Posts by Jerry Taylor

Testosterone at 17 (reference range 10.4 - 36.7)—I'm 35 years old—is this considered low, or is it perfectly fine?

Greetings. Following some rather disappointing encounters at Mercury, does anyone have a recommendation for a urologist in Washington, D.C.? I am looking for someone who actually intends to listen, engage in a real dialogue, and investigate the underlying causes—rather than just prescribing treatment after a rushed two-minute examination before showing me the door.
Thanks, best regards.

Greetings,
I’ve dealt with epididymitis three times in just three years—the first instance seemed to be triggered by prostatitis. My initial exam was at Mercury (it was M. Sučić and a colleague, T. Šanjek, in one instance), and while the consultation was brief, the inflammation was obvious enough that they slapped some antibiotics on me. I returned two weeks later for a follow-up, and things were looking better. I wasn't even in the room for two minutes before the interaction ended. "Feeling better?" Yes, I am. "Okay, thanks, goodbye..." That was it. On two subsequent occasions, I faced the exact same pattern: rushed exams, a round of antibiotics, and then nothing during follow-ups—no additional testing, no diagnostic deep dives, absolutely zero attempt to identify the root cause. It is as if they are physically incapable of slowing down; it’s just "blah blah blah, goodbye." If I hadn't had a handful of specific questions—which, mind you, they refused to answer—I would have been out of there in sixty seconds. When I actually start questioning why this keeps recurring or how we might pinpoint the underlying issue, they start acting condescending. They say things like, "I'm not a prophet," or "Well, what tests would *you* like? Do you have a suggestion?" It’s patronizing and entirely unprofessional.
When I finally pointed out that if they lacked both answers and interest, I would simply be forced to seek private care... the response was essentially, "Well, go ahead then." So, that’s it. I will never return to a urologist at Mercury again; I certainly wouldn't recommend them if you are actually looking for quality medical treatment. Perhaps I’ve just had bad luck with doctors, but this experience was truly bottom-tier.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a urologist who actually intends to listen, engage in a dialogue, and investigate causes rather than just treating the symptoms and waving you away!?

Thanks, best regards

Greetings,

I’ve officially launched my small business as a sole proprietorship—and now I find myself in a bit of a hardware dilemma. I have my personal desktop at home which holds absolutely everything (personal files, photos, you name it), and then I purchased a dedicated laptop specifically for work where everything is strictly professional and legitimate. To keep things organized, I essentially have them sitting side-by-side, plugging into the same monitor depending on whether I am "on the clock" or not. My concern is this: if an IRS auditor happens to show up at my door, can I simply point to one machine and say, "this is private" and "this is business," and they will respect that boundary without touching my personal data? Or could this setup lead to some sort of headache during an inspection?

Thanks, LP

I’m looking into taking out a mortgage, and Bank of America seems to have the most attractive offer for a USD-based home loan—so I’m weighing whether it actually makes sense to switch over to them (I am currently with JP Morgan Chase), but I’ve stumbled upon quite a few scathing reviews and horror stories regarding their service on various forums.
Would it be more prudent to just stay put with JP Morgan Chase—even if it means paying a slightly higher interest rate (around 4.97% - 5.1% APR)—simply because I’ve been a client there for ten years already...!?

And you’re spending that cash quite effectively—it’s not like you’re hitting some massive jackpot, but those amounts are certainly solid enough. Is there just a lack of tracking, or are you actually running into a specific limit?

What is the most efficient way to manage and withdraw winnings from offshore betting sites—and more importantly—is there any legal obligation to report this income to the IRS?

I can't even touch my PTO yet—I’ve only been on the clock for five months—and I really need those days off to get my car registration sorted, handle some errands, and maybe squeeze in a quick trip to the coast, lol
Plus, I start college this fall, so I'm not exactly sweating the job situation—honestly, I couldn't care less about it at this point, haha

I find myself in need of a medical leave lasting roughly seven to nine days—specifically from this Wednesday through next Wednesday—and I am looking for a legitimate reason to justify such an extended absence. I require something substantial enough to hold up under scrutiny for that entire duration. If anyone has any suggestions, please do share. Haha, thanks, cheers.

It’s happened to me twice now—waking up and finding myself completely unable to move for several minutes—and I have to say, it was absolutely terrifying... honestly, just sickening.

Angela Hill said:Weak immunity? That is a broad, rather imprecise question—though I suppose "weakness" is the word most people reach for when they find themselves constantly battling every seasonal bug that drifts through the air. If you feel like your defenses are perpetually compromised, it isn’t usually down to one single failure, but rather a systemic lack of equilibrium. People tend to look for a magic pill—some mythical "food - miracle cure"—but biology doesn't operate on such simplistic terms. It is a complex interplay of nutrition, chronic stress, and sleep hygiene. You cannot simply supplement your way out of a lifestyle that ignores basic physiological needs. Of course, there is the modern obsession with over-supplementation. Everyone wants to load up on Vitamin C or run to Walgreens for every minor ailment. While certain elements like Zinc or Vitamin D are undeniably foundational, throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks is a misguided strategy. One must also consider the gut microbiome—the silent engine of the immune system. If your diet consists mostly of processed junk, no amount of Echinacea is going to perform a miracle. You need stability. You need consistency. And frankly, you need to stop looking for shortcuts where none exist.

Go hard on the bacon, the onions, and your vitamins—do that, and you won't have any issues with the flu. 😉

Look, I do everything by the book—seriously, almost every single day I’m drinking Cedevit, and occasionally I’ll take that LGG stuff specifically to bolster my immune system. I eat plenty of fruit...

Angela Hill said:I had no idea people treated the flu with antibiotics. I was under the impression that antibiotics were strictly for fighting inflammation. 🤔

The reality is—every single time I come down with a sore throat or strep, it’s the same story.

This year has been a relentless cycle—I’ve already been sick four times, each bout dragging on for about 7 to 10 days... and here I am again, starting my fifth round since yesterday. I can't quite pinpoint why this keeps happening; it seems like every time there’s a sudden shift in the weather or a sharp drop in temperature, I immediately come down with the flu...
I feel absolutely miserable. Every single time I notice the first signs, I immediately start drinking tea—and if I have any leftover antibiotics from the last time I was sick, I start taking those right away—but honestly, there's no stopping it... everything just drags out for about 10 days. It's exhausting.
What is actually wrong with me, and what should I do about it???

Yeah, and don't even get me started on Not Another Teen Movie.

Look, Where's My Car is an absolute blast—it’s incredibly stupid, obviously, but that’s exactly why it works.