Posts by Nicole Barrett76

Roger Martin3 said:Which painkillers specifically? Are we talking NSAIDs? And what kind of dosage? Because dosage is everything here. 😉

Taking four Advil a month isn't going to do a thing to me. 😁

If you take four Advil on that specific day when the pain hits, you could potentially face some side effects right then and there.

Now, I am certainly not claiming that something terrible will definitely happen to you—heaven forbid that should ever be the case!

For instance, when my head starts throbbing and my right eye begins to ache—and look, I know a headache isn't quite the same thing as menstrual cramps—I just reach for some Excedrin. That particular type of pain is completely debilitating, so please believe me when I say I truly understand what it feels like when the agony becomes unbearable. Besides popping an Excedrin, there isn't much else I can do; all I really want to do is retreat into a pitch-black room and just recover. The room doesn't even have to be silent, it just needs to be dark.

And don't think for a second that I'm indifferent about taking Excedrin, but sometimes, what choice do you really have? Because of that, I know exactly how patronizing it sounds when someone tries to "lecture" you about using pain medication.

lonetiger98 said:Honestly, I don't get why this is such a big deal—it feels like she’s just trying to hide it.🤷 And frankly, I don't really "get" women who play it that close to the chest.
Maybe someone here can give me some actual advice.🙂

It strikes me the exact same way—it feels like she's hiding it. I remember one instance when I found myself in a group of women, and they all started discussing various female struggles; this person close to me was right there, yet she didn't say a single word about her own issues. I wouldn't even say she stayed silent just because I was there, because I actually caught the eye of both my mother and her to ask if I should just excuse myself from the conversation, and they "assured" me that I should stay.

Is it not truly remarkable how the passage of time alters our perception of what was once considered absolute? One finds oneself wondering if we ever truly grasp the weight of our own decisions until they have already become history. kaže:
To be incredibly close to someone, yet remain entirely oblivious to the silent agony they endure—is that not perhaps the most profound tragedy of all?😁

I had my doubts, but once another person mentioned how incredibly painful her cramps were, I didn't have anything left to question.

So, how exactly am I supposed to approach her?

Roger Martin3 said:And why on earth would my heart leave me? 🤷

I simply cannot afford the luxury of spending two whole days bedridden—just falling apart from the pain—anymore. Nor do I have any desire to just sit there and take it.
But then again, you're a man—so it's perfectly clear to me that you wouldn't understand. 🙂

Painkillers can take a toll on the heart.

As for the whole "you're a man and you don't understand" thing, you might want to take a look at post #1110.

Roger Martin3 said:It isn't psychological; it's purely physical. I'm the exact same way. 😢
It’s simply the pathophysiology of pain—once it truly takes hold, you might as well pack your bags and go home because it's incredibly hard to stop. Personally, as soon as I feel the need approaching, I take 400 mg of Ibuprofen before the pain even has a chance to start. That way, during those first one or two days, I just take two or three Brufen tablets and the pain stays away.

Don't you fear that your heart might give out?

So, I find myself scrolling through this thread because I have a question weighing heavily on my mind. It concerns someone incredibly dear to me who suffers terribly from menstrual cramps; at least, that is what another close friend of mine informed me. This second individual used to live with her for a while, so she has firsthand knowledge of what she goes through.

I am not entirely certain if they have ever sat down and actually discussed these struggles openly, though I would assume they have at some point. However, the way this friend brought it up made me feel as though she wants me to be discreet—as if I shouldn't let our loved one know that I’m aware of her pain—yet how can I possibly remain silent and act as if everything is perfectly fine while I watch her suffer right in front of me?

How on earth does one approach a person experiencing this kind of pain during her cycle? If I were a woman, surely this would be a thousand times easier to navigate, but alas, I am not.

This dear person is married and has a child, but knowing her husband, I would venture to say he is completely oblivious to the depth of her struggle.

driftingbear29 said:

I’ve been thinking about our last conversation... It really stayed with me. There was something about the way we discussed those old traditions that felt different from the usual chatter around here. It makes you wonder how much we actually lose when we move so fast toward the future... Sometimes, I think we need to slow down just to catch our breath. kaže:
Molasses isn't oil... :')

I already laid everything out in my previous post—exactly where I bought it, how I used it, and how much it actually helped me... It’s like some people just don't know...

