#thyroid symptoms in women

[wellextol]

Your Thyroid, Your Metabolism: How a 30-Second Technique Can Change Your Life After 35

[arogyamcentre]

[myfitnessteacher]

Thyroid Cure | Cure Thyroid Problem Permanently in 4 Steps(100% Guaranteed)

Hyper and Hypo thyroidism are two most common endocrine disorders that originate as a result of malfunctioning of the thyroid gland, when this butterfly shaped gland in your neck doesn’t work at its peak efficiency it causes an overall imbalance this results in the form of fatigue sudden increase or decrease in weight hair, fall bulging eye's mood swings, depression, menstrual disorders and even infertility, no doubt thyroid malfunction is a serious disorder. Read more

[scientia-rex]

Hysteria isn't a fucking thing

ok fun fact: I'm rapidly becoming a cult favorite doctor among our local privileged elderly white ladies, which I have mixed feelings about, but the #1 reason is that I just don't leap to "anxiety" as an explanation for symptoms unless the patient tells me "I am anxious, and then I feel these symptoms, and when I am not anxious, I don't feel these symptoms."

The sheer number of women I've seen who've been told for years to decades that the only thing wrong with them is anxiety is fucking staggering, in this Year Of Our Lord 2023, and I just keep digging. We checked a basic lab panel, sure. CBC. No anemia. CMP. Kidneys are fine. (Electrolytes are basically always going to be fine if someone is well enough to walk into my office under their own power to talk to me. Exception is mild chronic hyponatremia.) And we check thyroid. TSH and free T4. We check blood sugar. A1c, if the fasting is a little weird. Fasting insulin, if I'm still suspicious. We check cortisol. Inflammatory markers--ESR and CRP.

And eventually, if the symptoms support it, or right away, depending on my level of suspicion, we check rheumatological labs for abnormal autoimmune function. Anti-nuclear antibody. Rheumatoid factor. There's at least a dozen you can check, and which ones you should check is always a matter of debate and also of expertise that I 100% lack. We are out in the sticks. There are no "local" rheumatologists for me to send people to.

But a couple of weeks ago I found a woman--she has bipolar disorder and has been told for decades that's all that's wrong with her--who has an anti-centromere antibody titer that's fucking through the roof. I found an anxious 19-year-old with an ANA of 1:1380. And yesterday I found out why a sweet elderly woman I've seen for a year or two now started feeling crappy months ago: her rheumatoid factor is over 90.

Rheumatological disorders are always difficult. Our understanding of them varies from "pretty good, actually, and here are useful treatments" to "Well I Guess That Exists." Labs aren't always a slam-dunk and even labs plus symptoms can give you misleading impressions. Your immune system can decide that virtually any short chunk of protein is an enemy, and the problem with that is that your body is made up of many, many, many short chunks of proteins, so the odds that you'll develop some kind of antibody against yourself just keeps going up over your lifetime. Immune disorders tend to travel in packs; there's a clear genetic element to it, so the more first-degree relatives (parent, sibling, child) you have with any kind of autoimmune disorder (including Type 1 diabetes), the higher your risk of any kind of autoimmune disorder is, and if you already have one autoimmune disorder, you're at higher risk for developing another one.

But I think it's precisely because they're difficult that a lot of mainstream primary care prefers to pretend they don't exist, rather than try to sift through the utter fucking mess that is Mixed Connective Tissue Disorders, a title that has fallen out of favor since I learned it in my third year of med school. And women are at higher risk for autoimmune disorders than men. And older women are at higher risk than younger women.

So if I, as a family doc, just keep digging, just keep poking at the tangled knot of symptoms, there's a decent chance I will uncover something interesting. Hopefully something treatable. Sometimes we have nothing to treat with, and I just get to offer someone more understanding of their disorder, which feels pretty paltry but is better than the casual dismissal of "You're just anxious."

Never, ever, ever take anxiety as a diagnosis for a symptom other than anxiety. Not even as a rule-out. Keep those symptoms as an open question mark on the patient. Don't say "anxiety" just so you can close the door. And damn sure don't do it to women.

I'm actively working on learning more so I can be more helpful, in our Rheum-less community, so if you have good lectures or books, please drop me a lead.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Analysis: Cannery Row (Cultural References)

John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row (1945) opens with the following declaration:

“Cannery Row in Monterey California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream” (1).

Set in a fictionalized version of Cannery Row in Monterey, California, Steinbeck uses his cast of homeless people, drunks and prostitutes to express profound truths about humanity. 

Abacus (6): A counting device that was used before the creation of calculators.

Belles-lettres (64): A type of literary work, one that is usually expressed in essays, poetry and deals with intellectual subject matter.

Beret (123): A soft hat that has no bill and no brim. Often worn in the military.

Billings, Josh (61): The pen name for Henry Wheeler Shaw, a respected humorist of the 20th century.

Black Marigolds (171): A poem written by E. Powys Mathers.

