#why are weight loss drugs not covered by insurance | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

rennyji · 7 months

Text

Mental Health Resolved

UPDATED 3/12/2024 9:07 AM with Starred(***) Sections having Additional Detail

Guys? I think I had my flux capacitor moment from Back to the Future.

When Doc Brown was standing on his toilet or something, and fell or hit his head, he came up with the concept of the flux capacitor, through which time travel is possible. The flux capacitor is what enables the channeling of 1.21 Gigawatts of electricity (one bolt of lightning), to create the energy needed to tear a hole in space/time, to visit other points in time.

But my flux capacitor moment is on mental health.

Americans tend to think by creating a drug like Ozempic or Advil, you've done something phenomenal. You're always making these treatments that address symptoms, but never address the root cause of illnesses. If your neck/wrist or something hurts, taking an Advil to suppress the nerve pain, makes no sense. It's a quick way to make money, but it's not a solution. You need to strengthen the muscles around the neck or increase blood flow or just give it a massage to accomplish this.

The problem with drugs like Ozempic/Zepbound? What does it do? Their apparent genius is this ridiculous complicated slowing of peristalsis and digestion. It gives you the feeling of feeling full so that you don't eat. WOW! That's what a $1000 drug will do for you. The best these guys can do is "make you "feel" full" by making you eternally constipated and risking stomach paralysis. ***

Updated 3/12/2024 9:07 AM Though weight loss drugs like Zepbound do have one plus point of stretching out energy release from foods to brain, over longer period of time, for someone like myself, whose brain metabolizes sugar/caffeine too quickly where useless, after 1 hour...

Updated 3/12/2024 9:07 AM *** For weight loss, you need to look at why people with no body fat are slim, or why some people are tall/slender and others short/stocky/fat. You need something that effectively regulates the metabolism.

But, not my focus right now.

Mental health!

So as always, let me give some background info to paint a picture:

At the onset of my SITUATION, it was coinciding with me taking an ADD stimulant drug, called Vyvanse. It is a legal extended release amphetamine, covered by health insurance for those who have it, and prescribed by a treating doctor. Some people taking it, report, feeling enhanced… But, when "I" took it? I felt normal. For one thing, my veins were thicker vs my spindly spiders web veins now, and circulation was respectable. When I took the stimulant, I didn't feel stimulated. I felt I attained what I've been after my whole life. In effect, I was blind and I could see.

Currently, when I look at something, I need to give it a few seconds for my brain to register what I'm seeing and (listening to/vs. "hearing"). Let’s say I want to verify my pants pockets are empty, before doing laundry. That feeling of emptiness doesn’t register, when sedated and maybe without a stimulant for me, either (I can't remember after being shocked 20 times). It’s like a computer without enough RAM. You might've heard of laptops with 16 GB RAM/32 GB RAM. When you give it more memory, it works faster. When I got Vyvanse, instantly, my pockets felt empty. My processing power increased or I became normal for whatever "normal" is for me, as difficult American doctors I've run into, don't get that every individual and what's normal for them, is different.

Now, currently, because of my mind reading/mind control situation, I'm forced to comply through meds, and because there's another stupid group that thinks I'm paranoid in a paranoid setting without testing for it by removing the paranoid setting, I’m treated with the opposite set of drugs; sedating drugs, which worsen my poor processing power condition. Compared to anytime before in my life, I have to leave my hands in my pockets for a few seconds, than a second, to register that the pockets are in fact empty- I guess I’m slow that way.-Or my body’s faster than my brain - I notice I walk a lot faster than usual people dragging themselves.

Other thing noticed, when consuming A LOT OF sugary foods/carbs, it gives my brain the processing power that something, like an amphetamine, as Vyvanse gives me.

It makes sense. Vyvanse uses the energy reserves from your adrenal glands. Sugar is energy for the brain. Carbs are simple and complex, sugars and starch, that add to your body's energy supply.

