Isotretinoin and Back Pain: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• January 3, 2011

Isotretinoin "My friend was on it a few months before me, and I saw her skin clear in about 3 weeks. I was looking forward to the same thing happening to my skin. Unfortunately, my acne got much worse! For a little more than 2 months, my skin showed no sign of improvement, and I wanted to give up. My mom told me to hang in there for one more month, and I'm glad I did. After about 2 and a half months, my skin just began clearing. And once I started noticing a difference, all pimples were gone in a week. Dry lips were hardly there, thanks to Aquaphor. Do not pick at your face. No matter how many people told me not to, I did it anyway and have scars. Also, Cetaphil lotion is a blessing. Back pain started around month 3, but it's a small price to pay."

• Joe...
• December 20, 2011

Isotretinoin for Acne "I'm on my 3rd month of Claravis 40 mg. I take 2 tablets once a day. I have had acne since I was 9. I have tried every cream, pill prescribed by my doctor, and various facial treatments. Claravis is the only thing that has ever worked for me. I am on month 3, and the only time I break out is at the end of the month when I start my period. The pills are worth the side effects. I do have chapped and bloody lips, Vaseline is my best friend, and I have had back pain in my lower back since month 2 of Claravis. I don't know if it's related to the pills, but I did notice several folks on the board had the same pains. Still, for a person that's had blackheads, whiteheads, scars, and pimples all over my body since I was a kid, it's totally worth it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 16, 2012

Isotretinoin for Acne "I have been on this for 3 months now and have noticed a massive improvement in my acne. The acne on my back is practically non-existent, and the amount on my face has dramatically improved. I got lots of comments today saying how my face has cleared up since I last saw these people 2 weeks ago. I now have much less acne on my face, and it is expected to all be gone in 3 more months forever. I am currently on 60 mg a day-one in the morning and 2 at night-and I am a 15-year-old female. I have had some back pain when I play my weekly sport and dry lips, but that is all the side effects I have had."

• Anonymous
• January 5, 2012

Isotretinoin for Acne "My acne reached its worst when I was a sophomore in high school. When I went to the dermatologist, I was given Accutane and immediately went online to read reviews on the medicine. Almost every review I read said that it was ineffective, with awful side effects, and I almost didn't fill my prescription because of it. However, I will tell you that it was honestly the BEST thing that ever happened to me. It worked incredibly well, with lasting results. It was literally a miracle. Of course, I experienced some side effects, such as back pain, slight hair loss, VERY dry skin and lips, but six months of mild discomfort was definitely worth beautiful skin. I highly recommend it!"

• Mis...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 16, 2019

For Acne "I have had two rounds of isotretinoin with a three-month break in between. Both times my acne has returned after the month it takes to get out of your system. My skin was great after month five/six. My skin cleared completely for six weeks. I even took it an extra month my second go-around. My hair didn't have to be washed daily. I felt normal for the first time in my life. That quickly changed. Now I'm six months post-treatment and my acne is worse than ever before, my hair is also more oily than ever. All that commitment and pain for nothing. I had significant joint and back pain. Enough to keep me less active, which caused weight gain. I feel this medication only made my acne angry and now has come back with a vengeance. I'm devastated. I'm 31 and still have cystic acne and feel more insecure than ever."

• Ms9...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 22, 2016

For Acne "I have always had acne... nothing crazy up until a year or so ago. Throughout high school and the beginning of college, I would always have a few pimples, but that eventually turned into cystic acne all over my face. I don't know what triggered it. I found it difficult to look at people or hold a conversation with someone w/o feeling like they're staring at my disgusting face. I took a trip to the derm, and she took one look at me and said I was a candidate for Accutane. I started at 30 mg, and by my last month (month 7), I was at 90 mg. Side effects I had: extremely dry lips (especially the corners of my mouth), back pain, and fatigue... but they were all bearable. I'm blessed to have been on Accutane... skin is perfect!"

• Ale...
• January 1, 2012

Isotretinoin for Acne "I started taking this medication once a day at 40 mg. So far, I definitely have seen changes, and some people say my face looks better, but it has only been about 15 days. Some side effects I have are back pain, muscle pain, dry face and lips, and a weird skin infection that looks like ringworm but is just an infection. I hope it all gets better soon, though."

• Use...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 29, 2016

For Acne "Suffered with cystic hormonal acne for 10 years. Pros: Cleared my skin. Side effects wore off about a month post-Accutane. Cons: dry eyes, dry lips, lower back pain, ankle pain, fatigue, sun sensitivity. Due to some of the side effects, I had to go easy at the gym, give up hiking for a few months, or anything related to physical activity or sun. All side effects are manageable. You go in expecting the worst, but it isn't as bad as some make it sound. I was on 60 mg a day for 5 months. I recommend it if you've been battling acne for years. I have good health insurance, listed is what I paid/copayment. Doctor: $30 co-pay (w/o insurance $160) Drug: $15 co-pay (w/o insurance $500-700) Labs: $20 co-pay (w/o insurance $500-700)"

• Taj...
• March 1, 2016

Isotretinoin for Acne "I took Accutane for 5 months. My acne cleared, but I still have discoloration. The side effects were horrible. The back pain for the first two months was almost unbearable. The mood swings, headaches, and dry skin were terrible too. It was effective, but I never want to have to go through that for 5 months again."

