I absolutely love fennel seeds for gas and bloating. Thoroughly chewing a small spoonful and swallowing them with some water gives me relief (usually burps) within minutes.
Basically trying to establish a mini pollinator garden on my terrace and need these.
I keep seeing packs of seeds online and I'm tempted to buy one. I heard they don't work but I've also seen reviews left by buyers that they do (though they're probably fake). Has anyone successfully grown lotuses from seed or are tubers the only way (they're expensive)?
Location-Hyderabad
I would like to buy 9x9, 10x12, 12x12, and 15x15 grow bags under Rs. 500/-. I keep seeing sets of 10 on Meesho but I don't know if the quality is gonna be okay.
Nursery grow bags/pots (the black ones) work too till I get good planters/grow bags.
Please share links if possible. Thank you in advance!
Location- Hyderabad
I would like to know if there are any flowering/veggie plants that enjoy loads of indirect light with minimal sun (or no sun at all). Is it a 2ft wide, 7ft long patch.
Location-Hyderabad
I would love to grow plants that attract butterflies and also look beautiful in my garden.
I have roses, hibiscus, butterfly pea, morning glory, hibiscus, chrysanthemum, and jasmine. Any other flowers that attract butterflies?
I previously made a post here with my initial concerns. I went to a hematologist who prescribed a liposomal iron trial for 2 weeks and asked me to return with a CBC.
I got a CBC done yesterday after two weeks of liposomal iron. I had a 5-day period in between (20th-24th), which was on the lighter side than usual.
Are these changes normal and expected?
Edit: Hematologist out of town. I just need info, not sarcasm. I have been dismissed enough so I would like to stay informed.
Location- Hyderabad
Has anyone tried seeds from organic bazar? If so, do they really work? I've heard some pretty positive reviews about their grow bags but not enough about their seeds.
I've bought enough plants from my local nurseries but they don't have a few varieties like rajnigandha, madhumalti, rajnigandha, etc. I would like to buy quality seeds for other flowers.
If you've had success with seeds from any other online stores, please let me know.
If seeds from meesho/amazon worked for you, please post the links to the products, if available.
Thank you in advance!
Location- Hyderabad
Hi! I'm looking for quality lotus or water lily seeds for my terrace garden. I have a large tub with a depth of 7-8 inches (is that enough?)
My local nurseries don't have them, so I would like to see trustworthy and affordable online options.
Thank you!
25F, PMOS for 6 years.
For these 6 years, I have had irregular and prolonged periods. They would be 2-3 months apart and the average period length was 25 days per cycle.
I started regular metformin this January. It has been 6 months and my periods have started to become more predictable and significantly shorter.
My first 'normal' period was in April. I bled for exactly 5 days. However, the days leading up to the period were hellish. I had increased anxiety for the whole month but about 2 days before it started (period on 27th April), I had debilitating anxiety, hot flashes, muscle twitches, adrenaline spikes (warmth, jitters, waves of anxiety, pounding heart, hypnic jerks), GI flare with mild diarrhea (history of H Pylori), and headaches. I thought I was dying. These went away significantly around day 4 of period.
May was normal because I did not get my period.
June was a repeat of April but more intense. 5 days of bleeding, again.
I got my first normal cycle (31 days) this month. Currently on day 3 of period. I am sure I ovulated around 8th July (started liposomal iron from 10th for iron deficiency without anemia) due to presence of clear stretchy cervical mucus and spike in anxiety/hot flashes.
I did not have the debilitating symptoms but the PMS was different. I had sinus pain, headaches, mild hot flashes, irritability, fatigue, increased appetite, mild anxiety spikes, mild mood swings, muscle and nerve pains, etc.
Ever since my period started, I have been experiencing random bouts of anxiety, irritability, burning in legs and thighs, wooziness, nerve pains, and headaches. I thought these were supposed to fade when my period starts.
My doctors have been dismissive about this, so I am seeking some assurance because google says it is hormones and that my brain is reacting because it isn't exactly used to these normal spikes due to years of anovulation.
My family thinks I am acting out because I was never this cranky and the doctors basically said I am fine. It is making me doubt myself.
For several years I have had really wonky periods. I would have them months apart, sometimes only see spotting, and for the past 5-6 years, I had an average period length of 25 days. My longest period lasted 2 months in 2025, right when inflammation was climbing higher and higher due to H Pylori and I developed prediabetes (reversed it by April 2026).
I was put on regular metformin since January this year. The period trend was like this:
January: No period
February: Period on 22nd; 10-day bleeding + 2 days of spotting
March: Spotting around 19th-23rd, can't be called a period due to absence of consistent flow, ig.
April: Period on 27th; bleeding for 5 days + 2 days of spotting; intense and debilitating PME
May: Spotting on 27th only. No period.
