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AniaR
08-01-2012, 08:15 PM
I need to vent about my health. I figured others might enjoy the freedom to vent to! This is a judgement free thread where you can be selfish and just vent vent VENT. I know I will. lol
The things I need to do to stay average healthy is like a freaking full time job. If anyone else worked as hard as I do and was a normal healthy person they'd have a freaking amazing body. But no, I work this hard to simply have some pain free hours, or some experiences that normal people get to have and I dont because of pain. Just feeling cranky because my body crashed today and I just cant do what I had set out for myself.
I have 2 incurable illnesses that cause chronic pain and weakness, as well as insomnia. I've been doing physio therapy- stuff that would be easy for most, and it's hard and depressing and makes my body ache. Hard to stay positive when you gotta face all these mountains! I know I'll come around, just feeling down today

courtneymermaid
08-01-2012, 08:23 PM
Oh Raina! Mermaid hugs! I'm sending happy thoughts your way! I know it can be hard to deal with chronic health issues, I deal with a few of them myself on a daily basis. It definitely helps to vent and just get the emotions out of your system.

I've been following your tumblr too! I'm not on tumblr yet, but if I ever get my lazy mer-bum into gear and sign up I will definitely follow it officially! Ha ha! :D

happyguava
08-01-2012, 08:24 PM
Great idea. I was thinking yesterday I need a good vent :P

I don't want to go into details but I've had a chronic mental illness for 6 years now. I've been misdiagnosed, rediagnosed, pushed and pulled from doctor to doctor and nothing is getting better. I'm at the point where I'm exhausted, I'm just really, really tired of having to deal with it every single day, trying so hard to improve and just feeling stuck. I want to be normal, dammit! :p

Venting feels good :)

Blondie
08-01-2012, 08:32 PM
Apparently, just the other day I had woken up and gone to work with, what I thought was a kink in my neck. But as the day progressed I felt my neck and it felt like I had two golf balls stuck on the side of my throat. I had to go to the doctor and then I had to get an ultrasound of my throat.
So I just got a call from the doctor yesterday about it and they said my thyroid had a "complex nodule" they couldn't tell me anymore but I needed to see an Endocrinologist very soon. I looked it up and it can vary from cyst growth on my thyroid to cancer growth :|

Funny how it started from a "kink in my neck" to this...

Princess Kae-Leah
08-01-2012, 08:44 PM
I feel ya girl! It's so hard for me sometimes to stay positive and look on the bright side when I have such health issues. One reason why I got into meditation is I'm a pretty tightly wound person, who gets offended and frustrated easily and sometimes I just need to CHILL. I've been gaining weight even though I haven't really been eating that badly, or at least no worse than usual, and I'm positive stress has a lot to do with it. Last time I weighed myself I weighed nearly 200 pounds, which is like at least 15 pounds more than then my normal, happy weight. I hate it, because not only am I concerned about my health(one reason why I got into doing leg exercises in the tub, which is awesome since I have a pretty big tub, almost the size of one of those little plastic kiddie pools), I feel like a hypocrite since I promote a certain kind of diet for health and environmental reasons and I feel no one would take my advice seriously if I were overweight.

I have pretty low energy levels, it's gotten to the point where I can barely walk around a big box store or mall without needing a wheelchair. My sensory issues are pretty out of hand, I hardly leave the house anymore since I don't want to be around chemical and food odors.

Although not a health issue per se, my asexuality is such that the sight and thought of certain sex acts and body parts makes me feel physically ill and I feel bad about that since well, it's so politically correct to be sex-positive and body-positive nowadays, and it's hard to feel positive about something that makes me queasy. My periods aren't the worst in the world, but I still hate them, and I hate being reminded physically that I am not PHYSICALLY an asexual being, which is what I wish I was. I just don't see why I need to have genitals when I'll never use them, I guess I'm sort of like transgendered ppl that way, except I wouldn't mind sometimes having *no* physical gender.

I think the most frustrating thing though about having health issues is feeling like you alienate your friends by complaining about it, and coming off like I want everybody to just totally kiss my fish butt catering to my every whim. I think I sometimes come off as a manipulative, demanding bitch who wants everything to always be my way and doesn't appreciate all the good things I do have in my life. It's hard for others to understand that being around certain scents, foods, and even sexual stuff sometimes is seriously bad for my physical and mental health. I wish it wasn't so, believe me. The last thing I want to do is make people feel uncomfortable, or offend others in any way. I very much want people to like me and enjoy my company, but it's so hard!

Raina, BTW, I've been trying to get your attention lately as I'm curious what your opinion is regarding me getting into meditation, as well as me doing leg lifts in water for exercise. You were definately an inspiration for me to give some form of water therapy a chance, as I can see how you have serious health problems but still get into the water and swim. I'd love to get into water-walking, but I've decided going to public pools isn't for me as I'm very sensitive to chlorine and due to being asexual, I don't feel comfortable around strangers in Speedos, which I know sounds like such a body-negative thing to say, but I can't help that I was born this way that seeing the outlines of genitals in person makes me feel queasy.

AniaR
08-01-2012, 09:08 PM
I don't want to go into details but I've had a chronic mental illness for 6 years now. I've been misdiagnosed, rediagnosed, pushed and pulled from doctor to doctor and nothing is getting better. I'm at the point where I'm exhausted, I'm just really, really tired of having to deal with it every single day, trying so hard to improve and just feeling stuck. I want to be normal, dammit!

I have done more for my health than any doctor. I have NEVER been wrong, but they still treat you like a hypochondriac. I got myself diagnosed with both of these, went in and said "please test me for ____" got a reply "nah" insisted, and turns out, yep I've got them both. Im the one who looked up the best meds, I asked for physio, nothing was done for me. it frustrates me because I wonder if I'm missing some essential part of dealing with this simply because the doctors seem to know nothing about my illnesses!!! I am really tired, just like you. I sometimes have days where I seriously pretend Im not sick. I ignore every damn symptom. But if I dont 'baby' myself and be careful I end up feeling terrible.


Funny how it started from a "kink in my neck" to this...

Im sorry you're going through that must be so scary. if it makes you feel any better, when I looked up my issues they can lead to cancer too but thankfully not for me. So Im sure you're just having a weird node issue. please keep us posted though, sending you positive vibes.


I think the most frustrating thing though about having health issues is feeling like you alienate your friends by complaining about it, and coming off like I want everybody to just totally kiss my fish butt catering to my every whim.
It's all about self moderation my deal. You need to vent, but not only do we alienate people when we vent too much, we actually physically and mentally bring ourselves down. I give myself a window of time, or a certain context (like this thread) to have pity parties. After that and outside of that I buck myself up and try to be positive or at least focus on a plan. Otherwise you end up in a rut.

Blondie
08-01-2012, 09:12 PM
@Kae-Leah
Have you ever tried playing Wii Fit? I'm so not an exercising person (besides dance and swimming) But I'd rather eat rusty nails than run... But Wii Fit apparently is great for people who don't want to be crazy active. It's pretty simple too and it's a lot of fun to play all the games. I'd totally recommend it.

Felicia
08-01-2012, 09:29 PM
I'm glad that you started this Raina it's nice to be able to vent sometimes
My health is always a struggle both mentally and physically because I was born with a heart defect that causes my blood pressure to be very low so im always cold and even the slightest change inmy blood pressure will make me very dizzy or even pass out, I have photosensitivity(which is horrible), and on top of that I'm bipolar and I have paranoid schizophrenia. I find it hard to talk to people about (other than my fiancé ) about my health because most look at me differently once they know my problems. The people that do know think I need constant supervision and babying ( which the fact that I have a steady job andi live in my own house should make them realize I don't need all the babying)

ShyMer
08-01-2012, 10:11 PM
I injured my back years ago sledding into the brick wall of my church... things haven't been the same since. I used to have a pretty flexible back and was working up to being able to do flips and stuff, but it's taking forever to heal. It's so sad to not be able to bend like I like. Mostly it's the day to day stuff that bothers me though.
It is getting better, which is encouraging. It feels like a two steps forward, one step back type of progress though. I can bend backwards some now, which is fantastic.

Also, hormonal problems cause me to go crazy moody sometimes. My family knows why it happens, but they seem to forget that I just need a little patience to help me get past it. My husband in particular seems to have trouble understanding, which is hard.

New York Mermaid
08-01-2012, 10:20 PM
im throwing myself in this, I found out monday I have hypothyroidism, this explains, the weight gain, the hair loss, etc, but not before have blood drawn 2 times within a 4 day period, I also found out I have to get blood drawn every few weeks and they did a "trans nasal endoscopy" last friday. yes it hurt like hell and i never want it ever again

. They also have me on medication which makes me .."loopy or zombie-ish" as my husband says- but its for the anxiety and the hormones, and I CANT EAT PEANUTS, i LOVE peanuts :/ whyyyyy me!!

On the plus side im working with my dance central game and started strength training, in small steps. yeah.. thats about it.

Mermaid Celissa
08-01-2012, 10:50 PM
I have...

A - A heart disorder (dilated aortic root) which makes my heart beat really really fast when I'm very active, so I can't play sports.
B - A connective tissue disorder which is kind of like Marfan syndrome if you've heard of it, but it doesn't have all the qualities. I'm really weak because the connective tissue, as the name implies, connects the bones.
C - A bone disorder (I don't know what it is)
D - I get random debilitating, almost migraine-like, headaches, sometimes twice a week, which force me in bed for the whole day. The cause is unknown.

Ayla of Duluth
08-02-2012, 01:07 AM
I have an extreme food addiction. Today I ate an entire pizza, a box of Mac n cheese, two ice cream cones and a bag of Cheetos. I've gotten stretch marks so fast that instead of the small purple ones people usually get, these are big red gashes across the upper back side of my thighs. I even have them on my breasts. I can't fit into any of my jeans anymore, and I'm too embarrassed about my body to wear skirts regardless of how hot it gets. I now wear sweatpants and a sweatshirt to cover myself.

It got so bad so fast that I'm completely overwhelmed. I try to ration my foods and eat carrots instead of Cheetos but I just don't have the willpower to keep it up. I've tried dirt plans, counting calories, exercising every day, but nothing helps me. My parents don't think anything is wrong and that I just need to eat healthier, but I don't think that's my problem. I don't have the will to eat healthier. I eat when I'm bored, I eat when I'm tired, I even eat when I'm full. I've tried things like drinking a bunch of water do I would feel full sooner and eat less, but I just eat again the second I'm not full anymore. I've also tried telling my mom not to buy anything for me at the grocery store do that I wouldn't eat junk food, but I find myself whining about having nothing to eat and I take myself out to dinner, usually at a local Thai restaurant.

And I don't know what to do anymore. So yeah, there's my health rant

Winged Mermaid
08-02-2012, 03:00 AM
I don't even know where to start with my health issues. ..sooo we're just not going to go there for now!

I hear that about "would rather eat rusty nails than run" *nods*. You just have to find something that makes it fun! Like mermaiding, hiking, bellydancing, zumba, or just dancing like an idiot in your bedroom.


Also I am trying SO HARD to RESIST (MUST. RESIST.) advising people who have posted on herbs that they could take to help them. A nurse wouldn't go around advising medication, so yeah :P

Mermaid Fenicia
08-02-2012, 03:48 AM
I'm dissabled :(
* I can walk but only for a little while, so most of the times I need a wheelchair.
* I can use my right arm, but a don't have any strength in it.
* I have dislexia
* I get tired very quick, so I have to take a siesta once in a while

AniaR
08-02-2012, 07:28 AM
Ayla, you should look for your local over-eaters anonymous! There's such a thing. One of my best friends joined it because she was at the point of having an eating disorder because she was addicted to food and couldn't balance it, portion, etc. Now she's lost 40 lbs, eats so much better, and looks super healthy. The group was really good for her!

Ayla of Duluth
08-02-2012, 08:28 AM
That might be a good idea. Is it a free support group? I've never heard of that kind of a thing, but I do really want to get into one. :)

AniaR
08-02-2012, 12:49 PM
yes it is! google to see if there is one near you!

Ilonka
08-02-2012, 01:23 PM
Wow, I would never have imagined that you guys had so many problems, iv talked to many of you and seen allot of your threads and posts and you all are so cheerful. I admire your strengths, really.

I used to have really bad depression last year while I was in college and did allot of drugs because of it, I also failed my year of college thanks to it.
I also have pediaphobia , which is the phobia of small children, it sounds stupid but it exists and I get judged allot because of it since everyone loves kids. It's given me problems with my bf cuz he wants kids someday but I can never have one,
t gives me nausea just thinking about being preggers

My depression is gone but I still get really weird mood swings before,during and after my period in which I get super sad and negative.
I used to have anger issues too but ever since iv been taking birth control its helped me with it allot and I'm much calmer now.

Mermaid Lorelei
08-02-2012, 04:32 PM
Hmm. I suppose I could start with the exertional asthma. I've spent my whole life conquering my lungs.
I have an unknown stomach issue that causes me to feel nauseous almost every morning. It's especially bad if I try to get up early, like most people do.
I've also been diagnosed with clinical depression. It's not the kind that comes from a large event in your life. It's the sort of thing that just so happens to get passed down both sides of my family. It also came with anxiety and panic attacks, especially in situations where I am instructing or acting for large groups of people. (And yet I want to be a performer... imagine that.)
My weight is also a bit off at the moment, but I think my family and I have finally narrowed down the types of foods that my body can't handle or happens to be allergic to, so that should be getting better soon.
I think those are the biggies... baring the normal mood swings, pms, and such from being a woman.

Mermaid Gosalyn
08-02-2012, 05:29 PM
OMG so much I want to touch on here! I'm mentally and physically disabled myself, and have been my entire life, though many, many things are only recently being discovered and addressed, and I am really still coming to terms with it all.


The things I need to do to stay average healthy is like a freaking full time job. If anyone else worked as hard as I do and was a normal healthy person they'd have a freaking amazing body. But no, I work this hard to simply have some pain free hours, or some experiences that normal people get to have and I don't because of pain...I have... incurable illnesses that cause chronic pain and weakness, as well as insomnia... Hard to stay positive when you gotta face all these mountains!

This! So much! Oh man, how much have I cried just because I can't do things normal people take for granted every second! It just makes me shake my fist and shout "It's not fair!"


I've been misdiagnosed, rediagnosed, pushed and pulled from doctor to doctor and nothing is getting better. I'm at the point where I'm exhausted, I'm just really, really tired of having to deal with it every single day, trying so hard to improve and just feeling stuck. I want to be normal, dammit!

Sometimes I think the doctors do more harm than good! It's so frustrating when they won't listen to you, who have lived with your own body and should know it best, right? And the constant battle, especially with mental illness is so exhausting!


Funny how it started from a "kink in my neck" to this...

It's scary how things can start out that way! Most likely though it's just something simple that the doctor you saw doesn't want to get sued if he misdiagnoses. Hang in there! *mermaid hugs*


I feel ya girl! It's so hard for me sometimes to stay positive and look on the bright side when I have such health issues. One reason why I got into meditation is I'm a pretty tightly wound person, who gets offended and frustrated easily and sometimes I just need to CHILL. I've been gaining weight even though I haven't really been eating that badly, or at least no worse than usual, and I'm positive stress has a lot to do with it. Last time I weighed myself I weighed nearly 200 pounds... I have pretty low energy levels, it's gotten to the point where I can barely walk around a big box store or mall without needing a wheelchair... I think the most frustrating thing though about having health issues is feeling like you alienate your friends by complaining about it, and coming off like I want everybody to just totally kiss my fish butt catering to my every whim. I think I sometimes come off as a manipulative, demanding bitch who wants everything to always be my way and doesn't appreciate all the good things I do have in my life. It's hard for others to understand...I wish it wasn't so, believe me. The last thing I want to do is make people feel uncomfortable, or offend others in any way. I very much want people to like me and enjoy my company, but it's so hard!

All this as well! I have pretty bad anxiety myself, and it's crazy how that can affect everything else! Add the fatigue and everything else, and I really do feel like an alien around healthy people. It's hard to try to make friends or reach out to people, and it just makes me more and more depressed. It always helps me though, to hear there are other people out there with problems like mine.


I have done more for my health than any doctor...but they still treat you like a hypochondriac... it frustrates me because I wonder if I'm missing some essential part of dealing with this simply because the doctors seem to know nothing about my illnesses!!! I am really tired, just like you. I sometimes have days where I seriously pretend Im not sick. I ignore every damn symptom. But if I dont 'baby' myself and be careful I end up feeling terrible.

I know exactly what you mean! Sometimes I really feel like just ringing the doctors' necks because they won't listen! The complicatedness of my illnesses is part of why I moved to Jax, FL though. They have a place here called the Mayo Clinic that is supposed to be very comprehensive and able to tackle rare and advanced issues. They have them in other states too, maybe there's one near you that could help you out.

Oh, there's so much more that I want to say and I want to offer out hands of support to all of you, but I am already overwhelmed and exhausted (I had my treatment for my immune disorder yesterday and it leaves with me with exaggerated flue like symptoms). I would like to suggest anyone that struggles with chronic health issues to look for support groups, local and online, it has really helped me cope with some of the problems I have. I know sometimes it feels like it's all doom and gloom, but try to remember we still have our bright moments too, even if they can get lost. *hugs to all*

Gem Stone
08-02-2012, 05:45 PM
I live with a constant headache, just a small one. Not much compared to others but annoying all the same

Raayvhen
08-03-2012, 12:25 PM
I don't really have anything seriously wrong with me but I have a ton of little things. For example if I happen to sneeze within an hour of waking up I have to brace myself against a counter because it feels like someone is ripping out my spine.
Seriously though, if you look at my medical records it reads out pretty long.

Acne
ADHD (Resolved)
Allergic Rhinitis
Allergies
Anemia
Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding
Fracture of the Finger Joint (Resolved)
Irregular Length of Periods
Keratosis Pilaris
Migraine
Mild Intermittent Asthma
Postconcussion Syndrome
Pulmonary Obstructive Disorder
Reynaud's Phenomenon
Rhinitis

Yep. Not really terribly big things, just a lot.

Theobromine
08-05-2012, 06:25 PM
Wow, I think this is a great thread. Yes, it's not great to be negative all the time, but I think venting is actually really healthy! It's good to be able to just get it OUT rather than bottling up all your frustrations inside and letting them fester.

I injured my back years and years ago by jumping off a sand dune when I was a kid, and it's never been the same since. Sometimes I get extremely painful flare-ups, and at its best it's only ok. Once or twice a year over the past several years I've had flare-ups that were so severe I could barely walk. I hobbled around like a granny and I couldn't even stand up straight, it was so painful. It felt like my entire spine and pelvis/hips just locked up. It takes months and months of chiro and physical therapy and gentle core exercise (once it stops feeling like being stabbed with a flaming sword to even move my core muscles at all) to get it all back to normal. I try to be really careful not to exacerbate the problem, but sometimes it just happens for no obvious reason. But I find that if I focus on exercising regularly and working on my core helps fend off the flare-ups, and occasional chiro visits help keep everything in line.

I also have been diagnosed with a generalized anxiety disorder, but the meds they gave me for it made me feel so sick and dizzy (right in the middle of finals week, argh) that I said Fuck It and never took them again. I just try to deal with the anxiety. I also get extremely low blood sugar, especially in the morning, that makes me extremely zombie-ish and hostile. I don't mean to be, but I know it makes me really difficult to be around sometimes. I always have to warn people about it so they know to stay out of my way until I find food and to not take it personally. I have to be really careful to always have breakfast and snacks around, especially when I'm traveling.

Ilonka, I hear you on the dislike of small children! They make me super uncomfortable and I also cannot STAND the thought of being pregnant. Ever. Or being a parent. Ever. And a lot of people judge me for it too, but that's just the way I am. It's definitely caused a lot of relationship trouble for me too, until I finally found a man who also doesn't want children. But even before I met him, I dealt with it years ago by having a tubal ligation. Now I can NEVER get pregnant and I honestly feel so much more comfortable in my own skin.

Kae-Leah, that leads into something I was going to mention to you. You said you hate having your period because it reminds you of your fertility. I felt the same way. So when I had my tubes tied, I also had a procedure called endometrial ablation (you can look it up) that basically removes the uterine lining so that it no longer sloughs off and causes a period. I do still have a tiny bit of spotting sometimes (sorry if TMI) but I've basically not had a period in four years. I don't know if this is an option for you, but you might want to look into it. It's not a surgical procedure but you do get put under general anaesthesia. I had it done at the same time as my tubal just to save on anaesthetic and hospital fees, but my mom had the procedure done just by itself. It's very safe. And man is it nice to not have a period!!!

Mermaid Summer
08-06-2012, 01:04 AM
I've been having issues slurring my speech and forgetting words. I am sick of it.

New York Mermaid
08-06-2012, 03:56 AM
and lets add stitches to the knee on my list here,

never try to catch a 8 lb mirror from falling, by putting your knee out to catch some of the weight- i ended up getting quite few stitches in the knee, i now walk around with a limp and im sure that bruise is coming in nice and purple.

Felicia
08-06-2012, 04:24 AM
and lets add stitches to the knee on my list here,

never try to catch a 8 lb mirror from falling, by putting your knee out to catch some of the weight- i ended up getting quite few stitches in the knee, i now walk around with a limp and im sure that bruise is coming in nice and purple.

