Posts by Frank Booth9

Carl Moore8 said:The label on the Betadine solution says it's available over-the-counter, so you should be able to just pick it up at any CVS Pharmacy without a hassle. But let’s be real—if a medication is clearly marked "Prescription Only," you aren't supposed to touch it unless a doctor actually clears it through a formal prescription, whether that's a private one or something covered by your insurance.

At the end of the day, you have to respect the law. If someone decides to play shady and sell stuff under the table, well, that’s their own business and they can deal with the consequences.

I get what you're saying, but then why wouldn't they have sold it to rustymason82? The point is, the guy needed the solution, not the ointment, so he shouldn't have needed a prescription at all.

melloworca6 said:Actually, lately they haven't really been handing prescriptions back. Some guy at my local pharmacy was lecturing me about how they need paperwork for every single medication dispensed to cover their tracks (yeah, sure, I just order my meds from overseas and deal with whatever headache the FDA or whatever that agency is called throws my way).

At this point, you can't even tell who's actually taking the pills and who's footing the bill. 🙄

That mostly comes down to the pharmacist—I’m talking about cases like buying Betadine without a prescription. And yeah, you're right, it's impossible to know who's actually using it and who's paying for it.
Not sure if I should even link this, but according to this, it's listed as an over-the-counter item. 🤔

I think it was more about the pharmacist being able to move some Betadine without any hassle. They could have just asked for the customer's full name and the info for their local doctor, and that would’ve been that. Usually, if you walk into most pharmacies with a private prescription for something like Betadine, they'll just hand it right back to you anyway.
My advice? Just head to a different CVS Pharmacy. 😁

Amy Sanders78 said:Hopefully someone here knows the deal.
So, I'm headed to Mount Sinai for bloodwork—hormone tests for my OBGYN. Do I need an appointment? One site says yes, another says no. Honestly, I'm just confused because I finally mentally prepared myself for the needle tomorrow morning -.- and I really don't want to make the trip for nothing.

I was there last week. They scheduled me for late June since hormone levels need to be checked on days 2 through 4 of the cycle. They told me if my period starts earlier than that date, I can just head in a couple of days ahead of schedule.

I need to get my testosterone, androstenedione, DHEA, estradiol, progesterone, prolactin, T4, T3, and TSH checked. Does anyone know if I can get all of this done at a single lab? And where’s the best place to go? My doctor suggested I head over to the local hospital, but it looks like they require appointments, and I really need these results by October 6th.

William Wells71 said:Greetings. My nine-year-old son has come down with Microsporia. We don't even own a pet here; he was just playing around with the neighbor's dog. So far, I've been applying Plymicol 2, but it doesn't seem to be doing much, and now these spots are spreading almost everywhere—mostly his stomach and back, with some on his arms and legs too.
Is there a risk of the rest of us catching this?
I've been tossing his bath towels straight into the dirty laundry pile, and I make sure to swap out his sleeping shirts every other day.
How often should I be changing the bed linens?
Will running everything through a standard washing machine kill off the fungus?

I see people talking about disinfecting their entire house; is that necessary because of the dogs, or should I be doing that as well?

I used Plymicol 2 for two weeks first, then switched to Lamisil in the morning plus Plymicol at night. I was also supposed to take potassium permanganate baths, but I just used diluted potassium permanganate as compresses on the infected areas instead. I changed my clothes every single day—any clothes I wore, including pajamas. I swapped out pillowcases every day since I had a spot on my face, but I didn't bother with sheets because I slept in long pajama pants and didn't touch the spots or the bedding directly, so there wasn't much point in daily sheet changes besides the pillowcases. I washed everything at the highest temperature possible for those fabrics, dried them in the sun to let the UV rays kill anything left, and ironed everything on high heat.
I disinfected the house because of my cat and for my own sake.

rapidlynx5 said:my leg is still pretty swollen, so I figured I'd ask since I'm at a loss here :/

Just use some ice to get that swelling down. 😁
And I mean regular ice from your freezer, not an actual glacier. 😁

rapidlynx5 said:Does anyone happen to know if it’s safe to apply Polar gel—you know, that cooling stuff you use for sore feet—to a bee sting? I got stung yesterday and ended up having to head over to the ER. They gave me an injection and prescribed a specific ointment, but I just can't make it out to the pharmacy right now 😁 so I was wondering if using the Polar gel I have lying around the house might actually help with the swelling...

