#my doctor has me take vitamin D supplements

[libereerie]

I wouldn't notice since I rarely see the sun anyway.

It should be night for a month just so we can see who panics who lives and who dies

[ms-demeanor]

Completely 100% agree with the posts on CAM stuff, but... what's the verdict on vitamins? I take kid's multivitamins and B12 gummies because my body can't absorb nutrients very well and I figure a boost can't help. But do they actually do anything? or is it just a placebo?

Ideally speaking, you should be getting most of your vitamins and minerals through the food you eat.

Most people don't need the doses present in multivitamins if they are getting a balanced and varied diet.

THAT SAID,

If you know you are deficient in anything you should talk to your doctor about appropriate supplementation

AND

If you are someone who has malabsorption issues as the result of a chronic illness or past injury/treatment that changed your digestive system, YOU may know more about what nutrients you're lacking than your GP does so you may need to get tested for things that other, more "standard" patients don't and you may need to very loudly advocate for yourself.

AND, all of that said

Many people do NOT get varied and balanced diets and multivitamins may be beneficial for them, and the standard vitamin doses in multivitamins are moderate enough that you are very unlikely to experience any kind of *harm* from taking a multivitamin BUT you need to be very cautious about combining vitamins with a multivitamin to make sure that you're not going over the tolerable upper limit of any one vitamin because you CAN make yourself very sick if you're getting too much of some vitamins, especially fat soluble vitamins.

For most people, a daily dose of vitamin C is unnecessary and they will excrete the excess that their body doesn't use and taking a vitamin C tablet on top of taking a multivitamin on top of eating a diet rich in foods with vitamin C is overkill and a waste of money.

However, since I am someone who has had scurvy as a result of malabsorption due to my celiac disease, I take a multivitamin and I make a lot of smoothies.

I have also been treated for anemia, folate deficiency, and a vitamin D deficiency.

There are absolutely conditions where improper absorption of nutrients means that taking a multivitamin is a major part of treatment and symptom management. Multivitamins can be a very important part of a treatment regimen for people who need them. It's just that most people don't really need them - not only do most people get a lot of what they need from food, a lot of food is enriched with vitamins and minerals.

HOWEVER. If you not only have a malabsorption issue, you ALSO can't eat those enriched foods (often grains - wheat is enriched in the US so most people here get their folate from sandwiches and cereal, not from spinach), you probably will benefit from a multivitamin containing vitamins and minerals you may be missing from your diet. BUT, even then, you probably don't need as much as comes in most adult multivitamins - you take a child's dose, and for me, I need folate and that's in prenatal vitamins so I take half a prenatal vitamin a day because the dose recommended to pregnant people is much more than what you need on average, but you should talk to your doctor and make sure that you are regularly being monitored for nutrient deficiencies and are taking the appropriate dose of whatever you are taking, which will change throughout the course of your life due to aging and also due to your condition.

So hopefully that's enough caveats to say "talk to your doctor; vitamins can be an unnecessary waste of money but for some people they're the primary treatment of an illness and if you fall into that second category you've got to make sure you're getting the correct treatment."

I stumbled face first into four different, major nutrient deficiencies that my doctor didn't anticipate because I have a relatively uncommon chronic condition and people (even doctors) aren't often well-educated about nutrition; that is the entire reason I ended up taking college nutrition classes and the reason I continue to pursue nutrition education. This is genuinely complicated and will depend on the individual, and I'm not a medical professional and this isn't medical advice, but it sounds like a daily children's multivitamin is probably not wasted on you.

BUT ALSO: If you are just in a "my body doesn't absorb nutrients well" kind of state and you don't know what that might mean in terms of SPECIFIC deficiencies, you should ask your doctor if there is a nutrition screening blood panel they can order for you.

The folic acid deficiency SUCKED. It's not the kind of thing that gets treated with a normal multivitamin, and it also needed to be specifically screened for - it isn't on a standard blood panel.

Malnutrition is not to be fucked around with. If you're not sure, ask your doctor.

[mychemstat]

give me tough love.

Frank Langdon x Michael "Robby" Robinavitch

word count : ~4k

author's note and warnings: guys there's smut. because these are my barbies whom i make scissor. it's unethical. robby is upset. langdon wants love and attention (and dick). enjoy.

"I don't have a best friend."

“What am I?”

“You’re my best resident. Big difference.”

“Yeah, but we’re still friends?”

“Not if this conversation goes on much longer.”

Dr. Frank Langdon, emergency medicine senior resident, wondered whether Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, senior attending, liked him.

He felt like a little kid on the playground, wanting his existence acknowledged by the most popular guy in school. He wanted so badly to be as close to Robby as Dr. Abbot was. At first, he figured it wasn’t anything serious, he has always been like that.

Langdon has always wanted love.

Needy, clingy Langdon who never showed his cards or pulled his punches and kept a safe distance with anyone (even his wife and kids), felt a new itch inside him the day he met Robby.

He couldn't list exactly what set that itch off on his ten fingers. Maybe he could if he held Robby’s calloused fingers in his own and counted the circles of his fingertips. Maybe then.

Frank, as no one calls him in the ER, held that thought for days. He puked over it, passing it off to his family as mild food poisoning even though they all ate at the same table every day. Who were they to question the doctor?

Confused was one word to explain how he felt. Horrified was a much more accurate term.

The last time he felt this way about someone, he got married. There was no way in hell he was having those same feelings. At least that is what said to himself as he jerked off every day in the shower, hot water almost piercing his skin, pretending it was Robby’s nails and teeth digging into his skin.

It’s the painkillers. A voice in his head reminded him, and he immediately shoved it away, remnants of shame creeping into his conscience.

Painkillers alter moods. Maybe they changed my hormones. Langdon bit his lip deep in thought before chewing on the last morsel of protein bar stuck to the aluminum wrap.

“Dr. Langdon, the labs you ordered? Mr. Raina’s bloodwork shows low hemoglobin and iron, B-12 at an all time low of a hundred.”

Langdon snapped out of the ridiculous conversation he humored with his own conscience and turned his attention to Mel, immediately relaxing in her presence.

“Uh… thanks, Mel. Administer a B-12 shot and prescribe vitamin c, iron, and vitamin d supplements.” Langdon informed, almost on autopilot. Anemia was so common he swore he had the same exact conversation ten minutes ago with Mateo.

Mel nodded in her usual, focused manner, about to turn around to leave before stopping to question, “Are you okay, Dr. Langdon?”

Mel was observant as fuck.

Langdon hesitated, “Uh. Yeah, I’m fine. Just late night with the kids.” The best part about a job that put the patient’s best interest in the most dire situations was how good he got at lying. With patients, it had a line: Say what you need to save their life. If the patient insists they don't drink, agree with them and take a blood test and CT scan anyway. At the end of the day it's for the patient.

Lying was fun. And as with anything else, moderation was not a regular part of Langdon's routine.

He had to be the best in his class all throughout highschool, undergrad, masters degree, and part of the dean's list whenever possible. He couldn't get his head out of his textbooks because he wanted to be the best. He needed to be the best.

When he needed, he needed so much he could die. Every lay of his life left his bed with an earnest performance review. Needless to say his bedside manners only improved every time. And when he said “just one more” to himself with a vial of ativan clasped between his sweaty palms, he had nothing but green lights flashing in his head.

Langdon was anything but moderate, always going out of the way to impress every set of eyes in the room. For him, there was nothing worse than being on the receiving side of disappointment. He aimed to please. Even the goldendoodle he brought home for his kids was to make them happy. He got paid enough to support his wife and kids. What was one more mouth to feed if it made his children happy for the next few months till they eventually got bored of the dog?

All throughout the morning, Langdon kept his eyes on Robby, looking for a twitch of disapproval in his eyebrows as he monitored procedures. If Langdon sensed anything but satisfaction, his fingers would squeeze around whatever medical instrument had the misfortune of being within his grasp. There was no way he was going to disappoint Robby.

