u/SeaDiscombobulated70

I know this is a maintenance subreddit, but my thinking was that people who are in the maintenance phase will have a lot of experience.

I started GLP-1 a couple months ago for the second time. I tried it before, but due to my insurance not covering it I had to stop for a while. (Side note: I am getting the medication through Mochi Health)

This time around I am feeling like the medication is causing acid reflux or worsening preexisting acid reflux.
Is that a possibility?

Edit: I'm mainly asking if acid reflux is a common side effect? Or if anyone has any experience with the medication causing acid reflux? Any tips?

I don’t think I can deal with my mother-in-law anymore.
The frustrating part is that she’s not the stereotypical horrible mother-in-law. She doesn’t openly insult me, criticize me to my face, or try to undermine me as a parent. At least not that I know of.

Instead, it’s more like she acts as though I barely exist.
For context, my fiancé became a father at 19. Because of life, finances, and the realities of raising a child, he lived with his mom for many years. She had gone through a difficult divorce, and from my perspective, she became incredibly attached to both her son and granddaughter. They were her world.

When I came into the picture, my fiancé eventually moved out and moved in with me. We built a life together. I encouraged him to go back to school, supported him through major career changes, and helped create stability for our family. But sometimes I feel like his mom sees me as the person who took her son and granddaughter away from her rather than someone who loves them.

For a while, I thought things were getting better between us. Then there was a situation where my stepdaughter got upset with me over something pretty minor. I didn’t do anything harmful or cruel, I just didn’t give her the answer she wanted. Since then, it feels like my mother-in-law has completely shut me out.

She rarely speaks to me. She doesn’t ask about my life. When we’re together, I often feel invisible.
What makes this hurt even more is that I lost both of my parents when I was in my 20s. I think part of me always hoped I’d gain a mother figure through marriage. I imagined having that close relationship where we cared about each other and were genuinely family.

Instead, I feel like I’m constantly trying to earn approval that I’m never going to get.
And maybe that’s the part I’m struggling with most. Not anger. Not even resentment.
Just disappointment.

It hurts watching someone celebrate the life her son has now while seemingly having no interest in the person who helped him build it.

I know nobody owes me a close relationship. I know she doesn’t have to love me like a daughter.
But after years of trying, it’s hard not to wonder if she’s already decided who I am, and nothing I do is ever going to change it.

For more context:
My fiance supports me and understands my frustrations, trust me he's tried talking to her, and she just denies and denies. Also, I can't just ask him to cut off all communication with his mom because it's his mom and his mom did help him so much when he first became a father and having lost my mother I could never in good conscience as that of him. Also, my stepdaughter loves her grandma. She has been a big part of her life since birth.

UPDATE:
First, thank you to everyone who took the time to comment. I’ve been reading through the responses, and I genuinely appreciate both the advice and the reality checks.
One thing I’ve realized after reading the comments is that I did place some unfair expectations on my mother-in-law. She doesn’t owe me a mother-daughter relationship, and she doesn’t owe me being a parental figure just because I lost my own parents. Looking back, I don’t think I consciously placed those expectations on her, but I can see now that some of my hurt was coming from wanting something from her that she was never responsible for giving me.

Yes, I'm in therapy and have been for awhile now.
I think part of me has been feeling sorry for myself. Losing both of my parents at a young age left a hole that never really goes away, and I found myself thinking, “Well, I don’t have parents anymore, and now it feels like my mother-in-law wishes I didn’t exist either.” That’s something I need to work through on my own rather than expecting her to fill that role.

Thank you to those who validated that being ignored, barely acknowledged, or treated like a nuisance is hurtful. Those things can be true at the same time. She doesn’t owe me a motherly bond, but I also don’t think I deserve to feel invisible. That said, I also want to acknowledge something many commenters pointed out: while she doesn’t owe me a close relationship, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to want basic respect.

I also want to clarify again, I would never ask my fiance to cut ties with his mother. that would be cruel, unnecessary, and unfair. Their relationship is their relationship, and I would never want to come between that.

