Feels like every tool eventually starts charging you per label on top of the postage. At our volume its adding up quick and getting way to expensive.
Is there anything left that doesn’t do that or is that just how it is now?
we see each other once a month and every single time within a few days i'm dealing with a uti. it's become predictable enough that i almost dread the visits even though i love seeing him. i'm doing everything right, peeing after, staying hydrated, showering. it's still happening every time.
a friend suggested looking into something daily for urinary tract support rather than just reacting each time it happens. she uses uro urinary health and said it helped her with the same pattern. i want to enjoy our time together without spending half of it miserable. anyone found something that helped break this pattern?
I've been sleeping under one for three years and I've started to hate it. The cord, the controller falling behind the bed, the vague worry about leaving it on all night.
Is there bedding that gets you to the same warmth without plugging anything in, or is that the tradeoff?
carrying 2 separate bags rn, one for commuting one for weekend trips, getting kind of annoying. rolltop makes sense for variable volume but most look like theyre meant for a trail not an office
been eyeing the sofo rolltop from horizn studios, same waxed canvas as their weekender, fits a 15in laptop. most other rolltops i found in this style are outdoor brands in techy nylon, which brings back the same problem i started with, looking too outdoorsy for an office. horizn's is really the only one i found that's actually canvas and structured enough to not look like hiking gear while still being a proper rolltop, so it kind of wins by being the only one that fits the brief rather than by beating a direct competitor spec for spec
before i buy, is there anything to actually check on rolltop closures specifically that isnt obvious from photos, like does the roll actually seal in real rain or just resist a light drizzle
went to my gyno because the amount of daily discharge i was getting felt way heavier than normal and was driving me nuts. swabs came back completely negative for yeast, bv, and trich. doctor said "some people just produce more," which wasn't super helpful. read that imbalance in lactobacillus can cause weird discharge changes even without an active infection. looking at uro's probiotic
has anyone seen a change in daily discharge after taking it?
my doctor mentioned low vitamin d plays a role in vaginal health among other things and i started looking for a probiotic that included it. the uro vaginal probiotic gummy has vitamin d3 and vitamin c alongside the probiotic strain. i've noticed a real improvement in how i feel overall since adding the vitamin d component consistently.
Anyone else on the same supplement stack noticed a difference?
Need one bag that works for my daily commute and can also handle weekend trips. Currently carrying two separate bags which is getting old. Rolltop style makes sense for the variable volume but most of them look too outdoorsy for an office environment.
Currently looking at the on the Horizn Studios SoFo Rolltop Backpack. The waxed canvas is water sealed which solves the commute in rain problem, it fits a 15 inch laptop comfortably, and it looks clean enough for the office without being boring. The rolltop closure gives enough flexibility for packing differently depending on the trip.
But before i pull the trigger on that, looking for any other recommendations?
finally had the conversation with my doctor after months of lurking threads like this one. wanted to share what she said and what i ended up doing
she confirmed a few things that reddit has basically taught me already: the vagina maintains its own environment, the vulva needs gentle external care, ph disruption from products or other factors is a real thing, and probiotics can help support microbial balance for some women. she didn't recommend against vaginal probiotics, she just said consistency matters and to make sure i was also addressing any underlying issues rather than just layering supplements on top
what i do now:
it's been four months. i feel more stable overall and the issues that were kind of constant background noise have mostly quieted down
not trying to convince anyone this is the answer. it's what worked for me and it lined up with what my doctor said about the general approach. still see my gyno for checkups
okay i want to talk about something that's rarely explained well online because i spent a long time feeling like a failure over it
i was eating decently well, working out consistently, doing everything right on paper, and still holding onto weight that wouldn't budge. specifically around my midsection. my doctor just kept telling me to eat less which, thanks, super helpful.
