Posts by Robert Thomas21

Based on everything you've listed, I’d say we're looking at a thyroid issue. Your TSH is sitting right at the upper limit of the normal range. Did you actually get your T3 and T4 levels checked?

Nancy Jones12 said:I know this sounds like a stupid question, but I honestly have no clue.
Let's say something hurts and I want to go see a doctor about it (like an earache).
Do I go to a local clinic or straight to the hospital? Do I just show up, or is there some specific procedure I need to follow?

Please don't laugh at me 🙈

You go to a primary care physician first. Do you even know who your doctor is? If you aren't sure, I think you can call Medicare and ask. You can also check on https://usa.gov/ if you're covered.
Once you figure out who your doctor is, you’ll have to call them first to make an appointment.

Oh, sorry, I just realized you mentioned that cold sensation in your ear 😵
So, I’m really doubting there's any connection to your thyroid.
Have you actually seen an ENT yet? You need someone to give you a thorough exam, especially regarding those sinuses. It could be an issue with your Eustace tube or something similar.

And regarding that abdominal pain—you know, the muscle stuff—what did the doctors tell you about being stuck in bed for so long after surgery? Did they recommend any specific exercises or stretching routines?

ruggedheron39 said:It comes in waves... it started about two weeks ago when my stress levels were spiking, and since then, I might feel it once every few days.

But today, it’s hitting me every 40 minutes or even more frequently...

Does anyone have any idea what the issue could be?

It could be your thyroid; that's a classic symptom when it starts underperforming: http://mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothyroidism/symptoms-causes
Stress is a major trigger.

Get your thyroid levels checked: TSH, T4, and T3.

Maria Mitchell23 said:Is anyone else seeing this??

It’s possible you’re running low on magnesium or maybe folic acid—it could be anything from stress to poor circulation. Try supplementing with some magnesium and folic acid (Vitamin B9) for a bit and see if things improve. But seriously, go see a doctor.

Mark Hernandez43 said:About a week ago, I took a nasty fall from a cherry tree—hit the ground hard on my back from quite a height. After getting an abdominal CT scan, they found a small laceration on my spleen and some fluid buildup under my liver. They’ve been monitoring me closely, keeping tabs on my blood work, lab results, and follow-up scans. Five days later, the doctors told me everything looks good; the laceration isn't visible anymore and the fluid has been reabsorbed. I was wondering how much longer I need to stay on bed rest, if there are any dietary restrictions I should be aware of, and whether I'll eventually be able to get back on the handball court... Thanks in advance.

Did the doctors seriously not give you any guidance on that?

I honestly think you should try cutting out dairy, bread, and anything else loaded with flour. Just make sure you're staying hydrated and drinking plenty of fluids. Also, it might be worth looking into taking some calcium and magnesium supplements during your PMS cycle.

Brenda Ortiz10 said:I sent another email, this time straight to the corporate headquarters instead of just the local clinic. If they don't respond to that, I'll have no choice but to show up in person—which honestly sounds miserable since I don't even live in the city, let alone having to scramble to take a day off work. What time were you there? I don't want to make the whole drive just to find the doors locked.

The only other option is if you know someone nearby who could grab a referral for you and set an appointment. Given how ridiculous this situation is...🙂
I went during the information desk hours, so somewhere between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM.

It’s hopeless, Zachary Gomez 🙂

Brenda Ortiz10 said:You were spot on—I just got back from my appointment at the VA, and let me tell you, they can't touch me. Their system won't even let them schedule an appointment for me at the local hospital!

It’s absolutely ridiculous! I went down there in person today to get myself on the books. It looks like there really isn't any other way to handle this.

Zachary Gomez - I'm actually right in the middle of trying to book an abdominal ultrasound myself. Head over to the CMS website: http://www.cms.gov/ and look for the section on service lists. You can pick the specific procedure and location to see where you can get it done and how long the wait times are looking. If I remember correctly, the main medical center offers color Doppler, but you should probably double-check that with them directly. You can call them, sure, but you can only actually book the slot in person or via email.

