The Accutane lawyers and attorneys at our firm are currently offering free evaluations to people suffering from Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) as a result of the drug Accutane. IBD is an extremely painful and debilitating condition that often requires the removal of the colon, and sometimes the rectum.
What is Accutane?
Accutane – known generically as Isotretinoin – is a medication used for the treatment of severe acne. Accutane helps those who have acne by decreasing the amount of oil produced by the sebaceous glands and increasing the skin renewal rate. It is derived from vitamin A and is found in small quantities naturally in the body. Vitamin A in large quantities is known to be toxic to the body.
Accutane and IBD
Accutane has been associated with the onset of IBD in patients without a prior history of intestinal disorders. In some instances, symptoms have been reported to persist after Accutane treatment has been stopped. In 2006, a report published in the “American Journal of Gastroenterology” found that out of 85 IBD cases reported between 1997 and 2002 to the FDA, it was “highly probable” or “probable” that 62 were caused by Accutane. The authors of the study indicated that this connection should be taken into consideration before Accutane is prescribed for people who have a strong family history of IBD or people who already have symptoms of IBD.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
IBD refers to two chronic diseases that cause inflammation of the intestines: ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. It’s estimated that up to 1 million Americans have inflammatory bowel disease. It occurs most frequently in people ages 15 to 30, but it can also affect younger children and older people. Patients experiencing abdominal pain, rectal bleeding or severe diarrhea should discontinue Accutane.
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disease of the large intestine, also called the colon. In ulcerative colitis, the inner lining of the intestine becomes inflamed and develops ulcers. Ulcerative colitis is often the most severe in the rectal area, which can cause frequent diarrhea. Mucus and blood often appear in the stool of IBD sufferers if the lining of the colon is damaged.
Crohn’s disease differs from ulcerative colitis in the areas of the bowel it involves – it most commonly affects the last part of the small intestine (called the terminal ileum) and parts of the large intestine. However, Crohn’s disease isn’t limited to these areas and can attack any part of the digestive tract. Crohn’s disease causes inflammation that extends much deeper into the layers of the intestinal wall than ulcerative colitis does. Crohn’s disease generally tends to involve the entire bowel wall, whereas ulcerative colitis affects only the lining of the bowel.
Contact an Accutane Injury Lawyer Now!
If you or someone you love suffered from irritable bowel disease as a result of Accutane, you have valuable legal rights. Please fill out our online form or call 1 888 99 POTTS (1-888-997-6887) as soon as possible to discuss your case with one of our Accutane injury lawyers.