Recently, I posted pics of a steak, some waffles, and an egg sandwich. I actually cooked two steaks. We Indians, don't consume at typical American portions. How you survive off of a turkey sandwich with mayonnaise, a chicken caesar salad, or a single palm sized steak, is beyond me. The beef curry my mom makes, in its cubed pieces, amounts to twice the amount of a steak. Americans say eat one cup of rice. We probably eat 2-3 cups of rice. Now regarding the food I cooked, my reason for cooking it was because I was bored, and I figured I'd show a likable/relatable side to Twitter. But after making all that food, I ate it. I ate it, because I could, I ate it because I can. Yeah I know, it sound like Dr. Seuss. I eat, or can eat, without consequence, like Goku or Vegeta from Dragon Ball. Prior to antipsychotics like Zyprexa or any of them, I don't gain weight. I don't get Diabetes or Cholesterol. My brain needs all that nutrition to keep up with, what I call: "my willful self." What do I mean by "willful self?" I'll elaborate as I continue below. That food intake was maybe 1.5 weeks ago. Haven't gained a pound. I'm not even sure how I have the room for it. Because of the sedating drugs for mind control, I'm forced take a weight loss drug called Zepbound. I've still managed to consume all that, and I felt right, not like I couldn't move. Probably because my brain is active and I need energy.

Now, I hated my SITUATION and protested it, and complained to the police, and sought help from family, because its terms and conditions, was something that was going to make me sicker. I mentioned I was blind and could suddenly see with Vyvanse. To have sight taken back from you, with opposite drugs that sedate you, you just end up asking what more, what else? The orchestrators of my situation wanted to take away my energy, by sedating me, to get me to believe that nothing was transpiring.

Now I mentioned something called "the willful self." What if the major takeaway of mental illness -the obvious point that took years for the others to realize- is that it’s sourced in a misalignment of the: 1. conscious mind, 2. the brain, 3. and the body.

That's right. The idiot orchestrators like to advertise that your brain is a computer. I'm not sure if I should indicate otherwise. I kind of have a knife to my neck. I like to know what I'm dealing with, before opening my mouth or reacting.

Here's the scary thing. Maybe some of you have read my blog post about you as a chariot driver, and your emotions and commitments as the horses that move the chariot.

-----

This is what I'm referencing. It helps if you read the below link, otherwise continue to section below link.

Our souls(minds) R a chariotDriver, driving Horses that R our emotions/feelings/commitments, inFormOf thought/speech/action. On #SaturdayMorning , as #SaturdayVibes , #SaturdayMotivation , & #SaturdayThought, I extend perspective in Tumblr blog post below:

------

So Again, There's 3 parts:

There is the willful self. For some of you, this is not to be demeaning, but a sad fact: it's limited to the decision making part of your executive functioning, associated with the frontal cortex of your brain. For other's, the willful self is the soul or the seat of the soul.

Then, there is the brain.

And, there is the body.

There's something disturbing I'm noticing about many of you. American culture is so focused on gratification, lack of restraint, and "doing what you feel" PRIMARILY, you violate the Biblical concept of spirit and body. I assure you, ITS NOT HOCUS POCUS, RELIGIOUS GOBBLTY GOOK. It's why you're prone to shooting each other, and carelessly building planes and trains, a quarter or the millennium in, in contrast to the 1950s/1960s. While this phenomena is happening with your lives, you're also succumbing to legally allowed marijuana type drugs and whatever illegal, that's available.

In the Bible, Galations 5:17 says: For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

In the Bible, it also says in Matthew 10:28: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

These two quotes are what creates the willful self or the conscious mind or the chariot driver. The two quotes are what serves as the basis for the conscious mind. The division between the desire of your body, and the morals you acquire (which hinder you from always attending to your desire; abstaining/fasting) is what constitutes the conscious mind. For a lot of you, in this degradation of culture and times, your chariot driver is limited to the will power/decision making part of the frontal cortex of your brains. You're doing stupid things on the news and not extrapolating..., in all due respect, as some of you will instinctively react, these events, are, in part due to this.

Now, Let’s say your brain cannot focus.

Your willful self, grown/nurtered throughout your life, keeps trying to focus, but cannot, without coffee or some stimulant. That is because your conscious willful self is faster than your brain.

When the body is faster than the brain, a visual OCD occurs. When the mind is faster than the conscious mind, delusions occur. When consciousness is faster than the brain, ADD occurs, because your willful decision making self, which I’m calling the soul, is thinking, or scatter-brained or indecisive... an amphetamine stimulant lets the brain keep up with the speed of your conscious mind and helps break you out of a thought loop or "lost in thought" sensation and into "time to do something about it"….

