https://ibb.co/16q7SRT
That hookup was three months ago, a month ago I go a mild fever, pain in the back of the neck’s muscles and runny nose, lasted for a week or so, and didn’t have these dots, now a month later, got the same symptoms but with these dots this time. Any help is appreciated.

So I had MARPE palate expander put in 3 weeks ago. (with piezo cut)
My gap is starting to show... so I think my palate split Monday night.
I'm proceeding with caution here... but I've started to get a little more clarity and energy and less sleep breakage at night..... I don't wanna jinx it, but I'm checking in to see if anyone else has had a similar experience with MARPE in terms of relief from daytime fatigue/brain fog/exhaustion????
I'm still tired... but it feels like I partied until 2am instead of until 6am. Which for me is an improvement. So went from terrible to bad. Which... is GOOD. I actually started to get a little less sleep fragmentation as of last week.
Anyone?

I'm 25, biologically male. It's not yet entirely certain that I have CFS, mind you. But after a mild(ish) case of covid early January I have suddenly had a few crashes multiple times after feeling "like I'm fit again", even when just seeing some friends for a few hours. I also have autism and already experienced post covid symptoms last year for three months where I couldn't walk without pain anymore, never explained. Autism also increases the risk of long covid, so I guess that's why I got the double whammy inspite of two very mild infections. Now, assuming I have CFS.
TL;DR at the end, the next two paragraphs are some basic ranting of a newbie here. But my biggest question is the final paragraph.
[You can skip my personal history, but some rant: Now too much screen time gives me a headache, and when I get overly excited during a good phase I'm all gucci until I lie down for a second and my body allows me to, well, crash. This is not foreign to me as autist but has never been so bad in my life, not to mention lasting longer than a day or two. It takes so long to get better. Realized something was off when I crashed after every dentist visit (bad teeth due to depression as a teenager x)). I don't experience muscle aches though, no brain fog. Just headache when too much screen time, severe fatigue for a week when, say, making the mistake to go big shopping and cooking the same day. I have however travelled 500 kilometres with a train to meet my long-distance partner (:c) and while I was a bit fatigued, it was okay by being vigilant and not do much. I'm nigh always wearing ear protection and sunglasses outside now because that is stressful to me. Driving a car too long gives me a headache too. Everything works on its own, but if I do too much one day, I'll get it coming. Headaches and body fatigue seem to come independently from one another, at least.]
t's been over four months now and I'm very worried. Maybe it's not CFS, but for some peace of mind let's assume for this question that it is. I am good at accepting things that I can't control. But I don't want the pain to get worse. I have lost a lot of weight in these past months because of lack of exercise (which in my case is not good because I'm very slim) but exercise also seems to be unadvisable. What triggers worsening the condition is what I'm trying to learn right now. Minor fatigue or bad crashes and then just keep going, like having a broken foot that will heal, but not if you stubbornly keep walking with it? Or is any crash a risk?
TL;DR: Now if every covid infection is according to some statistics associated with a higher risk of post covid (of any kind), that seems like a grandiose fatalist fact to me. Because is one to avoid that? Should I never leave my house again? (Hyperbole.. or... shouldn't I?) I have read how severe CFS looks and while I am absolutely unable to work, at all, thankfully I live in a country that helps me out with the minimum (paid flat and some change for food). That's all fine and dandy, but every year, one risks to catch a cold. This cold may very well be covid. In fact, in my experience this has been unavoidable every year, I have been infected with covid a couple of times. My friends are all working in kindergardens or as ergotherapists and if there's something out there, they'll probably get it. Not to mention some of them like to party. I don't want to lose these friends though. Then I'm really all alone.
Are we to gamble never to get covid, or any upcoming virus, ever? Vaccinations, sure, but I'm just asking, realistically, what are the odds? Probably this is a "welcome to being a risk patient" situation, but with 25 I have plenty of years to utterly crash since every single case of flu/covid risks me getting worse, so how am I supposed to not just expect that to happen? I'm very scared. Thanks for any advise.

I hope this is the right subreddit for my question...
About 50 days ago, for the first time in my life, I started feeling a strange sensation in my heart area occasionally. Using a quality blood pressure monitor, I noticed a warning light for an irregular heartbeat during most measurements. I mentioned this to my doctor, who conducted an ECG the next day but found nothing unusual. Despite the normal ECG, the sensation continued, mostly when lying still. At work or when active, it rarely happens.
When I put my finger on my wrist during these episodes, I feel my heart quickly beats one time after the other before returning to normal. Initially, I was anxious and avoided touching my heart, fearing it would worsen. My doctor suggested it might be psychological and prescribed Xanax. However, I don't consider myself a hypochondriac, and the sensation often occurs unexpectedly.
This feeling comes and goes, with some days worse than others, but it occurs at least once a day. Although I've become more accustomed to it and less anxious over time, it remains very uncomfortable.
I'm a healthy 30-year-old male, 183 cm, 70 kg, with no chronic health issues or medications. Two weeks before this started, I had a week-long flu with fever, and eight months ago, I had COVID-19 (mild case). I doubt these are connected.
I've scheduled another appointment with my doctor, but I'd appreciate a second opinion from anyone who has experienced something similar or has insights into whether this could be serious.

