Posts by Richard Doyle11

I’ve got a question almost identical to what Raymond Adams48 is asking. Right now, I’m stuck with an Epson Stylus SX600FW multifunction printer. The problem is, I barely ever use it, and apparently, that causes the nozzles to clog up—or so the technicians tell me. I’ve already sent this thing to the repair shop a few times, but even after the service, the print quality is just a disaster. About 30% of the page shows up, and the rest is just blank space.

At this point, paying for repairs is a losing game; it’s like throwing good money after bad. I’d rather just buy a new printer—just the printer itself. I need something small for home use, maybe printing 5 to 20 pages a month, that won't act up or clog constantly (though I have no clue what determines that, or what kind of model I actually need). Ideally, it should be affordable and the ink shouldn't cost a fortune either.

Look, I am a complete novice here, so I don't even know what to search for. Can anyone please help me out with some advice?

Worst kind of contraception?
Smoking?

Dear lady, thank you so much for getting back to me. 👍
No, I don't use any birth control. I used it for a few months more than ten years ago (Diane 35). As for smoking, I did it when I was younger, but I quit eight years ago.

What confuses me is that right after my car accident, they performed a CT scan that was supposedly clear. I say "supposedly" because I never actually saw the official report. I also have no idea if they scanned my entire brain at the time or just a partial area where my head was "crushed." Is it even possible to do a partial CT, or does a brain CT always imply the whole head? The actual scanning only took about 5-10 minutes.

Also, is it possible for an aneurysm to develop later on, even if it wasn't there immediately following the accident?

In that specific spot on my head I mentioned earlier (the right side, parietal region), I occasionally feel a sharp, stabbing pain—even when I don't have a headache. It’s very brief, lasting maybe 2-3 seconds, but it comes out of nowhere.

Is there a cranial nerve in that area that could be causing these issues?
It might help to mention that I hear a loud pulsing sound in my right ear when I lie down, especially if I turn my head left or right and press my cheek against the pillow. When standing up, it only happens if I tilt my head toward my left shoulder.
Please forgive the barrage of questions; I have a high pain tolerance, but this whole combination is truly unsettling and I can't just ignore it.

I've even started avoiding intimacy out of fear that this will happen again.
Thanks in advance for your answers.

I’ve actually had this happen to me three times over the last few months... just seconds before climaxing, I get the most intense headache of my life. It hits out of nowhere, like someone is crushing my skull between two massive millstones. It’s horrific. The pain is at its peak in the occipital region of the right side of my head, just above and slightly behind my right ear. Once the encounter ends after maybe 3 or 4 minutes, the pain subsides, leaving a dull ache for an hour or two. I haven't bothered checking my blood pressure during these episodes, so I can't say for sure. I’ve read online about "pre-orgasmic headaches," though those supposedly mostly affect men (and I am a woman). For context, I’ve been hypertensive for the past five years. I take Concor 5mg and Ramipril 5mg. Ever since my blood pressure spiked, I've dealt with frequent headaches too. My doctor diagnoses them as migraines, even though my own tracking shows a clear pattern where the high pressure and the headaches coincide perfectly. I don't have any other underlying conditions. As a child, I suffered a concussion from a bad fall, and two years ago, I was in a car accident—a car hit me while I was cycling—which resulted in a head injury, a concussion, and amnesia. I had a CT scan back then, and everything came back normal. Is it possible for an aneurysm to develop later on and trigger pain during high-pressure situations? (And let's face it, sex definitely spikes my blood pressure!) Given how excruciating the pain is, I need to know: how dangerous are these types of headaches? Could they lead to a stroke or something similar?

vividsailor7

Could someone please break down the difference between Glucophage and Glucophage XR? I'm trying to understand the various forms of metformin—specifically the standard pills versus the extended-release versions. In your experience, which one actually works better?
I recently started taking Glucophage, but I've been on a diuretic (Hygroton) for a while now. I’ve noticed several of you mentioning that diuretics can have negative metabolic effects—if I understood correctly, they might spike blood sugar levels. To make matters worse, the Glucophage instructions explicitly warn about unfavorable interactions with diuretics...
So, is there an alternative out there that can do the job of a diuretic so I can avoid using them altogether?

