vividsailor7 said:It all sounds like a disorganized mess, yet there isn't anything concrete being said here. What I can say is that they really need to perform a blood culture and administer the appropriate antibiotic based on the ABG results.
How am I supposed to provide any coherent insight without seeing the actual lab reports? All I have to go on are the details I receive over the phone. To give you some context, her initial diagnosis for the two-week hospital stay was rheumatoid arthritis. She originally came in after falling out of bed; she couldn't get back up because of excruciating joint pain and massive swelling. Given her fragile bone density and the fact that she has an artificial hip, she took quite a hit from the fall. They kept her hospitalized because she had a major hematoma from the impact and simply wasn't mobile. After spending a week in the hospital, just a couple of days before they were planning to discharge her overnight, her condition took a turn for the worse. She developed a fever, and while I don't have the labs right in front of me, I know they identified anemia, elevated ESR, and high white blood cell counts—those were the most significant abnormalities. Her urinalysis showed bacteria, her kidneys were starting to fail, and she developed pneumonia. Because she started losing consciousness and became unable to speak, they rushed her to neurology, where they diagnosed cerebral ischemia. They had to insert a catheter due to kidney failure, and she’s now starting antibiotic therapy and receiving a transfusion. According to the doctors, everything is a complication of the RA. They're struggling to stabilize her kidney function, lungs, and general circulation because nothing seems to be working; as soon as one infection is treated, another emerges. It's a critical situation, and now we're just waiting to see if her kidney function recovers and what happens with her circulation. Physical therapists come by every day to massage her, and she had been exercising daily until then, but since she's been lying still for two weeks, she's developed pressure sores. She started talking again today and is becoming aware of her surroundings, though the doctor says it's too early to tell if that means anything significant. 🤷
Angela Wright said:Sarah Wells23, unfortunately, antibiotics and waiting are the only paths forward here. If there's no response, sepsis is the next hurdle... let's try to stay positive, though; sometimes older folks just need a bit more time to fight.
By the time she was admitted to the hospital, she was already teetering on the edge of sepsis. Things have stabilized slightly since then, but she’s fading; she’s incredibly weak, and we haven't been able to stabilize her blood counts even with transfusions. I am trying my best to stay optimistic, especially since this caught us completely off guard. Everything seemed fine just the day before she went in—she felt okay—and then suddenly she just stiffened up overnight (we're still trying to piece together exactly what happened, but now even she can't tell us anymore), and then this whole situation unfolded. The doctor mentioned that because the RA has progressed so much over the years without effective treatment (or rather, with the wrong therapy), this is somewhat of a common scenario. Once the bone issues settle, the blood work starts to decline, and these stubborn infections take hold... at this point, all we can really do is wait. The situation remains largely the same, though her fever has finally broken.
I’m posting here even though this is technically an RA thread, mostly because I don't want to scare anyone on a different board with a post that isn't exactly uplifting. My apologies if this is the wrong place to vent. We're talking about a 79-year-old woman who just started proper therapy for her RA after living with the diagnosis for years—years that were spent mostly in and out of hospitals. Now that she's immobile, they finally started the right treatment, but we've hit some major roadblocks: she has three types of bacteria in her kidneys (which I assume is linked to the RA?) and pneumonia. Despite the medication, her fever won't break. The doctors are being pretty tight-lipped, so all I know for sure is that there's systemic inflammation, which suggests the arthritis is spiraling out of control. She's receiving transfusions, but her bloodwork isn't improving, the antibiotics aren't working, and the infections just won't budge. They told us we have to wait a few days to see how her body reacts, but since her veins are shot, their options for IV access are incredibly limited. To put it bluntly, if this current round of treatment fails, we might be looking at the end... Because I'm pregnant 🙂, I'm not allowed to stay at the hospital to get more details. Is waiting really our only option? It's been two weeks of no progress—actually, things are getting worse—while the treatment remains exactly the same. I realize the old, untreated state of her condition plays a huge role and her body is essentially shutting down, but is there truly nothing else that can change this outcome? This waiting period is honestly the hardest thing in the world.
