Accutane
What Is Accutane®?
Accutane® is an orally ingested medication that has been prescribed to treat nodular and cystic acne. Accutane was popular acne medication whose manufacturer, Hoffman-LaRoche, discontinued its manufacture in 2009. Hoffman-LaRoche now faces thousands of pending lawsuits by consumers who took Accutane. Accutane® came onto the market in 1982 and was manufactured by Hoffman-LaRoche.
What Are Some Of The Generic Versions Of Accutane®?
Isotretinoin®, Amnesteem®, Claravis® and Sotret®.
What Is Nodular Acne?
Nodular acne is the type of acne that features the development of enormous cysts on the surface of the face and/or the neck. These cysts can remain in place for months at a time and can create sensations of extreme pain and discomfort. In addition, nodular acne can leave behind massive scarring.
What Is Cystic Acne?
Cystic acne is similar to nodular acne in certain respects, especially in the sense that the patient experiences the development of large bumps or cysts on the face and/or the neck. However, cystic acne differs from nodular acne in that the cysts that form are comprised of white blood cells, dead tissue and bacteria that give the cysts the appearance of what are commonly known as ‘whiteheads.’ Like nodular acne, cystic acne can last for months and can leave behind a high amount of scarring.
What Are Some Of The Possible Side Effects Of Taking Accutane®?
After several years on the market, a high number of reports of Accutane® side effects began to arise. Taking Accutane® may cause side effects such as weak skin, Alopecia (hair loss), depression, suicidal tendencies, birth defects, miscarriages, back pain, joint pain, dry mucus membranes, pink eye, dryness of the eye, vision problems, ringing in the ear, psychosis, liver damage, anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction), erectile dysfunction, aggressive behavior, bone loss, heart attack, stroke, seizures, lowered white blood cell count, and allergic vasculitis (inflammation and damage to blood vessels). Of special significance to the litigation, Accutane has been associated with inflammatory bowel disease (Ulcerative Colittis, Crohn’s Disease) in patients without a prior history of intestinal disorders. Many patients who have taken Accutane® and who have experienced side effects from the treatment have legal options for compensation and damages.***
Do not take Accutane®
if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or become pregnant during Accutane treatment.** SLChapman LLC is only accepting cases involving bowel injuries (Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s Disease).
What Is Inflammatory Bowel Disease?
Inflammatory bowel disease (“IBD”) is the name of a group of disorders that cause the intestines to become inflamed (red and swollen). The inflammation lasts a long time and usually comes back over and over again.If you have inflammatory bowel disease, you may have similar symptoms as with an intestinal virus. You may have vomiting, abdominal cramping and pain, diarrhea, weight loss, bleeding of your intestines, and/or rectal bleeding. Two kinds of inflammatory bowel disease are Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Inflammatory Bowel Disease is not the same thing as Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
How Is Inflammatory Bowel Disease Diagnosed?
Your bowel movements will be tested for germs and the presence of blood. A doctor will look inside your intestines with a sigmoidoscope or a colonoscope. In these procedures, the doctor uses a narrow flexible tube to look directly inside your intestines. Special barium enema X-rays may be helpful in diagnosing your illness.
How Is Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treated?
Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease begins with a healthy, balanced diet. Exact details of the diet depend on the exact details of the symptoms. It may include cutting down on dairy and fiber. Proper sleep is required in combination with the proper diet. Plenty of rest is called for. Stress management is also a part of most Inflammatory Bowel Disease treatment as stress greatly aggravates any gastrointestinal disorders.In most cases, treatment will involve more than a single doctor. Besides your family doctor, a specialist in gastrointestinal disorders (gastroenterologist) will be required. Severe cases will also require a surgeon.Anti-inflammatory medications are prescribed to relieve the inflammation caused by Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Antibiotics may also be prescribed to prevent or treat infection of the ulcers. Depending on the severity, some treatments will require a trip to the hospital or doctor’s office. More powerful medications, called immunosuppressants, may also be necessary. If these treatments do not work, surgery will be needed.
What Is Crohn’s Disease?
