Accutane® Side Effects: Crohn's Disease
If you are diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and have been treated with Accutane®, our Accutane® side effect lawyers would like to speak with you about your legal rights. You might be eligible for financial compensation. We can help you. Contact us today to schedule a free evaluation of your case.
Accutane® and Crohn's Disease Link
Crohn's disease is one of two forms of inflammatory bowel disease linked to Accutane®. The other is ulcerative colitis.
Crohn's disease at one time was thought to occur as a result of stress and diet. Today however, physicians believe the disease is caused by an abnormal response of the body's immune system to infection. The presence of a virus or bacteria in the intestine causes an inflammatory response which then goes on to attack the body's own tissues.
The condition is thought to be genetic, because it occurs in families. It also occurs in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, and in smokers. People that have been treated with Accutane® or a generic version are also at risk of developing Crohn's Disease.
What is Crohn's Disease?
Crohn's disease is a severe, progressive condition of the ileum, or end of the small intestine. It is a painful and distressing disease that involves the entire thickness of the bowel wall. The condition results in a thickening of the intestinal wall and inflammation of the mucus membrane lining the intestine.
It is a disease of the small intestine that can spread to the colon, or part of the large intestine. Crohn's disease can affect any part of the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus.
Crohn's Disease Symptoms
The most common symptom of the disease is diarrhea. Other symptoms include:
- Bloody stools
- Loss of appetite and weight
- Cramping and pain in the abdomen
- Ulcers
- Fatigue
- Rash on the skin
- Fever
- Arthritis
- Eye inflammation
- Delayed childhood growth
- Constipation
- Mouth ulcers
- Joint pain
- Inflammation of the liver
- Swollen gums
Crohn's disease cannot be cured, but treatment can help it to resolve before it returns again. Ways to treat the disease include:
- Controlling the diet, possibly including not eating raw fruits and vegetables and milk products
- Using medications such as aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, immunomodulators, antibiotics, and biologic therapy using monoclonal antibodies
- If medication is unsuccessful, some patients have surgery to remove a part of the bowel called bowel resection
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information of the National Institutes of Health, patients with Crohn's disease will probably need surgery at some time in their lives, but unlike the treatment for ulcerative colitis, surgery does not cure Crohn's disease.
Accutane® Crohn's Disease Lawsuit
If you or someone you love has taken Accutane® and has undergone the pain and suffering of Crohn's disease, which is never completely resolved, you should contact an Accutane® side effects attorney.
Lawsuits against Roche Pharmaceuticals for damages caused by Accutane® continue to grow in number. If you want to know if you qualify for an Accutane® Crohn's disease lawsuit, you should call an expert lawyer today. Our attorneys provide free case evaluation for prospective clients.