It’s honestly exhausting how people act like getting a C-section is some mystical, life-changing journey, almost as if they're describing a trip to a luxury spa. I'm not looking for anyone to lecture me because this is my choice to make, but isn't it concerning how often complications or long-term health issues arise from surgical births? 🙄 Then there are those who claim women who give birth naturally bond better because they "earned" it through struggle. Honestly, I don't know about you, but I'm about two seconds away from losing my cool with people making comments like that. 🤷
Why is it that every time I post a negative thought about being pregnant, people jump down my throat and call me horrible or disgusting? Sure, bringing a new life into this world is a miracle, but am I really not allowed to complain when my heart is racing, I’m constantly nauseous, or I'm craving ice cream only to feel sick immediately after eating it? Apparently, if I'm not absolutely loving every second of this, I'm just being ungrateful, right? Honestly, if I felt this way without being pregnant, I’d be at the ER demanding a checkup and asking them to keep me overnight until my hormones settled down. But because I'm expecting, I'm just supposed to grit my teeth and deal with it because "all women go through this" and we're all just naturally brave martyrs by design.🙄 It’s so frustrating because everyone around me seems to be in a state of pure euphoria, while I’m actually terrified and spiraling about whether I can even survive labor. Every time I try to express my anxiety, the responses are always the same: "Don't get stressed, the baby will feel it," "It'll be fine" (my absolute favorite), or people starting to throw religious platitudes at me. What, am I expecting a guardian angel or the Virgin Mary to step in and give birth for me instead?🙄
Donna Johnson16 said:If that's the only thing you've noticed, 🙂 there’s really no need to worry—just keep an eye out for any swelling in your hands or feet.
What you're seeing on your palms is just your blood showing through more clearly than usual. They can look dark, red, or even blue. There is plenty of info about this online if you want to look it up, maybe check out http://mojabeba.motion-forum.net/t18...ene-u-trudnoai
The issue is that whenever I searched Google, I mostly found those Q&A sites that immediately tell you to head to the ER, mentioning things like heart disease or collapsed lungs. 😲 Honestly, I nearly died just from reading all that! 😢 Unfortunately, I couldn't find this specific site anywhere; if I had, I wouldn't have started this thread. Yes, that was the only change (it didn't last long), and I haven't had any swelling—I've truly never seen anything like it. If I had thought of it sooner, I would have taken a photo and probably scared everyone half to death with it! Thank you so much for the reply! 🙏
(I noticed some other threads discussing numbness or tingling, but since I'm not experiencing that, I figured I'd start a fresh topic here. I hope that's alright!)
Today, right after getting out of the shower, I looked down and realized the palms of my hands had turned completely blue. For a second, I actually thought my towel had bled dye onto my skin, but I checked several times and that definitely wasn't it. The discoloration was so intense that all my veins and capillaries became visible—things I usually can't see because my palms are normally quite pale. Honestly, I was pretty spooked 😲 because I know that blue fingers can sometimes be a sign of something serious. I wasn't paying much attention to my fingertips at the moment, so I can't say if they were just as blue; I was honestly mesmerized by how much my palms had changed. The water in the shower was quite hot, while the air in the bathroom felt a bit chilly. Aside from my palms, there was no discoloration on my face, lips, or any other part of my body. I didn't feel any pain or tingling either. The blue tint lasted for a few minutes, and then, almost before my eyes, the color started fading back to normal. I am currently 16 weeks pregnant. My blood pressure tends to run a little low, and I don't have any underlying medical conditions or major circulation issues. However, I do deal with spinal issues. I also frequently experience shortness of breath and heart palpitations, which settle down once I take a sedative. I definitely plan to bring this up at my next prenatal appointment, but would anyone happen to know if this is something serious that warrants immediate extra testing, or is it something I shouldn't worry too much about?
vividsailor7 said:ABT is appropriate. There’s no need to treat a partner for urinary tract infections. If there's a bacterium present that is sensitive to cefuroxime, then of course it will work.
