I can't afford to pay my therapy bill so I can't get a refill for my anxiety or sleep medication. I can't go to the er because they rarely help. I'm doing every app I can find but it's just not enough. Just tell me it freaking gets better eventually. I really can't take much more.

I just built out a community focused on IG growth and monetization
The goal is: Community Sharing Ideas & Collabing on projects
Tested this out with 5 paid members and here are some results: First 10k views in their first week 200 followers to 3.8K in 3 weeks
My personal results: Theme page - 50M views in 5 months ( 90K+ followers) Personal brand - 5M+ views in 2 months (still working on this)
Just finished off new courses in the community and want real time feedback from a couple of people looking to grow
P.s. it will be free for you
P.p.s. I’m not a guru just looking to build a valuable community and sharing what I learn along the way✌🏽

Hi everyone,
I used to frequently lurk on this reddit looking for some ways to deal with my case of anxiety induced OAB. I thought I’d chime and share a success story that had with my battle with overactive bladder. I just want to start with some background I’m 29m with not major medical or health complications, I’m healthy and physically active (at the time that my symptoms really cracked off I was probably the fittest I had been in my life).
My symptoms all started in August of 2022 and they came on suddenly. To set the scene it was a beautiful sunny Saturday and I had some plans to go surfing with some mates latter in the afternoon. There was some pretty good swell due at one of my favourite beaches in town and I was super exited (maybe a little nervous because it was going to be kind of larger surf that I was used to. In the morning I had breakie and a cup of coffee. I was really excited about this new coffee that I had got from the store. Immediately after the coffee I was a little anxious but nothing out of the ordinary, I thought it was nervous jitters for the surf session. Anyways my mated pick me up and we head to the beach (it was about an hour drive away). On the car trip I remember having to pee but again nothing out of the ordinary. We go surfing for about 2-3 hours, and I didn’t have to go once the entire time I was out. I get out of the water and change, and that when it all started. I went to use the bathroom and immediately afterwards had to go again (I thought it was weird and tried to go again but there was nothing…okay…). pack up the car and start driving, and the urge was strong again, stoped to go again still not much again. So I suffered for the rest of the car ride home feeling like I was going to go in my pants the whole time. It was at this point my anxiety shot through the roof and I felt like a panic attack was coming on (I had one earlier in the year so I kind of recognized the symptoms of it). I get home and try everything I can to get myself to calm down and nothing worked. The plan was to go home and then meet my friend for homemade pizza at their house (20 minute drive away). I get ready and use the bathroom and get halfway to my friends house only to have to stop and go again. I struggle through the dinner have to excuse myself once or twice to go again still there was not too much. By the end of the day I had burned 3500 calories of stress. I figured it was anxiety at the time and I hoped that it would get better in the morning.
But that urge became something I constantly had to deal with, and when I say constant I mean like I’d go and immediately feel like I needed to go again (maybe 5 minutes of relief between visits). This would lead to me having to go to the bathroom maybe 20 times a day or so. I missed out on movies, shows, drinking with my mates, had to start planning my life around bathroom access, and coffee. (At the time I would have done anything to be able to have a pint or a cup of coffee with my mated and not have to worry about my symptoms getting worse). All this worry was starting consume a large part of my day to day thinking. I mean it’s not like it a symptom that you can just ignore. Fomos and the general anxiety around whether was was going to get better This really stressed me out and made the problem much worse as time went on.
I figured I’d wait and see before going to the doctor see what was going on. After about a week with nothing getting better I decided to go see a doctor. They did some test which all came back negative, I had an ultrasound and everything was clear. At the ultrasound appointment with less than 100ml of liquid in my bladder the feeling was so intense the lady even showed me that there was nothing there on her screen (again this clued me into thinking maybe this was a physiological issue rather than physical one). They said there was nothing that they could find that was medically wrong with me but they would refer me to a urologist to give me the all clear. At this point in my mind there were not major medical issues with me, so there were two potential causes (1) anxiety and (2) a nagging injury. Re (2) I had a nagging groin injury that I sustained at the beginning of the year. I was going to pt for it and thought I could have been surfing from a hypertonic pelvic floor and that was causing the oab symptoms. I couldn’t get an appointment for several months so there was a long period of just waiting while still battling with this constant urge to use the bathroom.
After that appointment I figured I’m dealing with the injury with pt already so maybe I should try to focus on the anxiety aspect. So I tired everything that I could do to reduce my symptoms, drink less coffee, meditate (headspace), saw a therapist, stepped back my work as much as I could to get some time to relax, kept physically active (surfing running climbing multiple times a week), spent time with friends and still nothing made me feel better.
I think this was a period where I was the most stressed that I had ever been. Lets just say 2022 was a year I would not want to repeat anytime soon. To list all that I had going on (tw: cancer, suicide(friend), family member death ) :

1. I was living abroad in nz and was far from family, and my partner. My dad earlier in the year had been diagnosed with cancer and was going through treatments.
2. My really good friend attempted suicide twice (The first time I was the closest person to him and he confided in me with his intentions and everything. Probably the most stressful we ek of my life)
3. My friends mental health emergency lead to me having to move flats on short notice because I didn’t feel safe where I lived because I was threatened by my friend after calling the cops on him to do a wellness check. I went from living in boarding situation with 12 really good friends to living in a studio which was super isolating.
4. I felt afraid around the town because of these treats and made it harder to relax. Plus running which was my biggest outlet for stress and the thing that I did with my friend became to hard for me to do. It kept giving my ptsd flashbacks of the event.
5. my grandfather passed away shortly after my father was diagnosed with cancer.