Bloomer League (140): A baseball league that was comprised primarily of women that started during the early 1900’s.

Carborundum (90): Another name for silicon carbide, which is the sole chemical compound of carbon and silicon.

Chalmers (154): A type of car that was created and sold during the early 1900’s.

Chorea (144): An illness that causes involuntary movement in various parts of the body.

Collier’s (magazine) (139): Founded by Peter Collier, Collier’s Once a Week debuted in 1888 and went on to become one of America’s most popular magazines.

Count Basie (114): A prominent figure during the swing period of jazz, as well as a good example of big band style.

Dadaist (122): An artist or a writer who practiced Dada, a movement that rejected traditional art and contemporary culture.

Daisy Air Rifle (104): A brand of rifle created by the historic Daisy company.

Distemper (134): An infection in dogs that can be diagnosed through symptoms of a runny nose, poor appetite, and coughing.

“Fighting Bob” (111): A reference to Robert M. La Follette Sr. fight against Washington and other politicians who choose to enter WWI.

Ford Model T (61, 106): A truck built by Ford Motor Company.

The Great Depression (16): A result of the 1929 stock market crash, which left many Americans without money or jobs.

Great Fugue (163): A musical work by Beethoven.

Goiter (97): The enlargement of the thyroid gland.

Influenza (89): An infection more commonly known as the “flu.” It was responsible for claiming the lives of millions worldwide before effective vaccines were created to treat and prevent it.

Knights of Columbus (130): A Catholic organization that seeks to aid family members within the organization who are in financial need.

Knights Templar (130): A group of knights who originated in Jerusalem during the year of 1119. Though shrouded in mystery, the Knights Templar are believed to have protected the Holy Grail.

Laudanum (107): A mixture of opium and derivatives of alcohol.

Masonic Lodge (104): A meeting place for Freemasons or former Freemasons.

Mastoids (89): The skull bones that house the ear.

Mastoiditis (90): Mastoiditis occurs when an infection in the middle ear spreads to the mastoids and then causes an infection that produces fevers and headaches.

Monteverdi’s Hor ch’ el Ciel e la Terra (119): A song by the Italian musician Claudio Monteverdi, who lived in the 16th and 17th century.

Novena (88): A prayer that is said over a nine-day period that requests a special favor from God.

“Panama Pacific International Exposition of 1915” (111): The 1915 Worlds Fair that was held in San Francisco, California.

Petrarch (119): A famous writer of the 14th century who is credited with being the founding father of Humanism.

Point Lobos (64): A state reserve on the central coast of California in Monterey County.

Prohibition (72): A move by the United States government to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed in the United States through limiting individuals and businesses who sold alcohol.

Purse Seiners (67): Fishing boats equipped to fish with a purse seine, a kind of fishing net.

“Remember the Maine” (111): The sinking of the U.S.S. Maine, which was the catalyst for the Spanish-American War.

Rimbaud (124): A 19th century French writer who is most remembered for his contribution to the symbolist movement.

Robert Louis Stevenson (61): A Scottish author who is most famous for works such as Treasure Island and The Black Arrow.

Saturnalia (112): The week of December 17th-23rd during which a feast was held by the Romans to celebrate their dedication Saturn’s temple.

Scarlatti (129): Last name of Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti, an Italian harpsichordist born during the 17th century who later moved to Spain and continued to practice music there.

Sculpin (135): A kind of small fish.

St. Francis (of Assisi) (144): A saint in the Catholic church who is known for his great love for God, animals, and the sick.

Treasure Island (64): A book written by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Vaudeville (109): A form of American variety entertainment that marked the beginning of popular entertainment as a lucrative business.

“White Sale” (103): A sale either of household goods, or when a store drastically reduces their prices for a short period of time.

Source ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References

[theambitiouswoman]

Benefits of Sea Moss For Women

Sea moss, is a type of seaweed that is rich in nutrients, including vitamins and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, iodine, and sulfur. Sea moss is also a good source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, and is commonly consumed for its health benefits, which include supporting the immune system, improving gut health, and promoting skin health. Some people also use sea moss as a natural remedy for conditions such as joint pain, high blood pressure, and thyroid issues.

Hormonal balance: Sea moss is rich in iodine, which is important for hormonal balance, especially for women during menstruation and menopause.

Bone health: Sea moss contains calcium, which is important for strong bones. Women are more prone to osteoporosis as they age, making calcium intake important.

Thyroid health: Sea moss contains iodine, which is necessary for proper thyroid function. Women are more likely to have thyroid problems, so adequate iodine intake is important.

Immune system: Sea moss contains vitamins and minerals that boost the immune system, including vitamins C and A, iron, and potassium.

Anti-inflammatory: Sea moss has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce symptoms of conditions such as arthritis and PMS.

It is generally recommended to take 1-2 tablespoons of sea moss gel daily. I buy from the brand Akasha and eat it at some point during my mornings. You can take it alone, or mix it with your smoothies/shakes. You can also combine the spoonful with either honey, cinnamon, or both!

