Your question isn't out of line. 🙂 It all goes into your medical record, and not just anyone can go poking around in there. It’s strictly your doctor and their nurse. If they let anything slip, they're going to get absolutely hammered for it.
I bet you're feeling uneasy about this whole digital transition, but that data is protected. My take? Unless there's some extreme emergency, other doctors won't even be able to see it without your primary physician giving the green light.
And why shouldn't an abortion—whether planned or not—be noted in a medical record? 😕 Why would anyone bother telling a new OBGYN about previous births at all then?
There’s clearly a reason why doctors ask for this info and log it. Anything written in a file that a healthcare worker sees (whether it's a doctor or a nurse) is strictly confidential. If they leak it, they can get sued and lose their medical license.
So, I honestly don't see any reason why these things wouldn't be recorded in a patient's history.
It wasn't always like this. I used to handle these massive shifts in the weather just fine, but now? Every time the barometer drops or the temperature swings wildly, it knocks me straight into bed. My joints swell up and ache like crazy whenever the weather turns, and my blood pressure tanks so hard I get dizzy all the time. Honestly, it feels like I’m about to pass out cold at any second.
Betty Fisher2 said:Is an 8-day period normal? It used to be 5 or 6 days, then it bumped up to 6 or 7, and now I'm hitting 8. 😲 Seems a bit much. Not sure if I should be worried...
Yeah. 🙂 I have a friend whose period only lasts 3 or 4 days, and her OB-GYN told her that's totally fine. We aren't all going to fit into some perfect medical average. It's just like cycles—not everyone has a 28-day rhythm.
Or maybe it’s postpartum depression. Here are the symptoms:
Beyond the standard stuff—like feeling low, depressed, or totally drained—PPD can also look like this:
- Feeling irritable or restless - Constant sadness and crying spells - Zero energy left in the tank - Headaches, chest pains, heart palpitations, or hyperventilating - Insomnia, extreme exhaustion, or both - Losing your appetite and dropping weight, or overeating and gaining weight - Brain fog, memory issues, and struggling to make simple decisions - Obsessing over the baby or feeling zero connection to them - Intense guilt and feeling worthless - Fear of hurting yourself or the baby - Losing interest in everything, including sex.
Look, a mother might feel anxious after giving birth, but that doesn't automatically mean she has PPD. It could be postpartum anxiety or a panic disorder instead. Those signs usually involve intense fear and anxiety, rapid breathing, racing heart, hot or cold flashes, chest pain, and dizziness. If you're dealing with any of this, go see your doctor immediately.
This might sound a bit ridiculous—but those are textbook symptoms of panic attacks. I deal with this myself; even when I’m completely calm and fully aware of what’s happening, I still feel this intense pain and crushing pressure in my chest. To be clear, I’ve already been to the cardiologist and everything came back fine. I’ve also noticed these symptoms ramp up significantly during PMS—it gets pretty intense. If you're experiencing something similar, please don't think you're "breaking" or losing your mind—it’s just your body reacting to the daily accumulation of stress... it reaches a breaking point. So, definitely look into that possibility. I really hope you start feeling better soon...
She’d only have a panic attack when she was on the pills anyway. Even without them, she’d still be feeling that stinging sensation.
Thomas Roberts9 is just sitting there. No context. Just a name. What’s the play here? [User] says: Feeling pretty down now that I’ve finally taken over this thread—was stuck at the doctor's office for a while.Blood is fine. The levels went up slightly again, but he basically told me to stop asking about them. Honestly, I wasn't thrilled. I know my skin is going to break out and get all greasy again, but whatever. It is what it is. 😢
Maybe your face will calm down too. My daughter has been dealing with nasty acne issues herself. She ended up on birth control because of it, but she had to stop taking them after years of use due to some vascular problems. Her skin looks fine now, though. Whether it stays that way, who knows? But her face has been clear for a few months already.
Have you thought about hitting up your primary care doctor to get some referrals for testing?
I don't know, I'm not a fan of what you wrote about your hands flooding. To me, it sounds like your circulation is acting up if you're dealing with those brutal headaches and blue hands. Just tell your doctor you need the referrals—don't let them brush you off. 🙂
Regarding thyroid meds? Yeah, absolutely. As for birth control, I honestly have no clue because lately, some of the prescriptions and refills that used to be standard for primary care doctors are suddenly off-limits—they could handle them just fine a few years ago. Just ask your doctor; you've got nothing to lose.
For the thyroid stuff, I know for a fact you can get those. I get all my medication refills, hormone scripts, and referrals to endocrinologists straight from my GP.
Have you ever actually checked your reproductive hormones or your thyroid levels to figure out why your period is running so late?
I used to have totally irregular cycles—I’d go two or three months without seeing anything—and it turned out to be my damn thyroid. Now that I'm on medication for it, things have shifted, but they aren't perfect; my cycles just fluctuate between 30 and 35 days now.
Honestly, it could be anything involving a vein. My girlfriend had one burst in her leg out of nowhere, and she’s super active—hits the gym all the time and doesn't even have a job where she's on her feet all day.
Betty James63 said:Look, I know it's normal for the uterine lining to shed, but this wasn't just little flakes. It was like a massive chunk... melloworca6, seriously, what would I do without you? You’re always there to bail me out on every single thread. 🙂
Honestly, I've had those moments too where a larger piece comes out. It all depends on your cycle. The lining doesn't thicken the exact same way every month, so if it gets a bit thicker one time, yeah, you're going to see bigger pieces.
Don't sweat it, 🙂. I've definitely had times where a large piece came out and I nearly lost my mind. Then I ended up chatting with some girls online and realized this happens to pretty much everyone from time to time.
That’s totally normal. 🙂 During your period, the uterine lining sheds, and you might see different sized clots—it really just depends on how heavy things are getting. Sometimes the lining thickens more than usual, sometimes less, which dictates how much comes out.
Look, I’ve never been pregnant or given birth, so I can't speak from experience there, but you shouldn't worry. The only time you need to head straight to the doctor is if you notice you're passing huge clots constantly or if the bleeding gets incredibly heavy.
As for immunoglobulins (IgE, IgG...), I don't think antibiotics have much of an impact there. However, they definitely mess with the AST-O (antistreptolysin titer), so she really ought to wait at least two weeks after finishing her antibiotic course before getting that tested.