Accutane

Accutane (isotretinoin) can be prescribed for people suffering from severe nodular acne caused by the excessive amounts of oil released by the oil glands. Its effects are based on helping your skin renew faster and preventing outbreaks of acne. Since Accutane is a form of vitamin A, make sure you do not take supplements that also contain this vitamin. You are also not supposed to donate blood during the treatment, including during one month from the moment you stopped taking Accutane. This medicine can cause life-threatening birth defects in unborn babies, which is why before taking Accutane you will probably be offered to sign a special agreement under iPLEDGE program. In this agreement you will have to promise to use at least two birth control methods – primary and secondary. Primary forms of birth control (birth control patches, tubal ligation, vaginal ring, birth control pills with estrogen, insertion of intrauterine device, birth control injections, and vasectomy (for males) are supposed to be combined with secondary forms (vaginal sponge, condoms, cervical cap, or a diaphragm, all being used with a spermicide) to provide for a higher efficiency of your contraception and prevent a pregnancy. If you think you may have become pregnant while taking Accutane – report this as soon as possible t your health care provider and make sure you do not take any more of this medicine without previously talking to your doctor and obtaining negative results of a pregnancy test. Your doctor needs to know as much as possible from your personal or family medical history, which is why you will need to let him know about any of the following health conditions you have: diabetes, bone disorders, heart disease, asthma, a personal history of depression, high cholesterol, eating disorder, a history of mental illness, high triglycerides, or liver disease. Mentioning these health conditions is important as some of them may require a dose adjustment, while in other cases you will be recommended to abstain from the treatment. Your health care provider may also want to monitor your conditions for any side effects that are theoretically possible. An overdose of this medicine can produce some of the following side effects: dizziness, swelling of the lips, loss of balance, stomach pain, problems with coordination, vomiting, warmth or tingling under your skin, and headache. If after taking Accutane you get any of the following reactions, make sure you seek emergency medial help and tell the doctor you have taken too much of Accutane (indicating how much can also be useful). The following side effects are sometimes possible – but you do not need to worry about them, as they are generally short-lived and unlikely to interfere with your activities: drowsiness, nervousness, dry skin, back pain, dry mouth or lips, itching, rash, dizziness, peeling skin, and joint pain. More serious side effects are quite rare but need to be reported if you notice any that seem to be too bothersome.