#pre-medical test

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

A fierce duel commences!

[irregularbillcipher]

that one post that’s like “every day I get emails” but it’s also “every day I make phone calls” and “every day I make doctor’s appointments”

[densewentz]

exhausted health update because I have to rant somewhere lol

So we're ending day 12 of my mysterious right-sided numbness. It's moved from just my torso all the way down my right leg to my toes, so now I'm just hobbling around half numb rip. And now the torso numbness feels like im being vacuum sealed or something, just a horrible tightness and lack that makes it impossible to ignore. Went to the ER the other night and had 2 panic attacks within the span of the several hours I was there, got my bloodwork redone and a cat scan which all came back with a big Nothing on them. They told me I needed an MRI but that I'd have to go through my Primary Care and after I told them my primary wouldnt see me until May they referred me to a new primary not in my network so that's been a dead end rip. So far everyone is pointing at my horrific anxiety as the cause but not one doctor has actually offered me help for the anxiety despite me having the active panic attacks in the office lol. My Primary wont see me for several months despite the severity of my current condition and none of the mental health programs I've reached out to will get back to me so for now I'm just. Existing in this anxiety Ouroboros where my anxiety causes my numbness which causes anxiety which causes numbness. I'm trying stupid home remedies to try and minimize the active anxiety attacks but so far we've just been circling around alternating Holy Basil, Benadryl and literally just drinking Rum and going to sleep, which sure all help my anxiety a little maybe but also make it almost impossible for me to function normally during the day. This is making art difficult so commissions are going slow which is obviously making me more anxious lol. I also am home alone most of the week managing the household, which is made more difficult since right now the numbness in my foot/leg makes it dangerous for me to drive and difficult for me to get around my house to do daily tasks. Idk man I'm just tired as all hell and I seem to vacillate wildly between full anxiety breakdowns and depressive/dissociative episodes. At any rate during the week I'll just be constantly calling and harassing every doctor/therapist I can get a number for trying to find someone who will be able to either address my anxiety directly or can at least get me into an MRI to rule out MS or anything else that ISNT anxiety. I'm going to become the bane of the medical profession for a while. Wish me luck!

[stellernorth]

sam going vegan at stanford. no more hunting people saving things has left him with a compulsion to Do Good and Reduce Harm in his day to day life, and after traveling the midwest constantly as a kid he has some idea of what beef feedlots at least look like. he decides one way to reduce harm is to stop supporting the killing of those animals.

so he stops eating beef. it's not like he's only eating fast food still and hamburgers are the only option anyway; he eats at the stanford dining hall. there's pumpkin soup and oatmeal and a salad bar and curry and plain pasta and fruit and fries.

then he thinks about it and decides to treat this decision like a little bit of a case. so he goes to the library and researches for himself which is a weird kind of not-exactly-nostalgia. and he learns about the factory farming industry and dairy production. and he doesn't do half-measures and he's trying to be committed to his choices and beliefs so he decides there in the library that he's vegan, starting from that moment.

socially, he expects to be the odd one out anyway, he's seen that way anyway, he knows it; he can feel it. how he's a little too alert; how his casual interactions with others aren't a practiced reflex. refusing some food just seems like another small thing in the long list of reasons he's unusual to the other students, even his friends.

anyway, jess, who's been vegetarian for awhile, likes that he's vegan. she eats vegan at their house, but will have some dairy if she's out somewhere. it bothers sam a little in the back of his mind but he doesn't want to control her. and he knows their belief systems aren't exactly aligned anyway; he's always scanning for monsters.

brady makes fun of him a little once or twice, playful, friendly. then after sophmore year's thanksgiving break he makes a few more comments that are a bit more cruel.

although dean made sure sam never was hungry for long as a kid, this new mentality that the food selection in many places is now limited for sam comes pretty easily. the sparse vegan options in the stanford dining hall are a way more plentiful spread than the options in one of the motel rooms he grew up in.

sam does get a weird sense of simultaneous satisfaction and guilt at seeing hamburgers like he'd share with his dad and dean and knowing, more and more as the months go on, that he's not the kind of person who eats them anymore. but he feels that way about a lot of things he does at stanford.

