Posts by Sam Castillo7

Olivia Castillo10 said:I tried just sitting on a ball for two days—it was fine, sure, but incredibly impractical when I actually needed to grab something off a shelf. Plus, getting up and sitting back down was a bit of a workout in itself.
Then, while visiting a friend, I sat on one of those specialized stability ball chairs (she actually got it imported from the States as a gift), and it was perfect. It solved all those issues I mentioned—reaching for things was easy, and getting up and down wasn't an ordeal—but my core still had to stay engaged instead of just slumping like I do in a standard office chair. That’s what sparked the idea to have a local craftsman build me a custom frame, since you can't find these things easily anywhere else.

Look, I'm just sharing my experience here. I've had one surgery and am currently waiting on another spinal procedure, and my job requires me to be seated for eight hours a day. This isn't some sales pitch—I don't make a dime off this—I'm just trying to be helpful. The guy who's building my frame next week plans to eventually mass-produce these ball-chairs, but they'll be priced much higher once they hit the market. Think of this as a "pre-launch" opportunity; I'm just offering everyone a way to get in touch with the maker. I gain nothing and lose nothing by telling you.

My job is desk-based, which is why I'm asking. Even though I'm sitting most of the day, I'm constantly getting up, heading back to my desk, or standing to tackle a quick task...
Basically, how annoying is it to have to constantly stand up and sit back down on a loose ball? I'm asking because I've never even tried a standard Pilates ball. My boss actually suggested buying one for my home setup first—if it works out, we might look into getting one for the office too. 😉

So, I’ve been wondering—is it actually doable to spend an entire workday sitting on a yoga ball?🤷

I pitched the idea to my boss, and he wasn't totally against it—he just pointed out that if I go with the ball, the office chair is going out the window. Now I have to decide if I can really handle grinding from 9 to 5 just balancing on a sphere. 🤔

Steven Ruiz50 said:I really hope not, because I want a BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂

Anyway, back to work.😉

Steven Ruiz50 said:Great news!!!!😍
It finally burst (just realized today it was over 7 cm!!!!!)!!!!! Thank God, it's gone, and honestly, I didn't even feel it pop 👍. Now I just have to take Sumamed for three days because one of my ovaries is still swollen, and that’s it!
Thanks to everyone for listening—hopefully, this is the last time I'll need to post updates here!
Cheers, everyone! 😁

Awesome! 🙂 Such great news!👍
I didn't really feel much of anything either when the cyst on my left ovary popped.😉 My period was just a little more painful than usual, and that was that.
But seriously, the most infuriating part of this whole cyst saga is how doctors can't give you a straight answer on whether this is just going to happen all over again. 👎

Steven Ruiz50 said:Listen, guys, everything just hurts more and more every day...👎, Yesterday I actually got worn out just walking up some stairs because the pain was so bad...
I seriously can't wait until Tuesday...

Just take it easy—by tomorrow you'll have a much better idea of what's going on.😉

And here’s a bit of advice—if your OB-GYN doesn't come back to you with a concrete solution, some actual strategy for tackling this cyst, a real plan... don't waste your breath. Move on and find someone else, even if it takes a second or third opinion. Just be bold about it!👍

Let me know how it goes.

brightbear said:How big was your cyst? And how have you been feeling since the surgery—everything going okay?

It was 7 cm 😲, on my right ovary. There was also a 6 cm one on the left, but that one actually disappeared—or burst, whatever—before the surgery even happened.

Fast forward to now: two and a half months post-op, and everything is pretty much perfect. Both ovaries are working fine (for months before this, only the right one was showing any activity), my periods are perfectly regular, and I’m not dealing with any pain during my cycle—honestly, everything is great.😍 My doctor says it should stay this way, too.🙂

Steven Ruiz50 said:I've got an appointment scheduled for March 9th. My pain isn't exactly unbearable—though honestly, after getting cauterized, nothing feels unbearable anymore—but I just have this gut feeling that they haven't burst. I did my markers and everything looked fine. Just hoping things don't change over the next few months. The one thing I can't wrap my head around is why it hurts on both sides when the cyst is only on one ovary... Maybe it's just in my head. 🤷
Thanks for the support!

