darkranger11 said:quiethound45 I haven't read through all your replies yet, but I just wanted to mention that if you were told to test your thyroid hormones, you probably shouldn't go to the ExxonMobil lab because they don't handle those there. You might want to try either the Mayo Clinic or a local hospital instead. I remember when I went to the ExxonMobil lab, they quoted me about $67 😕 for just the initial hormones (the ones from days 3-5), and obviously, you still have the other hormones to test around day 21 or 22 of your cycle. I guess your OB-GYN should have noted that on your referral.
Thanks so much! I'm honestly pretty confused since I've never done this before and I have no clue what the process even is. My doctor was talking about everything under the sun except the actual details, and then I realized afterward that I missed asking the most important part! I think I'll head over to his office tomorrow and grill him or my sister about it. I just noticed today that he already wrote down the ExxonMobil lab on my referral, but he specifically requested T3 and T4 (thyroid), which clearly they don't do there. A few people have recommended the Mayo Clinic to me, so I might just go there instead; after hearing about the issues at ExxonMobil, I'm not really feeling that option right now 😳 😬 Thanks for the help—I'll be "interrogating" my doctor tomorrow...🙄 😉 😬
Hey everyone, that day is getting close... I have to go in for my injection this Wednesday, and honestly, I'm a bit of a closet hypochondriac when it comes to hospitals. If anyone else here has gone through this, I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience. 🙂
Jonathan Taylor76 said:Well, I had the exact same experience at the local Mayo Clinic facility; they told me they don't handle the full hormonal panel, so they sent me over to Johns Hopkins instead. I got everything done there and it was actually a great experience—I'm glad I bypassed that unfriendly clinic in the first place. You'll probably have to wait three weeks for the results, and you need to make sure you go during days 3-4 of your cycle. Good luck!👍
Thanks so much! So, should I just head to Johns Hopkins then? It seems like my doctor only requested sex hormones and thyroid tests. I'll double-check my referral tomorrow. How much did all of that end up costing you? Do you just show up first thing in the morning on an empty stomach? And which specific department should I look for? I feel like such a newbie here, honestly. I’ve never really dealt with hospitals or been admitted to one before, so the whole idea kind of gives me the creeps.😱 And why do all these hospitals feel so cold and eerie... or is that just my imagination?😢
Thanks for the help.😘 Maybe if someone else with some experience weighs in, I could pull all these impressions together (perhaps someone who has actually been to Petrov)😬
Jerry Walker79 said:From what I understand, you have to go during days 3 to 5 of your cycle.🙂
And that’s really all I know. That was just what they told me when I mentioned coming in with my husband... But honestly, I'm totally lost. I have no idea if they do this in the morning, afternoon, or all day long (for instance, at my local clinic, they only draw blood from 7 to 8 AM). I don't even know what the actual procedure involves—I've never worked in a hospital setting before, so I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed and worried about getting lost. Is there a fee? What does it actually look like? Do they just take blood like a standard lab test? Do I need to fast? How long until the results come back? And most importantly, do I need an appointment or can I just show up? I feel completely out of my element here.😕 This is a lot. 😳 If anyone knows anything, please help a lost soul out.🙏
My doctor gave me a referral today to get my hormone levels checked. He suggested I head over to Mayo Clinic, but I completely blanked on asking him for the specifics of how everything works. If anyone here has been through this or knows the process, I'd really appreciate some insight or advice.🙂
Here are some scenarios where you absolutely should not double up on carbs!!!! For example, if your lunch consists of pasta, potatoes, or rice, don't even think about grabbing bread. Honestly, you won't even need it—you'll see. I haven't paired bread with my meals for years now; it just doesn't sit right with me. If I'm having stews or something similar, sure, maybe. But once certain heavy foods are on the plate, it feels like overkill. Meanwhile, I see people eating roasted potatoes along with chicken and bread... it's just wrong. It's just unnecessary calories and bloating your stomach for no reason. Also, I'd suggest looking into the glycemic index. It explains which foods will keep you full longer and which ones will leave you feeling hungry again almost immediately.