What I am taking away from all of this is that I need to stop trying so hard to earn the approval and affection of someone who may never give it to me. The more I chase it, the more hurt and resentful I become.

So I’m going to do what many of you suggested: take a step back, separate myself emotionally from the situation, stop taking every interaction personally, and focus my energy on the people who actually want a relationship with me.

I can’t control how she feels about me, but I can control how much power I give those feelings over my own happiness.

I don’t think I can deal with my mother-in-law anymore.
The frustrating part is that she’s not the stereotypical horrible mother-in-law. She doesn’t openly insult me, criticize me to my face, or try to undermine me as a parent. At least not that I know of.

Instead, it’s more like she acts as though I barely exist.
For context, my fiancé became a father at 19. Because of life, finances, and the realities of raising a child, he lived with his mom for many years. She had gone through a difficult divorce, and from my perspective, she became incredibly attached to both her son and granddaughter. They were her world.

When I came into the picture, my fiancé eventually moved out and moved in with me. We built a life together. I encouraged him to go back to school, supported him through major career changes, and helped create stability for our family. But sometimes I feel like his mom sees me as the person who took her son and granddaughter away from her rather than someone who loves them.

For a while, I thought things were getting better between us. Then there was a situation where my stepdaughter got upset with me over something pretty minor. I didn’t do anything harmful or cruel, I just didn’t give her the answer she wanted. Since then, it feels like my mother-in-law has completely shut me out.

She rarely speaks to me. She doesn’t ask about my life. When we’re together, I often feel invisible.
What makes this hurt even more is that I lost both of my parents when I was young. I think part of me always hoped I’d gain a mother figure through marriage. I imagined having that close relationship where we cared about each other and were genuinely family.

Instead, I feel like I’m constantly trying to earn approval that I’m never going to get.
And maybe that’s the part I’m struggling with most. Not anger. Not even resentment.
Just disappointment.

It hurts watching someone celebrate the life her son has now while seemingly having no interest in the person who helped him build it.

I know nobody owes me a close relationship. I know she doesn’t have to love me like a daughter.
But after years of trying, it’s hard not to wonder if she’s already decided who I am, and nothing I do is ever going to change it.

For more context:
My fiance supports me and understands my frustrations, trust me he's tried talking to her, and she just denies and denies. Also, I can't just ask him to cut off all communication with his mom because it's his mom and his mom did help him so much when he first became a father and having lost my mother I could never in good conscience as that of him. Also, my stepdaughter loves her grandma. She has been a big part of her life since birth.

I so want the passport and the 20th Anniversary Card size but they never seem to be in stock or when they do rarely get in stock I always miss them..

Has anyone found a comparable passport and card size travelers notebook?

Like the title said, I'm wondering if I start to earn more money will that factor into the child support my fiance may have to pay?

My SD (11) told me her mom slapped her in the face a couple times. She is on the spectrum (high functioning) and has ADHD and she doesn't act like it was a big deal. She doesn't want me to make it a big deal. She said it wasn't very hard.

Yes, I'm going to tell her dad.

I just don't know how to feel about it. Like I hate it. I hate that her mom did that. But she really doesn't want me to make it a big deal and I know she loves her mom.
I don’t know what to do. Part of me wants to make this a really big freaking deal but at the same time I don't want to cause her more grief.

Sorry, I'm like spinning

My parents are dead. In my 30s. Everything sucks. I'm tired of fighting for the bare minimum essentials for living.
I just don't get the point anymore.
I'm just exhausted and I wish I could dissolve into the sky.

In 2021, I suffered a spiral tibia fracture that required surgery with a plate and screws. Unfortunately, because it happened during COVID, I never really received proper physical therapy afterward.

Five years later, I still have an issue where my injured leg shakes. It’s most noticeable when going downstairs, but it also happens during other movements that require control, balance, or single-leg stability. It’s not necessarily painful, but the shaking can be pretty significant.