Hey, that appointment is coming up pretty fast. You'll have some real answers in just a few days.
Fingers crossed everything turns out okay.🙂

Steven Ruiz50 said:God... it hurts so bad when I try to walk. I legit feel like one leg is shorter than the other. Honestly, I can't even tell if it's worse when I'm walking or just sitting down...
I'm dying for this appointment. This whole waiting game is driving me insane. 😲

I know exactly what you're going through. It was driving me nuts while I was waiting for my surgery. The pain wasn't intense, per se, but there was definitely this constant sensation that something was just *off* on that side. Turns out, my cyst was still growing—it grew about half an inch in just seven days, and honestly, it probably would've kept ballooning if they hadn't gone in and removed it.

Your best bet is to get seen by a serious gynecological surgeon—someone who knows their stuff—to figure out the best move. Look, I'll say it again: even though most of those cysts are benign (I'm assuming you already had your tumor markers checked), they can still wrap themselves around the ovary, rupture painfully, or cause all sorts of internal chaos. So... yeah, book a real specialist ASAP and deal with this.

And seriously, don't panic!😉

I had clear cysts on both ovaries—about 6 cm each. One actually burst (likely ruptured) while I was just sitting there waiting for my surgery, and they ended up operating on the other one.

My gynecological surgeon warned me that a rupture like that can be absolutely brutal—enough to make you pass out from the pain. He described it as this sharp, intense abdominal pain that’s impossible to mistake for your typical period cramps.
Luckily, that wasn't my experience. I have no clue how that cyst just vanished; all I felt was this incredibly uncomfortable pressure in my lower abdomen during my period. I guess it all depends on the specific type of cyst and stuff like that.😕

But, while I was stuck in the hospital, I met a bunch of young women who ended up in emergency surgery because their cysts ruptured after lifting something heavy or straining too hard. To make matters worse, the cysts had twisted around the ovaries, so things got pretty messy for them.

quietmason45 said:So... I'm in a serious relationship now and I've been thinking about starting birth control.
I wanted to ask those of you who have been on them forever, or even just started—do they actually cause damage?
Are there any real downsides (side effects), and what about the perks, like shorter or lighter periods?
And is it true that after using them for a few months your breasts get a bit bigger or you put on weight?
Is it actually reliable protection...?
Any real advice would be huge, please help me out and let me know everything you guys know about them! 😕

Look, you need to be asking your gynecologist these questions, not an internet forum.

Every woman is different when it comes to contraception—whether you're even a good candidate for the pill, or which specific brand might work, is something only a doctor can determine after running the necessary tests. Even if all your blood work and liver panels come back perfect, that doesn't mean you're totally out of the woods... there's always a risk involved.

Wait, hasn't this thread already popped up on the forum a few days ago? 🙄
Thank God it’ll probably get locked soon. 👍

The company basically sent us all there for a full physical. I think it costs about 1 $133 per person.

The upside is that everything moves incredibly fast—they’re polite (well, they have to be for that kind of money 😁)—and they actually take the time to talk to you. What I didn't love was how much they push extra services on you; at the end of the day, it’s a business first and a medical clinic second.

I actually ended up discovering huge cysts on my ovaries by total chance (they popped up within four months of my last ultrasound), and I wasn't thrilled when they tried to schedule a follow-up, especially since they weren't even sure what the game plan was for the cysts. 🙄 They were also debating whether they could even prescribe hormones while I'm on anticoagulants—since hormones are a massive no-go after a thrombosis 🙂, which I already knew—and so on. Basically, they seemed pretty shaky on the next steps, even if they were 100% certain about the routine tests.👎

I just gave them a polite thanks and booked a consultation with a surgical gynecologist at the public hospital instead. There is a world of difference between the expertise you find at a state hospital versus these private clinics. Private places just have expensive machines, whereas doctors at public hospitals have seen it all through much tougher hands-on experience.

Bottom line: if your employer is footing the bill for a checkup there, it’s worth it because you can get in and out in a few hours, and for this type of screening, it’s super convenient ("Sun"). But when things get serious, I'll stick with our specialists at the public hospitals.

