#which is also very common with my migraines

[scentedluminarysoul]

A classmate was talking about meningococcus, and I thought, hoped, he meant the vaccination for his baby.

I don't like that I'm feeling pretty ill right now, since the morning. Trouble breathing, not much coughing but when it's pretty deep, headache, sore throat, swollen sinuses...

This is the same classmate who came to school when his wife was confirmed Covid positive, ate in the full cafeteria at a full table, and then was sick home the next day with, no way!, Covid.

I've been testing all week and am negative afaik. Hopefully it's just a cold. Been feeling like shit all week, too.

[kiame-sama]

Just started my period and everything hurts! How do you think each Dorm Leader (Or Dorm Leaders of your choice) would handle a Reader who started her period and suffers agonizing cramps, migraines, back pain, very tender breasts and sudden mood swings

I unluckily suffer from PMDD and become an emotional hurricane, but I always feel a little better whenever I read any of your older or newer works

Warnings; different dorm leaders and their different upbringings, menstrual cycle, yandere behavior, manipulative behavior, hints to a potential poly relationship with Rook reader and Vil, some platonic yandere behavior,

- Riddle is not sure how to broach this subject in the slightest. He may have had his mother, but that doesn't mean she communicated her cycle or educated him on it. He will look to Trey for help on the matter when a simple invitation to tea results in an unusually tearful response from you. Trey- being the older brother he is- will be first to offer comfort food before pulling a confused and slightly offended Riddle to the side. Riddle turns red from something other than anger as Trey gives the vaguest of explanations as to your current state.

- Riddle chooses to let Trey field most of the focus, trying to learn from his friend on how to best handle the situation. He becomes increasingly concerned as he learns about your back pain and migraines, deciding that he needs to learn what he can about your apparent condition. This will lead to a sleepless night of research and pestering Trey for information.

- Come the next day, Riddle is doing everything in his power to make you feel comfortable, going as far as to invite you to stay in his room in Heartslabyul while you are feeling so pained. Don't worry, he will sleep on the couch. He is a gentleman after all. Riddle insists. While you are in Heartslabyul he will pamper you to no end with sweets and good food. Whatever pain meds you need, he's getting them for you and he will hear no talk of repaying him.

- He needs this first time to go well so he can get you back time and time again into his care. He needs you to need him and he will do what he can to create that reliance on his care.

- Leona knows before you do. He has a superior sense of smell and will know your hormones are off long before the physical impact actually hits. You're going to wake up that first morning to Ruggie tiredly shoving things into your arms, saying something about Leona insisting he do it that moment. The next few days will be a lot of the same, from various gifts to comforts and essentials. Poor Ruggie isn't the only one who will be dragged into this either. Jack will be showing his face a few times as well with more things from Leona, embarrassed as he shoves the items into your arms and promptly flees.

- If you do see Leona any time during this, he speaks gently to you and will check in on you. He's not going to push if you don't want to tell him, but he will increase the gifts if he thinks you are suffering in any way. He will be pulling you from class to nap with him, using himself like a heating pad for you, and he will tolerate any anger or sorrow you throw at him with little more than vague frustration. He's trying to help you, herbivore, stop fighting him on this already.

- You eat like a king, Leona ensures it. There is no room to argue with him or insist you don't need/want his gifts. You're getting them regardless and you will keep getting them. No arguing or complaining will move him on this matter. It is common courtesy in the Sunset Savana to take care of the female aligned in the kingdom as needed, which also means in times of hormonal imbalance. He sees it as a basic politeness which is why he can't understand if you argue with him over it.

- If you get weepy he will clam up a bit, not used to handling these things gracefully. You'll be able to coerce him into cuddling you if you ask him while in this upset state. He'll be a little stiff until he relaxes into it, making it clear to you that he's not going to let you suffer without at least trying to help you.

- Floyd smells the blood on you first, confused and frustrated when you snap at him for what was meant to be a lighthearted comment about sharks in the water. Jade is more intrigued by your change in temper and attitude as you typically put up with Floyd better than most. These reports back to Azul are concerning and he decides to bribe the little monster you insist on keeping with you Grim with tuna for answers.

- What he is greeted with is a slew of information he isn't entirely sure he wanted, but it did give insight into you and your behavior. He keeps Jade and Floyd on your case to garner what information he can about your well-being as he studies up on this odd affliction you endure.

- Azul being Azul decides to write up a contract for you that looked like a god-send on the outside. From ensured pain-medication, to comfort food, all the way to taking notes in class for you, it is promised for every cycle you endure. Naturally, the fine print emphasizes a reliance on Azul during these times and an agreement to only come to Azul for help. Not to mention the 'Boyfriend clause' that extends the contract indefinitely if it's use exceeds six months, automatically granting Azul status as your boyfriend as added collateral for him due to the continuation of the contract.

- No, he won't be disclosing all of this outright, you should read your contracts better. He will be encouraging you to sign rather eagerly, already ready to be your Achilles heel if he needs to be. Just sign and make him the happiest cephalopod ever. Please. You need to sign.

- He is confused and worried all at once because throwing parties is not fixing your tears fast enough! How is he supposed to smile and laugh if you look like you're in pain like that? You are in pain? Why didn't you say so earlier?!

- Kalim is falling over himself trying to get you everything you could possibly need and then everything you don't possibly need on top of it all. He knows you're a bit dubious about staying in Scarabia, but he wants you close so he can make sure you feel okay! What kind of friend would he be if he left you laying in agony and so unwell?

- Jamil is already anticipating cooking meals for both you and Kalim during these times, wanting to also aid you in some regard. Where it is a duty to serve Kalim, Jamil is fond of you and what you have done for him as a person in his own right. He doesn't like the idea of Kalim getting all of the credit as per usual, but he knows you appreciate his care as well.

- Kalim tries very hard to help, but it will ultimately be Jamil who is of greater use to you. Still, Kalim hopes his attempts at making you smile somewhat cheered you up! So long as you are okay, he is happy.

- Oh, is that all? Vil has worked with others who have menstrual cycles quite a bit in the industry and some bad critics have likely called him a pmsing priss anyway. He gets that it is not a fun time and he will be much more understanding of times you have an ill temper with him. He will also be the graceful comfort for when you can't hold back tears anymore.

- You will be doing spa days with him and he will try to keep you hydrated during your cycle, providing pain meds as needed. He will be so kind as to put Rook on retrieval duty for whatever you need during this time (though Rook volunteered to do it in the first place).

- Spending it alone in worn down Ramshackle? I think not! Vil will absolutely be moving you into his room for the duration of your cycle and he will hear no complaints on the matter. You will be expected to participate in the nightly skincare routine with him and he will graciously share his products with you (and you are going back to Ramshackle with products as well). He will share the bed with you- don't misunderstand him, he will not be taking advantage of your state in that way- because it is his bed and he is being so gracious as to impress you with the life he can provide to you give you comfort in your time of need, why should he take lower quality when he can share?

- Rook will beg you to allow him to be your faithful servant at these times, enamored with the sight of Vil so happy with you and the beauty of the two of you together so domestically. If only he too could join in on the picturesque moment of domestic bliss you so flawlessly portray with beautiful Vil at your side. He will be more than a little eager to get anything you need him to retrieve. He is your faithful huntsman and you are his beloved trickster

- Oh shit, like IRL? Damn, well, the best Idia can offer is a stint in his room, taking classes virtually and having all the comforts he can possibly offer. You won't have to go anywhere, you can play games with him and binge sweets.

- You need a heating pad? He's already got it for you. You need some kind of massage? He wants to offer to do it but unless you ask, he won't have it in him to speak up about it. A fanboy can dream, right? Besides, a good several days with him, gaming and relaxing away from all that triggering ass social nonsense.

- He will not know how to handle tears and will completely panic, calling on Ortho to try and help. He has limited social grace but he will try to comfort you. Throw him a bone and tell him if you need him to just hold you or get you pain meds. Whatever you want, he will try to get for you as soon as he can, and if he can't get it, Ortho can.

- He hopes you'll let him crash on the bed with you, but he can get a cot too if you don't want a firey haired wierdo like him in the bed with you. If you do let him in the bed, he can't guarantee that he won't cuddle you (and he hopes his dakimakura of you stays hidden beneath the bed no matter what).

- Malleus is confused as to why his sweet child of man is in such disarray as of late. Surely he can aid you in some way? Perhaps even gain something from you in return for the gifts and boons he would grant you.

- Your pain is of great concern to him so he will be consulting Lilia on how best to treat your condition and soothe your unrest. Thankfully Lilia knows more about humans than Malleus and will be able to aid in your care. This caretaking will result in Lilia being more of a father figure to you because he can't help but enter that role when presented with a new charge to foster. Malleus is content to aid Lilia and learn from the elder Fae.

- Malleus intends to take over the care at some point, but he will have to fight Lilia for that right as Lilia becomes more than a little parental over time. Still, he will do what he can and use his magic as he sees fit to soothe you and give you peace.

- Lilia ensures this is not a one time thing as he will arrive right on schedule with your cycle next month to pick right back up where he began. Having already retrieved things to aid in your care. Malleus will be frustrated Lilia beat him to the task of caretaking, but he will resign himself to a partial caretaker for Lilia's sake. He is indulgent of the elder Fae and who would he be to tell Lilia to not care for his beloved child of man?