(tw:end)

1. I was in the process of writing my thesis at the time and had my defence deadline approaching nearer and nearer.
2. I was planning on moving back to my home country at the end of the year which meant that I was going to loose my whole support system and have to start fresh again. I had to worry about selling most of the stuff I own (car, furniture, clothes, surfboards etc.)
3. I was also planning a carrier change from one research to a completely different field of study. I’m an academic and I wanted try something new. You either get to pick where you live or the research you do.
4. worried about jobs I was going to get when I moved back and how I was going to support myself. This is related to 8)

I feel like any one of these events would be a lot to deal with on its own. This was all coming off the tail end of covid as well, thing were starting to get back to normal but there were still periodic lock downs. I feel like it had been a year of very high constant stress and everything together overloaded me. It hasn’t been uncommon for anxiety to manifest as physical symptoms for me before. I remember earlier in the year before the oab really kicked off that I couldn’t eat food without it making me feel sick. it turns out that anxiety cracks up stomach acid and that can make you feel nauseous. The doctor was able to help me out with.
Well to continue the story I went and saw urologist and he said that everything was clear and there was nothing to worry about. Just have to wait for things to calm down, he did give me some oxybutynin that didn’t really help. Then shorty after that I had to sell everything I owned and I flew back home. I remember that flight being kind of hard, I was sad to leave the country and anxious for the new life I was about to begin. It really enhanced the symptoms that I was experiencing.
I moved back to the USA at the end of 2023 and that is when I began trying to tackle this problem in earnest. The urologist recommended that I tried bladder retraining while it was helpful to see progress it still didn’t help with the symptoms that much. I tired cbd for my anxiety and had some success. It seemed to help manage my symptoms. I moved from summer in the southern hemisphere, to the middle of the winter in the northern hemisphere and the lack of sun didn’t help my mental health.
At this point I could go maybe 30 minutes between trips to the bathroom. I didn’t have coffee, or alcohol (didn’t even dream of it). Car trips were miserable, would spend most of them stressed I wouldn’t find a bathroom. Still had the constant urge to use the bathroom. Things were not fun. Luckily I had a decent amount of money in savings so I took some time to relax while I was waiting to defend my thesis. (I think I took about 6-7 months to myself)
Okay I’m sure you all know all that symptoms and how miserable they can be. Here’s what worked for me:
First thing I’d say is go see a doctor. Reddit is great but a doctor will be able to tell if there is anything physically wrong with you. Then trust what they say. When are you a dealing with a health related thing that is related to anxiety the most important thing is to make sure that you have a clean bill of health.
Once you know nothing is wrong physically here are some ways of dealing with oab caused my anxiety:

1. Talk: Talk to your love ones about what you are dealing with. Tell them you are struggling with this medical issue and you may need to pull over and use the bathroom or disappear for a couple minutes. They will understand if they love you. I waited a long time to open up to my partner about this, and I felt a lot better after I told her what I was struggling with.
2. Face this head on: Don’t retreat still do things go outside got to shows bars the store. You will be able to find a bathroom you don’t need to worry. Remember that stuff that you love to do don’t let oab rule your life. Its going to be scary but its good to face these anxieties head on. If you start canceling events because you are afraid of bathroom access will lead to further isolation, and eventually agoraphobia (not a good place to end up)
3. Bladder retraining: This gives you a way to track progress and play chicken with your bladder in a controlled manner. You are trying to teach your brain the difference between really and fake signals. This will help you gain trust in yourself again. Remember this is gradual process.
4. Professional help. Shortly after getting back to the states I started getting professional help to deal with all the stress I had in my life. I needed somewhere where I could process everything I was going through. I got the quickest appointment I could and took the first one I could get. By involving doctors and therapist and even your loved ones you are not tackling this problem alone anymore you have a team of people helping you. Plus they can give you ideas on how to manage your stress and anxiety.
5. Headspace: In a similar vein headspace and mindfulness will help with learning how to acknowledge how we are feeling and move on. We are always going to need to use the bathroom there is no way around it and we sometimes will have the feeling that we need to go when we don’t need to. In the same way there is no getting rid of anxiety, what mindfulness does is help change our relationship with these feelings. You could try the session on chronic pain because what we are experiencing is a persistent unwanted sensation from out body like a form of pain. There is also more general ones about anxiety. I think we can borrow some of the ideas that people dealing with chronic pain use to to deal with the urges that we experience ( I don’t know how much there is to this though).
6. (a) side tangent: I saw this guy in nz who said that when people are dealing with heartache sometimes taking a painkiller (like Tylenol or ibuprofen) can help deal with the pain. Even though the pain is psychosomatic the feeling is still real, and the painkiller can actually help with managing the heartbreak. (see)
7. Medication: Trying anti anxiety meds was the biggest thing for me. What I really needed after all the stress was some mental space. For me lexapro gave me this space. I know that finding the right medication to be on can be hard and its a long process to find the one that is right for you. I’m currently on the lowest dose (5mg) and I have been taking it for about 1.5 years with little side effects (only if I miss a dose I feel a little dizzy in the evening). I know anti-anxiety meds get a bad wrap these days and I feel like there is a lot of misinformation about them. People worry that it is going numb them that they are going to feel like themselves, or that people are going to judge them for taking it, but in my case that hasn’t been my experience. If you are at a high level of stress it can help bring you back down to baseline, it can give you the space to acknowledge the things that make you feel anxious and move on. I highly recommend trying this out. I should also say here that it does take 1.5-2 months for the meds to really start working, and during that time your anxiety can increase (but its worth it!!!)
8. CBD: if you don’t want to try an anti anxiety med try CBD, it really helps with stress and I found that it was pretty good at helping with some OAB symptoms at first but you build up a tolerance to it when you are taking it daily, and it can become expensive. What I found that worked for me was around 10-15mg 3 times a day (breakfast lunch and dinner). This helped me be less stressed in the car our when I was out walking places and there was no bathroom nearby.

When this all started I didn’t ever think I was going to be able to enjoy a cup of coffee again or go to a bar and have a pint and drive home with out a worry. After working at this for the last 2 years I’ve been able to get to a place where I can have a coffee and then go for a long car ride and have no symptoms. I’m able to go to a triva night and enjoy a beer without having to get up every 10 minutes to use the bathroom. I’m able to sit through meeting without having to leave 3-4. I’ve been able to give a 1 hr long talk to a large group of people (something I wouldn’t have been able to do because oab at the beginning of all this) with no issues. In my experience there is no instant cure for this, don’t say this to be negative but more so to say that its going to take hard work, and there is hope. I was able to overcome this thing and so can you! I hope this helps and thanks for taking the time to read my post.