Thank you so much for the response! My doctor actually suggested I stay on it for seven days instead of five just to be absolutely sure the bacteria is gone. And guess what? For the first time in forever, I didn't notice that unpleasant smell in my urine this morning!🙂
vividsailor7 said:Since we're talking about pregnancy, I wouldn't opt for antibiotic therapy unless there’s a more severe issue, like a high fever, dehydration, or general physical distress (in which case, amoxicillin or cephalosporins would be used). Go ahead with the USA tests.
Please forgive me for asking here again, but if you don't mind answering—my USA results just came back, showing E. coli at 10/5, and I've been prescribed Novocef for five days. In this situation, can antibiotics help if the bacteria is only present on the cervix? I had swabs done previously when my urine was fine, but now my OBGYN hasn't mentioned any new swabs or tests. I also asked if my partner should get tested so he doesn't pass it back to me, but he thinks he doesn't need to since he isn't experiencing any symptoms. Since I haven't had any symptoms either, yet the bacteria was still found, what do you think?🙂
I was actually going to say the exact same thing about riding the subway, 🙂 copperheron20. I always make sure to give up my seat for seniors or pregnant women, though I’ll skip the ladies who look healthier than me if they act entitled 😳—but honestly, if I'm dealing with debilitating cramps, there's just no way I'm standing up, or I might actually pass out. Not to mention the time I headed back to class just two days after getting my leg out of a cast; everything was still swollen and aching, and I was hobbling around on crutches for a month afterward. I ended up getting absolutely chewed out by some woman whose friend was sitting in a priority seat without actually needing it—she just wanted to sit down so they could gossip, and she decided to take her frustration out on me instead. 😠
Is there anything more timeless than a classic? Roger Rodriguez says: Roger Rodriguez, have you ever tried Disney? I know most people can't stand the taste, but you eventually get used to it. It actually worked wonders for my nausea and heartburn back in the day. Luckily, I haven't had any issues for a few weeks now—knock on wood! I completely understand where you're coming from; I was also navigating my college years during my first pregnancy. That academic pressure, combined with all those overwhelming questions you mentioned in your initial post, only serves to amplify the typical discomforts of pregnancy. Perhaps if you could just take a breath and try to live one day at a time—focusing on one midterm at a time? I ended up taking a year off when I had my baby, but once I returned, I finished my degree without any issues. Why not just slow down and take things as they come? 🙂
I’m honestly getting so frustrated with this night sweating. It was there right at the beginning—actually one of my first signs along with tender breasts—but now it’s back and I am sweating like crazy. It’s even worse when it mixes with the discharge from my nipples. Is anyone else dealing with this? Do I wake up feeling damp and sticky? (Now I sound like some kind of pervert...) 😬
Now that is what I call delicious. Wouldn't you agree? 🤣🤣 I’m such a huge fan of Disney; I honestly reach for it more often than plain sparkling water. I drink it even when I’m not particularly thirsty! However, I had a bit of a scare recently when I experienced some light spotting during my sixth week of pregnancy. Since I’ve been drinking Disney constantly, I read somewhere that it can increase blood flow to the uterus, and I immediately panicked, wondering if it was the reason for the bleeding. Could that actually be the case? 😁 I’ve hit a total mental block with it; now, every time I take a sip, I just feel nauseous. Is it even worth trying again? 🙂 I have some candied ginger on hand, but then there are those awful ginger jelly candies. When things start feeling heavy, I’ll drink the thick stuff just to get some relief, even if the taste is absolutely revolting. Is it really worth enduring such a nasty flavor just to feel better?
gentleviper8 said:So, I got blindsided by questions again today... "How are you feeling?" "How much longer do you have left?" And of course, the big one: "How many pounds have you put on?" When I told them I’ve gained about 22 lbs (31 weeks in), the response was—I KID YOU NOT—"Oh, so just another 15 or 20 and you'll be right on track!" I honestly don't get it. Do people seriously think there's some universal rulebook stating exactly how much weight a woman is supposed to gain during pregnancy? Or that there's a magic number we all have to hit? Apparently, they think I’m aiming to finish this pregnancy 55 lbs heavier than when I started! Look, I totally get that for some people, the only thing that matters is that the baby is healthy. And yeah, obviously, that’s true. But for the love of God, give it a rest and back off a little. Anyway, that's my rant for the day.......
