Posts by darkmaker

I caught a screening last week... I was actually quite looking forward to it 🙂

I’ve been battling allergies for years now, and honestly, nothing works unless I take my pills twice a day; without them, I’m completely helpless. I went through the whole testing process, and it turns out I’m allergic to just about every plant and tree imaginable... plus, I have this solar allergy, which is a bit more complicated since there isn't exactly a magic pill for that. I try to stay indoors during that bright spring sunshine, supplement with beta-carotene, and slather on specialized creams, otherwise, I turn bright red and break out in itchy hives within five minutes of stepping outside.

You eventually learn to live with it, I suppose. The most important thing is simply following medical advice to keep the symptoms from spiraling out of control.

That said, I recently learned about allergen immunotherapy, so I'm planning to visit my doctor this fall to see what can be done about everything I react to.

On a side note, I’ve found that putting a few drops of lavender essential oil on my pillow before bed helps quite a bit.

Peter Phillips32 said:How can you justify recommending something just because a doctor suggested it for your specific issue? You’re basically playing doctor here.

It wasn't actually a recommendation from my physician; rather, I did some digging on Google and noticed several people on this forum suggesting it for things like hoarseness, throat irritation, coughing, or general soreness...

Given that it was the weekend and my doctor's office was closed, and since I had completely lost my voice, I picked some up at a local CVS and it actually provided some relief... after that, I did follow up with my doctor for antibiotics... though I was consistently taking about three teaspoons a day... it's common knowledge that honey works wonders for a sore throat...

I was merely relaying what was explicitly stated on the clinic's official website... since I'm a patient there for gynecology, I happened to recall that they specialize in that field as well...

A friend of my mother's went through this, though it was quite some time ago—roughly ten years back. She dealt with cancer in both breasts and ultimately decided on silicone implants. In her case, the reconstruction was performed very shortly after the tumors were removed. She recovered well from both procedures, and fortunately, the cancer hasn't returned since.

I came across this information regarding reconstruction while browsing the Eljuga clinic website:

Silicone Implant Reconstruction
Following a mastectomy, the surgeon places an expander, which functions much like a balloon, beneath the pectoral muscle. Over the following weeks or months, saline solution is gradually injected through a tiny valve under the skin to expand the device. Once the skin above the expander has stretched sufficiently, a subsequent surgical procedure is performed to replace the expander with a permanent implant. It is worth noting that certain expanders are designed to remain in the breast permanently. The nipple and the surrounding areola are reconstructed at a later stage. For some women, there is no need for the expansion phase, allowing for immediate implant placement.

Flap Reconstruction
An alternative reconstructive approach involving the use of skin grafts taken from another part of the body, such as the back or abdomen.

There are two primary methods for performing this procedure. The first utilizes tissue that remains connected to its original site, meaning the blood supply is never severed. This graft—consisting of skin, fat, and muscle with its own intrinsic blood supply—is moved beneath the skin of the chest to create a pocket for an implant, or in certain instances, the tissue itself provides enough volume for reconstruction without needing an additional implant.

The second method involves using tissue that is surgically harvested from the abdomen, thigh, or buttocks and then transplanted to the breast. In this scenario, the surgeon must manually reconstruct the blood supply for the transplanted tissue.

Because flap reconstruction uses the patient's own tissue, the results tend to look more natural, and the potential complications associated with silicone implants are entirely avoided. It should also be noted that this procedure alters the appearance of the donor site, often leaving the abdomen looking tighter. On the downside, one must consider a longer recovery period, a higher risk of complications, and more prominent scarring at both the breast site and the donor site.

I found myself completely losing my voice this week due to a nasty sore throat. Before I decided to head to the doctor to ask for antibiotics, I tried using BronchiMed, which actually provided quite a bit of relief, so I’d certainly suggest giving it a shot if you're in a similar boat...

BronchiMed (Api Pharma) -->

For me, it fluctuates occasionally—sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more—but it’s always there... and all my searches have been coming up fine🤷

It has always been this way for me... just that constant, endless discharge, even though I don't have any other issues to speak of. My tests from the doctor came back fine, and my swabs were clear too... it’s honestly quite frustrating. The only thing is that I occasionally get sharp pains in my ovaries right in the middle of my cycle, and my periods are absolutely brutal, so I have to rely on painkillers to get through them.

rapidridge4 said:best, 🙂

Does anyone happen to know where the best place in New York City is to get my hormone levels tested? I’ve never had to go through this before, so I’m a bit lost as to whether I should be looking at a gynecologist or perhaps an endocrinologist instead.
Thanks.

