#spinal inflammation

[longhaulerbear]

[Covid] presents with a wide range of symptoms, mainly respiratory symptoms, but with time various neurological manifestations of the disease have also been noted, like myelitis. This case report aims to shed light on COVID-19-associated myelitis so that potential neurological complications of COVID-19 can be identified and treated timely. We report a case of a 41-year-old male who presented with weakness of all limbs with urinary complaints. He also had a cough and sore throat for the past few days. The MRI scan of the spine showed long segment myelitis in the cervical cord extending from the cervicomedullary junction to the upper end of the C4 vertebral body. The MRI scan of the brain showed no abnormality. However, MRI with contrast of the whole spine showed a long segment hyperintense lesion in the cervical cord extending from the cervicomedullary junction to the upper end of the C4 vertebral body in the sagittal view in T2-weighted (T2W) images. The axial view of the cervical spinal cord showed T2 hyperintense lesions on the right side. These hyperintense lesions were not contrast-enhancing lesions. Thus, the patient was clinically suspected to be a case of para-infectious COVID-19 myelitis. He was given intravenous steroids (methylprednisolone 1 gram daily) for five days, followed by tapering dosages of oral steroids for four weeks. He started showing improvement, and after about five weeks of initiation of treatment, he could walk without support and void urine without any problem. Transverse myelitis (spinal cord inflammation) can cause symptoms such as weakness in limbs, sensory loss, urinary or bowel disturbances, and sexual dysfunction [5]. The cause of transverse myelitis can be unknown (idiopathic), associated with autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematous, anti-MOG related disease, neuromyelitis optica, or after bacterial, viral, or fungal infection, paraneoplastic syndrome, or post-vaccination. MRI scan of the spine plays a crucial role in diagnosing myelitis and demarcating the involved segments. Based on the MRI findings, myelitis can be called short segment myelitis (when the length of T2 hyperintense lesions in sagittal MRI images is less than three vertebral segments) or longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM), when the lesions are equal to or more than three vertebral segments long Corticosteroids serve as the first line of treatment for COVID-19 myelitis [16]. However, if the patient does not improve, intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) or plasmapheresis can be helpful. Myelitis is a rare but important neurological manifestation of COVID-19. The clinical picture, CSF analysis, serological analysis, and radiological investigations such as MRI of the spine help to rule out the differential diagnoses. Corticosteroids serve as the mainstay of treatment. It is essential to understand that COVID-19 myelitis if identified quickly and managed without delay can result in a better prognosis in patients.

[traaansfem]

My E-niversary is later today!! Yay!! Yippie!!!!

I'm glad to have made so much progress and found so much more joy and happiness and community!

Unfortunately I'm probably not going to make it to my next one due to chronic health issues that look like they'll be taking a turn for the fatal or worse over the next month if I don't get the medication I need for that, but I'm not going to stress about it. If I survive, I'll have a massive breakdown about it later, but for now, I'm a happy little kitty!

Love all my frens <3

[narutomaki]

undiagnosing myself with everything actually all I have is Cool Guy syndrome 😎

[crimeronan]

multi-day migraine kitkat laying sadly in bed avoiding going to the ER until the last possible second bc it's too bright there while their partners monitor them for signs of stroke. what crimes will they commit

[consolecadet]

This thing where we get multiple days of intermittent snow/sleet/rain is not doing my joints and old injuries any favors

[bpdshan]

(medical updates, tw: drugs)

[anftherapy]

Spinal stenosis occurs when the gaps between the vertebrae narrow, compressing the spinal canal and putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots. 😣 This can lead to pain, weakness, or numbness, particularly in the legs and feet.

���� If you're interested in learning more about spinal health and related conditions, visit ANF Academy today! 📚✨

[jpspinecenter]

When it comes to addressing chronic pain and inflammation, spinal injections offer a highly effective solution. Let’s explore how this treatment works to bring relief and improve quality of life.

[backpainsolution]

What is Back Pain?

Back pain is a common problem that affects millions of people worldwide. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including poor posture, muscle strain, injury, or medical conditions. Back pain can range from mild discomfort to debilitating pain that affects a person's daily life.

The back is a complex structure made up of bones, muscles, ligaments, and nerves that work together to support the body and allow movement. When any of these components are compromised, it can result in back pain. Some of the most common causes of back pain include:

Poor posture: Sitting or standing in a slouched position for extended periods of time can strain the muscles and ligaments in the back.

Muscle strain: Lifting heavy objects, sudden movements, or overuse can cause strain or injury to the muscles in the back.

