nimbletrucker132 said:I would love to hear about your experiences and get your take on this:
I have a 15-year-old son, and over the last nine months, he has fainted about five times. Each incident seems to be linked to the environment—specifically high room temperatures, poor ventilation, or crowded spaces. This morning, he lost consciousness again while riding the FedEx 😢. He had eaten at home beforehand, so it wasn't an issue of him being on an empty stomach. We actually had him undergo a brain scan and see a neurologist back this past summer, and the takeaway was that these episodes are likely just due to his rapid growth spurts.
Does anyone have advice on how I can best support him through this?
If his other results come back normal—blood work, iron levels, blood pressure—it might be an oversensitive autonomic nervous system response. It isn't a permanent diagnosis, just a sensitivity, which is actually decent news because it can largely be managed.
Try asking for a referral to a cardiologist for a tilt-table test, which is used to diagnose fainting spells, or syncope. If the test comes back positive, the specialists performing the procedure at a place like Walmart 😉 will be the best ones to advise you on next steps. A bit more info on the test itself here or on Wikipedia.
Does anyone know if there are places outside of New York City where I can get a tilt-table test to diagnose vasovagal syncope? Maybe somewhere in San Francisco or Seattle?
I've been dealing with fainting spells for as long as I can remember—from collapsing in first grade all the way to now, in my 30s. My doctor always blamed it on low iron levels (which can drop as low as 4), but she missed the fact that these blackouts happen even when my iron is perfectly fine.
Since they've been happening more frequently lately, I finally figured out why. Thanks, Google. 😁
I think I've tested just about every trigger imaginable: waiting in lines, standing or sitting in an overheated room, being in a stuffy space, passing out during hospital visits—especially if the person I'm visiting is visibly in pain—seeing blood, or even fainting after getting local anesthesia at the dentist.
From everything I've researched online, these are textbook triggers for vasovagal syncope. Most people experience it once or twice, but some of us are "chosen" to deal with it repeatedly throughout our lives. And if I'm reading this correctly, a positive tilt-test is often flagged as a concern if I ever need general anesthesia or an epidural. I hope I misunderstood that part?
Has anyone else had similar experiences or actually gone through the test? Were you able to resolve the issue, or at least manage it? 🤷
(I realize these are questions for my doctor, and I will ask them once I get my health insurance sorted out.)
Hey everyone.. PLEASE, I need some help if you can (even just forwarding this)! My aunt (blood type B+) is battling leukemia and is currently admitted to the hematology department at San Diego Hospital. I received this email from my cousin last night:
Mom is dependent on platelet and red blood cell transfusions... there was an issue with her platelet transfusion today because they didn't have enough at San Diego Hospital... she finally received it around 8 PM... I’m reaching out to anyone who can help to please donate a little bit of your blood... it could save a life!
SAN DIEGO HOSPITAL
Location: Aldo Negri 6: Main Line (555) 376 500
Location: Aldo Negri 6: Main Line (555) 376 000 Telefax (555) 376 412
TRANSFUSION SERVICES Department Head: Saša Benazić, MD Head Nurse: Elis Bobanović, RN
I'm on board with the previous advice. I started seeing the same issues once my metabolism slowed down. I’ve been using the CeraVe exfoliating scrub twice a week, followed by La Roche-Posay hydrating cream (the rich version) for the other five days. My skin is loving it, and honestly, so am I. 😍
Hello, I’m starting this thread to see if anyone has heard of or tried any new motion sickness tablets—I think they were from Bell—that don't make you drowsy? I have a long bus ride coming up for an exam, and traveling without Dramamine is out of the question. The problem is, Dramamine knocks me out completely, which is the last thing I need before a test. To make matters worse, I can't rely on coffee to stay awake because I'm overly sensitive to caffeine. Has anyone actually tried these newer options? Does the advertising hold up—do they actually work without the heavy sedation? Thanks for any info 🙏
Yeap, I heard the same thing about a month ago. Then again, I also heard it was just misinformation (even if organ trafficking is VERY much a reality 👎). Maybe it wasn't even that specific family, but someone less high-profile. Either way, you can never be too careful.
