Sorry, big vent incoming. Just want to get it out somewhere.
Our house got the stomach bug last week. My daughter picked it up at a local mom get together (why do you go to those if you are/were just sick??? UGH) So it was 5 days of me, my husband and my toddler girl being sick with all the gross stuff. Luckily my husband and I got over the stomach things, but the diarrhea is lingering in my toddler (to my understanding this is relatively normal, but it still makes me anxious).
I hated those 5 days. I felt like crap, I felt bad for my sweet husband who felt like even worse crap and I still feel so bad for my little baby girl who is still dealing with stuff.
And just when my gut started feeling better I picked up a sore throat which luckily wasn’t strep, doc thought it was just something viral, but that quickly turned into laryngitis and now I’ve lost my voice and my nose is starting to get stuffed and I’m worried I have a sinus infection coming on. And oh yeah I’m 20 weeks pregnant 😭 (don’t worry I’ve been in touch with my medical provider this whole time and baby isn’t in any danger, it’s just a little icing on this cake of discomfort). And I’m only three days into this nose/throat thing, and it could easily last another week.
I just hate losing more sleep than I already am due to not being able to breathe + throat pain. I hate that I can’t communicate with my daughter or my husband. I hate not being able to swallow without pain. I hate that I feel like crap.
I realize I have a LOT to be thankful for, I just want to be back to my normal so I can be a happiebetter mom and wife.
So yeah, being sick with a sick toddler is definitely top 3 least favorite part about parenthood. It might take spot number one but I’m saving that for something worse that may come along 🙃

About 2 days ago, I had what I believe was indigestion pains plus some BH contractions. I’m not 100% sure but I had constant stomach cramping and belly tightening for over half the day. It finally got better and now today my whole uterus/stomach area feels extremely sore. Any movement baby does and any movement I do is pretty painful. My stomach has stayed consistently tight today and it feels very irritated. Also having sharp pains along the side of my uterus with movement. I have some menstrual cramping pain throughout the day but that has been going on for a week now. I am basically miserable and the pain is consistent and doesn’t stop. Has anyone experienced this? What could it be? Is this worth reaching out to my OB, I don’t want to be a bother.

Day 15 today, as many have said I think days 3-5 were the toughest. Still, beyond that my energy has fluctuates seemingly without a clear connection to snake juice amount, water, vitamin, exercise nothing. Some days I am just absolutely dragging ass can't even keep myself from slouching.
Yesterday I realized I've developed a pain in my right thigh, today it has begun in the left as well. It feels deep in the muscle kind of burning or sore, it's definitely a little concerning but my pee is clear and no other symptoms so I've continued. I've been exercising nearly every day with a cardio 3x and weightlifting 3x a week on alternating days. Both have absolutely suffered and some days I cannot do half of what I normally would so I just prioritize whatever I think is most important, do what I can and tell myself I'm proud of myself for just going and doing whatever I do.
From day 3-12 I really lost the hunger for the most part, interesting to me my stomach didn't even ever growl. I'd get phantom food smells and cravings every once in a while but they pass quickly. Oddly enough, ~day 13 the stomach growling came back a little bit and has occurred a few times since then maybe once a day. In the last few days I've been starting to feel hungry again it is also pretty ignoreable and not constant but what's interesting to me is that it feels more real - like my body is really telling me we need to eat something now. I find myself craving things I don't even eat, a sunny side up egg for instance. The majority of my cravings now especially when I get those hunger signals seems to be for protein. I am a carb lover tbh but though I definitely think about carbs and sweets sometimes it is the proteins I find myself really craving in body and mind.
Looking ahead I've bought bone broth, deli meat, and am planning to get kimchi, miso, and kombucha closer to the day. I plan to take it extremely slow with a 5 day refeed of listening to my body and very low carbs up to the 4th/5th day. I'm actually feeling a little bit anxious about the refeed although I definitely feel like I'm ready to start eating again and feel like I have more control and have refreshed any sugacarb addiction that was likely under my surface.
Final note on the electrolytes/vitamins: I take a prenatal multi about every 3 days just a standard multi pill. I found the recipe for snake juice here to be way too much for me, I actually felt worse after having a full serving for 2 days despite also working out. I looked up the RDA on this website https://www.nal.usda.gov/human-nutrition-and-food-safety/dri-calculator Which actually uses your weight/age etc to give you an RDA, I found this to be much closer to what I need and what makes me feel good. I still found the sodium to be a little high so cut it just a little bit but stuck to the potassium and magnesium levels recommended for me there.
Any tips for the next few days, refeed, or comments and thoughts are welcome!

Hello, I’ve been experiencing symptoms since the end of January 2024. I was diagnosed with GERD in February. It started out as just acid reflux 1-2 times a week, and has progressed into more and more symptoms since then. This is starting to worry me as medication isn’t helping and it seems to be getting worse
Background info - 23 year old male. 6’2 and 184 pounds. Gym 4-5 times a week. I don’t drink or smoke. The only prescription meds I take are ADHD meds & hormones (TRT)
Symptoms have progressed from occasional acid reflux/regurgitation when laying down at night to a list of the following symptoms-
Acid reflux/regurgitation randomly throughout the day, everyday for months. I even have reflux/regurgitation when standing up or sitting. I’ve had reflux attacks on the treadmill at the gym.
Bloating almost all day, everyday. I wake up in the morning bloated, after I eat I’m bloated, when I lay down to sleep I’m bloated.
Nasal drip throughout the day, but especially when I lay down to sleep.
Major loss of sleep everyday. I can’t tell you the last time I slept 6+ hours.
Fatigue, most likely due to the lack of sleep but just figured I’d mention it just in case.
Bubble guts, I can feel my stomach/intestines moving. I can feel movements and it even makes sounds loud enough for my family to hear across the room 5+ feet away.
Loss of appetite to the point of adding more stress/fatigue/low energy.
Bowel movements- Constipation mixed with watery small movements. My movements haven’t been consistent for months.
Weight fluctuations- 2 weeks ago I weighed 188. I weighed myself today at 6:30 and I was 184.1. My actual weight is probably around 180 but I have been trouble going to the bathroom regularly so I know I’m holding a few pounds in.
Newest symptom happened this morning. I have a mouth sore that is white and surrounded by redness. It’s slightly painful and It’s on the my lower right jaw below my molar tooth about 1/4 inch down.
I’ve tried omeprazole, esomeprazole, Zantac, Tums, alkaseltzer, baking soda water and diet changes but nothing has alleviated symptoms.
I’m starting to think this might not be GERD since the symptoms are getting worse and meds aren’t working at all.
I have an ultrasound scheduled for June 6 to check for a Hiatal Hernia but my insurance won’t cover it so I might have to cancel. I’m open to any ideas or advice from people that have gone through similar symptoms. Thanks :)

Hello, I’ve been experiencing symptoms since the end of January 2024. I was diagnosed with GERD in February. It started out as just acid reflux 1-2 times a week, and has progressed into more and more symptoms since then. This is starting to worry me as medication isn’t helping and it seems to be getting worse
Background info - 23 year old male. 6’2 and 184 pounds. Gym 4-5 times a week. I don’t drink or smoke. The only prescription meds I take are ADHD meds & hormones (TRT)
Symptoms have progressed from occasional acid reflux/regurgitation when laying down at night to a list of the following symptoms-
Acid reflux/regurgitation randomly throughout the day, everyday for months. I even have reflux/regurgitation when standing up or sitting. I’ve had reflux attacks on the treadmill at the gym.
Bloating almost all day, everyday. I wake up in the morning bloated, after I eat I’m bloated, when I lay down to sleep I’m bloated.
Nasal drip throughout the day, but especially when I lay down to sleep.
Major loss of sleep everyday. I can’t tell you the last time I slept 6+ hours. I use to get 8+ hours a night before January
Fatigue, most likely due to the lack of sleep but just figured I’d mention it just in case.
Bubble guts, I can feel my stomach/intestines moving. I can feel movements and it even makes sounds loud enough for my family to hear across the room 5+ feet away.
Loss of appetite to the point of adding more stress/fatigue/low energy.
Bowel movements- Constipation mixed with watery small movements. My movements haven’t been consistent for months.
Weight fluctuations- 2 weeks ago I weighed 188. I weighed myself today at 6:30 and I was 184.1. My actual weight is probably around 180 but I have been trouble going to the bathroom regularly so I know I’m holding a few pounds in.
Newest symptom happened this morning. I have a mouth sore that is white and surrounded by redness. It’s slightly painful and It’s on the my lower right jaw below my molar tooth about 1/4 inch down.
I’ve tried omeprazole, esomeprazole, Zantac, Tums, alkaseltzer, baking soda water and diet changes but nothing has alleviated symptoms.
I’m starting to think this might not be just GERD since the symptoms are getting worse and meds aren’t working at all.
I have an ultrasound scheduled for June 6 to check for a Hiatal Hernia but my insurance won’t cover it so I might have to cancel. I’m open to any ideas or advice from people that have gone through similar symptoms. Thanks :)