The compliments were the best part. A mere “good work” or “nice job, Langdon,” from his senior attending would have him on a high all day, barely reaching for those pills in his locker. His own little painkiller without side effects.

Just like those pills, however, he was dependent on Robby too.

Every time he would see the man striding around the department, the most important person in any room, waiting or operating, his pulse would skyrocket, craving one look of reassurance from him. Just one more glance from coffee browns to icy blues that melted Langdon’s brain in the matter of seconds.

Today, Robby was not having a good day.

Adamson’s death anniversary was clearly affecting Robby and his patience. He would snap at regular troublesome patients whom he usually waved off, and he almost yelled at Mohan because she was taking too long with patients.

And the worst part of the day was when he found Langdon’s stash.

He had never seen Robby so angry. The veins on his forehead popped as he yelled at Langdon in the hallway, Princess and a patient caught in the crossfire. Shame flooded Langdon’s senses watching his mentor throw his shit on the ground and shout in the hospital in front of everyone within earshot. Langdon had fucked up bad.

“Get out! And don’t come back here till you’ve gotten your shit together, fuck!”

Langdon couldn’t bear to hear Robby talk to him like that. He knew he fucked up. He knew he should get help. But hearing it from the man he wanted to be adored by was probably the worst thing for his psyche right now. All it did was make him sad, and Langdon had rarely ever sat with sadness. He would push it down and move on because it wasn’t worth honing over.

There was a first time for everything.

“No.” The word escaped Langdon’s throat quietly.

Robby’s face fell like he had been factory reset, voice laced with venom, “What did you say?”

“I’m not going home, Robby.” Langdon repeated himself, gathering bits of courage to look up from his shoes soaked in patients’ blood. He knew very well that Robby could call security and end this matter in less than a minute. He knew that. But he still felt like trying Robby’s patience.

What else could he do other than yell?

Langdon wanted to find out.

“I’ve proven myself here, time and time again. I know I fucked up, but I also know I’m a good doctor. You can’t do this to me. Call security, I don't care.”

Robby was a hurricane personified, storm dawning over his normally kind eyes.

“Mother-” Robby charged loudly towards Langdon before composing himself, “-fucker, you wanna act tough now?”

“When else have I done this, Robby?” Langdon pleaded softly, eyes welling up. The bright lights shone over them in the medically white hallway. Death and hard truths floated in the air.

He hated being weak.

The older man scratched his scalp furiously, trailing his fingers down his beard in frustration. If Langdon didn’t know any better, he would think Robby would just spontaneously combust.

He watched his senior place his hands on his waist, staring down at the sickeningly clean floors of the hallway, fingers visibly clawing into his scrubs. Langdon was so afraid of what would happen. Would he hit him? Would he risk his entire career to let out his anger?

“Meet me in call room three in five minutes.”

Langdon’s thought train halted, “What?”

Robby started toward his direction, walking with intent and past Langdon’s shivering body. He could smell the coffee and disinfectant from Robby as he walked by in a hurry, making him a bit dizzy.

He knew not to defy him then. Maybe Robby wanted to talk. Maybe he was handling the situation privately. Maybe he was still keeping his job. Langdon had some hope. He wasn’t totally cynical.

The moment Langdon set his things down on the desk in call room three, the door creaked open softly, revealing an alert Robby, licking his lips as he looked outside for any incoming traffic before shutting the door carefully and pulling the blind.

“Robby, I just wanted to thank you for hearing me out-”

“Who the fuck do you think you are?”

Langdon swallowed around nothing, completely taken aback by the question.

“What… Listen Robby, please, you need to listen to me.”

Robby flashed him one of those sarcastic, semi-frustrated smiles of his that made his underlings cower in fear.

“You risked patients’ lives and jeopardized your career and mine. Do you know what could have happened? Do you have any fucking idea the consequences of your fuck-”

“I know I fucked up, please-”

“Shut your fucking mouth, I don’t wanna hear anymore-”

“I just wanted you to be proud of me!” Langdon shrieked, louder than he thought he could, breaking any and all boundaries of their professional relationship. Not that anything about the situation they were in was professional.

The ventilator in the room pushed the cold in, a chill traveling up Langdon’s spine. Robby’s face softened, then his eyes narrowed, like a scope on a rifle. Langdon had never been more terrified. The older man took a seat on the neat and empty bed, looking like he was rethinking his life. Langdon felt something break in his chest.

Then his legs carried him as he knelt to the ground, fingers grasping at the legs of Robby’s scrubs, knees hitting the linoleum floor unabashedly.

“Please, just hear me out, Robby,” Langdon begged, eyebrows twisting up, eyes glistening with tears at his superior. Robby was his only hope. His only way out, not just medically, but according to his own conscience.

Fingers digging into Robby’s muscular calves, Langdon held on tight as if that would convince Robby to let him stay.

“You want me to be proud of you?” Robby finally spoke, opening his eyes that were tightly screwed shut. Langdon could feel the hatred in each syllable of Robby’s.

“Yes, yes please. Robby, I would do anything, you know me, you know this.”

Robby jutted his lips in denial, but didn’t move or take Langdon’s hands off his legs. He sat in silence, eyes flitting to Langdon’s face, gaze trailing down the strands of hair that were so annoyingly perfect he was pissed off seeing them every morning. Robby looked into Langdon’s eyes, finding nothing but a confusing mixture of denial and regret.

He denied his addiction. He regretted letting Robby down.

Langdon saw something click in Robby. The older man suddenly looked calmer. Still stern, but less explosive. He wanted to get inside his head and figure out what was going on in there.

Robby raised his hand and Langdon almost flinched thinking Robby would slap him, or hit him, or do something that was not simply sitting in silence. Now that he was closer to his mentor, Langdon could smell hints of Robby’s fabric softener, cologne, and some sweat from the already insane day he had had. He hated that he was now another worry added to Robby’s endless list, but his scent twisted Lngdon’s gut so deliciously, he swore he felt his cock twitch.

Not the time, he thought, eyes still glued on Robby.

Robby’s thumb curled as he lowered it to Langdon’s spit slicked lips. The pad of his thumb dipped into the plush of Langdon’s bottom lip, revealing his bottom teeth, calloused skin harsh against the younger’s.

“Robby-”

“Just shut the fuck up. For two fucking minutes.”

Langdon followed. He gave up his defense and focused on Robby, how his fingers latched to the bottom of his chin, red hot touch wiring jolts of electricity to his stomach.

Langdon dropped his jaw, allowing Robby to explore further. The older man slid his thumb past his bottom teeth and onto Langdon’s silver tongue that began gathering spit. The younger man could practically feel himself about to ruin his underwear as he tasted the salt on Robby’s skin. Rough skin brushed Langdon’s tongue out so it hung out of his mouth. The mentor finally spoke.

“Suck.”

Langdon let out a noise so embarrassing he felt his ego shrink and his cock grow, tongue hanging out and saliva dripping down his jutted berry lips. Robby gave him a second to gather his brain before advancing deeper into Langdon’s mouth as the younger man wrapped his lips around his thumb in an instant, swallowing around it.

Robby let out a satisfied exhale, shifting in his seat, other hand lifting from the bed and reaching for the drawstring of his sweats. Langdon’s eyes shifted down to Robby’s hips, watching intently as he slowly pulled the string and untied it in one go.

Was this actually happening?

Langdon felt like he was in one of his many dreams about Robby. He certainly didn't imagine it like this. He thought Robby would invite him over to watch a game and have a drink with him and things could lead into something more risque.

But he wasn't complaining.

Langdon was on his knees in a call room in the hospital with his mentor’s finger in his mouth, about to be used thoroughly by the looks of everything.

He almost came at that thought.

Langdon’s eyes scanned the veins in Robby’s hands leading up to his forearms, and drabbled spit down Robby’s thumb once again, salivating at the mere thought of having Robby’s cock in his mouth.