Disc problems: Herniated or bulging discs can put pressure on nerves in the back and cause pain.

Arthritis: Osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis can cause inflammation and pain in the joints of the back.

Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions such as fibromyalgia, scoliosis, or spinal stenosis can cause chronic back pain.

Treatment for back pain may include rest, physical therapy, medication, or surgery, depending on the cause and severity of the pain. In addition, lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy weight, practicing good posture, and getting regular exercise can help prevent and manage back pain.

Yoga has become a popular method for managing and reducing back pain, as it offers a gentle and low-impact form of exercise that can help alleviate tension in the muscles of the back, while also promoting relaxation and reducing stress. There are several specific yoga poses that can be particularly helpful for those #mobility#anklemobility#calfworkout#calvesworkout#calves#shinsplints#mobilitytraining#mobilitywod#mobilityexercises#stretch#stretches#stretching#stretchingexercises#stretchingroutine#statenisland#newyorkcity#loumystretchandgrowth#stretchandgrow#movementismedicine#movementculture#movementheals#movementismedicine#workoutathome#hamstringstretch#prehab#rehab#legstretch

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Poison

References (Forms, Actions & Examples of Poison; Route of Administration; Some Symptoms; What to do if a Poisoning Happens)

400 years back, Paracelsus stated that, “All substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison.”

If the right dose is taken, it could become a remedy, otherwise poisonous.

Poison - a substance which when administered, inhaled or swallowed by living organism causes ill effects on the body. It is defined also as a medicine in a toxic dose. Toxic substance may be solid, liquid, gas or any environmental agent.

Forms of Poison

Physical form: Gaseous/volatile/vaporous forms of poisons act faster than liquid poisons as they are quickly absorbed. Similarly, liquid poisons act faster than solid poisons. Gaseous or volatile > liquid > solid. For solid poisons, powdered poisons act quickly than the lumps. For example, there are certain seeds that escape the gastrointestinal tract as they are solid, but when crushed, they can be fatal. For solids: powdered > lumps

Chemical form: Few substances like mercury or arsenic are not poisonous as they are insoluble and cannot be absorbed when they are in combination with other substances like mercuric chloride, arsenic oxide, etc. In other cases, the action is vice versa. For example, there are some substances that become inert in combination with silver nitrate and hydrochloric acid and are deadly and poisonous when present in pure forms.

Mechanical combination: The effect of poisons is significantly altered when they are combined with inert substances.

Action of Poisons

Local action: Direct action on the affected site of the body. Examples include irritation and inflammation in strong mineral acids and alkalis, congestion and inflammation by irritants, the effect on motor and sensory nerves, etc.

Remote action: Affects the person due to absorption of that poison into the system of that person. For example, alcohol is absorbed in the system and then it affects the person.

Local and remote actions: Some poisons can affect both local and remote organs. Thus, they not only affect the area with contact to the poison but also cause toxic effect after absorption into the system.

General action: The absorbed poison affects more than one system of the body, for example, mercury, arsenic, etc.

Route of Administration

The route of administration is the path through which a drug, toxin, or poison is taken or administered into the body of a person which is distinguished by the location where any drug is applied. It is mostly classified on the basis of its target:

Topical—has a local effect

Enteral—has a wide effect, i.e., affect the whole system

Parental—follows a systemic action

Poisons are given or taken so that death can occur at once by shock due to stoppage of body’s vital systems.

Route of administration plays a very important role in determination of death by poison as time in which death occurs are fastest in inhaled poisons, relatively slow in injected and lastly when ingested orally.

Some Symptoms

Sore throat

Trouble breathing

Drowsiness, irritability, or jumpiness

Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain without fever

Lip or mouth burns or blisters

Unusual drooling

Strange odors on breath

Unusual stains on clothing

Seizures or unconsciousness

Examples

Poisons Based on Mode of Action

1. Corrosive poisons

Strong Acid - sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid

Strong Base - sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammoniumhydroxide

2. Irritant poisons

(a) Inorganic:

Metallic - lead, arsenic, mercury, antimony, copper, zinc

Non-metallic - chlorine, bromine, iodine

(b) Organic:

Vegetable - croton oil, castor oil

Animal - snake venom, scorpion venom, spider venom

(c) Mechanical: powder glass, diamond dust

3. Neurotic poisons

Cerebral - alcohol, opium, barbiturates, benzodiazepines

Spinal - strychnine

Peripheral - curare

4. Cardiac poisons

5. Asphyxiants - CO2, CO

Poisons Based on Medicolegal Classification

Homicidal poisons - aconite, abrus precatorius, strychnos nux vomica

Suicidal poisons - opium, barbiturate, organophosphorous, organochloro compounds

Accidental poisons - snake bite, CO, dhatura's seeds as it resembles capsicum seeds