Kind of a random thing to post but NSI season is back and I know that this time last year I was searching for some tips. If anyone finds this I was the girl who broke both her legs in Charlie 1 last year cycle 3. Anyways, here are some super random tips for those of you about to go.

1. Feminine supplies, you can bring your own and you SHOULD, what they supply are tampons and overnight pads, they will not take them from you if you bring your own. Also put your hairbrush, hair ties, and gel in a similar bag to grab. They took my bag with my stuff in them and I was stranded with 2 hair ties until we got to go to the recruit store.
   
2. Bring a backpack, not a duffel, not a suitcase. Just trust.
   
3. Wear a polo and khaki pants, if you have a unit polo and belt even better. My unit did not tell me that and it really sucked to stick out like a sore thumb. If you're a girl come with your hair done.
   
4. If you have longer hair get a donut bun or bun twisties, I used both but much preferred the twisties. They will not issue supplies to do your hair.
   
5. When you shower (if you're female or just dirty) grab your display towel and put it inside of your rack, then grab another towel from the rack and use them, you will be on your period for random times, if you stain your white towel you're screwed. Leave a tampon in until after you shower or whatever.
   
6. You wash your waterbottles with bleach, they will taste like pool water. You're not drinking bleach you're fine. Really scrub the creases with a bleach papertowel if you can, mold will start to grow in them by week 2, and will make you more sick than you already are.
   
7. You WILL get sick. Try and take 1,500mg of vitamin C every day for a week before hand.
   
8. Try and get moleskin early your feet will be torn up, layer it on everyday BEFORE you get blisters.
   
9. Get the shoe insoles and extra cough drops, drip drop, and hair gel from the recruit store.
   
10. They don't use (a lot of) salt to cook the food, layer it on you'll start to pass out due to lack of electrolytes.
    
11. ONLY PETTY OFFICERS ARE ALLOWED TO SEE CHITS, don't get bullied into anything else and don't do anything outside of your chit if you get issued one, they are orders from the medical officers.
    
12. If you get allergy medication only take it at night, it will make you drowsy all day and fall asleep during classes.
    
13. Fix your uniform and the organization of your rack at night.
    
14. Learn to count before you go, you know who you are people who can't.
    
15. Journal what you learn and your experience, you'll enjoy it afterwards.
    
16. Just turn your brain off like 80% of the day, don't think too much into anything, it's good if the petty officers and MIDN don't know your name for being stupid.
    
17. Try not to get pink eye or covid or foot fungus or strep or whatever candidate crud is floating around.
    
18. Don't give up, I broke my legs (8 stress fractures on my left and six on my right from distance running pre-NSI and a bad accident at NSI) and I was out there doing fire fighting on 5,000mg of ibuprofen to pass, it's not that bad I promise. Let the Hooyah lobotomy happen. Enjoy being a boot while at NSI.
    
19. Don't try and get your family to see graduation, let them travel for your commission, NSI graduation is lame, you get to see them for 15 mins and then get loaded on a bus right after to be shipped home anyways, but if they're close go for it.
    
20. If you like keepsakes make a 'yearbook' I took a page off of my legal page and had all of my friends sign it on the last night, with words of encouragement/fun stuff. I framed it and love to see it and all the memories.
    
21. If you're not good at something ask someone to teach you at night, people will help you if you ask. It's important that you know how to drill. You don't want to be the reason your division is smoked.
    
22. For you nervous folks the gas chamber will be the easiest thing you do. Stress about it the least.
    
23. When I was there they wrote the daily schedule on the fishbowl whiteboard every night for the next day, it's a nice way to be in the know. They also put the shit list up there.
    

That's all I can think of for now. Comment any other tips/questions :)

The Power of Handgrip: How It Can Benefit Your Respiratory System

When it comes to exercising, we often focus on the major muscle groups like our legs, arms, and core. However, there’s a smaller, yet equally important, muscle group that deserves attention: our handgrip. The muscles in our hands, fingers, and forearms play a crucial role in our overall health, and surprisingly, they can even have a significant impact on our respiratory system. In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of handgrip on the respiratory system and why incorporating handgrip exercises into your fitness routine can be a game-changer for your overall health.

