What is Accutane?
Accutane is a form of vitamin A. It reduces the amount of oil released by oil glands in your skin, and helps your skin renew itself more quickly.
Accutane is used to treat severe nodular acne. It is usually given after other acne medicines or antibiotics have been tried without successful treatment of symptoms.
Accutane may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about Accutane?
Accutane can cause severe, life-threatening birth defects if the mother takes the medication during pregnancy. Even one dose of Accutane can cause major birth defects of the baby’s ears, eyes, face, skull, heart, and brain. Never use Accutane if you are pregnant.
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to Accutane or to parabens, or if you are pregnant or may become pregnant.
Before taking Accutane, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any foods or drugs, or if you have:
– a personal or family history of depression or mental illness;
– heart disease, high cholesterol or triglycerides;
– osteoporosis or other bone disorders;
– diabetes;
– asthma;
– an eating disorder (anorexia nervosa);
– or liver disease.
If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take Accutane.
Accutane can cause severe, life-threatening birth defects if the mother takes the medication during pregnancy. Even one dose of Accutane can cause major birth defects of the baby’s ears, eyes, face, skull, heart, and brain. Never use Accutane if you are pregnant.
For Women: Unless you have had your uterus and ovaries removed (total hysterectomy) or have been in menopause for at least 12 months in a row, you are considered to be of child-bearing potential.
Even women who have had their tubes tied are required to use birth control while taking Accutane.
You must have a negative pregnancy test 30 days before you start taking Accutane. A pregnancy test is also required before each prescription is refilled, right after you take your last dose of Accutane, and again 30 days later.
You must agree in writing to use two specific forms of birth control beginning 30 days before you start taking Accutane and ending 30 days after you stop taking it. Both a primary and a secondary form of birth control must be used together.
Primary forms of birth control include:
– tubal ligation (tubes tied);
– vasectomy of the male sexual partner;
– an IUD (intrauterine device);
– estrogen-containing birth control pills (not mini-pills);
– and hormonal birth control patches, implants, injections, or vaginal ring.
Secondary forms of birth control include:
– a male latex condom plus spermicidal foam or gel;
– a diaphragm plus spermicidal foam or gel;
– a cervical cap plus spermicidal foam or gel; and
– a vaginal sponge containing spermicide.
Accutane Prescription
Some forms of acne including nodular and cystic acne come about when the acne condition is severe. The drug Accutane is used to treat these severe forms of acne.
Pimples usually characterize acne. They are formed due to excess oil clogging up the skin pores leading to the formation of lesions. These lesions are what we know as pimples. Sometimes these pimples may harden over a long period of time forming what is known as nodules. The nodules are what eventually become cysts.
Cysts often require draining by a physician. They are one of the more severe types of acne and may last for a very long time(weeks to months). Accutane is a possible treatment for this type of acne. However, before you decide to buy Accutane to treat this form of acne, seek medical attention first.
Though it’s highly recommended for severe types of acne, Accutane is known to have some serious side effects. Before partaking it, a prescriber will usually ask you to read and sign a form covering these side effects. Treatment only begins after verifying that you understand and agree to these side effects.
Some serious side effects that it causes include possible birth defects in unborn children or even miscarriages. Stillbirths or premature births are also attributed to Accutane. Expectant women or those planning to get pregnant are therefore advised not to take this form of medication.
Psychological effects are also part of the side effects of Accutane. Feelings of depression, sadness or anxiety may overwhelm the patient which might even lead to suicide. Several cases of suicide have been reported in people taking this drug. Other symptoms include loss of appetite, changes in weight, loss in social activity, anger and irritability.
These are some side effects associated with this drug. Any of these symptoms experienced by a patient while on this medication should be reported immediately to a physician.
Severe acne can be very painful and sometimes Accutane may be the only way to treat it. Consulting your physician should help you decide whether the risk is worth taking.
Acne is the most common skin disorder amongst adolescents and adults alike. It has plagued us for generations and continues to affect us today.
There are four main causes of acne, as stated by the American Academy of Dermatology. These four causes are hormones, increased sebum production, changes inside hair follicles, and bacteria. An oily substance, called sebum, is secreted by the sebaceous glands when the hair follicles and sebaceous glands are inflamed. An excess amount of sebum can clog the follicles (pores) and eventually leads to bacterial formation and inflammation of the follicles.
Accutane is considered to be the ultimate, end-all medication for eliminating acne. Accutane is used to treat severe cases of acne which have not been healed through conventional antibiotics and topical creams. It is used to control all the underlying causes of acne by normalizing your follicles, decreasing sebum production, reducing inflammation and limiting the growth of bacteria.
However, there are also many side effects that you should be aware of when choosing to use Accutane as a remedy for acne. Two of the most serious possible side effects associated with taking Accutane include birth defects and serious mental health problems (including suicidal tendencies). There are also many other possible side effects associated with Accutane that you should review with your doctor or health care provider before the use of this medication.
In order to decide whether this treatment is right for you; you should discuss with your doctor how severe your acne is, what other treatments you’ve tried, the possible benefits of Accutane, the possible side effects of Accutane and any other health-related issues that may affect you while taking Accutane (i.e. use of antibiotics, depression, etc.)
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