Wow I've done almost the same thing only I got 10 stitches in my thigh when I was 8 trying to catch my huge door mirror after one of my younger brothers slammed my door... Probably the the second worst experience I ever had with my clumsiness next to the time I slipped next to an open oven door and burned my bum and part of mt hip soooo bad when I was 13

Dacora
08-08-2012, 12:09 AM
I have some sort of eating disorder. The doctors cant figure out what is wrong. Every time I eat I get full but its not a normal full. Its "you're going to throw up everything you have eaten because you have eaten too much food" and boy does it hurt. If its not the "full" feeling it just hurts because something is in my stomach, its only a few bites of food that sets it off, like seriously 4 bites and its hurts. Im still hungry as well. I never can finish what I start to eat though so I end up wasting food. Its gotten to the point where I have to get small spoon fulls of food so I'm not wasting anything. I'm so frustrated, I don't want to eat because it hurts but I need to eat. To top it all off my family cant afford the medical bills to get me a good doctor to treat it and the only doctors we can afford write it off as it being in my head and I'm making it up for attention. I honestly doubt crying after you eat from the pain classifies as me wanting attention. I'm so sick of having to deal with this. I honestly don't know what to do anymore. I wish I didn't have to eat to survive. The only thing that I'm getting any nutritional value from is those ensure drinks.

Theobromine
08-08-2012, 12:22 AM
That sounds awful :( Have you tried Googling your symptoms? Can you look for a clinic that charges on a sliding scale like Planned Parenthood does, but that might specialize in eating disorders?

Dacora
08-08-2012, 01:15 AM
That sounds awful :( Have you tried Googling your symptoms? Can you look for a clinic that charges on a sliding scale like Planned Parenthood does, but that might specialize in eating disorders?

It normally comes up with gluten intolerant or pregnant. I am neither, unless you can be preggers for 3-4 years and still have that lady time. I will have look into the clinic for eating disorders. Im not even sure if it is an eating disorder but that is all I have to call it for now.

Theobromine
08-08-2012, 01:21 AM
So have you been tested for gluten intolerance, then? Have you tried changing your diet at all, like doing elimination tests of different types of foods? I'm no doctor...but maybe you could at least experiment and see if there's something that doesn't irritate you so much :-/

Dacora
08-08-2012, 01:26 AM
I have tried that. The thing is certain foods dont all ways make it hurt. Like I will be able to eat a slice of pizza fine one time and then another time it will hurt. It hurts more often than not though. I have noticed that fruits are fine to eat. So I try and eat those as much as I can.

Theobromine
08-08-2012, 01:32 AM
That really sucks. Fruits are good, though, you can get a lot of vitamins and nutrients and things. I hope you find an answer to what's causing the pain, though.

Raayvhen
08-08-2012, 01:43 AM
So guess who has a big welt across her face from having a guitar string snap while she was playing. I have to reschedule a photoshoot now and I also have to hope it goes away soon. Its BAD. I'm so glad I closed my eye in time. The welt literally goes from one side of my forehead down to the opposite cheek.

Winged Mermaid
08-08-2012, 01:53 AM
So sorry Dacora :( I actually know what that's like. I have a intestinal disorder that comes and goes, and hasn't flared up for years, but when I had it it was a similar situation. I'd get immediately sick after eating anything- nausea and insane abdominal pain- and it felt like every bite was torture. Then I'd get abdominal pains for sometimes hours then have bad diarrhea or vomiting. Even from fruit, broth, even jello. I'd fear eating, but I had to eat because I'm hypoglycemic. I got really thin and sickly for a while. Doctors did all kinds of tests and never really found anything, so they labeled it as IBS. But sometimes they just say it's IBS when they don't know what is actually wrong :/ Said they only thing they could do was give me a cocktail of meds, but I refused that becuase my body generally doesn't like meds. The only reason I got that much out of the doctors was because my Mom kept after them constantly.

Either way, I just wanted to let you know that there's someone who at least knows a bit of what you're going through. *hugs* Maybe there are some clinics or hospitals that offer services and meds on a sliding scale in your area? Those can be very helpful to people who don't have insurance.

Until then maybe you could look into micronutrient foods for more nutrition. Maybe even juicing! I have to say I started lately because my stomach issues were flaring up and my body is loving it! Buying a juicer can be expensive (we got one for about $90), so maybe test it out with Naked brand juices. I highly recommend the Green Machine! They make all kinds though. See if your body is okay with it and go from there.

Dacora
08-08-2012, 02:22 AM
So sorry Dacora :( I actually know what that's like. I have a intestinal disorder that comes and goes, and hasn't flared up for years, but when I had it it was a similar situation. I'd get immediately sick after eating anything- nausea and insane abdominal pain- and it felt like every bite was torture. Then I'd get abdominal pains for sometimes hours then have bad diarrhea or vomiting. Even from fruit, broth, even jello. I'd fear eating, but I had to eat because I'm hypoglycemic. I got really thin and sickly for a while. Doctors did all kinds of tests and never really found anything, so they labeled it as IBS. But sometimes they just say it's IBS when they don't know what is actually wrong :/ Said they only thing they could do was give me a cocktail of meds, but I refused that becuase my body generally doesn't like meds. The only reason I got that much out of the doctors was because my Mom kept after them constantly.

Either way, I just wanted to let you know that there's someone who at least knows a bit of what you're going through. *hugs* Maybe there are some clinics or hospitals that offer services and meds on a sliding scale in your area? Those can be very helpful to people who don't have insurance.

Until then maybe you could look into micronutrient foods for more nutrition. Maybe even juicing! I have to say I started lately because my stomach issues were flaring up and my body is loving it! Buying a juicer can be expensive (we got one for about $90), so maybe test it out with Naked brand juices. I highly recommend the Green Machine! They make all kinds though. See if your body is okay with it and go from there.

They told me it was IBS as well. The meds they gave me never worked. Thanks :) I will have to look into juicing, it sounds yummy. My cousin is gluten intolerant so Im not totally alone when it comes to this luckily. So far I haven't had to actually vomit my food or lose a lot of weight its not constant but not drastic changes.
Im the same way when it comes to meds. It either makes me very sleepy or does not work at all,even with Advil or any type of pain killer I have to double the dose. I drive and go places a lot so I cant take a pill that makes me sleep and it wont do any good if I cant take it on a regular basis. As far as sliding scale services go the only place we know of is a free clinic and the doctor was not very interested in treating me. His words where "a skinny rat lives longer than a fat rat".

Winged Mermaid
08-08-2012, 04:17 AM
As far as sliding scale services go the only place we know of is a free clinic and the doctor was not very interested in treating me. His words where "a skinny rat lives longer than a fat rat".

That's AWFUL! D: Man, I have had so so many bad doctors. Most of the time I don't think doctors really care about their patients at all unless they're a quick fix. It's really sad, and really frustrating for all of those with health issues.

Dacora
08-09-2012, 04:34 AM
Yea most of the doctors I have had dont really care unless we can pay them up front. I did have one doctor who was awesome. She was almost in tears that no one has done anything for me. She did all the blood work and urine tests for me but she was stumped as well and couldn't find anything wrong. On paper Im as healthy as a horse but in real life Im not. I told my mom and grandpa about juicing and they want me to try it. My grandpa wants to do it with me and can buy me a juicer if we decide to do it. :)

Raayvhen
08-09-2012, 11:19 AM
That's one thing that sucks about military healthcare. I haven't had the same doctor once in 3 years.

Mermaid Cascada
08-09-2012, 08:41 PM
I hope you all get better soon :)

Blondie
08-16-2012, 03:47 PM
This isn't much of a vent, but good news!!

Following up on my past post about my thyroid. I had to do my biopsy (which was painful. Don't wanna do it ever again) We found out that I do not have a tumor and I had a now healing hemorrhage. Woooottt!!

Mermaid Gosalyn
08-17-2012, 01:13 AM
I just had an idea! What if there was a video of a mermaid taking her pills, to encourage kids to take theirs? What do you think?

MerEmma
03-12-2013, 05:45 PM
Abandoned thread: reignited!

I'm currently really agitated with my celiac--just found out Zero chocolate bars have gluten in them. Out of all my favorite candy, all is left is Reese's cups... :s

Mermaid Kelda
03-12-2013, 06:19 PM
Aw that sucks! My mum's slightly celiac, she has to go to so much trouble with everything so I feel your pain.
I don't even like Reese's so I don't know what I'd do in your situation xD

MerEmma
03-12-2013, 06:48 PM
Not eat your favorite candies anymore? :P
I've still got gummies and certain chocolates and hard candies, but there's nothing like a good Kit-Kat, Zero and so on. o_o''

Mermaid Kelda
03-12-2013, 11:52 PM
Yeah there's something unique about a good bit of decadent chocolate :3 ah well, at least you get other sweet things!

Mermaid_Aurora
03-18-2013, 07:02 AM
I don't really have very many actual illnesses to complain about, but whatever. I'll complain about what I got because I can.


I have an anxiety disorder, which doesn't just mean negativity stresses me easily. I'm also not allowed to have energy drinks, caffine, or large amounts of sugar, because it can trigger a panic attack. Course, despite doctors orders I'm naughty and drink coffee anyway. Sort of pushing my luck with that, though. xD

I also have asthma. It was really BAD in high school when I took ceramics, because my lungs would close every class session if I didn't wear a mask to keep out the dust, so I ended up going to an urgent care center a few times for breathing treatment. I don't have asthma attacks that bad nearly that often anymore, but smoke of any kind needs to be kept away from me and I'm rather uncomfortable when it's really cold or during spring when the allergens are out and about. I try to exercise as best I can, but just doing simple things like harvesting my herb garden or pulling a few weeds, or even just doing something fast paced for a few minutes, puts me completely out of breath. I still have an emergency inhaler I keep in my purse with me and another I keep by my bed. I'm hoping my trips to the gym help strengthen my lungs. My asthma SEEMS to also contribute to me getting sick more often, as I have been getting bronchitis and pneumonia a LOT since I got diagnosed with asthma. Though, that could just be a coincidence. Being asthmatic and living with chain smokers isn't very fun.

My back and shoulders also tend to hurt a lot. I have tendonitis in my shoulders, and my lower back mostly hurts because of my tailbone, and the pain from there seems to kinda shoot up my lower back a little bit. When I was a child, I busted my tailbone. We didn't know it was broken so we didn't go to the doctor, but a few years later after constant lower back pain and was checked out, it proved to have been broken and was bent inwards just enough to be constantly pinching a nerve. Nothing can be done about it, because it had already healed in that position. So I'm on muscle relaxers for my shoulders and mild painkillers for everything else.

My hip has been hurting lately. I was in AGONY with my hip (the joint area where the leg connects to the hip) a few weeks ago and though I'm no longer in screaming pain it still hurts but is tolerable. After a few days of agony I finally decided to try heating the area and using an electric massager. When I stood up I heard the joint "crack", and its been a dull pain ever since. I can't lay down on that side because the pressure it puts on that area hurts. I thought about seeing a doctor about it but now that it's no longer in agony I don't feel it's that big of a deal.

I also have knee problems. No idea why, but my knees seem to constantly decide to just completely stop working thus resulting in me falling to the ground. This usually happens when I'm on stairs, or on ground that is noticeably not level. This is why I will refuse to use stairs that don't have a rail, and I will cling to the rail for dear life while using stairs though I try to avoid using them completely if I can. Especially if I am holding something.

It also certainly doesn't help that I have really bad peripheral vision. I have tunnel vision, not horribly, but it's there. This means I actually have to turn my head in order to see what's right next to me. This results in me running my arms into walls, poles, corners, shelves, clothing wracks, and people who follow too close, not to mention it's really easy for me to trip over something so I have to look down when I walk sometimes. I probably wouldn't be nearly as clumsy as I am now if my vision wasn't like that. It's a little embarrassing, walking around a mall and constantly having to go "ow" because I ran my shoulder into come coat hangers xD

And this really isn't a health problem, but it is irritating. Ever since I started a strict diet in my attempt to be physically healthy, things with sugar in it are tasting disgusting. Like my favorite candy and soda for example. Can't eat them, they're gross. I can't even eat white bread anymore because it tastes gross now. It's depressing.

Azurin Luna
03-19-2013, 04:03 AM
I have problems with my skin alot. This makes it often embarrassing showing myself as a mermaid in public pools. My chest area and between my breasts get red and spotted easily and it also going in a straight line down to my belly button, it also shows up on my shoulders and neck. It gets worse when I sweat alot from the humid weather we have here in summer. So I rarely wear anything with a low cut front and back. It also means, no nice relaxing hot baths for me :(

Only when I went to Curacao my skin was completely smooth again and did I dare to take underwater pictures of myself as mermaid.

Thalassa
03-31-2013, 06:27 PM
Okay, bringing this up again because my yearly/bi-yearly cough has started. It's not a huge issue and I feel bad complaining about it, but...that's what the thread is for, right? :-S

When was 15, almost 10 years ago, I caught a cold that didn't go away. I had a hacking cough for 9 straight months while my doctor tried to figure out what was going on. Finally, he tried Advair on it and it worked. He said, "That tells me it might be asthma or allergy related, but it worked, so just take it whenever you cough for a long time."

Since then, I get a terrible cough around October that lasts till December, and from March to about May. I've tried every sort of cough suppressant and cough drop there is, they don't do a thing. When I get a coughing fit, it feels like my throat closes up and I'm trying to breathe past a tiny pinprick of a hole. Drinking water while the fit is on doesn't relieve the problem, just delays it till I need to stop drinking to breathe. My coughing fits happen randomly throughout the day and all night, interfering with sleep. During the month and a half that I'm coughing, I can't sing (my favorite thing) or talk much. It interferes with my job (my students now know that if I start coughing and can't stop, I signal my class president to take over, they silent read and I go stand out in the hall and hack my head off). People look at me like I'm disgusting because the cough is so loud and nasty sounding, but I'm not in any way contagious.

So far, things with doctors haven't progressed beyond the "it might be asthma or allergies" stage. Until 2011, they just gave me Advair which took a couple of weeks to work but seemed to work okay. In 2011 the Advair stopped working, so they switched to Dulera, which I was told is like Advair but more powerful. It still takes a couple of days to work and doesn't do anything against a coughing fit.

The last 2 weeks, I've been coughing again. Went in to the doctor, she gave me Dulera and Nasonex. She said it could be asthma or allergy related. As I have the past few times, I asked if I could get tested for allergies or asthma (asked for a referral). As she said last time (as doctors have said before her): "Nah, it's not that bad, and you want to be sure you need to be tested before you spend that money."

Now, it's not life threatening nor really all that inconveniencing (compared to everyone else), but I am sick of coughing! :-(

Thanks for letting me rant.

Bernardo
06-21-2013, 11:58 AM
For that just maintain your diet and physical activities as much as you can,Because this is how i feel that is all you actually need.Eat healthy and clean and when you are on full time job obviously you need to deal with it.I suggest you to be a little active make sometime for your walk and do that.

Aziara
06-22-2013, 09:23 AM
Abandoned thread: reignited!

I'm currently really agitated with my celiac--just found out Zero chocolate bars have gluten in them. Out of all my favorite candy, all is left is Reese's cups... :s

I hear ya, MerEmma... I'm always finding something that I can't eat anymore. Luckily, I did find a recipe for making my own flour, so I can still bake some of my favorite foods. If you don't have it yet, go find 'cooking for Isaiah', you'll be able to have cookies, pancakes, and pie again! Now for my own rant... I have lived most of my life with various food allergies--the first was cow's milk, which is the main reason my mom first got into dairy goats, because I can drink it. Strangely, it slowly declined to the point that I can eat it sparingly now. Around the time the milk allergy began to decline however, a wheat allergy slowly surfaced. At first it wasn't that bad, only giving me dry skin on my hands that itched and peeled... But it quickly got scary--closed up chest and throat with panic attacks. It's actually so bad I can't even SMELL bread without a reaction. Supposedly, there is a way to make your body friendly again with the 'energy' of foods. I got the energy work done... I could eat what I wanted for a while, but then it came back, along with extreme migraines when I get stressed. Come to find out, celiac runs in the family. It wasn't an allergy the whole time! I was celiac! Now both my parents, and one of my aunts are also off of gluten. It sometime makes me so mad when I think of all the 'treatments' I got put through to get rid of my 'allergies'... which only made matters worse. As soon as I walk into a grocery store, I immediately figure out where the bakery is, and stay the heck away from the entire region of the store. I've actually had to turn around and walk out of a store with an over-active bakery. And one more thing...Stay the heck away from Betty Crocker Gluten-Free line, it isn't really gluten-free, despite saying so on the label. grrr... Sometimes dealing with people who don't understand my food trouble is the worst--I've coined the term 'Marie Antoinette syndrome', for people who say something like, "oh, you can't eat stuff that has wheat in it? So you can't eat bread, right? Oh, then have this cookie, it isn't bread!" WTF

Echidna
06-22-2013, 05:24 PM
The things I need to do to stay average healthy is like a freaking full time job. If anyone else worked as hard as I do and was a normal healthy person they'd have a freaking amazing body. But no, I work this hard to simply have some pain free hours, or some experiences that normal people get to have and I dont because of pain. Just feeling cranky because my body crashed today and I just cant do what I had set out for myself.
I have 2 incurable illnesses that cause chronic pain and weakness, as well as insomnia. I've been doing physio therapy- stuff that would be easy for most, and it's hard and depressing and makes my body ache. Hard to stay positive when you gotta face all these mountains! I know I'll come around, just feeling down today

This post is over a year old.
May I ask whether you've gotten better?
I suspect I might have a similar (or the same) illness, and I'm really at a loss sometimes.

I used to be 100% healthy and working out on a daily basis (prof dancer) when I was bitten by a tick about 10 years ago.
It infected me with 2 horrible diseases, which were misdiagnosed and not treated for almost a year.
I found out what it had to be myself, and even then, doctors refused to test and treat me.
I had to wait a long time to see a totally overworked specialist, who tested me positive, and then began the treatment.

Sadly, all the usual meds didn't have much effect on me save one; it doesn't kill the beasts, it only delays them a bit.
The meds themselves are also quite bad, so I'm between Scylla and Charybdis.
I've been bedridden for several long years straight.
If there is one day in the week when I'm not in excruciating pain, I mark it red in my calendar and am super happy.
(It happens seldom.)
Apart from pain, I suffer from vertigo, nausea, and all kinds of neuralgic disorders because the disease is in my brain.
(At least I got them out of my heart somewhere along the line!)
There was a time when by brain was so foggy I couldn't remember my own name.

With all this, I'm practically alone, because officially, the disease "doesn't exist", or "it's cured after 2 weeks max.
If you still have symptoms after, you're lying/dumb/mental".
I wonder what will become of me once the specialist who is still prescribing me the delaying med will retire :(

I brought this up here because just -maybe- someone among you has had a similar experience, and has a bright idea what else I could do.
(Ignoring the pain and vertigo doesn't work, btw.
I'm great with meditation and self-hypnosis and all, but with a sort of ongoing infection + fever, it's all useless sadly.)

^^All this is also the reason why I cannot stand cold water.
I was ok in cold water before, but the infection actually likes cold, and if I swim for a while, I'll have a heavy bout of fever, severe aches, vertigo, etc, for several days afterward.

Mermaid Varshana
06-22-2013, 07:17 PM
Oh shit. You have Lyme??? I am SO sorry. It's really become this super political disease. It's almost a dirty word because NO insurance wants to treat it due to how incredibly goddamned expensive it gets, because it really never is cured for a number of people. It can only be kept at bay. Doctors can lose their license if anyone knows they treat it.

A vent not for me, but for a friend: she was just diagnosed with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. She is quite obese. If she doesn't change her diet, she will need a transplant. I'm all for loving ones body no matter your shape, but dammit, obesity can fucking kill a person :(

Mermaid Varshana
06-22-2013, 07:20 PM
Caltuna, if you haven't, you need to check out this documentary and perhaps contact its creators: http://www.underourskin.com/

Echidna
06-22-2013, 08:53 PM
Oh shit. You have Lyme??? I am SO sorry. It's really become this super political disease. It's almost a dirty word because NO insurance wants to treat it due to how incredibly goddamned expensive it gets, because it really never is cured for a number of people. It can only be kept at bay. Doctors can lose their license if anyone knows they treat it.

Yea, you got that right.
The specialist who is treating me (and he for sure saved my life at that point) has been slandered, sued, and threatened to get his license withdrawn countless times over the years.
People from ALL over Europe (and even Asia & US) come to him.
It's crazy.
He's cured and helped so many people over the years, it boggles the mind.
Sadly, I'm one of his worst cases.

I know of the underourskin guys.
The first time I've watched their movie's trailer, I cried.
My mother (who also has Lyme, just not quite as bad as me yet) is active in several support groups, so if any new treatment comes up, we'll know.
The bad news is, that there is not really being done much research regarding antibiotics at all, because-
you guessed it- it's not lucrative.
You can make so much more cash to just let the people be sick.

deepblue
06-28-2013, 04:20 PM
Edit: Okay, this got LONG. I'm not even going into the other health issues I deal with, but as long as this is the VENT thread about health, here's mine.

TL;DR: I have asthma. It is bad. It is made worse by the habits of others. It really sucks.

Asthma since childhood. Most of the time it's under control. It's pretty bad, but having dealt with it since childhood, I've done pretty dang well. I use nutrition as my first line of defense, herbs as my second (I studied herbs extensively, learned what reduces inflammation, thins mucus, fights infections), and medications last because I have pretty bad reactions to most of them- rescue inhalers at least only cause me mild problems. I use them if I have to breathe, of course. I've approached it from every angle, done so much research, and my doctors have been really helpful. Unfortunately, steroids, often given for asthma because it reduces inflammation in the airways, cause serious problems with my depression- steroids have been seen to cause mood disorders, and in fact my docs believe it's why my depression is what it is and untreatable- but you have a choice... breathe or not? And I can't take steroids unless I have no choice, because of the physical problems they cause me- pain, a lot of pain, like sunburn under my skin, sore joints, and a stomach like clay... it's like having a really bad flu. So I have to do what I can and be ever vigilant about keeping away from things that make my asthma react. Cats, chemicals, mold/mildew, perfume, and tobacco smoke.

