I had an emergency phone call with my neuro earlier after my LP 2 days ago(OP 26 so borderline), I have been experiencing a pressure feeling in my eyes and the top of my head making me feel like I was going to fall/pass out and bad pain between my shoulder blades and spine. She said this is a low pressure headache and I am likely leaking a small amount. I’m taking ibuprofen and paracetamol with caffeine in it, I’ve also increased water and salt intake and lying down as much as possible, I’d been doing most of this already with no change. Blood patch won’t be considered until day 5 and even then it’ll likely be a bit before I’d have it done which I understand.
Our call was short, so I’m hoping you guys might have some other ideas about how to somewhat easy the symptoms? Or even letting me know things I shouldn’t do/avoid?
After the LP the doctor said they hadn’t gotten as much fluid as they wanted to, I wonder if this possible lack has contributed?
Thanks!

feels like theres nothing funny anymore and no one has any humor. I used to have friends with a similar humor and inside jokes and we were always laughing and having fun.
I was reading something really funny and laughed for hours and feel like o haven't laughed in years or maybe a decade. I get headaches from the boredom it's literally painful.

Effective Home Remedies for Headache Relief

Understanding Headaches

Headaches are a common ailment affecting millions globally. They can range from mild discomfort to severe pain, impacting daily activities. Understanding the types and triggers of headaches is crucial for effective treatment.

Types of Headaches

There are various types of headaches, including tension headaches, migraines, and cluster headaches. Tension headaches are the most common, often caused by stress or poor posture. Migraines are more intense, accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light. Cluster headaches are severe and occur in cyclical patterns.

Identifying Headache Triggers

Identifying triggers is essential in managing headaches. Common triggers include stress, dehydration, poor diet, lack of sleep, and environmental factors. Home Remedies for Headache. By recognizing these triggers, you can take preventive measures to reduce headache frequency.

Hydration is Key

Dehydration is a common cause of headaches. Drinking plenty of water can alleviate symptoms. Aim for at least eight glasses a day. For a refreshing alternative, try herbal teas like peppermint or chamomile, known for their soothing properties.

Using Cold or Hot Compresses

Cold and hot compresses can offer immediate relief. For tension headaches, a warm compress on the neck and shoulders can relax tight muscles. For migraines, a cold compress on the forehead can numb the pain.

Herbal Remedies

Herbs like ginger and feverfew have been used for centuries to treat headaches. Ginger tea can reduce inflammation and nausea associated with migraines. Home Remedies for Headache . Feverfew can help prevent migraines when taken regularly. Using Cold or Hot Compresses

Conclusion

Headaches, though common, can be debilitating. By understanding the types and triggers, you can adopt natural remedies to alleviate and prevent headaches. Hydration, essential oils, compresses, herbal remedies, acupressure, a healthy diet, regular exercise, and stress management are effective strategies for headache relief. Embrace these home remedies to lead a healthier, headache-free life.
Conclusion
Headaches, though common, can be debilitating. By understanding the types and triggers, you can adopt natural remedies to alleviate and prevent headaches. Hydration, essential oils, compresses, herbal remedies, acupressure, a healthy diet, regular exercise, and stress management are effective strategies for headache relief. Embrace these home remedies to lead a healthier, headache-free life.

