Traded Clear Complexion for Depression and More

Passaic County, NJ“I was a normal teenager before taking Accutane and my doctor assured me that it was safe,” says Jason. Many people like Jason, who suffer from Accutane side effects, no longer put their trust in doctors when they discover their doctors trust drug manufacturers.

Jason, age 38, took Accutane back in 1994, when he was in high school. He says the medication worked, but he traded a clear complexion for depression and abdominal issues. “Soon after I stopped taking Accutane, I sunk into a deep depression, almost to the point of wanting to commit suicide,” says Jason, who has been battling depression since he was about 16 years old. “And I have abdominal issues: wherever I go, I have to make sure there is access to a toilet, fast.”

When researching these “issues,” Jason came upon Accutane as a possible cause. While severe acne in itself can lead to depression, Jason says his acne didn’t bother him that much. “I was an outgoing kid before taking this med and I grew into an introvert before I left high school,” he says. Of course Accutane cannot be blamed for being an introvert, but abdominal problems have been linked to the drug.

“I found so many Accutane accounts online that are almost verbatim to my symptoms, so I can’t help but wonder if I have a claim against the manufacturer,” Jason adds. “I don’t even believe that proper clinical tests were conducted to ensure this drug was safe.” (He has recently filed a complaint with LawyersandSettlements.)

Kevin (not his real name) also took Accutane in high school and he too suffers from depression. “I took this drug in my sophomore year in 2009 and I’ve never been the same since,” he says in an e-mail. “My depression is so severe that I can’t keep a job. I believe this drug affected my brain, I have no motivation and every day is a struggle.”

Along with depression, Kevin also suffers from Accutane Ulcerative Colitis and migraines. He doesn’t remember what symptoms came first, but it is possible that this disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can lead to depression.

The Supreme Court on November 24, 2005 agreed to hear an Accutane appeal worth $25 million. For the past 12 years, Andrew McCarrell, an Alabama resident, has been back and forth in New Jersey courts with his attorney battling Hoffman-La Roche, the Accutane manufacturer.

McCarrell was diagnosed with IBD and underwent several medical procedures after he stopped taking Accutane. He sued the drug company for failure to warn and was awarded $25 million by a New Jersey court in 2010 - one year after Accutane was pulled from the US market - but an appeals court threw out the decision in August. Under Alabama law, the drugmaker argued, McCarrell didn’t file his lawsuit within the two-year statue of limitations. Stay tuned...