I figured it was just the combination of my meds and smoking. (Andrew Anderson6, thanks for that advice earlier!😉 ). Now, it only happens occasionally when I’ve been sitting on a high stool for too long (cuts off my circulation a bit).
Jack Harris3, go see a doctor right away... I don't think it's the kidneys; it's gotta be something else (I have a few cases in my family, so I know how this looks).
Rachel Walker56 said:Personally, I care deeply about what people listen to because it tells you everything you need to know about them and whether you'll actually get along. If I walk into a place and they're blasting low-brow country music by guys like Elijah and Mark, I already know exactly where I stand—no thanks! It’s just like sense of humor—if we laugh at the same things, we’re good. For me, that means classic rock and most other genres.
Oh, come on, Rachel, we settled this ages ago: that trashy country stuff doesn't even count as music!😉 😁
Kenneth Hernandez67 said:Birth control pills are effective immediately within the first month if you start taking them on the very first day of your menstrual cycle—basically, day one of your period.
If that’s not the case—due to childbirth, an abortion, hormonal imbalances, or whatever—you need to use backup protection for the first two weeks.
Do you guys actually read that little folded paper inside the pill pack and keep it neatly tucked in the box?
Or is it just me who reads everything?
😁
If you start the pills on the first day of your period, there's no need for extra protection, just like Kenneth Hernandez67 said. If you start later (between day two and day five at the absolute latest!), you have to use backup protection for the first seven days.
And when dealing with PCOS or other hormonal issues, the pills are used a bit differently, but they aren't nearly as reliable as pure contraception in those cases.
Hey, Kenneth Hernandez67, just an update: I went to my OB-GYN. Everything looks fine. There was a slight hormonal imbalance before, but that’s resolved now. They checked my ovaries too—all good there.
Every other month is rough for me. It starts with pain in my right ovary, then my stomach bloats, and then the lower abdominal pain kicks in. Back in the day, the cramps were so intense I couldn't even walk. I'd be throwing up acid and end up in the ER getting an injection just so I could function normally again. I used to take Diane 35 and that worked well. I’d take a break every three months, and during those breaks, the pain would inevitably come back. Not having to worry about pregnancy for a long time 😁 meant that wasn't an issue either. Nobody else in my family deals with this stuff. I switched to birth control pills this month, and the pain is already back... 🙄 😠 Sometimes the pain hits a day early and it's absolutely unbearable, even if my flow is light. I get a fever, and the only way I can manage is lying halfway up, legs spread, knees bent. When the pain hits on the first day of my period, I can sort of deal with it, but the bleeding is heavy and lasts forever, and I have a dull ache until the very last day. I can move around then, just slowly...
I stick to mint tea with a few drops of "Altalexa," some mild painkillers (nothing strong because they make me feel terrible), and I just stay still for the day. Every single movement hurts—I don't have a choice. Someone mentioned orgasms helping. It does help a little. You have to do it a couple of days beforehand for practical reasons. 😁 As for salsa—honestly, I haven't noticed much of a difference.
It isn't stress or mood swings for me; I don't really have any specific mood shifts related to my period. The only thing I've noticed is that sunlight helps. After being out in the sun for an hour, the pain stops. Even 15 minutes under a quartz lamp does the trick. 😕
Look, I can only speak from my own experience: I tried using this alongside my standard workouts, and as far as actual muscle toning goes—it does absolutely nothing. It’s okay for a massage, especially on areas where you don't have much cellulite, but whenever I used it on my stomach, it felt like it was just aggressively PULLING at my skin!🙄 😕 Honestly, I don't know why, but using it just leaves me feeling starving. The first time I accidentally set it to the highest setting, I wouldn't recommend that to anyone—I was doubled over in pain and practically ripped it off myself! Bottom line? This thing is useless. Mine is just sitting in the closet. I'd much rather just knock out a hundred crunches... it takes less time, the results are actually better, and I don't have to deal with being covered in weird gels (which I HATE!).
Yeah, sure, the commercials claim you can use it anywhere. Yeah, right!
🙄 Plus, after every single use, you basically have to jump in the shower...👎
I wouldn't have even bought this if it wasn't a gift. But hey, I guess you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth...
Rihanna, my doctor told me the exact same thing...
I got some nasal spray and a round of pills to try and get this sinus inflammation under control. My face is actually swelling up because of it too... this time it's an infection in the ducts right under my eyes.
Anyway, thanks to everyone for checking in! 🙂 Especially you, blondie—my doctor just gave me a nod of agreement. Ankada, I haven't tried what you suggested yet, but I definitely will if my hearing doesn't improve after I finish the meds. thx!😉
It’s not a constant pain or anything, just hits me whenever I talk too loudly or try to shout. Is that something I should be worried about? I've got a doctor's appointment scheduled for tomorrow. He did mention that it's most likely just a common cold (🙄 ).
I know the whole gum-chewing trick works wonders! But this time, it’s doing absolutely nothing, ladies...😢I’ve been chewing like a maniac, but the pressure in my ears is just getting worse....I’m going to lose my mind if this doesn't let up....I tried sneezing and blowing my nose—nothing, zero relief—all I did was spend fifteen minutes doubled over in pain and scaring the hell out of my boyfriend.
