The answer is biotin.
You might be surprised to know this but it's biotin that needed for b12 acne, and biotin also cause acne be aware of that.
So it's all start with me taking b12 injection for my peripheral neuropathy (Its a big story how I got neuropathy ) 1st one was fine and reduced my neuropathy to some amount, then took 2nd and 3rd and I got pimples on my face and hair became thin and lost its texture and got sore throat, so I went to my Doctor who referred me for b12 and he said no it won't happen it make skin healthy won't cause pimples, it might be your skin care he said.
But iam sure about it that b12 caused me pimples cause I don't have any before,so then I searched on Google and YouTube found many who have same problem.
Now after so much research, I dwelt into biochemistry and found about TCA CYCLE(KREB CYCLE) metabolic pathway of organisms to produce cellular energy.
SO WHY BIOTIN:- B12 biochemical pathway demand for biotin, what b12 does is it converts enzyme called methyl malonylcoa to succinylcoa(needed in TCA cycle), so if you supply b12 to your body it do its job, b12 job is conversion of b12 dependent enzymes, so in the conversion of enzymes it consume it's cofactors.
b12 depletes all methyl malonylcoa so you need methyl malonylcoa, you get methyl malonylcoa from converting propionylcoa by using biotin as cofactor, you depletes biotin in this process but how much too little NOT MORE THAN 1MG.
1mg = 1000mcg mg milligrams, mcg micrograms
How I found it After I got b12 acne i waited many days to see improvements in it i waited 3 months dint take any b12 by food or suppliment avoiding food that contains it. Ofcourse I seen some improvements like lesser acne little much improvement in hair but right after taking 10 mcg b12 after 3 months, next day was hell as I got many pimples and hair became thin. Then after long reasearch next 3 months I iam into many remedies but non work then my interest in this biochemistry began, after 6months found its biotin took like 260 mcg of biotin and right next day my hair became too good and skin became healthy, now I am happy that I found something interesting.
But after some days out of curiosity I took b12 500 mcg, next day same problem hair looks it has no life (hair is important clue in it, because I can see effect on hair in a day but pimples took 3 days to disappear).
Then I took biotin 260 mcg for five day all combine 1300 mcg(1.3 mg)and stopped, cause my pimples are gone hair was too good, And next day for curiosity I took b12 injection 1500 mcg and all good no effect on skin or hair, before that I used to react with pimples and thin hair now all good it goes like this for 1yr with out any problems.
Then as my neuropathy was not completely gone so I decided to increase b12 injection count as iam taking one for 3 month now I took daily one for 5 days all my self my skin and hair has no effect all good but no improvement in neuropathy so I took a break for 2 weeks.
After two weeks for safety I want to take biotin as it has no side effects after all its a b vitamin all b vitamins are water solubles, so I bought 5 mg biotin tablets and took one that day , next day I got pimples on my face, hair lost its texture now here is a surprise for me biotin also cause acne for people 😐.
Biotin acne :- But iam not sad cause I know some stuff about biochemistry so i reasearched biochemical pathways of biotin and tried all b vitamins in heavy doses (b1 in form of benfotiamine, b2, b3, b5, b6, b9) and took all fat soluble vitamins A,D,C,E,K none helped me.
NOTE :- Don't take biotin more than 1 or 2 mg. And for some people it might be any other b vitamin, so I recommend take b complex that have biotin.
Tried all none helps you in biotin acne it's been a year for me,But I have lots of knowledge about this, if anybody there sufferin from biotin acne message me as i need to find some answers, definitely I have good knowledge about it as I can help you and myself in it🙂.
Share this message to the people who need help for b12 caused acne, i know there are many people it will definitely helpfull.

The answer is biotin.
You might be surprised to know this but it's biotin that needed for b12 acne, and biotin also causes acne be aware of that.
So it's all start with me taking b12 injection for my peripheral neuropathy (Its a big story how I got neuropathy ) 1st one was fine and reduced my neuropathy to some amount, then took 2nd and 3rd and I got pimples on my face and hair became thin and lost its texture and got sore throat, so I went to my Doctor who referred me for b12 and he said no it won't happen it make skin healthy won't cause pimples, it might be your skin care he said.
But iam sure about it that b12 caused me pimples cause I don't have any before,so then I searched on Google and YouTube found many who have same problem.
Now after so much research, I dwelt into biochemistry and found about TCA CYCLE(KREB CYCLE) metabolic pathway of organisms to produce cellular energy.
SO WHY BIOTIN:- B12 biochemical pathway demand for biotin, what b12 does is it converts enzyme called methyl malonylcoa to succinylcoa(needed in TCA cycle), so if you supply b12 to your body it do its job, b12 job is conversion of b12 dependent enzymes, so in the conversion of enzymes it consume it's cofactors.
b12 depletes all methyl malonylcoa so you need methyl malonylcoa, you get methyl malonylcoa from converting propionylcoa by using biotin as cofactor, you depletes biotin in this process but how much too little NOT MORE THAN 1MG.
1mg = 1000mcg mg milligrams, mcg micrograms
How I found it After I got b12 acne i waited many days to see improvements in it i waited 3 months dint take any b12 by food or suppliment avoiding food that contains it. Ofcourse I seen some improvements like lesser acne little much improvement in hair but right after taking 10 mcg b12 after 3 months, next day was hell as I got many pimples and hair became thin. Then after long reasearch next 3 months I iam into many remedies but non work then my interest in this biochemistry began, after 6months found its biotin took like 260 mcg of biotin and right next day my hair became too good and skin became healthy, now I am happy that I found something interesting.
But after some days out of curiosity I took b12 500 mcg, next day same problem hair looks it has no life (hair is important clue in it, because I can see effect on hair in a day but pimples took 3 days to disappear).
Then I took biotin 260 mcg for five day all combine 1300 mcg(1.3 mg)and stopped, cause my pimples are gone hair was too good, And next day for curiosity I took b12 injection 1500 mcg and all good no effect on skin or hair, before that I used to react with pimples and thin hair now all good it goes like this for 1yr with out any problems.
Then as my neuropathy was not completely gone so I decided to increase b12 injection count as iam taking one for 3 month now I took daily one for 5 days all my self my skin and hair has no effect all good but no improvement in neuropathy so I took a break for 2 weeks.
After two weeks for safety I want to take biotin as it has no side effects after all its a b vitamin all b vitamins are water solubles, so I bought 5 mg biotin tablets and took one that day , next day I got pimples on my face, hair lost its texture now here is a surprise for me biotin also cause acne for people 😐.
Biotin acne :- But iam not sad cause I know some stuff about biochemistry so i reasearched biochemical pathways of biotin and tried all b vitamins in heavy doses (b1 in form of benfotiamine, b2, b3, b5, b6, b9) and took all fat soluble vitamins A,D,C,E,K none helped me.
NOTE :- Don't take biotin more than 1 or 2 mg. And for some people it might be any other b vitamin, so I recommend take b complex that have biotin.
Tried all none helps you in biotin acne it's been a year for me,But I have lots of knowledge about this, if anybody there sufferin from biotin acne message me as i need to find some answers, definitely I have good knowledge about it as I can help you and myself in it🙂.
Share this message to the people who need help for b12 caused acne, i know there are many people it will definitely helpfull.

Coconut oil contains monolaurin, which has been linked to potent antiviral and antifungal effects. But how does monolaurin kill viruses, bacteria, and fungi?
What is monolaurin?
Monolaurin is a naturally occurring compound that belongs to a class of chemicals known as monoglycerides. It’s derived from lauric acid, a medium-chain-fatty acid found abundantly in coconut oil and human breast milk. Although monolaurin can be extracted from natural sources, many dietary supplements contain chemically synthesized monolaurin, created by reacting lauric acid with glycerol or glycerin.
“Certain fatty acids and monoglycerides, including lauric acid and monolaurin, are powerful antimicrobial agents,” explains Dr. Berg. “Virgin coconut oil has been used as a medicinal food to manage and prevent viral and bacterial infections for hundreds of years.”
In addition, monolaurin is a natural preservative that can play a role in food safety. Because of its antibacterial and antifungal properties, monolaurin inhibits the growth of certain microbes linked to food-borne illnesses.
How does monolaurin work?
Monolaurin is classified as a monoglyceride, a simple lipid that readily attaches to other lipid structures, including the membrane surrounding viruses. By binding to lipid-enveloped viruses, monolaurin directly inhibits the normal functioning of viral particles. This disruption can prevent the virus from entering host cells and replicating, ultimately inhibiting its ability to spread and cause infection. In addition, monolaurin has been found to enhance the immune response against enveloped RNA and DNA viruses. These types of viruses are responsible for various infectious diseases, including respiratory infections, sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis, and some types of cancers.
Benefits of monolaurin
Monolaurin is considered a natural remedy within the realm of alternative medicine, where it’s valued for its potential antimicrobial properties and immune-supporting effects. In addition to its impressive antiviral effects, monolaurin displays potent antimicrobial properties that are effective against various other pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and yeasts.

Antiviral

The antiviral effects of monolaurin have been extensively researched. According to a study published in Food Research, monolaurin has demonstrated potent antiviral properties against various classes of viruses, including:

• Herpes simplex virus
• Influenza virus
• Avian influenza virus
• Arbovirus (yellow fever)
• Coronavirus
• Zika virus

Much of this research has focused on monolaurin’s in vitro effects, meaning that it's been studied in laboratory settings rather than in living organisms. However, this data does provide valuable insights into monolaurin's antiviral potential. Interestingly, research published in the Journal of Nutritional Science found that the consumption of coconut oil, a rich source of monolaurin, supported rapid relief of COVID-19 symptoms.
The authors concluded, “This study bolsters the use of coconut oil as an effective adjunct therapy for COVID-19-positive patients showing mild-to-moderate symptoms.”
Antibacterial
In addition to its antiviral properties, monolaurin has also been found to be a highly effective natural remedy to manage and prevent bacterial infections. Because monolaurin is a lipid structure, it can bind to and interact with the cell membrane of bacteria. This can puncture bacterial cell walls, leading to leaks and loss of cellular functionality, eventually triggering bacterial cell death.
Data published by the American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) found that monolaurin compounds were effective at inhibiting various strains of gram-positive bacteria, a group of microbes associated with a wide range of infectious diseases. Gram-positive bacteria include Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Salmonella, and Clostridium. These harmful microbes are known for causing a wide range of infections in humans, such as pneumonia, skin infections, food poisoning, and diarrhea.
Monolaurin may also benefit oral and gastrointestinal health if used topically as a mouthwash. A study published in the Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology found that a monolaurin-containing oral rinse effectively eradicated Helicobacter pylori. This bacterial strain is linked to inflammation of the stomach lining, ulcers, and stomach cancer.

