Jack Booth5 said:They don't just swap out the fryer oil all day long—it gets mixed with the fresh stuff the next day.
What you’re pointing out is, unfortunately, the standard operating procedure for a lot of places—hardly a secret, really. I suppose I don't know if business owners have started paying more attention lately, but anyone who lives on pre-packaged, fried, or breaded junk—everything from the local fast-food chains and popcorn stands to the McDonald's drive-thru or those greasy burger joints outside a football stadium—already knows the deal. They aren't expecting top-tier ingredients processed under pristine hygienic conditions; they're buying unhealthy food from the jump. Besides, everyone indulges occasionally, right? It's nothing new—nothing new, as Frank Sinatra might say.
I suspect you might find some more helpful insights over at Women's Health—as for the gynecologist, though—what specific tests have they actually run? It probably wouldn't hurt to ask for some swabs rather than just settling for a Pap smear. At least then you could rule out any lingering doubts regarding that side of things.
Then again, it’s entirely possible this is a reaction to antibiotics—though diet, lifestyle, or even a dip in your immune system could be playing a role—or perhaps it's just a localized stinging sensation that hasn't quite developed into a full-blown yeast infection yet. If this has been dragging on for a while, I'd say it's definitely worth getting those tests done.
Jeremy Phillips94 said:I recall something similar being mentioned in that Lambada documentary—though, honestly, I was just skimming through it quite a while ago, so I can't say for certain.
The only thing that comes to mind might be when the boss "gets a little handsy" with the girl at 1:36.
I don't have a direct translation handy, but I vividly remember everyone collectively belting out that ridiculous song about running to the restroom and having no luck once they got there. 😬 And at every single party, right after the conga line finished, someone would inevitably insist on trying to plesati lambada. Then, just a few years later, the Macarena took over everything.
I suppose that’s true, given how vague all these discussions about age tend to be. I agree with certain parts of that argument, at least.
But specifically, this applies to these kids nowadays. Just a few days ago, a colleague of mine was venting to me about one sixth grader—not even twelve years old yet—in her class who was going around bragging about losing her virginity. And it wasn't just empty talk, either. It was actually verified; people talked, things were confirmed... but still. Now you're stuck trying to discipline your daughter when she's barely fifteen, all while being fully aware that her supposed "innocence" is nothing more than a facade.
Lisa Carter said:Thanks for the input—but honestly, that’s exactly my point. If I've only had sex twice in my entire life and used protection both times, what does it matter if I'm 28? Plus, all my test results came back perfectly fine... And look, sorry Sophia Wells72, but I have to disagree with the idea that WHO exposure is just an inevitable thing that happens to everyone regardless of lifestyle. I wouldn't exactly go as far as to say that applies to me, given my history. I mean, you don't exactly catch WHO over a cup of coffee at Starbucks, right?🙄
Well, I had intended to write this long, rather heated rant, but it feels like it's all falling apart because:
Edit: I realized I used the word "EVERYONE" (not sure why I typed that, really), which was incorrect. My apologies—I didn't mean "everyone," I meant the "vast majority." 😛
Everything else has already been covered in my previous posts.
Well, this is just the standard operating procedure here and across the rest of the world—though I often find myself saying, "unfortunately, that's just how it works"—if a Pap smear comes back clean, there’s really no reason to jump straight to four different gynecological swabs. It’s only when you see some kind of inflammation or abnormal results like ASC-US, CIN, or various other markers that the swabs are ordered to figure out the root cause of the inflammation, followed by either monitoring the situation or starting treatment depending on the severity and nature of the issue. This has been common practice for a very long time. Of course, you can always tell your doctor, "I want this and that because..." and maybe—just maybe—you'll get your way.
And I suppose the age restrictions aren't exactly foolish, though if we're looking at those "limits," they are quite elastic over the years—it's simply a matter of recommending it before the VERY FIRST sexual encounter, since that's when it's most effective.
So, if this 17-year-old has already been sexually active, it wouldn't exactly be smart to go for the shot right now, because she might have already been exposed to one of the types the vaccine protects against (specifically those four types). Therefore, she should probably get screened first. But even then, who knows if she had one of those types prior to the testing?
And it doesn't necessarily mean that someone who is 15 and has had 100 partners will inevitably run into the virus. You could be incredibly careful and still come into contact with it after just two encounters at age 28. There is absolutely no way to know for sure (since the virus usually presents no symptoms other than low-risk issues like genital warts, and more often than not, it's just a passing infection; a huge percentage of people have had it without ever realizing it). For these exact reasons, vaccination isn't really recommended after sexual activity has begun. And Merck doesn't just knock on the doors of people who are "out and about"; it affects everyone, which is why it's such a common health concern today. So many girls here have gone through this having had only a single partner in their entire lives.