[scientia-rex]

Hi Dr. Kristophine, do you have any advice on what kind of information doctors need for medical issues that are more nebulous than "my knees hurt"? I've been feeling Weird and Bad in a way that has me concerned, but I'm afraid to make an appointment because I don't know what to say that will get the Weird and Bad feeling across in an actionable way. Going to the doctor takes SO much energy that I don't have to waste and I don't want them to just take a blood test and say everything's fine go home (again).

The best thing you can do with medical information you're trying to prepare for your medical provider, as a lay person, is be as specific as possible.

-Location: Is it one place in particular, or everywhere? Does it stay in one place, or move around?

-Timing: When did it start? Did it come on suddenly or slowly? Does it happen continuously? Does it come and go? Is it always there to some extent, but it gets better and worse? On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being fine and 10 being the worst you can imagine, how bad is it at its best, and how bad is it at its worst? How much time does it spend really bad vs only kind of bad?

-Quality: If it's pain, is it aching, burning, stabbing, dull, electrical zap, etc.? If it's not pain, what is it? Is it discomfort? Is it weakness--i.e., you can't do that thing? Is it fatigue--like maybe you can still push through doing the thing but it feels like you're trying to wade through mud to do it? Is it a racing heart, sweating, pressure?

-Triggers: Does something in particular set it off? A time of day, a food, an action, a medication, a thought? A surprisingly common trigger for migraines is sitting still with your neck in one position. (New research suggests that necks are critical to migraine formation, to which I yelled out loud at the paper, no duh!) There may be triggers you haven't noticed; try keeping a symptom diary, where you note down when you have episodes and what you were doing beforehand, what you ate that day, menstrual phase, etc. Any detail that you can remember, whether or not it seems relevant at the time.

I cannot tell you how many times I've dug deeper into a chronic issue only to discover that the patient can, in fact, tell me what the trigger is, but because it's something important to them, they simply haven't noticed. May subconsciously even avoided noticing. Do you get migraines every time you DM? Do you need to work a stretch break into your D&D session?

There can also absolutely be multiple triggers--I know I'll get migraines if I don't sleep, if I'm sick, if I sit still for too long, if I have dental work, etc.

So bring in all the info you can. Write it down if you're afraid you'll forget. Don't hand it to the MA, too many doctors will go "oh my GOD they brought a LIST how high-maintenance" and tune out. Hang on to it but tell them about everything.

I don't expect patients to be able to tell me "I believe I've had a left radial styloid fracture" but I do expect them to tell me "I fell and tried to catch myself with my left hand and now my wrist hurts," and that's good enough. The rest of it is my job. When it's something more vague, like "I started feeling different and bad about six months ago," any other information helps. Did you start a new med around then? Are you going through menopause? Do you struggle with anxiety? Do you have first-degree relatives (parent, sibling, or child) with genetic disorders, autoimmune disorders, etc.? Do you have a history of anemia? Are you vegan? Have you started having night sweats and unexplained weight loss? Did you recently travel internationally? This can go a lot more different directions than a hurty wrist, so bring in all the info you can.

And keep in mind that modern medicine is very limited--much more so than most people think. There is an excellent chance that medicine will not be able to diagnose your condition. It may still be able to offer treatment. It may fall on your shoulders to manage it as best you can, knowing that doctors don't have answers. Nobody can tell me why I have chronic pain, and I don't mean as in "I've asked doctors and they don't know," I mean "I've personally scoured the literature and had the relevant and appropriate tests and no one can know at this phase of medical knowledge." So I deal with it, I've stopped trying to push myself past my reserves because people who can't admit to ignorance tell me to, I keep my painful body moving because that helps, I do PT, I take a multivitamin occasionally because I know my diet sucks. I manage.

There are not always right or wrong answers--I don't take gabapentin, because I don't want the sedation and kidney exposure, but patients with my exact symptoms might find it helpful and may find the risks and costs worth the benefits. My mother, who has whatever it is that I have, right down to the tricky stomach, from whom I presumably inherited it, has taken medication at different points in her life, depending on how much pain she was in and what other responsibilities she has, and that is perfectly reasonable. Autonomy matters. People have to be able to make these choices for themselves, with assistance but not paternalism from their medical professionals, because the math is different for everyone.

[certifiedsexed]

hi there! this isn’t about sex itself, but since periods are usually a part of sex ed and i’ve literally just been woken up because the cramps were bad enough, i thought i would ask — is it normal to be in a lot of pain when you’re on your period?

context: i still live with my abusive parents, who don’t let me take any kind of pain medication after a suicide attempt at thirteen, so i know that this problem might just be that i need to take a strong painkiller. also the pain doesn’t ever last more than three days? like the first three days (and sometimes the days leading up to it) of my period are always hell but then it’s fine, i have no pain afterwards.

but the problem is that the pain is… bad. like being woken up in the middle of the night because my sides hurt and my legs hurt isn’t uncommon, and there’s this weird thing where i’m scared to use the toilet during these first three days because it makes my butt and my sides hurt so much that i genuinely can’t move and have to bite myself to stop myself from screaming. sometimes i’ll be in so much pain, usually in my sides but also sometimes in my stomach or legs or my butt, that i can’t even move, so i just kind of… have to lie pressed into my bed and hold my breath.

my mother has always just told me that she had worse pain when she still used to get her period, and that i’d be completely fine if i just listened to her and used a hot water bottle (i have poor circulation, so hot/cold stuff just doesn’t really feel great for me usually), and i’ve always just kind of accepted that. i know it’s common for people who get periods to talk about how painful things like cramps are, but i genuinely usually feel so miserable for the first couple days of my period that if i don’t need to get out my bed, i literally won’t at all.

i’m just wondering… is everyone who gets periods in as much pain as i usually am, at least for the first couple days? or, since i know that people experience periods differently, are people in more/less pain than i am but it’s fine since this isn’t that bad and i should just take medication each month for it? idk, but ever since i started to get periods they’ve genuinely always made me feel so so bleak and in agony, and i’m someone i’d consider who has a maybe above ‘average’ pain tolerance (i have chronic back pain, migraines, and health issues that make it easy for me to sprain/fracture my ankles which i’ve unironically managed to do about eight times in the past two years — again, unfortunately all of this with mostly no painkillers unless i can get them from the school first aid box), so i just… don’t know anymore, but i thought it couldn’t hurt to ask.

anyways, unrelated but i really do love this blog — the reblogs are always good things to read as someone who’s still unpacking being raised by very puritanical parents, and the asks always offer good advice too, very empathetically in a way that sometimes catches me off guard (there was one post on here that was something about how the asker’s father would belittle them and i think your reply said something like ‘it’s not your fault and nothing’s wrong with that aspect of you’… which i know sounds obvious but that was something that i don’t think had ever been obvious to me ever since my father started doing the same when i was younger. it was really comforting to hear, is what i mean, and your replies often are. so thank you for that! and for the time + energy i can imagine it takes to run this, you post/rb so often!)

Hi! This is absolutely a sex ed question, you're right!

So, first, let me make one thing clear: no! You are not supposed to be in this level of pain on your period. Some pain is understandable but once it gets to the point it's bad/debilitating in Any fashion, something is going wrong.

But I also want to say, being in an abusive living situation can fuck up your periods. And so can being restricted from pain relief, which-just in case you're not aware-is another type of abuse.

But what you're talking about sounds like more than just a lack of basic pain relief. That's very disabling, even if it doesn't last long. It may be that intense reactions to periods run in your family [especially since your mother mentioned experiencing something similar] but that's still something you should be getting something like specialized pain meds for or even stopping your periods altogether.

What you're talking about, especially on top of an abusive living situation, is very unhealthy for you to have to deal with.

Not everyone is in that much pain. Some people are but that's a medical condition. It's a disability! What you're talking about is a disability. It can be caused by PMS or endometriosis or PMDD or it could even be connected to whatever causes your other chronic pain but it's still very much something your parents should be getting you checked out for.

Even if your mother had the exact same pain on her period, that doesn't mean you should have to suffer through it, especially not with her revoking your access to basic pain relief. That's all completely unacceptable and I'm sorry you're having to deal with this.

I'm not sure how helpful this is but I hope it's at least good to know the pain levels you're dealing with are unacceptable and Not "normal" period pain.

Also I'm so glad you're learning and enjoying the blog, especially the advice. I also grew up in an abusive household so to hear it's helping someone else in a similar situation means the world to me, fr. 💕 Sending love, Anon. <3

[foldingfittedsheets]

Hi Bed Guru! I'm curious about your thoughts and any advice you can give about adjustable beds. Is it basically just the base/frame? Do they need special or specific mattresses? Are they worth it, especially for someone with arthritis (knees, back, shoulders, etc)?

Yeah so instead of having a box spring and a frame, an adjustable base goes right under the mattress and replaces both. You can have a wooden frame around one for aesthetics, but the base holds the bed up and moves it around without the need for anything else.

Adjustable bases. Are. The. Tits. They are so good. There is a million problems they can help with aside from just being comfy as hell. Arthritis and general pressure is one of them.

Ideally if you can convert to back sleeping they can help you the best but you can still get benefits as a side sleeper.

Raising your head even 6” helps with tons of stuff from snoring, sleep apnea, acid reflux, it can help ease sleep apnea but obviously one shouldn’t ditch their machine. It can reduce migraine symptoms in long term studies and is just all around comfy.

