18 and Struggled with Acne Since I Was 8

Just thought I’d update. I’m past the super perfect clear skin stage, and now I have some little pimples that pop up. Not really a big deal, at 19 most of the people I know have skin like this. I’m happy to have “normal” skin, even if it’s not perfect.

Taking Accutane was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I've had acne since I was 8, and every year it worsened. I tried every OTC formula (BP & salycilic acid in all commercially available concentrations, witch hazel, sulfur, etc), doxycyline, minocycline, different birth controls, spiro, clindamyacin, tazorac, differin... and probably more that I can't think of. All of it had either very little effect, a moderate effect that my skin became resistant to, or no effect. I never really wanted to try Accutane, but I was 18 and getting frustrated that while all my friends' skin had cleared up naturally from puberty, my severe, cystic acne was only worsening. I inherited my acne from my mother, whose didn't clear until she was around 26. Didn't really want to wait for 26.
I started Accutane (absorica) in January at 40mg. I'm a woman, 5'8 and at the time fluctuating between 105-110 lbs. My original plan with my doctor was to do 40mg for January and then do 60mg afterwards until May. I didn't see any improvement for the first few months. In April, my doctor recommended that I try eating a scoop of peanut butter with the pills. She was concerned that my low body weight was inhibiting fat absorbation. When I started doing this, I got the "initial" breakout that everyone talks about, which was really rough. I started to see results afterwards, though! By May my skin was looking much better (more like a case of mild-moderate acne), and my doctor and I decided that it'd be best for me to stay on until I'm completely clear. By June my skin would've been considered a mild case, and since July I've been completely clear, with no breakouts. I plan to stay on Accutane throughout September before going off.
As for side effects, I noticed that they tended to come in stages for me, and that the climate of your location makes a huge difference. My first noticeable side effect was back pain, which went away after the first month for the most part. Dry lips were definitely there, but as long as I keep a Chapstick on me it's normally not bothersome. My night vision did definitely change. My skin is drier, but as long as I moisturize twice a day, it actually looks much better than it used to (I used to be very oily). My hair is drier as well, but again, it's been a benefit; I now only wash it once a week or so, and it used to get oily just a few hours after washing it. I haven't noticed any changes in my mood, and I am diagnosed with both bipolar disorder and severe panic disorder, so despite the increased risk for that sort of thing, I've been okay. My skin is definitely thinner; I bleed easier, etc. I also noticed that my hangovers seemed a bit worse, probably due to the extra dehydration. The biggest difference I noticed was in climate. I was living in Wisconsin when I started my treatment, and symptoms were for the most part easy to ignore. I moved to southern Colorado (very desert-y, dry area) and my symptoms got much worse! I visited Louisiana in the middle of August and it was like I had no symptoms. So, that may be something to consider if you're worried about the severity of side effects.