My mother has been struggling with a major issue for years now. Honestly, I don't know how she does it—if I were in her shoes, I would have snapped by now. She’s just accepted this as her reality, but watching her suffer day after day is unbearable. I'm asking anyone with experience or advice to please reach out. Even a single sentence might help change the life of the most important person in my world.
Before I get into the details, I want to say that I know there are plenty of threads here. Some are very similar to this one, but I haven't found any specific advice for a situation quite like this—one that isn't as straightforward as simple stomach aches.
So, here is the situation... Four years ago, she had surgery to remove her gallbladder because she didn't just have stones, but a massive 4x2cm mass. Leading up to that, she suffered from intermittent, intense abdominal and stomach pain for several years. She couldn't sleep more than five hours at a time, and she could eat less and less as time went on. Like anyone else facing surgery, she thought it would finally provide relief. However, four years after the procedure—from which she recovered quickly and returned to work—she still can't sleep more than three hours straight. Every night around 5:00 AM, the pain wakes her up, and her rest is effectively over. On morning shifts, she can barely pull herself together to head to work. She tries to eat healthy, but only eats enough to function. Regarding sweets, she might indulge in a little chocolate once every week or two. She’s actually afraid of fruit because it seems to make the pain worse. She sticks to small portions of rice and plain meat for lunch, maybe some salad or beets, using minimal seasoning. For breakfast, she has about two small slices of toast with margarine and jam and some tea before her coffee—which she needs because she doesn't sleep. Dinner is usually just a cup of tea, mostly chamomile, and a few crackers. Essentially, since that surgery, things have become three times worse 😢. She’s had blood work and basic screenings done, and everything comes back fine on ultrasounds, yet she continues to live like this. Aside from this, she has never had chronic issues, surgeries, or other illnesses. Personally, she doesn't believe help is coming; she’s resigned to the idea that "this is just how it is." I refuse to give up on her.
A friend suggested she try seeing a herbalist, claiming there might be natural remedies that could help, but that’s all speculation. I am looking for help from anyone who has dealt with something similar. Has this hell ever ended for anyone? Please, I need help.
I was taking Advil for about six months because my periods have been incredibly painful just this past year... I actually collapsed at home once. Anyway, last month I had to stop the Advil because it started making my head spin. The label says dizziness is a possible side effect. Now I’m using Ibuprofen 200—not the extra strength version, since apparently the regular stuff kicks in faster. It helps, and it works pretty quickly, but it’s absolutely wrecking my stomach. I heard Baralgine is good for muscle relaxation, so I might try that next. This morning, on the second day of my period, I woke up after sweating through the night three different times. I'm freezing, I have zero appetite, and I have to force myself to eat, but I realize every time that I feel better once I've had food, my meds, a bathroom break, and a shower... I just have to survive it lol poor us women... 😬
My mom had laparoscopic gallbladder surgery... she ended up with three small incisions. They looked pretty bruised and messy at first :P But she didn't just sit around either; after about a week, she was back at work—she works in a hospital, so she was up and moving quite a bit. She just avoided heavy housework to be careful with the stitches, you know? Anyway, everything healed up fast. I don't know how it looked for her after a year, but nearly three years later, she can't even find where the scars used to be... 😉
Ovulation 😉 That happened to me too... maybe because I was "new" to having sex, so my body was just reacting to "new things" 😁 Don't worry, everything is fine. Though, obviously, if the pain lasts more than a week or if anything seems really suspicious—go see a gynecologist 🙂
Chloe Price48 said:Back again. 😁 By the way, I don't think the yeast is still there. My finger is clear 😁 and honestly, I haven't had any discharge for 3 or 4 days now. Usually, I just get tiny drops on my underwear (thank Bill Gates). Other days, there's nothing at all 😉
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has tried the VI-SENSE test?
The VI-SENSE test is the only non-invasive indicator for self-testing vaginal discharge. There are four types of infections that cause increased discharge: bacterial, Trichomonas, yeast, or mixed infections.
The test looks and functions like a daily liner containing an indicator strip that changes color to show whether an infection is present. You wear the pad for at least 6 hours, but no more than 12. After that, you remove the test strip, let it dry, and read the results.
