Posts by vividmason71

So, I'm 38. Got diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes about two years back, and I've been on heavy insulin therapy ever since. Honestly, I've been feeling like absolute garbage for a while now—just constant, bone-deep exhaustion, aching muscles in my arms and legs, brain fog so bad I can't focus on anything, and I’ve packed on 17 lbs.
I just got some new lab results back, so if anyone here knows their stuff, maybe you could make sense of them:
TSH 1.08 ( 0.3-3.6)
FT4 9.4 (10.3-22.8)
FT3 4.00 (3.03-6.47)
AnTI-Tg 61.6 (5-100)
AnTI- TPO 4.8 (1-16)

I also have these slightly older ones... though nothing really makes sense to me. My doctor told me everything looks "normal," but honestly, what's even the point of having reference ranges if they just tell you everything is fine when numbers are clearly outside of them?

FSH 1.4 (1.8-9.4)
LH 1.3 (02.8-10.4)
ESTRADIOL 0.979 ( 0.11-0.65)
PROLACTIN 211 (81-597)
TESTOSTERONE 2.3 (0.4-2.74)
FREE TESTOSTERONE 6.6 (0.45-10.7)
ANDROSTENDIONE 17.6 (1.7-16.4)
SHBG 23.5 (20-85)

John Phillips5 said:🙂 I really need some help here because I feel like I’m losing my mind. I honestly don't know what is happening to me lately. Here is the situation: I cannot fall asleep at night to save my life. The only way I actually get any rest is during the day, once the sun is up or sometime in the afternoon. I can pull double shifts at work—twelve-hour days or longer—and even when I am absolutely exhausted, I just can't drift off until maybe 3:00 AM. And even then, if I do manage to catch a nap, it lasts maybe thirty minutes before I snap awake and that's it for the night. It sounds silly, but there is this intense pressure in my forehead that just won't let me sleep; it forces me to stay active. My whole body feels flooded with this crazy surge of adrenaline, so I have to keep moving just to cope—tossing from side to side, kicking my legs, fidgeting with something. It makes sleeping impossible, even though I am bone-tired. I don't know. Sometimes I feel like I'm just going to burst into tears; I genuinely feel like I'm going crazy. I'm 19 years old and this has been happening for the last month. Hey everyone, if anyone has any ideas on how to fix this, I would be incredibly grateful.

The fix is simple: sleep when you're tired. It doesn't matter what time it is, as long as you aren't at work or somewhere you actually need to be awake. And if you aren't sleepy? Don't just lie there tossing and turning trying to force it. Get up and do something. Try doing something boring—something that usually puts you to sleep. If it's nighttime, try to hit the sack as soon as the exhaustion hits. You might want to check out the Health subforum, unless there's some other reason you're convinced this is all in your head.

One more thing: why do you actually think you're losing your mind? Are you seeing or hearing things that aren't there? Are you having blackouts where time just disappears? Can you still handle your job and your chores? If you can't function, or if you're dealing with memory gaps and hallucinations, then yeah, you need sleep—take a day off from work if you have to. But otherwise? I don't think you need to worry about going crazy.

If anyone is seriously bored out of their mind 😁 — just hit every single subreddit and click through to the last page. Personally, I only bothered scrolling through the natural science section. I figured that should be one of the oldest corners of the site, and sure enough, I found posts dating all the way back to December 2002.
EDIT: Yeah, I'm pretty certain December 3rd, 2002, is the earliest date we have on record here. Nice job. 🙂

Alex Thomas27 said:Way to go, NerdGirl.

I get the feeling some people on this forum are just trolling to convince others that having a certain name causes actual trauma. Maybe I'm wrong... 🤷

Look, you started this thread without saying much in your opening post—what was the goal there? Where are you trying to take this conversation? I find the topic fascinating, so I really hope it doesn't die out or turn into total nonsense. But honestly, it feels like it's hard to give specific examples, and since it's all hypothetical, it's probably not enough for actual experts to weigh in on. Let me try asking it this way instead: to what extent do you think being mocked (or worse) because of a name during childhood or adolescence can "ruin" someone? Like, how much psychological damage or loss of trust in people are we talking about? I don't know if anyone in the States has ever actually conducted psychological research on this, but it seems like it could be a pretty productive topic to dive into.