June: Period on 21st; bleeding for 5 days + 1 day of spotting; intense and debilitating PME
July: Period on 20th. Today is day 3. No PME this time but I did have slightly severe PMS. However I have been having mood crashes and irritability ever since my period started.
This is my first normal cycle and I am happy! I hope this continues!
25F
I have PCOS and a history of prolonged bleeding (20-ish days) for a long time. I started regular metformin in January and my periods are now 5 days in length.
I have a history of H Pylori and was prescribed multiple antibiotics and PPIs over a span of 8 months. Basically nuked my gut which already had duodenal erosions.
Here are my readings.
RBCs have been Normocytic Normochromic for a long time despite Hb dropping to 11.5 and Ferritin in the 10-15 range with elevated CRP.
My GP and gynecologist refused iron supplements because my Hb is fine. Previous self-supplemented oral iron (Jan-Mar 2026) raised my Hb but my RBCs went from Normocytic Normochromic in December 2025 to Microcytic Hypochromic with anisocytosis in April.
My serum iron and TSAT improved, so why are my RBCs more in number and microcytic hypochromic? I am confused.
Does this explain my fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, and increased anxiety?
I am going to visit a hematologist but I would love some clarity.
Thank you!
Does anyone feel like they are reassured and recovering one moment, knowing you are safe from what you feared, only for the anxiety and dread to slam into you like a truck once you're exposed to a 'medical' environment?
I was at a private testing center to get a blood draw for my iron levels. I saw a couple of ambulances passing by with the sirens on. I was doing so good till that moment only to feel immense dread and psychosomatic sensations the next moment. It was worse when I sat in the chair. I haven't been able to calm down yet, 2 hours later.
Hello! Does anyone else have a pulsating headache along with dizziness when they stand up after crouching or sitting on a low stool? My vision turns dark for a few seconds and I get dizzy. There is also a pulsating/throbbing headache that fades as my vision and dizziness clears up. A very mild headache lingers for a few more moments after. This is usually worse during and immediately after my period.
I have explained to both my GP and Gynecologist about my symptoms (including constant fatigue, anxiety, air hunger, etc.,) but just because my Hb is technically normal at the lower end, they said I don't need supplements.
This is driving me crazy because I started self-supplementing but my gut is still healing from Pylori so iron isn't getting absorbed.
Ughhh I am so angry and frustrated!
TW!
Hi!
Context: I, 25F, was diagnosed with PCOS in 2020. I was going through difficult times and did not continue treatment. My periods were prolonged (20+days) with skipped months in between. I did not have obvious PMS or cramps during periods. They were mostly silent and left me tired. They also caused iron deficiency without anemia. I have health anxiety.
I started regular metformin in January, 2026 alongside inositol. I had my first 'normal' period in April: Spotting for one day, period started next day, flow heavy-->light, ended in 5 days. I was happy but the symptoms were so new and scary that I rushed to my gynecologist in panic.
- Intense anxiety
- Feverishness and psychogenic fever (<99.6)
- Flare in psychogenic pain
- Headaches and body aches
- Muscle pains and twitching
- Crying urges
- Hot flashes and waves of warmth
- Fatigue and drowsiness/body heaviness
- Throat dryness and spasms.
- GI upset, bloating, and diarrhea
- Loss of appetite (though very mild)
- Unstable, twitchy fingers
These began 2 days before my period and calmed 4 days after it started. My gynecologist took one long look at me and asked me to go to a psychiatrist.
I did not get my period in May and thus did not have major symptoms except mild increase in anxiety around the time my period was supposed to start.
Last week was hell. My anxiety was the absolute worst ever! Tuesday night was horrible because hypnic jerks kept waking me up every moment I started drifting asleep. I had muscle twitches, headache, crying urges, shakiness, fatigue, hot flashes and more. The following days were slightly better but all the symptoms I listed above were present. At one point, I had fleeting thoughts (that I absolutely did not consider) of ending it all.
I got my period this morning and realised that my intense anxiety was due to my period. The realization literally made me feel like I was hit by a truck. I feel so fatigued, drowsy, and weak now. My shoulders and neck are sore. There is twitching all over my body. It is like a very bad anxiety hangover.
This is all so new to me.
Is this normal PMS or am I possibly having PMDD? I am still scared.
TW!!
Hi!
I don't actually have strict routines or anything but some things are "normal" for me. For example: not sleeping in the afternoon, having three meals a day, going to bed after 9 PM, etc.
Some days, I feel under the weather and want to sleep, or skip a meal, or even go to bed earlier. I cannot bring myself to do it because it feels like an omen. My mind is like "if we do this unusual thing now, something really bad might happen tonight." I become instantly anxious and avoid doing it.
It also extends to:
- Sending a text to someone I haven't talked to in a while
- Expressing heartfelt emotions with friends and family, including thanking them for something deep or saying I love them. I also feel incredibly anxious when I am thanked by someone or told they love me.