That isn't an antihistamine; it's just an analgesic. You really need Synopen (I assume 🙂). If you just want to cool down the sting, just use ice from the freezer. Don't use the cooling gel 😁..

I don't take antacids myself, but I can tackle that question for 😁

Basically, these drugs lower stomach acidity by neutralizing excess HCl in your gastric juices. They also dial back pepsin activity. Their most critical role is managing bleeding from ulcers, so they're usually used alongside long-term anti-ulcer treatments.
As for whether they actually work—I can't speak to my own experience, but logically, they should.

Arthur Gonzalez35 said:The goal here is to break down first aid procedures for specific scenarios I’ll list, plus any others you guys bring up. We're assuming certain conditions: we can't get the victim to medical help immediately, and we have basic supplies on hand (bandages, tape, antiseptic spray, etc.). For example, what do you do for a venomous snake bite—like a rattlesnake? There are tons of myths out there about sucking out the venom, cutting the wound, or using a tourniquet. Is any of that actually effective? Or take a gunshot wound while hunting or a deep laceration; is it smart for an average person to try stitching a wound or even removing a bullet?

Regarding rattlesnake bites—here’s what I was taught: trying to suck the venom out does absolutely nothing. if the venom hits the bloodstream, you're in trouble, which makes sucking it out a bad move since you never know if there's a tiny cut or bleed in your mouth or throat.
Basically, don't cut the wound, don't suck it, and don't burn it. Just immobilize the limb where the bite happened (obviously skip that if it's the neck). The person needs to stay still. Hopefully, they make it to an ER where they can get antivenom. If there's no clinic nearby with antivenom, things look grim. It also depends heavily on the location. A bite to the neck or near a major artery is a death sentence because the venom spreads too fast. Survival chances drop significantly.

As for gunshot wounds during hunting, I'm no expert, but I don't think it's wise for a civilian to pull out a bullet. You'll likely cause more damage than good. Again, it all depends on where they were hit. If someone gets hit in the abdomen or an arm and starts bleeding, I'd use digital pressure—just press hard on the site. If it's an arm, I'd use a tourniquet. I don't carry a professional one, but if I had a belt, I'd wrap it above the wound and tighten it. You have to loosen a tourniquet every 20 minutes or so to prevent tissue death. Same goes for deep cuts: clean it with whatever antiseptic you have and bandage it up. Don't attempt stitches unless you actually know what you're doing; the wilderness isn't exactly a sterile environment.

I know plenty of people on this forum know way more about this than I do. If I got anything wrong, please set me straight. 😁

gentlefalcon said:She brings up this same line all the time: "It would have been better if I'd chosen a modest, good, obedient child—one who wouldn't speak out against the faith, but would actually be grateful to me later." 🤣
It's like she wants a child made of clay, someone she can mold entirely to her own whims. I finally started breaking free from those jaws when I was about eight or nine. Even before I started school, I remember resisting going, so they’d try to bribe me with ice cream after Mass. Back then, I felt like I had some semblance of choice. 😁

But since my mom raised me to be prayerful, it became a bit of a performance whenever our fanatical relatives came over; I was expected to show off how much I knew. It was a disaster. While other kids were busy singing songs by Lepa Brena, I was being paraded around, reciting prayers in front of everyone. 🙂
Mom truly believes that donating money to the Church is a fast track to heaven. She even tried to pitch it to me: "Now that you're an adult, why don't you set aside something for the Church? I see some of your old classmates from elementary school contributing, and you're the same age." 🙂

Haha, you're a total joke.