I don't know what to tell you. If you're looking for someone to hold your hand through this, go somewhere else. I'm just here to say what needs to be said. Period. says:
Iskra

That's a beautiful name. 🙂 One of those things I catch myself thinking about if I ever decide to have a daughter... or maybe I just shouldn't?

Just floating through life, totally untethered. No strings attached. kaže:
Sometimes I can't help but wonder if people with similar names actually share certain traits—like their personality or even how they look. Is there something to that? I really think there might be.

Names actually matter. They’re what people remember you by. It’s how they address you. Isn't that the whole point?
I think games play a massive role in how people define themselves. Especially when kids are being mocked—it’s not just some joke to them. If a kid goes through that kind of trauma, it sticks. It leaves a mark on who they become as an adult. It defines them.

I’ve been thinking about how names seem to carry certain vibes. You know what I mean? There are always those specific names where everyone you meet fits a certain mold. It’s almost like a pattern—like all the Anns I know are super thin, or the Lucys are always blondes, or maybe the Tiffanys and Tanyas are just naturally quiet people. It feels like a rule sometimes. But then there are those other names. You meet dozens of people with the exact same name, and they couldn't be more different if they tried. Out of twenty people with that name, maybe one actually fits the "stereotype," while everyone else is just doing their own thing. Is it just a coincidence, or am I overthinking this?

My name is super common here in the States and pretty much everywhere else. Most people think it’s a nice name, too—there isn't even a way to turn it into a slur or anything. But back in elementary school, kids would jump to these weird, totally baseless conclusions about my personality just based on what I was called. They’d tease me about it. It wasn't anything traumatic, but it definitely wasn't fun. The real issue for me is that I just don't feel like it fits. It doesn't describe who I am, and it honestly doesn't feel like mine. I haven't found a better one yet, though it’s probably for the best at this point since I'll be stuck dealing with the practical side of it for the rest of my life anyway. Then there was my last name. It’s not offensive or anything crazy, it just has a certain way of being spelled and pronounced that felt a bit "unrefined" to some kids. Some of them would just pick on anyone whose name didn't follow the standard American naming conventions. Now, it's just annoying when people constantly ask how to say it or keep butchering the pronunciation. Not that I actually care, but still.

How long did the name-calling and teasing about your names actually last in your experience? I’ve noticed that older teens and adults don't usually make fun of people to their face. Instead, they wait until the person isn't listening. But honestly, are those even actual adults? It feels so childish to me. Even in my early 20s, when people my own age start acting like that, I can't decide if I should laugh because it's pathetic or just roll my eyes and tell them to grow up.

So I just saw that emojis in usernames are banned now 😢 , don't give me a heart attack 😬 , I guess it'll just be NerdGirl

changed

Why would it be any different? 🤷 Both of them give me that same sense of unease, probably just because they’re such a departure from what’s considered "normal" or mainstream, but I don't have anything against them personally.

So you're actually obsessed with IQ? 😁

What really trips me out about this is how theologians—and political scientists too—aren't sitting at the bottom of the list; they're right in the middle. Honestly, I figured medical professionals would be a few spots higher, maybe just under chemists. It seems like Economics works a bit differently here in the States than it does elsewhere, which probably explains why that score is so high. Everything else is pretty self-explanatory, if you ask me.

Keith Lee2, 🙏 🤣

You aren't alone. Honestly, it’s the opposite—plenty of people hanging out on this sub actually deal with the exact same struggles and feel just as stuck as you do, so I can't really offer much advice. (Most people spend so much time on forums or lurking online because they lack confidence in their real-world social lives and struggle to communicate face-to-face.) Hopefully, some psychologist or someone who actually managed to turn their life around will pop up here soon to give you some pointers. Hang in there. 🙂