Accutane and diabetes

[John]

I contacted Roche. I asked about evidence supporting claim of no causal relationship between accutane therapy and Type I diabetes (Ho: does not cause diabetes; H1 does cause diabetes). Unfortunately, the person I talked with, although cordial, was not very helpful, and either did not know of or was not helpful in telling me of any scientific or other evidence in support of the null hypothesis. They suggested that patients contact their physician and that the physician then contact Roche. I asked why Roche had this policy but was not given a good answer. Apparently, you are only entitled to the liteature that comes with the prescription or what they decide to make publicly available.
There may or may not be anything to the connection between accutane therapy and Type I diabetes. If Roche has done the studies and has the data, they are not saying so, and will not release the studies and data to patients or other interested parties.
So, my daughter will talk to her physician, and hopefully the physician will contact Roche. In most scientific fields, researchers show all the data and allow others to examine their methods and findings. It's called peer review. It would be nice if Roche stepped up to the plate and did the same on this issue. Perhaps they already have the studies and the data to lay this issue to rest. If they do, they are not telling me. Perhaps my daughter's physician will get further.
Patients are naturally concerned about the side effects and the safety of prescription drugs. Drug companies are concerned about safety also (because of tort) and want to avoid frivolous inquiries and lawsuits. But drugs that involve significant safety hazards need to be pulled off the market.

[Jordan]

Maybe you guys took a high dose of accutane? the higher the dose the higher the risk. By the way, accutane helps more people then it does damage to them. I'm sorry for you guys, but you guys were just really unlucky, it is very very rare to get this. Maybe it had something to do with what you ate during your accutane?

[JJS]

Did anyones go away. My Gf has hight blood sugar after taking accutane. Will it correct itself when she is off it?

[Stapley]

not if she gets diabetes then shes stuck with it i got diabetes 2 months after treatment im not sure if my blood was high during treatment i never had a chance to check it. although during treatment i had mood swings like how i get now if my blood gets high. In my opinion its not worth the risk. and my dose was low i had acute acne.

[Stapley]

Also my problem with accutane isn't that i was unlucky and got diabetes as Jordan said my problem is there was no warning, had there been one on diabetes. i would have just rode my acne out. as i bet alot of people on here would have too.

[Rachsie Redondo Beach]

I am currently on accutane and my fasting glucose is a33 which means I have diabetes. no history in my family ever. If Accutane caused it they should inform their patients.....

[Rachsie Redondo Beach]

Whoops I meant to day my fasting glucose is 133 which means I am diabetic. If Accutane is the culprit I am not too happy.....

[lindseyj81]

I am a little concerned. I have had my period for the second time twice in a month if that makes sence. I am also urinating a lot lately. It is a lot more than usual. Does anyone have any suggestions.

[Lamula]

I took accutane at the age of 21 - after that my weight ballooned and I have been plagued with health problems since (including fertility problems). I have now been told I have insulin resistance and am on my way to developing diabetes. No family history.

[Lamula]

Oh and I must add - I am the healthiest eater everyone around me knows (because I have to follow a coeliac diet) - people cant understand why this has happened to me when I tell them - they always say 'but you eat so healthy.'

[Lamula]

I also took a very low dose of accutane (less than was prescribed me) because of the side effects

[Lamula]

I read this in an article about diabetes - did the roaccutane (being an altered form of vitamin A)- alter our ability to utilise vitamin A in the body and in turn causing diabetes?(Read below for further info).

High levels of vitamin A are absolutely essential for the diabetic because diabetics are unable to convert the carotenes in plant foods into true vitamin A. Vitamin A and vitamin D also protect against the complications of diabetes, such as retina and kidney problems. And vitamin D is necessary for the production of insulin.

See this link for further info.

http://www.westonaprice.org/moderndiseases/di...

[lindseyj81]

That was a very informative site that you sent me. I really appriciate it.

[Terri]

My son was about 17, and was given accutane for his skin because of a really bad cystic leision on his face.(not a pimple at all) It was very large about the size of a quarter and stuck out about an inch...he was completley embarrased by it. Because it was located under the skin, his doctor gave him accutane to treat it. But guess what? He was a type 1 diabetic already!.........I would suspect vaccinations check that!

[Jason]

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.