[balkanradfem]

Health news!

So, I've been having neck pain, that turned into head pain, for a year and a half now, and while I've had some more comfort since the center of pain was switched to my head, I've still been unable to walk, run, dance, jump, or use any tools like a hammer or a hoe. My right arm became functional again, but my left arm hurts from even holding a cup of tea. I had a neck MRI, and then a brain MRI, and there was no visible cause of pain, so I had a talk with my doctor, and she decided to test my blood for low vitamin D and low B12, and to check my thyroid function.

It turned out my thyroid is fine, but I had low b12, and critically low Vitamin D. She explained to me I need to get b12 shots every month, and that this could be the cause of the pain. When I came in, the doctor seemed overjoyed we finally found something concrete that is wrong with me, that we could treat, while I was wildly skeptical because I've been looking up symptoms of the deficiencies. While I had every symptom for vitamin D deficiency, I had none for b12, and only one article suggested there could be muscle pain as a result of it. Seems like feeble proof.

I have not been ignorant of my poor diet and living habits, I knew I had low vitamin D, and had supplemented it over the winter months, but apparently the store-bought dose I was taking was not enough. I did suspect a b12 deficiency as well, and was starting to take some B vitamins recently, but then read somewhere that they're dangerous to randomly take so I stopped. So what I'm saying is I knew I was sorta deficient, didn't think it was a big deal, I thought I was fixing it, I wasn't, my supplements didn't affect my pain or health. I got prescribed some powerful Vitamin D supplement, and got a b12 shot.

I have to say though, the nurse who was giving me the shot was acting ridiculous, first she was saying it to me like I'm a child, and I'm an adult, so I said 'I like shots, this won't be a problem'. She was not impressed. When she put the needle in me, I commented on how I can barely feel it, because I love acting cool in front of women with my high pain tolerance, but then she said 'When people tense their muscles it can get real bad and the needle can get stuck inside of them'. She said that while the needle was in me! I said 'I don't think I should be hearing this right now' and struggled to stay relaxed, and then she quickly pulled it out and it was fine. Maybe she just hated my positive attitude about getting the shot and needed me to be more apprehensive and afraid, which I don't feel is an attitude a medical professional should have?? Anyway. The shot was free for me so I love that.

The doctor told me 'you're going to feel much better next few months', super confidently, but I am still skeptical, I mean I wish I did feel better, and I'm relieved that something at least is getting attempted, and maybe a healthy dose of vitamin D will help with mental health, so okay, that would be an improvement. I doubt it will cure my head hurting while I walk though. Maybe I just don't understand deficiencies.

[despazito]

like i have such conflicting feelings about the pathologizing of mental illness nowadays and the culture it creates. i think the need to have ones dx, at least in my case, was driven by a fundamental urge for validation that what i’m feeling isn't just a phase or something that will sort itself out. i think women especially have had our pain and struggles so minimized, i had lows wishing i just had a broken leg so others could at least see my pain. i clung to my dx and feet like waving it to the world shouting its not just in my head!! i’m not just lazy!!

in some ways getting the dx is like getting a pedigree for your fucked up brain. like this isnt some backyard bred tiktok adhd, this is PUREBRED adhd with the papers to prove it!!! all these women like myself who were looking for a voice and affirmation through dx to prove they “aren’t just one of those girls who’s too sensitive and googled their symptoms”, but now that’s also created its own trope of “overdiagnosed girl in her 20s” and there’s a whole new stereotype to mock and invalidate. there’s just no winning, it really feels like our pain will never get taken seriously by society to matter which route we take to get heard we are dismissed.

but of course these slips of paper become vital if you need any assistance or accommodations, so they are incredibly beneficial to have.

my issue is the more i reflect, the more i do feel like many emotional disturbances or brain funkiness ESPECIALLY depression and anxiety are the result of, or at least become more aggravated, by unluckiness in your childhood relationships and the narrative we created about it. turns out you don’t need to be textbook abused to have adverse experiences, and a failure to have a healthy secure relationship to your primary caregiver fucks with you for life but nobody wants to talk about that. i do think we live in a society here in canada where parental rights to parent how their want is overstepping on the child’s right to have the healthiest possible environment to be raised in. i had spent years reading about the lifelong effects of parental deprivation or bad socialization in dogs and parrots before reading about it in humans, and i think we forget how much humans are also animals.

but the thing is you can work on relationships, you can begin to process trauma. when i tell myself “i’m a person with anxiety” it feels really loaded with a sense of finality that i will always live this way.. the more i use that language the more futile it feels about ever improving, when so often depression and anxiety are the result of deeper unresolved issues. I see so many people with phobias or fears resign to living painful lives than trying to work on any exposure or processing their fears. i’d still be miserable if i never worked through my intense fears of intimacy, i was perfectly resigned to a life of being alone and thought i was content with that.

