Elizabeth Price85 said:I was the only one whose cholesterol went haywire; I wonder if there’s any actual correlation here.
There certainly is... my doctor confirmed it...
Basically, I just got my bloodwork back—since I take Yasmin, I make sure to get regular checkups—and, well, Yasmin bumped up my cholesterol, lipids, and triglycerides, pushing them just slightly over the limit. It seems Yasmin causes these to build up along the arterial walls. Before I started taking them, I had run the exact same tests and everything was perfectly fine, actually sitting right at the lower end of the healthy range. My doctor suggests this is a direct consequence of the Yasmin and recommends I take a three-month break to let those levels drop, otherwise they might just keep climbing. I’ve never had issues with my weight; it’s stayed remarkably consistent for years, and since I stay active with sports, I’m quite fit and lean, and I don't eat much fat. I wasn't on any birth control before starting Yasmin, and I didn't experience any side effects from it initially. After this three-month hiatus, I might consider switching to Logest, as I've heard it tends to be much easier on the system and carries a lower hormone dosage.
My latest blood work results just arrived (I’m on Yasmin, so I stay on top of regular checkups quite religiously)... and well, turns out Yasmin has bumped up my cholesterol, lipids, and triglycerides—just slightly above the threshold. Apparently, Yasmin tends to deposit those things along the arterial walls. Before I started taking them, I had run these exact same tests and everything was perfectly fine, actually sitting right at the lower limit of normal. My doctor, Dr. Gin, suggests this is a direct consequence of the Yasmin and recommends I pause usage for about three months to let those levels drop back down; otherwise, they might just keep climbing. I’ve never had issues with my levels before, and my weight has remained incredibly stable for years. Since I’m active in sports, I’ve always stayed fit and lean, and I generally avoid fatty foods anyway. Prior to starting Yasmin, I wasn't on any hormonal contraceptives at all. Honestly, I haven't experienced any side effects from them—quite the opposite, actually. Once I finish this three-month break, I might consider switching to Loestrin, as I've heard it doesn't cause these specific issues and carries the lowest hormone dosage available.
Whenever I come down with a cold or find myself dealing with a headache, I always reach for Aspirin Plus C... it’s never given me any trouble before... I take Yasmin, by the way.
Which specific tests are you looking for? I put this list together myself, though I usually just use my insurance coverage through my employer to avoid the high costs of going private.
CBC $17
glucose $4.00
cholesterol ($?)
liver panel:
bilirubin $4.00 ALP $5.00 AST $5.00 ALT $5.00 GGT $5.00
AP $5.00 AT-III (antithrombin III) $50 Protein C $50 PT (? $)
Grace Price88 said:I recently had a private consultation with my gynecologist, and she listed several tests I need to complete before starting contraception. However, I can't ask her for an official referral for bloodwork due to some personal reasons. So, I know exactly what needs to be done, but I don't have a formal prescription—is it actually possible to get this done?
You can certainly handle that at a private lab; you simply present them with the list of tests your doctor provided.
driftingridge37 said:For me, there’s no substitute for the Mayo Clinic and Dr. Tihana Mazalin. She’s gentle, incredibly attentive, and we always end up having a lovely little chat. Truly wonderful.
I’ve been wondering why the option to delete a post is missing from certain threads entirely; for instance, over in the college and grad student forum, I can only find the edit button, while the delete function is nowhere to be found, even within that initial five-minute window 😠 😠 😠
Does anyone happen to know where I might be able to pick some up? 🤷...I absolutely adore elderberry juice 😍...My neighbor used to make it all the time and would bring some over, but she hasn't been making any for about two years now...there really isn't a better juice out there, yet I can't seem to find any elderberries anywhere to make my own. 😢
Ever since I started my period at around twelve years old, it’s been the same grueling cycle of issues... there were months where I simply couldn't pull myself out of bed for two or three days straight. Sleep was an impossibility because the pain was just that relentless. It was honestly a nightmare. I relied heavily on Voltaren and muscle relaxants; while the Spasmex helped somewhat, over the years I found myself taking four or five of them a day just to function. Everything finally changed when I decided to see my gynecologist for a full workup, and she prescribed some hormonal birth control. Since then, things have progressively improved. Sure, the first and second days are still rough, but it isn't even half as catastrophic as it used to be. Nowadays, I just sip some herbal tea meant for cramps and take one extra-strength muscle relaxant if needed. For ten years, I genuinely feared these pains would never subside, but now it's actually manageable. Finally. On top of that, my flow isn't nearly as heavy as it once was, which is a relief given that my anemia used to cause me to faint on more than one occasion.