When you consider the health complications that can arise from excessive weight gain, it becomes clear that staying within a healthy range isn't just about aesthetics. A close friend of mine gained over 50 pounds during her pregnancy; by the third trimester, she could barely move, and the baby was actually overweight. On top of that, she dealt with gestational diabetes and all sorts of other issues because she simply refused to make any dietary changes. Isn't it true that some choices carry much heavier consequences than we realize? Don't sweat it too much; you haven't gained an unreasonable amount of weight, and you're clearly doing everything right for the baby.
I can't seem to sleep during the day; I just lie there feeling completely drained, but sleep refuses to come 😠 I finally drifted off right before dawn and completely slept through my alarm, missing my midterm 😍 It was the only exam I had on the schedule for the last few weeks, and while I usually wake up at 6:00 AM, today I didn't open my eyes until 8:00—right when I was supposed to be sitting in class 😍 It’s unbelievable, isn't it? 🤣 Honestly, I don't feel too bad yet, but the worst part is when this feeling lingers all day long. If I could actually sleep, I could probably handle it, but instead, I'm wide awake for 20 hours a day dealing with constant nausea 😠 Once this nausea finally lets up, I'm heading straight for a gyro (though I'm not even sure if I'll be able to stomach it 🤔 but I just want to smell it!) and then some pizza, followed by zucchini lasagna. Then, I'll hit up Baskin-Robbins for the best ice cream out there, and eventually, someone will have to drive me to go empty my tank. Basically, I plan on making up those four pounds I lost in a single day, because I have never been this hungry in my entire life 🤣
Nathan Lee said:Oh, honey, pregnancy only looks wonderful in the commercials. In those ads, the babies are always cute and smelling sweet, but in reality, they just burp, fart, and smell.🙂 ) From what I've heard, hormones can cause insomnia. That hit me toward the end of my pregnancy, and I was running to the bathroom every five minutes because I was so restless. Maybe try not to drink too much if you don't have to, or perhaps try a herbal tea? Or just the classic move: take a walk before bed. Just hang in there until your hormones level out. You're still in your first trimester, so once you pass that 12-week mark, things might start feeling much smoother.🙂
I'm actually at 10 weeks, so I am counting down the days until week 12! I am so convinced that once I get there, the nausea, the exhaustion, and everything else making my life miserable will finally ease up 🙂. I tried those teas, but they just made me run to the restroom constantly. Then I tried warm milk with honey, but it tasted and smelled like I was drinking my own vomit, so I think I'm done with that experiment 🤣. Besides, what's the point of even sleeping? I just spend the night dreaming about bleeding, or having a miscarriage, or giving birth to a baby with severe defects. Last week, I actually dreamed I gave birth to a giant black snake . Just two more weeks, two more weeks, two more weeks, two more weeks...
It’s so frustrating being absolutely exhausted but unable to catch a single wink of sleep.😢 I feel completely stuck. Usually, I’d just reach for some warm milk, but since I can't touch dairy right now, that's totally off the table. Chamomile tea with honey? Zero help. I have some anxiety medication on hand from a while back, but since my doctor didn't prescribe it specifically for this, I'm not touching it without medical advice. I'm at my wits' end—last night I finally drifted off around 5:00 AM only to be jolted awake at 6:00. I've been walking around like a zombie all day; the dizziness from exhaustion is setting in, yet sleep feels impossible. Honestly, would one of you just come over and knock me unconscious so I could get at least six hours of peace?🙂 And don't even get me started on how I look. My skin is breaking out, I've got this flaky dermatitis flare-up around my nose and scalp, and the dark circles under my eyes are deep enough to hide things in. I honestly look like I survived a shipwreck.😢
vividsailor7 said:Since this involves a pregnancy, I wouldn't opt for empiric antibiotic therapy unless there was a significant decline in general health, high fever, dehydration, or similar symptoms (in which case, amoxicillin or cephalosporins would be used). Go ahead with the urine culture.
