Posts by velvetmoose9

I can't believe I'm even bringing this up again, but honestly, some things just never change no matter how much we all pretend they do. I was sitting there at a local diner over in Chicago the other day—just nursing a lukewarm coffee and watching the rain hit the window—and it hit me all over again how much we tend to ignore the obvious stuff right under our noses. It’s like that one friend who always insists on taking the scenic route when you’re already running twenty minutes late for dinner; you know they’re going to get lost, you see the GPS screaming at them, but you just sit there and let it happen because arguing feels like too much work. We do that with so many things in life, don't we? Just nodding along while everything goes slightly off the rails because questioning the status quo feels exhausting. Anyway, I was thinking about what was said earlier, and it really just underscores that feeling of being stuck in a loop. It's funny, in a dark sort of way, how we keep expecting different results from the exact same set of circumstances. kaže:
Hey there! Just popping in to say hi since this is my first time hanging out on the forum.
So, I was thinking about that whole ordeal with the lumbar puncture—it’s such a nerve-wracking experience, isn't it? You’re just lying there, waiting for everything to settle down, and then the big question hits: how long am I actually going to be stuck in limbo waiting for those CSF results to come back? Honestly, it really depends on what the doctors are looking for, which is always the frustrating part. If they're just doing a routine check for basic stuff like glucose or protein levels, you might get an answer pretty quickly, maybe even within a few hours if you're lucky and at a major hospital like Mayo Clinic or Johns Hopkins. But if things get more complicated—like if they need to run cultures to check for infections or look for specific proteins—you could be staring at the ceiling for a couple of days while the lab does its thing. It’s a total waiting game, and the uncertainty is easily the worst part of the whole process. Just try to find some way to distract yourself; sitting there counting the minutes doesn't exactly help the anxiety.

It really just depends on what you're looking for, honestly. If you’re stuck in the ER or hanging out in the ICU, some of those quick tests can be turned around in an hour or two. But then again, other results can take a few days to trickle through—sometimes even longer if things get backed up. A lot of it comes down to the specific lab you're dealing with, too, like how much high-tech gear they actually have on hand. Honestly, your best bet is probably just asking the technician or whoever is running the test directly; they'll give you the real scoop on the turnaround time.