READING THE THREAD ON METABOLIC SYNDROME—THAT’S WHAT PROMPTED ME TO REACH OUT TO YOU ALL.
I recently underwent a series of tests ahead of my procedure—including an extended OGTT, C-peptide levels, insulin, and glucose.

Here are the results: glucose/c-pep/insulin/A1C: 0/1888/1.67/4.5, 15/3101/22.5/7.1, 1/5488/168/10.2, 2/5115/102/6.4, 3/3478/41.9/4.3, 4/1735/20.1/3.9, 5/1377/15.9/3.9.

Significant postprandial hyperinsulinemia, paired with blood sugar hitting rock bottom four hours later (3.9 mmol/l).

I was scouring the web for an actual explanation of this diagnosis—since my Endocrinologist basically brushed me off, claiming it wasn't even worth mentioning—and I accidentally stumbled upon the whole connection between these results and the symptoms that have been plaguing me for years. It’s all right there: hypertension, obesity, thrombosis, atherosclerosis, irregular periods, PCOS, and fatty liver. Everything is linked.

For years now, I’ve been complaining about these intense waves of exhaustion hitting me throughout the day. It happens multiple times—especially after eating. My "soul just goes to sleep." I’m talking about a level of drowsiness so heavy I can barely stay upright. I feel this constant, crushing lack of energy. A few years back, my doctor suspected an iron deficiency. Naturally, the bloodwork came back perfectly fine, and after that, any attempt to explain my fatigue was met with nothing. Apparently, I was just imagining things or being lazy.

I'm dealing with significant water retention—swelling in my limbs and even my face, specifically around the eyelids. My blood pressure is running slightly high, sitting around 140/90 to 150/95, which is tied to some pretty intense headaches. On top of that, I have a hypertonic heart configuration, specifically an enlarged left ventricle.
About eighteen months ago, I was prescribed both a diuretic and Concor for my heart. At this point, I’ve dropped the Concor and I'm only taking the diuretic—specifically 25mg of Hydrochlorothiazide. It turns out that was plenty; it handles both the fluid retention and the hypertension perfectly well. Plus, now that my blood pressure is actually under control, those headaches aren't hitting me nearly as often.

I'm dealing with some serious issues with my leg veins—Grade 3 varicose veins. My legs are constantly painful and swollen.
She’s been dealing with PCOS and irregular periods since she was a teenager.
I’ve been struggling with my weight since I was a kid... (currently sitting at 212 lbs and 5'5").
I find myself ravenous almost immediately after eating; it feels like a vicious cycle where the more I consume, the hungrier I become. Curiously, when I wake up in the morning, I have no appetite at all. Even if I skip breakfast entirely, I can hold out until 2:00 or 3:00 PM without thinking about food. However, once I finally start eating, the floodgates open, and I end up eating more frequently and in larger quantities throughout the evening. Based on some research regarding hyperinsulinemia, it seems this constant hunger might be a direct consequence of an insulin and glucose imbalance in the body—though, realistically, my poor dietary choices are likely both a symptom and a cause of that very imbalance.

I’m struggling with my capillary circulation—basically, my hands and feet are perpetually freezing. Once winter hits, stepping outside becomes an actual ordeal because the cold starts to feel downright painful.

My latest blood work just came back, and things are looking slightly off. My clotting time (PT) is sitting at 17.7 (ref range 15.3–17.3), and my fibrinogen is up at 3.8 (ref range 1.8–3.5). To top it all off, my HbA1c hit 6.2 (ref range 4.8–6.0). Looking at my recent labs—and honestly, looking at them historically—these numbers are always hovering just a bit above the limit.
Borderline liver size. Diffuse fatty infiltration. Great. Just what I needed.

