vividsailor7 said:Based on this, there's microcytic anemia due to low dietary iron intake—even though his iron levels technically fall within the normal range. I’d probably suggest another month of iron therapy, but then again, I'm not a pediatrician, so your doctor should have the final word. Everything else looks fine.
What about those neutrophils and leukocytes? Could that be tied to the anemia, or what?
The neutrophils and lymphocytes are what's bothering me most—during her last two blood draws, the neutrophils were low and the lymphocytes were high. Just wondering why that might be happening.
What’s the general take on these results? We’re seeing a pediatrician soon anyway.
wow, *jezebel*, thanks for that! you really opened my eyes with this whole dermatographism thing!!! it’s exactly what I’m dealing with—I definitely notice the reactions flare up way more whenever I'm stressed out
coppergardener said:go see a pediatrician or a dermatologist—not sure if it's too early for allergy testing, or if it's even necessary or how they handle it with kids this small.
maybe try cutting out that apple for a couple of weeks to see if there’s any change, then reintroduce it. who knows, you might notice a difference between sprayed and organic fruit. extra rinse cycles and using natural detergents (like Seventh Generation) or just using much less of the standard stuff. skip the traditional fabric softeners entirely. keep clothing soft and made from natural fibers. use a vacuum with good filters, get rid of carpets and heavy drapes, toss rugs in the wash regularly, and wash all bedding. older blankets or upholstered surfaces aren't great for such sensitive skin. if you can't ditch the upholstered furniture, at least cover it with washable covers. stuffed toys—either wash them on high heat or stick them in the freezer (not certain on the specifics, but apparently it helps. also don't know if it needs 24 hours or just overnight). if there's a pollen allergy involved, getting a clothes dryer might be worth it to use during peak seasons. regular skin hydration—don't bother with standard baby oils; they're mostly perfumed, full of mineral oils, and generally low quality. better to go with decent base oils. almond oil is cheap and works well for a baby's skin. you could even whip up a simple balm from shea butter and almond or some other oil... watch out for sudden temperature swings. avoid hot baths. bathe in clean water with a little oil or do an oatmeal bath (you can make it yourself from oats or buy colloidal oatmeal). for anything else, do some digging through natural skincare PDFs. among commercial lines, you might find something decent from brands like Aveeno or Burt's Bees, but stick to the neutral ones. stay away from the chemical-heavy stuff found in big-box stores. but still, be careful with "natural" products—certain essential oil components (linalool is common) and alcohol can be irritants. read the labels. deal with the stress and anxiety, too.
incidentally, that raised red mark sounds like hives (if it shows up after scratching, even with clean hands, it's likely physical urticaria—dermographism).
I wouldn't take the baby for allergy tests; I'd test myself instead. To this day, I still don't really know how my own allergies affect me beyond allergic rhinitis (my results from 20 years ago showed things like fruit allergy level 2 or 3...). they always just chalk it up to hypersensitivity.
I'll cut the apple for now, and I'm doing everything else you suggested.
half the detergent dose, extra rinse, and I never use fabric softeners.
The only new thing is that we used Mustela twice in the last week; otherwise, it's just plain water or water plus soap (soap daily for hands and feet, whatever goes in the mouth, and the diaper area when needed). I've been using olive oil.
And yeah, that's exactly it—the hives disappear. But doctors always linked them back to my allergies. I haven't noticed them on her until this past week, though.
Let me bring this up—I was incredibly sensitive until I finally hit adulthood. Pale skin, thin complexion—if I rubbed my eyes, the area would turn red and purple immediately. If I shaved, I’d end up with raised red marks like I’d been bruised. People always chalked that hypersensitivity up to my allergies—everything from pollen to food. On top of that, I dealt with rhinoconjunctivitis, which I still have today, just in a much milder form. I don't take any pills for . That part of my life is mostly behind me. BUT, I have a baby. She's 7 months old and everything has been great. A mosquito bite usually just leaves a tiny bump rather than a centimeter-wide rash. If she scratches herself, it's just a faint little line. Well, until this week. We started solids about a month ago, and last week we let her gnaw on some raw apple and pear—we washed them twice with Mrs. Meyer's (before that, it was just water or basic soap).
I know this post might sound a bit leading, but it all seems tied to the changes we made over the last week. Now, she's reacting just like I used to—for instance, if her dad holds her under his arm for a bit, there are red marks left behind once he lets go . I'm still breastfeeding, and the amount of solid food she actually eats is negligible .
It really grinds my gears when people ask stuff like—"So, how much weight did you put on?"—or worse, those "hey, fatty, what's up?" greetings. 😕😕People are just losing it.