And people wonder why I won't take public transportation.

Growing up, I was in and out of hospitals often, and I could not partake in most physical activities, or walk up a flight of stairs without stopping to catch my breath. Now, I can walk a mile (not easily, but I can), and I can work out for 40 minutes if I take my inhaler first. Swimming is also a wonderful activity, of course, but I've no pool and the water downstairs at the beach is very crowded, and mostly surfing-only.

Unfortunately, my asthma is extremely tobbaco-smoke reactive, and smokers are everywhere. Everywhere. And since it's legal and an addiction, it's really difficult to approach what might be an otherwise considerate person and ask them, for instance, not to smoke outside my window. Most are just so defensive- just like with any addiction, and just like anyone who does something a lot of people probably give them shit for. I love when I run into a considerate smoker. But usually it's not that way. I walk everywhere because I don't have a car, and it does keep my lungs stronger- physical exercise is a must, even though I have breathing problems through it- it's worse without it. So I walk, someone lights up in front of me, and I can't help that it gives me a coughing fit, and it can land me in the ER. But I've yet to see a smoker see this happen and say, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see someone there." Generally, they give me shit for it, assuming I'm faking, and are assholes about it. I don't fancy having a coughing fit while I'm walking my child around, but it happens. My daughter is only 3 and she knows so well, that she alerts me- "Mama, smokers!" and "Mama, smoke's coming in the window!"

I avoid it as much as possible. If I see someone smoking, we stop and wait til the wind blows, or change direction, or whatever I can, but I can't avoid it all the time. You just can't. It doesn't even have to be THE smoke. Residue does it- if it's on someone's cloeths. The air in someone's lungs who just smoked does it. Someone smokes and then talks to me, I have run the other way. If someone just smoked, and comes into a store, and walks down my aisle, again, I either can't breathe or have a coughing fit. And sometimes, my lungs simply seize up, and stop working. No coughing, just no breathing.

GAH!! I'm so sick of it!! Stupid lungs. And stupid toxic smoke.

But this isn't an anti-smoking post, it's just what I have to deal with. But I'm so damn sick of someone else's habits making me sick. I think anyone would be. No matter how it was happening.

I have a respiratory infection right now because someone downstairs keeps smoking and I run and close my windows, but it's gotten in already, and my lungs can't take it. And what can I do? They're outside their own apartment, or in it, and have every right. I would like the right to breathing cleaner air, but I can't do a damn thing about it. Thank gods for the ocean breeze, I can't imagine how much worse it would be.

The salt air helps, too.

Basically, I need to live where there are no people around. People mean cigarette smoke at some point. And it's summer- windows need to be open, I have a child in here, dammit.

So depressing. I know if I had a car (which I can't possibly afford), I'd never walk anywhere, I'd drive around with windows up and A/C on. When I am in a car, and someone lights up or is smoking in their car near me, I do have to do that, anyway. And on the freeway and in parking garages because of car exhaust.

I cannot imagine what it must be like to have lungs that are unaffected by cigarette smoke. Must be amazing to walk around wherever you want and your friends can smoke, and you don't have to run for clean air. (ETA- in case this comes across wrong, I don't WANT to be around smoke, but I'm tired of it making me run the other way, since it is almost everywhere people are.)

Must be fecking amazing to wake up breathing all the time.

Echidna
06-28-2013, 04:53 PM
I cannot imagine what it must be like to have lungs that are unaffected by cigarette smoke. Must be amazing to walk around wherever you want and your friends can smoke, and you don't have to run for clean air.


...I wouldn't recommend that for anyone.
Cigarette and cigar smoke is highly poisonous, and cancer inducing.
It's nothing you should expose yourself to, no matter what.
It's a sad fact that smoking would be prohibited (along with alcohol) if it didn't make the industry and government so much money.

Like always; money's more worth than people's lives.
Sad but true.

My first job was working in an office.
I was there in a room together with no less than six chain-smokers.
I made it 2 days, then I had a smoke poisoning.
The physician actually thought I must have been in a burning building and barely escaped until I told him
"Nossir, 'twas just a few chain smokers."

deepblue
06-28-2013, 04:58 PM
Oh I agree. I'd hate it anyway- on the grounds that it stinks, is toxic, and an addictive substance- but I don't want to make this about smoking, we definitely have smokers here, because that's the likelihood and I don't want them feeling put on the defensive, because it starts a whole thing and this isn't the place for it.

But since you can't escape it most of the time, so I'd rather be one of those people who feel unaffected by it. Of course. Thank goodness our restaraunts and clubs and bars are smokeless. I'd never be able to go anywhere.

telzey.amberdon
06-28-2013, 09:13 PM
My colds went to 12 months a year. I was told to stop all sugar intake and start honey (who heard of a beekeeper with a cold). I have one teaspoon with my coffee every morning and have only sniffed the last weeks (it hasn't stopped raining here in about 2 weeks).

sunrise
06-30-2013, 04:02 AM
I wish I didn't have epilepsy. I hate Keppra, and all it's effects on my thoughts, and I hate my doctors, since they don't listen to a word I say. I'm sick of my mom siding with doctors who sound like broken records, and I'm sick of not being involved in my own treatment. I know for a fact that Keppra is making everything worse in reality, but the doctors only look at the tests on paper. What they fail to understand is that when they see "more seizure activity", it doesn't mean I'm doing worse. The seizure activity they saw before I was medicated didn't affect my awareness. I only had one severe seizure in my entire life before starting on Keppra. These increased absence and grand mal seizures are stripping me of any privacy I thought I had (if I'm too quiet for too long, or drop something, someone comes to my "rescue". I can't swim unless my mom or dad- not just a buddy, one of them- is there, absolutely no climbing). They can't tell me it's coincidence that I started having one big seizure (absence or grand mal) a month after starting Keppra. And now they want me to take more medications?? If these people can't even look at a calender and see these connections, I don't want them to treat me- but wait. I'm just a dumb minor here, I don't have a choice in the matter, it's my mom's decision, and she agrees with them. The only thing I can do is refuse to put the stuff in my body, and hope my dad can find a way to help me before these people drive me insane.

Sea Pearl
07-08-2013, 11:50 PM
Thank you for starting this thread Raina. Sometimes it just gives relief to vent out things like this. And reading through all these posts makes me realize I'm not alone with my health problems no matter how big or small they are.

Some of my health problems I've been dealing with for a while now and some have come on quite recently. I have lots of lower back problems. I've had them since I was 18, some of my discs are very worn down, giving me quite a bit of pain and a vast majority of my muscles in my back seize up when ever too much pressure gets put on my back from either sitting too long or standing or when I don't exercise enough. I finally started going to a chiropractor in 2010 and for a while my chiropractor and I thought I would never be able to do mermaiding because of the pressure I would be putting on my back when making the dolphin kick movement. I felt very disheartened about that because it was that year when I discovered mermaiding. I also have pre-arthritis in my knees and an old foot injury that acts up from time to time. I also suffer with anxiety which at times can make me very fearful and used to lead to a lot of panic attacks when I was younger. I am grateful to be getting that under control now.

Thank you everyone for sharing your stories on here. You are all a bunch of amazing and brave mers :)

Prince Calypso
07-09-2013, 12:57 AM
I can't put on weight
I know alot of people are tying to slim down and loose wight cause "thin is in"
but personally i hate being the size i am. 119 pounds on a good day if i'm lucky
I've been accused of being anorexic or not eating when the fact is i love to eat. i eat far more then i should sometimes
but no matter what i do i cant put on any more weight then maybe five or six pounds
you may be reading this and thing "oh stop your complaining. I wish i was that small"
No your really don't
I'm not underweight or underfed or anything but people see me and think i am cause i'm tall and lanky and its always been a big blow to my self esteem.
particular in the black community, its odd being thin, i have no ass as my cousins like to say and its true for a black person my ass and thighs might as well be nonexistent
no my boyfriend says i look great and i am often consider pretty attractive but i feel scrawny and lanky and weak and i hate it.

Echidna
07-09-2013, 02:06 AM
I wish I didn't have epilepsy. I hate Keppra, and all it's effects on my thoughts, and I hate my doctors, since they don't listen to a word I say. I'm sick of my mom siding with doctors who sound like broken records, and I'm sick of not being involved in my own treatment.

You should be involved in your treatment, no matter whether you are minor or not.
It's your body, and your life.
You should have the right to deny or initiate a treatment, no matter what your parents say.

The laws probably differ from country to country, but here minors do have that right,
as long as they are "able to understand what is going on".
Usually, when this is in doubt, a doctor will verify you are sensible and rational enough to decide for yourself.
The closer you are to 18, the more probable you will get granted full right to refuse or initiate a treatment.

Perhaps you can check whether it's similar where you live.
If you feel a drug makes you worse, then by all means, don't take it.
Doctors don't know everything, they are humans and can make mistakes,
but only you know how you feel inside, and sometimes that's the best indicator whether a med is the right one or not.

sunrise
07-09-2013, 02:57 AM
Thanks. :) I was starting to give in, figuring it would be easier to just listen to my mom (she brings it up if I complain about her not letting me climb or swim, etc) so you really helped me. I'm not planning on taking the new medication, and the next time I see one of the specialists, I'm not going to let them talk over me again. I'm going to ask to be taken off of Keppra, to test and see if my big seizures decrease. If I have more little twitches, showing more little seizures, but my seizures decrease to less than one every month, then I'll know that I was right. The twitch may be annoying, but I'd take annoying over falling on my Grama during a seizure again any day.

Mermaid Gosalyn
07-09-2013, 03:41 PM
Sunrise you definitely should be involved in and approve of your own treatment. Sometimes the treatments we have are really the lesser of two evils, and with any medication there are side effects and sometimes they are horrible but less horrible than the problem being treated. If you feel you are better without your medication that is very important! I do know though that little seizures that you don't notice can still cause major problems, so I would really like you to research it and other medications you could take. In the end, it is your body and you are the one who has to live with what is done to it. In regards to your mom, usually having research to site to back up what you are saying helps a lot when kids are trying to convince their parents of things; it shows them you are more responsible and mature than they may realize. I hope you can get more control over what is happening to you, because even as an adult when your health starts affecting your life so much it really is maddening!

Sea Pearl I hope you continue to be able to mermaid! I have a strange back problem myself, and though it is not the same as yours it really helps me to be in the water, even with a tail and the dolphin kick. Maybe you can find a way to swim in tail that doesn't cause as much strain on your back? Perhaps moving more from the knees or hips, or even a certain monofin, I would have to research it to be sure but I bet there are more and less back friendly ways, y'know? Also, I am right there with you with anxiety, and I find that mermaiding helps me with that as well! In tail I am somebody else, and the worries don't barge in quite as much.

Prince Calypso while I would definitely trade places with you, I say that as someone who spent half her life underweight and trying to gain it. I'm not trying to say you shouldn't feel bad though, I totally understand where you're coming from and that especially as a black male it is a big issue for you. I wish I had a solution for you, but the only thing that changed my situation was puberty and medication side effects. I can only offer the advice that when we can't change things, we just have to adjust our minds to be as ok with them as possible. I know, kinda sucky advice but it has helped me a lot.

Lately I've been spending a lot of time with healthy people and it just seems to highlight the fact that anyone who has bad health and still goes out there and takes on the world is super awesome!

Mermaid Octavia
07-09-2013, 06:37 PM
I kind of feel like I don't have a right to post in this thread because I don't have any "major" health problems but... here goes anyway?

While I'm relatively healthy (in that, I don't get sick very often, exercise regularly and try to eat healthfully), I do have some medical issues that I cannot "solve", necessarily: clinical depression, acne and the nagging sense that there's something psychologically wrong with me beyond the depression. But I'm still figuring that out.

I did manage to overcome a debilitating condition: chronic and severe constipation. I know it's gross but from birth to about 16 years of age, I was almost always constipated and for 3+ weeks at a time. The "clear" or "normal" days were few and very far between to the point where I couldn't remember what it was like to feel empty. I was immune to laxatives, my colon was blocked and my organs were being pushed around in my body. X-rays scared the doctors, revealing my colon had ballooned so much that it was appeared behind my lungs. It was that bad. Finally, after years of doctors being unable to help, I decided to drastically change my diet and exercise like crazy. That problem cleared up and I haven't had it since. I'm now 26.

The stuff I can't fix, well... my skin is very reactive to the point where if I scratch an itch, it looks like I've been whipped. It's a problem when I try to do my best to look nice for the camera. My acne flares up and I look like a beet sometimes but I do my best to overcome that too. Reducing my caffeine, salt and sugar intact has helped some. I do wish I had clear, non-Exon-Valdez skin. Seriously, I have to blot my face every hour or face oil dripping into my eyes and stinging like crazy until I was my whole face. My sister says I could lube three cars and fry a chicken by the end of the day, I have that much oil on my face, shoulders, chest and back.

My depression is treated with therapy and medication, but the medication gives me odd facial ticks around the lips and eyes from time to time. It's more annoying than anything else. The big issue with me is the weight gain. I've managed to lose three inches since starting mermaiding but it still bothers me that I'm 20 pounds heavier than I used to be. I keep telling myself it's muscle (which is true, really) but the number still wigs me out.

And I think that I may have the inability to love a man because I've been dating people since 16 and never once fallen in love. I know I'm not a lesbian and I'm not asexual so... is there something psychologically wrong with me, preventing me from feeling attracted to a man? Is it because my father abandoned my sister and I and we can't form a connection with a man because of it? I dunno. I'm seeking counseling to see if maybe I can suss out the answer to that one.

Bleh.

Echidna
07-11-2013, 03:21 AM
I'm not planning on taking the new medication, and the next time I see one of the specialists, I'm not going to let them talk over me again. I'm going to ask to be taken off of Keppra, to test and see if my big seizures decrease. If I have more little twitches, showing more little seizures, but my seizures decrease to less than one every month, then I'll know that I was right. The twitch may be annoying, but I'd take annoying over falling on my Grama during a seizure again any day.

:thumbs-up:
With some illnesses, it's needed to (slowly and carefully) try out which medication is best for your special case.
Everyone is different, and no one knows better than you whether a med is truly helping, or making it worse with side effects.
I do hope you can get better!
It sucks so much to have an unpredictable illness, especially at a younger age.

As for swimming; maybe you can convince your parents that it's less dangerous to do than other sports
(you can't fall hard in water).
It's possible to tailswim even in very shallow water, shallow enough that in case something happens, you won't drown.
Never go alone, of course. Have someone nearby always watching, and you should be ok.

Miyu
07-21-2013, 06:38 PM
Octavia: I totally feel you. I have a lot of similar problems that while I feel kind of bad calling them health problems, they do greatly effect my mental health. So don't feel bad venting about it; health is health, whether it's physical or mental. ((HUGS))

Sea Pearl
07-26-2013, 11:00 PM
@ Mermaid Gosalyn I find mermaiding a stress relief too. And the more and more I do it I find it does seem to help with my back :)

Unfortunately, now I have a strange ear issue that has kick started up in the last month that has been getting me down a little. I used to have a lot of ear problems when I was a kid but they went away as I got older. Then one time last month I went mermaiding at my local pool in the afternoon and later on that night I started to notice one of my ears suddenly felt clogged. Kind of like a pressurized feeling when you are descending in an plane. At first I thought I had water trapped in my ear or it was swimmers ear, but when I went to my doctor they said it wasn't that and couldn't see anything wrong. They referred me to an ENT and I got in two weeks later who ran different tests and also said my ears were perfectly fine. But I still had the pressure feeling, though it wasn't as bad. They did say it might be swelling of the eustachian tube due to allergies. I asked if swimming underwater could have caused it but he didn't think so and said I should be alright to go ahead and continue. Now it is not as bad but shifts from either ear someday's, coming and going through the day. Someday's I cannot feel any pressure at all and it's like my ear has gone completely back to normal. Yet it always feels a little worse after swimming. I'm hoping wearing ear plugs will help with that. I have no idea if people can swim with eustachian tube dysfunction or not. I would hate to have to give up mermaiding :( Sorry for the long rant. Sometimes it helps to just talk.

Mermaid Veruliya
07-27-2013, 02:13 PM
I don't really have a physical or mental illness, just suffer from anxiety that can sometimes lead to mild depression, but in my lifeitme of experiencing it I've found so many ways to cope, that have lead me to my happy, positive, loving being!

I've also dealt with weight issues and body image issues as I'm sure we all have. I've always been considered "too skinny". But once I started working out, i've gained 11lb.s of muscle, and gaining! I happy to be fit and strong, and also happy to say my size 00/0 jeans are fitting so much tighter ;) "Though she be but little, she is fierce!"

Sea Pearl
07-27-2013, 02:25 PM
I suffer from anxiety too but I try not to let it get the better of me. Think positive! I have found mermading to help with that a lot and a great stress relief for me.

Mermaid Varshana
08-02-2013, 01:17 AM
I HATE MENSTRUAL CRAMPS! They're so bad they even make my BUTT hurt! My BUTT. That doesn't even have anything at all to do with the old baby making parts >.< It doesn't make sense!

Miyu
08-02-2013, 02:21 AM
Ooh ouch, Varshana, that sucks! Have some imaginary chocolate... *hands over basket of homemade chocolate* I haven't had any cramps nearly that bad in years. This may be TMI, but I found the Diva Cup works wonders for all those lady problems.

Lyretail
08-05-2013, 02:14 PM
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTOb5wa0NmAGWvUw7sclVdPFZ8hyhkFC KUSbOJ18GfH3dWNzAfX
I hear laughter is the best medication.

Best wishes to every ’Mer.

New York Mermaid
08-10-2013, 04:19 AM
Bringing this up because once again I'm up at 4am with serious insomnia, for 3 days I've had major migraines on and off and I'm recovering from really bad hip pain. I'm just sick and tired of being sick and taking pills for my thyroid and for these headaches.

Anahita
08-10-2013, 05:14 AM
Can I bitch about my anemia and pleurisy (and I guess the FMF my doctor thinks I have that's causing it).

Ugh, I'm like one walking disaster. I'll be completely fine for what seems like the LONGEST time. Then I'll be doing something, and my lungs will be like "Oh, you're having fun I see... Well, can't have too much of that! You haven't had an attack in a while... It's long over due I think - Buahaha take that bitch!" and then I'm down... like, literally. I have to take an anti-inflammatory and just lay down until it stops feeling like I'm being stabbed. It likes to make that stabbing pain RIGHT behind my left boob too, and it makes my whole tata burn, as well as my left arm (the first time it really happened badly, I went to the Emergency because the teacher at my school thought I was having a heart-attack when I told her how it felt... Yeah, way to go genetics, now if I ever DO have a real heart attack, I probably won't realize it because I'll think it's my lungs being jerks).

Similar thing with the anemia.... "Oh, you're having fun and everything... Wouldn't it just SUCK if you suddenly fainted or just got incredibly drowsy? Wonder no more, it's happening! Oh, and let's make your spider-fingers and hands super cold and clammy too, so when you shake someone's hand, the freak out." Although, to be fair with the anemia, the sudden fainting is often times partially my fault (like, I kind of know when I'm not feeling too well, and yet I'll still try and move like normal, which is just apparently a tad too fast for when I'm feeling sick)

Alveric
08-26-2013, 02:06 PM
I've been debating whether to say anything or not. I usually keep health matters private.

I guess I'll just blurt it out. I found out Friday that I have Parkinson's.

I figure that if Michael J. Fox can deal with it, so can I.

AniaR
09-02-2013, 10:20 AM
I just wasted my whole labour day weekend in the hospital emergency :( I started getting these terrible upper stomach pains, that turned into contractions. Friday night we were camping and I woke up in tears and had to get Seanny to walk me down to the showers so I could just stand in the heat for a while it seemed to help a wee bit. I spent the whole time from Friday at Lunch til Saturday at dinner in horrible horrible pain before we finally decided to drive 2 hours to the closest hospital from where we were camping. This pain has happened to me before and doctors have NEVER done anything, not even given me pain meds, so Iw asn't convinced they'd do much.

When we got to the emergency, two other people cut in line in front of me when it was my turn to see the triage nurse, so I was off to a bad start already. But thankfully once I saw the triage nurse I was processed really quickly. Considering I was in a totally different province than my own! I was already thinking no one was going to listen to me, so I was rehearsing how I was going to insist on needing help when the doctors arrived. Usually when you go to emergency, they try and get you in and out as quickly as possible and make you feel stupid for even going (that's been my overall experience) like how dare you take up a valuable bed with anything less than life or death. But thankfully, Sean and I were happily proven wrong. The resident came in and she was AMAZING. She took my whole health history, agreed with me on which tests I should have (I wanted to check for ulcers, pancreatitis, and endometriosis for a variety of reasons) and also slated me for a few more. Now, in Canada I have waited a YEAR to have a single ultrasound. So the fact she was going to do as many tests as she could while I was there was huge. I had to have some not so fun tests, but most of them were manageable. She made me feel super validated and listened to.

They hooked me up to an IV since eating and drinking even water seemed to make the pain worse. So I could stay hydrated and now worry about that. Then I got my first real dose of IV pain meds. I've never had them before that I can remember. The first one they gave me was to stop my organs from spasming. It helped a tiny bit but not enough. After that they have me diloded (sp?) and while it ook the pain away it was a scary experience. They didn't warn me about the side effects and instantly I got such a bad head rush that the wind was knocked out of me and I couldn't breath and I just started crying because everything went double vision and my senses were all fu*ked up. So seanny was the dutiful bf and held my hand. After that they gave me the drugs in my arm instead of the iv. It hurt like hell, but it went in my body slower and I didn't have that crazy rushed feeling.

