Posts by Patrick Nelson6

rapidhound19 said:Quick question: If someone sends me money via Western Union—say, tomorrow at 5 PM—can I head in with just the tracking code and my ID the day after tomorrow to collect it?
Also, am I restricted to the specific location where they initiated the transfer...

Thanks!

You can pick it up anywhere with just your ID and Social Security number. It’s usually ready within five minutes of them sending it. The only exception is if they used a credit card and specified a future date for when the funds become available.

David White8 said:Using Western Union to send and receive cash

I need to send some money to my cousin over in Switzerland—he’s picking something up for me. Here's the catch: we're both minors, and I really don't want my parents finding out I'm sending cash for... well, let's just call them "digital items" for an online game. Can a minor actually send money through Western Union? And can they pick it up on their end? I need someone to walk me through the whole process... what do I actually have to do... and is there any actual guarantee that the money won't just vanish into thin air?

Only chime in if you actually know how this works. Skip the mindless commentary...

It’s a no. To collect money, you need a state ID and a Social Security number, and Western Union is strictly for adults. It's printed right there on the back of every single one of their forms.

Chris Evans3 said:Hello, I have a question.
I need to send some money abroad. From what I've gathered in the previous discussions on this thread, I am supposed to send the amount in US dollars from here. Now, in which currency will the recipient be able to withdraw the funds? Will it be dollars or their local currency? This is my first time using western union, so I am a bit unsure how the process works.
Thank you.

They’ll pick it up in their own local currency.

Is there a tax on Western Union transfers?

So, if you're receiving money. Is there any chance the government will come after you for taxes? Thanks.

Eric Doyle52 said:So, quick question... I've got this pain on the left side of my body just under the ribs. It's constant, a dull ache—feels almost like someone is slicing into me. It gets sharper whenever I try to take a deep breath. Any thoughts? (I'm a 28-year-old male)

It could be pancreatitis; that’s exactly how it started for me. Go get some blood work done. If your amylase levels come back through the roof, you'll have your answer. Best.

Hey everyone, I had some blood work done today, and I'm trying to make sense of these results. Does anyone know what this might indicate?

Here’s what came back elevated:
Amylase (U) is at 447, whereas the normal range is up to 400.
Bilirubin is sitting at 24.9, when it usually tops out at 20.

Also, the morphology report mentions hypochromia, which I'm assuming points toward anemia...

Thanks!

So, I was told today that it wasn't heavy metal poisoning after all... Great. Just wonderful. Now I'm back to square one, trying to figure out what's actually causing this hair loss. Looks like I've got a full week of more tests ahead of me. Thanks again to everyone for the support.

Angela Wright said:Go find a friend who can give you the exact ingredient list for those pills you were taking. Some plants naturally soak up heavy metals from the soil. That’s the catch with heavy metals—they don't just leave your system easily. They latch onto things like your hemoglobin. Just because you took them before Christmas doesn't mean they aren't still causing issues deep down.

The label lists evening primrose oil and essential oils like sage, clary sage, and anise...

Angela Wright said:I found these private labs, but honestly, I think any specialized medical biochemistry lab should be able to handle this via a doctor's referral, covered by the Social Security Administration. Besides hair, you’d need to provide urine and blood samples for analysis.

The real question is: what's surrounding you in your day-to-day life that might contain heavy metals?
Think about it. What kind of pipes are in your building—are they potentially lead? Are you taking any supplements based on some random recommendation you heard? Where are you buying your groceries, and from whom? Have you ever undergone treatment involving cytostatics or chemotherapy? Even just where you work or go to school, or how much time you spend in certain environments. This isn't something to DIY; you need a professional to look at this.

Thanks so much... I'm actually heading out today to get a referral for blood work, and if I recall correctly, they usually require a urine sample at the same time. I haven't been drinking anything unusual, truly. I did have a hormonal imbalance recently, and a friend made some custom pills for me that she said worked, but I only took two of them, and that was before Christmas... They were based on essential oils. My building is over a hundred years old, so I really need to check on the plumbing. I've stayed mostly within my apartment for the last three years since I have a baby at home, and I'm not working right now. Up until two weeks ago, I felt great; then everything just shifted, and my overall health has been declining since. I agree that we need to find out if this is actually the issue, because my dentist is 99% sure that's the cause. But who can you trust these days, huh? As for food, I shop at Walmart... 🙂 I haven't had any major illnesses, just sepsis and beta-hemolytic infections after giving birth, though those were supposedly successfully treated.🤷

Thanks to everyone for the input. I’ve lived right in the heart of Washington, D.C. my whole life... I don't wear any jewelry... so this whole thing feels pretty surreal to me. The only thing I do is dye my hair, which I've been doing for three years now, but I've never heard of anyone getting poisoned from that. Where can I actually take a hair sample for testing? Thanks!