The Connection Between Handgrip and Respiratory System

Research has shown that there is a strong correlation between handgrip strength and lung function. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that individuals with stronger handgrip strength had better lung function, including increased forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC). These measures are critical indicators of respiratory health, as they reflect the amount of air that can be exhaled from the lungs.
So, how does handgrip strength impact lung function? One theory is that the muscles involved in handgrip, such as the flexor digitorum profundus and flexor digitorum superficialis, share a common nerve pathway with the diaphragm, the primary muscle responsible for breathing. This shared pathway allows for a synergistic effect, where strengthening the handgrip muscles can also enhance diaphragmatic function.
Benefits of Handgrip on Respiratory System
Incorporating handgrip exercises into your fitness routine can have several benefits for your respiratory system:

1. Improved Lung Function: As mentioned earlier, stronger handgrip strength is associated with better lung function, including increased FEV1 and FVC. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals with respiratory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
2. Enhanced Diaphragmatic Function: By strengthening the handgrip muscles, you can also improve diaphragmatic function, leading to more efficient breathing and increased oxygenation of the body.
3. Increased Endurance: Handgrip exercises can help improve cardiovascular endurance, which is critical for individuals with respiratory conditions who may experience shortness of breath during physical activity.
4. Reduced Respiratory Muscle Fatigue: Strengthening the handgrip muscles can reduce fatigue in the respiratory muscles, allowing for more efficient breathing and reducing the risk of respiratory failure.
5. Improved Overall Health: Handgrip strength is also associated with overall health and mortality rates. A stronger handgrip has been linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even certain types of cancer.

Incorporating Handgrip Exercises into Your Fitness Routine
Fortunately, incorporating handgrip exercises into your fitness routine is easy and can be done with minimal equipment. Here are a few exercises to get you started:

• Grip Strengthening: Use a handgrip strengthener or a small rubber ball to squeeze and release your hand muscles. Aim for 10-15 repetitions, 3-4 times a week.
• Finger Bending: Place a light weight or resistance band around your fingers and bend them down toward your palm. Release and repeat for 10-15 repetitions.
• Wrist Extensions: Hold a light weight or resistance band in your hand and lift your wrist up, keeping your forearm still. Lower and repeat for 10-15 repetitions.

Im 8dpo (31F lap turned abdominal. Kept ovaries and cervix) and i think im past the worst of it. While im still pretty much couch ridden, I figured I would put this out there to maybe help someone else preparing for their surgery! Obviously we all know these experiences are highly personal and will not be exactly like anyone elses experience, but I personally found it helpful gathering peoples experiences and reflecting based on what I know about myself so I thought id write the kind of post Id want to read! I tried to make easy to skim but also included plenty of details!
Heres some things Im glad I did beforehand

• washed and changed my bed sheets -cleaned my bathroom well
• moved things i knew i would need to a hight where I don’t have to bend down to get them. I moved my toilet paper to easy accessible places, my pj shirts and underwear on top of my dresser. Set up a bed stand for water and meds. Also moved my fridge around.
• as for buying stuff, i mostly had everything i needed but was glad to have comfy sweat pants, backless slippers and highwasted underwear. Also those rechargeable battery bricks were handy for charging my phone in the hospital or sitting somewhere not near an outlet. -exercised. Dont stress about this one, i know chronic pain is often the reason for this surgery. I had to stop my routine months before surgery for this reason. But I was glad to be familiar with proper squat form and have strong arms and legs to help get myself up and down without using my core. I also did yoga therapy that helped me understand how to transfer my weight to different parts of my body which helped too!

Heres some things i was extremely stressed about but ended up not being a problem
-Food. My mom came and cooked me some large portion of meals. I ended up throwing most of it away. The idea was to freeze some of it but it was too much of a hassle. I didn’t have much of an appetite and definitely gravitated towards things in the BRAT diet especially bread. I spent the first few days eating like i had the flu and was really sensitive to grease. My mom made wedding soup and it was too greasy. I think i could have survived this week just on a package of bagels and different spreads.
-cleaning and chores. Im pretty sure I have OCD.. this experience has confirmed it. I looked out at my thriving garden yesterday and said to my partner absent mindedly “wow. Things really thrive when im not out there being over involved “ and like wow that is a lesson i did not expect to learn. My partner has been clearing the dishes each day and did some more involved chores once this week. So if you live alone I would advise paper plates and maybe some to help ya once a week for the first week at least.
-in terms of my surgery i was really scared of having a catheter which i did end up needing to have for a day. It was weird but not at all painful. Honestly it was kind of the worst part of my recovery so far just because i felt i had to pee so bad while it was in. Idk if thats typical. Taking it out was not at all painful but also weird. They used the catheter to put sterile water back in my bladder. As soon as i felt a twinge of uncomfortable full feeling i told my nurse. She removed the catheter and i peed it back out no problem.
-being bored. This week has felt like one day. Since it takes me 10x as long to do anything, the days are flying by. I got myself plenty of low key things to do (crafts, activity books, ect) and haven’t even had time to do any of them yet! I still have a feeling this will change in the coming weeks though..
-having enough help. I secretly wished one of my friends or family members would stay with me for a while just so I could be the solo focus of their attention. I live with my partner and two dogs and he has been totally enough support. I needed help getting up and down up until about day 5. He also makes my meals and cleans them up for me and would bring me my meds and water the first few days. I think it makes sense if you live alone to have someone stay a week with you, but ive been fine and honestly anytime someone has come to “help” its just felt draining. I didn’t know how much of a hermit I would wana be.
-my dogs. I piled myself in pillows if i was sitting on the couch with them. I also had a no chew spray near by that we used when they were pups but only had to use it one time. My partner helped to coral them the first few days too. I have not yet been puppy stomped
-the stairs. Its been fine I just have to go slow.
Heres some things I found out along the way that were helpful

• keep cough drops in your pocket. Coughing aint fun and my throat was irritated from being intubated for about 4 days after surgery. Also keep the paper so you can spit em out when they’ve done the job if you want. I started getting a tummy ache from having too many.