The scary thing is, the super pain meds only took the edge off. I was still in a lot of pain. They kept me over night, we didn't even have doors on our room, and Sean had nowhere to sleep. So he slept in the car on my mermaid tails! He joked that he got to use them more than I did this weekend. When he came in the next morning he had scale imprints on his face. lol. Over night I'd wake up every 2 hours in pain. It sucked. IN the morning they sent me for an ultrasound. So finally we figured out what it was...

I have chronic gastritis and have had it for 4 years most likely. The pain meds I have been given to treat my other illnesses totally destroyed my stomach. The doctor also thinks I have endometriosis- which I have been begging my doctor to test me for because I have all the symptoms and people with my other illness are likely to develop it. So they put me on meds to heal my stomach. Gave me a different coated pain killer (prescription) for the next time I need a pain killer, and are advocating for me with my doctors here in my province to get tested and treated for endo.

It really sucked to spend my long weekend in the hospital, but at least I finally got help for something I have been going to emergency for for 4 years. I'm home now but I'm still in a lot of pain and am having trouble eating. It sucks. lol

AniaR
09-02-2013, 10:21 AM
I've been debating whether to say anything or not. I usually keep health matters private.

I guess I'll just blurt it out. I found out Friday that I have Parkinson's.

I figure that if Michael J. Fox can deal with it, so can I.

I'm really sorry to hear that I know treatment for Parkinson's has come so far in the last decade. I know several people who have it and they live full lives. I wish you the best of luck. <3

shimmygoddess
09-02-2013, 10:32 AM
I noticed as I get older...injuries just happen faster...sigh..I know it will only get worse. It seems like my injuries last about a year before moving to a different body part. Being a dancer is hard on the body I guess. LOL...injured my hips years ago, then last year had upper arm/shoulder injury. Though I continued to dance it made healing alot slower. Then I had costocondritis for about 6 months which was awful. (Caused by crying of all things after my dog died) :( I have learned to deal w/ my migraines and pvc's, but now I hurt my foot. Damn. I still dance on it, b/c I have a pretty high pain tolerance, but it is just frustrating not feeling 100%. dont even get me started regarding insomnia....LOL

Most days I am fine mentally, but I can put me in a funk! hugs to everyone

shimmygoddess
09-02-2013, 10:35 AM
Raina, I am so sorry you were in the ER. I can only imagine how painful that was. My son was hospitalized last November with Colitis when he went away to Indiana to see his girlfriend. My husband had to fly out there with him. He was there for 4 days, before we flew him home and transfer him to the hospital here, then he stayed in 3 more days. It was rough, he was so sick. I hope you can get yourself regulated!!

Mermaid Kelda
09-02-2013, 11:09 AM
Oh gawd, Raina that's so awful :( my heart goes out to you. I'm glad you've finally been properly diagnosed though! Best of luck with your recovery. <3

Mermaid Syrena
09-02-2013, 12:14 PM
Anahita- That sounds really scary! *hug* I'm sure you've learnt to cope with it somewhat, but it still sounds scary. Has it ever gotten you into any serious scrapes?
Shimmy Goddess- Ugh, poor dear. If it's joint injuries... would glucosamine supplements help? It might be a bit late, I think you're supposed to take them when you start your exercise/dance regime... but it might help. Not to mention sports massages!
Raina- What an eventful Labour Day weekend! Your mer-wrangler is an absolute sweetheart to wait like that for you, I swear my heart aww-ed in my ribcage. I hope you recover swiftly, luv.

I'm fortunate, health-wise. I used to have pretty frightening asthma as a kid, and a couple years back at a cross-country race I got an attack, my legs crumpled under me 3m from the finish line, and I actually dragged myself on my hands and knees over the line to finish it, lol. At which point I was wheezing really badly, and then passed out.
I don't have bad asthma attacks now, but I do have a more minor (if more persistent, and annoying...) health complaint...

I have really bad bloating, guys. People tend to not believe me when I say I do, but they don't know what I have to hide under my looser tees sometimes. I'm not sure if it's IBS, or just my body being wonky. I've had this for years now, I think. But unless I'm lucky, by about 5PM everyday my tummy will suddenly expand. I look about 7 months pregnant when that happens... and it's not even an exaggeration. I know it's not a lifethreatening deal or anything, but it really does make life extremely inconvenient. When I want to go out at nights, I have to barely eat anything at all (but if I eat too little, I end up bloating again. It's a fine line!), and after a few glasses of bubbly my bloating is back in full-swing. It also makes scheduling photoshoots really difficult. Sigh. I've tried anti-water retention pills, dandelion tea, and staying hydrated, but those seem to just work temporarily for me. If anyone has had similar experiences or some advice to give, I'd be open to hearing from ya!

Alveric
09-02-2013, 01:06 PM
Thank you. Good luck and better health, Raina.

BayouMermaid
12-13-2013, 08:45 AM
Ok, I just need to vent right now. I am so sick and tired of being sick and tired. I have ulcerative colitis, which causes severe digestive issues and fatigue. When I'm in a flare, it is like my whole life is put on hold. I can't handle long car rides or being places with limited bathroom access. This past semester, I have been student teaching. While I love teaching, I hate that many days I have to leave class suddenly to run to the bathroom down the hall. I feel that it makes me look unprofessional or lazy. Even though the school is aware of my medical condition, I can't shake the feeling that I'm being judged. I'm afraid of my upcoming graduation with the university because I know that I'll be sitting for about 3 hours. Should I even go if I can't make it all the way through?

Also, just in the last few months, my illness has caused me to go from 117 pounds down to 100 pounds. I'm not a big person to begin with, so the weight change is noticeable. I am lucky that otherwise I'm pretty healthy. Right now, I'm just trying to put some weight back on. Because of the weight fluctuation, I'm thinking about making another tail for skinny days. Does anyone else have multiple tails for this reason?

Aziara
12-13-2013, 10:09 AM
Wow, that sounds aweful. I could be wrong, but as someone with food allergies myself (and it took me years to figure out which foods), my first thought is that your body doesn't like something that you've eaten. Have you noticed that any foods in particular trigger an episode? This forum post here: http://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/topic/2687-ulcerative-colitis-vs-gluten-sensitivity/ , this person found out that it was misdiagnosed celiac or gluten sensitivity. I hope you feel better soon!

Theobromine
12-13-2013, 02:13 PM
BayouMermaid, that sounds awful. I don't like to be presumptuous about other people's health issues and be all like "here, try THIS, I bet you never thought of this before!" but if you haven't seen this website, maybe check it out? http://www.againstallgrain.com/ It's grain-free and paleo recipes (which are delicious, I use several of them even though I don't have any food sensitivities myself). If you read about the lady who runs the site, she has a very severe case of ulcerative colitis and has developed her recipes specifically to deal with her issues. I hope it might help you feel better!

Aziara
12-13-2013, 04:21 PM
I don't like to be presumptuous about other people's health issues and be all like "here, try THIS, I bet you never thought of this before!"
Oops... I realize I might have sounded a bit presumptuous myself. I'm sorry. :sad eyes: I get a little over eager when I'm trying to help. Derp.....

BayouMermaid
12-13-2013, 04:45 PM
Thanks y'all for the support *mermaid hugs*. I get so frustrated because everything that I've read about ulcerative colitis says that no one knows what causes it; all that they know is that it is an autoimmune disease. It's funny that you both mentioned grain free/ gluten free because that is what I'm currently doing. It seems to have cut down on bloating and cramps. My doctor also suggested a paleo diet, so I'm looking into that more and modifying the way that I eat. It can be very overwhelming because there is so much information out there. I've definitely gotten caught in the "google death spiral" before lol.

PrettyScorpio
12-18-2013, 04:35 AM
My health rant.....

I have an auto immune disease that one of the symptoms is chronic low blood sugar. I have to eat a whole pie to get my sugar level over 100. Any type of artificial sugar causes my blood sugar to crash and I pass out. Splenda and sorbitol are my mortal enemies and now food companies put that stuff every where. One time a waitress gave me diet sweet tea and I stopped breathing after I passed out. I have to read labels on everything.

Mermaid Adriel
12-18-2013, 05:39 PM
I never imagined that you guys had so many problems :( you have my support.
About me, I've recurrent depression: it happened the first time last year, probably due to stress, then two months ago it is back again, with a lot of anxiety and panic attacks. Now I am being treated by a specialist in order to try to understand the main cause of this problem. I had to leave the university (and I've still many exams to take!) and my boyfriend, who lives far away from me, but I'm going to see him for Christmas. I hope I'll get better as quickly as possible.

Mermaid Adriel
01-19-2014, 06:18 PM
*update*
I'm getting better now, and in two months I can back to University :)
This forum is like a therapy for me, and thinking that this summer maybe I'll work as mermaid makes me optimistic.

I hope the best, for me and you all <3

deepblue
02-17-2014, 02:49 PM
Migraines, migraines, migraines. I have eradicated everything one by one that I could tell was causing them, and for a while, I get fewer. Then, they come back full force. For days or a week or more. If I decide that maybe I was wrong about a trigger, and reintroduce it, the immediate reaction makes it clear that yes, it was a cause.

I fucking give UP already! Fine! I will be in excruciating pain nearly all the time and have cobwebs in my vision and not be able to focus my eyes and my nauseated and have chills and everything else that comes with migraines. I can't take any meds for them, and there is nothing I can do.

I feel like swearing a blue streak just to vent my frustration.

I will go to a doctor about it again, and have cat scans again, and blood tests and everything else, only to be told AGAIN that they can't help me to not get migraines, because I am over sensitive to meds.

No relief, no fecking relief.

shimmygoddess
02-17-2014, 03:50 PM
Migraines suck! I get them too. I have tried several different types of preventative meds..each with their own list of side effects. For the second time I went off meds again. I have ones I can take when I feel one coming on and it does help. Some triggers are hard to eliminate and I know pressure changes and cloudy days make me worse and also if I am dehydrated. Does staying hydrated help for you at all? My med has some caffeine in it or sometimes I will drink coffee and that helps. Hang in there :(


Migraines, migraines, migraines. I have eradicated everything one by one that I could tell was causing them, and for a while, I get fewer. Then, they come back full force. For days or a week or more. If I decide that maybe I was wrong about a trigger, and reintroduce it, the immediate reaction makes it clear that yes, it was a cause.

I fucking give UP already! Fine! I will be in excruciating pain nearly all the time and have cobwebs in my vision and not be able to focus my eyes and my nauseated and have chills and everything else that comes with migraines. I can't take any meds for them, and there is nothing I can do.

I feel like swearing a blue streak just to vent my frustration.

I will go to a doctor about it again, and have cat scans again, and blood tests and everything else, only to be told AGAIN that they can't help me to not get migraines, because I am over sensitive to meds.

No relief, no fecking relief.

Lyretail
02-17-2014, 06:20 PM
When I get migraines, there's no pain at first. But I can tell one is coming on because... I kind of lose my vision.
(Happens every time)
Once my sight craps out I get goosebumps and hours of skull splitting pain.
(and sometimes Chills, Puking... etc.)

In recent years I figured out that eating a banana helps a lot.
It helps my vision and it kind of helps for pain.

After a few months of realizing bananas were awesome, I Googled if anyone else had figured this out (or if it was just common knowledge that I wasn't aware of) and it turns out there's an older lady talking about it too. Beyond that I didn't find much else.
I always assumed it was just the potassium in them that made me feel better. But it might have something to do with blood sugar levels???

Not sure if others eat Bananas often, or tried noming some while having a migraine, but next time you feel one coming on it's worth a shot.
(Assuming you're not allergic to bananas... )

Echidna
02-19-2014, 06:03 PM
Migraine victim here too.
(seems 3 things are common with mers; tails, bellydance, and headaches...)

Banana contains certain minerals and vitamins that can help alleviate inflammation.
Not sure which though.

My headaches mostly defy any precaution or measure.
I make myself a drink, lather my head with peppermint oil, and go to bed for several days.
Pretty much the only thing I can do :p

deepblue
02-21-2014, 02:12 PM
Thanks, ladies. I'm on day 6 of this one, and nothing I've done helps for more than a couple hours. Of course, neither do pixels.

Caffeine is the only thing that gives me any relief at this point. I use caffeine pills, but when they don't work, I add a Coke. This sucks on several levels. I don't like caffeine and I don't want it in my system. But I have a child to take care of. I hate Coke, it's disgusting and full of things I also don't want in my system. But, oddly, and as noticed by many migraine sufferers, it's just Coke that does it. No other soda does. Red Bull does, but I'm sensitive to that form of B12 they use, and I get a terrible allergy reaction with swollen throat and hives, and it affects my hormones.

Yep. I'm sensitive like that.

But I've been dealing with these migraines since I was 18, and I know I have to do what I have to do. Ibuprofen used to help in large quantities, but I've gotten more sensitive and now just 600mg gives me a very weird reaction involving my esophagus, my muscles go kaput, and my lungs suffer for it, and my eyes won't focus- just in a different way than the migraines usually cause.

I'm starting to feel it really depress me, I wake up and the pain is there again, and it's just... I can't work out, I can't play with my daughter as well, I can't clean house.

And I have to get offline.

Oh- os I will try bananas, I've never noticed a difference, but I'm willing to try just about anything that won't make me feel worse.

Echidna
02-21-2014, 02:22 PM
Thanks, ladies. I'm on day 6 of this one, and nothing I've done helps for more than a couple hours. Of course, neither do pixels.


waitwait, are you saying you've got a migraine attack lasting 6 DAYS?!

I mean. wow, that's horrible.
Especially if the docs have done cat scans and couldn't help you.
But you have to find a way to break the inflammation cycle if the pain lasts THAT long.

I don't take painkillers, but my mother uses aspirin, anti-inflammatory teas and caffeine, everything that causes the tissue to calm down a bit.
If the pain persists, it causes your bloodpressure to rise, a vicious cycle.

If you are up doing stuff instead of lying down during an ongoing attack, it can also cause the migraine to go on and on.
That probably cannot be avoided if you have a child and no help :/

I can relate.
All my cat scans came back without results as well, but at least I have people around to take over a bit for me if I'm out with an attack for a day or 2.

deepblue
02-23-2014, 03:22 AM
I've had them last two weeks, but that's not as common. This last one is finally gone. I woke up without it... oh my gods what a feeling. The moment I realized I was not in pain... just the best feeling.

Yeah, they've been lasting on average 3-4 days, and once a month or so I get once that lasts about a week. Even the ones that are only a few days often only give me a day or two of a break in between. I had a while where I didn't get them hardly at all. But I'm not doing anything differently, it's a mystery as to why the change. They've just gotten so ridiculously out of hand. When they're really just.... when I can't do anything because the pain and nausea is so bad, and my hearing and vision are just GAH pain, and I don't have much of a choice but to lay in bed for hours. My daughter is four and has a pretty good understanding of what that means at this point. I'm very lucky in that my boyfriend, whom I've only been with for six months, takes care of things for me. He comes over, plays with my daughter, does our dishes, and generally helps, which is great. I don't have any other help.

I'm allergic to aspirin, sensitive to ibuprofen, acetaminophen does nothing, and I can't take most prescription pain killers because of sensitivities- many of them actually make it hard for me to breathe, it's like my lungs go totally weak, so it's pretty serious. I have an ice pack headband, but it only helps so much. Peppermint oil in a roll-on applicator (Migrastick) can give a touch of relief, and caffeine of course like I mentioned.

I just want the magic bullet, I want something to make them stop but won't make me sick in some other way. So far, no luck. Although, the caffeine makes me feel ick in another way, it's a preferable way comparitively speaking.

Fingers crossed that I wake up migraine free tomorrow, too!

deepblue
03-20-2014, 06:29 PM
I made a doctor's appt. On the off chance they can tell me anything new. I'm having migraines more often than not, and I'm not one to be in tears... but it had me there yesterday and today. I cannot do this anymore. Something has to change. I'm going to have them test all sorts of levels of hormones, vitamins, etc. If there is anything I can do differently to live with less pain, I will.

Appt is in a week.

Mermaid Kelda
03-20-2014, 09:41 PM
Best of luck Surly! I hope they discover an easy fix<3

deepblue
03-22-2014, 11:43 PM
Thanks! Right now my head isn't hurting. So of course the first thing I do is swim to MerNetwork. haha.

But I think I might have figured out the problem myself, which I of course will check with the doctor. I'm going to need allergy tests and then if my suspicions are correct, my life is going to have to change in a way that I never thought it would. But. At least I can fix it.

If I'm wrong, back to the drawing board.

SeaGlass Siren
03-23-2014, 07:59 AM
I ate something bad and now I have food poisoning .. Have been in the toilet incessantly because of diahrea every 30 minutes
now because immune system is down from food poisoning my younger sister has gotten me sick. Head pounding and my nose is congested and throat is itchy.
And - I'm on my period. Lovely.

Mermaid Jaffa
03-23-2014, 09:26 AM
I ate something bad and now I have food poisoning .. Have been in the toilet incessantly because of diahrea every 30 minutes
now because immune system is down from food poisoning my younger sister has gotten me sick. Head pounding and my nose is congested and throat is itchy.
And - I'm on my period. Lovely.

Nom on some charcoal tablets. You don't need prescription for them, can buy at the local chemist over the counter. They soak up the toxins in your gut so that... er... How to explain it so that its not so disgusting??
You'll be fine in a day or two.

SeaGlass Siren
03-23-2014, 09:53 AM
So that I can poop better?

Mermaid Ophelia
03-23-2014, 04:05 PM
Ugh, I know that feel. I suffer from fibromyalgia and a form of dysautonomia that makes me dizzy and exhausted CONSTANTLY and causes me to faint from time to time if I don't monitor it (and sometimes even when I do) and then some sort of stomach issue that's undiagnosed...I know I'm allergic to gluten and red meat but I still get stomach aches every day. And then I have bipolar which I'm treated for but I still have little mini depressive episodes normally brought on by my health issues. I can no longer work and it's a source of stress for me. We just gotta remember how strong we are and keep pushing forward...but it's ok to feel upset and vent sometimes. We all have those days, lord knows I do...

deepblue
03-23-2014, 04:21 PM
Ick, I've never had food poisoning but it sounds horrible! My sister has had it a few times, and I have one friend who must make questionable food choices because she's had food poisoning at least twice yearly for the many years I've known her.

I woke up without a migraine today. omg. So I've decided to be lazy- I'll do the dishes and clean the kitchen and other needed things later. No pain... no migraine-induced shivers, no numbness in my face, no vomiting, no need for absolute quiet and darkness... my daughter is only four and just an amazing kid. She is so cooperative when she knows mama has a migraine, and she stays so quiet. I had my bf and my mom come over to play with her while I laid around in pain. And when you have a kid, and a migraine, you have to do the mothering anyway of course! So you do and then it gets worse but... my daughter comes first even when I'm in pain.

I understand the health-triggered depression, Ophelia. I've had major depression since I was 9, more around when I was 14, and was diagnosed later, but yep. Waking up day after day in pain means fighting the suicidal urges much more than usual, which is already a lot. I'm used to it, but even I find myself seriously thinking bad bad things more than usual when I've been in a migraine for a week or more. And I have to catch it, and remind myself it's not only the depression lying, it's the migraine in cahoots.

Vixy
03-23-2014, 04:36 PM
My stomach is aching, trying to figure out what I've eaten to cause the ache. I've pretty much given up gluten due to IBS. I've been asleep for most of the day and most of the night last night. Now I feel strange.

deepblue
03-23-2014, 05:21 PM
Maybe it's not something you ate? Could be you're fighting a stomach bug?

Mermaid Tula
03-23-2014, 06:04 PM
I hate having SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) The anti-depression medication makes me feel better emotionally, but I keep catching myself clamping my jaw tightly to the point that when I open my mouth, my jaw hurts. I'm honestly surprised that I haven't cracked or broken a tooth from clamping down so hard.
But if I forget to take my medication, I don't clench, but my moods are severely affected.
I feel like I'm a lose lose situation.

Vixy
03-23-2014, 06:37 PM
I recognise the signs for a flare up, although I am feeling a lot better now.

Mermaid Gosalyn
03-24-2014, 09:58 PM
It's very heartening to me to know I'm not the only mermaid struggling to be alive and functional. I often think I am asking too much, to try and be a mermaid and be sick, even though my heart says I am a mermaid, but it helps me to know I am not the only one. Thank you to all of you for sharing with us and helping us all get through it.

deepblue
03-27-2014, 11:11 PM
I had my doctor appointment today. Of course, I had no migraine, either. :p Because the thing you go to see the doctor for... it's like when your computer is wonky UNTIL you call the IT person in. lol

I have developed an allergy that is not common but not rare, and often only happens to people when they are overexposed to this particular nutrient in lab form. In other words, usually people who develop with this allergy do because they receive huge doses of the vitamin in shots, because of illnesses that prevent them from absorbing it. Unfortunately, my bizarrely sensitive system took what would not have bothered almost anyone else- everyday fortified foods and a daily supplement (one doctors recommended I take!) and turned me allergic to it.

The doc took three vials of blood for various tests.

The allergy might be responsible for the headaches, because I keep finding I've accidentally imbibed or eaten this damn additive- a type of B12 that is in like every fortified thing ever. I finally got it out of my system totally a few days ago, and it's possible that is why I had no headache today.

I also might be getting migraines from a deficiency, which has never been a problem in my life until this allergy- I'm vigilant, and I worked my way to pretty healthy from a lifetime of illness, so my numbers in blood tests are always ideal. I just do not think they will be this time.

The problem is, since I am allergic to this, if I have a deficiency, I am probably allergic to the other forms of the vitamin, and since I'm also allergic to antihistamines (I KNOW), this is all risky. I have to find out of more tests can be done about that.

And if the blood doesn't reveal anything, I'm to see a neurologist because, as the doc said, "Migraines don't last for two weeks. Those are not migraines."

If the blood does reveal a deficiency, the solution is one which is something I'll have to do but dear gods I do not want to because it is an anathema to how I've lived my life and how I have formed my identity. Sorry to be vague, but just because I know I have to make a change doesn't make it easy.