Photos and timestamp (last picture): https://imgur.com/a/7MBXhT6
For sale is an Olympus OM-1 paired with an Olympus H.Zuiko 24mm f2.8.
Askings:
Bundle $100 shipped
Body: $50 + shipping
Lens: $60 + shipping
Shipping is a $10 flat rate through USPS. PayPal G&S. Everything is negotiable.
Camera is in rough shape cosmetically but seems to operate as intended. I picked this one up from a local photographer who was selling his gear and he mentioned he had it professionally CLA'd a few years ago. I have a copy of my own and all speeds seem to be accurate and I cannot find any indication that it won't perform properly when put to use. However, since I have not yet tested it with film I cannot guarantee that everything works perfectly; for such reason I am selling it as is and will not be accepting any returns.
Camera fires, all speeds work, advancing lever is smooth. Viewfinder is clear and bright, no dust; there seems to be a very faint spot of prism degradation on the lower left that is hard to capture in photos, but it is a miniscule spot. Light seals are brand new.
Leather throughout the body is a bit rough, with some corners peeling off a little bit; there's one corner on the front lower right side that has a piece missing and reveals one of the body screws, which I believe resulted from the last maintenance the camera received. It has some stains where the hot shoe mount used to sit on. There is a scratch on the black piece on top of the advancing lever from where they probably unscrewed it to do maintenance. The timer functions properly and as intended.
The light meter seems to be inaccurate, mostly indoors. It turns on and will react to changes in speed and aperture, but is a few stops underexposed when used indoors. It seems to be more accurate outdoors when there is more light to take in, as it is usually one stop or half a stop off from my external light meter. I would not rely on the internal light meter for shooting.
Olympus OM-SYSTEM H.ZUIKO AUTO-W 24mm f2.8.
The lens is fair condition, but I have not tested it either and cannot guarantee the image quality that will come from it. However, the imperfections in the glass aren't apparent unless you shine a very bright light directly to the elements. There is haze to be found mostly on the front element, slight haze on the rear element. There are a couple specks of dust that are noticeable on the back element. There are some scratches throughout the body of the lens. The rubber ring to control the focus is coming loose, but stays in place (used some glue to glue it at specific spots around the ring). Lens will only come with a front cap and will be attached to the camera during shipping.
Focusing is smooth. Aperture is smooth and clicky. Aperture blades are clean and free of oil. Apertures work properly and open and close when camera fires.
All in all I personally believe that if put to use the camera would perform properly, but there is no way to know until film is developed from it; so please be aware that the camera is untested and it's reliability or functionality are not being guaranteed whatsoever. Buy at your own risk.
Feel free to send me a message if there are any questions or concerns that I may assist with. Thanks for looking.

I currently have $40k in debt from student loans ($30k) and also cc debt ($10k). Both my cc accounts were closed due to nonpayments and my credit is shot as a result. I know, I was an idiot for overspending and getting to this point but I was homeless for a bit and needed to pay for medical bills + other bills while not being able to work during school. Honestly I just had no financial knowledge whatsoever and had no business having a cc in the first place, let alone 2.. I’ve since been paying off my cc debt slowly and have rebuilt my credit up to 600. It’s not the 780 it was before but much better than the 500 it was a year ago. It’s inconvenient that I don’t have any cc’s but I plan on paying off my debt first before allowing myself to open a new account, if I even can :((
Luckily I just graduated college and am about to start my first real job with $109k salary.
I’m also about to move into a spot that costs me $2000/month (NYC) and I plan on paying about $1000/month (to pay everything off in 3.33 yrs) for my student loans + cc debt. After calculating all my other monthly expenses (utilities, internet, food, transportation, leisure), I’ll have about $1,800-2,000 leftover per month.
My job offers a 403b and they match 5% but they don’t contribute until 1 year of employment. I didn’t calculate this into my monthly spendings because I’m not exactly sure what these numbers even look like for me. I’m not well versed in finance.. :(
My questions are:
1) Should I pay off my cc debt first and pay a lower monthly amount for my student loan debt? 2) Is it bad for me not to have a single credit card for a few years? 3) Should I start contributing to my 403b in the first year even though my employer won’t match it until year 2? Or should I take that money and put it into a high yield savings account for the first year? 4) What are some good high yield savings accounts for me to look into?
There are probably so many things I’m not asking that I should be asking, simply because I just don’t know what I don’t know..
I’d appreciate any advice or feedback on how to get my financial life together lol. I’d like to rebuild my credit and open up some kind of savings account.

Sorry if I chose the wrong flair, I am I a 21 year old female, I’m 5’4 and weigh around 140, I have 2 tooth infections, one from a bad crown and root canal bottom second molar on right side and another from a wisdom tooth trying to grow in and infecting the neighboring tooth, first molar on left side, have had them for about 7-8 months as far as I know, I finished some amoxicillin clav 3 times a day for 7 days about 2 weeks ago, before that I was on amoxicillin clav twice a day for 7 days but wasn’t working so dentist switched me, about a week and a half after finishing antibiotics the infection is flaring up again, I can feel it it my head sometimes, little pains, pressure in my jaw, throat and ear pain, I know I need to get these teeth taken out, I want to really bad cause I’m so anxious, but I can’t afford it, I can’t even get state insurance, I make 100 dollars too much which is ironic cause all of it goes to my bills, I live alone and it’s not possible for me to save, I can’t get any more antibiotics and I can’t even go to the walk in, already have a bill from the walk in and emergency room that I’m waiting on, I already looked into dental schools in my area and they don’t offer free or even discounted work, I’m at a loss honestly, I can’t even travel anywhere that might help me I don’t have a car, I’m so anxious, I can already feel it in my ears and I’m terrified it will go to my brain, any other signs I should look out for that it’s getting worse? Sorry for the horrible grammar and punctuation, I’m extremely upset and anxious right now

Hi all,
I have been meeting and chatting with my recruiter to start the process to apply to OCS since mid-end of March. I was aiming to meet the July board since that was the board we knew was coming up next, but only just got approved to go to MEPS yesterday. I am out of town until next week and wouldn't be able to go until then. She thinks that if I don't go next week, we may not get my stuff back from them to finish my application (apperently it's backed up like 2 months from what recruiter has said). My internship begins next week as well, and I am in good relations with my boss, so I am thinking if needed I can go get it done next week. I still need to be booked for the ASTB too, and always feel like I could use more studying. The goal would be to take it before June 1 so I could retest if needed before the July 8 due date. Now Im sitting here thinking too, "what if I don't do great on my ASTB and my medical doesn't come back in time anyway?" Feels like I wasted a chance at the test if I was just doing everything based off of the rush. I am hoping to meet the board BUT I do not make this board, I am not too worried since it is likely that by the next one I will have completed my PPL in addition to graduting college (less forms lol). Gives me more time to study and really teach myself so I can excel on everything, but the timing feels so far. My application, LOR, and motivational statement are complete otherwise.
I am bascially just looking for advice on what you would do with this tid bits in mind. I'd love to meet the July board, but want to get opinions if it is worth the stress and cramming I'll be doing to meet it.
TIA for all and any advice and comments. New to this game but excited nonetheless.

