Accutane side effects?

newswoman13

newswoman13

Cathlete
Hi -

I've been on accutane for about two weeks and my lips are so chapped they're almost blistered looking! I'm moisturizing, and I expected this, but I also know that your joints tend to be more tender, especially after exercise. Anyone else experience side effects?

I'm an avid stepper, and I do a couple weights classes per week -- While I've not "upped" my workouts, I do feel some knee aches that usually come from too much stepping. I'll see my dermatologist for my first follow-up in a couple weeks, but geez! I didn't expect side effects so soon! If these are the only two I get (b/c yes, I've read about the others, but I'm feeling good otherwise), I'll be happy because I really need to clear up a couple spots that won't go away.

Anyway, just wondering if you just took it easy in the meantime -- I'll listen to my body and try to do more stretching (and - gasp - less stepping??!! ahh!).

Best,
C
 
Hi newswoman--I recently took a similar drug (soriatane) & after 4 weeks I stopped taking it b/c it made me feel so bad. I had the same side effect--the chapped lips thing, plus it made my mouth taste like chemicals. I could not have a decent meal & taste the food--everything tasted gross.

Also, I started losing my hair. I stopped before it got too dramatic, but it was definitely starting to come out by the handful.

I don't know what you're on accutane for--I was on soriatane for my psoriasis, & I decided the side effects were just not worth the benefits. If there are alternative medical treatments out there, & your condition isn't life or lifestyle threatening, I would strongly recommend going off the drug.

Oh, lymphoma is also a potential side effect of these systemic drugs.
 
C,
I've alwyas suffered from horrible acne and had it bad enough that I was going to go on acutane. I had the blood work done and the prescription in my hand but something prevented me from going through with it. For the last couple of years I have been using skin care by Paula's Choice and my skin has cleared up to the point that it is unbelievable. I had tried everything and been on and off of anitbiotics for years. Anyway, I went to www.paulaschoice.com and read all the articles, questions and answers, read about her skin care kits, and ordered products that I thought my skin would benefit from and I have never been happier. I've even gotten compliments on my skin from my family and co-workers and that has never happend before! My skin is still very oily (36 years old) and I can't seem to find products to help too much with that, but it is clear 99% of the time. Anyway, this is something close to my heart and if you should decide accutane is not for you, try paula's choice skin care.

On the other hand, there was a girl working at my Clinique counter and I used to just stare at her skin b/c it was so beautiful. She told me she went through 2 rounds of accutane and did not regret it. I never would have known she suffered from acne. Her skin was gorgeous, so it might be worth it to you, to continue. I desparately wanted my skin to clear up and this was before I discovered Paula's choice but I decided the side effects weren't worth the risk for me. Anyway, good luck!
Angela:7
 
LauraMax, I looked at the NPF website under Soriatane and did not see lymphoma listed as a side effect. Was there somewhere else you saw that. The reason I ask is that I am a Nurse Practitioner working in Dermatology and I've never heard of that as a side effect. Nor do any of my books list it. The doctor that I work with hasn't either. Now some of the biologics used to treat psoriasis have lymphoma listed as a side effect. I would just like to know for my own piece of mind.

Thanks
Catherine

http://bestsmileys.com/exercising/1.gif
 
Catherine, I may be getting soriatane confused w/the other stuff (if I recall almost all of the systemic drugs--methotrexate, accutane, etc.--have some kind of potential for serious side effects). I picked soriatane b/c it seemed to be the least dangerous of them all, but I did have major blood tests before I started the drug. The woman who prescribed it was a nurse practitioner & I asked her about lymphoma risk, & her answer was pretty vague, something like "people with psoriasis are already at a higher risk for lymphoma anyway."

Sorry if I'm causing more confusion than helping, & I certainly don't want to cause any panic. I think these are probably questions for someone much more knowledgable than me.
 
No, that's OK. I just wanted to make sure for my own knowledge. I have one of my comprehensive Derm drug books in front of me and it doesn't list it as a side effect of systemic retinoids which includes soriatane and accutane. I just wanted to make sure I had the right info- cause things change sometimes with these things.

Thanks
Catherine

http://bestsmileys.com/exercising/1.gif
 
C,

My 19-year-old son was on Accutane for a twelve-week cycle when he was 16. I didn't LIKE it that he was on it, but we'd tried everything else for more than a year and I must say that it did, absolutely and completely, erase his painful acne. But I remember two prominent side effects just like you're describing.

First, he had MONSTER chapped lips. He bought a tub of Aquaphor at the drugstore and slathered it on at night, and he bought Burt's Bees chapstick in a tube and to this day carries it everywhere. Swears by the stuff. It got him comfortably thru the Accutane therapy.

Second, he did have some joint pain in the second month and some knee/ankle instability. He is a soccer player and the joint problems were a real issue for him in playing. More importantly, that was a signal to his dermatologist to back his dosage off, because joint problems are a danger signal even though they're a pretty common side effect. So I strongly advise you to report this to your dermo and see what he/she says. My son's Accutane was totally stopped for one week, then the dosage was cut in half for three weeks, AND THEN we went back in to the dermo for a liver function blood test and we went to the orthopedist to have his joints examined carefully before he was cleared to resume soccer. Only after all of that did they put him back on the full dose of Accutane -- and he finished the therapy with no more joint issues.

Take care of yourself, C -- this is a huge drug and you'll only be on it a short time, so extra caution is a real good thing!!!!!

http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/sport/sport-smiley-003.gif Kathy S. http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/sport/sport-smiley-001.gif
 
Thank you all so much --

Kathy S., I'll definitely plug my doc into my joint issues. I think the lesson of my life is to listen to my body and act accordingly!

Take care!
 
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