Abortifacient poisons - quinine, calotropis

Stupefying agents - dhatura, chloral hydrate

Agents used to cause body injury - corrosive acids

Cattle poison - abrus precatorius, calotropis

Used for malingering - semicarpus anacardium

Poisons Based on Toxico-analytical Classification

1. Gaseous poisons: methanol, ethanol, benzene, toluene, acetone

2. Volatile substances: ethane, butane

3. Organic Non-volatile substances:

Drugs - opiates and synthetic narcotics, sedatives and hypnotics, stimulants, depressants

Pesticides - insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, rodenticides, nematocides

4. Metallic poisons: arsenic, lead, mercury, antimony, zinc, copper

5. Anion poisons: bromide, cyanide, fluoride, hypochlorite, nitrate, phosphate, sulfide, sulfate

Poisons Based on Physical State

1. Solid: lead, arsenic, mercury

2. Liquid:

Organic - ethanol, methanol, chloroform, acetone

Inorganic - liquid ammonia, liquid sulfur dioxide

3. Gaseous: carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide

Poisonous Fumes or Gases

In the home, poisonous fumes can be emitted from the following sources:

A car running in a closed garage

Leaky gas vents

Wood, coal, or kerosene stoves that are not working properly

Mixing bleach and ammonia together while cleaning, which makes chloramine gas

Strong fumes from other cleaners and solvents

Common Household Products

Oily hydrocarbon products are thin and slippery and can easily suffocate if the substances are drawn into the lungs when ingested. The products can cause chemical pneumonia by coating the inside of the lungs. Products that are required to have a safety lid include:

Baby oils

Sunscreens

Nail enamel dryers

Hair oils

Bath, body, and massage oils

Makeup removers

Some automotive chemicals (gasoline additives, fuel injection cleaners, and carburetor cleaners)

Cleaning solvents (wood oil cleaners, metal cleaners, spot removers, and adhesive removers)

Some water repellents containing mineral spirits used for decks, shoes, and sports equipment

General-use household oil

Gun-cleaning solvents containing kerosene

Oil products that are thicker and more "syrupy" are not as problematic, since they are not as easily inhaled into the lungs.

What to do if a poisoning happens

Swallowed poisons

Stay calm, act quickly, and follow these guidelines:

Get the poison away

If the substance is still in the mouth, make them spit it out or remove it with your fingers (keep this along with any other evidence of what was swallowed)

Do not make them vomit

Do not follow instructions on packaging regarding poisoning because these are often outdated. Instead, call Poison Help to get connected to a local poison center.

Take or send the poison container with you to help the healthcare provider find out what was swallowed.

Poisons on the skin

If someone spills a chemical on his or her body, remove his or her clothes and rinse the skin with lukewarm—not hot—water.

If the area shows signs of being burned, continue rinsing for at least 15 minutes, no matter how much they may protest.

Then call the poison control center for further advice.

Do not use ointments or grease.

Poison in the eye

Flush the eye by holding the eyelid open and pouring a steady stream of lukewarm—not hot—water into the inner corner of the eye.

If this is a child, you may need help from another adult to hold the child while you rinse the eye.

Continue flushing the eye for 15 minutes, and call the poison control center for further instructions.

Do not use an eyecup, eyedrops, or ointment unless the poison center tells you to do so.

Poisonous fumes or gases

If someone breathes in fumes or gases, get him or her into fresh air right away.

If they are breathing without a problem, call the poison center for further instructions.

If they are having difficulty breathing, call 911 or your local emergency service (EMS).

If they have stopped breathing, start CPR and do not stop until they breathe on their own or someone else can take over.

If you can, have someone call 911 right away.

If you are alone, perform CPR for 2 minutes and then call 911.

Be prepared for a poisoning emergency by posting the poison center telephone number by every telephone in your home.

Sources: 1 2 3 ⚜ Writing Notes & References

Writing Notes: Fictional Poisons

[bloodyjuls-blog]

Im gonna fight for both of us

P4

So here we go with part 4, sorry it takes me too long but I'm working and hate work haha...

When Alexia entered the hospital she had no idea what she would find there, in one hand, she could find y/n awake but with some tiny injuries (it was what she wished) but what she found was a nurse informing her that they needed someone to give consent to perform an emergency surgery because y/n's accident is a serious life threatening emergency and Alexia knew well, the only person who could do that was your sister, she had the obligation to call her and inform her, she didn't bother to call your parents because she knew that you were not the most beloved daughter in that family, moreover, she knew that they wouldn't even miss you if you died, because she heard many conversations with them in which they clearly told you that you were a failure.

