Isotretinoin and Back Pain: What Users Say

• smi...
• January 25, 2020

Isotretinoin for Acne "Honestly, I came into this drug thinking it would be really awful, but it has been easy. My acne was never severe in the first place, but I did have stubborn pimples. I'm on month 3 and my lips aren't chapped at all (thank goodness), and my skin isn't dry either. The only side effect is back pain, which is tolerable! The second I start to feel the Aquaphor on my lips go away, I apply it again (which is why my lips aren't dry, they don't get a chance to get dry). If you're thinking about taking this, DO IT. It's not as bad as people make it seem to be."

• Gra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 7, 2020

Isotretinoin for Acne "I was on Accutane for 6 months at 80 mg/day. I finished about 8 months ago, and my skin is still very clear. The 'it gets worse before it gets better' line is very true. My skin was bad for the first three months I was on Accutane but then slowly improved the last three months. My worst side effects were lower back pain, dry skin, and dry eyes. These side effects went away after I finished. I highly recommend taking Accutane. Although it is hard having your skin be bad for a couple of months straight, it is definitely worth it. One thing they don't really tell you about is the blood work and pregnancy test you have to do once a month before getting your new packet for that month. This was kind of annoying, but if everything checks out in the first couple of months, you don't have to keep doing it."

• Anonymous
• April 17, 2009

Isotretinoin for Acne "Today is my 11th day on Accutane, and I have already seen some major results. I had a small breakout the first couple of days, but now it has gotten so much better. I'm so happy because I finally have hope that my acne will go away. Because I don't even go out with friends anymore, and everyone at school makes fun of my acne. Yes, it's severe, and I'm glad this is working. Side effects I have are dry lips and a little bit of back pain, not much though. At school, I am so ashamed of my face, I try to hide it. All those who have severe acne, you are not alone, I understand how you feel."

• Fia...
• September 25, 2018

Isotretinoin for Acne "I have just finished month two, and my face is the smoothest it has ever been. Fair-skinned people, you will definitely look like you have a sunburn in the first month, but it goes away. I did purge bad in the first three to four weeks, but it was manageable. This thing is a miracle drug, and the only side effect I have had is SOME lower back pain, fatigue, and SLIGHTLY dry skin and lips. I attest my lack of symptoms due to my one gallon of water I drink every day and unwavering moisturizing skills. Ladies, butter yourself up every day with that ultra repair cream and some rosehip oil, and you will be fine. I thought this would be really bad, but maybe everyone is sensitive OR I just got lucky. Anyways, I highly recommend this drug. Don't think you can still eat absolute junk and it will still work, eat as healthy as you can, exercise, limit stress, eat clean, and indulge every once in a while and let Accutane do its job."

• Nat...
• February 16, 2015

Isotretinoin for Acne "In junior high, all of a sudden, my face just erupted in acne. You could tell people were staring. I hated looking in the mirror. It's remarkable how fast all the acne disappeared. This medication was a real lifesaver. My dad didn't have access to this medicine, and from 12 to 25, he was absolutely covered in acne. So grateful I have this stuff. Side effects to note: VERY dry lips, dry skin, back pain."

• Rai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 9, 2013

Isotretinoin for Acne "My daughter has been taking Accutane for 6 months now, and her skin is flawless! She is so happy! She has been complaining of back pain, but she is going to a chiropractor and getting adjusted regularly, which seems to help. At first, her lips were terribly chapped! But I bought some really good chapstick, and now she is fine. She is tired, but she is also a teenager, so that may come into play. She would not wear tank tops last summer because her skin was so broke out. Now I am planning my wedding, and she is only looking at strapless dresses! This has boosted her confidence, and I am thankful she was able to take this medicine!"

• Vba...
• February 2, 2020

Isotretinoin for Acne "After 3 years of trying every possible acne product and visiting multiple dermatologists with no results, I hesitantly allowed my 15-year-old daughter to go on Claravis. She is heading into month 3, and her skin is definitely improving. The cystic acne has almost disappeared, and some scarring is beginning to subside. She still has minor non-cystic type acne outbreaks, but nothing like she was experiencing. As for side effects, there have been some, but nothing too bad. The worst has been the sides of her mouth getting cracks from dry lips and then getting mildly infected. She uses Aquaphor constantly, which helps. She has experienced some backaches, but she plays sports, so that probably doesn't help. I constantly tell her that if things get too bad, she should end the meds, but she loves the results after years of being made fun of at school :( or feeling self-conscious about her acne, so she says she's not giving up. Eager to see how much better her skin gets in the next few months."

• aut...
• February 13, 2019

Isotretinoin for Acne "Before starting this medication, I had struggled with acne for years, had a history of depression in my teens, had no back pain or joint pain, and I had a full head of hair. Month 1: dry lips, and my acne got much worse. By month 3, the body/joint pain started. Month 5: I was taking Tylenol 4 times a day, every day for back pain, and every joint in my body was popping and crunching. Acne never fully cleared. Month 2 off of it, and my acne started coming back, and my hair started falling out. I'm 5 months off now. My hair is STILL falling out, and none of my doctors can tell me if/when it will stop or if it will grow back. My back still hurts, every joint in my body pops and is sore, and my knees and shoulders crunch with minimal movement. I haven't been myself in 8 months, always angry and depressed. If I had known in order to have mostly clear skin all I had to sacrifice was half the hair on my head, my personality, and my back and joints, I would not have done it."

