Look, I’m no medical expert—definitely not my field—but I don't think there's any connection there. You should be perfectly fine taking the antibiotic they prescribed (assuming, of course, they actually know what other meds you're already on). I'm currently on Odonazin, and back when my doctor put me on Klavocin a few weeks ago, she told me straight up that one didn't affect the other. Then again, those aren't the exact same drugs you're dealing with, so... who knows?
I suppose I should probably start somewhere, though my thoughts are currently a bit of a scattered mess—much like my desk, if you must know. It’s all quite overwhelming when you really stop to consider the sheer volume of information floating around out there. One moment you think you have a handle on things, and the next, everything feels a little... disjointed. My apologies if I ramble; it's a chronic condition, I'm afraid. Anyway, let's get into it. kaže: Can anyone tell me how you actually deal with this stupid HPV? I’ve gone and caught it myself. I suppose getting vaccinated is the way to go if you want to get rid of it once and for all... help.🤷 🤷 😲
You can't exactly vaccinate someone who’s already immune. I mean, that's just how it works, right? A vaccine isn't a cure—it's prevention. Once you've already got that protection in your system, getting hit with the shot again... well, it might actually do more harm than good. If any medical professionals out there are reading this, please, feel free to set me straight if I'm totally off base.
I'm really trying my best to hold back from commenting on the rest of this thread... honestly.
I’ve somehow walked away with this impression that the younger nurses are generally decent, while the older ones... well, they can be a bit malicious (I was just a kid hanging around hospitals back then, so those were my categories, I suppose). It would align perfectly with what Robin Richardson mentioned 🙂
Personally, I’d do exactly what Kyle Nelson2 suggested—write a letter to the Director and send a formal complaint to the Department. I'm just curious to see how it actually plays out.
They had me on that regimen for years when I was just a kid; it was always shifting around, sometimes twice a week, then maybe three, they’d tweak the dosages constantly... there was even a period where I was getting two different shots—or whatever the technical term is—at the exact same time, one in each arm. I don't know, I was just a little thing back then, all I know is it was part of my life from as far back as I can remember until I turned nine. Meanwhile, my asthma was just getting worse—attacks were getting more intense, more frequent—and honestly, it felt like a total waste of time. When I hit nine, we moved to the coast (specifically to deal with my breathing issues) and since making that move, I haven't needed any treatment at all and haven't had a single issue.
I assume things have probably evolved over the last twenty years or so, but that's just my personal experience. Apparently, it actually works for some people, though I've yet to meet anyone like that 😉 In any case, please, for heaven's sake, talk to a doctor before you change anything regarding your treatment plan.
And BTW, what's the word? Is it hyposensitization (not hyper-)? Or are we talking about two entirely different things here... 🙂
Honestly, this is just wonderful—so much better than dealing with a brutal winter! Sure, I get a little dizzy every once in a while 😵 but I’ll take that over freezing my toes off any day. I've been counting down the days until summer just so I could finally shed these ridiculous, heavy layers of clothing.
I can't help but notice that back when I weighed the exact same amount about 12 or 13 years ago, I actually looked a whole lot better. Now, don't get me wrong—I was never exactly "thin"—but... well, unfortunately, things have started migrating to all the wrong places. And I'm only 28. 😢 😉
It’s possible you’re actually allergic to dairy. Allergies have this annoying habit of popping up—and sometimes disappearing, too—at any stage of life. And I don't mean lactose intolerance (whatever the technical term is here in the States); I mean a genuine allergy. Usually, food allergies manifest as skin issues—think rashes on the stomach, thighs, or arms—but it could certainly present the way you're describing. Personally, when I was a little kid, I used to get terrible stomach issues from eating spinach or similar leafy greens, and they eventually figured out I was allergic to them.
