Posts by Tyler Fox

Maria Fisher46 said:Hello there,

I actually hesitated on whether to weigh in here. Even though we’re clearly looking at an older patient, her estimated glomerular filtration rate—even accounting for age—suggests some declining kidney function. Since it’s estimated that about 50% of seniors have an eGFR below 60 ml/min/1.73m², some experts suggest that for patients over 65, we shouldn't really start talking about chronic kidney disease until that number drops below 45 ml/min/1.73m². This lady seems to be right on that borderline. It's also vital to check for protein in the urine; if it hasn't been done yet, getting an albumin-to-creatinine ratio would be a smart next step.

There isn't a single "correct" way to handle this moving forward. While many seniors deal with some degree of chronic kidney impairment, only a small fraction actually progress to end-stage renal disease.

What I can definitely recommend is making sure she stays well-nourished, which is a common struggle for older adults, and ensuring she stays hydrated. It's also worth reviewing all her medications, as several drugs (like ibuprofen or certain antibiotics) can take a toll on kidney function. Encouraging as much physical activity as she can manage is also key.

Ultimately, deciding whether further testing or interventions are necessary depends on her overall health, how fragile she might be, any co-existing conditions, and her general life expectancy. These calls should always be made individually and in close consultation with her primary care physician.

Thanks for the input. 😉 👍 I know age catches up with everyone, but I still can't help worrying. Ever since she had that knee surgery, she's been a bit down mentally too—the knee just hasn't felt right since it popped out, and she's still dealing with some lingering effects from the anesthesia. She eats and drinks well, and I make sure she's getting enough nutrition, 😁 but keeping her physically active is a bit more of a struggle. I'll plan to repeat her blood work in a few months just to monitor where things stand...

I could really use some help analyzing 😉

We’re looking at an 80-year-old woman who had a total knee replacement about two years ago.
It was a rough recovery because she dealt with a bacterial infection in the surgical site, so I spent several months managing that until everything finally healed up. Her CRP tends to run slightly elevated, and it's sitting at 10.7 on her most recent test.

The good news is that her last two blood draws were mostly fine, except for some indicators regarding her kidney function: creatinine is 99, with an eGFR of 47. Her doctor suggested she just needs to stay better hydrated. Honestly, her mobility has been pretty poor lately—she’s much less active than before and doesn't really want to leave the house or go for walks since the surgery.

What would you all recommend? Should we look into more specific testing, or should I just focus on encouraging her to get out more, stay hydrated, and keep an eye on her bathroom trips?

It wasn't actually on the mucous membrane itself, but more on the lower part of the labia majora where the hair is. Just so you know, I’m very careful about using corticosteroids—I only applied a tiny amount for two or three days until things settled down, and I made sure to clear it with both my dermatologist and my OB-GYN first. I haven't applied anything for two days now, so we'll see how it goes. My next period should start in about a week, so I'm planning to switch up my brand of pads to see if that helps prevent this from happening again.

Maybe try seeing a dermatologist. Your primary care doctor should be able to figure it out, but honestly, you can never be quite sure 🤷.

I actually just saw a dermatologist myself not too long ago. I initially thought it was just a yeast infection from my pads, but she told me it looked more like a skin reaction, maybe dermatitis or something similar. After talking it over with my OBGYN, we adjusted my treatment plan. I started using hydrocortisone—I had actually spent the first few days applying Amoxicillin on my own because I thought it was an ingrown hair, then switched to Johnson & Johnson on my doctor's advice since I feared it might be a fungal issue again, but nothing seemed to help. Anyway, this irritation lasted about ten days, but once I started the hydrocortisone, it cleared up within two days. My OBGYN did warn me to keep an eye on things, though. If it really was a yeast infection, the steroid might just mask the symptoms, but if it was contact dermatitis (from pads, condoms, or something else), the hydrocortisone is the right move—I just need to figure out what's irritating my skin so it doesn't happen again. So, now I'm just waiting for my next period 😁.