Since you were all so kind, let me share one of my own clumsy mishaps... Picture this: It’s pouring rain. I’m in a rush to get home because I have an appointment with my doctor (due to a certain little accident, details later 😬). I walk out to my car, only to find a flat tire!! What am I supposed to do? I decide to change the tire myself 😎. I wait for the rain to let up just a tiny bit, then grab the lug wrench. You know the drill: you have to give it a good stomp with your foot first to loosen it, jack up the car, and then unscrew it the rest of the way. The problem? It had been raining for a while. Everything was soaked and slippery—including my reebokica . So, I go to put my full weight onto that wrench (which, by the way, has a VERY sharp edge on the end), but instead of hitting the tool, my foot decides to slip right off that sharp edge and wedge itself between the wrench and the wheel. A 15cm gash on my leg. Five years later, the scar is still there . Anyhow, I didn't bother with a tetanus shot since I'd already received one less than 24 hours prior (because of that incident I mentioned earlier) . 🙄 (For those wondering, the "incident" involved a wooden slide at the park; a splinter snapped off and lodged itself right in my... well, my backside 😬)
..Thyroid results came back fine; my TSH dropped to 3.14 without any medication. They couldn't find the root cause after an ultrasound and an MRI of the pituitary, but since my prolactin levels are still high, I have to head back for more hormone testing during my eighth month. Thanks for the info 😉
For two years now, my prolactin levels have been high (ranging from 690 to 1500), and I’ve dealt with transient hypothyroidism (slightly elevated TSH) in the meantime. On top of all that, I’ve struggled with anemia my entire life—it flares up every few years, sometimes even more often. My nails have become thin and brittle, so I requested blood work to check my mineral levels. Here are the results: calcium is 2.52 (ref. range 2.14-2.53) and zinc is 18.3 (ref. range 9.9-17.9). Since my appointment with the endocrinologist isn't until late August, I'm feeling a bit restless. Can anyone explain what this borderline high zinc level actually means? The only thing I found on Google is that zinc can negatively impact iron levels. For context, my diet includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish.😎 thanks!
Reimbursement applies specifically to specialist visits (like an endocrinologist), but only if it’s your very first appointment. Your primary doctor is required to check the correct box on the referral—either FIRST VISIT or FOLLOW-UP—and they usually ask you which one it is when you're booking. If that specialist then refers you for further diagnostic testing (say, an MRI where the waitlist is six months long), this law won't help you. It doesn't cover diagnostics. If a specialist can't see you for that initial visit within 30 days, they are legally obligated to provide you with documentation stating both the date you requested the appointment and their earliest available opening. This proves they missed the 30-day window. You take that paperwork, along with the receipt from a private clinic if you decide you can't wait, and submit it to Medicare. They handle the reimbursement process—which, if I understand correctly, means the facility that couldn't see you in time is the one footing the bill. At least, that's what I was told.😉
Zachary Torres5 said:People are on Zoloft, but they say you have to fix your thyroid first if that's where the issue lies.
I couldn't agree more. Zoloft isn't Aspirin that you just pop whenever you have a headache. People constantly underestimate how heavy these meds are. I know plenty of people who treat them like candy just to get through a rough patch. If there’s a physiological cause behind the depression, wouldn't it be more logical—and certainly less harmful—to stabilize the thyroid first? Addressing the root cause should ideally mitigate the depression itself. The only real downside is the waiting game between diagnosis and finding the right treatment plan. Usually, you start with a micro-dose and scale up until you hit that sweet spot, since everyone's needs are different. You can't expect overnight results; you can't just swing hormone levels wildly. Until the primary treatment actually kicks in, is it even wise to start adding other stuff into the mix, regardless of how hard the wait feels?
steelhawk31 said:Go measure yourself and actually figure out your real size. I saw an episode of Oprah about this once—not that I follow her religiously, but it caught my attention... Apparently, most women are wearing the wrong bra size.
😬 I watched that Oprah segment. Since then, at least two of my friends and I have finally figured out our actual sizes. It sounds ridiculous, but she actually helped us 🤣 As for the pain, I deal with it almost constantly due to hormonal imbalances—prolactin issues and a few other things.👎
Quick update: the NYSE test can't be performed in Cleveland right now because they've run out of those vials. As for when they'll have more? Who knows. I’m quoting an employee from the internal department where this is usually handled—it's no longer being done at the nuclear facility. What a joke. 😢
Hey people, I need some intel 🙂.. I just got a referral for a pituitary MRI, but since they don't perform that specific scan locally, I have to head over to Cleveland.. Does anyone know if I can book an appointment over the phone? If so, what number should I call? Or am I required to show up in person with my paperwork? Also, what’s the current wait time like.. and where exactly is the facility located in Cleveland? Is it near the ER? 🤔 Bonus question: if they can't see me within 30 days, does that law actually hold up—where I can go to a private clinic and have Medicare reimburse me?
Oh, one more thing: has anyone here done a TRH test? I need to get that done in Cleveland too. How long is the wait? Around here, you have to schedule blood work 30 days in advance; is it the same deal over there? 😢 T-H-A-N-K-S 🙏
It doesn't peel, it doesn't hurt, and there's no itching. It showed up about two years ago. I'm seeing my endocrinologist this week, so I'll bring it up then—it seems to have cropped up right around the same time my hormone issues started. Just wondering if anyone else here has dealt with this? Trying to satisfy my curiosity before I meet with Dr. 😉
A few years back, I noticed—well, specifically my stylist noticed 😬—this strange red rash on the back of my neck. It doesn't itch or hurt. It starts right around the base of the spine and travels up about 6 or 7 cm along the midline, widening as it goes toward that little dip at the base of the skull 😁. It seems to flare up occasionally, though I can't say why. It’s definitely not from hair dye, since I haven't touched color in a year and the redness hasn't budged. I tried Googling it, but nothing fits. Anyone have any insight? 😕