Now some folks have tried to use multiple pillows or wedge pillows. The problem with multiple pillows is that every time you need to wake up and adjust them you’re losing sleep, and the wedges are high so they don’t work for most people. The base can sit up in bed to read, watch tv, whatever, then go back down to sleeping height.

Having the legs up makes your lower back way happier, it helps blood to circulate better. There’s a reason people love sleeping in recliners an the base turns your bed into an even better recliner. I can’t say enough good things. Head and feet up create something that got dubbed “zero gravity” which is your body without pressure points. Very useful for achey joints, and the reason adjustable bases got their start in hospitals.

Those features are enough. Head up and down are where all the good stuff is. I personally love my base which has memory settings so I can hit one button to go from sleeping position to recliner position. Mine also has massage which helps me fall asleep way faster. Those features are extra and not strictly necessary but I think they’re great.

There’s even fancier ones with speakers and USB ports and all sorts of stuff so you can go as tricked out as you want but all the basic health benefits are at the bottom end when head and feet elevate. Everything else is just convenience.

As for which beds- almost all modern beds are compatible with adjustable bases. The only kind that’s incompatible are the veryyyy old interconnected coil beds. They’re not very common nowadays because power bases are so ubiquitous that beds need to flex with them.

[hijinxinprogress]

Young Justice spends all of their time violating the Geneva conventions or mocking their mentors bc they’re traumatized theater kids without any capacity for a verbal filter which is also why they’re not allowed to watch movies at the tower

YJ is watching some hero movie and a character with a gruff voice sternly says “we don’t kill…we’re better than that” so Tim gives the most dramatic sigh and goes “this is giving me back the migraine from our last lecture from the league” which leads to YJ doing their best to dramatically reenact disappointed justice league lectures

Cissie, offhandedly: Most superheroes having that dumbass code that’s some variation of “we don’t kill, we’re better than that…” make me fucking nauseous because who’s we? I’ll have you know my mother assures me that I’m a piece of shit everyday so no I’m not better than this.

Greta, in a mocking disappointed tone: Cissie! I’m very surprised at your behavior, we’ve taught you better than that! We’re here to protect people not to hurt them

Kon, in his best angry Cissie impression: Well, who’s gonna protect my sleep schedule? You woke me up at 3am to stop some idiot that wanted to steal kryptonite? Are you serious?They’re not going to jail they’re going to the nearest cemetery that I can promise you

Anita, in a dramatic hero pose: I’m not like you…you made me realize something, I have friends and people that love me so I’m not going to-

Bart, doing an excellent mimicry of Anita’s unimpressed face: He killed your family wdym you’re better than that, that’s dumb as hell you even look at anyone I know with the tiniest hint of malice you’re leaving in a bodybag

Kon, turning to Bart and making his voice echo the way Greta’s does when she’s annoyed: what is this nonsense I wouldn’t let anyone get away with doing that to you guys I promise they’d suffer immensely

Cassie, hovering in the air doing a terrible impression of disappointed superman: We can’t kill because then we’re no better than they are

Anita, glaring at Cassie with her best Kon impression: I’m okay with that…let’s not pretend you don’t expect this from me, am I supposed to care? They deserve to suffer, why should I be the only one that has to suffer?

Anita, pretending to storm off dramatically while Cassie tries to look disapproving:

Cissie, doing her angry Bart impression: You’re not gonna waste people I actually like then get to chill in jail and breakout in a couple days

Tim, in a dramatic ‘I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed’ tone: I’m not sure how you did things in the future but you can’t do things like this, do you understand?

Cissie, snorting and crossing her arms in the agitated way Bart does: I understand that our first fight will be our last because we’re not doing this shit again I’m not superman

Greta, in a gruff Batman voice: People can change if you give them a chance

Cassie, in a sarcastic Tim impression: I’ll start a timer I’ll even give him five minutes why are you playing with me rn Batman

Bart, sighing disappointedly: You're so angry and I wish you’d find an appropriate outlet for all this aggression. You don’t know what taking a life will do to you, what it’ll take from you….

Tim, in an irritated Kon impression: why not? we can find out let’s do an experiment and find out I like science I’m game hbu??

Cassie, who does the second best Batman voice: Neither of you can even begin to understand-! How do you know you won’t end up ending low tier criminals like pickpocketers? We can’t play judge, jury, and executioner… what happens when you’re wrong? What’s going to stop you?

Greta, fiddling with a phone and shrugging before giving Cassie Tim’s patented ‘I can ruin your life and you’ve just given me a reason’ look while doing her impression of the way Tim stands when he’s pissed and rolling her eyes: Self control? Common sense? When have my hunches ever been wrong? Don’t play with my intelligence, it will not work out for you

Bart, doing his best to copy the way Cassie stands and messes with their hair when they’re pissed: I’m just saying, if you blow up a city block you lose air privileges I have debris in my shoes rn for what?

[JL was meeting with a bunch of reporters in the tower and later had to do a lot of damage control after the press released a statement about the JL failing to rehabilitate young villains]

[cannabiscomrade]

It's Gastroparesis Awareness Month

Hi! I have gastroparesis and I'm an insufferable know-it-all so let's talk about it!

Gastroparesis, or a paralyzed stomach, is a condition that causes delayed gastric emptying.

This can cause a range of symptoms and complications:

nausea

vomiting

early satiety/fullness

upper gastric pain

heartburn

malabsorption

dehydration

malnutrition

Gastroparesis can be treated by a gastroenterologist, but often needs to be managed by a motility specialist due to a lot of misconceptions about the condition. Providers, especially in the emergency department, will commonly misdiagnose gastroparesis as cannabis-hyperemesis syndome, cyclic vomiting syndrome, gastritis, food poisoning, etc.

There are several commonly known causes of gastroparesis like vagus nerve damage from diabetes, injury to the stomach, and stomach surgery like hernia repair or bariatric surgery. There are also idiopathic cases with no known cause. Other causes of gastroparesis are:

Connective tissue disorders like HSD and EDS (commonly hEDS and cEDS)

Post-viral (like COVID, viral gastritis, mononucleosis/Epstein-Barr)

Restrictive eating disorders

Autoimmune diseases like Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), Lupus, Hashimoto's

Central nervous system disorders

Gastroparesis also has common comorbidities with conditions like:

POTS and other forms of dysautonomia (POTS, EDS, and gastroparesis are a common triad of diagnoses)

MCAS

SMAS (which can also present with similar symptoms to GP)

Intestinal dysmotility and esophageal dysmotility disorders (known as global dysmotility)

PCOS with insulin resistance

Endometriosis

SIBO/SIFO

Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction

Migraines

Certain medications like Ozempic and other drugs in that class act on the digestive system to delay gastric emptying, which has caused people to be diagnosed with gastroparesis. Some people report that their cases have not gone away since stopping the medication, others report feeling better after stopping. Other drugs like opiates and narcotics can cause delayed gastric and intestinal motility as well, but these are commonly known side effects of those painkiller classes.

Gastroparesis is classed based on severity and graded based on how you respond to treatment.

Severity of delay ranges from mild to very severe, and this is based on your actual stomach retention calculated at 4 hours into a gastric emptying study.

The grading scale ranges from one to three, one being mild and three being gastric failure.

There is no consistent single treatment that is proven to work for gastroparesis, and there is no cure. Treatments can consist of:

Diet changes (3 Step Gastroparesis Diet, liquid diet, oral sole source nutrition)

Prokinetic (motility stimulating) drugs

Anti-nausea medications

Proton-pump inhibitors

Gastric stimulator/gastric pacemaker

Pyloric botox and dilation

G-POEM/pyloroplasty

Post-pyloric tube feeding

Gastric venting/draining

Parenteral nutrition

IV fluids

Other surgical interventions like gastrectomy or rarely, transplant

Gastroparesis is a terrible disease and I hope that if any of these symptoms resonate with you that you can get checked out. I was misdiagnosed for a long time before getting a proper gastroparesis diagnosis, and all it took was a gastric emptying study. This is ESPECIALLY true if you're having post-COVID gastrointestinal problems that are not improving. I almost died from starvation ketoacidosis because of how serious my GP got in a short period of time post-COVID (I had GP before COVID), and now I'm tube reliant for all my nutrition and hydration.

Stay safe friends!