While Lilah, your sister, gave the authorization over the phone, the doctors explained to Alexia what had happened to y/n. First, when they arrived at the hospital y/n went into cardiac arrest due to the impact, then doing a general sweep they found cervical and spinal injuries that compromise her mobility, hence the emergency surgery. What worries them the most is the injury of her brain, apparently it has a severe inflammation and they are concerned that when she wakes up (if she does) she will have compromised her cognitive functions such as speaking, moving, remembering things, most likely she will have memory loss.

When her sister arrived at the hospital she was furious, how was it possible that y/n was drinking again and doing these things as irresponsible. Alexia got angry and said a few things to her.

"Look, I don't think that looking for blames is the solution, what I think is that we should support each other without blaming in favor of y/n not dying, because I swear that if she dies I am going with her, you don't understand the things she was going through, and being honest neither did I, and if looking for blames then blame me because I was the one insisting" Alexia said. "Insist on what, what did you say Alexia" says y/n's sister "I insisted so much on the idea of starting a family, having children, that without those things I couldn't continue with her, that all this time was lost, but I swear it's not like that, it hurts me a lot to know that probably the only thing she heard from me was that while she's always being the loveliest person she is told me that for her the family was me and she didn't need children while she was with me, you don't know how much I regret it." Says Alexia crying and Lilah just approached and hugged her. At the end of the day their relationship is very close. "Ale calm down a little and come let's sit down, I think I understand why y/n is like this with the family thing and maybe when y/n wakes up it will kill me because it's something she didn't want you to know" lilah says calmly. They settled into the waiting room chairs.

"Since she was very little, my sister has always been the black sheep, the daughter that nobody wanted, the girl that when she had the opportunity to left home she did and never came back, you know Alexia when my sister left I was very sad but as an older sister I always saw the mistreatment and never said anything, she stopped going to so many events, so many Christmas reunions, so many birthdays or things like that because she simply knew that they didn't want her, they didn't show it love of support, the only thing that accompanied her in her gray days and well not so gray, was her bottle of whiskey, what can you ask from a teenager who has social pressure for what she does and no support or family that can tuck her in and tell her that everything will be okay" says the sister between soft tears. "I didn't know that, I thought that since she was also getting along with you..." Ale said remembering the phone calls from your parents.

"Of course Ale, you more than anyone knows that she is not one of those people who scream her problems and plead for help, she didn't want you to see her as something weird, that's why she gets along so well with your family, she found love in you, to feel loved, tucked in by someone, valued, no matter what and luckily your family is just like you, if you see the relationship my parents have with me and have with her you would surely get angry because you and I know what is y/n and how important it is to have her in our lives, Ale I'm not going to lie to you, a while ago I also thought that my sister wanted to be a mother because you know mate, look at how she treats the children, they have a very special relationship, very nice, she is a pure soul, but all her life she has seen examples of how not to be parents, how my mother ignored her and her things, Alexia the fact that my parents are not here is not new, when that 17 year old girl in her peak career broke her cruciate ligament, nobody was there for her, not even to give her a bottle of water, and because of that and more things is that y/n is super strong and every thing she sets in her mind to do she achieves it. For many years it was just her against the world and she has lived many blows without saying a word, so if she gets out of here you will understand that it will be very difficult, she will need a lot of support because according to what I have been told, her injuries are serious, probably the only thing that keeps her alive is football and she won't can do that anymore" says Lilah calmer. "I swear Lilah when y/n gets out of here things will be different, I would have liked to have this same talk but with her and avoid this bump in our road but life gives some people a lot and others very little, I swear I will be in her way as long as she lets me, that girl deserves nothing but good things and I believe that all the people she has given her love have let her down in a certain way, but just like you, I also want to do well, did you know that at home I have the ring to propose to her? I swear that without it I can't live" says Alexia more calm and confident. "I'm glad to hear that Ale, you two do each other good, please don't lose that, you're all would be miserable for life and that's not what you're all deserve." Lilah said as she gave Alexia a hug.

Hours later

"Relatives of y/n y/l" says the receptionist on the OR floor. "We are" say Lilah and Alexia at the same time. "The doctor is cleaning up but he's on his way here to report his relative" says the girl stoically. "Thank you very much" they both say in unison.

Once in the study room with the doctor....

