Inflammatory Bowel Disease

INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE: Accutane has been associated with inflammatory bowel disease (including regional ileitis) in patients without a prior history of intestinal disorders. In some instances, symptoms have been reported to persist after Accutane treatment has been stopped. Patients experiencing abdominal pain, rectal bleeding or severe diarrhea should discontinue Accutane immediately....

No study has conclusively proven a link between Accutane use and inflammatory bowel disease. However, it has been recognized that some Accutane patients have a tendency to develop inflammatory bowel disease. Accutane patients should be aware of any symptoms indicating inflammatory bowel disease so that immediate treatment can be implemented before further damage occurs.

Inflammatory bowel disease is a group of disorders that cause inflammation or ulceration of the digestive tract. Depending on the type of IBD, any part of the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus may be affected. The small and large intestines, the rectum, and the anus are affected most often.

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are the most common types of inflammatory bowel disease. Ulcerative colitis is more common than Crohn's disease. Doctors may use other names, such as proctitis (inflammation of the rectal lining), to describe inflammatory bowel disease in a specific part of the intestine.

Common symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease include:

• Abdominal pain


• Rectal Bleeding


• Diarrhea or constipation


• Loss of appetite


• Fever


• Eye, liver, blood or bone problems

Inflammatory bowel disease is a long-term (chronic) condition that may flare up many times in your life. An individual may have long periods without symptoms, only mild symptoms or symptoms that are persistent and severe.

The actual cause of inflammatory bowel disease is still. However, this condition can greatly affect an individual’s life and may result in a lifetime of discomfort. The type of inflammatory bowel disease an individual develops will determine if the condition is treatable or curable. In many patients inflammatory bowel disease will, despite treatment, continue to spread to previously unaffected areas, making the patient extremely uncomfortable.