Accutane, also known as isotretinoin, is a powerful medication prescribed for severe acne that has not responded to traditional therapies. While it can be highly effective, it's essential to understand its potential side effects and how dietary and lifestyle choices can influence the treatment process. This article provides a comprehensive guide to navigating Accutane, focusing on dietary considerations, potential interactions, and overall well-being during treatment.
Understanding Accutane and Its Mechanism
Isotretinoin belongs to a class of drugs called retinoids, which are derived from vitamin A. It works by reducing the amount of oil released by oil glands in the skin, decreasing inflammation, and preventing clogged pores. Due to its potency, Accutane requires careful monitoring and adherence to specific guidelines to minimize potential risks.
General Dietary Recommendations
While Accutane doesn't impose strict dietary restrictions, certain considerations can help manage side effects and optimize the drug's effectiveness.
Absorption and Meal Composition
Most Accutane formulations are best absorbed when taken with food. Specifically, fatty meals can significantly enhance the absorption of isotretinoin. According to the Mayo Clinic, taking Accutane with fatty meals helps your body best absorb the medication, so planning meals around your dosage schedule is recommended. However, Absorica and Absorica LD are formulations of isotretinoin that are made so you can take them with or without food, providing more flexibility in your schedule.
Foods to Consider Moderating
Certain dietary habits might exacerbate acne or interfere with Accutane's effectiveness. While individual responses vary, moderating the following may be beneficial:
Read also: Accutane's Effect on Weight
- Dairy: Some individuals report that dairy consumption can worsen acne symptoms due to the hormones present in milk.
- High Glycemic Index (GI) Foods: Acne can be associated with insulin resistance. Foods like white bread, starchy foods, sugary foods, and sodas can spike blood sugar levels, which can increase hormones such as IGF-1 that contribute to acne breakouts. In addition, clinical trials have found that eating a low-glycemic index diet can improve acne.
Recommended Fats
While fatty foods help your body absorb Accutane better, eating a diet that is too rich in fats has its own consequences. A very fatty diet may negatively impact your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. High consumption of fats can lead to increased cholesterol, which might not be healthy.
Incorporate healthy fats like those from avocados, nuts, and olive oil rather than excessive saturated fats. Consider using whole milk or peanut butter with Accutane to enhance absorption without heavily impacting cholesterol levels.
Supplements and Medications to Avoid
Vitamin A
Because Accutane is a derivative of vitamin A, it's crucial to avoid additional vitamin A supplements or multivitamins that contain vitamin A during treatment. This helps prevent the risk of vitamin A toxicity, which can have serious side effects. Ensuring that your diet is balanced without additional supplementation is key.
Other Medications
Do not take other medicines without checking first with your doctor. This includes vitamins, herbal products, and prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines. Some medicines or nutritional supplements (eg, St. John's wort) may cause your birth control pills to not work as well.
Important Precautions and Monitoring
Pregnancy and Birth Control
Isotretinoin causes birth defects in humans if taken during pregnancy. Using this medicine while you are pregnant can cause very serious birth defects. If you suspect that you may have become pregnant, check with your doctor right away.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Women of reproductive age must adhere to strict birth control measures:
- Use two forms of effective birth control to keep from getting pregnant 1 month before beginning treatment, while you are using this medicine (even if the medicine is temporarily stopped), and for at least 1 month after you stop taking the medicine.
- The most effective forms of birth control are hormone birth control pills, patches, shots, vaginal rings, or implants, an IUD, or a vasectomy (for men). One of these forms of birth control should be combined with a condom, a diaphragm, or a cervical cap.
- Isotretinoin must not be taken by women of reproductive age who may become pregnant unless 2 effective forms of birth control have been used for at least 1 month before the start of treatment. Contraception must be continued during the period of treatment, which is up to 20 weeks, and for 1 month after isotretinoin is stopped.
- If you are a woman who is able to have children, you must have 2 pregnancy tests before beginning treatment with isotretinoin to make sure you are not pregnant. The second pregnancy test must be taken at least 19 days after the first test and during the first 5 days of the menstrual period immediately before beginning treatment. In addition, you must have a pregnancy test each month while you are using this medicine and 1 month after treatment is completed.
Regular Check-ups and Blood Tests
It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects. The use of retinoids is associated with elevations in serum triglycerides and cholesterol, and decreases in HDL. Blood lipid determinations should be performed prior to initiation of therapy and at 1- to 2- week intervals until the lipid response to the drug is established (usually 4 to 8 weeks). Patients at increased risk for developing hypertriglyceridemia during retinoid therapy include those with diabetes mellitus, obesity, high alcohol consumption, or a family history of these conditions.
Blood Donation
You or your child should not donate blood to a blood bank while using isotretinoin or for 30 days after you stop using it. This is to prevent a pregnant patient from receiving blood that contains the medicine.
Potential Side Effects and Management
Accutane can cause a range of side effects, some of which may be influenced by dietary and lifestyle choices.
