weight gain through accutane

Guest · Guest

I accutane now and i did gain weight... not alot.. but to avoid this you have to really work out n be keen on your diet.. again side effects of accutane vary among ppl.
Like depression is a major side effect but i didn't have any of that. But it definetely altered my lipids(low HDLS and high VDLs).
But in the end, it works ... so depends on how desperate you r....cos sometimes you r just unlucky cos it has effects on cardiovascular, liver, vision, and so on.
(Most of this information is on the data fact sheet that comes w/ accutane)

Guest · Guest

I am 27 female I and going to be done with a 15 week cycle of Accutane.

month#1
was 40mg a day - I only got 2 pimples and they were less severe than my normal cystic ones, and a little bit chapped lips

month #2
blood test were good so I was upped to 80mg a day and woa chapped lip city and bad headaches. Also sore chapped inner nose and dry eyes, just used a lot of aquaphor. Started noticing dryness on the rest of my body as well, no pimples at all and old ones almost gone.

month #3
still 80mg a day
same dryness, but also ankles and knee joint soreness, had to stop working out, loss of energy, love to sleep, also got 2 stys in my right eyelid, not sure if it is related but I never had a sty before and then all of a sudden two, but the antibiotics made them go away.

month #4
still 80 mg a day
very very dry arms and hands, using baby creme - lotion it helps, however my face sweats a lot especially in the eyebrows and lip/chin areas don't know why- kinda sucks but it is May in Arizona and warming up too. No more headaches, but still muscle weakness and joint pain, haven't been to the gym in over a month and have gone from 140 to 150 pounds - not happy about it but once the weakness is gone Doctor says I can work out and will loose the weight, I may also consider getting off birth control pills too as they do cause weight gain. Maybe people say accutane makes you gain because you can't exercise as much and if youre a girl you have to go on birth control which can cause gain, but I don't think accutane CAUSES the weight to come on. I am still very tried all the time, skin is clear not a single blemish since month number one. I would say the side effects do suck but they are supposably temporary and hopefully I can be back to the gym and loose this weight. I am to be done in

Month #5
80mg a day
no zits, no pimples, no blemishes at all!
Just 2 more weeks and can't wait! I LOVE THIS DRUG but I will be happy to be done with it too! Overall if I had to do it again later in life I surely would!

lhand · Newbie Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 1

I'm 19 and on my second go around with Accutane. I was on it about 4 and a half years ago. I'm getting ready to start my second month. Yes, the side effects are a bother (dryness, chapped lips, initial flare ups), but it really does get better! For face dryness try Cetaphil CREAM at night (It works wonders!). Also, my dermatologist told me to use Dr.Dan's Cortibalm for my lips. Most stores didn't have it, so I had my pharmacy order it. It doesn't taste that great (I tend to lick my lips sometimes), but well worth the cost. I never had any weight gain my first go around, but I'm having a little this time. I just did some reading up on the supplement Chromium Picolinate and I think I'm going to give that a try and see if it helps. I would HIGHLY suggest Accutane to anyone who wants to get rid of stubborn acne.

Quincer · Newbie Joined: 16 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

It'd be nice to say I gained 7 pounds from being on accutane for 6 months, but there's more behind this side effect.

Now, if it isn't a side effect, it is a side effect of a side effect--namely, the soreness.

It was harder to exercise because of the soreness brought by Accutane, and the pain pills didn't always help--but I still think I should have been more aggressive about it.

Just so you know, it couldn't be the birth control pills, because I haven't been taking any with the Accutane.

However, I still feel that some of it was water weight from Accutane. Firstly, because I remember reading it as a side affect in the lit (I remember seeing weight loss after this and hoping I got the latter). And, swollen ankles is a side effect, and swelling is caused by water. Thus, wouldn't it make sense that Accutane causes some of us to hold our water (yet *still* get so danged thirsty)?

Either way, I know I can shed the weight again after I finish Accutane in less than a week and the aches go away! (Yayyy!!)

Guest · Guest

Well, I just started Accutane, and in my first week I lost two pounds! I think it was two pounds of water weight, because OMG I am SO DRY all of a sudden. I am also not taking BC (I pledged to abstain). I think it probably is the BC and the soreness that makes people gain, not the Accutane.

sintel7 · Newbie Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 1

I have been on accutane for about two months now and have experienced some weight gain of about 10 lbs. Not sure if it is coming from being on the drug or something else. So far everything is going good, I had a few headaches at first and my body felt stiff all over but my acne is nearly non existent atm. My first blood test showed my liver enzymes to be a little high but not too bad. I believe the chapped lips to be the most uncomfortable side effect so far. I need to keep a thick layer of lip balm on them at all times. Hopefully my enzymes will be down by the next visit so that I can finish my five months out. If your willing to put up with the side effects and be closely monitored by having your blood drawn every month accutane in my opinion is one of the best drugs out there for acne. The most important thing is to monitor and report any serious symptoms that you may develop to your physician so that you can be taken off the medication right away if your system doesn't do so well on it.

weight gain through accutane

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