Posts by velvetmoose9

Start by sweeping those cobwebs off your ceiling.
Just grab some Raid or something.

Then again, you gotta consider that the spider is actually out there doing the dirty work—catching flies, mosquitoes, and all that other annoying buzzing crap.
Personally, I’d just weigh the cost and benefit of living alongside a spider for a bit.

Consider this thread closed for the Health & Wellness section.

Locked.

Chloe Lewis83 said:Kidney function looks fine, but what does CBC/diff mean? 😁
My doctor ordered some tests because they’re looking into possible Celiac disease (mostly due to this constant skin rash I get)
I've been naturally thin for as long as I can remember.
My appetite is actually great.
My bowel movements are pretty irregular, so I need to send in a sample.
As for activity, I used to be quite active in sports, but now I just go for an hour-long walk every day (hope that counts).
BMI? My mom is also on the thinner side, though it wasn't always like that for her.

CBC stands for a complete blood count.
Diff is the differential blood count.
Basically, certain types of anemia—what people usually call being "anemic"—often go hand-in-hand with Celiac, which is why they run a CBC/diff alongside everything else.

BMI is just your body mass index.

Your mom might want to look into getting tested too, just in case there's a suspected Celiac link there.

Once you wrap up this initial "routine" round, they'll probably refer you to a gastroenterologist or an internist for more digging. They'll likely suggest testing for specific antibodies that point toward Celiac, like anti-endomysial, anti-gliadin, or tissue transglutaminase antibodies, and they might suggest a GI workup—specifically a colonoscopy or maybe even an intestinal biopsy. Don't sweat it, though; the actual procedure is usually painless.

Keep us posted on how it all goes! 🙂

Chloe Lewis83 said:I'm in my early 20s and I only weigh about 88 pounds (which is way too light for my age), so my doctor thinks I might be dealing with some kind of food allergy and suggested I run these tests...
Thanks!

How are your thyroid levels looking?
Any word on iron?
What about a standard CBC?

Has anyone mentioned gluten intolerance or Celiac disease before?
Are we talking about your usual weight here, or did you experience some kind of weight loss—like, was it sudden or just a slow slide downward?
How's your appetite been lately?
Everything normal with your digestion/bowel movements?
What’s your activity level like?
And what about your family history—specifically the BMI of your immediate relatives, like your parents or siblings?

David Kern11 said:I have a question. My dad just had a head CT, and it says the medial structures are mediopositioned. What does that actually mean? Is it something dangerous?

Honestly, if you ask me, this sounds like totally normal stuff.
The radiologist on duty should be back in shortly, so they'll be able to give you a much more precise answer. 😉

Lisa James94 said:So, Friday night, I was probably getting nipped on my left hand while I was out gardening, though I didn't notice at the time. When I woke up the next morning, it felt like I’d taken a heavy hit right there—just a dull, nagging ache. Everything seemed totally fine during the day, pain completely vanished, but then once evening rolled around, it started swelling up. My hand is looking pretty puffy now. It doesn't itch or sting or anything, which is weird. Honestly, I have zero clue what could have bitten me, but I know for a fact it wasn't just some mosquito.

1. A spider
2. A hornet
3. ???

-The winter was pretty mild this year, so these little monsters have been multiplying like crazy and they're definitely loaded with venom

Get yourself to a doctor ASAP, and let us know how things turn out

Kenneth Ward21 said:Hey everyone, so I haven’t bitten my nails for about two weeks now—maybe even longer, really, because I don't even want to count the days since it kind of gives me that extra push to keep going. My hand still drifts toward my mouth every now and then, but I manage to catch myself before doing anything stupid, and so far, I haven't even managed to tear off a single nail, which feels like a win. Fingers crossed it stays that way. Now, whenever the urge hits, I get this weird, uncomfortable sensation in my fingertips, and honestly, the only thing that helps is washing my hands; it's like some sort of withdrawal symptom, haha. Anyway, even though I've stopped biting, I'm not seeing much actual progress with the nails themselves or the cuticles yet—my nails just look wide and the skin around them is pretty tight. For those of you who quit on your own without using fake nails or gels, when can I actually expect to see some real improvement or healing, and what does that process usually look like? I feel like knowing there's a light at the end of the tunnel would be a huge motivator for me to stay on track. Back when I was biting aggressively, the skin right above my nail used to bleed all the time, and now that they're growing back, there's this empty space under the tip of the nail 😢
I'd really appreciate it if someone could weigh in 🙂
it would definitely help keep me motivated 🙂)

You can usually expect to see some noticeable recovery in about 6 to 8 (maybe up to 12) weeks.
That makes sense, provided you actually stick to it and stay away from the biting (obviously).
Taking a decent quality B-complex vitamin and consistently using a good nourishing cream on your hands and nails will definitely speed things up and help the healing process along.