[ariespetal]

i heard you wish to be talked to about komahina. my time has arrived. i’m going to use this as an excuse to dump postgame headcanons on you :)

i think they take care of each other in a lot of really subtle ways. hajime for sure overworks himself a lot so nagito will trick him into taking breaks by asking him for help with little unimportant things like crosswords or choosing which book he should read next- then once he’s got hajime’s attention he gets him to sit down and chat and bam now he’s taken a break. he’s also like the only one who can get hajime to go to bed when he’s up way too late working on something. along a similar vein hajime will make sure nagito is eating enough by bringing him fruits and nuts and such :) he for sure gets lectured about drinking enough water especially since he still insists on wearing a jacket on a tropical island

they’re both migraine sufferers but nagito in particular is prone to getting auras with his migraines. they are very used to keeping their cottage dark and quiet when someone’s feeling under the weather and they go through painkillers faster than anyone else on the island (which is almost concerning bc they are far from the only ones on the island who deal with chronic pain)

hajime naturally runs warm and nagito naturally runs cold. as a result hajime sleeps in just his boxers whereas nagito has a whole pajama set he changes into each night. hajime will sprawl out in his sleep and nagito clings onto him like a koala. it’s actually a very efficient system for them they regulate each others’ temperatures

they help each other through their rough days and are better equipped than any of their peers to help each other. it’s the mutual understanding and seeing themselves in each other. when hajime’s dissociating or feeling especially guilty nagito’s able to help remind him of who he is and all the people he’s been able to help since getting out of the nwp. when nagito’s doomspiraling or feeling especially worthless hajime’s the only one who can reliably snap him out of it and remind him that he’s loved and safe. they’re not perfect and they both still struggle but they’re able to bring each other comfort

their arguments can be NASTY (especially at first when they’re still just starting to recover) but they’re bad at apologizing with words so they find other ways to make it up to each other- usually acts of service or little gifts. when hajime feels bad he’ll bring nagito his favorite snacks or recommend him new books or try to find ways to upgrade the spaces on the island he knows nagito likes to use. when nagito feels bad he’ll clean and organize spaces meticulously and try to use his luck to find something important hajime would be able to use in a project. eventually when they start learning to communicate with each other a little better they start doing silent apologies with little acts of physical affection- they’ll sit down next to each other and gently lean against each other or place their hand over the other’s and squeeze, etc. they never get good at saying “i’m sorry” but they get good at showing and understanding it

nagito once tried to make hajime a cake for his birthday. it was a miracle he didn’t burn anything down and the end result was inedible but hajime really appreciated the sentiment anyways. nagito was banned from being in kitchens unsupervised after this, which he agreed was reasonable. hajime (and teruteru probs) has since tried to give him cooking lessons but he just. he isn’t good at it. he’s trying his best but dear god is it bad

when they’re lounging nagito will just. drape himself over hajime like a cat. it is very common to find nagito resting his head on hajime’s chest in a lounge chair or laying across his lap reading a book on a sofa. it embarrasses hajime a little bit when nagito does this in public but they’re both so touch starved that he doesn’t say shit bc he knows they both need the affection. (and if he not-so-secretly enjoys running his hands through nagito’s hair and feeling him relax, well, who can blame him?)

ok this is getting rambly i’m gonna stop here. i love talking about komahina and i love postgame komahina especially so thank you for enabling me there. hope this helps satisfy the itch in your brain as well. it’s all about the learning to heal and love and grow happy together to me. waaaaaauuuughh they’ve been through so much they deserve to be able to do nothing together <333 komahina,,,,, yeagh

YESSSS these are all so good I live for post-game komahina 🥺

They’re so wonderful for each other, I love the idea of them getting over their disagreements and taking care of one another, literally soulmates dude :’)

Anyways I’m rotating all of these headcanons around in my brain thank you for this 🙏🫡 (and I just had to draw out koala-komaeda, I’m glad everyone agrees this is how they sleep)

[joshusten]

love me in spite (guy/honey, redacted audios)

Guy and Honey get into an argument early into their relationship.

(angst, hurt/comfort, arguments, fluff)

3k+ words [ao3 link here!] [masterlist]

[CW and notes: swearing, arguing, insecurities, overthinking, breakdowns, descriptive?? crying?? I think??, idk they’re both having a bad time. probably a lot of grammatical errors lmao. also honey is implied to be empowered!!]

Honey doesn't remember the last time they felt like this, but they’ve always known their personality would bite them in the ass someday.

“Aww, is my beloved mad again? Oh, pray tell, which heinous crime did I commit this time, officer? Robbery? Public indecency?” Guy stroked his chin, pretending to rack up his mind on any possible offense he could have made. “Hm…jaywalking?"

“Guy.”

“Oh! Or maybe—just maybe—it was wanting my ever-so-affectionate lover to stop their pretty head from fussing over me?”

"Guy, can’t you take this seriously for once?” 

“But I am! It’s just not that big of a deal, baby! Look, a manuscript can’t just write itself, y’know? Especially one with a little flair from yours truly!”

“You haven’t slept properly for days now, you work overnight most of the time, and on your days off you pull all-nighters writing!” 

“Oh, you’re one to talk!”

“Well, this one’s more serious! I haven’t even seen you eat a proper meal and anything I offer you gets left out cold!”

They continued to have a back-and-forth confrontation, voices raising and words getting crueler as time goes on, with both parties not intending to back down anytime soon. Honey thought it was the first time they ever heard Guy let out an actual annoyed scoff and they noticed the slightest change in his demeanor. 

“Jesus, Honey. Of all the times you can finally act like you care for me, why now? Hm?” There was a playful smile on his face. It almost made them believe he was still joking around but his words were laced with an unmistakable annoyance.

But something inside Honey snapped. Their chest tightened at the thought of their partner thinking they didn’t care. They felt themselves flinch from the comment and Guy seemed to notice that too as his smile drops. “Shit. Honey, I didn’t–”

“I’m–,” They scrambled to get their bag, keys, wallet, anything they would need because they just want to be anywhere but here.“I’m going out. Let’s finish this later. I-I just can’t fucking do this right now.”

They didn’t mean that. Didn’t mean for it to sound so harsh. Then again, they don’t mean to sound so harsh most of the time but end up doing so either way. Grumpy. Mean. Intimidating. A common descriptor from most people. But Guy wasn’t like most people. ‘Unless,’ they think, ‘That was just a lie you told yourself to believe in.’

Honey shuts the door behind them, leaving the building and the warmth of their partner.

The pain in their chest almost distracts them from the exhaustion currently catching up to their body after a long day. They can feel the telltale signs of a migraine coming as they rub their temples gingerly with one hand, the other guiding the steering wheel. ‘Damn, it started to rain too. What a great way to lighten the mood,’ they think bitterly. Their mind eventually goes back to the fight earlier.

“Of all the times you finally can act like you care for me, why now? Hm?”

They do care. They care for him so much it scares them . He knows that, right? Even if they groan at his flirtatious quips and innuendos or if they grumble at his (very creative) attempts to give them as many hugs and kisses as they would allow, he knows that that’s just how they are, right? 

Maybe that wasn’t enough anymore. Maybe that never was enough to begin with. Maybe Guy finally realized he deserves better than an ill-tempered partner who doesn’t even know how to properly show any affection to their own fucking boyfriend.

A sharp car horn snaps them out of their thoughts. Shit, it’s a green light. They continue to drive until they see the familiar soft glow of a nearby 7-Eleven sign despite the persistent rain. 

Honey's entrance was signaled with the chime of the bell above the glass door. It’s relatively empty save for what they recognize to be a few D.A.M.N. students buying some late-night study snacks. Walking through the aisles while the pop song they heard their partner hum before softly plays in the background, slowly but surely calming them down. Muscle memory makes Honey reach for Guy’s favorite snack and they wonder how he’s doing. 

---

Guy doesn't remember the last time he felt like this, but he’s always known his personality would bite him in the ass someday.

Sure, he and Honey had their disagreements, but they were all accompanied by playful slaps and teasing laughter. Never had it gotten to the point of an actual argument that caused them to spit such venom toward each other like the one they just had. 

“I’m going out. I-I just can’t fucking do this right now.”

The door closes and Honey leaves, bringing the warmth of their shared apartment with them. Guy lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and starts to get to work. He wordlessly distracts himself by cleaning the living room—picking up stray plastic chip bags, vacuuming crumbs that settled on the cheap shag carpet, and fixing up the pillows on the couch that he’s been nesting on for the past few days while he works on the final draft of the project he was writing. 

Piles of paper littered their second-hand coffee table. Every inch is covered in Post-it notes and wrinkled pieces of paper filled with ideas that he had haphazardly scribbled in an attempt to record them before it leaves his mind. Most of them, he recalls, are just random doodles of spirals and honeybees that he absentmindedly drew as he was typing away on his laptop. The spaces left exposed on the table were adorned with faded mug rings on the old dark oak wood.

He tries to compile them into a neater collection, pausing as he notices a doodle he made of his Honey. It was far from a masterpiece, but the cute cartoony style paired with heavily exaggerated furrowed brows in order to replicate their partner’s usual expression pulls a smile from his lips. There was even a jumbled-up line inside a small text bubble next to it to symbolize the adorable grumbles they always make. 

Fuck, he misses them so fucking much.

A sudden wave of exhaustion almost makes him drop the stack of papers he’s holding and it dawns on him how much he really has been neglecting his own health for this project. The stress of trying to find a job where he can utilize his degree and finally get out of that godforsaken pizza place has been taking a toll on him. All Honey was trying to do was for him to take a break that he so desperately ( and, he embarrassingly admits, unknowingly ) needed. And he just treated it like some silly joke. Granted, it really was because he wasn’t used to being coddled after, but, it definitely wasn’t an excuse to dismiss their worries like that. 

The guilt builds up in Guy’s throat like bile. He feels worse now, especially considering how much they struggle with expressing themselves like that to him in general, even if they don’t say it aloud.

He finishes cleaning up but the restlessness doesn’t leave him as time passes by with no word from his partner. Maybe this is it? Maybe he fucked it all up like always? Maybe they finally came to their senses and got fed up with him. It wasn’t uncommon for people to think he was a bit too much. Too chaotic, too irritating, too overwhelming. He ever minded those comments in the first place, but the thought of Honey possibly thinking like that too makes him sick. 

It’s getting late and he can hear the rain outside get louder. The anxiety that has been settling in their stomach flares up. He reaches for his phone to message them before concluding they might not want to be bothered right now. Shit, he’s feeling a little sluggish. 