Honestly, you remind me so much of my little nephew. A few weeks back, he was actually praying to his guardian angel... haha. I went to Mass this Sunday and spent the whole time just watching my niece. I didn't hear a single word of the sermon. Total waste of time sitting there for an hour and a half. It feels silly—they bring these little kids to church, then expect them to be quiet. I tell them to settle down, and they actually listen (well, except for my niece, who wouldn't stop crying). Kids like that would have fit right in with your mom. xD

You're too obsessed with faith and all that stuff. That’s exactly why you've turned out this way. They pushed it down your throat way too hard.

My folks aren't fanatics. My dad especially isn't. But they believe. They believe in God, and I do too. Still, I'm not about shoving it in people's faces or acting like I have to be at Mass every single Sunday. No way. I might go to confession maybe twice in two years, tops. Then I hear about people who go every two weeks thinking they're the ultimate believers... meanwhile, they've probably sinned more than I ever have.🤣

Since you’re such a saint, you should just adopt a kid from Africa and spend your money on them instead of whatever this is xD
surely they'll make it straight to heaven right away..🤣

gentlefalcon said:Why do you say: thank God I don't live with my grandma? 😁 I'd love to see you try living with a fanatic in your own family. You act exactly like I do; it's just that nobody calls you out on it. I'd happily spend my Sundays at home quietly praying and watching Formula 1. You have no idea what I'm talking about. I'm talking about a mother who is a fanatic believer and can't wrap her head around the fact that her son won't step foot in a church.
When I was a kid, I was constantly asking my mom, "Mom, how much longer do we have to be here?" and nothing worked. 😂 Do you really think I'm some pushover who just takes whatever my mother throws at me? I'm actually looking forward to this upcoming Easter and my latest attempts at redeeming my sinful soul. ☕

And after Easter, I'll probably be quiet again: "Nobody is forcing you." And then I'll be labeled a fanatic for my lack of faith. 👍

Take my refusal to be a godmother at a First Communion, for example. In our circles, godparents are almost always chosen from well-to-do families, so accepting would basically mean a lifetime of buying expensive gifts for some quasi-religious person.🤣

Honestly, the whole idea of marriage isn't even appealing to me anymore. My mom is basically waiting for me to settle down with some "practical" devout woman, but let's be real—those types are usually boring and, frankly, not much to look at. It’s like trying to find a decent meal in a desert 🙄
If I went that route, I'd just be circling back to the exact same headache. If I marry someone who isn't Catholic, my family loses it; but if I marry someone who shares my actual views, then I'm still facing an uphill battle.

Take my parents, for example. They see people showing up at church processions who haven't stepped foot in a sanctuary since the nineties, suddenly acting all pious. And then they turn that judgment on me: "You're going to follow suit; you'll be crawling through those church doors soon enough." 😁

So, I tell them straight: "Look, I've already been part of the Church, and quite frankly, I don't care for the crowd there. Most of them have questionable backgrounds—people living double lives, pretending to be one thing publicly while hiding their real lives under different addresses."

My mom, for instance, thinks self-flagellation is perfectly normal behavior. She actually believes scientists have uncovered actual nails from the cross of Jesus from two millennia ago.

There's a reason I say this about my grandma xD
I adore my grandma, and that's specifically because I don't live with her 😁 ... when I see my cousins who do live with her and how they treat her—acting all saintly, going to mass, pretending they aren't swearing their heads off—they are the complete opposite of me. At least I'm polite to her and don't act the way they do, but they act "good" and "sweet," whereas if I acted half as bad as they do, I'd be grounded instantly... just because of who I am. I can say my grandma is a religious fanatic. She once told me she'd be happy if my boyfriend was a believer xD I couldn't stop laughing. She asks me about him again, and I just talk to my cousin (who is also a fanatic) about how his boyfriend is ten years older... (I really wonder if they've already hooked up or if they're waiting for marriage XD, I'm such a jerk...). I told her to invite him over so he could meet us, and she hasn't asked again..