He had dreamt of how he would feel. He almost caught a glance of it once as he talked to him about some patient’s stats while using the urinals in the hospital bathroom. And from what he saw, he knew he needed almost a bucket more of lubrication to even take him halfway down his throat.

Langdon moaned around his finger as Robby started to draw back slowly, collecting all of his spit before standing up to lower his sweats. The hem of his shirt rose and Langdon wondered what it would be like to lick and bite his midriff.

“Robby-” Langdon barely let out, still sucking and devouring the savory skin of Robby’s thumb.

The older man shushed him, pulling him into his hip and sliding his thumb out, a string of Langdon’s saliva bridging the tip of his thumb to the younger's already swollen bottom lip.

Langdon could hear Robby’s shivering breaths, something he usually heard when he was angry or vexed, but this was something else. This was impatience.

His eyes traced the outline of Robby’s cock through his black briefs, swallowing around nothing as he admired the view.

Robby looked down at him, clouded eyes growing darker like a tempest steadily brewing. Loathe coated his expression but Langdon wasn’t afraid anymore. He was ready.

Hands working separately, the man in trouble parted his lips before leaning close and licking a stripe up Robby’s length, drawing a shaky breath from the man towering over him. His nimble fingers sizzled at contact with Robby’s bare skin just an inch or two above the hem of his briefs before curling them underneath the elastic band and tugging them down slowly, tufts of curls revealing with every little pull.

Whatever was happening outside in the ER was now not their business.

Robby was big; which wouldn't have been a surprise if Robby wasn’t already hard, the head of his cock an angry scarlet, already leaking in anticipation.

Langdon wanted to cry. Not because he didn’t like any of this. Because he felt like all his questions had been answered. Robby liked him. Robby wanted him.

The younger man’s eyes welled up as he examined Robby, long and heavy, veins bulging down to the base. He noticed a tattoo scattered on the side of his hip, and he almost lunged to lick it.

Before Langdon could do anything, however, Robby grasped the kneeling man’s gel-slicked hair, pulling it back to expose his throat.

So empty. Robby marveled.

Langdon could only watch as Robby brought his spit-slicked thumb to the tip of his length and ran it over the slit, letting out a moan so deep and guttural that it made Langdon’s cock leak against his underwear.

The older man pushed Langdon’s head near the tip of his dick, lips brushing against the hot, throbbing skin as Langdon groaned in need.

“Please, Robby-”

Robby swiped the head through Langdon’s wet lips, already feeling the warmth of his underling’s mouth, brushing his length against his gums. Langdon dripped saliva all over him as he waited for instructions. He wanted to make him so happy. He would do anything for him.

“Open.” Robby stated, and Langdon dropped his jaw in relief, fingers latching onto the older man’s length.

“Don't fuckin’ touch me.” Robby hissed, and Langdon backed his hands away immediately. He watched as Robby lowered Langdon’s mouth onto his cock, coating his tip in warmth and slick.

Langdon moaned at the feeling of his mouth being occupied, finally feeling full. His own dick was now begging to be let out but the friction of his scrubs against Robby’s shoe had him satisfied for now. As Robby slid further down Langdon’s throat, he reminded the younger man to breathe through his nose and relax his jaw, losing his mind at the tightness of his employee’s mouth.

Langdon was now struggling. Robby was thick and a little too long for his usual routine of sucking dick. He wanted to take his time with him: kiss the tip and work his hands around his balls. He couldn't do any of that. He couldn't show just how good he could be.

“Fuuuuuck, F-frank.” Robby exhaled quietly, hitting the roof of Langdon’s mouth before feeling his throat clamp around him. Langdon choked and spat and gagged at the obstruction as he felt Robby somehow grow harder.

He called him Frank. He had never called him Frank before.

Langdon whimpered around Robby, mouth full and lips contracting just halfway across his length, sending vibrations up his cock. Robby fisted Langdon’s hair tighter. Langdon couldn't be quiet anymore.

He exhaled loudly, crying around Robby in the magic of it all as he watched Robby slide out before going back in further. Robby was about to bottom out.

“Fnmnhg,” was all that Langdon could add to the conversation as Robby slipped lowerr and further down Langdon’s throat, curving down to his oesophagus, tears prickling at the corner of his eyes. Tears ran down his cheeks, jaw already sore.

Robby was in a time crunch, but Langdon had forgotten all about the world outside. And to be fair, Robby was also close to losing himself inside Langdon. With one thrust, Robby now fit completely and perfectly inside Langdon, the younger’s nose pressed against the dark curls at the base of his cock. Langdon couldn't breathe. He couldn't speak. He couldn't think.

It was perfect.

Robby shut his eyes, the tightness of Langdon’s throat squeezing him in all the right places. The vein on the underside of Robby’s cock nestled perfectly on Langdon’s slippery tongue, pulling out the most breathtaking sounds from his superior.

Langdon groaned again, trying his best to breathe through his nose, inhaling the smell of soap and musk that sent lightning up his cock. God, he had a new addiction to add to the list, it seemed.

Robby could notice Langdon's struggle; the way his eyebrows twisted up beautifully in acceptance yet slight discomfort at Robby’s outstanding length, cheeks hot with tears, and throat completely used. Robby had wanted this for so long: just to use that pretty mouth of his for some good instead of having it run rampant in the ER. Sometimes Robby’s eyes would flicker to Langdon’s arms or exposed skin on his midriff, and he would have the sudden urge to bend him over and milk him for all he’s worth.

Now he had a reason to. Not that the ethics board would agree. He knew what they were doing was so wrong.

Anybody could walk in. Anyone. Princess, Perlah, or worse, one of the interns.

He could lose everything. He could lose his medical license if he was found fucking his employee’s throat into oblivion as other doctors scrambled to save whoever was dying that minute.

Something switched on in Robby at the sheer thrill and insanity of the situation. He was exhausted from being responsible and caring and considerate the entire damn time. He just wanted to let go and do whatever the fuck he wanted. Do whoever the fuck he wanted.

With one last groan from Langdon inciting such a perfect twist of his gut traveling down to the tip of his leaking cock, Robby thrusted upward in Langdon’s throat, fucking the gummy walls of his mouth without a care. Langdon shrieked before grabbing the back of Robby’s thighs for balance. He was worried that Robby would tell him to get his hands off. But Robby had stopped thinking altogether.

“F-fuck, Frank…”

There it was. Calling him by his first name again. Langdon was losing it.

As Langdon’s mouth was put to use, the motion and warmth mixed with the highly unprofessional sounds of spit squelching against his cock jet Robby through his orgasm mortifyingly quickly. He bucked hard and rough against Langdon, pushing his head against his hip, spilling down the younger man’s throat. Langdon held his breath till Robby finished jutting into his mouth, cum spurting so heavily that Langdon found himself humping Robby’s shoe and cumming into his boxers.

“Oh, baby, fuck, oh fuck.” Robby muttered silently, and Langdon felt himself already growing hard again at the nickname as he hummed obscenely on his cock.

Robby pulsed slowly inside his mouth, still reeling from the shattering orgasm he just had inside his employee’s mouth and down his throat. Robby swore he almost saw God as he peaked, letting out every frustration from this morning (and four years ago) into his coworker.

“Rob- Robby…”

Langdon was fucked out. His mouth and jaw hurt, his throat was sore, and he was sure that his knees had been bruised. He looked up at the man, trying his best not to stare at his superior’s impressive cock dripping with cum and his spit. He glanced once for a mental picture before storing it at the back of his mind for later.

Robby grabbed a couple of paper towels from the dispenser before wiping himself and adjusting his sweats neatly. He threw a towel to the man now resting on his buttocks before extending a hand.

Langdon reached out hesitantly before getting back up on his feet. Robby’s eyes flitted down to the soft, swollen pillows of pink on Langdon’s face glistening with his cum. Langdon saw fire in his eyes again.

