Posts by dustybear14

He went to see his primary care physician, who basically told him not to sweat it—just hemorrhoids—and mentioned she’d provide a referral if he felt it was truly necessary. But with the recent spike in COVID cases here in the States, he’s understandably hesitant to risk heading into a clinic or hospital, especially given his history with heart disease. One shouldn't shy away from medical advice, though; if it becomes essential, he'll have to face that fear eventually, no matter how much it unnerves him.

It fluctuates, you know? Sometimes there might be a little bit for a couple of days in a row, and then nothing for a week, only for it to resurface again.
His diet is where things really fall apart, which is arguably the biggest issue. For instance, he overindulged in spicy food quite a bit yesterday and the day before, and by last night, he ended up needing to use the restroom three times, all accompanied by that bleeding. Everything seems fine today, but currently, he's eating like a bird🙂 out of sheer anxiety.

Greetings to everyone,

The issue at hand is this:

An individual over the age of 60 has been experiencing intermittent traces of blood in their stool for several months now. The amount fluctuates—sometimes more, sometimes less—but the blood is always bright red rather than dark or tarry. Aside from this and some bloating, there aren't any other symptoms. Occasionally, they feel a sudden urge to use the restroom, but it turns out to be just passing gas accompanied by a bit of blood. Other times, everything seems perfectly fine for days on end. There is no abdominal pain and no discomfort during bowel movements.
We suspect certain foods might be a trigger—definitely dairy and pineapple, perhaps cherries, and possibly even just the sheer volume of food consumed. They haven't experienced any significant weight loss, though they have dropped a few pounds due to eating less.
For context, they are a cardiac patient who has undergone surgery. Their current regimen includes aspirin and blood pressure medication.

Given the current public health situation and restrictions, getting an appointment with a doctor isn't easy right now. That is why I am turning to this community for insight.

Does anyone have any thoughts or perspectives to share?
Aside from the obvious "GET TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM IMMEDIATELY" advice, 🙂

Thank you.

Thanks for all the input

The box says 2011 🙂 specifically on the bottle

I haven't really needed them lately since I've barely used any
By some strange logic, perhaps the efficacy just fades away? I took a dose today and felt absolutely nothing—no positive effects, and certainly no negative ones—aside from the fact that the taste always makes me feel a bit nauseous!

But I suppose I'll pick up some fresh ones just to be safe 🙂
I’m currently out in Norway, and things are a bit... well, hit or miss here. It might be slightly harder to track down what I need, though I haven't actually gone looking for it yet, so I can't say for certain 🙂

Warm regards,

Please forgive me if I’ve missed the mark here; I am certain there is likely a specific thread for this kind of inquiry, but I will leave it to the moderators to move this to the appropriate section if necessary.
I simply don't have the bandwidth at this moment to hunt down the exact topic I'm looking for. 😢

The situation is this: I have two small bottles of valerian tincture that have unfortunately passed their expiration date.
I could really use them right now, but I find myself hesitating because, as I mentioned, they are technically expired.

I actually tried a tiny amount this morning, diluted in some water, and the taste seemed perfectly normal—just like the last time I used it.
But what about the actual effects? Am I risking poisoning myself? Will I fall into a slumber that lasts a hundred years? Or, perhaps most likely, will it simply do absolutely nothing at all?

Thank you all for your insights.

Warm regards,
dustybear14

Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly.

I find myself wondering, though—why does the pain seem to come and go so unpredictably? Some days it’s there, and other days it isn't, regardless of whether I'm sitting down or on my feet... It’s all quite confusing to me.

Thanks again for the help.

No, really, my leg feels completely normal!! There aren't any visible changes at all. Aside from, well, that one thing—that occasional pain that just pops up, almost like a tiny muscle spasm for no apparent reason... It just tightens up right there, hurting in this one specific spot about the size of a walnut.

And yes, I am on birth control.

Hello,

I'm 26 years old, and because of my job, I've been forced to sit at a desk all day for the last month. On top of that, I haven't really had much motivation to get up and move on my own...😢 About one or two weeks ago, I started feeling this pain in my left lower leg. It’s a bit of a strange sensation; even if I flex the muscle, the pain persists, almost as if it stays there while the leg is completely at rest. For instance, I just woke up from a dream and my leg was hurting. I tried rotating my foot a little to work it out, which made the pain subside, but now it's slowly creeping back—it feels like an internal muscle cramp, but concentrated in just that one specific spot. I also happen to have poor circulation.
The pain comes and goes periodically, but I can't help feeling a bit anxious that it might be something more serious.

