Posts by Jonathan Ruiz10

Thanks so much for everything!!!!😉😍

Could someone please clarify what these specific markers on my lab requisition actually mean: KKS; AST; ALT; CRP; TSH? Specifically—does this order just cover blood work, or does it include a urinalysis too? I'm asking because my period is wrapping up, and if they need a urine sample, I should probably let them know now that I won't be able to get that done tomorrow!
Thanks in advance!🙂

Actually, that’s not quite how it works. Even if you're seeing a student doctor, you still have to officially transfer your care. You basically have to sign a statement to switch from your old physician over to a new one.

I know this firsthand because it caused me so much trouble back when I was in college. I had transferred all my medical records to New York City doctors, and then one summer, while I was back home, I got really sick. My former doctor—who had been treating me for twenty years—refused to see me, even when we showed her my mom's insurance card. We were practically begging her on our knees because I felt absolutely terrible.

So, it’s definitely a misconception that students can just pop into a student clinic whenever they feel under the weather. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen people at the campus clinic who are genuinely ill, pleading to be seen, only to have the nurses snap at them that they have to transfer their coverage first and head down to Medicare with all the paperwork...

Anyway, just go see a doctor—that’s what I’ve been doing for two weeks now. I even finished a round of antibiotics; I thought I was better, but here we go again.
It’s all pretty easy to sort out in an instant, though—you just need someone to recommend a good physician. Give them a call, ask if they're accepting new patients, and just go. Honestly, I don't think you even need to bring that transfer statement to Medicare anymore; it seems like they handle everything internally now!

Good luck!🙂👍

Honey, those two things aren't even related—I mean, you can't exactly force yourself to vomit on command, right? Or maybe it just didn't happen spontaneously this time!

But if you want my honest opinion, there are much more serious, much more important things you really ought to be worrying about. I’m telling you this because I struggled with bulimia myself—and just like you, it hadn't spiraled quite far enough to land me in a doctor's office. However, age eventually caught up with me, and it basically killed the God in me—it made sure I'd never do it again by making me stand outside the bathroom door, pretending to shower or do my makeup just to have some privacy while I... well, you know.

That was maybe 9 or 10 years ago now. Looking back, I see it as one of the biggest mistakes of my life, though I am fully aware that my relationship with my mother—who used to hit me, beat me, and belittle me constantly—was the root cause.

To be blunt, I deal with certain stomach issues today that I can only hope aren't linked to all that; I have gastritis, duodenitis, and I'm frequently undergoing endoscopies.

Beyond that, you're looking at real risks like osteoporosis or losing your menstrual cycle entirely...

I don't want to sound like I'm lecturing you—I truly understand where you're coming from—but please, just don't do this to yourself anymore. Try to sit down and have a real heart-to-heart with yourself about why this is happening. Please realize that life doesn't have to be perfect, and you are absolutely not to blame for any perceived flaws! And please, make the decision that if you're doing this just to maintain a certain weight, you'll find other ways to reach your goals—because I promise you, those ways actually exist.

Just so you know where I am now: I'm nearly 27, I weigh about 125 pounds at 5'7", I eat healthy—lots of fruit, veggies, lean protein, whole grains... and I stay active on my stationary bike. But I should clarify—the "look" I have now isn't what I was trying to achieve through bulimia. My body ended up becoming an instrument through which I subconsciously signaled that I simply didn't care anymore—that I could just disappear if I wanted to... mostly because it was so incredibly hard to endure the beatings, the insults, and the total lack of validation from my own mother.

If you ever need a word of support, some encouragement, or just some advice... I'm right here for you.

Warmly,🙂

Look, let me offer a little consolation—you’re definitely not alone in this!
Breathing isn't actually my issue, but man, do I struggle with trapped gas. Whenever I get hungry, I start feeling this sharp, stinging sensation right under my ribs—it's like this pocket of air just gets stuck there and refuses to budge. Then, once I finally eat, it's like the food nudges everything along, and the bloating and gas just take over.

I’ve already had a gastroscopy done, and they told me I have gastritis. I just started taking the medication they prescribed, so we'll see about that. My thyroid results came back fine, too, aside from one benign cyst—which the doctors brushed off as nothing to worry about... but still. What really drives me up the wall is that every single doctor I talk to tells me the same thing: "You aren't chewing enough," or "You're swallowing air." Honestly, since this has been plaguing me for two years now, I am incredibly mindful of how I eat.