TL;DR: My body sucks and is betraying me again.

Echidna
03-28-2014, 12:28 PM
I'm so sorry to hear this.

The last 2 days, I had a migraine too. I can still feel it lurking in the underground, ready to resurface :p
I am allergic to so many things I don't really know what could have caused it.

I've had migraines after certain herbal teas, garlic, raw onions, and bleedings with stomach aches after having fruits or fruit juice.
Then again, sometimes I ingested these and did NOT have anything.

so it might be the stuff victuals are "treated" with that are causing the problems-
mold-killers, insectkillers, fungicides, whatever.
I'm best if I drink only water :p

deepblue
03-28-2014, 05:01 PM
Honestly, I've gotten to that point, too. Anything but water tends to trigger a headache these days, and those almost always turn into migraines.

I have one now, big surprise. It's not as much in my eyes so I'm online for now.

I also have started putting sea salt into my water. Just a little. A friend of mine who's a really good, caring acupuncturist, linked me to a study about sodium levels being low in many migraine sufferers, and since I'm not one to use a lot of salt on food, I thought, heck why not.

Plus, how mermaidy of me. :p

But I'll get sodium levels back with the results from all the blood they took.

Caltuna, I hope your headache fades soon.

deepblue
04-02-2014, 01:53 PM
Waiting for blood test results. It's like being a space-time warp where time moves more slowly just for that.

Echidna
04-02-2014, 04:26 PM
Today, my head was ok, so I went swimming.

And- surprise surprise- managed to bump my head swimming backwards into the pool edge full speed.
yay me.
concussion, nausea, vertigo and hedaches for the rest of the day.
hopefully it gets better tomorrow, I've so no desire to see the hospital again.

AniaR
04-02-2014, 04:39 PM
I hate wacking my head underwater it is scary

Mermaid Wesley
04-02-2014, 06:27 PM
*screech* I lost breath hold time :( I had it at 1:45 but I got ski and couldn't practice for like a month and now back to a minute. :(((


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Mermaid Jaffa
04-02-2014, 07:46 PM
*screech* I lost breath hold time :( I had it at 1:45 but I got ski and couldn't practice for like a month and now back to a minute. :(((


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Do you mean "sick" or did you really go skiing and forget about your breath holds?

Mermaid Wesley
04-02-2014, 07:54 PM
-_- dag gum autocorrect. yes. sick XD

Mermaid Adriel
04-04-2014, 02:31 PM
Depression. Again -.-

deepblue
04-04-2014, 05:59 PM
FYI, there is a mental health issues thread, too: http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?5010-Living-with-mental-health-issues

Personally, I'd like depression to stop being called a mental health issue, since if can often be quantified physically- but only after death, when the brains of people who lived with severe depression are studied and found to be lacking in the now well known serotonin and norepinephrin, which is how the medications for depression were designed. When a clearly physical illness causes mood and emotional issues, they don't suddenly call it mental. And since we know so much more about depression than we once did... well I'd like to see a lot of changes based on what we know now. Depression causes so many physical problems- I get a lot of muscle pain, super tender all over. The fatigue, insomnia or oversleeping... one could go on and on.

In any case. Just stopping in for a moment to update. My blood tests revealed exactly what I suspected.

The allergy I have developed seems to be causing me to have the migraines constantly. I finally got the allergen out of my system, stopped accidentally getting it, and my head was pain free for a few days. It was amazing. Then last night I started on a supplement to take its place, and I woke up with a bad headache. It might be that my system is still adjusting though, since I'm not covered in hives and my throat isn't really bad. Plus, paint fumes nearby are a possible cause, sucks that I can't really tell, because it's important.

But a deficiency in the particular vitamin I'm allergic to ALSO causes migraines.

In any case. I have to make a major change in my life that I never thought I would. It is extremely hard, very upsetting, and in ways only some people would get so I'm being vague. But I will say that after all the other health crap I have dealt with, I am very grateful that it looks like I can do this with minimal medical attention. As long as I proceed carefully, because I have got this ridiculously sensitive system and could find myself allergic to the new way of doing things.

Thank gods for my boyfriend. He is so supportive and understanding even though his paradigm is quite different from mine when it comes to all this.

I don't know how I'm going to make myself do what I have to, but I have to.

deepblue
04-29-2014, 04:29 PM
Know what? I realize this might already have been read, but I've changed my mind. I don't want to talk about it.

AniaR
05-01-2014, 09:37 PM
I know some of you ladies have endo like me, I am wondering if you experienced autoimmune progesterone dermatitis during your treatment for endo? it's where your body develops a sensitivity to the progesterone in treatments and it causes annoying symptoms like burning skin and cancor sores etc. I've been reading it goes hand in hand with endo treatments for some women who didn't know they were sensitive and I'm fairly certain I've got it. I'm on a wait list for a dermatologist which could take a year, ugh!

Even without endo, maybe some of you tried porgesterin based birth control and found out the hard way you were allergic.

I'm just scowering the net looking for solutions I can try while I wait to see a specialist! Thought someone here may have had experience.

Kishiko
05-01-2014, 10:39 PM
3rd week with this stupid cough... It started out being a sore throat and a barking cough (I've had it twice before, it was pertussis aka whooping cough) so I didn't think anything of it. Then it got worse, and I kept coughing... A week later still coughing... I figured it was just persisting. So now in week three at the beginning of the week my throat was swelled up really bad but the swelling went down. So I thought I was fine (seeing a pattern here?) And now for the last few days it's not just barking, it's more like choking. My throat closes up when I cough and I physically can't breathe any air in between coughs. Feels horrible and hurts my chest like you wouldn't believe. I literally double over and have to sit for a few minutes afterwards just to breathe normally again. Oh yeah let's not forget the constant headache, fatigue, insomnia (although that's probably from coughing all night) chest and stomach pains and the fact that no cough medicine does ANYTHING :gah:Now going through that for three days I finally decided to go viisit the doctor so I'm going in tomorrow.... Sigh

Mermaid Momo
05-13-2014, 10:51 AM
We don't know what's wrong with me and my mom is really worried that I could be really sick. It all started when I threw up all day the day after my period ended in March. I had intense pain in my lower abdomen,so bad that I couldn't even sit up and this eventually led to me throwing up. For a whole month I had this pain in my lower abdomen and nausea but I never threw up again until the day before my April period was supposed to start. I couldn't eat or drink anything or else I would throw it up. Even water. Then I missed that period, I panicked a bit because I was worried that I might be pregnant but my mom took me to the doctor a week later and my test came out negative (she also bought me 2 home tests which also came out negative). At the doctor's I found out that I lost 5 pounds. I went from 118 to 113 in a matter of one day, so she said that the weight loss and the stress of being sick may have affected my period and that I was also so constipated that she could feel it when she pressed on my stomach. She told me to drink lots of water and that i'd feel better.

Here we are, 2 weeks later and i still haven't had my period (my mom's going to take me to get another pregnancy test, though she doesn't think it's that since I don't have any symptoms of being about 6 weeks pregnant). I'm not nauseous anymore, I don't have the pain either (mom bought laxatives after drinking water didn't have any effect) But now I have to gain back the weight I lost (I lost even more now. So much more that if I look in the mirror naked, my stomach dips inward under my rib cage now instead of swooping slightly out.) I'm eating more, my mom is forcing me to eat even if i feel full, and I'm drinking Ensure. But now I'm getting bruises . I had one on my knee and my knee hurt so badly whenever i put weight on it that i limped all day. Then the next day I had a huge bruise on my shin. And I always get so tired and my eyes water constantly (though these can be my allergies acting up.) I really hope I'm not really sick.

Mermaid Galene
05-25-2014, 08:53 PM
You should see a doctor. It could be appendicitis.

Mermaid Galene
06-13-2014, 01:18 AM
Well, this is a heckuva thing for a mermaid to have, and dang it, I'm 99 percent sure I do!

"Solar urticaria is a form of chronic hives that is caused by exposure to sunlight. People with this condition experience itching, redness and hives on areas of skin exposed to sunlight."

And now I know why my "sunburned" skin is driving me mad with itching. I thought it was weird that I got sunburn so quickly during our beach photoshoot, in spite of wearing a lot of SPF 30 sunscreen.

"It appears that people with solar urticaria make allergic antibodies against various proteins found in their own skin. These proteins' structure changes with sunlight, allowing the allergic reaction to occur, causing hives. It is possible for a person with solar urticaria to experience anaphylaxis if enough skin is exposed to sunlight."

Even more delightful.

I guess I'd better take antihistamines and use a parasol for any gigs that expose me to direct sun.

In the meantime, I want this burning and unbearable itching to go away!

Mermaid Zaffiro
06-20-2014, 04:38 PM
Depression and panic attack....again... [emoji21]


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Aziara
07-24-2014, 10:06 AM
I will start my rant with this: I am intensly allergic to all traditional lubricants due to them containing vitamin E. I went to the OB for my first pregnancy checkup on monday. I had no idea they had to use lube (never been to a OB before). Walking out of the office, I suddenly felt like someone lit my panties on fire. I realized then that they must have used lube on me. I ran to a bathroom and tried to clean off as much as possible. Finally thought of heading to a gas station nearby, as they have the sink and toilet in a single locked room. I got all cleaned up, but I must have absorbed enough, because my chest started to close up and it became difficult to breathe. Later my heart decided to get in on the party and refused to beat with anything resembling a rhythm. Luckily I have several homeopathic and other remedies that are always in my purse, so I was able to avoid the hospital (if I went to the hospital every time this happened, I'd be there every week. Sometimes twice). The next two mornings my guts 'purged'. I wasn't sure whether to sit on the toilet or hug it. All this... because the f*cking FDA considers 'vitamin E' to not be an allergen. I really hope my little one is going to be ok.

maressa
07-24-2014, 10:16 PM
^Ouch ouch! They didn't ask you if you had any known allergies before they treated you? Epic fail :(

Grey Gambit
07-24-2014, 10:27 PM
I'm really annoyed with my chest, as the doctor I went to see last week took an X-ray and said my ribs weren't deformed and looked perfectly normal looking, yet agreed with me they looked a little odd when he was poking around feeling the ribs (which hurt). My friends think it might be stress fractures, which don't always show up on X-rays and I have been binding my chest for a few years now... and can't now as it's reached a point it hurts too much. I just want to figure out what's wrong so things will stop hurting.

Mermaid Lily_Pad
07-24-2014, 10:33 PM
Ack Azaria! That is seriously not good. You may want yo wear a med aleart bracelet while you're pregnant explaining your allergen. They use ALOT of lube when you're pregnant. Every time you get any kind of ultrasound or any internal exam they use lube. You need to pin your doc and techs down and make sure they know exactly what you're allergic too and never let them do Anything until they explain every step and you remind them of your allergen.

Mermaid Lily_Pad
07-24-2014, 10:42 PM
Hey Grey, does it hurt to raise your arms up above your head?
I once slept on a really hard mattress and when I woke I was in really bad pain. I thought I just pint he'd something but over the next few days if started to get worse and worse. We were on vacation and the flight back was hellish. I ended up at the doc who sent me to a physical therapist. It turns out I dislocated a rib! I didnt even know you could dislocate a rib LOL. My PT had to work the muscles that had gotten all screwed up because of the rib and eventually the pain eased up but let me tell you it was Agony! I couldn't breath, couldn't move, couldn't raise my arms up...it sucked. You may want to see a chiropractor who should be able to tell if something has gone all wonky in there. While the rib relocated itself on its own, the damage to the tendons and muscles from the displacement is what hurt.

Grey Gambit
07-24-2014, 10:48 PM
I can still move my arms around and above me without pain, it's mostly my left side is really tender and sometimes feels like it's catching on something when I move around and stretch. But it mostly pains me when I lay on that side, or poke at it too much, or wear my binder (or pretty much anything that is tight on my chest.). And I think if it was dislocated it would have shown up on the X-ray? I have an old childhood injury in that area though, but when I saw a doctor about it way back they said it wouldn't cause me any trouble later in life.

Mermaid Wesley
07-25-2014, 12:07 AM
Do you have a good binder? Is it safe? It sounds to me like bone bruising which can take years to heal but are otherwise not bad for you. If your binder is too right it can bruise your ribs


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Ilyena
07-25-2014, 02:57 AM
On the matter of childhood injuries not causing trouble later on in life, my mum had an incident with her back when she was 16, and they said the same thing. Only in the past 10 years has it come to cause heaps of pain and required treatment which would have been quicker and simpler if it had been treated properly in the first place. Cannot be too careful with injuries, hopefully it stops hurting soon :)

Aziara
07-25-2014, 11:09 AM
^Ouch ouch! They didn't ask you if you had any known allergies before they treated you? Epic fail :(

Yeah, they actually did, but I told them 'gluten and wheat'. That's why I made the comment about the FDA, even though the vast majority of vitamin E is derived from wheat germ oil, the FDA claims that it is too 'pure' to have any allergens remaining. I can say from multiple personal experiences that is totally false. I actually get worse reactions from vitamin E sometimes, because like in this case, it took me several minutes to realize something was on me. If I had mistakenly come into contact with something obvious (like grabbing a bag of flour instead of a bag of sugar because they look so much alike) I would be running for a bathroom immediately to compulsively scrub.

Mermaid Galene
07-25-2014, 11:16 AM
I always tell doctors every single thing for which I have an intolerance, even if they think I'm bonkers! That includes codeine, sulfa, gluten, FODMAPS in food, acidic foods, whey, lactose, and UVB (sunlight). That being said, no matter how careful you are, it's very easy in medical facilities for one or more of the many people involved in patient care to either miss or ignore the list. When my Mom, who is glucose, lactose, and and FODMAP intolerant, was in the hospital with hip fractures, I personally told every nurse, dietician, and food-delivering orderly about her sensitivities. I even posted a list in her room and on her bedside tray. And every single meal, they brought her stuff she couldn't eat! Great way to further debilitate their patient! That was not a fabulous hospital. =8-0

Grey Gambit
07-25-2014, 11:23 AM
Wesley: The binders I've been using were supposed to be safe to use, at least from what I found out from researching different ones. But I just thought it weird that it was only after 3-4 years of binding that my ribs started looking a little funny to me; dipping down on one side, flaring up, and dipping down more as you go down the ribs. But only on that one side. And the doctor says there's nothing wrong with them. Idk what's going on with my body, but the pain doesn't seem all that bad some days, and then others the slightest movement sets everything off on that one side.

Raayvhen
07-25-2014, 12:32 PM
In stuck on my couch with an ice pack permanently on my face. I'm incredibly swollen from surgery and my nose keeps bleeding. I can't drink without feeling like I'm choking.

Mermaid Wesley
07-25-2014, 01:07 PM
Wesley: The binders I've been using were supposed to be safe to use, at least from what I found out from researching different ones. But I just thought it weird that it was only after 3-4 years of binding that my ribs started looking a little funny to me; dipping down on one side, flaring up, and dipping down more as you go down the ribs. But only on that one side. And the doctor says there's nothing wrong with them. Idk what's going on with my body, but the pain doesn't seem all that bad some days, and then others the slightest movement sets everything off on that one side.

That's no good. I hope you figure it out! If you've done your research on safe binding then you know more than me, I've only got it on word of mouth. Maybe just rest and ice is all you can do.


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Mermaid Lily_Pad
07-25-2014, 02:29 PM
A dislocation doesn't show up, usually because it relocates right away. Honestly I would check in with a PT or a chiropractor. Believe it or not I have had more luck finding out what is wrong with my body from them then from normal doctors. When I was 18 or so I messed up my shoulder. I went to the top orthopedist in the area and he said "there is nothing wrong, it's just a muscle spasm", then he sent me to PT, they took one look at me and sent me back to him (Same building) and he said.."oh it's just a strained tendon....back to PT...and again they sent me back to him telling him that there was more damage then he thought. After about...ohhhh 5 months of this I was working with a friend who happened to be a message therapist. I was rubbing my shoulder and he came up behind me and started to message my next and shoulder, then felt down my back and said "You know you tore your trap muscle?" I was like..."did not, my doc says it is just a pulled tendon"...he says..."Noooooo I can feel the space in the muscle where it is torn apart. Then he pushed on it..and ooowwwyyyy....I went back to PT told them what he said, they sent me to the doc who FINALLY really took a look at me and said. "Oh yeah, you tore your rotator cuff, your trap muscles, and damaged the nerves in your neck. When I asked him what I should do he says..."You waited to long, there is nothing we can do about it now"....If looks could kill that man would be dead.

The Second time a doc was clueless was when I injured my knee. They did MRI's and he said.."Oh it's just a strain, go to PT"... I went to a new Physical Therapist who took a look at the MRI and said..."You tore your minicus" NO I didn't! The doctor said it was a strain!...Then he pointed out the exact place, plain as day on the MRI where it was torn. Even I could see it. He then gave me a card to a new doctor. I learn right then that the best people to find a doctor from are PTs because THEY see the patents after the surgery's and they know which ones make full recoveries, and which ones have to do more surgery because the surgeon was clueless. The new doc had me in surgery ASAP and my knee is all better.

Mermaid Sirenia
07-25-2014, 04:46 PM
I have...

A - A heart disorder (dilated aortic root) which makes my heart beat really really fast when I'm very active, so I can't play sports.
B - A connective tissue disorder which is kind of like Marfan syndrome if you've heard of it, but it doesn't have all the qualities. I'm really weak because the connective tissue, as the name implies, connects the bones.
C - A bone disorder (I don't know what it is)
D - I get random debilitating, almost migraine-like, headaches, sometimes twice a week, which force me in bed for the whole day. The cause is unknown.

Could the headaches be cluster headaches? Clusters are WAY worse than a migraine, and cause people to not be able to do anything they're in so much pain. They don't know the cause of it, or the cure. It runs in my family, and as of right now I don't have them, but I have signs that it may happen in the future. My mom has them the most, and they tend to last a week for her


~Mermaid Sirenia~

Raayvhen
07-28-2014, 09:11 PM
Sexy post surgery bruises...

maressa
08-07-2014, 01:59 PM
Held off on posting in here just because I never really know what to say about my health, but it came up in another forum.

This month marks 4 years ago I was diagnosed with MS, and it's just been... weird. It's weird to be a young person with a health issue, because other people your age doesn't understand or know how to react when things come up. I was hospitalized last year because some of the effects of my flare-ups is the loss of the use of my legs, hands, and double vision... and everyone looks at you like a stray dog. Sometimes all I want is just a squeeze on the hand, a smile, and to be told that it's ok to relax and watch TV until I feel better.

It's also weird... and incredibly frustrating... to have an invisible illness, because I'm 5'11", energetic on good days, and 125lbs... which to anyone else looks like a healthy young lady. MS is sporadic, and hits at random times in random ways, in any form from sudden and intense nausea to headaches to tingly limbs... and when you SUDDENLY get sick, people get skeptical, especially when you were fine just moments before. It's hard to explain that I don't have nay control over it and even though I look healthy, I don't feel that way.

MS has changed my life in a lot of ways, some for the better- I wasn't quite so driven before being shown that I have an expiration date at a young age. It also keeps me from applying to dead-end jobs and wasting myself, because I MUST have good health insurance, or else. In order to care for myself I had to learn to be organized, schedule my life in advance and make sure everything is in place. I value the people in my life and the times when I feel good more than I ever had before, and before I was diagnosed I was always confused about why I felt the way I did. Knowing the reason and knowing that it was found early enough to be treated is a comfort to me.

Anyway. A judge-free zone to ramble in is very nice and refreshing. Thank you Raina, and strength to all you other strong mers dealing with the fun little things life throws at you. <3

Mermaid Wesley
08-08-2014, 01:49 AM
First migraine today. FREAKING SCARIEST THING IVE EVER EXPERIENCED. Between the weird vision spots, inability to read think or speak correctly, and numbness in my hand face and tongue, I thought I was dying. Misery.

Mermaid Galene
08-08-2014, 02:22 AM
I can totally empathize, Wesley. I've had migraines for 27 years, and they can be pure hell. Preventives and treatments today, though, are so much better than they used to be. If this happens to you again, see a neurologist!

Mermaid Wesley
08-08-2014, 01:04 PM
I did end up going to urgent care and now I'm all better (for the time being) why do people call them "migraine headaches" when that's hardly the half of it? I was crying my eyes out in the car after leaving work because I was scared and so confused. So to any future migraine sufferers out there: migraines can look similar to strokes. Yes you see things in the corners of your eyes etc. Your brain sortof actually stops hurting. And this can all be before the head he even starts. I actually went completely numb in exactly half of my face. Including half of my tongue. On and then I threw up five times. So yes if i get another one I'll be looking into preventatives. I was doing a lot of small, detailed, hand sewing yesterday and I'm thinking that could have triggered it. Unfortunately I was planning on using yesterday and today to finish the meticulous hand sewing. I have a meet up tomorrow and I wanted to have a new sparkley top.
I think I might wear it anyways. I've been sewing symmetrically do it doesn't necessarily look
Unfinished oh I'm going to stop typing my head is hurting a little time for some meds. WSH ME LUCK

Echidna
08-08-2014, 01:22 PM
I actually went completely numb in exactly half of my face. Including half of my tongue.

:eek:
I frequently suffer from migraines bad enough to make me sick, and have all the vision problem things before it even starts etc, but what you're describing sounds more like a small stroke.
I know some "migraines" can lead to (or be the aftermath of) a minor stroke.

I'm pretty sure I had one or two already (everything went black while I was lying in bed doing nothing, then it felt like I was rapidly falling down several meters, and simultaneously it felt like someone dealt me a blow to the head but from the inside).

It's also a common thing for people with my illness, clinics here run CT scans regularly on patients with the disease to see how many strokes they've had already.