eventually i found out i had PCOS and insulin resistance, which completely changed how i understood what was happening in my body. the issue wasn't calories in/calories out. it was that my cells weren't responding properly to insulin, which caused higher insulin levels, which caused the ovaries to produce more testosterone, which causes a whole cascade of things including weight that doesn't move despite effort
what helped:
lowering glycemic load in my diet (not eliminating carbs, just choosing smarter ones)
strength training specifically, not just cardio; helped with insulin sensitivity more than i expected
Inositol: myo inositol specifically has research behind it for insulin sensitivity and ovarian health. i take the uro myo & d-chiro inositol gummy chew daily now. the d-chiro inositol in it plays a role in glucose metabolism specifically, and together at the 40:1 ratio they seem to be more effective than either alone based on what i've read. it also has folate which is good for anyone of reproductive age
i'm not going to say inositol alone fixed everything because it didn't. but it was a meaningful piece of the puzzle once i understood what was actually going on physiologically. if you've been struggling with weight that doesn't respond to normal approaches and you have irregular periods, it might be worth looking into whether something hormonal is driving it
not looking for medical advice, just sharing what shifted things for me after a long stretch of recurring issues (bv, yeast, random odor, general discomfort). happy to hear what's worked for others
the stuff that actually helped:
for the probiotic i use uro vaginal probiotic capsules from o positiv. four lactobacillus strains, 5 billion cfus, plus xos prebiotics. for the wash i use their ph balanced intimate wash which is hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, no parabens or sulfates
i've had zero bv episodes in the past six months which is the longest stretch in about three years. can't attribute it to just one thing but the combination has been doing something
Work long shifts and need a backpack that handles a heavy daily commute, scrubs, stethoscope, tablet, snacks, and personal items, and can also work for the three or four nursing conferences I attend each year without buying a separate travel bag.
The dual use brief is the challenge. Most commuter bags aren't built for travel and most travel bags aren't comfortable for a long shift commute. Horizn Studios Gion Backpack Travel sits in a middle ground that seems worth considering, clean enough for a conference environment, laptop compartment for the tablet, and the luggage passthrough is useful on conference travel days. Osprey Comet is another one that comes up for healthcare professional commuting specifically because of the back panel comfort for longer wear.
For someone on their feet all day does back panel padding matter more than any other feature for a commuter bag? And is a travel-positioned backpack like the Gion actually
posting this because it took me way too long to find out it existed. i'm genuinely bad at remembering to take pills and the capsule format was the main reason i kept falling off consistency, which defeats the whole point
the uro vaginal probiotic gummy from o positiv is pink pineapple flavored, two gummies a day, and i actually remember to take it now because it feels like a treat rather than a chore. that alone has made a difference since consistency is the whole thing with probiotics
a few things i appreciated about it:
the capsules have a higher cfu count and multiple lactobacillus strains so they're slightly different products, but both support vaginal health. they say you can take both together if you want. i just needed something i'd actually stick with
does anyone else struggle with capsule consistency?
wanted to post this because i searched for this topic for so long and most results assumed it was a menopause thing. i'm in my mid-twenties and have had this issue for probably two years. my gyno confirmed it's not hormonal in the usual sense, just how my body is
things that have helped me:
the one i've been taking for about two months now is the uro vaginal moisture and mood capsule from o positiv. it's hormone-free which was important to me. the formula includes ashwagandha ksm-66, ginkgo biloba, gaba, and velvet bean. the ginkgo biloba in particular is included to support healthy circulation which plays into natural moisture. not an instant fix, they say it takes a couple months of daily use for full results, but i have noticed things are more comfortable
this isn't the same as a lubricant. it's a daily supplement not an on-demand thing. just want to be honest about that because i had wrong expectations at first
anyone else dealt with this at a younger age and found something that helped?
Live in Edinburgh and the weather makes bag choice a genuine functional decision rather than just an aesthetic one. Need something that keeps a laptop dry on the commute, looks decent enough for the office, and can double as a weekend travel bag without switching bags every Friday.
Waxed canvas keeps coming up as the right material for this specific brief.
Horizn Studios SoFo Rolltop X is water sealed waxed canvas at €180, fits a 15 inch laptop, and the rolltop gives volume flexibility between commute days and weekend packing.
Fjallraven Kanken laptop is another waxed option but smaller volume.
Mismo MS Gym is more expensive but the waxed canvas quality is excellent.