Antifungal

Similarly to its antiviral and antibacterial activity, monolaurin can disrupt the cell membranes of fungi, which inhibits fungal growth and triggers cell death. In addition, monolaurin has been found to strengthen the immune system by enhancing the ability of immune cells to detect and destroy infectious yeast and fungal species.
Research published in Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin suggests that monolaurin is effective in the prevention and management of Candida albicans, a fungal species linked to oral thrush and vaginal yeast infections. Monolaurins' potent antimicrobial properties may explain why topical coconut oil application has been used for centuries as a natural remedy to manage fungal skin infections such as athlete's foot and ringworm.

Sources of monolaurin

Monolaurin is derived through the enzymatic conversion of lauric acid, which is naturally abundant in coconut oil and breast milk. Research published in ChemBioEng Reviews suggests that lauric acid comprises around 50 percent of the fatty acids in extra virgin coconut oil, making it one of the best dietary sources of monolaurin.
Certain fermented foods, such as yogurt and cheese, can also contain monolaurin. However, these foods typically don’t provide enough monolaurin to have significant therapeutic effects. In addition, monolaurin is available as a dietary supplement typically produced by extracting and purifying monolaurin from natural sources rich in lauric acid, such as coconut oil.

Dosage

The best monolaurin dosage depends on its intended use, your overall health status, and the specific formulation of the supplement. If you are taking monolaurin as a preventative measure to reduce the risk of microbial infections, a typical dosage ranges between 300 and 600 milligrams daily.
However, short periods of significantly higher monolaurin dosages of up to 1,800 milligrams per day may be necessary to manage acute infections. It’s also advised to start with a lower dose and gradually increase monolaurin intake to minimize the risk of side effects such as gastrointestinal issues and sensitivities.
Although monolaurin is generally well tolerated, it can interact with certain drugs, including blood thinners. If you are taking prescription medications or have underlying health issues, it’s vital to consult a healthcare provider to discuss the use of monolaurin.

Does anybody have any experience/success from using kpins for fentanyl withdrawal? I was able to get my hands on a bunch of kpins and I wanted tonight to be my last time using and then start the kpins in the AM when I feel shitty. I’ve tapered down to 0.6g a day down from more than 2g a day of street fetty. So my question is can I take the kpins the morning after my lady does of fetty? And also how many milligrams and how many times a day? I know everyone is different just looking for advice from someone’s experience. I also have 23 gabapentin but not sure if I can take kpins and gaba at the same time? Someone please help!!!! I can’t live this life anymore and detox is not an option for me.

I am F16 and I’m ashamed to say I tried a variety of (what I thought were) “safe” drugs between the ages of 12 and 15.
This included alcohol, Xanax, Ativan, hydrocodone, Percocet, Zopiclone, and Vyvanse. All taken from parents medicine drawer.
I never intended to become someone who uses drugs a lot, I was depressed during covid and wanted to try it out because the association between depression and drugs was pushed by many shows I’ve watched and I felt like it was meant to happen. I know it’s messed up I was very messed up. I haven’t touched any substances like that in 8 months and I never intend to again.
I understand these drugs can mess up peoples mental health and physical health, however due to how rarely I was using them I really didn’t think that could happen. And I didn’t make the corelation until recently.
• Percocet and Vyvanse were only take once.
• Xanax and Ativan were taken four times total with months in between.
• Hydrocodone was used more regularly, I think once a week, but only till the bottle ran out.
• Alcohol was high “dosage” (4 or more drinks) but many months in between. I think I drank 3x only.
• Zopiclone was used twice a month for a few months for sleep needs (I did my research) and also the feeling before sleep.
To me, I know this is bad, but I don’t think this was often enough / enough amount to have a permanent affect on me. But I was young so now I am worrying about its effects on my young brain.
Did I really mess myself up forever?
I now have OCD, Depression, and DPDR.

I am 5 days post op from tummy tuck and lipo around my waist and upper thighs. Everything is bruised, hurts and feels tight like a rubber band (especially around my lower stomach). I take Percocet every 6 hours and muscle relaxer every 8. Also have phenegran to take for nausea. I am supposed to go back to work in 2 days ( this will be a full 6 days out and job is remote). So I’m hoping to be less reliant on these pain relievers to function. How was everyone’s experience with weaning off the pharmaceuticals and just relying on OTC like advil? When did you feel (or how many days post op) like wow I finally turned a corner pain wise? Is the end in sight? I still look awful in my eyes but from the feedback on here, that just takes plenty of time. Thanks all for sharing on here, it’s been so helpful!

I am in recovery from my ureteroscopy on a calyceal diverticulum, and while I found some journal articles and a few stray posts on here about them, I want to paint a bigger picture about my actual experience and what I felt.
This is a very long post because I wanted to err on the side of more information so that others may feel much less alone than I have felt. I have included subheadings so you can read only what is useful to you.
To start, I am a 31-year-old female with endometriosis (I explain the implications of that in one of my subsections.). I live in New York City and was operated on by a surgeon at Smith Institute for Urology at Lenox Hill Hospital, which specializes in “complex anatomy” and kidney stones.
TL;DR Calyceal diverticula are pockets on the kidneys affecting 0.5% of the population. Stones can form and get trapped due to their narrow opening (infundibulum). As a result, their pain pattern is different and diagnosis can be delayed. To resolve the problem, you will need a surgeon to remove stones and expand the opening and/or ablate the lining of the diverticulum via ureteroscopy or percutaneous nephrolithotomy.
What is a calyceal diverticulum?
For a good scientific review of what calyceal (kay-luh-SEE-uhl) diverticula are, there is a review study from 2014 with primary author Nikhil Waingankar. In short, these are pockets within the kidneys that have much narrower entry points (“infundibula”) than a normal calyx, and they are theorized to only occur in 0.5% of the human population, with an estimated 96% of those who have them forming stones inside them.
They are often found incidentally on imaging because many people remain asymptomatic. In my case, we saw “a cyst requiring further imaging to rule out neoplasm” (cancer) when I was having my appendectomy in 2022 and had a CT scan in the ER.
They will look like cysts until you either get a radiologist who knows what to look for and sees a stone inside, or until you do a CT urogram, which is a more involved CT scan where you can see if the urinary system communicates with the “cyst.” Simple cysts and neoplasms will not show urine entering the mass; a calyceal diverticulum will, because it has an entrance.
Important stipulation in my experience: endometriosis and its surgeries
My story is complicated by the fact that I have endometriosis, which is a disease wherein cells resembling uterine cells occur outside the uterus. This is an extraordinarily painful condition that causes widespread inflammation due to the uterus-like cells’ having “menstrual periods” outside the uterus. It that can occur anywhere in the body; while most people’s disease presents primarily in the ovaries, uterus, and Fallopian tubes, the disease has been found in every organ in the body. In my case, my disease was confirmed to be extrapelvic as soon as my appendix pathology report revealed that my appendix had endometriosis on it; the cells existed beyond the typical pelvic organs.
I have already had two laparoscopies for endometriosis, and while these were immensely helpful in restoring my quality of life, every abdominal surgery comes with the risk of adhesions. Adhesions are bands of tissue that the body forms when it experiences inflammation or trauma. Endometriosis forms adhesions by itself, and surgery to remove it risks further adhesions. In 2020, when I had my radical excision surgery, my surgeon had to perform ureterolysis to cut my ureters free: whether from previous surgery in 2016 or the disease, my ureters were stuck to my uterus due to adhesions.
I share this because having endometriosis and its surgeries in my history affected my path to diagnosis and probably my pain pattern. (Endometriosis forms its own nerve endings, too!) But for the record, the kidney stones and the kidney surgery in my case were more painful than endometriosis…probably because they freaked out any remaining endometriosis.
(Sorry for no source on this endometriosis information. I am unfortunately very well-read on the disease! If you want to learn more, I recommend The Center for Endometriosis Care website and the book Beating Endo.)
What did the calyceal diverticulum feel like at first?
On a Tuesday in January 2024, I was trialing prazosin, an alpha blocker related to Flomax (tamsulosin) due to PTSD nightmares.
One day after taking this drug, I woke up with 8/10 pain muscle spasms in my “iliac crest,” which is the top edge of my pelvis, on the right side. I thought I had “slept funny” and the pain subsided after about 3 hours. I tried to roll around on a lacrosse ball, thinking it was a muscle spasm.
I took the prazosin for two more days. By that Thursday, the pain lasted more like 6 hours and did not go away; I had the muscle spasms as well as a feeling that there was “trapped gas” right at my waist, right on the side of my body. Because the pain stayed at 8/10, nothing would calm it down, and I couldn’t focus on work, I went to the ER. We did a CT scan and saw nothing different from my last CT for my appendectomy. They decided it was probably a kidney infection with strange presentation due to my endometriosis and sent me home with cefpodoxime, an antibiotic.
I finished the course of the antibiotic over 7 days and felt better.
But then the “trapped gas” feeling returned and lasted 18 hours. I went back to the ER, mostly concerned that I had failed antibiotics and the “infection” was getting worse. I made a urologist appointment while I was waiting in the ER because I suspected this might be beyond their mandate of ruling out anything life-threatening. We did another CT, and this time I really carefully read the results: inside what we had identified as a calyceal diverticulum in 2022 during my appendectomy CT scan were two kidney stones, each about 0.2mm. Because there was not much change from my last ER visit, the doctor at the ER did not think this explained how I was feeling. He did not want to send me home with antibiotics because he thought his colleagues were too cavalier with testing, but he did send for a urine culture and sent me home at least assured there was no emergency.
The culture came back, and I did test positive for E. Faecalis, which is a rarer bacteria to have, so the doctor at the ER urged me to get on Levaquin, an antibiotic, as soon as possible. (My endourologist later theorized this bacterium was an incidental finding; he thinks I just happened to be colonized with it and it was not causing symptoms. Regardless, it was not present in my culture before surgery.)
Again, I took almost the full course of the antibiotic and was feeling better and safer. I also saw a urologist, and she was skeptical it was an infection but told me to continue the course. She was pretty sure it was endometriosis-related but saw that I had seen my gynecologist, who has been treating me for 5 years, days prior who was pretty sure this was NOT consistent with what she had seen when we operated in 2020. The urologist said she felt this might be beyond her skills and referred me to one of her medical school colleagues who is a specialist in “complex anatomy” like calyceal diverticula as an endourologist professor at Lenox Hill in NYC.
But before I could see the endourologist, only one week after my last ER visit, I was in 9/10 pain for 7 hours overnight. I really did not want to go to the ER again, but I was vomiting, sweating, using the bathroom (both ways) constantly. After 7 hours not being able to get it to calm down, I went back to the ER.
The first thing they did was test me for sepsis, because I was being treated for an infection. They also did a CT scan again and then we saw it: one of the kidney stones had left the calyceal diverticulum and was stuck in the ureterovesicular junction (“UVJ”). By the time I was diagnosed, I was in 9/10 pain for 18 hours, so what we now know to be the renal colic phase lasted for 18 hours. They admitted me overnight to the hospital to observe and had me on ketorolac (Toradol) and oxycodone/acetaminophen (Percocet) every 6 hours alternating. The pain subsided the next morning.
Confirmation and surgery
Luckily, I had the endourologist appointment on the books already, and I got all of my images from the ER to bring to this doctor, letting him know I was confirmed to have passed the stone.
What he was able to do for me I will never forget: he showed me exactly why I was in enough pain for the ER each of the three weeks I went. Unlike a normal stone situation, a stone in a calyceal diverticulum has far more opportunities to get stuck. Also unlike a normal stone, you can feel the stone passing before it reaches the ureter because it has to leave via the narrow opening of the diverticulum. This means the pain can feel different and, due to its location within the kidney is more prone to being referred pain (pain you feel in a place other than where it originates). This is why I did not feel the pain in the classic place and why it felt much more like trapped gas. Furthermore, most radiologists do not have the same training as he did to identify where in the opening the stone was, which explained why they believed the stone was in the same place each time.
We wanted to take a “wait and see” approach on the second stone, but my body did not want to wait. As I was falling asleep one night in early March 2024, I felt that familiar “trapped gas” feeling, way too far right to be my intestines. This is 6/10 pain, so I could go to work for an important meeting, but I called to get an ultrasound and appointment right away. (We have since found that for my specific diverticulum, ultrasounds are not useful. I will need a CT urogram any time we want to visualize the kidney post-op.)
My doctor said that he wanted to attempt ureteroscopy before percutaneous nephrolithotomy because it is a less-invasive modality and we were worried about impacting any endometriosis. He had me sign paperwork consenting to either method, and it was a “game time” decision based on what he saw with the camera.
In the two-and-half week wait til surgery, his hypothesis gained traction: I would have days “on” with the pain and “off,” suggesting the stone was able to enter the diverticular opening and then flow back into the diverticulum. When I was in pain this time, I would also feel a lot of fatigue and brain fog that made it hard to work. This could be consistent with a kidney blockage, but it is hard to say for sure with an area so small.
The surgery, the stent, and the pain after the stent
The surgery itself went pretty well and only lasted 1.5 hours. The surgeon let me know that it was not easy to get into the diverticulum because the opening was not straight, as expected. He was, however, able to complete the surgery with only ureteroscopy. He removed a 0.2mm stone and observed that the stone was exactly the width of the opening, meaning it could absolutely flow into and out of it and get stuck for days. He widened the opening with laser to be “wider than a normal calyx” to allow for scarring, and, at my request to avoid further operations, ablated as much of the lining of the diverticulum as he could, encouraging it to close up.
While the surgery was uneventful, I am one of the unlucky ones who cannot tolerate a stent. This is probably due to my endometriosis, which leaves me in a heightened baseline of inflammation and nerve arousal, as well as the fact that, for me, the stent had to go into the diverticulum, which had been lasered and burned, in order for it to heal. I spent four hours in the recovery room while we tried to get my pain down to my goal of 7, which meant we needed to dose me, as we did in the ER, with ketorolac (Toradol) and oxycodone every 6 hours with no gaps in between.
I only had the stent in for 3 full days, and unfortunately, due to my specific circumstances, that was the worst pain I have ever been in. I was agnostic about 10/10 pain until this time, in which I felt like I was passing a stone and experiencing my worst endometriosis cramps at the same time. I was in 8-10/10 pain despite the painkiller regimen, and since we found that dilaudid does not work for me, this was good as they could do for me.
Thankfully, my surgeon listened to my experience and agreed to take the stent out as soon as was responsible: 72 hours later. The actual removal was uncomfortable but not painful beyond a “scrape” sensation in the urethra, and as soon as it was out, my husband noticed I could move as normal and was talking more like myself.
However, 1 out of 4 people will experience pain after the stent is removed, and risk factors include female anatomy, being “younger” (I am 31.) and having a stent in for less than or equal to 7 days.
The day of the removal I had some muscle spasms but was mostly so relieved that I slept all day.
34 hours after the removal, I experienced a feeling like I was passing a kidney stone. I was in 9/10 pain for 6 hours, feeling like I needed to move my bowels (which was not easy after opioids!) and having unrelenting spasms above my right iliac crest (top of pelvis). I was on ketorolac (Toradol) during this and knew what it was, but I otherwise may have gone back to the ER. I refused to take more opioids because my bowel was upset as well.
Today, I have had one episode of the iliac crest muscle spasms lasting an hour. I have found that crouching on the floor, against a wall, and/or going into “reclined butterfly pose” may help. It may just make me feel like I have more control over the situation.
I will update this post if I feel more pain in the coming days.
What’s next?
My endourologist/surgeon thinks it is very unlikely that I am “a stone-former” because the stones were only in the diverticulum and likely formed due to the urine reflux of that structure.
We will follow up in 3 weeks to see if the sensation I felt in March of the “trapped gas” recurs. If it does, only then would we do a CT urogram to see if the diverticular opening closes up to anywhere near its former width of 0.2mm.
This is unlikely because the surgeon lasered the opening very wide, “wider than a normal calyx,” to allow for scarring to take place. The ablation of the lining of the diverticulum should also take care of its tendency to collect urine.
I am not expected to have further stones or need for surgery, but he has seen cases of recurrence, so we need to manage my expectations.
Despite the extreme pain of the stent, I am content with my decision and hope that I do not have to go through this again. The one blessing in my case is, if this surgery succeeds, I should not have any further kidney stones.