then years later, keeping to veganism as best he can, back in the family business (he keeps reminding himself, "as far as possible and practical"), he meets ruby. for the most part, he keeps his own personal definition of veganism and decides about eating things like honey on his own terms, rather than by what others seem to think. but he does remember dryly, as his mouth is metallic with ruby's blood, that human products are accepted as vegan if given consensually. later he thinks somehow maybe it's vegan for her to give it but not for him to take; maybe he is the animal harmed in the interaction.

time goes on and he's more wary than ever of being poisoned possesed altered he wants his body to be his own. this becomes another reason to be vegan, not consuming other beings into his body so it remains his.

[divinekangaroo]

they’ve tested me for syphilis like 15 times during this pregnancy

[jennifersbod]

procrastinating this genetic test because what if i simply don’t want to know

[applecherry108]

Eughhh… 😬

I think I just encountered one of those middle schoolers operating at a fourth grade level that tiktok teachers have been talking about.

[artemisiatridentata]

been waiting to hear back for a while on genetic testing I got done to see if I have the same extremely rare genetic disorder that killed my grandpa earlier this year, and finally found out yesterday that I do indeed have it. yippee or whatever 👍

[emsloe]

Women gain strength at the same relative rate as men with proper resistance training. Testosterone does increase a person's baseline amount of muscle, but at a high level of training women are still about 70% as strong as men. In fact, a woman broke a few all-gender world records in powerlifting for her weight class (she was definitely roiding, but then again, we can generally assume all the men there do too. Make of it what you will).

Anecdotally, before I started medically transitioning, back when I was presumably biologically indistinguishable from a cis woman, it only took a couple years of proper strength training to go from "weaker than average by female standards" to "regularly out-lifting men at my local gym despite being much smaller than them." This was after I switched from machines/high-rep hand weights/bodyweight exercises (which do basically nothing by themselves) to heavy compound barbell lifts.

Nowadays, when I go to a busy gym, I frequently see men training for strength and size, and women doing the fairly ineffectual lighter weight exercises. And that's only looking at people who actually made it to the gym--there are always more men than women there. So yeah, I think the "gendered strength gap" is mostly socially engineered.

“If a society puts half its children into short skirts and warns them not to move in ways that reveal their panties, while putting the other half into jeans and overalls and encouraging them to climb trees, play ball, and participate in other vigorous outdoor games; if later, during adolescence, the children who have been wearing trousers are urged to “eat like growing boys,” while the children in skirts are warned to watch their weight and not get fat; if the half in jeans runs around in sneakers or boots, while the half in skirts totters about on spike heels, then these two groups of people will be biologically as well as socially different. Their muscles will be different, as will their reflexes, posture, arms, legs and feet, hand-eye coordination, and so on. Similarly, people who spend eight hours a day in an office working at a typewriter or a visual display terminal will be biologically different from those who work on construction jobs. There is no way to sort the biological and social components that produce these differences. We cannot sort nature from nurture when we confront group differences in societies in which people from different races, classes, and sexes do not have equal access to resources and power, and therefore live in different environments. Sex-typed generalizations, such as that men are heavier, taller, or stronger than women, obscure the diversity among women and among men and the extensive overlaps between them… Most women and men fall within the same range of heights, weights, and strengths, three variables that depend a great deal on how we have grown up and live. We all know that first-generation Americans, on average, are taller than their immigrant parents and that men who do physical labor, on average, are stronger than male college professors. But we forget to look for the obvious reasons for differences when confronted with assertions like ‘Men are stronger than women.’ We should be asking: ‘Which men?’ and ‘What do they do?’ There may be biologically based average differences between women and men, but these are interwoven with a host of social differences from which we cannot disentangle them.”

— Ruth Hubbard, “The Political Nature of ‘Human Nature’“ (via gothhabiba)

Yes.

