Accutane and UC/IBD - connection?

Reading today's paper, I noticed an advertisement from a lawyer's office saying that accutaine has been linked to IBD, UC, CD and if you have taken accutane in the past and then developed a digestive disease, call the lawyer's office because you may be entitled to compensation.

Has anyone ever looked into this?

I took accutane probably 20 yrs ago for acne, and now I have UC.  Hmmm...

Just wondering if anyone else is aware of this, took accutane, contacted a lawyer's office, etc.?

 

You might want to do a search on our forum here - there was a fairly long thread about this some months ago. You might find some helpful information!

Yes, look for the old threads. It's worth investigating, but the good lawyers will be particular about what cases they take. There is an organized group of law firms throughout the country doing this successfully, who share information. Don't waste your time with just anybody.

I developed UC within a year of taking Accutane. My case could not be pursued because I could not prove I took Accutane, the medical records were already destroyed (at 10 years). Actually, I could have pursued it on my own, but with no proof it would have been a waste of time. Maybe someday I'll find an old record...

Thanks for the hint and I did search the past forums. There was some useful information and a lot of people claiming that people will try to blame anything ,or anybody, for their current condition (in this case UC)
If anybody has any doubt as to how powerful Accutane is (or was) should simply look up Isotretinoin on Wiki. This drug was, and still is, used to treat certain cancers due to its ability to destroy rapidly dividing cells. Additionally, it specifically reeks havoc on mucosa of the body and corresponding mucous membranes. And...since we all know what part of the colon UC attacks I think that the science behind the potential of the drug to trigger, or cause, the disease is more likely than not.
However, I am talking to a lawyer but will likely not pursue as an individual...as another poster said I would be more likely to participate in a class action suit.
I personally know 4 people with UC - everyone of us took Accutane in our late teens or early 20's....

Hey Guys...I took Accutane in 1997 for a couple cycles and experienced some pretty bad side effects. The usually bleeding and excessive stomach cramps started almost immediately. Anyways I had a sigmoidoscopy in 2002 and was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. The doctors didn't know why and I figured that I just drew a bad ticket or so to speak. I've been dealing with this for almost 10 years now as I'm sure other have to. I recently saw the commercials and have contacted several firms to get the low down on what's happening.

Essentially, there are 7 or so cases that are going to set a precedence for the settlements of thousands of people that have severe GI problems following the use of Accutane. Rather than litigate each one individually, they're all going to be settled fairly quickly in an effort to keep the courts from being bombarded with many similar cases. It's not a class action but more of a mass settlement because every case is looked at individually and compensated based on the conditions (UC, Crohn's, IBD, Ulcerative Proctitus, colectomy, colostomy, etc).

I got all my info from this site www.AccutaneRisks.com. I was in contact with a tier I law firm almost immediately that is actually in NJ and trying some of those seven cases, so I feel like I'm in a great position now. Apparently, it's best to have a firm in NJ since Roche HQ is in NJ and the cases are filed in state court.

Good luck with everyone...just thought I'd tell my story.

I wonder if this lawsuit will open up other lawsuits, against other meds? I got UC right after taking a Z-pack and others have had theirs triggered by antibiotics too

And i read up on accutane, and that is some evil stuff! People have to sign contracts saying tehy will use two types of birthcontrol, even if they are fixed, they still have to use something else!

There is a lot of information and also misinformation being discussed on the Internet about the legal aspects of Accutaine and IBD. I too took these lovely orange pills back when Accutaine first came out in 1982. I have asked an attorney with a firm that's working on Accutaine if they would do a FAQ's for us as a favor and they are considering it. I will report back here when I have a definitive answer from them. Depending on what the admin of the site allows they may or may not permit me to post their contact info, but they have been most helpful, courtesous and enlightening; they even flew a paralegal to different states in order to help new clients with all the paper work etc associated with this case.

They should look at the ingredients of accutane, and see if any of those ingredients are used commonly in some of our food supply.

Hi I took it on and off for a few years in my mid twenties and hey presto then I had UC. I was prescribed the medication in Sydney, Australia but then moved to London, UK where I developed UC and was diagnosed. If anyone from Australia or the UK knows anything about any legal cases going on in these countries please let me know.

I too took accutaine in my early 20's/1980's but when I spoke with an attorney he said too much time elapsed between taking the drug an my official diagnosis in 2007; even though I suffered for years thinking I just had IBS etc.

I got diagnosed with UC a little over a year after finishing a course of Accutane. I've been in talks with one of the firms from those ads. They're still gathering my medical records-- now all I can do is wait.

No one in my family has IBD.

I took accutane in my 30's and less than five years later I was diagnosed. No family history. I have submitted all information and the firm has filed it. I thnk it was in NJ. I just finished my take down for my j-pouch. I hope to get something after going through so much.

A purported link has been suggested for a long time now. I took accutane a few years after being diagnosed with UC. Had no increase of symptoms or additional flares during that period, but this obviously isn't a blanket statement for anyone else and I would not be the least bit surprised if high doses of Isotretinoin can trigger the condition in genetically susceptible individuals - many factors can.

I will say, accutane was very harsh but did its job well. Now even when I'm on 25mg+ of Pred I rarely get any facial acne. A few cysts on my back and chest seem to return when I'm on pred, but I'm happy that my face is acne free.