Posts by Gregory Young3

casualhawk7 said:So, I finished my round of antibiotics and polished off about two boxes of Zithromax (roughly 60 pills over a two-week stretch). It’s been two weeks since I wrapped up the treatment.

Honestly, nothing has changed. Not a single thing.
I finally got my nasal swab results back today.
Everything came back totally clear.

Maybe we need to look at some other ideas?

Reiter's syndrome? That’s seronegative arthritis (reactive arthritis) that develops following a urogenital or gastrointestinal infection. If that isn't the case, it would be a good idea to go see a rheumatologist.

redmoose22 said:I just got my peripheral blood smear results back, and I was wondering if anyone could help me interpret them since there aren't any reference ranges provided.
-neseg 0.11
-seg 0.45
-eo 0.01
-ly 0.34
-m 0.09

It looks like those unsegmented neutrophil granulocytes are elevated. Everything else appears to be within the normal range. An increase like that might point toward an infection.

The active ingredient in Androcur is cyproterone acetate. It’s used to treat various health issues caused by elevated male hormone levels, such as acne, hair loss, unwanted hair growth, or PCOS. It’s quite similar to Diane 35, except that one combines cyproterone with ethinyl estradiol, whereas Androcur is pure cyproterone acetate.

Jamie Barnes60 said:Could someone please share their thoughts on these lab results? 🙂My gynecologist is out on vacation for another two weeks.

My TSH came back at 2.8, which falls right within the standard range of 0.46 to 4.68 mIU/L. Everything looks perfectly normal.

My estradiol (E2) level came back at 161.
For the ladies out there: during the follicular phase, the range is typically between 98 and 592.
The ovulation phase is currently between 685 and 1404.
Luteal phase 120-738.
Postmenopause (20-141)

My prolactin levels came back at 634 mIU/l, which is slightly above the standard range of 64-395 mIU/l.

My testosterone levels came back at 2.7 nmol/L, which puts me right at the upper limit of the standard 0.2–2.7 range.

My DHEA-S level came back at 12.0 µmol/l, which is just slightly above the standard range of 0.9 to 11 µmol/l. It looks like everything is looking pretty good.

My FSH level came back at 3.8.
For women: during the follicular phase, levels typically range from 2.0 to 11.6 IU/L.
The luteal phase levels are sitting at 1.4–9.6 IU/L.
Postmenopausal levels sit at 21.5–131.0 IU/L.

The LH level is at 14.5.
For women in the follicular phase (days 2–12), the recommended dosage is 2.6 to 12.1 IU/I.
The luteal phase levels came back at 0.8–15.5 IU/L.
Postmenopause (13.1–86.5 IU/L).

I can see that my prolactin levels are quite high, and from what I've read online, the explanations aren't exactly reassuring. 😢

It doesn't look that high to me. It might just be stress.

Linda Peterson37 said:My platelet count is slightly low at 142, while the standard range starts at 158.
A few other levels are also a bit down, especially my iron, but I'm already aware of that since it's been the same for a few months now and I take iron supplements daily.
Thanks.

Here is a helpful link regarding thrombocytopenia.

driftingseal3 said:Wouldn't an infection show up on a CRP test? Mine is normal. I did have a virus recently, but I don't understand why my white blood cell count is so incredibly low. 🤷
What exactly is RA? 🙈

Rheumatoid arthritis. I won't try to play doctor here, though. There are just too many possibilities to guess without further testing to find the actual cause. Keeping my fingers crossed that it’s nothing serious. x

driftingseal3 said:What does it mean if white blood cell counts are at 1.8?😕
I can tell the doctors are really worried. She had her blood drawn twice today, was on an IV drip, and I have to head back tomorrow. 😕 Everything is just a mess right now. 😢

Leukopenia can stem from various causes, such as a viral infection, autoimmune conditions (like lupus or RA), a severe infection, or side effects from certain medications.

wearydriver13 said:Hi everyone!
First off, I apologize if I'm starting a thread that already exists; there are just so many topics out there and I don't have enough time to dig through them all. I urgently need some advice from people who understand what I'm going through.

