Posts by hiddenridge12

I've been thinking about using those little oil drops to clear out my ear canals...

Carl Campbell3 said:Slezena ended up feeling pretty rough after overdoing it on the sweets because of how much bile was produced. In other words, back when that was happening, there was just a massive amount of irritation coming through. It helps to take a step back, look at things from a different perspective, and try to realize that eating greasy, fried food isn't always the best move. Now, I'm actually a little surprised that you had such a bad reaction to the kombucha (was it heavily sweetened?), so I can't really give you a solid recommendation just yet. I might need a bit more info to help out.

Stay happy and healthy! 👋

Yeah, there was a ton of honey in that kombucha, which might have been the mistake. I honestly think my lower abdomen was reacting to it too.
I'm not quite sure—maybe I was just eating too many sweets lately, we'll see... but man, the pain was intense. I didn't even take any medication; I just used some deep breathing techniques, and that's what actually helped settle the ache. I’m definitely not overweight—if anything, I’m pretty thin—but when that pain hits, I swear I start seeing stars.

amberowl27 said:I’m dealing with the exact same thing. It's on the left side of my body, though I can't pinpoint the specific spot, and it's been bothering me for about 20 days now. It's a mild ache, just enough to notice. At first, I thought maybe I had caught a kidney infection or something, but turns out that wasn't it. I'm honestly at a loss for what to do next. My doctor keeps telling me everything looks fine—suggesting it might just be a side effect from my diet—but the pain is definitely there. And despite all the digging I've done online, I can't find anything that matches my symptoms. Then, to make matters worse, I dealt with hemorrhoids twice in two months, which really spooked me. They were actually external, caused by some irritation to the lining, likely due to hard stools. Still, the whole situation has me pretty worried.

Which part of your left abdomen is hurting?
To be specific, I've also been dealing with some digestive discomfort since Christmas.
It started with heartburn, bloating, and hard stools... I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle here. I've tried eating light, drinking plenty of water, and...
Then the sugar cravings hit. A few days ago, after having a bit of candy, I got these sharp cramps on the left side of my abdomen, closer to the groin area. I tried sipping some peppermint tea, but that just made things worse... the bloating was just awful.
I even felt pains when I had to go to the bathroom! Honestly, I have no idea what's going on. Is it stress? I don't know what kind of scans to ask for because my doctor insists it's just indigestion... I just know that when that spot in my abdomen flares up, the pain is absolutely excruciating. What could this be?*

Donna Wood52 said:Look, I get that med school is brutal, but they can't exactly expect to walk out the door with a $150,000 salary on day one. 🤷 but hey, they always seem pretty comfortable.

And back in the day, a law degree used to take four years; now it’s five. Just saying. Not that I'm calling it easy—God, no—it's just incredibly tedious. 👎

and certainly not law school. 👍

Exactly. Even a junior associate at a big firm isn't pulling in massive numbers right away. If you look at it this way... take my former department head, for example... comparing a legal intern to a brand-new resident doctor...
I know firsthand what it takes to survive law school, let alone the grueling process of studying for the Bar exam.
To reiterate, some people are rolling in it, while others are barely making ends meet.

Donna Wood52 said:Well, I assume that office director finished college too, not just medical school—since they're the ones making the big decisions.

Nobody who just walked off a campus with a degree is getting a massive salary. Why on earth should we expect a medical student to have anything different right now?
That's my point entirely—that's why this thread exists in the first place.🤷 ☕

The person I was talking about finished their degree in four years... and let's just say they breezed through it—I won't name the specific university—but their decision-making process? Ha! It honestly makes me laugh. You know,
completing med school... that doesn't happen by "breezing through it." Maybe for you, it would be that easy...
But let me tell you this:
next time you're footing the bill for a future physician, ask them if they're actually satisfied with their salary... especially after, in an ideal world, spending six grueling years in medical school... not some quick business degree or a political science program...

Donna Wood52 said:Now it's going to look like they're making way too much$333. 🤣
Fine then. 🙂

I know a few doctors personally, and they're pulling in $150k. 👍

Are we talking about the new grads here?

Because I just heard about this department head at some local office making maybe $70,000 a year

And you’re telling me that’s totally fine? To me, it sounds completely backwards.

Think about it: the doctors are pulling overnight shifts and grinding through emergencies, while the director cruises in from 9 to 5 and basically spends half the day bored because they have nothing to do.

Donna Wood52 said:

I didn't even think about Donna Wood52—much less anything involving a fetish. Honestly.

Look, I’m already spoken for—and before you start, my guy isn't some med student or a doctor. Honestly? I couldn't care less about those fancy titles everyone seems to be collecting like trading cards these days. I value people based on their character and how kind they actually are—which, let's face it, is a pretty rare commodity lately—rather than what's printed on a diploma. 😉

I once met a doctor who was actually decent—truly competent—so I foolishly assumed they were all cut from the same cloth. Just to clear the air here: I don’t have some weird doctor fetish, regardless of what anyone might want to think. At least, I don't fall into that category of pathological fetishists.