If you are struggling with Step 1, trust me, I understand you. I am not a strong test taker and I struggle with testing anxiety. Having to go through this exam 3 times nearly broke me. If you passed, congratulations, I'm so relieved and happy for you! If you failed, I know how you feel and I hope my story can motivate you because you are amazing and capable. If you are studying and stressing out, please keep your head up because if I can pull through this, you definitely can.
My story summarized:
I took 2 months of step 1 dedicated last year and saw on reddit that people would pass with low 60s on NBMEs. I thought to take it once I hit a 62 on NBME and a 60+ on Free 120 (my school would not let me push it back any further). I came out of that test shattered as it did not feel like anything I've ever taken before; the question STEMs were long and I was constantly running out of time. After my initial F, I tried to retake it immediately, ~5 weeks after my first attempt so that I could quickly get back on track with school. I hired a tutor and started Bootcamp. I thought I just needed to show consistency so I got 62 and a 67 on two NBMEs. I went into that test feeling so confident and felt great after the test; the question stems were short & sweet and I didn't have a time issue. I was confident that I passed. When I received that second F, I cannot truly describe that feeling but I wouldn't hope it for anyone. I had to take a year off on LOA to fix my depression and anxiety disorder that resulted from this traumatic experience.
I started truly studying for this exam in January of this year and took the exam 4/19. I told myself that I would not sit for this exam again until I've scored in the 70+ consistently on NBMEs and fixed my confidence. This was my last chance taking the step 1 exam as a third failure results in dismissal from my school. I think that added pressure on top of my testing anxiety was something that took ALOT of time with counseling and self reflection/growth to heal from. My initial date was 4/10 but I was having extreme physical pain that week and my practice score dropped from 78 to 60, so I, not wanting to repeated my mistake in the past, extended my LOA so I could take the exam 4/19. I took another practice exam to make sure I was confident and got a 69%. It wasn't the 70+ I wanted but my counselor told me that I may never feel confident, but I have been meeting my score goals consistently and having prepared for this exam for, essentially a year now, I did not want to burn out so I took the exam. Here are my stats this time: 4/15/24: 69% (Form 29), 4/7/24: 60% (Form 28), 4/4/24: 78% (Form 26), 3/15/24: 74% (Form 30), 2/29/24: 69% (Form 31), 2/15/24: 65% (Form 25), 2/1/24: 66% (Form 27).
I can honestly say I feel like I truly understand the material and am able to think about things clinically, which is something I could not have said for my first two attempts.
To note, I don't think everyone needs 70+ on NBMEs to pass, but if you have testing anxiety, tend to struggle with timed tests, have ADD, or easily get shaken from a "bad section," then you should aim for 70+ (timed, and as close to the exam environment as possible) to be able to sit for the real thing. Cudos to those who did it without but I think that not having 3+ NBMEs >65% is a risk. Look at me, I took those risks and failed twice before. I don't want that for you.
Prior to and Exam day:
I visited the testing center twice before my test date to familiarize myself with it. I checked out the bathrooms and saw the common area. This test was also and mental and emotion task for me, so knowing my environment was important.
I studied the day before because I am just not the type to take a day off before the exam - my anxiety could not let me just rest. I slept maybe 4 hours (don't recommend it but I don't usually sleep before big events so 4 was good for me). I had my partner drive me so I could just decompress in the car and did not have an appetite but forced myself to eat a banana. I took an ibuprofen as I knew I tend to get stress headaches/cramps along the test, which usually really affected me.
The first section was terrible (wanted to just fight the computer screen) but I lied to myself that it was gonna be one of my best sections so I am not gonna worry about it. I took each section like its own thing, not letting the previous affect me. I realized that timing was not as forgiving on this as NBMEs so I made myself go through all the questions so that I could have 5 minutes to check unanswered or marked ones. I think I marked 18 in 3 sections (which was freaky) but again, told myself not to worry about them. Overall, 3 sections felt terrible and the rest felt okay to meh. I calmed myself down because I told myself that I've seen thousands of step 1 questions at this point as I've completed Uworld Qbank, Amboss Qbank, all available online NBMEs, free 120, and taken this exam twice); I think this reassurance made a huge difference in not allowing my testing anxiety to affect me. Trust me, it wasn't smooth sailing though and I think adrenaline carried me through this test.
I did not know how to feel after my exam as it didn't feel as difficult as my first attempt but not as "easy" as my second attempt. However, my 6 NBMEs were 65-78% (with the exception of 1 at 60%) this time, so I just told myself to trust my score. I knew I missed a handful of easy ones but also felt reassured when I looked up the ones I guessed and saw that I had guessed most of them correctly.
Waiting 4 weeks for my score was torture. I prayed, cried, distracted myself with video games, and spent time with friends.
Overall I am so happy to finally move on with my life bc it felt like limbo for the past year. If you want to hear what worked for me the third time around, you can read more below.
What didn't work for me:

• I have never learned well with textbooks. I don't know why I thought using First-Aid as the foundation of my study prep was a good idea. I was also trying to do thousands of Anki when I was always struggling to keep up with ANKI in med school. You know what works for you as you've studied all your life to get to this point in medical school. FA/Anki might be the holy grail for some people but if that's not your learning style or how you learn best, use other options!
• I took tests on my laptop at home for my first two attempts. You might not know it, but you may be a little too comfortable so try to go to a library where there are desktop computers and simulate the real deal.

What did work for me:

• Bootcamp and Uworld! I am a visual learning and Bootcamp videos/short quizzes really helped me ground my foundation in. However, it was unsuspending the Uworld Q's associated with the Bootcamp topic to see if I really understood the lecture material was what made a difference. I kept a spreadsheet of the Bootcamp topic completion, its associated UWorld Qbank completion, and the percentage right. Anything under 50% was a fail, 60-69% was border, and 70% was pass. I would redo my failed sections and take extra time to review my border sections. Another option for qbank is Amboss.
• Mehlman PDFs. Please, please review Mehlman's HY arrows PDFs. This is the single document that boosted my score to 70+. I did it 4x over (1 to get through it, 2 to redo the wrong ones, 3 to redo it all Qs the week before the test, and 4 to redo the wrong ones on the second attempt). I did his biochem sections and his biostats questions the week before the exam, which was a big help. I heard his risk factor PDFs were good, but I didn't have time to do that.
• NBMEs, use them as a resource! I would see the same topics come up again and again for each NBME. I know their explanation sucks but try to just understand what topic/concept they are trying to get you to know. Some people say this inflates your score but familiarizing yourself with HY topics that get tested time and time again is studying smart. I made Quizlet flashcards on each question I got wrong from forms 25-31 and Free 120. Yeah, I used quizlet bc I hated Anki and seeing Anki demoralized me, so I had to use a different flashcard medium. Quizlet actually has an AI feature to ask you questions and give explanations based on your flashcards, and I think this is pretty cool.
• For Micro and Pharm, I used Sketchy.

If you have any questions or need moral support, feel free to DM me. I'm done with step 1, and I'll see you on the other side!

How did I end up here? How am I gonna escape it? For the last 3 years I have been falling to new depths,overe these years I have seen myself collapse to a point I can't bear, yet I think there's more to come. In this time, I've managed to destroy all the potential that I had, failing myself and everyone who had hopes on me. This began at the end of the 9th class, where I was losing my interest in studying, but somehow I managed to study, I wasn't good in language, but was pretty good in science and math, so I did good in those subjects, the 10th class went in lockdown, and I didn't study much, but was still doing math and science as I liked it. But it was apparent that something wasn't right, I was slowly losing interest.The 10th went with pretty good marks, but I knew that if it goes like that it's not gonna end well. I was trying new things to regain myself, motivation, practice, exercise etc, anything that would bring back my interest. Everything worked, but didn't last. And it did a lot of damage in the upcoming years. The 11th was rough, I went to a new school, only to realise it was a mistake, they dint teach well while take good record of attendance, so I can't even stay back and study on my own. So i had to go to school , then coaching and come back exausted. This went on and hampered my results a lot, I went below average. But I still had hopes of recovering. Meanwhile I was getting worried what's happening inside me, I had completely lost focus on studies, I didn't know what's going on, it felt like I was in class for the sake of it, doing lectures and taking notes. I knew it wasn't good and it would completely derail me from track. But I couldn't help it, every effort I gave, it didn't last, would work for a few days and it went to the same state. And then the 12th came to an end. I realised I hadn't studied the whole year, I panicked and did whatever I could to prevent the boat form sinking. But it was in vain too. I got poor marks in 12th boards. The nightmare had come true. But my parents were supportive, gave me another chance. I started fresh, full of energy, but it ended up in the same manner. I have wasted this year too. Bad marks while knowing I wasn't studying enough. But I couldn't do anything about it, every effort I gave in the whole year had been in vain.
So what has happened to me? Well for the past years I have completely lost interest in anything. It started with studies, now it's with everything. I don't like to go out, I can't enjoy anything, playing a videogame also feels like a chore, I've even lost interest in social media. I just can't get myself into the state where I can work towards my goals.ive been living in a brain fog for 3 years.my mind doesn't work right,everytime I try to concentrate on something, my mind strays away. I can't even focus on a movie for 5 minutes. I can't even watch my favourite movies. They are all downloaded in my pc, but I haven't watched any of them. I don't know if it's laziness or something else. All these years I've tried to get on track, only to get even more stray to the path. So many times have I tried to correct it, each time I end up frustrated. Can't imagine the times I went to sleep hoping I won't see the next day, as it was hard for me to see what I had become. I have cried to myself countless of times about it, keeping everything to myself. For who's gonna listen. The people who actually I thought should have listened have a different mindset. They just can't understand it. I haven't been able to understand my parents, what do the want, sometimes it feels like thay care about me, sometimes I feel like I'm just a project. They don't question anything I demand. They don't keep track of the money they give me. So it pains even more that I'm not able to deliver what they expect. But they also don't try to understand the situation I'm in. Till the mid of the 12th these things had affected me to a point, I had self esteem issues. My mind started carving an image of me that I was worthless. It would pick flaws in me and start telling me that I'm shit. It could pick any bad situation that happened to me and feed me with the message that you deserve it, you are a complete loser and nobody likes you. This just grew day by day. I have spent nights without sleep because the thoughts would keep coming to haunt me. It had given me a complete paralysis. I remember I once spent 4 days without eating anything, just lying down, unable to do anything. As if this was not enough, I suddenly realised I was losing hair. I already had a pretty bad self esteem, and this just boosted my insecurities. And just like that, I got body dysmorphia. I couldn't see me in the mirror. Usually I didn't see the mirror because I didn't give a damn about someone judging me. But now I don't see the mirror because I started hating on my appearance. And since my mind was already picking negatives, it found a good place to give me a blow. For the next 3 months, it would always pick on me, giving me thoughts about how I'm ugly, and I'm gonna end up alone. And it went like that. Sometimes the thoughts were so intense that it gave me literal headaches. I had to workout at 2 am just so that I could distract myself. Many days I also had to punch the walls till my hands went numb. Because the physical pain was more bearable than what was going in my mind. I didn't want to tell that to my parents, thinking they might not be able to handle it. Bit I wanted to give a hint that I wasn't fine. I sometimes told mom that I wasn't feeling good. You know what's the reply, keep yourself busy, study day and night and you will feel good. It angers me, here I am not able to handle anything and they only care about my studies. But I didn't want to lash out. I can't say everything to them. How would they react when I tell that I don't want to live anymore, when I feel like death is better than this downfall. How can I tell that sometimes when I'm cutting the vegetables I have to move away for sometime because I feel like stabbing myself to death. Or when I pick the razor to shave I feel like cutting the veins, or before sleeping I feel like gulping down the whole file of those finestaride tablets which I bought for hairfall but I had to quit because they were too powerfull. But I tried to hint them again, this time I just expressed my worry about losing my hair. They didn't pay much attention. The second time I tried, I got shouted at by dad. He told to stop thinking about it and to focus on studies. And on that day, I just stopped trying. I felt like I didn't matter, all that mattered was my academics and career. From that day, the phone calls from them felt like a formality. I didn't want to talk to them. I didn't want to go home on holidays, or occassions. My own home felt like a trap. I felt more safe alone in my room. Once I thought of the result is all the need, I'm up for it. I had to complete a chapter on centre of mass and collision. I was frustrated, not to mention that I got taunted by dad on the call a few minutes ago, I finished the whole chapter, 15 lectures, each of more than an hour, in one sitting. After finishing I could feel myself, my vision wasn't right, I was feeling dizzy. But I thought if I study in this manner, I might get good results, forget about my health, it wasn't my concern nor do I think my parents concern about it. But what happened, next day I went back to my old cycle of doing nothing. At this point, I was totally broken, but I couldn't just give up because ther was expectations on me and a lot of money was invested on me. I just cared about my results, stopped thinking about my own well being. But I couldn't do anything. I had failed to deliver in my drop year too. Facing all of this with loneliness with as the cherry on top. For all this time I had a deep loneliness in me. I just wanted someone by my side, who would listen to me, while I had none. But I also can't be around someone, I feel safe alone. So I'm with a mixed situation of being lonely while also wanting to be alone. At this point, I just want an end. Either the end of this situation or the end of life, anything would make me happy. The latter used to scare me because of that feeling that my parents would not be able to bear it. But after all this I don't even think they care, all they would be upset that I died a loser. I've defended them in my mind for too long because I never got a beating from them, I was raised in a good environment,never saw them fight. I felt like I was blessed to be born in this family. I ate up all the taunts and sarcasm from them thinking they just want a better life for me. But now I feel like a commodity being used for their own interests.

