Acitretin side effects

[JohnB]

There seem to be quite a few of us in the early days of taking Acitretin and some of the side effects are well known. What I would like to do is start a knowledge base of side effects and their duration for people on or about to start Acitretin. Anything out of the ordinary you may experience will help somebody.

[JohnB]

So to start;

An odd greasiness on the roof of the mouth, like you have just eaten a cheap sausage roll, started day 2 lasted about 8 days.

Dry lips started after a week - ongoing.

Peeling palms and fingers started abut 2 weeks in, took about a week to shed a layer and have been OK since, but,

Sticky palms stated after the peeling - ongoing.

Peeling feet now this was more a delamination the skin shed was quite thick and came off in quite large sheets took about 10 days to moult with a small patch on my right heel that peeled twice. All seems normal now.

Nail growth. Fingers and toes. Used to trim once a month, now every fortnight.

And the odd one
I seem to be producing a lot of ear wax and it is starting to irritate as well as feeling blocked

[bav101]

I've suffered am suffering with all those plus 2 that isn't on the list,

First one is itching that wont quit to the point of i have to make sure my finger nails are short because otherwise i scratch myself to hell.

2nd one was half mentioned previously, but i not only get sticky palms but everywhere else, seems to be after skin has got wet either sweat or a shower, washing, rain, any time of water touching the skin which makes putting a T-shirt on for example a little bit awkward (can anyone say.. the bells Esmeralda the its the bells!). Also means things like doing the washing up for example a bit difficult because i either leave a film of grease / oil or if i wear gloves by the end of it and i take them off alot of skin goes to and my hands are raw for about 30 mins afterwards.

[D Foster]

When I was on it I had dry skin but the main problem I had was ingrowing nails especially my toes , it did not matter how well I Cut them in the end I had to have my big toes nails removed as they grew out of my toes sideways.

[dyorke]

I am with you on the Nails growing faster and also I have more ear wax than normal.

Other things I've noticed :
My back, from Shoulder blades to half way down is very itchy (my P is restricted to palms, Soles and scalp) so I find it really strange.
Inside my nose is very dry and always feels blocked even thought there is no Mucus !

Tink

[Kersty]

Greetings, folks.  Been a long while since I've been on.  Must admit that I went through a pretty dark period since I found this group.  I had started Soriatane (think that is aka Acetretin).  Seemed like a miracle at first, but my psoriasis eventually won over, which is when I sunk into a really low depression.  Turns out that I couldn't tolerate the Soriatane, as it made my hair fall out significantly.  I had decided that I would rather be bald and wear wigs if it could rid my body once and for all of the psoriasis, but my depression kept spiraling me downwards.  I finally sought help, and between the psychiatrist and the dermatologist, decided to get off that drug.

I was on nothing from February through April, and then, just before my 60th birthday, found out there was a clinical trial for Otezla (aka Apremilast).  Since the drug costs about $15,000 a year, I knew there was no hope of me purchasing it.  Turns out that if I was able to get in the clinical trial, they would fund the drug for the first year...not sure if that was because I was turning 60, but they DID accept me on my 60th birthday.  

I have now been on it for three months, and it has started working.  I am by no means "cured" (ha...if only!), but I must say that it is the best it has been in many, many years.

   Don't feel like I have to keep banging my head against the wall anymore....oh wait, yes I do.  How in the world am I to figure out how to get $15,000 a year after this first year?  Sigh.  Well, one day at a time.  If it truly makes such a major difference in my life, perhaps I will sell everything I own and stay on this drug for the rest of my life...floating in a sail boat and being tossed by the waves.  I'm not depressed anymore (truly think the Acetretin had something to do with the depression), my feet and hands are getting better, and I don't scratch myself like a cat with fleas!

Hoping I can continue to find time to come back and say "hi" to y'all more often...

Kersty

[D Foster]

I am with you on the Nails growing faster and also I have more ear wax than normal.

Other things I've noticed :
My back, from Shoulder blades to half way down is very itchy (my P is restricted to palms, Soles and scalp) so I find it really strange.
Inside my nose is very dry and always feels blocked even thought there is no Mucus !

Tink

I had dry skin which included my mouth,nose but I was covered in P so it was difficult to tell what was happening most of time . After the toe nail problem they put me on Cyclosporine which is a story on its own.

[jiml]

Greetings, folks.  Been a long while since I've been on.  Must admit that I went through a pretty dark period since I found this group.  I had started Soriatane (think that is aka Acetretin).  Seemed like a miracle at first, but my psoriasis eventually won over, which is when I sunk into a really low depression.  Turns out that I couldn't tolerate the Soriatane, as it made my hair fall out significantly.  I had decided that I would rather be bald and wear wigs if it could rid my body once and for all of the psoriasis, but my depression kept spiraling me downwards.  I finally sought help, and between the psychiatrist and the dermatologist, decided to get off that drug.

I was on nothing from February through April, and then, just before my 60th birthday, found out there was a clinical trial for Otezla (aka Apremilast).  Since the drug costs about $15,000 a year, I knew there was no hope of me purchasing it.  Turns out that if I was able to get in the clinical trial, they would fund the drug for the first year...not sure if that was because I was turning 60, but they DID accept me on my 60th birthday.  

I have now been on it for three months, and it has started working.  I am by no means "cured" (ha...if only!), but I must say that it is the best it has been in many, many years.

   Don't feel like I have to keep banging my head against the wall anymore....oh wait, yes I do.  How in the world am I to figure out how to get $15,000 a year after this first year?  Sigh.  Well, one day at a time.  If it truly makes such a major difference in my life, perhaps I will sell everything I own and stay on this drug for the rest of my life...floating in a sail boat and being tossed by the waves.  I'm not depressed anymore (truly think the Acetretin had something to do with the depression), my feet and hands are getting better, and I don't scratch myself like a cat with fleas!

Hoping I can continue to find time to come back and say "hi" to y'all more often...

Kersty

Hi Kersty
Good to see you back, sorry the Acetretin had such a bad effect, and seemed to cause your depression ....sounds like you did the best thing coming off it, sometimes the side effects are worse than the disease although that's bad enough ....
Great you have got on the apremilist trial and it seems to be working, could be worth seeing if there is any help from the manufacturer, a lot have assistance programmes to help you stay on them ....always worth an ask

Hope you will come back and keep us informed about your progress ....or just for a chat

There is so much information here on the various treatments that you could probably go onto after the trial if otezla is too expensive .....so you might not need to sell all your possessions to stay clear  

But as you say one day at a time ....

[JohnB]

I am with you on the Nails growing faster and also I have more ear wax than normal.

Other things I've notticed :
My back, from Shoulder blades to half way down is very itchy (my P is restricted to palms, Soles and scalp) so I find it really strange.
Inside my nose is very dry and always feels blocked even thought there is no Mucus !

Tink

Hmm never really thought of putting the back itch down to Acitretin but seeing as you mention it I do have the same thing. No visual changes to the back but there are a couple of dry patches.

[JohnB]

Ok so I can't prove it yet but I'm going to add aching muscles, particularly my calves and a lower back ache.