Posts by crimsongull20

Michael Diaz4 said:Look, I’ve scrolled through enough PDFs on this forum to see every ridiculous theory out there. You should probably just read the last post and debunk those doctors yourself... But hey, why bother? Everyone on these forums is an expert anyway. Nothing beats a keyboard warrior's medical degree... 🙄 I laid everything out exactly as it happened, down to the last detail. People on the forums were actually reaching out for advice from someone who isn't making things up or trashing professionals—especially doctors. This isn't fiction, either; everything was overseen by a university professor... But hey, I’m sure you know better than anyone...☕

Michael Diaz4, this isn't about doctors, professors, or anyone on this forum... It's about you claiming Lidoprokt contained a corticosteroid and then later insisting it was just lidocaine...
Got the box and the instructions right here... yeah, it's got lidocaine plus a corticosteroid in there too.

You can't drop contradictions like that when the facts are this clear... then just shift the blame onto the doctors, professors, and your wife once you're proven wrong... 🤣.
That’s a quick way to lose all credibility...

Michael Diaz4 said:Because two different doctors told me so, and then my wife—who’s a doctor—confirmed it... Is that clear enough? I didn't care what else was in there besides the lidocaine once it was recommended and actually worked...

Look, I've heard that kind of nonsense from hundreds of doctors, mostly specialists and department heads. Just because some random MD said it doesn't mean anything at all.

The discussion was about the actual ingredients. You grab the box or the pamphlet and you read it.
That's really it.

Michael Diaz4 said:Wait... Lidoprokt has hydrocortisone in it...? 😕 Didn't realize that... 🤷 Not that it matters, though. It’s easily the best thing out there for prevention, hemorrhoid issues, or recovery after surgery in the anal and perianal area... I don't have any info on Lidoprokt handy since I haven't used it in over two years... But I know what was said. Lidoprokt is the only way to go for post-op or managing pain from inflamed hemorrhoids... So I'm sure it works... A person wouldn't lie about something like this and mess with people's health... There's also a little trick some people miss, which I used successfully when things first started—back when the old version of Lidoprokt had a slightly different name, something starting with "Lido..." I used it along with some powder... That helped in the beginning, then everything else failed... Don't try to lecture me on stuff you don't understand, it's definitely the best cream for hemorrhoids, tried and true...

You're hopeless. 😁

How can you claim to know the exact formula of the old Lido... when you didn't even know current Lidoprokt contains corticosteroids?

Angela Wright said:It’s hard knowing she won't be here anymore, but it was her choice. She just didn't want to fight it or accept the diagnosis... she wanted peace. It’s actually wild how she managed to last nearly three years with such an aggressive cancer without any real treatment. Such a shame. If she had faced the facts earlier with an immune system like hers, she probably would have lived long enough to die of old age rather than metastasis.

Maybe.

Accepting those kinds of choices from someone close to you is brutal, though maybe we wouldn't have done anything differently if we were in their shoes...

Hang in there. 🙂

Angela Wright said:I buried my aunt last week. She was diagnosed with highly invasive breast cancer three years ago, but she just wouldn't accept it. By the time she finally opted for surgery a year later, things had already spiraled. She ended up hospitalized this spring because of lymphedema. She skipped radiation—first because she refused, then because holding her arm in position was just too much pain—but she stuck with Charles Darwin until the very end. All her tests looked fine, though I suspect there was a tumor in her brain... she just ran out of steam and shut down. People go out in all sorts of ways...

I'm sorry. 😢

Jamie Brooks4 said:Hi everyone.
My dad has been in the hospital for over three weeks now. He was admitted for ascites and vomiting. They drained fluid from him—about 18 liters total—and found a few malignant cells in it. He’s had a colonoscopy, bronchoscopy, endoscopy, CT scans of his abdomen, head, and chest, plus X-rays. Everything else looks normal and expected for a 65-year-old.
For the first ten days, the vomiting stopped. He started eating and drinking a little, but then the constant vomiting returned. At first, he couldn't eat anything, and eventually, he couldn't even keep water down.
On Friday, they did a contrast study and found an ileus. It was an emergency surgery, but the surgeon just opened him up and closed him back up... 😢 He said there was nothing he could actually do because everything is packed with tumors. He took a biopsy, so now we're just waiting on the results.😢
The prognosis is grim. The surgeon isn't even sure if my dad will make it to chemotherapy, or if the oncologist will even decide to proceed with it. But strangely, Dad feels great. No pain, high spirits, chatting away... he looks way better than he did at home. Aside from the ileus, there aren't any other diagnoses. We can't find the primary tumor, and honestly, it feels like the doctors are just as confused as we are.🤷
Has anyone dealt with something like this? Is there anywhere else we should go for a second opinion?

Thanks!

I'm definitely not qualified to give advice, but I know that in many American hospitals, there's unfortunately a lot of incompetent staff, including surgeons. So, it's entirely possible you have reason to be optimistic because that surgeon might not have known what he was looking at...