It's scary stuff, especially as there is nothing one can do about it, but it's something to keep in mind-
maybe there are preventative measures you can take for your condition.

Mermaid Wesley
08-08-2014, 01:29 PM
Apparently the numbness is a part of a specific kind of migraine. I asked my doctor and he did say not to worry about stroke since I have all excellent health and I'm young. He did tell me to call if it happens again etc but I feel almost back to normal this morning. Thanks for the concern girlie :) im on top if it (and I have insurance)

Mermaid Lily_Pad
08-08-2014, 01:51 PM
Wesley I hope you feel better soon. I get migraines but I don't get the halo. I get sensitivities to sound, smell, and light. I don't get sick but the pain can be so bad I want to chop my head off LOL.

On another note. I am going to my first Endo support group meeting tonight! I am really excited to meet other people that I can relate to, and who can relate to me.

Mermaid Galene
08-08-2014, 06:47 PM
This is a very good organization for migraine sufferers to join. They are a gold mine of information, including the latest treatments for migraines and other chronic headaches.

http://www.headaches.org/

I've been a member for almost 30 years, and I've learned a lot of things that have actually helped control my migraines.

Mermaid Wesley
08-08-2014, 07:56 PM
Thanks!

Raayvhen
08-31-2014, 08:45 PM
The past 18 hours have sucked! In the middle of our first proper night out since my surgery I got horrible cramps. Like my uterus is trying to wage war on the rest of my body. They haven't stopped. I also developed a (tmi?) huge case of stabbing gas that kept me up all night in addition to the cramps. The gas hasn't gone away but it's improved. At one point last night I got up to go to the bathroom and ended up curled up on the floor clutching my stomach crying. Now that things are kind of better I decided to work on sewing my tail and after about 20 minutes my sprained rib decided to throw a bitch fit and be incredibly painful to the point of nausea. I'm now laying in bed waiting for my dad to get back from riteaid with a pain patch for my ribs.

Mermaid Zaffiro
09-05-2014, 03:35 PM
So many problems ... you have all my support,mer-friends.
I have fibromialgya,and I suffer from a severe degenerative disease of the back: my back is still (by magnetic resonance) like a person of 80 years... I did to make a surgery,but the solving is uncertain. >-<

Meronica
09-05-2014, 04:03 PM
I've had migraine headaches since I was about 12 or so. Only recently started getting treatment for them. :( Propanolol is a godsend-- I take 40 mg a day and so far haven't had a bad migraine attack since taking it. I highly recommend asking your doctor about trying it if you get as many migraines as I was getting this summer. It's simply no way to live. I'm also on Sumatriptan as a pain killer to be taken at the onset (aura phase) of a migraine-- the only problem is that my insurance only covers 9 pills every 30 days, or they're like $250 for that quantity...so I need to ration them. :/ I'm currently out until I can get a refill on September 19th. The American medical system is so money-hungry and just...sick. I hope that the Propanolol keeps working for me in the meantime.

Amphitrite
09-06-2014, 11:13 PM
I'm blanking sick and tired of having a brain injury. Being treated as 'less than' and 'stupid' and 'helpless, hopeless, as a FRIKKIN child for goodness' sake! I'm 29 YEARS OLD! Figure it out retard! Stop degrading me by treating me like one of your little brats! >.< (ranting. Sorry).

deepblue
10-06-2014, 07:40 PM
If one more person assumes I just guessed about the allergies I have and makes a helpful suggestion about how it's probably 'this other thing or that', I'm going to snap.

I was diagnosed by an allergist. Blood and skin tests were done. I didn't just guess, so no, I do not have some other condition which seems to have every symptom on the planet as part of the diagnosis people are giving me.

I got away with eating a lot of things that fall under the should not eat category for a long time, but I did not realize, either, how many things I was eating that were part of the problem, which is probably why it got so bad suddenly. B12, vitamin D- just two examples of vitamins (when created in the lab and used as supplements) produced by fermentation processes, which if I eat in foods make me sick as the proverbial dog. Anything produced using acetic acid, anything with vinegar in it, anything with ANY thing produced by a fermentation process causes me an allergic reaction if eaten. Anywhere from achey the next day to isntant hives, sore, swollen throat, wheezing... always with migraines. It's scary, actually, and I'm glad I carry around an epi-pen.

My diet is boring as heck now, but I've minimized my migraines and that is awesome. Meanwhile, I've managed to level up my nutrients again, blood tests are good, and only one level of vitamin is really low, and I'm tackling it from all sides. Luckily I am really into cooking, so I can make my own home made, non-fortified versions of things I was buying in stores, but it is very time consuming... and harder than before I was a mom.

But seriously. When people say, "No thanks," to food, just let it go, people. Please don't ask why. And if they answer, "allergies," please let THAT go. I'm at this point where I just say, "I don't talk about it, thanks." Because of all the free advice from well intentioned people who have NO CLUE what they're talking about.

Aziara
10-06-2014, 11:21 PM
If one more person assumes I just guessed about the allergies I have and makes a helpful suggestion about how it's probably 'this other thing or that', I'm going to snap.

I was diagnosed by an allergist. Blood and skin tests were done. I didn't just guess, so no, I do not have some other condition which seems to have every symptom on the planet as part of the diagnosis people are giving me.

I got away with eating a lot of things that fall under the should not eat category for a long time, but I did not realize, either, how many things I was eating that were part of the problem, which is probably why it got so bad suddenly. B12, vitamin D- just two examples of vitamins (when created in the lab and used as supplements) produced by fermentation processes, which if I eat in foods make me sick as the proverbial dog. Anything produced using acetic acid, anything with vinegar in it, anything with ANY thing produced by a fermentation process causes me an allergic reaction if eaten. Anywhere from achey the next day to isntant hives, sore, swollen throat, wheezing... always with migraines. It's scary, actually, and I'm glad I carry around an epi-pen.

My diet is boring as heck now, but I've minimized my migraines and that is awesome. Meanwhile, I've managed to level up my nutrients again, blood tests are good, and only one level of vitamin is really low, and I'm tackling it from all sides. Luckily I am really into cooking, so I can make my own home made, non-fortified versions of things I was buying in stores, but it is very time consuming... and harder than before I was a mom.

But seriously. When people say, "No thanks," to food, just let it go, people. Please don't ask why. And if they answer, "allergies," please let THAT go. I'm at this point where I just say, "I don't talk about it, thanks." Because of all the free advice from well intentioned people who have NO CLUE what they're talking about.
Hey, I'm with you there. What I get sick of is the well-intended pity. "Good grief, what DO you eat??" or "I would starve if I tried to eat like you do" etc etc. Shut up people, you're only making me feel like a freak. Worse are the idiots who say something like "Oh, you can't eat wheat? So you can have white bread instead?":headwall: Or the 'Marie Antoinette syndrome' "You can't have bread? Ok, have some cookies!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPOXLJFlkMc

Capt Nemo
10-07-2014, 12:15 AM
For those with wheat allergies, try sourdough breads. I came across an artical that linked gluten problems with the beginnings of fast rise yeast use. The fast rise strains came out about 1980, and back then nobody was intolerant.

deepblue
10-08-2014, 11:03 PM
Hey, I'm with you there. What I get sick of is the well-intended pity. "Good grief, what DO you eat??" or "I would starve if I tried to eat like you do" etc etc. Shut up people, you're only making me feel like a freak. Worse are the idiots who say something like "Oh, you can't eat wheat? So you can have white bread instead?":headwall: Or the 'Marie Antoinette syndrome' "You can't have bread? Ok, have some cookies!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPOXLJFlkMc

Omg yep- looking for recipes on making salad dressings without vinegar due to ALLERGIES- and I mean it is listed right there- SEVERAL responses were recommending recipes which use prepared, bottled ketchup and mustard. I will be attempting to make vinegar-less ketchup but I've never seen it without vinegar. (For a good reason having to do with preserving, but if I can make it single use, I will.)

Miyu
10-09-2014, 12:39 AM
Surly, try different oils for your dressings! I use things like walnut oil, grapeseed oil, and sometimes a good plain olive oil... Usually I also use vinegar, but I think that could be remedied with either water (added or naturally-occurring in produce), or with lemon/lime/any citrus juice (if that's okay in your diet). I make all of my own salad dressings (literally. I will. not. have. dressing. if I don't make it), so let me know if you want me to dig out some recipes for you! I'm way huge into nutrition (maybe a little too much sometimes).

deepblue
10-09-2014, 10:42 AM
Yeah, I'll take recipes. :D I don't have enough... because you can never have enough recipes. :D I have a number of other food sensitivities and allergies, but I can adjust things. Unless it's oniony or heavy on dairy, both of which are two of my most severe allergies, and neither can really be sub'd for in recipes which are heavy on them as a main ingredient. (I know, I can make certain dairy subs, like cashew cream, but my daughter is deathly allergic to cashews so they aren't allowed in my house.)

My biggest problem with dressings has been that I really miss balsamic vinegar. I have tried other recipes, and I'm all.. sigh. No balsamic. heh.

maressa
10-11-2014, 05:38 PM
Just done with today. Had a show last night and woke up in the middle of the night with sore legs, sore back, headache, everything- hungry but no appetite and everything just made me feel worse. MS, I hate you so much. So. Much.

Winged Mermaid
10-24-2014, 12:18 AM
I just need to vent. So you guys may have noticed I've been pretty quiet lately. I don't talk about my health and personal issues much, but the past several months have really worn me down. I've been so exhausted and several of my illnesses are kicking up, and now I have another that I've developed (or maybe just bad enough to come to light), which I'm currently in diagnosis process for. I currently have 14 different conditions, and at least 4 different illnesses that could each stand alone for me being considered “disabled” on all their own. With those combined and more.. it makes it extremely complicated. I have a lot of things that I have to account for and juggle to keep going on a day-to-day basis. When something flares up badly, or something new comes along, it throws a big friggin wrench in everything and knocks me on my ass. Lately I've barely been able to handle the basics, hardly able to function. Even sleep has gone from the regular "stressful pain in the ass" to straight up exhausting. I've gained weight too cause pretty much all I can do most days is get up and move the couch, then move back to the bed at bedtime. Even getting out of the house for errands like grocery shopping is a triumph. Hubby at least has been super great with helping with everything around the house and errands. He spent his week off making sure I didn't have to stretch myself any thinner by taking care of those things. He even cooked, which he almost never does, because otherwise I just wouldn't bother to eat pretty much at all. So blessed to have him! And of course doctors are always so frustrating >_< That's a whole other rant..

It's just times like these where I'm just in an existential crisis. Like how am I supposed to get a hold on this, let alone raise kids like this one day? Or what happens when as I get older I can't handle my health as well? It's just really scary :( And I feel like I can't talk about it to my friends much. Especially on Facebook and whatever.. people just call me a debbie downer or tell me natural remedies that I've tried and don't work or are just totally useless, then get pissed when I try to explain to them why it doesn't/won't work (that's a whole other rant, urgh). I've learned that if I stay much about my health people will just stop talking to me becuase I'm a "negative person" if I do. Well, so freaking sorry for making you feel bummed out. Imagine how it is living with it! I'm finding some comfort in the Spoonie community.

But it's just really scary, ya know? I'm sure some of you can relate.

Mermaid Lorelei
10-24-2014, 01:07 AM
Feel free to send me a message whenever you need to Iona. <3 My door is always open for you.

PearlieMae
10-24-2014, 01:30 AM
Same here, Iona!

Hollydell
10-24-2014, 02:37 AM
Hey MerNetwork. I just need a rant right now.

Growing up I always had pneumonia. Every year I was hospitalized because it got so bad, I felt like I was submerged in water and couldn't breathe 24/7.
To this day I can not take in a full breath.
It gets worse in the winter because where I live it snows and it's cold and that's what triggers it. Last year was the first year in 4 years that I wasn't hospitalized. It's just coming into fall now and the feeling is progressing rapidly. I'm terrified to be hospitalized again.
I've gone to doctors but they tell me it's active induced asema. Which isn't true (I'm a cheerleader, dancer, snowboarder, singer, mermaid, and so much more. And it doesn't change when I'm being active).

I also have depression. I hate it because I'm always sad and I really hate it because I feel like people make me just another statistic. ["Ohh 7 out of ten kids will have depression" everyone's eyes turn to me] :l
I'm at a really low point in my life. It's hard because I was finally at a high a couple months ago, but I lost a lot of friends and moved away.
I'm trying to turn it around, I'm moving home and staying active, but this low point makes me want to eat, making me gain weight.

My anxiety has also picked up. It's inherited from my mom (as well as the depression). And no one understands it. I will jump at any little sound, I play it out to be a joke because I don't like people knowing. But coworkers have found it really funny and will purposely scare me to watch me shriek and jump.

Thanks for reading this. I just needed to clear my mind a little <3 I love you all.

Mermaid Lorelei
10-24-2014, 03:07 AM
Be My Hero - I know quite a few people here on Mernetwork (myself included) have depression and anxiety. I know that it seems like loneliness is currently your best friend. Trust me, I've been there more than I like. But we're here, and we have big hearts. <3

Mermaid Galene
10-24-2014, 07:11 AM
Iona and Be My Hero, I'm so sorry you're both going through bad times. I have several chronic health problems, too, that sometimes flare up to debilitating levels. I understand how suddenly and thoroughly that can derail one's life.

Iona, I'm glad you've come to MerNetwork for support. This your community; you have worked for it, nurtured it, and sustained it. We are here for you, just as you are always here for us!

Hero, one of the hardest things about chronic illness and depression is feeling alone. Know that you are NOT alone in this! Several people in this community suffer from those things, understand, and want to be supportive to others. Continue to reach out here; there is some comfort in knowing that you have a pod of sympathetic merfriends.

Here's what I've found helpful when my health problems flare up:

I turn to those who love me for help, hugs, and someone to listen. I never feel that doing so is a burden to them; because they love me, they really want to help.

I also make sure to have a supportive doctor, and that has meant shopping around for someone who is competent, open-minded, and a good listener. Because of the way some health systems are structured, it can be a chore to switch doctors, but it is worth the effort!

When I feel sick, I double down on the things that make me happy. I find a creative activity that isn't physically demanding and absorb myself in it. And if I'm incapacitated and in bed, I let my mind visualize and mentally create. I move forward toward achieving my goals, even if planning and dreaming are all I can do for awhile.

I go outside and absorb the sights, sounds, and smells of nature. I sing to the birds, stare at the clouds, feel the breeze on my face. It reminds me that there's so much life outside the confines of my ailing body.

Above all, I try to remember that health is like the seashore. Waves come in and waves go out, and the seascape is in constant flux. Whatever is happening right now, it will change. Pain and darkness will eventually wash out, and something wonderful will wash in.

Merhugs to you both. I wish you peace for now, and better times to come soon.

Hollydell
10-24-2014, 09:04 AM
Lorelei - thank you <3

Galene - so much is changing in my life. I just need to feel at ease again and I hope this will go down. Thank you for the help and I will definatly try the things you've said. <3

Amazing how alone you feel until you reach your hand for someone to grab <3

deepblue
10-24-2014, 01:29 PM
FYI, BeMyHero- we have a 'vent about your mental health' thread if you ever feel like talking anything out there, too.

I understand, btw- I was just thinking about last night, how common depression has become (which is terrible for all involved) and how weird it is to, for once in my life, have something considered 'common'. Although my major depressive disorder is ridiculous in how bad it gets (physically as well as mentally, which ought to be considered physical anyway) and I cannot be medicated for it, after 30 years and I've had doctors tell me I'm impressive to still be alive. People say, "Oh, hang in there... those thoughts will pass." Mine never do, and they can't imagine that. The horrid thoughts for me, never stop. Since I was 14. The feeling of an anvil on my chest is almost always there, my blood almost always feel like lead. But after so long, you learn coping mechanisms, you learn to somehow exist with it and even feel happiness when you never thought you could.

But I also have PTSD, and dissociative disorders as well as recurring anxiety (which used to be much worse), and bad asthma since I was a child (I also had pneumonia as a kid, seven times, and more hospitalizations than I can recall although, I haven't been in an ER for it since 2010!), along with these stupidly ridiculous allergies to everything and migraines which take about half my life from me. Even though they've been reduced greatly by my personal approach to my own care.

And Iona, you're right to think it gets harder when you have kids, it does, but I know for me, and for my sister who has an immune disorder, having kids is also something that brought an extra strength. I can't lay there in bed for days anymore, because I have to get up and move and take care of my daughter. My sister has days where she really can't, so she taught her kids to be a degree of self-sufficient while still being cared for. As mothers, we find ways to be parents and take care of ourselves. I think it's possible for *most* situations. I see video of people with no arms or legs caring for their babies, and it always motivates me. I think, well danm... if she can do it, I can do this.

And when I am really feeling the worst of it all, I turn to my heroes for inspiration; Damien Echols, Helen Keller, and Frida Kahlo. If they can get through what they did, and not just persevere but thrive, then so can I.

Lucinda
10-29-2014, 04:49 AM
Having (and treating) a skin condition on your hands can be quite annoying. Can't go swimming until it's gone. It's better not to use contact lenses (on land) until it's gone. I have to be careful not to smear the sticky stuff for my hands all over the place... and if I wrap my fingers in plasters touch screens and touch pads get all unresponsive. Meh.

Anahita
10-30-2014, 06:40 AM
Ugh, so having been a dancer I've kind of wrecked my feet in general. I've gotten used to it, it's not a big problem, in fact, it comes in handy with my other hobby (reenactment) because I can wear extant shoes.

However recently an old problem reared its ugly head again. My left foot has, once again (because it's only ever the big toe on my left foot), gotten a bad case of ingrown nail.... Or so I thought. But I pulled the nail out, cleaned out the area with antiseptic, and put antibiotic ointment on it, just like I do every time it happens. Then life carried on, and I had a lot of stressful sh*t I had to deal with and I forgot about the toe issue because it seemed to have taken care of itself and it certainly didn't hurt.

And then I noticed something weird. Like, a nasty little bulge going over the nailbed, and then the skin was redder than normal. So ugh, I have to fork out $135 I don't have to go to the urgent care and get antibiotics for it because I KNOW it's an infection. So I get the antibiotics, and the actual swelling of the digit has gone down, but the f*cking thing STILL BLEEDS every single time I wash it (something it wasn't doing before, but rather started last week) Now I'm done with the antibiotics and that weird bulge on the nailbed is still there, and to make things worse, I think I got a spider bite on that same foot, because now the WHOLE foot is sore and swollen, and I can't walk on it correctly, and there's a red, itchy, rash-like patch on top (which is actually how and where the swelling began. I noticed it, thought I had accidentally scalded myself in the shower, and so I put some A&D ointment on it ignored it until about four hours later I moved from where I had been standing at my craft desk to go to the restroom and BAM! realized I had a giant swollen sore foot)

So now I have to likely go to urgent care AGAIN. Fork over MORE money I don't have.... Ugh, this foot will just not let me have a break this month! I really REALLY hope my husband can get me my insurance tomorrow so I don't have to pay out the butt for another visit. Especially since the last time I was there I got practically 100% conflicting advice on how to deal with this stupid thing from the two doctors that saw me. I'd say moving to Canada to be with my husband is looking better and better, but I'm not even sure if I'd have insurance there either because I'm not a citizen like him, and honestly, with my luck I'd get frostbite on the same foot. :doh: But at least he'd be able to carry me in to the doctor instead of me having to walk on this gimp foot.

-Annwyn-
10-30-2014, 07:54 AM
My health gripe at the moment is that I have recently taken up fencing again after a 5 year break. During those 5 years, I put on about 60lbs. My head still thinks I'm 170lbs and wants my body to move faster than it actually is. It's like trying to push a car uphill. Plus I have tendonitis around my right knee and both my achillies tendons are playing up. I'm frustrated that I'm not able to shift the weight I'm carrying any faster, even though I know it's going to take time.
I know I have to, but I'm having a hard time convincing myself to be patient and give myself time. :mad:

Mermaid Leira
10-30-2014, 08:47 AM
Half the battle is motivation to get moving, sounds like your slaying it Annwyn :) things will pick up xx

-Annwyn-
10-30-2014, 08:52 AM
Half the battle is motivation to get moving, sounds like your slaying it Annwyn :) things will pick up xx

I have an awesome coach to support me, and push me on, which helps! I'm always really hard on myself. But I also have to remind myself that I'm only 3 weeks in, as well. :)

SeaGlass Siren
11-02-2014, 08:38 AM
doc recently prescribed me with birth control. worried if i take it my blood will clot and i'll have high blood pressure :|

deepblue
11-24-2014, 12:53 PM
How'd that go for you, SeaGlass? Hormonal birth control affects everyone differently, different pills are better for different women... personally, I can't take any hormonal birth control.

Speaking of hormones:

The change in my diet has, as expected, messed up my hormones enough that I am getting really awful migraines during ovulation and right before my period again. But it's not a change I have a choice in, thank you wacky physiology. I spent most of yesterday absolutely out of commission. One of those migraines that leaves you shivering in a curled up ball trying to not cry because even the quietest crying involves sound and movement. It just laid me out. Thank dog my bf was here- not only did he attend to my daughters, whose medical needs right now make her a lot of work (a cast from hip to ankle and in a wheelchair), but he was there for me to. I have a wonderful man.

So here's to venting about health... migraines from hell.

Echidna
11-24-2014, 01:05 PM
I spent most of yesterday absolutely out of commission.
So here's to venting about health... migraines from hell.

...same here.
All of yesterday, part of today.

Strange- I've noticed that in the past when you and some others on here had migraines, so did I.
And we don't even live in the same country!

Where's my tinfoil?

deepblue
11-24-2014, 01:07 PM
lol

Seriously. I came down with the beginnings of it on Saturday night, just laying in bed, my head on my BF's shoulder, I was just fine and then... pain.
Next day started about like that, migraine, but I've been dealing with them since I was 18, so I function pretty well with some migraines when maybe others would not.

