Posts by velvetmoose9

swiftbear86 said:Alright, we can get started now. Honestly, you can just grab it without a prescription. No big deal. So, I was thinking about picking up some stuff under the Lopedium name, but man, there’s always that little hesitation, isn't there? You know how it goes—you see something you want, you check the details, and then you just sit there weighing all the pros and cons like it's some high-stakes decision. It's one of those things where you want to make sure everything is legit before you pull the trigger. Anyway, just mulling it over.😉

A little off-topic here, I know, but honestly? This isn’t exactly the brightest move from the regulators deciding what we can and can't grab off the shelf without a prescription—if we're talking specifically about Lopedium.
They really played it smart with how they worded that, didn't they? They’ve basically built in this clever little loophole where they can claim you're only supposed to take it for two days, unless your primary care physician in New York explicitly tells you otherwise. It's a pretty slick way to hedge their bets.

Spot on. Exactly what the author was getting at.
Whenever you find yourself traveling through those spots like Egypt or Tunis, you’ll notice the local guides always have their own little stash of remedies. They usually swear by these homegrown concoctions that they've been using forever, claiming they’re way more effective than anything you could actually pick up at a pharmacy back home.

If you can swing it, you really ought to go talk to an infectious disease specialist. They’re usually pretty seasoned when it comes to handling this kind of stuff—like if you were heading over to the Mayo Clinic or something, they deal with these specific scenarios all the time.
Look, I’m telling you right now—under no circumstances should you even think about touching Lopedium if you're dealing with what we talked about earlier. Seriously, just stay far away from it.I mean, who’s actually giving you a guarantee here? Like, how can anyone promise that this "beast" isn't just going to sit there if you don't "flush it out" through diarrhea? I can't help but wonder if it'll just stay trapped inside the intestinal lumen and eventually cause something serious like sepsis, or worse, end up nesting itself in your organs or something equally terrifying.

analogcanyon51 said:Hello.

My father was in a car accident 22 years ago. Either last year or earlier this year, they installed some screws in his hip to manage the pain. He went in for imaging this week. The doctor claims everything looks fine, but he’s in absolute agony and can barely walk.

Does anyone know why this is happening?😕

It doesn't actually say which imaging method they used to look at the hips—was it an X-ray, an MRI, or something else entirely?
You know, clinical pain can definitely radiate down into your hip, but that doesn't necessarily mean the issue is actually coming from the hip joint itself. It’s one of those tricky things where your body decides to throw you a curveball, making you think one thing is hurting when the real culprit is actually located somewhere else entirely.
So, anyway,
How long does the pain actually stick around? I mean, are we talking about that immediate post-op soreness right after the procedure, or is it more like that lingering ache you get after a rough session of physical therapy, or maybe something else entirely?
So, did the pain just hit you all of a sudden, or was it more of a slow, creeping thing that gradually started building up over time?
So, what kind of pain are we actually dealing with here? Is it that dull, nagging ache that just sits there, or more of a sharp, stabbing sensation?
So, when it comes to how the pain actually reacts to movement versus just sitting still—does it vanish completely when you stop moving, or does it just dial back a little bit?
So, I was wondering—when you're dealing with that specific med at that particular dose, how long does the relief actually last before the pain starts creeping back in? Or even more frustratingly, is there a point where you've tried basically every pill in the cabinet and nothing seems to touch it anymore? Which ones exactly are we talking about when they stop working?
So, is he running a fever?
So, just checking in—are the inflammation markers looking okay? I mean, how are the CRP, ESR, and white blood cell counts treating you?
So, how's that wound doing? Is it actually healing up properly now, or is there still some kind of discharge coming out of it?

Honestly, that’s just a handful of the questions I’m sure the attending physician went through with her... there's probably a whole mountain of them we haven't even heard about yet.

Laura Barnes said:I've been scrolling through some forums online and reading that even a regular viral thing can bump up your CRP levels. And apparently, if there's an actual infection going on, your white blood cell count might spike right along with the CRP too. Honestly, I'm totally lost here 😕

Generally speaking, you see elevated CRP when there's a bacterial infection involved—though obviously, bacteria aren't the only thing that can trigger a jump in those numbers. As for white blood cells, they don't always shoot up significantly right away; sometimes they actually lag behind the CRP spike... Biology isn't always as straightforward as 2+2=4 😁
Did you get a urinalysis done?
Clinically speaking, what kind of symptoms were you dealing with that led your doctor to order these tests in the first place?

Laura Barnes said:The kid's CBC looks totally normal, but their CRP is sitting at 24 (normal range is 0-8).
Is it actually possible to have some kind of inflammation going on even if the white cell count and everything else on the CBC looks fine?

