u/No_Relative_7709

Don’t know if this is a good place to post this but I need to make things feel “final”

I haven’t talked to this person in forever. She lives in a plane ride away city and is married with two kids. I’ve had a picture of the two of them in my office on my bulletin board for almost three years from when we talked every week. I finally took it down today. Obviously not trashing it, it’ll probably and up in some drawer or some box somewhere.

We are just in two completely different life stages with different future plans, and that’s ok. People lose touch, I’m not bitter about it. There was no fight. I’m just no longer holding onto giving her the best friend title like I have in the past. It’s better than an out of nowhere “how are you?” text from me that fizzles out after we both say how we’re doing.

Focusing on my friends in similar life stages that I talk to almost daily now.

Due to my additionally irregular periods, I may be on a heavy day for a wedding I’m going to in a couple months. Like, feeling myself leaking/gushing heavy. The last wedding I went to thankfully I was on a light day but still wore a regular pad anyways.

I have shapewear (not tight/for its intended purpose, just to have shorts under my dress instead of just underwear) that goes over regular underwear, that goes up to about my belly button, but that’s all really.

Any additional tips for types of pads (I’m not comfortable going to a 7+ hour event with period underwear and I don’t use tampons) or underwear? Or what to bring in my clutch purse? Or advice in general on this?

I’m about a year and a half into having my Paragard. I recently switched gynos and had a TVUS with the new doc (to double check IUD in place, and to check my ovaries and uterus). Report came back saying “possible Adenomyosis”. Which of course has the same symptoms as the paragard causes which is why I thought nothing of the crazy cramps, legs pain, and heavy bleeding even over a year in.

What are ‘over a year in’ cramps/patterns usually like for you? I don’t really know a baseline of what is normal and what is not.

So it’s not brought up in comments- possibly due to my DpDr, I barely remember my pre iud periods. Only that they were slightly unpredictable (they still are but have evened out a little) and light/less painful compared to post iud.

I do have an appointment in September (my doc’s first available) to discuss all my results with my gyno. It’s more of an education appointment with her and to answer my questions.

34f. I finished my 8 week vitamin D 50,000 iu/week Rx for a severe deficiency and now my doc is wanting me to take a daily supplement. I take a lot of actual medications so I’m trying to puzzle supplements any certain times.

6:20 am- Rx: Lamotrigine ER, Baclofen, Duloxetine

7:30 pm- Rx: Lamotrigine ER, Baclofen
Supplement: Slow Release Iron (every other day)

10:00 pm- Rx: Oxtellar XR, Clobazam
Supplement: Oil of Oregano

I also need to work in Folic Acid since my folate is slightly low.

34yo. I am a new patient to her and the ultrasound was originally to check my IUD (Paragard) was in place, ovaries due to high testosterone, and polyp from an old gyno’s ultrasound years ago.

IUD in place, ovaries normal, no polyp seen. My periods are jumpy but I don’t skip so no PCOS.

I do have bad cramps and crazy-heavy periods, but that has only been since I got the Paragard in 2024. (I am on anti-seizure meds that can clash (both ways) with hormonal IUDs according to a previous neuro I had.)

She wrote a blurb on adeno explaining it slightly and saying it was not dangerous and nothing more needed to be done at this time. I’m just a little confused by that, even though it’s likely the IUD could be causing the symptoms. Is a “may” not worth further investigation or is adeno one where you need a certain number of symptoms/results to test further?

I’m wondering if I should reply to the test results messaging asking more about that or just let it be. My last gyno, the reason I switched, was incredibly dismissive of any concern I had and seemingly infantilizing due to my physical disability. That has made me wary of pushing on anything with this new one because she was really nice at my appointment.

UPDATE: I received a message from the RN offering an appointment to discuss results. She said telehealth but I am asking if in office is possible because I get distracted during telehealth appointments

I am a new patient to her and the ultrasound was originally to check my IUD (Paragard) was in place, ovaries due to high testosterone, and polyp from an old gyno’s ultrasound years ago.