Thank you so much. I'll wait for the urine culture results. In the meantime, I assume the smartest move is to avoid any cranberry products so I don't skew the results? My general condition is good—no fever or other issues—but I really don't want anything to get complicated just because I had to wait a while for treatment.
I had my CA 125 checked because of a functional ovarian cyst (it's about 6cm now and just won't shrink or burst 😠). Since the results came back within the normal range, I’m wondering what the next steps are—has anyone else dealt with this? I'm 10 weeks pregnant, and since I hadn't had an ultrasound in the six months leading up to conception, I can't say exactly when it appeared; everything looked perfectly clear on my last scan before getting pregnant. My doctor thinks there's no need to worry unless it starts causing issues for me or the baby, at which point surgery might be necessary—something I would dearly love to avoid. I assume that having a normal CA 125 level is a good sign, meaning no immediate radical measures are needed since there's no suspicion of anything malignant. But how am I supposed to just sit here, let it potentially grow, and try not to stress, only to end up rushed to the hospital for surgery later? Is there any way to avoid the operating room entirely? How dangerous are these cysts during pregnancy if they stay this size and refuse to budge? Is there a chance it might shrink on its own once the placenta fully forms? I read somewhere that cysts often pop up in the first trimester due to hormonal shifts, and once the placenta takes over hormone production, the cysts might resolve themselves. Or is it unwise to wait and see, and should I just push for removal now?
I am 10 weeks pregnant and just finished my routine blood work and urinalysis. Here are the results from my CBC: red blood cell: 4.02 (3.86-5.08) Hemoglobin: 120 (119-157) Hematocrit: 0.372 (0.356-0.470) MCV: 92.3 (83.0-97.2) MCH: 31.0 (27.4-33.9) MCHC: 336 (320-345) RDW-CV: 12.1 (9.0-15.0) Platelets: 280 (158-424) MPV: 8.8 (6.8-10.4) white blood cell: 11.9 (3.4-9.7) Neutrophils: 8.70 (2.06-6.49) Lymphocytes: 2.40 (1.19-3.35) Monocytes: 0.60 (0.12-0.84) Eosinophils: 0.10 (0-0.43) Basophils: 0.00 (0.-0.06) Neutrophil %: 68.2 (44-72) Lymphocyte %: 20.5 (20-46) Monocyte %: 5.1 (2-12) Eosinophil %: 0.9 (0-7) Basophil %: 0.3 (0-1) Bands: 5.0 (0-2)
Glucose: 4.3 (4.2-6.0) CRP 8.8 (<5.0)
Urinalysis: white blood cell: 1 Nitrites: 3 (up to 1) Protein: 0 Glucose: 0 Ketones: 0 Urobilinogen: normal bilirubin: 0 red blood cell: 0 Sediment: red blood cell: Occasional white blood cell: Some Mucus: Some Epithelial cells: Some Bacteria: Massive Aside from typical pregnancy symptoms, I haven't felt too bad, though I have had frequent abdominal pains that I assumed were just part of being pregnant. However, over the last few days, I’ve noticed an extremely strong, unpleasant odor in my urine and I'm urinating much more frequently—though I don't have any specific pain or stinging when I go. I dealt with E. coli a long time ago and have had frequent UTIs since then, though I've never been sent for a culture in the USA. I also have a fluid-filled cyst on my ovary that is actually growing during this pregnancy; I mention this because I'm not sure if it could be impacting these results at all. My appointment with the OB/GYN isn't until next week, and my regular checkup is three weeks away. Would anyone be willing to help me make sense of these numbers? Should I be worried about anything specific, or does this look like a bacterial infection or something more serious? Thanks!