I’ve been experiencing a ton of different symptoms for a while, for over two years I’ve had a lot of gastrointestinal distress like constipation and diarrhea, severe stomach cramps, gas and gas pains, nausea, etc. For the past year or so I’ve started to feel really run down and sick, like I have the flu or something. I’m always fatigued and resting doesn’t help, I have muscle pain all the time especially in my back and jaw, aching and cramps in my legs and arms, I’m always overheated and sweating, I get unexplained skin issues like rashes and redness, my lymph nodes feel sore and sometimes swollen, I have tachycardia. Just generally I usually do not feel physically well.
I’ve been seeing a new therapist for probably about a month. I’ve been talking to her about how my health issues have been affecting me and how tiring it can be to deal with doctors and how being fatigued and in pain 24/7 makes it really difficult to go about my regular life. I just checked the billing paperwork from my last session and realized she diagnosed me with Hypochondriasis. And I’m kind of spinning out now, like is she right, am I just making all of this up, what if I’m just crazy and paranoid and delusional??
It’s just that I never used to feel like this, like obviously I’d be tired sometimes and get headaches or stomachaches occasionally like a normal person, but I felt overall physically well. But now I feel like I’m sick or in pain a lot of the time, my muscles and joints are always intensely hurting and aching, I’m constantly having painful GI episodes that derail my plans and I’m stuck on the toilet feeling like I’m going to pass out, and the fatigue is not just tiredness, no amount of rest helps. I just mean that I didn’t used to feel like this, this isn’t my “normal”, my daily life is being disrupted because I don’t feel well.
But based on the diagnosis of hypochondriasis, it says you have a lot of symptoms but tests come back normal, which my blood tests haven’t shown any glaring issues so I guess that means it’s psychosomatic? And there are some symptoms of the disorder, like thinking and researching about your health and seeking out different doctors and tests, that I also have, because I have symptoms that are impacting my life and I want to figure out how I can feel better.
The diagnosis of hypochondriasis also says that you get anxious about minor symptoms like fatigue. But my fatigue is not a minor symptom, when I say fatigue I don’t mean tiredness or sleepiness, it’s like this constant heavy weight on me, it impacts my daily life because I feel too tired to do normal activities like school and work, and I can’t get through the day without sleeping, and even then I never feel rested. I feel so shitty thinking that my chronic fatigue is considered a minor symptom and I’m blowing it out of proportion due to hypochondriasis.
I’m honestly freaking out, my therapist putting that diagnosis on my chart makes me feel like I’m just insane and I’m questioning everything, I don’t know what to do or think. I keep getting told this is all in my head

So I (41F) have not had a period since November of last year. About 2 or so years ago i had to take medication to start my cycle back and for some months it was on track and then for about 1.5 years (before now) my cycles have been erratic. I would have the same amount of days (5-7) but they were anywhere from 36-45 days apart. That was pretty regular from month to month. But as I said no cycle since November. I have been trying to get pregnant but I've taken several tests and they all say negative. However, I have been pregnant before and given birth (10 years ago) and right now the way I feel, especially what I'm feeling in my stomach, feels like a pregnancy. It seems my belly is changin. I feel a small ball shape above my pelvis and under my belly button, my stomach feels tighter (even though it's hard to tell because I'm not horribly fit, but not overweight) and I've been feeling small quickenings in my lower belly area, or what might feel like rhe tiniest kick(s) every once in awhile. Also, my lower belly feels sore, like I was doing crunches or something a least a few times a day. So, right now, I feel like its just all in my head because I want it so bad. But I'm sure I'm not just imagining all these things I'm feeling. Has anyone felt this way or been pregnant and not tested positive? Or do any of these symptoms happen during perimenopause?

So I have been suffering from Hiatus Hernia since I was about 11 years old and got diagnosed at 19. I have had terrible chronic reflux and silent reflux and sore throat for years and bloating and constant feeling of absolute hell for weeks and weeks on end like my stomach is being trampled on and my throat tight and sore with constant liquid. My doctor gave me 20mg omeperazole and it never worked for me. But I read online that I was supposed to take it 1 hour before food in the morning and I was taking it at night while eating straight away after. So I have taken it this way as the internet said for about 5 days now and for 3 days I have had very minimal symptoms. I have had some reflux but only minor and I was able to work out for extended period of time. Very little to no bloat whatsoever and generally feeling pretty normal. Sore throat is mostly gone. I hope this is the medicine and not a coincidence and I hope this might be the start of getting better. I truly hope it is. This would mean the world to me. I will report here if I get any worse again. I have eaten chocolate and triggers and only had minor reflux and sang without discomfort and also did swimming. I will try and cut back on my triggers as well and see if they helps.

Race Information

• Name: ING Night Marathon Luxembourg
• Date: May 11, 2024
• Distance: 26.2 miles
• Location: Luxembourg
• Website: https://www.ing-night-marathon.lu/en.html
• Strava: N/A
• Time: 4:00:48

Goals

Goal	Description	Completed?
A	PB	No
B	3:45	No
C	Don't hit the wall	No
D	Nail fueling	No

Splits

Mile	Time
1	8:32
2	8:33
3	8:37
4	8:42
5	8:37
6	8:29
7	8:27
8	8:22
9	8:22
10	8:26
11	8:04
12	8:19
13	8:21
14	8:22
15	8:15
16	8:47
17	9:25
18	9:22
19	9:38
20	11:08
21	9:33
22	9:38
23	9:12
24	10:17
25	10:49
26	10:08
26.68	6:14

My first post after following this sub for awhile and getting some great information. I'm a 34F who has been a lifelong runner, but not that serious until I decided I wanted to reach some half marathon goals in 2023. I read 80/20 Running and adopted the method with great success, meeting my goal of sub 1:45 in the half and then another PB of 1:43 during the training cycle for this marathon. I have run 2 marathons previously, both virtual due to the pandemic, and followed generic online plans based on distance and pace but not heart rate.

Training

I really have enjoyed the 80/20 method so I used the Marathon Level 2 18 Week training plan from Matt Fitzgerald's book. Stepping up to running 6-7 days a week consistently was daunting, but I found myself getting into a really good routine with it. I'm not really an early morning person, so most of my workouts were in the late mornings/afternoons. I generally feel the best when I workout in the afternoons, so I figured that the marathon being in the evening would actually work well for me. I only missed 7 workouts over the whole training cycle (mostly recovery runs and a few speed runs), and modified another 7 of them due to tune-up races or travel. I did a bit of strength training in the beginning of my training plan, usually 20 minute full body dumbbell sessions, but stopped those I would say around 1/3 - 1/2 of the way through the plan as the runs got longer and I had less time to add strength training on top. I had a 16 mile marathon simulator run at week 15 that went great -- my target MP was 8:32, and I averaged 8:05 during the simulator. Weather was 40s and rainy, and there were hills on this route. Overall I felt my training was leading me towards meeting my B goal, and at least beating my old marathon PB of 3:59 that I ran with less focused training.

Pre-Race

I focused on carb-loading the few days before the race, and headed to Luxembourg on Friday to settle in the day before. Since this is a night race that starts at 7pm, I decided to do my shakeout run that morning, and in the afternoon I had a nap to really relax and be prepped for the night race.

Race

I got to the venue 2+ hours before the start as recommended, and stayed out of the sun while waiting for the start. The sun didn't go down until about 9pm, so for the first half of the race conditions were sunny and temps in the 70s. Unfortunately they start the half marathon and marathon all together so the race was quite crowded, and I did spend a good amount of time weaving to make sure I could still keep my pace plan. The course is quite fun, running through lots of Luxembourg downtown, parks, and residential areas with people all over the course cheering you on. There are a lot of DJs with music set up and flashing lights, so it's a party atmosphere. I stuck to my fuel plan for about the first half of the race, having a gel every 25 minutes. As you can see from my splits, I felt pretty great until about mile 17. Cardiovascularly I felt fine, and looking at my heart rate zones I stayed in Zone 2 and 3 most of the time. What really hurt were my quads. It was a soreness I really had to push to overcome, and ultimately couldn't keep up with my goal mile paces. I couldn't believe it, but I drank my whole 1.5L hydration vest about 3 hours in! I stopped taking my gels because the thought of putting more flavored sugar in my mouth was very unappealing. My stomach wasn't upset at all, but I really craved cool water to rinse my mouth out. I have never had that feeling in my mouth during training, but I usually don't have that many gels during my long runs. During long runs I had a gel about every 45 minutes. I was really trying to push the last few miles to make sure I left it all on the course, and my official time is 4:00:48. I know virtual races are no comparison, but one positive is you get to stop running right at 26.2! I already knew this course was a bit longer, with the planned route on my Garmin at 26.38, but I ended up running 26.68.

Post-Race

Of course I was disappointed post-race. I really thought my training supported a better time. I was wondering if I really gave it my all, but on the tram ride back to my Air BnB I felt lightheaded and my quads were just killing me so I'm pretty sure the answer is yes. It was sometime past midnight when I got back to my AirBnB, and with my appetite kicking in I got some dumplings from an Asian spot and crashed!
I thought of a few reasons why I didn't hit my goal: the warm beginning to the race when most of my training has been in cooler temps; the hills on the course, especially since the last few miles are uphill; and lack of strengh training throughout the full training cycle to build stronger quads. Reading through my race report I'm wondering if the hot start to the race was really the prime factor, or if that's more of an easy excuse.
Anyway I'm wondering if I should repeat this plan for a fall marathon or if maybe cutting back the running days and adding a dedicated strength day would be better?
Thanks for all the great advice on this sub! Did anyone else run this one?
Made with a new race report generator created by herumph.

Before anyone says “call your doctor” I have. She left a voicemail this morning saying that I needed to go back to the ER and have my stomach seen about again. Simply because it’s hard and I feel like I’m bruised on the inside of my belly. It hurts when I sit down and my skin feels super tight. I don’t want to waste my time in the ER AGAIN. When anyone else has had ascites how did you feel? Was your stomach hard? Were you sore? I just need to know what I’m looking for before I make a 2 hr trip for nothing. Thank you in advance and mods please don’t lock this because I’ve already talked to my doctor. I just need to know what everyone else has experienced.

