Posts by Jacob Sullivan91

rapidpanther68 said:Thanks for the tips. I'm definitely gonna get my kidneys checked out ASAP.
Just waiting on an appointment with a physical therapist too... dealing with some hip and joint issues that, honestly, look like early-onset osteoarthritis. But hey, it could still be some kind of connective tissue disorder, so hopefully we figure out if that's actually in the cards or not... fingers crossed...
I decided to start hitting the local YMCA pool—just some light swimming a few times a week, nothing crazy, just enough to loosen up these joints and maybe feel slightly less human wreckage
And here's hoping psychotherapy helps me sort out the mess going on in my head 🙂

Are there actual signs of a connective tissue issue or genetic thing, or did you just decide that was your diagnosis?
Asking because I once claimed I had everything from brain tumors to leukemia. All totally made up, obviously.

rapidpanther68 said:Thanks so much for getting back to me!
So, in the meantime, I actually went to see this super experienced cardiologist—like, a top-tier specialist at the Mayo Clinic type of guy—who deals with connective tissue stuff all the time. He really sat me down, listened to everything, and did a full workup. Even though it wasn't on the initial agenda, he ran an echocardiogram because, honestly, I was freaking out big time. He focused specifically on my aorta and the aortic arch, checking every little thing he could. He even felt that spot on my neck that’s been keeping me up at night.
He told me everything looks totally fine, that there’s definitely no aneurysm, and suggested I get my thyroid checked out. Oh, and he also gave me a reality check about my fitness level—basically said I'm in terrible shape and need to start exercising... ugh. As for that visible pulsing in my jugular area (that's his fancy term 😁), he chalked it up to anxiety and told me to deal with that ASAP.
He didn't think a CT scan or any other heavy-duty imaging was necessary. The only actual finding was that my resting heart rate is slightly elevated.
I’ve calmed down a bit since then, but man, I can still see that pulsing in the mirror... especially when the anxiety starts spiking again.
And just to add to the weirdness, I can feel that intense pulsing elsewhere in my body too. If I focus on it, I can even feel it in my fingertips, which is wild. Maybe it’s all just psychological (God, I hope so...) or maybe it's the thyroid, or something else minor rather than an aneurysm or some life-threatening disaster.
I noticed that both my mom and my sister have the exact same thing going on with their necks—you can see that slight pulsing too. So, either we’re all walking medical anomalies, or it’s just something normal or related to other issues 🙂 since they both struggle with anxiety, panic attacks, and thyroid problems.

Anyway, I'm currently waiting on an appointment with a psychiatrist to tackle the anxiety and panic, and I'll be getting those thyroid levels checked out pronto.
I'm just torn... do I need a second opinion? Should I just go rogue and demand a CT scan (not like I could afford that right now anyway, lol)? Or should I just trust what the doctor said and stop living in fear so I can focus on fixing everything else?

First things first: get that thyroid checked. That thing can absolutely wreck your mental state.

If there were actually a reason for a CT, your doctor would have ordered one already. Don't waste your breath or your money on pointless tests when you've got other stuff to handle.

I'm speaking from experience here. Anxiety, a family history of heart issues, endless EKGs, serious health anxiety... the whole nine yards...

Your heart is fine. You've got two professionals telling you so. Just let go of this imaginary aneurysm. And all those other "diseases" you're dreaming up.

Rebecca James3 said:Hey everyone! Decided to hop on here because I figured people might actually get what I'm going through... my issue is sleep paralysis, or something that feels super close to it. Why "close"? Because it’s not the classic stuff you read about online. Like, I don't see witches, or aliens, or shadows lurking in the corner... none of that creepy presence nonsense people always talk about.
It's been happening since I was a kid. Every few months—maybe once every three or four weeks, sometimes even more often—it hits me. Sometimes twice or three times in one night, or every other day... it's weird. I'll go to bed, start relaxing, and right before I drift off, or maybe while I'm already half-asleep, everything just freezes. I can't move anything... arms, legs, fingers... nothing. And the breathing part? I can't breathe. It feels like I'm suffocating... and it lasts maybe 10-15 seconds before it finally lets go... then my body comes back to life and I just panic. Sometimes I can't even deal with the panic because it's so intense, and my husband hears me making noises and gets stressed out too. Every single time I'm thinking, "Oh god, is this it? Am I gonna choke? Is this the end?"... and it doesn't even matter if my life is stressful or whatever... there's no pattern, except that it happens every few months.
I went to my doctor and she sent me for heart and lung tests, but everything came back fine. Lung capacity is great, breathing is normal, heart is normal. She basically said she doesn't know what it is and suggested I maybe try some Xanax. But honestly, I don't want to take Xanax because I don't really need it for anything else.