My aunt was recently diagnosed with lung cancer that had metastasized—three different radiologists swore it was real—only for it to turn out to be a complete misdiagnosis. It wasn't malignant at all.

velvetmoose9 said:Don't you dare use a corticosteroid cream on the perianal area without checking with a doctor first!

My primary care physician actually prescribed me Beloderm mast (betamethasone, which is a corticosteroid) for that exact reason.

The instructions say:

Do not apply Beloderm mast:

...

- for treating ... genital or perianal itching...

It doesn't even include a "unless otherwise directed by your doctor" clause or anything like that.

So much for consulting with a professional...

Patrick Taylor16 said:I had my General Dynamics procedure done in Pittsburgh, including all the checkups and the surgery itself. It cost me 227 miles (300 for the operation + 40 for initial exams + 25 for the follow-up after 21 days). It’s been 52 days since the surgery and I honestly can't believe how well this turned out... I'm thrilled... thank God and the people who developed this... finally, after 15 years of misery, it's over. And considering what I spent on creams, ointments, pills, and so on... it was basically free. Not to mention the mental toll, the sleepless nights, the years of pain and being unable to move... you just can't put a price on that...

I was a bit pessimistic at first, but the surgery was a total success... didn't see the real results until about 40 days post-op...

Thanks for the reply. Any chance you could share which surgeon performed the procedure? That's pretty much the deciding factor here...

I'm looking for some feedback on the General Dynamics+ RAR procedure in Washington, D.C... hoping someone might be willing to share their experience.
Who should I actually see? I've looked into Dr. Ivankovic, Dr. Kocman, and Dr. Velnić. Has anyone had a checkup or the actual procedure with one of those three lately? Or maybe a fourth option...

Victor, fingers crossed that some doors swing open for you soon so you can get back in the fight and win...

On another note, I need some advice regarding a family member. We're dealing with prostate cancer in a man in his 70s. The surgery is done, but it looks like there's widespread metastasis. Who are the best oncologists in Washington, D.C. for this kind of diagnosis that we could see privately on short notice?

wiredotter75 said:Congrats, Angela Wright. Wishing you nothing but luck and health...
Unfortunately, things aren't looking great on my end. My markers have spiked again—went from 6.8 to 9.3. I get my CT scan results this Monday. Deep down, I’m expecting the cancer to have progressed based on these numbers. I dropped 6 pounds in just 3 days... finished my 57th chemo session. If they pull the FOLFOX option, I'm in trouble. Might even just call it quits and stop treatment altogether. I'll check back Monday after the scan...

Don't do that. Keep digging and fight as long as you can. Sending good vibes your way.

Angela Wright said:My body just couldn't hold out any longer, so I ended up in the ER in my fourth trimester. Everything turned out fine, though. The little one is 5 lbs and doing great without any extra help—totally full term. I’m still in the ICU getting my blood pressure stabilized, but hopefully I'll be back in a regular room tonight. Anyway, thank God this part of the story had a good ending. Thanks to everyone for the support...

Congrats. 😍

Angela Wright said:wiredotter75, I’m having such an exhausting day. Just a moment ago, I was praying to God to either give me strength or just stop tormenting me. My situation isn't comparable to yours, but being hospitalized for over a month now, dealing with these constant blood pressure swings, this killer back pain... plus everything else that comes with the American healthcare system, the doctors, and the conditions here... it's completely drained me. I'm so swollen with edema, I can't wait for them to finally hook me up to a catheter just to get this fluid out of my system. According to the doctor, my condition is still "satisfactory." Actually, I wanted to thank you for your post, because reading it, I know I don't have the right to whine. Hang in there, you really are incredibly brave and an amazing guy. Be proud of yourself! And a small favor—go for a swim at dusk for me this summer too.

I'm sorry. 😢
Hopefully you're nearing the end of this ordeal and that everything goes smoothly and easily. 🙂

wiredotter75 said:man, I thought they were giving you Aloxi... once I switched from FOLFOX plus Avastin, I wasn't taking anything and I threw up 33 times... once I told my oncologist, he gave me Aloxi right away and since then I've been handling FOLFOX chemo with oxaliplatin relatively okay, though honestly, chemo is brutal, especially those tingling hands. Right now, I'm in the thick of it, floating around for about 10 days before I come to, then for the last 7 days I relax and feel great, doing everything... was at the beach this morning, but that tingling when the temperature changes stays. It's not easy, but I'm used to it. At one point, it felt like getting electric shocks every thirty seconds, but still, I AM NEVER GIVING UP...
going in for chemo number 57 tomorrow...
and I might get the CT results this Friday. AND I AM SO SO SO SO AFRAID OF PROGRESSION. Ascites, ugh, that's a nasty one... peritoneal carcinoma, ugh ugh ugh, I just hope it hasn't grown... more colon cancer and liver metastases or God forbid bone involvement... all of it's waiting for me sooner or later along with death, but again. I FIGHT TO THE END...
BTW IF you've had a colonoscopy, then a gastroscopy is child's play... just stay calm and don't be scared... they put a ring in your mouth to bite on and slide the tube into your stomach and you just have to swallow, it's not nearly as scary as it seems... I'd do 10 gastroscopies for one colonoscopy... hahahaha
HANG IN THERE... IT CAN BE DONE. JUST TAKE IT SLOW...

