Posts by Jerry Booth10

I recall reading somewhere that developing one or more black spots in your vision can actually be caused by staring directly at a solar eclipse without proper eye protection, which often leads to serious complications. I believe the last time we had an eclipse here in the States was about a decade ago; I remember being in elementary school back then, and while I made sure to use protective eyewear, if he happened to watch it unprotected, that might very well be the culprit. I don't know for certain, of course—I'm just relaying what I read back then.

To me, a man isn't truly a man unless there’s some hair involved. I actually find chest hair quite attractive, though I draw the line at hair spreading across the back, shoulders, or glutes—that’s just a dealbreaker for me. As for everything else down below, I much prefer a clean-shaven look, though I suppose I can tolerate a little bit of hair if it's there, but anything beyond that is just a hard pass for me.

Go pick up some Neoterm powder at the local CVS; it’s typically marketed for ants or cockroaches, but let me tell you, it works. When I was younger, my mother used to douse my head in it, making sure I wore a swim cap for two or three days straight. It worked like a charm because, at the end of the day, lice are just as much pests as any other insect. They’ll die off just the same. The catch is that you’ll still have to manually pluck the nits out of your hair with your fingers or a fine-toothed comb, since they cling to the strands so tightly they won't just fall out. The goal is to kill the active lice first, and once those are dead, you simply clear away the eggs and you're done. I tried all those overpriced medicated shampoos from the drugstore, but nothing ever really did the trick. However, once my mom used the powder method, the live lice were gone within forty-eight hours.

Anonymous said:Greetings to everyone dealing with this exact same headache. Honestly, these chemical imbalances are such a relentless nuisance. I’ve found myself facing them again after quite a while, but now I'm stuck in a particularly nasty spot because I haven't been able to use the restroom in four days. Every single attempt at a bowel movement is met with intense pain. Does anyone have any advice on how I might soften things up before I try again? Thanks.🙂

Whether you opt for a dose of liquid laxative or go the route of an Ex-Lax suppository paired with plenty of lukewarm water, the goal remains the same. It’s all about finding that specific mechanism that finally gets things moving when the system decides to stall.

crimsonpanther48 said:Greetings to everyone here. I hope you’ll all be kind enough to refrain from mocking me. :-)
I find myself facing a rather delicate predicament. My father is a physician, and my medical records are currently managed under his care. I am looking to begin a regimen of oral contraceptives in the near future, but I am plagued by a single, nagging concern: will this information be visible to him? Given the nature of our relationship, the transparency of these digital files is a significant worry. 🙂
I’ve been observing how everything has transitioned into these digital systems lately. It seems like every single scrap of patient data is now stored in some massive online database. It makes me wonder—is all that information, including the specific details my gynecologist enters during an appointment, actually visible to others within the system?
I appreciate everyone stepping up to help. If there happens to be a medical professional in this group who can provide some definitive insight, I would truly value your expertise. 🙂 And if anyone else happens to weigh in—I’d certainly be grateful for the insight. 🙂

Look, just be straight with him. Tell him you want to start on birth control because your cycle is a complete mess—it drags on forever and it’s becoming unmanageable. Frame it as a way to regulate your system and get things back under control, rather than making it sound like you're planning some grand romantic comeback. You aren't exactly signaling that you're looking to become hyper-active in the bedroom; you're just trying to fix a biological nuisance.

Emily Phillips16 said:how can you be ovulating and having your period at the exact same time?😕

Oh, wonderful. As if anyone hasn't heard the stories of someone getting pregnant during their period? Yes, it happens. It’s a reality, especially for women dealing with irregular cycles where ovulation is a complete moving target. Unless you're being monitored by an OB-GYN via ultrasound or using some incredibly precise tracking method, you're essentially flying blind. Hormones are fickle things; they can glitch or shift unexpectedly, leading to a situation where you think you're one thing when you're actually another. The human body is a strange, unpredictable machine. Just when you think something is biologically impossible, life finds a way to prove you wrong. Sure, the statistical probability might be slim, but "slim" doesn't mean "never."

Austin Fowler said:Well, Doc mentioned that the sedimentation rate drops off slowly. I can only imagine how high it must have been back when she was dealing with that full-blown infection and the fever was spiking. It makes me wonder—is it actually typical for things to spike that drastically from just one bout of inflammation? The infection was pretty intense, sure, but still... I’m curious if hitting those levels is standard. I’ve read cases where people hit 130 or even 140. I don't know what kind of massive systemic issues those folks were fighting, but still...

Of course it can climb that high. Regardless of how severe the underlying infection is, everyone’s body responds differently.

