User Reviews for Isotretinoin

I can say that it worked very well for me but I had a sever side affects with it alike Depression, blood in stool, suicide ideation, and many others. My doctor only had told me about that affects on a unborn child not what happen to me other then chap lips and small things. The meds were till new when I took it at 14, now i know it is made more aware of the more harmful side affects.

Accutane is difficult and has major side effects, my skin is not that much better.

I am just about to start my 5 month on accutane. I stared taking 40mg a day, then it was increased to 80mg a day, and now I alternate 120mg one day and 80mg the next day. I started getting acne in college and tried numerous antibiotics but nothing worked. Although I was hesitent to start accutane I am so glad that I did. I love my skin now, and did not experience many side effects; only slightly chapped lips. I get compliments on my skin all the time now. I would definetly recommed this drug, it really works. Read More Read Less

MY DAUGHTER IS 15. AFTER 6 WEEKS SHE DEVELOPED HIGH TRIGLICERIDES AND TYPE 1 DIABETES! THIS WAS NOT WORTH THE RISK. HER SKIN CLEARED UP ABOUT 50% IN THAT SHORT TIME BUT NOW IS INSULIN DEPENDENT FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE. ALSO HORRIBLY CRACKED LIPS AND ITCHY SKIN. PLEASE BEWARE!

Very effective. Did get dry skin and chapped lips, but well worth it to be free of acne. I would reccomend this to everyone. It worked wonders.

Not sure about the issues those who took it 10+ years ago suffered, but I just finished a 6-month cycle in December (40 mg, 2x daily) and I LOVE the results. Got painful, nodular, adult onset acne in my 30's after having had clear skin my entire life. Living in denial, I spent 4 years trying using the best, most expensive creams, lotions, and peels(including everyting sold on television) on my face and back with poor results. I had so-so results with dermatologist recommended facials and products, but for $175 per month + the cost of products it wasn't worth trying to keep up long term. As soon as I stopped treatment, it came back. I took the risk of compromised fertility and liver function for clear skin. Dry eyes and lips suck, but I learned to love Carmex and saline drops (I keep tubes of each in my bag, at work, several in the car, etc.)! Regular blood pregnancy tests also sucked, BUT my self-esteem has way gone up. I no longer shy away from photos and making eye contact with people. Definately weigh the pros and cons and if you are in relatively good health and under a trusted doctor's care, go for it! A bonus was that I decided that since taking accutane was also about my trying to be the "best me" that I would also eat better to help lessen negative side effects and I lost 10 lbs to boot!Read More Read Less

So Ive been taking the drug now for about a month. Yeah dry skin, chaped lips it all sucks but im really hopeing the outcome will be good. I am kinda wondering how long its gonna be till i start to see results and what the best kinda lotions to use are so if anyone can give me advice it would be much apperciated. I am 21 and i have had bad acne since about 8th grade, I would like to link it to my use of illegal drugs but I have been clean for over 3yrs and i still had bad acne so i decied to get on the med. But again if anyone can let me know what i can do for the dry skin please let me know. Read More Read Less

This pill is amazing. It got rid of all of my acne on 40mg/day for 2 months. 5 years later, must apply chapstick every 2 hours, but WELL worth it. I HIGHLY recommend this pill. I has made me so happy to have clear skin! p.s., 5 years later, still 100% acne free. No oily skin!

This was not worth the lasting effects. Ruined eyesight, ruined skin, get infections easily. Had 20/10, 20/15 eyesight. 10 weeks into accutane, had 20/70 and 20/80. Skin has never recovered. Hands always dry, cracked. I live in band-aids. It destroyed my oil glands everywhere. Got Mononucleosis (Dr. said my immune system was compromised because of Accutane.) Acne came back. See roaccutane survivors site.

