Uh... so, how long were you guys actually under anesthesia? Mine is supposed to be pretty short, maybe around 15 minutes or so, but now I'm starting to overthink things because, given what I'm having done, I really don't want anything messing with my cycle.😢 I mean, I'm guessing my gynecologist would probably mention any potential issues if there actually were any...
I promised I’d post an update, so here it is: They actually approved general anesthesia for me 🙂 🙂 Honestly, I’m still in a bit of shock—like, total disbelief mode. Mostly because all I did was mention how much I hate pain and ask what my options were, and then the doctor just casually brought up general anesthesia herself like it was no big deal. 🙂 I don’t even know what to think. Everyone kept telling me that people don't usually get this option in cities like Rijeka, but now I’m wondering if any of them even bothered to ask... anyway, regardless of that, I feel amazing right now. Just super relaxed, like I’m totally down to tackle whatever comes my way. It’s exactly how I should be feeling. Though, I guess there’s still that tiny little nagging doubt in the back of my mind that things might go sideways... you know how it goes with us sometimes... Now I have to rush out to get my referral for the "basic labs." I have no clue what that entails, but apparently, I need bloodwork done... I’m really hoping they can wrap everything up in a single day. Does anyone actually know what those tests involve?
Hmm, wait, don't you need a prescription for Zaldiar? I've been hearing lately that they’re even asking for prescriptions for Voltaren now too? I was actually planning on grabbing my usual combo while I was out running errands before heading into the hospital, since you always end up waiting for hours there anyway... one girl told me she took a mix of normabel and regular caffeine, but she spent three whole hours sitting in the waiting room, and by the time her name was finally called, the meds had already worn off. My ride is all set, and I honestly don't think I'll need anything once I'm out later. Apparently, women feel totally fine after they get that done—some even head straight out for a walk. I'm not really worried about any lingering discomfort or dull aches afterward, but the thought of sudden, sharp pain—and potentially having to deal with ten of them in a row right in my most sensitive area—just absolutely terrifies me. 😢 urbanscout50, thanks so much for understanding 🙂
Fortral is an opioid analgesic. I'm thinking that might be the one... For those who actually know their stuff, is it stronger than Voltaren? I'm going to try to fight for sedation because, honestly, trying to get general anesthesia for this feels like a lost cause, and local numbing probably won't do much for me anyway. If they refuse to give me even basic sedation, I might just try to get some Fortral through my private OB-GYN. I mean, can a private gynecologist even write a prescription for Fortral? Basically, I was thinking about combining 100 mg of Fortral with about 0.25 mg of Helex roughly an hour before the egg retrieval. Would that be okay?
Thanks, electricpanther82🙂 I’m definitely going to Google Fortral right away. Honestly, I actually needed a specific name for something that might help me out, just so I know what to bring up with the doctor. Unfortunately, that local Liganj clinic—which is basically right in my backyard—isn't even a hospital anymore; they turned it into a nursing home.😢 Everyone I know has had a painless, high-quality colonoscopy there, but of course, I decided to go in for mine right when they were shutting the whole place down.😬 But hey, whatever, that's in the past now.... As for the puncture, I'm pretty much at the mercy of Social Security and the whims of the local hospital in the area, because I don't think I can even get that done privately now that I'm already stuck in their system.... I'll ask about that Fortral, or at least about the sedation they gave me during my colonoscopy at that same hospital. I just don't know exactly what they used, even though I asked... I mean, I literally asked, "What are you giving me?" and the nurse just gave me this blank stare like I was being difficult for not having enough trust. So I repeat the question, and she just says, "Apaurin." I ask if there's anything else, and she just goes silent—nothing. And I know for a fact they didn't just give me one thing... it was a whole cocktail!!!!!! Plus, the doctor didn't even look at me or say hello when I arrived or when I left. Not a single word was exchanged... honestly, WTF.😕
Oh, and just one more thing... a friend of mine told me they didn't even give her anesthesia during her D&C procedure.😢 Dodus, she wasn't talking about what happens in Rijeka, but in some other city in America. Now that I've spent some time digging through forum posts on this topic, I'm honestly just shocked. It turns out that even for a D&C, anesthesia is treated like some exotic luxury, and it's actually incredibly rare for it to be used in our hospitals here. Apparently, women just have to go through it completely wide awake!!!! It honestly makes me want to cry just thinking about it. I truly believe that no woman—no living being in a civilized society—should ever be subjected to that kind of pain. It’s not enough that a woman loses her baby and is left with this massive physical and emotional void; she also has to endure having her insides scraped while she's fully conscious. Like, she has to suffer through every single second of what happened to her. It's pure horror.