Austin Fowler said:Is it actually normal for a 13-year-old to have a sedimentation rate of 58 after dealing with a severe, heavy case of tonsillitis? She had a fever hovering between 102 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit for four straight days. Her complete blood count looks fine, though she does struggle with anemia and iron deficiencies; however, her most recent labs showed everything was back within range. It’s just this one elevated sedimentation level that has me questioning things. Does this have a direct correlation with the inflammation, and is it possible for it to be that high? Does it take a while to settle down?

By the way,

after three days of treating the tonsillitis, the patient developed these tiny red spots across her back. The doctor ordered some tests, and well, we ended up with the results we have. Now I’m sitting here wondering if this is tied to the initial infection, or if it might just be an allergic reaction to the penicillin or the other medications she's been prescribed...

An elevated sedimentation rate is simply an indicator that there is inflammation present in the body. If she has been taking antibiotics, that number should ideally start trending downward. If the sedimentation remains stubbornly high, further diagnostic testing would be necessary to pinpoint the cause.

fadedpilot2 said:Thanks, dear, for the heads-up on the Lactogyn (by the way, can you pick that up over the counter without a prescription?)...

As for everything else, I pretty much know all that... I was more curious about whether every single infection has to be linked to Chlamydia, Ureaplasma, and all those other things they check for in swabs, or if it can just be inflammation on its own and cause bleeding when taking the Pope?

You can pick up Lactogyn or Vagisan over the counter without a prescription. Honestly, I usually grab everything without one—even the vaginal suppositories and creams. Usually, my doctor just calls me to give me the results from the Pope test and tells me what I need, and since I can't be bothered to deal with the paperwork and waiting around for prescriptions, I just go get them. Sometimes they might be difficult about it, but then I just head to a different pharmacy and they hand it over. It all depends, but generally, most places will help you out, and those two specifically are available without a script.

Jerry Walker79 said:Look, there are some symptoms a doctor can just spot instantly without needing a lab report because they’ve probably seen them a hundred times before. They aren't just handing out prescriptions for fun. Honestly, I don't really care if you want to take an antibiotic or not, but presumably, the doctor knows what the hell they're doing better than we do...

I second that. Personally, I'm all for getting those swabs done first and foremost, but that discharge you described sounds suspicious due to the color. It would be smarter to start the therapy she prescribed now, then follow up with the tests. That way, you'll actually see if it worked—and if it didn't, you can get a different treatment tailored specifically to the culture results.

fadedpilot2 said:Hey sweetie, one quick question please... is an antibiogram just another word for swabs, or is it something extra?
If it is, can you get that done at a public clinic? I'd rather not deal with the same doctor again...

The way Linea explained it was spot on. Basically, if they identify a specific pathogen, they run it against a whole battery of antibiotics. Your results then show you a list of what works great, what works okay, and what doesn't work at all. You really want the one that hits it dead on; otherwise, you’re just playing games with your health or potentially failing to clear the infection entirely. But don't worry, the doctor handles that once they see the report. Public clinics do them too, because they end up sending those samples off to places like the CDC or major municipal labs anyway, so it's standard procedure. Just make sure your referral specifically asks for "swabs plus antibiogram." Sometimes they forget to write it down, or maybe they just miss it—I didn't get mine, and when I asked my doctor why, she claimed it was because my bacterial count was low, and apparently, a small amount isn't worth testing for. Who knows? Honestly, I ended up taking an antibiotic blindly because they isolated Ureaplasma. Even though the count was low, my doctor decided it was worth treating because that thing is a real pain in the neck, and I wanted it gone regardless.

fadedpilot2 said:Thanks, dear, for the heads-up on the Lactogyn (by the way, can you pick that up over the counter without a prescription?)...

As for everything else, I pretty much know all that... I was more curious about whether every single infection has to be linked to Chlamydia, Ureaplasma, and all those other things they check for in swabs, or if it can just be inflammation on its own and cause bleeding when taking the Pope?

It could be any number of other bacteria triggering that inflammation: Gardnerella, Trichomonas, Streptococcus, Escherichia, Enterococcus, and so on. However, all of them will show up on a standard swab. When doctors order swabs, they aren't just looking for the specific stuff like Ureaplasma or Mycoplasma; they include aerobes and anaerobes as well. Those aerobic and anaerobic tests catch all those other bacteria I mentioned above, along with others. So, it’s entirely possible you have one of those present, and that is what’s causing the irritation and inflammation.

Timothy Vaughn44 said:See, you actually said it yourself right here... that we shouldn't just take antibiotics blindly. And honestly, that Klimicin is such a weak option that even if there is some bacteria present, it probably wouldn't help at all; it might just mess up your flora and make everything feel even worse.
As for yeast infections, it's not that they aren't a big deal just because they aren't physically dangerous; they're more of a mental struggle. I mean, dealing with that constant itching can really get under your skin and wear you down.😵
Sure, you can get them from your own gut, but you can also get them from a partner if they happen to have them, so ideally, he should always be treated alongside you.