But then. omg. Yesterday.

If wearing a foil hat will help, I'll do it.

SeaGlass Siren
11-25-2014, 10:25 AM
Hey blue! It's been ok so far. Just breaking out and minor bloating but my body is adjusting to it now :) thanks for asking!
Yikes about the migraine tho :( :hug:

MermaidCelesteFL
11-26-2014, 07:41 PM
Wow, I just found this thread!

So, like many other mers, I suffer from chronic migraines. Not just the normal ones (which are already debilitating), but mine get so bad that I go into seizures and stop breathing. I have FMLA for it at work, but I'm getting teased at work for calling in so many times. I've been to a neurologist who gives me old medication that had nasty side effects, and topamax. He does a few quick tests, doesn't listen to what I have to say, and pushes me out the door. I've been through a few CAT scans, and nothing comes up. Nobody knows why I have these nasty migraines, but I've been advised from doing pretty much everything I like to do. And when I do get migraines, I have to take a multitude of medication that doesn't work most of the time. (I had to pair it with "mary jane" for it to work). It has hospitalized me three times, and all they do is give me pain relievers and send me home. And then I get a migraine the next day. FML

I may or may not be bipolar. Nobody seems to know. It's either clinical depression or bipolar, and between all of my doctors, they can't pinpoint exactly which one it is. I've had suicidal thoughts since I was 5, and nobody believes me. I pay 30 dollars a session to see a doctor, they do nothing, and I go home with my same regimen of four different medications to fix whatever I have. I don't trust therapists anymore, because the last time I went to one, I was Baker Acted (sent to a mental institution in handcuffs and escorted by a policeman). There wasn't even anything entirely wrong with me at the time, I was just upset because my boyfriend left me in a nasty situation. No therapists. Not ever.

In the meantime, everyone thinks that I have these disabilities to draw attention to myself, that being bipolar or having clinical depression can be "fixed" with a proper diet and exercise routine- no medication. I feel like I can't tell anyone how I'm feeling or what I'm going through because I'm only going to "cry for attention" again.

Meronica
11-26-2014, 07:43 PM
I would just like to let everyone know that I'm currently at my crappy retail job and starting to get yet another migraine. -___-

It seems so many of us have them!

Mermaid Aika
11-26-2014, 07:45 PM
Wow, I just found this thread!

So, like many other mers, I suffer from chronic migraines. Not just the normal ones (which are already debilitating), but mine get so bad that I go into seizures and stop breathing. I have FMLA for it at work, but I'm getting teased at work for calling in so many times. I've been to a neurologist who gives me old medication that had nasty side effects, and topamax. He does a few quick tests, doesn't listen to what I have to say, and pushes me out the door. I've been through a few CAT scans, and nothing comes up. Nobody knows why I have these nasty migraines, but I've been advised from doing pretty much everything I like to do. And when I do get migraines, I have to take a multitude of medication that doesn't work most of the time. (I had to pair it with "mary jane" for it to work). It has hospitalized me three times, and all they do is give me pain relievers and send me home. And then I get a migraine the next day. FML

I may or may not be bipolar. Nobody seems to know. It's either clinical depression or bipolar, and between all of my doctors, they can't pinpoint exactly which one it is. I've had suicidal thoughts since I was 5, and nobody believes me. I pay 30 dollars a session to see a doctor, they do nothing, and I go home with my same regimen of four different medications to fix whatever I have. I don't trust therapists anymore, because the last time I went to one, I was Baker Acted (sent to a mental institution in handcuffs and escorted by a policeman). There wasn't even anything entirely wrong with me at the time, I was just upset because my boyfriend left me in a nasty situation. No therapists. Not ever.

In the meantime, everyone thinks that I have these disabilities to draw attention to myself, that being bipolar or having clinical depression can be "fixed" with a proper diet and exercise routine- no medication. I feel like I can't tell anyone how I'm feeling or what I'm going through because I'm only going to "cry for attention" again.

I'm so sorry about that, Celeste! Just remember you have tons of friends here who support you!

PhaylennMurúch
11-26-2014, 08:09 PM
goodness, I had a migraine this morning, not as bad as some but I get them in all their light and sound sensitive glory about once a month or so since I hit puberty. It might just be me but I found that krill oil helps with my migraines, I started taking it for my ADD and Thyroid and it dulled the ouch considerably

Mermaid Galene
11-26-2014, 09:33 PM
I've been a member of the intractable migraine club for 27 years, many of them quite desperate years. I've taken every preventive that exists and suffered years of miserable side effects, particularly from anti-convulsants.

But I want you all to know, things can improve. I have two excellent neurologists - one locally and one at Mayo Clinic. I believe it takes a really good neurologist to help a patient with severe chronic migraines. Family doctors just don't have the complex knowledge and experience needed. It's also important to be as informed as possible about one's own affliction. I have always been very proactive, reading about the latest research into causes and treatment of migraine. The National Headache Foundation (http://www.headaches.org) is an excellent, supportive source for this information. I also discovered that chemicals leached from plastics are a huge, hidden source of triggers for migraine sufferers. Once I eliminated plastic bags, wraps, storage containers, and water bottles from my food and water supply, my headache frequency dropped from an average of 3-5 per week to one every 2-4 weeks.

So don't give up hope!

SeaGlass Siren
11-27-2014, 11:07 AM
they say when you hang around with a bunch of people long enough you experience the same things. for example, the same period cycles. though i wonder if it applies for migraines too...

Merman Chatfish
11-28-2014, 05:00 PM
I just started reading this from the beginning, not even half way thru the first page and I just want to give everyone hugs. Not sure I can keep going much more.

Merman Chatfish
11-28-2014, 06:00 PM
Ok just got done reading thru everything. Before the replies let me list off real quick, I suffer from depression, social anxiety attacks, ADD and ear problems. My ADD and depression have also resulted in me developing some weight problems recently because I will go for comfort food and when I go do exercise like in the pool because of my ADD I can only swim about 8 laps before I get bored (and I know I can swim more, I did 2.5 miles once in open water on Lake Superior).

Many have also suggested i might have Asperger's. I don't actually but I show many of the same symptoms due to my inability to make friends and because my social skills are that of an elementary school kid. I grew up without friends thru elementary, middle, and most of high school, so when other people developed social skills normally mine was stuck when I last had friends, when I was 5 before I moved.


Wow, I would never have imagined that you guys had so many problems, iv talked to many of you and seen allot of your threads and posts and you all are so cheerful. I admire your strengths, really.

That is one of the problems with society, even my parents do this, they see depression and mental illness as taboo. Constantly my parents are telling me to never tell anyone or discuss it with anyone. But unlike my parents I am quite an open book. I don't mind publicly saying I suffer from different mental illness issues. I want people to know there are others out there like them and if they ever want to talk about it they can. Thats what I like about this topic and it is said a few times how its surprising but nice to see there are are others like us and we are not alone.
It did kind of backfire once, I was teaching a WSI class and had another WSI instructor sit in on it (she was maybe in her 40s or 50s) and I mentioned in general something about depression and she said something about how depression is a sham and if people tried they wouldn't be depressed. The eyes of one of my students got really big and they all complained about her comment after.


My depression is gone but I still get really weird mood swings before.
I hope that happens to me. I had a doctor tell me I will probably be on my meds the rest of my life.



Sometimes I think the doctors do more harm than good! It's so frustrating when they won't listen to you, who have lived with your own body and should know it best, right? And the constant battle, especially with mental illness is so exhausting!

I remember watching a video a few years ago about US and Japanese healthcare. In the US, for those who don't know, we actually have sick care. Most of the time you go in when your sick and pay to get made healthy. Not to go all conspiracy theory but since the doctors get paid as long as your sick they don't have the hurry to treat you. In Japan what they do is you pay the doctor when your healthy, then when you get sick they stop getting paid. They have much more incentive to get you healthy and fast.



My depression is treated with therapy and medication, but the medication gives me odd facial ticks around the lips and eyes from time to time. It's more annoying than anything else. The big issue with me is the weight gain. I've managed to lose three inches since starting mermaiding but it still bothers me that I'm 20 pounds heavier than I used to be. I keep telling myself it's muscle (which is true, really) but the number still wigs me out.

And I think that I may have the inability to love a man because I've been dating people since 16 and never once fallen in love. I know I'm not a lesbian and I'm not asexual so... is there something psychologically wrong with me, preventing me from feeling attracted to a man? Is it because my father abandoned my sister and I and we can't form a connection with a man because of it? I dunno. I'm seeking counseling to see if maybe I can suss out the answer to that one.

When did you start your anti-depressents? One of the more common side effects reduced sex drive and so that part may not be helping at all. It could also be you just haven't found the right one. The first two and only girlfriends I have ever had we dated more because we were both lonely (and in my case I never been with anyone and thought that maybe having a girlfriend would mean I would have someone there for me when I needed them and it would be ok if I didn't have any friends). I don't think I ever truly felt I loved them. There have only been two I have truly felt something for, I wrote a little about her on this post (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?2398-Mer-Soulmate&p=159110&viewfull=1#post159110), and the other is just too young for me right now. As I had to explain to my dad after my brother started dating a girl a few years after coming out as gay and dating a guy, love is not about the gender but who that person is and what they mean to you. Being bi means your not restricted to just one gender. Maybe for you its just finding the right guy.


I hate having SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) The anti-depression medication makes me feel better emotionally, but I keep catching myself clamping my jaw tightly to the point that when I open my mouth, my jaw hurts. I'm honestly surprised that I haven't cracked or broken a tooth from clamping down so hard.
But if I forget to take my medication, I don't clench, but my moods are severely affected.
I feel like I'm a lose lose situation.

You know I have noticed that my jaw hurts more when on my meds, maybe I am doing the same thing too? I am also on some pretty strong stuff (had to get my dosage reduced once because it was above the federal recommended max) and wow you really notice if you miss two days. Like I said before I was told by a doctor I would be on it the rest of my life. Sadly anti-depressents also have some negative sexual side effects, mainly reduced libedo and ability to obtain orgasim, which means I might not be able to do the natural way for having a baby.



I also have depression. I hate it because I'm always sad and I really hate it because I feel like people make me just another statistic. ["Ohh 7 out of ten kids will have depression" everyone's eyes turn to me] :l
I'm at a really low point in my life. It's hard because I was finally at a high a couple months ago, but I lost a lot of friends and moved away.
I'm trying to turn it around, I'm moving home and staying active, but this low point makes me want to eat, making me gain weight.

My worse low was also when my "friends" moved away when they graduated from college, including the friend linked post above. I went into such depression food literally rotted on my dorm room floor that summer because I couldn't even work up the will to put it into my fridge or eat it. Literally the only thing that got me going from day to day was teaching swim lessons and lifeguarding.

Merman Chatfish
11-30-2014, 02:56 PM
I have an extreme food addiction. Today I ate an entire pizza, a box of Mac n cheese, two ice cream cones and a bag of Cheetos. I've gotten stretch marks so fast that instead of the small purple ones people usually get, these are big red gashes across the upper back side of my thighs. I even have them on my breasts. I can't fit into any of my jeans anymore, and I'm too embarrassed about my body to wear skirts regardless of how hot it gets. I now wear sweatpants and a sweatshirt to cover myself.

It got so bad so fast that I'm completely overwhelmed. I try to ration my foods and eat carrots instead of Cheetos but I just don't have the willpower to keep it up. I've tried dirt plans, counting calories, exercising every day, but nothing helps me. My parents don't think anything is wrong and that I just need to eat healthier, but I don't think that's my problem. I don't have the will to eat healthier. I eat when I'm bored, I eat when I'm tired, I even eat when I'm full. I've tried things like drinking a bunch of water do I would feel full sooner and eat less, but I just eat again the second I'm not full anymore. I've also tried telling my mom not to buy anything for me at the grocery store do that I wouldn't eat junk food, but I find myself whining about having nothing to eat and I take myself out to dinner, usually at a local Thai restaurant.

And I don't know what to do anymore. So yeah, there's my health rant

I saw this post a while back from you which is a few years old and I have seen some of your photos on Facebook and other. You look prety good in those and not in sweats, I take it your doing quite a bit better?

Azurin Luna
12-02-2014, 07:09 AM
I'm getting a bad case of winterfingers :( It was nearly gone for a few years, but now it comes back with a vengance it seems. I always start to wear my gloves early, even before it gets cold to safe my fingers from getting to cold. But now not even that is working. I'm sitting here now, with fingers that are still ice cold and my skin on my fingers is starting to get harder and turn red. If it progresses even further then I won't even be able to pick up a paper from the floor because I can't feel anything :(

I'm now even wearing my motorcycle gloves outside to try and keep my fingers warm and I'm thinking about wearing gloves in the office too... I just don't know what to do against it as I tried alot already, some things even just make my fingers hurt more.

Miyu
12-02-2014, 07:20 AM
Aww, Azurin, I know the feeling... My family's got bad circulation, so I often lose feeling in my fingers/toes during cold days! DO you do the thing of "sitting" on your hands, or putting them between your legs (erm, not in the suggestive place)?

There's a reason why my favorite thing to knit is handwarmers, because I need them almost all year -_-;

Azurin Luna
12-02-2014, 10:03 AM
Yeah, I even hold my fingers next to the exhaust of my laptop, and it works for a while, but when you are working it's kinda hard to keep sitting on your fingers ;)

Naufra
12-02-2014, 04:38 PM
Having only read through the last page of this thread, I've found a lot I can sympathize with. Thank you for the tip about the krill oil, Phaylenn! I also get regularly scheduled migraines, I just talked to my doctor and I'm going on a Seasonale-type birth control pill to reduce the frequency of the migraines since they keep getting worse and they've become debilitating.

PearlieMae
12-02-2014, 05:05 PM
I'm getting a bad case of winterfingers :( It was nearly gone for a few years, but now it comes back with a vengance it seems. I always start to wear my gloves early, even before it gets cold to safe my fingers from getting to cold. But now not even that is working. I'm sitting here now, with fingers that are still ice cold and my skin on my fingers is starting to get harder and turn red. If it progresses even further then I won't even be able to pick up a paper from the floor because I can't feel anything :(

I'm now even wearing my motorcycle gloves outside to try and keep my fingers warm and I'm thinking about wearing gloves in the office too... I just don't know what to do against it as I tried alot already, some things even just make my fingers hurt more.

My Beau has the same thing (YIKES!) and taking cayenne capsules helped up his circulation and he's warmer all over now!

I'm just leaving the office, otherwise I would write more and provide links...Google and Dr. Weil is your friend!

Echidna
12-03-2014, 12:54 PM
I also discovered that chemicals leached from plastics are a huge, hidden source of triggers for migraine sufferers. Once I eliminated plastic bags, wraps, storage containers, and water bottles from my food and water supply, my headache frequency dropped from an average of 3-5 per week to one every 2-4 weeks.


Yea, I tried that.

Things which I believe trigger a migraine for me include:
-processed food (certain unnatural ingredients)
-certain cheap oils (for example on fries that are otherwise ok)
-food allergies (nuts, some fruits...)
-plants treated with herbicides
-too little sleep/disturbed sleep
-contact with toxins
-cold weather

Could go on for a while.
When there are so many factors, it's really hard to pinpoint the actual source in the end.

Even when I avoid all of the above, I still get one or 2 migraines per month (hormone-related), as my mother before she reached menopause, and her mother before (gotta love those genes).

So my hope is age will cure it in the end, but the meantime is going to be dreadful as I can't take painkillers or migraine blockers, they're all on the list of things I'm allergic to. :p

Grey Gambit
12-06-2014, 11:04 AM
Been having a serious trouble with lack of energy and depression lately, coupled with pretty bad dizzy spells and headaches which has made it really hard to really do anything. *shakes fist* But I've been feeling a bit better, I just feel so out of the loop with everything.

Echidna
12-17-2014, 07:11 PM
I think I may have malabsorption.

I eat about double of what my supposed needed calories are, even when doing nothing but sitting around.
I had to cut back my training to the minimum.
With the things I eat (fatty nuts, seeds, fries, cheese, loads and loads of potatoes, noodles and dark bread), I should be obese by now, but I'm not gaining any weight.

If I train or swim too long, I even lose weight (which I can't afford).
I remember being able to thrive and work out on normal amounts of food in the past.

I'm scared to try and find out which disease might have caused this, or whether it has been caused by the antibiotics I was stuffed with, or one of the meds I still have to take and absolutely can't stop taking.

And please no one say "lucky you" or some such, you don't realize how scary and painful it is having to eat so much and still being afraid to weigh even less the next day.
(not to mention expensive)

PhaylennMurúch
12-17-2014, 09:27 PM
There's a blood test for Celiacs, try going gluten free for a week (that's how I self diagnosed them got the blood test just to be sure)


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Echidna
12-17-2014, 09:39 PM
I've thought of celiacs, but I don't think that's it, because I've been eating gluten free for a long time already.
I only started eating gluten (noodles, bread) during the last few months when I was trying to gain weight.

At least I can rule out nasties like giardia and tapeworms, thanks to the metronidazole my doctors flooded me with :p

SeaGlass Siren
12-17-2014, 09:51 PM
Just started my second pack of Birth control. Honestly feeling like shit. Breaking out isn't fun either.
So I'm gonna see if my husband is actually infertile or not. We're booking two appointments. One for my birth control, second for a fertility test.
Main reason why I suspect he's infertile is because we've been sexually active for 8 years. No birth control or protection. (Stupid I know.) and no pregnancy scare. Like what are the chances?
So if he is infertile, yay no birth control for me and I go back to a non acne ridden face. If he is well then I pick having no babies over having a pretty face.

Meronica
12-21-2014, 04:43 PM
SeaGlass Siren, there are so many options out there if those specific pills aren't working for you. Most doctors will tell you to try any brand for three months so your body gets used to it, but if that time passes and you're still feeling sick/breaking out, there are plenty of other types as well as iuds, implanon, the depo shot, etc. It's really fantastic how many options us women have nowadays. (:

(Though it sure would be convenient if your man turns out to be shooting blanks! (; )

PhaylennMurúch
12-21-2014, 06:35 PM
Sea glass you have the exact opposite problem we had. I come from the stock of 'sexy man on tv? Boom pregnant' people. My merling (ods) was a pill failure baby, and the twins were conceived through the pill and spermicide foam. I ended up getting a tubal to prevent another spontaneous twin pregnancy


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SeaGlass Siren
12-21-2014, 06:54 PM
Meronica I might have to go with the patch if the pill doesn't work out. It would be really convenient if he shot blanks tho.
Phaylenn that sounds like an interesting story :0 how'd that happen?



Side note: now I've caught the flu. Damn it

Mermaid Galene
12-21-2014, 07:43 PM
The hubby and I spent last night in our local hospital ER for my recurring colon torsion. Fifth ER visit for this in the past three years. Bleh! Grateful no surgery was required, though.

Raayvhen
12-22-2014, 01:42 AM
My insurance denied my TENS unit.

Guess I'll just walk around with sprained ribs until I can afford to go buy one.

Mermaid_Jordyn
12-29-2014, 10:54 AM
I'm 13 and all of my issues are just drama in everyone's eyes. But what they don't know is I'm hopped up on anti-depressants and breathing machines and anti-biotics all the fucking time and it really upsets me when people say "oh Jordyn can't run the mile because she is fat and out of shape" WELL LISTEN HERE SWEETIE I CANT RUN THE MILE BECAUSE I HAVE A LUNG DISORDER SO UNLESS YOU WANT GO CALL THE AMBULANCE WHEN I CAN'T BREATHE BE MY GUEST!!!! I don't have athsma (whoops I have no clue how to spell that) which means it can't be treated the same and I look like a drama queen when I'm flopping on the ground like a fish out of water. I didn't know my anxiety or my breathing patterns or my OCD would get in the way of my life this much. I'm going to share something with you guys that is very very personal to me. I have attempted suicide 3 times because of being teased for my problems. I guess I'm just an over dramatic 13 year old right? :(


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Mer-gal
12-29-2014, 11:14 AM
I understand you girl! I am 14, and apparently whenever I get upset at something that seems silly to other people I am hormonal and it doesn't matter.

Example: Before break a girl called me cancerous. (You need to know I am totally incapable of standing up for myself.) She has said lots of other mean things to me, but this really stuck out because my grandma was diagnosed with lung cancer, my friend grandma just died from breast cancer, and when I was in the sixth grade I had a lump on my head removed which was described as cancerous. It is called a vascular anomaly, :google it: it.

I told my friends and they just laughed at me, and told me to stop over reacting. EVEN THE ONE WHO'S GRANDMA DIED!!!! Honestly, this is why I struggle with people. They seem to just turn around and stab you in the back.

Mermaid Aika
12-29-2014, 11:25 AM
I'm 13 and all of my issues are just drama in everyone's eyes. But what they don't know is I'm hopped up on anti-depressants and breathing machines and anti-biotics all the fucking time and it really upsets me when people say "oh Jordyn can't run the mile because she is fat and out of shape" WELL LISTEN HERE SWEETIE I CANT RUN THE MILE BECAUSE I HAVE A LUNG DISORDER SO UNLESS YOU WANT GO CALL THE AMBULANCE WHEN I CAN'T BREATHE BE MY GUEST!!!! I don't have athsma (whoops I have no clue how to spell that) which means it can't be treated the same and I look like a drama queen when I'm flopping on the ground like a fish out of water. I didn't know my anxiety or my breathing patterns or my OCD would get in the way of my life this much. I'm going to share something with you guys that is very very personal to me. I have attempted suicide 3 times because of being teased for my problems. I guess I'm just an over dramatic 13 year old right? :(


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I understand you girl! I am 14, and apparently whenever I get upset at something that seems silly to other people I am hormonal and it doesn't matter.