As long as you don't have any specific contraindications for either of those two meds, mixing them should be totally fine.
In fact, if things are really hitting you hard, you could stagger them—maybe take an Advil 400 mg, wait about two to four hours, then hit it with some Tylenol, and then another Advil 400 mg after another few hours.

But obviously, the big thing here is figuring out what's actually causing the fever in the first place.(Like, if you end up needing a round of antibiotics or something...)

Jeremy Hill said:Radiation was applied to the entire pituitary region due to a germinoma; the patient is 17 years old. They are currently on Decortin during the radiation process, gradually tapering down from 2 Decortin daily to lower doses. Along with the headaches, they are experiencing nausea, stomach pain, and abdominal cramps. Prior to the germinoma, there was a diagnosis of diabetes insipidus.

Regarding those stomach pains and cramps, it might actually make sense to look into an PPI—basically something meant to "shield" the stomach lining from being eaten away by its own acid. Something like pantoprazole (Controloc) could be worth a shot.
Maybe even some Reglan amp. i.v. as needed, or just the standard Reglan tbl 1,0,1.

Was there a recent brain CT scan, or maybe even an MRI?
Are they seeing any signs of edema?

The way I see it, it makes sense—provided there aren't any contraindications (since I don't have the full clinical picture, especially regarding how active the diabetes insipidus is or what the latest lab results are showing)—to consider using 20% mannitol, Fursemid amp. i.v., and maybe some potassium replacement if needed (like Kalinor tablets). But obviously, all of that is up to the medical team on the ground: the oncologist, the radiation therapist, the pediatric neurologist, the endocrinologist... the whole crew.

Jeremy Hill said:I’ve been undergoing Decortin therapy due to radiation exposure, and I’ve attempted to taper off twice now. Each time I try to break away from it, I'm hit with debilitating headaches and a host of other complications. Is it wiser to resume the treatment, or should I simply endure this discomfort, and if so, for how much longer?

Honestly, there's just too little info here for me to give you any kind of real analysis.

1. Which part of the body was being treated with radiation?
2. What’s the specific diagnosis or indication behind the radiation?
3. How old are we talking?
4. Any history of other health issues?
5. Besides the Decortin, what other regular or occasional meds have you been taking?
6. Aside from the headaches, what exactly are these "other difficulties" you mentioned?
7. What dose of Decortin were you on, and what did your daily schedule look like?

If there's actual edema involved—whether it's cytotoxic or post-radiation—it might make sense to look into different ways to manage the swelling, like maybe a mannitol IV infusion.

Linda Howard19 said:Hey there. Does anyone know what it means if my CA 19-9 marker comes back at 1576? The normal range is supposed to be 0 to 38. I also have two dermoid cysts on my ovaries that are about 5 cm. Thanks.

You really need to get your pancreas checked out—get an ultrasound and likely a CT scan too, depending on what the doctor thinks.

If we’re actually looking at a scaphoid fracture here, there’s a pretty high chance that you'll end up dealing with pseudoarthrosis—which is basically just a fancy way of saying a "false joint" forms where it shouldn't. If that happens, you're going to need to get in front of a really sharp, seasoned orthopedic surgeon to get things sorted out properly.

Look, just go get an EEG. Get a solid opinion from your primary care doctor first, then head in for the actual test after you've pulled a total all-nighter to make sure they catch everything.

Joshua Davis74 said:I've been on it for about four months now and honestly, it’s been a huge help for my F41 and F42 stuff. I haven't really run into any side effects personally, though my psychiatrist did mention I might deal with some nausea or headaches. It seems like that's just standard with pretty much any medication since they all hit certain parts of the brain, but I'd love to dig a little deeper into how exactly it works if anyone knows more.

It’s a pretty reliable med, super common for doctors to prescribe here in the States—they even give it to kids sometimes.
If you're feeling better, there's no reason to stop 😉
Just make sure you keep up with those regular check-ins with your primary care doctor and your psychiatrist, obviously.

wiredcanyon222 said:Hey there,

do they check for ID at the ER? I was thinking about just showing up using my friend's insurance card😁
would that even work?

thanks.

It might fly, or it might not.
Either way, you're looking at some serious legal trouble if you get caught, so honestly, just bring your own insurance card.

Signing off.

Anthony Davis72 said:I’d really appreciate it if someone who knows their stuff could weigh in on this:

Results from Nov 2013.

AST 23
ALT 47
ALP 191
GGT 102
bilirubin 15.0

Before these tests, I was having maybe 3 or 4 beers a month. Since then, I cut out alcohol entirely. I also ate quite a bit of
processed deli meats.