The statistical probability of passing this over to a partner sits at roughly 33%, but if we’re looking at the biological reality, men generally have a much harder time actually developing fungal infections. If you were to poll most gynecologists in the country, the consensus would be pretty much unanimous: if the woman is dealing with *Candida*, there is no inherent need to treat the partner—unless, of course, he is actively experiencing symptoms. If he’s asymptomatic, medical professionals typically won't prescribe anything because the infection simply doesn't take hold in men as easily. Of course, the logic flips if he is the primary carrier; if he develops it first, he can certainly pass it back to her, in which case treatment is mandatory. In my own experience, every single gynecologist I’ve consulted has declined to provide therapy for a partner unless the woman explicitly pointed out that he was symptomatic. Otherwise, they don't bother. It isn't just an opinion, either; if you dive into the actual medical literature, that's exactly how the standard protocol is laid out.

Timothy Vaughn44 said:See, you actually said it yourself right here... that we shouldn't just take antibiotics blindly. And honestly, that Klimicin is such a weak option that even if there is some bacteria present, it probably wouldn't help at all; it might just mess up your flora and make everything feel even worse.
As for yeast infections, it's not that they aren't a big deal just because they aren't physically dangerous; they're more of a mental struggle. I mean, dealing with that constant itching can really get under your skin and wear you down.😵
Sure, you can get them from your own gut, but you can also get them from a partner if they happen to have them, so ideally, he should always be treated alongside you.

Look, at the end of the day, she’s going back for a follow-up, so they’ll likely run some swabs and a Pap smear to see if the treatment actually did its job. If it didn't work, the doctor will just pivot to a different antibiotic. You make these antibiotics sound like absolute monsters, but honestly, I’d much rather deal with a yeast infection than whatever bacterial issue I mentioned earlier. If you want to believe her current antibiotic is weak, that’s your prerogative, but gynecologists aren't exactly playing guessing games—they know what they’re doing. They don't prescribe medication that doesn't work, and if the doctor suspected a specific strain, she gave her exactly what targets it. Getting swabs done is the smart move, sure, but that shouldn't mean blindly rejecting a doctor's prescription every single time. The tests will show whether the Klimicin was effective; if it worked, great, because she didn't have to wait for lab results to feel better. If it didn't, they'll switch gears, and that's that. Personally, I’ve never once dealt with a yeast infection from any antibiotic I’ve taken—and I've been through the ringer with Augmentin, Novocef, Amoxil, Doxycycline, Ciprofloxacin, and plenty more. Never once. But again, a yeast infection is the least of our worries here. If the doctor noticed a specific discharge—I think there was mention of it being gray?—then there’s clearly an underlying issue. Not every infection presents with the same color, so the doctor likely tailored the therapy based on those clinical signs. Think about it this way: whenever someone takes an antibiotic for anything, ideally, you’d perform a culture and sensitivity test. It’s the same when someone goes to a GP for a cough; you’d want to analyze the phlegm before deciding on a drug. But let's be real—who is actually sending patients for those tests every single time? Nobody. I realize gynecology is a specialized field, but there’s a real chance the Klimicin will work perfectly fine. Besides, since she's applying it locally, it isn't going to wreck her stomach or cause systemic issues. If it works, mission accomplished. If not, she gets a different one, and we move on.

fadedpilot2 said:I guess I agree with you that a ton of this stuff stays totally invisible and unnoticed. I'm mostly just confused because this isn't my first inflammation, but it is the first time I've actually been prescribed an antibiotic for it. I had all my swabs done about a year ago, but I think I’ll probably go ahead and redo them once my Pap results are in, regardless of what they say.
For now, I’d rather just hold off on using that cream until I see the actual results...

Oh, and one more thing that really threw me for a loop: the doctor told me that if the inflammation doesn't settle down after I finish my five-day course of Klimicin, I should come back for a follow-up. But I don't really get how I'm supposed to "see" if it's gone when I didn't even realize I had something in the first place?!

Well, since you weren't entirely sure about the infection to begin with, you should just head back to the doctor after the treatment is over. She can tell you then whether things have calmed down or not. And honestly, regardless of those swabs you had a year ago, you really ought to get them checked annually, just like you do with your Pap smear.

fadedpilot2 said:I've heard about that, but I’ve never really dealt with those kinds of issues myself... I make sure to change them every few hours, and I don't even wear them when I'm just hanging out at home.
Is it even possible to get a fever from them?

It’s technically impossible to get an infection directly *from* a pad, because infections are caused by microorganisms, not the material itself. However, if you already have an underlying issue, wearing them can certainly aggravate it. It creates this constant environment of heat and moisture where the mucous membrane just can't breathe. What you're really looking at is a fungal issue; since pads are essentially damp, synthetic barriers, they trap that warmth and humidity, which acts like a petri dish for fungi to thrive.

fadedpilot2 said:What did you end up using to clear out those bacteria?
Hey, did you head straight to a follow-up appointment right after finishing the treatment, PAPU?

