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Drug Name
Abilify (aripiprazole)
What is Accutane?
Accutane is a form of vitamin A. It reduces the amount of oil released by oil glands in your skin, and helps your skin renew itself more quickly.
Accutane is used to treat severe nodular acne. It is usually given after other acne medicines or antibiotics have been tried without successful treatment of symptoms.
Accutane may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
Important information about Accutane
Accutane can cause severe, life-threatening birth defects. Never use Accutane if you are pregnant.
Women of child-bearing potential must agree in writing to use two specific forms of birth control and have regular pregnancy tests before, during, and after taking isotretinoin.
Accutane is available only under a special program called iPLEDGE. It is dangerous to try and purchase Accutane on the Internet or from vendors outside of the United States.
Do not take vitamin supplements containing vitamin A while you are taking isotretinoin. Do not donate blood while taking Accutane and for at least 30 days after you stop taking it.
How should I take Accutane?
Take Accutane exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Each prescription of Accutane must be filled within 7 days of the date it was prescribed by your doctor. You will receive no more than a 30-day supply of Accutane at one time.
Always take Accutane with a full glass of water to prevent the capsule from melting in your esophagus (food pipe), causing irritation. Do not chew or suck on the capsule. Swallow it as quickly as possible. Take Accutane with food or milk. Take this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your acne may seem to get worse at first, but should then begin to improve.
To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your blood may need to be tested on a regular basis. Your liver function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.
Never share this medicine with another person, even if they have the same symptoms you have. Store Accutane at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
Missed Dose
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include headache, dizziness, vomiting, stomach pain, warmth or tingling under the skin, swelling of the lips, and loss of balance or coordination.
Accutane side effects Accutane
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using Accutane and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
* depressed mood, trouble concentrating, sleep problems, crying spells, aggression or agitation, changes in behavior, hallucinations, thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself;
* sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body;
* blurred vision, sudden and severe headache or pain behind your eyes, sometimes with vomiting;
* hearing problems, hearing loss, or ringing in your ears;
* seizure (convulsions);
* severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting, fast heart rate;
* loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
* severe diarrhea, rectal bleeding, black, bloody, or tarry stools;
* fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, purple spots under your skin, easy bruising or bleeding; or
* joint stiffness, bone pain or fracture.
Less serious Accutane side effects may include:
* joint pain, back pain;
* feeling dizzy, drowsy, or nervous;
* dryness of the lips, mouth, nose, or skin; or
* cracking or peeling skin, itching, rash, changes in your fingernails or toenails.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect Accutane?
Before taking Accutane, tell your doctor if you are also taking:
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* steroids (prednisone and others);
- * seizure medication such phenytoin (Dilantin); or
- * a tetracycline antibiotic such as demeclocycline (Declomycin), doxycycline (Doryx, Vibramycin), minocycline (Minocin), or tetracycline (Brodspec, Sumycin, Tetracap).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Accutane. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
Where can I get more information?
* Your pharmacist can provide more information about Accutane.
* Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
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