Nancy Chase3 said:Hey everyone. For almost a year now, my health has been a total wreck. I went to see my primary care doctor, and she basically told me nothing is wrong and that I look fine. Blood work, urine tests, OBGYN visits, thyroid, blood pressure, blood sugar—everything came back perfect. She says there’s no point in doing more serious testing because I’m "healthy." To make a long story short: I'm 24, work in food service, smoke, and eat pretty normally—neither healthy nor junk. I get some exercise and haven't dealt with major stress. But over the last nine months, things have gone downhill fast. It's reached a point where I can barely function. My mental health is trashed, and physical stuff is piling up too. First, my hair started falling out like crazy. Then came the constant constipation and bloating. It lasts for days, and even when it settles, the abdominal cramps and pains won't stop. I'm sweating buckets constantly, even when it isn't hot. I get five-day headaches that just cycle on and off. My joints swell up, my spine hurts like hell, and my veins are acting up. My periods are irregular and way lighter than they used to be. The headaches give me nausea, I get dizzy, and I can't focus on anything. I’m starting to forget things, and I can't even laugh at stuff anymore... I've become depressed and emotionally unstable. I'm terrified of everything; I'm scared to even walk to the intersection on the road I've driven for five years. I don't want to talk to anyone or go anywhere besides work. I just sit in my room crying. I have these rage fits almost every day where I lose all control over what I say or do. I'm desperate. I end up smashing things unconsciously, then I break down crying while cleaning up the mess. I only realize what kind of crap I've done after the fact. Who do I even talk to when I tell them, "Everything hurts—my heart, my soul, my body. Everything is broken." I know it sounds insane, but I have an issue with absolutely everything. Every time I Google my symptoms, it tells me I have cancer. I'm not even scared of a diagnosis; I'm scared of this madness caused by the pain. And it's clearly getting worse. The only upside is living alone, but I can't hide how bad this is at work. It feels pathetic to be whining about this much pain at 24. Who can I turn to?
My PTH is 8.5; the lab's reference range is 1.5-7.6 pmol/L.
About ten years ago, my PTH was also above the upper limit. However, most lab reports mention that these ranges aren't set in stone, suggesting that being slightly high or low might not be significant. Should this elevated PTH result be considered a concern, or could it just be my personal normal?
I have SLE, and my kidney function has generally been fine (though I really should recheck my urine protein levels since it's been a while), but I do deal with recurring kidney stones—they pass easily since they stay small. I also have low Vitamin D due to the lupus; I take supplements, though I haven't monitored my levels lately. My doctor at the Mayo Clinic suggested it wasn't critical because my lupus diagnosis makes the distinction less impactful regarding my overall treatment.
A long time ago, when I was 15, my ionized calcium was high, but I never followed up on that test. My doctors didn't think twice about it at the time.
An endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic reviewed this PTH level during a follow-up visit for my de Quervain's, but even they didn't seem concerned.
What steps should I take regarding this? Is there actually any need to do anything? Could there be a connection between PTH levels and kidney stones? I've read they can be linked, but I don't want to overthink it...
I didn't want to start a whole new thread because I wasn't sure if it would even stick around... plus, it isn't exactly an official lab report... I went to the clinic today to get some blood work done, and right at the entrance, the nurse checked my temperature... she smiled at me and said, "You're running a bit low at 95.9." Since my temperature usually hovers right around 98.6, seeing it that low felt really out of character for me. What do you all think?
northerncobra33 said:Since face masks are either impossible to find right now or are being sold at outrageous prices, I was wondering if there's a way to reuse them. Could we potentially disinfect used masks by spraying them with rubbing alcohol from a local drugstore? Or, if alcohol isn't available, would putting a used mask in an oven at about 212 degrees Fahrenheit for half an hour work? I actually heard an epidemiologist on the news mention that this virus dies off at around 140 degrees. If this is true, it could be a lifesaver for a lot of people—especially those struggling financially—to be able to cheaply sanitize the masks they already have.
Go see a doctor. Basically, give them a call right now and describe your symptoms; their reaction will tell you everything you need to know. To me, this sounds like a blood sugar issue... potentially hyperglycemia. Bottom line, I wouldn't take any chances—I’d reach out to LOM immediately. I wouldn't try self-medicating or experimenting with anything just to avoid making a bad situation worse. In the meantime, I'd focus on being more disciplined with my meals and looking up dietary guidelines for diabetics to follow until the appointment. But checking in with LOM is non-negotiable. It's really not something to mess around with. (P.S. As for those keto advice posts... forget about them instantly. If it turns out you actually have diabetes, keto is the last thing you want to be dealing with. Do some reading on diabetes, hypo/hyperglycemia, and ketones first.)
I wouldn't raise an eyebrow regarding those northern islands... but this other situation? They simply haven't tested enough people yet. It isn't that they haven't found anyone uninfected; it's just that they haven't stumbled upon the first case they can actually prove. Regarding some places, you really have to wonder about the quality of their healthcare and overall organization. I assume Gibraltar would fall under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom.
Dana Brooks3 said:Hmm, are you aware that those symptoms can actually stem from an excess of certain B vitamins? Just please don't start taking extreme doses of anything on your own for an extended period; I truly don't think that's a good idea. Even if it is a vitamin, that doesn't mean it can't be harmful. In my view, higher concentrations of B vitamins—especially B1 and B6—really should be prescribed by a doctor, and even then, they shouldn't be taken indefinitely. I'm currently on a B vitamin regimen myself, but everything is strictly managed by my physician regarding dosage and frequency.