Crohn’s and a related disease, ulcerative colitis, are the main divisions of the group of illnesses called inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Because the symptoms of these two illnesses are so similar, approximately 10 percent of cases are unable to be diagnosed definitively as either ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. In both illnesses, there is an abnormal immune response. White blood cells infiltrate the intestinal lining, causing chronic inflammation. These cells then produce noxious products that ultimately lead to tissue injury. When this happens, the patient experiences the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. Common symptoms include loose, watery, or frequent bowel movements. Other symptoms are crampy abdominal pain, fever, and, at times, rectal bleeding. Loss of appetite and subsequent weight loss also may occur. During periods of active symptoms, patients also may experience fatigue, joint pains, and possibly, skin problems. Some patient may develop tears in the lining of the anus (fissures), which may cause pain and bleeding, especially during bowel movements. Inflammation also may cause a fistula to develop. This is a tunnel that leads from a loop of intestine to the bladder, vagina, or skin. Fistulas occur most commonly around the anal area. If this complication occurs, you may notice drainage of mucous, pus, or stool from this opening. Because Crohn’s is a chronic disease, patients will experience periods when the disease flares up, followed by times of remission. Some patients will experience symptoms that range from mild to severe. But, in general, people with Crohn’s disease lead active and productive lives.
How Is Crohn’s Disease Diagnosed?
There is no single test that will unequivocally diagnose Crohn’s disease. To determine the diagnosis, physicians consider a combination of information from the patient’s history and physical exam. They examine the results of laboratory tests, X-rays, and findings on endoscopy and pathology tests, and exclude other known causes of intestinal inflammation. X-ray tests may include barium X-rays of the upper and lower GI tract. Endoscopy tests may include flexible sigmoidoscopy and, sometimes, colonoscopy, which allow the doctor to directly examine the colon with a lighted tube that is inserted through the anus. During these tests, biopsies may be obtained. It is important to make sure that an infection is not causing the patient’s symptoms, so examination of the stool for harmful organisms is done routinely.Because Crohn’s disease often mimics other conditions and symptoms may vary widely, the correct diagnosis may take some time.
How Is Crohn’s Disease Treated?
The main treatment for Crohn’s disease is medicine to stop the inflammation in the intestine and medicine to prevent flare-ups and keep you in remission. A few people have severe, persistent symptoms or complications that may require a stronger medicine, a combination of medicines, or surgery. The type of symptoms you have and how bad they are will determine the treatment you need.For mild to moderate symptoms, your doctors will most likely start with traditional first-line treatment medicines that slows or stops the painful spasms in your intestines that cause the symptoms. If you are not getting better, then your doctor will likely add or change medications.Severe symptoms may be treated with corticosteroids given through a vein (intravenous, IV) or TNF antagonists. With severe symptoms, the first step is to control the disease. When your symptoms are gone, your doctor will probably have you start taking medication to keep you symptom-free (in remission).
What Is Ulcerative Colitis?
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disease of the colon. It is characterized by inflammation and ulceration of the colon’s inner-most lining. Symptoms typically include diarrhea (sometimes bloody) and, often, abdominal pain. The first symptom of ulcerative colitis is a progressive loosening of the stool. The stool is generally bloody and can be associated with crampy abdominal pain and severe urgency to have a bowel movement. The diarrhea may begin slowly or quite suddenly. In addition, there may be skin lesions, pains in the joints and, in children, failure to grow properly.Ulcerative colitis differs from Crohn’s disease because it only affects the colon. Ulcerative colitis affects only the innermost lining of the colon, whereas Crohn’s disease can affect the entire thickness of the bowel wall. The inflammation usually involves the entire rectum and extends up the colon in a continuous manner. There are no areas of normal intestine between the areas of diseased intestine.
How Is Ulcerative Colitis Diagnosed?
Physicians diagnose ulcerative colitis based on patients’ clinical history. The first goal of medical tests is to differentiate ulcerative colitis from infection causes of diarrhea. Accordingly, stool tests are performed to eliminate the possibility of bacterial, viral, and parasitic causes of diarrhea. Following this, the patient generally undergoes an evaluation of the colon, using one of two tests. To perform a sigmoidoscopy, the doctor passes a flexible instrument into the rectum and lower colon. This test allows the doctor to visualize the extent and degree of inflammation in these areas. A total colonoscopy is a similar exam, which visualizes the entire colon. Using these techniques, your physician can determine the category of disease to be ulcerative proctitis, limited colitis, or pancolitis. The investigation physician may take samples of the colon lining, called biopsies, and send these to a pathologist for further study. Ulcerative colitis can thus be distinguished from other diseases of the colon that cause rectal bleeding including Crohn’s disease of the colon, diverticular disease, and cancer.
How Is Ulcerative Colitis Treated?
Treatment for ulcerative colitis depends mainly on the severity of the disease and usually includes medicines to control symptoms, such as diarrhea, and changes in diet. A few people have symptoms that are persistent and severe, in some cases requiring treatment with additional medicines or surgery.The goals of treatment include: relieving symptoms and ending sudden (acute) attacks as quickly as possible; treating complications, such as anemia or infection. Treatment may include taking nutritional supplements to restore normal growth and sexual development in children and teens; and preventing or delaying new attacks.
