Posts by vividsailor7

Jeffrey Roberts2 said:So, I finally picked up some Fact ointment. Michael Diaz4, regarding what you were saying about the pain—honestly, it doesn't even hurt that much anymore. It’s just a little tender if I touch it, but today? Nothing. Just a tiny bit of sensitivity. I just applied it internally, and I put a little on the external hemorrhoid too, gave it a quick rub, and now we wait. I'm heading to the beach in three hours, so I'll reapply tonight. Fingers crossed I see some real progress by tomorrow. Thanks for the help, everyone! By the way, Fact ointment costs $13 at any local pharmacy!

Just so you know, Fact ointment usually requires a prescription here in the States. If Fact doesn't do the trick for you, there are other options you can try, like Hemopropin, Doloproct (which needs a prescription), or Dolokain... Lidoproct isn't actually registered here in the US.

Angela Wright said:vividsailor7, you are such a breath of fresh air😍 on this thread where everyone is basically searching for doctors with a candle in their hands. I started this discussion ages ago, and so far, we've only had a handful of experts show up. The last person who bothered to comment was nothing but an insult to the intelligence of everyone suffering here.😢
Major props to you🙏 and I really hope you can find ten minutes a week to check out the latest posts and offer some insight and support.
Drop by www.healthline.com because we need help over there too.

No problem at all. And regarding that last person who came in just to insult the intelligence of sick people...😢 I know exactly how that goes because cancer runs in my own family, so I actually get it—unlike some of my colleagues who act like they know everything. Check out www.healthline.com because we need help there as well. Go ahead and Register!

placidtinker9 said:21, IT guy—spend way too much time behind a screen, plus been dealing with some mild kyphosis since I was a kid. Over the last ten days, this has been happening:

- Occasional blurry vision at a distance (saw an eye doctor, everything’s fine—optic nerve included)
- Tingling sensations from my legs through my feet
- Some weakness and a bit of nausea in my stomach...

Also, I've been on the road for the last three months, basically living on canned goods and meat—haven't touched a fruit or vegetable in three months... Any chance this is harmless and just a vitamin deficiency? My blood work has always been solid, never really sick or hospitalized before...

Could this be related to my wisdom teeth coming in? I read they can cause all sorts of issues, and I've got four of them moving right now—jaw was aching a couple of months back...

Full disclosure: I'm a hypochondriac, and honestly, I'm spiraling because I read these symptoms could be linked to brain tumors or MS...

Anyone have any actual advice? I won't be able to see a doctor for another 15 days since I'm traveling...

It could be something totally trivial, but it could also be something else entirely. Start eating more fruits and vegetables immediately. And please, get in touch with your doctor.

Grace Lewis6 said:But seriously, is this really the right way to handle things? Scaring a pregnant woman who is already so far along in her pregnancy?
Look, I’m no doctor, but I can at least try to offer Kenneth Sanchez some comfort by pointing out that some people just naturally fall outside the standard lines on certain lab results.

There are plenty of folks who walk around with a slightly elevated body temperature their entire lives and are perfectly healthy.

Obviously, it wasn't okay. But if he was genuinely that concerned, why didn't he just send her off for follow-up testing? You know, immunology, more blood work, the whole nine yards. He absolutely could have handled it with more grace—just telling her clearly that the numbers weren't right without causing a panic. CRP, sedimentation rates, white blood cell counts—these are all typically elevated during pregnancy. Those reference ranges are based on averages; you will always find perfectly healthy individuals who sit outside those "normal" bounds.

Amanda Booth20 said:😕😕
So, ever since I found out I was pregnant (I'm currently 7 months along), I've been monitoring my blood work, and my CRP has been elevated the entire time—somewhere between 8 and 20. I've never actually had my CRP checked before pregnancy, but I have had my ESR tested, and for as long as I can remember (maybe 10 years or more), it's always been high, around 35. My primary care doctor never thought much of it because she figured it could just be from my chronic gastritis, which I struggle with quite a bit, especially lately. But now, my OB/GYN is telling me that this CRP level is concerning (and probably that lifelong high ESR too) and that it could point toward some kind of autoimmune disease. Honestly, I feel like I'm in a coma right now. My regular doctor never suspected anything like this or sent me for any follow-up tests. 😢😢 Otherwise, the rest of my KKS is mostly fine... please, I need some input because I am completely confused and in shock right now.😢

I think it’s somewhat unlikely that we're looking at an autoimmune disorder here. If your OB/GYN truly thinks this is "concerning," why on earth didn't they immediately order antibody testing (ANCA, ANA, C3, C4, RF, WR, etc.)?