Now some of you have a poorly trained conscious mind. There's no way I can break that down or make it sound nice. It has to do with that Galatians quote. Read it again.

So what's another way, where ADD can occur. If your sense of self is weak, or you don't have much of a willful self from aforementioned reasons,

Your impulses are faster than your brain can take. In which case, ADHD can occur. These are my Two takes on lack of focus.

So how can this be addressed:

Schizophrenia and ADD are two opposite sides of a spectrum. Through the regulation of metabolism, both can be controlled.

A vegetarian diet accommodates slow digestion. It gives someone with a slow digestion, the benefits of a fast metabolism, where all that digestive energy or processing power, gets redirected to the brain. You'll notice those who are athletic, and coincidentally with a fast metabolism, are smart or, at least, sharp people.

American psychiatric drugs? They further slow digestion, partcularly with American diet favoring pizzas, steaks, hamburgers, hard to digest foods. American psychiatric drugs slow cognition. Not getting stimulation of sunlight also slows the brain. I know this how?

The drug Lexapro has a particular side effect to white light stimuli. It makes you light sensitive to that color light or sunlight. It ends up stimulating you if you look at such light for 10 min or more.

Whatever be the cause, if there are factors that slow digestion or ultimately slow the brain, it results in the brain being unable to keep up with conscious self, which gives ADD. You then need to speed up the mind, but orchestrators of my SITUATION, "doing their thing," nullify my efforts at speeding up brain/increasing my computer's RAM, or speeding up my processing power. For those with a less developed conscious self, coming from a collective projection of the total brain, (No, I'm not saying some of you are retarded), The facet of your brain: your impulsive side, is stronger and more craving, than the load your brain can take. So in effect, your brain, also, is not moving fast enough, to keep up with your impulses.

Now I said you need to regulate metabolism to control ADD and schizophrenia.

If you speed up the metabolism, brain is faster/has more processing power, but if conscious self has no morals, nothing to ground you, your sharp brain can drive you insane, or you end up experiencing the symptoms associated with schizophrenia. Let's assume, I'm hearing an auditory delusion no one else can. What's to say it's different from any other noise, or listening to music while you work? What if you could focus through the noise? What if you could tune out the auditory sounds? That's why a strong sense of self is needed in such a setting. If you slow metabolism-> in the sense of the three alignments of willful self, brain, and body, it slows down the brain, and may help someone with an overly stimulated mind, settle down, or less reactive to a delusion. Think about it form the perspective of a starving schizo. Usually they're depicted as violent. If they don't have the energy from food or drink, will they be as aggressive as with food and water. They just don't have the fuel. Probably why psychiatric drugs directly or indirectly slow metabolism which has a direct causal connection to the sharpness of your brain.

Now OCD stems from a body operating faster than your brain, despite the best efforts of the conscious self to suppress its urges. To address it, you need to find a way to relax the body. But how do you go about that...it doesn't make sense to do it through the route of metabolism. If your metabolism is fast and your mind is sharp, you'll aggressively repeat compulsions. If your metabolism is slow, you'll lose the processing power of your brain to recall whether you checked something properly, and that leads to doubt, and that also leads to compulsion. The solution has to be through blood flow. When you get a massage or do a headstand, blood flow is better. You may feel less anxiety overall, and if relaxation can be taken one more level up, it can be enough to suppress OCD symptoms through a vasodilator, where the nerves in your brain can send the signals they send, at the strength they send, to the places they send, in a non deteriorating way. Like a telephone line or a strong signal between two phones. If your nerves are relaxed and calmly talking to each other, then you're calm and level headed to see what you do, clearly, to remember, what you do, clearly. You check if your door's locked? You see it. You register it. You remember it. Perhaps what stimulants do, in terms of these signals, they send a tidal wave. The tidal wave is strong in the beginning, which is what caused stimulation. But as it continues and ebbs and flows, the effect of the signal becomes weak. Over time, this becomes an unreliable way of two phones communicating. It would be like everyone talking loudly in the beginning in a deafening way, and then everyone trying hard to hear each other. If your nerves signals aren't able to hear each other, it could cause anxiety. Relaxation and blood flow and vasodilators can be a way to submit a steady nerve signal, eliminating obsessions/compulsions, on a physical level. You may also require some mental guidance (or the cr*p psychotherapy I don't respect), or some self confidence or "not care" attitude. When I go to India, a lot of times, to be blunt, the bathrooms aren't like in the U.S. There is no tub, there is no shower. What is there is a bucket, a shower cup, a faucet, where you're squatting on a floor. You feel dirty, but then, what can you do, you shrug it off, accept the quality of bathing you get, move on. Acceptance is what I'm getting at. But that's choice you have to make.