turns out growing up with trauma can cause the same unfocused and disorganized presentation as clinical adhd.i’ll admit i didn’t like learning that one, as adhd already has so many deniers my kneejerk response was anger at my adhd being invalidated. but i think a lot of adhd people fall somewhere in between that venn diagram, and rejecting a traumagenic theory for some people’s symptoms means they will be prescribed the wrong treatment plan. and this is why all treatment plans put emphasis on talk therapy just as much as pharmacological intervention.

obviously some things aren’t the result of your childhood! your mom yelling at you doesn’t cause autism, but chances are if you’re autistic and had cruddy support you’ll face more adversities and mental health struggles than a good supportive environment. similarly, you could’ve grown up with all the love and support to thrive but one day your thyroid decides it’s time to make you feel like roadkill.

idk, what i’m trying to say is don’t corner yourself or resign from living life because of your mental health dx or think that you’ll never get better because you “have” this, chances are there’s always room to feel better. the most hurtful thing is our inner voice if it’s internalized negative language, and there’s exercises you can practice to drill more positive or at least neutral nonjudgemental language into your inner critic. because even if you have something that will never be cured, the way we talk to ourselves about it is a variable we have some power over.

the narrative part experiencing trauma is uniquely human. some people will experience horrible things and internalize the negativity or self blame, but resilient people have better prognosis because they have ability to frame things in a narrative that don’t assign self blame, and critiques the behaviour instead of the self. because so many complications and struggles arise out of kicking ourselves when we’re down. but the thing is this usually can’t happen on its own, we need to see this modeled by the people around us. but thankfully if we missed the boat, we CAN retrain that voice

anyway that’s my musings from my perspective. for anyone curious here’s a lecture that really resonated with me, its got some hard hitting truths i didn’t want to hear but sometimes you gotta hear things that make you uncomfortable

[wellextol]

Your Thyroid, Your Metabolism: How a 30-Second Technique Can Change Your Life After 35

[incorrect-batfam-quotes-mostly]

Happy Endometriosis Awareness Month. This is my story

Hi, I'm Nia and I have endometriosis. Probably. For the past several years I have been fighting to be believed by the healthcare system only to be told over and over again that there is nothing wrong with me. Despite the fact that I have all of the symptoms and that the 'whatever is wrong with me' has progressed in the past several years.

About a year and a half ago I went to the doctor for the first time about my debilitating pain where I was told that I was just overly anxious and my mental health was affecting my periods. I was given pain meds and sent on my way. After that it was a billion blood tests to see if it was a thyroid issue, hormonal imbalance, blood pressure, anemia, anything that could be tested was tested. Finally my doctor goes 'it's PCOS' and proceeded to list a bunch of symptoms that I did not have. Then I did not have it.

During this time I was given birth control medications. The first one, I was able to stay on for around a week before I rushed back to the doctor to change it because it was affecting me so badly. The second prescription was great, for all of two weeks. Then I bled for the entirety of October and thought I was going to bleed to death. I became seriously anemic because of it. The third one is the one I've been on for 4 months now. I'm tired and sore 24/7 but hey, at least I'm not dying.

I have missed over 50 classes this school year. It was not until my second medication failed so badly that my doctors finally agreed I probably had endometriosis and that it was certainly a serious situation.

For the past three years and a half years, my life has revolved around my period. It is a constant worry for me of when I will get it next and how bad it will be. It is also a terrifyingly realistic possibility that it will be several more years before I get any type of answer. 

Endometriosis is a horrific, cruel and neglected disease. At every turn, the job of advocating and fighting is left up to me. I have to call doctors, check in on referrals and beg and plead to be taken seriously. I’ve been told again and again I need to make the doctors like me, I need to make a connection. I need to make myself a human to them. Not another name on a list or another young person who doesn’t understand their own bodies. 

I keep fighting anyways. Most importantly, I talk about it. I was raised not to be ashamed of being a woman and I am not afraid to talk about my struggles, even if menstrual cycles are still considered taboo subjects by many. I know that there is something wrong and I refuse to stop searching for answers. I am not afraid of my body, I am afraid of the system that is determined to undermine and dismisss  womens pain. If you think you have endometriosis or something similar, put on some armor and get ready to be a warrior. It’s going to be a long journey and you’re going to have to fight. Fight like a girl. 

[i-love-love]

Chrissy and the Female Athlete Triad

More Chrissyposting! Yay! This one is wordy and a little heavy on medical jargon but I promise it's interesting.

Another thing to think about when it comes to Chrissy Cunningham is the Female Athlete Triad. This is a concept from sports medicine which addresses three problems which tend to appear and snowball together in female athletes.

Low BMI (whether from high exertion/poor nutritional energy replacement and/or an eating disorder-- especially in sports where smallness is an ideal or beneficial for performance, such as cheer, ballet, gymnastics, figure skating, etc.)