Chloe Gray5 said:So, about ten days ago, I ended up dealing with a bladder infection. It wasn't even one of those dramatic ones where you’re doubled over in pain or seeing blood every time you hit the bathroom—thankfully, nothing like that—it was just this constant, nagging need to run to the restroom every five minutes, which is honestly such a hassle when you're trying to get anything done. Anyway, I went ahead and got a urine test done, and it turns out I had... Enough is enough. So, I was looking over these lab results earlier, and it’s basically just a whole list of the usual suspects you see when things aren't quite right down there. You've got bacteria, some mucus, white blood cells, red blood cells, and those squamous epithelial cells—it’s just that standard mix of stuff that pops up in a urinalysis when your body is trying to tell you something is a little off. It's pretty typical, honestly, nothing too crazy, just the science side of dealing with a bit of an infection. I don't really have much to say about this one, just felt like throwing something out there to see if anyone was actually around. So, I just got my labs back from the clinic, and things are looking a little bit messy. They found calcium oxalate in there, which is always a fun surprise to deal with, plus the leukocyte esterase came back positive too. Not exactly the news you're hoping for when you're waiting around for results, but I guess that's just how it goes sometimes.
So, I’ve been on this little regimen for about a week now—just sipping on some Nolicin and pairing it with Uva Ursi tea every single day. After taking a quick three-day breather to let things settle, I finally went back in to get another urine test done to see if all that effort actually moved the needle.
Honestly, I don’t even feel the need to run to the bathroom nearly as much as I used to. It’s kind of wild, actually. I remember back in my college days, probably living in some cramped apartment in Chicago, I felt like I was constantly on a first-name basis with the local restroom. You know that feeling where you're just perpetually hunting for a stall? Yeah, that was me. But lately, things have just leveled out. Everything feels a lot more settled and steady, if that makes sense. It’s one of those small, quiet shifts in life that you don't really notice until you stop to think about it, but it's definitely there. I mean, honestly? I’m feeling pretty much just... normal. Nothing crazy, no massive highs or deep lows, just kind of cruising along at a steady baseline. It’s actually kind of a relief, if I'm being real.So, I was pretty much convinced that I didn't have any kind of inflammation going on, you know? Just feeling a bit off, but nothing crazy. Well, I finally went and picked up my lab results today, and here's what they actually say:
I don't really have much to say about this one, just some random thoughts floating around my head. So, I was looking over these lab results earlier—you know how it is, staring at those numbers until they start to blur—and honestly, everything looks pretty much textbook normal to me. It’s mostly just a few scattered bacteria and some mucus, plus maybe one to three epithelial cells floating around. As for the white blood cell count, it’s sitting right at zero to two, which is exactly where you want it to be according to the standard reference ranges. Nothing to lose sleep over here; it’s just baseline stuff.
So, I just got my latest results back and honestly, it’s looking way better. All those red blood cells, crystals, and epithelial cells? Poof. Gone. Pretty much wiped off the map. Now I'm just dealing with a tiny bit of bacteria, some mucus, and a few leftover epithelial cells here and there, but compared to where I was, it's a massive relief. Honestly, I just scaled everything back and now I’m not dealing with any of it. No drama, no headaches, just total peace.
So, I’m sitting here wondering if I actually need to go back on another round of antibiotics, or if I can just ride this out by chugging water like my life depends on it. It’s one of those weird situations where I don't even feel sick—I mean, I feel totally fine, honestly—but the lab results came back looking pretty sketchy. It's just one of those things where the paperwork says there's an issue even though my body is acting like everything is perfectly normal.

Look, I really don't have the bandwidth for the whole doctor shuffle right now—trekking to clinics, lugging around urine samples, all that jazz. If things actually start feeling sideways, obviously I’ll head in, but I’m mostly just asking so I can get some peace of mind and avoid wasting my life sitting in a waiting room for no reason. Last time I went, I spent two agonizing hours just to have my doctor tell me that even though there was some bacteria showing up on my culture, everything was perfectly fine and totally normal. It felt like such a massive waste of time.

I'm really hoping someone can find a spare minute to get back to me on this one. 🙂.

If you aren't actually feeling the struggle, then honestly, the whole thing is just a bunch of noise. Probably. All wrapped up and done. 😉
So, I was thinking about this whole bacteria thing—specifically that messy business with contamination and how easy it is to totally screw up the sampling process if you aren't paying attention. It’s one of those things where you think you’re being careful, but then you realize you’ve basically introduced more junk into the sample than what was actually there to begin with. It’s kind of like when I tried to make my own kombucha last summer in my kitchen in Seattle; I thought I was being all clinical and sterile, but I probably just ended up culturing a bunch of random airborne dust instead of actual probiotics because I wasn't as careful as I thought. Anyway, if you're looking for the right way to pull a sample without contaminating the whole batch, we should probably dive into the specifics of technique and gear.
I mean, honestly, it would be the decent thing to do—just give your doctor a quick ring, you know? Just pick up the phone, walk her through the test results, and give her the full rundown on how you’re actually feeling. At the end of the day, she’s genuinely worried about you, so why leave her hanging? 😉

Karen Booth36 said:So, I realize this thread title sounds pretty ridiculous, but I honestly don't know how else to frame this weird thing that’s been going on with me for the last few weeks... Basically, I’ve noticed these spots appearing on my butt (or my glutes, if we're being fancy 😁) that look kind of like bruises—not deep purple, just a lighter shade—and they make the skin feel way rougher when you run your hand over them . I also caught that the skin there tends to peel off quite easily ... They aren't huge or anything. They don't really hurt and they don't itch, but it feels super strange that they just popped up out of nowhere, so I was wondering if any of you have dealt with something similar? What could it be? Is it possible it's just because of the winter weather and my skin being extra dry lately? I usually deal with pretty dry skin, so I figured maybe that's it, though it feels a bit odd that would be the culprit... 😢 Thanks in advance!