Robby grabbed him by the collar of his scrubs, pulling him in roughly for a kiss. Robby licked into Langdon’s mouth as the younger man kissed back in shock before giving in and sinking his teeth down on Robby’s bottom lip. Robby could taste himself on Langdon’s lips. Langdon drove him crazy.

Robby harshly pushed Langdon away, hurt and something sweeter crossing his eyes.

Langdon stared back knowing exactly what Robby felt. He just wanted to be back. Back beside Robby, exchanging those glances that only meant something to him.

“You’re with Mel for the rest of the day.” Robby stated bitterly before leaving the room quietly. Nothing else.

Something in Langdon’s ribs jumped.

He wasn’t fired. He made Robby happy.

He finally made him happy.

+++

HAIII i can't believe two doctors from a serious medical drama broke my writer's block. anyway. enjoy this pure filth <33

gif cred : @gallners

[fireheartedpup]

Okay. So. Ashwaganda.

I lost the post about the supplement from a troll company that was marketing it as hormone replacement therapy. The doses were high enough to send you into serotonin syndrome, and it doesn't replace estrogen. It encourages your body to make the hormones it's already making.

This was in 2023, and the website quickly vanished after backlash.

The thing is, ashwaganda is a mood stabilizer. I'm wondering if it's possible to feel better before the serotonin syndrome. Is the dosage high enough that you feel funny immediately, or does it seem like life is so good that this miracle pill couldn't possibly be bad for you?

Once it starts, it sounds like torture. I'm just wondering about the lead up. The poster who was quoted on that post said that ashwaganda taken in that dosage could cause it in "as little as a month," so what does the lead up feel like?

I don't take medication, so I haven't worried too much about interactions. That said, it's good to know that it can conflict with medications for blood pressure, thyroid, sleep, immunosuppression, and diabetes.

This is mostly because it has similar effects--so again, too much can tip you over from "this helps" to "this is a threat to my safety."

There are other natural things that raise serotonin levels, like ginkgo, and I thought they were mentioned in one of links I included but I can find the paragraph I'm thinking of.

...this could be due to the fact that ginseng can also raise serotonin levels, and I might have misremembered it.

Probiotics, vitamin D, and fish oil can also raise serotonin, as can tryptophan and exercise. Rhodiola is another adaptogen that can help with things like ADHD, and St. John's Wort is also on that list.

There's a lot. I actually left out green tea and turmeric. Oh, and 5-htp. That one I'm careful with. It makes me feel drugged.

Coffee and artificial sweeteners can decrease serotonin, so I'm not terribly bothered. If it's not consumed in high doses or alongside something it shouldn't be combined with, it should be okay.

I'm also not consistent with anything, and in the case of the supplements where it's better to take breaks instead of simply continuing to take them every single day for a long period of time, this works for me.

The thing that made me take a second look at adaptogens in general is that my period is almost a week late.

Remember how it adjusts your hormones? Yeah, a lot of people have this reaction--and it can make your period lighter. I'm mostly finding anecdotes from reddit, but there is a study about it helping with perimenopause.

My periods have never been super consistent. I have a rough idea of when they're going to come, but the cycle isn't exact. So this doesn't bother me a ton, but it's enough for some people to want to switch to an alternative method of controlling things like anxiety.

I'm already questioning whether my hormones are out of whack or not, so that's part of it.

I just think it's interesting. "Natural alternatives" are marketed as safer, without side effects. My experience has been that no matter what you do, you're throwing spaghetti at a wall to see what sticks--and you still need to look up everything you take to see if it's going to interact with anything else.

It would be nice if going to a doctor fixed this problem. Unfortunately, I've read too many stories about patients having to look things up for themselves, even after going to doctor after doctor.

It's like the pegboard with red string.

Anyway. My takeaway is still that what will fix your problems is appropriate treatment for your body. Unfortunately, this is different for everyone, and pretty much requires you to make a lifelong study of what to take and what the side effects are--no matter if you're taking supplements or drugs.

I'm still on the adaptogen train because I don't have to beg a doctor for help or make an appointment or beg a doctor to listen to me when it turns out that I need a change in my treatment plan or get registered as "really, she needs this" in order to get the thing that will help me.

I'm just. You know. Wondering. About what this is going to mean for my period going forward.

(And I'm going to have to research every single other thing I'm taking to see what the crossovers are.)

IMPORTANT: Ashwaganda can cause spontaneous abortion. Do not listen to anyone who says that adaptogens are safe to take during pregnancy. CHECK FIRST.

[justgivemethephd]

06.11.2024

Hello everyone!

How has the week been treating you so far? I got all the results back from the blood test and apart from a mild vitamin D deficiency, which I have started taking supplements for, I seem to be perfectly healthy. I'll wait for the outcome of the eye test this weekend but other than that I really have no idea what could be the root of these headaches. I'm hoping my doctor can figure it out because I'm getting desperate here.

As for my studies, things have been pretty interesting! I recently graduated from a mentorship course where senior scientists essentially taught you how to review manuscripts submitted for publication, and as it turns out it means I am now officially a reviewer for the journal running the course! I'm going to be setting my profile up at some point this week. I'm so excited for all the new and exciting research I'm going to have early access to because of this, hehe.

I've also been in the lab a lot this week, finally! I've been teaching our new research assistant how to process blood samples since I was taking care of that before, as well as helping them with a big experiment they're working on. I have also received some plasmids I ordered a few weeks back so I can finally start expressing and extracting proteins I need for future experiments. Aaaaand it seems like we're getting closer and closer to finally starting patient recruitment! This is absolutely huge for my project. I'm so excited for all the new and exciting stuff that's coming my way in the next few months!

I hope everyone is doing well and feeling good. The weekend is in sight, only a couple more days. Be strong!

_____

🎧 - White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes

🎮 - Skyrim

📖 - Les Indes Noires by Jules Verne (which I also recommended to the random guy who stopped me in the street to ask what I was reading, lol)

[lifeafterpsychiatry]

Hi, please feel free to ignore if you don't want advice but as someone with severe m.e I wish someone had given me this advice when I started to show symptoms:

The most vital thing to do if you are developing symptoms is not try and push past any tiredness, but rest at the first sign of any physical exhaustion.

A lot of doctors still recommend graded exercise but that's outdated and dangerous. Some countries still have graded exercise as a recommended treatment plan so the doctors may be insistant that what you should be doing but ignore them. In my country graded exercise was taken off the list of recommended treatment 7+ years ago and still doctors try to get me to do it today because they haven't updated their knowledge. I don't know what it will be like where you are but you have to be firm in rejecting them and prioritising rest.

Also vitamin d deficiency has simmilar symptoms to early m.e. so if you don't already I would start taking a vit d supplement to rule it out.

Even if it is m.e., not a vit d deficiency the vitamin d will greatly help boost your immune system which you really need with m.e. especially to lower the risk of further viruses worsening potential m.e.

I think ME is still considered a mental health issue where I live, but I'm not planning to pursue a diagnosis if that's it as long as it's manageable with my current supports. I already have disability benefits, so no one is expecting me to function normally as is, and if nothing shows up in the blood work I will just try to adjust on my own terms. It will be a challenge to stop pushing myself, as so many people have encouraged me to do exactly that by all means possible, but it's something I'll have to learn if this is what I think it might be. I'm already taking vitamin D, so it can't be that.

[red-umbrella-811]

Okay, so I wrote this on reddit to a depression doomer, but I want someone who might have an iota of openness to considering it to read it, so I'm posting it here. I assume there will be doomers here too, because depression is depressing. All of these things are things that I've tried, and all of them are things that have made my life better than it was before. All of them I have started in an incredibly janky way and they've still helped. If anyone is interested (or I receive the same combination of depression-based hostility and intense focus), I'll make separate posts on how to actually do the thing.