"Well, I must say that it was a very complicated surgery because we found internal injuries that we couldn't see in the x-ray and that compromised her health, I am not lying when I say that she went into cardiac arrest at least three times and that worries us a lot because it means that her heart is weak. About her cervical injuries I am afraid that only when she wakes up we will be able to know if she has sensitivity in her legs and if she will be able to walk again, but I must admit that because of the blows her spinal cord has been affected, I want to be very realistic with you, if we manage to have a satisfactory recovery it will be very difficult for her to return to her profession, because the high impact can cause definitive injuries, now my colleagues are monitoring her brain signals because in the resonance we saw very few but we can guarantee that there is no brain death, but any sequels will be determined once she wakes up, at the moment she is not in coma but she was not awake either, we have implemented a method of sedation a little strong but I insist she is not in coma, so now later when the entrance to her relatives is authorized you're all can talk to her, in this state she can listen hope so. Of course, the view that you are going to find is very strong, because she is connected to many tubes and intravenous lines, also her external injuries are a little strong and her foot has an external fixator because there was a fracture of the tibia and fibula". Says the doctor super calm but forceful.

"thank you very much doctor, the fact that she is still alive is because of your effort, let's hope that the evolution is positive, sure it is" says Lilah calm and Alexia super scared because she doesn't understand anything. "Well Ale, y/n is not well and there are strong changes coming in her life and the only thing we have left to do is be by her side to make it as bearable as possible, I am not so much worried about her physical injuries but mental then we must make sure that when she gets out of here she gets psychological attention, and have faith that she will get out of this because she is a super strong person, she always has been and this will be just a very fat bump for her, are you ready to see her" Lilah says optimistic. "I don't know, I just know that if I will always be even if she doesn't want me to, it will be hard for me to see her like this but that's okay" Alexia says forcefully. Alexia's phone starts ringing, it's Ana and Leah on joint call.

"Hi girls."

"Hi Alexia, what happened to y/n, did you find her" says Ana worried.

"Girls, y/n was involved in an accident and it's serious" says Alexia with her voice cracking remembering the anguish experienced a few hours ago.

"How???? What do you mean accident and serious????, my goodness" says Leah in dismay.

"Yes girls, apparently her car overturned at high speed on Tibidabo and her injuries are serious, she probably won't be able to play football anymore" "if you want to come I'm sure y/n would really appreciate it" says Ale sadly.

"I'm already looking at flights to Barcelona, I just can't believe it, what a downer girls, I'm so sad" says Leah in tears.

"Ale tells me which hospital you are, I'm on my way" says Ana in a hurry.

"We are in the one near Tibidabo" "now I'm sending you the location, I'm going to hang up, I'm going to go in to see my baby" and Alexia hung up.

Before entering the room Alexia calls the team managers to discuss what happened and they tell her not to worry that everything is going to be fine and that she can take all the time in the world to be with y/n.

Lilah takes Alexia's hand and asks her if she is ready to go in to which Ale nods not so sure....

When they enter the first thing they see is y/n lying on the bed with many tubes everywhere, one coming out of her mouth, IV in her arms, one in her leg and the fixator in her ankle adding the bandage on her head (because nothing can be seen from her spine but that's where her surgery was) a tube coming out of her side, Alexia's heart breaks in little pieces to see her like this, the love of her life lying on a bed fighting for her life....

"Ale, talk to her and hold her hand, so she could feel you are here, with her, while I go make some calls" "Ok" alexia says.

"Hello my love, I know that the last time I spoke to you I didn't say very nice things but I want you to know that they're not true, I was very angry with you, it is that you are a stubborn honey, why don't you tell me your things, my life you are going to be very well. You are going to recover and although everything will be very different I am going to be with your sister and you all the way, you are going to be well, healthy, strong and laughing at life as always, I am sad to see you like this, I don't like to see that you are having a bad time, I only ask you to fight and stay here with me, don't go without me, I love you so much, all the girls are worried, even Leah is coming from London later and Ana is on her way, I'm sure that when they see me they will want to tear my head off for being stubborn, and you should know that I don't mind not having children but as long as I have you, nothing happens. .. We will buy the little house on the beach that we want so much and we will be very happy my love, I cannot do without you, you are my life, you have always been my life, I love you, very much and I will not leave here and go home without you. I love you too much, you can't imagine how much..." Alexia says through tears as she comes over and gives you a little kiss on your uninjured cheek. She arranges the chair next to you and doesn't let go of your hand, trying to give you some human warmth in that cold room. And she falls asleep for a while to the sound of the monitors lulling her to sleep.