-keep lil pillows by your toilet. The hospital gave me one that was plasticy and easy to wipe off (like an outdoor pillow insert). Or even a balled up towel would work. I couldn’t wear a binder because of all my incisions but this helped take the pressure off my stomach/incisions when i needed to have a bowel movement.
-if you stack pillows on either side of you, they can act as “arms” that are handy to push down on when you get up.
-sip your water and take your stool softeners as soon as they say you can! It took me until day 4 to poop but it was no problem when it happened.
-lots of deep slow breaths to calm your nerves and pain.

• those squeezable applesauce packs. Great for when you take your pain pills.

Heres some challenges I encountered that surprised me.
-my throat was so sore! For the first 4 days my throat was irritating, it felt like I had a flap of skin sticking down. The first day it hurt but the rest was just so annoying.

• breathing was a challenge. The first few days i was in bed, it was hard to breathe. I couldn’t take a Deep belly breath because of my incisions. I tried to regularly take a big breath filling my lungs though. Once i started being able to get up and walk around it became less of a problem. I think they have a tool for this at the hospital too but i was not offered it and forgot to ask.

-always laying on my back is getting old. I haven’t quite figured it out yet but im getting there.
-not really a challenge but my lower belly is numb. Apparently that can just happen (even long term). Which has actually been helpful since I can’t feel my lower abdominal incision at all
Lastly!! The pain/symptom scale: Day 0: honestly don’t remember much except feeling i need to pee and my throat being sore. Day 1: was still in the hospital. Pain like cramps and burning pain near certain incisions. I was able to walk the hall but very tired after. Sore throat. Day 2: burning pain near bellybutton incisions. Heavy lung feeling. Left the hospital. Day 3: heavy lung feeling. Pinching pain in incisions whenever I stood or sat. Had some moderate discharge that was yellowish with red and brown. Otherwise no pain Day 4: more like a sharp ache when i stood/sat. Discharge again but a very light amount. Day 5: felt strides..any pain was mild cramping. Tried to shower myself and make myself breakfast which led me to be very tired for the rest of the day. Day 6: most tired yet. Pain the same Day 7: felt like turning a page. Pain very little and energy very good.

Here are the five most important news stories from the past week:

1. Trump's Legal Troubles: Former President Donald Trump remains in the spotlight with several ongoing legal battles. Recently, the defense in his New York hush-money trial rested without Trump testifying. Additionally, Trump faces numerous other charges and investigations, which are expected to impact his 2024 campaign schedule significantly​ (Al Jazeera)​​ (AGF Perspectives)​.
2. Economic News: The U.S. economy continues to surprise analysts. Despite predictions of slowing growth, the latest forecasts from the Atlanta Fed suggest a stronger-than-expected performance. This economic resilience is highlighted by a recent market rally and revised GDP growth projections​ (AGF Perspectives)​.
3. International Diplomacy and Conflict: Tensions between Spain and Argentina have escalated, with Spain making the recall of its ambassador to Argentina permanent. This move follows controversial remarks by Argentina's President Javier Milei, further straining diplomatic relations between the two nations​ (Al Jazeera)​.
4. Ukraine Conflict: The situation in Ukraine remains critical, with the country facing a shortage of arms and dwindling morale as Western support shows signs of fatigue. The conflict, now largely a drone war, sees Kyiv in a tough spot as it continues to defend against Russian advances​ (AGF Perspectives)​.
5. EURO 2024 and Sports Updates: In sports, Marcus Rashford has been left out of England's provisional squad for EURO 2024 by manager Gareth Southgate. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo will make history by playing in his sixth European Championship, leading Portugal's quest for another title​ (Al Jazeera)​.

These stories highlight significant political, economic, and sports developments that have shaped the global landscape over the past week.

Hello all, so I’m a 35M with a prior history of AVN that plagued me for 4 years. I finally had the surgery end of march and for about 6 weeks I was feeling recovery pains but was otherwise optimistic. Since then I have started to limp pretty bad and I’m experiencing a significant amount of groin pain, almost like I can feel the implant. My hip flexors are barely functional (still have to lift my leg) and I walk with a pretty good limp. If I walk for too long my leg feels fatigued and I begin to feel pain in my knee and shin. At around the 6 week mark my doc lifted most restrictions and so I’ve been walking and using the stationary bike often. I just started outpatient PT yesterday and while I felt great immediately after, last night was so painful I couldn’t walk. It felt like my leg would give out.
Is this a normal part of the recovery process? It has gotten me a bit worried.