It definitely makes sense to have your doctor take a look at it. Especially if you start seeing similar patches on places like your elbows, the back of your neck, or whatever. Stress—especially during finals week—can do some pretty wild things to your body, so it's probably best to get a professional opinion just to be safe...

Benjamin Ramirez3 said:My GGT is at 150, is it actually possible for a doctor to declare someone unfit for work just because of that? It’s for an auto body painter position, obviously.

That GGT level definitely points toward some potential liver issues, though we don't have the full picture—like if there's alcohol involved, certain medications, or something else going on.
Since an auto body painter is professionally exposed to various paints and solvents that can have a cumulative negative impact on the liver over time, things get complicated.
In plain English, it is entirely plausible that this GGT reading provides enough medical and legal grounds for a doctor to deny a fitness-for-duty certificate for that specific role.
This is just my two cents on the situation; occupational medicine isn't my field, and I don't know the ins and outs of the specific chemical cocktails used in auto painting shops and how they mess with your liver.
So, honestly, the best move is to talk directly to the physician—presumably an occupational specialist—who made the call based on those labs.
Also, it would be incredibly smart to figure out why that GGT is spiked in the first place, mostly for your own sake. Looking back at old lab results might help clear things up. Definitely plan on re-testing in a few weeks and following up with your doctor.

Harold Chavez3 said:So, I took one 600mg Advil at 5 AM... a second one around 10 AM... when can I take some Voltaren ER 100mg? 😁 Maybe around 6 PM?

Because this Advil isn't doing a damn thing... it's like I didn't even take it. I need something more serious... I don't have any of those other meds at home...

Did the toothache settle down? Did it just quit on its own, or did you have to lean on the Advil or Voltaren to get some relief?

Harold Chavez3 said:The emergency dentist just finished drilling out my tooth, but the pain is still absolutely relentless... I was given some Advil granules, but they aren't doing a damn thing for me. I took one packet around 10:00 AM today... would it be alright if I took a Voltaren ER now? It’s really the only thing that seems to touch this pain.

Oh, and I also started on the Clavulin...

Look, here's the deal. It isn't exactly smart to mix two different NSAIDs—like Voltaren and Advil—without waiting at least 8 hours between them. But, seeing as your tooth is basically getting wrecked and is probably pretty inflamed, the Advil might just be struggling to kick in properly. Give that Advil (I'm assuming it's the 600mg stuff) at least 4 hours to do its job; if it hasn't helped by then, as long as you aren't having any side effects, you can dissolve another packet. A healthy adult can take up to 2400mg of Advil in a 24-hour period (provided there aren't any medical reasons to avoid it, though you could always double-check with your doctor just to be safe), for short-term relief.
If you don't have any contraindications, you can actually take something like Lupocet or Tylenol alongside the Advil; they tend to work pretty well together.

Harold Chavez3 said:So how am I supposed to take 150mg then? The tablets I have are 100mg... I don't have any 50mg ones lying around... just these.

The pain is actually pretty mild right now... so it should be enough to handle it. My dentist told me I need to start on Clavulin, but I’ll have to drive out to a small town in USA to pick it up.🙂

Awesome, most important thing is that you survived. 😉
Honestly, I had a bit of a minor panic attack earlier—it was pretty late at night too—when I read about someone taking like four and a half Voltaren ER tablets. Even though two of those in less than 24 hours is already over the recommended dose, especially when you're mixing them with other stuff like Zaldiar or Excedrin in the same window. Anyway, Tyler James5 is totally right about the extended-release stuff; you generally shouldn't crack them open or break them unless the packaging specifically says you can, and usually, they'll have that little notch built in to make it easier if they're meant to be split.
Look, your dentist knows your mouth best, so definitely listen to them and get to that small town in USA as soon as you can (personally, I feel like Clavulin doesn't really kick in and make things better until about 48-72 hours later).
You should probably chat with your dentist or doctor about what to do if this happens again, because honestly, Voltaren ER feels like a weird choice for a toothache to me. Maybe Voltaren Fast Acting would be better (just stick to the recommended doses!) if you're just trying to kill a few hours until you can actually get into the clinic. A lot of times, you just have to go through the trial and error yourself to figure out which specific painkiller actually touches this kind of ache; for some people, it's Advil (Motrin, ibuprofen...)—which you can take a few times a day—while for others, Metamizole is the only thing that saves the day. But seriously, always check with your dentist or doctor before you start playing chemist. 😉