[mymedicalclinicmn]

Respirator Fit Testing: Ensuring Safety and Compliance in Occupational Health

In today’s fast-paced work environments, ensuring the health and safety of employees is a top priority for businesses. One of the key components in protecting workers, especially in industries that deal with hazardous substances or environments, is the use of respirators. However, simply providing respirators isn’t enough; ensuring that they fit properly is critical for maximum protection. This is where respirator fit testing comes into play. At My Medical Clinic, we offer comprehensive on-site and in-clinic occupational healthcare services, including expert respirator fit testing for employees in the Twin Cities Metro area.

In this blog, we’ll explore what respirator fit testing is, why it’s essential, and how our services can help your business stay compliant with regulations while safeguarding the health of your workforce.

What is Respirator Fit Testing?

Respirator fit testing is a procedure used to evaluate how well a respirator fits the face of an individual. The goal is to ensure that the respirator forms a tight seal around the face, preventing harmful airborne particles, gases, or vapors from entering the wearer’s respiratory system. Fit testing is mandatory for employees who wear tight-fitting respirators as part of their job duties, as required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Types of Respirators Requiring Fit Testing

There are several types of respirators that require fit testing to ensure a proper fit, including:

N95 Respirators: Commonly used in healthcare and other settings, these respirators filter out airborne particles and are designed to protect the wearer from inhaling harmful substances.

Half-Mask Respirators: These cover the nose and mouth and are often used in industries like construction, painting, and manufacturing.

Full-Face Respirators: These cover the entire face, including the eyes, providing more comprehensive protection. They are typically used in environments with high exposure to hazardous chemicals or particles.

Two Types of Fit Testing

There are two primary types of respirator fit testing: qualitative and quantitative. Both methods are designed to assess whether a respirator fits properly, but they use different approaches.

Qualitative Fit Testing (QLFT): This is a pass/fail test that relies on the wearer’s sensory response to a test agent. Common test agents include sweet or bitter substances that the wearer can taste if the respirator does not provide an adequate seal. Qualitative fit testing is typically used for N95 and other filtering facepiece respirators.

Quantitative Fit Testing (QNFT): This method uses a machine to measure the amount of leakage into the respirator. It provides a numerical result, known as a "fit factor," which indicates how well the respirator seals. Quantitative fit testing is more commonly used for tight-fitting respirators like half-mask and full-face respirators.

At My Medical Clinic, we provide both qualitative and quantitative fit testing to meet the specific needs of your business and industry requirements.

Why is Respirator Fit Testing Important?

The effectiveness of a respirator is directly tied to its fit. A poorly fitting respirator may allow hazardous substances to enter the wearer’s respiratory system, putting them at risk of serious health issues. Here are a few reasons why respirator fit testing is crucial:

1. Ensures Worker Safety

The primary reason for fit testing is to ensure the safety of employees. In industries where workers are exposed to harmful airborne particles, chemicals, or gases, a properly fitted respirator is often the first line of defense. Respirator fit testing helps verify that each worker’s respirator fits correctly, ensuring maximum protection.

2. Compliance with OSHA Regulations

OSHA mandates that employers conduct respirator fit testing for employees who are required to wear tight-fitting respirators. Compliance with these regulations is essential for avoiding fines and penalties. Fit testing must be conducted before the respirator is used in the workplace, and it should be repeated annually, or whenever there are changes in the respirator model, facial structure, or job conditions that may affect the fit.

3. Reduces Health Risks

Workers exposed to harmful substances without proper protection are at risk of developing serious health conditions, such as respiratory diseases, lung damage, or even cancer. Proper respirator fit testing helps minimize these risks by ensuring that respirators are working as intended.

4. Increases Employee Confidence

When employees know that their safety is a priority and that they are using properly fitted respirators, it can boost morale and productivity. Workers are more likely to perform their tasks effectively when they have confidence in the protective equipment provided to them.

5. Prevents Costly Downtime

Occupational illnesses can lead to lost workdays, decreased productivity, and increased healthcare costs. By ensuring that workers are properly protected through fit testing, employers can reduce the likelihood of illnesses and keep operations running smoothly.

When Should Respirator Fit Testing Be Performed?

Respirator fit testing is not a one-time event; it needs to be performed regularly to ensure ongoing protection. Here are the key times when fit testing should be conducted:

Before Initial Use: Fit testing must be performed before an employee uses a respirator for the first time. This ensures that the respirator fits correctly from the start.