In any case, if you are dead set on getting vaccinated, just explain it to your doctor, make sure they perform typing, and if it turns out you haven't been exposed to the specific types covered by the Merck vaccine (it only covers four types out of about 150 others, so it won't protect you from everything), then they will likely agree to vaccinate you.
Edit: And I've written another massive post. Lovely. 🙄
Since this community has grown quite large—and frankly, a bit crowded—we’ve felt the need to tidy up our Health section. To keep things from getting too cluttered, we’re organizing two new sub-forums to help lighten the load on the main page.
As many of you have likely noticed, alongside the well-established women's health section, we’ve added two new sub-forums:
- Pediatric Health - Dentistry and Oral Hygiene (our latest addition)
We’re still fine-tuning the lists and guidelines for these two new areas, so please bear with us while we get everything squared away.
Happy posting and stay healthy! Best, your moderators: Sashica, leeloo27, trebor, Felix the Cat and Sophia Wells72.
P.S. Any suggestions or feedback are more than welcome. You can always reach out to the Health moderators via PM or through the Admin Board.
By age 28, you’ve essentially "missed the boat," if you want to put it that way—there isn't much point in getting vaccinated now, especially if you've already been sexually active or had "close encounters." Most people encounter various strains of the virus during their teenage years without even realizing it; some clear it, while others just carry it around without showing any symptoms.
And what exactly are you testing for if you feel perfectly healthy? Tests might show whether you have it, but a Pap smear certainly won't tell you if you have Merck or not. You could potentially have a perfectly clean Pap smear for a long time, yet still be carrying the virus. There are plenty of examples of that happening here.
So, you really ought to get typing done—an HPV swab. Doing it privately will cost you about $133. And honestly, it’s unlikely any gynecologist—especially one at a community clinic—will bother with that kind of swab just for the sake of it, particularly if your Pap smear looks fine. Even if they do take the swab and it comes back totally negative for all types, they can't be certain whether you were exposed to a strain in the past that your immune system eventually beat. That's why the vaccine truly doesn't make sense at this stage. It is administered much, much earlier for a reason.
Don't bother paying out of pocket—you can just get your health insurance sorted out instead. Honestly, if you can spare just a few minutes a day to deal with the paperwork, it’s worth it. Just head down to the local clinic or the social security office, ask them exactly what documentation you need to provide, gather everything, finish the filing, and you're all set. I believe vividsailor7 already laid out which tests you actually need to get done, so I really hope you can get that organized soon. 🙂
A little side note here: College is what it is—thankfully, the whole credit-hour system didn't really trip me up—but I did have mandatory lectures and had to maintain perfect attendance for my labs. That said, medical issues are always a valid excuse; they won't deny you an excused absence for that. Just grab a doctor's note and you're good to go. It’s always been accepted, and it still is, so please don't waste your energy searching for complex loopholes before you've even fixed your insurance situation. Otherwise, you'll end up paying for endless tests that you don't even need.
I’m not entirely sure which part of the country you’re in, but I remember once going to a private clinic to get my entire hormone panel, thyroid levels, and a full blood count checked—and the bill was enough to make me cry $167. On top of all those labs, you still have to factor in an ultrasound ($67), and since you'll likely need to see an endocrinologist—and perhaps even a few specialists after that—it could end up being quite a bit more expensive than you expect . Basically, my advice is to get your health sorted out as soon as possible and head straight to the hospital to get those tests done. That’s probably your best bet . As for college, you’ll be able to get a medical excuse for your absences, so you shouldn't have any trouble with your professors or the administration. Just focus on getting your health handled first 🙂
Look, you aren't male—don't worry about that. Primary amenorrhea typically means you develop physically as expected, but your body just hasn't triggered that first period yet, which also means ovulation hasn't kicked in.
So, I suppose the first step is to get a much more thorough look at what's actually going on. While you're at that appointment—your OB/GYN will likely write you some referrals (for all your reproductive hormones plus your thyroid levels). They'll probably give you some medication, maybe even >, to jumpstart a period. Once that happens, you'll need to go in for bloodwork specifically between day two and day five of your cycle—ideally day two or three—at whichever lab they direct you to. After you get the results back, you'll take them to your doctor (either the OB/GYN or an endocrinologist, depending on who handled the referrals), and they'll be able to tell you exactly what's happening with your hormone levels and diagnose the situation. 🙂
It's important to keep in mind: in order to test those specific hormone levels properly, you actually have to have a period first. That’s why they give you those temporary pills to induce it. Once you have the results and a clear explanation, they'll likely move you onto a long-term treatment plan—probably some kind of daily pill to ensure your cycles stay regular.
