colitis and accutane

I was not on accutane, however I do strongly believe that the awful antibiotics I was on in high school for my acne came into play with my UC. My first flare-up (and later diagnosis with UC) came shortly after (3 mo) I ceased taking the acne medications during my freshman year of college.

I have taken a six month course of accutane (I took it just this past winter actually) while having UC. I was diagnosed in June of 2008 and was on prednisone prior to using the accutane. It cleared my acne up (the majority of the acne was actually due to the pred, what a horrible drug it is) and gave me no side effects save perhaps two headaches. My acne is now pretty much gone (I have the scars though still :( ) I believe that most of the connection between accutane and UC deals with folks whose disease is triggered by accutane's use, while I however had already been diagnosed with UC before starting accutane. I believe that my UC has always been with me (I've always gotten severe apthous ulcers in my mouth since I was young and they never really subsided until I began to take anti-inflammatory drugs for UC) and was triggered by long term (over 2 years) use of the antibiotic Bactrim to treat (unsuccessfully) my adolescent acne. I then once stopping the bactrim became infected with rotavirus and c diff. which in turn most likely set off my full blown UC. The C Diff and rotavirus ended up masking the UC and delaying proper treatment, but that's a whole other story.

In short, I took accutane while having UC with essentially no problems and it worked as it should.

Looking back, I blame the antibiotic acne medicines too. The UC started about 3 months after the last doses, so I discounted it, but something set off the genetic predisposition, and it wasn't stress! She was one 2 different antibiotics for about 4-5 months. Forgot which ones, but not Accutane....
Then all of this fun happened, and life hasn't been the same since. As a little kid, she was only on an antibiotic one time for an ear infection, and I know of kids who were on tons. Guess you have to have a predisposition.

Another Accutane user here. I used it around 1985 and again around 1995. I was also on antibiotics for acne.

Diagnosed with UC around 2004.

I did, in 1983-84. I'm sure it caused my UC, which developed shortly after and was diagnosed in late 1985 or early 1986.
I tried to join the litigation, but my medical records have long been destroyed.

Google accutane and UC and you'll find the lawyers that are working on cases, if you are interested in it. several different firms are working together, but it's not a class action (yet?). There were at least two multi-million dollar awards, and the drug company was then expected to set up a fund instead of fight each case. But I haven't kept up with it lately.

It's worth filling out the law firm survey, they'll let you know if you have a case.

Used Accutane in 2003 for mild acne and was diagnosed with UC in 2004. There could be some kind of connection and I wish I would have known. Living with UC is horrible. Never had a problem in my life until the whole Accutane came into play, But then again I stopped smoking 9 years ago and one DR. said that could have triggered my UC? Who really knows.

I saw one of those commercials on TV yesterday where the loud lawyers are saying "have you ever been on the drug accutane and then developed Ulcerative Colitis? Then call 1-800-LAW-FIRM" or whatever the phone number was. It was on TV when I was at work and my head just snapped around when I heard "Ulcerative Colitis"

I was just surprised that they have enough potential clients to advertise on one of those commercials!

I used accutane and antibiotics for years due to acne. I was younger and now I can't believe I didn't so more research, bummer, I killed all my healthy natural probiotics. My colon is paying more than a big price for it today...

I still have acne and have learned to deal in a healthier way.