Posts by copperraven53

Not at Petrova anymore. You have to submit everything there; they aren't letting you bring stuff from home.

Lisa Nelson70 said:I sent a super nice request yesterday asking for a concert announcement from the Anne Hathaway foundation to be pinned on the forum—you know, visible at the top of every subforum. But nope. Nothing.

Typical people. We get announcements for fundraising for guys, forum parties, whatever... but nobody gives a damn about sick people. Is this just how you admins feel personally? I mean, am I even surprised? Honestly. Only Lady Gaga offered to write something in the Health subforum. And since I posted there myself, it basically went totally unnoticed. No comments, nothing. Everyone’s too busy arguing about who bought what or crying over cats or some other nonsense.

If there’s actually a legit reason why you can’t post this, maybe send me a PM? Just saying. Do you need permission from someone? Is there a fee or something? Because if so, I don't have one, obviously, like I said in my request.

Merry Christmas to everyone. Hope you all stay healthy in the New Year so you don't have to feel bad for others—and God forbid you actually end up helping them.

An admin was already sent a PM about your request yesterday regarding global notices. Please just be patient; in the meantime, the drive has been posted in the Health section.

I had a bone marrow aspiration once because I was dealing with meningitis, and honestly? It wasn't the nightmare everyone made it out to be. People kept trying to scare the life out of me, saying it was pure torture, but I don't know... it definitely hurts, but it wasn't unbearable. The biggest thing is just staying dead still—you can't move an inch if you want it to go smoothly. I'm not totally sure how much a puncture differs from a biopsy, but hopefully, yours isn't too bad. Just hang in there. 🙂

Rachel Ramos36 said:Just tell me, do you hand the referral in to be typed up, or is there some little bin or spot where they leave them? Since I have this habit of typing everything out, I want to know if I should just hold back if that's how it works... I'm just hoping we won't be waiting forever... THANKS!!!!!

Yeah, there’s a little shelf right by the door where you drop the referral off; you just leave it there and wait for them to call you. My guy waited maybe like half an hour. Then he went to go give a sample in the restroom—they actually have magazines in there too, in case he needs one. 😬

Rachel Ramos36 said:Can anyone help me out with some details? I need to know where to go for a spermogram at the hospital in Newark, where to hand in the referral, and basically what the whole procedure is when you bring in the sample. My husband went by himself two weeks ago, but he totally vanished from the crowd—especially since there were so many women in the waiting room. I'm just wondering if he even walked through the right doors... I've been trying to call the lab in Newark, but obviously, the line is busy... help...

So, once you pull into the hospital courtyard (not where the transfusion medicine lab is at the main building, but the actual courtyard of the Newark hospital), head left past the ramp. Bypass the main building, and you'll see another building off to the right—basically, it's tucked behind the main one. There are some small stairs; climb those and walk into the building, and the lab is right there straight ahead. That's where you turn in the paperwork. Just a heads up, they don't take samples brought in from home anymore; you have to hand over the referral first, wait to be called, and then provide the sample there. Also, it's probably best if you guys skip sex or anything else for 2-3 days before the test so the results are actually legit.

My drawing sucks, but hopefully this helps 😬

lonegull13 said:Every time you fill out this survey, we’re donating $1 to Debra, an organization supporting kids living with epidermolysis bullosa...

We really appreciate you taking a second to spare your time and that single dollar by hitting submit. All those funds go straight to "Debra," an association dedicated to helping people battling epidermolysis bullosa—basically, they focus on bringing people together to organize support for those facing rare diseases. It's all about raising awareness and building a community of folks who actually want to step up and help out, hopefully making things a little brighter during the holidays...

So, if you're feeling it, come hang out with us this Saturday, December 17th. No pressure or anything, but we'll be hanging around Grand Central Terminal in Washington, D.C., just looking to get a good group together and have some fun... you can also fill out the survey while you're there.

Important: To make sure that donation actually goes through to the email address you provided, you’ll get a confirmation email sent your way, and you absolutely have to click the LINK inside, otherwise the donation won't happen...

So I tried doing this survey a few times in a row, but every single time it just spits back an ''invalid code'' message at the end and wipes all my answers. Super helpful, I guess.🤷

Looking for a solid dermatologist in Chicago to do a full-body mole check.

Edit: Just called Klapan Clinic, they do the exam $192. Never even heard of them though, anyone know if they're actually any good?

Anyone here have experience with a decent clinic?