I am by no means a doctor, mind you. I just happen to have quite a bit of personal experience dealing with all sorts of various allergies... everything, really. Except for milk. I was never allergic to that, at least. Not so far. 😬
I wasn't even vaccinated back in elementary school—apparently, I had some sort of allergy to one of those components in the shots. I can't recall the specific medical details, honestly; all I know is that while the other kids were heading off to get their jabs, I’d just sit there in my classroom waiting for them to come back. Consequently, I never received them, nor do I have any intention of seeking them out now. So, as a sort of ritualistic remedy, I make sure to squeeze at least one orange or grapefruit every single day. I actually can't stand eating the fruit itself, but I can manage the juice. It's all done in the slim hope that it might somehow bolster my immunity. And in that hope lies my only salvation 😁
So, I just got hit with a mobile bill for private calls totaling exactly $0.70—and that’s with tax included, plus my company covers the monthly plan—which is absurd because I don't even have a landline at home. It’s practically a personal record for me, and honestly, I’m not even a heavy user normally. Just... look at 🙂 . Though, I wouldn't call it fear. That's not quite the right word. It's more that I find it much easier to actually connect with people when I can see them face-to-face. Using a phone feels like such a chore; it’s really just a tool for making basic arrangements—you know, "let's meet here at this time"—and then we can talk if it's absolutely necessary. I've never been one for endless chatter, and I certainly don't enjoy talking on the phone.
I have to admit, I was expecting a bit more given all the massive hype surrounding this. I mean, look, it’s a decent enough movie, but when there's this much noise and constant chatter, you go in expecting something truly shocking—something completely unprecedented. Instead, the film just offers another perspective on the same old coin; nothing we didn't already know or at least strongly suspect.
Hmm, sounds like a mirror image of my own experience. Just keep dabbing it with some rubbing alcohol until that inflammation finally settles down. In my opinion, you should probably keep the earrings in if you're worried about the piercing closing up. But—and this is a big but—you absolutely have to take them out and clean them constantly while the swelling subsides. And honestly? Stick to gold. I tried using those surgical steel ones once, and they just ended up getting infected anyway. 😢
Could you be dealing with a metal allergy? I mean, do you usually wear costume jewelry, and does it tend to cause any rashes or itching for you? (Of course, that’s a moot point if your earrings are solid gold or titanium 🙂)
Back when I was just a kid, I had my ears pierced too, though I mostly stuck to wearing gold. Eventually, though, I developed this allergy to basically every base metal out there—anything that wasn't a precious metal. Once I tried putting in some non-gold earrings, it was a disaster. There was minor bleeding, then a little scab, then it started oozing, then a massive crust formed... honestly, I just gave up on earrings altogether. There isn't exactly a cure for that; it's simply "wear gold or nothing." But, well, that doesn't necessarily mean you're facing the same thing.
Honestly, I’m actually relieved it's set up this way. I used to always assume I had to go somewhere specific to register my intent to be an organ donor, but look, I'm lazy, and I just couldn't bring myself to figure out where or how to do it... then when I heard you don't even need to register, it was such a weight off my shoulders 🙂
And honestly, let them tear me apart on a hundred different pages once I'm gone; if it means helping people like that, God knows I'll do it. I truly don't care what they end up doing with me.
Though, I think someone mentioned earlier that medical schools are actually short on cadavers, if I caught that correctly. Is there a way to sign up for that? Personally, I thought cremation might be the best route, but that gets expensive so quickly, and you still have to deal with a cemetery later anyway—it's not like they can just toss you into the ocean, so none of that makes much sense either.
Some new fashion-inspired dance-fighting thing, if I recall correctly. Though, frankly, I have no idea how that connects to flat feet.
I’m not entirely sure how one’s feet can just suddenly collapse at age 25, but let me tell you—even if you *do* have flat feet, even if you’re dealing with foot pain, knee issues, and bunions all at once... none of that is actually connected. You can massage them at home or do some foot exercises to dull the ache, but don't go expecting much from a doctor. Even those orthotic inserts—if I remember right—you might only get one pair every few years (it's been more than two, but I stopped trying to track it since I just buy them myself now), and they fall apart way too fast.