Was up all night the night before from the pain, couldn't nap during the day cuz I was too nauseous and threw up a couple of times.
Finally managed to fall asleep at 8pm. Woke up at 12AM. 4 hours of sleep in 2 days WITH a Benadryl. It's 3AM now and I'm "awake" but not in a way where I can do anything. Major brain fog, body feels weak from the migraine hangover and my eyes just hurt. And worst part is I feel the lingering "headache" and the air is a bit too heavy. So I'm not even fully pain free really.
I made myself a hot drink and have just been staring at it, not registering the video I have playing in the background.
At least if I could do something, this would be a little less worse. But nope. Too weak to do my art, too awake to get some sleep, too zoned out to do anything.
Don't know why I'm even posting this. Just something to do I guess. I feel stupid.

just had the scariest experience I’ve ever had. I’m 26 and have always had “tough” periods- severe back pain, cramping, headaches, nausea, diarrhea, etc.
Tonight, however, I woke in the middle of the night with cramps. It was the worst I’ve had as far as I remember. I got up, tried to go to the bathroom, broke out into a sweat that was so bad that I had to immediately put my hair up and take my clothes off. The sweating was parallel to the physical pain from cramping. The nausea was almost unbelievable, and I kept getting lightheaded and felt the potential of passing out. I couldn’t figure out if I needed to have a bowel movement or vomit, and I couldn’t hardly stand, and the sweating just kept happening while I felt so lightheaded.
My mom swears by magnesium spray and had given me some that happened to be nearby… I sprayed it on my pelvic area in a desperate attempt for some relief… not sure if it helped or if it was by convenience that I started to be grounded again ?
I am still cramping, just not as severe. The above episode came on so quickly. Is this a common experience? What could this be? What helps? I am a little scared from this experience.