They’re starting to get on my nerves too. There’s a booth right in front of the university campus, and since they originally said they’d only be stationed near churches, I honestly thought I’d managed to avoid them entirely 🙂 Don't get me wrong, I’m against violence, but I can't help but get a little sharp with my words when I hear the aggressive tactics they use to pressure people into signing 🤮 🤮
Gary James17 said:Superman, hang in there! I feel like you just covered everything I forgot to include in my own endless manifesto a few days ago :-)
I wanted this pregnancy more than anything, and we had been planning for it, though we never actually expected it to happen quite this fast—we figured it would be more like six months or a year down the road. So, honestly, nobody was more shocked (or more thrilled) than me when I saw those two lines on the test! I was absolutely bursting with energy and plans; I fully intended to keep up my entire normal routine, staying active, exercising, working right up until forty-five days before my due date, knocking out several grad school exams, making significant progress on my doctoral dissertation, taking one last solo trip to the coast with my husband (my dates are set for September 8th), hitting all the maternity and baby boutiques, and spending plenty of time walking and bonding with my bump, along with a million other things.
And then, practically overnight, I had to abandon everything or put it on indefinite hold because I ended up on strict bed rest, which, wouldn't you know it, has already dragged on for four months... Don't get me wrong, I would happily spend nine months cemented to a bed if it meant keeping the baby safe! But the thing is, it isn't easy to accept that your plans, your desires, and your dreams have been shifted or postponed in a single moment... especially when everyone around you assumes that's exactly how a pregnant woman’s brain is supposed to work the second she finds out! It’s incredibly irritating. A human mind isn't a computer with an on/off switch!
Don't listen to anyone; just stick to your own rhythm and things will work out. For instance, while stuck in bed, I managed to write four seminar papers—I figured, why not get them out of the way for next year? Yet, somehow, people always find a way to act surprised and insist on their own narrow views—as if I should be exhausting myself now instead of resting and focusing on the baby... Well, I am thinking about the baby constantly, but I’m still me, and I still have room to think about other things too.
And sure, go ahead and criticize me, but I’m one of those people who is considered "overachieving," because I refuse to believe my life stops moving just because I'm giving birth; I still hope to work, to climb the career ladder, finish my graduate studies, tend to my garden, catch a concert or two, and so on. It really gets under my skin how much people feel the need to constantly convince me that I'm just chasing pipe dreams! It’s almost as if they're rooting for me to fail at my own ambitions. Look, I expect my life to turn upside down—in fact, it already has—and I know I'll have to put in a massive amount of extra effort and willpower, deal with the financial strain of both my expenses and the baby's, handle the sacrifices, and navigate the need for extreme flexibility in my scheduling. But if I start "resigning" myself to the idea now that I won't have any time, or that finishing my degree is impossible, then I certainly won't accomplish any of it.
Anyway, I'm rambling again :-)
Thanks for being so understanding. 😁 I went through the exact same thing when I found out I was pregnant. I thought, "Okay, I can handle this, I'll just power through my degree," without ever considering that complications might force me to slow down. Honestly, I didn't realize how draining pregnancy actually is—especially at the start. There were moments where I didn't even have the energy to read a five-page study guide 🙂 because once those early symptoms hit, I just lost it. My brain wants to be productive, but my body simply refuses. Now I finally understand why my mom used to nag me every single day after work; I used to get so annoyed by her comments, but now I get it. 😁
Arthur Scott said:Roger Rodriguez, look, we all get it—trust me, everyone goes through this exact same phase. I wasn't trying to come at you, I just wanted to show a different perspective since, you know, I don't actually know you or what your specific situation looks like.
Those first three months are a total blur—it’s super confusing because you can't even wrap your head around how everything works or what you're supposed to be doing right now. But seriously, believe me, you can still do everything you did before, just... maybe with a little more caution. Why couldn't you go to a concert (not exactly a Metallica show, though 😂) or just live your life? Don't spiral; you're literally just getting started. Honestly, I was more restless when I was pregnant than I am now—I could never catch a break—and both of us turned out perfectly fine. And who says wanting to go back to school is a bad thing? It’s actually the right move. The world doesn't stop spinning just because you have a kid, and anyone telling you otherwise is dead wrong! I'm surrounded by so many people who, the second they become parents, just sit around the house talking about diapers like their IQ dropped fifty points overnight (maybe that's why their kids are sooooo smart and advanced 🤔).