I’ve always gone through Mount Sinai; the results usually take about a month to come back. Since I was checking my reproductive hormones, I needed a referral from my OB-GYN. If you happen to have a referral from a dermatologist or an endocrinologist, though, you can just head over with a note from your primary care physician.

You could also try the clinic in Chelsea for a full hormonal panel, whereas the one on Broadway only handles reproductive ones.

Typically, these pills are prescribed for managing PCOS... though there are plenty of other reasons for them too...

I take them to address some hormonal imbalances, even though I don't have PCOS myself.

A friend of mine is on them for PCOS, despite not actually having a hormonal disorder.

My sister takes them because she’s dealing with both PCOS and hormonal issues at once.

I’ve been taking birth control pills primarily because my hormone levels have plummeted significantly below the baseline minimums... though they do serve as my contraceptive method as well... however, I don't actually have PCOS... my ovaries are functioning perfectly fine...

Here is the evening update, including the full article link -->

The Vatican maintains that birth control pills equate to abortion, environmental destruction, and the violation of fundamental human rights.

I’m struggling to see how it counts as an abortion when its entire purpose is to prevent pregnancy in the first place. 🙄

In many instances, the contraceptive pill results in an "abortive effect and devastating consequences for the environment," as it leads to "tons of hormones being released through women's urine," and is cited as a contributing factor to "male infertility" within Western nations.

And how exactly does it cause male infertility, considering they aren't the ones taking the pills (at least, not yet)?

Contraceptive methods infringe upon at least five essential human rights, according to Castellvi, who lists them as: the right to life, health, education, information, and gender equality.

😕 🤷

I spotted them over at Target in the downtown shopping district

Last year, I found myself facing my very first round of antibiotics due to a bladder infection, which inevitably triggered a bout of yeast infections... necessitating the use of some vaginal suppositories. My gynecologist suggested I supplement the antibiotics with Lactogyn, twice daily, followed by an additional course of one tablet a day once the treatment finished. I’ve found myself back on the antibiotics again recently because of another flare-up, along with the Lactogyn, and I'm happy to report that the fungus hasn't made a single appearance since.

Thanks for the input... I'm currently on Yasmin, so my cycle is staying pretty predictable at the moment... nothing else to report yet.

I just received my hormone panel results, and since my appointment with the OB-GYN isn't until late December, I find myself wondering if this is an emergency or if I can reasonably wait for the consultation. It seems some values are quite low while others are elevated... thanks. 🙂

estradiol 45 pmol/L (360 - 1100)

progesterone 5 nmol/L (>22)

LH 2 lU/L (1 - 16)

FSH <0,5 (1 - 10)

Prolactin 25 µg/L (4 - 23)

Total testosterone 0,8 nmol/L (0,2 - 2,6)

Free testosterone 2,8 pmol/L (3,5 - 30)

Free testosterone index 0,4 % (0,5 - 8)

SHBG 260 nmol/L (15 - 120)

Androstenedione 5 nmol/L (1 - 12)

DHEA-s 4,7 µmol/L (2 - 10)

I am quite satisfied with the doctors I have finally settled on. It took me a considerable amount of time to find the right specialists, particularly when it came to my dentist and gynecologist... there was even a period where I found myself relying on a dental clinic near my old college 👍

Primary Care Physician —> Dr. Đurđica Božičević-Radić, DZ Center, Fascist Victims Square 10

Dentist —> Dr. Ljiljana Knezović, who runs her practice within SD Cvjetan Naselje (she accepts Medicare)

Gynecologist —> Dr. Tihana Mazalin at the Eljuga clinic (private practice), and Dr. Suzana Bokić at DZ Prečka (Medicare)

Personally, I find the selection of denim at stores like Nordstrom or Macy's to be quite exceptional...

An article titled "sav o Yasmina" just dropped -->

not that anyone’s going to find anything groundbreaking in there ☕

The article "Everything about Yasmin" has been published -->

It hardly offers anything of substance, really. ☕