I walk regularly, strength train (when I can), and do Pilates once a week, so I would have expected it to improve by now. However, the shaking has never completely gone away.

I’m wondering if this could be related to the lack of physical therapy, nerve involvement, loss of stability, or something else entirely. Could dehydration or electrolyte imbalances make something like this worse, or is it more likely related to the injury itself? It's been SO many years that I'm just at a loss

I know this is a weird question but I'm a stepmom to an 11 year-old stepdaughter. Before I was a stepmom I always wanted to have kids but now after seeing how exhausting it is, I don't know if I really want kids anymore. It's not because I don't like my stepdaughter. I love her and we have a good relationship, but she can be emotionally taxing. I just wonder if that emotional/mental fatigue and frustration that can develop is the same when it's your bio child? If that makes sense?

I’m starting to get really worried about my chances of getting into nursing school and wanted some honest feedback.

I currently have 3 W’s on my transcript:

• Anatomy (I retook it and earned an A in I and II)
• Nutrition (currently retaking it)
• Medical Dosage Calculations

The medical dosage withdrawal was honestly just a stupid mistake on my part. I was a late add to the class and received an email from another professor saying I could get into a Medical Terminology course if I dropped and re-added with a permission number. I was rushing, didn’t double-check what I was doing, and accidentally dropped the Medical Dosage class instead. By the time I realized it, it was too late. Medical dosage is not a pre-requisite.

For context, I already have a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, earned A’s in both Anatomy courses, and I’m completing my nursing prerequisites now. I’m not aiming for one specific school either. I’d be happy getting into any accredited nursing program. Doesn't help that I live in California and cannot go out of state because of my family.

My concern is whether these 3 W’s are going to seriously hurt my chances of admission. I know nursing programs can be competitive, and now I’m worried I’ve damaged my application more than I realize.

Has anyone been admitted to a nursing program with multiple withdrawals on their transcript? How much do admissions committees actually care about W’s compared to grades in the prerequisite courses?

I’d appreciate any honest experiences or advice.

I know a lot of people are upset about the new 4 day return to office order, and honestly, I completely understand why. I genuinely think everyone should be allowed to work from home if they can successfully do their jobs (which has been proven).

What makes this especially frustrating for me is that I specifically came to the state because of telework. When I was hired, everyone in my department was teleworking. Nobody was even doing 2 days a week in the office. Telework wasn’t just some temporary perk that was offered. It was the ONLY reason I came here.

I have severe PTSD and other mental health issues, and being in an office environment is incredibly difficult for me. The noise, constant activity, lack of privacy, and overall overstimulation can be exhausting.
Another reason I chose the state is because the telework allowed me to take care of my young kids which will be impossible if I have to go into the office because I have zero family support outside of my husband who works all day outside of the house.

I honestly don’t know what to do at this point. I’ve looked into reasonable accommodations, but based on everything I’ve read on this subreddit, it seems like getting full time telework approved is extremely difficult unless you have a very severe physical condition. Maybe that’s not everyone’s experience, but that’s definitely the impression I’ve gotten.

Yes, I have and will continue looking into other jobs.

I accepted this job under one set of working conditions, and now those conditions are being fundamentally changed. That’s the part that feels so unfair to me.

Is anyone else feeling this way? Not necessarily that telework is more convenient, but that it was a major factor in your decision to join state service in the first place?

I feel like I’ve hit the point where I’m noticing more puffiness around my eyes, fine lines/wrinkles, and loss of volume around my mid-face/nasolabial folds and it’s honestly making me feel super self-conscious lately. 😭

I’m looking for genuinely helpful products or at-home things that have actually made a noticeable difference for you guys.

Open to anything that actually works.

Not really looking for “just get filler” comments right now (if I could I would) more interested in skincare or at-home treatments that people swear by before going down that route.

What are your absolute holy grails?

Especially for:
under-eye puffiness
crepey/wrinkly under eyes
smile lines/nasolabial folds
restoring a more “rested” look to the face

Would love honest experiences, even if something was expensive but worth it.