Does anyone have this stomach bug going around? Nausea, vomiting, chills, fever (and sometimes sore throat)? Any idea of how long it sticks around? It's been at least a week and some but we can't seem to shake it!

in three weeks, T has helped me put on so much muscle i managed to outgrow a brand new binder that i had purchased to size up to begin with and holy shit the pain of wearing a too-small binder for a full work shift fucked me up. do not try to push through wearing a binder if it feels wrong.
for context, before T, i was really underweight and i couldn't outpace my fast metabolism to gain any meaningful weight. i'm 5'5" and bounced between 100-105lbs and i was strong for my size but that's not saying much versus the general male population. this is where i'd say a huge majority of my dysphoria lived, having narrow shoulders, the little fat i had all being at my hips, people assuming i'm too weak for even basic tasks. so at the start of this year, i really put my nose to the grindstone and have been practicing muay thai and weight-lifting multiple times a week like i used to pre-pandemic. i was doing okay at it! i'm never going to the olympics but i was feeling good.
and then i started T in february. my appetite has exploded and i've been putting away over 2300 calories per day just to not feel so goddamn hungry. i've been focusing on high protein foods and trying to drink a quart of milk a day and two protein shakes. it's also given me more energy and confidence to go workout and practice even if i'm not feeling 100% mentally up to it.
so, between all the food and the working out, i've managed to put on 20lbs of mostly muscle in 3 months and holy shit the difference is real. T is putting a majority of it on my upper body. but then also i don't get as cold as easily, i have more energy all the time, my posture is better, my clothes fit better, this specific dysphoria is evaporating slowly and holy shit i feel alive and present. but there's a catch.
none of my fucking binders fit. at first, say around late-march, i got an inkling my flavnt half-binders were too small. something just felt off cause i can usually forget they're on but i was just so aware of them. so i stopped wearing them and i sized up and bought a new one like 3 weeks ago. it fit and felt great, back to normal i thought. i wear my binders maybe 2-3 times a week normally, but last week i had really physically active work so i didn't wear it until friday with nothing but a t-shirt over it. and by the end of the day i was fucking suffering. i had shooting pains when i moved any part of my upper body. i was getting those cramps you get when running along your ribs, while standing still. i couldn't take it off my entire 8 hr shift + 45 min commute, until i got to my girlfriend's place. i spent the rest of the night switching between curling up into a ball or doing any stretch i could think of to get away from the pain, my girlfriend also gave me a massage but the pain stayed just as bad the entire time, it was constant. it felt like a stomach ache, chest pains, running cramps, and period cramps all at the same time. breathing was like i'd been holding my breath underwater for ages and couldn't catch it again. it went on all night until i took an ibuprofen and got very high, then it finally eased. when i was smoking, i had a hacking coughing fit that i think shook up my lungs and cleared me out, and i also had a laughing fit when i was high and watching youtube that also definitely did something to help in terms of muscle pain. it was the opposite of laughing until you're sore lmao. i'm okay now after a weekend of free-balling it with absolutely no sports bras or any compression and doing some yoga to stretch it out, but christ that was so much pain i was freaked out. and i have a decent pain tolerance! i've been hit by 2 cars, i severed a finger once, i've done combat sports on and off my whole life! i'm never making that mistake again.
the night i was rolling around in pain, my girlfriend wanted to check something. i just happened to have my rib and chest measurements in my phone from when i bought the new binder, so my girlfriend measured me again to check to see just how badly i fucked up, and i went from being 27" around my ribs to being 32" (i'm gonna make these lats into wings) and my chest went from 31" to being 34". my girlfriend just laughed and she just said "you're bulking up too much babe, it's a good problem to have"

Several people have approached me that they might have endometriosis. Lifelong warrior so thought I would share my tips and tricks I put together for my friends and family to share with you :) Hope this helps someone!
ENDOMETRIOSIS SURGERY FACTS

• EXCISION SURGERY! I cannot stress this one enough. If you have an ablation, it will grow back and likely quick (but consult with your doctors on your case 100%). Excision is when they cut it out vs. it gets burned off. You will have a better success rate and slow rate of growth if they excise. Not all cases can be depending on location so again, please talk with your doctor about your situation. This is not the same for everyone.
• If your doctor cannot do excision surgery. Skip and move on to the next! Trust me, well worth the time to research and find the right doctor. You will thank me later for this one too haha.
• Finding a doctor is stuff. Also tough to find resources. If you cannot find an Endometriosis specialist in your area who does excision, you may need to look out of state, but one tip is exploring gynecological oncologists. Some will take benign cases, but not all so do your research. But it’s a good avenue for help in your area or you want insurance coverage.
• Nanny’s Nook is a good resource for online information regarding endometriosis: https://nancysnookendo.com/
• Dr Seckin’s book called The Doctor Will See You Now is also worth the read (https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Will-See-You-Endometriosis/dp/1681621126)
• Definitely look into Egg Freezing before doing any permanent surgeries. The ovaries are more intact when there is a uterus in place, so I recommend immediately following any excisions with Egg Freezing if you can and if it’s part of your plans. I found my AMH levels low (1.2) but still retrieved 25 eggs, so never be discouraged if this is your future planning path.
• My Symptoms: I experience bloating, constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting as the main culprits. I have irregular periods in regards to the number of days and if it comes or not (even with an IUD). Pelvic pain is probably the worst of all since it accompanies these symptoms and is present a majority of the time. Others may have different symptoms, and there’s many others I didn’t list but wanted to paint the picture of some I’ve experienced.

ENDOMETRIOSIS LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY (WHAT TO EXPECT)
PRE-SURGERY

• List of questions to ask your doctor
• Insurance Information and ID
• Necessary forms or paperwork the doctor requires
• Make sure any medical records are sent that would be relevant

POST-OP PREP

• Eat smaller meals and simple foods days beforehand. If bowel prep is necessary, they also recommend taking a laxative in the days leading up to help prep.
• Pack a bag! Not every surgery is an overnight stay but even if you have a day-of surgery, back an overnight bag. Here’s the essentials:
  • Phone/Headphones/iPad/Kindle/Books
  • Device Chargers
  • Medications that you currently take
  • Glasses (do not wear contacts day of)
  • An extra pair of underwear
  • Sanitary Pads or Always Discreet
  • Comfy pants with light elastic band around the waist
  • Non wired bra
  • Slip on shoes (this is clutch! Recommend slides -https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BL7LJKZW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
  • Layers - Sweatshirt, Long Sleeved Shirt etc. - Hospitals are cold!
  • Toothbrush and tooth paste
  • Hairbrush
  • Face wipes, wash cloth, small towel and bar of soap.

SPACE PREP

1. Make sure your bed or couch is prepped. I stayed on the first level for the first 2ish days before feeling well enough to stay upstairs.
2. I used a pregnancy pillow on the bed to help me stay on my back while sleeping and help you feel cozy.
3. Stock the house with foods that will be light for your stomach. Think soups and casseroles! Saltine crackers, broths, rices etc..
4. If you have a raised bed, get a step stool to assist. It’s best to sit on the side of the bed and slowly lay your upper body down while bringing your knees up and over to your back. You will need to use arm strength the first couple of days to get you up and over since you can’t use the abdomen.
5. Water and Beverages stocked at all times. I have a reusable water bottle and avoid carbonated beverages for the time being. They fill you with gas for the procedure so it may make those symptoms worse.
6. Netflix, Kindle, Puzzles, Craft Projects…visits with friends. Whatever makes the time pass, set it up ahead of time so it’s handy.
7. Items to Keep on Hand: Baby Wipes, heating pads, pads/diapers, candles, essential oils, things that smell good haha

BOWEL PREP
This is dependent on the type of surgery you are having, but its good to have Gatorade, Magnesium Citrate (liquid), laxatives and enemas on hand just in case you need these.
ON SURGERY DAY
It’s important to follow the instructions on what to stop taking and/or eating/drinking prior to the surgery. Wear comfy clothes (wide elastic waistband) and slides with cozy socks. Double check your to go bag and breath.
AT THE HOSPITAL

1. Do your check-ins and keep your people with you as long as you want.
2. Make sure to read all the consent forms and ask any questions upfront. Make any advance directives clear.
3. Just try to remain calm as there’s a lot of down time while they do intake. It is about 2 hours of prep before they bring you in for the surgery itself.
4. They will ask you the same questions over and over again, that’s normal and trust me, you want to confirm it’s all being done properly.
5. If you need something for anxiety, they will be sure to give you something if you ask :)
6. You will be wearing a gown, socks, funky underwear and a cool hair net haha wear the gown backward so you keep warm and keep the butt covered.
7. Vitals will happen and the anesthesiologist will come and speak with you to make sure they prep the right meds beforehand. Bring up any concerns here with them!
8. You may be wheeled or walked into surgery. I’ve only ever walked in and laid on the table myself.
9. They will then put the IV in your arm and sometimes will put on a mask, they will then ask you to count backwards and before you know it, you will be awake again!

RECOVERY

• You will wake-up and feel groggy. Totally normal and you will be in a different room. They will likely say a lot really quick about your surgery. Before leaving ask for them to walk through it or see if you can speak with the doctor again when clear headed. RECOMMENDED!
• Your throat will be sore, that’s normal from the tube.
• Just relax and sleep it off if you want, the goal is to be relaxed and pee once before leaving.
• Before you go, eat and drink and pass smoke urine. They’ll provide you with the meds and you’ll be good to go.
• Make sure someone brings you home after :)
• Make sure you have a bag for vomit in the car.
• Bring a small pillow that can be strapped between the car belt and you for maximum comfort on the trip home.
• Pain Med Management: This one is important. I messed up night one and didn’t take it soon enough and was in too much pain so make sure you stick to the schedule the doctors give you to ensure you are comfortable.
• Keep Walking: It seems unnatural to have a surgery then walk, but the sooner you get up and keep moving around the house, the better. Just avoid heavy lifting and immense bending like movements. Stairs are also ok but also consult with your doctor!
• Gas Build Up: I did feel pain in my shoulders from the gas. Just keep moving! It will help get that out of the system but this pain is normal.
• Relax and let people take care of you! Don’t be too quick to recover.
• Keep an eye out for fever, increased vaginal bleeding, or feeling terrible.
• Keep all post op appointments and follow all post op instructions!