hello,
What is the weight of a worker and queen ant in the largest ant species?
how many species are there where a worker ant weighs 50 milligrams or more?
Thank you

Update: went to the ER, honestly everyone I've interacted with here has been amazing, fully believes and wants to help me. Got a MRI, showed nothing thay would cause this but did show degenerative disc disease which nobody knew I had previously. Other diagnostics are being figured out and planned. In the meantime I'm on better pain meds more frequently which is helping me communicate and function a little better. Still cannot fully feel/move my lower body, still incontinent and in adult diapers:( but everyone is being nice about it. They take me from the bed to the toilet in a Sarah Steady (idk if that's what it's called) which is working well, though I'm changing the diaper everytime bc ig I'm constantly peeing and don't know it due to groin numbness. PT came with the doctor again and said basically this won't go away anytime soon but may improve with time, meds and therapy to some degree, they're not sure how much. OT came and assessed my function and said it's good that my upper body is unaffected and I'm able to scoot around with my arms, prop myself to sitting, and pull myself into the Sarah steady. She referred me to case management, Home Health so a nurse can come assist and ask my insurance to get stuff like a transfer length bench for the shower, and a raised toilet seat with bars. OT and PT referred me to the seating clinic for a better wheelchair that actually fits me and neets my needs since Medicaid only covers those god awful transport chairs from basic medical (the hospital wheelchairs you can't realistically use alone). Also put me on a bathroom routine to try and improve function and reduce incontinence severity over time. Also said case management will apply for home caregiving to help with chores, cooking, caring for my cat etc. I'll be applying to my property management for accommodations like a second and third building fob for my partner and a caregiver, different hinges so the front door won't be too heavy to open on my own, and an assigned parking space so I don't have to go over a curb for street parking. Things are looking up in my future for help to function in my daily life and improve my mobility independence, and got me a referral to physical assignment for a better doctor to manage my pain etc. Feeling more optimistic in that way, but also devastated that it sounds like this could take Yeats to heal enough to stand and walk unassisted, and due to CTD the disc disease may be too severe to walk by then anyway. I'm so upset that it feels like I suddenly lost my independence and my relationship with my partner will definitely be changed or strained by this, though maybe having other caregiving will help him have a lighter burden most of the time. I'm sad because I won't be able to care for my 2 infant kids when I see them the same way I used to, and I won't be able to visit my partners house or the kids moms house bc of stairs. I feelbkind of hopeless for my quality of life esp with the pain, worried about the pain contract w my doctor since I had to get oxycodone and muscle relaxers here, and about how I'll cope with losing what feels like my whole future in many ways. The pain is less whole I'm here, probably a 7/10 on average as opposed to 10/10 constantly, scared a mew doctor won't believe me abt my pain, but trying to remain strong for myself and my loved ones. Anybody else had to go through something like this?? . . [TLDR: my back pain suddenly worsened to a terrifying degree snd I'm quickly losing funxtion in my lower body, cannot walk or stand unassisted, rx meds arent touching it, having anxiety attacks and imaging is scheduled too far out. Should i go to the hospital? Today feels like an emergency due to loss of function.] . . . I've been in pain my whole life. I periodically see a specialist for connective tissue disorders. I did genetic testing and it came back unclassified but confirmed connective tissue disorder (doctor generally says EDS despite no category). About 2 months ago I suddenly had a severe change in my back pain. For my whole life it was exacerbated my movement, chronic sciatica woth numbness down my right leg, general intense aching pain etc. This is so different I feel there aren't words to describe it. It gets worse every day. I am not exaggerating when I say it is worse than childbirth, worse than scalp tattooing, worse than broken ribs, unmedicated organ removals, etc. It is so beyond the 1-10 scale. I am bordering suicidal daily because it puts me in a crisis point. I no longer walk unassisted, I'm using my wheelchair most of the time but the pain is not at all helped, this is because the weakness down both legs has become too severe to risk another fall (recently fell in the shower when I lost control in lower back and both legs, busted my knee through the side of the fiberglass tub, landlord is pissed). Anyway I was put on suboxone (1/16 of the starting dose) for pain and had a bad reaction to it. My doctor started me on fent patches, 25mcg and didn't affect me. 50 didn't either. She's a naturopath so she called a pharmacist and was told 50 is "an extremely high dose" despite having other patients on 200-300 mag from other prescribes. I went up to the 62.5 dose and it was the pain equivalent of your eyes adjusting slightly to seeing (not) in a dark room. The pharmacy had issues, my insurance doesn't cover so my partner paid for it, in the interim she gave me 300mg of lyrica 12hrs apart. It didn't help. The other night she had said a pain doctor told her I should take the lyrica and patches together so I tried it. All day passing out and vomiting, called a pharmacy they said it was extremely dangerous and could kill me to take them at the same time after a week off the fent. Now I'm only on the lyrica and my doctor finally admitted she is not equipped to treat the pain but what the fuck else do I do? Pain clinic here barred me bc 5 Years ago I got off heroin (addicted because of chronic pain) and needed help, and now I'm blacklisted from pain provideds. So now I'm stuck without further providing, a lyrica rx and being told in addition to 3x weekly UA at rehab (for alcohol not meds) I have to do more random UAs to prove I'm not doing drugs, had to sign a contract with her saying I won't ask other doctors for pain meds (what the fuck do I do if she can't help me then?) And waiting on insurance to approve a tethered cord MRI next month. I can't keep fucking waiting. Today has been so bad I'm in a panic considering going to the hospital to try and get an MRI. I got a xray and it showed no problem, but since then I can't walk anymore, pins and needles in both feet, can't use the bathroom properly (mild incontinence as well) and can't feed or dress or bathe myself alone. How do I get help? This seems urgent, it seems like something more is wrong rhan just chronic pain, it got bad suddenly with no injury causing it, I'm losing function, what the fuck do I do??? I also have pollen allergies and sneezing feels like being smashed with a hammer right on my sacrum. Lifted a <10lb box today while in a wheelchair and screamed out of my control and threw up in my mouth with pain. I can't live like this one more day, please any advice on getting urgent help