They certainly can cause harm. Taking Neurobion f (specifically the high doses of B vitamins contained within it) can actually trigger neuropathy if taken for more than three months, even at just one tablet a day. Of course, you can't just pick this up over the counter here without a prescription, but people find ways to get it anyway. They read things on random websites claiming it's a miracle cure or a total panacea, making it seem like a wonder anyone survives without it.🤦 The advertising is often louder than anything else; it drowns out critical thinking, scientific facts, and professional medical advice.
Carol Richardson6 Have you looked into what plantar fasciitis actually is? It sounds like you're dealing with the same kind of pain I went through. I’m not saying you definitely have PF, but it’s certainly one possibility worth considering. My best advice would be to go see an orthopedic specialist. It took one of them to finally tell me what was actually going on. Before that, I was just bouncing between physical therapists and rheumatologists... getting X-rays, being told everything looks fine, yet my foot felt like it was going to explode every time I took a step. Maybe read up on PF symptoms and see if they match where and how yours hurts.
If you aren't feeling incredibly hungry, you probably don't need to eat. That’s the consensus from both the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. The article makes it clear; while the headline might be a bit cheeky, the subheaders really drive home that eating correctly and maintaining a balanced diet is the real secret. (Though I'm starting to suspect most people just skim headlines these days... we're becoming a society of headline readers! 🤦 ) Essentially, just stick to the basics: carrots, beets, apples, kiwi, fish, meat... variety is everything, provided you keep it moderate.
Jeffrey Long said:Think about it this way: a mask isn't really a shield for you to stay healthy; it’s more like a courtesy to make sure you don't pass anything along to someone else if you're already under the weather. ☕
It really seems like it has to be that way. Just a little bit. I’ve been wondering about something. Why would doctors advise transplant recipients like us—who are already on immunosuppressants and steroids—to wear N95 masks whenever we're in a hospital setting, especially during flu season or in crowded places? If we aren't carrying a virus ourselves, we don't have anything to pass on to others. It feels like we're just protecting our own health. It just needs to be securely fastened so there isn't any wiggle room. Even a small amount of protection is certainly better than none at all. While that logic applied perfectly to the flu and other seasonal viruses, there's still debate regarding its effectiveness against COVID-19—though some doctors suggest even a little bit might help. Ultimately, it comes down to the basics: making sure your mask fits securely, disposing of it properly, and keeping up with frequent handwashing. It’s just like any other preventative measure we already know works.
My uncle actually had two surgeries for a plantar fasciitis issue. He had the first one done, but then it flared right back up about two years later, leading to a second procedure. I see a lot of people mentioning that it doesn't always have to be painful. It’s a bit like weather patterns—some days it's a storm, and other days it's perfectly clear.
Harold Reed4, Are you hanging out around here somewhere? How did things go with the immunologist? I know that with certain autoimmune conditions like Sjögren's or sarcoidosis, SFN can sometimes tag along. I'm guessing they might treat that with steroids 🤷 🤔 ... my own polyneuropathy (granted, it's not an exact match, but mine is linked to SLE, and Sjögren's and lupus are basically cousins) cleared up once I was on Medrol. Of course, they aren't identical, and since we still have to figure out the root cause, this is just me thinking out loud...
I’m a bit puzzled as to how this ended up in the politics section, especially since we aren't really debating conspiracy theories here. Almost everyone stays focused on the actual medical facts rather than speculation, so I'm not sure why I'm being singled out... 😁
And now this one too... the guy who started the thread just vanished... 🤣
For those experiencing something similar to him... because, essentially, he explained that it isn't really his heel that hurts, but rather the inner side (I’ll take a guess, so tell me if I'm right—the area just below that bony protrusion on the inner ankle 🤣 🤣 🤣—since I've explained it so professionally). It’s that sharp pain when you take a step... plus he mentioned having "first step pain" (he said it hits him hardest in the morning right when he gets out of bed)... which is classic for plantar fasciitis .
(Insoles, cushioned shoes, physical therapy, home exercises, and one super effective thing that helps me most—wearing a night splint overnight. The first time I used one, I wore it for six weeks, then did another six weeks on the other foot... at first, it felt incredibly awkward and uncomfortable... but now, whenever the pain flares up, I wear it for about a week.) (It actually took a couple of years of struggling because everyone insisted it was my Achilles tendon... I'd point to the inner side... an ultrasound technician would run that little wand over my Achilles... I’d say, "But it doesn't hurt there, it doesn't hurt the Achilles, it hurts right here on the inner side toward the sole"... but she wouldn't look at that spot and would just focus on the Achilles again... 🤣 ... we repeated that three times, each time with different movements 🤣 during what was supposed to be an ultrasound scan of the part of my leg that wasn't even hurting. Eventually, I begged for a referral to an orthopedic specialist; the second I described the pain and showed him the location, he immediately identified it as plantar fasciitis. He pressed on a few spots on my foot and... well, I saw stars everywhere 😁... He prescribed physical therapy, night splints, and specific exercises. That solved most of the problem—at least for now, I've been almost pain-free for the last four years.)
A few years back during that hospital merger, VV was integrated into Zajceva ( Mercury ), just as the MD Anderson Cancer Center lost its independent status and became part of the Vineyard ( Sisterhood of Mercy ).