I'm 22 years old and have been dealing with chronic back pain for quite a while now. To be specific, the pain around my shoulder blades, shoulders, and neck is absolutely killing me. As the days go by, it’s becoming unbearable. It has reached the point where after being on my feet for just half an hour, I have to lie down and stop everything I'm doing (mostly studying). Sitting isn't much better either, since I tend to slouch, which only makes this difficult situation worse—a habit I've had since I was a kid carrying a heavy backpack on one shoulder.

About two years ago, I briefly went to Mayo Clinic for physical therapy exercises in a clinic setting. Before that, I tried those supposed "light" electrical stimulations applied along the spine and some professional massages. Nothing worked.
Since I had to wait about three or four months for those appointments (you know how long the lines can be at public hospitals), I'm wondering if anyone knows of a private, effective facility that could help me get rid of this excruciating pain?

I am also looking for pillow recommendations. I currently sleep on a supposedly "medical" pillow, but it does more harm than good, especially making my shoulders ache. If anyone knows what kind of pillow would suit me, or if you even recommend using a special one...

Regarding medication, I use standard pain-relief gels, currently Voltaren, so if anyone has advice on that front, I would be grateful for any help.

And no, I don't expect you to solve my problem because I know only professional medical help can do that, but as I said, the wait times at hospitals are catastrophically long and I just don't have that kind of time.
So, I appreciate all your advice.

Thanks.

Have you received a formal diagnosis yet?

Here’s the link to the thread they were discussing regarding Lyme disease . It's nothing to joke about. I would definitely opt for antibiotics.

Michael Foster12 said:Can someone with medical expertise explain what these results actually mean?
🤷

HLA TYPING RESULTS

phenotype:

HLA-A 2
HLA-B 38(16)
HLA-Bw 4
HLA-Cw 2
HLA-DR
HLA-DQ
HLA-DRw

HLA-A
HLA-B 27
HLA-Bw
HLA-Cw
HLA-DR
HLA-DQ
HLA-DRw

Thanks so much in advance.

I’m not a specialist, but I know a few things. It looks like you had HLA typing performed (identifying HLA antigens), likely to help diagnose an autoimmune condition. For instance, I know HLA-B 27 is linked to ankylosing spondylitis, which is an inflammatory rheumatic disease that primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints. HLA-Cw 2 is associated with chronic pancreatitis, and HLA-B 38 is linked to psoriatic arthritis. Just having these antigens doesn't guarantee you'll develop any of these diseases, just as some people can develop autoimmune issues without testing positive for specific antigens. Hopefully, a professional can give you a more detailed breakdown.

Maria Hayes said:I just got word that my dad definitely had a stroke, or at least there's a real possibility he did. They're waiting on a head CT to confirm. The issue is that since it's Sunday, the specialist isn't in, but he's in good hands for now.

I'm not sure what you mean about there being no doctor on a Sunday; there should always be an on-call physician available. By the way, my dad went through something similar—he acted like he was slightly drunk, even though he never drinks. We called 911 immediately, even though he insisted he was fine, despite being completely sluggish. It turned out to be a stroke. He recovered quite well, though he spent a decent amount of time in the hospital and later did some rehab at a wellness center.

Stop struggling on your own. Just talk to your parents and go see a doctor. Severe depression is treatable with medication. Things will get better.

I don't know personally, but I found online that this condition involves the ligaments and attachment points, caused by degenerative changes and calcium buildup in those areas. So, it likely has nothing to do with cancer.

If you were thirteen, cancer would have finished you off by now. Don't panic. I’m a worrier too and I always jump to the worst-case scenario, but that isn't helpful. You're just making things harder on yourself. Everything is going to be fine.🙂

My cousin actually decided to go through with a breast reduction. It wasn't an easy call for her, especially considering how major the surgery is. However, everything went smoothly and she’s really happy with the results today. She’s walking normally, isn't in any pain, and doesn't have those bra straps digging into her shoulders anymore.