Thanks so much for such a thoughtful reply. Usually, when you ask about anesthesia, people just give you the standard brush-off: "Why do you care? You can handle it," or "It’s only ten minutes," or "It’s just a couple of needle pricks, just think about why you're doing this in the first place (the baby), etc." I’m guessing the right move would be to ask the actual person performing the puncture? The catch is, getting to that person is nearly impossible. My meds are handed over by a nurse, and then I'm basically left to fend for myself (like most women here) unless she absolutely has to step in. On top of that, the person in charge is incredibly tactless and, frankly, difficult—and that’s not just my take, it’s their reputation built up over years—so you end up being terrified to even ask for anything or advocate for yourself. From what I’ve gathered, women at the Mayo Clinic undergoing this same procedure just sort of accept that it’s going to hurt; they see it as part of the price they have to pay to try for a pregnancy. Because they're scared and left in the dark, they end up huddled together giving each other advice on which painkillers or muscle relaxants to take beforehand just to make it bearable. We're really just on our own. That said, I don't think it's a great idea to start popping heavy medication on my own, especially during peak egg maturation right before implantation, but I might be forced into that if I can't get things handled professionally. I’ve got about 15 days left until the puncture since I’m on the long protocol, so I’ll definitely ask the nurse about the anesthesia when I go in for my next round of meds, though I'm not holding my breath. I'll keep you guys posted, for sure!
I’m not totally sure if this is the right thread for my questions, but I couldn't find anything else even remotely close to this topic... Basically, I’m wondering why some hospitals here in the US provide anesthesia for certain procedures and exams, while others—like the KBC over in Rijeka—won't even talk about it. Is it because they’re short on anesthesiologists? Is it just because anesthesia is too expensive? Or maybe they think they know what's best for the patient? Or is it something else entirely? If money is the issue, is there actually an option for me to just pay for the anesthesia and the anesthesiologist myself? (Honestly, it would still be cheaper than doing everything at a private clinic). And if the argument is whether it's "good" for me or not, don't I have the right as an adult to choose a specific level of risk in exchange for avoiding pain? (And obviously, I’d sign a waiver or something to that effect). I am just so incredibly frustrated, and I honestly have no idea how to handle this situation.😢 Back in December, I had a colonoscopy, and I practically had to beg them to give me sedation, and even then, it was pretty painful. They had their "legitimate" reason—basically saying that if they can't get feedback on whether it hurts, they might accidentally perforate my bowel. Fine, I get that. But now I’m prepping for a different procedure where those kinds of risks aren't even on the table, and yet they *still* won't budge on providing anesthesia. Meanwhile, plenty of other hospitals in the US will offer general or local anesthesia if the patient asks for it. Alright, let me demystify what's actually happening here. I'm currently going through the IVF process, and I have an egg retrieval coming up—follicle aspiration or whatever you call it. This is my first time, and I am so terrified that I'm starting to question the whole damn process. I've been a nervous wreck for weeks, and I'm scared I won't sleep at all in the days leading up to it. I mean, should women going through something this delicate and intense really be subjected to extra stress and pain? We're living in the 2000s; anesthesia isn't some avant-garde luxury, thank God... yet somehow it changes everything. I know I'm rambling a bit, but if anyone can help me find a real solution to this, I would be so grateful. I was thinking maybe I could hire a private anesthesiologist to meet me at the hospital during my appointment, but I have no clue if that's even feasible or even where to start looking for info. Also, could someone explain "local anesthesia" for internal organ procedures? In my opinion, for both a colonoscopy and an egg retrieval, you'd need general anesthesia or maybe an epidural. I don't get why I constantly see—even on the websites of respectable clinics like CITO in Split—offering local anesthesia for egg retrievals. Can anyone explain how that kind of local anesthesia actually works and where it's applied on the body? Is there any kind of mild anesthetic available at a pharmacy that won't cause a massive drama regarding previous tests and stuff? And ultimately, if I can't secure anesthesia, what would you recommend as a "cocktail" to help me relax and dull the pain? I was thinking about taking 10 mg of normabel and one Voltaren rapid about half an hour to an hour before, but I don't know if that's safe. Would something like Praxitan be better than normabel, or maybe Apaurin? (I know that's used for sedation). Help.