Annually: OSHA requires that fit testing be conducted at least once a year for employees who are required to wear respirators as part of their job.

When There Are Changes in the Workplace: If there are changes in workplace conditions that could affect respirator fit, such as new hazards or job duties, fit testing should be repeated.

When There Are Changes in the Respirator: If an employee switches to a different model or size of respirator, fit testing should be conducted to ensure that the new respirator fits properly.

When There Are Changes in the Employee’s Facial Structure: Changes in an employee’s facial structure, such as weight gain or loss, dental work, or facial surgery, can affect how a respirator fits. In such cases, fit testing should be repeated.

How Respirator Fit Testing Works at My Medical Clinic

At My Medical Clinic in the Twin Cities Metro area, we make the respirator fit testing process convenient and efficient for your business. We offer both on-site and in-clinic testing to meet your specific needs.

On-Site Fit Testing

For businesses with a large number of employees or those who prefer testing to be conducted at their location, we provide on-site fit testing. Our team of occupational health professionals will visit your job site, bringing all the necessary equipment to perform qualitative or quantitative fit testing. On-site testing minimizes downtime and allows your employees to get back to work quickly.

In-Clinic Fit Testing

If you prefer, your employees can come to one of our convenient clinic locations for fit testing. Our clinic staff are trained to perform both qualitative and quantitative fit tests, ensuring that your employees are properly fitted with their respirators.

What to Expect During a Fit Test

During a fit test, our experienced staff will guide your employees through the process step by step. The test will typically include the following:

Choosing the Right Respirator: We will help your employees select the appropriate respirator for their specific job duties and environment.

Performing the Fit Test: Depending on the type of fit test (qualitative or quantitative), employees will either be exposed to a test agent or have their respirator connected to a machine that measures leakage.

Evaluating the Fit: If the respirator passes the test, your employee will be ready to use it on the job. If the respirator does not pass, we will work with your employee to find a better-fitting option.

Documentation: After the fit test, we will provide documentation of the results, which can be used to demonstrate compliance with OSHA regulations.

Why Choose My Medical Clinic for Respirator Fit Testing?

At My Medical Clinic, we are dedicated to providing top-notch occupational healthcare services to businesses in the Twin Cities Metro area. Our expertise in respirator fit testing, combined with our commitment to customer service, makes us the ideal partner for your business’s health and safety needs.

Expertise and Experience

Our team of occupational health professionals has extensive experience in conducting respirator fit testing for a wide range of industries. We stay up-to-date with the latest OSHA regulations and best practices to ensure that your business remains compliant.

Flexible Services

We understand that every business has unique needs. That’s why we offer flexible options for fit testing, including both on-site and in-clinic services. We work with you to find the solution that best fits your schedule and budget.

Comprehensive Occupational Healthcare

In addition to respirator fit testing, My Medical Clinic provides a wide range of occupational healthcare services. From physical exams to drug screening, we are your one-stop shop for all your employee health needs.

Conclusion

Respirator fit testing is a critical component of workplace safety for businesses that require employees to wear respirators. Proper fit testing ensures that employees are protected from harmful airborne substances, reduces health risks, and helps businesses stay compliant with OSHA regulations. At My Medical Clinic, we provide expert on-site and in-clinic respirator fit testing services for businesses in the Twin Cities Metro area. Contact us today or visit our clinic to learn more about how we can help protect your workforce and keep your business compliant.

For more information or to schedule respirator fit testing for your employees, visit My Medical Clinic and let our experienced team take care of your occupational healthcare needs.