You could always visit an orthopedist who will look at you and say, "Wow, I've never seen a foot like this before" (I experienced that exact thing back when I was at the children's hospital), and then immediately follow it up with, "but it doesn't require surgery. Next!"
Now that I've finished my little rant 🙂 I can say, in purely layman's terms, that I truly doubt it's possible for your foot to just give out overnight. It's probably better to have someone take a professional look at it...
So, she mentioned being a virgin... Isn't it possible that the pain she’s experiencing is actually due to an unusually narrow hymenal opening? Look, I’m certainly no doctor—so if there are any medical professionals lurking in this thread, please, do correct me if I'm wrong—but I recall reading somewhere that blood flow can be quite painful if the passage is too constricted.
Anyway, for all of us fellow sufferers dealing with these monthly aches, I did a little digging online and pulled together some links... Honestly, most of the advice is pretty standard stuff (think over-the-counter painkillers plus staying active), but for those who actually feel like reading through things, here you go:
Harni Clinic: Dysmenorrhea Pliva Health: Menstrual Disorders How to soothe menstrual pain - just scroll down to the third article on the page Mom, I Have a Uterus - I'm not entirely sure whose blog this is, but it holds a few decent links Treating Menstrual Disorders Using Physical Activity Against Cramps
bluewalker36 said:It doesn’t hurt too much, really—maybe just a handful of times in nearly a ten-year span😁 whenever I catch a cold. But honestly, the anticipation gets to my nerves. That five-day countdown before the actual thing arrives? It drives me crazy. I'm sitting here waiting right now.😠
Hehe, you can tell it hurts because if you knew when it was coming, you wouldn't be so stressed. 😬 For me, the pain starts about an hour before the actual onset...
I don't know if it's linked to my general struggle with embracing femininity, but this has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. It was actually much worse back in the day—roughly from age 12 to 15. I remember the pain would just paralyze me; I’d be curled up on the floor, just sobbing. I never once threw up, though. My mother used to look at me with such confusion and pity, because she never dealt with anything like this and had no idea how to help.
Back then, I relied on herbal supplements. They helped a little, I suppose—not enough to kill the pain entirely, but enough to make it bearable. Nowadays? Not a chance. They don't touch it. I'm on Advil Forte now, and usually, just one pill on the first day does the trick. But if I happen to be out and about without any meds and I miss that initial window? Within an hour or two, the pain ramps up so high I can barely walk, let alone dance 🙂. Aside from the abdominal stuff (the ovaries or whatever it is that’s cramping), my back kills me too due to scoliosis, and my hip is a nightmare because of a congenital deformity. Honestly, I have no clue why my period would have anything to do with a structural issue in my hip, but it's maddening.
I haven't noticed any real relief from regular exercise—running, aerobics, all that. The only time things felt even remotely manageable was when I was on Loestrin. The pain didn't vanish—especially not the bone pain—but it became tolerable.
My OB-GYN tells me she’s perfectly happy with everything. She says I’m healthy, "lovely and pink," that my uterus looks beautiful, that I’m fertile, that my ovaries are great... all that good stuff. She insists the first-day pain is totally normal and there's nothing to worry about. And frankly, I haven't even worried about getting pregnant in a very, very long time. 😉
mistybear4 said:Let's look at this logically: if there is an eating disorder, then you just need to fix the diet to eliminate the disorder (where the cause lies, there is the solution). I don't understand what role psychiatrists have here? ... To convince you that you're hallucinating? ... 😁
I would please ask you—if you truly know nothing about eating disorders (which seems obvious from your tone)—to stop handing out advice. I don't care whether what you're trying to sell is good or bad, and frankly, it doesn't concern me, but there is no place for that on this thread.