And then there's the whole lecture about what I *should* be eating... which is honestly exhausting because I feel like I'm doing everything right. I stick to whole grains, drink soy milk, eat plenty of lean poultry, and load up on fruits and veggies. I drink tons of green tea and water, and I'm on my stationary bike six days a week... sometimes I even wonder if I might actually be overdoing it with all the produce.

Anyway, if these pills don't do the trick, I'm looking at another gastroscopy. Ugh, just thinking about it gives me anxiety!!🙄

Sam Hall15 said:Has nobody here actually had an experience with students who totally blew them away with their approach or knowledge? It honestly feels like the people on this forum are the ones who need to work on their biases—thinking that students are just some kind of extra baggage rather than actual learners...

Well, I certainly have—though my experience was back at the School of Dentistry. To give you the backstory, I had one tooth with a nasty inflamed canal, and in another, there was actually a tiny instrument—a lentulo—that had broken off inside way back when my previous doctor was treating me!😠 doctor!

The doctor took one look and goes, "Honey, I don't know who did this to you, and things aren't looking great, but let's give an endodontic treatment a shot!"😍

So, because it was a large tooth and they basically had to drill halfway to China to reach the canal, the students were the ones doing the actual drilling, of course.
The first time, I sat in that chair for three and a half hours—honestly, I practically fused with the seat; I ended up getting cramps just from sitting still for so long. That young man was wonderful, though! Now, I wouldn't say I'm particularly terrified of dentists, but we actually had a great time joking around. He was even teasing me about whether I was worried about getting struck by lightning or something... stuff like that. Then, the doctor tried poking around the canal with those little files, and when he couldn't quite get it, he handed it right back to the student. And guess what? He managed to heal the infected canal perfectly, even if he couldn't fix the broken instrument part.

The next time around, I was stuck in the chair for four hours! This time it was a different guy, with five other students hovering nearby. Again, he was fantastic. While he was shaping the filling, he jokingly asked if he could take a picture of me with his phone. I told him, "Why not!"😍
We even joked about having him sign my tooth! We ended up chatting about exams and all that too.

It was truly great. If it weren't for those students, I think I would have actually merged with that dental chair! It sounds terrible, but I sat there for so long. I remember both times, when they finally told me I could get up, they actually had to help me out of the chair because I was completely numb and stiff.

So, yeah... seriously, thank goodness for students wherever they are!🎉

No, no... you actually helped!🙂

I mean, I already knew my primary care physician wouldn't just hand over a prescription recommended by an OB-GYN—what I was really digging into was that whole dynamic between private specialists and those covered by insurance.

Because from what I’ve heard, it can be a total headache. For instance, a friend of mine went to her insurance-covered doctor before she started trying to conceive, and the guy refused to even run the necessary swabs. She ended up getting so fed up with his attitude that she just walked out and booked a private specialist instead. Well, once they actually found a bacterial infection, she took the specialist's prescription back to her regular doctor, and he practically lost it on her.🙄

But honestly, my main concern right now is what happens after this gastroscopy. If I end up needing medication, I just want to make sure my GP isn't going to give me a hard time about it. I’ve even heard stories where certain tests aren't recognized unless you redo them with an in-network provider—I actually saw this happen once with a dermatologist.

And as for the gastroscopy itself? Yeah, I’d love to schedule one every few months just for the fun of it—maybe it would spice things up for everyone involved, including the doctors!😁

Thank you so much!🙂

Honestly, when you're dealing with this stuff, you really feel like you have to be your own expert—knowing exactly what’s going on with your health and understanding all the laws and patient rights—just so nobody tries to take advantage of you.🙄

I truly appreciate the help. To be honest, I've only been able to manage this level of care because I've had to navigate it all myself—my doctors here have a habit of just brushing me off—plus, we've already dealt with the loss of a family member to stomach cancer... and I can't help but think if I have to pay out of pocket for one more thing, I'll be completely broke!