Things that might make a person's depression improve that don't involved going to a therapist:

Aerobic exercise 4x/week

Membership in a community/close relationships/human touch/human interaction. I'm bundling these together, because in a practical sense, you're making about the same decisions yourself, and the interactions with other people will follow. I recommend finding a "Third Place," such as a sports league or dance community (see exercise), game/knitting/metaphysical store, bar, cafe, meetup group, adult learning class, regular volunteering gig, music venue, RPG group, book club, brunch group...you get the idea. The best ones are open to the public if you're socially isolated or looking to date, because you'll meet a greater variety of people, but anywhere where the same amorphous or literal group of people shows up at a place and time will help you build relationships.

Omega 3 Fatty acids, Vitamin D, Vitamin B-complex, Magnesium: I'm not a doctor and this is not medical advice. They might give you energy and run your body more smoothly.

St. John's Wort: I'm giving this its own thing because the above are supplements that the body gets in its diet, this is a drug™, but you can purchase it over the counter. It inhibits the reuptake of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, for which there is some evidence that it helps depression on a chemical level. It has mad drug interactions and PLEASE do your research before taking it.

A lot of things in the cognitive behavioral therapy realm. Gratitude practices, affirmations, I'm sure there are CBT workbooks for depression that one could find. The idea is to reframe your thoughts to make sure they are a) true and b) priming you to feel emotions and take actions that will make your life suck less.

Going outside. Living in a suboptimal space is depressing, and so many of us do it. We do better when we see and hear trees. We do better when we see and feel the sun. We process things when our brains run electricity back and forth between the two sides, as happens when walking (drumming is also good for this, or bilateral stimulation from something else).

Accomplish things. I know. This, even more than the many difficult things I've listed, probably feels impossible, but I'm writing it anyway, because it really does help. If you have small tasks you've been putting off, try and get one done. Break up big tasks into accomplishable steps. Not like "Clean the house" to "Clean the bathroom," like "Clean the house" to "throw all the trash on the couch in the trash can" or "get out all the products to clean the bathroom" (the second kind doesn't vibe with me but some people like it)

You'll notice none of this is going to fix the world, except for the shitty little corner the person doing it is sitting in. That's the point. There is so much wrong with the world, and it asks a lot of us to fix it: our labor, yes, and also our joy. And also, our ability to get out of bed in the morning, our ability to send emails, our ability to check in on each other, our ability to keep ourselves out of entanglements with the state and other institutions. I'm not saying this because it's fair, I'm saying it because it's the way out I see in front of us.

[vaaspilled]

Ramble #1

(not online diary related)

For the past couple of years I’ve experienced super intense joint pain and I didn’t think anything of it in the beginning, months passed and I began to slightly worry. I searched up my symptoms (which I should’ve know was a red flag) and it began linking “bone cancer” I know that isn’t the case so I just continued to ignored it. A year after I told my mother and she convinced me to go to the doctors, the doctor said that it was because of vitamin D deficiency, I started taking fish oil supplements but it still didn’t help me. I remembered a while ago when I started my asthma medication ( I use one Albuterol inhaler, one Qvar inhaler and I take one Montelukast 10mg table each day) I read that the montelukast tablets affect something bone related and just in case I searched it up and it states that.

“Yes, joint pain is a possible side effect of montelukast, but it's not clear how often it occurs or if it's actually caused by the drug. Joint pain has been reported after the drug was released, but it wasn't reported in studies of people taking montelukast.”

So like I don’t know whether to stop taking my medication or not…my pains have started to intensify and it leads to intense nausea.

Idk what to do :(

Edit: bro the side effects of Montelukast are freaking scary 😨

[yourgamemasterthewhiterabbit]

Woke up feeling better than usual, still stiff but not as bad, throat not as swollen as it could be this morning but I did take a couple ibuprofen and a benadryl later than usual last night.

Was trying to remember how this attack of symptoms started, because if I can remember how all the attacks of fucked up symptoms from blood mineral and electrolyte levels started, I might be able to prevent it if it isn't completely in the hands of automatic processes [like my immune system]...

And it was gout right? Like actual gout with all the right symptoms that acted like gout and got better when I went back to avoiding b vitamins and reduced my amine intake, yeah? But I was already also just starting to get symptoms like the peeling rash around my eye [that resembles another health condition I have had] and muscle pain... And some bone pain.

And the first thing a person with a history of kidney and liver failure symptoms thinks is naturally "oh shit my stupid kidneys again"...

My doctors also habitually have the same suspicion and keep testing it.

BUT GUESS WHAT ELSE can cause gout and other symptoms that look like the kidneys from your body not being able to get water to move in and out of your cells properly? Potassium deficiency. Also makes flushing uric acid harder than it has to be by far.

The overlap of potassium deficiency vs CKD symptoms is HUGE and they can contribute to each other, and also low kidney function can cause high potassium which has almost fully identical symptoms too.

This is where my doctors run out of excuses, because they can just check my potassium levels, and my kidney function, and just look at it with their eyeballs and could have told me my potassium levels are chronically on the low end if not actually clinically low.

But me? Someone who's never actually been SHOWN the results and has only relied on the information the doctor chooses to pass on [which was nothing], who only knows they've been exhibiting signs of kidney problems for years and has an immune system that likes to attack their own tissues at random? Of course the most natural guess, at the time, was that my kidneys were at the root of it, due to autoimmune damage.

And of course the most reasonable guess, if you don't know for a fact that potassium levels are actually low, is that these symptoms are being caused by high potassium from slow kidney function, which is also causing the gout.

And that's where my problems started this time.

As to getting better for a while to do groceries, it was probably that avoiding b vitamins calmed my thyroid back down, and eating more normally again brought my potassium levels back up. Until my potassium levels crashed further from me "being careful" after the groceries were done.

As to what caused this symptom set and the complications with heart rhythm and cardiac spasms the first time? I had been sick in bed with covid for months and barely able to feed myself. Also was being exposed to black mold and high co2 levels.

My ANA was high and my immune system was also attacking random things and I was ALSO having a problem with viruses reactivating in my body and my immune responses to certain things resetting or taking a big hit, so of course the water was muddy as hell. I tried to seek help, but everyone laughed in my face, mocked me on paper and did everything they could to discredit me, ignored test results and UH didn't bother checking my electrolyte or blood mineral levels until I was MONTHS into successfully managing my symptoms.

Guess what else coincided with both attacks?

My iodine intake increasing and my thyroid hormone levels going up, bone pain, and then me trying to fix the problem with vitamin d supplements. As one does.

So here's the thing about potassium, blood calcium, vitamin d, phosphorus and thyroid hormone...

High thyroid hormone levels can trigger tissue growth, including giving your bones the signal to grow or remodel. They can also mean you have a faster metabolism and run through electrolytes more easily. They can also drive up androgen and stress hormone levels and fuck with your heart.

High blood phosphorus, whether that's from kidney problems, high intake, or your bones getting the signal to remodel doesn't directly cause a lot of symptoms, but it pulls calcium out of your bones and high blood calcium causes potentially dangerous symptoms ESPECIALLY with an electrolyte imbalance like low potassium or a magnesium deficiency. Potassium actually helps regulate how your cells etc respond to calcium. To over simplify, calcium makes things contract and magnesium relaxes them again and potassium helps regulate this and fluid moving in and out of cells. So your potassium being low and calcium being high can do things like... Cause cardiac spasm type heart attacks [no clot needed, arteries just clench] and cardiac arrest, as well as like, general fuckery with muscle spasms and low or high blood pressure, etc.