San Francisco
Addresses:

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
AIDS Clinic, 46 Vukovar Street Business Hours
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM
Telephone: 021/ 401 114; 021/ 401 154
Contact Person: Zoran Klišmanić, MD

Help Association, Mihovilov 1, San Francisco
Hours: Monday and Thursday, 3 PM to 5 PM
Telephone: 021/ 346 664

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You can get tested for HIV here, but I'm not really sure about anything else. Maybe just call the Department or this association directly and see if they do other tests too.

Thanks to everyone jumping into this thread 🙂 I know people hate talking about this stuff, but hey, might as well try to spread some awareness. 👍

So, the US is basically considered low-risk right now, but I honestly wonder if these numbers—like, around 700 people—actually tell the whole story. Those are just the folks who actually got tested, right? Who knows how many people have HIV and just haven't found out yet?

I mean, yeah, you can't exactly tell if someone is HIV positive just by looking at them.

Plus, I was chatting with a doctor recently, and they said that with the meds we have nowadays, living with HIV is pretty much normal. Most people wouldn't even suspect a thing.

Just a heads-up: on the Health subforum, selling, trading, or even giving away meds, supplements, or whatever else is strictly off-limits.

If you’ve got some extra pills sitting around and were thinking about selling or gifting them to someone, please don't post about it here.

Thanks, Maria Fisher46. Yeah, I mean, this shouldn't be some huge taboo, but it seems like people on here aren't exactly itching to talk about 😬. I guess I'm still hoping someone else might actually share their experience or, you know, give an opinion. 🙂

It’s World AIDS Day. Ever since the US started systematic HIV testing back in 1985, there have been 921 reported cases of HIV, with 345 people progressing to AIDS. Of those, 177 have passed away. Right now, about 744 people are living with HIV in America, including nine children. On average, we see over 50 new cases detected every year, which keeps the US in a relatively low-risk category. Most of those affected are men (about 85%), mostly through homosexual contact. Mandatory testing for voluntary blood donors was rolled out here in 1987.

Anyone ever actually gone for an HIV test? If not, why not? You think you're in a high-risk group or what?

So, I just got tested for HIV recently—part of the mandatory screening for IVF. I gotta admit (kind of embarrassing, honestly), I’d never actually tested before. I kept telling myself subconsciously that I wasn't "at risk," even though anyone sexually active really should just get checked.

I mean, I’m not exactly promiscuous and I’ve always used protection, except with one ex. Even though I trusted him, he’d had unprotected sex with other girls before me. I was young and stupid and just kept thinking, "he's probably fine." I took a totally unnecessary risk. I'm lucky everything turned out okay, but man, if life had played differently, things could've been bad. Also, I had surgery when I was a baby back in '82. Since blood donor testing didn't start until '87, that’s just another reason why getting tested is a smart move.

In the US, there are plenty of centers for anonymous and free HIV testing: Washington, D.C. (2), Indianapolis, Seattle, Miami, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Maui, San Diego, and New Orleans.

Is fear keeping you from getting tested?

(Note: this thread isn't about living with HIV; it's about pushing people to actually go get tested and ditch that "it won't happen to me" mindset)

granitecrane14 said:is it possible that chlamydia caused the baby to stop developing at 2 months pregnant?
🙄

Yeah, unfortunately, I think so.

"Genital chlamydia infections during pregnancy can cause some really serious issues. Depending on which studies you look at, somewhere between 2% and 35% of pregnant women deal with chlamydia, and these infections are definitely linked to bad pregnancy outcomes. When you're dealing with chlamydial cervicitis, things like miscarriage, preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes, placental or fetal infections, low birth weight, newborn death, postpartum endometritis, and even passing an infection to the baby during birth are all on the table."
(https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chlamydia/symptoms-causes/syc-20351627)

Well, I finally pulled the trigger and bought one too. Now can someone please get these ads off my screen? ☕

melloworca6 said:Look, it’s not like you have to pick up every single thing a woman carries, and she doesn't necessarily have to pick up everything from you either. Honestly, you guys tend to have it a bit easier than we do because certain things, like Candida, can be a lot harder for women to shake off.

The only way to know for sure is to get a swab. There's no other way around it. Unless, of course, you just want to start taking pills blindly.

