I started a course of Accutane in November 2013 (i think?), finished in Summer 2014. I wish I could remember the dosage - think it was maybe 50mg. Thought I would offer a little bit of guidance of the long-term effects of the drug (positive and negative!).

My acne was bad - like really bad. It wasn't breakouts or spots, it was cystic acne, causing deep scars. I tried all over-the-counter medicine, prescribed medicines and creams but had no luck. I was really reluctant to take accutane, but was eventually convinced.

The side effects didn't start too bad but as the dosage increased they got worse. The dry lips were killers, the sides of my lips would crack if I laughed. My skin felt constantly dry. The last few months I started getting severe joint pain. I finished the course when the joint pain became too much for me - I wasn't entirely happy with my skin still but it was a marked improvement. A few months later, my skin was completely clear - to the point people would praise it or ask to touch my face! People sometimes comment on my acne scars but it's an excuse to talk about the ordeal of accutane!

I still get dry lips on hot days, which I never got before. The back pain never went away but eased up, I still get pains today. I had a bout of severe depression last year and was briefly hospitalised but I'm not sure I could blame the accutane for that. I rarely ever get spots and never have breakouts.

Feel free to drop any questions!