Props to you. 🙏

Angela Wright said:I’ve been reading everything, but since my health situation has taken a really dangerous turn, I’ll probably be stuck in the hospital for at least five weeks. It’s hard to type on my phone. Hang in there, everyone...

Man, I'm so sorry. Keeping my fingers crossed that everything turns out okay. 🙂

dustymarlin10 said:Why the negativity?

Not a problem, really. Just wondering why...

It’s not about being negative. It’s just that this sub is filled with people losing family members, dealing with chronic pain for years, struggling to get a diagnosis, or fighting over the cost of meds. And then you pop up in the middle of all that misery with—"mosquitoes won't bite me." Doesn't feel exactly appropriate...

The mosquitoes aren't biting because you got lucky. I doubt there's some groundbreaking scientific study explaining it, but if there is, you'll find it on Google much faster than here. If you're actually curious, do the legwork and let us know what you find...

dustymarlin10 said:It’s actually weird; mosquitoes just don't want me. They basically give me a wide berth instead of biting me like everyone else.
Followed one yesterday: it flies close, "sniffs" me, then just leaves. No bite attempt.
Not a single bite all season, despite being outside near the woods constantly.

Any idea why these bloodsuckers would avoid me?

Wrong subforum, my bad...

That’s actually pretty creepy. Poor you.

Jeffrey Garcia6 said:I'm A+, and they absolutely love me. Unfortunately.

Same here, also A+. I could probably make a living as a mosquito magnet. One summer, back when I was a kid, I had 88 bites at once.

My mom doesn't get bitten at all. She's type O. Probably doesn't have anything to do with blood type though...

Michelle Sullivan3 said:The thing is, there's zero evidence. That's why us patients are basically helpless; it’s so easy for them to twist the truth and just write whatever they want in the discharge papers. They manage to word things so perfectly that it’s simultaneously fake and technically true—you can't prove anything. And that discharge summary is literally all you get. They won't hand over any other paperwork, even after you've spent a month fighting for your life in the hospital. Just that one paper.🤷
It's wild how well they cover for each other. The guys in surgery worked their tails off trying to save me, but they ended up making it seem like the lady from internal medicine was actually at fault because they fought so hard on my behalf. Even then, they still protect her... because tomorrow, one of them might need that same kind of cover.
I'm living in a small town, too, so I don't have "tons of doctors" to choose from. It's just one hospital and one crew of doctors who are always the same. I'm totally stuck depending on them.

Stuff like this needs to go straight to the media, no holds barred. If you want to, do it for your own sake or simply because you're dependent on them.
They aren't the type to treat you well just because you're polite; they only respect you if they're afraid of you. If they realize that messing up could land them on every news site or even national TV tomorrow, they'll treat you like royalty.

What allows the laziness, ignorance, and arrogance of so many of our doctors to persist is, among other things, a frightened and uneducated patient.

nimblepanther14 said:Everyone hits a rough patch eventually.
It just hit me all at once... everything piling up in such a short window.
My girlfriend’s dad was out fishing just two months ago... totally active... and now he's gone.
I lost my brother to liver issues five years back, then my sister last month... sometimes you just wonder what is wrong with us...
On top of that, I'm dealing with my wife, who's terrified about thyroid surgery. Her thyroid has grown so much they have to cut through her sternum... she's 82 and understandably scared.
Then there's my husband (84), who had a stroke last year. He doesn't speak anymore, and honestly, he's just fading... dementia is setting in.

Yesterday, I caught myself thinking about how my girlfriend and I spent New Year's Day... things weren't this messy back then...

Suddenly, current problems feel so trivial... I keep wondering when the chaos will finally stop... clearly not anytime soon.

All I can do is find my own ways to cope... watch my health, watch my diet, maybe take a trip...
...try to actually live, because you never know what tomorrow brings.

I get it. I've lost about 80% of my immediate family, and based on your parents' ages, I'm likely quite a bit younger than you. My two grandmothers are still here, ages 86 and 91, but most of their children—except my mom and one aunt in her seventies—are gone.

I went through those losses in my twenties over a few years, and by my mid-thirties, my own health failed. I've been fighting to get it back for years now.

So, I know how it feels when the crap seems endless. There isn't much left to do but accept the reality and keep moving until you can't. 🙂

Angela Wright said:Grdana, try looking at your situation through the lens of life itself: nothing is certain, there are zero guarantees, and everything is constantly shifting. We decide how we handle that. It might feel impossible sometimes, but really, it just comes down to a choice. You have to be brave enough to set things up on your own terms and keep weighing those options internally. That’s why some people choose to stay in the dark, at least until they're forced to face it. Constant fluctuations... you know how it is... 😉

Only people who've dealt with actual hardship and massive losses can truly understand that, and it didn't break them like it would most others. Without that kind of experience—maybe if someone's just born with a rare talent...

P.S. Those typos reminded me of those old fairy tales, Grdana. 😁