I’m skipping the cauterization—a few people in my neighborhood had HORRIBLE experiences with it. I did one radiation treatment once and it was fine, so I’ll probably go that route again. It’s interesting: I dealt with ear issues as a kid, but this is the first time they've actually hurt me in twenty years. As for my sinuses, I’ve been struggling since I was thirteen. Basically, the second I catch a cold, I get an infection. Other than that, they're usually fine.
That whole thing about ears bleeding... Yikes. I hear that story all the time, and apparently, it mostly happens while people are sleeping.
For now, I'm going to stick to steam inhalation and my grandma’s old remedy: a few capsules of eucalyptus oil. That always does the trick for me.
But this time, I’m going to be a bit more persistent about getting it fixed.
P.S.: NeilMed spray. I need to remember that. 🙂 I just hope I can actually find it around here.
I honestly can't say for sure. It’s probably because of all those unfinished tasks hanging over our heads—you know, the stuff that keeps you tossing and turning in bed at night. But man, you really feel the difference after doing these exercises! It primarily hits the muscles around your neck, upper back, abs, and face.
The routine is straightforward:
You can do them lying down, but it's best to sit in an armchair or a comfy lounge chair. Put a pillow behind your lower back, rest your arms on the armrests, and stretch your legs out slightly, keeping them apart just enough to stay relaxed.
Put on some light background music—nothing too distracting.
Start with your legs: try to focus entirely on one leg. Which muscles are you using right now? After a few moments, tense every muscle in that leg. Once you start feeling a slight fatigue, let the leg go limp. Try to make it completely lifeless, feeling its full weight without any mental "interference." Then move to the other leg, then one arm, then the other, then your hips and glutes, followed by your abs, lower back, upper back, neck, and finally your face.
It didn't work for me when it came to my upper back and face. I’d always end up feeling this slight tension after finishing. What's interesting is how you can focus on those problem areas afterward—you suddenly realize they aren't relaxed and that you've lost control over them. After a while, I started seeing improvement. The fatigue slowly began to fade. It took me three months to actually learn how to let go.
When things get stressful, I MANDATORILY do my exercises and focus on deep breathing the entire time.
This sounds incredibly simple, but it’s vital. We spend the whole day working to function at peak performance, keeping our muscles tensed so we can react quickly to everything around us, but we forget that the body needs time to return to a state of peace and relaxation. And all it costs is about fifteen minutes....🙂
These are easy exercises; give them a shot and let me know how it goes!🙂 Hopefully, it won't take you as long as it took me. I was a bit of a difficult case since I didn't seek help early enough.
I’ve been battling this cold for three weeks straight... and it just won't quit! For the last week, my ears have basically checked out—I can't hear a thing. There's this intense pressure in them, and when I talk, everything just echoes back at me. I end up speaking softly because people can't hear me, which is incredibly frustrating. I can't even use a nasal rinse because my sinuses are still completely inflamed, and I have no idea how much longer this is going to drag on. My hearing is everything to me—I'm a musician!😢 😢 😢 It feels terrible—like I'm constantly scuba diving at 150 feet. All I can hear is some muffled static and the thumping of my own heartbeat.🙄 Has anyone else dealt with something like this? How did you fix it?
And please: speak up a little—I can't hear you!!! 😁
Good god... I was just reading back through my notes about those nightmares from last year. I couldn't get a decent night's sleep to save my life! I was pulling 19 hours of sleep a day and still felt completely wiped out. After running every single test imaginable, I finally saw a psychologist, and it turns out stress was causing full-body muscle spasms. My muscles wouldn't relax, even while I was asleep! And let me tell you, ladies, that is a legitimate form of chronic fatigue. I was given some relaxation exercises with the goal of learning how to catch those spasms in the moment and force the muscles back to a normal state. Well, here's the kicker... My doctor decided this was the root cause of every other health issue I have, so now he thinks there's no point in treating anything else. Makes total sense, right? College is a complete joke.
Elizabeth Alvarez13 started this thread, so go read through it... After seven years on those pills, I finally hit a wall. For the longest time, things were great: zero pain, energy was through the roof, I felt fit... And then, everything went sideways. My body has been completely haywire for the last year, and I honestly didn't connect the dots to the medication because, until then, they were doing nothing but helping. I finally quit them on New Year's Day. Right now, I'm dealing with some annoying breakouts, but even that’s clearing up. And that leg swelling I used to deal with every single night? It's gone. I still get some occasional aches, but it's nothing compared to how miserable I was just two or three months ago. My doctor is being totally dismissive, so I'm getting zero support from him. But I know deep down they were the culprit, especially since I'm not taking anything else.
Decide for yourself if you want to stay on them, but my advice is: absolutely not!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Doors, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Josipa L., Bijelo Dugme (with Bebek), Time, Smak... Honestly, most of them are older than I am. There was exactly one "band" from that era that actually stuck: New Kids on the Block. But that phase only lasted as long as I was wrapped up in some guy who looked like he belonged in the group. I can't quite remember which one.🙄
I’ve never used Diane 35 as birth control, but man, I used it for a long, long time! Taking it with breaks every three months. Shit! I lose weight every single time, my period cramps vanish, no issues with body hair or anything. It’s usually great... But for the last six months, I’ve been dealing with leg swelling. Specifically—my right calf. By the end of the day, sometimes it looks twice as big as the other leg. And it hurts like hell... Shit!
electricdriver78, honey, thanks for the heads-up!
And my doctor is going to get what's coming to him, the jerk! I asked him five different times if it was from the pills. "Noooo... it's just stress!" The absolute bastard! 😠 😠