Hi everyone, leader of HiLag here!
Are you tired of wandering aimlessly in the world of Clash of Clans? Are you seeking a clan where camaraderie, strategy, and victories reign supreme? Look no further! The HiLag Community is recruiting passionate players like you to join our ranks and dominate the battlefield.
About The HiLag Community:

• Clan Name: Clash Warriors
• Clan Tag: #2R8JJPVOC
• Minimum Town Hall/Level Requirement: TH9+
• Clan Level: 2
• Focus: Everything!

Why Join Us?

• Experience: With a seasoned leadership and experienced members, HiLag offers a wealth of knowledge and expertise in Clash of Clans.
• Active Community: Our clan is bustling with activity round the clock. From friendly challenges to strategic discussions, there's always something happening in HiLag
• Competitive Edge: We take wars seriously and strive for victory in every battle. If you're a dedicated player looking to test your skills against formidable opponents, you'll find your home here.
• Supportive Environment: Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the game, you'll be welcomed with open arms. We believe in fostering a supportive and inclusive community where everyone can thrive.
• Competitions!: We host competitions on our discord for the best clan members, rewards will be a free gold pass or a £5/£10 amazon gift card! Add me on discord scrandhu_ for an invite to the discord!

What We Expect:

• Active Participation: We value active participation in clan activities, especially during wars and clan games.
• Communication: Effective communication is key to our success. We use Discord for clan communication and strategy planning.
• Continuous Improvement: We encourage members to continuously hone their skills and strive for personal growth within the game.

How to Join: If you're ready to take your Clash of Clans experience to the next level, simply search for "Clash Warriors" in the clan search bar and send us a join request. Be sure to mention that you found us on Reddit! Alternatively, you can drop a comment below or shoot me a DM for more information.
Note: Please ensure your base is not rushed and you meet our minimum requirements before applying.
Join HiLag today and embark on an epic journey of conquest and glory! Clash on! 🛡️⚔️

I'm 33. I've had diagnosed panic disorder since I was 20. I've been managing it for the most part (no medication, just therapy), minus a few panic attacks here and there, but Sunday I had the worst panic attack of my life. I thought I was dying. I don't even remember most of it. I just remember getting into bed with my wife, and then my wife ushering me downstairs and into a cab to get to the hospital.
The hospital did everything. Blood pressure, heart rate, blood test, chest X-ray. My blood pressure was ridiculously high (168/110), but they think it's just the panic attack (and I'm sure being fat doesn't help). My heart rate was like 134. Nothing in the chest x-ray. Nothing in the blood test except for low phosphate (which I have to take supplements for a few days for). I'm so paranoid about my health now I've cut out everything bad, started going for walks. But my heart rate is still always above 100. I'm always anxious. I keep getting heart palpatations probably from panicking. I felt like I couldn't catch my breath after I went for a walk (again, probably me being fat). My finger tips and hands always get pins and needles, which sends me into a spiral.
I keep monitoring my heart rate, which sends me into a spiral, but I have to for the doctor. I have to start monitoring my blood pressure for a week tomorrow but I feel like a wreck. I can't even go to the hospital again because it'll be another 12 hours of "oh it's just a panic attack". I've tried medication before but it just dulls me and takes everything about me away. Therapy doesn't seem to be helping if I'm like this. I feel erratic, removed from myself, and not human. I'm so tired of living like this. At this rate, I'm starting to wish it was something wrong with my body or heart so I can just be done with it. How do I just feel normal? I want to be normal and do normal things.

Long story ahead, sorry.
I've been fighting with different branches to try and get a medical waiver approved for. The Coast Guard and Air Force DQd me. I was working with the navy for a while and then got DQd (I know that they have a new admiral in charge though.) I'm currently working with the army. I don't really want to join the army unless I don't have any other options. The navy was my first choice. But my recruiter said that he couldn't submit a second waiver since I was already DQd once (this has since changed). With the army, they wanted another test before they could approve the one waiver I was waiting on. I was going to have my army recruiter submit my new documents in the next couple of days.
What would happen if the waivers got approved and then I decided to switch back to the navy recruiter and see if they could get me a waiver? I've switched between army/navy once earlier this year but that was before I had been waived. If I did this would the army waivers still be there if say a week or so later the navy came back and said sorry, still not happening? Or since I switched branches after the waivers had been approved, would I be like, blacklisted from the army.

So ya, peri has pretty much been wreaking havoc on my life in the last year and I have been on FMLA for the past two weeks due to, basically, a complete mental breakdown. It was not pretty and I’m actually surprised the cops didn’t get called. I was put on an anxiety medication and antidepressant by my NP but was really looking forward to this appointment in a couple of days with a highly rated gynecologist in my area. Well, they called me yesterday to tell me that the doctor will be out of town and the soonest they could see me in was the end of July. I tried to tell the lady the urgency of the appointment and was there any way they could get me in sooner. Nope. End of July. So I had a same day appointment with my PCP who told me basically, there’s no way to accurately test for hormones but I should get blood drawn anyway. And then proceeded to tell me all of then different types of cancer you could get if she DOES put me on some form of estrogen. She said I’m too young as far as she knows. Im 43. She then concluded to tell me that she would consult with her “favorite” gynecologist and pharmacist to see what they could do for me.
Then my teenager told me that I should quit spreading my negative vibe all over the house.
So, that’s how I’M doing.