I had my procedure on Monday. I got a script for 15 Oxycodone 5mg every 4 hours, as needed (3 day supply). I don't do pain well. Tuesday and Monday I took it by schedule. Yesterday and today I tried to space them out. But by hour 5/6 I was hurting bad then had to wait for it to kick in. In the mean time I was miserable. Even with heat. I'm scared I'll run out and be hurting over the weekend - but they'll be closed. I want to request a refill, but I don't want them to treat me like I'm seeking. Is it common to still be in a lot of pain and request more?
The thing is I complain of pain to doctors a lot. Started with the kidney stones, got sent to a urologist who INSISTED I had NONE. I'd call saying I hurt really bad, she even straight out accused me of just wanting pills. I ended up switching Urologists, come to find out I have A LOT. At that time I had 7 on one side and 9 on the other. So idk what that lady was smoking lol. This guy has been great. If I want to go in and zap he does it no questions asked. Which is GREAT. If I'm complaining about pain I WANT YOU TO SOLVE THE ISSUE, IM NOT ASKING FOR A BANDAID OF NARCOTICS. But of course they assume that :/ but that other lady put it on my charts that I am "seeking"
I went to urgent care in April, they did a CT. Said I have "a large amount of stones, none obstructing" then sent me home. I called my Urologist and just asked if I can schedule Lithotripsy. So, he did. Then he gave me 10 Oxycodone a week "until the procedures are done" (still don't know how many I had) Monday they did my left side, which rarely ever hurts. My right side bugs me 100% more. Yet, there WAS an obstructing 6mm stone. The girl who did it wasn't my Urologist, just had the soonest opening. I guess she pushed it back into my kidney and lasered it. Leaving it for me to pass.
I want to just use mychart to request a refill, bc I don't want to hear them accusing me. It really makes me feel small and unheard. Like I shouldn't be feeling this pain. They say you should "go back to normal activities after a few days" but not me. I literally took a Narcotic and made my bed 2 hours later and was quivering from pain. Would it be a common occurrence to just request more? Or will they just treat me like some idiot?
I have another lithotripsy on Tuesday. I'm wondering if part of the pain I'm feeling is from it possibly irritating my other kidney stones on the right side? I'd imagine that one's worse since it's the one that I really wanted done.
I have 2 other pain meds, non narcotic. One that's for bladder spasms that I can't take bc I can't see when I take them. It blurs my vision so bad. It scared the shit out of me. They told me to stop taking it. The other one is the one that turns my pee orange. Which I've been taking but it don't do much for the kidney pain I'm feeling. I take Tylenol and ibuprofen but I've taken them so much in my life I think I have a tolerance for them. I take them like candy bc I had teeth problems, and back problems, and endometriosis, so I'm always in pain. That's what's making me so paranoid 😅 bc when the doctor can't easily see your pain, they don't dig deeper they label you. Also, I use to smoke weed as a teenager, and I did smoke Meth for like 4 months at 16. Which they have on file bc I told them thinking it was part of my heart problems. What they don't realise is I hated that shit, I only did it bc I was severely bullied into doing it and I was young and stupid and wanted to make people happy even if I was miserable. I haven't touched, or thought of it since I was 16.

I don’t know exactly what to tag this, but I’ve been dating my boyfriend for a little over 5 months now. He is a survivor of CSA that spanned from ages 8-14, had a heroin addicted dad, left a very toxic relationship, lost his grandparents to Covid, then lockdown happened shortly after and it triggered his descent into binge drinking for 3 years straight. His family is very toxic and dysfunctional (and enablers) which doesn’t help matters.
I knew him when he was still drinking. We became very close friends and at one point and he even talked me out of suicide and I am eternally grateful for that. Eventually, we confessed our feelings for one another and we started dating. He quit cold turkey 14 days into our relationship. And he was sober for three months before he relapsed and then stopped drinking again 6 days ago.
Not even the next day, his mom gave him some of her Percocet and Dilaudid. He was snorting them for 3 days straight. Two days ago, his Aunt (heroin addict and crashing at their place for a few days until she finds a place to live) gave him alcohol, and he drank it.
When I finally was able to call him, we were supposed to discuss a game plan for him getting help and boundary setting (something neither of us know how to do, really), and it was unproductive as he was near blackout drunk and he, his family, and aunt were all arguing and screaming at each other (typical) and he was just having anger outbursts left and right, and loudly expressing his ongoing suicidal ideation. And while his anger was never directed at me, it still was very scary for me to witness and hear (trauma trigger). That was my breaking point and is why I’m writing this today.
When he quit drinking the first time, shit hit the fan. He was doing okay financially (given the current economy), and was eventually gonna move out. His doctor lost his papers he filled out to keep getting disability money, and he’s been unable to work (he works at home) due to his mental state. He is trying to get the disability part figured out. Not having any real income, no way to move out, and dealing with his dysfunctional home life, he was finding it harder to remain sober and eventually relapsed. He started pawning his possessions (things he genuinely enjoyed, like his ps2 and mtg decks) to fund his drinking habits. It started out tame and then just became binge drinking again.
He also struggles with CPTSD, ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, and dissociation. We both suspect he might have a cluster b personality disorder. I have the same mental health issues, but change the potential personality disorder to dxed Schizoaffective (bipolar 2 subtype). We both have issues with emotional regulation (in different ways) and catastrophic thinking. I am currently in a severe depressive episode and he got me to get professional help. I am getting help, but it’s difficult because we are very codependent and overextend ourselves to each other too much and too often.
We both know that this is toxic and want/need to change it. Yesterday was the first official day of my second burnout, and yesterday was when he texted me apologizing for everything he has put me through, how much shame he feels, and that he is now (finally) pursuing professional help for substance abuse and mental health issues. Such inopportune timing, if you ask me. I told him ‘I appreciated his apology but I need time to forgive him and need to take time for myself’. He understands and told me to take all the time I need.
I genuinely want us to work out, and he does too. We both want to live together someday and get a cat. He is an amazing human being despite all of his struggles and is the first relationship I’ve been in that isn’t one-sided, and just about getting sex out of me. We have a lot in common and shared interests, we spend a lot of quality time together, and we both love and care for each other (I’m burned out atm for an indefinite period of time so I am kinda apathetic in regards to how I feel about him rn), but I’m just at a loss. I don’t know how it’ll all turn out on my end of things and I hate that. I hate the uncertainty of the future.
Right now, I’m at a low point and am considering suicide if things don’t work out. My home life is shit, and I have no other real support system but him. I’ve burned so many bridges in the past being bipolar, so I don’t have any friends anymore. And it’s so hard trying to make real life friends again and maintain those friendships. He’s the only consistent person in my life as he’s the only person that’s able to tolerate my symptomatic bullshit, and there’s just something about being in love (especially with him) that I don’t want to lose out on. I just feel lost and hopeless as he’s my only reason to live until I can start living for myself eventually. And now I’m worried that that it’ll go down the drain and I’ll have nothing, again.
I’m aware that I have attachment issues and that I’m a very codependent person. I know that I’m not an angel in this situation either, mainly because of this. I have so much severe trauma (especially grooming and sexual) that he can relate to, in a way, and I guess we’re also trauma bonded as well.
I honestly don’t know anymore. I just want us to be okay, I can’t stand the idea of moving on and I just want to fall back in love again. This is the second time I’ve burned out and I don’t want it to be permanent. I’m currently spending my days just crying a lot about this, and dissociating. I just want to love him again, especially because he is now seeking help. I want to love him and feel like I’d be fucking him over if things just didn’t work out because he’s finally doing what he needs to recover, and get better for the both of us.
Also, I am getting help. I am in a partial hospitalization program, and am being discharged this week. I’m hoping the DBT place I was referred to is willing and able to take me. However, I just don’t know if I’m functional enough now for the help to even work at this point. All I can do is cry.

Hello all, I am working on an AI chatbot that uses Medicine 3.0 principles and insights to optimize your health and lifespan through personalized guidance from the most well-respected medical sources in the world. The chatbot only uses the journals with the most "impact-factor" in the medical industry (NEJM, Circulation, JACC, etc). These would be the same sources physicians would use to stay up to date. However, the difference is that I set guardrails in the AI to tailor the responses based on the Medicine 3.0 framework (something that many doctors are struggling to keep up with).
What do you guys think? Would this tool be useful? Here's an example response from the chatbot if the user asks about ApoB and what the ideal ranges are:

Understanding ApoB and Its Importance

Step 1: Definition of ApoB

Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) is a primary protein found in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles, which are often referred to as "bad cholesterol." Each LDL particle contains one ApoB molecule, making it a direct measure of the number of atherogenic particles in the blood.

Step 2: Traditional Cholesterol Tests

Traditional cholesterol tests typically measure:

• **Total Cholesterol**
• **LDL-C (Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol)**
• **HDL-C (High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol)**
• **Triglycerides**

These tests provide an estimate of the cholesterol content within lipoproteins but do not directly measure the number of particles.

Step 3: Limitations of Traditional Cholesterol Tests

• **Inaccuracy in Particle Number:** LDL-C levels can be misleading because they do not account for the number of LDL particles. Two individuals with the same LDL-C level can have different numbers of LDL particles.
• **Risk Assessment:** High cholesterol content in fewer particles may pose less risk than lower cholesterol content in many small, dense particles.

Step 4: Advantages of ApoB Measurement

• **Direct Particle Count:** ApoB provides a direct count of atherogenic lipoprotein particles, including LDL, very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL).
• **Better Risk Prediction:** Studies have shown that ApoB is a better predictor of cardiovascular events compared to LDL-C. This is because it directly measures the number of potentially harmful particles rather than their cholesterol content.

Step 5: Supporting Evidence from Recent Studies

1. **Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), 2020**:
   • Title: "Apolipoprotein B Versus Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Non–High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol as Predictors of Cardiovascular Risk"
   • Authors: Sniderman AD, et al.
   • Findings: The study concluded that ApoB is superior to LDL-C and non-HDL-C in predicting cardiovascular risk across various populations.
2. **Circulation, 2019**:
   • Title: "Apolipoprotein B and Cardiovascular Disease Risk"
   • Authors: Ference BA, et al.
   • Findings: This research highlighted that lowering ApoB levels significantly reduces cardiovascular events, more so than lowering LDL-C alone.
3. **European Heart Journal, 2021**:
   • Title: "Apolipoprotein B as a Primary Target for Lipid-Lowering Therapy"
   • Authors: Mach F, et al.
   • Findings: The study recommended targeting ApoB levels for lipid-lowering therapies due to its strong association with cardiovascular outcomes.