Emily Edwards19 said:Thanks! Actually, I stand corrected.
Yeah, we just have to wait on the medical board review and the MRI results... maybe they'll decide to move forward with the treatment plan.🤷

Elizabeth Perez33 Thanks!😢

Could they resume treatment? It’s certainly possible. But honestly, the absolute most important thing right now is that you don't lose hope. If you come across any new information regarding the condition, or if something just doesn't make sense to you, please—just ask. I'll do my absolute best to break it down and explain it as clearly as I can.

Emily Edwards19 said:Hi everyone!
A friend of mine is dying from bone cancer.😢
She’s only 30.
She spent 2-3 years fighting thrombosis, and then this year, back in January, she ended up in the hospital.
She was hospitalized for 4 months. The diagnosis was bone cancer... they didn't even perform a single surgery while she was in there.
In month 5, she comes home and starts chemotherapy. After receiving 6 doses by the end of August—which is right now—she had her tests done, and they are bad.
It spread to her lungs, and there's something on her brain too (she's heading in for an MRI because of that)....
She sought out three different opinions—they all told her the same thing: it's incurable, get prepared, chemo hasn't helped, you have a few months left........😲 That’s basically what she told me yesterday.

I don't understand... what now? Where do we go from here? What do we do? I asked if that means she won't be doing chemo anymore, or what? She doesn't even know herself... she's still waiting for the medical board review and the MRI....

"You have a few months left".....HOW MANY?? That could mean 2, 5, 7, or 9 months... that is not a small difference!!!

Is there any hope? Any way to extend those months...?🙂

Her doctors are the ones who know. You have to wait for the medical board and the MRI; once that happens, more will be known. As for your questions, I can't answer them. 1. There isn't enough data. 2. I don't have the exact diagnosis. 3. I am an internist, not an oncologist. "Is there any hope, any way to extend those months...?" Right now, I simply don't know.

Rebecca Palmer69 said:My boyfriend has Wegener, so I'm reaching out to see if anyone can share some insight about this disease. He was diagnosed back in 2010 and ended up on sick leave for an entire year. Currently, he's taking Medrol and Endoxan. If you have any information, please email me at mime_k@hotmail.com... thanks.

It's all over Wikipedia. Just type "Wegener granulomatosis" into Google.

Rachel Palmer56 said:Hi🙂
I'm wondering what causes low potassium. I actually feel fine and don't have any symptoms that seem related to it, but my lab results have shown low potassium twice now.

First things first, you really need to share the actual lab report showing your potassium levels along with your other electrolytes. And honestly, we need to know why you were even getting blood work done in the first place.

darkwalker2 said:I’ve been back on Diane for three months now—after a year and a half previously, though I did take a six-month hiatus—and I honestly feel like I’m just constantly swollen and bloated. My stomach looks like I’m pregnant, and it feels like my body is just aggressively retaining water. It’s as if everything I eat causes me to puff up to my absolute limits. It never used to be quite this intense...
My breasts have also grown significantly, to the point where I can barely recognize them as my own 🙂

How could I possibly manage this on my own?
Regarding diuretics for the water retention, I’ve tried drinking nettle tea, but frankly, it feels utterly useless, like I'm just wasting my time. Is there an actual remedy out there—perhaps specific pills, vitamins, or minerals that actually work?

Alternatively, if I were to visit Dr. Miller to discuss switching from Diane, what kind of suggestions should I bring to her? Specifically, which brands contain more or less of whatever component is triggering these side effects in the first place?

Please, any advice at all would be greatly appreciated.

Talk to your gynecologist. Do you have edema in your lower legs? There are options like Lasix, Torsemide, or Indapamide, but they all require a prescription.

Joseph King6 said:I have just one question,
I’ve been diagnosed with strep and my doctor put me on antibiotics. I managed to take the first two doses, but last night I felt so incredibly poorly—it was actually frightening—that I couldn't even think straight... I had this sharp, stabbing pain in my chest and it felt like I was choking. I checked the fine print on the packaging and saw it's not recommended to take this alongside hormonal contraceptives. So, I stopped taking the Augmentin, but my throat is still absolutely killing me. Is there any kind of alternative antibiotic for situations like this? Something they might prescribe to people who have a penicillin allergy, perhaps?...