Irregular or absent menstruation

Osteopenia/Osteoporosis

If you want to read some of the science around it, here's a PubMed article explaining stuff about prevalence, symptoms, mechanisms, effects, etc. (Please note, I'm not an expert or medical professional! None of this is medical advice! I just know about this from having an eating disorder while doing sports in high school and thought you Chrissy fans might be intrigued.)

Some things to know about the Female Athlete Triad:

As many as 70% of female athletes (in leanness-emphasizing sports) might lose their periods, compared to 2-5% of nonathlete girls. As many as 70% of athletes are dieting and may have disordered eating patterns/eating disorders (estimates of eating disorder prevalence in female athletes is 16-47%, vs 10% in nonathlete girls). As many as 22-50% of female athletes may have osteopenia, and up to 13% of female athletes may have osteoporosis (vs 12% and 2.3% in the general population, respectively). All that to say, these issues are all pretty prevalent in female athletes! Not all of these issues are necessarily present simultaneously, but none of them are unlikely in, say, the head cheerleader.

These issues can to make each other worse-- amenorrhea (loss of period) is associated with decreased leptin (hormone that makes you hungry), which can worsen the weight loss, and decreased estrogen, which makes osteoporosis worse. Insufficient food intake can make amenorrhea worse, and nutrient deficiency (calcium specifically) can also worsen osteoporosis.

Amenorrhea can be either primary (period doesn't appear by age 15) or secondary (loss of period for 3+ months after periods have begun). Secondary amenorrhea can be caused by suppression of the part of the brain that tells the menstrual cycle to keep moving (this results in estrogen deficiency, which can lead to mood swings, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, headaches, depression, fatigue, dry skin, and trouble concentrating-- plus make weight loss and bone strength worse), overstimulation of the parts of the brain that respond to stress (caused by very high, prolonged stress, which also tends to cause, y'know, psychological problems), or disturbances in a part of the brain that talks to the thyroid (leading to someone who doesn't have a thyroid problem, but looks like they do-- fatigue, constipation, feeling cold, joint/muscle pain, difficulty concentrating, thinning hair, rapid or slowed heart rate, weakness, etc.).

Poor coaching can be involved in the low food intake part of the issue-- if coaches don't inform their teams about proper nutrition, athletes may not even realize they need to increase their food intake to match energy expenditure from their workouts. They can also make things worse by praising/encouraging weight loss without care for how it happens. This was worse in the 80s before preventing eating disorders in female athletes became a big conversation.

Adolescence is a hugely important time for acquiring your bone mass, for women-- 25% of all bone mass accrual happens in the 2 years surrounding your first period, and 92% of bone mass is achieved by age 18. Bone problems in female athletes can take multiple forms, including insufficient minerals (not enough stuff to make your bones, so you don't have sturdy ones) and poor bone remodeling (bone cell formation can be interrupted, and if this happens the bone will be weaker and more prone to injury). Typically, female athletes have stronger bones than nonathletes because they're strengthening the bones with exercise, but amenorrheic and malnourished girls are observed to have significantly less bone mineral density (BMD) compared to girls who are eating well/have their periods, which overrides the benefit of sports for the bones. Tibial fractures (shins) are the most common. Also, if you don't make strong bones during the developmental period you're supposed to (adolescence), sometimes you never recovery and have weak bones for life.

Longterm complications may include infertility, decreased immune function, stress fractures/broken bones, permanent osteopenia/osteoporosis, and organ damage from nutritional deficiency.

Some implications for your fics and headcanons:

Often, when stress is reduced and eating goes back to normal, periods can come back very suddenly. When she moves out, enters recovery, or even just when she graduates and isn't cheering (regular intense physical activity) anymore, it may start up again, which might make her kinda mad (wouldn't you be?) or be a source of guilt (as in, are my problems really even that bad if my body is being normal again, why am I being So Dramatic, etc.)

Longterm menstrual dysfunction can lead to infertility. Laura, being Laura, may harp on her about it (either in her teenage years, as in "if you keep this up you'll never be able to have children and men won't want a broken woman" or later in life, as in "where are my grandchildren? your infertility is all your fault and I'm the real victim of it")

She may think she can't get pregnant due to her absent period. Her doctors/coaches may have told her this (it's not strictly true but this idea is not wholly uncommon even today, and back then before this was better researched it was sometimes spread by professionals) or, better yet, her teammates! A little locker room wink-wink-nudge-nudge "it's okay to put out, nobody will find out because we can't get pregnant, perks of being a cheerleader!" type deal is great for drama. Especially relevant if you're wanting to do a teen/surprise pregnancy fic. Relatedly, bone problems can cause complications during pregnancy/labor/birth (broken tailbone, broken pelvis-- ouch! and full of narrative conflict/drama!)

Decreased immune function -> sickfic. You're welcome.

Stress fractures are often overlooked at first, especially among athletes who are kinda used to treating their bodies like punching bags. Because they're not as obvious as a break, athletes might walk and exercise on them until they're excruciating. Y'know, not like Chrissy would ever do something like that, right?