Well... now that's a start. 😬Forgive me. Yesterday, I was at... 😵 I’ll take a look at the situation. I'll read through it... 😁

I meant to comment on this yesterday, but... 🙂

I think it might be a smart move to head over to the ER and let them get you on an IV drip... 😍 Maybe it’s time to turn things up a notch... just a little bit. 🙂 So, today marks my actual second day... I'm not even counting that first one... 😬I'm feeling a tiny bit better than I did yesterday, but honestly, the nausea is still hitting me hard. It’s the absolute worst... I've truly never experienced anything quite like this before... 🙂 I’ve got the thermometer out, and here I am... just lounging around, catching up on some shows, and sipping on this damn chamomile tea... 🙄 I’ve been thinking about tablets lately... just how much they've changed the way we handle everything from work to downtime. They really occupy that strange middle ground between a phone and a laptop... quite useful for certain things. 😍

It is just so incredibly heartbreaking to read these descriptions! There are theories circulating suggesting that because the female body is designed for childbirth, and women are having fewer children now, PMS occurs as a biological consequence. I honestly cannot say how much truth lies in that.

There is also data indicating that roughly 40% of the population suffers from an underactive thyroid. Aside from hormone replacement therapy, of course, ginseng and B-complex are said to be helpful. I personally struggle with an underactive thyroid, and a 100mg daily dose of B-complex helped me somewhat, though I didn't feel significantly better until I started taking B-100 twice a day—essentially 200mg each of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6.

Many women claim that these large doses of B-complex cause weight gain, but it seems that depends entirely on the source of the vitamins. If they are derived from yeast, they might cause weight gain, whereas if they come from other sources, they shouldn't.

For me, they neither cause weight gain nor loss; they simply provide a bit of an energy boost. I have used Nature's Way and KAL, and I find KAL to be superior. I picked up some Nature's Way Ultra B-100 today strictly because I didn't have the cash for KAL. KAL tablets have that distinct B-vitamin scent, but they have a minty taste, and if you swallow them quickly with water, that mintiness helps mask the smell and flavor of the B-complex.

Honestly, the best move would be to order through iHerb, but I am such a traditionalist that I fear I might mess something up. If I do, I certainly won't be complaining! Doing it this way means I am paying three times the price.

melloworca6 said:In what way do you feel the different doctors are leading you astray?

I have begun seeing several specialists within the exact same field, yet even after I provide them with my entire medical history, they continue to offer wildly conflicting opinions regarding the best course of action for treating my condition.

Lately, I have noticed a troubling trend where patients are being passed around between various doctors rather than being managed by a single specialist, which was the standard practice and, frankly, worked much better.

For those dealing with a rare condition who previously had consistent care under one physician, what happens when you suddenly find yourself shuffled between different doctors who all offer conflicting advice for the exact same ailment? (This is precisely what I am currently facing.) Is it actually possible for a patient with a rare disease to submit a formal request to their hospital to ensure they are always seen by the same specific doctor? Has anyone here ever attempted this? If so, what was the outcome, and what is the actual protocol for filing such a request?

Benjamin King17 said:I agree that staying under the radar is the smarter way to handle wealth—but the rest of that strategy might backfire. Let's be realistic: the real trouble starts when they hit those teenage years—once the hormones kick in and rebellion becomes the default setting. They aren't going to let you steer their lives that easily, and that's exactly where things start to fall apart...

Is it not true that people obsessed with status symbols essentially attempt to purchase a certain level of obedience from their children?

Benjamin King17 said:Like I mentioned before, childhood isn't all sunshine and rainbows—kids deal with their own specific stressors while growing up. For instance, there is a massive social divide between the kid wearing knockoff brands and the one decked out in designer labels; that is just how American teenage society operates... and it’s starting to bleed into kids under ten, too. It used to be that children lived without these kinds of heavy burdens, but things have changed...