IUD in place, ovaries normal, no polyp seen. My periods are jumpy but I don’t skip so no PCOS.

I do have bad cramps and crazy-heavy periods, but that has only been since I got the Paragard in 2024. (I am on anti-seizure meds that can clash (both ways) with hormonal IUDs according to a previous neuro I had.)

She wrote a blurb on adeno explaining it slightly and saying it was not dangerous and nothing more needed to be done at this time. I’m just a little confused by that, even though it’s likely the IUD could be causing the symptoms. Is a “may” not worth further investigation or is adeno one where you need a certain number of symptoms/results to test further?

I’m wondering if I should reply to the test results messaging asking more about that or just let it be. My last gyno, the reason I switched, was incredibly dismissive of any concern I had and seemingly infantilizing due to my physical disability. That has made me wary of pushing on anything with this new one because she was really nice at my appointment.

UPDATE: I received a message from the RN offering an appointment to discuss results/answer questions. Booked for September 28 (soonest available). Only a tiny bit paranoid because I got the message after my post 🤣

So I (34f) read self-insert fanfiction and after I’m finished reading a story, my brain will continue the plot, or I’ll replay scenes of them in more detail in my brain. I will have multiple daydream “timelines” for multiple characters, sometimes just daydreaming domestic or simple situations. There are instances that I don’t need a fanfiction story at all, just the original media (movie or show) to interpret how they’d handle certain situations.

It’s more tidbits than a continuous world.

It was really bad a few years ago to the point where I chose in-universe friends, but then one the actors nearly got cancelled and I took a slight step back, but it’s still going on now.

Is this daydreaming or just fantasizing?

Sorry if this is gross.

Ferritin was 12 on my labs so my doc (gyno) recommended I go on iron supplements. I tried the dosage she listed in her message and I got gastro side effects (green). I have short bowel syndrome so the diarrhea wasn’t a surprise, just had to think ahead/be quick at the urgency part. I only took it for a couple days, then tried every other day and that just led to the pattern of one bad day then an ok day then repeat.

I bought a store brand Slow Fe which is a lower dose. Took my first one last night right before dinner (bottle says take with food) and this morning it’s less green/more brown. Is this a common symptom when just starting an iron supplement that improves over time?

(It was my gyno that called for the iron tests, all my other iron-related levels are normal, just the ferritin is low.)

Or have a consistent new normal?

I had my Paragard inserted December 2024. My cycles have always been “jumpy” (ie 30 days then 27, then 32, etc) and that hasn’t changed. I actually very oddly like having the warning cramps a week before so I can plan and have stuff on hand.

Pre iud my periods were more gooey and light, I think. With the iud ofc they got heavy with major cramping compared to what I was used to.

My past few periods have been shorter as far as the liquidy blood phase of it goes, 2-3 days, 4 max, but heavier than I can remember on those days. Then it sort of fades off into debris flakes and bloody leftovers in clear discharge much more abruptly than previously.

In the past couple months, my period cramps have included temporary adductor (thigh crease area/muscle) pain to the point where I was wary if I could walk. This happened about once per period, so three times total. It skipped my July period.

Asking because I’m currently going through some health tests/imaging and want to know if “it’s the iud” is still a valid reason for certain symptoms. I switched doctors from the one I got the iud with recently as well.

As in what time of day for Walgreens brand/generic Slow Fe. I tried the regular iron and it messed up my gut and things changed colors so trying the slow release since my ferritin is at 12 and my doc recommended it.

My hair is currently almost to the middle of my back, I know there’s a tiny of damage and I haven’t been in a year due to depression so I’m getting a cut (and color) in a couple weeks. I’ve noticed I see more of my scalp around my hairline to the point that I don’t wear ponytails. Thankfully I’m able to part it on the side to hide the thinning areas.