If your office says an in-person meetup/team day is “not mandatory,” is it actually not mandatory… or is it one of those things where you’ll quietly look bad if you don’t go?

My office does monthly meetups that are usually around 3–4 hours in office. My boss has said they aren’t required, but I genuinely can’t tell whether that means “totally optional” or “optional, but we’ll remember who never shows up.”

I live about 45 minutes to an hour away, and honestly sometimes it feels like a waste of time for such a short meetup. But I also don’t want to be the only person not participating and accidentally hurt how I’m perceived professionally.

There are definitely other people who don’t attend, but a lot of them are farther away/Bay Area based, so I’m not sure if that’s viewed differently.

Just curious how this tends to work culturally in state offices. Do people actually care who attends these things?

Edit:
It's a small team and I'm not on probation.
I'm not looking to promote anytime soon. But I don't want to be disliked or have things feel awkward.

Does anyone know if there’s a Discord server, group chat, or online support group specifically for stepmoms/stepparents?

I know Reddit is great or those Facebook group chats (those seem very impersonal), but sometimes I wish there was more of a real-time community where we could check in with each other, vent, ask for advice, or just talk to people who genuinely understand the weird emotional side of stepparenting.

Being a stepmom can feel really isolating sometimes, especially when you’re trying your best and still questioning yourself constantly. I think having a smaller community of like-minded stepparents to touch base with would honestly be really comforting.

If something like this already exists, I’d love to know about it. And if not… would anyone be interested in one if I make it?

I’m a 33F and have an 11-year-old stepdaughter. I’ve been with her dad for about 5 years, and honestly, we have a really good relationship. I adore her. She’s funny, smart, and usually we genuinely enjoy being around each other.

But I’m frustrated with myself lately because I feel like when I’m not at my best mentally/emotionally, it impacts her so much.

I work full time and go to school, and right now I’m deep in finals. Last night I got maybe 2-3 hours of sleep because I was up studying all night. Both my stepdaughter and I have ADHD, and I know emotional regulation can already be hard for me even when I am rested. When I’m exhausted, overstimulated, or stressed, my patience gets thin way faster than I want it to.

She’s also in that phase where everything turns into an argument or a debate, and today I caught myself getting short and visibly annoyed. Not screaming or anything awful, but just… irritated. Cold. And the whole time I’m doing it, I know I’m going to regret it later, but in the moment I struggle to pull myself out of it. And this isn't the first time something like this has happened.

And honestly, I hate that side of myself. I worry that moments like this are what she’ll remember when she’s older. I worry one day she’ll just think I was mean or impatient and not see how much I truly love her.

I think part of being a stepparent is that there’s this extra fear of “what if I mess this up?” because you don’t always feel like you have the unconditional grace biological parents get.

I don’t know. I guess I’m just wondering if anyone else struggles with this, loving their stepkid deeply, but feeling crushed by guilt whenever stress/exhaustion makes them less patient than they want to be.

I had a 94% for most of the semester and then absolutely bombed the last unit exams. Now I’m sitting here realizing I might not even finish with a B and honestly I feel crushed.

What hurts the most is being so close to finally getting an A in A&P 1 and A&P 2. I worked so hard all semester, spent countless hours studying, sacrificed sleep, social life, everything and it feels like one bad unit completely destroyed the grade I spent months building.

I know people say “one grade doesn’t define you,” but it’s hard not to take it personally when you were doing well the entire semester and then suddenly one lecture exam and one lab practical tank everything.

I’m just really sad about it tonight. Feels like all the work I put in doesn’t even matter anymore.

I have my final but I don't think that will even save me and I just hate myself right now

Just like the title suggests, I’m curious if POTS can develop during adulthood. I understand that I can’t ask about specific symptoms or such, but I’m simply wondering if this is a congenital condition or if it can develop over time?
Also, I’m going to ask my doctor about getting diagnosed and wondering what tests I should ask about?

Wondering if I spent too much on travel and accommodations for my two week trip to Paris, Rome and Venice