Harold Chavez3 said:Hey,

I’ve got this brutal toothache. I took one Zaldiar this morning—which, by the way, isn't even doing much—and then spent the day taking four half-doses of Voltaren ER. To top it all off, about thirty minutes ago, I popped an Excedrin because nothing else was touching the pain. Now, I have this nagging feeling that the whole cocktail is starting to hit me at once..

I'm feeling some pressure in my chest... my breathing feels a bit shallow, and there's this sharp, stabbing sensation on both the left and right sides of my stomach area. It's nothing catastrophic, just this heavy, oppressive weight hanging over me..

Was that a bad combination of meds? Should I be worried?

Taking this specific combination of drugs in such a short window is basically playing Russian roulette with your own health. It's incredibly reckless.
By taking 4 and a half Voltaren ER pills (assuming we're talking 100mg tablets), you've way exceeded the recommended daily dose of diclofenac. This kind of combo can do serious damage, so it makes total sense to check in with a doctor ASAP (usually the packaging lists the max daily dose, which I'm sure you saw).
And honestly, adding Nalgesin on top of everything else you've already swallowed today? You might as well call that a direct assault on your stomach, kidneys, and maybe even your heart and a few other vital systems.

Dennis Davis5 said:22 years old
I've been dealing with frequent urination lately. Here are my labs. I've already got an appointment lined up with a urologist to get things checked out properly.

URINALYSIS QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

Result Unit Reference Interval
Appearance Clear
Color Yellow
Bilirubin neg quant. neg
Urobilinogen norm. quant. norm
Ketones neg Quant. neg
Glucose Norm. Quant. Norm.
Protein neg Quant. Neg
Erythrocytes/Hemoglobin neg Quant. Neg
pH pH 5.0 Quant. 5.0 - 9.0
Nitrites neg Quant. Neg
Leukocytes/Leukocyte Esterase neg quant. Neg
Specific Gravity 1.030 quant 1.002 - 1.030

MICROSCOPIC SEDIMENT EXAMINATION
result unit Reference Interval
leukocytes 2 to 3 per HPF 0 - 2
mucus some per HPF neg
bacteria few per HPF neg

There isn't a whole lot of context here to go on. When did this actually start? Was it a sudden thing or just a slow creep of symptoms? Is the volume per trip normal, or are you going more or less than usual? Are you getting woken up at night needing to go? Is the stream steady or does it cut in and out? Do you get that annoying feeling like your bladder isn't quite empty after you're done? Any burning sensation? Did you notice ANY actual improvement after taking the Cephalexin? And how many days had passed since you finished the Cephalexin before you ran this urine test? Also, was there any unprotected sex (no condom) a few days before this all kicked off? Maybe caught a chill? If you press down right above your pubic bone, does it trigger an urge to pee? Has anyone done a prostate exam (DRE) yet? Have you had swabs taken from the urethra for Chlamydia, U. urealyitcum, or M. hominis? Any history of kidney stones? Did you run a fever along with all this? What were the specific symptoms or tests that led the doctor to prescribe the Cephalexin in the first place?
Plus, you've gotta consider all those other potential culprits that vividsailor7 mentioned.
DM-diabetes mellitus
By the way, usually, a primary care physician handles all this stuff, and they only really call in a specialist if they can't sort it out themselves.