Conclusion

ApoB measurement offers a more accurate assessment of cardiovascular risk compared to traditional cholesterol tests by directly counting the number of atherogenic particles. This makes it a valuable tool for proactive individuals aiming to optimize their heart health and longevity.

References

1. Sniderman AD, et al. "Apolipoprotein B Versus Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Non–High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol as Predictors of Cardiovascular Risk." *Journal of the American College of Cardiology*, 2020.
2. Ference BA, et al. "Apolipoprotein B and Cardiovascular Disease Risk." *Circulation*, 2019.
3. Mach F, et al. "Apolipoprotein B as a Primary Target for Lipid-Lowering Therapy." *European Heart Journal*, 2021.

Would you like more detailed information on how to manage your ApoB levels or any other specific aspect related to heart health?
The user then asked about what the ideal APOB ranges are. The chatbot responded:

Ideal ApoB Levels for Cardiovascular Health

Step 1: Understanding ApoB Levels

Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and provide a direct count of atherogenic lipoprotein particles, which include LDL, VLDL, and IDL particles.

Step 2: Recommended ApoB Levels

Based on recent guidelines and studies, the ideal ApoB levels for minimizing cardiovascular risk are as follows:

1. **Optimal Level:**
   • **< 60 mg/dL**: This level is considered optimal and is associated with the lowest risk of cardiovascular events.
2. **Near Optimal Level:**
   • **60-79 mg/dL**: This range is still considered good but may warrant lifestyle modifications or medical interventions depending on individual risk factors.
3. **Borderline High Level:**
   • **80-99 mg/dL**: This range indicates an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and proactive measures should be taken to lower ApoB levels.
4. **High Level:**
   • **≥ 100 mg/dL**: This level is associated with a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular events, and aggressive management strategies are recommended.

Step 3: Supporting Evidence from Recent Studies

1. **Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), 2020**:
   • Title: "Apolipoprotein B Targets for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction"
   • Authors: Sniderman AD, et al.
   • Findings: The study emphasized that achieving ApoB levels below 60 mg/dL provides the greatest reduction in cardiovascular risk.
2. **Circulation, 2019**:
   • Title: "Guidelines for Lipid Management in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention"
   • Authors: Grundy SM, et al.
   • Findings: The guidelines recommend targeting ApoB levels below 80 mg/dL for individuals at moderate to high risk of cardiovascular disease.
3. **European Heart Journal, 2021**:
   • Title: "Apolipoprotein B as a Therapeutic Target"
   • Authors: Mach F, et al.
   • Findings: The study supports targeting ApoB levels below 60 mg/dL to achieve optimal cardiovascular outcomes.

Conclusion

For optimal cardiovascular health and longevity, aiming for an ApoB level below 60 mg/dL is ideal. Individuals with higher levels should consider lifestyle changes and possibly medical interventions to reduce their ApoB levels and lower their risk of cardiovascular events.

References

1. Sniderman AD, et al. "Apolipoprotein B Targets for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction." *Journal of the American College of Cardiology*, 2020.
2. Grundy SM, et al. "Guidelines for Lipid Management in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention." *Circulation*, 2019.
3. Mach F, et al. "Apolipoprotein B as a Therapeutic Target." *European Heart Journal*, 2021.

Would you like personalized advice on how to achieve these ideal ApoB levels or any other specific guidance related to your heart health?
Anyways, thoughts? YOu think this would be something useful?
If curious, you can take it for a spin here: FREE AI-Powered, Evidence-Based Longevity Guidance Modern Med Life

Detailed experience and some questions about an umbilical hernia post op here.
Mid March 2024 I felt a small lump on the top part of my belly button. It was never there before so I went to an urgent care, they said nothing to worry about because it causes no pain, some fat got stuck and it will contract/ expand. They did not call it a hernia, and when I asked if it was a hernia, they said no. There was 0 pain or any issues involved other than it poked out a little bit so since they said its fine, I went on with my life.
Fast forward to April 10th and my friend and I did a 30 min yoga session and a 30 upper body dumb bell workout (dumb bell weights being 1 10lb if exercise uses 1 weight. 2 8lb if one was being used in each hand) around 9am. (Side story, in 2021 I was in a T bone car crash so now I have L3-L4 in my back that's herniated and scoliosis. Since then after after PT for that incident I have done stretching/yoga everyday for 20-45 mins a day and my whole life ive been active and in sports so I like working out so I do workouts 5x a week. It was a whole rebuild post car crash and took a while to get to where I am now but my back hurts a lot and ive tried many treatments for it.) All was normal, she left and then I was going to chill for a couple hours before work that afternoon. Around 11am a sudden sharp pain hit me while I was sitting at my desk, I was thinking it would pass, well it did not . The ache/ pinching feel did not stop and I texted my RN friend around 3pm and he said its the hernia from weeks before and to go to urgent care. I hate going to the doctor and also do not have insurance (story for another day) but it was 5pm , still in severe pain so I drove to a different urgent care 1.5 miles away. They sent me to the ER because as soon the dr had me lay down and she barely touched the lump I started crying due to pain, said it could be strangulated and they dont want to touch it w/o imaging. My BF ,now home from work, took me to the ER where they gave me morphine, hated the feeling of that, and then did a catscan. Results was a fatty umbilical hernia. They said not strangulated and a piece of fat got stuck and then it couldnt retract back in, surgery is the only way to fix it. I asked how I got it , they said most likely born with it and it never caused a problem until now. I read that this is mostly due to pregnancy's (never been pregnant) , overweight (my whole life ive been 105-110 lbs) and heavy weight lifting (which I dont do.) They said in a few days the pain should slowly die down and dont worry its highly unlikely to be anything worse, just painful. I went home in the middle of the night.
They said follow up with with a gastrologist, which I did 5 days post ER visit (learned those people are in demand I called 6 offices in the area and that was the soonest they could get me in.) He confirmed I need surgery. Then 2 days after that saw the surgeon, he discussed my options of open vs laparoscopic and mesh vs no mesh. He suggested open , no mesh because its small and a very standard operation . Since hes the DR and specializes in this, I said ok.
Surgery was April 23. Was only at the hospital from 10am-3pm. They said I was under for 45 mins, all went well. Post op that day I was surprised I didnt feel more pain was only minor(due to whatever they gave me), they wheel chaired me to the car and I got a smoothie and so tired. Throat hurted a moderate amount, from the tube. Pretty much slept then on out til the next day.
Post OP day 1, horrible all over. pain in the ab area, was super sleepy, getting up/down from bed was a whole situation and hurt. For medication i could take ibuprofen and acetaminophen and oxycodone for the first few days, im not a codone fan so just was doing ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Throat was so sore, I didnt finish the smoothie until halfway thru this day. Took like 3 naps and was just tired.
Day 2-4 Pretty much the same thing. Very very sleepy, just walked around the apartment to try to get the blood flowing, very very slow. Abdominal area swollen. Barely ate, even brothy soups did not want to go down. Sore throat (had to get liquid OTC med cause i could not swallow the pills.) The strange thing was I was unable to hold sentences, talking took everything out of me. Around sentence 3-5 I would just be out of breath. Weight was 98 lbs due to not eating (pre surgery for the 2ish weeks I ate half of my normal meals because it would push after eating and hurt .) Day 3 was horrible constipation like severe, my BF even took me to see the surgeon for this and about the breathing. He said the breathing will get better over the next few days and to take a bottle of miralax. So the miralax helped but i got hives all over my sides from it(first time taking a laxative.) Pre surgery no one told me to get on a stool softener.
Day 5-8 slow improvements, the same issues as above but less bad. sore throat was gone by this point but talking was still not normal, better tho. I was doing 2-3 walks outside for 10-15 mins. Back was killing me, because im slouching all the time due to the abs, my back was on fire with pain, esp standing up and walking. Honestly this point back hurt more than front when walking.
Day 9-12 Breathing normal. Can talk normally now. Walking 4 times a days for like 20 mins, walking speed slower than normal . Back still hurting so much. I was icing my back more than my front . Fatigue wearing off. Eating regular meals, smaller portion than normal.
Day 15 I had my 2 week checkup, he said healing is great. Should be no issues. Do not lift more than 15lbs for another 4 weeks(til this point he said dont lift more than 10lbs) I can now go swimming . I asked about when can I do stretches and yoga because my back is bad, he said wait another 2 weeks, start slow, do not work the abs, anything like a crunch move is a no go. Then in another 4 weeks slowly resume workouts and build up from there.
Day 16 - now everyday the hernia area is improving, I can bend down mostly ok now. Getting up and down from bed is still not normal, I do a turn to the side and push myself up with my arm to get up from laying down. Fatigue gone. Walking 3-4 miles a day . Most of the day the incision does not bother me but i get the occasional tug / ach here and there. Still mildly swollen, DR said it would be 4-8 weeks before completely not swollen. The biggest pain right now is my back from bad posture and I assume the abs making the back work more.
So thats my detailed hernia story.
Questions being when and what moves do you think I can do for stretching as the dr was not specific at all other than if it hurts dont do it and dont use your abs. When walking my back is on fire after about a mile and I sit and rest, just due to back. I would get acupuncture but I cant lay on my front. I did chiro, some meds a while back and both didnt do much. To those of you who had surgery, did you also feel the major shortness of breath for a week or so post op?
TLDR: Open surgery for fatty umbilical hernia. first week was hell but now onto week 3 its been improving. What kind stretching do you think is safe for now? Doctor said you can start stretching/ yoga that does not use the abdominal area around 4 week mark. I'm so stiff.

Hello everyone!
Today, we’re diving into an important topic - liver function tests. These tests help check how well your liver is working. Your liver is a vital organ that processes everything you eat and drink, filters toxins from your blood, and helps with digestion. Let's break down what liver function tests are, what they measure, and how you can keep your liver in top shape.

What is the Liver?

The liver is a large organ located in the upper right side of your abdomen. It performs many critical functions, including detoxifying chemicals, metabolizing drugs, and producing proteins important for blood clotting and other functions.

Key Liver Function Tests:

1. ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase)

• What It Measures: ALT is an enzyme found in your liver. High levels can indicate liver damage.
• Normal Range: Typically 7 to 56 units per liter (U/L).
• What High Levels Mean: High ALT levels can suggest liver inflammation or damage from conditions like hepatitis, alcohol use, or fatty liver disease.

2. AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase)

• What It Measures: AST is another enzyme found in your liver and other parts of your body. Elevated levels can indicate liver damage.
• Normal Range: Typically 10 to 40 units per liter (U/L).
• What High Levels Mean: High AST levels can also indicate liver damage, often used in conjunction with ALT levels to diagnose liver conditions.

3. ALP (Alkaline Phosphatase)

• What It Measures: ALP is an enzyme related to the bile ducts. High levels can indicate a problem with the bile ducts or liver.
• Normal Range: Typically 44 to 147 units per liter (U/L).
• What High Levels Mean: High ALP levels may suggest blockages in the bile ducts, liver disease, or bone disorders.