Yeah, it is.

Paul Walker17 said:Hey, I've come down with athlete's foot... does anyone know the easiest way to clear this up? Also, how many different treatment options are actually out there?

First thing you gotta do—go see a regular doctor or a GP. You need to make sure it’s actually fungus and not something else going on with your skin before you start messing around with treatments.

Take all those shoes you’ve been wearing lately, toss them in the wash with some heavy-duty detergent, let them dry out completely in the sun, and then hit them with an antifungal spray—whatever your doctor suggests.
You really have to be persistent and patient with this. Stick to the cream they prescribe and don't skip days, because fungus is incredibly stubborn and loves to hang around (you're looking at 3-4 weeks, maybe even longer).
Since it's summer, try to wear open-toed shoes as much as possible to let things breathe.

That’s pretty much it to get started, hope that helps 😁

But again, that's only if it REALLY is fungus.

Angela Wright said:My body just couldn't hold out any longer, so I ended up in the ER this afternoon. Everything turned out fine, though—the little one was about 5 lbs and didn't need any extra help since she was fully developed. I'm still in the ICU while they work on getting my blood pressure back to normal, but I'll probably be moved to a regular room tonight. Honestly, thank God this part of the journey went okay. Thanks to everyone for all the love and support.

Huge congrats! 🙂

Wishing you the best.

nimblegull23 said:Carotid color Doppler:

Transcranial color Doppler ultrasound:
PSV ADV -20, AVS -20 cm/s

Conclusion: insufficient PSV values bilaterally.
Question regarding the cervical spine. Consult a physiatrist.

Can someone please weigh in on how dangerous this actually is?

I work at a computer all day, so obviously my neck is killing me—can a physiatrist actually help with these results?
thanks.

Look, if your physiatrist can walk you through the proper ergonomic setup—like how to position your monitor, how often you should be shifting your head position, what kind of quick stretches you need to do during your shift versus which ones you should tackle regularly during your downtime—then yeah, there’s definitely hope that things could improve quite a bit.
Of course, the catch is that you actually have to be disciplined and patient enough to stick to those changes.

As for the TCD, I can't really comment on that since I don't know the specifics of what symptoms you were dealing with.

Joshua Gomez54 said:So, over the last month, I’ve dropped seven pounds without even touching my diet or routine, which prompted my doctor to send me off for some thyroid panels—TSH and T4. Honestly, I feel totally fine and haven't had any issues, plus my abdominal and cardiac ultrasounds from three months ago came back perfectly clean. What I'm wondering is if it’s actually possible to lose weight just from being high-strung and stressed out all the time, since that's kind of my default mode just asking so I can stop stressing about it, because frankly, this isn't exactly at the top of my list of things to worry about right now.

Yeah.
Especially if those pounds were extra weight you didn't really need to begin with.

That said, definitely go ahead with whatever tests your doctor is ordering. It's better to be safe.
By the way, along with those, did they run a lipid panel, an electrolyte check, or your blood sugar?
Have you noticed yourself getting super thirsty or having to hit the bathroom more often than usual, even in the middle of the night?

granitecobra5 said:So, I just got back from the clinic. They put me on Klavocin, gave me some Claritin, and suggested sage tea for rinsing—mostly because my gums are still acting up and feeling pretty inflamed.

Roughly 48 to 72 hours after that first dose of antibiotics hits—assuming it's the standard 1g BID twice-a-day thing—you should start seeing some real improvement (though if it kicks in sooner, even better 🙂 ).
If you notice your lip starting to swell up more or if the pain starts ramping up—especially if it turns into that nasty throbbing kind of ache—you need to call your doctor immediately so they can check things out and decide if you need to pivot to something more "aggressive," like surgical intervention or whatever.

Nancy Morris90 said:Does anyone know a good private doctor here in Washington, D.C.? My sister has this lump growing on her neck and the pain is just getting worse by the day. She isn't covered by Medicare right now, so I’m looking to take her somewhere private first thing tomorrow morning.

Honestly, just head over to Johns Hopkins Hospital, specifically their ENT department.
The staff there is top-tier.
You'll end up paying out of pocket there just like you would at a private practice (probably even more than if you went through the clinic!), but hands down, it's the best ENT setup in the USA.

Angela Wright said:I’m holding steady, but I’m under pretty strict supervision right now. I’ve hit 32 weeks, and just yesterday I got word that if everything stays on this track, we’re looking at waiting until week 37 before heading in for a C-section. The doctors are worried things might not kick off naturally given all the risks that have piled up lately. Honestly, the most important thing is that the baby is doing great and growing perfectly, which is such a massive weight off my shoulders. Sending love to everyone from the Holy Spirit.

