What should my oxygen levels actually be? Mine are sitting at 98-99%, and sometimes I even hit 100%—which feels almost too perfect, right? Now, full disclosure: I am a smoker. This Pulse Oximeter is brand new, though; I picked it up back in August $83 when it was part of some big sale over at Walgreens, so I grabbed it while it was cheap
Everyone in our household caught COVID-19—but not all at once! We caught it in waves, roughly three months apart. We didn't pass it directly from one person to the next because whoever was sick was strictly isolated, following protocol... one person caught it at work, another at college... anyway, here is the first case: a 28-year-old woman who recovered back in December. She had a fever hitting 101°F, muscle aches, and pelvic pain, but absolutely no cough or pneumonia. She’s a professional athlete, too. Fast forward a month and a half, and she ends up in the ER with heart issues. They ran blood tests for clots, did a Holter monitor, saw a cardiologist, checked her thyroid, lungs—everything came back fine. She was in a COVID ward. If this happens again, she's getting both doses of the vaccine, period.
The second person had COVID back in April with symptoms pretty similar to the first case—just fluctuating fevers for about 20 days, peaking at 100.8°F. This is a 53-year-old woman. Her lungs are fine, but suddenly in July, she’s dealing with heart arrhythmia. She's a smoker. She’s heading in for blood work and thyroid tests this Monday, then seeing a cardiologist on Friday.
Third person: caught COVID in July, similar symptoms, though she actually had a cough. She's a 31-year-old woman. Ten days ago, her heart started acting up—emergency room visit, racing heart rate, the whole bit. They re-ran every test and everything looked okay; lungs are clear, but she has low potassium. She’s doing a Holter monitor next week, then seeing the cardiologist.
As for the men? They were hitting fevers up to 104°F, and the illness itself seemed much more aggressive. Yet, they aren't complaining about any lingering issues.
So, we have three women here. None of them have high blood pressure, none have diabetes, and there is zero history of heart disease in the family. Yet, after COVID, it's nothing but heart issues. I honestly don't know what to make of this.
There’s no shortness of breath, no fatigue, nothing... yet the arrhythmia just wakes you up out of nowhere.
Look, I don’t even consider myself an alcohol drinker—not really—but I’ve always had a soft spot for a crisp martini, those sweeter dessert wines, cocktails, or just those light, "feminine" drinks that don't hit you like a truck. Then, of course, everything changed with the pandemic hitting in the spring, and the very thought of alcohol became completely off the table. Well, I recently tried a single half-pint of some light draft beer, and let me tell you—that one glass absolutely floored me. It was disorienting. Even now, my mouth feels strangely sweet, like I'm tasting water. And the smell? Ugh. The mere scent of alcohol makes my stomach turn instantly—and this is coming from someone who genuinely loves perfumes! My sense of smell has become so hyper-sensitive since the loss; I'm still living in this constant cloud of perfume, except now, that cloud is just becoming incredibly overwhelming and intrusive.
So, here’s the situation—someone in my household is currently down with COVID. They're stuck in isolation at home, and the rest of us haven't had any real exposure to them; it was purely by chance that they fell ill over the weekend while the rest of us were out running errands and going about our business. We only had one brief interaction—we're talking less than five minutes—and even then, we were wearing masks. I actually spoke with a doctor at the local clinic, and their verdict? None of us need to quarantine. According to them, since the contact was under fifteen minutes, we can head back to work and go about our lives as usual. All we have to do is keep an eye on our temperatures and watch for any symptoms that might pop up, and that's basically it.
Look, I’m out here trying to squeeze into a size 12 or 14—standard US sizing, you know?—but at 5'10", the struggle is actually real. It is impossible! I can't find anything that fits right. If I grab a jacket that actually fits my bust, the shoulders end up being massive and the waist is just... cavernous. Like, honestly, at my height, I *should* probably be wearing a size 6 or an 8, but finding anything above a 12 feels like a scavenger hunt where the prize is just more baggy fabric. And don't even get me started on how inconsistent these brands are—it's a joke! You see an "XL" on the tag and think, "Great, finally some room," only to realize it fits more like a Medium? How does that even happen?
I’m looking for a friend—or maybe even more—to actually hang out with! I want someone to grab a coffee with, hit up the movies, catch a live concert, or just wander through Seattle... I’m 40+ and, honestly, at this stage of life, I just want to meet completely new people and see where things go.
I’m looking to connect with a friend—man or woman, doesn't matter—who is 40+ for some decent company... you know, grabbing a coffee, taking a stroll through Washington, D.C., just general hanging out. I don't usually post in this specific thread—I mostly just lurk and read occasionally—but I have to say, this group seems genuinely sincere and actually quite interesting.
Is there any way to kickstart my period naturally? Look, I actually started yesterday, but I need my next one to show up by June 4th at the absolute latest. I have a trip coming up—an actual vacation!—and I refuse to let my cycle ruin the whole experience. I am not dealing with bloating, that heavy, sluggish feeling, or any of that nonsense while I'm trying to enjoy myself... absolutely not. I’ve been doing some reading and seen mentions of parsley tea, high doses of Vitamin C, ginger tea, and I’ve even started taking evening primrose oil. Does anyone actually know of something that works—something truly effective—that could pull my next cycle forward by maybe five or six days?