• lll...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 26, 2018

Isotretinoin for Acne "Isotretinoin (Claravis) changed my life. My only regret is not going on it sooner (I started at age 22). If you are on the fence, do it. The only side effects I had were dry lips, some back/tailbone pain, and some depression (though I think this was more so from the birth control). I wasted so much of my life hiding away because of my mild to moderate acne. Be patient, and this will work. It's better than being on antibiotics for long periods of time. I was on it for 4 months, and my skin keeps getting better after. It did not clear up my hyperpigmentation, but I know that will fade, and I can cover it up. Monthly blood work is so worth it to be able to wake up in the morning and not worry about pimples. Use Carmex lip balm (for me, way better than Aquaphor). And go out and live your life!!! If my acne comes back (praying it doesn't), I would be happy to take this again."

• Hai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 25, 2016

Isotretinoin for Acne "I've been suffering from acne from the age of 12. Ever since, I've been so insecure. At the age of 13, I started putting foundation to cover it up. It was really bad. Accutane/Roaccutane saved my life and my confidence in many ways. I'm 14. I've been on this medication for 3 months now. I've seen a lot of change in my skin. Really happy with my results. I really recommend Roaccutane. I started off with 20 mg, then 30, then 40. My side effects were nosebleed, dry lips, dry face, back pain, headaches, and joint pain, but it's definitely worth it. I took a before and after pic, and in these 3 months, I've seen a lot of difference, and now I can go out in public without makeup! I've tried everything and nothing worked except for Roaccutane."

• Anonymous
• July 14, 2009

Isotretinoin for Acne "This medicine is amazing. I'm 28 years old and have tried a lot of different medications to clear up my acne, but nothing worked until I went on Claravis. I have been taking 40 mg once a day for 3 months now, and my skin looks great. I am experiencing a lot of the side effects, though: blood noses, extremely dry lips, and back pain."

• Kyn...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 16, 2016

Isotretinoin for Acne "Amazing. I've suffered from acne since I was about 11, tried every spot cream, every face wash, and all antibiotics the doctor gave me. Finally, at 18, I was prescribed Accutane and have been on 40 mg a day for 6 months. I finish my course in half a month, and I do not have any spots on my face. I do, however, have hyperpigmentation on my cheeks where my acne was worst, but I'm hoping this will fade. Dry lips are a nightmare and occasional back pain, but honestly, I owe my life to this drug. I hope my acne does not return and that I do not suffer from any more pigmentation. It's so worthwhile, I'm sad I didn't go on it earlier."

• bel...
• July 31, 2014

Isotretinoin for Acne "I've been on this medication for just over 2 months now, taking 40 mg a day. When I started on a low dose, the first 3 weeks I experienced severe dry skin, lips, and especially my nose and under my eyes even. The first 5 weeks my skin broke out worse. And from the beginning, I started getting severe back pain. Now in week 9, my skin has settled down and is a tiny bit better, but all my blackheads have disappeared. My skin is still drier than usual, but it's actually improved, and my lips are fine as long as I apply Vaseline 2-3 times a day. The only significant side effect I still have is my back and bone/joint pain. So far, I'm very happy with what I've achieved (the blackheads) and expect things to keep improving."

• Lin...
• February 26, 2010

Isotretinoin for Acne "Accutane is wonderful. I first started the medicine when I was 15. I am now 21, and still to this day, I do not have any acne! I had horrible acne, and after I took Accutane, it was all clear and still is! Within the first week, all my pores cleared out and all the blackheads on my nose would literally peel off. The side effects I experienced were very dry lips, my skin on my back would peel and shed, depression and crying spells, backaches, and migraines. When I look back, I wouldn't change it for anything. I have not had to be seen by my dermatologist in 7 years, because my skin is still super clear, and it's been 7 years since I've been on Accutane. Would highly recommend it!"

• bum...
• April 20, 2015

Isotretinoin for Acne "On my third month of using Accutane, I must say it definitely works, but the lower back and side pain is getting out of hand. It's depressing because I've dealt with acne most of my life and have used everything under the sun, but the one thing that works, I can't use. I highly recommend it, but be careful with the side effects."

• 17y...
• August 4, 2016

Isotretinoin for Acne "PROS - completely clear skin after 4 months - during treatment my hair got much less greasy and barely needed washing. However, this stopped after I finished my course. CONS - dry skin everywhere, although was manageable with a lot of moisturizer and lip balm - eczema on arms, back of knees, and hands - severe back pain lasting the whole duration of the course, couldn't be helped by physiotherapy - (the worst side effect) irritable bowel syndrome. Severe pain while passing stools (to the extent of crying), constipation, and blood when I wiped. Was severely debilitating and made me afraid of going to the loo for 4 months. SUMMARY - despite the awful side effects, I do not at all regret taking Roaccutane even though I only had mild-moderate acne."