One thing I should mention—when you first start restricting, you might feel tired, lethargic, or like you've lost your strength, drive, and spark. You might even feel constantly hungry. That’s totally normal; it’s just your body reacting to the new setup. After about two weeks, that should gradually fade away. You'll start feeling more vibrant, and smaller meals will begin to satisfy you more as your stomach size adjusts. Eventually, you might even hit a phase of hyperactivity—at least that's how it works for me. Since I started eating less, I actually have more momentum and energy than I did back when I was overeating.😉
Look, you actually have a thread where a guy is asking for weight loss help; maybe take a look at that, there’s some really useful info in there. If you dig through my previous posts, I’ve explained quite a bit about nutrition, dieting, and just general wellness. I don't really feel like retyping everything since those posts were pretty long, so it might be easier for you to just find them. There’s plenty of other good advice in there too. We were actually in a similar spot regarding weight and height, but by avoiding strict dieting and extreme deprivation, I managed to get to a healthy weight—I lost about 33 pounds.😉
Edward Green said:From what I understand, a BMI of 44 falls into the category of morbid obesity.
Honestly, I think BMI is pretty useless. It might work as a rough estimate, but long-term, it’s just nonsense because it ignores body type and age, which are actually the most important factors.
Instead of bickering, we should probably just help the guy. It’s pretty obvious he’s looking for support because he can't seem to figure this out on his own. alexx definitely stirred up some drama and confusion here, but that's just her personality—she tends to be a bit more explosive, so I guess we just accept her that way.😬 😘 alexx, I think your intentions are good and you have a point, but maybe your approach is a little off... I live with two people at home who are morbidly obese. I used to be a bit heavier myself (somewhere between those characters Violetta and Lee from Big Brother), so I'm speaking from personal experience when I say certain things... We all mess up our diets at some point; nobody gets it right every single time. It's just that some people have the luxury to slip up while others don't. Some people can afford to indulge more often, and some can't. What works for one person might not work for another. Every body is its own unique machine. We all have different genetic makeups, so I think everyone needs to discover for themselves what actually works best for their life. I don't think the kid is overeating. He's still growing (and since he's only 15, that's peak development time for boys), so I wouldn't recommend strict dieting—it could really do him harm.
neonbear4—do you know why diets usually fail? It's because there are days when you're forced to eat something you absolutely hate or something that just makes you feel nauseous. That's how you develop an aversion to food and end up breaking your diet almost immediately. For me, dieting was always a disaster. My worst experience was with that "miracle soup"; by day three, even the smell made my stomach turn, even though it tasted fine on the first day. And that soup is actually quite good and healthy (good for detoxing), but that's the risk with any diet. Also, meat-heavy diets are terrible because they can wreck your liver! Even if they're effective, I wouldn't suggest going down that road under any circumstances.
My advice? Listen to your body. When you wake up, decide what you're going to eat that day. Just try to keep it healthy and home-cooked. I'm not sure what your parents are like or how your mom cooks—that might actually be a major part of the issue! For example, my mom makes a lot of heavy, greasy soups, whereas I cook mine without adding any oil at all. The way you cook is incredibly important, so that might be where the problem lies. Do whatever you feel is right; we're behind you. But personally, I'm worried you might struggle to stick to a diet again, because hardly anyone can follow one to the very end. And honestly, I don't think you even need one. I had a girl in my college group who struggled a lot with her weight. She was about 285 lbs at 5'3"... she was constantly trying diets, but nothing ever stuck. She was very self-conscious about her weight, so she'd manage to stick to a diet for maybe two months and lose 30 lbs, but then she'd eventually break down. No one can give up the things they love for long. You'd need to stay on these diets for months, but eventually, you'll hit a breaking point. So, please don't set a deadline for yourself or wait for instant results. Just relax. Even if it takes five years—five whole years—there's no rush. Just take it slow and be smart about it. Persistence and willpower, and that's that. Fingers crossed!🙂
There are plenty of spontaneous inflammations caused by vaginal microflora imbalances, so that’s likely what we’re looking at here. It’s probably just a yeast infection, since almost every woman deals with them at some point 😬 Honestly, you guys are being a bit silly—immediately jumping to conclusions about sex. We women are much more complex than that; maintaining vaginal health isn't exactly the simple task it's made out to be... 😉 She should just see a gynecologist and get it sorted out. I suspect it’s nothing serious.
