Kate Harris3 said:I'd sign off on that. I have a nearly four-year-old who has been incredibly active and "spirited," to put it politely, since day one. 😁 While I was pregnant and dealing with a newborn, my husband finished his graduate studies abroad, and I knocked out my final, most brutal exam, wrote a grueling thesis, and graduated. We moved into a new apartment (I was breastfeeding at one point near Solomon 😁), found jobs, built a social circle, and traveled quite a bit with the kid and friends. The compromise was keeping trips relatively local, and making sure our friends genuinely loved the little one—people who wouldn't mind cutting a hike short to run through a park with him. At one point, I was hitting the gym almost five times a week, and incredibly, both my husband and I still go out. Not necessarily every weekend, but we go when we plan to. Well, I'm not going out as much anymore because I'm pregnant again. 🙂 And yeah, the kid is a handful. He slept over at his grandpa's once, but we can only leave him for a few hours at most; we don't have that luxury of constant grandparent childcare. It's all doable simply because we have the willpower and we love each other, wanting the next one to be happy too. It works. 🎉 But back to the topic. I'm eight weeks along and I'm surprised by how little nausea I have. I barely feel pregnant, which makes this feel less "real" than my first one. I've started getting paranoid about labor, even though I have plenty of time left. And I'm dreading a summer pregnancy. There is no bigger hater of summer than me, and I still have 8 or 9 months of this ahead of me... it'll be fun.
It’s like you read my mind...😁 I haven't had any symptoms either, which is pretty baffling to me.
I went through a summer pregnancy once before—gave birth in August when it was pushing 105 degrees in Phoenix—and I swore I’d never do it again. Yet, here I am, doing the exact same thing with a due date just a few days off from last time.😛
I’ve always shared that sentiment regarding people touching my stomach without permission. I actually had an experience once on a subway where an elderly woman just started running her hand over my belly. It was incredibly uncomfortable, but I eventually learned how to firmly intercept those hands and tell people quite plainly that it's rude and they shouldn't do it. With this pregnancy, I honestly don't think my inner circle will even dream of reaching out to touch my bump. Besides, it really is such a senseless gesture, isn't it? Personally, I have never once felt the urge to reach out and rub someone else's stomach.
I feel like I need to bump this thread back up for a moment...
Has anyone by any chance stumbled upon something that actually works as an alternative to MuscleTech?
Indeed, the 2 mg dose of Normabel just isn't doing the trick when it comes to easing my neck muscle tension.
I’ve heard that over in Austria, you can pick up Flex Seal; apparently, the primary ingredient is chlorzoxazone—the exact same thing found in MuscleTech—so does anyone happen to know if they sell it over there without a prescription?
It’s just a standard physiological reaction. For instance, when you first start introducing certain foods into your diet—for me, it’s usually triggered by anything acidic—it's something that can happen to anyone from time to time. Now, whether it becomes an issue if it happens frequently? I honestly couldn't tell you...
Robin Gray8 said:Look, there are certainly people who rush to the ER for absolutely trivial reasons, but when a parent brings in a sick child with what seems like a "standard" fever, they aren't necessarily being fools. There are instances where a temperature—even one that looks routine to an outsider—can lead to much more serious consequences than, say, a simple eye infection. Why would an eye issue take priority over a fever? Every parent with a sick kid feels like their situation is the most urgent, and honestly, sickness is sickness. Whether it’s a high fever, an inflamed eye, a sore throat, or a stuffy nose... true emergencies are when someone can't breathe or is genuinely crashing.
