u/strawberrysaridelhi

I’ve been trying to pivot into marketing for a while now with no luck. Background: BS in Microbiology, MPH with a focus in health communications, and 8 years in healthcare/biopharma where I’ve done a lot of physician-facing content, KOL relationship building, campaign collaboration, and communications work, just never under a formal “Marketing” title.

Every marketing-titled role I apply to wants years of marketing-specific experience I don’t have, even when my actual work overlaps a lot. Communications roles feel like a more realistic entry point but I’m worried they pay less and might not actually lead anywhere closer to marketing.

Trying to figure out if an MBA is really the only way to make this jump, since it feels expensive and slow. Are there specific certificates or one-off courses (Google, HubSpot, etc.) that actually move the needle with hiring managers? Would love to hear from anyone who’s made a similar switch, especially from healthcare/science into marketing.

I’ve been trying to pivot into marketing for a while now with no luck. Background: BS in Microbiology, MPH with a focus in health communications, and 8 years in healthcare/biopharma where I’ve done a lot of physician-facing content, KOL relationship building, campaign collaboration, and communications work, just never under a formal “Marketing” title.

Every marketing-titled role I apply to wants years of marketing-specific experience I don’t have, even when my actual work overlaps a lot. Communications roles feel like a more realistic entry point but I’m worried they pay less and might not actually lead anywhere closer to marketing.

Trying to figure out if an MBA is really the only way to make this jump, since it feels expensive and slow. Are there specific certificates or one-off courses (Google, HubSpot, etc.) that actually move the needle with hiring managers? Would love to hear from anyone who’s made a similar switch, especially from healthcare/science into marketing.

I’ve been trying to pivot into marketing for a while now with no luck. Background: BS in Microbiology, MPH with a focus in health communications, and 8 years in healthcare/biopharma where I’ve done a lot of physician-facing content, KOL relationship building, campaign collaboration, and communications work, just never under a formal “Marketing” title.

Every marketing-titled role I apply to wants years of marketing-specific experience I don’t have, even when my actual work overlaps a lot. Communications roles feel like a more realistic entry point but I’m worried they pay less and might not actually lead anywhere closer to marketing.

Trying to figure out if an MBA is really the only way to make this jump, since it feels expensive and slow. Are there specific certificates or one-off courses (Google, HubSpot, etc.) that actually move the needle with hiring managers? Would love to hear from anyone who’s made a similar switch, especially from healthcare/science into marketing.

Hey guys- I got my urine mold test back and sadly tested positive for every type of mold they tested for. That means both environmental and food based.

For the food piece, I read that the molds found (Ochratoxin A, Aflatoxins, Zearalenone) can be found in grains, corn, nuts and coffee. I already eat gluten free and mostly dairy free, and spend money on the highest quality foods I can find in the store. I don’t want to cut out even more foods and make my body even more sensitive. It just doesn’t feel sustainable.

For those of you that have navigated this and gotten better, what was your approach? Did you limit your diet to exclude corn/grains/coffee/nuts? Is there a way to clear this mold while continuing to eat a diverse diet?

Any recs for same day alterations that do a good job? Preference near Weho/west LA but open to any suggestions. Thanks!

Any recs for same day alterations that do a good job? Preferably around Weho area but open to any suggestions.

For those of you with candida/CIFO too, what medication regimen works for you? What medicine and for how many days?

Please share recs for providers that have helped you with mold 🙏 (I’m based in LA)

Hi all. I've had chronic health issues for about 6 years: Hashimoto's, recurrent SIBO, chronic bloating, food sensitivities, full-body aches and pain, weight gain and puffiness/water retention, heart palpitations, and histamine intolerance (possibly MCAS, I've recently gotten real relief from Zyrtec).

As I've gone deeper into the MCAS piece, I keep reading about how mold can be an upstream driver of recurrent SIBO, histamine issues, and a lot of these vague multisystem symptoms. No matter what I do, I can't shake the SIBO or the weight and puffiness. I lived in an apartment with known mold for two years (2020 to 2022), and my health got significantly worse during and after that time. I also did genetic testing showing full GSTM1 and GSTT1 deletions, which impair how the body clears mycotoxins, so I'm wondering if I never actually cleared the mold.

I'm looking for an excellent, trustworthy provider experienced with mold toxicity, who can handle a complicated, multi-system picture. I've spent a lot of money over the years and seen several questionable practitioners, including one nutritionist who put me on an extreme elimination diet that wrecked my gut and took me years to recover from. So I'm cautious now. I don't care about cost, I just want someone reliable, thorough, and genuinely good at piecing together complex cases.

I had a consult booked with Nicola Ducharme, but I got cold feet after reading some mixed reviews, including concerns about how carefully patient records get reviewed. Has anyone worked with her, or, more usefully, can you recommend a provider who genuinely helped you heal from mold toxicity?

Thank you so much.

For those of you with MCAS that have or have had SIBO, please share your experiences and tips/lessons learned. Thanks!

I’m having a hard time distinguishing if my bloating is coming from SIBO or if it’s coming from high histamine foods at this point. Or both.

Does anyone have any recs for a good pelvic floor therapist in Los Angeles?

Hi all, I’ve only recently discovered that I have MCAS after years and years of suffering and not understanding what is wrong with me and being gaslight by doctors. My main symptoms are full body aches, food sensitivity + bloating, SIBO, weight gain, water retention, occasional fatigue, and hashimotos (though managed with T4 and T3). It’s been years since I’ve recognized my face and body under a constant puffy and inflamed body. I go to lymphatic drainage weekly and my lymphatic lady drains my body from fluid every time. It’s in my face, chest, arms, legs, and it pools behind the knees and causes pain. Then when I come back the next week, she says the same thing, “oh no all the fluid is back”. This has been going on weekly for two years now. I haven’t been able to figure out why my body is so inflamed despite many lifestyle changes (gluten free, dairy free diet, 3-4x week strength training and Pilates, gentle swimming, talk therapy biweekly, craniosacral therapy biweekly, lymphatic drainage weekly, walks, somatic exercises, supplements to address motility issues and nutrient deficiencies, etc etc).

I recently did 2 weeks of a strict antihistamine diet and started on Zyrtec and Pepcid. All of my body aches disappeared. I couldn’t believe it, after years of wearing ice packs and doing everything under the sun to try to resolve my body aches. I also lost some of the stubborn water I’ve been carrying and saw my regular face in the mirror for the first time in years. My arms suddenly got smaller and I could suddenly see the muscles I work hard for, that are buried under inflammation.

Since the low histamine diet is so restrictive and I’m a believer in eating a more diverse diet after years of dealing with SIBO, I slowly started bringing histamine foods back. I also went off of Zyrtec for a few days because I was doing urine testing for MCAS, and all of my symptoms flooded back, including weight gain and puffy body. Somehow my arm seemed to double in size overnight. I have been reading about different mast cell stabilizers and how many people have complained of weight gain and water retention. Since that is one of my main symptoms already, I am worried this will make it worse.

For those also struggling with weight gain and puffy bodies, which mast cell stabilizers worked for you and helped you?

Bosnians currently in LA- where are we going out tonight ?!

Hi all, my thyroid shrunk almost 50% in the last year. Prior results were pretty similar, until this year there was a dramatic drop in volume. Interestingly, a nodule I had seemingly disappeared. Has this happened to anyone? Something to be concerned about? My labs are pretty in range.

Anyone have any recs for good doctors or nautropaths in Los Angeles that understand histamine issues? Thanks!

Hey all! Any recs for a Cedars-affiliated doctor in Los Angeles that is knowledgeable about histamine/MCAS? Thanks in advance!