So, what’s the deal when you’re tracking your blood pressure throughout the day? Is it spiking high or bottoming out? Any weird skin color shifts? And when those attacks actually hit, what does the reading look like then? I was wondering if the MRI showed anything funky with the pituitary or adrenal glands—like, did they look morphologically normal? Also, when the doctors were going over the adrenal results, did anyone happen to drop terms like "adrenal insufficiency" or "hypopituitarism," or was it just vague? Honestly, ASAP you really need to get in front of some internists. If they team up with an immunologist and an endocrinologist to look at your clinical symptoms alongside all these test results, they can actually figure out a game plan. That bit about feeling better after drinking sugar water is definitely useful intel to bring to the appointment—by the way, how many minutes does it usually take for you to feel a difference after you've had the sugar water?

So, looking at this, it seems like they haven't even run basic lab work yet—I mean, if we don't know the CPK or LDH levels, we're basically flying blind. I’m a little lost on what else was actually done; it doesn't look like even a standard chest X-ray was ordered, which feels pretty basic for a routine checkup, right? Are the thyroid levels looking okay? And from what I can gather, the adrenal hormones weren't checked either, since there wasn't any mention of things like Conn syndrome or hyperaldosteronism.
Basically, you need to get a serious diagnostic workup going ASAP, and you should hit up your primary care doctor right away. Have them figure out if they can handle the investigation themselves or if they need to refer you to a hospital for more intensive testing. Starting with some solid internal medicine would be smart, but honestly, it might be wise to pull in an infectious disease specialist too—those guys are absolute wizards—and definitely a neurologist as well.
One thing you definitely need to make sure you mention during your exams is that the muscle weakness hasn't been changing much over time, along with any history of autoimmune stuff, like being allergic to penicillin and things like that.
That bit about feeling better after switching to a gluten-free diet is actually a really interesting detail...
Also, you mentioned there was an infection right before all these symptoms started hitting.

If I’m reading you right, you generally feel okay when you first wake up, but things start sliding downhill as the day goes on—muscle weakness kicks in whenever you try to move, leaving you totally wiped out even from minimal effort (especially since you used to be pretty active), and you’re dropping weight despite eating just fine...
When the neurologist was checking you out, how did you hold up during these specific tests:
- staring at an "X" for as long as possible
- blinking your eyes rapidly over and over
- reading a passage from a book or counting up to 100
- walking up and down a flight of stairs a few times
Did you notice any weird shifts during those movements, and did they give you any injections? If so, did you notice any change after getting them?
Were your CPK and LDH levels looking normal on your blood work? Which tumor markers did they actually run? Also, if I understood correctly, there's no sign of anemia? Are your CRP and sedimentation levels within the normal range? And what about the peripheral blood smear? Has anyone looked closely at your chest via imaging—like checking the lungs for anything suspicious, or maybe even mentioned the thymus gland?

boldfalcon542 said:Symptoms: I get this mild nausea every now and then, usually within two hours after eating (though it's better since I went gluten-free and dairy-free). I also deal with occasional dizziness, intense muscle weakness that gets way worse if I do anything physical, visible muscle twitching under my skin in certain spots, tingling in my hands and feet, and I've been losing weight fast. Here’s what I’ve done so far: MRI of my abdomen and head, an MRI of my cervical spine to check the nerves (one of those specialized scans), a general neurological exam, full blood work—minus adrenal and male hormones—tumor markers for the pancreas were negative, stool tests for parasites were negative, a gastroscopy, and testing for H. pylori (which came back borderline positive, so I treated that in the meantime). Also had an echocardiogram, a celiac test, and a urine culture. Honestly, I’m at a total loss. For the most part, everything looks fine except for high cholesterol (around 240 mg/dL), that borderline H. pylori, potassium being right at the bottom edge of normal, and slightly low hematocrit. What should be my next move? Should I look into food allergies, see an ENT, a pulmonologist, or maybe test for Giardia? What could this actually be pointing toward? Could it just be anxiety, or is the muscle weakness too specific for that? Maybe EBV? I’m out of ideas. I’m seeing private doctors because I simply can't function like this anymore waiting for an appointment through my insurance provider a year from now. It’s somewhat manageable, but this muscle weakness and the weight loss are really starting to freak me out. Thanks so much for any help.