Guy begrudgingly trudges to the wardrobe of their shared bedroom to get a change of clothes. He glances over as he pulls a familiar-looking hoodie from the hanger. Their double bed, adorned with a pizza plushie that Honey had given to him as a joke gift, was more inviting than usual. Maybe he should just take a rest and go to sleep. 

No, no, no, they might want some space from that too. Guy wants to talk this out with them instead of sleeping it out. If this persists, he isn't sure how his poor heart could take it. He ultimately decides to go back to the couch, stay up, and (at the very least) greet them when they come back. 

If they come back. God, please come back.

What if they don’t?

The thought felt like a mere whisper in his head but it left him numb. Guy's aware of his tendency to overthink but before he knew it, he was lying down on his side, hand clamped to his mouth as he forced his eyes shut. He lets out a quiet sniff. His breath hitches. Then he hears himself choke out a small sob. 

Then another.

And another. 

And another.

The dam breaks, his eyes water and he heaves as much air as he can into his lungs. It suddenly became a struggle to breathe and it definitely became a struggle to calm the ugly thoughts that plague his mind. Shaky, broken sobs fill the room, he cringes at how pathetic it sounds.  He hates this. He hates this feeling. Just come back, I’m sorry.

After what felt like hours, his sniffles slowly died down. With heavy eyes and a heavier heart, he finds himself drowsy from all the crying. The hot tears streaming down his face had begun to dry, but, the warmth on his cheeks reminds him of his Honey and the thought of them finally lulls him to sleep.

---

Honey returns, a little haggard but with a calmer mind. The drive around Dahlia and their quick run to the local convenience store definitely helped lighten their mood but the guilt still followed them around like a shadow. Shaky hands find their way to the lock of their shared apartment and Honey opens to a dim living room, with the forgotten hanging bulbs from the kitchen barely providing a sense of light. They noticed the place was tidier than they remembered.

It was eerily quiet, as well. The wrinkling sound of the paper bag that they were holding filled the room.

"Guy?" Fuck, they can hear their voice getting wobbly. 

"I'm home. You there?" A shift from the room was all they heard accompanied by a sniffle. Honey suddenly becomes hyper-aware of the soft snores matching the rise and fall of a figure on the couch.

They couldn't really explain why their heart started to pound with their pulsating headache. Why they made a beeline inside their apartment. Why they started to get down on their knees in the living room despite the protests of their tired body. Why their chest sank deeper as they saw their partner all bundled up on their battered couch. 

They don't miss the frown on his face and his tear-stained cheeks.

Fuck. Tears? Guy was crying? 

Honey quietly (urgently) sets down the paper bag from their grasp and slowly places a hand on his shoulder, patting it ever so gently.

"H-hey? Guy, what are you doing over here?" They noticed how cold they felt to the touch and remembered their thermostat wasn't working that well. "It's freezing. You're freezing. "

After a few gentle pats and caresses (and reminders of how it's cold here, the bed is warm. Take it, please. ) Guy manages to blearily open his eyes, rubbing away the sleepiness and the few tears that managed to slip.

Cute. His eyes are so cute. Honey would have thought if their mind wasn't filled with thoughts and questions. Why was he sleeping on the couch? Was he waiting for me? He didn't need to do that. Why was he crying? Did he cry himself to sleep? Was it because of me?

Did I do this?

"Honey?" Guy's voice croaked and Honey's heart aches after hearing how hoarse it was. It aches a little more to see him smile at them despite the argument they had earlier.

"You're back…" he mumbles, slightly adjusting his body to prop himself up with his arm. He was wearing their hoodie again.

"Guy, why are you sleeping here? It's cold," they repeated, the worry in their tone becoming more and more evident. 

This had Guy fully sitting up, giving his full attention to their Honey with a slight grin that was preparing to give out a smug reply before dropping his smile and deciding otherwise. If he noticed that their eyes were starting to get just as glassy as his, he didn't mention it. “I-I mean, you’re…mad, right? I thought you’d want some more space from me or something…” 

“N-no! I mean, yeah, thank you for that but that doesn't—” Honey cuts themselves off with a groan. Why can’t I just say what I want to say? What do I even want to say? Guy immediately notices their partner’s frustration and sits down beside them.

“Hey, hey, it's okay. You’re okay, Honey,” he says with a reassuring smile and slowly raises his hand near their cheek, “Can I touch?” 

Honey immediately nods, almost melting at Guy’s warm hands. The familiar calluses from working countless graveyard shifts and delivery jobs all over Dahlia for Max’s kept them grounded. They notice a newly formed bump on the ring finger of his dominant hand from the number of handwritten notes he’s been doing recently.

After a few moments of soft breaths and the sound of Guy's rough thumb gently gliding across their cheek, Honey let out a weak laugh but the words that followed were by no means a joke to them. “You’re so good for me.” Too good. I don’t deserve you. 

It was Guy’s turn to let out a confused chuckle. He felt anything but good to them at the moment.

“What do you mean by that, hon?” He caresses their cheek and he forgets how much his chest hurts when his Honey leans into his touch. “Hey, c’mon. Do you…do you wanna talk about what happened?”

Honey nods once more. "I'm…I'm sorry," they choke out as if the words got caught up in their throat. Everything was overwhelming again. The sound of the remains of the rain, the ticks of the wall clock, and most of all, Guy's unwavering attention to them. They avoid his gaze. 

"I know that…I'm…I dont have the most…pleasant attitude," The nervousness in their tone was obvious but the quick squeeze of their hand from their partner was enough for them to go on. "And I know that you didn’t mean that. About me…not caring,” They felt him give another squeeze, a bit tighter than the last. “Fuck, god knows you’ve put up with me long enough for me to know you wouldn’t mean that.” 

Honey manages to finally look him in his eyes again, they think it's their favorite color. “I…I just don’t know why I act like this. Why can't I just…care for you in a normal��way.”

“Oh, Honey…” 

“I’m just so fucking sorry. I really, really care for you, please know that,” they sob out. Guy thinks he’s never seen them this vulnerable. His arms slowly circle and stop around their body as if he was waiting for their permission but Honey beats them to the embrace, burying their head on his chest. He knows they can hear his heart speed up.

“Hey, I know, I know,” The hands that were once on his partner's cheeks find their way to their back, rubbing circles and tracing shapes. “I’m really sorry for what I said too. The stress from work and writing these past few days is catching up but please don’t let that ever be an excuse for me to talk like that, especially to you and especially if it makes you think of all these lies.”

“And all this talk about…caring for me in the ‘normal’ way. Don’t say that.” Guy slowly pulls away to tilt his partner's chin up for their eyes to meet again. The way his Honey looked so distressed was a sight he decided he never wants to see again. “What matters is that I know you care and I want you to know that the way you show it is… fuck, I’ve never felt so cared for like this until you, Honey. Okay?”

“I’ll work…on not neglecting my health too. If it weren’t for you, I might’ve actually collapsed from exhaustion,” he adds, lips upturned into a sheepish smile. “So, thank you.”

Guy isn’t prepared for the way their Honey finally graced him with a soft smile. He’s had them laugh and grin at his…eccentric behavior before, but this smile held so much fondness and sincerity (directed towards him of all people! ) that made this moment all the more intimate. 

I think I'm gonna have a fucking heart attack. He doesn't recall having butterflies for lunch but he definitely feels them flutter up and about in his ribcage. He wants to treasure this moment. He wants to treasure them.

Honey looks down, uncharacteristically flustered and Guy’s heart soars again. “Thank you,” they whispered. “For that.”

“Of course, Honey. Though, I must say,” he grins. “Although your methods of conveying your love for me are a bit… unconventional , you could say I’m on the more bizarre side, too. I guess we make a perfect match after all then, don't we?”

Honey snorts, a reaction that's endearingly familiar to him and he smirks even wider. “You’re so fucking stupid.”

“Well, for the record, if anybody here is fucking stupid, it would be you!” Guy shoots back, “Hi, hello, I’m stupid, by the way, ehh– Ow, ow, ow!”

The pair continues to laugh and banter at each other like before, but, as they comfortably settle down to cuddle on the couch, they both don’t miss the way the grip on their entangled hands tightened for the slightest bit.

---

hope you enjoyed!! please let me know if i had any mistakes or just some feedback in general!! i kinda wanna continue doing these kinda stuff :DD

[tha-creature230307]

do not interact with the user @/sillylittlekittyx3.

i hate to be apart of drama and things like that but as they get more prominent in the community i just want to warn users about them.

Please do not bully this person as they have mental health issues, just block!

i would appreciate if this post was spread around, but you don't have to.

info under the cut, tw: abuse, lying, manipulation.

Since their name is public and it is not their legal name then i will call them by this name.

Currently they are living in my home for reasons I do not wish to disclose.

I have known them for about 4 months and my current boyfriend of one and a half years, Quinn, and i used to be in a polyam relationship. When we were in this relationship, Quinn made me do things with him that i didn't want to do. my mother made a house rule that we can not go into each other's rooms without mom present for our safety. Quinn did not follow this rule. Not only did he not follow this rule but he would also go into my room, and would not leave unless i gave him what he wanted.

Most of the time what he wanted was physical affection. I will not explain fully but I have a history of sexual trauma and he has a history of sexual agression, even so to the point where he was detained for it.