Dennis Ward57 said:Hey there... about three and a half months ago, I was hit with acute (deep) vein thrombosis in my left lower leg—affecting the superficial femoral vein, the common femoral vein, the popliteal vein, and the deep veins. My VSM and VSP are thrombosed, so I was put on 3 mg of Warfarin. I actually turned down hospital treatment because, frankly, I was terrified of surgery. Up until two weeks ago, my PT and INR levels were looking good, but now they’ve plummeted from 3.0 down to 1.3. On top of that, I'm starting to feel pain in my calf and tightness in my thigh. I have a follow-up appointment in a few days, so since I'm still pretty new to all this, I'd appreciate any advice on diet, activity levels, etc.
Respectfully, thanks!!!😕😕😕

😲
I honestly can't believe what I just read.🙄
When you decided to skip out on hospital care, that was the moment you should have grilled your doctor about everything regarding your condition. ☕

There's an entire thread here dedicated specifically to Deep Vein Thrombosis where we've covered a lot of ground already.

http://www.forum.com/showthread.php?t=377162

At the end of the day, most of this is just people sharing their own experiences—so don't take anything here as gospel. This forum is just a side note; the person actually treating you is the absolute priority. They are the ones you need to bring every question, concern, and doubt to....

James Cox6 said:I sanitize with alcohol before the shot...

So far I haven't been pinching the skin, just injecting... but I'll give it a shot.

I know—and keeping them in the fridge helps too; they sting less when they're cold.

I'm waiting on her like she's the second coming.😁

Look, I've already poked myself about 80 times in these last 4 months... there's barely any skin left to use. It's every single day and I'm not even halfway through this pregnancy yet.🙂

Absolutely. 👍

James Cox6 said:I sanitize with alcohol before the shot...

So far I haven't been pinching the skin, just injecting... but I'll give it a shot.

I know—and keeping them in the fridge helps too; they sting less when they're cold.

I'm waiting on her like she's the second coming.😁

Look, I've already poked myself about 80 times in these last 4 months... there's barely any skin left to use. It's every single day and I'm not even halfway through this pregnancy yet.🙂

Give it a shot like this tomorrow—you’ll see a massive difference. When I first started getting heparin shots, the nurses at the ICU were always in such a frantic rush that they’d basically just toss the needle at you from across the room—I honestly thought I was going to scream from the pain. Later on, an older nurse finally stepped in, grabbed a bit of my fatty tissue, and actually took her time with the injection. Once I figured out there was a right way to do it, I made sure to remind every nurse who came near me to "get a good grip on the fat" before they even thought about poking me.😉 Look, just try to relax whatever part of your body you’re actually getting stabbed in. For instance—and I'm serious here—I always bend my knees whenever I'm taking a needle to the stomach. It helps.

James Cox6 said:I sanitize with alcohol before the shot...

So far I haven't been pinching the skin, just injecting... but I'll give it a shot.

I know—and keeping them in the fridge helps too; they sting less when they're cold.

I'm waiting on her like she's the second coming.😁

Look, I've already poked myself about 80 times in these last 4 months... there's barely any skin left to use. It's every single day and I'm not even halfway through this pregnancy yet.🙂

Take it easy, okay? Just stretch that tissue out—slowly—and you’ll be fine. Seriously, don't even worry about the blood thinners compared to everything else you've already pushed through. You've totally got this!👍

James Cox6 said:Looking for some advice or help here

Does anyone else here do injections of any kind? 😁 Self-administering shots

Basically, I’m injecting 0.6 of Heparin subcutaneously every single morning—hitting the fatty tissue at a 45-degree angle.😁

The issue is, my skin gets incredibly itchy. When I inject into my arm or leg, the site swells up into a lump, and that swelling spreads out about 5 cm around the puncture. Plus, I occasionally hit a capillary, which leaves the whole area bruised up. 🤷😕

My skin is pretty thick and dark, so veins aren't really visible—I'm basically stabbing blindly. 🙄

So, my questions are:

- Does anyone else deal with regular injections? (Whether it's Heparin, insulin, B-vitamins... whatever therapy you're on)
- For those who do—is it okay to apply ice to the injection sites to help with the swelling, lumps, itching, or irritation?

