Long term effects of accutane?
Don't be nervous you'll be fine. Accutane is a retinoid, meaning it derives from vitamin A and is found in small quantities naturally in the body. Like vitamin A it is fat-soluble and in very high dosages can cause very bad side effect or even death. That being said, the only way to get it in those very high dosages is if you are taking more then the doctor told you to take or taking vitamin A along with Accutane. Both of those are a result of doing what the doctor will tell you NOT to do. In the terms of depression and Accutane there is said that there could be a link but no matter how many studies there has never been any conclusive, definitive results. Most likely the correlation of depression is due to the physiological effect of the acne and the Accutane not working as well as the person thought since it is considered the "last resort" drug. Overall, Accutane is much like vitamin A and once you stop taking it, it will eventually leave your body. Accutane does not damage your liver unless the person has a rare side effect of Accutane. More then anything though your doctor will know far more about the risks then anyone here in which I find disturbing since Accutane is the closest thing to a cure of acne and it is these biased comments that makes the drug seem scary. The importance is the big picture. All drugs have bad side effect. Aspirin can cause brain swelling, levaquin can cause server diarrhea, Penicillin, a drug that has saved millions and revolutionized the medical word, is a drug I cannot take due to its server side effects that had me hospitalized to the point where it nearly killed me. All drugs have the possibility of liver damage, Accutane simply has a higher (though still rare) chance of it happening. As I have said before talk to your doctor. He/she is far more rounded in medical field for a good reason.
How long after discontinuing Accutane will I have sun sensitivity?
I usually advice a good sun protection for next 5-6 months after discontinuing Accutane, but theoretically speaking the sensitivity should come down by 3-4 months.On the other hand, we dermatologist always recommend sunscreen on a daily basis, whether you were on Accutane or not as Sunscreens and moisturizers are the best gift you can give to your skin.But yes talking about sensitivity specially after Accutane, 3-4 months should be good enough time to recover.
What are the long term effects of Accutane?
I took Accutane between the ages of 17 and 19. (2005 - 2007)I don’t remember the exact dosage but it was close to the maximum, something like 60 mg’s a day for 1 year, and then a lower dosage of 30 mg for the other year.I know how you must feel when reading the Patient Package Insert, the side effects list is like a Russian novel!I especially remember laughing at the irony of one of them : Suicide.Apparently some users of Accutane have been know to suddenly get depressed and commit suicide, of course a very low number, but still enough to be added on the list.At the time I was a high school student, my face looked like a pepperoni pizza and all my friends were falling in love for the first time.So things couldn’t get any worse, depression-wise.The one that especially concerned my doctor was what the drug did to the liver.I constantly got liver enzyme tests whilst on it, except of that I had the typical side effects of skin rash, dry lips, and occasional back pain.It’s been 10 years, and the only long-term side effect (aside from the giant pair of mutant testicles that grew on my forehead) I’m aware of is the one my doctor was most concerned about.I currently have a early stage fatty liver, although not too much above the limits (%12 compared to %10 standard), and anyway ; it affects about %10 - %24 of the population worldwide, and is growing to be a very dangerous health concern.Accutane was only part of the problem I’m sure, along with drinking, fast-food, exposure to chemicals and urban smog, annoying sales-people, radiation etc..I’ll be monitoring potential side effects all through my life, but without a single hesitation I can say that Accutane was a miracle drug, kind of like a guardian angle.I totally healed my cystic acne, soon I started being able to have eye contact with mirrors and also with girls. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made, and even if a long-term side effect comes up, I’ll stand by my choice.The best of luck to all of you beautiful pepperoni people!
How well does accutane work for acne?
It depends on how severe your acne is, and how your acne affects your life. I suffered from terrible back acne, and while I was thankful it wasn't on my face, I was too embarrassed to take my shirt off in public, or even around my wife. I completed a 5 month course of Accutane, and today, my back is completely clear. Not a single pimple to be seen anywhere. Over time, the red marks left by my cystic acne disappeared, and now I have a clear back. I am no longer afraid to visit the pool or the water park, so I can say Accutane dramatically changed my life for the better.Most people who take Accutane do so with no adverse health effects. In fact, the only guaranteed side effect is dry skin, and even that can be countered with lotion and lip balm. Also, when you stop taking the Accutane, the dry skin disappears and you are left with much less oily skin than you had before treatment. Yes, there are other side effects that MAY occur, but this is true of most medications. The good thing is that while on Accutane, you get monthly blood tests which monitor you for any adverse reactions to the medication, so if something starts to occur, they can stop the medication before it becomes a problem.Accutane is the closest thing we have to a cure for Acne. You can try diet, face products, soaps, toners and all that jazz, but nothing compares to the effectiveness of Accutane.
Does accutane reduce horniness in women?
From what I understand about accutane is that one of the side effects is a decrease in body fluids.... such as joints. Its not that big of a jump to say she cannot excrete a lot of wetness to become prepared for sex... and no one likes a dry hump. She also has to be on a form of birth control while she is on accutane... it could be a reaction to her birth control. Perhaps you could try another type of pill? She is basically going through prescribed vitamin A overdose.... its hard on the body. You'll just have to wait this out.
Can anyone share accutane experiences?
I know I already answered another one of your questions about Accutane, but I wanted to answer this one too. I was on Accutane for a year when I was 16 and the ONLY side effects I had while on the medication was dry skin, sensitivity to the sun, and depression. After I got off the medication my skin held in moisture better and wasn't dry and I wasn't depressed anymore. I went back to my old self. To this day I haven't had ANY problems like liver damage, sexual dysfunction, or hair loss. I know this might not be true for everyone who has taken Accutane, but this is what happened to me with my personal experience with the medication. Good luck!
Can I be prescribed Accutane from a doctor at a clinic even they aren't dermatologists?
As I understand it, some doctors do precribe Accutane BUT they are morons about it and they don't seem to know much about the medication or its proper dosage. A dermatologist is much more qualified to assess the severity of your acne, your medical history (what other acne medications you've taken, what worked, what didn't, etc.) and how strong of a dose you should be taking. Regular doctors can't seem to do this worth a flip and usually don't care. I recommend always seeing a specialist. And doctors can refer you to a specialist (ie. dermatologist). Be prepared to wait though. Many dermatologists have really long waiting lists for new patients...like 6 months.
Can the long term effects of marijuana be reversed? (Problem solving abilities and memory loss)?
This depends on various factors. If the heavy smoking began and ended as an adult, perhaps even late teens, the effects may be entirely reversible within months. However, if heavy smoking began in childhood, or they were heavily exposed prenatally, it may be impossible to ever fully complete stalled growth; similarly, if only stopped once elderly, the brain and body in general is much less flexible and unlikely to heal completely (as age is causing mental deterioration anyway). Childhood dependence on cannabis also creates a much higher risk of lifelong psychosis. Nonetheless, quitting will restore significant lost function.Light use shows no ill effects, and simply going from heavy to light use will also begin restoring cognitive ability.Several relevant studies:Neurocognitive consequences of marihuana-a comparison with pre-drug performancePersistent cannabis users show neuropsychological decline from childhood to midlifeCurrent and former marijuana use: preliminary findings of a longitudinal study of effects on IQ in young adultsWhat has research over the past two decades revealed about the adverse health effects of recreational cannabis use?See also the commentary on this: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc...
Which non-SSRI antidepressant is generally considered to have the least severe side effects?
It’s different for everyone we all have individual chemical make up. It is one of those try it and if not go to the next then the next then the next had to do it for years and wait for the next new one to be released finally settled with Lexapro and Vibryd. Often a combination of two is needed. Sadly we are all guinea pigs when it comes to this one.