Look, if a Pap smear shows inflammation and they put you on some kind of treatment—regardless of what it is—you really need to wait at least a month before repeating the test. It’s the same deal with bacterial swabs; once you finish your course of antibiotics or vaginal suppositories, you have to let things settle for a month before testing again. Regarding the Pap smear itself, it might flag inflammation or perhaps one specific pathogen, but keep in mind that a Pap isn't a catch-all; it won't necessarily pick up every single type of bacteria present. That’s just how the science works. For an actual, pinpoint diagnosis, swabs are much more reliable because they can isolate specific bacteria and provide an antibiogram—basically a customized roadmap showing exactly which antibiotics will actually kill the specific bug you're carrying. Guessing and prescribing antibiotics blindly isn't smart; you might end up taking something that won't even touch the infection you actually have. Also, for almost any type of inflammation, your partner needs to be treated too, otherwise, you’re just playing a game of ping-pong where you keep passing it back and forth. The only exception is fungal issues, where generally the partner doesn't need treatment unless they're showing visible symptoms, since you aren't catching that from them—it's usually just an imbalance coming from your own gut flora.

fadedpilot2 said:Could you please just briefly recap what you took for Candida prevention? I don't really want to go hunting for the old post...

And regarding the idea that infections (inflammations) are more dangerous than fungi—what exactly do you mean by that?

I take Lactogyn capsules two hours before my antibiotics. They contain the good bacteria that protect the vaginal flora and fight off the bad bacteria that cause us all these issues; they cost about $23. You should take them for as long as you’re on antibiotics, and you can even take one extra box afterward as a preventative measure. Once you finish the antibiotic course, pick up some Vagisan vaginal suppositories. Those contain lactic acid which lowers the vaginal pH—that environment isn't hospitable to bacteria or other little monsters, so they die off. They are great for stabilizing the vaginal flora after any kind of treatment. While you are taking oral antibiotics, you can also use antifungal suppositories locally, like 😛Plymicol, Canesten, or Gyno daktarin (one of those). Since you need an antibiotic cream applied locally, you obviously can't use the antifungal suppositories at the exact same time, but you can use everything else I mentioned. Honestly, fungi are the least of your worries because they aren't going to cause anything catastrophic—they won't lead to malignant changes, infertility, or miscarriages during pregnancy. However, all of those things *can* happen if you're dealing with Chlamydia, Ureaplasma, Mycoplasma, or Streptococcus. Fungi might be passed to a baby during childbirth, but it just shows up as oral thrush, which is easily treated and happens to kids regardless of whether the mother had it or not, and it doesn't cause lasting damage. But if a mother passes on Chlamydia, the baby could face blindness; a mother could suffer a miscarriage, or develop cancer from HPV... so, in the grand scheme of things, fungi are nothing.

Dana Miller2 said:Spilled the beans while grabbing the paperwork? You have no idea what you're in for... So, how? Where?😲

If you're dealing with a severe infection, it’s entirely possible to see some spotting when using a suppository. When there's significant inflammation, the cervix becomes incredibly sensitive; even the slightest contact from the applicator can trigger a little bleeding. Just keep in mind, this isn't like a period—it's just a tiny amount of spotting that you might only notice on the applicator itself.

fadedpilot2 said:So, I finally got my routine Pap smear done by my doctor 😢 , and then I found out from two other friends that they had the exact same experience with her
. I mean, it’s not like this is my first time, but I gotta admit she wasn't exactly gentle. I was basically squirming around on the table because, honestly, I can't just sit there totally still and take it. In my opinion, she really should be a bit more tender
.
Anyway, at the end she tells me I have some kind of grayish-white discharge (which I didn't even notice?!) .. and says it's probably some sort of infection. The fact that I was bleeding during the Pap smear just confirmed the inflammation for her
. Oh, and get this—she told me I shouldn't be using pantyliners?!
And she prescribed me Klimicin for the next five days
. To be honest, the idea of taking antibiotics stresses me out. I really don't want to end up with Candida or some other fungal infection, which happens all the time with these things
. So, I'm thinking about just tucking this box away in the cabinet for now
.
What has your experience been like with Klimicin?

I think I'd rather just wait for the actual Pap results before deciding what to do next..

Any advice? 🙂

If she gave you that prescription but you're really hesitant to use it, then just wait for the PAP results. That way you'll know exactly what kind of infection you're dealing with and whether that specific medication will actually target it. As for the fungi issues caused by antibiotics, go back and read my post on the Forum titled "Four targeted swabs in a woman's life" and see what I bought for myself as prevention when I had to take antibiotics. By the way, who knows what kind of infection is causing that discharge? Fungal issues are probably the least of your worries; yeast won't cause the kind of mess that certain other infections can.