Anyone else dealt with this? And does anyone know of any good Sleep Disorders Centers or something? Who would even be interested in this kind of thing?

Thanks!

You should check out the clinical psychophysiology department at a place like Johns Hopkins or maybe a big Mayo Clinic type setup—they usually have a dedicated Sleep Disorders Center.

I've been dealing with this since high school, but honestly, I don't let it get to me too much. Nobody in my family sleeps right anyway, so my disorder is just as "normal" to us as my brother's constant messing around or my sister talking in her sleep. 🤷

For me, the paralysis usually hits in the morning. I wake up and I'm just stuck. After a while, I realized I have to hyper-focus on one specific body part and try to force it to move, and then eventually the rest follows. Like, I'll focus entirely on my pinky finger, trying to tap it against the mattress, and slowly, I feel my sensation coming back.

It’s definitely not a fun time. The first time it happened, I was totally convinced I had carbon monoxide poisoning or something because I was wide awake and aware of everything around me, but just couldn't move an inch.

Look, nobody’s just gonna hand you a prescription without an actual diagnosis to back it up... it doesn't work like that. Honestly, I don't get how you can't find a few hours to do some digging so we can figure out if you're dealing with something serious that needs monitoring. If you can't make time for your own health, what exactly *are* you making time for? 🤷

Kimberly Newman2 said:So, apparently there’s a Softinelle in the city after all? I was literally scouring the streets looking for them two weeks ago... total waste of time :/

I don’t know if I should even be posting this on a forum where people actually have it, but honestly... I always just end up grabbing mine at the local CVS, or I've picked some up at those independent pharmacies over near downtown. Most other places just give me this weird look and tell me they don't carry it. Like, sorry I'm not carrying a pharmacy in my purse or something...

James Collins31 said:Yeah, I mean, that’s supposed to be how it works. They never even made me do a coagulation test.

I didn't have any side effects from Lyndette except for gaining weight. ☕ There was a period where I wasn't on anything because I didn't need it, but now I'm on Softinelle, and again, zero side effects besides the weight gain. I've noticed it doesn't even matter which brand I'm on, I just gain weight regardless. 🤣

But, ugh, yeah, apparently there's some kind of shortage with Softinelle right now... You can't find them in any pharmacy in the city. Even the employees were checking other branches under the same chain for me... 🤔🤔 nowhere. I ended up getting Rosanelle as a substitute, but I haven't started them yet since I'm still finishing this last pack... I'll let you know how it goes if you're interested.

I had no issues getting mine 🤷

Mine was sitting right around 4, maybe even a hair under—though I think 4 was the cutoff—so they sent me in for an OGTT. Turns out my insulin levels were through the roof.

You dealing with any other health stuff or weird symptoms lately?

Brian Williams4 said:Hi,
I've decided to start back on the pill. About six years ago, I was on Yasmin for about a year.
Now I'm 30 and have had a baby. What other options do you guys think would be good for me?

I don't really deal with any side effects from Softinell, but honestly, everyone's body is just different...

I did get maybe 2 or 3 breakouts here and there—not all at once—but I just cleared them up with a basic serum. No biggie.

Timothy Palmer5 said:I was left without my medication for an entire month while waiting for my appointment with the endocrinologist. 🙄 He finally added a prediabetes diagnosis to my file and gave me a prescription to take just in case my primary care physician refuses to recognize the new status.

I understand that bureaucracy can tie the hands of primary care doctors, but I find my doctor's approach—to be blunt—completely negligent. She could have easily written a prescription based on my previous specialist report noting insulin resistance, or found any other workaround within her authority. Instead, she just left me high and dry. I'm currently looking for a new physician. ☕

My own doctor just went ahead and labeled me with diabetes right then and there. Man, I seriously don't get how the American healthcare system works... like, I know they don't just hand out metformin to everyone on every street corner, but my insulin resistance is no joke. Plus, my mom ended up with diabetes because her insulin resistance wasn't managed properly.

Am I really supposed to just sit around and wait until I actually have full-blown diabetes?

velvetmoose9 said:Pretty much 🤔

The Medicare Gospel works miracles, apparently 🙈

I was actually kind of floored when I saw her prescription... My mom just got diagnosed with diabetes, which is wild because she’s only had one high blood sugar reading before (around 126)... Then at her next checkup, her sugar looked fine, but her liver numbers were totally trashed.

