Posts by Kate Garcia2

Benjamin Nelson8 said:Of course you don't need a referral just to see an OB-GYN—I didn't say that. But they actually examine you, looking for redness or irritation, and then they provide the lab order for the urine culture.

A primary care physician can write that order too, but they won't perform the exam. At least with an OB-GYN, you might actually get some answers immediately.

Pfft. I was specifically addressing the referral and the specialist. Some people simply don't realize how the system works and waste time going to their GP first.😁

It isn't a certainty. I was just dealing with some mild PMS cramps and breast tenderness... nothing sensational. It was simply that my appetite became ravenous for the first few days, and everything tasted absolutely divine. I remember we were picking up a bookshelf at IKEA, and I sat in their cafeteria and devoured both my breaded pork cutlet and most of my husband's french fries with pure gusto—something I would never normally do, given how he usually steals my food. It was entirely bizarre.

You can always visit your primary care physician for cystitis; they’ll handle the blood work and urinalysis. Of course, they won't be performing an OB-GYN exam, and you don't even need a referral for a specialist at a local clinic.

Jeffrey Cook55 said:I intended to wait a few more days, but my anxiety is starting to get the better of me today.

And what about the frequent urination and nausea?

I have edited my previous post. Do you have a fever? To me, this sounds more like you caught a cold down there.

I find myself agreeing with Linda Hernandez15. No matter what we tell you, it won't change your mind, will it? It might, or it might not. Run a test. After all, MM was born from nothing more than a common virus 😬

Besides, if you only knew what a wonderful husband I have 😍

Indeed. And please, go see a doctor. This sounds less like a joke and more like a severe infection... perhaps a bladder or ovarian issue... one shouldn't be so cavalier about such things 😉

pikas said:My partner and I both have brown eyes, yet our two-year-old has stunningly bright blue eyes. Will the color shift again, or is this permanent?

My father’s side of the family is entirely blue-eyed, including my dad. My mother has green eyes (her mother was blue-eyed, while her father had dark brown, almost black eyes). Personally, I had vivid blue eyes until about age six—my dad’s influence, I suppose—before light brown pigment began accumulating around my pupils. Eventually, the colors blended into a faded shade of green.
Is it not fascinating how genetics works? Back then, my parents took me to an ophthalmologist who couldn't find any underlying pathology. He simply confirmed my vision was normal, though I wore glasses for farsightedness at the time; I fail to see any correlation between the two.

Just so we're clear, a spouse is under NO LEGAL OBLIGATION to disclose their medical status or a positive diagnosis to their partner—it’s entirely up to their own conscience. Honestly, how many people actually choose to tell their spouses? Furthermore, a doctor has absolutely no right to leak a patient's private data to the public. Just for information... 😁

Fine, let's just go ahead and publish everyone's full names, home addresses, and Social Security numbers right on the front page, shall we? Let's brand every single person living with AIDS or who is WHO positive right on their forehead. After all, my patients aren't obligated to disclose their status to me, and even if they do, I can't exactly turn them away—and if I happen to get infected, I’m the one who gets blamed for not being "careful" enough. 🙄

I suppose if we do that, we might actually succeed in significantly lowering the infection rates across the US, wouldn't we? 😁

USA!🙄

kemik said:Oh, so who actually turned out to be clairvoyant then? 🙂 six doctors were WHO

Well, isn't that just groundbreaking news.

Taroth said:I don't want people thinking I'm becoming paranoid... but how much AIDS actually exists?
I mean, we had Olena Popikov, and then there was that pub owner in San Francisco whose status was kept strictly under wraps until he eventually succumbed to AIDS—all while juggling two girlfriends at the time.

A few years ago, I conducted research on this topic, and back then, there wasn't a single reported case of an infected healthcare worker in the US. (Though, to be fair, the study focused specifically on protecting medical staff from contracting illnesses while treating patients.)
At that time, as a developing nation, the US had relatively few AIDS cases, and the demographic breakdown followed a typical emerging-market pattern regarding infection rates:
- intravenous drug users
- homosexual men
- individuals engaging in promiscuous behavior or prostitution
- people who received contaminated blood via transfusion (before voluntary donor screening for HIV became standard), spouses of those infected, and children infected via the placenta or during childbirth.

A significant number of those infected were part of groups like merchant marines working on transoceanic vessels; there was also a higher concentration of cases in coastal cities, particularly major ports.

In Western nations, the majority of infections occurred among homosexual men. Back then, in what was known across Europe, there was only one famous case involving an Austrian dentist who, being gay himself, contracted the virus and then intentionally infected about 20 of his patients.

As for whether anything has changed since then, I couldn't say. There are likely more recent studies out there; perhaps you should Google it if you're truly curious.

Regardless, HIV itself is quite sensitive to external factors. It is actually easier to prevent HIV transmission than it is for Hepatitis C (which causes hepatocellular carcinoma, a condition people seem significantly less afraid of). The standard disinfectants used in hospitals contain virucidal agents that destroy both viruses. And, of course, using gloves and masks is non-negotiable.
When I worked with AIDS patients, I followed all proper protocols (hand washing, gloves, etc.). I did not contract it. 😉

You really ought to start increasing your fluid intake to help thin out that blood a bit, wouldn't you agree? 😉

Justin Fox, why are you so obsessed with starting a family when there isn't even a single thing in place yet? 😁