Especially since I’ve got women addressing me like that who gained like 55 pounds during their pregnancy, while I’m sitting here at 34 weeks and haven't even hit the 20-pound mark yet.🤷
Scott Allen10 said:Try to expand on the initial post a bit more—just skip the links to all those private clinics.
I included that link because my mom actually went there for an exam. They’re one of the few places—along with those spas in a small town—that claims to have some kind of magnetic resonance tech for "regeneration." Honestly, I wasn't surprised when they suggested it for her lumbar bone marrow regeneration ( 😕 at least, that's what they told her)
Her spinal density scans are fine, but she has osteopenia in her left hip—she was diagnosed with hip arthritis about 15 years ago. So, this whole recommendation—especially since it targets the spine—feels less like medical advice and more like: "We have this machine, let's run it as often as possible to squeeze more money out of people," regardless of whether it actually helps their condition.
Hey everyone—has anyone here actually gone through the treatment mentioned above? My mom’s doctor suggested she undergo ten sessions, so I'm trying to gauge what to expect. Has anyone been through this? Any real-world feedback would be appreciated.
I set up that Raid mosquito repellent—supposedly covers a 20 m² area—and I'm sitting just 4 meters away from it, yet absolutely nothing. It even warns you not to sit too close and says you need to air out the room afterward. Give me a break... I've already killed 20 of them and I'm still at a loss here. 😳
Feeling alright—don't feel like my immune system is tanking. I've been sticking to some Echinacea, propolis, and Vitamin C... should be fine. Thanks for the advice. 🙂
My girlfriend caught the flu yesterday. How long is the incubation period for this virus? Is there anything I can actually do over the next few days to boost my chances of staying healthy myself? She’s supposed to head out on a trip this Monday—now I’m just sitting here worrying about it all.
Kate Cox2 said:If you’re dealing with a real tooth infection, Advil isn't going to touch it... I know from experience—the only thing that actually helps (temporarily) is having a dentist drill it open just enough to release the pressure. I've dealt with this before, and if the painkillers aren't working, it means there's an infection involved that nothing can soothe.
If you're in a major city like Chicago, there should be an emergency dental clinic open through the night (can't remember which one specifically) that can just open the tooth for you—just enough to get you through until your regular appointment...
Back when I had pain so bad that nothing worked, I honestly found myself wishing someone would just knock me unconscious with a punch to the head so I wouldn't have to think about it. It was a nightmare.
The pain is in a tooth with a crown, so any major work means they'd have to destroy the crown entirely. Anyway, the Advil started wearing off after a few hours, so I took another dose—hoping I can at least get a little sleep tonight. A friend of mine is a dentist; if things get truly unbearable, I'll check with her before heading to the ER... though I'd much rather the pain subside so I can hold out until Monday.
Honestly, I've always been anxious about this specific tooth—worrying about what might be happening underneath the crown where you can't see it. 🤷 I'm hoping it's just my wisdom tooth acting up again, but I doubt it, because that wouldn't explain why this crowned tooth is hurting the most. 😢
Olivia Ramos66 said:Tylenol and Excedrin are basically just paracetamol. You can take up to 4g a day, but if you're actually hurting, you're better off with an NSAID—Voltaren, Aleve 550mg (maybe the strongest out there), ibuprofen... You can always stack them with paracetamol if the standard dose isn't cutting it.
Guess I'm sticking to Voltaren from here on out... wish me luck making it until Monday.😉
My bad—got my meds mixed up. I didn't take Lupocet, it was Tylenol. I usually end up mixing those two anyway. Ugh. Anyway, I took the Tylenol at 2:00 PM, then followed it up with some Voltaren Rapid after I posted this thread... the pain has dialed back a bit. Hopefully, I can avoid an ER visit. If the pain spikes again, I’ll head in. Regardless, I have a dentist appointment this Monday to get things checked out anyway.
jadeotter3 said:It’s not even a medical thing, just an aesthetic nightmare. I’ve got these three patches on my leg, one about the size of my thumb and two smaller ones, where the hair just completely died because I sit on it too much... Besides just sitting, I tend to tuck my heel under my knee when I'm hunkered down studying. (Basically proof that college ruins your body just as much as your brain 🙂 ) My doctor told me to grab some Bepanthen or something, but mentioned if the follicles are actually dead, I'm basically screwed... 🤣 So now I'm looking for advice—maybe some other creams that actually worked for you guys? And is she right, or should I go see a dermatologist or a specialist to get it checked out? I really don't want to end up with three white spots on my leg forever... 😲 🤣
Man, why can't I lose hair that easily? 😬
If it’s eating at you, just see a dermatologist. But honestly—if the follicle is gone, it's gone. No fix for that. If you still have a few stray hairs left, maybe try shaving the area to make them grow back thicker...