If the temperature is under 100 degrees and you haven't even attempted to bring it down yourself by giving them a lukewarm bath or some Tylenol, then you have no business heading to the ER. Besides, pediatricians on call at local clinics handle these things just fine, unless we're talking about an infant under three months old or a child who has experienced febrile seizures. I think you're missing my point entirely. I am specifically talking about those types of people; please don't strip the context away from me. What exactly is the expectation here? Should every single parent see a reading of 102 on the thermometer and immediately sprint to the emergency room without trying to manage it at home first? It happens constantly, and frankly, it's tragic that nobody seems able to put a stop to it. I work in the medical field, so I know exactly what I'm talking about. I only used the eye infection as an example this time... it was totally irrelevant to the main point, and actually, we had priority over them because the infection was purulent—meaning it was likely bacterial, staph, which is contagious... you follow me?! (And yes, the swab confirmed it was staph...) There were children being examined who ended up leaving without any medication at all... simply because they didn't need any. Their issues were just a sore throat, a common cold, or a minor virus—nothing serious. Naturally, they were just referred back to their regular pediatrician.
melloworca6 said:It’s because they aren’t allowed to. If heaven forbid something happens to a child after they've sent them home, the liability would fall squarely on their shoulders.
Look, I get that there are legal restrictions, but surely they could at least give parents a firm warning? It's like teaching a kid a lesson; if you tell someone a few times that they shouldn't do something, eventually the message should sink in. Or better yet, they should triage the kids based on urgency. Let those folks who think everything is an emergency wait in line for four or five hours like everyone else—maybe then they'll realize that not every scraped knee requires an immediate trip to the ER.
melloworca6 said:If you had actually taken the time to read my previous posts in this thread, you would have seen that I already stated that... If I had my way, I’d hold every single one of those people who fake an illness accountable. You know the type—the chronic hypochondriacs who flood the ER with nothing but imaginary symptoms. Once it turns out they’re perfectly fine, they should be on the hook for the bill. They shouldn't be allowed to waste a doctor's precious time or drain resources just because they have an overactive imagination. If you go looking for a crisis that isn't there, you should be the one footing the bill for all those unnecessary tests and scans. It’s a matter of fairness, really. Think about all the wasted hours—the sheer amount of time doctors and nurses lose just dealing with people's nonsense. If you actually accounted for that lost productivity, you’d see how quickly enough funds could be scraped together to... How on earth do we get people to stop treating the ER like a walk-in clinic just because they can't be bothered to wait two hours for an appointment with their regular doctor? It’s become such a massive issue lately. Every little thing—a scratch, a mild sniffle, something that could easily wait until Monday—ends up in the emergency room because people simply don't have the patience to deal with the actual medical system. It’s like when you see a line out the door at a high-end steakhouse in Manhattan; if you aren't willing to wait for a table, you go to a fast-food joint, but the ER isn't a burger stand. It’s meant for crises. When everyone rushes there just to skip the queue at a primary care office, the whole system starts to buckle under the weight of non-emergencies. We need a way to redirect that flow before the actual emergencies get buried under a mountain of trivial cases..
I’m signing this! Count me in!🙏
It honestly drives me up the wall when I’m over on Cleveland Avenue. You see these people—complete idiots, really—who rush their kids straight into the ER just because they have a tiny fever or a little cough. It’s infuriating. Then there’s someone like me, showing up with a child who picked up a nasty bacterial eye infection at daycare. It’s progressing so fast that his eyes are practically swollen shut and oozing, yet I’m stuck sitting there for two hours because of those people. I honestly don't get why they don't just send those kids back home... or at least pass them along to their own pediatrician. I mean, surely they have enough sense to distinguish between an actual emergency and something that can wait, right?🙄
Even up until recently, I’ve occasionally picked up certain medications at the pharmacy without a physical prescription in hand—just by providing my medical history. For instance, they would simply log my details, note the name of the physician who originally prescribed them, and process my payment. If I felt like being thorough, I could always bring the actual paper prescription in later to get a refund.
I honestly don't see where the friction lies; why does it bother people so much when they ask for your information? 😕 At the end of the day, we are talking about prescription-strength drugs. The staff is responsible for what they dispense; they need to maintain a clear record of who is receiving these medications, especially if the person standing at the counter isn't the one listed on the official script...🤷
driftinggull21 said:The heatwaves absolutely wreck me. I get these brutal migraines, and on top of that, my blood pressure tends to drop, so along with the headache, I feel totally drained. Everything gets dizzy, my vision starts blacking out, and I end up stumbling around like a drunk—constantly bumping my shoulders into doorframes.