ENDOMETRIOSIS MAINTENANCE
Here’s the tips and tricks I found helpful for maintaining my pain and symptoms (GI and back pain related):

1. Pelvic Floor Therapy: This is important for keeping the muscles in your pelvis healthy and strong to maintain your structure and also help manage pain. Consult with your doctor on whether this is right for you.
2. Physical Therapy: I do PT for my back and pelvic floor since it’s all related. We focus on Myofascial Release Therapy to help break up the adhesions and give me more mobility. This helps with temporary pain relief (reduction in number), but that is always welcome :)
3. Acupuncture: I swear by Acupuncture. I don’t know what it does or why, but it works. It’s not a cure by any means, but it's great for relaxation, fertility, digestion, endometriosis, sleep, etc.. I can go on, but it’s not covered by insurance plans all the time so you will need to check and see what you’re able to take on.
4. Diet/Exercise:
   1. Eating high protein, lower fat/carbs (not none just low) helps your body, but overall learn your trigger foods! This will go a long way.
   2. Ginger, turmeric and fennel all help with bloating. I like to drink them in tea form when I’m feeling particularly hard stomached as it’s a good natural way to decrease the bloat. Peppermint also works for some, for me it irritates my GERD.
   3. Chamomile for relaxation
   4. Walking and movement are important. I cannot do anything high impact due to my sacroiliitis diagnosis, so I stick with light yoga and walking.
5. Alcohol/Other Substances: Don’t do it. Don’t touch it. You’ll thank me later on this point.
6. Sleep: Insomnia is a very real thing. I think I went 2 or 3 days at its worst one time and I cannot say enough how important trying to keep the same sleep schedule will benefit you. Waking and sleeping around the same time each day will still feel exhausting but at least you know your body is getting the most sleep it can get.
7. Medications/Supplements:
   1. Ibprofuern: This does NOT work for me. I have GERD and ulcers so I cannot take NSAIDs, but with that in mind, NSAIDs are supposedly the best pain medication over the counter to help you manage it.
   2. Pain Killers: These are AS NEEDED. I try to refrain and leave these for the TRULY bad days which I try to spread out. Not even worth it sometimes, because I don’t like how I feel and sometimes vomit after taking them. But they do help the pain!
   3. IUD/Orilissa: An IUD will NOT do anything. If you are diagnosed, ask your doctor about Orilissa or similar medicines instead of birth control methods. This will not stop the growth, just suppress it. There are side effects and it is only a short term solution.
   4. Linzess: This worked well for me for constipation symptoms when they got severe. Definitely recommend bringing this to your doctor if you’re truly suffering and they have not yet mentioned. I also resorted after trying magnesium citrate
   5. CBD Lotions/Salves: For my pelvis, I use Healing Rose CBD Salve in Orange and Lavender (https://www.thehealingroseco.com/product/orange-lavender-with-chamomile-herbal-salve-300mg-cbd/). For my back, I use a medical grade CBD lotion with menthol (https://cbdclinic.co/clinical-strength-series/). I also use a CBD massage oil from Healing Rose of the same scent when doing myofascial release at home. I also use Somedays Cramp Cream (https://somedays.com/products/period-cramp-cream?variant=42062153842853).
8. Heating Pads and Ice Pack: I have several varieties of heating pads. A cordless travel heating pad (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FPTJL4G?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details), a plug-in heating pad (lhttps://www.hsn.com/products/pure-enrichment-purerelief-xxl-heating-pad-with-9-cord/22188460) and stick on patches (https://www.thermacare.com/ - I use the back patches but reverse them to the front for better coverage). For hot flashes and night sweats (also if you need to relax while anxious) place an ice pack over your chest to help cool or calm down.
9. Self-Care: No joke, massages, facials, epsom salt baths, sound baths, reiki….anything that you find relaxing. Do it. Try it! They also make CBD bath bombs Ive been wanting to check out.
10. TENs Machine: I really want one, don’t have one, but people swear by them (the heating pad linked to MyObi has a TENs version - https://myobistore.com/en-us/collections/my-obi-belts/products/apollo-2-0).
11. Pregnancy Pillow: This one sounds so lame, but I bought a pregnancy pillow for my first endometriosis surgery since I’m a side sleeper to help keep me on my back during recovery. It changed by life! It helps my anxiety and makes me comfortable while sleeping. (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08YYVRXLM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)..
12. Heated Blankets/Cozy Blankets: Make yourself feel better with a cozy blanket. Do it, I dare you!
13. Endo To-Go Bag: Includes heating pads (travel, plug-in and patches), medications, balms/salves, essential oils and pads/protection items, change of clothes, wet wipes.
14. Sex Life: I’m single, I don’t have a partner to worry about communicating this issue with at this point, but go slow and communicate given eventually this will have to be a conversation. What I have learned is that if you do have sex and feel pain. Immediately stop! If you associate sex with pain mentally in that moment, it may cause fear in doing so down the line so it’s best to stop the moment you feel any pain occur.
15. Work Life: I work a demanding job so it was not working with the appointments and care I needed to manage pain. Always get FMLA from your doctor for intermittent leave based on your company's policies. This protects you from flare-ups and appointments. Short Term Disability is based on your situation with work so talk with them about any leave of absence for surgery and recovery and ensure the medical providers fill out the paperwork appropriately.
16. Friends/Family: This one is the worst. I have to cancel and make plans all the time based on how I feel. I like to line up a bunch of plans for three months out and do my best to make them happen at the beginning of the month when I know I’m most likely to feel good. I just say I’ll make things up to them when I get better and those who have stuck around have been truly amazing friends, but don’t be upset that some might be over the day in and out of what you’re going through. It’s hard for you and sometimes others and it’s just a part of the relationships we’re meant to experience in life. Most people (unless they have endometriosis) don’t understand it so it can feel isolating, but there’s others out there who know what you’re going through and are willing to chat. Just gotta find them and reach out on social media, online etc..
17. Journaling Symptoms: Guilty of not being the best at this always, but it's good to track your symptoms to see how they work and operate. It helps not only you plan for it, but also your doctors in how best to handle your care. Take photos of things that make sense to show your doctors! Discharge, bowels etc..can sometimes help diagnose or judge with the images.
18. Next to Bed Kit: Make sure your nightstand is stocked with the essentials for your bad days. Makes it easier to access the items you need when you just can’t get up and get it.
19. Squatty Potty: Another thing that is majorly life changing on constipation days! Get one or you can make your own :) Take a stack of books and stack them at equal heights on each side and put your feet up. The trick is making sure you’re in a squat with your knees high to your ears.
20. Clothing: Dressing for this is key but you still want to look cute! Joggers with a stretchy waist are my go to pants, but wide leg trousers with a stretchy waist help with ease of removal but also comfort and brings some style to the look.
21. Pads: I wear Always Discreet vs. pads. I find when you need to wear them full time for incontinence it just makes it more comfortable. They have different cuts and styles so definitely check them out!

Several people have approached me that they might have endometriosis. Lifelong warrior so thought I would share my tips and tricks I put together for my friends and family to share with you :) Hope this helps someone!
ENDOMETRIOSIS SURGERY FACTS

• EXCISION SURGERY! I cannot stress this one enough. If you have an ablation, it will grow back and likely quick (but consult with your doctors on your case 100%). Excision is when they cut it out vs. it gets burned off. You will have a better success rate and slow rate of growth if they excise. Not all cases can be depending on location so again, please talk with your doctor about your situation. This is not the same for everyone.
• If your doctor cannot do excision surgery. Skip and move on to the next! Trust me, well worth the time to research and find the right doctor. You will thank me later for this one too haha.
• Finding a doctor is stuff. Also tough to find resources. If you cannot find an Endometriosis specialist in your area who does excision, you may need to look out of state, but one tip is exploring gynecological oncologists. Some will take benign cases, but not all so do your research. But it’s a good avenue for help in your area or you want insurance coverage.
• Nanny’s Nook is a good resource for online information regarding endometriosis: https://nancysnookendo.com/
• Dr Seckin’s book called The Doctor Will See You Now is also worth the read (https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Will-See-You-Endometriosis/dp/1681621126)
• Definitely look into Egg Freezing before doing any permanent surgeries. The ovaries are more intact when there is a uterus in place, so I recommend immediately following any excisions with Egg Freezing if you can and if it’s part of your plans. I found my AMH levels low (1.2) but still retrieved 25 eggs, so never be discouraged if this is your future planning path.
• My Symptoms: I experience bloating, constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting as the main culprits. I have irregular periods in regards to the number of days and if it comes or not (even with an IUD). Pelvic pain is probably the worst of all since it accompanies these symptoms and is present a majority of the time. Others may have different symptoms, and there’s many others I didn’t list but wanted to paint the picture of some I’ve experienced.

ENDOMETRIOSIS LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY (WHAT TO EXPECT)
PRE-SURGERY

• List of questions to ask your doctor
• Insurance Information and ID
• Necessary forms or paperwork the doctor requires
• Make sure any medical records are sent that would be relevant

POST-OP PREP

• Eat smaller meals and simple foods days beforehand. If bowel prep is necessary, they also recommend taking a laxative in the days leading up to help prep.
• Pack a bag! Not every surgery is an overnight stay but even if you have a day-of surgery, back an overnight bag. Here’s the essentials:
  • Phone/Headphones/iPad/Kindle/Books
  • Device Chargers
  • Medications that you currently take
  • Glasses (do not wear contacts day of)
  • An extra pair of underwear
  • Sanitary Pads or Always Discreet
  • Comfy pants with light elastic band around the waist
  • Non wired bra
  • Slip on shoes (this is clutch! Recommend slides -https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BL7LJKZW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
  • Layers - Sweatshirt, Long Sleeved Shirt etc. - Hospitals are cold!
  • Toothbrush and tooth paste
  • Hairbrush
  • Face wipes, wash cloth, small towel and bar of soap.

SPACE PREP

1. Make sure your bed or couch is prepped. I stayed on the first level for the first 2ish days before feeling well enough to stay upstairs.
2. I used a pregnancy pillow on the bed to help me stay on my back while sleeping and help you feel cozy.
3. Stock the house with foods that will be light for your stomach. Think soups and casseroles! Saltine crackers, broths, rices etc..
4. If you have a raised bed, get a step stool to assist. It’s best to sit on the side of the bed and slowly lay your upper body down while bringing your knees up and over to your back. You will need to use arm strength the first couple of days to get you up and over since you can’t use the abdomen.
5. Water and Beverages stocked at all times. I have a reusable water bottle and avoid carbonated beverages for the time being. They fill you with gas for the procedure so it may make those symptoms worse.
6. Netflix, Kindle, Puzzles, Craft Projects…visits with friends. Whatever makes the time pass, set it up ahead of time so it’s handy.
7. Items to Keep on Hand: Baby Wipes, heating pads, pads/diapers, candles, essential oils, things that smell good haha

BOWEL PREP
This is dependent on the type of surgery you are having, but its good to have Gatorade, Magnesium Citrate (liquid), laxatives and enemas on hand just in case you need these.
ON SURGERY DAY
It’s important to follow the instructions on what to stop taking and/or eating/drinking prior to the surgery. Wear comfy clothes (wide elastic waistband) and slides with cozy socks. Double check your to go bag and breath.
AT THE HOSPITAL

1. Do your check-ins and keep your people with you as long as you want.
2. Make sure to read all the consent forms and ask any questions upfront. Make any advance directives clear.
3. Just try to remain calm as there’s a lot of down time while they do intake. It is about 2 hours of prep before they bring you in for the surgery itself.
4. They will ask you the same questions over and over again, that’s normal and trust me, you want to confirm it’s all being done properly.
5. If you need something for anxiety, they will be sure to give you something if you ask :)
6. You will be wearing a gown, socks, funky underwear and a cool hair net haha wear the gown backward so you keep warm and keep the butt covered.
7. Vitals will happen and the anesthesiologist will come and speak with you to make sure they prep the right meds beforehand. Bring up any concerns here with them!
8. You may be wheeled or walked into surgery. I’ve only ever walked in and laid on the table myself.
9. They will then put the IV in your arm and sometimes will put on a mask, they will then ask you to count backwards and before you know it, you will be awake again!