Has anyone else been burned quite like this? *** Let me preface this by saying I know that Disney is a germ convention. We knew what we were getting into ***
We are sick at Disney again! We only made it three days out of ten this time. It's the sickest our son has ever been in his life too. Fever, bad cough, endless runny nose, not himself. We are lucky enough to go annually and we remained healthy last year. We got covid from disney in 2022 though. That one wasn't a total loss because we made it further into our trip.
I'm really depressed at the happiest place on earth. We've been laying around in the hotel waiting for our turn and for our child to improve enough before heading home. We rented a car thankfully so we can leave on our own terms. I wouldn't want to expose anyone to whatever this is either. He's likely less contagious by now but the cough is something else.
I was just wondering if anyone can relate to this or are we better off not coming here anymore? We've been going every year since 2018. Two of those trips were during mask mandates which likely suppressed a lot of germ sharing. We've had two fairly back to back trip ending illnesses which is not ideal. My husband got sick in 2019 on the last day of our trip. It didn't ruin our trip but it still counts in the tally of how inevitable it seems to be for our family.
I don't think we can emotionally or financially afford this type of gamble anymore. We save every year to go and plan and plan. It's lovely outside and we are stuck in here watching happy vacationers walk by our window and watching weird TLC reality shows.
Anyway, just feeling like this might be our last trip. I wish we lived closer so we could take short weekend trips. I'd rather have fun and get sick at home than get sick before the fun even kicks off.
Lots of sick people at the parks and on the bus too. I've never seen it this way ever especially in May. We were the odd ones for not coughing on our park days. It is what it is but we feel like this type of destination isn't in the cards for us. I'm beyond devastated.
Sigh. 🌴