It’s like she’s reading my mind... I still haven't found a reliable way to deal with this issue. Nothing seems to work for me, whether it's drinking extra fluids, staying active, or anything else I try. The moment I see a heatwave forecast on the news, I already start feeling under the weather...it makes me wonder if there's a psychological component to these symptoms as well.🤷
Ryan Torres27 said:A dear person close to me suffered a heart attack five days ago and is currently in a coma. The doctors at the Mayo Clinic mentioned that the stent placement surgery went smoothly without any complications, so now we're just waiting for them to wake up. Has anyone dealt with something similar? Our whole family is in a really tough spot right now and everyone is incredibly anxious. If anyone has any insight or experience to share, it would mean the world to us.
How old is the patient? Did they have a history of heart issues, or did this come out of nowhere? Are there any other chronic health conditions involved?
mistyraven said:I can't say I've gotten used to it (though maybe I should). It’s a terrible sensation. Like being drunk. Or on drugs..
That is a perfect description...that really captures how awful it feels.
Honestly, the last couple of days have felt like I've been in a coma...I'm just waiting for the moment I finally collapse somewhere. My blood pressure is so low that my entire body feels heavy; sometimes it genuinely feels like I'm lugging a hundred-pound weight around on my back. Yesterday afternoon, I thought I was actually going to pass out. I could barely walk, felt like I couldn't catch my breath, was nauseous, and dizzy—all while I had to run some errands at the local preschool. I could barely make it back home...that lasted for a few hours, and then by the time evening rolled around, I felt fine again... For me, the absolute worst part of the day is definitely the afternoon, specifically that window between 3:00 and 6:00 PM...🤷
melloworca6 said:If we were just talking about panic attacks, she wouldn't be dealing with things like ringing in her ears or irregular cycles.
To me, this sounds like a hormonal issue. 🤷
I don't think it's related to sex hormones, though it could potentially be the thyroid. Besides, menstrual cycles can get thrown off or stop entirely due to various types of stress without there actually being an underlying hormonal issue.🤷
To get accurate results, you need to test those sex hormones during days 3 through 5 of your cycle—it's been verified, and I believe Samuel Morgan40 mentioned the same list of tests earlier.
Regarding the thyroid, you probably already realize that just because your hormone levels fall within the "normal" range doesn't mean everything is functioning perfectly. When you go in for bloodwork, you shouldn't just stop at the basic T3 and T4 levels; you really need to check the free fractions, specifically free T3 and free T4, too. It is absolutely vital to get a comprehensive thyroid panel done, especially including an ultrasound.
But honestly, if you ask me, all of this still feels like it points more toward anxiety...🤷
It might be a case of chronic fatigue syndrome—just total, ongoing exhaustion. I say that because you’re juggling two kids, and let’s face it, that daily grind is absolutely draining... (I'm speaking from experience here, and I've only got one little one)
To me, these symptoms feel a lot more like anxiety, perhaps even bordering on panic attacks, since what you're describing aligns so closely with how that manifests...🤷
That said, before jumping to conclusions, it would probably be wise to get your hormone levels checked and look into your thyroid function just to rule out any physical causes... once those are cleared, then you can dive into whether there's a psychological component playing a role in how you're feeling.
Jason Fisher78 said:Go get a full cardiac workup. Once a doctor confirms your heart is actually fine, you’ll probably feel a massive weight lift off your shoulders. It’s entirely possible the pain is actually stemming from your spine.
And honestly, that’s a very real possibility. I've seen cases where neck tension causes issues with the intercostal muscles or the shoulder girdle, which creates this sensation like you can't quite catch a full breath, coupled with chest pain...
It honestly baffles me how everyone seems to claim their psychiatrist went straight to prescribing antidepressants... In my view, one should probably start by trying an anxiolytic, such as Xanax, before even considering antidepressants.
