I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in early 1995. I had a lifetime history of a very irregular menstrual cycle, one to three times per year, and was told by an extremely insensitive Doctor that I would never have children at about age 22. Never had a Doctor/OBGYN taken the time to consider what my problem was at that point. I took for acne Tetracycline at around age 21 with not very good results, followed by Minocin and was removed because I could not tolerate it and finally the last choice was Accutane. In the list(s) of side effects of many prescription medications there is always risk but I am here to tell you about what happended to me. I guess the biggest warning sign should have been being asked to sign a waiver to take the Accutane. I was diagnosed with Benign Intracranial Hypertension, BIH,(also known as Pseuotumour Cerebri, PTC, and Intracianial Hypertension, IH) in 1990 , age 24, which has been linked directly back to Accutane. BIH is a syndrome in which elevated cerbral spinal fluid that is either not properly abosrbed by the blood or an overproduction of leading to daily pressure headaches, transient visual obscurations, papilladema, constant back and neck pain, sometimes permanent loss of visual field and even blindness. At the time I was told that my BIH would go away within a short time of Accutane being stopped due to the complication of BIH, it did not happen. On a BIH message board I belong to it is not uncommon for women to have BIH and PCOS making the risk of Accutane evident. Sorry this is long but I know Accutane may make you feel better on the outside and give you more confidence now but be aware of this little known side effect that may well just happen to you. I was told by my Neuro-Optho and my Neurlogist that the BIH would go away, I am still here 12 years later. I don't mean to scare anyone merely inform and say that there is alternate choices. Seems ironic that after having PCOS and not being able to conceive then I am diagnosed with BIH and ordered by my Neurologist not to conceive. One good side is that I had Polycystic Ovarian Drilling in June 1995 and we started trying for our family in January of 1996. Our first daughter, Emilia, was born October 1996 and our second daughter, Madeleine, was born July 1998. Take care everyone and best wishes...........
Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with Accutane. I went on it at the age of 19 and had great success. I guess with all medicine, it effects people differently.
Take care,
__________________ Jill, Met (2000mg) & Spiro (100mg)
Anna (7), 100mg Clomid
Lane (5), 100mg Clomid & 30mg Actos
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What Diane is trying to say is maybe getting clear skin from accutane is not worth the risks it poses. Accutane is a very dangerous drug and you don’t know till after you took it, when its too late, if it did something to you. In my opinion it is so not worth the risk. For every person Accutane has helped I have seen a lot ho have been hurt, in a lot of different ways. There are msg boards about accutane. If you are considering going on this drug I would definitely read them and hear from ppl who have used it.
Thank-you both for replying. While I believe Accutane is very harmful and it did clear up my cystic acne, I still would not recommend anyone take it. It seems like I said before that there may be some kind of link between PCOS and BIH(Benign Intracranial Hypertension) perhaps relating to hormones. PCOS ladies tend to have weight problems and so do BIH ladies, both have the common factor of having a tendancy to be overweight women of childbearing age.
Please, whomever is looking to take Accutane make certain that you research every aspect of it. BIH is listed as a side effect for Accutane and is difficult to find but it is there, so make sure to look in many many places to find all the information available. Go to the Accutane message board that was spoke of. Most important be aware of what risks it poses to you health now and in the future.
I don't know personally of any Accutane Message Boards, only read about it somewhere. I did look around this board and did not see any, although I am pretty sure this is where I read it.
I did do a search and found a site, I have not tried it so it will be your discretion.
I tried the link after I posted it and it does not work. Go to www.google.ca and search "Accutane Message Board" and the first on that comes up is the one I referred to.
Accutane warning 