[townpostin]

Jamshedpur Forms Core Committee to Combat Thalassemia

DM Ananya Mittal announces initiative for awareness and blood availability East Singhbhum district has established a core committee to address the growing concern of Thalassemia and ensure timely access to medical resources for patients. JAMSHEDPUR – District Magistrate Ananya Mittal has formed a District Core Committee to raise awareness about Thalassemia and ensure blood availability for…

[1-800-dnkichu]

not related to the cadaver bit but the medical professionals dismissing medical problems until weight is lost.

back in like. 2014, i think? i was about 13-14 years old, thats all i remember. that, and i was about 250lbs at the time.

for a whole year i had this really bad pain in the upper left quadrant of my abdomen. i went to my pediatrician for it several times and she told me i must just be eating too much and feeling pain from gorging myself.

the times when the pain was so bad it hurt to breathe, i went to the hospital and they'd do an xray and tell me whatever pain i was feeling was just because i was overweight and have i tried weight loss surgery?

eventually my pediatrician sent me to a specialist for gut health (who doubled as a glorified nutritionist) and i detailed my eating habits and explained how the pain felt and where i felt it and when it acted up most often and...she asked if i had ever considered weight loss surgery.

at one point the pain was so bad i could barely move and we went back to the hospital. when we finally went back, we gave the usual spiel about how much it hurt and where and for how long and before the doctor could go about ordering an xray we told them i had already had plenty of xrays done for whatever this problem was and what if we, i dont know, might be too crazy but, what if we tried something else this time! they ordered an xray. found nothing. gave me some strong pain meds and sent me home.

after the prescription ran out, and the pain was only getting worse, i went BACK to the hospital and my mom told them we wouldnt leave until they tried something other than an xray. so they did an ultrasound. found something that didnt look quite right, so they ordered a colonoscopy and an endoscopy.

to everyones amazement, i had spent the last year or so by that point collecting an astonishing amount (i cant remember the exact number but it was over 20) ulcers throughout my esophagus, stomach, and colon. they removed them and were happy to report that the pain should be done. gave me some instructions on how to change my diet to prevent them from returning and. you guessed it. suggested weight loss surgery.

it didnt end there though! nope! they sent me back to that gut health specialist i saw before. while she went over my new diet, she brought it up once more. "you know. diet changes wont help if you stay obese like this. you thought about what i said with doing the weight loss surgery? its really simple and youll lose the weight so much faster that way!"

in the years since, i just grit my teeth and deal with my aches and pains, no matter how severe or debilitating, because im sick and fucking tired of doctors seeing my weight before they bother even trying to look into whatever is ailing me. even if it ends up just being my weight thats the problem. i get that a lot of issues probably stem from being overweight or obese. i get that losing weight would fast track a lot of my problems into practically nothing. i get that the heavier a person is, the more risky it is for them to go under anesthesia. but i have my reasons for not wanting to have weight loss surgery and im exhausted by every trip i take to the doctor or the hospital when they end every appointment with "you know you could get that weight off easy-peasy if you just-"

Hey did you know that you can’t escape fatphobia even after death? The article talks about how these donated bodies are used for first year anatomy students to study the body, and how the 'perfect' body for that should be 170-180 pounds.

[thoughtportal]

Opinion Here’s how to get free Paxlovid as many times as you need it

When the public health emergency around covid-19 ended, vaccines and treatments became commercial products, meaning companies could charge for them as they do other pharmaceuticals. Paxlovid, the highly effective antiviral pill that can prevent covid from becoming severe, now has a list price of nearly $1,400 for a five-day treatment course.

Thanks to an innovative agreement between the Biden administration and the drug’s manufacturer, Pfizer, Americans can still access the medication free or at very low cost through a program called Paxcess. The problem is that too few people — including pharmacists — are aware of it.

I learned of Paxcess only after readers wrote that pharmacies were charging them hundreds of dollars — or even the full list price — to fill their Paxlovid prescription. This shouldn’t be happening. A representative from Pfizer, which runs the program, explained to me that patients on Medicare and Medicaid or who are uninsured should get free Paxlovid. They need to sign up by going to paxlovid.iassist.com or by calling 877-219-7225. “We wanted to make enrollment as easy and as quick as possible,” the representative said.

Indeed, the process is straightforward. I clicked through the web form myself, and there are only three sets of information required. Patients first enter their name, date of birth and address. They then input their prescriber’s name and address and select their insurance type.