He has been to a psych ward recently due to hurting himself for attention. I have a past of being in and out of mental hospitals due to depression, so when i say he was faking it all, he was faking.

he was choking himself for attention, and i know this because i tried to commit suicide by hanging before. when i tried to commit suicide for many days after i was coughing up blood, i had marks on my neck, and it was sometimes hard to breath and swallow.

He did not have any of these problems as it was not a real attempt, he was not trying to kill himself, he was faking for attention.

He's done other things for attention as well.

A very common pattern i see in his behavior is that any time i struggle with my *real, diagnosed* issues he will mirror me.

When i got overstimulated in a restaurant, he suddenly pretended to be upset and started hurting himself. When i talked to my mom about toe walking and how walking on my heels makes me feel like they're on fire, he quoted me exactly and started toe walking. another example is when i was talking about my migraines he told me that opiods would help with it. when i said no, that pain meds don't help almost always and that i also don't want hard drugs. he fired back at me and claimed that he always had really bad headaches and that he'd want to take opiods for it. he also claimed that his mother has migraines and that he got it from her.

i know for a fact that these things are untrue as he's had many psychological and physical evaluations, and as he is in my mother's custody i know what he has. when i first met him he would always have seizures. after my mom called him out on it and threatened him he stopped and no longer has seizures or "moments of psychosis".

He not only does this with mental illness but also identity.

when i was talking about being a otherkin, he suddenly identified as a therian and more theriotypes kept popping up every day. when i talked about questioning my gender suddenly he was nonbinary. when i talked about my sexual trauma suddenly he had sexual trauma. when i was having an allergic reaction suddenly he had allergic reactions, which, if you have real allergic reactions its pretty easy to tell when someone is faking them. there was no swelling, rash, throwing up, etc. not only this but also the story about his identity changes every time. he's also lied about being intersex and ethnically jewish. his family did a dna test on him, he is not from jewish descent.

on top of all of that, he will not admit things that he actually struggles with. he has drug, alchohol, and sex addictions. when confronted his history is always different. he says that he doesn't have those problems, and he gets agressive both physically and verbally.

another thing to mention is that i posted a video to this account a while ago when my blog was called "wolf-pup" of me wearing a tail, this video has since been deleted. if you check quinn's account you will see this tail, i will use this as proof of me personally knowing quinn.

TLDR; they are manipulative. abusive physically, sexually, and mentally. he in general just isn't a safe person to be around.

[random2908]

Every couple years I do a new google deep-dive on all my chronic illnesses to see what new studies there are, and what the scientific consensus seems to be.

Even for my essential tremor--a condition that was first named by the medical establishment 150 years ago--there's a lot that isn't known. For example, they know that for about half of people who have essential tremor, it's hereditary. They're pretty sure that when it is hereditary, it's simple autosomal dominant--a single bad gene just needs to be inherited from one parent. But they don't know which gene, according to most sources; and there's probably more than one that causes it in different families anyway.

Most important to me: how degenerative is it for people with childhood-onset? There's a study from (only) about a decade ago that looked at people with onset over the age of 50 (60?) and found that the later the age of onset, the faster it degenerated. This was so severe an effect that at age 90, someone with onset at age 80 (only 10 years of disease development) would be worse off than someone with onset at age 70.

But what if you had onset at, like, I don't know, age 12? (I don't know exactly when, because I actually don't really notice myself shaking. But 12 was the first time another kid said something to me about it.) How bad is it likely to get for me?

I can't find any answer to that. But what I did find is that for people with hereditary essential tremor (like I have), 20% have onset in childhood. And about 50% of people with essential tremor have it hereditarily (the rest just have it randomly). However, childhood diagnosis is very rare--for example, I was diagnosed at 32, and most people with childhood onset are apparently diagnosed in their 40s or 50s--because no one ever looks for this in children; everyone knows it's an old-age disease, so why would anyone look for it in children. So yeah, major under-studied population, unfortunately.

One study of 211 children diagnosed with essential tremor, none of them had it so severely that it affected their daily life at all. (That's me: a bit of a messy eater, but not so much that you'd think I had an actual neurological disorder.) But this is also a recent study, so there's no follow-up on what happens to them as they age.

Anyway, yeah, that's just for one particular condition I have. I have another condition, eosinophilic esophagitis, that was first named only 30 years ago, and it seems to get completely redefined and re-understood every 5-10 years. So that one I really have to stay on top of, because I can't even trust that all doctors have even heard of it, let alone know what the latest research says about cause and treatment. I was actually denied care once because a doctor thought that if it was drug-responsive it was fake, and she was (at the time) only five years out of date on the research in believing that; that's how fast the field is changing on this. (You know who knew EoE, though? My dentist. He said that's why I went from having only one cavity ever up until my mid-30s to having 1-2 new little cavities per year since then. Because EoE severely messes with mouth pH. Makes perfect sense, but you will not find that in the literature.)

And don't even get me started on migraines, which people have been writing about for literal millennia, but only found the physical mechanism for in I think like 2011, which led to the first-ever* set of preventative drugs becoming available in 2018. New information every year.

*There's this thing where sometimes people get positive side effects from certain meds. Prior to 2018, migraine treatment was about giving you a bunch of different meds to try--outdated anti-depressants, anti-seizure meds, heart meds, even mineral supplements--and seeing if you got a lucky side effect. (I actually did: one of the meds calmed my essential tremor, lol. Nothing worked for my migraines, though.) This is, incidentally, also what's going on with EoE: there's a fairly common lucky side effect where proton pump inhibitors act as local anti-inflammatories, calming down EoE symptoms. That's why some doctors--before they realized that PPIs can have that side effect--used to think that if you responded well to medication, you didn't really have EoE at all, you probably just had GERD and had been misdiagnosed. Even though EoE is diagnosed by biopsy and so isn't really fakeable like that.

[sierrawitch]

Visualization for the Clairvoyantly Impaired

by autumn sierra

Assuredly, I am not the only individual that struggles with visualization in the witch community. Like some others’ experiences, I was very confused when I was told to “visualize a scene in which your spell is successful”. How does one visualize? Is there a tutorial? What is it supposed to look like? Why do I only see darkness?

After doing a bit of research, I’ve found that clairvoyant/visualization ability is actually the norm. Despite being an artist, writer, and avid reader, I just can’t do it. At least not on command. This isn’t to say I for 100% certainty have the condition known as aphantasia, but it’s very eye opening to now understand why I struggle with visualization meditation in my practice. I simply don’t have the ability.

I began to reflect on what I could do to visualize and subsequently maintain success within my spell work. It occurred to me that clairvoyance isn’t the only psychic sense we can rely on. There are many others at our disposal, it’s just that clairvoyance seems to be the most mainstream.

Clairgustance

Someone “eating with gusto” has always been a compliment to chefs. Clairgustance is the ability to taste or orally detect psychic information. It’s not the most common or widely known, but this clair does have its interesting points.

Clairsalience

Clairsalience is the ability to detect psychic information through the sense of smell. Often called “phantom smells”, detecting aromas through clairsalience arguably happens amongst even the general population quite frequently.

Clairaudience

Audiences are there to listen, just as we are the audiences to psychic messages. Clairaudience is the detection of information through sound. This means hearing voices, noises, songs, etc.

Claircognizance

Claircognizance is the ability to innately know, or have very deep insight. With this clair, intuition is at another level of intensity to the point where one could learn something without ever hearing it from another source. It may not have immediate proof, but it will eventually.

Clairsentience

Clairsentience is feeling psychic information throughout the body in various ways. These can be broken down to external effects similar to environmental change (feeling cold, hot, etc) or an internal change (tightening of the chest, migraine, etc).

Clairempathy

Being an empath is its own superpower, but clairempathy allows one to detect emotions over distance without meeting with someone in person.

Clairtangency

Clairtangency is the clair of the hands, touching and feeling objects and people while understanding their history and energy. This is similar to psychometry, but much more of an instinct than a trained skill.

My Experience

After some more reflection and experimentation, I noticed that I have experienced multiple of these clair senses: clairaudience, claircognizance, and clairsentience.

I had an instance during a (very meager) Samhain ritual a few years ago when I attempted to communicate with deceased loved ones and I experienced my strongest interaction through clairsentience. I did in fact make contact with my dog who had passed away a year prior. It was at this time that I asked her to give me a sign that she was in the room with me, and I felt goosebumps on my skin, as if she were sitting beside me and leaning against me like she always used to. I could feel the slight prickle of her short fur. The feeling grazed against my arm before it vanished, but I knew she was there. I also experience migraines and other symptoms when energies are imbalanced, so perhaps I should look further into communing with this clair sense.

Claircognizance is also something I am familiar with. My strongest experiences with claircognizance have been in instances of drastic change (think the Tower level of change). The first of these was during quarantine in the summer of 2020. The entire time I sat in my home, studying language and doing yoga, watching tv and doing whatever to keep myself entertained, there was a looming feeling of impending change that hovered over me at all times. I prophesied that my family’s lives would be forever altered in the next year, but I wasn’t sure if it would be positive or negative. Within the year, our entire dynamic fell apart, ending in homelessness, divorce, and a terrible struggle to pick up the pieces. Since then, all of my “prophesies” have been accurate in the foretelling of drastic change as it pertains to myself, my environment, and individuals around me, both positively and negatively.

