Kate Collins67 said:Aren't you taking any calcium supplements?
D-dimer tests are one of those things where you always manage to trip yourself up because you don't actually know what you're trying to prove when you order them. In principle, it just means there’s some clotting happening somewhere in your body at the same time it’s breaking down, but if there aren't any actual clinical signs of a clot....
Generally speaking, hormonal contraceptives are linked to an increased risk of clotting, but I don't follow OB-GYN patients, so I don't usually bother looking at D-dimer levels unless someone shows up with swollen limbs or starts complaining about shortness of breath.
Thanks, I feel so much better after reading that.🙂 So what does it mean if there are no clinical signs of clots?? There aren't... uh... I am taking a calcium supplement—it's this medication called Rocatrol—which my endocrinologist prescribed. My gynecologist sent me for a full battery of tests because it was my first time seeing her; she wants to put in an IUD because of my age, my thyroid issues, and my heavy periods.. I got incredibly worried about that D-dimer test specifically because I absolutely understand nothing about it (which, honestly, is probably for the best since it's not my field🙄). I immediately started imagining blood clots traveling through my system.🙄. As for the calcium, I have no clue what to do since instead of rising, it just keeps dropping—I've received a few suggestions already, so I'll look into more testing. At least my hands and feet aren't tingling anymore. Or rather, I even went through a phase of losing feeling in my arms while sleeping—total paralysis.
I honestly don't even know where to begin with this mess... Let’s try to lay this out chronologically for those who might already know my history... 1. I don't have a thyroid—papillary carcinoma—and they managed to save two of my parathyroid glands during surgery about 8 years ago. Ionized calcium levels back in September were at 1.13 (when the minimum should be 1.18). Ionized calcium then dropped to one day at 1.09 after being on a 0.25 mg dose of Rocatrol for nine months.
2. For the last 8 years, I've been on birth control. There isn't a single person in my family with blood clotting issues. I'm a smoker. Well, I'm *trying* to quit. I haven't touched a cigarette in five days—so if you're looking for something to congratulate me on, there it is! And I've officially crossed the 35-year-old mark. I'm switching gynecologists, and my new doctor wants me to run some tests because of the contraceptive use, which led to these results: I want to highlight the values that came back a bit elevated (these tests were done while I was dealing with a minor viral infection): Platelets - 437 (normal range 158-424) White blood cell count - 12.4 (normal 3.4 - 9.7) P-PV (ratio) - 0.93 P-PV (INR) - 1.04
Now, here is the part that actually has me spiraling: Activated partial thromboplastin time - 24 (normal 25-38) Activated partial thromboplastin time - R - 0.76 (normal 0.8-1.2) Fibrinogen 2.99—that seems fine. D-dimer ELFA Vidas 3198 (normal is less than 500) What on earth does that test indicate? Of course, I've spent way too much time scouring the internet reading the absolute worst-case scenarios.🙂
Regarding my medications, I take Euthyrox, I take beta-glucan (could that possibly interfere with calcium absorption?), Rocatrol, and Velefax (half a 3.75 mg tablet), plus the birth control I am currently in the process of stopping.😕
Anyway, I have an appointment with the gynecologist this Wednesday to go over these blood results, but I am incredibly anxious. As for the calcium, I know I need to see an endocrinologist... Honestly, I'm terrified to even walk into the doctor's office at this point, wondering what else they're going to find wrong with me.😢
The specialist in Endocrinology was incredibly kind and gracious, even seeing me at the clinic today without a referral just because I gave them a call. In November, I have my full thyroid panel scheduled, along with an ultrasound and calcium checks, so if those results aren't looking right, I’ll be pushing for these extra tests. Actually, I'm going to wait and see how things play out—I just started taking Rocaltol today to see if my symptoms finally clear up. If they don't subside, I am heading straight back to her with this entire list of recommended tests in hand.🙂 Thanks for the input, everyone.
vividsailor7 said:I have absolutely no idea what "lowered" is even supposed to mean here. Regardless, you’re going to need to get a full workup done—check your Calcium, ionized Calcium, Phosphorus, PTH, and then run a 24-hour urine test for both Calcium and Phosphorus.
