Accutane (generic name: isotretinoin) is a medication used to treat severe acne. Typically, this is a medication of last resort after all other acne medications have been exhausted. Drugs.com says that Accutane is a form of vitamin A that helps decrease oil production in your skin. It belongs to a category of medicines called retinoids, and typically, you will take 0.5 to 1.0 milligrams per kilogram of Accutane daily for 15 to 20 weeks, says the National Library of Medicine.
Common Side Effects
According to MedlinePlus, Accutane can cause fatigue, bleeding gums, epistaxis (nosebleeds), skin color changes and red or sore lips. It can also cause dry eyes, dry skin, diaphoresis (sweating), alopecia (hair loss), changes in your nails, peeling skin, flushing and peeling of the palms of your hands or soles of your feet. Drugs.com says that Accutane can cause joint pain, nervousness, dizziness and back pain. Notify your physician when these symptoms persist for at least three days.
Serious Side Effects
Accutane can cause changes in your personality and can cause trouble sleeping, depression, agitation, aggression, tearfulness, hallucinations and even suicidal thoughts and behaviors. It can also cause hearing loss, bone pain, fracture, rectal bleeding, poor appetite, diarrhea, and nausea or vomiting. Other serious side effects include a sudden headache, blurry vision, sudden weakness or tingling, tinnitus (ringing in your ears), tachycardia (fast heart rate), convulsions and fever. Accutane can also cause bone pain and upper stomach pain that radiates to your back. It can also increase your chances of developing pancreatitis, a condition in which your pancreas is inflamed.
Other Concerns
The National Library of Medicine warns that you should not use Accutane if you are pregnant. Exposed babies can develop birth defects, such as abnormalities in the face, ears, eyes, heart, brain and spinal cord.
Avoid Accutane with tetracycline medications. The National Library of Medicine says that the combination can lead to pseudotumor cerebri, a condition of intracranial (in your skull) hypertension (high blood pressure). Symptoms of a pseudotumor cerebri include an intense headache, nausea, vomiting and visual problems.
Avoid taking Accutane with dexamethasone, phenytoin, tetracycline and vitamin A supplements. This combination can cause the aforementioned side effects.
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