Her doctor is claiming it's diabetes triggered by long-term insulin resistance. And yep, she was handed the same Glucophage I'm on.

The whole thing just feels super sketchy to me... 🤷

So, out of nowhere, I’ve gone and been slapped with a diabetes diagnosis. Honestly? It feels like it was the only way they’d actually let me get some treatment started... 🤷

Timothy Palmer5 said:Hello, everyone.

I’m curious if anyone else dealing with insulin resistance has had their primary care physician refuse to prescribe metformin over the last month or so?

For context—I’ve been managing insulin resistance for about a year now, and per my endocrinologist's advice, I've been on Glucophage XR. Up until recently, my GP was happy to write the prescription every month based on those specialist findings. However, at my last visit, they flatly refused. Apparently, there’s some new directive from Medicare stating they can only authorize metformin for patients who have an official diabetes diagnosis.

The last time I got mine was November 17th. I guess I’ll have to go grill my doctor about it... 😲

Jason Collins said:Hey there.
I was wondering if any of you use birth control pills (I'm currently on Lindynette 0.075 mg + 0.03 mg coated tablets) and how long it actually took for your skin to clear up—or what I call getting that "clear face" look.
I’ve been taking them for eight months now, and so far, I haven't seen any real progress. 🙂 It’s pretty frustrating, honestly, because one of the main reasons I started this was specifically to help with my skin, and yet, nothing has changed.
I suppose I should probably head to my gynecologist for some advice. To be fair, I don't really want to switch brands since these pills seem to suit me otherwise, but I'm just not satisfied with the skin situation. If you have any experiences to share, or maybe some suggestions or advice, I’m all ears. Thanks. 🙏🙏 🙂

Funny enough, the pills actually gave me acne. 😲 Well, okay, I only have like two breakouts at a time, but they're always inflamed and painful, and as soon as one goes away, another pops up right there. Things are alright for now since I'm religiously using anti-acne products.

If I were you, I'd definitely go get some hormone testing done to see where your levels are at, then let a doctor tailor the prescription to you.

So, I went ahead and got all my hormones checked out—not for anything crazy, just because my endocrinologist sent me in for some routine stuff—and then I paid out of pocket for blood clotting tests and everything else. Based on those results, my OBGYN put me on the pill, and honestly? So far, so good. No side effects at all...

Personally, though... if an OBGYN tries to hand me a prescription for birth control without actually running any labs first? Yeah, I’d walk right out of that office.😲

lonegull81 said:That was at the CVS over on Nehajska. The girls there told me I could even get a refund if I brought the prescription in within like ten days... kind of like buying on "credit," though I guess it probably depends on what pills you're popping.

I mean, I think it also depends on why you’re even taking them in the first place. For some stuff, I can only get it if they look at my medical history because we're talking chronic issues—like thyroid stuff, for example—so I have to be actively on a treatment plan.

If it's just birth control and that six-month window has already closed, you’re probably gonna need a fresh script.

Paul Morgan17 said:Could you please be more specific with your question?

What is your exact daily dosage? Additionally, what specific positive outcomes have you actually experienced while using this medication?

In my estimation, this is nothing more than a placebo at best. Everyone seems to claim how wonderful it is, yet nobody can point to any tangible results.

For me, it actually worked—lowered my insulin, helped me drop some weight, and I just feel way better overall.

But hey, let's be real, just popping metformin without hitting the gym or sticking to a diabetic-friendly diet isn't gonna do much of anything on its own... 🤷

Kyle Foster35 said:Ladies, for those of you who've been on the pill for a while, how much did your libido tank? I know that’s a major side effect, and honestly, it’s the only thing making me hesitate about starting them. Everything else seems fine. Did it hit you all at once, or was it more of a slow fade?

Also, do you deal with frequent infections down there since you started? I've read that birth control is a huge culprit behind constant yeast infections and bacterial issues.

So, my sister noticed her sex drive dropped right after the first pack. For me, though? It’s been totally fine. No weight gain, no headaches, nothing really... just zero side effects so far.

The main reason my doctor suggested it was to help with my PMS, because mine is absolutely brutal. It’s still happening, too. Like, ten days of pure misery. It used to be even worse, though, so I’m really hoping it starts tapering off bit by bit...

If you need one, I’d suggest Softinelle P.

Benjamin Martin65 said:Does anyone happen to know if antibiotics might mess with my lab results? I have to go in for some routine blood work to monitor my pill regimen—things like fibrinogen levels, liver function tests, clotting time, cholesterol, and triglycerides. I’m supposed to get these checked out in just a couple of days, but I actually started an antibiotic today, and now I'm feeling a bit anxious about whether the numbers will be accurate because of it.