So, thank you again!👍🙂

So, I’ve been dealing with some pretty persistent stomach issues for about two and a half years now. I’ve actually seen two different primary care physicians during that time—mostly because I’ve had to move around quite a bit—and honestly, neither of them was willing to refer me to a specialist to figure out what's actually going on. Now, I’m back seeing a third doctor since I’ve moved once again!

Since things have only been getting worse, I decided to go ahead and pay for a full check-up through my employer's wellness program at UnitedHealthcare, and thankfully, they’ve already scheduled me for a gastroscopy this Thursday! The procedure itself is covered under the plan, but I still have to cover the cost of sending out samples for analysis, which is $100, plus the H. pylori test comes to $100. That brings the total to $700. It’s a bit much, especially since I’m currently unemployed—I basically had to set aside everything else just to afford this!
Now, I’m wondering—if the doctor does prescribe something, am I expected to pay for all those medications out of pocket, or can I take the prescription to my regular doctor to handle it through my insurance?
I’m particularly concerned because if it turns out to be a treatment for H. pylori, we’re talking about a regimen of three different antibiotics!

Also, does anyone know how it works when you see a private gynecologist? Do you still need to bring a specific referral or a prescription from your primary doctor to get anything covered?

Oh, thanks so much—really appreciate it!🙂😉

I was just thinking out loud, mostly because I’ve been through every single ultrasound imaginable during this process... so, you know, I figure the doctor has had a pretty clear view of things by now!

So, I just went through my latest lab results and noticed a few things were slightly off:

Lymphocytes at 48.8 (reference range 20.0-46.0)
ALP at 45 (normal is 54-119)
Mean platelet volume at 6.5 (normal is 6.8-10.4)
And my potassium came in at 3.7 (normal is 3.9-5.1)

The thing is—during my physical, my doctor didn't actually say a word about any of these four values; she only mentioned the bilirubin level.
Should I be able to relax since she didn't seem concerned?

Thanks so much for the help!!🙂

Thanks, Nicole Taylor6—you were absolutely right to handle it that way, so I’ll make sure to get that sorted out later on.

On another note, my blood work actually came back looking pretty good, with one little hiccup: my bilirubin is at 26, whereas the standard range is usually between 7 and 20. That said, all my liver enzyme levels are perfectly normal.
My doctor mentioned that this could just be something I was born with, though I did happen to read online that things like fasting, sheer exhaustion, or even just a lack of sleep can cause those numbers to spike... and, well, I was definitely dealing with all of that right around the time they drew my blood.

Hi everyone!🙂

I wasn't quite sure where to post this, so I figured I'd just try my luck here!
I have a routine checkup scheduled for tomorrow—and even though I mentioned that my period is still technically going, the nurse went ahead and booked me in anyway. My cycle actually started back on December 4th, and as of today, there isn't any actual bleeding left; it’s more just those tiny little brown spots you get right at the very end. It looks like it'll be completely finished by tomorrow, but then again, I can't really know what's happening internally...😁

So, I was wondering—should I go ahead with the urine sample tomorrow, or is it better to skip it? I think I read somewhere that you shouldn't provide one immediately before, during, or right after your period...

Thanks so much!😍

feralraven54 said:Are there actually people like this? 😱

Oh, absolutely—they were more like permanent houseguests who just decided to move in. And look, I don't mind if they hop on the computer once in a while, but it’s a whole different story when they’re glued to it all day long—especially when their kids are screaming in my ear just because I'm trying to check some job listings online...

Then there’s the constant email checking... well, not by me, but by my partner. It’s just one of those things, I suppose—he’s just incredibly determined to see who’s talking to whom and what everyone is up to. It makes you wonder, does he think I'm being unfaithful or something?

But it isn't just him—it's the same pattern with my dad snooping through texts on his phone, my mom checking my mom's call logs, even my brother...

So, honestly, how is a person supposed to deal with people like that? Really, what can you even do?

