Accutane and Gastrointestinal Disorders

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has analyzed Accutane to determine the possible damage and inflammation effects on the gastrointestinal tract during drug use and afterwards. A number of patients have suffered negative health effects for a period of time after they stopped using Accutane. Using this medication can produce the following symptoms:

Diarrhea
Stomach or bowel pain
Swallowing difficulty or pain
Darkening of urine
Heartburn
Rectal bleeding
Jaundice

Types of Gastrointestinal Disorders

A variety of gastrointestinal ailments are associated with the use of Accutane. More patients who have used this medication for acne have suffered these illnesses than those who have not. These diagnoses include:

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

The Accutane medication guide notes that Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is related to its use, even with patients who had never experienced IBD or any other intestinal problems. The two types of incurable IBD are:

Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease causes inflammation of the digestive tract lining and the symptoms are severe abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, vomiting and weight loss. While there are no known cures for Chron's disease, there are treatments. If it is left untreated, malnutrition from Chron's disease can be fatal.

Ulcerative Colitis (UC)

UC causes inflammation of the digestive tract and ulcers on internal organs such as the intestines and rectal lining. The symptoms of UC are abdominal pain and diarrhea. While it is treatable, it is presently incurable.

Acute Pancreatitis

Studies have linked the use of Accutane to Acute Pancreatitis (AP), which is a potentially fatal pancreatic inflammatory disease. Symptoms such as severe stomach pain, vomiting, nausea, fever and rapid pulse can occur quickly indicating AP. Hospitalization may be necessary because of life-threatening conditions such as kidney failure, internal bleeding, permanent tissue damage and the possibility of serious infections.

Esophagitis and Esophageal Ulceration

Accutane can have side effects to the esophagus such as serious inflammation which could lead to difficult and painful swallowing in addition to chest pain.

Legal Consequences

Accutane patients have filed around 1,000 law suits against Hoffman-LaRoche, Inc. because of severe health conditions with various degrees of severity that range from frequent abdominal pain, colon removal and additional severe lift-threatening surgeries.

In many instances, the courts have awarded significant financial compensation in law suits initiated by former Accutane patients. For example, an Alabama court awarded $25 million to a man who had chronic diarrhea and had to have additional surgeries even though he was following a prescribed use of the drug. Another court in New Jersey awarded $10.5 million to a woman because Accutane was related to her development of ulcerative colitis at the age of 14, which subsequently led to the surgical removal of her colon as a result of severe and chronic diarrhea.