To get back to the point—as one particularly sharp individual once pointed out—medical students are basically conditioned from day one to believe they’re some kind of superior species. It’s baked right into the curriculum. You see it all the time with certain doctors who are way too preoccupied with their own status; they won't even look at a patient if they don't think there's a profit in it. If you're just a kid with a brain tumor and no insurance, or some poor soul who can't afford the premium tier, they’ll look the other way. And don't even get me started on the lack of professional courtesy—you have plenty of them who are completely uncollegial, refusing to lend a hand to a peer during a test or a rotation just because they can. It's pathetic, really.

Look, at the end of the day—and I really mean this—every single profession has its fair share of problematic individuals. I wasn't trying to paint everyone with the same brush or make some sweeping generalization here.

I know this one GP—a general practitioner I occasionally drop in on when I need a prescription or something similar. He’s a perfectly decent guy—calm, kind, actually pretty funny once you get him talking. He splits his time between two very different worlds. One is this remote clinic way out in the middle of nowhere—think rural Montana or some isolated patch of the Ozarks—where he treats elderly patients and folks with disabilities. Honestly, it seems like a massive sacrifice given how desolate that area is. His other practice, though, is right here in the heart of the city.

We could probably justify opening up an entirely new thread here—something along the lines of, "Why is there always this constant need to degrade cleaning crews?" ☕ Well, I suppose that’s just part of the job—nothing more, nothing less.
They need to be paid a little something too—just enough to cover their own damn messes, trash, and whatever other nonsense they leave behind. Beyond that, they’re still a family, aren't they? I mean, who else are they supposed to eat with?
And I won’t even get started on how most people look down their noses at them—it’s pathetic, really. You see these sanitation workers out there, and you realize some of them actually have college degrees just to spend their days cleaning up after kids in public schools. It’s a strange reality, isn't it?

And where exactly are you getting the idea that doctors have low salaries nowadays? What an absolute load of nonsense!

It isn't nonsense at all. Seriously, do some digging into what a first-year resident actually makes... it's honestly pretty shocking.
If you were personally footing the entire bill for a medical student's tuition and living expenses, then I might have a question for you...
Sure, there are people working cleaning jobs who make a decent living...
But that doesn't mean a brand-new doctor should be walking away with the exact same paycheck as them.
I'll say it again:
When you're ready to bankroll your own child's education—whether they want to be a surgeon or an engineer—then let me know...

Donna Wood52 said:It’s not that they lack the ability—far from it—but I get this distinct impression that they’re just incredibly cold-blooded.

Personally, I feel a bit of regret that I never went to medical school. Back when I was at that age where you have to make those life-defining career choices, my mindset was basically "anything but medicine."
That said, life experience and a lot of reading have actually taught me quite a bit about the field,
so if I were to weigh in...
If I had been a doctor, I would have aimed to be
the kind of physician backed by solid knowledge, hands-on experience, and the genuine trust of patients who knew I’d do everything to help them without being overbearing...
I would never hide behind the so-called "white coat" because...
it's just a piece of clothing,
and I certainly wouldn't use it as a mask
to act like I belong to some higher social class, which seems to be how things work nowadays.

Some doctors really baffle me, and honestly, I tend to give them a pretty blunt reality check...
like, did you actually know what you were signing up for in school?
Because if you were just chasing the money and the status...
then you picked the wrong profession.
And then there are us "crazy" people who aren't afraid to call them out on their behavior.
But what bothers me most is why the medical establishment doesn't distance itself from the bad actors. It’s similar to how some judges operate—there's this internal friction and resentment among themselves. If you ever happen to be a patient on one of those wards, you can practically feel the tension. The atmosphere is just toxic, and hearing that kind of bitterness during morning rounds while you're lying in a hospital bed is truly nauseating. They spend half their time tearing each other down.
It makes you wonder... are these professionals actually there to serve the patients, or are they just existing for their own sake?

Sam Richardson2 said:I'm running about two days late... I've also noticed some thick white discharge and itching lately... maybe it's an infection or something?👎
Is it possible that this is what's causing my period to be late...?🤣

It’s definitely possible. And if that’s the case, you might be in for a real surprise when your next cycle arrives! Honestly, I'm going through the exact same thing right now.

I’m checking in today for a pretty simple reason: I’m really struggling to deal with this intense summer heat. It’s becoming a real issue for me lately. Even if my blood pressure isn't off the charts, once it hits 130, I start feeling it immediately—this heavy pressure in my head, dizzy spells, and just a general sense of brain fog. Now, I’m certainly not elderly by any stretch, but this weather is starting to take a serious toll on my daily life. I wanted to reach out and see how you all manage when the temperature spikes like this. Also, if you have older family members living with you who are on specific medications, what’s the best way to support them through these heatwaves? Dealing with this sweltering humidity is proving to be quite the challenge, so I’d love to hear your experiences.

