Side Effects of Accutane for Men

Accutane is an oral medication used to treat severe nodular acne. It is usually prescribed when other treatments have not been successful. Accutane, or isotretinoin, is administered in a capsule form and is typically taken twice a day for 15 to 20 weeks. Patients are instructed to drink a full glass of water with the medication, and are advised that it is absorbed better if taken with food. There are side effects with the drug that affect only women, but there are also some that can occur for men and women.

Common Side Effects

While taking accutane, you might experience dry lips and mouth, crusty skin, nosebleeds, some swelling of your lips or eyelids, thinning of your hair or upset stomach. Dry mouth can be relieved by eating ice chips, chewing sugarless gum or sucking on sugarless hard candies. If any of these side effects persist or become worse, you should consult your doctor.

Serious Side Effects

Serious side effects can include tingling skin, sun sensitivity, back, joint or muscle pain, painful swallowing, changes in mood, signs of infection such as fever or sore throat and peeling skin on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet. If you experience any of these side effects, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible. If you experience extremely serious side effects such as severe headache, ringing in your ears, vision changes, hearing loss, chest pain, dark urine, yellowing eyes and skin, severe diarrhea or rectal bleeding you should discontinue the medication and contact your doctor immediately.

Allergic Reaction

Signs of a serious allergic reaction include swelling, rash, itching, trouble breathing and severe dizziness. If any of these occur you should seek immediate medical care. Before you begin taking this drug, you should tell your doctor whether you are allergic to soybeans or peanuts, or whether you have any other allergies.

Drug Interactions

Taking accutane with other medications can result in a drug interaction. You should inform your doctor of all medications you are taking, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements. In particular, accutane can interact with tetracyclines, vitamin A, anti-seizure drugs and corticosteroids.

Precautions

You should not donate blood during a course of accutane and you should wait one month after it has been discontinued. Care should be taken to avoid overexposure to the sun because accutane can increase your sensitivity. You might have difficulty wearing your contact lenses while taking accutane, and you might also experience night vision problems.

References

• Accutane