As for the swab itself—some guys on here have already posted in different threads about how they do it, how much it hurts, all that stuff. From what I’ve read, the reality is a little awkward, but it doesn't actually hurt. You might feel a tiny bit of stinging later when you pee, but that passes quickly. It’s really not that big of a deal, so I don't get why you're so worked up over a simple swab. 🙂

edit: found the thread, give it a read: Urethral swab

Well, now that you sent him the link to that thread, he’s probably stuck there forever. He’s not going anywhere now. 😁

northernwolf15Look, despite some of the horror stories floating around this thread—which are honestly a massive exaggeration—there’s really no reason to be terrified of getting a swab. Yeah, it’s uncomfortable and it stings, but it’s definitely not the nightmare people make it out to be. My guy had a urethral swab done (they used four swabs) and he said sure, it hurts, but it’s totally manageable and over before you know it. You might deal with some minor stinging when you pee later that day, but that’s about it. I mean, getting a cavity filled sucks too, but you still show up to the dentist, right?

Sure, you can just wing it with antibiotics if you want, but how are you even gonna know if the bacteria actually cleared out? My advice? Just get a swab test done. If the results come back clean, then stick to using condoms with your girl until she’s fully cleared too.

Roger Morgan2 said:So, I just finished my ultrasound. Honestly, I can’t tell if everyone there is losing their minds or if that doctor genuinely has no clue what she’s doing. My ovaries and uterus look fine, though there is this tiny, clear spot inside my left ovary... but the doctor insists everything is perfectly normal. On top of all that, I ended up paying $33 at the clinic without even getting a formal receipt. Now I’m starting to wonder if she was just pressuring me to squeeze some extra cash out of me. When I asked about those pills she mentioned earlier, she acted like she had zero idea what I was talking about. Like, wtf? I’m just completely reeling right now...

Wait, so you went to a different gynecologist than your regular one?

Look, something definitely isn't right here. If your periods are irregular, sex hurts, you've got pelvic pain, and then a doctor feels something weird on your ovary... yeah, something is up. My advice? Go get a second opinion. Seriously, go find a private specialist and get another ultrasound. I know they aren't cheap, but if I were you, I’d do it in a heartbeat. I had the exact same thing happen once. One doctor told me there were absolutely no cysts, even though I told him another doctor found one and I was in pain. I didn't buy his story for a second. I trusted my gut, went for another ultrasound elsewhere, and boom—they confirmed the cyst and even gave me the printed images to prove it.

Bottom line: get another ultrasound, and make sure you do it during the first half of your cycle—ideally within the first 10 days. If that comes back "perfect" too (even though they should be looking at that tiny cyst the other lady mentioned), then you really need to check your hormone levels and head back to your primary OBGYN to figure this out. You gotta find the root cause of why you're feeling this way.

wearycobra48 said:here's what these liver test results seem to point to:

Hbs Ag - (negative)
anti HBs - (negative)
anti HBc + (positive)
HBe Ag - (negative)
anti HBe + (positive)

anti HCV - (negative)

liver tests look fine (ALT/AST), plus triglycerides, cholesterol, and bilirubin are all good

Those are basically Hepatitis markers. I'm definitely not a doctor, so I shouldn't be interpreting this, but here’s what I dug up online:

Interpreting HBV (Hepatitis B) Markers
HBsAg: shows if HBV is in the body; usually shows up about 6 weeks after infection and typically clears within three months. If it hangs around longer than 6 months, it suggests chronic infection.
Anti HBs: antibodies against HBsAg that show up later, roughly 3 months post-infection when HBsAg usually goes negative; they stay as a sign of recovery and immunity (either from catching the illness or getting vaccinated).
Anti-HBc: an indicator of acute infection. High IgM anti-HBc levels suggest acute viral hepatitis. Low IgG anti-HBc titers combined with anti-HBs mean there was an infection in the past. High IgG anti-HBc titers without anti-HBs—usually while HBsAg is still present—suggest a persistent viral infection.
HBeAg: indicates how much the virus is replicating (the replicative phase) and how infectious it is; if this lasts more than 10 weeks, there's a high chance it becomes chronic.
Anti-HBe: shows relatively low infectivity; seeing these antibodies usually means the person will likely recover. However, some anti-HBe positive patients still deal with severe chronic hepatitis if HBV-DNA is found in their serum despite being HBeAg negative. This happens because of mutations in the HBV structure ("precore mutants").
HBV-DNA: a super sensitive marker for viral replication.

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Definitely check in with your doctor so a pro can actually tell you what's going on.

Roger Morgan2, don't go all negative on me just yet. It's kind of pointless to assume the worst before you even get an UZV 😘. Maybe chill out?