Schizophrenia/ADD are about metabolism regulation.

Bipolar disorder requires a lot of self discipline, impulse control, restraint. This seems to be more about action vs. medicine. But by teens, might need Lithium or something. But here meditation, prayer, fasting can help, but Americans are more likely to try Lithium.

******* UPDATED 3/12/2024 9:07 AM

OCD= blood flow/circulation/relaxing of body. Could benefit from muscle relaxers like "Flexeril" (though the medicine, by nature, isn't recommended long term). Other ways to increase circulation, spend extra energy, is through exercise. But in modern lifestyle, can't depend on people to reliably and consistently exercise, no matter how much you recommend. Next aspect is sleep. I feel less OCDish, when I sleep less, (natural tiredness/normally from serotonin reuptake, which really should come from serotonin addition like more than one cup of rice.) Sleep regulation, for some: 6 hours suffices, others 9 hours, wrong amount upsets the brain balance of neurotransmitters. On sleep, a potent muscle relaxant that can be taken like Flexeril, gives you an after-massage relaxing sensation, that aids with mental health side/as well as sleep.

UPDATED 3/12/2024 9:07 AM

*******

Mental health is a big concern in the modern day, not because of the hippy flowery notions like awareness of mental illness. Mental health is a concern because of modern lifestyle changes. Think about it from this basic sense: If people were shooting each other, at the level of smaller populations, 100s or 1000s of years ago, it would be a sign they were not mentally strong enough to survive to the present day. Physical labor/exercise, would've thickened veins, increased circulation, spent energy, made you stronger to have higher energy reserves which then lessen anxiety, when people had to hunt food/when lives constantly in danger <- all happening in an unquestioned/never thought about balance. =By which I mean your exercising, your eating, you're using your gains to make more gains, over come weaknesses, eliminate threats... OCD wouldn't be an issue if you're already going through h*ll, because you wouldn't care about dying from not washing your hands or whatever.

Before people started eating Nature Valley Bars and smoothies, they were eating salty meats, eggs, forms of carbs. Salt increases blood pressure and increases heart rate, eggs give energy for processing power, carbs like rice give serotonin-sometimes you need that snicker bar or orange juice bottle for a brain sugar boost... & Exercise/physical labor, prevents it all from killing you with diabetes and cholesterol and heart disease type issues. Sunlight stimulates you, heat back in Africa/India gets the blood flowing. Need lots of fluids as people are now consciously realizing. Fluids increase blood volume, may increase vein size, prevents hypotension.

"Life is out of balance" for several reasons. Modern lifestyles, whether you're a newscaster, a programmer, you need innovative ways, like pills, to give the same effects of natural foods and movements to deliver stronger minds.

We need some form of epinephrine to stimulate the heart, because you can't count on people to do cardio regularly every day.

We need a vasodilator like beta blockers to increase blood flow.

We need something that reduces blood pressure like an alpha blocker.

Need something to regulate metabolism. *******

UPDATED 3/12/2024 9:07 AM

A good heart rate (maybe with drug "Carvedilol"), good blood blood pressure, solid blood flow (vasodilator effect maybe with drug "Carvedilol") , a means to metabolize glucose in stabile manner, in a modern lifestyle that goes against all four, gives us the benefits of our ancestors. And heart rate/blood flow, if already high heart rate, there's narrowing of veins, narrow blood flow. If drink coffee or exposed to sunlight (for light sensitive people), further narrowing of veins and restriction of blood flow causes the tiredness associated with my coffee drinking.

UPDATED 3/12/2024 9:07 AM

*******

"Modern lifestyle" /leaving native places for non mixed blood people=mental illness

Misalignment of willful self, brain, body=mental illness

Now I'm a zombie at time of writing this. I'm like something set in motion, and I'm aware of it happening. I'm probably equivalent to a dead version of me where you can electrically stimulate my brain to see memories/understand thoughts.) My chariot driver seat has been compromised, if you recall what I said at beginning of this post. I'm kind of like a chariot driver, in a chariot, who lost control of the reigns, and now the horses are running wild, taking the chariot along with it.