P.S. Yesterday, I actually sat on the toilet for more than ten minutes (not because of any digestive issues, mind you, I just used the seat as a chair), and that exact leg went numb right down to the point of pain within those ten minutes! It wasn't just the lower part, though; my entire leg went numb. This happened once before this past summer as well.

If anyone recognizes these symptoms or might be able to offer some guidance—thank you!

Best regards,
dustybear14

It’s also worth considering that stress can be a significant factor in causing delays 🙂

I'm about 90% certain that what you're experiencing is just spotting.
It's essentially light bleeding occurring right in the middle of your cycle.

It should clear up within a day or two.

In my own experience, I noticed some spotting on the 11th day of my cycle.

It might be a good idea to get your ovaries checked out; sometimes things like this can even be triggered by stress.

If you're feeling anxious about it—personally, I highly doubt it's pregnancy.

Especially since, if your last period was 12 days ago, you're likely right in the middle of your fertile window.

Greetings,

I find myself wondering—what exactly guarantees that the people participating here are truly knowledgeable?

With all due respect to everyone else, just because someone decides to reply and is willing to offer an answer doesn't necessarily mean they actually understand the subject matter they're discussing.
People here certainly have the heart to help, and they'll do so, 👍

However, it is certainly a wise move to consult with your doctor first.

I actually had two close friends who struggled with anorexia
one sought treatment at a clinic in New York City while the other just... moved past it without any professional help
but they were terrifyingly thin—literally walking skeletons—and honestly, it was heartbreaking to witness
they simply wouldn't eat, and if parents aren't actively monitoring or supporting them through it, things can spiral out of control incredibly fast
what’s even more baffling is that in both cases, their parents denied there was even an issue for years! And the strangest part? Both sets of parents were medical professionals!

Does she have a gaunt face, or how should I put this... does her face look sunken? If that's the case, or if it becomes apparent soon, we're likely looking at anorexia.
Is the girl particularly ambitious? My two friends were fiercely ambitious, especially when it came to their drive to avoid eating properly

What is your relationship with her like right now??
Try to find a reason to take her out for lunch or a treat, then observe. Does she eat normally, or will she pick something specific from the menu, like a plain cheese pizza without any actual cheese (yes, it really happens!) or perhaps refuse to eat anything at all?
Maybe try asking her directly if she notices certain symptoms, or do a little bit of research online regarding the signs of anorexia

All in all
good luck

Whenever I think back to those two walking skeletons, it just fills me with such sadness
I wouldn't wish that sight, or that experience, on anyone

I was chatting recently with a woman who’s spent years working in childcare—and if you know anything about that line of work, you know exactly what kind of germs and seasonal bugs kids tend to pass around like candy. It’s a constant battle for their teachers! Anyway, she shared a fantastic remedy for colds, the flu, and just about any throat irritation you might run into:

If you take a liter of homemade moonshine and add a generous amount of whole garlic cloves—I mean, quite a significant quantity, really—you end up with a potent little tonic. Is there anything more classic than that?
Keep it in the refrigerator, and if you feel like you need it, just take a small sip.

Thank God I haven't had to deal with that myself yet, so I haven't actually tried it. But, from what I've heard through the grapevine, apparently one woman used it and felt like a completely different person by the very next morning! Isn't that just incredible?
It stands to reason, doesn't it? High-proof spirits serve as a solid disinfectant, and garlic acts just like a natural antibiotic!

Best of luck!

I honestly doubt you can find that here in the States.
Maybe try asking at a local pharmacy,

but you could also just improvise something similar; instead of using your hand, maybe use a small container or a little cup.

Haha.
The first thing that popped into my head was those little teapots from children's play sets.
Or even a tiny teapot from one of those adult tea service sets.

You could also use a syringe—just slowly squeeze the water into the nozzle.
That whole device (from what I've seen) seems to be designed specifically for those extremely literal Americans who need everything drawn out for them; otherwise, they'd probably struggle with perfectly normal tasks.🙂