• ASa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 18, 2018

For Acne "I am a 39-year-old male, and I was on a 1-month course of 20 mg Tretiva (isotretinoin tab). My skin has cleared significantly, but after the course, I am facing some severe side effects. Side effects seen after 2 weeks of stopping the course: loss of energy, tiredness, chapped lips, back muscle pain, slight pain in the stomach, tenderness in the eyes, scaling of skin on the thighs. Due to all these side effects, I'm feeling not so confident to hit the gym as well. Don’t know how much time these side effects would last. I would recommend that if it’s necessary and is affecting your confidence, then only go for the isotretinoin treatment."

• Cai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 11, 2018

For Acne "So I’ve just recently started getting bad acne about 8 months ago, and I’m 22. I tried topical treatments, creams, etc. Nothing seemed to work, so I went to the doctor, and he prescribed me with Accutane 40 mg a day (I’m between 115-120 lbs). My skin and lips became very, very dry, but that’s a common side effect. After a while, I started to get tired and would take a nap every day for about 3-4 hours, lost all my energy, and then started getting a sore back, especially on the right side, and my body felt weak and brittle. My back hurts all the time now while taking these meds. Then, after that, I started feeling a little depressed, but that didn’t last very long. I’m still on the fence about sticking it out because I am seeing results, but it makes my body feel weak."

• the...
• January 28, 2010

Isotretinoin for Acne "I am 15 and have been taking Amnesteem for about a week now because I have very bad acne on my cheeks, and I must say it is very effective. Since I started this, my skin dried up, and my acne redness is definitely going away; however, it was kind of crazy the first 3 days because my big red spots started getting white heads, but they dried up very quickly and then flaked off in a day or two. I am 15, and the only bad thing about this is the chapped lips, dry skin, lower back aches, and I have arthritis in my left knee, and it seems that it is making it hurt more, but other than that, this medicine is a miracle!"

• Lun...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 19, 2019

For Acne "I'm in my 7th month of isotretinoin for acne, and my result is that my skin has been really clear since month 6. At first, my skin got worse, and for the first 3 months, there were no improvements. Then slowly, in months 4 and 5, it started getting better and better. The only side effects I have are dryness: dry lips, eyes, and skin. Sometimes I have back pain or other joint pain, but it could also be due to weightlifting. I will stop taking it in about a month from now, and I'm currently on 20 mg (I started with 10 mg). I had moderate acne vulgaris before, and now my skin is extremely clear with a few acne scars. But I honestly don't know if it's gonna stay away or come back in a few years after not taking it."

• Ash...
• July 15, 2011

Isotretinoin for Acne "When I took Accutane, my acne did clear up after a couple of months. But the side effects were very annoying, including excessively dry face and lips and back pain. It actually came to a point that I couldn't continue dancing because of this back pain. I was glad to be finished with it after the allotted time I was prescribed, but then, six months later, my acne came back in full. My doctor said this is normal and usually goes away within weeks, but mine didn't. I'm still struggling with acne despite having taken Accutane."

• Anonymous
• August 18, 2009

Isotretinoin for Acne "I have been on Accutane for a month and a half. I am not sure whether my acne was very severe, but it was bad enough. I was allergic to benzoyl, so my doctor put me on Accutane. Now, I am having a pretty bad flare-up of cystic acne, although I am clear on my back and chest. Lips are unbearably chapped, and I have bad back pains. Hopefully, it will get better."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 26, 2022

For Acne "I took Roaccutane for a year when I was 13 (7 years ago). After going through several rounds of antibiotics and different facial creams without noticing any change in my acne, I was relieved to find a medication that actually helped me. However, in retrospect, I am not sure whether the treatment was worth all the side effects: 1. Dry lips and skin 2. Worse wound healing 3. Hundreds of mosquito bites (mosquitoes loved my soft skin) 4. Back pains 5. Loss of normal ear wax resulting in ear inflammations (this side effect never completely left me). 6. Dry light-sensitive eyes 7. Weight loss - about 6 kg 8. My hair was never greasy (I didn't complain) 9. Easy sunburn. My dermatologist took a blood sample every month to see if my liver was OK, so I think they were aware of how strong this medication was."

• Anonymous
• May 25, 2011

Isotretinoin for Acne "I'm just finishing my 4th month and going into my 5th out of 6 months of taking Accutane. But it's honestly the best thing you can do to help your acne. The only regret I have is that I didn't go on it earlier. My acne is almost completely gone (I'm 16 years old now, so my hormones are all over the place, which shows you how well Accutane works), and the only signs of it ever being there are some red spots and some scarring left over, but it was there before going on Accutane. The only side effects I have experienced were dry lips/face, my skin around my mouth peeling (just use a moisturizer for that), back and muscle pains, tiredness, and mood swings. But so far, so good."