Had two bottom teeth out and on day 8.
Pretty much had no pain since the op, a slight headache a few hours after rhem coming out. And two days later very sore muscles but put that down do being moved about etc
Today and a bit of yesterday had a very faint headache. Jaw where teeth came out isn’t really sore but find my teeth above slightly - but not sure why as it wad the bottom ones I had our. Not majorly sore just dull ache
Is this anything to worry about? It’s not excruciating or stopping me doing stuff so assume not dry socket - just more annoying than anything and even tho not ultra painful would be nice if it went r away!!!
Been on soft food until a day or so ago and started easing onto chewing more

Helloooooo. I’m been dealing with constant pain everywhere in my upper body. I have bad headaches, my jaw,neck, and shoulders hurt so much and my shoulders are so tense. My lymph nodes feel so swollen and my ears are constantly ringing, and I’ve had suicidal ideation because I can’t bear living life with constant pain. All I think about when I wake up is the constant pain. I’m always fatigued, My face especially my right side of my face feels like it’s dropping down. I just want to live pain free. I have an appointment with a chiropractor tomorrow and I really hope that helps me. I want to see a tmj specialist but I don’t think my dental insurance or my medical insurance covers it and I can’t afford to spend thousands of dollars I don’t have. I’ve become a depressed over this because I can’t live with constant pain. I’m pretty sure my posture and high levels of stress have to do with me having tmj and the way I sleep. I’ve been really down about this like I kind of cry everyday because I can’t enjoy my days with these headaches and pain

I’ve been playing 40k games for a while now and there have been just over a handful of times over the last 6(ish?) months where during the game i would start to get a headache or pain behind the eyes. Other times this would persist into feeling very ill to the point where i’d have to stop driving and take a breather.
I’m assuming it can be from concentrating for a long period of time, mixed in with not blinking as much because of checking the table, maybe forgetting to eat or stay hydrated.
I was wondering if anyone else feels any physical symptoms like this and how people combat it before-hand or at the time?

I was fighting with TMJ for a year after wisdom teeth extraction. A year of constant jaw pain, headache and hot cheecks. Only ibuprofen or cold compress relieved the pain.
Last few months i started to notice i have pain in joints of my fingers, toes and wrist for no reason. Too suspicious to be a coincidence. Even tho my bloodtest showed low CRP im still think i have Rheumatoid Arthritis (Seronegative) and gonna see a rheuma doc only in 3 months. Rheuma is a very scary disease, i wish i had just a TMJ...
Any rheuma related stories from you?

I really need some support/advice right now and appreciate any help/insight...
Has anyone here been living with Esophagitis for a "long" time and actually gotten better?
Has anyone dealt with PPIs not working/actually made symptoms worse?
Been diagnosed with the above in August '23 - no Hernia, no Pylori.
Doc put me on 20mg Esoprazol. After a couple of days my symptoms got worse and worse. Switched to Pantaprazol and then Omneprazol - same. PPIs work for 1-2 days and then ALL of my symptoms increase/intensify.
I then tried to manage my Symptoms through Diet etc. Stopped drinking Alcohol, slowly but gradually smoked less and less (2 Cigs per Day atm). I would take Tums if needed, tried Bicarbonate. I felt better for a couple of month until DecembeJanuary.
Since then ive been living in hell. Exhaustion, low Blood Pressure, Chest Pain/Heartburn, Coughing, Headaches... I tried taking PPIs (Omneprazol 20mg again) every other day - doesnt work, symptoms get worse. Not taking them is no option either, since i might experience less severe symptoms but still feel Acid coming up. Next week i have another Endoscopy and to be honest - i am scared. Like really scared. How the F do i get on top of this?