DAY: MAY 20 2024
5-20-2024

Why nightmares and ‘daymares’ could be early warning signs of autoimmune disease

An increase in nightmares and hallucinations—or ‘daymares’—could herald the onset of autoimmune diseases such as lupus, say an international team led by researchers at the University of Cambridge and King’s College London. The researchers argue that there must be greater recognition that these types of mental health and neurological symptoms can act as an early warning sign that an individual is approaching a “flare,” where their disease worsens for a period.
5-20-2024 Yoga and meditation-induced altered states of consciousness are common in the general population, study says
Yoga, mindfulness, meditation, breathwork, and other practices are gaining in popularity due to their potential to improve health and well-being. The effects of these practices are mostly positive and occasionally transformational, yet they are known to sometimes be associated with challenging altered states of consciousness. New research by a team including investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital reveals that altered states of consciousness associated with meditation practice are far more common than expected. Although many people reported positive outcomes, that were sometimes even considered transformational, from these experiences, for a substantial
5-20-2024 Examining the benefits of out-of-network care for pediatric moyamoya
Total in-episode expenses and resource use before the index surgery (preop) and including/after the surgery (postop). The comparisons are separated for analysis into (A) single institution cohorts (1 and 2) and (B) multi?institution cohorts (3 and 4). Moyamoya disease is a rare condition that affects the blood vessels in the brain, especially in children. Narrowing and blockage of vessels significantly increases the risk of stroke and requires surgical revascularization for treatment. Although research shows that outcomes of revascularization are better
5-20-2024 Study explores links between social media use, mental health and sleep quality
The more time you spend on social media, the greater the likelihood of having unpleasant social-media related dreams that cause distress, sleep disruption and impact our peace of mind. Flinders University’s Reza Shabahang says that the vast and rapid adoption of social media has the potential to influence various aspects of life, including the realm of dreaming. “As social media becomes increasingly intertwined with our lives, its impact extends beyond waking hours, and may influence our dreams,”
5-20-2024 How are asthma and heart health linked?
Although the heart and lungs are neighbors in your chest, people may think of them as separate entities with unrelated problems. But a growing body of evidence suggests that asthma—one of the most common lung disorders—is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Asthma is a serious chronic disease in which airways are inflamed, often in response to specific triggers. It affects about 25 million people in the U.S., including nearly 5 million children, causing millions of annual visits to doctors’ offices and emergency rooms. “We call these major changes
5-20-2024 STUDY EXPLORES PATIENT TRUST IN PHYSICIANS
Trust in one’s physician drives positive health practices. In a scoping review, SUNY Poly Professor of Sociology Dr. Linda R. Weber discovered new developments in the measurement of trust, identified those measures of trust that have known reliability and validity, and compared those instruments’ conceptualizations, dimensions, and indicators. The paper is published in the journal PLOS ONE. Weber explains that 10 dimensions emerged from the study: fidelity, technical competence, communicative competence, interpersonal competence (i.e., caring), honesty, confidentiality, global, behavioral, fairness, and system trust/accountability. In addition, these findings provide the foundation
5-20-2024 TIMESAVING TIPS FOR COOKING HEALTHY MEALS
Living a busy, fast-paced life can make it hard to find the motivation to cook a healthy meal at home. However, learning some shortcuts in the kitchen can keep your healthy eating goals on track and help you avoid grazing on unhealthy snacks, grabbing the first thing you see in the fridge or going out for fast food. Why cook at home? Research shows that maintaining a healthy weight is challenging when you eat out too frequently. Restaurant portions often are super-sized
5-20-2024 UNDERSTANDING PERIMENOPAUSE VS. MENOPAUSE
Menopause marks a significant transition for women, yet understanding its precursor, perimenopause, and its symptoms can be complex. Dr. Stephanie Faubion, director of Mayo Clinic’s Center for Women’s Health and medical director of The Menopause Society, says experiencing perimenopause and menopause can be confusing for some. She says it is not only patients who may find it confusing, but medical providers as well, due to lack of training in menopause management. “Menopause is defined by no menstrual cycle for a year,” says Dr. Faubion.
5-20-2024 LOW-DOSE IRON SUPPLEMENTATION HAS NO BENEFIT FOR BREASTFED INFANTS, SHOWS STUDY
The American Pediatric Association recommends iron supplements to all healthy infants who breastfeed longer than four months, while its European counterpart, Society of Gastroenterology, Hepataology and Nutrition, does not recommend it. These deviating guidelines stimulated researchers to design a new study. Breastfeeding is strongly recommended, and the proportion of children are breastfed during the first half of life is high. The researchers wanted to determine whether breastfeeding babies could benefit from extra iron.
5-20-2024 ALLERGY MEDICATIONS COME WITH HAZARDS: BE AWARE
People with seasonal allergies often turn to over-the-counter and prescription medicines to relieve symptoms like coughing, sneezing, runny nose, congestion and itchy eyes, nose or throat. But they often aren’t aware that these meds—including antihistamines—have as much risk for potential side effects, drug interactions and overdose as other drugs. “All medicines have side effects associated with them even when they are taken appropriately and according to dosing directions on the label,”
5-20-2024 I CAN’T AFFORD OLIVE OIL—WHAT ELSE CAN I USE?
If you buy your olive oil in bulk, you’ve likely been in for a shock in recent weeks. Major supermarkets have been selling olive oil for up to A$65 for a four-liter tin, and up to $26 for a 750 milliliter bottle. We’ve been hearing about the health benefits of olive oil for years. And many of us are adding it to salads, or baking and frying with it. But during a cost-of-living crisis, these high prices can put olive oil out of reach. Let’s take a look at why
5-20-2024 Researchers uncover biological trigger of early puberty
Heather Brenhouse, associate professor of psychology, says disrupting the caretaker relationship can really traumatize a child or a developing rodent. Credit: Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University New research conducted by the Brenhouse Lab reveals how early life adversity triggers early puberty and late-life anxiety, paving the way for potential interventions. The onset of puberty has been creeping downward for decades. In the United States, the average age of girls reaching puberty ranges from 8.8 to 10.3 years old. The early start of puberty, which is associated with many health risks, can be
5-20-2024 Bioluminescence and 3D-printed implants shed light on brain–spinal interactions
Brain-spinal cord duet’s neurodynamic symphony is now accessible to scientists via novel multi-organ implants. Credit: Dmitrijs Celinskis A sensory process such as pain is no ordinary phenomenon—it’s a symphony of neural and vascular interactions orchestrated by the brain and spinal cord. Attempting to dissect this symphony by focusing on a single region is like trying to understand a complex melody by listening to just one instrument. It’s incomplete, potentially misleading, and may result in erroneous conclusions. Enter the Carney Institute’s team of visionaries. Their mission? To develop tools that allow
5-20-2024 New thesis explores cancer treatment that can prevent relapse
. What is the main focus of your thesis? Relapse following initial treatment efficacy remains a major clinical challenge for many cancers. The focus of my thesis has been to explore the therapeutic impact of immune cells in patients with blood cancer (leukemia), by first investigating which cells
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with type 2 inflammation may soon gain access to a new drug—dupilumab—that showed rapid and sustained improvements in patients in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial, researchers report in the New England Journal of Medicine. This monoclonal antibody is the first biologic shown to improve clinical outcomes in COPD. The data supporting the use of dupilumab in COPD will be reviewed by the United States Food and Drug Administration in June. The disease improvements—as measured by a significantly lower annualized rate of acute exacerbations

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This is my second time on Ozempic and it had been going MUCH better (less throwing up) because I figured out what to eat and not and my Endo and I decided to move up really slow. I did 4 weeks .25 and I’m on my 3rd week of .5.
In the last couple weeks though it’s been harder and harder to eat at all. When on .25 I was already struggling to get in maybe 1000 calories but at least I got hungry. Now I only eat BECAUSE I get so nauseous. I’d be lucky to finish one frozen protein waffle over an hour.
Then the other symptoms started quickly. I got extremely fatigued - which I thought was an autoimmune flare at first - the weakness, wooziness, brain fog, zero appetite, lethargy, etc. but my body didn’t hurt. So the vibe was different.
I will preface, I have never suffered from an eating disorder like this. I have never been one not to eat.
So I messaged my doctor and he immediately replied and advised me to stop taking Ozempic right away. Get back to baseline, and we would reevaluate getting back on it after I was well.
Has anyone had/is having a similar experience? I feel very alone out here.

pretty much what the title says, i’m a student going back to college while also working. for context, i work 40 hours a week (10 hours a day! and i’m only taking one class.
my classes are usually only in the morning from 8:30-9:30am, but i also have to work at 10:30am-9:30am and i just want to say… how do you do it? i literally only have one class but i’m already drained by the time i get home, and i literally have no energy to get to work.
i have already asked for a new schedule which they have yet to approve, but i still want to be able to make as much as i do currently when i’m working full time. any advice? i thought about taking medical leave due to headaches caused by my work as well as fatigue, but i’m not sure how liable that would be lol.