Finally, clairaudience. This was the first clair sense that I had acknowledged as such, and have been able to use throughout my life. As a child, I would listen to music without external stimuli. I’ve experienced rumblings and tinkling of bells, ringing and static, voices, and most recently (with exercise) constructing my own auditory “visualizations”. As a sleep aid, I “visualize” the voice of a woman echoing inside of a room. If I could see the room it would probably be white and very large, like in Bruce Almighty when Jim Carrey meets Morgan Freeman on the 7th at 7:00. The woman sounds around 40 years old, with a Heightened RP British accent. I feel as if I would be sitting in this room as her voice approaches me, and her heels click on the polished floor and echo throughout the space. Yet all I see is black as I hear her say “So, what will we be reviewing today?” And in my thoughts I somehow silently reply with the things that made me feel negatively throughout the day. Although she hears no response, she says “I see. And how do you think that this has affected you?” And I silently reply again, to which she will say something along the lines of “Well, not everything is in your power to control”, or “Give yourself a bit more grace here”, etc. It seems I have created my own therapist, which I never thought would be remotely possible.

Although I lack clairvoyance, these 3 clair senses have been with me all the while. Since I’m most comfortable with clairaudience, perhaps further exercising those psychic muscles will help me “visualize” during spell work and not just at bedtime. This may apply to other practitioners struggling with visualization as well. Consider these senses and experiment with them to see if you also have dormant skills lying in wait for use. Research further into these phenomena and apply them to your life and your practice. You never know what you might unlock within yourself once you try.

[callsign-rogueone]

ok but!! ive been reading some fw theories in the subreddit, and one that has a lot of diff opinions on is whether liam has a second signet or if he was wielding ice in that scene, especially since deigh’s name means ice. what are your thoughts, do you think it was just a mistake?? and what about liam in your universe?

[insert that clip of Cardi B going: “I’m glad you brung it up because I’ve been dying to talk about this for a minute”]

FOURTH WING AND IRON FLAME SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT. this ramble is not going to be proofread, nor supported with textual evidence, because I have a migraine. but if anyone wants to jump in with page numbers and quotes or things I missed / got wrong, please feel free! 

in short: I think it’s possible that Liam did have a second signet.

first, my only hangup on this theory: what are the odds of two riders in the same squad, in the same year, having the same signet (Ridoc and Liam)? I know some signets are more rare than others, but that’s still a very slim chance when there’s 20+ signets out there that we know of, and RY will probably come up with more (fr, I need to know what Garrick and Aaric's signets are. I hope they're something unique, that we haven't seen yet.) but here are a few arguments in favor of two-signet Liam:

one: I don’t think it was just “RY putting the wrong name”.

Ridoc wasn’t there at Resson, so RY would have to have confused the two boys entirely for it to be a mistake. besides them both being perfect little bbs and adoring fans of Violet, they’re not alike in appearance, dragon color, nor backstory -- what is Ridoc’s deal? like why did he want to become a rider? I need to know for my next gfverse chapter 😭 and the mistake would also have to slip past multiple rounds of editors and proofreaders as well, which is possible, but not probable.  and was Ridoc's signet even confirmed at that time? maybe this is me forgetting things, because ADHD, and it’s been a while since I’ve read FW in full, but the first time I remember hearing about Ridoc’s signet is in Iron Flame — when they’re at RSC and he’s like “I could force the locks open with ice”. that confused me at the time because I didn’t know about (or remember) his signet. and then it really clicked for me later, when he makes an ice pack for poor Brennan after Mira decks him lmao. is it mentioned earlier than that? when I search “ice” in my FW ebook it shows me every instance of “voice” and "nice" and “office” etc., too, and I'm not scrolling through all that 🙄 and neither of the reference sites I like to use have a page number listed for him getting his signet or the first time it’s mentioned. as another aside: look how gorgeous Ridoc is here. smash. EDIT TO ADD: it is mentioned in Fourth Wing, in one line on page 289 (as identified by @hockeyspiral23 - thank you!) but he doesn't actually use it. no wonder my adhd brain forgot about it when there were bigger issues at hand lol they also pointed out that it could still have been a mistake, if RY meant to have it be another one of the barely-mentioned marked riders who aren't part of the main gang, as ice-wielding is "a common signet" (FW p. 289), and there were a few students we never really met apart from Resson (including Masen and Soleil. RIP.) so it could have been one of them. another possible explanation that I just came up with for the mistake category -- unreliable narrator? the events of that day were incredibly distressing for Vi, and she literally gets poisoned and loses consciousness and doesn't wake up for three days (following the theory that FW and IF are her diary, written in an ancient language and translated by Jesinia later) so it could have been a blur / hard to remember and VIOLET could have gotten it wrong. If I were RY, and it was a genuine mistake, this is the explanation I would give lmao

two: Deigh meaning ice is another tally in the “not a mistake” column.

RY likes to have the dragons' names refer to their current rider's signets. (Tairn = thunder, Aimsir = weather...) but not all of them match (Tiene = fire, I think, and Mira makes shields.) Liam and the ice is only mentioned once, at Resson, but there are many characters who we don't see getting their signet -- really just Vi's sex-induced lightning, and a mention of Sawyer nearly killing someone in a swordfight on accident. and Sloane's siphoning, too. okay, maybe this isn't a great point. but I still want to hear how they figured these things out! especially Bodhi. and Xaden's second one. poor thing couldn't tell anyone, even his best friend, and had to figure out how to manage it entirely on his own (he had Sgaeyl, but that's it.) and maybe Liam didn’t realize he had the ice until Resson, and just started slinging icicles at the wyvern once he figured out that he could. though that's kinda unlikely, I guess, since he would have channeled in November or December and Resson wasn't until July... hm.

three: Deigh could have been the dragon of Liam's relative, giving him a second signet like Xaden has with Sgaeyl.

it’s my understanding that Liam, like all the marked ones (except my addition of Darling and her little sibs) were military kids, and his mom is mentioned in IF as being the one to weave the protection runes, which I believe requires a level of magic that only a rider would have. so he has at least one relative who was a rider, and therefore probably more. ngl, at first I thought it was mad suspicious that his parents were executed separately from everyone else’s, but then we didn’t meet them in Aretia, so I guess they really are dead. but how mf heartbreaking would it be if they were alive -- and the first time they see their son in a whole year of him being gone at Basgiath, it’s Xaden carrying his body into the fortress 😭 and Vi and X crying and apologizing to Mama Mairi for not being able to save him… I’M SO SORRY. IT JUST CAME TO ME, AND I HAD TO WRITE IT DOWN. if any FW writer wants to write that AU, go for it. we could all use another good cry. there seems to be a trend of the dragons who had Tyrrish riders purposely (and "illegally") bonding the descendants of their previous riders. - Xaden has a second signet from Sgaeyl as his grandfather was one of her former riders, allegedly, but he "didn't make it out of the quadrant"? so he had a kid (Fen, Xaden's dad?) before graduating? is that why Xaden mentions that his dad hated dragon riders in one of his letters to Vi? - and then I believe Imogen has the dragon of a relative, but not a direct relative, so she doesn't have a second signet, but the one she does have is just really strong? I feel like they glossed over that a little too quickly, and it remains unclear to me how that whole thing works. - and now maybe Liam, too?

I might tack more stuff on below as it comes to me, or RB with commentary, but I think that's all I've got for now.

but regardless of if it was a mistake or not, I’m not planning on putting it in Liam and Spark’s story — just his farsight, which is confirmed multiple times. if Spark believed in the gods, she’d thank them for not giving him something as destructive and deadly as her water, but Li’s still gonna have some issues with it, because I feel the need to project my issues onto my fave characters, and everyone loves some mild hurt/comfort that’s resolved with cuddles and a nap, right? 🥰

[omegaversetheory]

Assuming that the A/B/O labels are based in genetics, I Wonder if you have any headcannons for genetic disorders?

In my AU, I like to imagine that some people usually believe that persons who have an "extra alpha chromosome" or an "extra omega chromosome" are blessed because they would be like "super alphas" or "super omegas" due their increased capacities when it comes to strenght, size, fertilitie...when in reality they are only partially true.

Sure, those "super alphas and omegas" are more "powerful" when it comes to these característics, but overall, they arent sacred individuals nor super heroes or nothing like that, they are chronically ill people that usually present a lot of health complications that in most cases overcomplicates their daily lives or even can shorten their lifespans (for example, said "super omegas" would be way smaller than the average omega, which usualy leads to frequent bone pains due the incorrect development and consequent malformation of their bones) I also imagine said "super alphas and omegas" being very prone to suffer mental illnesses since the massive amount of hormones they segregate would make them turn into very problematic individuals in general (for example making omegas to be extremely volatile and emotionally irrational individuals, or alphas to have a weird mix between a higly stoic nature and maximized protection instincts, causing them to either become toxic/ manipulative or directly psychopats)

Hi!

What an interesting idea. In my au, well I've never thought about it, but I'd also say that they would be ill, if not extremely chronically ill, people. Depending which age you're writing in, I'd venture to guess there just may not be many of these people around - they would've died very young without the proper medication and constant treatment. That also leads into a larger scientific question about how many chromosomes people in omegaverse have and how exactly their genetics operate. A conversation I'd need a much better grasp of biology and genetics to answer! So I leave it "behind the curtain" in my au, and in fact it's never come up. But if it does, I'll be sure to post.

My notion that having extra chromosomes may result in chronic illness is based on the idea that they probably have more chromosomal pairs or some other genetic system - one that would make the extra material very unlike the human world. Here we see trisomy - which leads to conditions like Down Syndrome. People with DS can now live very fulfilling and rich lives, but it wasn't always that way and it still isn't smooth sailing for many.

