Ulcerative Colitis
Accutane and Ulcerative Colitis
Accutane Side Effects Ulcerative Colitis
The prescription drug Accutane manufactured by pharmaceutical company Roche has been linked and is responsible to several chronic conditions involving damage to the gastrointestinal tract, including ulcerative colitis.
One of the forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is ulcerative colitis. This is chronic inflamation of digestive tract accompanied by ulcers on the lining of the large intestine and rectum. Some of the Accutane users reported an immediate onset of the symptoms, while others developed ulcerative colitis months or years after Accutane treatment was stopped.
Treatment is available for the condition, though there is no known cure.
Ulcerative Colitis can occur in people of all ages although it ussually starts between the ages of 15 and 30, and less frequently between 50 and 70 years of age. It does affect men and women equally and sometimes appears to run in families.
What Are the Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis?
Some of the the most common symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis are abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. Although some victims may experience:
- fatigue
- anemia
- loss of appetite
- weight loss
- rectal bleeding
- loss of body fluids and nutrients
- skin lesions
- growth failure
- joint pain
Around half of the people diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis have only mid symptoms. Others may suffer bloody diarrhea, frequent fevers, nausea and severe abdominal cramps. Ulcerative Colitis has also been known to cause arthritis, inflammation of the eye, liver disease and osteoporosis.
What Causes Ulcerative Colitis?
Ulcerative Colitis
There are different theories as to what causes Ulcerative Colitis and why some people taking the drug Accutane are susceptible to the disease. The body’s immue system is believed to react abnormally to the bacteria in the digestive tract.
How is Ulcerative Colitis Diagnosed?
Many different tests can be used to diagnose Ulcerative Colitis. A physical exam and medical history are usually the first step.
Blood tests can also be done to check for anemia, which may indicate bleeding in the colon or rectum, or they reveal that there is a high white blood cell count, which is generally a sign of inflammation somewhere in the body.
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