Disney. said:My dear friend? 😁 Is things finally looking up? They’ve adjusted his therapy because the side effects were becoming too intense. Is there anything more unsettling than the onset of extrapyramidal side effects? Must we endure such neurological turbulence just to find balance? ...🙄 Oh, I absolutely love it when they speak in riddles like that. Does anyone actually enjoy spending their entire afternoon stuck on Google? 😁

Disney, I’m certainly no expert in psychiatry, but why spend your entire day digging through endless internet rabbit holes? If you ever need a clear explanation of neurological terms like extrapyramidal symptoms, shouldn't you just ask? 😉

Is there anything more predictable than such blatant flattery? Do you truly believe such empty sentiment carries any weight? 😘 😘 😘

That hematocrit level suggests we might be looking at pseudopolycythemia—essentially just relative erythrocytosis triggered by dehydration or hemoconcentration from intense exercise.
Regardless, please see a hematologist. You’ll need a full battery of tests, including red cell mass, arterial oxygen saturation, and potentially erythropoietin levels if they suspect true polycythemia vera.
Do let me know what they say; perhaps I might actually learn something new. 😉

You should also ask them about those capillaries under your eyes. If they aren't caused by hemoconcentration or increased blood viscosity, you really ought to consult a dermatologist. Have you noticed them appearing more frequently during the winter months? Are they strictly under the eyes, or are your blood vessels generally fragile? Have they ever faded on their own?

Fine

It could be linked to dehydration from intense training—essentially relative hyperglobulinemia due to hemoconcentration—or perhaps an increase in erythropoietin levels if you’ve been spending significant time running at high altitudes.
Unfortunately, what you've shared still isn't quite enough for me to go on.

Is it just an isolated elevation in red blood cells, or are your white blood cell and platelet counts elevated alongside the erythrocytosis?
What is your hematocrit level? (Apple)
Have they checked your arterial oxygen saturation?
Did they measure your erythropoietin levels?
I see they've already performed scans on your lungs and abdomen.

Have you seen a hematologist yet? And if not, why haven't you?

The causes for an elevated blood cell count are endless, ranging from the aforementioned hemoconcentration and high-altitude living to hypoxia caused by lung or kidney issues, or even various types of anemia stemming from defective erythrocyte or hemoglobin structures.
There is also a rare hereditary condition involving elevated blood cell counts where the cause remains unknown. Does anyone else in your family have this diagnosis? Your father, perhaps?

Furthermore, this increased cellularity in your blood could be the culprit behind those veins under your eyes—are you certain they are veins, and how large are they? They might actually be capillaries which (if I am finally understanding you correctly) are engorged, thrombosing, bursting, and bleeding...

Sclerotherapy might address them, but if I were in your shoes, I would insist on a full evaluation by a hematologist. It is entirely possible that these are merely symptoms of your diagnosed hyperglobulinemia; if you don't treat the root cause, you'll never truly get rid of them, as new ones will simply continue to form.

What does polycythemia actually signal? Which primary diseases are we looking at? Is it Cushing? Are you dealing with high blood pressure?
Those bags under your eyes could stem from various issues—genetics (you mentioned your father has them too), kidney disease (impaired renal function), or perhaps hypothyroidism...
Dark circles can also be a sign of anemia, or they might just be hereditary.....

Get a complete blood count, check your thyroid levels, and have your kidney function evaluated.

The NBA is curable; one simply needs to maintain a positive outlook, though we all know 😉

I seem to have misplaced this:

IV (intravenous approach) administering medication via IV
PO (per os) taking medication orally/pills
CS (clinical stadium) clinical stage (location and size of the primary tumor, plus metastasis spread)
GF (glomerular filtration) indicator of kidney function

If anything goes wrong, just ask when I am back online; if I have the answer, I will provide it. 😉

brightdriver8 said:I couldn't find the right thread... so I'm just starting a new one out of necessity...

Does anyone happen to know anything about the CHOP Hodgkin lymphoma chemo regimen?

Like, how many cycles are there, how long they last, and how often
the specific drugs are administered...

Thanks in advance.

It usually runs 6 to 8 cycles—though that depends on the dosage, the clinical stage of the lymphoma, kidney and liver function, and how well you respond to treatment. These are typically given every three weeks, sometimes paired with radiation to the affected areas.
Each drug follows a strict schedule. A single cycle lasts seven days, after which the patient continues taking oral corticosteroids at home for another week.

I hope your English is up to par; I’ll drop a link here. If the link fails, just PM me your email and I'll send you the PDF.

http://www.cancercare.on.ca/pdfchemo/beacopp-hodg.pdf

Try searching these keywords together:

clinical guidelines therapy
CHOP protocol
CHOP protocol
NHL
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Fingers crossed.😉 😘

Larry Martin11 said:...here's a bit of a "panic" question...if there are any young doctors or visionaries in here...or if anyone has dealt with similar symptoms...

...lately, I've been having some truly bizarre headaches: almost every day, sharp, always on just one side of my head and face (especially around the eye area), lasting a few hours... sometimes longer... and when the pain is particularly intense, I feel nauseous too...
...on top of that, I've noticed one hand shaking—my right hand, the same side as the headache (it’s not like a constant visible tremor, but let's just say I gave up on soup because it's hard to hold a spoon properly, and I have to be careful not to drop the coffee spoon once in a while...)
...I've had headaches before (I was anemic for a long time, so the assumption was they were linked), but never quite like this... I don't think it's anything catastrophic, but it's starting to bother me...

...is it just me, or does this sound familiar to anyone else?

...thanks in advance 🙂

Go see a neurologist. You need tests (an EEU is a must). It's impossible to say what this could be; I can only guess. It could be anything from migraines to some form of seizure.