Also, she's at permanent risk for health issues like fragile bones (easier to break a bone in the future, even without cheerleading) and organ problems (especially since her eating disorder is shown to involve self-induced vomiting, which is particularly catastrophic for organs like the heart, kidneys, stomach, and intestines). Great for medical drama even in stories where she's older.

Broken bones in minors are a big red flag in emergency rooms for abuse. Even if they come from sports, doctors/nurses may try to get Chrissy aside to ask about her home life if she comes in with a broken bone (it was the 80s so child abuse as a social topic was much less discussed, but a broken bone was still a flag at the time as I understand it). Conversely, Laura may not let her go to the doctor if she has a broken bone/stress fracture, either to prevent this discussion from taking place or because she believes Chrissy is faking/being overdramatic.

Anyway that was maybe a little incoherent but I hope it was helpful!

[pseudowho]

Hello Haitch! Hope you are doing well.

Last year during summer, I was diagnosed with PCOS (i had gotten it checked because i hadnt had my period in like 3 months) and since i was just 17, the doctor asked me to maintain a proper lifestyle and see till November and said that if it wasnt fixed by then, i had to do a checkup again. But i'd gotten my period by august so i never reached out again.

but this year (im 18 now), the last time id gotten my period was in april so it's been 6 months now. im gonna go to the doctor again later this month. but here's the thing— last year, i went to a gyno abroad because women's healthcare isnt the best in my country. but this year, its not possible for me to go abroad right now so im gonna have to work with a gyno from here.

now i have a feeling that theyll put me on pills and while i agree thats the easy way to fix this, im worried itll mess things up for the long run. the lifestyle the first gyno asked me to follow is a little difficult for me to get into since she'd asked me to exercise plenty and im a full time alevel student and it gets hard for me to maintain a proper routine like that. i also struggle with binge eating which i've heard comes with having pcos (im not sure if this is true tho).

so in one hand, i feel like it's easier to just start taking pills but then again it has so many side effects i don't know what to do right now.

Lots to unpack here.

CW/TW: PCOS, medical discussion, endocrine disorders, diabetes, hypothyroidism, weight management, medication management

Firstly, PCOS is often diagnosed based on vague criteria; lots of doctors flippantly diagnose it based on a volume of loose criteria. If you have an increasing number of these criteria, then yes, the chances are you have PCOS. However, it's often erroneously diagnosed without proper diagnostic procedures such as scans, bloods, and a full review of your longer term health history.

That being said, being on the pill doesn't 'cure' PCOS, it can simply manage the symptom of irregular periods. There's flimsy evidence on the pill's ability to manage/prevent weight gain and the development of other disorders that are associated with PCOS.

While weight loss is often harder for women with PCOS, especially if you have associated conditions such as an under active thyroid, it's not impossible.

Your lifetime chances of developing Diabetes are significantly higher with PCOS, and this chance goes up again if you struggle with increased body weight. PCOS and appetite changes like binge eating have been associated with each other, too.

So you'll only know if managing your weight and eating habits make a difference with your PCOS, when you've actually tried them to the absolute best of your ability. If you are at an increased ideal weight, losing weight can be very effective to manage and reduce the symptoms of PCOS.

Of the many, many thousands of women I've looked after, I'm sorry to say that those with PCOS who are very pro-active with managing their weight, perhaps taking medications as advised by their doctor (the pill and Metformin are the most common ones I see), and exercising regularly, are those who have the highest chance of being 'healthy' (though I do not use the term 'healthy' lightly).

Ultimately, PCOS is one of those things that just happens and isn't your fault. I also have an endocrine disorder that makes it very easy for me to gain weight and very difficult for me to lose it, so I absolutely understand the situation yours in right now.

But, what do you do with this information? Do you say, "I am X, Y and Z because of my PCOS" and leave it at that? Or do you say "I suffer with X, Y and Z because of my PCOS, so I make life choices to reduce the impact of my PCOS by 1, 2 and 3".

So my advice is this: PCOS may be the hand you've been dealt, but your lifestyle choices can massively improve the chances of you reducing its impact on your long-term health. I'm not blaming you, or acting like healthy eating, exercise and medication decisions are easy; they are not. Please recall I'm in a similar boat, and I'm not one to blame women for their complex health conditions.

I could talk all day about PCOS but this is my best attempt to summarise it for you.

It's really hard making tough life choices to manage the hand you've been dealt. I fully understand. I've gotten better at it as I've gotten older. @mrhaitch makes similar big decisions, because he has two diabetic parents and one diabetic siblings, so he takes care of his health to a brilliant degree, to try to give himself the best chance of not developing diabetes himself.

☝️ me being your hype man

Love,

-- Haitch xxx

[astrogirlythings]

My PCOS journey:

Vulnerabilities and all.

The biggest problem with new age women's health issues is that even many women fail to empathize with them. How can we expect men to empathize with women's health?