Here is the breakdown of the tests I actually had done: Serum Calcium: 2.41—looks fine to me. Serum Phosphorus: 0.99—also looks within the normal range. Ionized Calcium: 1.13, which is low since the minimum threshold is 1.18. The symptoms are hitting me hardest while I'm asleep—I am talking literal paralysis of my upper limbs. I only ever dealt with stuff like this when I was undergoing radioactive iodine therapy and spending those 30 days without hormone replacement beforehand, but even then, it was never quite this intense or debilitating... No one bothered to give me the results for the other specific markers, and honestly, I didn't even think to check my calcium levels over the last eight years, so now everyone from the specialists at the Endocrinology department to my primary doctor is acting completely baffled as to why I haven't tracked this sooner. Look, I am not a doctor, and it simply never crossed my mind. Maybe it’s my own fault, I suppose. 🤷 It feels incredibly humiliating to go back and demand these specific tests because they'll just assume I'm trying to play doctor with them, even though, frankly, nobody else has bothered to notice my parathyroid function is shot until now, when the symptoms have become impossible to ignore on a purely subjective level.
Apologies to the moderators—I already posted this over in the thyroid group, but I figured I’d jump in here too to ask: what exactly constitutes ionized calcium? My levels are running low, so I'm trying to wrap my head around it. I mentioned on the thyroid board that I've been dealing with these constant tingling sensations in my hands, and honestly, some mornings when I wake up, my arms feel completely numb, almost as if they don't even belong to me... To be clear, I don't actually have a thyroid, but I did have two parathyroid glands removed, though nobody has ever bothered to check my calcium levels because, frankly, it never even crossed my mind to ask.
Christian Richardson36 said:Here's my take—I wrote that her absence was justified. A mother has every right to be on leave, and that isn't the issue here. The real problem is that she showed up for her first day of work and immediately announced a meeting for the very next day. She knows full well that my child is new to this grade and this school, and that I don't have her contact information—unlike the parents of the other kids. And she surely knows that the principal has my contact info, if she was truly so desperate to see me specifically on Tuesday. On that same sheet with the contact triangle, she listed the meeting times as Monday afternoons and Wednesday mornings... fine, she probably mentioned that at a parent meeting—but what bothers me is the attitude. It's clearly based on the assumption that my child is her only student, or that I don't have any other responsibilities to juggle.
As for cooperating—on the first day of enrollment, the principal asked me for all my details, and as soon as she heard I work as a graphic designer, she immediately jumped in with, "Oh, well, then you can help us out with the school newsletter!" After receiving a letter like this from a staff member at the school, I am going to think very, very hard about whether I want to cooperate or if I can even trust the quality of what they do.
There isn't actually a legal mandate dictating when that first parent meeting has to happen; it’s just decided during the first school board meeting at the start of the year, before the students even show up. The only legal requirement is that they have to hold three or four parent meetings throughout the school year. There is an unwritten rule that these meetings get scheduled within the first week of classes, and honestly, that leaves a incredibly tight window to notify parents. Sure, the teacher might have been a bit tactless in how she handled it, but as a parent, please don't take it personally. If anything, this shows she actually cares about getting everyone on the same page. Don't go to war over a simple misunderstanding right out of the gate. Just head to the info session and tell them you couldn't make the first one, and leave it at that. Regarding that school newsletter thing... look, they shouldn't be begging for favors like that, but if they're actually doing the work, just tell them no and move on. I'm not sure if you're based in New York City or somewhere else, but the current financial situation for schools is absolute chaos, so I wouldn't be surprised if they're scrambling for resources everywhere. Schools obviously don't just fund themselves out of thin air. They might make a tiny bit if they rent out space, but most of their operating costs are covered by various government agencies that clearly don't have the budget, yet everyone just stays quiet about it...
I honestly feel like I’d be failing her as a parent if I didn't start preparing her for all the physical shifts coming her way. We’re even diving into the psychological side of things—mood swings, hormone surges, the whole spectrum. Just imagine the sheer panic if she had no idea what a period was and then suddenly dealt with it at school without a clue what was happening. It would be an absolute nightmare for her. I’ve actually considered reaching out to her teacher to see if I could just drop off a supply of pads to keep in the classroom, just in case of emergencies. I keep trying to dig through my own memories of puberty to find the right words, and I vividly remember those miserable gym classes where our chests were just starting to develop; everything was so tender that even a slight touch hurt, and running around was pure agony. I made sure to tell her exactly that. She needs to know. And in return, I'm getting a daughter who actually talks to me, someone who trusts me and genuinely wants to discuss these things.