I was sick about two weeks ago with some kind of virus, and I recovered in about a week, about 5 days later, I randomly felt my sore throat come back and assumed it was just a reoccurrence or something. The next morning I woke up with an extremely sore throat, bad congestion, extreme headache/head pressure, and extreme fatigue. I thought maybe I got the new strain of Covid and just started resting it out, until I randomly started having ear pain and ear fullness as well. Went to urgent care and got diagnosed with sinus infection and an ear infection. This is honestly one of the most painful, disorientating illness I’ve ever had. The fatigue, head pressure, and brain fog have been more than a nuisance to deal with. My heart goes out to all of you who’ve dealt with this before, but especially those with Chronic Sinusitis. You guys are so strong.

I’m afraid I’m one of the minority having side effects (nausea and fatigue) - even at the loading dose.
I know I need to just battle through and let my body adjust but it’s crippling and not abating as the week goes on.
I’m forcing myself to eat a little food (v small portions, high protein, low fat), electrolytes and hydration good - but I can barely function and exercise makes it worse.
I’ve tried taking antihistamines, motion sickness tablets and ginger tablets… mint tea - if I can get my hands on it in the UK I’ll give it a go!!
Any advice appreciated …. 3 days to 3rd dose and I’m dreading it.

i was diagnosed with gHSV2 a few years ago. i contracted it from my ex-partner who had a budding cold sore on his lip that i was unaware of. when i started getting a fever and feeling the tingly/itchy pain, i was devastated. it was the most painful thing that had ever happened to me. i was convinced i was dirty and unlovable, and that i’d have constant outbreaks for the rest of my life. i thought no one would ever want to have sex with me again. i came to this reddit thread and doomscrolled.
it can be hard when you’re first diagnosed, or when you’re feeling emotional. it’s painful, it’s a learning curve, the butt of jokes in lots of media, and people who have experienced it are ashamed so they don’t talk about it.
but here’s the deal. 75% of adults have HSV of some kind. when not having an outbreak, chance of transmission is extremely low. when you have an outbreak, there are signs that mean you should proceed with caution and protect yourself and your sexual partner(s). or if oral, people you kiss, share drinks with, etc.
if personal anecdotes are comforting, know that every single disclosure i’ve had has gone so well. i’ve shared facts and information based on research i’ve done, explained my personal history, and remained calm and positive. no one has turned down sex with me or made me feel gross. and if they did, i would accept it, encourage them to do more research on herpes in America/the world, and move on.
since i contracted HSV2 in 2021, i’ve had the initial outbreak and three more. i used to take medication but it made me really dizzy so i stopped (and an outbreak once a year is better than headrushes every single time i stand up, imo) they’ve all happened in the spring, almost a year apart. i believe the first one was triggered by stress, as i was moving and had a lot going on in life, and the other two seem to be the time of year when i start spending way more time outside in sunlight in the spring, after the inside months of winter. im not a scientist, but that’s my speculation.
yes, it’s a bummer when i outbreak. i won’t lie and say it doesn’t make me emotional when i first find them. i don’t like being in pain! but they are WAY better now than the first outbreak, way less sores and always go away within a week.
my main takeaway is that we should talk about this more so people know how to approach both genital and oral cold sores—aka be aware and careful when you’re having an outbreak!
if you have a recent diagnosis, things will be okay. do your own research, stay calm, and treat yourself with kindness.

Hello all! I found a tick on my daughter’s head a week ago. We are not sure how long it was there as she bathed the evening before and we didn’t notice it. Two days later, she came home with an itchy spot on her chest. It progressively got itchier and bigger so I took her to urgent care and they gave her amoxicillin and a steroid. The bite wasn’t on her chest, at least I don’t think she got bit there. Then again, I have no idea where she picked it up to begin with. Do you all think it’s lyme disease? Also should mention that she also had a low grade fever of 100.4 over the weekend after the rash showed up. Should I follow up with testing after she finishes her antibiotics? Pictures of the progression of the redness and the stupid tick I pulled off her head.