See, we clearly aren't the same. A few years ago, there was a mass for my grandpa. I told my mom I'd go, she woke me up in the morning, and I just felt like joking and saying I wasn't going xD Of course, it upset her, and we ended up arguing. I won't budge; I'm stubborn like a mule. She even threatened to stop doing my laundry (she knows I hate ironing), but I still didn't go to the mass. When I make up my mind, that's it. No matter what anyone tries to force on me, if I don't feel like it, I'm not doing it. I have my own views, and my family knows I'm stubborn, so they don't try to push me. And who says I don't have fanatics in my family? Maybe I'm a fanatic for vampires or something xD Either way, we agree on one thing: they don't force their stuff on me, and I don't nag them about mine. We have other things to talk about, and there's peace. No, I really don't know what you're talking about... I have plenty of friends and neighbors around me who are just like you. I can tolerate the old folks on Sundays; they go to mass and that's fine.
Look, once you realized that trick wasn't working, you should've just roasted her like I did mine XD. Though honestly, I don't even see what the big deal was—she basically said not everyone needs to know Dad did the cooking LOL

It’s obvious you're dealing with your mom and you've finally hit a breaking point. Just let it go. Unplug. I don't know how else to put this XD. Accept that she can't make peace with the fact that you aren't a believer, and eventually, she'll have to accept it too. When you fight with her like this, all she thinks is there's still hope you'll change your mind and join her side..

And how exactly are you "dying in misery" at home on Sundays if your parents are at Mass? If they aren't there, you're just home alone having some peace.. right??

We already established your mom isn't exactly sane. You talk about her like she's some high-level terrorist xD. Aren't you supposed to be a fanatic about being an unbeliever? Just pick a side already.

Regarding picking godparents for Christmas, that's how it's done everywhere, but I see it differently. I didn't choose my godmother that way, but after four years of being godparents, we don't even say hi when we pass each other (but she's a special case).. That's why I try to be a real godmother to this girl. If she needs me, I'm there. I'm not going to be like mine..

Give me a break... you're 23 years old acting like a toddler. Clearly, you didn't grow up with an older sibling to teach you some manners. 🙂
I live in a town where everyone is super religious. They basically worship this one priest. I guess I’m the only one who isn't obsessed or showing up for Mass. My parents aren't even fanatics; they only go to church now because of my brother's confirmation, so I just stay home and pray privately. My grandma, though? She's a total fanatic. Thank God I don't live with her. Looking at my cousins, they're such little angels—never say a swear word, just sweet little things. XD
For instance, my mom and grandma used to drag me to church when I was a little girl, and obviously, I wasn't having it. I was about three. The ladies were busy praying the Rosary before Mass even started, and I kept wandering out and dragging my mom around. Eventually, Mom got fed up and told me to sit still. Then, out of nowhere, I blurted it out loud enough for everyone to hear: "Mom, what's Dad cooking at home??" 🤣 Of course, all the ladies started laughing. Mom was mortified, along with Grandma, and she realized it wasn't going to work, so she just took me home. Problem solved. 😁

Some people show up to church every single day, but when I think about their pasts and how they actually act, it feels totally hollow.
Same here. I went on one pilgrimage once, on foot, and I did it for myself. Nobody forced me. As for Mass, I might go maybe five times a year. That's if it's Christmas, Easter, or if I'm a godmother for a confirmation or a wedding, or a funeral for my grandpa. It's not like you're going to die if you attend a funeral. You don't have to go for some distant relative's uncle; just go for your own parents or grandparents and call it a day. And don't start with the drama. Just tell your parents you suddenly believe in God, but you don't feel the need to hit Mass every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday to be a "good" believer. Tell them you pray every day and leave it at that. If you're only doing it for the money, sitting through an hour of Mass won't kill you. You don't have to stay for the Rosary afterward; just let your parents see you there, get the cash, and everyone wins.

