Accutane was originally only prescribed to patients with severe acne that did not respond to other forms of acne treatments. However, over the past 25 years Accutane has gained in popularity and is being prescribed not only more frequently, but also for less severe acne. This practice is controversial because Accutane increases a patient’s risk of developing serious side effects such as Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Accutane Symptoms: Inflammatory Bowel Disease

In medicine, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of inflammatory conditions of the colon and small intestine. The major types of IBD are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

The main difference between Crohn’s disease and UC is the location and nature of the inflammatory changes. Crohn’s can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, from mouth to anus (skip lesions), although a majority of the cases start in the terminal ileum. Ulcerative colitis, in contrast, is restricted to the colon and the rectum.

Microscopically, ulcerative colitis is restricted to the mucosa (epithelial lining of the gut), while Crohn’s disease affects the whole bowel wall.

Finally, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis present with extra-intestinal manifestations (such as liver problems, arthritis, skin manifestations and eye problems) in different proportions.

Rarely, a definitive diagnosis of neither Crohn’s disease nor ulcerative colitis can be made because of idiosyncrases in the presentation. In this case, a diagnosis of indeterminate colitis may be made. Although a recognised definition, not all centres refer to this.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Symptoms and Diagnosis

Although very different diseases, both may present with any of the following symptoms: abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, hematochezia (bright red blood in stools), weight loss and various associated complaints or diseases like arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum, and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Diagnosis is generally by colonoscopy with biopsy of pathological lesions.

Speak to an Accutane Lawyer

If you took Accutane and developed Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), we encourage you to contact an Accutane litigation attorney at our law firm immediately. It may be too late to recover from the debilitating effects of Accutane, but an experienced product liability attorney can assist you in a legal action against the makers of Accutane, Roche Laboratories. You are not alone. Join other Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) victims and their families in fighting for their legal rights.

Please fill out our free legal evaluation form on the far right and we will call or e-mail you back within 24 hours. Please keep in mind that certain states have a statute of limitations that limits the amount of time you have to file an Accutane lawsuit or seek legal action. Contact our law firm in Houston, Texas immediately so we may explain the rights and options available to you and your family.