Look, you definitely need to prioritize stopping the birth control over the Augmentin. You cannot mess around when it comes to strep. If the reaction is that severe, go straight back to your doctor and demand they switch your prescription. They'll likely move you over to a macrolide antibiotic instead.

ruggedmarlin2 said:It’s uncanny how much I relate to this—it honestly feels like I sat down and wrote those exact words myself. I headed out to the coast, nursing this hope that a little salt air and sunshine might actually do something for my mental state, and for the first week, things were actually decent. I felt a spark of energy, a genuine sense of momentum. But then? It all just collapsed. The exhaustion came back, and this time it feels different—this crushing, chronic fatigue that just won't budge. I can sleep until 10:00 AM and still find it an absolute struggle to drag myself out of bed in the morning. And don't even get me started on the tachycardia; that racing heart sensation is just miserable. I recently went in for blood work, and while my iron levels are technically fine, I’ve dealt with anemia my entire life, and somehow, it manifests in me in a completely different, much more debilitating way. I feel useless—just completely, utterly drained of any purpose. And now, of course, I’m staring down a mountain of studying while feeling like I have absolutely nothing left in the tank. Is there ever a break?😢
I happen to have a low tolerance.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I’m open to hearing what you all might recommend—though, given the circumstances, I won't hold my breath for anything truly revolutionary.

Have you guys had your thyroid checked yet? Are you taking any iron supplements? If you don't mind sharing, could you post your most recent blood work results?

analoggull5 said:Hey everyone! 😁

So, I was planning on heading over to the Mayo Clinic this week to get myself signed up in the registry—just wondering if I should give them a call first, or if I can just show up on my own? 🤷

Thanks so much for the help! 🙏🙏

Just to be safe, you should probably give them a call beforehand.

dustywolf15 said:Alright. I have two questions—two different things, but they’re connected. I need some outside perspectives here, and honestly, I need to hear if anyone else has gone through something similar.

I think this all started back in middle school, maybe 7th or 8th grade. That’s when these awful dark circles under my eyes showed up, and even after three years, I can't get rid of them. During a routine checkup, they also diagnosed me with an irregular heartbeat. Fine. I've come to terms with the fact that as an athlete, I might not hit the absolute top tier of competition, but I can still snag a few medals here and there.

Then, this past winter, what started as a simple common cold ended with me getting imaging done on my spleen. They didn't bother with a biopsy because the ultrasound didn't show any obvious nodules or other issues.

Looking back, it feels like I've always struggled with digestion and my immune system. My parents and other people keep telling me these dark circles are just from staring at computer screens too much, but I know better. I know they could be symptoms of anemia or an underlying immune issue.

I feel full after eating almost nothing, I go days without a regular bowel movement, and those stomach cramps used to hit me every two days. Finally, I decided to actually see a doctor and deal with these health problems once and for all.

But then, out of nowhere, an MRI reveals a massive cyst on my spleen. We're talking a 4cm mass. 😲 And now they're saying I have to have surgery. It sounds absolutely shocking that they want to remove my entire spleen, especially since I already have immune issues. This is one of the most vital organs for filtering blood and supporting immunity. It's a total disaster.

The surgery is scheduled in Washington, D.C., but before that, I'm going to see a specialist who focuses specifically on splenic issues just to get a second opinion.

I have to admit, I never expected to get caught up in something this serious. Nobody ever expects to be the one hit by the worst-case scenario.

I want to know: does anyone else deal with digestive or immune system struggles? Or does anyone here know more about this specific surgery? Also, I'm worried about how big the incision will be. Will I be left with a permanent scar😢??

Any bit of information or data would be appreciated, so please, share your thoughts with me. I really need a fresh perspective because it's impossible to remain objective when it's your own life on the line.

Do you have any blood work results?

Daniel Evans10 said:I did. He told me the X-ray looks fine, basically. He said I have some pleural thickening on my right lung because of the pleurisy and fluid buildup, plus some minor scarring at the top of the lung. He didn't show me much, but he insisted everything is perfectly clear regarding TBC. As for that thickening, apparently, I'll just deal with those pains forever...

I was actually thinking about heading back to see the specialist—the pulmonologist who handled my case at the hospital—just to get a second opinion. To be honest, I'm not entirely convinced about the whole TBC situation since I'm still dealing with the exact same issues. That sharp, stabbing pain in my chest keeps coming back, and the night sweats haven't let up either.🤷

Since the symptoms are clearly persisting, you absolutely need to follow up with your pulmonologist immediately.