Protein Powder Reddit - Optimum Nutrition Review

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One of the best things about this protein powder is the variety of flavors available. With over 20 tempting options to choose from, including Double Rich Chocolate, you're sure to find a flavor that you love. Plus, it's an anytime formula, so you can take it before or after exercise, between meals, with a meal, or any time of day when you need extra protein.
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Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder Overview
I have been using Optimum Nutrition's Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder for a while now, and I have to say, I was impressed. This protein powder uses pure Whey Protein Isolates as the primary ingredient, along with ultra-filtered whey protein concentrate, to provide 24 grams of all-whey protein per serving. What's more, it contains 5.5 grams of naturally occurring Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) and 11 grams of naturally occurring essential amino acids (EAAs) per serving, making it an excellent choice for muscle recovery and growth.
One of the best things about this protein powder is the variety of flavors available. With over 20 tempting options to choose from, including Double Rich Chocolate, you're sure to find a flavor that you love. Plus, it's an anytime formula, so you can take it before or after exercise, between meals, with a meal, or any time of day when you need extra protein.
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High-Quality Protein Content

I was impressed with the high-quality protein content in the Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder. The protein is derived from whey protein isolate, which is one of the purest forms of protein available. Each serving contains 24 grams of protein, which is essential for building and repairing muscle tissue.
I found that the protein powder mixed easily with water or milk, and the Double Rich Chocolate flavor was delicious. I appreciated that the product is gluten-free and made in the USA. The 2-pound container provides 29 servings, making it a great value for the price.
Overall, I highly recommend the Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder for anyone looking to increase their protein intake and support their fitness goals.

Pros and Cons

When it comes to protein powders, Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder, Double Rich Chocolate, 2 Pound (Packaging May Vary) has its advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of the pros and cons I found during our testing:

Pros

• High protein content: With 24g of protein per serving, this protein powder is perfect for building and maintaining muscle mass when taken over time with regular resistance training. It also contains 5.5g of naturally occurring branched chain amino acids (BCAA) and 11g of naturally occurring essential amino acids (EAAs) per serving to support muscle recovery.
• Versatile: This protein powder is an anytime formula, which means you can take it before or after exercise, between meals, with a meal, or any time of day when you need extra protein.
• Trusted brand: Optimum Nutrition is the World's #1 Sports Nutrition Brand*, so you can trust that you are getting a quality product. It is also banned substance tested and has the highest quality control measures, so you can feel comfortable and confident consuming the product.

Cons

• Taste: While the Double Rich Chocolate flavor is delicious, other flavors may not be as enjoyable. Some customers have reported that the taste can be hit or miss depending on the flavor.
• Price: This protein powder is on the pricier side compared to other protein powders on the market. However, the high protein content and quality ingredients may justify the cost for some consumers.

Overall, Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder, Double Rich Chocolate, 2 Pound (Packaging May Vary) is a great protein powder for those looking to build and maintain muscle mass. While the taste and price may be a drawback for some, the high protein content and versatility of the product make it a worthwhile investment.

Hello! It has been a while since I’ve posted here so I figured I would try again.
My name is Michael and I live in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania. I grew up here and just recently moved back in January after getting out of the Navy after 14 years. I am currently a Starbucks store manager which was been a huge change for me after working in the medical field my entire Naval career but I’ve been absolutely loving it. It’s upbeat and the people working there have been amazing. I enjoy video games. Most recently I’ve been playing rainbow six siege and helldivers but honestly I love any games and have a weird fascination with simulator games because who doesn’t love putting groceries on the shelf of your own supermarket? I love music, enjoy pretty much any genre with the exception of country which is surprising because I come from a very country part of PA.
Looks wise I’m quite tall, 6’3 to be exact with blue eyes and brown/blonde hair. I also have some red in my facial hair. Weight wise I would say I’m average. I do enjoy the gym when I have the time to go but I also don’t revolve my life around it. I will post a picture below though to give a better idea of what looks like because who doesn’t prefer pictures?
I’m not exactly sure what I’m looking for. I’m down for any conversation. If things go well enough I’m always down to meet up someday if that interests you. I love to travel and have never been on the West Coast of the US. If that isn’t your vibe, short term chatting works just as well.
If you are at all interested feel free to send me a message or chat. Feel feee to add a picture but totally not necessary either.
https://imgur.com/a/AM2AoG3

Age: 28 Sex: Female Diagnoses: coeliac disease, osteopenia, asthma, ADHD, sliding hiatal hernia, depression/anxiety/C-PTSD. Suspected vasculitis due to previous lower limb swelling and leg rash followed by kidney pain & inflammation but never confirmed after steroids resolved issue. Supplements: vit d, calcium, biotin/collagen, magnesium, folic acid Medications: fostair & ventolin
The issue: For years I’ve experienced persistent joint pain, but particularly in my knees, wrists, ankles and elbows. Pretty much everything I’ve ever done, even as a kid, has involved some level of tolerance of pain. I used to put this down to normal pain but as an adult it’s become so severe I can sometimes not engage in normal activities. For example, I went on a bike ride today and have been in excruciating pain since, persistent knee locking & crunching/clicking, wrists crunching and in pain, hands stuck in ‘claw mode’/trigger finger. I’ve fared even worse than my mother who did the same ride and is awaiting a double knee replacement because of chronic arthritis. Had several cases of joints getting ‘stuck’ and mild dislocations. Ankles regularly roll while walking normally. Been referred to physiotherapist four times, physio does usual checks and notes substantial hypermobility but nothing else unusual with knees. Suggests rehab exercises but these invariably make the knee worse. Both physio and GP agree that the issue is not caused by osteopenia as this is controlled well and the issues pre-date the DEXA that showed osteopenia (including before historic scans showing bone density in normal range). Neither currently have any idea and keep suggesting new exercises which do not improve symptoms. Relying on consistent re-referral until I find the right answer to be honest.
I feel like this is starting to ruin my life. I love being active and have trained for years in powerlifting, also do aerial sports, climbing, etc. used to run but found it too painful and had to stop. I feel like these activities are becoming harder to enjoy and I’m tired of having to give up things I love for something I don’t even understand. Other issues are well controlled (Coeliac markers and blood tests are within normal range).
Other ongoing issues: - urinary incontinence (urgency and leakage) - notably irregular menstrual cycle - neuropathy - extreme fatigue (I usually have to nap 1-2 times a day) - general unexplained cramps & pain