You've clearly gone through the ringer with testing, which is good.
I don't have any info on your medical history, age, or anything like that. Does anyone in your family deal with similar stuff? Did these symptoms hit you all at once like a freight train, or has it been a slow crawl over weeks, months, or years? Is there ever a window where you feel totally fine? How long has this whole situation been going on? Also, what do you do for a living—is it physically demanding, are you around chemicals, or is it a desk job?
Was the EMNG performed during those moments when the muscle weakness is at its absolute worst? Do you ever feel heart palpitations, like it's racing or skipping beats? If the EKG was clear, did you perhaps do a 24-hour Holter monitor? And does feeling cold play into any of this?
Have you done any glucose tolerance testing with insulin? Was the potassium level checked specifically when the muscle weakness was most intense? Any thought on a muscle biopsy? Is there a specific type of food that makes things significantly worse? How long does a "flare" of muscle weakness usually last? If I'm reading you right, these issues aren't happening immediately after every single meal, right?

Elizabeth Sanders24 said:Can someone walk me through this? My doctor ordered a full coagulation panel after I had two miscarriages, and these were the specific tests listed:

23211- P-Fibrinogen
28611- Activated partial thromboplastin time
28621- P- prothrombin time- INR
28695- P-Antithrombin III,...mg/L, ( P-AT III, Pt-n)

What exactly am I looking at here? Is there anything in these specific results that would point toward thrombophilia, or do I need to wait for the other tests my doctor hasn't ordered yet?

Thanks

So, things like Fibrinogen, aPTT, PT, and INR are basically just different ways of checking how your blood clotting system is functioning. They all need to stay within a certain range for everything to work smoothly. People often call this a "full coagulation panel," and it’s really just the first step in looking into potential thrombophilia issues. It's also pretty standard procedure if someone is prepping for surgery or dealing with stuff like heart attacks or strokes.
Antithrombin III, Protein C, Protein S, Factor V Leiden mutation, and Prothrombin II are what I'd call the "next level" tests. Those are the ones you actually run to see if there's an underlying genetic issue causing the clotting problems.

Amy James5 said:Can birth control pills cause high copper levels in my blood? I've been on them for about 11 years now (I'm 28). If they do, how long does it usually take for those numbers to get back "to normal" once you stop? My copper is at 31.6, while the ref range is 12.2 - 25.1.

Yeah some oral contraceptives can actually bump up your serum copper concentrations. It’s pretty tough to say for sure when things will settle back down to baseline, though. Honestly, your best bet is to sit down with your doctor or the gynecologist who handles your prescription—they're the ones with the full picture of your specific situation.

Grace Rodriguez10 said:When was this timely? I've seen four different ENT specialists over the last decade because of polyps, and not one of them ever mentioned that medication.

There's also laser and endoscopic surgery (FESS—Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery); an ENT should be able to tell you which route fits your situation. Recovery from FESS is usually faster since it's less invasive (you can even find videos on YouTube 😬). Theoretically, you could head home the same day or maybe the next. They pull the tampons five days post-op. Medicare covers this kind of procedure, though I'm not sure if every hospital offers it... they didn't always.
What makes you so certain there are herbal drops that would actually solve the problem?

About a year and a half ago, give or take.
The drug has actually been out there for maybe 15 years now.
I guess ENT specialists just look at the whole clinical picture and decide if something like montelukast is actually going to move the needle for a specific patient, so they probably figured it wouldn't make much of a difference in your case.