When I talk about women's health I don't mean "PERIODS" or "PTSD Post pregnancy" or "MENOPAUSE".. There are so many health issues that are not being talked about enough (at least from where I'm from 😒). Starting with a few - PCOS, PCOD, Thyroid, Hormonal imbalance and other lifestyle diseases. Not to mention that they have no cure and the only solution we have is to manage it and its symptoms.

While fighting with its symptoms.. one of the biggest things that helped me overcome my PCOS and Hormonal imbalance is some much needed moral support. Of course strength training, diet, 8 hours of sleep, managing stress and having a positive mind too.. but being surrounded by those who make an effort to understand ur health is a blessing.

I suffered excessive hair loss and weight gain and as a woman I've been constantly reminded that those "Assets" (Head full of hair and a slim figure) are the only things that add value to me and my existence.. and it's messed up how even the most educated are unaware about women's health.

Truth be told, I've spent years of my life picking up my pieces and reconstructing myself emotionally, mentally and physically. The sleepless nights I had were consumed by me obsessing about my body, its image and how it was perceived by everyone around me. The world has successfully convinced me that I am nothing without this so called "Perfect body". I lost many opportunities because of my negative body image. Deep down I knew that I am smart, creative, funny, kind and I am also known to be a good friend. But people succeeded in making me feel less than what I am.

As I write this, I want to convey that you are not alone. I believe that I am not the only one feeling this way.

Being surrounded by people who truly make an effort to understand ur health and ur erratic mood swings (because of ur health) is a huge blessing.. God knows that I want that in my life. Everyone wants to feel empathised and if u don't have someone that empathises with ur health.. I hope my empathy towards women's health helped u.

I am now 27 years old and I have finally succeeded in managing my PCOS symptoms (Physical and mental symptoms) after struggling with them for the past 9 years. Yup.. I lost most of my 20s to PCOS and I am cautiously optimistic that the struggle is over now. And even if it comes back.. at least I know how to deal with it.

[justchillandshipit]

911 Summary/Thoughts Season 1 Episode 6- Heartbreaker

Caveat: I am up-to-date on all 911 episodes. For my reviews, I attempt to rewatch and remember my first impressions. I will occasionally, compare it to what I know now. I’ll try to warn of current spoilers when necessary.

Emergencies: The first emergency is a call for a woman who has a special thyroid condition that presents as a heart condition. She had her heart attack symptoms while in a Cessna. (The events triggering her attack started out as a surprise wedding proposal. The pilot faked plane trouble and put the proposal in the emergency landing instructions.

The second emergency, not including Buck, is a call from a man who believes he has broken his back. When they arrived, the owners were okay. The couple said they didn’t call. The woman was hiding something. She was cheating on her boyfriend with her ex-husband. He hurt himself jumping off the balcony to get away. It wasn't a broken back, and the call ended well.

Personal Stories/Getting to Know: Abby took the first emergency call and later helped the team from misdiagnosing her at the scene. It was a cute scene where she called Buck and passed information through him, and Buck gave her a play-by-play of how the wedding proposal ended. {The woman said yes and then slapped her new fiancé.} In this episode, the focus is on Valentine's Day and love. Abby is ready to move her relationship to the next level with Buck, but he is moving slowly because he’s afraid of ruining it. Buck also hates Valentine’s Day in general. He talks to Bobby about it, who admits that he usually loves the holiday. The conversation sparks memories of his wife whom he misses every day not just on Valentine's.

Chim also returns to the firehouse after recovering from the rebar through his skull. The gang gets him a creepy cake in the shape of his head with the rebar through it. At Chim’s welcome back party, Abby shows up at Buck’s invitation. It is the first time the rest of the gang meets her.

Athena does attend Chim’s party, but she works Valentine’s Day. She checks on a disturbance to find an unstable woman. At first, she doesn’t find anything amiss and feels sorry for the woman. She is kind to her, and the woman fixates on that kindness. Athena takes care of several disturbances as a police officer including a bad wreak. She ends up racing a transplant doctor to the hospital. She gets him there. He looks terrified the whole trip. Later, she is called back to the woman’s apartment. The woman’s behavior leads Athena to check the medicine cabinet to see if the woman might be taking something. She then spots blood in the shower. Before she can apprehend her, Athena finds the body of the boyfriend and the woman sneaks up on her with a gun. The woman is quite mad and believes that Athena has a good heart and that she can bring her boyfriend back to life as a better person by cutting out Athena’s heart and giving it to the man. Fortunately, Athena is able to distract and disarm her. Athena ends her night back home where the kids have left her Valentine’s Day cookies with a glass of wine and a note. It’s her first holiday without her husband.

Bobby ends his night by going to the hospital to check on Buck after he nearly choked to death during his date. Bobby and Abby meet again over his hospital bed and have a nice conversation. If I didn’t know how things worked out with Abby, I would have said that Abby and Bobby may have been a potential ship brewing.