It costs about $27. It seems like a great idea to me. It’s a little pricey, but what can you do. Maybe buy one every few months just to check in. Or if you suspect yeast. It beats waiting two weeks for results at the doctor's office. I'm mainly thinking of women who don't deal with frequent yeast issues. Like me 😁 Just for peace of mind 😉
Personally, I've never heard of that test, but it sounds great... exactly like you said—it sounds perfect for women who don't have constant yeast problems, but would want something like this if they suspected something was wrong. Do you know where you can find it? CVS, a local pharmacy, or some specialty shop? 🙂
Chloe Price48 said:I'm not even in my fertile window right now. I've already hit PMS, and my period is due this Sunday. 😁 I'm asking because I know it needs to come out. It won't just move to another spot. 🤣 It’s probably just leftover residue from everything I mentioned earlier, since I had some discharge after using the vaginal wash. I tried using a swab, but nothing came up on it. 😁 Clean the finger! Looks like everything is gone. 🙏 No smell, just some discharge—nothing unusual there. I’m planning to head to the dentist in about three weeks regardless. I think my appointment is scheduled for two weeks after my period starts, since they say that's the best time for exams and Pap smears. I'll let you guys know if I finally managed to get rid of this pest!
Good. 🙂 Scout clear. 😁 I hope you’re staying healthy—proven by the results—for the next three weeks. 😉
Chloe Price48 said:Back again! 😁 I just finished my three-day course of Johnson & Johnson. I used the last suppository the night before last. As expected, by the afternoon or evening, I could feel some of the medication melting. I know that’s how it works. Now I'm wondering if this is normal. Today when I went to the bathroom, I noticed much heavier discharge. It's white and milky—not thick or chunky, more liquid 😁 but with some tiny little bits in it. I'm thinking it's a mix of leftover medication and dead yeast colonies? When I rub it between my fingers, it disappears; there's no white residue and those little bits just seem to blend in and vanish. It makes sense to me that my body needs to flush everything out through the discharge, but hey, don't mind my logic! 😁
To answer your question about whether they worked for me—yes, 🙂 one round of Johnson & Johnson fixed everything, thank Bill Gates. 🙂
Regarding that last thing you asked... yeah, those little bits are probably just remnants of the tablet, and the rest is likely the "dead" (nice way to put it 😁) yeast colonies. If you happen to be ovulating right now, that might be contributing to it too. It all sounds normal; your body has to clear it out. As long as the discharge doesn't persist—and it shouldn't, since you didn't mention any weird smells or anything suspicious 😉—you should be fine...
Sandra Rivera59 said:I had the exact same thing happen. My prescription was -0.5 in one eye and -0.75 in the other. My optometrist told me I didn't even need glasses, but I pushed back for the same reasons you did. The headaches were real, and my vision would get blurry whenever I looked up from my notebook to the whiteboard. I eventually got them, and honestly, they’ve been a lifesaver.
I have that same prescription. At night, everything is a total blur. It's probably because the eyes aren't matched perfectly, and my brain struggles to merge the two images. 🤷 Either way, driving at night would be a disaster without them...
It really depends on the person. I used to get those same headaches during college lectures just from constantly switching focus between my desk and the front of the room.
Sorry about the mix-up. I was reading a similar thread recently and mixed up the details. 😛
Anyway, the OP ended up getting her issue sorted out. 🙂
Prescription values move in increments of 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0, and so on... which determines if you have "good" vision or not. I honestly don't know how that guy missed it. Besides, when you get your first pair of glasses, you usually don't even realize your sight is blurry until you actually have the chance to test it against a chart. Until then, you just assume everything looks fine.
Exactly. A 1.25 prescription is pretty significant, whether it's nearsighted or farsighted. Since you couldn't see the eye chart clearly, it’s likely a minus prescription. You might even have a weird mix where one eye is -1.25 and the other is a slight plus... if that's even possible lol. Either way, it doesn't matter much right now; the important thing is noticing the difference between seeing with glasses and without them. Just a heads-up: your headaches might actually get a little worse for about the first week while your eyes adjust to wearing glasses for the first time. Anyway, I'm glad you finally got this sorted out. 🙂
Is Monistat actually strong, or does it just depend on the person? Maybe it’ll work for you, Chloe Price48... fingers crossed. For me, I’ve only dealt with this twice. The first time, my doctor gave me a pack of Medazol and Rojazol vaginal suppositories and that cleared it right up. Last time, she prescribed one dose of Monistat plus an oral pill, and that worked too. I guess it depends on how bad the infection is and what you eat—like, does sugar mess with things? I find if I cut out sweets while treating it, things go much smoother. It also probably depends on how often this happens; if you get infections constantly and use the same meds, they might lose their edge.