Most likely. Between your period and that large cyst, it’s totally understandable that you're in pain. I always feel that same kind of pressure on my bowels when I'm on my period.

It’s mostly because we fixate on the negative. We spend too much time living in the past or worrying about the future, constantly looping through these pessimistic thought patterns. We essentially let our thoughts take the driver's seat in our lives.

Amanda Scott4 said:I know this is totally off-topic, but I really need some help. My period cramps are killing me and I don't have any painkillers at home right now😢. Does anyone know any other ways to manage the pain?😕

Applying a heating pad to your lower abdomen usually helps me quite a bit.

Gerald Murphy53 said:Well, here I go again. I went in for a Color Doppler today. You wouldn't believe it—this guy spent ten minutes poking and prodding me just to finally locate my right ovary, which ended up tucked way down in the bottom right corner. Honestly, what kind of doctor even is that? It’s no wonder they end up leaving us hanging with some vague illness. Anyway, he told me my uterus is retroverted, and apparently, I have functional cysts again (maybe because I just ovulated?). He also noted that while my right ovary isn't where it's supposed to be, the blood flow looks good. No adhesions or anything like that. Then I go see my own gynecologist, and suddenly, there's still no actual diagnosis! It is driving me absolutely insane. He actually suggested that once I get my period, I should go back in for a CA 125 test and then another ultrasound, and just keep going in this endless loop. Seriously, how long is this supposed to last?

I had that free fluid issue too, but they just put me on antibiotics and that was that. They only did an ultrasound, and everything looked fine. No further testing was required, though I actually would have preferred more thorough exams. It's always better to have everything checked out in detail.
Maybe there's some sort of infection or inflammation? That's usually what they suspect when there's fluid present, or perhaps endometriosis. My doctor—who didn't even think to perform a proper exam—told me that the fluid could be coming from somewhere else entirely, like the body just having excess fluid. That's how things work here in the United States.🙂

All of this really worked me up because I kept playing out every worst-case scenario in my head. This lack of clarity is awful. My back was hurting quite a bit, and it still does occasionally, but thank God I don't feel that pressure anymore.

By the way, I realized I had been wearing tight jeans that were putting constant pressure on my ovaries. Once I stopped wearing them, I have to admit everything seemed to settle down. I suspect my circulation was just totally compromised.

jaderidge42 said:Since this is the topic of the thread and I'm facing similar issues, I'm posting here because I honestly don't know where else to turn... I have no idea who to reach out to or even what to ask, so if anyone has experienced anything remotely like this—though I know it's unlikely—please help! Here is my story; I hope it isn't too confusing and that someone might be able to offer some insight... A few days before I was due for my period, I noticed this strange discharge that was bloody. I figured maybe my period was just coming early due to stress, but then things stalled for five days. When it finally arrived, the first day was absolutely brutal with pain, though by the second day I felt okay, and everything seemed fine for about five days after that. Following that, the discharge turned a very, very bright yellow and was quite heavy for about three days. Today, I woke up feeling normal (no discharge at all), but a few hours later, my ovaries and lower back started aching intensely—just like when I'm about to start my period, but I know I shouldn't be. Is it possible this is from having sex last night, considering we hadn't had intercourse in three weeks prior? To go back a bit further (before my period), I noticed a little lump right down low on the smooth skin (between the openings?). I thought maybe it was just a skin tear healing since we had pretty intense sex just before all of this started. Could I have been injured internally during that rough encounter, causing all this, or am I dealing with an infection or inflammation? I know everyone is different and experiences things uniquely, but please help me because I am terrified... I have an appointment with my OB-GYN, but because I'm transferring my medical records, I can't see them for another week. I don't know what to do until then, and the anxiety is driving me crazy.😢.....please help me....

Look, try not to panic. Based on those symptoms, it sounds like you might have an infection. If that's the case, you'll likely just get some antibiotics and it'll be sorted out. As for that bump, it could be a wart. Don't be afraid; just see the doctor and try not to overthink it. I doubt it's from physical injury during sex; an infection seems more probable.