<p>I just read that this can cause hearing loss. Is this rare - like one in a thousand or something that singers need to worry about? The doctor didn't mention hearing at all.</p>
<p>Hi Daria,
I know many people who have taken Accutane with very wonderful results! There have been side effects, specifically emotional ones, but nothing very serious. The thing I take away from those students who took Accutane is that is very important to monitor yourself. Of course you will hear the rare stories about the headaches that turned into a brain tumor, but understand that those are very unlikely.
Did you read this on the internet or in a pamphlet? The only reason I ask is because those one in a million stories often come from the internet. The reason you shouldn't freak out about them is that when you take medication, and it works, with few to no problems, most people don't have the instinct to go online and tell everyone about it. However, when it goes badly, people want the world to know, understandably.
What I mean is - the small minority of people who are affected in a severe way are often on the internet warning people about it. Remember that there are several hundred people out there NOT affected and NOT writing about it.
If you are still concerned, call the doctor that prescribed Accutane to you. Another great person to call would be an ENT as they are probably familiar with people taking Accutane while very familiar with people who sing. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I have not heard of hearing loss with Accutane. Both of my boys used it. The first one had extremely dry lips and eyes and learned to use chapstick and various eye drops all day, every day. He also suffered joint pain in one elbow which went away when he was done with the med. The second son has only had the dry lips. Both of them had high cholesterol (just above 200), but that lowered to normal about a month or so after they finished.</p>
<p>It's probably not the Accutane itself but the Dihydrogen Monoxide used in the manufacture and application of the drug. Dihydrogen Monoxide is prevalent in our world today and can be found in nearly every waterway in the world. See Dihydrogen</a> Monoxide Research Division - dihydrogen monoxide info for more details.</p>
<p>This is scary. It's mentioned on the Internet under risks from the manufacturer. When I read this, I called the manufacturer. They haven't done any studies and don't know if it is a handful, a hundred or a thousand people. They just say there are reported cases. The doctor said she had never heard of that side effect</p>
<p>I understand there is more nausea associated with the generic and their ingredients are a bit different.</p>
<p>The emotional side effects can be very serious. Right there in the warnings they point out that stopping the medication will not necessarily end the psychiatric side effects. Agitation, psychosis, suicide. There have been quite a few documented cases of successful suicides on Accutane. Be very careful.</p>
<p>Side effects were why my D chose to avoid Accutane despite strong encouragement from her dermatologist.</p>