[wheelie-sick]

Nervous System Effects of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

AKA I spent hours suffering trying to find all this information and I want you to not have to do that!

Cerebrovascular

1. Stroke

"...studies have shown that stroke occurs more frequently in people with SLE than in the general population, with ischemic stroke developing in up to 20% of lupus patients..." link

2. Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

"CSVD is an umbrella term for a variety of conditions resulting from damage to small blood vessels in the brain. In most cases, CSVD is caused by the narrowing or obstruction of small blood vessels in the brain due to inflammation and/or a buildup of misfolded proteins called plaques. This chronic damage can starve brain cells of oxygen and cause internal bleeding, which in turn can damage other nearby brain cells." link

Diagnosed via a brain MRI to look for bleeding of the small blood vessels, damage to white matter, and small strokes - link

Occasionally is confused for Multiple Sclerosis - link

"Quantified MRI brain studies of individuals with lupus show significantly accelerated cerebral SVD, suggesting that this is the most frequently observed radiological–pathological brain abnormality in lupus...." link

CSVD is a large cause of dementia in the general population but the significance of these findings in SLE patients is unknown - link

Central Nervous System

1. Transverse Myelitis

"Transverse myelitis is a neurological condition that happens when both sides of the same section of the spinal cord become inflamed. This inflammation can damage myelin, the fatty substance that covers your nerves. Loss of myelin often leads to spinal cord scarring that blocks nerve impulses and results in physical problems." link

Symptoms can develop quickly or over the span of several weeks. Symptoms include back pain, neck pain, paresthesia, loss of bowel and/or bladder control, and heightened sensitivity to touch - link

Diagnosed via CT, MRI, or myelography - link

Differential diagnosis of comorbid Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder - link

Transverse myelitis occurs in approximately 1% of lupus patients - link

2. Autoimmune Aseptic Meningitis

"...an inflammatory condition affecting the meninges, the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord..." - link

"Given that many individuals with lupus are immunosuppressed, a critical differential diagnosis is one of infectious meningitis caused by typical or opportunistic pathogens." - link

May cause nausea, fever, and neck stiffness among other symptoms - link

Diagnosed with a lumbar puncture and/or CT in part to rule out other causes of symptoms - link

3. Chorea

Chorea is a movement disorder causing involuntary, irregular, and unpredictable muscle movements. It affects arms, legs, and facial muscles - link

4. Parkinsonism

Causes slowed movements, tremor, and stiffness - link

Not the same as Parkinson's Disease!

A rare effect of lupus - link

Diagnosed based on brain MRI, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and response to treatment - link

5. Myoclonus

"Myoclonus is an uncontrollable muscle movement that’s sudden and brief. " link

6. Demyelinating Syndrome

"An association between lupus and MS-like brain changes have been suggested, and sometimes termed “lupoid sclerosis”" link

3.7% of patients have a demyelinating syndrome (though not all have primary SLE demyelination) - link

Demyelinating syndrome may cause vision loss, muscle weakness, muscle stiffness and spasms, loss of coordination, change in sensation, walking problems, and changes in bladder and bowel function - link

7. Lupus headache

"Headache is a highly prevalent disorder in people with SLE, but there is no convincing evidence that this incidence is higher than that seen in the general population. Thus the entity of “lupus headache” is controversial." link

One of the main characteristics of lupus headaches is that they are not remedied by pain medication. lupus headaches require treatment with steroids or immunosuppressants to resolve -- "severe, persistent headache; may be migrainous, but must be nonresponsive to narcotic analgesia" link

8. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES)

"Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a neurologic disorder in which a person presents with visual disturbance, seizure, headaches, and altered mentation" - source

"Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) has been increasingly identified in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)" - source

8. Seizures

"prevalence of explicit episodes of seizures among SLE patients, varies from 2 to 8%." - link

"SLE patients with recurrent seizures usually have abnormal findings on EEG, consistent with focal aware events, epilepsy with impaired awareness and focal to bilateral tonic-clonic epilepsy, as demonstrated by Appenzeller and colleagues who found that 9.7 % of patients with single epileptic seizure had abnormal EEG findings, compared to 100 % abnormal EEG findings, commonly on temporal lobe, in patients with recurrent seizures" - link

Peripheral Nervous System

1. Cranial Nerve Disorder

"Cranial nerve disorder refers to an impairment of one of the twelve cranial nerves that emerge from the underside of the brain, pass through openings in the skull, and lead to parts of the head, neck, and trunk. These disorders can cause pain, tingling, numbness, weakness, or paralysis of the face including the eyes." - source

"Cranial nerve involvement is also relatively uncommon and usually transient, occurring in 10% of patients with SLE." - source