I am totally obsessed with this post🙂 It’s not quite that black and white, I guess; things can play out way differently whether you have five kids or zero or just one, but I basically agree with the sentiment here👍
briskpuma23 said:I know it’s not exactly trendy to advocate for large families these days, unless you’re coming from the Catholic Church—but it’s easy for them to talk when they don't even recognize their own kids.
To be clear, my stance on needing at least five kids has nothing to do with some nonsense about "procreation" or any kind of moral crusade.
The truth is, you have children for your own sake.
When our time finally runs out, most people—especially people today—will find it pretty hard to sing My Way while looking back at their lives as a selfless sacrifice for others. There's no way. Most of us are just focused on how to cut corners, how to get the most out of life while spending the least, how to hustle, how to score a weekend trip to a beach house, then head to work, maybe join a committee, and so on. In short, we'd rather people didn't judge us by our actions.
And given the kind of shallow people society has turned us into, we can barely manage to bring one child into this world; having two would already feel like an incredible sacrifice.
Because we are so spiritually numb and, let's be honest, lazy and immature, we’ll probably end up ruining the kid too. We’ll pass all our neuroses down to them, instill hypochondria and cynicism, blast them with antibiotics the second they cough, and then complain at the office about how "fragile" our child is. Besides, if you spend your time talking about your kid at work, only the worst kind of boss would actually trust you with a serious project. So, that one child becomes the perfect excuse to stay lazy and avoid doing any real work.
But again, after fifty or sixty years of dodging actual life, retirement rolls around with its tiny pension, and you realize that your one precious child doesn't really love you. They’re busy living their own selfish little lives with an equally rotten spouse and an only child of their own—an obnoxious, spoiled brat who won't even bother to visit Grandma. That's when you realize you have nobody.
That wouldn't happen if you had managed to have five kids. Granted, one would probably be an idiot. One might get hit by a bus, but that still leaves you with three healthy individuals. Healthy because, by necessity, they had to learn how to share, and because you didn't have enough time to focus all your dysfunction on just one person, they didn't develop those stupid neuroses. Plus, a big family naturally builds a competitive spirit, starting from when they're toddlers fighting over fries at McDonald's during a Happy Meal you take them to on Sundays because you're too lazy to cook a Sunday roast.
And those three healthy ones will actually love you. They’ll remember how warm and happy the home felt, conveniently forgetting the fact that it was only warm because you could only afford to give them one bedroom. They’ll turn all the flaws of their upbringing into beautiful memories. And they’ll take care of you in your old age because they grew up to be decent people. When you die, someone will actually cry for you. And honestly, there’s nothing more a person can wish for than that.
So, yeah, apparently it can weaken the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, but I was digging through some American medical sites and found info suggesting it might actually impact fertility for both men and women. Man... I went ahead and sent an inquiry over to Kraft Heinz, so hopefully they’re professional enough to actually give me a straight answer......
I’ve been taking Advil PM for about ten days now, and honestly, I’m feeling pretty anxious because I’m not sure if it’s safe for women who are actively trying to conceive. I actually went to my OB-GYN to ask if it was okay, but she just kind of shrugged and said she wasn't sure since it’s technically a dietary supplement and isn't listed in her medical manuals. 👎 I tried explaining that it contains St. John's Wort and pointed out that the packaging specifically says you should talk to a doctor if you're pregnant. Her response? She basically told me that if I'm already taking it, I might as well just keep going, and if I miss my period by two weeks, then I should probably stop. It’s almost like she thinks if what I'm taking actually harms the embryo, the pregnancy would just fail anyway and I wouldn't even notice—which, okay, I get that a huge percentage of early pregnancies end in undetected spontaneous miscarriages, but still. I really want to improve my chances of getting pregnant, not sabotage them. I've been under an insane amount of stress for months now, so I decided on Advil PM because it seems like the least aggressive option among antidepressants, and I just need something to help me feel human again. So, what do you guys think? Should I just stop taking it altogether, or is there something else I should be doing? Does anyone know of an article or some actual research regarding how hypericin affects fertility or fetal development? Thanks!