Vitamin d lets your body move phosphorus and calcium around. That's why it's good for your bones and normally helps fix bone density. It lets your body do it's job. BUT! It can also cause you to not absorb potassium as well, AND commercially available supplements often have MULTIPLE TIMES the amount of vitamin d in them that's labelled on the package, up to and including unsafe doses. Vitamin d can directly drive up your blood calcium and that's one of the ways overdose can easily kill you, by causing a heart attack. ALSO, having chronically low vitamin d, from what I have seen, can lead to symptoms of high vitamin d from having normal vitamin d levels. The root cause might be chronically low d, but the end result is symptoms that look like high vitamin d... For a person with a sun allergy, this is maybe information they should have.

And if your bones are trying to rearrange themselves when they shouldn't, like from primary hyperthyroidism... It just enables the bad thing.

So your body is showing signs your filtration organs are acting up right? During what you KNOW is an autoimmune attack because you can tell you are at least a little hyperthyroid, right? And then you start getting bone pain, new bone growth, and symptoms of high calcium/phosphorus, and what could be symptoms of high potassium [or low potassium], and then the artery clenching and heart constricting from what seems to be high calcium starts trying to kill you right? You're getting symptoms that could be consistent with grand cell arteritis or something and so on... Just fucked up stuff like hearing your heart pounding so loudly in your ears that it keeps you up at night.

And no one will test your levels of fuck all. You get heart attack symptoms and do the reasonable thing and got to the hospital, but there's no clot, you aren't saying there is one, you are already pretty sure they are cardiac spasms, but the nurses and doctors are acting like those don't exist, and your calcium levels only spike about .5-2 hours after eating, so by the time you get to the hospital, your symptoms are gone. Naturally everyone -over worked from the pandemic- IMMEDIATELY leaps to "conversion disorder" it MUST be psychological. It happens a few times and they just will never take you seriously about any problem again, even though they didn't do anything useful like check your electrolytes or blood minerals.

Even after a more severe attack of similar symptoms where you were fully paralyzed, your blood pressure tripled THERE WERE positive d'dimer results, and you sustained lasting neurological damage, they still didn't check anything relevant to the problem, and have simply decided you are faking for attention, HAD decided that, before the moment you collapsed into complete paralysis on your way to their doorstep.

So you do what you can to help yourself because the other option is to just die.

And those symptoms, combined with the jaundice you have -you are literally yellow- and the fact that you stopped being able to pee for a week and have pressure building up in your abdomen LOOK VERY CONVINCINGLY like liver and kidney failure. And of course, the problem at this point is DEFINITELY ALSO taxing your liver and kidneys and causing more consistent liver and kidney symptoms.

But you figure out that you can control the heart attacks by having enough magnesium with meals and in general. Months after the symptoms are under control, still fighting with your GP to have them investigate the problem, you ask about your blood calcium levels and they say something like "Oh they're normal" and you say "okay but what -end- of normal, I am trying to manage my health and people keep telling me things are normal when thy aren't or are only borderline normal" and she says something like "Well your potassium is a little on the low side, but your calcium is fine." This is from a recent test where you ASKED them to check all your mineral levels, because they weren't doing that.

And you sit there confused about what the deal is with the new bone bumps, and tendency toward cardiac spasms, and bone pain IS if your calcium levels are fine [currently, maybe you missed catching it on paper?]. Meanwhile potassium and vitamin d control where the calcium goes and no one bothers telling you that.

They STILL aren't regularly tracking your thyroid function the way they are supposed to be.

You finally get a cardiologist to try you on a beta-blocker which should help your heart and -unbeknownst to you- your thyroid problem... But unlike most thyroid patients, your blood pressure is chronically LOW and CRASHES regularly, so beta blockers cause PROBLEMS, and this time the problem is what feels like arterial fibrillations that are on and off for the next five days after your first dose. You stop taking it immediately and call an ambulance. The reaction has calmed down by the time they get to you, which took well over a half hour. They note your heart is skipping some beats or has delayed beats in the ambulance, but the moment you get to the hospital your name is MUD again.

That kind of reaction to a beta blocker SHOULD prompt them to at least check for Huntington's, they don't though.

Low potassium is known to cause low blood pressure and skipped heart beats as well as arrhythmia, btw.

So you get some more routine heart scans done.

The results are a slight constriction in one artery where you say you are having pain, and some arrhythmia that seem to fluctuate [change from test to test] mostly with v3. They do not tell you this.

They tell you everything is normal and fine and there's no cause for what you say you are observing or feeling. The doctor notes "patient was reassured" on your file even though you actively argued with him that time.

Meanwhile your complain was that part of your heart beat sounds off to you and you are having escalating heart pain when you try to lay on your left side. Their notes even state that some of the minor issues they are noticing "could be postural", but they've told you everything looks normal, and they don't know why you are experiencing what you say you are.

They could have just shown me the actual report and discussed what could cause these things, which might not necessarily be serious, including checking my electrolytes and just had a rational and practical discussion about it, but instead they decided on their own they had to deny there were any results at all so I wouldn't 'freak out' or something... And then lie to my face about a lack of results and basically imply I'm crazy for thinking I'm feeling or hearing anything off at all.

Eventually, taking magnesium starts to make your heart feel immediately bad and so you stop taking it and figure you caught up on the deficiency.

You continue to have chest pain for years, especially if you try to lay on your left side. You have symptoms consistent with early one sided heart failure and one half of your heart beat sounds weak, weird or sometimes absent to you, but no one will listen. They deny the reason that's the case. You still get what feels like a heart attack if you are startled.

But after a full three years or so the symptoms slowly resolve. Your heart seems to regain it's strength. You start hearing your heart beat more normally, one half of it stops vanishing entirely from your hearing. You stop having liver or kidney symptoms, you start feeling better, your blood pressure has been weirdly acceptable despite high summer heat... Your hair is growing back, and the thick skin around your eyes that was making it look like you developed severed wrinkles is going away. You've just been eating and functioning however you can in a "just for now" state for a long time dealing with a no fault eviction and being crammed into a tiny apartment with a full house of stuff with what was failing health. You've probably been stressed enough to actually suppress or run down your immune function.

They've diagnose the persistent on and off jaundice as gilbert's, and you know your immune system attacking shit would logically drive up your bilirubin levels, so you stop being so worried and think you are recovering, even if you know heart failure and kidney failure tend to be a self-worsening death spiral for most people. You reason that maybe it isn't for you because high blood pressure and low blood flow are usually the reason for that, but your blood pressure is consistently low and you don't get edema often.

And then you get GOUT, and BONE PAIN and the weird skin peeling around your eye again. And your thyroid seems to be trying to act up a little which usually indicates an autoimmune episode. And you just irritated the fuck out of your kidneys and bladder and were exposed to at least ambient corona levels again, a recipe for having your immune system attack your kidneys. The mutli-vitamin and extra phosphorus from cokey-cola certainly didn't help either way.

And you say "Not the fuck today Satan" and drink plenty of fluids and start avoiding anything that could tax your kidneys... Like too much potassium, or salt.

... So you spend the next six months or longer trying desperately to untangle this knot yourself before you start having heart attacks again or lose your kidney function completely KNOWING your doctor just dropped you as a patient and no one can be assed to help you.

I was right about the thyroid.

But the problem is that a lot of imbalances have the same symptoms in both directions. And if you can't get someone to actually test your blood, you have to go with the most natural assumptions first, like vitamin d being good for your bones, and potassium taxing your kidneys, and it being really hard to actually become potassium deficient because it's in everything in spades, etc...

But this kind of helps explain how my kidney liver and heart function all actually just recovered? [doesn't explain my immortal thyroid, but whatever]

Explains why grey hair and wrinkles and hair loss just simply reversed. [doesn't explain why I look 27 at 37 but whatever]

And of course my most noticeable and dramatic symptom this time wasn't cardiac spasms because I am not grossly magnesium deficient on top of everything this time.

I mean I still can't tolerate the iodine vitamin d, b vitamins or immune boosting qualities in a multi vitamin... But now we have that super confirmed. I can feed them to my plants.

I am PRETTY CONFIDENT I am fully understanding the problem now. And the solution.