I’ve been growing it out from shaved for a brain surgery in 2018, getting it trimmed or cut throughout that time to keep it styled as it grows. Every time I try to search “haircuts to hide thinning hair” it comes up with pixie cuts and bobs/lobs which were the most difficult lengths for me to care for. Despite it beginning to thin at the front of my scalp I do have a lot of hair. I don’t use heat on it, just braid it when it’s still damp then finger comb and go the following morning to control my waves.

Are there any long cuts I could try and go for to disguise the thinness?

I know the hairs are super near the surface of the skin. If I squeeze the skin around them (like popping a pimple), the black speck comes out.

Is there any way to get rid of them without needing to do that? I KNOW that’s not good for my skin and do not to that regularly, just explaining how easy they are to remove.

Does anyone else start cramping with “big” cramps at least a week-10 days before you actually get your period? My cycle is all over the place to begin with so it’s very much a guessing game and relying on symptoms to clue me into when I’ll start.

I’ll get one episode of the big cramps and then on and off mini ones until the big pre-period cramp episode. Makes me paranoid and I waste so many pads/liners. Never got the initial big cramps episode pre-iud.

I’ve had the iud since December 2024.

Long holiday weekend means late nights staying up. I’m always the last to go to bed and go to the bathroom to brush my teeth/go/etc as my last pre-bed step. And usually pick.

But the last two nights, my cat has snuck in (I never close the door completely, leaving it open just a crack) and plopped his butt down next to my feet as I’ve been mid face pick.

I’ve taken it as a sign from him each time and stopped and thanked him and continued with the usual bathroom routine.

Not anemic but low ferritin (12) so my dr wants me to start taking ferrous sulfate 325 mg daily. Is there a “better” time to take it? I always have coffee with cream when I get up in the morning with some sort of breakfast. I’m on the following meds already on a set schedule-

AM- Lamotrigine Er, Duloxetine, Baclofen

PM (7:30 pm)- Lamotrigine Er, Baclofen

PM (10:00 pm)- Oxtellar XR, Clobazam, Doxycycline

Is adding it to my 10:00 meds the best option? I’m pretty much done eating besides small snacks at 9:30 pm.

Individual pimple patches get expensive fast and only keep me from picking the spot where they’re stuck. Recently I’ve started picking what feels like nearly every pore on my chest (female). Are there any good hydrocolloid products out there to deter picking?

I have an appointment with a new gyno next week. My old gyno made me feel like she was talking down to me (I’m 34 and I have a physical disability and obvious medical anxiety from a complex medical past) and didn’t take a lot of my symptoms as seriously as I thought she should have. Once I explained something she sometimes said “maybe that’s just the way your body is” like I couldn’t handle big words/complicated or simple explanations. Didn’t appear to want to pursue possible further testing for diagnoses I *almost* fit the bill for (PCOS). I often ended up crying in my car in the parking lot after because I didn’t feel listened to.

The new doc is in the same practice network as all my other major problem doctors. Do I tell her about my experience with my old doc? Or would that look like I’m “shopping”?

Are there any good but reasonably priced products out there for between waxes? I was good up until about a week ago and then suddenly I had dozens of hairs trying to poke their way out of my skin and it was slightly painful to even run my hand over my leg in the opposite direction of growth, let alone scrub it in any way! My next appointment is this Saturday (I’m on a schedule to get ready for an event in June) but I know if I ask there, they’ll probably try and sell me on their higher end products they have in the shop. Most of the hair has, idk emerged, broken out of the skin(?) and is long enough now.

Right now I’m using The Ordinary Glycolic Acid and whatever random moisturizers I can find in the house.

34F. I went to town trying to get a lot of them and now my skin is awful. I’m doing my best to stop. Are there any products to help treat the keratin plugs themselves as well as the scarring left behind?

I switched shampoos when I realized the problem, but it’s like they keep coming back/refilling.