My Experience with Accutane

I was in fifth grade when I got my first pimple. After that, it all went downhill. Throughout middle school and high school, I was teased for my acne. I saw numerous dermatologists, and tried just about everything, with no results. Some of the medications that I was prescribed made the condition worse, some made me sick, and some did nothing at all. After I graduated high school, I was prescribed Accutane. I had to go through the whole I-Pledge program, watched some videos, took a pregnancy test, started taking birth control, and waited a month to finally get started on the pills. I was really hopeful that my skin 

problems would finally be cured!

Some people have wonderful experiences with Accutane. I have heard it called a miracle drug that is able to cure even the most stubborn cases of acne. I can only speak from my own experience with the drug. It was absolutely horrible. As soon as I started taking it, I felt the effects. My skin became so dry and cracked that the flakes would come off in chunks, and it bled. I would have at least one nosebleed per day, and sometimes it seemed like they wouldn’t stop. My eyes were constantly bloodshot because they were so dry. My lips became so parched and cracked that chap-stick did nothing but make them bleed more. The acne that was supposed to be clearing up became even worse; the pustules swelled to twice the normal size, and there were ten times as many. I was so embarrassed and horrified by what I looked like. Worst of all, my insides hurt. I felt as though my guts were being wrenched and twisted into knots. I was terrified by these side effects, and I quit taking Accutane after a few months. Many years later, I am still feeling the effects. My eyes are constantly dry, which makes it difficult to see and to wear contacts. I have to wear disposable daily contacts because of how often the contacts rip while I am wearing them.

Because of the severe side effects of Accutane, there have been numerous lawsuits. Luckily, I did not have to experience some of the most painful or crippling effects, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s Disease. One man even developed inflammatory bowel disorder and had to have the majority of his rectum and colon removed. Some of the other critical side effects include bone loss, lowered blood count, birth defects, Alopecia, and liver damage.

Once again, I can only speak from my own experience. I would not recommend anyone to take this drug without considering the serious and sometimes life-altering risks and doing a lot of research. There are so many other treatments for acne, sometimes it just takes a while to find the one that will work.