Is water sealed waxed canvas actually sufficient for sustained heavy rain or does it need regular re-waxing to maintain performance? And does the rolltop format cause problems at airport security compared to a zip top?
this is kind of embarrassing but i used regular body wash on everything for my entire adult life. same soap, head to toe. and i wondered why i had constant low-level irritation and odor that wouldn't fully go away no matter how much i showered
the issue is ph. most body washes sit at a ph of 7 or higher. intimate skin needs something lower than that to maintain the right environment. using high-ph soap down there repeatedly disrupts the natural balance and that disruption often leads to exactly the odor and irritation i was experiencing
what changed things for me:
the wash i use now is the uro intimate wash from o positiv. it's ph-balanced, has probiotic ferment plus lactic acid to help maintain the right environment, and it's hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested. it also includes aloe leaf juice, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin for hydration, so it's not stripping. comes in eucalyptus lavender or vanilla honey
it sounds small but switching my wash honestly made more of a difference than anything else i tried
honestly my current weekender has done me well but its starting to look rough enough that people are noticing. hate the idea of breaking in something new but if im upgrading, i want to get it right. no checked luggage everr... my whole thing is grab and go, straight out of the airport. 1-2 night trips almost exclusively.
been looking at a few options in the $150-300 range. needs to fit overhead or under the seat, hold 2 nights without being a tetris nightmare, and not look out of place in a business casual setting.
here's what im considering:
the Lo & Sons Catalina Deluxe is probably the most purpose-built option here. launched in 2013 and been copied endlessly since — that bottom shoe compartment is basically its own luggage category now. dedicated bottom zipper pocket with removable padded insert, luggage sleeve, memory foam shoulder strap. fully packed it goes overhead not under the seat, which is fine but worth knowing.
the Horizn Studios SoFo Weekender is the one that keeps pulling me back. already have a horizn suitcase so matching would be a nice bonus, and the minimal design actually works in a business setting without screaming travel bag. main question is whether 2 nights of stuff fits without feeling cramped — has anyone actually used this for work trips?
the Patagonia Black Hole 40L is probably the most durable thing on this list. TPU-coated ripstop, welded seam base, 510g. built to last forever. but it reads gym bag not business meeting and im not sure i can get past that for work trips.
the Bellroy Lite Duffel is interesting if i already had a carry-on and just needed a personal item sized overnight bag. packable, clean look, recycled ripstop. but feels like it might be undersizing for what i actually need.
torn between the Horizn SoFo for the aesthetic match (by far best and most premium looking bag ) and the Patagonia Black Hole for the durability. just not sure i can show up to a client meeting with something that reads gym bag.
it's wild how different i feel the week before my period.
i'm usually pretty level-headed but pms turns me into a completely different person.
i've been looking at FLO PMS after seeing lots of reviews mentioning mood support.
has anyone here noticed a real difference?
has anyone found something that actually helps with vaginal dryness?
i'm only in my 30s so i wasn't really expecting this to become an issue yet.
open to supplements or anything that's worked long term.
i researched arousal supplements and uro vaginal moisture & mood has a lot of reviews saying it helped with this exact issue, going to give it a shot before assuming it's something bigger.
anyone have experience with it/
i've been taking myo inositol for my cycle for about 6 months now and the difference in my periods has been noticeable enough that i don't want to stop. my cycles are more predictable and the cramping is genuinely way less than it used to be
but i've been taking it as a powder mixed into water every day and it's just... fine. not the worst thing ever but it's kind of annoying and i always forget it when i travel
i've been looking for a gummy version that actually has the right ratio (40:1 myo to d-chiro is the clinically studied ratio, i learned this the hard way after buying a product that didn't specify and noticing nothing) and has a good dose
found the URO myo & d-chiro inositol gummy chew by o positiv that apparently has the 40:1 ratio and 2000mg of myo inositol, plus folate. reviews say it tastes like a starburst which, i mean, that's a yes from me
has anyone made the switch from inositol powder to gummies? did it work the same?
okay this is kind of a long one but i hope it helps someone because it took me way too long to figure this out
i used to treat every vaginal issue as its own isolated problem. BV… get the prescription. yeast infection, use the cream. off smell.. panic. repeat.
what nobody told me was how closely connected gut health and vaginal health actually are. they're both microbiome-based systems and they influence each other more than most people realize. when my gut was a mess (and it often was, i have IBS) my vaginal health suffered consistently. i thought they were separate issues.
some things that actually helped me get both under control:
for the probiotic i recently switched to the URO vaginal probiotic gummy because i was bad at capsules and honestly didn't expect much. i was surprised. I immediately felt fresher overall and way less reactive after my period. it also has vitamin D and vitamin C which a lot of vaginal probiotics skip over, and low vitamin D is apparently associated with increased susceptibility to vaginal infections which i had no idea about.
i'm not saying supplements fix everything. they don't. but treating my gut and vaginal health as connected systems rather than separate problems was the shift that actually made things click for me