Thanks in advance

Look, once you hit yourself with Heparin, you cannot rub it, press it, or massage it—period. Don't even think about it. You inject, pull the needle out, and that's it. Leave it alone!

Try using your left thumb and index finger to pinch the fatty tissue on your leg or arm, then slowly—and I mean *slowly*—inject the Heparin into that pinched area. The slower you go, the less it hurts. When people do it in the stomach, that's how they grab the tissue to inject.

I don't do my own shots, but since I've been given Heparin plenty of times, I know the drill and all the little quirks. They actually used me as a training dummy for an intern once😬 so I've seen the whole process step-by-step.

Maybe one of the moms on here will chime in—they're usually doing daily shots in their legs and arms too. Someone probably figured out the perfect system by now.😁 😉

Look, you aren't getting an ultrasound during your period unless it’s a genuine medical emergency or your doctor specifically told you to show up then—like if they're tracking changes in ovarian cysts and need a baseline. Otherwise? Don't go making life difficult for yourself or the clinic staff.😁

Harold Thompson11 said:Coal might help, but I wouldn't touch it if you're dealing with a virus. You need the body to actually flush out the "toxins"... just stick to a clean diet for a few days and you should be fine 🙂

Coal binds to all those nasty toxins and then flushes them right out of your system. At least, that's what my doctor told me when she recommended I take some.

Look, half of Washington, D.C. has been hit by this stomach bug. It’s nothing major—I caught it myself a few days ago and I'm already over it.

It starts with those first ominous cramps in your gut, then comes the unstoppable 😲 diarrhea, vomiting, a fever, and just feeling completely wiped out.

Medication: activated Coal or Seldia capsules to get the diarrhea under control. Just follow the directions on the package. Don't overdo it, though—unless you want to be "cemented" in place for a while.😁
Dietary plan: Day one is strictly black tea, toast, or plain crackers (make sure they don't have any dairy or eggs in them). Day two: chicken broth, boiled rice, tea (mint or ginger works fine; doesn't have to be black tea), and more toast. Once you're feeling better, you can move on to boiled potatoes, bananas, and stuff like that.

The real key here is keeping things light and—this is crucial—DO NOT DRINK WATER. Stick to tea for at least the next five days. And obviously, watch what you eat afterward; stay away from anything that might irritate a sensitive stomach.

urbantrucker12 said:Here’s the deal... look, I'm no expert, but I want to ask someone who can actually give me a straight answer: my grandma has high blood pressure and takes meds for it, obviously... she used to take Brinerdin and it worked fine—but then her doctor switched her over to Coruol, which just isn't working for her at all. When she asks her doctor about it, they just tell her that Brinerdin is outdated.

The question is: can she just stop taking what she was prescribed on her own and go back to Brinerdin (since it actually works)? Or maybe just try it out for a bit to see if it helps?

If anyone here can give me a more specific answer, I’d really appreciate it. Her doctors aren't giving us anything concrete, and as her grandson, I just want to be able to help her out and give her some real guidance.

I'm no cardiologist, but I can give you an answer based on what happened with someone close to me.

My dad has heart issues and he's been on Brinerdin for years—it works wonders for him. Later on, they switched him over to one of those "modern" drugs (I don't know the name, but they used the same line about Brinerdin being old-fashioned) and it was a disaster. He did everything by the book, meticulously adjusting his dosage exactly how the doctors told him to, but the medication just wouldn't do its job. It ended up making him feel so sick he actually ended up in the ER. It wasn't until then that they finally put him back on the outdated Brinerdin, because for some reason, his body just responds best to it.

Honestly, you probably just need to be a bit more persistent with the doctors.

Hopefully, someone with actual medical expertise will jump in here with a professional explanation.

Robert Richardson3 said:For me, it was all about those wild descriptions of the mother—that lush, blonde presence, etc. It’s funny because when she’s trying to seduce him, she’s basically every man's dream, yet he finds the whole thing repulsive. For a guy who looks like a total creep, he’s actually a genius.

😂
Or when they’re forced to share a bed.🤣 He’d much rather just crawl into little Lo's bed.
The whole book is essentially one beautifully crafted, highly sophisticated perversion.👍
But hey, we're talking about the movie, not the book.😁