Honestly, I deal with this all the time too—it seems to hit me way harder during those afternoon naps than when I’m actually heading to bed for the night. I remember reading somewhere in one of Sagan's books that this might actually be an evolutionary leftover... basically, since our ancestors lived up in the trees, it was probably life-or-death stuff to wake up immediately if they lost their balance, otherwise they'd just tumble right out of the branches and get hurt—right? I guess it happens at that exact moment when we settle into a position where we aren't quite stable enough, and then the brain gets this sudden signal telling us to snap awake just to "save ourselves from a fall."
Honestly, I’m pretty curious about this Coke Zero thing myself. I already know these light versions are usually absolutely loaded with aspartame, and since I end up adding it to my coffee anyway, I really don't want to be dumping even more weird chemicals into my system through a soda. Does anyone actually know which artificial sweeteners they're using in this specific Coke Zero? Like, are they even being used at all?
Charles Edwards8, thanks man! Honestly, maybe the smartest move would be to just swing by a local CVS and ask the pharmacist, or even better, check in with my primary care doctor to see what they think. Where on earth did you get the idea that this stuff mixes well with the UN diet? Does it actually say that in the instructions?? If you ask me, when you’re already strictly dieting, you probably shouldn't be taking this. Since the diet is already pretty low-calorie to begin with, trying to strip even more carbs out of such a small amount of food feels kind of risky—not to mention that on protein-heavy days, there isn't really any extra carb intake for the pill to even work on. But hey, if the product isn't actually dangerous, it might be pretty ideal for the phase right after finishing the diet.
So, I actually started this whole thread on the health board like a week or two ago, but they moved it over to the women's section. Honestly, I’m just curious if they’re going to move it again, because if the mods are reading this, just know I’m still pretty annoyed about it. Huge thanks to the OP for reopening this right where it belongs. I’m seriously considering picking up some Phase 2 once I wrap up this UN diet, but only if I see enough positive feedback here. Come on, for those of you who have already tried it—give me the lowdown. What’s the damage on the price? Any weird side effects? Anything I should watch out for regarding contraindications? And how does it actually work?
Jamie Johnson6 said:Just so we’re all on the same page—since there are actually a few different kinds—people also call it "Lady's Mantle." Honestly, I’ve heard nothing but good things about it, and I’ve even bought some myself, but I just haven't gotten around to brewing it yet. I think I grabbed a blend.
Are Lady's Mantle and that other herb basically the same thing? If they are, then I guess that's the third tea I was trying to remember.
nimbletrucker132 said:Why would you even bother with that? 😕 I mean, nobody who’s actually feeling okay should be forced into surgery! If you really want to change things, just stop eating—that's the only "operation" you'll ever need. Just quit whenever you feel like it's sweet enough. 👍
mistycyclist14 said:Actually, Jacques had a gastric balloon put in—he didn't get the bypass! It’s definitely a big step, but I imagine it's worth it. Especially when you're dealing with health issues and the weight just won't budge.
Yeah, true, I totally forgot for a second that it was the balloon being discussed😬 are you actually looking into stuff like that? how much weight are we even talking about losing here? I mean, if you go the gastric bypass route, they basically cut out those nerves that tell your brain you're hungry. Which, I guess, is fine for people who eat because they're actually starving. Personally, though, I don't think it would do much for me since I mostly eat because something tastes good, not because I'm hungry. Not that I'm carrying massive amounts of extra weight or anything, but even if I were, I doubt I'd ever pull the trigger on a surgery like that. It’d be real wise if they could just find a way to remove the taste buds from our tongues—just kidding, obviously.😬