But after being horridly sick since last summer, I just want it done with. These things take time to rebalance and recover, and the damage it's done needs to heal. My thyroid levels need to be run down over time again for the bone remodeling issue to stop and for my metabolism to chill. I need to run through the extra vitamin d. I need my immune system to calm back down.

Hopefully though, this means I know how to avoid this now. And will not accidentally make it 10 times worse trying to stop it.

Watch me get my heart health to peak performance, go in for a scan where actually nothing is wrong, and have them try to insist that is also my normal and that nothing has changed...

I've seen my record now you assholes.

Of course, my thyroid function could swing the other way, my kidney function could dip in some random way again [like with ketones or blood gasses or whatever it does], and I could over-do the potassium, and THAT would have pretty much the same fucking symptoms... So someone to run some blood tests would still fucking prevent problems now wouldn't it?

But I am more equipped to deal with all this than I was even a month ago.

If I find out it's a known issue that people with autism and POTS are understood to have chronically low potassium levels I might become the joker.

[ahedderick]

Checkup

I'm going to have some bloodwork done this week, so I stopped taking any vitamin or mineral supplements around Christmas time . . so they can get a good 'baseline' value. But I am very, very much looking forward to taking them again. No matter WHAT I eat this time of year (I am so good about fruits and veg!) I need a bit extra in the way of vitamins. D, B, whatever. Finding out that adhd folks may be prone to needing higher levels of B vitamins (we use more of it? We don't process it from food as well? Don't know.) was one of the really, really helpful "Tumblr-anecdotes I read and looked up more info on later." Seriously. If you don't take posts at face value, but do further research and check with your own doctor about stuff, you can learn SO MUCH from Tumblr.

On that note. Want to hear a c-r-a-z-y story about perimenopause? This might save some 40ish cis woman some trouble, and may simply be of interest to trans folks.

One day in October of the year I was 41, I woke up a different person. I mean I literally went to bed as myself and woke up feeling completely different. Over the next two weeks I barely slept more than a few hours a night and barely ate; had no appetite whatsoever. I kept up with mom duties and farm duties, but spent all my alone-time with my head in a fog.

Over the next few months I considered asking for medical help, but I didn't quite know what to TELL my Dr (a grumpy but reasonable old guy). I couldn't quite describe my experience on words, except to say I felt like a different person. Gradually I began to fell much, much more energetic. My strength increased bizarrely, even with no more than my usual farm exercise. LOVED that! The acne, moustache and chin whiskers were unwelcome. The mental fog was distressing, but my kids were only in third grade and kindergarten respectively, and my father was still completely independent - so I didn't NEED to be all that mentally sharp to keep up with what I needed to. You may be wanting to smack me upside the head by now, but it wasn't until I started growing black, wiry chest hair that I FINALLY figured it out.

My system had stopped estrogening and started androgening. Completely at random. I am, I must stress, a cis-woman, always felt female, and had 5 pregnancies with two live children. The very sudden onset of it is what made me feel so mentally disoriented at the beginning.

By the time I figured it out, months after it began, I could already feel the effects starting to wane. There were no real health effects that I needed to see a Dr about, and I wasn't sure I wanted to go to the trouble of trying to get him to understand what happened. I've never met another woman who talked about having this experience - but we often don't talk about perimenopause. I had read BOOKS about menopause issues, and this wasn't in them! Since hormone disruption is foundational to perimenopause, I'd bet money that SOMEONE else has had this happen. If you're nearing that age, it might happen to you - and it isn't the end of the world.

[captainnameless]

In reply to your post about what vitamins to take - take vitamin C every day. I usually do 1000mg a day. And then double it when your sick or alternatively when your sick take an immune support or booster vitamin. I’ve been taking vitamin c for years and when I get sick it’s not nearly as bad as my family members who don’t take it.

i take vit c everyday! it’s in a doctor prescribed vitamin boost that has b, c and d (amongst other things) i’ll ask about maybe taking a separate pill that’s just C? for the extra boost maybe?

that’s just what’s confusing to me, i take so much precaution and make sure to eat my fruits and veggies and take my supplements whereas my friends/family don’t take shit and are rarely sick.

[cemetary-shifts]

thinking about early on into my chronic illness journey when i got my blood drawn and they said i had low vitamin D and put all my symptoms on that and then MONTHS later when i went back to the doctor cuz i was taking supplements and i was just getting worse there was a med student there and he asked me if i had any abnormalities in my labs and i said i had low vitamin d and he just said "oh, basically everyone has a bit of low vitamin D, we're in the midwest" and i just sat there like. That surely would've been nice to know MONTHS BACK

[pucket]

transition bullshit day 40

1 month 1 week and a couple days on testosterone and im having my first fucky period lol. it's the second period i've had on t, but it's DEFINITELY lighter than usual (nice! happy abt that!) but i'm having this near consistent light cramping that's discomforting. my main problem has been the horrible, horrible fucking fatigue. nothing really concerning with this period, it's just annoying and uncomfortable and it's making me really sluggish. the overcast weather recently hasn't helped.

besides that, i think my face is squaring up slightly, but i haven't had an increase in hair anywhere. feels like my upper arms are bulking up a tiny bit. nothing major rly. i feel like my voice has lowered a tiny bit? slight voice cracks here and there, mostly when i laugh.

my mental health has been shit but whatever i've been going through has hit me in a different way. i feel like i am ruminating on a lot of upsetting shit i've been through but there's more frustration than usual. i feel much more like a fuse that's constantly lit. if it weren't for the devastating amount of fatigue i'm feeling, i would be working out practically every day to cope with the need to implode on myself, but i have constantly had less spoons. hormonal changes like basically a second puberty will do that to you. i'm really hoping i get an increase of energy soon because i'm doing everything else. i'm eating (i have to or my stomach will throw a fit), i'm sleeping, i am biking, i take iron, vitamin D and vitamin C supplements. i'm pretty sure it's just the fact that i'm basically going through a pseudo menopause and second puberty while getting used to upping how much i eat. that'll give you some enormous fatigue.

(if you're actually reading this, i am not asking for advice, please don't add any. i'd appreciate only talking to my doctor about this and finding solutions on my own time. i am just complaining! i need to do that sometimes.)

[nokingsonlyfooles]

That's NOT My Name

So the phone rings. 1st Canadian Medical Centre. WTF? "Is this Lee Erik?"

But it's CLOSE, so, because I'm a people pleaser, I help the receptionist out instead of hanging up. My family doctor wants a "follow up." Haaaaa, yeah. I thought I was done with doctors until March, but this guy gets CCed on everything and he'd like to straighten me out after the gynecologist ignored me and dismissed all my symptoms as somebody else's problem.

Let me put it this way. My last "follow up" went like this. *ring ring* "Lee..." rusting paper "[my actual last name]?"

"Yes." No point in correcting him, he never remembers.

"What do you need?"

"You told me to make this appointment. What do YOU need?"

*a pause, during which I hear more paper noises and clicking computer noises* "Did you have bloodwork done?"

"Yes. Several times."

*cursory discussion of what sounds like older results* "What supplements are you taking?"

"Vitamin D, calcium and magnesium." High latitude, winter months, I will take Vitamin D, not everything else he wants me to take.

"Are you taking sea kelp?"

"No.*"

*see article, "too much iodine can cause your thyroid to malfunction" and the endocrinologist told me not to take it.

"I really want you to take that. It has trace minerals." No mention of the iodine.

*tightly* "'Kay."

*click*

*to the spouse* "He's low-key trying to kill me."

And THIS time, the guy wants me to come into the clinic and wait in the loud, bright waiting room for... one assumes, basically the same "treatment." One time, they called up someone else with a similar name, gave them my appointment, and started closing the office while I was still there, after a four hour wait. Ha-ha-ha, and now I have issues with light tolerance due to the eye surgery. This is gonna be FUN.