Well, it’s certainly possible... I have a friend who went through with it even though she was a virgin... how? 🤷...I didn't actually ask her... but one can be certain it's doable...
The US is once again cozying up to Bush and his administration 👎....you don't see protests being banned like this anywhere else in Europe....but America always has its own peculiar way of doing things.....
Regardless of where you officially reside, you have every right to see a doctor in a city like Chicago. You simply pick the physician you want to see, visit their clinic, and request the transfer paperwork—provided they actually have an opening and are willing to take you on. Once that's settled, you just head over to the local Medicare office to finalize everything. Both the doctor's office and Medicare might ask why you're switching, but you can just tell them you're staying in the city, and that should be more than enough. That’s exactly how I handled my own transfers; I moved all my doctors to Chicago even though my permanent address is elsewhere. No one ever asked me for proof of residency, and I managed to get everything switched over before I even filed my official change of address.
I have been seeing Dr. Božičević-Radić at the student health clinic near Times Square for four years now, and honestly, I wouldn't dream of switching. She is truly wonderful—always in good spirits and never makes you feel like she’s rushing you out the door just to clear her schedule. She actually takes the time to listen to what you have to say, explains exactly why she’s prescribing a specific treatment, and points you toward the necessary tests without ever being stingy with referrals. That part is particularly crucial for me, given that I visit once a month to manage a rather long list of recurring specialist appointments—ranging from dermatology and gynecology to pulmonology and endocrinology, plus various lab work. It’s quite a lot to juggle, but everything is handled seamlessly. Generally speaking, it’s nothing but praise for Dr. 👍 .
I always have my hormone levels checked at the Rib... my gynecologist recommended that specific lab. In the past, I used to wait about two weeks for results, but during my last visit, it took nearly a month for everything to come back. Actually, I’m heading over there tomorrow just to pick them up. I can't quite tell if the delay was due to the holiday season or if the turnaround times have just slowed down permanently. By the way, you really need to be fasting before the blood draw. The endocrinology lab at the Rib opens between 7:00 and 9:00 AM, though I did manage to slip in late last time—arriving around 9:20—and they still saw me because when you're testing reproductive hormones, the timing has to be exact. If you happen to run late, I'd suggest being very insistent about it.
General practitioners aren't authorized to issue referrals for gynecological testing anymore... as for switching doctors, you can register with whoever you choose; it isn't tied to your zip code at all. I don't see any reason why you couldn't just take your private clinic results to your primary OB-GYN, show them what's going on, and ask for the necessary referral—that's usually how I handle it and it works fine. Unless, of course, you happen to be seeing one of those doctors who refuses to acknowledge any outside findings and won't issue a referral because of it.
By the way, there's a dedicated thread about gynecologists over in the women's corner section here.
Karen Thomas46 said:Unfortunately, I can't really be much help here. My experience is limited strictly to clinics specializing in skin lesions, such as moles or skin tags.
My doctor gave me a referral to a dermatologist because of some moles—more than half of them have popped up just within the last year... she suggested I head over to the Salat clinic, but didn't specify which office, so all I could find on their website were the doctors listed above...
Do I actually need to go to the same place you went, or is there someone else you'd recommend?
Have you happened to glance at the discussion thread over on the main board? There’s an entire section dedicated to this topic, stretching on page after page...
Does anyone have any solid recommendations for dermatologists over at the Salat clinic? I’m planning on going for the first time and I’m feeling a bit lost regarding which specialist to book with:
Salat
Department II (Women's Department)
Staff
Director: Professor Smith, MD, PhD, dermatology and venereology specialist
Jane Doe, MD, PhD, dermatology and venereology specialist Jane Doe, MD, dermatology and venereology specialist Jane Doe, MD, dermatology and venereology specialist John Doe, MD, dermatology and venereology specialist
Jane Doe, MD, dermatology and venereology specialist John Doe, MD, dermatology and venereology specialist