Side Effects of Accutane in Women

Accutane is known to work on all the various types of acne and is hence, popular. As it is effective, this medication is used freely by women who suffer from severe acne and scarring. However, as is true with all types of medications, accutane also has several severe side effects.

As mentioned earlier, accutane is used to treat acne, as the last resort. This medication is very strong and hence, needs to be taken only after all the other medications have failed. The first thing that I would like to tell you before starting off with the accutane side effects, is that do not take accutane if you are pregnant or are planning to get pregnant. Accutane is known to cause various birth defects and hence, should be avoided. Another thing to note, is that while you are on accutane, you should not take any other vitamin supplements, especially vitamin A. Accutane and alcohol should also not be mixed. Listed below are some common side effects of accutane in women.

• Dry mouth
• Joint pain
• Drowsiness
• Pains in the bones
• Nausea
• Headache
• Muscle Cramps
• Hair Loss
• Itching
• Unhealthy weight loss
• Insomnia
• Swelling on hands and legs
• Development of various allergies
• Appetite loss
• Back pain
• Irritation
• Irregular periods
• Dryness in the eyes

It is necessary to inform the doctor if you suffer from any of these side effects. The doctor will recommend some medications to overcome these side effects.

Severe Side Effects

There are some severe side effects which should not be ignored. The doctor should be consulted immediately if you show any of these side effects. However, do not stop taking accutane on your own or do not decrease the dosage as this medicine needs to be taken in the right dose and you cannot change it unless your doctor tells you to. The severe side effects are listed below.

• Blood clots in the arteries
• Anemia
• Increase in the blood sugar
• High blood pressure
• Decrease in vision
• Increase in heart beats
• Liver malfunction
• Severe allergies
• Blood in urine
• Slow speech
• Skin disorders
• Depression
• Skin discoloration
• Lumps in neck and armpits
• Chest pain

These accutane long term side effects are very serious and need to be treated as soon as possible so that there are no further ramifications or complications.

Long Term Side Effects

There are certain side effects which appear years later. Such accutane side effects years later are listed below. These may not be apparent earlier but will appear later and are severe side effects.

• Bowel inflammation
• Irregular bone development and growth
• Severe skin disorders
• Hearing loss
• Pancreatitis
• Psychotic depression
• Several psychiatric disorders
• Fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss
• Liver problems
• Tenderness in bones
• Loss of coordination

Accutane side effects for men are severe too, hence, men also should consult a doctor before taking this medication. These side effects are the reason why this medication is the last resort used to treat acne. A word of caution, this medication should not be taken unless the doctor prescribes it. Moreover, it should be taken only in the correct dosages as prescribed by the doctor and you should not stop taking this medicine on your own without talking to the doctor first. Also, remember to make a note of all your side effects and inform the doctor accordingly so that he/she can take immediate action to treat those side effects before they turn worse.