alexx, you can be pretty harsh on this forum sometimes... don't you think instead of attacking people, we should be helping them? It feels like you just want to criticize and judge. Not every thread needs to be a confrontation. I guess since you're young (I assume), you might be a bit impulsive, but hopefully, you'll learn how to read the room eventually. Attacking a 15-year-old during such a sensitive age, especially regarding a topic this delicate for boys, isn't going to help. It’ll probably just cause him to withdraw even more and feel ashamed. Honestly, the fact that he can see and admit there's an issue is actually huge progress—that's something we should encourage and support. Besides, none of us eat perfectly healthy, so maybe before lecturing others about "junk" food, take a look at your own fridge. Let people live how they want, or offer friendly advice, but ultimately, it's up to them whether they listen or not. The most important thing is tracking calorie intake, and for his weight, it doesn't seem excessive (unless he's really sedentary). Of course, it would be healthier to grab three apples instead of a Twix, but let's be real—hardly anyone in school does that.
Regarding the topic itself, here is what I'd suggest... Don't go chasing strict, written diet plans or setting rigid deadlines (especially short ones). Those rarely work. There's no such thing as a "magic" quick fix; if a diet shows results too fast, it either destroys your mental health or leads to the yo-yo effect where you just gain it all back.
You have to change your relationship with food, and by extension, yourself (which is the hardest part). First, try to figure out the root cause—how did the weight pile up in the first place? Once you identify that, try to reflect on it and work through it. If you're an "emotional eater," try to stop that cycle, find the trigger, and address it. If you just love food and struggle with self-control, start practicing gentle discipline. You won't see overnight results, and you have to work on this long-term, especially since you're young and your body has "learned" how to carry extra weight. The weight will want to come back, and you'll pay for every slip-up. Basically, you have to stay mindful for life and shift your entire perspective on eating. From my own experience, I can tell you that no prescribed, strict diet is easy. They always sound promising, but you'll likely burn out and binge very quickly, so it's better to skip those. Try cutting out dinner first—nothing after 7 PM. That's a major one. Second, tweak your habits slightly. Try to eat more whole foods, but feel free to indulge in a treat once in a while... just watch the portions. Portion control is everything. Try making every meal a little ritual—appreciate the smell, the taste, and the presentation, and chew slowly. This helps you feel full sooner and satisfies your senses. When people bolt down food, they don't actually enjoy the meal, so they end up snacking again later just to get that sense of satisfaction (that's what I call "spoiled palate"). 😬 Eat more frequent, smaller meals, and try to stick to things that are boiled or baked rather than fried. For lunch, focus on vegetables and salads, and keep the meat and carbs to a minimum. Avoid sweets, but it's okay to have a small piece of chocolate occasionally—just set boundaries. I mean a *small* piece. Or swap the chocolate for something like a nice pudding, a snack bar, or yogurt; it hits the sweet spot much better. Try switching from white bread to whole wheat to start, then maybe move to rye later. For spreads, stick to cheeses or dairy products (forget the mayo or heavy dips, though you can indulge if you really love them). Try buying "light" versions of products when possible, and educate yourself on calorie counts. Just casually tracking your daily intake each day will help you get a feel for it. Always keep some fruit at home so that if a craving hits, you reach for that instead of the bag of chips Mom hid in the pantry.