The part in bold is what really matters here. 😉
The crew over at the Holy Spirit is top-notch, so I've got a good feeling everything is going to work out fine. 🙂
Hang in there, stay strong. 🙂

granitecobra5 said:Maybe, once I actually felt the blood, I caught a glimpse of some tiny little crack in the mirror—kind of like when your lips get all chapped and split. I just wiped it away, and then it was gone. That’s really my only lead, since it happened on the upper part where everything is swollen now. I honestly can't tell if I picked up some random virus or bacteria, mostly because I didn't think I needed to disinfect anything at the time. And, I mean, I'm not ruling out the possibility that something bit me without me even noticing. I usually ride without a visor, anyway. I probably would've forgotten the whole thing if it hadn't started swelling up first thing this morning!

Yeah, mine swelled up quite a bit too, several hours after that whole bloody incident occurred. Probably about eight or nine hours later.

You can't totally rule out the possibility of a foreign object being stuck in there, which would definitely trigger an inflammatory response—that swelling you're seeing. Seriously, go see a doctor!

Larry Walker24 said:I've been dealing with this skin peeling under my right armpit for years now—it’s right under the hair, kind of circular, while the left side is totally fine.

Any thoughts on what might be going on? Thanks.

-Could be a fungal thing?
- Or just local irritation from your deodorant? I see people do this all the time where they spray their aerosol deodorant way too close to the skin, and that blast of propellant causes this little patch of irritation. Then, because you keep applying the same stuff to the spot, it never heals, and eventually, a fungus loves to move into that warm, damp, damaged tissue.
- Honestly, a dermatologist could figure this out in about ten seconds.

Go see your primary care doctor and have them suggest trying an over-the-counter antifungal cream, like Lotrimin, for maybe ten days or so.
If that doesn't clear things up, they'll probably run some actual tests to narrow down the diagnosis.

Kimberly Gonzalez7 said:Hey there, hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me out with something..
Is it actually possible for meningitis side effects to come back?

It’d definitely be easier to give you a real answer if I had a few more details here:
-How old is the patient? Were they treated for meningitis (do we know what caused it or what meds were used?) and what kind of lingering issues are we talking about?
-When did these changes start appearing—days, weeks, months ago?—and what seems to trigger them (stress, a recent bug, just being totally burnt out)?
-Are they currently on any medications?

granitecobra5 said:Hey there. 😁

So, just like the title says—my upper lip is totally swollen. It happened overnight. 🙂 Once I finish explaining what happened, I’m hoping someone might have some advice or maybe a similar experience to share...

The day before—so, yesterday—I was out mowing the lawn with a string trimmer. During a break, I noticed a tiny bit of blood on my upper lip and just wiped it off. I kept going, thinking pretty naively that maybe I’d just nicked myself or something hit me while I was working. 🙄 Nothing happened after that until about 4:00 AM this morning, when I felt this weird tightness. I looked in the mirror and saw the whole thing had swelled up. After that, I tried using an alcohol swab on the spot where I originally saw the blood, but the wound itself wasn't even visible anymore. Then I tried applying some frozen cherries to the area, but that didn't seem to do much either. 🙂 And yeah, it's still swollen. On the inside, I can still see two little red spots, but that's about it.

It’s just the entire upper part that's puffed up; nothing else seems affected. 😢 Anyway, if anyone has any thoughts or suggestions, I’d really appreciate it. I am definitely planning to head down to a CVS later today.

If it's swollen, warm to the touch, painful (especially if it's throbbing), or looking red or purple, you really ought to check in with a doctor. You need to rule out or confirm if there's some kind of inflammatory process going on (maybe a hematoma??) so you can get started on the right treatment promptly.
The upper lip is definitely not a place where you want any kind of infection or inflammation hanging around...

You didn't mention if you took a hit to the face or got bitten or anything...

Karen Hernandez said:I'm bringing this topic back up because I really need some advice, and preferably right now if anyone's around. 😁

So, basically, I tried out this brand-new hair dye last night—something I’d never used before and hadn't even tested out—and now my scalp is absolutely driving me crazy with itching. It's been itching since last night. 🙂
I don't have any open sores or those weird bumps people talk about in this thread, but man, it just itches!
To top it off, I don't even have any coconut oil on hand, which is what Patrick Young2 suggested. So what am I supposed to do? Any way to soothe this irritation??
I do have some almond oil, though... would that actually help at all?