Hannah Williams5 said:In any case, this looks like something that requires surgical intervention—an incision.
Regardless of how it formed, it's likely an inflamed atheroma, a furuncle, or some other similar issue. A dermatologist isn't going to do much with this at this stage.
Go straight to a surgeon...🙂

Before you go that route, though... try applying a thick layer of Ichthammol ointment. It might just pop on its own.

Grace Thompson57 said:It sounds like panic attacks.

Well, if it is a panic attack, my first rule of thumb is just to breathe... deep breaths... I’ve actually become a bit of an expert at this myself. Sometimes it hits me completely out of nowhere, even while I'm out driving. Once I got the hang of it, though, I realized I didn't want to rely on pills all the time. I used to be the type to stuff extra meds in my pockets before leaving the house—I wouldn't dream of stepping foot outside without them ready to go. But then I told myself, "Why bother? I'm not some fragile old lady who needs to be tethered to a pharmacy." So now, when it strikes, I just focus on one thing: breathe, breathe, breathe.

Did you actually get a chance to run this by a doctor yet? I mean, what can I even say... honestly, I hope for the absolute best, but dealing with severe constipation and just praying for a miracle is a tough spot to be in. I wouldn't wish that on anyone, truly. It’s heavy stuff to read about, and we all know how much these things can weigh on you, though I do believe that miracles happen when you least expect them. Out of curiosity, was there any history of smoking involved?

Chris Stewart3 said:The reality is that banks essentially incentivize us to spend money we simply haven't earned yet, creating this endless cycle of debt just so they can pad their bottom lines. It’s quite calculated, really; they constantly push credit cards and personal loans through aggressive, highly polished advertising campaigns designed to make borrowing feel like a necessity rather than a trap.

I see it a bit differently. It’s kind of like watching commercials and then blaming the TV when you end up buying something you didn't need—it just doesn't quite track. I don't see how anyone can force me to spend money when I know perfectly well I won't be able to cover the bill. You can't just walk into a branch and demand a card or a loan out of thin air, and even if you could, that doesn't mean I'd go on a shopping spree. At the end of the day, managing your own wallet is still on you.

Gregory Turner71 said:The way things work around here, it's still better to just dial 911.

Honestly, the folks at 911 are real pros—they’re incredibly fast. But at the end of the day, the most important thing is just making that call immediately to get them moving. In my experience, when it comes to something like a stroke, they prioritize you because the patient really needs to stay calm and still while waiting for help to arrive.

vividbison13 said:Man, what are you waiting for? Call 911! But try to stay calm and tell her gently, just like someone else suggested here.
Since we actually care about this guy, a doctor is on his way... let's try to offer him some comfort first.

Exactly. The priority is keeping him calm and getting glucose to the brain as quickly as possible. Actually, from what I understand, if there’s been a hit like this, you really want them in the ER within three hours to get the best results. That's the golden window.

The first thing they’re going to do is get a cocktail of meds through an IV drip... you’ll see how much more life they have in them once that kicks in. After that, they’ll likely spend about three days in the ICU because they’ve been in such rough shape for quite a while now. Bottom line is... this is serious business.

Whenever I see someone in a real emergency situation, I don't even stop to think twice—I just dial 911 immediately.

Maria Hayes said:Oh my goodness, everyone, I just helped him up, but he really doesn't want to move and that's just how it is. This whole situation has been going on since 5:00 PM. At first, I thought maybe he just came home a little tipsy from work, so I asked him what was wrong, but when Mom says he isn't doing well, it's serious... could it really be that bad? Good grief, this is going to be a long night. We are definitely calling 911...

Your dad needs to stay completely still—don't try to get him up, just let him lie down, and please call emergency services right away. You can't mess around with something like this; the consequences can be really severe. In the meantime, you might try giving him something small and sweet, like a little bit of honey...

Gregory Turner71 said:Look... I honestly can't tell if you're being serious right now or if this is some kind of incredibly bad joke, but I'm going to assume you mean business. If we're talking about a stroke, there’s a real possibility that a blood vessel in the brain is still blocked, which means a part of your father's brain could be slowly dying as we speak. The longer you delay getting medical help, the higher the risk of permanent damage. Please, don't wait another second—call 911 immediately, explain what's happening, and follow their directions. An ER doctor is going to know much more than any of us on this forum ever could. And whatever you do, DO NOT try to administer any medication on your own. You could end up making a bad situation much worse.

I completely agree. Based on what I've seen before, I know exactly how people act when they're dealing with a potential stroke or a TIA (mini-stroke)... it's all very real. It really wouldn't surprise me; we had that massive heatwave yesterday, and then this sudden 25-degree temperature drop today—extreme weather swings like that can definitely trigger these kinds of medical emergencies.