life caused by use of Accutane as an acne treatment? I need to make contact with anyone who suspects there may be a link

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    1. I’m working on it, thinking if I hadn’t had surgical menopause from dermoid cysts then I could have ended up with ovarian cancer

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100. This story is so close to my own. I toke accutane for mild acne after topyicals didnt work my doctor got me in to see a dermatologist that works with them after a appointment or two i got prescribed accutane signed all the stuff toke it the next day i didnt feel to well but i reminded my self it was temporary… but i was wrong toke it for 2 months had to get off it a month ago it did something to me… I cant tell what exactly as all my exams and tests have not proved anything… but it is definitely in my bodies joints and head Im in a lingering pain all over every day i keep a headache with no relief and the worse part is the changes in bowels I had always had intense stomach aches and have had depression and anxiety over the stomach aches that stoped before accutane for bout a year there was a routine plain how what to eat and when and still following it but now its gotten worse… I just really cant explain the way i feel but people say Im not the same person… I like that my acne is so small and almost gone completely but I dont like how i feel… it was not a even trade and the more i look into accutane the worse it gets i realize now im just a test subject for this medicine. I know people can make them self think soemthing is wrong and how the brain works to make it seem like your feeling these things but for the love of god If you take it just please be wary of anything tempermental cause it could remain for the rest of ur life.

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101. Very happy to find this page, I took these at 15, sadly I think too late and I have been left with very visible scaring.
     Before I took the drug I would have said I was very happy as a child. Once I started taking them I became very depressed which has lasted the rest of my life.
     I am now 33, I feel that my brain was broken somehow.
     The doctors have told me that there is no link and that it is just my personality.
     I would strongly advise against using this drug.

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102. Pretty disappointed no mention that Stefen seems to no longer feel accutane caused his emotional issues… that he placed blame but now realizes the FULL cure of his acne and emotional state were separate things.

     That said I’ve been on a mild dose of illegally obtained accutane on and off for closing in on a decade now, and like a light switch each pill I take suddenly causes strong bowel issues as of recently… Im desperate because I hate with a passion that cant be over come, vegetables! but dont see how I can continue with the accutane… I feel completely hopeless

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103. I know exactly how you feel. I was on and off accutane for two years in high school. It was a last resort because nothing else I was on was working. I had tried every cream, face wash, and medication known to man. While I was aware of the side effects I didn’t expect them to happen to me. I was also 15, now 23, when I was put on the medication and because I was a girl, at that time I not only had to be on accutane but birth control as well. The drug did exactly what it was supposed to do, it cleared up my acne, but the long term side effects are worse than living with the acne. I became depressed, suffered from anxiety, and was close to the brink of suicide. My parents had finally noticed and asked me about it, then told the doctor I was done. Since then I go through periods where I have bad depression and some days it seems like it would be better to just end it. While it’s not as bad as it was when I was on the medication, the medicine basically ruined my life and the relationships that I had and future relationships with those close to me.

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104. I was 15 when I was introduced to acutane. I was going through an awkward phase where I truly believed no acne would only make my life better. I never regretted something so much. The monthly blood draws, the insane dry skin, the hurting, the redness. At the time, I believed it was worth it. My acne has improved a bit. There are days worse then others, but let me tell you my face has never been so sensitive in my life. I can not use anything without irritating it. It has been almost 4 years since I used the product. Makeup is annoying because it either irritates my skin or breaks it out. I can not wash my face with anything at all without burning my face (yes i have tried every possible thing). I have gone through a lot in my life. But, this only deepend my anxiety. If I could go back, I truly would stop myself from taking such a terrible drug. This is just my experience.

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105. I am 16, i have been on Accutane for about 2 months taking 30mg. The doctor said i only need it for about 2-4 months since i am taking a high dose. Taking this has no effect on me at all. I am still the same Isaac as i was a couple months ago but with BETTER face. I am not saying it wont happen but to this day i am doing great and if anything goes wrong i will type it here.

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106. Has anyone else post-‘Tane experienced a marked premature decrease in skin moisture and elasticity, and/or a pocked translucent ‘chicken-skin’ like effect around the bags under eyes? I’m only 26 and yet I’m noticing the concerning start of jowls, sagging, deep frown lines and thinning skin no matter how much cocoa butter and vitamin E I use. I’ve started avoiding hot water and masking my face from shampoos etc. because I’m worried I’m ageing too fast in the face. I’m white and pale anyway so maybe it was in the cards to start with but I expected to see age at 36 or 46, not now. Does anything help to slow this damage down or rejuvenate skin?