Hey there,
I got the diagnosis 3 years ago while checking a cyst at my neck via ultrasonic.. I do blood checks every 6 month since then but just for the single tsh, which is always ok. So my doc don't give me meds, which is ok for me so far. I had been to different doctors multiple times bevore because of fatigue, brain fog and freezing. Because the tsh was always ok, they never found something. So I am glad for the diagnosis.
I don't have any other symptoms than those above plus struggling with my workouts because of long lasting muscle pain after working out. The brain fog is bad because of work. I normally love my job but sometimes I sit on my desk like a zombie getting nothing done at all. It stresses me out because time doesn't go by, I feel bad for my collegues and I am scared my brain is destroying hisself. Private live is also a little bit shut down, because no energie is left after 10h workday. Even cooking, household sometimes gets hard. I do it anyways but it's always fighting.
So I will try with my diat to change some of the symptoms for the better. While doing slow carb the freezing is cone - which makes me super happy and is - I think - because of the increased protein intake. The only source of carbohydrates come from legumes but I consume them not everyday. Staples are eggs and collagen coffee in the morning, the rest is veggies and meet. Sometimes the fatigue and brain fog is gone, sometimes it comes back (even on slow carb). I haven't find out yet. I don't think I have leaky gut or gluten intolerance and I never have headaches or a weak stomach.
When I have brain fog and fatigue I get really high sugar gravings which I can't resist. It feels like my body thinks it's the only solution to get energy.
I had binche eating disorder when going to restrictive about food so I hesitate to do AIP.
Do you have some advice or plan for me to solve fatigue and brain fog for good?
Can I cut out e. g. Nightshades for a couple of months and see if I might react to them with fatigue? Or is the inflammation to high over all that it won't react to a single change?
I am happy for your advice, stories and help :) thank you in advance

Until I started subtitling the audiobook, I never considered reading the English version of LOTM. To my surprise, the quality of the English translation seems somewhat 'disrespectful' to the original book. With the money Qidian made from it, they should have hired at least one English literature graduate, if not three English literature professors, to proofread it.
Even though I'm not a native English speaker, I couldn't resist the urge to translate some parts in my own way. One thing led to another, and now I have a brand new translation of Chapter One.
Now, I have a question for my fellow fans of LTOM:

• Do you think this is a much better translation that you would like to wait and use it for subtitling LOTM's audiobooks? Or
• Do you feel the difference is so minimal that you'd prefer me to use the original translation so I can release subtitled audiobooks faster?

Here is another thread of mine discussing subtitling LOTM's audiobooks: https://www.reddit.com/LordofTheMysteries/comments/1csz252/dramatized_audiobooks_with_english_subtitles/, in case you're interested.