If I were a wealthy parent, would I really spend my child's future on flashy status symbols? I think not. Is it not far better to possess quiet wealth than to flaunt it for everyone to see? Rather than buying labels, I would prefer to hire elite tutors for the subjects where my child already shows talent, ensuring they truly master those skills. Why should they struggle through subjects that don't come naturally? If they can pass a difficult class with a simple C, I would be perfectly content. However, for the passions they truly excel in, why settle for anything less than an A+?

placidwolf27 said:The entire premise rests on some romanticized projection of a child's psyche—a notion that simply doesn't hold water in the real world.

Childhood is essentially a phase defined by confusion and vulnerability... a time when the mind fixates on trivial nonsense and fears things out of pure instinct, rarely grasping the actual situation at hand or even functioning within any realistic framework beyond basic physiological needs—all due to a literal lack of neurological development, experience, and an understanding of context.

Now, this doesn't mean the same logic doesn't apply to adolescents or adults—it usually does, often even more so—but at least there is some semblance of life experience and a somewhat developed relationship with oneself and the environment. There's a baseline understanding of concepts like frustration or suffering, of one's own desires versus those of others, and a minimal level of self-awareness and tolerance for daily bullshit... plus the actual skill required to deal with it all. With children, for the most part, they don't even possess that foundation.

Precisely so. I suspect even children understand this intuitively; for if they did not, why would a young boy or girl immediately retort, "I am big!" whenever they are told they are still too small?

Chris Sanchez6 said:I suppose children might be the happiest among us—though they lack the awareness to actually realize it.

However, I don't believe it’s healthy for an adult to live solely in the moment. If living "in the now" means ignoring the past and the future—for instance, if one receives a paycheck from a company like Amazon and immediately blows it all on shopping just for a fleeting sense of joy—then what happens next? Ignoring credit card bills and monthly utilities because you're too busy enjoying today... it's simply not sustainable. After all, as parents, we sacrifice so much today to ensure our children have a better life tomorrow. Why bother teaching a child to read or write? It’s tedious, right? Just live for the moment! To my mind, that philosophy is utterly irresponsible—it isn't how a mature adult should conduct themselves.

Perhaps we aren't as happy because we have gained maturity... yet, I still believe an adult can find genuine happiness. But it is a conscious happiness—quite different from that unconscious, carefree bliss found in childhood.

It is entirely possible to live in the present moment, provided one has surrendered the craving for sensory indulgence—or at least significantly tempered it—while dedicating oneself to serving others and placing one's trust in God, one infinite, or the Universe... whatever you prefer.

In that sense, I believe we should embrace the present, though certainly not in the sense of splurging the moment a paycheck hits your bank account.

The true ideal would be to act with the conviction that everything depends on your own efforts, while maintaining the profound awareness that the ultimate outcome rests solely with God.

crimsonpuma23 said:Look, speaking from what I went through, I had a pretty great childhood—I wasn't lacking anything, period—but man, I was constantly living in fear. It feels like I started realizing how heavy the world is way too early. And that anxiety just kept snowballing, while everyone else totally brushed me off. They’d be like, "What are you freaking out about? You're a kid, you've got a roof over your head, you're safe, what else could you possibly need?"
I was just way too sensitive, and instead of building up some grit, I just ended up getting completely overwhelmed by it all.
I threw myself at everything under the sun trying to fix it, but nothing actually worked.
Honestly, I'm just pissed at myself now for throwing in the towel so early on.

I don't think there's some magic one-size-fits-all answer here because everyone's path is different. Every single experience is its own unique beast. But it's a cold hard fact that most people are at their happiest when they're young, mostly because of that bubble we live in—that feeling of being untouchable, having zero responsibilities, and having that raw curiosity that turns into actual passion.

I would give anything to have squeezed every last drop of potential out of those years because it would have paid off big time. It's too late to turn back the clock, but it's also damn hard to focus on the future when you feel like you're just ignoring the mess of the present. 🙂

Whenever I hear such mindless nonsense being fed to you by others, I am overcome with the urge to deliver a sharp slap to anyone foolish enough to utter it.

If our sole definition of """happiness""" is working ourselves to the bone just to afford a basic roof, some furniture, a few clothes, and perhaps a functioning heater so we don't freeze during an American winter, then have we not truly fallen "far" from where we ought to be?

Lawrence Wells said:I honestly feel like every single stage of life comes with its own unique brand of uncertainty.

