I am 44 years old and I've battled acne on and off for most of my life. The past year or so has been pretty bad and I'm considering Accutane, for the first time. I have tried most of the other topical and oral antibiotic treatments, and have buckled down in terms of diet, eliminating all processed sugars, dairy, and all the rest of the foods that are even potentially associated with acne in acne-prone persons. I run about 10 miles a week, eat right, sleep well and my overall health is nothing short of excellent. In fact acne has been the only real health problem I've ever had. I want to hear from anyone who has completed a course or more of Accutane. Doing the searches on the 'net, one would think that Accutane is the Devil's own creation and that taking it will result in permanent and serious health issues. I tend to take the online horror storied with a grtain of salt. However, reading that last year, a judge awarded an American woman $10.2 million after finding that Accutane use resulted in serious bowel disease is not reassuring. I tend to think the problem of suicidal ideation is probably more prevalent in those predisposed to these problems in the first place. I'm just curious to hear from as many people as possible. How would you describe the long-term effects of the drug? Has anyone developed problems that persist even years after the treatment ended? How about efficacy of treatment - did it work? Did you have to go back on it after xx months/years? Any comments are appreciated