Grace Rodriguez10 said:What kind of surgery did you have? And how long was the recovery process... Did you find anything that actually helps with dust mite allergies?
As for me, I’ve gone through two surgeries myself—the last one was about six years ago. The polyps decided to make a comeback. I can breathe okay, I guess, but my sense of smell is pretty much gone. I also deal with dust mite and asthma allergies. I haven't found a miracle cure, but I've noticed some things help while others just don't...

amberorca29 said:Since I couldn't find a thread specifically about polyps—everyone just talks about sinuses—I figured I'd just start my own. Help me out here!
I know exactly what's going on with me: nasal polyps. About 10 years ago, I had surgery to clear out some polyps in my maxillary sinuses, and they fixed my deviated septum at the same time... which was great. I actually got to enjoy breathing normally for a few good years after that. But now? The polyps are back, and they've completely clogged up both nostrils. After doing some testing, I found out I'm allergic to dust mites and household dust. I've been using Flonase and Tafen, and they worked okay at first, but lately, they barely do anything at all. I even tried that homeopathic stuff, but honestly, it didn't help one bit.
So, what's changed in the last decade or so? Is there some kind of less painful—maybe faster—surgery out there? Or better yet, is there a spray or some drops that can actually make the polyps recede? Or if you want to get really optimistic... maybe a natural syrup, tea, or some old-school folk remedy that helps them disappear?

A while back—not sure what the standard protocol is these days—doctors used to prescribe Singulair (montelukast) for nasal polyps. It actually provided significant relief for quite a few people, and it's even indicated for treating what's known as aspirin-induced asthma. It might be worth checking in with an ENT specialist to see if that's something worth considering for your situation.

Amy Ramos3 said:So, I didn't sleep in my usual room last night, and I woke up this morning with a few more bites. Honestly, they feel just like mosquito bites. Usually, when a flea bites you, you feel that sting immediately, it itches for a couple of hours and then moves on, but these marks have been hanging around for three or four days now. My cat wasn't even in the room where I slept, though it’s possible we accidentally brought some fleas in on our clothes. Still, I can't help but suspect mosquitoes, mostly because they absolutely devour me all summer long, while nobody else in the house gets touched. It's just me getting eaten alive; my mom doesn't have a single bite on her.
Is it possible the mosquitoes just woke up now that it's getting so warm? 😕😕😕

It's definitely possible, since the mosquitoes have probably woken up too. Though, usually, if a mosquito gets you, it's a one-off thing—a single, larger, firmer, "itchier" bite compared to your standard summer mosquito. With mosquitoes, you can usually hear them or see them, and you can just swat them away or grab some Raid and be done with it in an hour or two. Fleas require a totally different approach. You could have easily carried them into rooms where the cat can't get to them; fleas aren't picky about who they host, whether it's a cat, a human, or a mouse. Once a mosquito has had its fill, it stays quiet for a while, but fleas tend to bite day after day. Maybe Google what a flea bite looks like; there are plenty of photos out there so you can compare. You clearly have "sweet" blood if they're targeting you that much.😍

melloworca6 said:Hmm, are you absolutely sure it's bites? Could it be an allergy to something like new fabric softener, laundry detergent, or maybe those pajamas...? I actually dealt with something similar once—I had two or three identical pairs of pajamas in different colors, and I'd wake up with these itchy spots on my arms and legs like I'd been attacked by bugs. It took me a while to realize nothing was actually biting me; I was just allergic to something in the fabric. Ever since I stopped wearing them, the problem vanished, but if I accidentally put them on just to try them on again 😁, the itch comes right back.
Maybe that's what's happening to you.

That happens all the time, even when you buy the exact same detergent or softener, just because they formulated it slightly differently for a different market...

Auklinac, seriously, wouldn't a local CVS pharmacist have cleared that up for you? 🙂
I mean, I can only imagine the itching was absolutely driving you crazy 🙄
For any of the ekipa out there who can't exactly lug their pet out for a vet visit whenever they feel like it, it might actually be worth tossing some repellent and maybe an antihistamine into the mix a day or two before the injection—and even a few days after—just to play it safe.

melloworca6 said:But that only lasts maybe two or three days. 🧐 Until they finally kick the bucket. 😁

So we're talking two or three days and maybe twenty or thirty stings. 😁