I was thinking maybe taking an Aleve or some Claritin might work. 🤷

That's actually a pretty decent first thought.
Your best bet is to wash your hair with lukewarm water—you know, just somewhere in that middle ground where it isn't hot or cold—using a gentle baby shampoo.
If it doesn't settle down soon, you should probably just head to the doctor tomorrow.

goldensurfer11 said:Hey there,

I'm 18, and about two years ago while I was undergoing chemo for leukemia, I ended up in a coma for seven days. Physical therapy has helped me quite a bit since then, and I can handle the basics, but honestly, I just want to feel like my "normal" self again.
Right now, getting around is pretty rough because of pain in my right leg, and I’ve got some slight issues with the motor skills in my right hand. My doctors think it might be due to tendon damage—they say those tendons basically need to "wake up"—so I'm constantly spiraling, wondering if this is serious, if it's permanent, and how much longer this is going to drag on. 😢 I'm guessing it's a long road ahead. I know younger people tend to bounce back faster, but I'm terrified that my recovery won't actually work out...
I'm trying my best to stay positive, but man, after everything I've been through, it's just so hard.
My head is just spinning with questions.
The doctors tell me there's a chance for more progress, but I don't really know how much weight to give that.
I posted on this forum once when things were much worse, but I didn't get any replies, so I figured I'd try again now that I'm feeling a little better.
I'd really love to get some answers or just a bit of support this time. 🙂
So, if anyone here has gone through something similar or knows someone who has, could you please let me know if a full physical recovery after a coma is actually possible? Or maybe just share a story that's close to mine; it would mean the world to me and help ease my mind, since I don't personally know anyone else who's dealt with this. My biggest dream is just to push through all of this and be healthy and happy again. 🙂

You definitely need an objective evaluation from the medical team involved in your care—you know, the whole crew like your physiatrist, neurologist, orthopedic surgeon, and physical therapist.

And once you get that formal assessment and those specific recommendations or instructions for active rehab, here's the thing: how much your own patience, steady focus, persistence, and sheer dedication to the goal can actually bump up that prognosis or assessment, whatever it may be, by a few degrees or a certain percentage.

Think of rehabilitation as a PERMANENT process—something dynamic rather than static—rather than just a temporary fix.

So, stay brave, stay persistent, and just hang in there. 😉

Douglas Hernandez63 said:So, about three days ago I used an epilator on my chest and ever since, everything’s been super inflamed. It's covered in these red spots that just won't budge, and some of them even look like little welts or bruises. Does anyone know what I should slather on this to calm down the redness and the reaction? Thanks🙂

Honestly, your best bet is to head over to your doctor tomorrow. They can take a quick look and tell you exactly what kind of topical stuff you need and how long to use it—whether it's something like Bacitracin, a triple antibiotic cream like Polysporin, or maybe just a basic honey-based ointment for skin irritation or something else entirely.

Next time you decide to tackle this, try disinfecting the area first. Then, immediately after you're done, hit it with a gentle aftershave balm or a soothing gel (do that two or three times in a row) to help prevent this whole mess from happening again.

Or, you know, just stop epilating altogether...

Angela Wright said:Hey everyone, I’ve been reading through your posts, but things have taken a pretty scary turn with my health lately. It looks like I’ll be spending at least five weeks in the hospital, so typing everything out on my phone is getting to be a real struggle. Hang in there, everybody.

Just take care of yourself and stay strong. 😉
And please, check in with us whenever you can to let us know how you're doing...

Sean Parker8 said:Excuse me, I’m not entirely sure if this topic has been brought up before—and please bear with me if it has—but I could really use some insight here. Last night, things took a turn for the worse. I’d been dealing with a nasty cold for several days leading up to it, which I assumed was just a standard bug, though it seems to have cleared up... mostly. I had a fever hit 101.6°F about four or five days ago, and while my nose finally stopped acting up, something else kicked in. Suddenly, there was this intense pressure building up in my left temple—just a massive, throbbing ache—and everything went dark. My vision blurred, the dizziness hit, and I actually had to sit down because I genuinely thought I was a goner for a second there. To make matters even more unsettling, my left leg started tingling later on. I eventually managed to steady myself using some cold compresses, and my blood pressure and oxygen levels seem to be perfectly fine.

So, here we are, day two. It’s currently underway, and last night the sensation returned—this overwhelming pressure throughout my entire head. It’s hard to describe, really; it’s like something is physically squeezing my skull. There's that sharp pain in the left temple again, and I feel incredibly hot, like I'm burning up. It subsides for a moment, then strikes again. Does anyone have any idea what might be going on? Please, I'm only 20 years old...

Get to the ERright now, seriously.
You definitely need to see a neurologist ASAP, too.