Ouch!
Ow…ouch!
Ow…my head is killing me!
The fantastic yet surreal dream surrounded by whispering and murmuring shattered away instantly, Zhou Mingrui who was sound asleep felt an abrupt throbbing pain deep inside his head, as if his head were ruthlessly clubbed. No, it felt more like something sharp penetrated his temple, followed by twisting and stirring.
Feeling disoriented, Zhou Mingrui wanted to turn around, clutch his head, or sit up. Yet, unable to move his hands or feet, he felt like he had lost all control over his body.
Looks like I’m still in some sort of dream, didn’t really wake up… Moments later, I might even think I'm fully awake, only to realize I'm still asleep… Familiar with such experiences, Zhou Mingrui tried desperately to concentrate, hoping to break free from the grip of darkness and disorientation.
However, trapped between wakefulness and sleep, the willpower was as elusive as smoke, difficult to control and concentrate. Despite his efforts, his thoughts kept wandering wildly, with all sorts of ideas coming and going.
How could I suddenly have a headache out of nowhere in the middle of the night?
Especially one which hurts so badly!
Could it be something like a cerebral hemorrhage?
Damn, am I going to die at such a young age?
Wake up! Wake UP!
Huh? Doesn't feel as painful now? Although it still feels like a blunt knife is cutting through my brains…
Sure thing is, I won’t be able to fall asleep any more. How am I supposed to show up for work tomorrow?
Why even bother going to work? This is a legitimate headache, perfect for time off! And no need to worry about the manager's grumblings.
Put it this way, it’s not so bad after all. Yea, free time off for me!
In between the waves of throbbing pain, Zhou Mingrui gradually accumulated a sense of elusive strength. Finally, with a determined effort, he straightened his back and opened his eyes, breaking free from the state of half-sleep and half-wake.
His vision was blurry at first, then tinged with a faint crimson hue. In his line of sight, Zhou Mingrui saw a sturdy wooden desk, upon which lay an open notebook. The papers were rough and yellowed. Where the title supposed to be, there was a sentence written in strange characters, with eye-catching thick, dark ink that seemed ready to drip.
To the left of the notebook, along the edge of the desk, was a stack of seven or eight neatly arranged books. On the wall to their right, were grayish-white pipes inset into the wall, with wall lamps at their ends.
The lamps had a classical Western style, about half the size of an adult's head. It featured a transparent inner layer made of glass and an exterior grid made of black metal.
Diagonally beneath the unlit lamp, was a black ink bottle shrouded in a pale red glow.
On its embossed surface was a blurry angel figure.
In front of the ink bottle and to the right of the notebook, lay a dark-colored pen with a fully circular body. Its tip shimmered with a faint glint while its cap rested right beside a brass revolver.
A gun?
A revolver?
Zhou Mingrui was completely taken aback. Everything in front of him felt absolutely alien, nothing looked like his own room.
Shocked and confused, he came to the realization that the desk, the notebook, the ink bottle, and the revolve were all coated with a layer of crimson “veil” from the light shining through the window.
Without realizing what he was doing, he raised his head, looking up bit by bit.
In the midair, beyond the heavy smooth darkness, hung a crimson full moon, glowing silently.
Hiss… Zhou Mingrui felt inexplicably horrified, as he stood up abruptly. However, before he could fully straighten his knees, a throbbing pain struck his head, draining all his strength. He fell, with his buttocks slammed heavily back onto the burly wood chair.
The pain didn’t stop him for a moment. Zhou Mingrui popped up, turned around in a fluster, and began examining his surroundings.
The room was not big, with a brown door on both of his sides. Against the wall in front of him, was a wooden bunk bed. Between the bed and the door to the left was a cabinet with two opposing doors and five drawers beneath them.
Next to the cabinet was a pipe of the same grayish-white, inset into the wall at the height of a person. What distinct it is that it connected to a strange looking mechanical device, which had a few of gears and bearings exposed here and there.
Items resembling coal stoves, sat in the right corner of the room near the desk, along with some kitchenware such as soup pots and iron pans.
Through the right door, was a dressing mirror with a couple of cracks, standing on a wooden base emboss with simple plain patterns.
While looking around, Zhou Mingrui noticed himself in the mirror, the present him.
Dark hair, brown eyes, wearing a linen shirt, slim, average-looking features and a rather deep outline…
Hiss… Zhou Mingrui grasped the situation immediately as many helpless and confused thoughts surfaced in his mind.
The revolver, the classical European style decorations, as well as the crimson moon that looked nothing like Earth's moon—all of them were screaming the exact same thing.
Who am I?
C-could I have transmigrated?
Zhou Mingrui's mouth slowly opened wider and wider, bit by bit.
He had grown up reading web novels, even fantasized about such scenes from time to time. However, the fantasy was incredibly difficult to accept now that he found himself in one.
Classic "Talk? Yes, yes! Action? No, no!", isn’t it?
In less than a minute, Zhou Mingrui had already started to sarcastically critique, attempting to make the best of whatever situation he found himself in.
But for the throbbing headache forcing him to think fast and sharply, he would for sure be convinced that he was dreaming.
Easy, easy, easy…taking deep breaths, Zhou Mingrui was trying really hard to make himself to calm down.
Just as his mind and body began to relax, pieces of memories started to flush, slowly flooding into his consciousness.
Klein Moretti.
A citizen of the City of Tingen, Awwa County, Loen Kingdom in the Northern Continent
Recently graduated from the Department of History at Khoy University…
His father was a sergeant of the Imperial Army, who had sacrificed his life during a colonial ware with the Southern Continent. His bereavement allowance made it possible for Klein to study at a private literature school, paving the way for his admission into university…
His mother was a devotee of the Evernight Goddess, who passed away the year Klein passed the entrance examinations to Khoy University…
He also had an elder brother and a younger sister, living together in a two-bedroom apartment.
Their family was far from wealthy, and its financial situation could even be described as somewhat strained.
Currently, the family was supported solely by the elder brother who worked as a clerk at an import and export company …
As a college graduate majored in history, Klein was proficient in the ancient language of Feysac, considering the origin of all languages in the Northern Continent, as well as the language of Hermes, which was commonly found in ancient mausoleums and often associated with sacrificial scenes and praying rituals.
Hermes?!
Zhou Mingrui's mind started to race as he reached out to rub his throbbing temples.
He cast his gaze toward the desk at the opened notebook, but to realize that the strange looking characters on the yellowed paper started to look somewhat familiar, then increasingly recognizable, and finally comprehensible.
It was a statement written in Hermes!
The thick, dark ink, seemingly ready to drip, read:
“Everyone will die including me myself!”
Hiss! Zhou Mingrui felt inexplicably horrified. He instinctively leaned back, attempting to escape away from the notebook, and the ominous statement on it.
Being so weak, he almost fell down, but managed to extend his hands in a fluster to grasp the edge of the desk.
He felt that air around him air started to roar, filled with faint whispering and murmurings. It felt just like listening to horror stories told by elders when he was young.
He shook his head, telling himself that all these were nothing but an illusion. Getting back onto his feet, he looked away from the notebook while still breathing heavily.
This time, his sight landed on the shimmering brass revolver, immediately realizing something unexplainable.
With Klein's social status, in what universe he would have the money or access to buy a revolver?!
Zhou Mingrui couldn't help but furrow his brow. Deeply puzzled, his eyes were caught by a reddish handprint at the edge of the desk, which was even darker than the moonlight, as well as thicker than the “veil”.
It was a bloody handprint!
A bloody handprint?
Zhou Mingrui instinctly flipped his right hand, that was pushing against the edge of the desk. Looking at it, he saw his palm and fingers covered in blood.
In the meaning time, the throbbing pain was getting a little bit better, yet didn’t go away, binding him like one tie after another.
Did I smash and injure my head? Zhou Mingrui guessed as he turned around, walking towards the cracked dressing mirror. After just a few of steps, a medium build figure of dark hair and brown eyes appeared clearly in front of him. The person had a distinct scholarly air to him.
Is this the present me?
Klein Moretti?
Zhou Mingrui was stunned. The poor lighting of the night obscured his vision, preventing him from clearly discerning something he had noticed. He continued forward until he was just a step away from colliding with the mirror.
Illumined by the crimson veil-like moonlight, he turned his head and began to examine the side of his forehead. A clear reflection appeared in the mirror. There, no his temple, was a grotesque wound with burn marks around the edges, blood staining the surrounding area. Grayish-white brain matter was slowly seeping out from within.