Aspartame is actually in Orbit gum too... I decided to start a new thread because someone told me heavy metal poisoning is a thing, and apparently, hair loss is one of the symptoms. :S
Regarding those stray cats people talk about, I haven't really been in contact with them... The only thing I did was pull a kitten out of the road a few days ago, but my hair has been thinning for three weeks already.

Sam Hayes said:any kind of baby oil?

I’ve used Johnson & Johnson... Honestly, the only real difference is the color of the bottle and the scent.😁

...Has anyone actually dealt with this before? How is this even possible?
I went in for some dental X-rays because of my hair loss issues, and the scans show what looks like fillings everywhere, even though my teeth are perfectly healthy. My dentist suggested it might be a sign of heavy metal poisoning...😕
I’m completely lost here. What could possibly be causing this? I've been digging through Google, but I haven't found anything particularly reassuring...🙄
Thanks, everyone..

Jesse Wright13 said:Thanks, everyone. I think I'll give the baby oil a shot. 😁

It’ll probably come down to my growth spurt. I've never been this heavy before, and I've never had issues with cholesterol either. 🙂

So, you're looking at hitting the gym. What's the endgame here? You trying to pack on muscle mass overnight, or are you looking for that sudden drop on the scale?
Give it a shot. Baby oil is the real deal. 👍

Jesse Wright13 said:Look, I’ve got stretch marks all over my back and they aren't subtle. You guys know the look—it's a nightmare for most people. Now imagine being a guy dealing with that. Summer is right around the corner, beach season is coming, and I’m stuck staring at these marks on my back while everyone else is out there. Does anyone have any advice? Anything at all... please?

p.s. Not sure if I posted this in the right section, so feel free to move it if I messed up...

Just slather yourself in baby oil. Seriously. The trick is to apply it right after you get out of the shower while your skin is still soaking wet—don't even towel off first. It’s about prevention. I used it during my pregnancy and it worked wonders. My stretch marks completely faded away using nothing but basic baby oil. Don't waste your money on those overpriced boutique creams; they rarely do much. It all comes down to your skin type. Good luck!

Edward Sanchez72 said:There’s already a massive thread on this forum dedicated to alopecia, so if you haven't combed through it yet, I'd suggest you start there...
As a dentist, my advice is to get a full digital panoramic X-ray done with a practitioner who actually has the time and patience to look at the details. At least that way, you can rule out dental issues as a potential trigger and cross them off the list.

Found the thread, thanks a million... My teeth are perfect—never had a single cavity in my life—but I'll still get checked out just to be safe, since I know how much this matters. Thanks. 🙂

So, I just got back from the doctor. Diagnosis came back as alopecia areata. Now they've got me running in circles—sent me to my dentist, a dermatologist, and ordered a full battery of thyroid tests...

Michelle Ortiz said:This happened to me back when I was around 20, during my college years. I ended up with a bald patch—literally a circle $0.67—right on the top of my head. It eventually grew back, though it took its sweet time. It hasn’t happened again since. You should probably check in with a specialist just to be safe, but honestly, I don't think you need to panic.

My patches are actually larger than a $1.75 quarter 🙄
Thanks. Heh, I can see some regrowth already, but it's exactly like you said... moving at a snail's pace.

Daniel Doyle96 said:I’m actually dealing with this exact same thing with my daughter right now. You definitely need to see a dermatologist for a full workup. It could be alopecia—that localized hair loss—but it really depends on whether it's just the scalp or if you're dealing with some kind of dermatitis. If your skin is itchy in certain spots or feels incredibly dry, that changes things. We ended up getting prescribed specific creams, lotions, shampoos, maybe even specialized bath products... and let me tell you, those prescriptions aren't cheap. It all comes down to whether it's an allergy or just your body reacting to something internal. You need the testing to know for sure. Just get to a dermatologist and you'll figure it out.

Thanks so much! Yeah, my skin is pretty itchy, especially on my chest area. That's where I get those little red bumps, but usually only when it gets sweltering out or if I've been out in the sun too long. It might be dermatitis. I'm actually heading to my primary care doctor today to get a referral for a specialist. Man, I really hope my daughter's hair grows back as fast as mine did. 👍

Hey there,
I’m dealing with something that has me pretty rattled. About a week ago, I noticed these circular bald patches popping up in three different spots on my head. They aren't small, either. If I try to run my fingers around the edges, hair just comes away in my hand. 🙄 In one spot, it looks like there might be some regrowth starting, but it’s moving so incredibly slow that I can't even tell if it's actually happening or if it's just an illusion. 😢
I'm honestly a bit freaked out. I have no idea what kind of referral I should ask my primary care doctor for, or even what this could possibly be. I'm still quite young, so this whole thing feels completely out of left field.
Has anyone here gone through something similar or dealt with this before?
Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.