RECOVERY

• You will wake-up and feel groggy. Totally normal and you will be in a different room. They will likely say a lot really quick about your surgery. Before leaving ask for them to walk through it or see if you can speak with the doctor again when clear headed. RECOMMENDED!
• Your throat will be sore, that’s normal from the tube.
• Just relax and sleep it off if you want, the goal is to be relaxed and pee once before leaving.
• Before you go, eat and drink and pass smoke urine. They’ll provide you with the meds and you’ll be good to go.
• Make sure someone brings you home after :)
• Make sure you have a bag for vomit in the car.
• Bring a small pillow that can be strapped between the car belt and you for maximum comfort on the trip home.
• Pain Med Management: This one is important. I messed up night one and didn’t take it soon enough and was in too much pain so make sure you stick to the schedule the doctors give you to ensure you are comfortable.
• Keep Walking: It seems unnatural to have a surgery then walk, but the sooner you get up and keep moving around the house, the better. Just avoid heavy lifting and immense bending like movements. Stairs are also ok but also consult with your doctor!
• Gas Build Up: I did feel pain in my shoulders from the gas. Just keep moving! It will help get that out of the system but this pain is normal.
• Relax and let people take care of you! Don’t be too quick to recover.
• Keep an eye out for fever, increased vaginal bleeding, or feeling terrible.
• Keep all post op appointments and follow all post op instructions!

ENDOMETRIOSIS MAINTENANCE
Here’s the tips and tricks I found helpful for maintaining my pain and symptoms (GI and back pain related):

1. Pelvic Floor Therapy: This is important for keeping the muscles in your pelvis healthy and strong to maintain your structure and also help manage pain. Consult with your doctor on whether this is right for you.
2. Physical Therapy: I do PT for my back and pelvic floor since it’s all related. We focus on Myofascial Release Therapy to help break up the adhesions and give me more mobility. This helps with temporary pain relief (reduction in number), but that is always welcome :)
3. Acupuncture: I swear by Acupuncture. I don’t know what it does or why, but it works. It’s not a cure by any means, but it's great for relaxation, fertility, digestion, endometriosis, sleep, etc.. I can go on, but it’s not covered by insurance plans all the time so you will need to check and see what you’re able to take on.
4. Diet/Exercise:
   1. Eating high protein, lower fat/carbs (not none just low) helps your body, but overall learn your trigger foods! This will go a long way.
   2. Ginger, turmeric and fennel all help with bloating. I like to drink them in tea form when I’m feeling particularly hard stomached as it’s a good natural way to decrease the bloat. Peppermint also works for some, for me it irritates my GERD.
   3. Chamomile for relaxation
   4. Walking and movement are important. I cannot do anything high impact due to my sacroiliitis diagnosis, so I stick with light yoga and walking.
5. Alcohol/Other Substances: Don’t do it. Don’t touch it. You’ll thank me later on this point.
6. Sleep: Insomnia is a very real thing. I think I went 2 or 3 days at its worst one time and I cannot say enough how important trying to keep the same sleep schedule will benefit you. Waking and sleeping around the same time each day will still feel exhausting but at least you know your body is getting the most sleep it can get.
7. Medications/Supplements:
   1. Ibprofuern: This does NOT work for me. I have GERD and ulcers so I cannot take NSAIDs, but with that in mind, NSAIDs are supposedly the best pain medication over the counter to help you manage it.
   2. Pain Killers: These are AS NEEDED. I try to refrain and leave these for the TRULY bad days which I try to spread out. Not even worth it sometimes, because I don’t like how I feel and sometimes vomit after taking them. But they do help the pain!
   3. IUD/Orilissa: An IUD will NOT do anything. If you are diagnosed, ask your doctor about Orilissa or similar medicines instead of birth control methods. This will not stop the growth, just suppress it. There are side effects and it is only a short term solution.
   4. Linzess: This worked well for me for constipation symptoms when they got severe. Definitely recommend bringing this to your doctor if you’re truly suffering and they have not yet mentioned. I also resorted after trying magnesium citrate
   5. CBD Lotions/Salves: For my pelvis, I use Healing Rose CBD Salve in Orange and Lavender (https://www.thehealingroseco.com/product/orange-lavender-with-chamomile-herbal-salve-300mg-cbd/). For my back, I use a medical grade CBD lotion with menthol (https://cbdclinic.co/clinical-strength-series/). I also use a CBD massage oil from Healing Rose of the same scent when doing myofascial release at home. I also use Somedays Cramp Cream (https://somedays.com/products/period-cramp-cream?variant=42062153842853).
8. Heating Pads and Ice Pack: I have several varieties of heating pads. A cordless travel heating pad (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FPTJL4G?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details), a plug-in heating pad (lhttps://www.hsn.com/products/pure-enrichment-purerelief-xxl-heating-pad-with-9-cord/22188460) and stick on patches (https://www.thermacare.com/ - I use the back patches but reverse them to the front for better coverage). For hot flashes and night sweats (also if you need to relax while anxious) place an ice pack over your chest to help cool or calm down.
9. Self-Care: No joke, massages, facials, epsom salt baths, sound baths, reiki….anything that you find relaxing. Do it. Try it! They also make CBD bath bombs Ive been wanting to check out.
10. TENs Machine: I really want one, don’t have one, but people swear by them (the heating pad linked to MyObi has a TENs version - https://myobistore.com/en-us/collections/my-obi-belts/products/apollo-2-0).
11. Pregnancy Pillow: This one sounds so lame, but I bought a pregnancy pillow for my first endometriosis surgery since I’m a side sleeper to help keep me on my back during recovery. It changed by life! It helps my anxiety and makes me comfortable while sleeping. (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08YYVRXLM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)..
12. Heated Blankets/Cozy Blankets: Make yourself feel better with a cozy blanket. Do it, I dare you!
13. Endo To-Go Bag: Includes heating pads (travel, plug-in and patches), medications, balms/salves, essential oils and pads/protection items, change of clothes, wet wipes.
14. Sex Life: I’m single, I don’t have a partner to worry about communicating this issue with at this point, but go slow and communicate given eventually this will have to be a conversation. What I have learned is that if you do have sex and feel pain. Immediately stop! If you associate sex with pain mentally in that moment, it may cause fear in doing so down the line so it’s best to stop the moment you feel any pain occur.
15. Work Life: I work a demanding job so it was not working with the appointments and care I needed to manage pain. Always get FMLA from your doctor for intermittent leave based on your company's policies. This protects you from flare-ups and appointments. Short Term Disability is based on your situation with work so talk with them about any leave of absence for surgery and recovery and ensure the medical providers fill out the paperwork appropriately.
16. Friends/Family: This one is the worst. I have to cancel and make plans all the time based on how I feel. I like to line up a bunch of plans for three months out and do my best to make them happen at the beginning of the month when I know I’m most likely to feel good. I just say I’ll make things up to them when I get better and those who have stuck around have been truly amazing friends, but don’t be upset that some might be over the day in and out of what you’re going through. It’s hard for you and sometimes others and it’s just a part of the relationships we’re meant to experience in life. Most people (unless they have endometriosis) don’t understand it so it can feel isolating, but there’s others out there who know what you’re going through and are willing to chat. Just gotta find them and reach out on social media, online etc..
17. Journaling Symptoms: Guilty of not being the best at this always, but it's good to track your symptoms to see how they work and operate. It helps not only you plan for it, but also your doctors in how best to handle your care. Take photos of things that make sense to show your doctors! Discharge, bowels etc..can sometimes help diagnose or judge with the images.
18. Next to Bed Kit: Make sure your nightstand is stocked with the essentials for your bad days. Makes it easier to access the items you need when you just can’t get up and get it.
19. Squatty Potty: Another thing that is majorly life changing on constipation days! Get one or you can make your own :) Take a stack of books and stack them at equal heights on each side and put your feet up. The trick is making sure you’re in a squat with your knees high to your ears.
20. Clothing: Dressing for this is key but you still want to look cute! Joggers with a stretchy waist are my go to pants, but wide leg trousers with a stretchy waist help with ease of removal but also comfort and brings some style to the look.
21. Pads: I wear Always Discreet vs. pads. I find when you need to wear them full time for incontinence it just makes it more comfortable. They have different cuts and styles so definitely check them out!

41F, 6'2", 185 lb. History of plaque psoriasis mainly on scalp, but also had it on my ears, eyelids, wrist and finger. Also B12 deficiency and have been low on vitamin D a few times in the past. Taking hydroxocobalamin shots for the B12. No other medication. Generally healthy otherwise.
(Just adding the following part since i think it could be connected but it might just be coincidental.) When I was about 6 I had a bad case of strep, and about a week later my back burst out in hundreds of itchy, crusty bumps. Docs were stumped so I never got diagnosed, it went away on it's own after a while. (Thinking back i am wondering if that was Guttate Psoriasis.) Shortly after that 2 fingers got red and painful and blew up like balloons. (thinking possibly PsA) Docs were still stumped so no diagnosis. This went away on its own too. No other issues for years, until the scalp psoriasis started at 36.
Anyway, about 3 weeks ago I had a sore throat. Nothing bad so I didn't go see a doc. I did test for Covid 3 times but was negative on all. Last week I got a spot on my stomach that I figured was psoriasis. It was small so no big deal, it happens. Now since the last 3 days I am starting to get more spots and am wondering if this might be Guttate Psoriasis. They are on my stomach, sides and breasts. I also have a few bumps on my arm but they are still very small so those might be something else.
Thoughts? I will add a picture in the comments. Thank you for your time!