Focusing solely on weight is the wrong way to approach nutrition. Until you fix that mindset, you're going to keep running into the same wall. No diet is going to save you if your head isn't in the right place—and even if it does work temporarily, the weight will just come back, leaving you feeling even more frustrated. Honestly, you just need to commit. A little bit of willpower is usually enough to get things moving. Don't sit around waiting for massive breakthroughs or hoping for miracles. Just keep pushing forward; the pounds will eventually drop off on their own if you stay consistent. I’d also suggest not obsessing over the scale too much—maybe check it once a week at most. That way, you aren't letting the number dictate your mood, and you can keep the focus where it belongs: on what you're actually eating... In the beginning, I wouldn't suggest hitting the gym too hard. It might be a bit extreme and could just spike your hunger, making those cravings for junk food almost impossible to fight after an intense workout. Once you've dropped some initial weight, then you can start working on building muscle. For now, though, just walk. Whenever you feel a craving hitting, just go out for a ten-minute stroll. Try to get at least thirty minutes of movement in every day, though ideally, an hour or two would be great. You could also try some light cycling, but nothing too intense. Given where you're starting from with your weight and maybe your current fitness level, jumping into high-intensity stuff probably isn't the best move right away...
And forget about sodas. Stick to water or maybe some tea with sweetener. (A single can of Coke has about as many calories as two mandarins or a piece of toast with spread, so you really have to choose...) Maybe you can indulge occasionally, but you have to watch the portions. Unsweetened iced tea is a decent option, and you can use sugar-free syrups diluted in water, but make sure water remains your main base...
That’s pretty much my take on it. Just stay brave and keep going.🙂
gentlecanyon92 said:First off, the answer is right there at the end of the first post in the main thread.
Second, here it is again:
When you hit reply, just click on the highlighted icon then paste the link you want to include... hit OK and type in your display name..
And yeah -> maybe take a look at this post and this one
That's really kind of you—sending a hug your way.😘 It wasn't about being lazy—I honestly searched everywhere and finally tracked this down:
How do I make a link with a custom name? Python code is giving me a bit of trouble with this because instead of showing how I actually write it, it just shows the raw W3C version. That’s much more complicated. So, I'll write out the code and stick an asterisk * inside it (just to stop it from converting into what it's supposed to be). Below the code, as usual, I'll show how it actually looks. You would write: [*url=http://www.website.com]Website Name[/url] Result: Website Name
But I couldn't figure it out initially, so I gave it a shot (you can see the proof in that first topic... and once I realized I couldn't find the solution on my own through trial and error, I decided to ask for help). I know probably a million people have asked this before me, but who has the time to dig through everything? It felt easier to just ask nicely for some assistance. 😳 Thanks again, truly. 🙏 😁 👍
So I asked my people—if things get really bad, just head straight to the ER. They have to take you in regardless of whether you have insurance or not! You can also call them if you're feeling like you can't breathe properly
Take those papers with you and just tell them you aren't feeling well. I’m pretty sure they’ll take you in, and if that doesn't work, you can always just head to the ER—they have to see you there, at least I think... It would be terrible if you went into anaphylactic shock and ended up alone without anyone to help while you were unconscious and struggling to breathe. This isn't something to joke about—seriously. (I watched my grandmother deal with chest pains right before she suffered a sudden heart attack and passed away, so hearing about chest pain really gives me the chills) It's better to be safe than to let something stupid happen. I really hope it isn't anything serious, but you should act like it is just in case. I'll be thinking of you, please let me know what happens.🙂
I guess you could still take her to the doctor—as long as you haven't gotten a new one yet, though I'm not entirely sure. Listen, chest pain is usually a bad sign; it could be heart-related, or maybe something with the lungs. It sounds a bit like a type of asthma to me (possibly allergy-induced), but usually, that involves more shortness of breath rather than this sharp stabbing sensation in the chest. Does she get tired easily?
Honestly, you should probably see a doctor. That doesn't look entirely harmless. Also, didn't they give you a temporary insurance card or some kind of paperwork to use while your actual ID is being processed?