I don't use the "super powered" "ultra alpha/omega" headcanons in my au but let's see what we can whip up for you.

It gives the bearer a stronger scent and a better ability to interpret other people's scents.

Decreases fertility and ability to reproduce

Longer heats/ruts that are more intense emotionally/mentally and may cause pain like cramping, migraines, and nose bleeds.

May cause allergic reactions to foods, natural products, etc... This is a common sign (besides infertility) of the condition. Common allergies include - dairy, wheat, some meat products, and nightshades. Some bearers may also have allergic reactions to biological fluids and substances that are not their own including saliva and other natural lubricants.

Have a slightly higher endurance.

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

This something i thought about just now what about MC taking M6 on a suprise date to relieve them of their pressure that their duties bring them and vice versa

The Arcana HCs: Surprise Getaways with the M6

~ I also had an older anon request for date nights with the M6, so here we go! Enjoy all of my escapist headcanoning - brainrot ~

Julian

How you whisk him away:

Julian gets the most stressed from his medical practice when he's had an unusually high number of patients and a lower success rate of treating them

Which is why the best thing is to take him out of the city, where there's nobody to take on their burdens for

He especially loves getaways to mineral or hot springs - they take him back to Nevivon and generally feel like the opposite of a clinic

Book a long weekend for the two of you and "kidnap" him from the clinic without telling him where you're going. He'll love it

How he whisks you away:

He'll take you out on a gondola for the evening. All his time on ships makes him a decent sailor

And nothing feels more romantic to him than serenading you with his vielle by moonlight

He'll pack a bottle of wine for the two of you as well

Sometimes he forgets that he has to steer the two of you back and has a little much

No harm done, between his half effective rowing and your half effective magic you're usually able to make it back to shore in one piece

Asra

How you whisk them away:

Of everyone you know, he is the chillest person you'll ever meet. He only gets stressed when there's a really big issue to face

Like the world ending ... or someone dying ...

If you see them stressed it's most likely about something that everyone else is stressed about too, including you

Which is why you wait until after it's taken care of to spend several days at a natural sacred site

An introvert at heart, he'll quickly recharge in his element with you by his side and a dearth of ancient magic to play with

How they whisk you away:

He'll take you to his sanctuary for up to a week, or as long as you give him

Will hold you snuggle hostage for at least twelve of every twenty four hours

If there's a festival or gathering happening in the nearby village, they'll go with you and dance with you through the night

Multiple nights on the flat roof, stargazing in the cool air, snuggled up and talking quietly about life and the future

Your sleep schedule is always out of whack by the time you return from all the late nights and mornings

Nadia

How you whisk her away:

She has very good reason to get stressed. She's a Countess who does her job properly. Stress is in the job description

Which is why you have to time it carefully. As much as you want to drag her away, the project bothering her so much could be very important

On the other hand, as someone who loves her very very much, you want to avoid the stress migraines that plague her

So you'll confer with her advisors to give her several days off and take her into the Arcana's realms

Most of the Arcana themselves are quite fond of her, so she's welcome nearly everywhere

And it's a place where she can roam and grow as herself, not a Countess or Princess

How she whisks you away

She understands self-care like nobody's business. She's stealing you away to her seaside palace for a week

Fresh food. Massages. Sun bathing. Playing in the sand and waves. Spa treatments. Evenings on the balcony, listening to the waves crash and tasting salt on the lips

You always come back with a sun kissed glow, every muscle in your body relaxed

Muriel

How you whisk him away:

Being a natural worrier, he exists with low levels of stress almost constantly

Which is why his hut is one of the most stress free environments you've ever been in

His hut stops being stress free when you've had a large influx of visitors

Ever since half of Vesuvia used his front yard as a campground, it's been a common occurrence for someone to drop by with a snack to say hello

Which is why you'll take a nice, long trip to Khamgalai's old cottage together

It surprised you at first how happy he is in such a somber place, but for him it's the least lonely place to be introspective

No outside pressures, nothing telling him to hurry up, just a field of forget me nots and carved family history with his love nearby

How he whisks you away:

He'll taking you camping in the Ancient Forest. It's full of peace and life and it really lets your inner magician blossom

It's also where the two of you did a lot of bonding. He likes being able to slow down and walk through your shared memories together to remind you that he's got your back

He doesn't like the mini heart attack you give him when you wake him up with your best "impatient Morga" impression

Portia

How you whisk her away:

Can we say workaholic? She moves nonstop, all day long, engaging people face to face with terrifying optimism

While it certainly makes her more prone to burnout, it doesn't make her stressed the way feeling helpless does

Which usually happens when her negotiations don't go the way she hopes

You'll take her to the nearest festival and schedule the day after off as well for the recovery

Being surrounded by happy people, with no responsibility for maintaining that happiness, is her cue to let loose

She parties hard. She'll visit every single stall, take a shot at every single game, try a bite of every type of food, and dance until her legs fail her

How she whisks you away:

Nobody knows how to give someone the royal treatment like she does - it was literally her job for three years

She'll organize a staycation for you, either in her cottage or on the outskirts of wherever you're visiting for diplomacy

Breakfast in bed. Footrubs. Long walks through nature. Reading side by side in the evenings. Hair care day. The kind of baking projects that take four hours

Lucio

How you whisk him away:

He's put a lot of work into becoming a better man, but he's got a long way to go and he knows it

He's not naturally prone to stress, which is why he's so bad at handling it when he has it

He also knows that you love him unconditionally, but that doesn't stop the fear of you running out of patience. So he'll stress himself to pieces trying to do every single thing right, all the time

It makes him a little antsy at first, because how is he supposed to prove himself if there's nothing to do?

So you'll find a decently priced B&B near a sleepy town, and take a few slow days

There's nothing to do now except give him the love and attention he craves

He'll be able to settle into the rhythm pretty quickly, but beware, once your couple days of rest are up he'll be bursting with energy

How he whisks you away:

He's still learning to think outside the box, so he'll take a page from your book and do the same for you. Small town, nice B&B

The difference is that he still has his energy, so you often wake up from an afternoon nap in time to hear all about the trouble he got up to while you were asleep

[underspacegame]

We are less than a month out from our Early Access launch. Excited? Sleepless? Suffering from splitting migraines as you try to parse documentation that’s useless to you because Google’s search capabilities have been gutted by corporate ineptitude and your previous talents of being able to figure out solutions and leverage online resources are now useless in the vast overwhelming face of tools that have become completely mediocre in their relentless idiotic pursuit of profits via the lowest common denominator that have degraded any utility to the point of unusability and it’s 3AM and your cat is screaming at you because she wants you to play with a plastic fish she brought you and you’re not supposed to be up this late and you accidentally dropped your last pain medication pill that might have made you at least capable of falling asleep down the drain?

No? Well then, good. Yeah. Let’s talk Early Access and what to expect, to better set your expectations and illuminate what’ll be in and what’ll be not-in.

The thing I want to emphasize over everything else is that we are a very small and overly ambitious team working on a VERY large game with a scope that dwarves even many AAA releases. As it stands and when it launches the amount of content that will be in, at launch, is massive. I have no doubt that many of you will be spending hundreds of hours dredging up every perverse secret the galaxy’s hidden away.

At the same time, we’re a VERY small team. Outside of our asset creators, the only person doing coding, bugfixing, UX, QA response, server integrity, mod support, etc, is me. And just me. This isn’t so much a single developer spinning multiple plates as it is a human trainwreck trying to twirl an entire restaurant, to the severe detriment of his health and sanity.

With all this in mind, our Early Access launch will not launch with the full scope of features and content planned for Underspace. Significantly, multiplayer will launch in a very early state that does not include NPCs, bosses, or the multiplayer campaign. On the singleplayer side, several questlines, extended ship customization and cockpit textures, and many planetside and station interiors will not be included in launch.

These features or content exist or are implemented in a working state, but are often heavily, HEAVILY untested or unpolished, to the point where keeping in game before they’re at least in a state I'd be comfortable with is not something I’m comfortable with.

Before you go off creating posts on various imageboards and badly rebranded social media sites decrying the Underspace apocalypse, keep two things in mind: these features are not gone or cut from the game. It’s much like Todd Howard’s kind smiling visage: even if you can’t see it it’s still there. Watching and waiting. When Early Access releases in April, we will be putting out a nice big roadmap showing a huge amount of upcoming updates to the game. These updates will be staggered out as major releases, which will include these missing pieces of content.

This also includes features or elements such as voice acting, bugfixes (as Early Access is always buggy), and further mod support.

The second thing to keep in mind is that Underspace, when it launches, will still launch with the majority of its content and the vast majority of its game features implemented. This includes the singleplayer main campaign, over 40 quests, all bosses, all points of interest, all factions, star systems, random missions, storm hazards, equipment, flyable ships, and probably many more things I’ve lost in the hazy maze that is my fried brain currently.

It has been a long long time coming, almost seven years in constant development. None of this would have been possible with the support of our backers and community, but there’s still more to go. Contributions, supporting us during the Early Access period, and of course relentlessly shilling it your friends will all help us massively, in no small part because this will also let us dedicate more resources to improving the game and getting it out in a reasonable timeframe that also, coincidentally, doesn’t overwork me to death.

And… that’s about it! If I survive, I hope to see you out in the stormy skies on April 10th!