I’ve posted about this recently but am hoping a new post will get more eyes on my issue with my “clinical criteria not met” issue to be approved for genetic testing my doctor has ordered for me.
The clinical criteria that must be met are the following:
• Medical history of:
A.) Dissection of the Aorta -OR- Rupture of / involving the aortic valve that impairs life long function.
B.) A positive diagnosis through genetic testing of someone in your immediately related family
I’d like to note that the first step to meet this testing criteria is almost scarily unlikely to survive. An aortic dissection or rupture is more likely than not to take your life within minutes. You could be gone before someone even has time to call 911. And you’re likely to be gone before an ambulance has the ability to arrive…
I desperately need help on how to go about this and what my options might be that won’t cost me an arm and a leg financially to get this test completed. My PCP will refer me wherever I find that I’m confident will aid in this process.
PLEASE ADVISE. I am begging for resources!
I am suspected of having either Vascular Ehlers Danlos due to deformities in my general veinous sructure, repeat ER visits for severe chest pain and the need for repeated echocardiograms and chest CTs to constantly rule out heart attacks and heart failure.
I have a multitude of abnormal / flagged results from every ECG I’ve had performed on me in the last year alone. But there is no suspected aortic dissection or rupture (thank God) but that is a given because both of these things are rapidly fatal medical EMERGENCIES. It would be unmistakably obvious if one of these things has happened.
Why would I need to meet a requirement of knocking on deaths door to get a genetic test cleared?
This seems ridiculous and insidious to me. And counterproductive to say the least… Why would this clinic (UW genetic testing, main hospital clinic in Seattle) wait for you to have a life altering issue to do a test that is literally designed to take PREVENTATIVE steps in care or treatment? Every other place I’ve been referred to strictly does cancer screening genetics and knows next to nothing about EDS.
Again, please please please share any insight you guys might have or even just ease my mind on this / let me know I’m not crazy for thinking this is unethical and a** backwards in terms of the goal of treatment… If you agree of course.
Thank you to everyone in advance. 😞

I got to thinking the other day about how insurance companies make their money since I had a bunch of medical stuff happen last year and it cost a fortune but was fortunately covered by insurance. I’ve only paid around three thousand total for insurance over the past years of my life and my bills came around 25 to 30 thousand all said and done. I know almost every person I work with or talk with that they have had insurance cover more than they have ever paid just to have it.
Is insurance just a pool of money that everyone pays into and it gets distributed? That of course is a drastic oversimplification of what I’m sure is a hugely complex business model. Is the system reliant on people who pay for insurance and never really use it? I completely understand that I have a small selection group but with most people having coverage higher than their input, how do they turn a profit each year? I’m assuming there is probably a lot of back and forth with the government and pharma companies. I also see plenty of health incentives and programs from the insurance companies so it does seem like they want you to be completely healthy so you don’t need to use them.
(I’d like this not to turn into a bashing of insurance, healthcare, or any workers in those fields. Just wanted to see how it works behind the scenes.)

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for some advice or insights into a sudden health issue I've been experiencing. About a month ago, I started having severe brain fog that seems to get worse when I work out. Here are the details:

Symptoms:

• Brain fog: Came on suddenly and intensifies after exercising.
• Fatigue: Feeling unusually tired, especially after workouts.
• Sleep: I took a nap one day and woke up with brain fog, which hasn't gone away.

Background:

• Exercise: I work out 7 days a week.
• Hydration: I make sure to stay hydrated.
• Medical History: Had cancer 12 years ago, which sometimes triggers anxiety about health issues.

Tests and Results:

• CT Scan of the head: Normal, no signs of hemorrhage, tumors, or fluid buildup.
• Bloodwork: Everything came back great. No high blood pressure, not diabetic, white cell count is good, no significant deficiencies.

Despite these normal results, I'm still experiencing brain fog and it's impacting my daily life. Given my diet and exercise routine, I'm wondering if there might be something I'm overlooking or if IIH is something to consider ?

Hello mold subreddit. First time reddit poster here. Thank you in advance for any insight you can offer to my case. In what follows, I'm going to first describe the health journey that led to my mold discoveries and questions, so please bear with me through the health stuff. I have included excessive detail in the hopes that my case might help others navigate possible mold problems.
If you don't feel like reading all the below, the tl:dr version: After struggling with unknown health issues for 15 months, I eventually linked my symptoms to my new home and subsequently discovered very high volatile organic chemical levels. I linked the VOCs to mold. I also had a mold inspection done, and the results are at the bottom of this post. The levels of mold were high in my kitchen and bathroom. However, oddly, the mold levels in the outside control group were much higher than inside. Can anyone help me understand how high my indoor mold levels are? Does anyone know whether the outdoor levels are reasonably normal? Is my specific blend of mold types implicated in neurological symptoms for others? And if anyone has dealt with mold before, do my possible mold symptoms described below seem similar to ones that you've had?
I bought my townhome in late 2022. Within four months, I started having new neurological symptoms. These symptoms started with a postural tremor in my left index finger and thumb. The same hand eventually began to appear smaller and shriveled, especially around my thumb. I also started having extremely frequent muscle twitches and jerks. These twitches take three general forms:

1. The most common is an odd sensation of something wiggling under my skin. These primarily happen in my face, around my mouth, my butt/legs, and ribs.
2. A pulsing regular beat in a muscle that lasts for several seconds and in some cases longer. These usually happen near joints, especially just above my elbows and knees. These are almost always visible to the naked eye.
3. A sensation of rapid vibrating underneath the skin that lasts briefly. These vibrations are usually not visible but you can feel them if you press a hand over the area.