Nicole Castillo26 said:So I go into the eye clinic today and tell the guy: "Look, I've had headaches in my forehead for months. My eyes tire out so fast whenever I'm reading or looking at any kind of screen. Can I just do that computer vision test you guys have so we can see what's going on?"
Sure thing, kid.
Then he starts swapping lenses on me—one after another—and I can see everything except that damn back row; everything is just blurry, shifting here and there. After about five minutes of this, he finally says: "You actually see pretty well, young lady. You don't need glasses, or you could always go to an ophthalmologist for a full exam."
Now... look, I'm no expert, but I honestly think it would be a lot easier to deal with the TV, my laptop, college presentations, textbooks, and all that other stuff if my head wasn't constantly aching and my eyes weren't burning, tired, and red... So, I feel like I'd actually love to have glasses to wear just during those moments when I can clearly see that I... NEED them.
What should I do? Should I go to a different clinic tomorrow where they do more thorough exams? And should I even mention what that guy told me today, or just leave it out?? 😕
When he said you "see pretty well," it might mean you have a very slight prescription, but you still have one, which is why your eyes are getting exhausted and all that... the same thing happened to me a few years ago. I was straining myself looking at my watch and the dashboard while driving, so I went to an eye doctor. I still have the same prescription today (maybe a tiny bit stronger)—not like a -3 or -4, but it's different in each eye! That caused me quite a few headaches too. It’s actually pretty nasty because of how your brain tries to merge the images; if you have a very small but uneven prescription (which that guy likely missed since he didn't notice you couldn't see a size 50 font from 10 feet away), that could definitely be why you're suffering. Personally, I also have astigmatism in just one eye (where things look warped/oval, as doctors say), and that gives me trouble without glasses, especially at dusk. 😲 total blind bird 😁
In my opinion, eye exams where you read off a wall are kind of amateurish. That distance is maybe 6 to 10 feet, but in reality, when you're sitting in a lecture hall, you might be 50 feet away. Not to mention driving, where you have to spot something dozens of yards away...
Go find a decent ophthalmologist. If you're near a major city, I'd recommend a big hospital like Mayo Clinic or any reputable specialist center; they do proper exams. I think some even do them for free, though that's usually just the basic computer screening. The big hospitals do great work; yeah, you might have to wait in line, but I recommend it just to end the misery.
If they still tell you that you don't have a prescription, then try finding a solution by changing your lifestyle habits regarding eye usage—computer time, TV, reading in dim light...
And yeah, don't mention that you already went for an exam. 😉
Nicole Stewart54 said:I’m dealing with something similar. I went to my OBGYN back in November, and everything came back perfect. But since then, my PMS has gotten way worse. The breast pain is driving me crazy starting about seven days before my period. Then, once the period actually starts, it only lasts four or five days instead of the usual six or seven.
Same here. The breast tenderness is real, though for me, it kicks in about two days before my cycle starts. The duration of the period itself seems normal for now, but I have no clue why things changed. I haven't been sexually active for about a year, but I doubt that's the cause. I'm not on birth control or anything like anti-seizure meds either... 🤷 It's frustrating... Thanks for sharing. It helps knowing I'm not the only one going through this. 😉
Rachel Cook22 said:I've been dealing with terrible pain for a year now, every single month. It started when I was 14, and since then, I haven't felt anything at all—just total numbness.😕 It’s hard to believe this agony is starting up again after all these years. I try managing the pain with Ibuprofen or Voltaren Rapid, depending on what's on hand, but it doesn't really matter—the pain lingers for an hour or two before finally subsiding. It is honestly the worst pain I have ever experienced. I dread the days when it hits because it completely paralyzes me; I can't get anything done. On top of the pain, I get these tremors, like my body temperature is dropping suddenly, and my face flushes deep red. I'm not sure if it's a reaction to the medication, but once the pain stops, the tremors stop too.🤷 Anyone else dealt with this? I just scheduled an appointment, so we'll see how it goes.