After years of topical drugs and creams combined with different Tetracycline regiments, a prescription antibiotic, I had had very little success and needed results. Although I was somewhat apprehensive, due to the effects of high doses of Vitamin A (Accutane) on one's liver, I made the decision with my dermatologist to begin a 5 month cycle (20mg in the morning and 40mg at night). Studies have shown that if you monitor your diet and avoid pills or foods rich in Vitamin A, there are no effects of Accutane (in moderate doses) on your liver. Besides, life is too short to live hiding behind your acne in a world of insecurity. Within three days I was experiencing the common side effect of dryness over my entire body. Religiously moisturizing and keeping ChapStick by your side, at all times, minimized the dryness and made it very manageable. A few days later and my acne had just about disappeared. Luckily my dermatologist had warned me of an inevitable flare-up to come. About four weeks in and sure enough I had one of the worst break-outs in years that lasted about an entire month. Starting my 3rd month I had the best skin of my life! My dermatologist made it clear that it was still necessary to finish the 5 month cycle to ensure I maintain the results. It has now been one month since my last dose of Accutane and my skin is beautiful and the side effects are completely gone. This drug saved my social life and my career and was well worth the minimal suffering…I hope this helps and good luck!Read More Read Less

It has been 24 yrs since I have been on this drug I had acne so bad , I could not shower with my back to the nozzle. I was on the single dose for 6 months, that did nothing , then I went on the double.. It started to do some work.. but it came back. I finally at the time went on the max which if I recall was triple dose.. Had severe dry lips , nose bleeds.. etc. After 25 yrs , I still have scars where the major acne was on my back and forehead.. but I do not have any bad , dry skin condition now , so to speak.. I recently found out this may have some long term mental side effects , but I don't think I am any crazier now then ever.. But maybe my wife has a different view.Read More Read Less

I took accutane for 6 months and it worked well, my acne was really bad and it cleared it up. At the end of 2007, i started noticing that my hair was falling out,didn't think to much of it but then i notice that it was not falling out it started to break off, so now i have patches of hair that is no longer than 4" from the root and it is still breaking off.if i had to do this all over again i would try to find another way to get rid of the acne. So before you take accutane ask, read and ask somemore about the size effects before you start taking this medication.The doctors are not going to tell you about the hair breakage or loss so you would have to ask. Good Luck!!!Read More Read Less

I would not recommend Accutane to anyone due to the long term side effects I still struggle with. My skin was very dry while on the medication, but I have been off Accutane for seven years now and my lips are still severly dry. It doesn't matter what I use, my lips crack and bleed to the point that sometimes I cannot smile very big for fear of the skin on my lips tearing and bleeding. It is embarrasing and frustrating, which is the same feelings associated with problematic acne (not much of a trade off). At the time I was in college and now looking back I think many of the emotional problems, i.e. depression and anxiety, I struggled with were directly linked to being on Accutane. Read More Read Less

i love accutance. this is my 2nd treatment with the 1st treatment being too low, the 2nd treatment has exceeded my expectations. the blood work, dc visits & filling the script w/in 7 days is a pain in the butt for a new mother w/two jobs but its for sure the best thing i have tried. it totally beats out those other "creams" and antibiotics. a plus though is the dc visits are only about 5 mins long and don't take that long. the co-payment is a killer though. overall, i would not think twice about doing this again or reccomending accutane to anyone.Read More Read Less

Broke out horrible at first. My skin went very dry. Overall, I'd do it again. I haven't had a breakout for 4 years and only get occassional small pimples.

I am now 39 years old. I had Accutane when I was 13 years old. Big cystic acne everywhere on my body. This pill was the best thing since sliced bread. So what I had to take oil baths and extra chapstick. I had it so bad I looked like a freak. Since taking Accutane, I have not had a break out or cysts in 26 years. I was very greatfull, and now I've had to put my son on it due to genetics of cystic acne. I didn't even have to think twice about my decision.

This medication should be pulled off the pharmacy shelves and permenently banned use on human beings. This medication permentantly dried my out skin that even though it's been ten years since my last dose of Accutane, my skin looks ten to twenty years older than my actual age. I use the most concentrated skin care creams I could find in order to keep my skin from cracking and it is still flakey and dry. Be very weary of this medication, the residual effects are far worse than the acne.

My skin is now perfect, but while on Accutane I had bad night vision and sore muscles. Worth the few months of pain and dryness for clear skin.

This is a great drug. Nothing else worked for me. I was told to avoid Vitamin A while on Accutane so I had to stop my multivitamin. Fortunately, I found ebA Multivitamin Supplement, which is a Vit A-free multivitamin that I was able to take.