Now this is coming from the zombie-instigated-sedated mind of the fast body of 250 lb me, capable of doing a pull up, at a rate of 220 lb. Big numbers, but by arm strength, I need to add 30 lbs to an assisted pull up to do pull up, which is basically removing 30 lbs, so that I can do a regular pull up, at a rate of 220 lbs.

What I'm getting at it, with so many weird things happening in my life, I can test my theories, but I assure you, there's three parts to you. 1. Whatever composes your willful self 2. Your brain. 3. Your body

So what’s established?

There is a soul. This is the willful self, or a weak form of it if not attended to as in: Galations 5:17. (I really don't mean to sound all religious-y. I find the stories very meaningful and useful. There's a reason you worry about someone who can destroy your soul, and thereby sending you to hell, assuming hell is a state of mind. Without your willful self, the chariot driver, your body, is essentially, in h*ll)

There is Book of Life/Judgement that someone will use to see one’s life from start to finish. If someone can see memories or thoughts, then your whole life can be seen at the Pearly Gates.

Christs’ Golden Rule, from which all follows…everything from news, Britt’s speech, 212f immigration, abortion and brainwaves, It comes down to "interpret the law rather than taking things word for word"

there is something possessing me, implying demons in the Christian past, implying the devil, and if there’s a devil, there is a God.

Desire is not bad, it’s about how you go about it

Sin is an action committed by the willful self. Willfully abusing someone/something/or self.

Attachment/desire - it’s all about focus. A mind that has focus, has purpose, can do anything. A form of mind reading can occur by projecting a bunch of assumptions at someone and see which emotions they react with. This could be so that someone takes my chariot driver seat and steer left, in my mental car, when I want to steer right. Operating off wrong GPS. What I"m saying is in theme of "Just because you have my sword, doesn't mean you can wield it like I do."

___ Some other things:

On another note: With the weird things I see on the news, like all the scary stories about planes, weekly shootings, fist fights in Congress, ... all the way down to mind reading/mind control I can't help but be the nerd who feels he clearly entered an alternate reality. With things seen on news, like with Katie Britt's speech, People are in such a rush to speak mind that they're not listening to content but looking to inflict bias.

On a larger scale, Insinuations, and minor discrepancies in detail, shouldn’t matter, in comparison to overall point/getting gist of a message. People seem to be ready on the attack for random things all around. -MayB itsNot just myFocus thats the problem-maybe somethingsWrong w/the worlds Ability 2 Listen.

0 notes

usascripthelpers2024 · 7 months

Text

Best Choice for Lower Ozempic Cost Without Insurance

If you're looking for Ozempic but don't have insurance to cover the cost, you might be worried about how to afford it. Ozempic is a medication used primarily for managing type 2 diabetes and is also known for its benefits in aiding weight loss.

However, without insurance, the cost can be quite high. Luckily, there are options available to help reduce the expense, and one of the best choices is to consider buying Ozempic from Canada through a reputable pharmacy partner like USA Script Helpers. Here's a simple guide on how to get Ozempic at a lower cost without insurance.

Why Ozempic Can Be Expensive

Ozempic is a brand-name medication, and these are often pricier than generic alternatives. In the U.S., medication costs can be significantly higher due to various factors, including market demand, absence of price regulation, and the cost associated with bringing a new drug to market.

Why Choose Canada for Ozempic

Canada is known for more affordable medication prices compared to the U.S. This is because the Canadian government has measures in place to control medication costs, making drugs like Ozempic more accessible to those who need them, even without insurance.

How to Buy Ozempic from Canada

Get a Prescription: First, you'll need a valid prescription for Ozempic from your healthcare provider. Even if you're buying from Canada, a prescription is essential for legal and safety reasons.

Choose a Reputable Pharmacy: Not all online pharmacies are trustworthy. It's crucial to choose a reputable one like USA Script Helpers. They require a prescription, ensuring they comply with safety standards.

Compare Prices: Even among Canadian pharmacies, prices can vary. Check a few reputable sources to find the best deal on Ozempic. Remember, while the cost is important, the pharmacy's credibility and service quality are also crucial.

Ordering from USA Script Helpers: Once you've selected USA Script Helpers, you can submit your prescription and place your order online. They offer a straightforward process and provide customer support if you have questions or need assistance.