i think i might have something other than hemochromatosis (symptoms are similar to acute lymphoblastic leukemia but im not sure since symptoms overlap). my symptoms first manifested mid april, it started as fatigue , dizziness , loss of appetite. since may first it has progressed to not being able to stand for long periods of time (become dizzy, legs start feeling heavy and joints start hurting and gets bad at night when im just laying down not moving), the pain and feeling in my legs is like i have the flu/covid, full after small amounts of food, sweating in my sleep, headaches that can turn to migraines but i always have that ache, nausea , weakness, more fatigue/energy loss than before, and feeling warm/feverish. my doctors think i have hemochromatosis which i thought usually doesnt start till mid 40s when menopause happens (i am 19). they set up an appointment with hemotology to get tested for everything june 3rd but due to my new and worsening symptoms i messaged my doctor and she advised me to get an in office visit with any provider available. my best friend has ALL and is worried i may have it as well. i wasnt sure if these symptoms are just very similar to hemochromatosis and if anyone else experienced the same too?

I went into the ER because my left eye was really bothering me. Honestly I think it may just be pretty bad dry eye or irritation. It is def more red than my other eye. They ordered an MRI for my brain. All results were normal except they told me to follow up with a neurologist to check out this abnormality of low lying tonsils. Like Chiari 1. I’m absolutely terrified now. Been looking it up all day & see that you are likely to get a cyst in your spinal cord & a heap of all other symptoms. I already have dealt with neck pain and headaches which I thought were originating from my neck. Can you guys check out my MRIs and let me know what you think? I would greatly appreciate it. And if I do have this issue, does it progress? If I only continue to have the headaches and neck pain that I’ve been dealing with for years, I can live with it. I just want to make sure this isn’t going to get worse and worse.

I (17M) have been getting mild headaches for the past 6 days.
It's a first time a headache lasted this long and I'm anxious. I did my research and found this could possibly a tension-type headache which can lasts to hours to 7 days.
The pain was first on the top of my head then on the left then right vice versa, but it was all located on where tension-type headaches occur. Surprisingly though I didn't feel anything on the forehead.
I didn't feel any nausea so it's not migraine.
I did take medication at first: acetaminophen kirkland at Day 1 but moved on to Paracetamol at Day 2. I was afraid I might get Medicine Overuse Headache so I just endured it at the following days.
I did try to "relief" myself but as expected it got worse and the throbbing pain skyrocketed. At first I thought I had a sexual headache all along but the headache started when I woke up, I'm too young, and; when I tried to relief myself at my previous headaches, it hurts as well so I guess I'm part of the people where orgasm worsens headaches.
Is it actually tension-type headache? What if it lasted more than 7 days, should I go to a doctor?

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I'm 27F and for the last several years (probably close to 10 I'm not sure) I've occasionally gotten a cyst or two under one of my armpits, specifically the left. This pretty much only happens during my period, and it's not every month, it's just kind of random and not too frequent. There's one spot that usually gets a cyst, and it has a red mark but only because I have unfortunately squeezed it pretty hard in the past and probably traumatized the skin. It never causes a visible lump, I usually have to feel for it. And it never causes me pain (of course unless I start to try and squeeze it). It's typically a bit smaller than pea sized. Currently I have that cyst along with two others (both super duper tiny, like maybe a little bit bigger than a grain of quinoa). And I am currently on my period. I'm trying to see if this sounds like it could be the beginning stages of HS. I was researching it and I read that symptoms can stay relatively mild for up to almost 10 years, and then suddenly it starts to progress. Did it start like this for anyone else? I don't have insurance so I won't be able to see a doctor anytime soon, so in the meantime I'm just trying to gauge other people's experiences with this and compare.