The twitches and apparent change to my hand have lasted for 16 months. At this point, the tissue loss in my thumb is also apparent in my forearm and upper left arm. My leg on the same side arm appears different and feels as if it has lost some muscle. I also have frequent trembling with specific muscles when I flex them. For example, sometimes when I try to hold a smile my face muscles will shake or give out. My neck tissues are especially liable to shake and vibrate when flexed, such as when doing tasks like flossing where I need to hold my lips back. On a few separate occasions, I have felt slight paralysis on one side of my face for an evening or so that then mysteriously goes away.
Aside from these neurological symptoms, I also have had frequent hoarseness, sneezing, jaw pain, and headaches. My joints often feel like they are more bony and poppy, especially in my left knee and knuckles. In addition, I've had a lot of issues with one ear on the same side as the shriveled hand. The ear had an apparent infection or cloudiness 12 months ago that went away, it then had recurrent pulsatile tinnitus, and now it just occasionally hurts at random times. There have been many other symptoms.
I have seen two neurologists, an endocrinologist, an ear-nose-throat doctor, and an orthopedic doctor. I've had countless tests done including two electromyographies (EMGs) over my whole body several months apart, an MRI, and a lyme disease blood panel. Every test has been normal, although the orthopedic doctor suggested possible thoracic outlet syndrome. The neurologist said my nerves are quite robust. My borrelia blood panel came back negative, although as a side note I did have a tick bite in early 2022 that caused a rash. I was treated for Lyme with 10 days of doxycycline. The tick bite itself still occasionally flares up red and its timing might be correlated with my symptoms.
Back to the house-- I was on a two week vacation out of state and noticed my twitches go away. Then I saw my arm become more normal sized again and the veins start to come back. I didn't feel the same joint issues, had no hoarseness, lost the headaches. All the symptoms came back as soon as I returned home, but nevertheless after that vacation and subsequent extended trips, I was able to conclude with a reasonable level of confidence that these symptoms are linked to the house. I bought an air filter and an air quality monitor that shows volatile organic chemicals, PM, formaldehyde, and C02.
Using the air quality monitor, I discovered that volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) and formaldehyde were usually abnormally high and sometimes extremely high. VOCs are usually above safety thresholds at >0.5 mg/m3 and formaldehyde >0.1 mg/m3. Sometimes, the VOC levels will stay consistently above 1.8mg/m3. I witnessed them reach a peak level of 5mg/3 in one bedroom late at night when I was woken up by a feeling of shortness of breath. I tried but failed to correlate these high VOCs to electronics, chemical sources in the home, cooking sources, heaters, and cleaning supplies. The way the VOCs would spike all over the house for no apparent reason in the evening helped me rule out some of these other possibilities. I also actively removed other sources.
Eventually, I realized that the VOCs were likely caused by mold, so-called microbial VOCs. The formaldehyde could also be explained by mold. The levels of VOCs would spike on rainy days, when the humidity was high inside, and in the evening. I don't think any other chemical source near the house would display this pattern. It took me a while to reach this conclusion because the mold issue in my house isn't too obvious. The house has always had a slight musty smell, especially if the air is stagnant for a while. The bathroom also has recurring mold growth on a tiles, in the shower, and on the various shower liners. A couple cabinets in the kitchen have always smelled musty. I didn't think these obvious signs of mold growth were that big of a deal, but given the extremely high levels of VOCs I now believe the mold has always been the issue.
Once I realized it was likely mold, I started noticing all the signs. The house is about 100 years old. The prior two owners of this house each moved out within five months. The house is not ventilated except from windows. It sits in a damp area near where water puddles up in the yard. It's mostly solid brick, so the house frame has a way of trapping hot air and releasing a lot of moisture onto the floors each evening. There's also a cheap layer of vinyl flooring throughout that could easily cover up a massive mold problem underneath. Finally, the townhome sits on top of an old shared crawl space that was used as a furnace. It has had known water puddling issues for which reason a vapor guard was installed underneath my first floor.
So, I had a mold inspection done. The results are at the bottom of this post. The bathroom results might be diluted because I left the window open the night before. Nevertheless, both my kitchen and bathroom had mold detected at levels between 6480 - 12,300 spores/m3. Oddly, the outdoor levels of all of the molds were often much higher, 3-6 fold higher than the levels indoors. It was a humid day, but it still seems odd for me that an outdoor space could have higher levels than indoors.
On later reading about my specific mold spores and neurological symptoms, I noticed that the two most elevated groups of spores in my house, ascospores and basidiospores, are the same class as all of the funguses known to have colonized the nervous system of ALS patients according to this published article. Those specific types of fungus found in the nerves of ALS patients are Candida, Malassezia, Fusarium, Botrytis, Trichoderma, and Cryptococcus. It naturally led me to wonder if my chronic als-type neurological symptoms could be caused by some latent fungal infection in my body that gradually improves when I'm away from the home.
Wrapping up this thread, I have a bunch of questions.

• Does anyone have the same kinds of molds (see below) in their home and have the ability to speak to how problematic my levels are from their own experience?
• Why would the outdoor control be so high? I do compost and garden, but all of the compost is buried underground.
• Is my specific blend of mold types implicated in neurological symptoms?
• Do my symptoms seem similar to mold-related symptoms that you might have had? I'm trying to figure out if mold is a likely culprit or if I should keep seeking help for possible tickborne illness or other issues.
• Should my mold levels be a cause to stay away from this house as much as possible? Should I ever return?
• Do I need to throw away all my belongings like books clothes and sheets?
• Would a very high quality HEPA air purifier make any difference?
• Is there some kind of public health representative that could help me navigate this or a type of mold doctor who could help me investigate the causes of my symptoms and seek the right kinds of medication?
• Do you have any other advice for someone in my situation?