I was diagnosed with autism a couple years ago after one of my siblings got diagnosed out of the blue. At first it was a shock but looking back at our childhood it makes a lot of sense.
I met my partner 3 years ago and we had been dating for not quite a year when I got diagnosed. He was very supportive and understanding at the time. He still is supportive but I think he feels frustrated about my autism sometimes as well. He has two children and our living situation is very unique and stressful as his ex wife lives in the same house as us but in a separate apartment (it's two separate apartments but we enter through the same front door). She is incredibly toxic and our therapist suspects she has a personality disorder.
Needless to say it has been challenging the past few years. I feel so burnout emotionally, mentally and physically. I take care of my stepkids by myself two days of the week and I help my partner on the other days we have them throughout the week.
I feel so burnout and get overstimulated quite easily. I am trying my best but sometimes I feel like I just can't do it. I had traumas throughout my childhood and was heavily masking to the point that at night I would pace the halls and sob quietly. No one in my family knew about this and I made a point to keep it secret as a child but it carried on into my late teens.
Both our kiddos are sick rn and they have been since last week. I feel triggered and so overstimulated by the repetitive coughing. I'm trying to be calm and supportive because I know it's not their fault but I feel so angry. (Trust me I do not want to feel this way at all and I feel immense guilt for feeling angry). I want to be able to offer comfort easily but I feel so triggered.
Can anyone please give some words of encouragement or advice on how to deal with my triggers? Is it even possible for me to manage my autism and work through my own trauma in the environment we are in?

I apologize in advice if I am being an “askhole” . If anyone can answer any of these questions I would be so so grateful.
I’m a male in my mid 20s and I’ve been dealing with what I believe are symptoms of a chirari malformation for years now. I had no idea what chirari was until extremely recently. But it seems like it could be the cause of all of my symptoms
-memory issues
-vision problems
-randomly diagnosed with sleep apnea (normal weight, extremely fit, I’ve now been using a cpap for 2 years)
-fatigue
-diagnosed nystagmus
-pressure in back of head -headaches
And In the last 8 months or so I started getting immense pressure in the back of my head. If I bend down I get so much pressure in my head it’s painful and I get symptoms from turning my head or looking down. This symptom is what made me discover Chirari
Weightlifting has been my passion for the last 6 years and it’s been sometime I’ve done 5-6 days a week for 6 years consistently. I’ve just stopped im the last two weeks because the pressure in my head I get when lifting won’t allow me to lift anymore. I also avoid any thrill rides , and even general exercise has become a problem.
I want to resolve this as quickly as possible. I am praying someone here can help put my in the right direction to do this.
I am hopefully getting an mri next week so i am hoping someone can tell me where to go from there.
1 - is a non-contrast brain mri sufficent?
2 - I have read most radiologists won’t be able to identify chirari malformations. Once I get my MRI what do I do with it?
3 - the pressure in my head is painful to lift weights but is it harmful to me? Like can I do damage doing this? I’m wondering if it’s reasonable to push through it.
4 - if anyone here has had surgery and has work from home desk job how long until you can return to work? I am really worried about getting surgery and getting fired since I’ve been here less than a year. I want to get fixed but I need my job.
5 - does anyone know any good doctors in Florida?
Any step by step instructions on how to go from mri to surgery as efficiently and quickly as possible would be amazing

I contracted COVID for the first time in December 2021. It was pretty mild and lasted 1 week.
Then about 4 months after in April 2022, i suddenly got bad brain fog from one day to the other.
Then it slowly got better throughout the winter, and by spring 2023, i had basically forgotten about it.
Then at the beginning of June 2023, the brain fog set in again just like last time.
It seems to have slowly gotten better since then but not as much as last time it started and it’s still there to this day.
The symptoms are only brain fog. No fatigue, tiredness, dizziness, headache etc. just pore long and short term memory, difficulty visualizing, comprehending and thinking. Spacial awareness is also worse. It’s sorta like being drunk, but with none of the good aspects. The severity varies a lot some days are better than others, mornings are worse than the evenings.
Could this be long COVID? Is it a common form of long COVID? And what can be done about it?
Thank you all very much for the help!

My daughter has had a fishy/ unusual odor the past couple weeks. She saw pediatrician last week- they prescribed Fluconazole and Nystatin ointment, which we’ve been using for suspected yeast infection. They tested her urine and said no UTI. She has NO discharge, no fever, but has been very unlike herself and not sleeping well (although it could be teething causing this). No improvements after taking those meds, we use fragrance free everything and she’s been using the same type of diapers since newborn. Went back to pediatrician today and they took another urine sample to send out for culturing. The NP seems to think the smell is just a result of her pH balance being thrown off from going to the chlorinated pool at our gym. I’m not buying it… 8 days went by where my daughter didn’t go in a pool and there was absolutely NO improvement in odor. NP also thinks it’s not BV since there’s no discharge. Getting very frustrated and feeling like I should’ve demanded a blood test because this has been an ongoing issue for 3 weeks and the thought my child could be in serious discomfort and just suffering through it, makes me feel horrible. Any ideas as to what to do? Google says it could be a metabolic disorder, diabetes, etc…. Not jumping to conclusions, but just concerned that this isn’t being handled as swiftly as I’d like to get to the bottom of this. It is NOT normal to have this odor and I’m not believing it’s just pH unbalanced due to the potency of the odor. Side note⚠️ my daughter is only with me, her mother 100% of the time, so no possibility of SA.