Lisa Rivera said:I see this thread is absolutely exploding with replies, but honestly, fine 😲
I’m looking for some solid recommendations for a (private) clinic and an orthopedic specialist who actually focuses on knees (ideally someone where I can get the surgery handled at the same location)
Larry Scott43 said:I see where you're coming from—partially, at least—but let’s be real: there are certain local clinics where sitting around for four hours is practically standard procedure, and using side entrances just to get through the crowd is totally normal. And don't even get me started on trying to schedule an appointment or actually getting someone on the phone; it's an absolute suicide mission. I've been waiting five months—five whole months!—just for a proposal regarding my disability pension evaluation, and I've heard nothing but crickets. Honestly, sometimes I feel like storming into the waiting room and smashing those antique chairs to pieces... if only I could afford the bill for the damages!
The wait times for evaluations have become astronomical lately, mainly because everything is being funneled through that new centralized federal agency. From what I can gather, they're triaging based on diagnoses—people with terminal or severe illnesses get moved to the front of the line (which is obviously the right way to do it), but everyone else? We're stuck in limbo for ages.
And let me tell you—ER departments are basically breeding grounds for every illness under the sun! What is the point of all those specialized teams if they just turn a waiting room into a petri dish? To me, the ER should be strictly reserved for actual life-or-death emergencies; everything else should be handled by a primary care physician. Honestly, when I’m sitting there coughing in a waiting area, I just pull my little spray bottle of alcohol out of my bag and sanitize my hands, myself, and everything in my immediate vicinity—I don't care if people think I'm being extra, because I'm staying safe! And yeah, I’ll gladly buy a mask before I even step foot in the doctor's office... I'm prepared. The real reason people spend hours idling in those ER waiting rooms is because they show up for absolutely nothing! You know the type—someone rolls in because their back is a little stiff, acting like a minor spinal ache is some kind of death sentence. It's ridiculous!
Look, I’ll be honest—if I were heading out today, I’d probably just show up for the coffee alone. I have no idea how old most of the people following this thread actually are—I’ve never really lurked on these specific boards before, as I usually post in an entirely different section—but it makes me wonder: if I happen to run late, where exactly is everyone planning to head next?
Carl Rivera43 said:Well, of course you’re more than welcome here! Just stay brave and go for it!
Thanks, and I hope you don't mind me jumping in here even though this topic has absolutely nothing to do with my interests—nor do I have any issues with this specific subforum—but honestly? I’d love to grab a coffee sometime.
This isn't even strictly related to the topic at hand—but honestly, it strikes me as quite interesting to actually get to know some of the people hanging out on this forum! So, I was wondering... does anyone here ever hop on just for the sake of making connections? Is there anyone interested in grabbing a coffee sometime and actually meeting face-to-face?
Kenneth Wood9 said:Look, those heating pads are actually fantastic—you just pop them in some hot water or toss them in the oven for a bit, and they hold that heat for ages 👏 When they eventually give out, you just grab more—they aren't exactly breaking the bank, maybe five bucks per pack
And if the bloating is getting to you, you might want to try Rowachol capsules 👏 They’re available over-the-counter and use a natural base—with several different types of mint, they really work, trust me 👏
Are you speaking from personal experience here? Are you on your period or something??
driftingbear29 said:Hey everyone, does anyone actually know anything about—I heard a rumor, though I only caught half of 🙂—something you can pick up at Walmart and just apply directly to your stomach? It’s not a heating pad, it’s more like... anyway, it supposedly makes things feel way less 😁. Like, it works wonders. Or if there's any other alternative out there? My usual pills aren't doing a damn thing today, and I seriously cannot afford to spend the whole day stuck in bed.
🙂 Thanks! 🙂
Wait, what exactly is this stuff from Walmart? This is news to me—is it some kind of specialized heat patch or something? Maybe it handles extreme bloating? Honestly, I am at my wit's end trying to figure out how to fix this; nothing I've tried seems to touch it, so I am dying to know what this Walmart product is.
Well, my period just arrived, and naturally, I’m feeling absolutely drained—so now I have zero appetite. Honestly, what was I thinking? I’ve been absolutely devouring sweets for the last week; if it was within arm's reach, I ate it! In the middle of those intense cravings, I even found myself inhaling fruit yogurt—which, as everyone knows, I usually can't stand!
This is exactly where my life is at right now—absolute chaos. I don’t even like mayo; I usually avoid it like the plague because, frankly, I can't stand the stuff. But now? Now I’m actually lying awake dreaming about a massive sandwich absolutely drenched in mayonnaise. It's pathetic, really. Thank God I don't have any in the fridge, because I certainly wasn't going out to Target to buy some just to satisfy this sudden, ridiculous craving.
rapidbison15 said:Hershey's and popcorn? 😁 Honestly, I was way more obsessed with popcorn during that stretch—but since I’m running on a calorie deficit right now, I’m trying my best to keep a lid on it.
I’ve never been much for chocolate, but those creamy pastries? Man, I was eating them by the dozen back then... As for the popcorn, it just doesn't sit right with my stomach, so I skip it entirely. What I actually need is something else—maybe something salty mixed with a little sweet—so I can indulge as much as I want without the bloat.