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Accutane and joint pain

I have been on 40mg/day of Accutane for six weeks. Of course, I've had the usual side effects (dryness, depression, lethargy.) My main problem now is severe joint pain. I lift weights 5x per week. I don't want to stop working out, but my right elbow and both shoulders are killing me! Has anyone had experience with this and can you recommend medicine or treatment for the joint pain? I employ high intensity training (low reps, hight weight) but can change my lifting to lighter weight, with higher weights. But I can not stop lifting. Any advice will be appreciated.
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Avatar universal
me toooo  evary  part off my body pains
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Avatar universal
I am 24 years old and first was treated with accutane when I was 17/18. It was severe acne and I had tried other remedies including oxytetracycline but nothing worked. I was on it for 6 months and the acne cleared up but came back 6 months later so was put on it for an additional 12 months.

Then at 23, after 5 years the acne came back. It wasn't as severe as when I was a teenager so I tried "Proactive" (a cleansing routine advertised by Katy Perry!) first as I didn't want to put my body through unnecessary treatments. But as they didn't work I started accutane or isotreninol as it's also known as, in August/September 2012. I'm a few months in now.

I've suffered from back pain since I was 18. It was mild pain so I did nothing about it. It got worse by the time I was 20 so went to the GP. He suggested physio. I didn't want to cause a fuss so I did nothing. Then at 22 it got crippling bad. I went to a chiropractor who cracked my back but the pain only left me for a few days then came back. I then tried physio and have recently been going swimming nearly everyday to help. But this exercise has now caused sciatica pain down my legs which make it hard to walk.

On a slight hunch I decided to google accutane and back pain. I'm shocked. I can't believe I may have finally found the cause of my chronic back pain. It's never made sense to me. I eat and exercise and I'm only young. I can't believe I caused this.

I'd rather have the terrible acne that I had as a teenager than have another day of this pain. Every second day and night I am in pain.

I guess all I can do is come off the drug, eat healthy, eat plenty of fish, drink lots of water and continue swimming. If anyone has any sites on how to reverse the effects of accutane please share them.

Thank you everyone.
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Avatar universal
Wow.  I'm totally blown away.  I was on Accutane for acne about 11 years ago, when I was 16.  When I was 17 I began to have severe problems with my hips and lower back.  My hips would give out, ache, have sharp pains and be very stiff.  I went to the doctor, who tested me for everything he could think of, using every test he could think of and failed to come up with anything.  I saw a joint specialist and she couldn't diagnose me either.  Since then, I've seen doctors in five different cities (including London, England and Toronto, two major cities with the best doctors available) and had many more tests done, finally ending up on Celebrex for "an undiagnosed arthritic condition".  I've had doctors tell me that it might be weight (although loosing and gaining make no change to the pain), that it must have been an infection that never healed, that it was psychological, or just made me feel like I was making it up for attention.  Not until tonight have I realized that there are other people that have been through a similar experience.  Not until tonight have I realized that it might have been the Accutane.  I'm shocked and can't believe that after all that I've been through for testing, worrying, the pain and sadness, no doctor has yet to suggest the link or even ask me about Accutane.  I can't believe that after 10 years of chronic undiagnosed pain, I might have finally found an reason why.  Amazing.  Question is, now, armed with this new insight, what do I do?  
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Avatar universal
Congratulations!  So glad someone uses supplements to help him/herself.  I am a great fan of supplements.  I take Essiac for pain (I have no discs left and am walking around doing housework, etc.)  Zinc works wonders for some with acne.  I had a friend thank me once as Zinc cleared up her face just before her wedding day. -  I gave Zinc to my second husband as his face was horribly full of acne with white/green pus!  Yuck!  It cleared it right up including the ones on his back and shoulders.
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Avatar universal
...."back the hyaluronic acid... some people like** me are not!!!!  "

pardon for mistake
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Avatar universal
im here again....it's been more than 6 months now im off of accutane!! occasionally i do get sore shoulders and knee pains still....
turned 25, got married!
in mid of july i read on internet about glucosamine chondroitin msm supplement..... and started taking it!  (btw i wish i had known about this earlier.. i wouldn't have that much painful post accutane 2 months!.. i could barely walk! even was thinking of postponing my wedding! im glad i didn't! ;) )
Basically what accutane does is..it DRIES u up from inside out! i mean during tane course almost everyone suffers from dry skin and lips...and inside it dries ur "Hyaluronic acid ". Hyaluronic acid is a substance that is naturally present in the human body. It is found in the highest concentrations in fluids in the eyes and joints.
So what glucosamine does is..it lubricates the joints, which lubrication has been dried up by accutane.... which is why people get achy joints.
Some people are lucky enough that when they are off of tane. their body naturally builds back the hyaluronic acid... some people unlike me are not!!!!  
currently im taking GNC's TRI FLEX, it has glucosamine, chondroition MSM and this one has hyaluronic acid along with vitamin C!(which my previous glucosamine chondroition didnt have... so i find this one better.. works rite away!! )
recently shifted to UAE, it was 300 AED here.. somewhere around 78$.. so yeah its expensive!! :(
so the bottom line is im feeling much better.. im not completely well... sometimes achy joints, knees and all! (its because i dont take it faithfully, when i feel fine i don take it for two three days or more.. yeah i know i should be taking it regularly,... probably would also eliminate occasional joint pains...  ) one thing more... its not a drug, its a supplement. it doesn't start working rite away! it takes some time... so stick with it! my knees felt ease after taking it for three weeks in a row!
Next i would like to share..what other natural products i have found, after suffering from pains due to accutane...  i was and i am soo sick of pain killers.. just work temporarily! So did some research on natural anti inflammatory products..
One of the best thing i have found is "Turmeric".. a yellow spice found in Indian curry! google it and find out how it works as anti inflammatory.... and zillions of other benefits!!!!  (works for acne..works for joint  pains)
Second is ginger.... also google, how ginger is effective in joint pains.
Third is ACV... yes Apple cider vinger.... not the ordinary one, organic with the "Mother" is better! ..works with joint pains and acne!!!
last but not least! drink plenty of water..... i mean PLENTY of water.... Hydrate ur self!!!!!!!!!!
If i would have done much research about all this stuff earlier.. i would have never taken accutane.... Acne is  painful, but not as painful as physical and emotional pain u go through when u have achy joints at young age!!!!
Change ur lifestyle... enjoy every moment.. look for natural products.. they work and have no side effects!!!!!

p.s i do get one or two pimples once in a while.... i cure them with turmeric (taken orally) and acv applied topically!
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