Accutane and Ulcerative Colitis

It's hard to miss the ads now calling on previous Accutane users who have developed ulcerative colitis to go to court. I never took Accutane (though my dermatologist recommended it at one point as Differin and Benzomycin didn't totally clear up my acne, but being forced to sign a form saying I would have an abortion if I became pregnant while on the drug was enough to clue me into the fact that it had dangerous side effects not worth risking over mild-moderate acne). Yet, seeing the ads on TV aroused in me a certain indignation over the fact that a drug causing chronic, life-destroying diseases could be on the market for so long (thankfully, thanks to paying out millions to victims, Accutane is now off the market, but the generic makers of isotretinoin have yet to follow suit). I can only imagine how those with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's who took Accutane must feel knowning that a drug they took to clear up acne caused them to have a serious "autoimmune" bowel disorder that they will have to live with the rest of their lives. Even for those who have already won and have yet to win multi-million dollar settlements, no amount of money can take away the pain, the dependency on expensive medical treatment, the hospitalization, the surgeries, the frequent bowel movements, etc. that they will have to deal with the rest of their lives.

Even for those with ulcerative colitis, who have the option to get "curative" surgery by having their colon removed, their lives will never be the same. As someone who had a successful "j-pouch" surgery three years ago, I can say it is better than living with severe ulcerative colitis, but it is nothing like going back to normal (unless you consider 6-8 bowel movements per day normal). While it is amazing that the body can function without a large intestine, and that the j-pouch presents a relatively normal alternative to an ostomy, a body without a colon is not the same. From small things like increased sweating to increased susceptibility to dehydration, to more bothersome things like a host of foods that don't get completely digested (and itch, burn, or poke on the way out) to having to make sure you are near and free to use a bathroom at all times (not to mention being self-conscious about it) to waking up at night to use the restroom, life never goes back to what it was like before the disease.

After seeing the Accutane ads, I began to wonder if other related retonid drugs may have a connection to ulcerative colitis as well, as I started using Differin shortly before developing UC. If there is a connection, even if it is a weaker one due to it being a topical drug, hopefully it will come to light as such drugs are much more widely used than Accutane ever was.

Of course it also causes one to wonder how such a destructive drug even got on the market, and to wonder regarding the potential yet unknown or unproven side effects of other drugs that have been FDA approved.