Well, my daughter is nine now, and we’re facing the exact same situation. There are endless theories floating around about why this is all happening at such an early age. Is it the air? The water? The food? People blame everything under the sun. But honestly, things just are what they are. My main focus is simply helping her navigate this transition without any unnecessary trauma; I've already sat her down to explain everything about menstruation so she isn't caught off guard, even drawing diagrams and providing every resource I could to prepare her for this next stage of development. To get some actual clarity, I’m seeing an endocrinologist next month to get a definitive confirmation of where she stands in terms of puberty—they’ll be doing a bone age test via a wrist X-ray. That's how doctors determine exactly what stage a child is in. I’m genuinely curious to hear the official word, though, because given her hair growth and other physical signs, I have a pretty good idea of what the results will show. The one thing I can't pin down is when her period will actually start, and I suspect even a specialist won't be able to predict that.
Look, you need to decide to tackle your own issues first. That means finding a psychiatrist. Seriously, don't let pride get in the way. Why on earth would you choose to struggle through life when there's help available? Maybe it turns out you just need a prescription, or maybe some talk therapy will do the trick. Furthermore, most moms experience these exact same anxieties after having their first child. It’s a constant loop of "How am I going to manage?", "Am I actually cut out for this?", "What if I get sick—who's going to watch the baby?", and then an endless string of "what ifs" that just won't quit. That realization—that you are suddenly responsible for such a tiny, fragile little being—eventually kicks in and you find your footing. But before that happens, you absolutely have to prioritize helping yourself. Good luck. No shame in it.
At my daughter’s school, some folks from a prestigious institution like Berklee College of Music dropped by to run these hearing tests on the kids, supposedly to figure out who had the ear for music and whether they should focus on singing or an instrument. I mean, it is absolutely absurd that they decided to put the entire class through this testing process.😁 What a bunch of virtuosos we have here; I suppose they’re all planning to form a massive orchestra or a choir down the road. It actually gave me a bit of a shock to see my own child’s name pop up on their list—apparently, she passed the threshold or whatever, and now she’s officially on their radar. Honestly, I think it would be much more decent if they actually bothered to consult us parents first. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against music schools themselves. In fact, I can easily picture my little girl sitting at a piano, hammering away or singing her heart out. But the reality is, her interests lie much more in other forms of art and sports. I actually attended a music school myself during my studies, and I truly loved it. But clearly, I ended up being nothing more than a somewhat unrecognized talent.😢 And who knows, maybe today I could have been the next Taylor Swift, just perhaps a slightly older version.😁
Rachel Anderson36 said:Oh, sorry... just saw the reply. 🙄 Look, my own puberty was "extremely quiet" but pretty damn messy. I would spiral into these depressions—just all sorts of dark thoughts running through my head. It can probably be traced back to my middle school crowd. You know, those early pranks and stuff, uh. Thank God, it's all over now. We grew up, it's done. 🙂 Finally. Terrible times.
As for my sister... yeah, typical. Screaming, slamming doors, chaos, etc. 🙄
I don't see what's weird about that... puberty is basically a washing machine, and not everything is meant for parents to hear. 😁
We actually dealt with something remarkably similar with our son. Looking back at him now, it almost seems absurd how sensitive he used to be; he’d break down in tears just because he lost a round of Monopoly, totally devastated, only to be cracking up five minutes later. It was a constant cycle, really. But even at his lowest, he was never defiant or disrespectful. I still remember the sheer chills I got during my own teens when I’d hear the girl living in the apartment above us screaming profanities at her father—just absolute, unfiltered verbal abuse. How is a parent even supposed to handle that kind of confrontation? Trying to maintain your composure when someone is hurling insults at your mother is an uphill battle, though it looks like things have finally stabilized in their household. At least I don't have to deal with that noise anymore.
My mom always says she barely even noticed when I hit puberty, and honestly, I’m crossing my fingers that my daughter gets that same kind of smooth ride.😁 But, if I’m being realistic and looking for some sort of consolation, I’ve been watching this girl in the apartment above mine lately—she used to be the type who would just scream her head off at all hours—but she’s changed completely. I actually found myself commenting the other day that she carries herself like a professional woman now. Whatever happens, I’ll just pop a couple of sleeping pills and wait for it all to pass while I'm out cold.🤣
Rachel Anderson36 said:As for me, my own puberty hit right during that awkward transition from middle school to high school. By the time I was halfway through freshman year, I was pretty much over the worst of it—could say I was almost entirely "out" of that phase by 10th grade.
