u/MadeliefLM

I honestly never thought I’d be making a post here, but I really need to get this off my chest because I feel so defeated right now.

I’m currently in month 3 of isotretinoin for acne. The purging has been brutal. Like, genuinely horrible. My skin has gotten so much worse these past months and mentally it’s been exhausting, but I kept holding onto the idea that this was “part of the process.” Every post I read says things like “hold on, it gets better” or “all of this had to come out first.” So even though it’s been hard, I kept going because I believed clear skin was finally coming.

The day before yesterday I emailed my dermatologist my negative pregnancy test so I could get my next prescription refill. Instead, I just got an email back saying there’s apparently a national shortage and they can’t provide the medication right now. They told me to contact my pharmacy.

I called immediately because I honestly panicked. I only have 9 pills left.

The pharmacy told me they’re hoping to maybe have stock again in around 8 weeks… possibly even longer. I genuinely felt sick hearing that. I’m in the middle of the worst part of treatment, where my body is clearly reacting and purging everything out, and now I’m just supposed to stop cold turkey for potentially 2+ months?

What makes me so upset is that I feel like all of this suffering has been for nothing. I’ve gone through the dryness, the emotional stress, the worsening skin, the hiding myself, the crying, all because I believed I was finally getting somewhere. And now I’m terrified that without the medication everything is just going to flare back up again and I’ll have to restart the entire process later… including another purge. That thought honestly breaks me.

I’ve already tried basically everything before isotretinoin. Topicals, creams, antibiotics, probiotics, different routines… this was the last option left for me. So hearing “maybe just wait” feels unbearable.

My dermatologist still hasn’t been reachable and I’m supposed to try calling again tomorrow before the weekend. I already know the answer will probably just be to wait and maybe use Differin again temporarily, but right now I just feel so hopeless and exhausted. I’ve cried so much.

I think what hurts most is that I was finally starting to believe I could maybe enjoy the summer again and feel okay looking in the mirror. Now it feels like that got ripped away from me.

Has anyone else dealt with being forced to stop isotretinoin in the middle of treatment because of shortages? Did your purge come back completely? Did you have to restart from zero? I just really need some honesty or reassurance right now because I feel absolutely crushed. If the answer might be 'yes' to having to start over again, it''s okay. I just want to hear some honesty.

So my boyfriend and I are living in an apartment with 2 bedrooms (one of them we made an office), open kitchen-living room area and a balcony. Since July ‘25 we’ve adopted a cute (but energetic) kitten. She’s been living her best life all around the house, and since day 1 she already wanted to explore our apartment and slept in bed with us for the night. She’s really wanted comfort, warmth and to be close to us. In three days we are adopting another new kitty. The new kitten and the first kitten are nearly a year apart in age. The new kitty is a black female cat and we are going to do everything in our means to slowly introduce them to ensure they will tolerate each other. We have a few days off of work, so we will be able to measure their body language and to keep track of when they show more interest to each other so we can gradually let them see each other. We’ve read all the works; introducing smells, letting them see each other and eating food together while distancing them, etc. BUT now we’ve come to a question that has kept us wondering en we want to know people’s opinions, experiences, etc.

Our house, as stated, has 2 bedrooms. Our 1st kitty is used to being able to go everywhere around the house. Her food and water is in the living room, some extra in the bathroom, together with her litter box, her favourite sleeping spot is in our bedroom on top of the closet. ALL IN ALL: her spots are all over the apartment EXCEPT in the 2nd bedroom, which we use as an office room (no bed). Our thought was to let the 2nd and new kitty accumulate in that 2nd bedroom/office, which will work well we think. The only thing is; at night she will be totally alone. Our 1st kitty, like I said, wanted to sleep with us since day 1, get warm and keep close. The thought alone makes us feel sad to just say goodnight to the 2nd kitty and leave her in that office. We only have 1 bed, but we do have a big couch in the living room. Our though was, perhaps, to transfer our 1st kitty’s stuff into the remaining of the house and to transfer kitty 2 to the living room at night to have her choose to sleep with one of us. It would be a hassle and kitty 1 would be excluded randomly from another place in the apartment and kitty 2 will be randomly introduced to another place in the apartment, but we don’t have another choice really. It is this OR just leaving her in the office room. We do have a little cat basket, her own litter box, etc for her in the office room, but still….

PLEASE let us know your opinion, what you would do or did with your cat/kittens. Maybe our kittens will want to see each other quickly and we wouldn’t need this hassle, but maybe not and we do need your guys’ advice. Thanks in advance!!