As far as sex goes—yes, obviously, you can have it, just make sure to use a condom. 😉 Regarding pregnancy—honestly, every woman is different, and there's no one-size-fits-all experience. Generally speaking, the sooner you approach this issue with a serious, detailed medical plan, the better. When the time comes that you actually want to have children, you'll sit down and talk through it with a specialist; there are so many modern treatments and options available these days... For now, though, just focus on resolving this part—getting the medical tests done and sorted out—and everything else will fall into place eventually. 🙂
Hair thinning—especially right along the hairline—is often a major red flag that your hormones are acting up. Since you've been dealing with this for such a long time, I suppose it’s reasonable to suspect a chronic endocrine issue might be at the root of it. That said, hair tends to shed more aggressively during this time of year for a lot of people. Regardless, it is a massive deal to get to a doctor as soon as possible (especially if you haven't had a period by age 16) to induce menstruation; the uterine lining needs to shed properly, and if it doesn't, there are actual health risks involved.
As for the hair growth, they’ll want to check for hirsutism—basically, excessive hair in "male-pattern" areas like the chin, around the nipples, the navel, or the abdomen.
Regarding your college responsibilities—please, for your own sake, never use those as an excuse to skip medical care when you're facing something this serious. I went to college myself (and yes, attendance at all labs and seminars was mandatory) while working grueling hours from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM. I truly believe you can find a way to coordinate a doctor's appointment. Besides, navigating healthcare should be straightforward since you're a student; you have a standard right to coverage, so I don't quite understand how you don't have it yet. Your HEALTH is the priority here—if you continue to neglect it like this, you may deeply regret it one day.
There is absolutely no reason to fear being "masculine"; it seems you already have a diagnosis that explains things. You should book an appointment with a gynecologist (and sort out your insurance/coverage immediately) and make sure to arrive with a full bladder, because (since you're a virgin) they will perform an abdominal UZV scan. So, just bring a bottle of water and that's it. Only after that will they actually be able to tell you what's happening with your ovaries and everything else.
Regarding an endocrinologist, they were supposed to write you a referral for bloodwork to test your reproductive hormones and thyroid levels. These tests usually need to be done between days 2 and 5 of your cycle, so they would likely induce your period first, probably by prescribing Duphaston. Given how much you seem to be paying out of pocket for these exams (when you're a student and could be getting them for free!), they really owe you thorough explanations and proper testing. They certainly shouldn't be cutting corners on referrals, let alone telling you at the end of an exam "that she thinks she saw the uterus and ovaries on the ultrasound".
In short, you have tests coming your way; demand them. Following that, they will likely put you on hormone therapy, such as birth control pills. Good luck—your health really needs to be your number one priority right now. 😉 🙂
A colleague of mine at work decided to give this a shot. She’s the type of person who is always looking for some sort of shortcut—anything to avoid actually moving her body or putting in any real effort—because she wants to drop weight in a matter of days. Of course, that's obviously not how biology works, and she usually ends up gaining back even more than she lost last time. She even owns all those high-tech gadgets that you strap on to supposedly "stimulate" your muscles automatically. 🤣 Honestly, what an absolute waste of money! What really gets me, though, is that even after seeing zero results from these patches, she still insists on giving them another two or three tries, claiming "you have to use them consistently over a long period" to see any real impact.
At the end of the day, there is no substitute for eating actual, nutritious food and staying active. It really just comes down to moderation in everything. There are no magic express diets, no adhesive patches, no waist trainers, and certainly no starving yourself until you collapse.
It’s not that they won't get upset—quite the opposite—they are actually thrilled to see a comment like this. Of course, it's all in the hope that the folks on the forum might provide some actual context rather than just dumping raw numbers. 🙂
wanderingharbor492 said:The issue of gangrene can be handled quite rapidly and effectively by consuming 7ppm colloidal silver—taking a sip every two hours or so—while also spraying at least 15ppm colloidal silver onto the affected area several times a day. You'll see noticeable improvement within just a few days. This has been verified.
I would kindly ask that this be moved to the Alternative Medicine subforum; please take a moment to review the rules for the Health subforum. Thanks.
Zachary Gomez said:I was browsing and accidentally clicked over to the pregnancy sub-forum, specifically the thread about what the mucus plug looks like. I figured it would be better to just copy my post here instead.