I’ve been dealing with menstrual cramps since middle school—it was always just a "show up, get it over with, and leave" kind of situation. But toward the end of high school, things shifted. It started feeling like my left ovary was cramping exclusively every other month during those first few days. Now that I'm in college, it’s become a monthly nightmare. The pain is so intense I usually have to stay home the next day, or if I absolutely have to go somewhere, I'm dragging myself along with painkillers and praying to God it passes. Honestly, it sucks. Aside from this, everything else is fine; my checkups are normal and there aren't any other gynecological issues. Let's hope you aren't dealing with anything out of the ordinary. Hopefully, those twitches are just your body reacting to pain and muscle spasms. Either way, go talk to your OB-GYN. Mention these specific symptoms to them, and if they suggest it, get tested to see if it's a side effect of the medication you're taking. Fingers crossed! 😉
I have a question for everyone. I could really use some advice. 🙂 I hope you’ve had a chance to read my intro and the initial post before getting to this. Here’s my question: For the longest time, my cycle was incredibly predictable—it would arrive exactly on time or maybe a day or two early, every single month. But over the last four months, things have shifted. Around New Year's, it was late by a couple of days twice, and then for the last two months, it’s been arriving seven days early. I realize how weird this might sound, and I know stress can mess with your body, but I’m asking because I’m actually feeling very calm right now. I don't have any major stressors; honestly, life is pretty great at the moment. 🙂 Does anyone know if this could be a sign of an underlying issue? My recent lab results from my doctor came back perfect, so everything looks fine on paper. Or is this just totally normal? Thanks, everyone. 😉
OT: So... my first time... everything went great on the downhill, but I hit a few snags on the flat sections... I think I carried a little too much momentum at one point, but I ended up lifting my legs more toward the finish and everything turned out awesome rofl
slyowl7 said:I used to deal with random sore throats here and there, mostly just during the winter months. But once I hit 18, everything changed. Suddenly, I was getting strep throat every two weeks like clockwork. I’d finish a round of antibiotics, feel fine for a few days, and then—boom—another infection. It's just been one endless cycle of pills and relapses. When I finally brought up the idea of having my tonsils removed to my primary care doctor, she basically brushed me off. She told me I was "too old" to get them out.😕The older folks have a hard time handling it, so I usually just head home feeling totally confused. It left me in a bad way, too. My tonsillitis kept coming back one after another—I was on antibiotics constantly for nine months straight. I was completely wiped out. I couldn't even sleep through the night because my tonsils would swell up so badly that my parents actually stayed up by my side, terrified I might stop breathing. Even standard over-the-counter meds did nothing for me. Eventually, I went back to the doctor with my parents, and after they insisted, I finally got the referral. I had the surgery shortly after, and honestly, I haven't had a single issue with my tonsils since.👍 I’d really suggest getting a referral and going in for an exam.
It’s true that if you need your appendix out, you should do it by age 15, but saying someone is "too old" for the procedure is just nonsense. If your body is producing more trouble than it's worth, getting the surgery is necessary. Two weeks later, you'll feel like a brand-new person.
I deal with tonsil issues too, but my doctor has told me a thousand times that they actually serve a purpose. They act as a defense mechanism for your body. If you aren't dealing with four or more severe bouts of strep or throat infections a year, those tonsils probably shouldn't be removed. I know that sounds a bit intense, but it’s the reality. I see older folks who had them out decades ago, and they still struggle with sore throats every single winter. So, God knows, if you can manage the discomfort, just take your vitamins, boost your immune system, and leave them where they are. 🙂 Of course, you should always get regular checkups and follow whatever advice your ENT gives you!
I’m in the exact same boat... I just realized how many of us there actually are 😢. Last time I had blood drawn was—you won't believe this—about 8 years ago... I really need to get some labs done because I suspect I might be anemic, but I just can't bring myself to call and schedule it. I'm usually pretty proactive about my health and don't have any issues, but this whole blood draw thing... it's a nightmare. Haha. Honestly, I don't think there's a cure for this fear. It's just how I am, unfortunately 😢 To be clear, I'm not afraid of needles or blood or anything like that. I can handle intense pain, seriously. And seeing blood doesn't make me lightheaded or anything. It's just... this.