Yeah, those could definitely throw off your liver panels 🤷

What I'm really wondering about is whether antihistamines interfere with birth control?

I'm taking allergy meds both morning and night, and then my pill in the evening.

Plus, I take my thyroid medication and my glucose pills in the morning, so I have no idea how to juggle this whole mess...

I'm on Softinelle P.

Keith Cox6 said:Jacob Sullivan91,
If I’m reading you right—the crowd from the 40+ group kept reporting posts with the Finger that were basically aimed at them, just tattling on everything, which ended up blowing up the mods' workload and eventually forced this whole chat merger?
Do you think the number of reports will actually drop now? Or would it have made more sense to just punish the people who kept jumping into the 40+ thread specifically to provoke others—trying to turn that "exclusive club" vibe into a total dumpster fire? Isn't that probably why all those reports started flying in after the mods failed to step in when people kept crashing the party?
Yeah, I get your point; you can't just hand out bans because someone decided to post in two different threads. But I'm telling you, the real reason behind these moves—and even the troublemakers admitted it—was purely out of boredom. Just the older crowd needing to mess with people because they feel intellectually superior, haha!
Also, from what I know, before this famous merger, the Finger thread was locked because everyone was constantly bickering. Did the 40+ crowd have anything to do with that? If not, why did they get punished by this aggressive union?

That’s not it. There’s a massive difference between reporting a post and being straight-up aggressive when a mod doesn't agree with you.

The Group chat was only closed so we could moderate things and check the reports, but given how things shifted, we decided to just shut the chats down altogether.

We only realized later that maybe keeping one open would be okay. It wasn't like we were picking and choosing who gets moved to which group as some kind of punishment. If it makes everyone feel better, I can just close this current open one and start a totally fresh one, so nobody can complain about who got penalized.

I'll say it again: it's not about the reports, it's about the attitude. None of the mods enjoy getting dragged left and right every time someone wants a specific person punished. Not to mention how people just outright insult the moderation or talk trash about us. Why should we put up with that?

After we closed one of the chats, some Reddit users showed us the absolute peak of their arrogance. So why on earth would we reopen it? Because it’ll somehow be different this time?

I feel like a broken record here, but one chat is staying. That doesn't mean we can't open five more in the designated PDF section.

mistyhound94 said:It’s like how Mexicans love to say "you played the whole football match." 😁

If a thread is posted publicly for a hangout—specifically for the users on the American board where the thread was opened—then nobody expects random people off the street to show up. It’s meant for the group that actually signs up on the thread. This thread got shut down, clearly, just because a moderator felt like it, ignoring the actual rules. And she’s the type of moderator who only shows up on this site as rarely as Halley's Comet.

And the reason for closing it? Apparently, there isn't enough room for this kind of gathering. Let me explain why it's a bad idea to demand public addresses when someone is hosting at home. Look, the site guarantees anonymity until you decide to volunteer your own data, but until that point, different rules should apply. I don't see any issue with keeping the thread open so users can gather interest, making a list, and then sending addresses via private message to solve the privacy issue. Instead, the easiest thing to do—as always—is to just kill the thread and coldly claim it will be reopened and pinned once we provide a specific time and place. My question is, if you were organizing a meetup at your house, would you post your address publicly? I doubt it, and honestly, few people would. This wasn't a meeting in a public space like our previous hangouts at Central Park, Mount Rainier, Indianapolis, or various pubs around Chicago. If it were a public spot, fine, the thread could close because locations were set, but that wasn't the case here. There is no logical or valid reason to shut this down and demand public info about where someone lives.

It really feels more and more like every opportunity to hang out gets buried from the start because "some things weren't done right." It’s like being told to go to Window 4 for a yellow slip, then back to Window 17 for blue and green ones, and finally to Window 3 just to get permission from the higher-ups that the thread is okay.
I don't agree with this. Someone genuinely tried to organize something for everyone; it wasn't some exclusive club, but apparently, it doesn't sit right with certain mods, so we end up arguing over trivial rules and whatnot.

So, this is a REDDIT MEETUP, because everyone on the forum was invited, not some secret Masonic gathering shrouded in mystery that only a chosen few can attend (especially since the opening post was written in a joking tone anyway).
Maybe start listening to the voices of us regular users instead of acting like your word is the only truth, the absolute law, and that we aren't allowed to disagree.

If you seriously want to invite the entire forum over to your house, we'll open the thread.