My sister is 11 now, and if I remember correctly, she was already showing the first signs a couple of years ago...
Here’s hoping our youth can offer some guidance🙂 What were those initial red flags you noticed? I have this nagging feeling that navigating puberty with boys is just easier at least based on my experience, because the neighbors upstairs have a teenage daughter and it is an absolute nightmare of constant screaming, doors slamming, and endless crying. We’ve all been there together as decent neighbors, dealing with the fallout😁
I’m genuinely curious, at what age did your kids actually hit puberty? Our son went through it incredibly early, right around sixth and seventh grade. It was manageable enough, I suppose—just a constant, unpredictable cycle of him bursting into tears one minute and laughing the next. It was quite a rollercoaster. Now, we’re just waiting on our nine-year-old daughter. I’ve noticed she’s started becoming a bit more self-conscious about her appearance lately, though I’m not quite ready to chalk that up to puberty just yet.
I need to get my kid in for a checkup and a cardiac ultrasound with a cardiologist (looking for a private specialist). If anyone here has gone personally or taken their child to one, please shoot me a DM—I’d love to hear about your experience and, more importantly, what the damage to my wallet will be. Ideally looking for someone in the NYC area. Thanks!
I’m honestly not even sure if anyone here is actually going to give me a straight answer... I’ve been on Cilest for seven years now. I have never, ever dealt with mid-cycle bleeding until this exact moment. I still had five pills left in my pack when this spotting started. Now I’m just sitting here wondering what the hell I’m supposed to do.🙂> It started this past Monday, and in a complete moment of panic, I just stopped taking them—which, looking back, was definitely not the smart move. 🙂> When am I supposed to start the next pack? Should I wait seven days from when the bleeding started, or should I just skip the whole month and wait for my next period? I am completely and utterly lost. Last winter, I tried taking a break from the pill, but then my cycle went totally haywire and I didn't get my period for three months until things finally stabilized. Honestly, I was convinced I was pregnant. My gynecologist is out on medical leave right now, and frankly, she’s a total disaster anyway. I had my liver function tests done about three months ago and everything came back perfectly fine.
Jessica Kelly4 said:Kids are lucky most teachers are pretty softies. I’d be tossing them out the window! 😁 Not exaggerating either—I work around educators all the time, so I know exactly what kind of losers they deal with.
Now I’m starting to wonder if you happen to be an English teacher, because that is precisely what he told those kids—and they’re only in second grade here in the States. It was pure luck that it happened at the very tail end of the school year, otherwise I would have certainly stepped in... because if this happens again, there’s going to be trouble.
If you aren't a professional educator, then frankly, that comment of yours is completely out of line. If you can't handle the reality of the American education system, then just move on... let's keep things serious.
Honestly, I find it pretty ridiculous that she didn't just sit down and have a real conversation with the kids about this. In my eyes, being "experienced" doesn't mean you get to be narrow-minded. Kids these days are arguably sharper than we ever were, but they still end up asking those same "clueless" questions that we adults deal with, so I don't see why there shouldn't be an open dialogue about it...🤷
I’m not pregnant right now, but looking back at my pregnancy nine years ago, my skin was an absolute disaster zone. I had these acne breakouts that felt more like open sores scattered all over my face and body; my skin turned incredibly oily, and despite having naturally thick hair, it thinned out significantly—it even got to the point where my long eyelashes actually fell out and grew back shorter. It sounds completely insane, but I swear it’s the truth.🙂 Once I finally gave birth, the struggle with those breakouts just wouldn't end, forcing me to choke down massive doses of antibiotics, and it took a solid six months before things finally settled down. And this is coming from someone who has always had skin as smooth as a baby's bottom...
Charles Hayes6 said:But her actual wish was just for an iPhone or maybe "even just" a laptop
That’s it? What a modest kid.🙄 Now that I’ve actually had a moment to sit back and process everything, I’m starting to realize that it isn't even remotely rude to turn down being a godparent—even after you've already said yes—when someone suddenly comes flying at you with gifts like that. Honestly, it’s a simple pivot; you thank them for the honor and then politely decline. Why on earth shouldn't you? I would personally walk away from it without feeling a single ounce of guilt, no questions asked.☕