Results from Feb 2014

AST 28
ALT 63
ALP 158
GGT 101

I had a liver scan done because they thought there might be a hemangioma, but it turned out to be nothing.

Now I've been handed referrals for ANF, AMA, AGM, and LKM. Other symptoms—over the last 5 or 6 years, I've dealt with vitiligo and hair loss.Lately, my hands have started shaking too.

You should probably look into an ophthalmology exam (including a slit lamp test), checking ceruloplasmin, blood copper levels, and a 24-hour urine copper test, plus seeing an internist and a neurologist.
It's worth looking at hepatitis markers, too.
Of course, all of this is just me shooting in the dark based on pretty thin info.
Your primary care physician will definitely have a better handle on which specific tests you need and which specialists to send you to once they see the actual data.

restlessowl3 said:It seems like it’s the unknown, because even though it’s supposed to be anti-inflammatory, that just isn't working for her. Back when she was on the unknown, her muscles weren't acting up like this. We’ve tried everything from Advil to Tylenol, but once that pain starts hitting, there’s no stopping it for hours. Plus, she’s incredibly swollen—like, she’s just holding onto so much fluid. Is there any real shot her GP would prescribe morphine patches or maybe some pills to help get rid of all that water, considering her diagnosis?

The unknown can cause water retention, so sometimes doctors toss in a diuretic as needed, along with adjusting electrolytes if things get out of whack.
A quick clinical check—maybe forty-five seconds of looking things over—can actually give you some solid clues about whether there's significant fluid retention happening. Throw in some lab work, and you’ll have a better idea of what to prescribe to actually make the patient feel better.
Usually, an IV diuretic is your best bet here; if there’s any swelling in the intestinal walls (which happens more often than you'd think), oral diuretics aren't going to do much of anything.

I can't say for certain if the unknown is definitely the culprit behind all this, though, since I don't have the full clinical picture in front of me.

Brenda Barrett58 said:Hey there.

My husband’s been running a fever for maybe two or three hours at a time, and it’s already happened five times this month. He hits about 100 degrees, gets these intense chills, and then it just breaks on its own and he's fine again.
His doctor is honestly stumped and doesn't even know where to start looking. He had blood work done about three weeks ago and everything came back totally normal, so now she’s sent him back for more labs and wants a chest X-ray because he's been coughing for a while, even though she can't hear anything when she listens to his lungs.

Has anyone else dealt with something like this or seen something similar?

Which specific tests did they actually run, and what were the numbers looking like?

It might actually be worth trying to get a blood culture done right when the fever is spiking—like, right during those chills—to see if you can actually catch whatever bacterial bug is causing this whole mess.

Is he losing weight?
Feeling wiped out or extra tired?
Waking up drenched in sweat at night?
Any history of other health issues?
Does he smoke?

goldencyclist372 said:Urinalysis results:
Spec. Gravity: 1.030 (1.010-1.025)
Glucose, ketones, protein, urobilinogen, and bilirubin are all within normal limits.
Nitrites: 1(0)
Blood: 1 (0)
Sediment: 6-8 WBC. 5-10 epithelial cells. E. 5-7 dysmorphic cells. Lots of bacteria. Also some pus and mucus
.
I'd love to hear what you guys think. Thanks.

Well, there’s no clinical picture provided here—you know, things like actual symptoms, medical history, or what medications you're currently on...
But looking at these numbers, it really looks like a UTI.
There's also a chance the kidney might be involved.
The move would be to get a urine culture and sensitivity test done immediately, then start an antibiotic right after (based on whatever your primary care doctor thinks is best), and then maybe tweak the prescription once those sensitivity results actually come back.

Sarah Rodriguez68 said:I just went in for some routine bloodwork—I'm 32. I actually just dealt with chickenpox about two weeks ago.

Everything came back totally normal according to the lab standards, except for a few things:
Erythrocytes 5.18. Ref. Range 4.86-5.08

Glucose 4.0. Ref. Range 4.4-6.4
Sodium 136 Ref. range 137-146

And the thing that's really got me spiraling: urates 345 ref. range 134-337.

Can anyone help me make sense of this? What’s the deal with these urates? I’ve been deep-diving on Google and honestly, I'm just stressing out, but I don't have my follow-up appointment with my doctor until I get these other hormone results back.
Thanks in advance!

Those little deviations from the standard ranges aren't really anything to lose sleep over.
Since you were just fighting off a viral infection, it makes total sense to just run these tests again in about 6 to 8 weeks.
Just try to drink more water, unsweetened tea, or whatever else keeps you hydrated.