Side Effects
- Sierra Gillespie
- Aug 16, 2015
- 4 min read
Accutane is supposedly the miracle drug—right? (i.e. look at my sister’s before/after transformation to the right.) It’s only a sixth month time span, usually, so what’s the big deal? Besides it being quite expensive without insurance, my pharmacist told me the price of the drug itself is around $500 per month, there really is no flaw—right?
Wrong.
I avoided Accutane for years because of the severity of the side effects the drug may cause. Some people who have completed their treatment even attribute their ailments to past use of Accutane. Simply put, it’s not a drug to be messed around with. The large symptoms include, but are not limited to:
Severely dry skin
Specifically in the lips and nose. Dryness can lead to breaking of the skin and/or bleeding
Joint pain or stiffness
In worse case scenarios, this may lead to fractures
Depression and anxiety
Patients on the drug who have a family history of depression are the ones most likely to experience this symptom. Patients are cautioned strongly to contact their dermatologist ASAP if they start experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts. In addition, it is advised that they stop taking the drug at once.
Feeling dizzy, light-headed or nervous
Change in fingernails and/or toenails
Itching and irritation with rash-like symptoms
Hearing loss
Blurred vision and headaches
Numbness and weakness
Loss of appetite and dark urine
Seizures
Flu like symptoms
Diarrhea or bloody stool
Back pain
Most commonly, people face dryness and joint pain while on Accutane. My dermatologist suggested both these symptoms are likely to occur, and do not usually result in long-lasting problems.
As a person who already suffers from anxiety, the idea of all the possible side effects turned me away from Accutane for years. Dermatologists suggested starting me on Accutane as early as middle school, but I disregarded their suggestions based on the side effects. It wasn’t until my acne reached a truly unbearable level that I decided the possibility of some suicidal thoughts for only six months was worth a lifetime of clear skin.
In addition to these side effects, it is suggested that female patients refrain from two very prominent things: drinking and sex.
Accutane is a very intense drug, if you haven’t already picked up on that, and the stress it puts on the patient’s liver is quite extreme. My dermatologist suggested I keep my alcoholic intake to a minimum, as to keep myself healthy. Therefore, I haven’t drunk any more than a sip of alcohol since my 22nd birthday, two days before taking my first Accutane pill.
In addition, unprotected sex while on Accutane is the worst possible thing a patient could do. As pregnancy on Accutane is the number one sin in the dermatological world, many preventions are put into place to stop pregnancy while taking Accutane.
Only one pill of Accutane ingested by a pregnant woman could cause her infant to be born without arms or legs. Most commonly, "Accutane babies" are born with cone heads, cleft palates or heart defects. The risk is so severe that the iPledge program was implemented in 2006 (click here to read more about this in a different blog post), and two forms of birth control are required for patients—no, abstinence does not count for two forms. Even those who are not sexually active are required to take Accutane in sync with a birth control pill.
Those who are sexually active must promise to take the birth control pill regularly, as well as use male or female condoms during intercourse.
In addition, both male and female Accutane patients are not allowed to donate blood during their treatment, or until 30 days after their treatment has been completed, in the event that a pregnant woman receives some of their blood.
Suffice it to say, I am NOT risking this one.
So far, I have only experienced the following side effects:
Dryness of the lips and face
Blistex Medicated Lip Balm is a godsend, as is CeraVe face lotion
Joint pain
Not sure how to cope with this one—I’ve just been running through it. I will update this section upon my next dermatologist consolation, hopefully with a solution to share with readers
Rash and itchiness
I have always been very sensitive to cheap jewelry, though taking Accutane has intensified this. I wore a cheap watch two days in a row, and broke out in hives around my wrist. In addition, I haven’t been able to make it through an entire nine-hour shift without removing my $7 studs. Granted, neither piece of jewelry was 14 karat gold or hypoallergenic, but who has that kind of money or time?
No solution for this problem either, if there is one. Will keep readers posted.
So just to sum up everything in this article: essentially taking Accutane has caused me to revert back to a different way of living. No alcoholic drinking and no sexual intercourse. Essentially, you could say I’m a Duggar. Oh wait…
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