I’m not pregnant, but while I was showering just now and turned down to rinse off, something popped out that looks exactly like that "mucus plug" you all talk about. I have no idea what it is—I've never experienced anything like this before, and honestly, seeing it was quite a shock. It looked pretty gross... kind of slimy and stretchy, similar to the picture. I've also had some occasional itching down there over the last few days, so maybe it's some kind of inflammation? About two weeks ago, I noticed some painful, red bumps that looked like pimples, and my first thought was definitely herpes. However, my gynecologist was stumped, and the dermatologist also suggested it might just be folliculitis... who knows. Anyway, those bumps have cleared up, but I'm still going to get tested for STIs and I'm waiting on my Pap test results. I'm certain I picked something up, but this thing that just came out has me really confused. Does anyone know what this could be, considering I'm not pregnant...? 😕
They probably moved you over to the pregnancy section because cervical mucus tends to discharge right before labor—so, honestly, your situation likely has nothing to do with that. It’s perfectly normal for things to come out looking stretchy or even a bit "globby" during ovulation every now and then. And please, don't go running to the doctors for every little thing. You're only going to scare yourself more if you keep trying to diagnose yourself with every single illness you stumble upon online. 😉
Alex Thomas27 said:What if a girl hasn't even had sex, but she's still getting this thick, white discharge with a nasty smell?
That’s what I’m dealing with right now. Since I’m 17, I’d need to ask my mom to take me to the gynecologist, but she isn't back from work yet. I only just noticed the discharge and started panicking. For now, I'm just asking for some info so I know what to expect.
Also, because we've been without hot water, I haven't really been able to wash properly for two weeks.
If you haven't had any sexual intercourse recently and you're noticing this cheesy discharge—honestly, it’s perfectly normal, and I really think those two things can exist independently of one another. It is entirely possible that you're just dealing with a standard case of Candida.
I was thinking about asking my mom to take me to the gynecologist—since I’m only 17, I guess she still needs to make those calls—but she hasn't even made it home from work yet. To make matters worse, I just noticed this discharge and, honestly, I’ve started panicking a little bit. For now, I’m just asking purely for informational purposes, I suppose... just trying to figure out what this could possibly be so I can at least feel somewhat prepared for when I actually talk to a doctor.
😬
Well, here we go. I suppose it’s time to begin. Let's see what this actually looks like once the gears start turning—though, knowing my luck, things might get complicated before we even settle into a rhythm. I guess we'll just have to wait and see, shall we?
It was just this thick, white discharge—something I only noticed quite suddenly, out of nowhere, I suppose. Is it really that urgent to go see the gynecologist? I mean, I guess it depends on what’s going on—but if you're asking me, it feels like one of those things where maybe you should just weigh your options first. Not that I'm saying don't go, obviously—just, you know, if it isn't an emergency, there's usually no need to rush out the door in a panic. I suppose you’d also be sitting around waiting for your mother to drive you to the gynecologist—even though you didn't bother making an appointment yourself—despite the fact that you're seventeen. Honestly, at your age, you could easily just go on your own, much like plenty of younger girls do without any drama.
Well, due to a complete lack of hot water, I haven't actually washed myself in two weeks—not that anyone asked.
Look, could you please just stop trolling? Seriously. 😠
Sometimes, that very first cigarette in the morning used to hit me way too hard. It was similar whenever I took a break from smoking—like if I was dealing with an illness or if I tried to quit for a while and failed, only to come back to that first smoke. If this is happening to you constantly, and we’re talking about actual dizziness, then I don't think it's anything good. I have no idea what the cause could be. Do you have issues with blood pressure? Or maybe anemia?
-I don't think it's a massive issue, maybe just a matter of time. Maybe it'll stop eventually. When I think about it, if I'm only having one or two a day or smoking a few in a row, I feel fine. It seems to happen mostly when I haven't smoked in a while, so that's likely it... -I haven't had a physical exam in two or three years. Back then, my blood pressure was totally fine. As for anemia, I didn't even know what that was until a friend explained it to me today; he's dealt with it himself. He described the symptoms, and then it clicked—I realized I've felt the exact same way, haha. Maybe I do have it, but honestly, I really don't want to deal with the hassle of going to the doctor to find out.
Look, I honestly don't know what to tell you... you aren't going to get an accurate diagnosis on a forum like this.
It could be absolutely nothing—just that typical, slight, very brief "coughing fit" when you take your first one or two puffs of a cigarette, usually that first one of the day on an empty stomach. A lot of people experience that; it’s hardly a rarity, at least based on how many times we smokers and former smokers have hashed this out amongst ourselves.
though—who's to say, I guess.