[Liz]

I have been a Type 1 diabetic for 6 years, and I just started Accutane. To get things straight, Type 1 diabetes has NO familial link. NONE. It is an autoimmune disorder, meaning it can be triggered by a compromised immune system. Accutane can cause a decrease in white blood cells, which compromises part of the immune response in your body and puts you at greater risk for infection. Part of the immune system in your body is responsible for recognizing proteins on cells as your own or as foreign (virus), when the immune system isn't functioning properly, it can mistake it's own cells (insulin cells) for invaders and kill them off instead of the virus. This left me sick for months and gradually developed the signs of diabetes. Put accutane in the picture- decreases your immunity, raises your blood sugar, voila- diabetes. And Terri- vaccinations don't check anything, they vaccinate. As in, expose your body to low dose inactivated viruses to build immunity. It seems a great deal of the members of this forum are ill informed and angry about their diagnoses, but didn't bother to do the research and careful self monitoring prior to initiating accutane therapy. My blood sugar levels are elevated at times but with careful monitoring and adjusting my insulin things are working out fine, and my skin looks good- I can go out in public now without crippling embarrasment. So for those of you who say beauty is skin deep, may be, but confidence to enjoy a normal social life is something entirely different. As a health care professional it's no wonder I see so many sick individuals- you need to take responsibility for your own health, it is no one else's responsibility but your own, and no one can force you to do anything you don't want to- Don't blame it on the drug companies, they didn't force feed you the pill.

[Susan]

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. Has anyone experienced this and based on the fact she was only on it for less than 40 days, will it reverse???

[Susan]

I found out from the Endocronologist today that my daughters glucose was not tested as part of the 20 other items she is tested each month for as required by the FDA. Why...It is completely beyond me because regardless of the cause of the diabetes, Accutane as described by the FDA and The manufacturer can result in higher sugar levels. Had the dtr simply tested her for glucose before she started as part of the screening, or monthly her sugar level may not have gone to 600 undetected. I can tell you if in fact she had this issue prior to starting the drug 40 days ago, I would not have placed her on the drug. Such a simple test, still in the mist of understanding why dtrs did not ask?

[Far Too Much Regret]

Glyco Patrick wrote:

I signed up to help tane users wake up to the spell that pharmacea (mixer of poisons) will cast upon your whole being. Many on this forum will complain of all the chronic pain and symptoms they experience and then the other side of the mouth say how beautiful their skin is. And then condemn me as paranoid. Hey wake up or in 20 more years you will find even more problems with this ignorance and diabetes, back pain, dry lips, bloody noses will seem like a picnic. ALL DRUGS HAVE SIDE EFFECTS. But then maybe sitting at a dialysis machine with your silky smooth face is what you're after. We reap what we sow. Anybody suggesting the amount of clean water our bodies require each day? This would clear up most conditions. Half your body wgt in oz. Coffee, tea, pop doesn't count in fact each 6 oz of caffeine you consume requires 12 oz of water to replenish what you lose.
Revelations:::: And by her(Babylon the bitch) sorceries (greek word pharmecea) were the nations decieved. Not much of that going on right??? If I were to cut burn or poison someone, I go to jail. If I get a md license (lie-sins) I'm protected. Hope this post gets you angry and start to question the so-called experts. False prophets (profits) come to kill , steal and destroy!!!! Done preaching. If my friend ever gets the stones to come on the board and share his nightmare, maybe that will shake some complacency.
glycostory.com/patmos

FINALLY SOMEONE WHO'S SANE!!!! I totally agree, it is my everlasting misfortune that i took this drug. my doctor lied to me a number of times in order to get me to take it. I went to 2 dermatologists and both were equally ignorant. If there were a gun to their heads, i cant say i wouldnt pull the trigger.

[Deb]

I too took Accutane and then developed type I diabetes. Within 6 months of taking the drug, I started to feel symptoms (thirst, exhaustion, blurred vision, feelings of anger/frustration from high blood sugar), but I had no idea what was wrong with me. I wasn't diagnosed until a year and a half later. I developed diabetes gradually, first Type 1.5 and now Type 1. It's been 10 years since I was diagnosed, and I have since developed other autoimmune problems as well. Noone in my family has type 1 diabetes or problems with autoimmunity. The drug is very dangerous. Make sure you keep good track of all of your medical records just in case it's possible to sue them for damages.