4. Bilirubin

• What It Measures: Bilirubin is a waste product from the breakdown of red blood cells. The liver processes bilirubin and excretes it in bile.
• Normal Range: Typically 0.1 to 1.2 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).
• What High Levels Mean: High bilirubin levels can indicate liver disease or bile duct problems, leading to jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).

5. Albumin and Total Protein

• What They Measure: Albumin and total protein tests measure the levels of proteins made by the liver. These proteins are important for various body functions.
• Normal Range: Albumin: 3.5 to 5.0 grams per deciliter (g/dL); Total Protein: 6.3 to 7.9 grams per deciliter (g/dL).
• What Abnormal Levels Mean: Low levels can suggest liver disease or other conditions affecting protein production.

Why These Tests Matter:

• Detecting Liver Problems: Liver function tests can help detect liver inflammation, damage, and diseases early.
• Monitoring Chronic Conditions: Regular tests help monitor liver health in chronic conditions like hepatitis or fatty liver disease.
• Guiding Treatment: Test results can guide treatment decisions and monitor the effectiveness of interventions.

Tips for Keeping Your Liver Healthy:

1. Eat a Balanced Diet: Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Avoid excessive sugar and processed foods.
2. Maintain a Healthy Weight: Obesity can lead to fatty liver disease, so aim for a healthy weight through diet and exercise.
3. Limit Alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption can cause liver damage. Stick to moderate drinking guidelines or avoid alcohol altogether.
4. Avoid Toxins: Limit exposure to harmful chemicals and toxins. Use protective gear when handling chemicals and avoid smoking.
5. Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water to help your liver function properly.
6. Exercise Regularly: Physical activity helps maintain a healthy weight and supports liver health.
7. Get Vaccinated: Vaccinations for hepatitis A and B can prevent infections that cause liver damage.
8. Regular Check-Ups: Regular health check-ups and liver function tests can catch problems early and keep your liver healthy.

When to Get Tested:

• Routine Check-Ups: Regular check-ups, especially if you have risk factors for liver disease.
• Symptoms: If you have symptoms like jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, or dark urine.
• Medical History: If you have a history of liver disease, alcohol use, or use of medications that can affect the liver.

Conclusion:

Understanding liver function tests is key to maintaining liver health. Regular testing and a healthy lifestyle can help prevent liver problems and ensure your liver is functioning properly. If you have any questions or personal experiences with liver health, share them in the comments. Your insights can help others who might be facing similar issues.
Stay healthy and informed!

So I recently made my first post here on this subreddit and my first post in general ( still new on Reddit even though I made the account years ago ), about getting a change from Tilidin to Tapentadol. I was taking Tilidin for my back pain for 10 years and Doc and I came to the conclusion that it is time for a substance change without increasing the overall dose too much. It is often heard that just changing around the substance is helping many people in dealing with their pain and Doc was not opposed to it, luckily. ( Found myself a great one ) Now I been to the doc again to discuss the latest ECG and blood test. Nothing worry-some there except a low-ish hemoglobin, and I told him about a pain I don't really get controlled for the last 4-5 weeks. It's right between my shoulder blades on the spine including the muscles left and right from it, and it makes walking and sitting a tragedy, but worst, totally messes with my sleep.
I do take 150mg of Tapentadol in the morning and evening and it was always really effective in what it did, just that this pain always punched through again after some hours. The IR Tapentadol I had ( 50mg/pill ) was not the best help. I had to take two sometimes three to tackle it so I can sleep, or move right after waking up from pain. He doesn't like me being dependent on so much IR medication, which I can totally understand ( the IR comes with a high, which makes an addiction "worse" and so on ), so the decision was made to change the substance again.
The surprising part is, that he went very high in the list instantly. Not a small jump to Morphine or Oxycodone, no. I will now test some Fentanyl Patches for a month. Damn. I have a lot of respect for that. Being from the medical field I know of its potency, and also dangers, so while I am thankful, I am also approaching the whole situation with a lot of respect. It's the 2nd lowest dosage of patches you can get, so we didn't go overboard there, but it still is a significant jump. That said I am happy that he listens to me and we approach everything on a professional non-judgemental level. After having been through years of terrible experiences with doctors in my youth. It's reaffirming and makes me happy / good for my psychological well-being to have such interactions. I am "excited" to see how this will turn out. I have high hopes for it and don't mind at all going over to patches and away from pills and IR pills. As I told my doctor: " I don't get happiness from being high, I get happiness from being able to live my life and do the things I love without pain stopping me from doing them. " I still don't have a proper diagnose, which is sad, but I get more than proper treatment ( many different medication , physical therapy, soon psychological therapy and so on ) so I really can't complain. A new set of diagnostics will be done in a few months in a special clinic focused on muscle / spine / etc pain. Maybe that will shine some light in the dark.
So...that was a lot longer than expected. I don't have any friends to share this with, so I thought I share it with you people. The ones that are the most likely to understand. Thanks for reading, and as a good measure, sorry for any spelling mistakes or impropewrong words. English is not my first language. x) Enjoy your day, I hope it's as sunny and warm as mine. C17

I’m embarrassed honestly so using my second account on here. I am SAFE, I want to be here. Just burnt out and want to know how to fight better against it ❤️
Edited just to add some details , thank you!
But it’s exactly as I said, how do we keep going?
I was born with a rare lung disease, supposed to die, and didn’t. Since then I’ve collected disabilities like Pokemon and was told I’d die before 18, well I’m 30 now and at no risk of dying, just a risk of giving up because I’ve hit my limit of the daily agony.
I’m in pain every day. I cannot remember a pain free day, not even as a little kid.
I used to feel grateful to still be here. I’m in college, though late for a health sciences degree I’m always done with, I have a career I do remotely that I LOVE even if it is hard, but I am also living in a basement apartment because I cannot afford anything from medical bills other than to keep myself afloat. I have a loving partner, and I know seeing me just want to give up hurts him so deeply but… I’m so tired. I want to keep fighting. I want to advocate for myself. But some days , I just want to throw a fit and do nothing.
I’m in therapy, i have medical trauma ptsd from almost dying 4x, i’m not giving up yet, but sometimes it’s so tempting to just say “fck it!” And stop trying to help myself because I am so tired.
I know I’m burnt out, I’m recovering from a complication from something that was supposed to be minor so I can’t currently do the job I love which I’m sure adds to this spiral, but I’m just so tired. I found a job I love, I do voice work for children’s content etc remotely, but my complication is bruised ribs and a hoarse voice so…. I can’t do it. I imagine that’s making it so much worse for my brain after finally finding something I COULD do.
I’m tired to normal results but extreme pain. I have endometriosis, CPL(lung disease), POTS, chronic kidney stones, suspected EDS and fibro. I am being tested for SIBO because I’m nauseous every single day. But even with my body falling apart I can’t get adequate pain relief because “I’m young and healthy”. I get some oxycodone 5mg but not enough if I took it continuously / daily like I need so I just pick bad days to have, which I hate there are so many. They don’t last but they help. A few muscle relaxers that don’t do anything but make me sleep, and meloxicam. I try so hard to advocate for myself but maybe I’m doing it wrong?
Because I have bruised my ribs from the complication and I’m post op, I have adequate pain management for once and I feel like I need to find the courage to say “yes! This is what I need to function please “
I haven’t gone to a pain management place because my primaries have told me horror stories in the past, maybe it’s just to scare me? I just don’t know what to do. I can’t keep dealing with the agony, but I’m so burnt out I don’t even want to advocate anymore.
How do you pick yourself back up and keep fighting?
Thank you ❤️

Hey guys,
Many Reddit posts really helped me in the run up to my exam, so I want to tell you my story to ease anyone else's anxiety for their screening.
This is gonna be a long read so only read along if you're wanting every detail of this journey.
A few months ago I admitted myself to ED as I was having blood clots coming out in my stool. I have had many years of bleeding stool and hemorrhoid issues but this was the first time it had happened with blood clotting.
I was asked to stay overnight but before I left I asked for a referral for a colonoscopy so at least I went home with something moving forward.
It was in the public system so it was a few months until I could get an appointment but the run up to it I was frightened about mostly the results and the sedation.
This was in Australia so the sedation option is Midazolam and Fentanyl. It's a twilight sedation and something I've never experienced before.
In the two weeks running up to it, I expressed to my psychologist of my fears and she suggested asking my GP for quick action anxiety medication.
My GP prescribed me Diazapam and suggested I take it before I leave the house.
Fast forward to the day before. I stopped eating at 2pm and started my first PLENVU dose at 7pm. Initial bowel movements weren't so bad. Maybe went 6 times over the course of the night and it slowed down by midnight and I was able to get about 6 hours sleep.
I drank lemonade, apple juice, bone broth, sucked on Werther's originals and basically tried to keep belly full of sugar and liquids to stave off hunger.
Next morning I woke up at 7am, time for dose two. This one was much more intense when it came to bowel movements. I must have gone about over 10 times in the morning and twice more at the hospital. PLENVU isn't horrendous tasting. It's very salty and viscous but drunken cold with a straw and chasing it with lemonade, it was fine. I drank as much fluid as I could before I stopped all fluid intake at 10am. I think the worst part of the prep is not the hunger but the hours after 10am and before the procedure is the intensity of the thirst. I took my 5mg of Diazapam at 10am and this helped a lot with fighting back the anxiety and nerves.
I got to the hospital, checked in easily enough and was lucky they had a good system. I arrived at 12pm for a 1:30pm procedure.
Nurses were lovely and cannulated me with ease. I expressed my nerves and one of the assistant nurses explained I would be in a Twilight sleep on Midazolam and Fentanyl and depending on how my body reacts I could be aware of what's going on, could talk to them the whole time or go straight to sleep.
Turns out, I didn't go under basically at all. I was talking to them the whole time and they were holding my hand. I may have conked out for a second here or there with no memory but I basically watched the entire footage of the scope and at one point asked for more Midazolam as it hit a bit of a sore spot.
What a was 20-30 mins felt like 5 minutes. They then banded my hemorrhoids in the same procedure.
I didn't feel it initially but as soon as I got to recovery the pain of my bands set in but the nurse was so quick to check on my pain levels and what she initially gave as Panadol turned into Oxycodone and that helped a lot.
I'm back home now and my butt still hurts through the painkillers a bit but a banding isn't a part of every procedure but something that was given as an option to me during and I was more than happy to accept.
Turns out bleeding seems to be hemorrhoid related and that shouldn't be as big of an issue once I heal from the banding.
But yeah, I found the prep way more of a breeze than I thought and all I can say is if given the option of unsedated or sedated, choose sedation cos at least you have the option to ask for more pain relief if you remain conscious. Or if you're knocked out and propofol is your option, that would probably be even more pain free than my experience.
There really isn't much to fear and now my fear of going back to get another one is basically nil. Especially since the staff were so patient and friendly to me. They really made it everything so much smoother and calming.
I know this is a long read but I hope it helps someone heading into their upcoming procedure.