Brenda Ortiz10 said:Thanks for getting back to me. It would be great if you could actually reach them by phone, because I just spent two hours calling during their listed office hours and absolutely nobody picked up! On Monday, I’m going to ask my primary care physician if they can schedule my follow-up for me again. In the worst-case scenario, if I have to drive all the way to the city hospital myself—where exactly do I go to check in? Is it still Room 15, and is there a specific window of time I need to be there?

Yeah, you check in at Room 15. As for the timing... honestly, I don't recall exactly when I went to get scheduled. I think it was in the morning, but maybe you should stick to those posted hours from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Hmm... I suppose it shouldn't matter much; the nurse should be available regardless.
I really hope your doctor can get you on the schedule, since mine couldn't manage it.

Brenda Ortiz10 said:Looking back through some older threads, I see a lot of people complaining about the nightmare of trying to book appointments via email with the gastroenterology department at the Mayo Clinic, which made me a little anxious. I need a follow-up appointment, so I sent an email directly to the clinic about a week ago, but I haven't heard a peep—even though their website explicitly states you should receive a confirmed time within three days at the latest. Has anyone dealt with this lately? I’m not based in the city, otherwise, I would have just shown up in person. My primary care physician was the one who referred me for my initial exam.

They used to be responsive, but the last time I reached out, I ended up having to show up at the clinic in person just to get things sorted. I sent another email two days ago, but honestly, it looks like I'll be driving down there myself again. Even though I live in the city, I'm all the way on the other side of town. Why not just try calling them to schedule instead? Just tell them you aren't local and see if they'll help you out over the phone.

The Blu-ray Rip is finally out! 😁
I read the books ages ago, so the fine details have mostly slipped my mind, and I honestly don't remember much from the last movie either.
Personally, I wasn't particularly impressed with the film. I just don't see Jennifer Lawrence in this role, and neither does Josh. I actually had a good laugh when he showed up looking all scrawny with that massive head of his. 🤣

Sure, there wasn't a ton of action, but you have to show the psychological toll it takes on people—especially Katniss Everdeen, who is essentially just a pawn in this war.

Anyway... I was never really a huge fan of The Hunger Games, even though I do love that kind of subject matter. Because of that, I'm not exactly disappointed, but I'm certainly not thrilled either. I'm just hoping the second part turns out to be better.

Hollywood is never going to change...🙄

Richard looks way better with a beard.

I'll probably check out the movie since I have a soft spot for fairy tales, but honestly, I'm not expecting much. I'm right there with you—it would be so much better if they just stuck to the original stories. 😁

So many missed opportunities here. Like someone else pointed out, I was actually expecting the masked teenagers to be a bit more bloodthirsty... I’ll probably check out the third installment, but I’m going in with zero expectations. Honestly, Frank is the only good part of this movie 😁

Kevin Gomez10 said:It looks like PBS is airing a Miyazaki marathon as part of their Japanese Autumn programming:

Sept 22, 3:35 PM - Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Sept 23, 4:00 PM - Kika the witch's Delivery service

Sept 24, 4:00 PM - Howl's Moving Castle

Sept 25, 4:00 PM - Ponyo

Sept 26, 4:00 PM - Princess Mononoke

😍
Thanks for the heads-up, I was just about to download all of them myself.🙂

swiftcrane3 said:🙂

Give this a shot:

I can't wait! 🙂

briskstag13 said:So, back in August, I had my ALT and AST checked. Everything was basically normal. But after my primary care doctor suggested a follow-up today, my levels have jumped to AST 88 and ALT 96. 😲On top of that, I’ve been feeling some pain in my liver area lately. Could this actually be caused by eating way too much chocolate, or is this a definitive sign that there's an inflammatory process going on? Also, my cholesterol was at 2.0 in August, and now it's hit 7.0. Triglycerides are 0.39, HDL is 2.64, and LDL is 4.4. Basically, my total and LDL cholesterol are a complete disaster. 😲 It's just wtf. Sure, I eat a lot of chocolate, but I also spend a ton of time cycling. What do you guys think? Is it even possible for those two things to cause such a massive spike in liver enzymes?

Maybe fatty liver.

I honestly think it’s a smart move to take some magnesium a few days beforehand, but the problem is I always end up forgetting...