• NoO...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 10, 2022

For Acne "Started to take Curatane (which, by the way, I can't find this exact brand anywhere on Google, it's kind of worrying me), so I started to take it 4 months ago. Started with 40 mg (94 kg weight), and after 1.5 months and blood tests, started to take 60 mg. 1.5 months later, we were supposed to go up to 80 mg, I just couldn't do that. I said that I'm barely moving, so it is postponed for 3 months, from what I understood. For now, 60 mg. In 2 months from now, it will probably go up to 80 mg. As is, at first, it got worse, but now I already see how my skin changes, and I get much less acne-not even one active right now! I have lots of lower back pain and ankles, which I'm struggling to move or even get up from my chair smoothly (basically, I'm 26 years old acting like a 70+ since I started the treatment). Also, I have noticed hair loss, but I'm not sure if it's directly tied to the treatment, as my period was late this month, it could be both together, which made it worse than usual. Also, I'm suffering from vision issues."

• ash...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 1, 2014

For Acne "I was put on Roaccutane, and the results were truly amazing. However, 9 months later, my acne started to return again, and I am unfortunately one of the 15% of people who are on their second course. I live in South Africa, where the climate is hot and dry, and so I suffered with dry eyes, dry skin, dry lips, and had terrible backache. The results that Roaccutane gave me the first time are worth going on it for a second time."

• Anonymous
• January 6, 2011

Isotretinoin for Acne "I am 15 and a half, and I have been on Accutane for about one month now, and I have noticed my acne has gotten terribly worse. I'm breaking out all around my mouth, which was not my problem area when I was not on it. I have had bad back pains, but I am a dancer, so I don't know if it's from that or the medicine. I recently went to the dermatologist, and he upped my dose from 40 mg to 60 mg. Besides dry lips, I have not had any other side effects. My skin wasn't even drying out, which is one reason why my dermatologist upped the dose. I really hope my skin starts clearing up soon."

• Acn...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 12, 2022

For Acne "I am 24 now. I completed a six-month course of isotretinoin for acne when I was 14. I had tried everything at that point and was desperate. I was on the verge of suffering from permanent scarring if I didn't do something. I have no regrets. I had the initial oil/acne purge, then developed severe dry lips and dry skin. I was also thirsty all the time. It was around month three it really started working, but that is also when the back pain began. It was quite awful, but I persisted. The dermatologist called me the poster child for isotretinoin since I adhered to the regimen and rules so religiously. I counted out almonds to take with each dose so I got the exact amount of fat needed for each dose. By the end of treatment, my skin was perfect. I was so happy. About a year after treatment, I began to break out again (albeit, to a MUCH milder degree). The breakouts responded well to topicals. I'm now back on antibiotics and still suffer from mild back pain. It worked, but didn't cure me :("

• Anonymous
• July 25, 2011

For Acne "I went on Accutane the beginning of my freshman year of college. It cleared everything up, but I experienced extremely dry skin/eyes and became really prone to infections and had extreme joint/back pain. After I finished my sixth month cycle, it stayed away for a month, and then I experienced a rare side effect called folliculitis (basically a painful yeast infection all over your face). I went back on Accutane, and it cleared everything up. Went off it, and my folliculitis is back. I now also have a ton of intestinal problems/IBS. I am supposed to go back on it again to get rid of the folliculitis, etc. I have been on and off it multiple times for the past four years. I would take my acne back any day over having folliculitis/stomach problems."

• Pum...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 22, 2022

For Acne "For me, this medication was phenomenal. I spent years refusing it because I was so afraid I would have severe, life-changing side effects. Finally, in my 30s, I accepted this was really my last choice to try and treat my acne. I did get dry lips, dry skin, I lost a bit of hair, my eyesight suffered a bit, also dry, lower back pains, but these all felt tolerable. After a few months without results, I was starting to second-guess my decision. Right at the end, my face transformed drastically. For the first time in my adult life, I don’t wake up with a new pimple every day. I do still have a pimple on rare occasions, but compared to where I was when I started this medication, I wish I had done it years ago. I have nothing but good things to say about it. I have no long-term negative side effects from this. I was on a low dose for nine months in combination with spironolactone (50 mg)."

• Lus...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 8, 2021

Isotretinoin for Acne "Well, I'm sure that each case is a case with this drug, but my experience with the drug was very good. The side effects were some back pain (only in the first weeks), and during the treatment (4th month), only dry mouth and eyes upon waking. I only use Hydraboost facial moisturizer and lip moisturizer once a week. My acne was not strong, but it was very visible with several eruptions in the T zone. In the first weeks, there was worsening with acne: 2 large acnes that I never had of this type, but from 2 and a half months onwards, it only got better (not that it hadn't worked before). Now, in my fourth month, my skin is intact and getting lighter. I still have around 4-5 months of treatment. Very happy!"

• Naf...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 5, 2022

For Acne "I just started on this medication. The first month was on 20 mg, but because of experiencing very bad abdominal pain, I was put on 10 mg. Almost 2 months complete being on this medication, and the side effects are starting to kick in: back pain, hair falling out, dry eyes, dry lips, itchy scalp, abdominal pain, and my skin texture has started to feel a lot different, a lot thinner, not only on my face but everywhere else."