I recently am off my mental health meds basically because I had a surgery and forgot to take them. I’m very lucky that it’s been two weeks and I haven’t felt any side effects except actually maybe a bit of depersonalization… I’ve been mostly on (and sometimes off) meds for 33 years. Holy crap. I’m 42 now. I’m feeling okay for now but want to be realistic and know that I may need treatment, again. (ADHD, bipolar, depression, anxiety, OCD) I would like to avoid pills if possible and try only ketamine (or maybe mushrooms). I’ve done on clinic ketamine treatments in the past (the shot type) and I had incredible results for my mood with them that lasted 1-3 months, each. The experiences were amazing and very intense. I know the Yale study recommends twice a week for three weeks for most efficacy however, the experiences were so conscious bending (which I like but also… and maybe I would do the one where you have therapy after- this was just the treatment) I don’t think I can experience so many psychedelic parties in my head within such a short amount of time. I will consider it and might- but was wondering how the at home treatments compare? I imagine the “trips” are less intense because of the delivery of the meds and I can’t imagine the govt letting me trip balls in my own home as a medical treatment, but hey- times are changing. Has anyone tried both or know how the experience as effectiveness might compare?
EDIT: My doctor knows I’m off the meds. We had an appointment. I had my tonsils removed and swallowing anything was very painful and I was on oxycodone and didn’t make a plan to remember to take my meds and my mom didn’t remind me. Shit happens. I’m okay. I’m taking this as an opportunity to explore other routes for treatment since I’m already off them. My bipolar might be misdiagnosed. I don’t have hypo manias. I could be bipolar 2 but symptoms overlap from all of these diagnoses so it’s hard to know what’s what sometimes. Since I’ve been on meds for 33 years (on and off but 80 percent on) this is a good opportunity for me. Just wondering about the actual psychedelic experience intensity of having in home treatments vs in clinic.
Thank you!!

https://www.reddit.com/GriefSupport/comments/1bykm11/anaia/
https://www.reddit.com/GriefSupport/comments/1bxzqi4/siste
About a month ago, I posted two separate posts on this subreddit about my younger sister, Anaia, who passed away on March 17th, 2024. In one post I gave photos, and in the other I wrote about her addiction, but I don't think I've really talked about myself.
It has been nearly two months since my little sister passed away, and I wouldn't describe it as grueling or depressing, just unusual. On April 22nd, it was confirmed to my family that Anaia died as a result of fentanyl toxicity, which was the reason I always assumed but to have it confirmed was very depressing. Yesterday, I went to my grandmother's house and there were a few copies of Anaia's death certificate, in the onset interval to death section, I said minutes. When talking to my mother (me and my parents talk all the time, my dad sits in my room and plays games while we talk about Anaia or something random, and me and my mother will talk about random things as well as Anaia too.), she told me her perspective of that morning. Long story short, around 11:45AM, I woke up to my mother screaming my sister's name and she soon realized she was unresponsive, me and my father woke up soon after and I called 911, and that's the short version. I assumed my sister was in her covers sleeping and fentanyl overrid her system, but no, my mom told me that when she walked into Anaia's room, she was laid flat out on top of all of her covers, arms outstretched to the side. Learning that was a major shock to me, and I'll explain why.
Sure, Anaia's death was nearly instant. But hearing the details of what my mom said really drove him that once it happened, it didn't matter whether we went into there at the right time or later, there was likely nothing that could've been done. From my understanding, it was almost as if she was up one second and collapsed the next. There was dried vomit on clothes next to her bed, making me assume that after vomiting, she just collapsed instantly after and died. After calling 911, my mother demanded out of fear for me to help her perform CPR, and I didn't hesitate to do so. But, anyone in that situation could tell, with no details given, that there was nothing that could've been done. The typical signs of a deceased body were very present, and even I (doing the mouth resuscitation) knew that if I felt no air coming back onto me, and touching her neck didn't give a pulse, I quickly understood that this was it, like there was nothing me or my parents could've done. When the paramedics arrived at 12 exactly, it took them a minute or two for them to tell us that there was nothing to be done, and ultimately, Anaia had died long, long before we got to her. They said roughly 6-8 hours, meaning at the earliest 3am, and at the latest 5am. It's a disheartening fact for him, and even my father expressed to me too a few nights ago, but we wished that at least there was a chance for us to get to her beforehand. Maybe if he and I or my mom went into her room for no real reason in the middle of the night, we would've been able to save her. What really struck me when my dad was telling me that was him acknowledging that while he and my mom were watching TV, he couldn't bare to imagine that simultaneously Anaia was dying. I felt the same way, I was awake around 3-3:30AM, and if she died during that time, I was totally unaware scrolling through my phone.
I wish that there was something to be done. During her time alive, and when she started doing street dealt percocets, I warned her about fentanyl, and ultimately I wish she had heeded my warning and stayed off them when she did quit in December. I'm a sociable person, and I'm one of those people that have a wide different variety of groups and friends I hang out with, and I may not be in extracurricular activities but even those that are popular in my school know me. As a result of being so sociable, I know people that do drugs, and only a set few who do percocets, one of my closest friends used to be a heavy percocet user and I used to tell her as much as I did my sister to quit. My friend and my sister quit, but one returned and one didn't. One is still here, and one is not. It doesn't matter how many people I told not to do percocets, of course I would've wanted my sister to be the one to really listen to me. But ultimately, the person I wanted to save the most didn't make it. I've saved others, but with my sister, it almost made my words feel like nothing after she died. No matter however many times I told her to please find something less dangerous and more beneficial, to not risk her life, she kept using and lost her life. Said friend and two other friends of my sister (I know both of them) were also at some point active percocet users, and they told me that they felt it like it should've been them, seeing my mother made them see that that could've been their parents, their siblings, their friends and relatives, etc. I told them bluntly that it in fact could've been them in Anaia's position, I told them that just because Anaia's clock stopping running doesn't mean there's has to, they can avoid being in her position. Then it got me thinking, there's plenty of other people who overdose on purpose, who overdose 9 times, who overdose and suffer long term effects like paralyzation, but still remain. Anaia overdosed once, and that was the final time. I believe in God and Jesus but I'm not a preacher, I believe and keep it pushing but I'm not religiously based. I believe in the concept of everyone having a time and a date, but sometimes I find myself questioning that if that's the case, are we just here to live a predetermined fate that we have no control over? At the end of the day, was I meant to go through this? Thinking like that plagues my mind, but I settle for it being her time to go, as seeing other drug users made me wonder what they may be here to prove on earth that Anaia could not. I don't like questioning others' lives and why they get to live longer, that's not me, and I'm glad they've been granted more chances, it just sucks my sister wasn't granted that chance in the grand scheme of things. Predetermined or not, there was so much she could've lived for, but I believe there's a reason time can't be reversed, and there's many unexplained miracles that somehow eases me into thinking that I shouldn't throw myself into a hole of questioning why she didn't get a chance, and just accepting that her race ended earlier than mine. I believe things happen for a reason, it's an insensitive statement depending on the situation, but things happen for people to learn and grow from them, but no one really knows why. I've just had to come to the conclusion hat my sister is okay, she's safe, and I have no reason to continue to question her life and worry about her if she's not here with me anymore, you feel?
From a brother perspective, it sucks. It feels somewhat lonely, to live and breathe as an only child. I've become accustomed to being an older brother to a younger sister, but I turned 16 without her, and that's how it'll be for the rest of my life. At her visitation on March 30th, I didn't cry, but seeing her body just made me shake my head. She looked very nice, the funeral home did an amazing job, but it hit me that this was really her. There were distinct things I saw that she had in life that made me come to that conclusion that that was what was left my little sister, and at the funeral + burial the next day, watching her being lowered into the ground left my head empty. No thoughts, she watching as her casket covered in a white sheet was lowered into the ground, and that'd be it. I grew up with this person, and now I have to look down on this person and go through life without this amazing person. I never imagine something like this happening, especially not like this. I always wanted to die first because I was older, a thought I feared ever since I was a child. That didn't get to happen, and milestones man. She'll never get to graduate the year after me, never get to have that lovely relationship with that special one that she always wanted, she never got to be an aunt, a mom, nothing. One day, I hope to have children and I will tell them about Anaia, but do I wish they'd have been able to meet her if that time came. Everyday, I walk past her room, sometimes I go in there and sometimes I don't. Two weeks after her death, her mattress was taken out by me and my dad's friend, up until a few weeks ago, her room was left scattered the way it was when she died minus the mattress, and now, everything has been cleaned up. It's empty, and the emptiness is another reality check. I'll never see Anaia again, and in the potential next life I believe I will, but the fact I can't now is a hard concept to grasp. No more walking to the bus stop, no more barging into her room or vice versa, no more waiting forever for her to complete her makeup, no more random room hangouts, no more of her asking me to flash a light for her Instagram pictures for an excruciating ten minutes, none of them. Her physical presence is gone, I come home everyday and instantly the thought of her being gone hits me. Riding in the car with my parents, being at school, going out, it doesn't feel the same knowing in the back of my head she's gone, no matter how much fun I have. Regardless, I've returned to normal life, matter of fact, I started going to school every day instantly after the funeral, and during the two weeks of March 17th-March 31st, I showed up to school here and there. It didn't take a toll to do so, because I've accepted that though Anaia died, I'm still alive? I don't stop when she does, that'll have more of an effect. Life still goes on, time doesn't stop for no one no matter how much I may want it to. I honestly sit my current happiness at like a 6.5-7, higher than one may expect. I still have my parents, my friends, and all of my relatives, an important chunk is just missing but I still have my people. I only feel alone in the sibling aspect, but in reality, people make me happy everyday and still continue to. I joke how I've always joked, people have said I look much better than how I did initially, there's notable sadness on my face, but I look happier. If that's true, then I hope it stays that way. I still go out to these afterschool events, outside friend hangous, they bring joy. I just miss my sister 25/8, but I've learned to appreciate life just a little bit more now. If she's okay, I'm okay.
Lastly, I wanted to mention dreams. People say they have dreams of deceased loved ones all the time, I personally haven't yet, would like to, but until then that hasn't been the case. I'm not talking dreams with the person in them, I mean direct communication dreams. My mother has had two, my dad's friend has had one, and my close friend mentioned earlier has had one, but the one that sticks out the most is my little cousin's dream. My mom has a younger sister herself and in 2018, she had her first child, his nickname is JP. During 2021-2022, me and Anaia lived with my grandmother due to losing our apartment (our parents stayed separately at a grouphome my dad worked at, they work for my grandmother's company), and my aunt as well as JP stayed with my grandma. JP essentially became me and Anaia's little brother that we didn't have, and vice versa for him, he sees me and Anaia has his older siblings. Seeing him seem so heartbroken after Anaia died was very sad, as you can see written on this five-year-old's face that Anaia was someone who truly mattered to him and he was so sad about it. However, in his dream, Anaia came to him and told him she loved all of us, that she regretted not seeing him grow older, and that what happened to her was an accident. The part that got me was that Anaia told him that where she was was beautiful, he asked to see it, and she told him he couldn't see it yet. Kids just don't make things like that up in my opinion, and he worded it very detailed for a kindergartener, and JP is at the age where his words don't conflict with other things he's said, he's consistent with it and he tells me the same thing he told me the first time when I ask him here and then. He can see it one day, but he can't see it, not yet. What that tells me is that if life is so hard, death must be so beautiful afterwards, and that there is an afterlife. Even if I believed in a separate religion, or if my current religion isn't the truth, I will always believe in an afterlife. I refuse to believe that this world is it, and kids just don't pull stuff out their butt in a serious situation. I believe him. If that's the case, then I'll gladly wait. It doesn't matter how many people die during my lifetime, whatever remains of it, and how many new people I might meet in my life. If my hope of living to elder age and I meet someone and create a family, and even if said wife and or children die before me if that plan does happen, there's only one person I wish to greet me. I hear that people see a loved one before they die, and I hope Anaia is the one that comes to see me when it's all over. Forever, no matter who else passes before me, Anaia's will stay the worst, the most impactful, and that's a strong statement to make but I'm sure of that. I have plenty of goals I have for myself, but my end goal once the others are done is to get past 70, pass peacefully, and have my sister wait for me there. I hope that wouldn't be much to ask for.
That's it.