2. Peripheral Neuropathy

"Peripheral neuropathy happens when the nerves that are located outside of the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nerves) are damaged. This condition often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in the hands and feet. It also can affect other areas and body functions including digestion and urination." - source

"Peripheral neuropathy occurs in as many as 18% of patients with SLE" - source

Ocular

1. Optic Neuritis

"The optic nerve itself can sometimes be inflamed in lupus, or it can be affected when the blood vessels supplying the nerve are themselves inflamed (that is, ischemic optic neuropathy). This can lead to a change in vision, or even vision loss." - source

"Optic neuritis is an uncommon neurologic manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and can be seen in about 1% of lupus patients" - source

"Optic neuritis usually affects one eye. Symptoms might include: Pain, vision loss in one eye, visual field loss, loss of color vision, and flashing lights." - source

Autonomic Nervous System

1. Autonomic Neuropathy

"Autonomic neuropathy occurs when there is damage to the nerves that control automatic body functions. It can affect blood pressure, temperature control, digestion, bladder function and even sexual function." - source

"Autonomic nervous system dysfunction is highly prevalent in SLE patients (up to 54%)" - source

Psychiatric

1. Lupus psychosis

" Psychosis is a serious mental disorder featuring defective thought processes, frequently with delusions or hallucinations." - link

Psychosis is one of the diagnostic criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus

"Differentiation of steroid-induced psychosis from lupus-associated psychosis is particularly challenging" - link

[cleolinda]

Medications I am taking for my current ordeal

Prednisone: Steroid. Reduces the inflammation of my herniated disc. Knocked out 99% of the pain. MVP. Mood elevation for a couple of weeks (wanted to deep clean the whole house), then it started to make me kind of mentally scattered and easily agitated. Spinal doctor discontinued it so I can have a Big Steroid in two weeks.

Tylenol: A good time. Helps pain a lot. Does more for me than actual opioids. Watch your liver.

Flexeril: Muscle relaxer. Will make you (me) groggy for days afterwards without actually doing much. Mostly made me not care that things hurt. Did keep me from deep-cleaning the house. It was that or a tranquilizer dart.

Meloxicam: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. Leg is a little fussy but 90% of the pain is at bay. Makes me loopy and kind of groggy but it’s only for two weeks. Acceptable.

Tizanidine: Muscle relaxer. No perceptible benefit, feels like being drunk, makes me post about politics. Discontinuing immediately.

[ovaruling]

i know everyone’s tired of me talking abt this but bc i’m on the subject now—once more on cosmetic surgery complications: let me clarify what i mean when i have said in the past ��it’s rarely if ever a matter of ‘if’”—when you see “after” pictures on a cosmetic surgeon’s website, do you ever see ones that are “2 years after,” “5 years after,” “10 years after”? how often have you seen or spoken to a woman 20 years after her cosmetic surgery? do you think the surgeons do?

no. you know why? because, unless you’re getting more surgery, you stop mattering to that surgeon after your last post-op appointment. they do not give a shit about your long-term results. when you call in 2 years later, wondering why you’re experiencing xyz difficulty—guess how much they’re going to care? at most, if they even TAKE your call, they’ll tell you to go see your primary care provider.

most people have no way of knowing when their surgery is going to start causing problems. it might be a year. it might be 2. it might be 5. it might be 10. it might be 15. it could be 30. but trust me, you do not undergo major traumatic surgery to your body and get away with absolutely zero consequences.

i’m tired of people thinking they’ve got an argument when they tell me, “but EYE had xyz surgery, and i’m fine!”

tell that to the women en masse removing their breast implants due to complications that didn’t arise until years later. tell that to the women who are trying to remove gluteal implants and reverse gluteal injections because 5 years later and they’re showing signs of inflammation and infection (Blac Chyna, most recently). to women like me who’ve had nerve damage and spinal damage and muscle damage and infections and autoimmune conditions develop out of thin air after having that last post-op appointment.

i think a large number of we women who have had major cosmetic surgery are mentally unwell to begin with—or else we wouldn’t have gotten surgeries. but what i want to focus on is that we have grown up, as girls, being taught to ignore our discomfort, to minimize our pain, to get over our illnesses. i cannot in good conscience discount this phenomenon when i take into account why it is that YOUR surgery went so perfectly.

are you really recovered? or are you just ignoring the side-effects? did you already make up your mind that you’d bear the hardships of major surgery for the visual you wanted?