My mold inspection results

Hi I remember reading a lot here, after going through SSHL, I just want to share my experience maybe someone may find it useful, find something you need to read, or whatever. I don't live in usa, Im unemployed, no medical care or social insurance. public health service? I will be even lucky if i get a general doctor to see me after 8 hours waiting, if not an emergency where I'm wounded and bleeding. no priority. a ENT specialist? those doesn't exist for public health. you have to pay and its expensive. i remember I got strong cold symptoms, without nasal congestion, no throat pain, no coughing, it just felt more like Covid, I already got covid twice before. these symptoms lasted two days. the third day when i felt better at night i woke up midnight, turned on the PC when i started to felt ear fullness in my right ear. never got an ear fullness as hard as that day, it happened before but i could hear, when i went to the beach, but never because of cold, I couldn't hear almost anything in my right ear. First I thought was because I was sick, but no nasal congestion, or respiratory symptoms, I started to worry after a few hours, this ear fullness never lasted long for me, and i noticed i couldn't hear nothing. so i started to search for information if because covid you can lose your hearing, found there was cases, they were rare but they existed, that's when I found about sudden hearing loss, and about the hum test, and about corticosteroids, did the hum test, I could only hear my left hear. first i tried to clean my ears with a hot bath, but same nothing. I talked to my sister she works with my uncle, he is a doctor, he lend an otoscope to her. when she came home she looked at my ear with the otoscope, nothing, clean ear. she had some dexamethasone 8mg/2ml, fuck it. told her to hit me a shot on my cheek, she did, after half an hour i felt totally relaxed, weird sensation, my uncle the general doctor told me to go and see an ENT specialist, but with no money? they told me at least 4 different test, blood test, audiogram, MRI, all of them expensive. I told my sister to keep giving me shots of dexamethasone for one week. each day i felt kinda worse because of the dexamethasone, a lot of hungry, and digestive acid issues, sleep issues, also constipated, daily i test myself with different kind of headsets, couldn't hear anything at the beginning, but after the five day started to see some improvement, i started to hear some notes again mostly the musical notes between C4 and C7, high pitch or high frequency notes nothing yet. but each day after the five the i started to notice a small improvement in my hearing, I remember that i got strong need of eating spicy food, very spicy, so spicy that i could feel it on my ears. after the 7 day I stopped taking shots of dexamethasone, at the eight day I noticed a strong improvement, after 7 shots of dexamethasone 1 daily and after 3 days eating spicy food I don't know why but it felt good in my ears, I started to hear almost all notes from piano, some distorted some low but day one was nothing, also I could start to distinguish conversations again, big improvement if i was 80% hearing loss i got back 50% again, I kept doing shots of dexamethasone one every three days for about a week, after that i stopped the shots of dexamethasone completely. 16 days later i got my most of my hearing back, though still less than my left ear but not by much, and some high frequencies still low, t frequencies above 10k hard to hear if not high volume, now 30 days later, I can say i almost got most of my hearing back 90% right ear vs 100% from my left ear, a bit less but i can hear everything, all notes all kind of noises musical tones as before, I want to share this experience maybe someone find something useful here, there is no reason to lie about this for me. but the first thing I did after realizing I was deaf from one ear was search for information everywhere, I was desperate.

I feel like this is a very common misconception that’s had a lot of discourse in this sub especially, so I just wanted to get it out of the way. It is literally IMPOSSIBLE to be unattracted to an entire race of people. This would imply that you see literally everyone of that race as looking the exact same, which is cause for medical concern if you truly see others this way. Typically when someone says they don’t prefer ____ race, they’re really saying that they don’t like certain traits that people of that race may have more commonly. These traits can be physical or in regard to personality. For example, you don’t dislike Asian men, you dislike certain characteristics that you see more frequently in Asian men, but many of them may not even have these traits. You may dislike White men based off common personality traits or physical attributes, but what about the ones who don’t even fit those stereotypes. There will always be plenty of exceptions to the features that you don’t find attractive in different races, and immediately judging people for qualities they may not even possess isn’t a fair assessment. Not every white guy is a racist neo nazi, not every black guy is a BBC hoodrat, and not all Indian guys are unhygienic.
The only other reason that you could have for saying you don’t like an entire race, is because you’re socially conditioned to see them as beneath you. This is largely due to the effects of colonization and it typically comes at the expense of darker skinned people regardless of their own character. Generations of humiliation against certain minorities have led others to think less of the groups as a whole, and consequently even themselves. You believe that you don’t like ALL _____ because you think that they are inferior to you and don’t deserve your time. We’ve all heard stories of people being attracted to others until they find out that said person is Asian instead of Latino, or fully black rather than being biracial, etc. The classism that is placed on race, especially in western countries, conditions people to view someone as being either lesser or higher value based on where they fall on the social hierarchy. It may not even have anything to do with what someone looks like aside from skin color.
With that being said, feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions in the comments.

Hello everyone,
Here's an family physician from Spain who has been working in pre-hospital emergency medicine for almost a decade now. I’m curious about how emergency care is organized in your area. Let me explain:
I love reading the cases, anecdotes, and stories on this subreddit, but often I don't understand the structure you work under, as there are categories that don't exist in my area or at least don't perform the same functions: paramedics, EMTs, NREMT... Recently, someone shared an article stating that in 48 states of the USA, it wasn't mandatory to have a physician in the emergency room, which is unthinkable here (mainly because of legal repercussions).
So, let me explain how things work in my area, in the pre-hospital setting.
Keep in mind that emergency care is centralized, as in Spain the healthcare system is public, the percentage of users with private healthcare is very low, and they usually don't offer emergency services (let alone ambulances).
Pre-hospital emergency care is divided into Puntos Fijos, which are primary care centers equipped with very few resources: a short treatment room (nebulization, oxygen therapy...), a critical care room with everything needed in case of cardiac arrest (defibrillator, respirator, medication), a nursing consultation room (dressings, injectables...), and medical consultations (some centers have ultrasound). In these centers, users come on their own with any type of urgent demand (according to their criteria, of course) and are attended by the doctor, and the nurse if needed.
Then there are the mobile teams: ambulances.
Calls come in through the 061 phone line, and in the coordination room, they are assigned a priority and a resource. In the room, there is always a physician (who is the final responsible of the assignment) and depending on its size, a greater or lesser number of case managers (telephonists).
There are three different types of ambulances: * Advanced Life Support Ambulances: dispatched for priorities 1, 2, and sometimes 3, where the patient may require medical intervention. The team is formed by: * Emergency Medical Technicians whose job is driving, mobilizing and immobilizing the patient, performing cardiac massage during CPR... * Nurses: vein cannulation, administration of treatments, performing diagnostic tests, techniques such as catheterization, aspiration, gastric lavage... * Physicians: final responsibility for decisions and medications to be used, airway management, interventional techniques (central vein catheterization, thoracentesis...) * Advanced Care Teams: comprised of an EMT and a nurse. They assist (suppose) non-critical conditions, may dispense medication upon telephonic medical order. * Conventional Ambulances: staffed by an EMT, used for stable patient transport, supporting ALS ambulances if needed. They cannot administer medication or treatments.
This is a rough vision of how it is organized, there are several different units with different equipment and ambulances, some other ambulances that cover the urgent or emergent transport between hospitals…
How does all of this work in your country/area? For example, here it's unthinkable for an EMT or a nurse to decide on treatment without a physician's decision, and the paramedic role doesn't exist.
I would love to hear your opinions and experiences. How is emergency medical care organized in your country or local area? Are there particular aspects that you consider unique or interesting compared to other places? Feel free to share your ideas!