When we take medications of any sort, we often trust our doctors to steer us safely around any potential side effects. Many people don’t even think about the potential long term side effects of using certain medications, and they take them without a thought to these other effects that might come about. However, most strong medications do come with the possibility of long term effects. The problem is that sometimes our doctors don’t even really know about these possibilities, which makes it impossible for them to caution patients against certain medications or dosages.
This is true of the medication Accutane. This is a medication that was originally created as a cancer fighting agent that was shown to shrink malignant cells. Researchers, though, found out that the medication also shrank the oil glands in the skin, which meant that less sebum was produced each day. When this happened, those who were struggling with cystic acne, a particularly tough form of acne to overcome, had clear, beautiful skin, sometimes within just a few days or weeks.
So, the researchers who were working on Accutane decided that they would also market the drug to acne sufferers. They knew from the beginning that the drug could potentially exacerbate bowel issues in those who already had them. What they didn’t know was that it could also cause bowel problems like IBS and ulcerative colitis to develop in those with no signs of these diseases beforehand.
What It Means for You
What this means for you is that if you’ve ever taken Accutane for cystic acne, you’re at a high risk for developing conditions like Accutane ulcerative colitis, IBS, and Crohn’s disease. These are all diseases that affect the bowels, inflaming them severely. When the bowels are inflamed, nutrients can’t be properly absorbed, and the entire digestive process can be thrown off track.
So, if you’ve ever taken Accutane and have started showing symptoms like fever, stomach pains, diarrhea, or unexplained weight loss, you may be experiencing the Accutane long term side effects that your doctor never warned you about. Many people have experienced these symptoms, which have been found to be related to long term bowel diseases that have absolutely no cure.
If you do have one of these diseases, they are incurable but treatable. This means that your problem may never go away at all. With the right treatment, though, you could potentially get the symptoms of your disease under control. Treatment options include a variety of medications aimed at the symptoms of the diseases, dietary changes, and lifestyle changes. All of these are good options depending on your situation.
Many of those who are suffering from Accutane long term side effects are also seeking legal advice. So far, many Accutane sufferers have taken the makers of the medication to court to sue for medical expenses as well as pain and suffering. Luckily, many of these cases have settled in favor of the plaintiffs, and many of those who are, like you, suffering from the effects of Accutane have been better financially equipped to cope with the lifelong consequences of the problem.