Emily Hernandez67 said:Oops, I totally botched my reference range for progesterone. In the luteal phase, it should be somewhere between 1 and 7, up to 27.0. Honestly, looking at the bloodwork I had done on day 23 of my cycle—assuming that counts as the luteal phase—it feels like my progesterone levels are way too low.🙂

There are several reasons why progesterone might be running low. We're talking things like corpus luteum insufficiency, membranous dysmenorrhea, endometrial shedding issues, or even just intense premenstrual tension.

Olivia Hayes89 said:Yeah, that’s the luteal phase... and if I’m not mistaken, the standard progesterone ranges for the luteal phase sit somewhere between 5.3 and 86 (though that varies depending on which lab you use)...
In your situation, though, your progesterone looks low, so your doctor will probably put you on some kind of hormone therapy.

That’s a reference value in nmol/L, but we're looking at µg/L here.

Ashley Grant86 said:The pain isn't constant; right now, it mostly hits her at night. I can't say anything definitive about the joints since there hasn't been any swelling yet, but sometimes even when it hurts, she won't admit it unless it gets really intense. Her sputum is white. Her bowel movements, appetite, and urination are all normal. She’s experiencing sweating, and the doctor mentioned that frequent sweating is a symptom.
I checked her blood sugar yesterday and it was 7.5; previously it was up at 10 or 12, but that was due to the medication therapy.
She’s felt fine until now, but things are changing because I can see changes in her neck area, and we haven't done the new tests yet.

It’s incredibly hard to explain things to the elderly. As soon as they feel okay for an hour, they think everything is perfect and refuse to go to the hospital or do anything. Unfortunately, by then, it's always too late.
The main thing is that there's no pain—at least in my book—because when I asked her, she said she’s using some alternative stuff and claims there's no need for actual medicine.

Blood sugar can definitely spike from Thalidomide. However, I highly recommend that when you get those new labs done, you also get an A1C tested (the 3-month average) just to be safe. For an alternative, I suggest lemon balm tea; it helps me. I assume she doesn't have a fever. As for explaining things to older folks... man, I don't even know how to tell you—I deal with that every single day, both at work and at home. I will also advise you to contact her primary care physician, if you haven't already, because they are ultimately responsible for her care. Her doctor knows her condition much better than I ever could, and from here, I can only speculate on what the issue might be. I'm wishing you all the best and hoping everything turns out as well as possible.👍

Ashley Grant86 said:She’s dealing with lower abdominal pain and a constant cough—just hacking up phlegm non-stop.

She has swollen lymph nodes in her abdomen, her neck, and under her armpits, maybe around 25x35mm.
They actually receded after she finished a round of antibiotics and some one-day treatment, and her white blood cell count dropped from 93 down to 14. But the second she stops treatment, everything comes rushing back.
The problem is, it's nearly impossible to convince her to go to the hospital. She’s constantly active, always moving, and she insists that being stuck in a hospital bed would just kill her immediately.

Does anyone know of any herbal teas or alternative remedies that might at least provide some relief?

Regarding tea, you could try chamomile or spearmint. Also, is she experiencing chest pains? What color is the sputum she's coughing up? Is there any nausea or vomiting? What does her stool look like? How is her appetite? Any changes in urination? Look, I’m speaking from experience here—both professionally and personally—I know how stubborn oncology patients can be. But since her condition seemed to stabilize while she was on Thalidomide (at least clinically, though you didn't specify how she felt subjectively), you need to sit her down and calmly explain that this is for her own good.

Daniel Evans10 said:It was a bit of a rollercoaster for me. I had this persistent cough for quite a while, lost my appetite completely, and dropped a significant amount of weight. Then, if I went too long without eating, I’d feel like I was going to pass out. I had chest pains, too, and these moments where I’d just be drenched in sweat out of nowhere. After a while, a high fever would kick in. I finally went to see a doctor, and the tests showed fluid in my lungs. Next thing I knew, I was admitted to the hospital, and they confirmed the fluid was caused by TBC. That was it—the tests came back positive. I saw my doctor again this morning, and they’ve taken me off the medication, but I’m still dealing with some chest pain and shortness of breath. The night sweats are still hitting me occasionally, too. So, is sweating the only thing you're experiencing?

Did you actually tell the doctor that you're still experiencing symptoms?