Skin Dryness and Irritation
During the first 3 weeks you are taking isotretinoin, your skin may become irritated. Also, your acne may seem to get worse before it gets better. Check with your doctor if your skin condition does not improve within 1 to 2 months after starting this medicine or at any time your skin irritation becomes severe. Full improvement continues after you stop using isotretinoin and may take up to 6 months. Your doctor can help you choose the right skin products to reduce skin dryness and irritation.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
Avoid overexposing your skin to sunlight, wind, or cold weather. Your skin will be more prone to sunburn, dryness, or irritation, especially during the first 2 or 3 weeks of treatment. However, you or your child should not stop using this medicine unless the skin irritation becomes too severe. Do not use a sunlamp or tanning beds. To help isotretinoin to work properly, use sunscreen or sunblock lotions with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 on a regular basis. Also, wear protective clothing and hats.
It is very important that you or your child not use wax epilation to remove hair while you are taking isotretinoin and for 6 months after stopping it. Isotretinoin can increase your chance of scarring from wax epilation. It is very important that you or your child not have any cosmetic procedures to smooth your skin (eg, dermabrasion, laser) while you are using isotretinoin and for 6 months after stopping it. Isotretinoin can increase your chance of scarring from these procedures.
Eye and Mouth Dryness
Isotretinoin may cause dryness of the eyes. If you or your child wear contact lenses, your eyes may be more sensitive to them during the time you are using isotretinoin and for up to 2 weeks after stopping it. To help relieve dryness of the eyes, check with your doctor about using a lubricating solution, such as artificial tears. If eye inflammation occurs, check with your doctor right away.
Isotretinoin may cause dryness of the mouth and nose. For temporary relief of mouth dryness, use sugarless candy or gum, melt bits of ice in your mouth, or use a saliva substitute. However, if dry mouth continues for more than 2 weeks, check with your medical doctor or dentist. Continuing dryness of the mouth may increase the chance of dental disease, including tooth decay, gum disease, and fungus infections.
Night Vision
In some patients, isotretinoin may cause a decrease in night vision. This problem may occur suddenly. If it does occur, do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you. Also, check with your doctor.
Mental Health
Isotretinoin may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed. If you, your child, or your caregiver notice any of these side effects, check with you doctor right away.
Increased Pressure in the Head
This medicine may increase pressure in your head, which may lead to vision loss or serious brain problems. Check with your doctor right away if you have a bad headache, blurred vision, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, or seizures.
Serious Skin Reactions
Serious skin reactions (eg, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis) can occur with this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, chills, diarrhea, itching, joint or muscle pain, rash, red skin lesions, often with a purple center, sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips, or unusual tiredness or weakness.
Bone and Muscle Problems
Isotretinoin may cause bone or muscle problems, including joint pain, muscle pain or stiffness, or difficulty moving. You may get hurt more easily during rough sports. You may also heal more slowly. If this medicine is for your child, tell the doctor if you think your child is not growing properly.
Blood Sugar Levels
This medicine may affect blood sugar levels. If you or your child are diabetic and notice a change in the results of your blood or urine sugar tests, check with your doctor.
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis may occur while you are using this medicine. Tell your doctor right away if you or your child have sudden and severe stomach pain, chills, constipation, nausea, vomiting, fever, or lightheadedness.
Hearing Problems
Isotretinoin may cause some people to have hearing problems within a few weeks after they start using it. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have hearing loss, a continuing ringing or buzzing, or any other unexplained noise in the ears.
Liver Problems
Check with your doctor right away if you have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, unusual tiredness or weakness, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be symptoms of a serious liver problem.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Tell your doctor right away if you or your child have stomach pain, rectal bleeding, or severe diarrhea. These may be symptoms of a serious condition called inflammatory bowel disease.
Allergic Reactions
This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, redness, soreness, or itching skin, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you are using this medicine.
Blood Cell Count Reduction
This medicine lowers the number of some types of blood cells in your body. Because of this, you or your child may bleed or get infections more easily. To help with these problems, avoid being near people who are sick or have infections. Wash your hands often. Stay away from rough sports or other situations where you could be bruised, cut, or injured. Brush and floss your teeth gently. Be careful when using sharp objects, including razors and fingernail clippers.
Alcohol Consumption
Ask your doctor before using ISOtretinoin together with ethanol (alcohol). Do not drink alcohol while you are taking ISOtretinoin. You may have unpleasant side effects such as fast heartbeats, warmth or redness under your skin, tingly feeling, nausea, and vomiting. Check your food and medicine labels to be sure these products do not contain alcohol.
Honeydew: A Partner in Your Accutane Journey
Managing your treatment and dietary choices with Accutane can be complex. Enter Honeydew, a company dedicated to providing accessible, affordable, and on-demand treatment for acne and other dermatological conditions.
Why Choose Honeydew?
- Personalized Support: Tailored advice on dietary adjustments and Accutane dosage ensures the best possible outcome.
- Cost-Effective Solutions: Competitive membership options offer affordable access to treatment.
- Comprehensive Guidance: From meal planning to recognizing side effects, Honeydew's professional network stands by your side.