• Gol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 28, 2021

Isotretinoin for Acne "I started this medication 3 months ago, and today my doctor and I decided to stop taking it. 2 months into it, I developed severe depression, pretty much all of the side effects that it lists on the inside of the medicine packet. Aggressiveness, irritability, crying spells, feelings of worthlessness and guilt, the list goes on. It cleared my moderate acne very well, so I was very disappointed that I had to stop, but I didn’t know if the depression would stay with me in the long term if I stuck with it. In the first month, I took two weeks off due to it causing back pain. I also had a dry scalp, minimal lip dryness, and purging. Although this medication was not for me, my brother took it when he was a teenager, and he had great results. His face is clear, and as far as I know, he hasn’t had one pimple pop back up. Hope this helps."

• chr...
• December 25, 2008

Isotretinoin for Acne "I have just completed my first month of Amnesteem (I had moderate acne), and I am extremely happy with the results this far. However, I experienced stomach ache, nausea, constipation, chest pain, headaches, lower back pain, sore throat, dry skin, extremely chapped lips, and fatigue. They all hit me at the beginning of week three. The good news is they all subsided by the end of the week except the constipation."

• Ama...
• February 5, 2016

Isotretinoin for Acne "I'm on my last week of Accutane and have been taking it for 5 months. All of my acne has cleared up except for one or two pimples, but I still have acne scars left. My only side effect symptoms at first included dry lips, dry eyes, back pain, and blurry vision, but now I'm experiencing mood swings and depression. It is not severe, but I have noticed that I've been acting different for no real reason. I honestly can't wait to get off the drug just to return to my normal self and feel like I have more control over my emotions. Overall, I think the side effects are worth it for the results that I've gotten from Accutane, but I am worried that after I'm done taking it, my acne will return."

• Tan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 6, 2016

Isotretinoin for Acne "I'm 17 years old, and I've suffered with bad skin since I can remember. Been on lots of antibiotics, the pill, cream, and finally put me on Accutane. My skin was bad as I had it on my face, back, arms, and chest! My worst was on my arms, and now there are loads of dark scars. Accutane had really cleared up all the pimples and face spots I had within the first 2-3 months, which is great. Lips have been awful and have had a rash on my hands. My nose has also appeared more with whiteheads, which I remove with nose strips once a week now, which is great. I also have back pains from the tablets and feel tired most of the time, which isn't too great because I'm doing exams. I feel more confident as I can now show my face without makeup to people!"

• Mon...
• November 1, 2016

For Acne "I developed severe cystic acne, and nothing would work. I tried creams, washes, antibiotics, and they would work, but as soon as I stopped, it would come back. So my dermatologist decided to put me on isotretinoin. I was very hesitant about it because of the side effects, but the results were worth it. A lot of people compliment my face. I did have my lips dry all the time, but it was tolerable because I would use Aquaphor all the time to keep them moist. Use sunscreen and moisturizer to protect yourself from the sun. I also would get really bad pain in my back, especially during the first months, and bad headaches too. I took this for five months, and I've been off the medication for three months, and my face looks great. My face used to be very oily, but not anymore."

• S_T...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 19, 2017

For Acne "When I was 22, I started experiencing extremely bad acne. It really affected my self-esteem and confidence, and I would wear layers of foundation even just to pop to the shop. After 2 years, I was recommended isotretinoin. And I am so glad I was, I only wish I had tried it sooner. I am currently 3 months into a 6-month treatment course. Initially, I started on 20mg and am now on 30mg a day. My skin went completely clear within the first month, and my scarring is definitely improving too. I feel so much happier and more confident. In terms of side effects, I consistently have dry lips, although nothing unmanageable, and my back and neck tend to ache. Regardless, I have no regrets at all about taking this medication!"

• Anonymous
• July 7, 2009

Isotretinoin for Acne "It's been about 9 months since I stopped taking Accutane. I had really bad acne on my back and chest and tried everything, and Accutane was the only thing that worked. The acne on my face was pretty bad but not as bad as the other places. While I was on Accutane, I never got any pimples, but about 2 months after I stopped, it all came back on my face. I'm considering taking it again, but I experienced some memory loss, backaches, bloodshot eyes, and my lips are still always very dry. It worked amazingly on my back and chest, though, and I haven't had a pimple there since."

• Lem...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 5, 2018

Isotretinoin for Acne "Taken for drug-resistant adult acne after all the topicals and some oral meds. I’m in my third month starting 80 mg/day. First two were 40 mg/day. Only side effects are chapped lips and back/knee pain. My skin is clear, and I don’t need to wash my hair as frequently."

• Hun...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 15, 2021

Isotretinoin for Acne "HORRIBLE. Left me permanently crippled with joint and back pain, irreversible damage. I now spend every day of my life suffering and in pain because of this pill that was pushed on me. It cleared up my acne fast, but all my acne returned worse a month after I stopped. Please never get on this. I am warning you. They never warned me. I've been dealing with the permanent side effects after being off of Accutane for 4 years now and the pain only gets worse. Worst mistake of my life. Save yourself, please."