Hi everyone! 40F, 5'7" 450 lbs, White. I have MS and mild hypertension. I also have depression and general anxiety. I am losing weight, but slowly since mental health is a bitch. I have been under the care of both a PCP and cardiologist but neither have been able to help my current issues. I will give a brief rundown of the past few months because it has been a whirlwind and a mess to figure out what is causing what. TL;DR of current symptoms: Chest and neck tightness, as if what wearing a corset may feel like; chest soreness; lightheadedness.
I'm currently taking Ocrevus for my MS (last dose given 4/8), I have a Nexplanon birth control implant, Zyrtec 10mg SID, and I am usually on Wellbutrin XL 300mg SID and Buspar 10mg BID but I have been messing with the dosages for these over the past two weeks or so, currently haven't taken either in about 5 days. I'm trying to figure out if my issues are side effects of either of these.
Back in December, I was prescribed Lisinopril 20mg SID for BP by my PCP. My blood pressure was generally around 140/90ish, sometimes up to 150s/90s, but never higher than that. A few weeks into the Lisinopril, I started feeling my pulse more generally in my body, as well as in my ear when wearing headphones, and my anxiety went through the roof. I was having some neck strain/pain and lightheadedness. I saw my PCP one month into it and her asst took my blood pressure immediately after I broke down crying from thinking my high BP was going to kill me; I already wanted to go to the ER once the week before but didn't. My BP was of course high when she took it, I was just crying. My PCP, instead of waiting and retaking my BP, DOUBLED my Lisinopril to 40mg SID. My anxiety was so bad that I just listened to her and thought the higher dose couldn't hurt. We also increased my Wellbutrin from 150mg to 300mg at this visit, because my depression had been getting worse the past couple months before, unrelated to the Lisinopril, but in case of a side effect issue, I wanted to mention it.
Very quickly, I started having a lot more of the neck strain and started having short, sharp almost pinching-like pains in my chest, not in one specific spot. My anxiety was so bad at this point that I wanted to go to the ER at least 5-6 times within a two week period after she doubled the dose. I went to see a cardiologist on my own because I was so sure I was in heart failure and dying. Right before my appt with cardio, I finally found out, through online research, that Lisinopril is KNOWN to make anxiety worse for people who already have it. My EKG was normal, and my cardio agreed to go back down to 20mg of Lisinopril and scheduled an echo just to be safe, especially with my weight. Echo was normal. I was still having a lot of side effects from the Lisinopril so I tapered off it right before my follow-up visit with cardio, and he said we should just leave off any BP meds for now because it was likely just my weight and overall not a huge concern. This was early March.
I finally felt like I was getting back to normal and all of the issues went away once I stopped the Lisinopril, including my anxiety going back down to being totally manageable with the Buspar. I still did get the neck strain, but didn't seem as bad, but that could 100% be posture-related, as I have a computer job working from home.
A few weeks ago, the chest tightness and lightheadedness came back, though I don't think the chest tightness like this was really an issue back in Jan/Feb, I just don't remember to be honest. I saw my cardiologist again last week, EKG was still normal. He thinks it may just be anxiety. He put in an order for me to get a PET scan stress test, I haven't scheduled it yet. He also gave me an Rx for metoprolol when I asked about maybe trying a beta blocker in case it IS anxiety causing it all, but I wasn't feeling anxious mentally when this happens. I filled the Rx but haven't taken it yet because I'm afraid of more side effects and trying to make sure other meds aren't causing it first. These symptoms are unrelated to physical activity, as they usually happen/are most noticeable when I am just sitting at my desk. The last couple days, the sharp pinching pains have returned, not only in my chest, but also in my neck last night. These last barely a second and only happen a couple times in a short period, then nothing for awhile.
As I mentioned, I'm taking a break from the Buspar and Wellbutrin right now to see if it's from side effects from those, but so far no real changed. The tightness may be less? but hard to guage. I have a really hard time dealing with this on top of anxiety; this started up before messing with my meds so I really don't know how much anxiety would be causing it without anxious thoughts. The tightness has been happening daily for about a week now, it wasn't quite daily for a week or two before that. It lasts for hours at a time, but I don't wake up with it, and it doesn't last all day.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I don't even know what kind of doctor I should see about it, as cardio isn't really helping and I have decided not to return to my PCP (I found another to try, just haven't scheduled yet).

I’ve had an extremely sore area at the base of my stomach for months. Saw my ostomy nurse and she said it could be a small hernia but she didn’t think so. Intestine pushing up against abdominal wall? She didn’t know. Anyone experience the same? Thanks.

Hi all!
I injected into my thigh this week. I didn’t have a lot of skin so I’m worried it went into my muscle.
Last week was my first week and I did my stomach and I felt TERRIBLE. Throwing up and diarrhea etc
I injected yesterday and my thigh’s injection site was sore until I iced it. I had some diarrhea but it faded.
Today I barely notice side effects at all. I am not exactly hungry but maybe more than last week?
Am I going to have to up my dose or can I stay at 2.5?
Do you think doing the dose in my thigh is making it less effective?

this is work of my imagination. People, places and acts are not real
Brother and I wake up early this morning with Daddy because it's Mother's Day. We help Daddy make Mommy a breakfast tray to take to bed. Daddy carries it upstairs and we follow.
Mommy is just sitting up in bed when we walk in "Oh my babies! How sweet! Thank you, honey." AS Daddy sets the tray down over lap. Brother and I crawl into bed on the other side and snuggle while Mommy eats. She's naked and we can see her tits swollen and leaking but Daddy said we had to be extra good today.
As Mommy finishes her breakfast, Daddy removes the tray and I say, "Happy Mommies Day! What do you want to do today, Mommy? Daddy said we have to be extra good and do whatever you want" I giggle.
"Oh thank you, my babies. I thought we could at least start out with you two draining my my breasts. They're starting to get a little sore" She giggles as Brother and I scramble over her to each latch onto her hard nipples. She's wraps an arm around each of us and kisses the tops of our heads.
"Greg, honey, I want us all to be together today. Would you like to fuck me while our babies nurse?" She asks Daddy.
"Of course, my love." Daddy gets naked and crawls up between Mommies legs work his hard cock in his hand. He strokes himself while he fingers Mommy to make sure she's wet. Jaxson starts to hump her leg and I reach down to help Daddy by rubbing her clit.
Daddy shoves his cock into her and starts pounding while Mommy holds us to her bouncing tits. I move my fingers from her clit to my own and rub while I nurse, watching Daddy fuck her. It doesn't take long for all of us to cum together. Daddy pulls out and pumps onto Mommy's stomach while Jaxson smears his on her leg and I squirt on the bed. Jaxson and I lick up Daddies cum to clean up Mommy. I lick Mommy's pussy clean while Jaxson licks off Daddy's soft cock.
Daddy takes the breakfast tray downstairs and Mommy asks us to come shower with her.

Race Information

• Name: Pittsburgh Half
• Date: 5/5/24
• Distance: 13.1 miles
• Location: Pittsburgh
• Website: https://www.thepittsburghmarathon.com/races/half-marathon-1
• Time: 2:19:30

Goals

Goal	Description	Completed?
A	Finish!	Yes
B	Sub 2:20	Yes

Splits (A little off since I'm using strava data instead of the official times since they only had the 4.4 mile, 9.1, and Finish times)

Mile	Time
1	10:21
2	10:41
3	10:36
4	10:19
5	10:29
6	9:56
7	10:49
8	10:46
9	11:00
10	11:34
11	10:39
12	10:14
13	8:56
0.3	6:59 (pace I think? it didn't take 7 minutes)

Training

I've been shooting for the half marathon since around Thanksgiving this past year from having never really been a runner (the closest I got was when I signed up for cross country in 7th grade in the summer, then got so scared of embarrassment and pain that I was crying for my parents to take me out of it lol). Probably something to unpack there, oh well! Not too stressed about it now :)
My girlfriend's mom has been a huge role model for me since she restarted in 2020 and was really supportive when I started out on C25k and beyond. My weekly training ended up being mostly 3 days of running leading up to the 10 miler race with around 16 - 20 miles per week, but I realized that I'd love to increase how many days I'm running a week and started to slowly add in 2 mile days on tuesdays and/or thursdays to begin that habit for the last couple of weeks before Pittsburgh. I don't think these had any tangible benefits for PGH, but it was a big mental help as I could tell I wanted to continue the positive benefits I've seen from running into higher mileage and a long term hobby.
It was super cool to be able to have done the Cherry Blossom 10 miler with her and my dad out in DC as a training run, and it was there that I pleasantly surprised myself - I had thought that I'd be able to hang on at around an 11 minute pace for that, but my dad, who has run something like 7 marathons, paced me and helped me to not go out too quick. This meant that my pace for the 10 miler was around 10:30 and it felt really comfortable, so I wanted to set that as my goal pace for Pittsburgh!
The last 4 -5 weeks before Pittsburgh went super well and I was able to practice fueling with regular long runs that got up to 12 miles the week before. This was probably a mistake since I then went out and partied hard at an open bar my Grad school hosted, but it was really good for me mentally to have gotten near the race distance. I took off the week before as a small taper and dealt with a fair amount of nerves that I had done my longest run too close to the race (which tbf I did).
I flew in through Detroit, and spent the days leading up to the race having to unfortunately get up way too early and had a bit of a sleep debt, but thankfully the excitement from the race kept me afloat! I met up with my brother, dad, and girlfriend's mom who were all running and we had a blast the day before the race at a brewery the night before, and we got to meet up with my cousin and her husband and hang out with their menagerie of 2 cats and 2 dogs.
Slept great, and woke up with plenty of time to eat an oatmeal bar and some coffee before heading to the corrals. Unfortunately, my dad put himself in a corral back from my brother and I in Corral C, so it was just us running together since my girlfriend's mom was a corral up from us in corral B. I was definitely jittery on the start line, but it helped that my brother didn't mind me jabbering away to distract myself.