Quick question about Word.
I need to turn in my senior thesis tomorrow, but I'm totally stuck on the actual content.
I can't get these numbers to align at the end. It looks like a complete disaster and it's honestly an eyesore.
I tried getting Word to automate this for me, but it just won't cooperate. My main headache is trying to get the numbers to line up perfectly on the right side. They’re always wonky—either one number sticks out or they're all indented weirdly—even when I try using the exact same amount of periods everywhere. Hopefully, someone can figure out what I'm struggling with. 🙂

Thanks in advance. 😁

My bad. It was set to Justify, and I just needed to align it to the left.

Back when I worked at a Walgreens, they used to whip up custom ointments for cracked heels on the spot.
The formula was basically Vaseline mixed with some salicylic acid... try to track that down, it should do the trick.

melloworca6 said:It doesn't really hit me like that normally, but whenever I try to move suddenly—like reaching for something on a high shelf—that's when the cramp strikes.

And if you ask me, antispasmodics are meant for a different kind of issue altogether. They're for smooth muscle spasms, like what you deal with during kidney stones, gallbladder issues, menstrual cramps, or intestinal spasms.

My bad, my mistake.😁
You didn't mention where you're feeling the cramps, so I just assumed they were internal, involving the smooth muscle tissue...

Just watch out for sudden movements from now on.😁

melloworca6 said:I’m used to having 6 or 7 vials of blood drawn at once, and yeah, I can handle waiting two or three months for lab results. 🙂

I have hypothyroidism—my thyroid hormone levels are low—and since that can trigger deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals, I really need to get them checked out. Lately, my cramps have been absolutely brutal, so I want to rule out whether magnesium, potassium, or calcium is the culprit.

I deal with some immune system issues too, so these cramps could be a symptom of that, but I need to clear the vitamin and mineral stuff first. I honestly thought you could only get those specific tests done privately, so this is great news. Now I’m going to pester my doctor until they test everything on my list. 😁

Try to get a single referral so they can just draw it all at once..

I haven't, but I've gotten used to it since I get everything done at the local clinic... they never have the reagents ready anyway xD
Good luck then 😁
Are you taking any antispasmodics to ease the cramps?

melloworca6 said:My bad, I think I phrased that poorly 🤣, I meant to ask if it was just a standard blood panel.

Man, that’s intense. They really went to town on you with those needles. 👍 I’ll probably have to nag my doctor for a bit; maybe she'll finally write me a referral. If she plays hardball, I'll just go bother an immunologist instead.

I guess that's one upside to having health that's completely trashed—at least you can still wheedle your way into getting insurance coverage for tests. 😁

Yeah, except everyone waits forever. I had all mine drawn at the start of August and I'm still waiting on a few results... o.O
Yeah, tell me about it... I'm terrified of needles. Honestly. I thought those 6 or 7 tubes they took were everything, but I was wrong. 😁
My primary care doc is awful. Doesn't hand out referrals easily, and when he does, he messes up the paperwork. I end up going back ten times for the same thing.
So, what's bothering you regarding your vitamin and mineral levels?

You don't even need a specialist referral first... anyone can order these tests. Honestly, I think even a primary care doctor could do it. My gastroenterologist was the one who sent me because nobody could figure out what was wrong with me—they figured nothing was missing—but it turned out my Vitamin D levels were just really low. That was it.

What other kind of blood test is there? 😁 It’s just standard blood work, though they took a ton from me. 😢 The only thing is, they wrap the tube for the Vitamin A test in foil since it's light-sensitive.

I had to get all of this done: CBC with reticulocytes, iron studies, ferritin, total protein with serum protein electrophoresis and immunoelectrophoresis, bilirubin, AST, ALT, GGT, LDH, CK, ALP, Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Cl, Zn, vitamin A, vit. D, vit. B12, Vit. B6, folic acid, cholesterol, TG, HDL, LDL, glucose, HbA1c, ESR, fibrinogen, ALP, TV, tTG... My GP forgot to write half of it down, so I ended up spending a lot of time at the hospital getting extra stuff checked while I was there. 😁

Good luck getting those referrals. 😁