Not every piece of advice is meant to be malicious (unlike those random ladies on the street, which used to drive me absolutely insane), but everyone feels this weird urge to "help" you. Just listen, smile, nod, or—my personal favorite—elegantly tell them to shove it in your head and keep doing your own thing. It's way better for your sanity and the baby too. 😉
And look, I wrote that previous post while I was totally on edge. I bet I sounded like an immature kid to any sane person. That’s just it—I have no idea what’s coming next. Even when I think I'm prepared, I realize I know nothing. I can't just "be ready"; I have to let things happen naturally and just adapt. I was always a bit anxious, but now it feels doubled, and I feel like I'm going to jump out of my own skin. Maybe it would help if my doctor told me everything is fine, but instead, it's just constant scares—like finding cysts that weren't there before. Honestly, I think my doctor is a bigger panicker than I am. Last time he was doing a pelvic ultrasound, he was so clumsy he dropped everything, and the lubricant ended up exploding all over his screen and keyboard!🙄 ) My blood pressure dropped so low I actually fainted right there in the doctor's office, and now I'm dealing with a UTI...
Gary Nguyen45 said:That first trimester is a total nightmare...
No matter how exhausting the end stages get—dealing with a massive belly, back pain, and feeling completely uncoordinated—it doesn't compare to those first three or four months. Plus, there's that constant underlying anxiety. I personally dealt with two losses before the 12-week mark, and during one of them, I felt physically terrible.
For me, life finally started feeling normal again once I hit the 16-week point.
I get so hungry it's hard to even put into words; I'm practically dreaming of a massive BBQ, yet I can't even stand to be near the kitchen because the smell makes me want to gag. It's such a weird contradiction since my appetite has never been higher! I'm craving anything greasy or cheesy, though I know better than to actually eat it. All I can do is wait for this phase to pass while picking fights with everyone at home because the sound of people eating just drives me crazy. 😢
Gary Nguyen45 said:Roger Rodriguez, I get that this was quite a shock to the system and you need some time to process everything. Personally, I wouldn't make a huge production out of being pregnant; honestly, people who aren't involved don't really need to know.
As for lifestyle changes, provided everything progresses normally—and despite that bleeding at 6 weeks, there’s no reason why things shouldn't turn out fine—you don't actually have to give up much. I mean, horseback riding and water skiing are fine, and while maybe rock climbing isn't the best idea, you can still do a massive amount of stuff, especially once the morning sickness passes and you hit the 30+ week mark.
Since I'm quite a bit older than you, I've tried just about everything: snorkeling, hiking, running, and I worked full-time until 38 weeks during my first pregnancy. Now, at 32 weeks, I'm still working, doing yoga, and even more intense workouts. I drive, play with my little girl, and we run around the backyard together. I still go out, too—though I went out more during my first pregnancy since I didn't have a toddler running around, but I certainly don't act like a shut-in.
In short: ignore the unsolicited advice. Find one reliable doctor or a good book to turn to when you have doubts (or this forum 😁), and don't let yourself get stressed or dragged into debates about what you "should" be doing.
On topic: nothing really gets under my skin too much (except when nobody offers me a seat on the bus 😁). I was a bit surprised that this pregnancy has been physically tougher than my first. The nausea was more intense and lasted longer, and I feel much more clumsy; I'm carrying lower now, and my back aches more. Plus, I have a 35-pound kid who still thinks she's a "little baby." Also, even though the nausea has subsided, food just doesn't taste the same; it's just not hitting the spot.
*That said, everything has been great since the first trimester. Nothing was worse than that initial combination of exhaustion and nausea.
I think from now on, I'm only listening to my doctor. 🙂 I've been dealing with some ovarian issues, and when I looked them up online, I almost fainted. Suddenly, fifty different people in my life jumped in with their own "expert" advice, and when they heard I needed tumor markers because of a cyst, I felt like they were already planning my funeral! So, moving forward, I'm keeping things to myself. I'm trying to act normal, but it's hard because everyone else treats me like I'm fragile, which just makes me feel worse. Meanwhile, I actually know what I can and can't do, even if I am feeling nauseous and sleepy all the time. Thanks for the advice, 🙂