I’m not entirely sure how effective corticosteroids are when you're dealing with a fungal infection. I'm not sure if you caught my previous post, but it might just be a matter of finding the right cream—there are several different types of antifungals used to treat these things. I did a quick search online and found this link; just type "antifungals" into the search bar there 😉
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http://besplatniseminarskiradovi.com/index.htm#

I decided to start a thread about dealing with a fungal skin infection. It all started when I got some irritation from shaving, which unfortunately turned into a fungal issue. It took nearly two months of consistent treatment before things finally cleared up. At first, I was using Nystatin cream, but it didn't seem to be doing much, so I switched over to Ketoconazole.

Just wanted to give everyone a little update on this 🙂. After chatting with my OBGYN, I started using Cortizone, and the irritation cleared up in just two days. Honestly, it’s such a relief because I spent nearly ten days trying everything under the sun without any luck 😁. My doctor did warn me not to overdo it with the Cortizone since it is a steroid, though. He mentioned that if there happens to be a fungal issue, steroids can sometimes make it look like things are improving when they aren't actually being cured. So, I'm going to keep a close eye on how things progress during my next period—I'm planning to switch up my brand of pads to see if that helps prevent any recurrence 😉.

I just finished up at the dermatologist after seeing my OBGYN. She doesn't think this looks like a yeast infection; she’s leaning towards a skin reaction, possibly triggered by my pads. It popped up right after my period, which coincided with that sudden heatwave we just had. She suggested I try using Cortizone. I think I'll give it a shot since the Redoxon I've been applying for the last few days hasn't done a thing. My only worry is that Cortizone is a pretty strong steroid, and if this actually turns out to be a fungal issue, I'm going to be in trouble 😲. I'll stick with it until my appointment this Thursday, then I can let the gynecologist know exactly what I used, hoping for some actual relief in the meantime 🙂.

I’ll find out more this Thursday. I actually asked if they were going to run those swabs—you know, the full panel for aerobes, anaerobes, ureaplasma, etc.—but the doctor said no since I just had them done a few months ago. Apparently, there's a specific waiting period required before you can redo them because Medicare won't approve frequent testing 🙄. Honestly, I'm not sure if you can even diagnose Candida through a standard exam alone, though I'm not really experiencing any symptoms like that right now. I'll see how it goes; maybe a dermatologist is the better move here rather than a gynecologist, but I figured this fell under "women's health" since we're talking about our lower anatomy 😁.

I see this thread was merged. I was going to start a separate one since this isn't your typical vaginal infection caused by Candida albicans, but fine.

We aren't talking about infections treated with vaginal suppositories here; this is more of a fungal skin issue in the genital area—something like Tinea cruris if we're being technical (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/jock-itch/symptoms-causes/syc-20374214
). This first happened to me last summer when the wings on my pads caused some minor chafing, which then led to a fungal breakout in that area. (I hadn't been seeing anyone for a while at that point, so there was no way it was related to an STI).

Not long after I cleared that up, I had to take some Augmentin for a different reason... which ended up triggering a classic yeast infection afterward. I used Redoxon suppositories and tweaked my diet a bit, and that cleared right up too. For the last two or three months, everything was fine. As a precaution, I took Candida probiotics, tried to cut back on sugar and white bread, used Vagisil after showering, and would use an Acidophilus suppository once or twice a week just to stay ahead of it.
🙂 And now, right after my period, I've noticed something similar popping up on the skin down there again. For the past few days, I've been applying a tiny bit of Redoxon cream mixed with tea tree oil. Someone suggested making a compress with Orajel granules on a pad and lightly tapping it on. I have an appointment with my gynecologist this Thursday for a checkup, so we'll see. I might ask them to swab the skin specifically; I'm not sure if OB-GYN offices carry UV lights to spot fungi, or if I should just head to a dermatologist instead.