Race

I was so happy to have had my brother running with me! We got some neon bright hats at the expo which helped with some of the rain we got in the beginning and it made us pretty easy to spot for my gf's dad who was there as a spectator. Miles 1 - 6 went really well! Having my brother with me made me make sure to check I wasn't going to quick as he didn't have a watch with him to check our splits. I was amazed at how much adrenaline and the crowd made me speed up, and I felt like we were both constantly needing to cool our speed so that we had some gas left in the tank for the hills I had heard on the back half of the half marathon course, and especially for what I had heard was a large hill at mile 12. We saw my gf's dad between mile 4 and 5, and he was able to catch a great video of us running together :)
Miles 7-10 were where I started to hit some mental challenges. If I'm remembering right, this is where we started to get away from the crowds and headed towards some slightly biggelonger hills. Especially without crowd support, some of the longer slightly uphill grades felt like torture, so we slowed a bit and tried to take it easy through them. This is where I started to regret some of the stomach problems I'd had from using the honey stinger gels in training as it made me really hesitant to use them during the race. I find honey stinger gels to be sickeningly sweet at times, so I had only grabbed some of the gummies they had offered for free at the expo as those had gone down better. However as a result, I didn't fuel anywhere near as often as I know I should/can handle, and I think that definitely contributed to having a tougher time in 7-10.
Thankfully, somewhere in there I was drinking nuun at every water stop and got a banana from a kind volunteer, so I started to feel better. I also loved the gummy worm mile they had set up, as well as all the signs! Every time I saw a sign that made me laugh and smile, I got a huge burst of energy. While I was beginning to feel better, my brother was beginning to get some pretty bad cramping in his legs. I hadn't realized it at the time, but my normal routes for my week have more elevation change than I thought, and I think that helped a lot, whereas my brother, living in MN, had to work to go find hills and elevation to work in. Eventually, he told me to just go on ahead and that he'd meet me at the finish.
Miles 11 - end
I had really wanted to finish this strong, and I'm really glad I took it conservative as a first. I was a bit freaked out at mile 11 because that was the mile marker that begin the big hill everyone had been telling me about. Thing was, I couldn't remember if this was the big one, or if this was just the lead up to the big one at the mile 12 marker! I couldn't help but laugh at myself a bit for forgetting which mile I was in, and kinda just went for it. I knew if I could make it to the top of the hill, I'd be able to turn on some gas and do my best to bomb it down to the finish. I tried to remember what had happened at the Cherry Blossom 10 miler where I had done the same and blown up a bit trying to go quick the last two miles, so I made sure that it was quicker but still sustainable. Thankfully, this bit went really well, and I was able to get a sprint finish at the end to beat my A and B goals.

Post-race

I was pretty toast after hitting the finish line, so I took it slow, got my medal, and made sure to get some electrolytes in me. I was out of it for a bit, but within a couple minutes was feeling pretty good minus some soreness and mild pain in my right knee. I waited by one of the spotter places to meet my brother, and was happy to find out he had gotten through the cramping and came in about 5 minutes behind me. We met up with my gf's parents in the beer garden, and waited there to meet my dad. He found us after about 15 minutes - it sounded like two things had really gotten to him: humidity and the crowding of his corral. He was pretty frustrated with how crowded it was the first 4-5 miles for him as PGH/or the self reported paces for Corral D had a lot of walkers (which is cool btw) who had apparently blocked off a lot of the path (not so cool) making it hard to get around. He was dodging in and out for quite a while, and I wish we had coordinated our reported paces since he easily could have held with my brother and I. Lesson learned for next race!
I was pretty emotional about it as I've always thought of myself as a very unathletic person, and it was really special to be able to share my first half with my family. I had a lot of memories of being a spectator at my dad's marathons, and it was cool to be on the other side of it! Got some great pictures, and we all headed back to the hotel to enjoy a quick lunch at the restaurant that was in the lobby. It was pretty intense to see a lot of the marathon folks still out on the course - it looked like a suffer-fest (but definitely piqued my interest...it's in the cards before my 26th birthday) Got some bourbon and some nachos and couldn't have been happier before we all collapsed for a post-race nap!
Made with a new race report generator created by []().

Hey guys, this is my first post in here so hello. I am 24 female in NYC and had laparoscopic surgery exactly two weeks ago for a left inguinal hernia. Here is my full report by day:
Surgery day: Everything went great, worst thing is just having an afternoon surgery and not being able to eat or drink anything. I went into the surgery around 2:30 and woke up at 4:40. I wasn't in any pain, just extremely nauseous and dehydrated. I was discharged from the hospital probably an hour later. Don't remember much or how I got home I was put on a soft diet for 24 hours so the only thing I ate that day was frozen yogurt.
Day 2: I slept from about 8 pm to 8 am and woke up once in the night to go pee. The worst pain I had by far was in the belly button area. My mom had to help me get up to pee and help me stand up from the toilet. It felt like I was legit pregnant and had been punched in the stomach 500 times by Mike Tyson. That day was probably the worst just because getting up was so difficult and it felt like my stomach was going to pop.
Day 3-5 A little less pain except was still in a lot of pain in the belly button area. The worst pains were laughs, coughs, sneezes and getting up. I became a little more mobile but not really anything crazy. I didn't do much walking and basically laid in bed for 4 days. I also pooped on day 4. It didn't hurt as bad as I thought but I highly recommend taking stool softeners and Miralax and eating fiber one brownies.
Day 6: Started to feel so much better and could finally walk around and laugh without feeling like I was going to die. Was taking some Advil very periodically but no pain killers or extra strength Tylenol.
Day 7: Walked to the park and probably walked a mile or 2. was so nice to get outside and do some walking. My lower back was in serious pain from all the laying and I felt like a hunchback from not standing upright. I still had a little belly button pain but nothing crazy, just sore. Had a follow up with my surgeon and everything looked good.
Day 8 - 11: Belly button pain is completely gone. More walking probably 2-3 miles very slowly. No pain but moving slowly.
11-14: No pain and continuing to walk 2-3 miles a day at a 20 min pace.
That's my surgery story! Overall a pretty easy experience. I will also note I had basically zero appetite the first week of surgery and still have a very limited one. I assume it was from all the Tylenol and Advil but the thought of most food disgusted me and I was basically eating just crackers, rice, and bread.
Let me know if you have any questions and I'll answer :)

Hello! Here's my first attempt at a race recap. Is it a form of post-race therapy for a race that did not go as planned, despite having a great training cucle? Maybe. Perhaps it is also an attempt at inspiring my fellow goal-oriented runners to find the positives, wins, and progression in a race where you did not reach your goals. It's a long one and includes heat exhaustion, unexpected GI distress, and blood sugar woes, so buckle down. Proceed at your own caution.

Race Information

• Name: Leiden Half Marathon
• Date: May 12th, 2024
• Distance: 21.1 km
• Location: Leiden, The Netherlands
• Website: marathon.nl
• Time: 1:35:55

Goals

Goal	Description	Completed?
A	Sub 1:32	No
B	Sub 1:34	No
C	PB	Yes

Splits

Kilometer	Time
1	4:52
2	4:32
3	4:27
4	4:28
5	4:27
6	4:33
7	4:28
8	4:28
9	4:28
10	4:33
11	4:32
12	4:31
13	4:32
14	4:39
15	4:35
16	4:42
17	4:38
18	4:32
19	4:24
20	4:31
21	4:27
0.1	4:15

Background

To give you some background: I'm a relatively new runner. I have been casually running since mid-April 2024 and more seriously since July 2023. This was my second full training block, the previous one being a 12 week training block for in December. After that, I ran a trail half in January 2024. That was a bit of a wildcard race that I ran on the fly, not to finish it as fast as possible. I hadn't trained for it and ran the first half easy, the second half as an unplanned progression run simply because I felt good. That run brought me to a 1:43:38 finishing time. The Leiden half marathon would thus be my first go at racing a half marathon. With the half in January in mind, on the outset of my training block, I had a sub 1:35 in mind, but still as a very loose aim, subject to change as the training block progressed.
Another piece of important background: I have type 1 diabetes, which affects my running in quite complex ways. I'll spare you the details, but generally I am pretty apt at managing my blood sugar during running, using a continuous glucose monitor and an insulin pump. I hardly ever experience low blood sugar while running, especially not during races, due to the adrenaline rush, which tends to spike blood sugar instead. Foreshadowing: this race did not follow this general pattern.

Training (or "the rise")

I started this training cycle at the end of February, using the Runna advanced half marathon plan. I'd used Runna for my first training cycle as well, so was familiar with the app and general structure, and overall happy with it. It scheduled 4 days of running, one long run workout, one easy run, and two speed workouts. One of those speed workouts I swapped for a track session at my local athletics club. In addition to this, I had two weight lifting sessions at the gym a week.
Despite not having an overt problem with Runna, I second guessed the paces it prescribed and the training intensity quite a lot. While during the 10k training the overall load did not feel excessively high, having two speed workouts, one of which an intense track session, and a long run workout between 18 and 24k per week with significant portions at HM or 10k pace felt a bit excessive. Halfway through March, I struggled to hit paces during my track sessions, whereas in January - February I had no problem with this, and my calves were perpetually tight. Because of this and other reasons, I switched to personalized online coaching from April onwards, about halfway through the training cycle. My coach was great about basing my training on the first half of the training cycle and slowly transitioning me to a different schedule. He transitioned me to 5 runs a week instead of 4, plus a 6th day of cross training, and adjusted the overall intensity to be far more in line with the general recommendation of 80% easy, 20% hard. I felt the effects almost immediately: my calves calmed down, my HR came down during easy runs, I hit paces during my hard sessions again, and could even run 4 days in a row, where before that would always set off my calves and cause shin pain. On average, I ran 54 km a week during the training block, with my peak weeks at 59km a week. During the second half of the training block I felt truly great, without any pain or niggles, even in those peak weeks.
This left me feeling confident and excited for the race. Based on a 20:02 5k time trial in the first week of April, my coach and I decided on 4:25 min/km as a goal pace for the half marathon, which would bring me to a finish time around 1:33. During my peak week long run workouts, (18k with a total of 8k at goal pace and 20k with 10k at goal pace), I could easily keep up with a faster pace of 4:22 min/km, planting the idea in my head that if the conditions were right, I might be able to hit sub 1:32. I knew there would be a chance of hot weather though, so kept 1:35 as a B-goal.
The training also included practicing with fueling on my run, taking gels every 25-30 minutes for my long run, which I never had any problem with, even when running faster. I generally view myself of having an iron stomach, thanks to years of eating at the most random moments to treat low blood sugars. Cue second piece of foreshadowing...