And old age is particularly daunting, isn't it? You have lived through your prime, your physical vitality begins to wane, and you find yourself with neither much time remaining nor any realistic hope for sweeping improvements to your circumstances...

How terrible!

The sole redeeming quality of such an era is the vast reservoir of life experience one has gathered, which can be offered to the younger generations—provided they possess even the slightest willingness to listen.

Karen White4 said:Washington, D.C.😁

Someone—a nurse over at Mount Sinai—suggested that I might be able to handle one of these issues without having to head down to Rikers Island... but honestly, I'm just sitting here wondering which one of the two actually qualifies?

Is it listed as a general outpatient service or just an emergency consultation? My report specifically mentions a referral to City Hall, so I’m trying to figure out which one it actually is.

I am no longer living in NYC. However, everyone seems to insist that the Mayo Clinic is the premier institution. I personally had an incredibly positive experience there with one particular doctor, though it wasn't specifically regarding blood work.

So, perhaps I should reconsider—maybe Mayo Clinic is actually the better choice after all.

Does it not seem to me that there is a profound state of disorganization currently plaguing Mount Sinai? When I last visited the adult endocrinology department, the nurse at window number four on the second floor informed me that my regular physician was unavailable, forcing me to seek an examination from someone else entirely. Yet, when that alternative doctor actually performed the exam, the nurse at window number two pointed out that my usual physician was, in fact, present on the first floor—and this contradictory information was provided only moments after the first nurse's claim. How can such inconsistencies exist within a single institution?

I find myself deeply appreciative of the wonderful care provided by Nurse Kate and Nurse George over at the endocrinology department at Mount Sinai.

Karen White4 said:Where can I get a 2-hour OGTT performed along with an insulin test?

I need both fasting and postprandial levels measured at the same facility,

thank you.

It's urgent—where can I find the shortest wait times for this procedure?

Which part of the country are you located in?

I also have a question regarding seeking psychotherapy.

According to a psychiatry resident I spoke with, the Department of Health and Human Services has decided to stop authorizing psychotherapy sessions entirely, opting instead to assist patients solely through prescriptions for psychotropic medications.

I must admit, I find this incredibly difficult to believe. Even though doctors seem to favor mass-prescribing medication just to get through the day, I suspect they might be using this supposed Department of Health and Human Services mandate as an excuse to bypass deeper care.

Because of my chronic physical illness, I feel that if I were to formally petition for psychotherapy—even going so far as to submit my medical records to the Department of Health and Human Services—I might actually receive some support in the form of therapy. On the other hand, I am mindful of how many people are desperate for counseling, how long-term the process can be, and the severe shortage of psychiatrists. In my specific case, I don't believe I would need years of treatment; perhaps just ten standard sessions, occurring once every two weeks.

Has anyone here ever submitted such a request or something similar? Did you have to physically deliver medical documentation to the Department of Health and Human Services? Who was your point of contact there, and what was the overall process like? Was your petition ultimately granted? Any information at all would be deeply appreciated. If you are uncomfortable discussing this on the public forum, please feel free to reach out via private message or email at piskavac@gmail.com

(In my previous post regarding admission to inpatient psychiatric care, I realize I did not express myself clearly).

I have recently retrieved some instructional books from my local library regarding PowerPoint 2007 and Access 2007 from the ECDL series. Alas, they did not include the practice CDs necessary to actually master the material.

Furthermore, I struggle significantly with visual impairments, and since I reside in a small rural town, I am quite uncertain if anyone nearby might possess such discs.

Therefore, I humbly ask if it would be at all possible for someone to send those exercises to my email address? Surely the file size is not too overwhelming? I am unfamiliar with how to navigate torrent trackers, and when I attempted to search Google for "ECDL CD" along with the word "exercises," I was met with only two results, both of which lead back to this very forum.

My email address is piskavac@gmail.com

I have a question regarding admission for psychiatric treatment.

If I were to submit an application for inpatient care, especially when many others are likely applying every month and hospital capacity is limited, what specific criteria do psychiatrists use to decide which requests to grant and which to deny?

Furthermore, are waiting lists for these wards made public? If the answer is yes, does that list include the full names of patients for everyone to see, or is a patient assigned a code so that only they and the doctors know their identity and position on the list?