For the last two years, I've been dealing with frequent pain in my kidney area. Honestly, I've just been toughing it out so far—I haven't even bothered to look into it yet.

On my own, I never would have connected all these symptoms and conditions. But after doing some reading on hyperinsulinemia, everything clicked—I finally see how it ties directly into metabolic syndrome. It’s all linked.

My doctor didn't make the connection, of course. She went through my lab results and just gave me the usual "everything looks fine" routine. There wasn't even a hint that hyperinsulinemia isn't some harmless little thing—it could very well be the common denominator behind every single one of my symptoms and conditions. It’s the missing link in the chain.
When it comes to my day-to-day life, nothing hits harder than this constant fatigue, the drowsiness, and the total lack of energy. Honestly? I just feel "off" and unwell. It’s incredibly frustrating because when I talk to my doctor, she looks at all my individual test results and concludes that, generally speaking, I'm "healthy." Well, clearly, we aren't seeing eye to eye on that.
From what I can see, diet is the single most important factor when it comes to healing—or at least, managing this whole situation.
Can a low-glycemic diet actually help more than a standard diet? Which specific foods are responsible for this exhaustion I’m feeling? What exactly should I be staying away from? Most importantly, can proper nutrition and weight loss actually resolve these symptoms entirely, or am I just managing the situation?

As far as medication goes, I’m not taking anything besides Hygroton..

I’m only 37, yet I feel like I’m 55... I JUST WANT TO BE HEALTHY AND ACTUALLY HAVE THE ENERGY TO LIVE MY LIFE!

Thanks for the exhaustive details... that's what I call being up to date. Super.😉

I know you didn't mean anything by it, so don't sweat that little comment ;-)
As for me, I’m unfortunately one of those people left hanging because bariatric surgery services shut down in Indianapolis. But hey, no use crying over spilled milk; we move on. As for what happens in two years? Well, I can only hope this "banana republic" of ours finally climbs out of its financial hole—and hopefully takes the healthcare system with it. Maybe then having surgeries covered by Medicare won't be such a massive headache. But please, I'm such an optimist!

What exactly are these silicone tiles you're talking about? What's the look, the purpose, the actual name? Do you need a prescription, or... what's the price point? For now, I've just prepped some Contratel for these tiny laparoscopic scars; hopefully, that does the trick. ;-))

Regarding those intradermal stitches (the ones they used on you)—I've known about those for five or six years now. Hospitals actually carry them, but surgeons generally reserve them for select patients since they're way more expensive than the standard ones. It's great that you actually got them.

To everyone doing whatever it takes for themselves, including getting an abdominoplasty: major props to your determination and courage..🙏🙏🙏
I see we have some Lap-band veterans here too (not in terms of age, but how long you've been banded/operated on). Honestly, I am so glad there are people here who have paved the way; seeing your stories makes things much easier for those of us just starting out like me..👍👍 👍

I am currently scheduled for my gastric band surgery this coming May, and I still have a long road ahead before any plastic surgery—as quietgull62 says, it's "too early for questions," but I have to disagree with her.. One of my biggest concerns regarding the band is the excess skin, and one of my main conditions for committing to all of this is knowing what the options are for fixing the skin issues afterward..
That is why I want all the information right now, just like most of the newcomers, I think..
Personally, five years ago, I lost 40 kg on my own through dieting and didn't end up with much loose skin back then. However, I hadn't gone through pregnancy yet, which is when my skin ended up stretched out like popcorn.. This time, I am starting my weight loss journey postpartum with 50 kg to lose, so I am fully aware there will be a mountain of excess skin this time around..😢

For now, I’m joining this thread and will be following along closely. I am truly happy to see this community gaining momentum...😍

And of course, the more photos, the better. A picture is worth a thousand words, so I am joining the other girls in requesting them..

Good luck to everyone!