Here is what really gets under my skin:

- When someone constantly vents about how "exhausting" their life is—as if they’re carrying the weight of the world—while completely failing to realize that the person they're complaining to is actually dealing with five times the struggle. It’s just exhausting, honestly.
- When people simply refuse to listen.
- When I run into someone who is deeply insecure about things like not having a college degree, and they decide to take it out on me by throwing passive-aggressive jabs, calling me "Professor" or some other mockingly intellectual title...
- When someone is incredibly protective of their own belongings but has zero respect for anyone else's; you know the type—where their kids might come over and toss an apartment upside down, and the parents just sit there in silence, even though they’d never dream of letting that happen at their own house.
- When people are just plain stingy.
- When others judge me for investing in quality—like if I buy a high-end wool coat that I know I'll wear for years—and they immediately label me a snob or assume I'm just throwing money around recklessly.
- When someone shows up at my door without so much as a courtesy text.
- When a guest comes over and feels entitled to start snooping through my emails or, heaven forbid, hovering over my computer.
- When people are just crude and can't help but make constant, inappropriate remarks about my private life with my partner.
- When someone clearly has a grievance but lacks the backbone to say it to my face, opting instead to hide behind petty little insinuations.

There’s plenty more where that came from, unfortunately! People have certainly lost their sense of boundaries lately.😢😲😠

I mean, seriously—what exactly did he go through? What actually happened to him? I’m genuinely curious here, but I can't find a single thing written about it anywhere!

Wait, you're actually telling me this now!!!!

Oh, believe me, I know exactly what you mean—but honestly, how am I supposed to drag a 56-year-old woman to a psychiatrist appointment? It’s just not happening.

I was really just trying to see if anyone out there had some actual advice on how to break this cycle...

Dear experienced members,

I’m dealing with a situation involving my mother that’s weighing heavily on me. She’s always been a difficult person—honestly, I dealt with quite a few issues with her growing up—but now that I’ve come home to visit my family, I’ve noticed she seems to be losing her grip a little. It’s as if she’s becoming intentionally mean, almost like she can't control her own impulses anymore.

For instance, we’ll be sitting at a local Starbucks, and a woman walks by with her dog. My mom will just start loudly commenting, "Oh, look at her, obsessing over that little thing. Gross! I bet she can't even have kids."

Normally, I stopped arguing with her years ago—it's just not worth the energy—but when she says things like this, I feel forced to shut her down before someone decides to get physical with either her or me.

Or, take the other day, when an old acquaintance of hers—a former Police Chief—stopped by. My mother started making these scathing remarks about how anyone with nothing more than a middle school education could get hired in law enforcement. It was enough to bring my sister to tears.

Given all this erratic behavior, I’ve started wondering if the normabel her doctor has been prescribing continuously for the last 15 years might actually be the culprit. She originally started taking them for depression after losing her job, but now she takes them constantly, and I’m honestly not even sure why anymore. She’s never quite been herself, but it used to feel more like a personality trait rather than... this.

I’m terrified that the normabel has actually made things worse for her. On top of that, she occasionally has a drink—not like an alcoholic, mind you—but then she'll take her normabel on the same day. From what I understand, that’s incredibly dangerous, and the instructions specifically state you shouldn't be on normabel for longer than three weeks.

So, what am I supposed to do about the doctor who keeps handing these out? What kind of steps can I actually take?

I’m scared she’s going to lose her sense of reality entirely and start causing much bigger scenes or outbursts for all of us to deal with.

Basically, can anyone tell me if taking normabel for such a long duration can cause these kinds of effects, and if so, how???

Thank you all so much in advance!!!

So,

I moved to San Diego almost seven months ago now. Right from the jump, I’ve been trying to get some clarity on local general practitioners, dentists... and all I ever get are these incredibly vague responses—you know, things like "just ask around" or "you'll figure it out eventually." GOOD GRIEF... I *am* asking! 🙄

Honestly, it would be a huge relief if my husband and I could actually settle on a doctor before we end up sick and stuck scrambling at the last minute.

So, I’d really appreciate any recommendations you might have for a GP, a dentist, and a gynecologist.

Regarding the GP—I’m not looking for anything hyper-specialized right now; I just want someone who is actually a decent human being. My last doctor was something else entirely—she’d practically mock me for even showing up, only for me to wind up in the ER two days later.

Thanks so much in advance to everyone! 🙂

Does anyone know if I can still sign up for that donor card? I mean—just in case something happens to me—I want it to be crystal clear that I’m an organ donor, regardless of what my family might say about it. My parents are pretty old-school and rigid about these things, and I’m fairly certain Mom wouldn't approve, so I'm wondering... how can I make my wishes absolutely unmistakable?