Example: Before break a girl called me cancerous. (You need to know I am totally incapable of standing up for myself.) She has said lots of other mean things to me, but this really stuck out because my grandma was diagnosed with lung cancer, my friend grandma just died from breast cancer, and when I was in the sixth grade I had a lump on my head removed which was described as cancerous. It is called a vascular anomaly, :google it: it.

I told my friends and they just laughed at me, and told me to stop over reacting. EVEN THE ONE WHO'S GRANDMA DIED!!!! Honestly, this is why I struggle with people. They seem to just turn around and stab you in the back.

Sorry about that girls, I hope it gets better for both of you. Mer-hugs! :group hug:

MermaidCelesteFL
12-29-2014, 11:40 AM
Girls, high school was the hardest part of my life by far. Between 12 and 17, I was constantly being rejected, bullied, made fun of for being overweight and/or stupid, and had no "close" friends. I wasn't allowed to be involved in extra-curricular activities (and got kicked off of the swim team and a few clubs) because my parents didn't want to drive me from school to home. When I got back from school, they worked me to the bone and abused me. By that point, I had been diagnosed with severe clinical depression, but no meds seemed to work for me. I used to cut myself on a regular basis; I overdosed twice on sleeping pills. I ended up graduating high school with a 1.8 GPA.

High school was never meant to be easy. It's there to prepare you for the future.

Life actually gets easier after high school if you were the ones that DIDN'T fit in. All of the ones who did, will find themselves completely lost once they get to college. I actually graduated college with a 3.8 GPA- all because I lived away from home, and because college is nothing like high school.

As many here can attest, the workforce itself is just an adult version of high school, complete with cliques, teasing/rejection, favoritism, etc. And this time, it affects your pay and your performance. At the same time, by this point, you learn to have a super-thick skin to things like this- all thanks to high school.

Mermaid_Jordyn
12-29-2014, 11:53 AM
In better know! I am 4 months since my last suicide attempt and 7 weeks clean from cutting


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Merman Chatfish
12-29-2014, 12:29 PM
I guess I'm just an over dramatic 13 year old right? :(

No, overdramatic is a 22 year old guy hugging a teddy bear and crying under a playground slide because when he invites his best friends to sit with him during a concert they go somewhere else. At least thats what my friends say.

Luckly for all of us we do have a group we fit in, and that is here on this forum. My clinic is going to soon be starting a group where people with depression our age can meet and discuss stuff and feel less lonely. My parents believe that discussing your depression is taboo because of the bad stigma, but I am very open about it because I want people to know they are not alone.

Merman Chatfish
12-29-2014, 12:39 PM
As many here can attest, the workforce itself is just an adult version of high school, complete with cliques, teasing/rejection, favoritism, etc. And this time, it affects your pay and your performance. At the same time, by this point, you learn to have a super-thick skin to things like this- all thanks to high school.


I can indeed attest to this. Last summer there were a few nights I left work crying, and I was the one in charge.

Merman Chatfish
12-29-2014, 12:50 PM
I understand you girl! I am 14, and apparently whenever I get upset at something that seems silly to other people I am hormonal and it doesn't matter.

Were they mostly boys? Boys tend to attibute everything about women to hormones.

Theta
12-29-2014, 02:31 PM
Were they mostly boys? Boys tend to attibute everything about women to hormones.

Women do, too ;) My mom has been accusing me of being constantly hormonal for the past fifteen years. She's never been able to accept that I'm just a cranky person.

Mermaid_Jordyn
12-29-2014, 02:33 PM
Women do, too ;) My mom has been accusing me of being constantly hormonal for the past fifteen years. She's never been able to accept that I'm just a cranky person.

"You're a woman now die" the wise words of hazel grace Lancaster in the fault in our stars


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Merman Chatfish
12-29-2014, 03:16 PM
Women do, too ;) My mom has been accusing me of being constantly hormonal for the past fifteen years. She's never been able to accept that I'm just a cranky person.

Well cranky is a personality trait which is based on brain wiring and data sent thru the brain is based on electrical signals in the neuron, and between neurons based on chemical signals, which is a mix of different hormons, so personality (crankiness) is just a funny constant hormonal mix. *tenses up and wait for Theta to punch me at my joke*

Mer-gal
12-29-2014, 03:19 PM
Were they mostly boys? Boys tend to attibute everything about women to hormones.

Actually they were and are mostly woman.
My parents are the only ones who seem to understand when I tell them I am being bullied, or when I tell them about things that have happened. My dad even more than my mom.

Merman Chatfish
12-29-2014, 03:28 PM
Actually they were and are mostly woman.
My parents are the only ones who seem to understand when I tell them I am being bullied, or when I tell them about things that have happened. My dad even more than my mom.

Wow I would think they would understand what it is like to be called hormonal and not want to call someone that.

PearlieMae
12-29-2014, 03:36 PM
Teenage years are hard. REAL fucking hard. Do your best to ignore the commentary of others (easier said than done), because they have no power over you unless you give them that power.

Suicidal thoughts and attempts are serious issues, trying to deal with taunting, bullying, and the trauma of illness is no easy task. Seek out help of counselors! School personnel should be able to at least direct you to someone who can help! KEEP ASKING FOR HELP.

:mermaid kiss:

Echidna
12-29-2014, 03:57 PM
^^absolutely!

I know sometimes even the best counseling won't help (especially while you're still stuck in the shitty situation), but I always told myself back in high-school:

all these people are immature, drooling stupid kids.
Why would you want to harm yourself over their stupidity?

Don't give them that satisfaction.

Once you are out of there, it'll resolve itself.
Similar situations can and will arise later, but then you'll be able to deal with it because you trained yourself to not care when others are mean, stupid bullies.

deepblue
12-29-2014, 04:26 PM
^similar for me. High school... I hated it and I think it's basically, usually, like throwing young people into a battle royale with nothing to go on and only the weapons their own dysfunctional childhoods taught them to wield. The old adage is true that the people who throw insults and say horrible things are really doing it because they're miserable inside, no matter what they pretend to the outside world. It really is a reflection of them and has nothing to do with you. I know that's easy enough to say but if you're hurting, you're hurting.

High school was the worst time of my life, but I kept telling myself it was only four, then three, then two... years, I will get through this because these people are the least of my worries, these people are cruel and they're mean, but none of it actually has to do with me. I was very suicidal, I was dealing with a severe mental illnesses I didn't realize I had, and severe health issues, and my family had fallen apart in a most violent way overnight- but I knew, and I hope you will remind yourselves if you're going through High School Shit, those people are also going through so much crap and they are taking it out on you and YOU are the better person for not taking yours out on them. High school is a melee, such a chaotic pile of human crap, where we learn to deflect and learn to toughen our skins, and it really, truly does get better and you will be stronger when you get through it.

if you can't ask for help... and believe me I understand if you can't because I couldn't- then write about it. Journal it. Or do art, sew, or create anything you can to get the feelings out so they don't sit and fester in you. I turned to writing and theater. (But I hope you will ask for help anyway.)

Some kids I knew actually changed schools, because the teasing and cruelty were just incessant and they couldn't learn in that environment. They actually just wanted to prepare for college. That's all. And I think telling their parents that helped a lot.

Theta
12-29-2014, 04:44 PM
Well cranky is a personality trait which is based on brain wiring and data sent thru the brain is based on electrical signals in the neuron, and between neurons based on chemical signals, which is a mix of different hormons, so personality (crankiness) is just a funny constant hormonal mix. *tenses up and wait for Theta to punch me at my joke*

Watch out, I'll hit you with my grumblestick! (Side note, I am totally in love with your excellent hat, sir.)

In all seriousness, the only good thing about high school and those awful hormonal teenage years is that they're soon behind you. I was never so happy as to get done with all of that.

Merman Chatfish
12-29-2014, 05:00 PM
Watch out, I'll hit you with my grumblestick! (Side note, I am totally in love with your excellent hat, sir.)

In all seriousness, the only good thing about high school and those awful hormonal teenage years is that they're soon behind you. I was never so happy as to get done with all of that.

Thank you. I should get a few pictures of my other hats, people seem to like it so much.

Unforchently for Mer-gril and Mermaid Jordyn, they both still have a few years of high school remaining and it seems short after the fact but when your living it it seems harsh. In high school my only friends were a group of other rejects that would sit infront of the library before school.

Naufra
12-29-2014, 05:48 PM
Mer-girl and Jordyn, being young doesn't make your problems any less legitimate, especially while you're stuck in what will likely be the most toxic social environment you will ever be in. Middle school and high school were VILE experiences for me, too. The classmates are the worst sacks of **** you may ever meet, the teachers can't do a **** thing about them, and the adults act like there's nothing wrong even when you're in tears. Top it off with serious health problems, which should never be taken lightly, and you've got a spectacular recipe for what may easily be the worst time of your life. You're basically in hell.

The thing to keep in mind about the worst time of your life? You just have to get through it once. You get through it just once, and you'll be tough as iron! Those worthless idiots who wasted so much of your time will be left choking on the dust you raise when you stride out of that ****hole place as a battle-hardened WARRIOR! People like the ones giving you a hard time don't usually get far in life. The captain of the football team will be pumping gas in his 40's and the prom queen will be a chain-smoker with an addiction to ordering tacky **** from catalogues and the credit history to prove it. People who learn to overcome adversity are the ones who make something of themselves. They are the ones who change the world.

It won't be easy, but it will leave you much, MUCH stronger, and then NOTHING can stop you. Hang in there, ladies.

deepblue
12-29-2014, 05:53 PM
We should seriously have a thread just for venting about high school crap.

Mermaid_Jordyn
12-29-2014, 08:06 PM
I HATE MIDDLE SCHOOL ANS EVERYONE IN IT!!!!!!!!!!!


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Merman Chatfish
12-29-2014, 08:13 PM
I HATE MIDDLE SCHOOL ANS EVERYONE IN IT!!!!!!!!!!!


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My middle school everyone hated me. A subsitue bus driver even let a kid beat up on me, and the usual bus driver was emotional and verbally abusive to me because she knew I wouldn't stand up for myself.

Mermaid_Jordyn
12-29-2014, 08:20 PM
Thank god my town is too small for a bus


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Merman Chatfish
12-29-2014, 08:22 PM
How big is your town?

Mermaid_Jordyn
12-29-2014, 08:27 PM
1 mile wide


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Mermaid Sirenia
12-29-2014, 08:30 PM
I agree, my middle school/early high school years were rough. After freshman year I stopped caring what other people wanted from me and started caring for what I wanted from myself. Junior and Senior year went by smoothly for me and they realized how careless I was of them

Merman Chatfish
12-29-2014, 08:32 PM
1 mile wide

Thats fairly big from what I am use to, but still small enough it does make the number of potential friends limited.

Mermaid_Jordyn
12-29-2014, 08:36 PM
You only get bussing if you live more than a mile away and that is riiiiiiiiiight on the edge of town where the rich kids live


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Miyu
01-20-2015, 07:14 PM
Ok, so I've been sick with one thing or another since about November... I've gotten 3 styes in 2 months, one of which took WEEKS to heal and made me feel like Quasimodo... I've had the biggest cold sores I've ever had (I get them in my nose, and all over my lips - thanks, Grandma :p), one right after another, back-to-back... I haven't been able to put makeup on to do my job for the past 2 months... I caught some flu/etc. bug back in December... And now I have yet another UTI (I'm particularly prone to them).

So I had to go to the Urgent Care doctor today, because it's been four days (and none of the regular home treatments worked this time because my immune system is poor right now) and now I have a kidney infection :( I'm in super-huge amounts of pain, and they put me on some antibiotic I've never been on before (ciproflaxin), and there's all these scary side effects like seizures and major nerve or tendon issues! :eyepop: So now I'm stuck in bed, not doing too much exercise, scared to even knit or crochet, lest it damage my nerves or tendons. I'm worried I'll be weak at the end of the week-long treatment, because I'm afraid my daily dancing will make me prone to damage. I hope I get to go swimming after I'm done with the antibiotics, so that I can massage my poor muscles back into shape :cry: I can't even take any painkillers like Aspirin or Ibuprofen, because NSAIDs can actually increase my risk of getting seizures/etc.!


My mertender had a scheduled doctor appointment next week; I'm going to talk to the doc about setting up an appointment for myself to see why I keep getting sick. I'm fairly convinced it's the shack of a house we live in :headwall:


Also, I feel terrible that I haven't been able to work on Michelle's mermaid shell top in months, because I've been afraid of spreading my germs to her through my crafting :sweat drop:

PearlieMae
01-20-2015, 09:21 PM
Awww Miyu! I hate to read this! Cipro saved my life when I had a severe kidney infection, and I've taken it once since for a bad UTI. Its side effects are pretty rare. I like Cipro, and I am not pro-antibiotic! I think needlework would be fine. Just nothing strenuous.

If I might, it sounds like many of your ailments are directly stress related! Cold sores, non-specific viral-like infections...Your living situation and everything else you've mentioned, sounds like it is manifesting by attacking your health.

Don't rush to get back to swimming or dancing! Your body is telling you it's maxed out! Stay in bed and do nothing but rest! Healing takes more energy than digging ditches eight hours a day! When you start feeling better, ease back into exercise...try and meditate, or just sit still and concentrate on your breathing. Maybe some tai chi?

I hope you feel better soon! The Mercury retrograde is over on February 11th, so lay low and gather your forces! :hug:

Miyu
01-20-2015, 11:32 PM
Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's a bad kidney infection, from the feel of things. I'm just gonna lay low for the next week or two, do some stretching, do some sketching and colour some pages, and maybe some light knitting or crocheting. This is a good time to watch lots of mermaid stuff and catch up on all the My Little Pony I've missed, LOL!

I'm pretty sure it's a combination of stress and environment - my mertender's been having a lot of mysterious, non-specific issues lately as well. I do know cold sores are common when under stress... And boy, are we under a lot of it. :/

Mercury is one of my ruling planets - things tend to go pretty crazy for me when it's doing unusual things!

Mermaid Galene
01-21-2015, 12:06 AM
Oh, Miyu, I'm sorry you've been hit with this. Do take care of yourself.

I've always been skeptical of astrology, but I gotta say, the past few weeks have been totally insane for me, too. First I got sudden sensorineural hearing loss (also from a herpes virus), then an incredibly stressful situation regarding some big ticket purchases, then I got prednisone-induced transient refractive myopia from the treatment for the SSHL, and this evening I learned that this form of myopia can be the first sign of prednisone-induced diabetes, which then may or may not become permanent. And I've been swimming in diabetes symptoms ever since I got on the Pred, withiut realizing that's what they might be. I'm starting with a glucose test kit tomorrow.

Can we get this Mercury character to just go home??? :O_o:

Miyu
01-21-2015, 12:41 AM
Oh no Galene, that's no good! I'm hoping for the best for you... It's not very nice when medications to fix one thing cause a completely different problem.

...I just posted about my prescription on FB, and my dad says it's genetic - he's susceptible to the same things, in addition to recurring MRSA problems :( Which I then got curious about and have now realized that there's a strong possibility that the "nose cold sores" I keep getting may actually be MRSA sores! I sure hope not. It really stinks that I live out in the country, because my insurance would totally cover me going in to a doctor to have every crazy thing my body does checked out...

Echidna
01-21-2015, 06:05 AM
It really stinks that I live out in the country, because my insurance would totally cover me going in to a doctor to have every crazy thing my body does checked out...

...which doesn't mean that they'd be able to help you.
Me and my mother have been sick with serious carp for years, and the doctors don't find shat.
And if they find something for a change, they can't do anything about it :p

There are loads of multiresistant germs nowadays aside from MRSA, due to the antibiotic abuse of the food industry and appalling hygiene in hospitals.
We've tried to battle them with every single drug out there, and all we got is side effect damage.

These last weeks have been crazy for us as well!
My family suffered from a severe viral outbreak. All the same symptoms, we couldn't do squat.
And we have no idea where we got it from!
No fever, just horrible headaches, joint and back pain, and feeling totally weak and ill.
We're slowly clawing our way back up.

I don't care what people say, but from now on, I'll be wearing my extra-thick tinfoil cape night and day!

Mermaid Galene
01-21-2015, 07:27 AM
I think the human species is reaching a time when our amazing medical advances are no longer going to hold back the tide of pathogens that are blithely multiplying, mutating, and becoming ever more invincible due to the way in which we have altered this planet. Bacteria and viruses and parasites adore the increasingly warm, humid, extreme conditions produced by human-induced climate change. And they love human immune systems overtaxed by environmental toxins, antibiotic overusage, and messing with the genetic code of our food. As a species we think we're so smart, but we've gotten just smart enough to gradually wipe ourselves out. The injustice of it all is that those of us who recognize why we are all getting sick can't stop the powermongerers and the greedy morons who have more and more power over our lives.

Makes me wanna put on my water wings and tail and swoosh away in the ocean, leaving humanity behind. Dolphins and whales and sea turtles have a lot more common sense!

Echidna
01-21-2015, 08:32 AM
^^Spot on, perfectly said.

I have had dreams for years of getting to a lonely island (well away from all the politic and religious crap, and hopefully not in a bomb-testing zone) with a small well and growing my own food.
It can't be done though.
If it's too warm, you will be swamped with parasites and tropical illnesses (not to mention storms and tidal waves), if it's too cold, you can't heat it or grow anything.

And seeing how humans have messed up the ocean with trash and nuclear waste and turned it into a barren wasteland with overfishing, I'm not sure if I wanted to go into the ocean even if I could.
I'd go to another planet in an instant though, provided it is human-free :p

Mermaid Galene
01-21-2015, 11:30 AM
Heck yeah, I'd be on that starship!

My voice teacher and I have a running joke about how I have plans to travel across the galaxy to the planet Chocolatonia, which I will invade and conquer. I will make my home in a bittersweet castle in the very nourishing Chocolate Sea, living in harmony with the Chocolafins and Chocowhales. And when I am Empress of Chocolatonia, I will rule with wisdom and benevolence. (As long as the populace pays their hefty chocolate taxes.)

Bwaahaahaaaaaaaaa!! (And you thought I was such a nice little mergirl.) :eyebrows:

Miyu
01-21-2015, 01:57 PM
Heehee, that sounds wonderful, Galene! :thumbs-up:

But seriously, you mers are totally right - all the resistant bacteria/viruses and whatnot are just crazy these... Especially to me, considering that one of my own relatives was one of the first lives saved by antibiotics! Modern medicine seemed like such a godsend to my family, and now in just a few generations it's turned into such a monster.

I eagerly await the day we have more effective, physical means of battling germs - nanobots and other tiny technology intrigues me, as well as UV disinfection systems such as Tru-D and Xenex (seriously, I want them available as home models, these things give the germaphobe in me a great big grin). If you haven't seen these marvelous inventions yet, check them out! Watch the informational videos! They're simply amazing. I first saw about them on Exploration Earth 2050, a very intriguing show.

I would also hop on that starship in a heartbeat ;) I'm still quite disappointed that the UFO I saw didn't take me away, LOL...

I'm just happy that the Urgent Care I went to doesn't treat people with severe illnesses, and I'm already on antibiotics, so most likely I don't have to worry about catching anything else from there (I was also careful to not touch things as much as possible).

New York Mermaid
01-21-2015, 03:10 PM
I figure I'd share some news. Those who follow my personal FB know this already. I have what's called hashimoto's thyroiditis (which has lead to hypothyroidism), it's when the immune system attacks the thyroid gland. This also affect my hormones and is also causing my hair to fall out a bit. I had an ultrasound, thankfully they didn't see anything out of the ordinary, with the exception of some inflammation. I have also been recommended to have a biopsy done (and after having it explained what the procedure is, I'm not fond of anything near my neck, let alone a needle) which will be scheduled in the next few weeks. From there and after all the tests are done I will make a choice if im going to have the thyroid removal procedure. While im glad it was caught early and am taking meds for it, its affected me quite a bit, I had to take a few weeks to focus on myself (and my mom who's health is going downhill). The worst part of having this, is the fatigue, I will pass out at random times (writing emails is the worst. I've woken up from a "sudden nap" on my laptop a few times) and the worst part is the insomnia at night.

my doctor recommended a few things to get me going (she believes in alternative treatment as well as modern medicine) I put myself on an anti inflammatory diet, drinking lots of water and working out a bit more to get myself moving during the day. I am also taking melatonin which has helped me sleep more at night. Im trying so hard to be careful what I eat and do now especially since im having weight fluctuations. So this is happening, but im doing what I can to not let it get me down.

Miyu
01-21-2015, 03:16 PM
Oh wow that really sucks, Lanai! I hope you can start to feel better...:hug:

New York Mermaid
01-21-2015, 03:28 PM
Thank you @Miyu, even though the changes are hard, I will adapt soon enough. im starting to feel a bit better, but still not looking forward to that biopsy *shudders*.

Adalira
01-21-2015, 04:31 PM
I think this is a good place to share something about health related things.
A few years ago i was still working as a massage therapist in my own practice and a man came by and became a regular client.
He and his girlfriend were investing in nano air purifiers/vaporizers.
These air purifiers/vaporizers in which they put natural essential oils (he named a few to me) and the combination will purify the air and also kill all bacterias and other bad things.
After the massages he got from me time to time we would talk about this because it fascinated me.
They were being checked out by all the big companies and the health cares and other things as well.
They are planning to use it in hospitals, on airplanes and also in the stables where big farms have lots of cows, pigs etc cause it meant they would not have to give the animals anti biotics anymore.
I have no idea how it is going with the technology right now since i closed my practice last year and i haven't seen him in over a year.
But this was awesome news to me and i can't wait untill they release it because i would love to have one of those in my home to kill any type of bacteria and the mould we have in the house.
It could still be years though. Cause the department of health and god knows what other departments will want to test it thouroughly before releasing it.