u/Lotus2024

Wanted to share some hopeful news. I know how hard it is right now to make a living in this industry. Boy, do I ever know. I started my own small editing business ten years ago and did great for five years. Then COVID came along, followed by the advent of AI. Let’s just say my bank account was running on fumes.

Today, I landed a long-term contract that pays above the industry rate for proofreading and copyediting. It’s enough to pay my bills and have some money left for savings. And it’s interesting work, on solid, well-written manuscripts.

Celebrating today, and sending all the positive vibes out there that you, my fellow editors, will also get some good work news one of these days very soon. There’s still hope. ❤️

A few people expressed interest in occasional CombiPatch updates, so here’s day 15:

Side effects have been horrendous the last few days. Nonstop emotional and mood roller coaster. Migraines. Crying jags. Colossal panic attacks even though I have no history of anxiety. Insomnia.

I’m trying to hold out until week 6. At that point I’ll reassess and see is anything good is happening. But for now, it’s pretty brutal.

*someone always suggests bio identical hormones. I can’t take them. My body will not tolerate them. As bad as the CombiPatch is right now, it’s not nearly as bad as the other patches and pills and gels I’ve tried before. Those honestly scared me. This is awful. But those were unbearable.

Figured I’d post this for anyone interested since I’ve been able to find very little in the way of real-life feedback on the Combi Patch.

I’ve been on it for a week. I was extremely dubious about trying it because I have an underlying neurological condition that makes me hypersensitive to medications. Wasn’t at all sure how I’d react and I was genuinely afraid. But four years into peri, I badly needed help with things like hot flashes, brain fog, joint pain, etc.

One week in, I have some pretty bad bloating, headaches, insomnia, jitteriness, and fatigue. They’re all fairly manageable, if unpleasant. None of those symptoms is at a level where I’d stop the medication so far. That’s as opposed to oral HRT, which made me so depressed I was afraid of self-harming.

So far, this isn’t a fun ride, but it’s endurable. Hoping it slowly settles and that I eventually feel some positive effects. None of those so far.

If anyone is interested, I can do a short weekly update for maybe a month or two on how things progress. My goal is just to provide info that’s helpful to the community. It was hard for me to dive in without much user info on this specific type of HRT.

Started HRT yesterday. My only option is the Combi Patch. I can’t take pills, and my insurance vetoed every other transdermal possibility. I currently feel like a truck ran over me or aliens took over my body. Mind you, I already felt that way. Now it’s just even worse.

Hoping this passes and eventually it helps instead of hurts.

For four years I’ve been trying to get transdermal HRT since I can’t take oral prescriptions. Finally, finally, finally, my doctor okayed it and my insurance (after some fighting) agreed to let me trial the CombiPatch. It may take some time to order because of the shortages, but I’m on my way.

I’m both excited and terrified. Any suggestions would be welcome. My doctor said to cut the patch in half initially since I’m hypersensitive to medication, but the pharmacist warned me I should absolutely not do that. Everything I can find online says not to do it. Anyone have experience with this?

I can’t take oral HRT for a bunch of reasons, so I’m currently fighting my insurance to get the CombiPatch.

I tend to react badly to most medications, so I’m very nervous. The doctor wants me to start at the lowest dose and even cut that in half to give my hypersensitive nervous system time to adapt. That’s 100% fine with me.

Could I please ask for anyone’s positive experiences with CombiPatch? Good things only, please. I’m already scared enough as it is 😵‍💫 Thank you 🙏

I’m looking for some moral support, please. Really scared tonight.

Brief background: I’m 44. Been in peri for four years (my mom and aunts were postmenopausal by age 40). Hot flashes, insomnia, night sweats, weight gain, brain fog, mood swings, anxiety, you name it, I’ve felt it. The doctor is finally ready to try transdermal HRT on me, after pills were a disaster. I just have to fight insurance first.

Meanwhile, the time between my periods is yo-yo-ing between 30 and 45 days. Tonight, day 31, I feel sick. My whole body hurts. Even my joints hurt. My back and breasts ache. I’m intensely nauseous and absolutely exhausted. I have no fever but feel bizarrely warm and sweaty, like right after a hot flash but without an actual flash so far.

I’ve had endless scans and blood tests done over the last months, and I’m supposedly healthy, but feeling this absolutely sick is frightening to me, especially when my brain is hormonally broken and immediately wants to catastrophize. My friends are all postmenopausal and say they never felt anything like this.