have you ever actually taken a moment to think about what you went through to have this surgery? have you forced yourself to adapt to the discomforts, just brushing them off as understandable collateral for something far more valuable to you (how you look)? how did the anesthesia affect you? how long were you on the table? how did your body respond to being given what it thinks is a mortally deep wound for no reason? how much pain medication did you need after? could you go to the bathroom by yourself? could you walk? how’s your scar tissue? is it still there, years later? what about your scars? have you lost sensation at the surgical site? is it still numb, years later? can you brace your core anymore? can you lift your arms above your head? how long? can you twist at the waist? what about your organs? did they suffer strain? what about your circulation? and can you draw in a truly deep breath after your breast surgery? how’s your oxygen intake after your elective rhinoplasty? or after your breast augmentation? have you felt any tingling numbness or dead zones or back pain after your BBL? or have you even thought about that? about any of this? stomach- and side-sleepers who’ve gotten breast augmentations, are you feeling rested these days?

how many of us have brainwashed ourselves into thinking we aren’t experiencing any unusual level of pain? how many women have died because of their practiced ability to shrug off extreme inflammation as “regular wear and tear”?

and you’re trying to tell me there’s NO chance of you or your tiktok faves having suffered even 1% of a change to your health after undergoing a major surgery?

no one knows it better than i do. you can lie to everyone else who’s never had cosmetic surgery, but you can’t lie to me. i know what you went through. and you don’t have to lie just to preserve your integrity.

i know women go through hell for this. and if they have, they need to pay attention to their bodies and watch for signs of long-term damage. or else you are also going to risk waking up one day and going, “hm. weird that i can’t feel my clitoris anymore. wonder why. it’s not like anything’s ever happened to—oh, wait.”

no one tells you what it all looks like 5-10+ years down the road. all you’re thinking about is the next year, at most. you aren’t thinking about lifelong consequences. you aren’t thinking about being 60, telling your doctor you had a tummy tuck when you were 27 or extreme liposuction at 18. you aren’t thinking about it. and that’s my whole fucking point, because neither was i.

[suratan-zir]

Tsapa didn't want to be in this ASMR video and run out of the frame. (yeah, his snout and under his chin needs to be cleaned more frequently. It's because his supplementary food gets kinda sticky.)

My beautiful boy has a pituitary gland tumor. But this is not a sad post, at least not intended that way. This is a success story. And an encouragement to potential rat owners to always try everything before giving up.

So. In December, after Tsapa's brother, Plyam, had to be put to sleep due to a spinal cord tumor, Tsapa became very passive and depressed. Or so I thought. I attributed his depression to the fact that he misses his closest friend (rats do get depressed sometimes when they lose cagemates).

But then he started developing hind leg degeneration, which was quite early for his age and also was the first symptom his late brother had, so I got really worried. Long story short, after a couple of days it became difficult for him to drink from the water bottle and lick liquid food, it was obvious that he has a pituitary gland tumor.

We started treatment, almost too late. He had seizures in my hands and I thought I'm going to lose him that day.

…

It's been nearly three months. Tsapa has no seizures, no difficulty eating or drinking, no symptoms other than mild hind leg degeneration. All thanks to Cabergoline. He's on combination of three meds, the best scheme for treating pituitary tumors in rats. Cabergoline every 72 hours, prednisone and antibiotics daily. Prednisone to control inflammation in his skull and antibiotics to prevent infections due to the immunodeficiency from prednisone. But Cabergoline does the heavy lifting, without it Tsapa would've been dead within days or weeks at most after his symptoms started.

He still has a very short life expectancy, yes. And in my experience, rats on Cabergoline do just fine until they die suddenly and unexpectedly. But these are still months of life, treats and scritches, of time together with him. Cabergoline is very pricey. Also, it only works on prolactinomas, it won't do anything for any other type of pituitary tumor. But when it does work, it works like a charm, so it's always worth a try.

Thank you for coming to my RAT talk.

[reality-detective]

🔵🐬 A bottlenose dolphin in Florida has become one of the latest mammals to die from bird flu, according to a new report.🐬

Scientists from the University of Florida found this particular bird flu victim after they were notified of a dolphin that appeared to be in distress, but a necropsy following its death revealed it contracted a highly deadly strain.

The team discovered the virus in the mammal's brain and lungs, which had mutated to become 18 times more resistant to current drug treatments.

As researchers performed their necropsy of the dolphin, they identified inflammation in and around its brain and spinal cord.

After the dolphin had tested negative for other infections that can cause this kind of inflammation, they found bird flu antigen and RNA in its brain and lungs

Specifically, the dolphin was infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus of HA clade 2.3.4.4b. 🤔