Increased Triglyceride and Cholesterol Levels
These most often occur in individuals who have diabetes, are overweight, or have a personal or family history of high triglycerides or cholesterol. They usually cause no problems and will go back to their baseline levels within a month or two after finishing treatment. Your doctor will be checking the triglyceride and cholesterol levels every month or so. The main risk is that if the triglyceride levels become extremely high, they may cause inflammation of the pancreas (“pancreatitis”). Pancreatitis symptoms include upper abdominal pain, pain in the middle of the back, nausea, vomiting, fever, and/or yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes. With proper monitoring, pancreatitis is completely avoidable. If the triglyceride levels are elevated, your doctor may lower the dose or stop the Accutane®. A low triglyceride diet may be helpful. If needed, lipid-lowering prescription medications may be prescribed by your doctor.