I kinda want to show up drunk and/or wasted and try to get him to fire me, but I suppose if I make a scene that'll go on my record and impact my Canadian healthcare from now unto eternity, so that's not an option. I'm gonna have a rough week waiting for this stupid, unnecessary trauma to be inflicted, wondering if he'll mess with my meds or do something else that causes real harm, or if he'll just insult me and let me go... The latter is probably the best I can hope for. Maybe I'll see if I can wring another referral out of him, but I don't know if my spouse and I will have the strength. We had other things we wanted to focus this energy on!!

[dolleminas]

hi, my doctor has given me a tentative diagnosis of pcos and the only info I can find about it online that doesn't relate to getting pregnant is your Tumblr post. do you have any sources for the stuff about fatigue, vitamin D deficiency, etc being super common in pcos? cos I've dealt with those forever too. things are clicking into place but also with the way the NHS is I don't know if there's much point confirming the diagnosis (it's only diagnosed with transvaginal ultrasound :c) because the only treatment offered seems to be birth control and fertility treatment.

Good afternoon, nonny. Thanks for reaching out to me! And congratulations on getting a (albeit tentative) diagnosis. I know it might not seem positive, but now you know what you have and what can be done about it. At least, that is how I felt.

When I first made that post I never expected so many women to add their own experiences, talk of their their shock, their anger... or just admit that they had been diagnosed for years but that I somehow taught them things they never knew.

It's been an experience and a half. But I'm very glad that I can spread information and if that helps you, even better.

First of all, to diagnose PCOS, you need to fit 2/3 criteria of the Rotterdam concensus. Irregular periods, higher testosterone, and 12 or more follicles on your ovaries each. So, even without a hormone test you can usually tell whether someone has PCOS. Even so, I would still recommend asking for a hormone test if your health insurance covers it.

Sources

I tried looking up an English source for you since you mentioned NHS. Do keep in mind that women's healthcare is really not researched well and that there will be sources and information that will contradict one another. Here is one such article about the Rotterdam concensus.

As you can see they also mention the insulin resistance in this article, IBS, and fatigue, among other things.

Here is another one.

Here is some information about Insulin resistance in women with PCOS.

And here is some about depression.

You specifically asked for vitamin D so here is a study.

And another.

And one about fatigue.

I will however stress that these are all scientific sources and we all know that it can sometimes be biased, and again, not researched properly. My advice would always be to listen to women who have PCOS before listening to a medical source (no matter how professional it looks.)

My Own Experiences & Tips

I've not been diagnosed with PCOS long, but I have been quite thrown into studying it because it pissed me off interested me so much, and by researching (and reading a lot) here are some things that helped me, and I hope they can help you too.

Vitamin deficiencies are common in women with PCOS, especially Vitamin D. What I do is drink a glass of orange juice every morning with Vitamin D supplements. I take Solgar liquid vitamin drops, but depending on where you live they might have something of a different brand. Remember; take it during a meal.

Carbs make your sugar spike, so try to swap out some high-carb foods for lower carb. This way I have managed to lose weight, and this is often recommended for women with PCOS. And if you have a tendency for disordered eating, this will (generally) be easier than counting calories and going on a diet. After going low-carb my blood sugar level (which was high before) went down to regular levels and according to my doctor, I am now no longer immediately in danger of developing Diabetes Type 2.

Exercise! Especially weight-lifting, since it is mentioned it gives you more energy. Since starting myself, I have also noticed a difference. Here is a link for at home work-outs. Taking daily walks is also recommended for your exposure to sunlight and to help depression and anxiety.

Keep a diary of your symptoms. I have a word document with my own diary, so if anyone is interested I will be posting it. Just send me a message :)

Besides this, you do not need to go on birth control if you do not want to. My gynocologist said to me that once every three months you need to have your period. Women with PCOS can have a period 4 times a year, and that is enough! If you get your period less, then you can take progesteron pills for 7 days, and it will start your period. Again; you only need to use them for 7 days. You could do this four times a year and that would be all. Then again I am not a gynocologist so do talk about this with your doctor.

Another thing is that the fatigue could also very well be a side-effect of low vitamin D, B12, and low iron. My advice would be to get tested monthly if you can, and then try to balance your vitamins and see if this improves your fatigue.

And last but no least I recommend Meals She Eats. I made a post about it before, but even if you ignore everything else that is said (they are a bit woo-woo about organic foods and sugars) they still are very informative about the menstrual cycle. If for any reason you are unable to get your hands on the book do reach out to me in my DM's and I can help you.

If there is anything else I forgot I will reblog this and add more information, and I also will request others do too! The more we learn about PCOS and our cycle, the better.

I hope you have a nice day, anon. And I apologise if it took me a while to get to this ask!

[pcos-and-endo-awareness]

I've had so many pelvic ultrasounds (almost one a year for the past 15 years) due to my pelvic pain and period symptoms over the years and the only thing that ever shows up is an occasional cyst.

My doctor recommended against a laparoscopy because there has never been anything to imply endometriosis.

I am not sure if it would change anything if it turns out I have it but in a way that doesn't show up on ultrasounds.

Any recommendations for what to ask my doctor next? What to research? I feel so powerless because the best I've managed in 15 years on any given birth control is about 6 months of feeling better before it takes a sharp nose dive again, and I get pretty strong side effects from most birth control so swapping sucks really bad.

To be fair, it is nearly impossible to diagnose endometriosis WITHOUT surgery. Nobody ever suggested it to me, I had no idea what it even was, until the OBGYN who did my surgery said “wow that’s one of the worst cases of endometriosis I’ve ever seen.” My surgery was to remove a cyst, we had no idea my organs would be glued together with endometriosis adhesions. Laparoscopy might be necessary for you to determine if there is endometriosis. A surgery to remove the tissue will help (birth control should keep it mostly under control, but it can grow back. I’ve heard some women go periodically to get their insides scraped out.) I’d highly suggest pushing your doctor for it, maybe even finding a new doctor or specialist who will do it. This is the only thing that will remove the pain.

Honestly I so get you about the birth control. It works for a bit and then seems to wean off. Or makes you even more sick! I switched to the depo shot a few years ago and it is the LEAST amount of pain I have been in for YEARS. I personally have very little symptoms with the depo, but I know that isn’t true for everyone. I know swapping sucks but I feel like you’ll eventually find one that works well with your body specifically. I know there’s more medications to try like a cocktail: metformin, spironolactone, mounjaro, and ozempic to name a few. I haven’t tried these yet but it’s my next step! I’ve also taken lots of vitamin supplements to help with symptoms like anemia, fatigue, and inflammation. I take things like B12, fiber supplements, probiotics, and vitamin D. I really like this supplement specifically and recommend it to my friends (a bit pricey but better than buying all the supplements individually, and I only take it 2-3X a week): Herb Krave Cyster Glow Supplement - 9-in-1 Premium Myo-Inositol & D-Chiro Inositol Blend - Hormonal Balance & Healthy Ovarian Function Support for Women – 120 Veggie Capsules https://a.co/d/1uxZkUC

Have you tried pelvic floor therapy? I had a wonderful physical therapist I saw for years, who gave me tons of resources and tips and ideas. Things like a tens machine, pelvic floor yoga, mental health tools, a list of medications to try, doctor referrals, etc. I would highly recommend getting a connection like that, especially if they have endo and can really understand your pain. Even just having someone to talk to with your shared experiences and pain is such a relief. It’s so nice for someone to just listen and understand.

I’ve read many articles online (even the good ones all have opposing advice, so take it all with a grain of salt), and I’ve bought a few books (there’s tons on Amazon!). I can’t say there’s one thing that has been all correct. Even now I am still learning. Unfortunately endo is just under researched and misunderstood. These are two books I have that I’ve taken some things into consideration. There’s tons of more books I’d like to get my hands on though. If anyone has more recommendations please reblog and add to the thread!