Pre-race (or "the turn")

In the days leading up to the race, it slowly became more and more clear that the weather conditions on race day would be less than ideal, with an expected high of 25 degrees and full sun. And, of course, since it's the Netherlands, decent humidity to boot. The whole west of the country is basically a swamp, after all. Knowing this, I already started managing my own expectations and realized that sub 1:32 would most likely be off the table. All attention to the 1:35 goal, then.
My pre-race days also included my first attempt at a semi-carb load. I call it a semi-carb load given the short duration: using Meghan Featherstun's calculator, I planned on a one/1.5 day carb load, from Friday morning to Saturday afternoon, with a normal dinner on Saturday so as to give my body time to digest all the carbs. The carb loading went surprisingly well; I'd expected that the extra carbs and relative lack of protein and fat would make it difficult to keep my blood sugar in check, but I experienced no significant blood sugar spikes (here's some counter evidence to all the fearmongering around carbs and blood glucose spikes - if I can handle it with synthetic, imperfectly working insulin and human error, a healthy person with a functioning pancreas surely will be absolutely fine).
Race morning? *Cue the stress*. Hectic was how I would describe it. I got up early so that I would be able to take an early train to Leiden, allowing for plenty of time to do my warm up, queue for the bathrooms, etc. My bag was all packed when my boyfriend, who would travel with me to cheer me on, suggested I transfer all my stuff to his backpack, so I wouldn't have to check my bag (this would save some time and allow us to circumvent some of the busy parts of town). Foreshadowing: this was a bad idea. I transferred all of my stuff (I thought) to my boyfriend's bag and off we went to the station. Once we were sat in the train, I reached for his bag to pin on my bib.
Horror struck. FUCK!
I left my bib in my bag at home, in a back compartment! Thank god the train had not yet departed from the station. Just before the train doors closed, I managed to sprint out and race home on the bike to grab my bib. Lesson learned: do not transfer your stuff to another bag last minute. My boyfriend and I ended up making it to one train later, leaving me far less time to get ready, but enough to just make the start.
Emphasis on 'just'; although I had some 25 minutes to spare to get to my corral once my swelteringly hot warm up was done, the queue for the portapotties was terribly long and the whole process was utterly inefficient. When it was my turn, I had 4 minutes before the race started, and I did not even know where exactly my corral was. My boyfriend was a true saint and scoped the way in the mean time, so he ran with me (in the heat, with a backpack and regular sneakers) to the corral, where I managed to wedge myself through an opening in the fencing with 30 seconds left. The adrenaline was already rushing through my veins, I can tell you that.

Race (or "the fall")

Still stressed out from the pre-race situation, the gun went off. Showtime.
The start was quite broad but roughly 200 meters out there was a funnel. It was busy as heck and I had to slow down significantly, but I knew weaving would be a bad choice so tried to be patient and just go with the flow. Within the first five minutes of the race, the trouble began. I could feel my blood sugar dropping. I had a significant amount of insulin on board to account for the usual rush of adrenaline during a race, which generally brings up my blood sugar considerably, so the fact that I was already dropping brought on a slight panic. I downed a gel in an attempt to divert a low blood sugar, almost choking on it in the process. Luckily, I could feel it working and bringing my blood sugar back to a stable trajectory pretty quickly, but knew I wasn't out of the woods yet, as the chances of my blood sugar starting to drop again would be considerable. I also noticed pretty soon that my stomach wasn't too happy about the gel, despite never having experienced GI distress from fueling on my runs ever before. Looking back, I think I was already heading into dehydration territory at this point.
The strategy for the race was to hoover just above 4:25 min/km for the first 5k, settle into a goal pace of 4:20 - 4:25 between km 6 - 16, and empty the tank in the last 5k. The first 5k went fairly well; after the group dispersed a bit, I managed to pick up to a comfortable 4:28. By the 5k mark, however, the heat started to get to me and my stomach was still feeling a bit iffy. At this point, the course had shifted from city to running between the meadows, with little shade. Since I carried a handheld with water + electrolytes that I could continuously sip from, I used the most of the cups at the water posts to dunk the contents over my head. The volunteers also handed out sponges soaked in cold water, and some very kind spectators sprayed cool water with garden hoses, which was truly a blessing. Thanks to these cooling methods, I still felt relatively good at this point, but had a suspicion that I would empty the tank too early by increasing my pace to below 4:25, so I tried to simply stick to the current pace until at least the half way mark. That would still allow me to reach my sub 1:35 goal.
At the 10k mark, the struggle became real, however. Between km 6 and 12, there were no water posts and there was very little shade as well. My stomach still hurt, a weird sensation hoovering between the pain of a side stitch but in my whole abdomen, and nausea. Knowing this could be due to dehydration, I continued to sip water in hopes of it getting better, which eventually did happen. Mentally, I kept reminding myself that I was in control and to keep my form relaxed, but speeding up to goal pace did not seem like a sensible option. The opposite, actually, not dropping my pace was challenge enough. Having fallen back slightly by km 10, I tried to pick up to 4:28 again between km 11 and 12, but hardly managed. And then the trouble really began: by km 13, I could feel that my blood sugar was low. Now, I imagine that for my pancreatically unchallenged pals, it can be hard to understand what running with low blood sugar feels like, so I'll try to explain it: it's like you're moving through molasses, everything feels 10 times heavier than it should be. In addition, your brain is literally lacking the energy it needs to function, causing brain fog and making it difficult to assess a situation. Everything in me wanted to stop, lay down on the side of the road and just stop existing for a little bit. And to that, add a layer of panic: a low blood sugar can get seriously dangerous and can lead to death if not managed well. Now, I would never advise to run through a low blood sugar. I know my body well, however, and with a far too slow working brain, made the following assessment when I had downed a gel:

• The gel should bring me up fairly quickly;
• There's not as much active insulin on board anymore, reducing the risk of the gel not raising my blood sugar to an adequate level or of my blood sugar continuing to drop despite the gel;
• If I keep running, there is the chance that my body will keep producing adrenaline, which causes an additional dump of glycogen in my blood stream, thus also raising my blood sugar, whereas if I stop, this would be unlikely to happen;
• If I feel worse, I can stop at anytime.

I put all of my mental and physical energy into keeping my legs turning over, fighting that overwhelming urge to stop and lay down. I did slow down quite a bit, dropping to a low point of a 4:42 min/km for km 16. But as the feeling was 'stable', if you will, and not getting worse, I kept running, reminding myself that I was over halfway. At some point in this chunk of the race, a spectator yelled at a woman behind me that she was 25th female, which pushed her to overtake me, but to be honest, I was so wrapped up in my own pain that I did not give shit.
Then, as it often goes with blood sugar issues, like a flip of the switch I felt better all of a sudden around the 17k marker. Invigorated by averting blood sugar disaster and by the idea of having less than 5k left, I felt like I could pick up the pace again. Gradually, rather than all at once, but simply the fact that I could pick up the pace again, brought back some of my confidence and enjoyment. Don't get me wrong, it was still hard as hell, but compared to the fog of anguish I'd been running in previously, this was manageable. By km 18, I started slowly picking people to take over. There was one woman in sight who I overtook, but then she overtook me again, and we kept pushing each other to keep going (we even briefly spoke to cheer each other on) up until km 20, when I left her behind me and did not see her again (later, I saw that she finished a couple of seconds after me; in the unlikely event that she happens to read this: thank you for pushing me!!). At this point, I was vaguely aware that sub 1:35 would not be possible anymore, but I tried to win any second I could. The final two 2 were brutal and felt endless, and oh boy was I happy when I crossed the finish line.

Post-race and aftermath

As soon as I stopped running and slowed down to a walk, my legs turned into noodles. I felt quite uncoordinated and nausea hit me like a ton of bricks. Looking back, I think I might've suffered from heat exhaustion, if not mild heat stroke, as these feelings stayed with me for quite a while and I also started shivering, despite being hot still. I received my medal, forced down the banana and orange slices handed out after the finish (this was such a nice touch by the race organization!), as well as two cups of water. Managed to keep it down, and the nausea dissipated after a while. Unsurprisingly, I felt some disappointment over missing even my B-goal, which I'd thought of as squarely within reach. Still, my most intense emotion was relief for making it to the finish line, given the circumstances. I texted with my coach a bit, who also cheered me on. I know that I could've run far faster on a different day, but not on this day, not with the heat and blood sugar issues. I did truly give it my all and left it all on the course, and that is a satisfying feeling, no matter the outcome. I ended up finishing 17th in my age group and 22nd female overall.
To celebrate, I met up with my cheer squad, consisting of my boyfriend and some friends (I call them my cheer squad, but they missed me because the live tracker was lagging) and went for lunch, before heading back home. The rest of the day was spent taking some gentle strolls to aid recovery, relaxing, and eating a ton of good food (with lingering nausea, but hey, with great athleticism comes great eating responsibility, as David Roche says). Later, the rest of the races that day ended up being cancelled because the medical staff could not keep up with the influx of runners suffering from heat stress. The high turned out the be 27 degrees, with constant sun and little wind. Knowing this, I am extra glad I finished safely.
So, just over 24 hours later, what are we left with? Sore legs, that's for sure. I'm lightly bummed out that I did not perform as I had expected, but this is combined with the thrill of still having a goal to chase, that I know is within my reach, especially when I stack another training cycle on top of this. Overall, I am happy with what I managed to do, given the circumstances. I feel confident that the fitness I have gained in this training cycle is an excellent starting point for a new training cycle, and I know that this race experience has taught me a lot, from blood sugar management and not forgetting my bib (hah) to how far I can really push myself. The second half of my training block was an absolute win in itself. Running 5 days a week with an average of 54km seemed absolutely inconceivable a year ago, when I was not even a month into my running journey. It's insane where a couple of months of consistency can bring you.
For now, I'm going to rest and recover, reflect some more and run some easy miles for the next couple of days. After that, I'll shift my focus on the 5 and 10k for a little bit, before hopefully starting the prep for a half marathon redo in the fall. Whatever happens, I'll pick a race with very low chances of hot weather, ha.
Made with a new race report generator created by u/herumph.