     As for the rest…

     After taking Roaccutane for six months in 2010 at around 17/18 years old in conjunction with the birth control pill Dianette, like many of you here I too experienced years of depression and anxiety (that has only recently abated in the last 18-24 months) which left me out of work and housebound as well as problems with appetite/weight and an irregular heartbeat. I also had severe respiratory problems while taking the drug (I even had to be put on oxygen once) along with the usual awful side effects like thinning hair and bleeding lips/nose and aching joints. I don’t think any of it was worth it, I’d rather have kept the greasy skin and big angry red spots to be frank. My Doctors were negligent and did not monitor anything that was going on with me, and I was shooed out of the GPS office once as if I were a silly little girl.

     I feel lucky to have escaped the worst of the longterm symptoms (so far, anyway, knock on wood), and now I finally feel somewhat able to cope emotionally and mentally again in my mid-20s I want to put it behind me. However, I’m still troubled by the skin symptoms I wrote about above and by mysterious tingling/’creeping’ sensations of tightness in my calves and feet along with rushes of oxygen that make my heart pound, which I wonder about and would like some answers for since my Doctor cannot find a cause for either (surprise, surprise).

     If anyone has experienced similar, please do share.

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107. I understand how difficult it is, but finding a solution should be the main concern here… first of all we need to know what Roaccutane does to your body, it shrinks your oil glands, these include those going to your eyes, face, lips etc…
     So I have been trying to grt my oil glands back to normal. You should apply moisturiser, eye drops, lip balm regularly even after your treatment has stopped. There is an ayurvedic eye drops that helps lubricate your eyes, in a unique way, unlike other eyesdrops which only work for a few hours. It is called Jivdaya Netrabrabha. If for some reason you cannot find this, You can use regular eyedrops regularly, try to lubricate your eyes as much as you can, even if you have to cry. Hope this helps, Don’t underestimate the power of simplicity. Be positive and Never Give Up !

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108. I was put on this drug about 18 years ago at the age of 12. My personality changed drastically. I became angry, cold and had severe depression with suicidal ideation for no reason. I was still in primary school. About a year later I suffered extreme weight loss and chronic fatigue. After countless doctor visits all I ever found out is my white blood cell count was WAY down and the doctor assumed I must have a ‘mystery virus’ causing my symptoms. My health, appetite, energy and weight has been a HUGE issue ever since, really reducing the quality of my life. I believe accutane destroyed and inflamed my digestive system.

     The only other person I know who has also used the drug suffered an incredibly severe deterioration of his mental health characterized by psychosis and rage. It got so bad his mother was hiding the kitchen knives in the boot of her car. He had no history of any mental illness. Luckily he did recover from this acute phase.

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     1. Sending you love, Renee, for having to live through such a difficult situation <3

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109. i was put on this drug for minor skin problems and kept on it for 10 months, this was 25 years ago when i was perfectly healthy and i was not warned of any long term side effects, the long term side effects I am left with is depression with suicide attempts,damage dry scarred skin that does not produce any oil,arthritis in many joints knees,back,elbows ankles. Roaccutane is chemo drug that i was not told about that has destroy my life and there is no way to reverse these side effects they are permanent.

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110. For anyone reading this comment suffering from long term side effects / damage of accutane, please see the reddit page: R/AccutaneDamage

     https://www.reddit.com/r/AccutaneDamage/

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111. I am so sorry you suffered from this too. You can see R/AccutaneDamage to see others who have these effects as well.

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112. I took Accutane briefly when I was 17. I got super clear skin within days of taking it (as the doc said it would), but then it faded. My skin from that time on has been very dry. Soon after taking it, my lips became terribly dry. I’ve now been using lip balm multiple times daily for 20 years.

     I’ve suffered from ongoing anxiety and depression since roughly the same period, but I truly can’t remember how I felt prior and I do have anxiety in the family.

     My forehead was especially dry for a long time and I’ve since developed chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU). Again, I can’t say it’s related, but I’ll damned if a lot of what I’ve experienced doesn’t match up with others’ experience with this awful drug.

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113. I took Roaccutane back in 95 or 96 i think. Man i hope you´re better!

     For me it worked, with a bit of dry skin. After reading this i might be able to relate a strange and stupid profuse sweating ordeal a few years later, that was caused by literally nothing. I would be sitting at a table with friends, and i would feel the drops of sweat one after the other. I would turn a t-shirt unusable in 3 minutes. Those were though social times, trying everything, from pads to large and dark linen shirts, and adopting an almost strange body stance. I was a “popular” and fun guy, optimistic and with no stresses in life, so it took a lot of personal engineering to steer through those times… After that, and i guess at the same time also, i had a case of ridiculous amounts of dandruff. It was like my scalp would desintegrate, time and time again. I would look at my shirts and stress so much seeing the dandruff, i had to try and take as much out before going anywhere. Again, not easy times, psychologically speaking, and caused by no apparent reason.

     I guess there might be a strong cause/effect connection here.

     Hope you, that read through my vent, have it allright with the product!

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