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Alright, look, my hair is falling out at an absolutely insane rate. This doesn't feel like that typical seasonal shedding everyone talks about; I’m pulling out entire clumps just by running a comb through it. Honestly, the only reason I haven't gone bald yet is because I started out with a thick head of hair, but even then, I feel like I'd be practically bald by now if it kept up like this.
I am seriously concerned that my antidepressants are the culprit here. I’ve been on them for four months now. Has anyone else dealt with this, or does anyone have any experience with this kind of side effect?
brightotter24 said:Well, I guess you did a pretty decent job summarizing everything 🙂, but honestly, if anyone here has actually dealt with something similar, maybe you could point out some details I haven't quite wrapped my head around yet 🙂
Since you’re asking, here is what you aren't seeing: years will vanish in the blink of an eye, and before you know it, you'll be sitting there wondering where your life went while you were stuck in neutral. You have no idea how much sheer, exhausting energy a relationship like this drains from you.
Karen Torres42, honestly, you might want to consider reaching out to a professional counselor. At the very least, they could point you toward some resources that might actually help both you and your family navigate these incredibly difficult moments.
I went through something remarkably similar when my mother was passing away. I was just as terrified for her, if not more, for my younger sister—constantly worrying about how she would cope with losing our mom.
In the end, everything moved so incredibly fast. She passed away just four days after being discharged from the hospital. It all happened so abruptly that I didn't even have time to get her paperwork sorted at the oncology ward, let alone seek out psychological support. 😢
That said, please try talking to your family doctor. They might be able to provide some guidance or refer you to someone who can. I am truly wishing you a great deal of strength right now. 🙂
ironsailor22 said:Azzura, please accept my deepest condolences. A death this sudden adds an entirely different layer of shock to all the existing pain, grief, and sorrow.
My mother fought this for three years, spending months dying in intense pain, so I was braced every single day for the inevitable reality of her passing. But even now, four months later, I still can't wrap my head around the fact that she’s gone. I catch myself still waiting for her to walk through the door.
Thank you, ironsailor22.
I honestly don't know what to say... when someone has three years, they have time to prepare for the end, but they also have to witness the entire agony of it. In contrast, the incredibly short window in which my mother left us was actually a mercy for her. They warned us the pain would be horrific, but it wasn't. She actually told me she wasn't in pain just moments before she stopped breathing. I brought her home, and she passed away right there in her own bed.
It’s surreal. Life is just bizarre like that. One moment you’re here, making plans, fighting battles, getting angry, stressing over work, people, or whatever situation comes your way... and then tomorrow, you're sick, and suddenly you're just gone.
ruggedwolf12 dear, give him as much love as you feel you need to give. At the end of the day, regardless of when the end comes, the only thing that truly matters is showing sincere love and being there for your loved ones with an open heart.
I didn't get to say nearly enough to my mom. We weren't particularly close during those final years. I always held onto this idea that eventually—I used to calculate it, thinking that in her advanced age—there would come a specific moment where we’d finally say everything we needed to say. But that moment never arrived. However, I realized something else: the words and the stories were ultimately unnecessary. I was right there by her side, and I know that the silence, a simple touch, and a look said everything that needed to be said.
It honestly breaks my heart to read through everyone's posts here.
My mother passed away just 47 days ago from pancreatic cancer that had already metastasized to her liver.
She was gone only 10 days after we received the diagnosis.
I am still right in the thick of processing the sheer weight of her illness. I haven't even begun to truly process the reality of her death.
To add to everything, I’ve just discovered that I have a benign kidney tumor. All of this—it has somehow... well, it has forced me into a completely different headspace.
There is so much more I would write, but frankly, after reading the threads on this forum, I just don't have the strength. There is simply too much grief in this space.
I mainly wanted to reach out and mention that I recently finished a wonderful book—I suspect many of you are already familiar with it, but regardless—"Anti-Cancer" by David Servan-Schreiber. This man was a brilliant, ambitious young doctor and scientist who was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 31. He actually went into remission before facing a relapse. It is a story about his personal battle, but more importantly, it is packed with incredibly useful advice regarding nutrition and lifestyle...
Anyway, that's all from me for now. Perhaps this book might help someone else in their journey... And please know, I truly, deeply empathize with your pain, your sorrows, and your fears...
So, here’s the situation: I’ve been dealing with migraines for about 15 years now, and honestly, I thought I had them completely under control.
But then, a few days ago, something bizarre happened—my tongue went totally numb, almost like I’d been injected with something, and this wave of general weakness just slammed into me. I was standing only about six feet away from my car, and I genuinely thought I wasn't going to make it to the driver's seat before I collapsed right there on the pavement.
To be clear, I didn't black out, and I didn't have a headache or anything else at the moment—nothing. Here is how it played out: ER visit, followed by a primary care physician, and then a neurologist. The diagnosis? Vertebrobasilar migraine with a tendency toward tongue numbness. My neurological exam came back perfectly fine, but they ran a color Doppler ultrasound on my blood vessels, which showed reduced blood flow to my brainstem. My neurologist claims this is due to degenerative changes in my cervical spine. For treatment, they put me on Voltaren and Normabel though I haven't even opened the Normabel yet, nor do I plan to anytime soon because I refuse to be drugged, groggy, or struggling with my motor skills—I spend a massive amount of time behind the wheel, and I simply need to stay sharp and "awake" in every sense of the word. The plan is Voltaren for the pain and Normabel to relax the muscles so blood can circulate more easily to my head.
Next steps involved an X-ray of my neck and spine, which did confirm those degenerative issues, but the radiologist basically told me that those changes aren't what's causing the restricted blood flow, and they certainly aren't the reason my tongue is going numb.
So, here I am... I have a head CT scheduled for tomorrow.
On top of all this, in the span of just ten days, I’ve gone from having chronically low blood pressure to being a high blood pressure person. I feel constantly lightheaded, and that tingling sensation in my tongue is still hanging around.
Has anyone else here dealt with anything remotely similar? Has anyone lived through this?
For context, I’m 32, relatively slim, I eat healthy, I don't smoke, I don't drink, my blood sugar is fine, and I exercise regularly. Looking at my lifestyle, I really don't feel like someone who should be at risk for a stroke, neither based on my age nor my overall health.
And finally... excuse my language, but I am absolutely terrified of what that CT scan is going to show tomorrow. Honestly, I am scared to death. I've been living in a state of constant anxiety for days, breaking down in tears at the drop of a hat. I have a child who needs me, which just makes this whole terrifying ordeal hit even harder...