All this should take less than five minutes and can be done at home or at the pharmacy. A physician or pharmacist can fill it out on behalf of the patient, too. Importantly, this form does not ask for medical history, proof of a positive coronavirus test, income verification, citizenship status or other potentially sensitive and time-consuming information.

But there is one key requirement people need to be aware of: Patients must have a prescription for Paxlovid to start the enrollment process. It is not possible to pre-enroll. (Though, in a sense, people on Medicare or Medicaid are already pre-enrolled.)

Once the questionnaire is complete, the website generates a voucher within seconds. People can print it or email it themselves, and then they can exchange it for a free course of Paxlovid at most pharmacies.

Pfizer’s representative tells me that more than 57,000 pharmacies are contracted to participate in this program, including major chain drugstores such as CVS and Walgreens and large retail chains such as Walmart, Kroger and Costco. For those unable to go in person, a mail-order option is available, too.

The program works a little differently for patients with commercial insurance. Some insurance plans already cover Paxlovid without a co-pay. Anyone who is told there will be a charge should sign up for Paxcess, which would further bring down their co-pay and might even cover the entire cost.

Several readers have attested that Paxcess’s process was fast and seamless. I was also glad to learn that there is basically no limit to the number of times someone could use it. A person who contracts the coronavirus three times in a year could access Paxlovid free or at low cost each time.

Unfortunately, readers informed me of one major glitch: Though the Paxcess voucher is honored when presented, some pharmacies are not offering the program proactively. As a result, many patients are still being charged high co-pays even if they could have gotten the medication at no cost.

This is incredibly frustrating. However, after interviewing multiple people involved in the process, including representatives of major pharmacy chains and Biden administration officials, I believe everyone is sincere in trying to make things right. As we saw in the early days of the coronavirus vaccine rollout, it’s hard to get a new program off the ground. Policies that look good on paper run into multiple barriers during implementation.

Those involved are actively identifying and addressing these problems. For instance, a Walgreens representative explained to me that in addition to educating pharmacists and pharmacy techs about the program, the company learned it also had to make system changes to account for a different workflow. Normally, when pharmacists process a prescription, they inform patients of the co-pay and dispense the medication. But with Paxlovid, the system needs to stop them if there is a co-pay, so they can prompt patients to sign up for Paxcess.

Here is where patients and consumers must take a proactive role. That might not feel fair; after all, if someone is ill, people expect that the system will work to help them. But that’s not our reality. While pharmacies work to fix their system glitches, patients need to be their own best advocates. That means signing up for Paxcess as soon as they receive a Paxlovid prescription and helping spread the word so that others can get the antiviral at little or no cost, too.

{source}

[frontropharma]

Bridging Discovery to Delivery: Frontro Pharma's Expertise in Preclinical Studies

At Frontro Pharma, we specialize in facilitating the journey from groundbreaking scientific discovery to life-saving treatments through meticulous preclinical studies. Our dedicated team of research scientists boasts extensive experience across various therapeutic areas, ensuring that your drug development pathway benefits from tailored, high-quality preclinical data. By employing advanced in vitro and in vivo models, we provide detailed insights that enable informed decisions crucial to advancing your drug candidates into clinical development.

[harmonyunitedgainesville]

Mental Health Services For Adults in Altamonte Springs, Florida | Psychiatric Medication Management Near Me in Altamonte Springs, FL

Mental Health Services For Adults in Altamonte Springs, Florida | Psychiatric Medication Management Near Me in Altamonte Springs, FL. Harmony United Psychiatric Care is a full-service mental health outpatient clinic that provides a range of services to individuals with mental health, substance abuse, and other cognitive disabilities. The clinic offers medication management, neuropsychological testing, online counseling, and telepsychiatry services. The clinic’s team of professionals includes psychologists and psychiatrists who specialize in treating conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, pre-surgical evaluation, memory problems, adjustment disorder, suicidal thoughts, emotional problems, and eating disorders. The clinic also offers individual therapy, substance abuse and addiction counseling, couples marriage counseling, family therapy, grief counseling, and trauma therapy. Appointments are typically available the same day or the next,and customer service is available 7 days a week from 7:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.  Visit : www.hupcfl.com Call us: +1 800 457 4573