People talk about Candida all the time, but has anyone else dealt with fungal issues on the skin in the genital area (like where your underwear sits, the labia majora, etc.)? No matter how much I prioritize hygiene—changing pads frequently, showering regularly, you name it—it still happens. Especially now that the weather is warming up and I’m sweating more, those pads can cause fungal issues on my skin right after my period 🙄. Usually, I just apply some Redoxon cream or dab a bit of tea tree oil on a cotton pad, but since it's a fungus, it takes a while to clear up... which means no sex for a bit just to be safe 🙂. It typically looks like irritated skin—reddish and a little wrinkled (I'm not great at describing it 😁)... it doesn't really hurt or sting, but it's definitely not pretty. The last time this happened, it took me nearly a month to get it back to normal 😢. I mostly use Kotex pads, and I actually picked up their non-winged version at Target thinking maybe the wings were part of the problem, but I don't use tampons. Does anyone else deal with this? What do you do to fix it or prevent it from coming back?

I'm having some trouble getting my thumbnails to show up when I use an image host like Imgur. I go to the "Share photo - HotLink this image" section and grab the HTML code for the forum thumbnail, but whenever I paste it into my post, the image just doesn't appear. I always make sure to hit "view post" before submitting to check if everything looks right, but the picture is still missing. Any idea where I'm going wrong?

Jamie Barnes60 said:Actually, I wouldn't say that, since you can see how much other women have been paying for ultrasounds here.

Thanks.
Washington, D.C. is just different; there are so many private practices and the competition is intense. I did some digging into the prices and expertise over in San Diego. I didn't call everyone, but here are a few names: Dr. Mitrović $117, Dr. Lozo $83, and Dr. Vlatković $67. When I first called Mitrović, the receptionist tried to book me without even asking when my period was due. As far as I know, ultrasounds need to be timed with your cycle. I figured she’d probably just have me come in, do the scan, give me $117, and then tell me I had to come back once my period started, charging me another $117 in the process. I decided to go with Lozo instead. The sister on the phone was wonderful—she told me to just call her once my period starts, and she'll get me scheduled for the exam as early as the very next day. 👍

I reached out to a private OB-GYN in San Diego to schedule a breast ultrasound. She quoted me $117, which feels a little steep to me. For comparison, I usually pay $83 for a vaginal color Doppler ultrasound at another private clinic. Is $117 a reasonable price for a breast ultrasound? I haven't checked with any other offices yet, so I'm not really sure what the going rate is among other private practitioners.

I think it’ll likely be a prescription, but if she has it, you definitely need treatment too. You should both head to her gynecologist and ask for a double dose—one for each of you. Since it's likely a confirmed case of Pfizer for her, they probably won't even need to run tests on you.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/trichomoniasis/symptoms-causes/ds-20063911

Just using topical creams isn't going to cut it. You really need to pair that with oral medication—and both partners have to take it to actually clear things up.

http://www.alexander-noe.com/video/amg/avi-mux_gui.pdf

Here’s the manual you asked for.
Just estimate how many milliseconds the audio is lagging or leading, type that value in, and hit enter. It’s a pretty quick process, so if you aren't sure about the exact timing, just try a few different versions until you find the sweet spot. I'm not sure which OS you're running, but I know it can be finicky on Windows Vista—honestly, I haven't been able to get it to launch on Windows 7 myself🤷.

If I remember correctly, I used to do that with DivX movies using HandBrake.

I’ve noticed quite a few people on the forum giving Dr. Željko stolar glowing reviews for her private dental practice. I checked her website, but she doesn't list specific prices for individual services. Usually, when I call a clinic to ask for a quote, the response is always some variation of, "We aren't sure, you'll just have to come in so we can take a look," and then once I actually show up, they talk my ear off and hit me with a massive bill.
Her website lists the following:
INITIAL CONSULTATION
• tooth cleaning using PROPHYflex
• dental and oral cavity exam via intraoral camera
• diagnostics using DIAGNOdent
I was wondering if anyone here has actually visited her? If so, is all three of those components included in that initial consultation fee? Also, if they aren't all bundled together, does anyone know how much the DIAGNOdent diagnostics costs on its own?