But it’s not that I’m being difficult; I just feel compelled to try and explain. Someone with bulimia doesn't eat because they are hungry; they eat to compensate for something else through food—an "emotional void." For instance, what do you do when you're feeling down, when you've just had enough of everything...? Maybe you watch TV, go for a run, play with your dog, or grab coffee with a friend... someone else might turn to alcohol or smoking... and some of us eat. And we don't just eat anything; we go for so-called "comfort food," which varies by person, but it's always something high-calorie and unhealthy—for me, it's chips and similar snacks, for others, it's sweets, or hamburgers, etc. It's about an unhealthy relationship with food, where it isn't serving to satisfy hunger, but to substitute for unmet emotional needs. In those moments, I know celery is healthier than chips, but celery won't "comfort" me—chips will. So, I eat them until I make myself sick, then I purge, and then the cycle starts all over again...
(A small note: as I already mentioned, I haven't had bulimic episodes for many years now; it's just easier for me to write in the first person, using my own experience, which, thankfully, is nearly behind me)
People suffering from eating disorders aren't stupid or uneducated, thinking they don't know which foods are healthy and which aren't. On the contrary, as someone already noted, they often know much more about nutrition than the "average" person. Most of the time, they are above-average intelligence, ambitious, but perfectionists. Excellent students, incredibly hard workers at their jobs, seemingly perfect within their families... And while they attempt to maintain this image of perfection, their world is crumbling inside, but they can't allow anyone to notice. They can't "disappoint" anyone or show weakness... and that is the part that needs treatment: learning to accept themselves (because nobody is perfect), learning to love themselves, and learning to trust the people around them... I am no psychologist and I don't want to dwell on this further, because I'm surely generalizing—everyone has their own pain points, and we aren't all the same. But I will say that the problem isn't a lack of nutritional knowledge; it's something happening in the head. A doctor (an internist, or perhaps a gastroenterologist?) needs to be involved in therapy if the illness has progressed so far that the digestive tract is being destroyed—of course, a diseased stomach cannot digest things the way a healthy one does. But primarily, this is the work of a psychologist (or a psychiatrist?), to untangle the mess in the mind.
I'll stop there. If anyone is interested, they can Google it...
Little Red Riding Hood, I simply couldn't read this without chiming in. While I'm certainly not in a position to offer professional advice, I know firsthand that even a single word of support can carry immense weight. Speaking from my own experience—and I believe I’ve touched on this before on the Forum, though perhaps not specifically under the Health section, but that's beside the point—I haven't quite hit the depths you're navigating right now, but I was definitely on that path. My bulimic behavior lasted about a year, yet one learns quickly that bulimia doesn't just vanish once you stop purging. Even today, there are moments where I find myself struggling, still learning how to actually love myself. It is a long, grueling process, truly, but the sooner you begin, the sooner you'll see light at the end of the tunnel. Now that you’ve finally achieved the awareness of what you’re doing—which is a massive step in itself—please, don't let this consume you. Don't let it kill you, literally.
For me, the turning point was having a support system. I never actually told my parents—I was living far away from them at the time—but I did find a few people I could trust: my brother, a college roommate, a close friend. They probably didn't fully grasp what was happening, but they stood by me, and whenever a crisis hit, I had somewhere to turn. They couldn't "fix" me, obviously, but their unconditional acceptance was everything. That was my lifeline.
I realize it feels impossible right now, but please try to find someone you can talk to—someone who won't judge you, even if they can't quite wrap their head around it. I used to think those kinds of people were a myth, too, but once you make the decision to open up, you might just be surprised. In a positive way, I mean. At least, I was lucky enough to have that experience.
And please, seek out professional medical help. If you don't feel a connection with your primary care physician, go find someone else. Someone already posted a link to an association here; maybe give them a call. I'm certain there are hotlines or similar resources out there—just try. I know how terrifyingly difficult it is to pick up the phone and dial, but isn't the alternative—this constant suffering—even harder?
Keep posting here if it helps you. There will always be someone here willing to listen with empathy.
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Gala, I know your intentions are good, but please keep in mind that someone struggling with bulimia often lacks the ability to set healthy boundaries. Compulsive exercising is just another facet of bulimic behavior. You aren't actually making progress if you're merely swapping one compulsion for another. One has to address the root cause rather than just trying to manage the symptoms. Says the woman who used to spend three hours a day at the gym.