The thing is, antidepressants don't offer instant relief; you have to wait a few weeks just to feel a shift. Anxiolytics, on the other hand, provide immediate results, which is why they are utilized for treating anxiety and panic attacks... The only catch, of course, is the risk of dependency...
Personally, I would opt for a combination of anxiolytics and psychotherapy right out of the gate, leaving antidepressants as a last resort.
Honestly, just use whatever amount fits on a teaspoon from that single-serving container; that’s exactly what it was designed for in the first place!!😉
Chloe Martin65 said:My dear friends, I just want to warn you about a specific issue within the American healthcare system, and indeed, the global medical community at large. When doctors can't figure out what's wrong with you, they almost always default to blaming your psyche or anxiety. Don't take their word for it right away. I spent years bouncing from doctor to doctor. We're talking more than five years. They never found anything concrete. I ended up in the ER over twenty times and was admitted to various hospitals more than ten times. And every single time, the answer was "it's psychological," even though my condition was actually getting worse. The symptoms I dealt with included constant dizziness, fear, nervousness, aggression, tachycardia, heart palpitations, coldness in my feet, tremors in one arm, derealization, weakness, an inability to exercise, and nausea... After my very first doctor visit, the verdict was anxiety. They didn't refer me to anyone else. Everything I did after that was entirely on my own. I went from specialist to specialist because I could feel deep down that something was fundamentally wrong... It wasn't until now—after five years of this nightmare, and having moved outside of America (at a point where I could barely walk)—that it took them four months to finally discover a deficiency of a certain enzyme in my muscles and brain (the diagnosis is far too complex to list here). That is why I am warning you: do not settle easily for an anxiety diagnosis. If I had simply accepted it, I likely would have been dead within three years. Go get checked out—and I mean absolutely everything. Rule out autoimmune diseases, endocrinology issues, neurological disorders... if, and only if, absolutely everything comes back clear, then you can consider anxiety.Doctors often don't know the answer, which is why so many people who were told they were "healthy" end up dying, or spend their entire lives suffering. I will continue to suffer because they refused to run additional tests and instead dismissed me as a hypochondriac. In my opinion, in today's world, "anxiety" is often just a convenient excuse for medical ignorance. Don't let them pump you full of antidepressants—which have been proven in many cases to be more harmful than helpful—until you are certain of your actual diagnosis. I hope the administrator doesn't remove this thread; I believe it's necessary to say this so people remain vigilant and always seek multiple medical opinions. My life might not be ruined, but it will certainly be limited because of prejudices and professionals who failed to do their jobs. Your life, however, might be saved. Thank you all
I completely agree with you. I have always believed that every possible organic cause for pain must be ruled out first... only then should a psychiatrist and psychiatric diagnoses enter the conversation. Besides, every specialist seems to think they have the authority to diagnose anxiety, and even general practitioners do the same. I believe this diagnosis should never be accepted lightly, especially from a doctor who isn't a psychiatrist, without a thorough preliminary investigation.
Brandon Diaz29 said:Basically, I need to get surgery on my spine ASAP. I have an L4-L5 bulge of 3.3 mm and an L5-S1 dorso-medial protrusion of 12.0 mm. It’s pressing right against the cauda equina and both S1 nerve roots—it’s essentially a spinal diagnosis. I’ve had both CT and MRI scans done, and everyone is telling me I need immediate surgery, from the specialists reading the imaging to Dr. Blajic in San Diego!
Since I don't want to rely solely on one neurosurgeon's opinion, can anyone recommend someone else who is considered among the absolute best in America?
EDIT: NEUROSURGEON!
In my opinion, the top choice in the US would be dr. Paladino at the neurosurgery clinic over at the Mayo Clinic (Cleveland Clinic).
Go ahead and schedule an appointment with an endocrinologist. When the doctor performs the thyroid ultrasound, they’ll naturally scan your entire neck area anyway, which should clear up any uncertainty you're feeling. That being said, if the physical tests come back completely clean, there is a chance this could be rooted in anxiety or stress... assuming you rule out the medical stuff first.