- Going to an event
- Genuinely enjoying something/ genuine happiness
etc.
It is exhausting and keeps me from enjoying the little things in life.
Sometimes I push through and do what makes me uncomfortable but it makes me restless and more anxious.
How do you deal with this?
Hi. I'm not sure if this is an appropriate question for this sub but I'm curious. When you get anxiety out of the blue, when you're distracted, what does it usually feel like?
​
Mine starts with a feeling of dread, like there's a sudden pit in my stomach. There's vibration-like sensations in my chest and epigastric area. My heart is pounding but not racing. I feel so off and randomly emotional. It usually lasts for a few minutes and leaves me feeling tired.
I was diagnosed with H Pylori in December 2025 after being put on two different antibiotics and PPIs for other suspected issues. Eradication confirmed in February 2026. I took probiotics for 10 weeks. My symptoms were all over the place. Some felt more alarming, like pressure in sternum area, heaviness between shoulder blades, left arm discomfort, wooziness, mild shortness of breath, burning in epigastric region, and jaw pain, all of which are generally red flags but my ECGs were clean. They resolved with time but relapsed, then resolved and have once again flared now. I know this is gas and possibly silent reflux but I cannot remain unbothered by them. Have you experienced something like this? How did you find relief?
25F
Context: PCOS with prolonged bleeding. Started metformin in January and had my first normal period in a long time in April but with a moderately heavy flow. History of H Pylori.
[Not in the US]
My serum iron is 39, Ferritin 32 (CRP 16), and Hb 12.1. I have been constantly low on energy, feeling irritable, anxious, woozy, drowsy, and 'heavy' all over. I also have muscle aches, occasional headaches, occasional air hunger, and brain fog. Sometimes I want to cry.
I was treated for Pylori in December and started ferrous ascorbate in January. My serum iron went from 38 (Jan '25) to 39 (Apr) and my symptoms haven't improved at all. I thought there might be an absorption issue and hoped for a change in meds or maybe an infusion if needed. My B12 and vitamin D improved with supplementation but iron didn't.
My GP and gynecologist both said I shouldn't worry about my iron because my hemoglobin is normal. When I mentioned feeling sick with the above, my GP suggested Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for brain fog alone, and my gynecologist suggested seeing a psychiatrist because it is psychosomatic. They did not order additional tests even after looking at my CRP level.
I read that inflammation can mask iron stores, and that at this rate, my true iron stores could be significantly lower (Ferritin/CRP ratio is 1.93).
I have been feeling the same for over a year, and worse after the recent period. I am honestly sick and tired of feeling this way. I am unable to bring myself to do the things I love or even go for a walk. I feel drained. I am unable to study for my professional certification, haven't been able to for over a year.
Is this really psychosomatic? What do I do now?
25F
I have PCOD and haven't had a normal period in a long time. My periods are usually days of spotting with clots > actual flow for a day or two > spotting > flow, etc., till it ends with spotting again about 20+ days later. It would skip a month or two in between too.
I've been on metformin since January this year with 3 months of inositol too, and my periods have been slightly weirder. My last period (in March) was basically all spotting for 7-ish days.
For the first time in a long time, I had spotting for two days (increasing in intensity) and actual moderately heavy flow since day 1. Today is day 4. Flow has decreased.
However, my symptoms are all over the place.
\- Significant increase in anxiety (esp Health Anxiety)
\- Mild recurring headaches
\- Muscle aches
\- Not wanting to eat because food makes me feel weird and nauseous, like I'm full
\- One-sided neck and head pain from the right sided base of skull (not severe, no stiffness)
\- Wanting to cry due to fear
\- Feverishness but normal temp
\- Mild dizziness
\- Gas, diarrhea, bloating and increased sensitivity to wheat
\- Sudden waves of low mood which make me feel like my body is suddenly super heavy and also floaty at the same time
\- Dry mouth and throat
\- Occasional mild cough
\- Feeling like my body is fuming and hot
\- Waves of fatigue and malaise.
All of these are new to me. And none of them are constant.
Today, on day 4, I told my mom how I felt much better only to have a sudden wave of heaviness, weakness, and aversion to food hit me right before eating lunch. It was my favourite too! I don't know what's going on. According to the internet, I'm supposed to feel better by day 3 but I feel the same and sometimes worse. My anxiety has gone down a little though.
Additional info, if relevant: On 1st April, my serum iron was 39, ferritin was 31 (but CRP was 16, so false elevation is a possibility), and hemoglobin was 12.1 (lower end). Flow on day 1 and 2 of period was moderately heavy. I also had larger clots.
Went to my gynecologist yesterday and she basically told me to see a psychiatrist. Did not elaborate on the symptoms.
Is it really a mental thing?