Likes/Dislikes: The emergencies for this episode, not including Buck, were somewhat interesting. The first jump-started the episode so it was important, but overall, the emergencies were not exciting. I liked the interaction between the 118, Athena, and Abby. How the women came around Abby to get to know her and to subtly push Buck toward asking Abby out for Valentine’s Day. It was a nice, funny, and friendly scene.

I like Chim talking to Bobby at the party about how he got dumped after getting rebar through his skull and Buck ends up with ‘Abby.’ He asks, “What’s that kid got that I don’t” At the same time Buck bends over. He then says, “Forget I asked.”

I L.O.V.E.D. the Bobby and Buck scene where Bobby helps Buck with his tie and getting ready for his date. Buck continues to worry about ruining things with Abby and is afraid of having sex with her because he believes he is a sex addict. Bobby gives him advice about getting to know her before having sex. It is a serious conversation, but also fatherly, friendly, and caring. It was a great scene.

I loved the date night scene with Abby and Buck. She’s looking at him across the table and thinking how cute he is and then, as any self-respecting cougar would, she begins to panic. In her head, she’s thinking, “What if they ask for his I.D.? What if they ask for his and don’t ask for mine?” Bahahhahhaa. They spend a lot of the date thinking things in their heads. Buck thinks she looks pretty. He likes her hair. Then he tells himself to stop. He is not sleeping with her. She thinks she can see his muscles through his suit jacket. She says something to him and he gets choked on a piece of bread. She calls 9-1-1 but ends up doing a partial tracheotomy on him. (I loved that part a little less.)

Ships:

Hen/Karen Hen is in the episode, but Karen only gets a mention. Their ship didn’t sail much in this episode. They’re still in the dinghy.

Buck/Abby – Abby and Buck continue building on their ship. I’m starting to feel it. I believe their feelings are genuine, so I was surprised to get a little vibe between her and Bobby. *spoiler* That ship never sails. I’m glad of it.

Favorite quote from this episode:

No favorite quotes in this episode, but it was still a solid and fun episode.

[maaarine]

Hormones and their Interaction with the Pain Experience (Katy Vincent and Irene Tracey, 2008)

"One of the most striking physiological differences between men and women is in sex steroid hormones, both the absolute levels and the occurrence of cyclical fluctuations in women.

These hormones are known to be responsible for the embryological development of a male or female phenotype and for successful reproductive function after puberty.

More recently, observations such as the marked differences in pain symptoms between males and females in the period between puberty and the menopause, and the cyclical variations in many clinical pain symptoms in women have suggested that they may also have a role in altering the pain experience. (…)

With the onset of regular ovulation and menstruation, it can be seen that a number of clinical pain conditions show variation in symptom severity across the menstrual cycle.

Clearly the pain of dysmenorrhoea is, by definition, associated with the menstrual cycle, however, the symptoms of temperomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Interstitial Cystitis (IC) and migraine can also show cyclical variation.

The greatest reports of pain symptoms appear to occur at times of low or rapidly falling estrogen levels and the use of the combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP) to give a more constant hormonal level can improve these symptoms. (…)

From puberty onwards, men have significantly higher levels of testosterone and its metabolites than women.

Testosterone appears to have an analgesic effect protecting against the development of painful conditions such as TMJ pain.

Rheumatoid arthritis patients (both male and female) have been shown to have lower androgen levels than sex-matched controls, and androgen administration improves their symptoms, whilst female workers with lower testosterone levels have more work-related neck and shoulder injuries.

However, investigation of the specific effects of testosterone are complicated by the fact that much is metabolised in vivo to estradiol by aromatase, and this is therefore an issue which needs to be addressed in future studies.

Perhaps one of the more intriguing studies to be published recently explored the effect of systemic hormone administration to both male to female (MtF) and female to male (FtM) transsexuals (n=73) during the process of sex reassignment.

They observed that approximately one third of the MtF subjects developed chronic pain during their treatment with estrogen and androgens, and even those that did not, reported a decreased tolerance to painful events and an enhanced sensitivity to thermal stimuli (both warm and cold).

Of those FtM subjects who had chronic pain before the start of treatment, more than half improved after commencing testosterone treatment, reporting reduced numbers of painful episodes and shorter lengths of those that did occur.

Clearly, psychological effects cannot be ignored in this group of subjects, however, this is the only situation where the hormonal milieu in humans can be ethically altered to that of the opposite gender and therefore gives us interesting insights. (…)

In addition to its sensory aspect, pain is an emotional experience.

It is therefore of interest that the life time patterns in pain symptoms in men and women are closely mirrored by those of mood disorders, though with the addition of a perimenopausal peak in mood disorders.

Comparing post-puberty with pre-puberty, rates of significant depression increased two-fold for boys but more than four-fold for girls.

In Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMD), there is no evidence that abnormal levels of hormones occur (unlike in depression associated with thyroid or pituitary dysfunction), rather, it appears that some women are more sensitive to the mood destabilising effects of these hormones.

It is not inconceivable therefore, that a similar situation may exist for pain."