Clear for Life

Accutane causes insulin resistance and may lead to diabetes for some individuals.

More complications with Accutane. Researchers at Helsinki University in Finland discovered that Accutane causes insulin resistance and worsening of blood sugar controls.

CONCLUSION: Treatment of acne with 13-cis-retinoic acid reduces insulin sensitivity and induces alterations in lipid metabolism resembling those of the insulin resistance syndrome.

Dyslipidemia and a reversible decrease in insulin sensitivity induced by therapy with 13-cis-retinoic acid.

Here’s another study.

13-cis-Retinoic acid therapy induces insulin resistance, regulates inflammatory parameters, and paradoxically increases serum adiponectin concentration.

According to the studies Accutane induced insulin resistance is temporary and disappears after the treatment.

However this is not always the case and some unlucky people go on to develop a full-blown diabetes.

Here are two alarming stories from Accutane and diabetes forum.

I started taking Accutane at age 13. The blood tests were going good. You are supposed to get a blood test after every month. And You are on it for 8 months. And you get a last bllod test after you are off it after four weeks to make sure it is out of your system. So there are 9 blood tests total. On my 6th blood test my blood sugar was 132. It was a little high. Then on my 7th blood test it was 287. They wanted me to see a doctor right away so my mom pulled me out of school and brought me to a doctor, where I got another blood test. And my blood sugar was 430. So my doctor told me I had type 1 diabetes. No one in my family had diabetes that I know of except for my great uncle, who was diagnosed with diabetes at age 77. So im pretty sure the drug triggered it.

- Jason

My daughter started Accutane 34 days ago with perfect sugar levels. After her first month on Accutane, we went to the Dtr and were told everything was fine but that she had higher than expected cholestrol, everything else was normal per the lab. Not to worry about the cholestrol. My daughter noted to the dtr that she was thirsty, but since the labs normals, dtr told us everything ok, increased the Accutane, gave her a cholestrol medication. Understand that this was one of the top dermatologist in our state who assured us all was fine.

She started the increased dose three days later. Two days from start of new dosage she is weak and is very thirsty. Visit to the ER, she had a sugar level of over 600 and diagnosed her with Type 1 diabetes.. they are telling us there is no connection and that it is genetic. In less than a week she went from normal to life threatening with no other changes in her life but the drug… she is not overweight and is 15.

- Susan

Coincidence? Possibly and we can’t establish a firm link between Accutane and diabetes. However Google search of ‘Accutane diabetes’ reveals an alarming number of such coincidences. Diabetes is also mentioned as a risk factor for Accutane in drug manuals.

Though these incidences are rare type 1 diabetes (the one that most people got) is a permanent complication. Type 1 diabetes is diagnosed when the pancreas stops producing insulin. After that you have to inject insulin after every meal. Type 1 diabetes is a permanent condition with no known cure.

Just one more reason to avoid Accutane and stick to natural methods - especially since they are cheaper and often even work faster than Accutane.

My book Clear for Life explains how simple diet and lifestyle changes help your body to clear acne permanently.

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Clear for Life - The lifestyle for health, happiness and clear skin

Here’s one more Accutane legal case that ended up in huge compensations.

Roche, the maker of Accutane, was ordered to pay $2.5 million to 36-year old Andrew McCarrell.

Mr. McCarrell developed an Inflammatory Bowel Disease from taking Accutane. Inflammatory Bowel Disease is the name used to identify a chronic condition of the bowel including diarrhea, painful swelling, cramps of the abdomen, bowel blockage, bloody stool, weight loss, and other symptoms.

Despite the compensation this story doesn’t end up happily for Mr. McCarrell. After enduring several surgeries he had to have his colon removed.

Steep price to pay for clear skin. Especially since you can cure acne with simple diet and lifestyle changes. As I explain in Clear for Life.

Here’s one more reason not to take Accutane.

And this is a big one.

Accutane can permanently ruin your sex life.

How’s that for a bummer?

Here’s what Dr. Pezzi wrote about this

“Accutane® (isotretinoin) can permanently affect your sex life, reducing libido and sexual sensation. In some cases it may also induce sexual dysesthesias in which sexual sensations feel like “pins and needles” instead of being normally pleasant.”

http://www.sexualtips.net/accutane_affecting_sex.htm

If you’ve been on Accutane you know it can make your lips dry and chapped, dry your nose and cause nose bleeding and eye pain.

You know what’s common with all those situations?

They are mucous membranes. Your lips, insides of your nose and behind your eyeballs.

Sexual organs have similar mucous linings or membranes. And they are not immune to the effect of Accutane.

In rare cases Accutane may cause temporary, or even permanent, damage in those areas.

Here’s how one woman described her reaction to Accutane

“It has gotten to where I cannot have intercourse at all as insertion of anything feels like I am being stuffed with an extra large sandpaper dildo.”

http://www.sexualtips.net/accutane_affecting_sex.htm

In acne.org forums I’ve seen posts where people claim Accutane weakened their libido or caused other sexual problems.

So that’s one more to the long list of Accutane’s side effects.

Now I’m the first one to say these severe side effects are rare.

But even if you don’t get any severe side effects it doesn’t mean Accutane is safe for you. Your body just may be able to deal with the drug in a way that doesn’t produce acute symptoms. Poison is nevertheless poison - even if it doesn’t kill you.

And let’s not forget that Accutane was originally developed as a chemotherapy drug to ‘treat’ skin cancers. As you probably know chemotherapy drugs aren’t exactly harmless multivitamins.

To make things worse Accutane is often a temporary solution. Most people, like me, find their Accutane given freedom much too temporary.

Why would you risk Accutane when acne can be effectively and permanently cured with diet and lifestyle changes. Such as described in Clear for Life.

In the end acne may make it more difficult to have a sex life, but Accutane can make sure you’ll never enjoy it.

Dr. Pezzi has more on this. Click here to read about Accutane and sexual problems.