How to Calculate Daily Macro and Micronutrient Needs?

How to Calculate Daily Macro and Micronutrient Needs? – In addition to doing sports for a healthy life, it is also important to have a regular and balanced diet. Daily food consumption is necessary for the body to produce energy and maintain its vital activities. Macro and micronutrient groups are foods consumed in daily nutrition.
Macronutrients are fats, carbohydrates and proteins that provide energy to the body. Micronutrients can be expressed as minerals and vitamins that play a restorative role in the body. Although the body needs all these compounds, the calories that each food group creates in the body are different.
Therefore, daily calories need to be calculated to keep fit. Calculation of calories taken into the body according to food groups is done differently. So how to calculate macro and micronutrients? What are the differences between macro and micronutrients? Let’s take a look at all the details you wonder about macro and micronutrients.

What is Macronutrient Requirement Calculation?

Macronutrient requirement calculation is a method used to determine your total calorie intake together with your daily fat, protein and carbohydrate consumption. After determining your daily calorie needs while doing sports, you can plan your diet with macro calculation.
Macro calculation allows you to program the calorie values of the fats, carbohydrates and proteins you consume. It helps to create a correct nutrition program to both maintain body health and keep fit. Thus, it prevents taking excess calories into the body. It helps to avoid overweight and excessive calorie intake.

What are Macronutrients?

Macronutrients refer to foods with large molecular structures. The diet of athletes has a very important place in their diet routine. Adequate amounts of macronutrients must be consumed to meet the body’s daily calorie needs. Macronutrient groups include fats, proteins and carbohydrates. These food groups must be consumed in the daily nutrition routine. Macronutrients are an important food source to meet the energy the body needs.

Carbohydrates

It is the basic macronutrient group that meets the body’s daily energy needs. After fats, carbohydrates, together with proteins, have the highest caloric content. After the daily energy needs of the metabolism are met, the excess is stored as fat in the body. Therefore, for those who do not want to gain weight, a certain amount of carbohydrates should be consumed daily.

Oils

Fats have approximately twice as many calories as carbohydrates and proteins. It is another macronutrient group that is burned in the body after carbohydrates in terms of meeting energy needs. Excess fat is stored in the body. Therefore, it causes weight gain due to excess fat in the body.

Proteins

Proteins are macronutrients that have an important place in the functioning of the body with their constructive and restorative properties as well as providing energy. In terms of athlete health, they are especially necessary for muscle development and repair in the body. It is also involved in the healing of wounds, strengthening of muscles, secretion of some hormones and regulation of metabolic activities. 1 g of protein contains about half the calories of 1 g of fat.

Calorie Values of Macronutrient Groups

Macronutrient groups consist of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, which are high in calories. 1g fat = 9 kkal, 1g protein = 4 kkal, 1g carbohydrate = 4kkal. Calorie calculations are based on these values.
Fat has the highest caloric value among macronutrient groups. Carbohydrates and proteins have lower calorie values than fats. In macronutrient calculations, fats should be consumed less as they have more calories.

How to Calculate Macronutrient Needs?

You can calculate macronutrient needs yourself or with the help of a specialized dietitian. Usually macro calculations are made on a g/kg basis. Daily macronutrient needs should be calculated in certain proportions from different food groups such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Making macro calculations in g/kg helps athletes to determine the minimum amount of carbohydrate and protein consumption when they want to consume low calories.
The need for macronutrient groups varies according to conditions such as age, gender and body structure. Therefore, for macro calculations, you should first determine how much energy you need per day, taking into account different parameters. The daily energy requirement (REE) for men and women can be calculated as follows:

• Women: calories/day = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (years) – 161
• Men calories/day = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (years) + 5

Daily energy needs vary from person to person. When making this calculation, the exercise regimen and frequency should also be taken into account. For athletes who exercise intensively, the daily energy requirement is higher, while for athletes who train less frequently, it is lower. To calculate the macro need, you can determine your daily energy requirement and then add the physical activity value to this ratio to determine the total calories.
You have calculated your daily calorie needs according to the formulas mentioned above. Next, you need to determine the physical activity value. For this you need to find the physical activity coefficient according to the level of exercise. The physical activity coefficient for different exercises is given in the table.
Activity LevelActivity Coefficient (x REE)Energy Expended (kcal/kg/day) Very mild activity Woman1.330 Male1.331 Mild activities Woman1.535 Male1.638 Moderate activities Woman1.637 Male1.741 Intense level activities Woman1.944 Male2.150 Very intense level of activities Woman2.251 Male2.458
According to the table, the exercise patterns you can use as a basis for assessing activity levels can be listed as follows:

• Very light activity: little exercise, sedentary life on some days
• Light activity: 1-3 days of light exercise at intervals per week
• Moderate activity: moderate exercise 3 to 5 days a week
• Intense level of activity: 6 or 7 days of heavy exercise each week
• Activities at a very intense level: performing exercise with a high degree of difficulty every day

You determined your daily energy requirement (REE) according to your basal metabolism. You have also found the physical activity quotient according to your exercise level and gender. Multiplying your daily energy requirement by the physical activity coefficient gives you the macro calculation result. You can perform the total macro value calculation by adding +500 if you want to gain weight and -500 if you want to lose weight to the daily kkal value you have found. After determining the daily calorie total, the types and amounts of macronutrient groups that meet this value should be determined.
Macronutrient groups should be used in certain proportions when preparing a regular daily nutrition routine. In terms of balanced nutrition, you can meet 15% of your daily calorie needs from protein, 60% from carbohydrates and 25% from fats. In consultation with a specialist dietitian, you can prepare a nutrition list that covers macronutrient groups and is equivalent to your daily calorie needs.

What is Micronutrient Requirement Calculation?

Micronutrient requirement calculation is a method that determines the amount of minerals and vitamins that the body needs daily according to calories. When calculating the calorie requirement according to basal metabolism, the daily ratios and amounts of vitamins and minerals, which are of great importance for body health, should also be determined. Although not as high as macronutrients, the consumption of micronutrients is also necessary for the functioning of the body. Moreover, most of the micronutrients are not produced within the body. Therefore, they need to be taken from outside. The body’s vitamin and mineral needs can be determined by making a calculation for daily micronutrient consumption.

What are Micronutrients?

Micronutrients although referred to as vitamins and minerals in a holistic approach, they actually have different nutrient groups. Each type of vitamin and mineral benefits the body differently. Therefore, regular consumption of different minerals and vitamins is important. Vitamins A, D, E, K, B and C are vitamins that should be taken regularly. Minerals that should be present in the body in certain amounts for health are calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium, sodium.

Calorie Values of Micronutrients

Micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals do not contain calories. Therefore, they are not used for daily energy and calorie needs. Rather, they act as builders and repairers in the body. However, a micronutrient calculation is necessary for the intake of various minerals and vitamins, even at low levels.

How to Calculate Micronutrient Needs?

Micronutrient requirements are not calculated based on calories like macronutrients. On the contrary, micronutrients should be consumed in the amounts recommended by experts according to vitamin and mineral types the amounts that should be present in the body on a daily basis and if there are special case requirements. For micronutrient calculations, it may be better for the body’s health to follow routine nutrition programs prepared by dietitians.
The daily rates of vitamins according to their types can be listed as follows:

• Vitamin A; 700 mcg (micrograms) for women, 900 mcg for men
• Vitamin C; 75 mg (milligrams) for women, 90 mg for men
• Vitamin D; 600 IU for women and men
• Vitamin E; 15 mg for men and women
• Vitamin K; 90 mcg for women, 120 mcg for men

The daily rates according to mineral types are as follows:

• Calcium; 1000 mg for men and women
• Iron; 18 mg for women, 8 mg for men
• Magnesium; 310 mg for women, 400 mg for men
• Phosphorus; 500 mg for women, 700 mg for men
• Potassium; 4700 mg for men and women
• Sodium; 2300 mg for men and women
• Zinc; 8 mg for women, 11 mg for men

What is the Difference Between Macronutrients and Micronutrients?

Macronutrients are the main food group consumed to meet the body’s energy needs. They stand out as the basic ingredients of daily routine nutrition. As they contain high calories, they support the basal metabolism work. It helps body functioning with its constructive and restorative effect. In order for the body to gain resistance and remain vigorous, athletes should consume sufficient amounts of all carbohydrate, fat and protein groups regularly.
However, considering that they are high in calories, consuming more than certain amounts causes weight problems. It prevents the maintenance of body shape. It can also lead to some health problems. As a matter of fact, macronutrients should be consumed according to daily calorie needs. Macronutrient calculation methods are used for this. In macro and micronutrient calculations, the amount of macronutrients is determined according to calorie and energy needs, while the micronutrient value is determined according to the value of vitamins and minerals that should be taken into the body daily.
Micronutrients are not used to energize the body. They mostly act as constructors and repairers for the vital activities of the body. Micronutrients should be consumed daily when they are not produced in the body. In macro-micro calculations, vitamins and minerals are consumed daily in much smaller quantities than fats, carbohydrates and proteins.
Macronutrients, which serve as the basic food for the body’s energy needs, are consumed in much higher amounts than micronutrients. In addition, the micro calculation is based on the daily intake recommended by experts, while the macro calculation varies according to body weight, gender, age and activity level.
You can create a daily nutrition routine by making micro and macronutrient calculations with expert dietitians.