Please. I feel very alone. Has anyone else just felt sick to the point of almost being unable to move? I can and do move. I walk at least 5 miles a day. I get my work done. I’m not depressed. But I just feel so so so so sick. 😢😢

I’ve used Australian Gold tinted sunscreen for years and it was absolutely my HG. I loved how it felt, looked, and protected my face. I used it instead of makeup. But they changed the formula and now I hate it. It’s pink and makes my face look like I smeared blush all over it. I live in NM and am outside two or three hours a day, so I need a solid substitute.

I tried La Roche’s Athelios and it broke me out and smeared off really easily. CeraVe was close to the texture and shade I want (creamy and just a bit of warm color for my fair skin) but also smeared off constantly. Neutrogena’s tinted sunscreen caused cystic acne.

I feel like I’m just throwing money into a void without any luck. What are your suggestions for a creamy (rather than liquidy) tinted sunscreen with high SPF that’s less likely to break me out?

Thank you. I know there are a lot of these posts and I honestly did try to figure it out myself, albeit unsuccessfully.

People of Lubbock,

I’m visiting for a few weeks, sent here by doctors in NM because our health care system sucks and yours doesn’t.

In between medical appointments, I’ve done some exploring and I like your city. I really do. Everyone is super friendly. It’s been nice to chat with complete strangers as I’m wandering around. I say “Good morning” and it invariably opens up a whole conversation, which I enjoy.

I had a college kid open a door for me yesterday because “ladies first,” which doesn’t happen back home.

Your doctors have treated me well, for which I’m very grateful.

Your parks are lovely, and I’ve enjoyed having a cup of coffee at dusk in the shade of one of your many huge trees.

Your cafes have great coffee and are wonderful to just hang out and people watch.

We have roadrunners back home; you guys have squirrels. Watching them scamper around has been entertaining.

All in all, having a nice time, and I thank you for that.

TL;DR: Just one question: What is with the disappearing sidewalks? I’m here for ophthalmological issues, so driving is out, and I’m walking almost everywhere to save money as much as possible on Uber fares. I’ll be happily strolling along and then the sidewalk gives out and I’m abruptly standing in the middle of a road, dodging cars. Or it ends and I’m accidentally trespassing on someone’s lawn. That keeps happening.

It’s not a complaint. I’m just amused (and curious).

Sincerely,

Someone who likes your city a lot.

I’ve been visiting Lubbock for a few days and have enjoyed the city’s cafes and restaurants. Could someone please recommend a great dessert place? Could be ice cream, pie, cookies, anything at all. Thank you. 🙏

I’m iron deficient and cannot, under any circumstances, take supplements. I have a neurological disorder and iron supplements flare it terribly. Iron infusions put me in the hospital.

My hematologists are telling me, because of my health issues, I need at least 30 mg of iron a day. Yes, fully aware that’s a lot and atypical. I have weird health needs.

I’m managing to hit around 24 mg daily with massive amounts of oats, tofu, chia, other seeds, spinach, beans, etc. But I’m still falling short. Anyone have ideas for a solid iron source I can add into my diet on a daily basis?

I’m 44, 137 lbs, female, exercise on a daily basis, don’t drink, smoke, or take drugs. Family history of heart attack and strokes. Perimenopausal. Will be starting HRT (transdermal delivery) whenever my insurance agrees to it. Eat a very healthy (high fiber, low fat) diet, mostly vegetarian, lots of fish.

LPA: 98
CAC: Zero
Cholesterol total: 220.0
Triglycerides 142.0
HDL 43.7
LDL 157.0
VLDL 28.40
Total cholesterol to HDL ratio 3.59
Atherogenic index 5

I’ll see a cardiologist in a few months. In the meantime, could I ask if anyone else with numbers like this has managed to stay off statins? I have a history of extremely poor reactions to medications of all kinds and truly do not want to try a statin if possible.

I’m a very mellow traveler. I’ve lived on 4 continents and traveled by everything from donkey cart to trains, planes, cars, and camels. Smells and noise don’t bother me. Speed doesn’t bother me. Timeliness doesn’t bother me. Most things just don’t worry me in the slightest.

Currently on a Greyhound bus in the Southwest US. It has no AC. That is the one and only thing that could ever upset me. I have medical issues and don’t do well in long stretches of unbroken heat. The bathrooms don’t work on this bus. That’s fine. My seatmate is talking to aliens he thinks are in front of him. Also fine. A guy a few feet away is high as a kite. All good. Entertaining, even. But no AC when it’s 110 outside? That I’m having major issues with.

Ah well. Such is life.