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What is Accutane?

What are the side effects of Accutane?

Has Accutane been linked to depression and suicide?

What are the important warnings for females taking Accutane?

What are the signs of mental problems associated with Accutane use?

What is Accutane? 
Accutane, known generically as isotretinoin, is a prescription medication used to treat severe nodular and cystic acne that has not responded to other treatments. It was developed and marketed by Roche Pharmaceuticals, a division of Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., and approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1982. Accutane works on the oil glands within the skin, shrinking them and diminishing their output. It is taken by mouth everyday for four to five months and then treatment is stopped. The anti-acne effect produced by Accutane can last a year or more after finishing a course of medication. 

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What are the side effects of Accutane? 
Side effects of Accutane vary, and can be any of the following:

Minor - chapped lips, dry skin, dry nasal glands, muscle and joint pain.

Severe - nosebleeds, temporary hair thinning, headache, sensitivity to sun, and decreased night vision.

Life-threatening - depression, suicidal thoughts, and birth defects. 

Birth defects associated with Accutane include: 

• Hydrocephaly - enlargement of the fluid-filled spaces in the brain
• Microcephaly – abnormally small head
• Mental Retardation 
• Ear and Eye Abnormalities 
• Cleft Lip and Palate 
• Facial Abnormalities 
• Heart Defects

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Has Accutane been linked to depression and suicide? 
Yes. In February of 1998, the manufacturer of Accutane, Roche Laboratories, issued a letter to physicians wherein they added the following to the WARNINGS section of Prescribing Information for Accutane:

"Psychiatric disorders: Accutane may cause depression, psychosis and, rarely, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and suicide. Discontinuation of Accutane therapy may be insufficient; further evaluation may be necessary. No mechanism of action has been established for these events." 

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What are the important warnings for females taking Accutane? 
You must not become pregnant while taking Accutane, or for 1 month after you stop taking Accutane. Accutane can cause severe birth defects in babies of women who take it while they are pregnant, even if they take it for only a short time. There is an extremely high risk that your baby will be deformed or will die if you are pregnant while taking Accutane. Taking it also increases the chance of miscarriage and premature births.

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What are the signs of mental problems associated with Accutane use?
Stop using Accutane and tell your provider right away if you experience any of the symptoms below:

• Start to feel sad or have crying spells
• Lose interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Sleep too much or have trouble sleeping
• Become more irritable than usual
• Have a change in your appetite or body weight
• Have trouble concentrating
• Withdraw from your friends or family
• Feel like you have no energy
• Have feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt
• Start having thoughts about hurting yourself or taking your own life (suicidal thoughts)

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