Payment and Shipping: Be prepared to pay for your medication and shipping costs. USA Script Helpers offers various payment options and shipping methods to choose from, making it convenient to get your medication delivered right to your door.

Tips for Lowering Ozempic Cost Without Insurance

Look for Discounts or Coupons: Sometimes, pharmacies or the manufacturer offer discounts or coupons that can reduce the cost of Ozempic. It's worth checking USA Script Helpers or the manufacturer's website for any available offers.

Buy in Bulk: If you're prescribed Ozempic for the long term, buying in bulk might save you money. Some pharmacies offer discounts for larger orders.

Ask About Generic Alternatives: While Ozempic doesn't have a direct generic equivalent, discussing alternative medications with your healthcare provider can be beneficial. There might be other similar medications available at a lower cost.

Patient Assistance Programs: Some pharmaceutical companies offer patient assistance programs to help individuals afford their medications. Check if Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic, has such programs.

Regularly Check for Price Changes: Medication prices can fluctuate. Regularly checking prices can help you find the best deal at any given time.

Conclusion

Finding an affordable way to purchase Ozempic without insurance is possible, especially when you look to Canadian affiliate pharmacies like USA Script Helpers. While it requires some research and due diligence to ensure you're choosing a reputable source, the potential savings can be significant.

Remember to always get a prescription, prioritize safety and authenticity, and stay informed about your medication options. With the right approach, managing the cost of Ozempic without insurance can be much more manageable, helping you take care of your health without undue financial stress.

0 notes

xtruss · 1 year

Text

Since gaining popularity online, the diabetes medication Ozempic (semaglutide) has been increasingly requested to manage weight. Now, there’s a shortage that’s affecting people who use the medication. Photograph By Imyskin, Getty Images

Ozempic is a Serious Drug with Serious Risks. Here’s What to Know.

The diabetes medication semaglutide has recently become a trendy weight loss treatment. But like every drug, there are downsides—and potentially serious side effects.

— By Allie Yang | August 1, 2023

Billionaire Elon Musk credited it for his dramatic weight loss. Celebrity sites allege that many more A-listers are using it to stay trim. And TikTok is full of influencers showing off their startling before-and-after shots showing off their weight loss after using it.

What is it? A medication called semaglutide, which is sold under different brand names, including Ozempic, approved in 2017 for treating type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy, approved just last year for weight loss.

The buzz about these drugs has created a shortage of both, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is expected to last for several months—causing alarm among patients with diabetes who rely on Ozempic to help control their blood sugar. Experts caution that it’s important to understand these are not miracle drugs—and that there are risks to taking them outside of their intended use.

Here’s what you need to know about semaglutide, including how it works and the risks.

What’s The Science Behind The Drug?

Semaglutide helps lower blood sugar by mimicking a hormone that’s naturally secreted when food is consumed, says Ariana Chao, assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and medical director at the school’s Center for Weight and Eating Disorders. This medication, administered through injection, helps people feel full for longer, helps regulate appetite, and reduces hunger and cravings.

There is significant demand for the drug. In 2019, more than 11 percent of the population was diagnosed with diabetes, while more than four in ten adults classified as obese in 2020.

Patients with type 2 diabetes often have impairments in insulin, a hormone that helps break down food and convert it into fuel the body can use, Chao says. Semaglutide signals the pancreas to create more insulin and also lowers glucagon, which helps control blood sugar levels. This can result in weight loss but experts point out that Ozempic has not been approved for that purpose, though semaglutide at a higher dose (Wegovy) has been.

Wegovy is the first drug since 2014 to be approved for chronic weight management. The difference between the two drugs is that Wegovy is administered at a higher dose of semaglutide than Ozempic. Wegovy’s clinical trials showed more weight loss but only slightly greater improvements in glycemic control compared to Ozempic, Chao says.

The FDA sees Ozempic and Wegovy as two different medications for different uses. Chao says many insurance companies cover Ozempic for diabetes but don't cover Wegovy for obesity—a prime example of weight bias in health care. That's why some medical providers use the two doses somewhat interchangeably, as obesity and type 2 diabetes are inextricably linked–obesity is the leading risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes.

What Are The Risks?

Like every medication, there can be downsides.

The most common side effects are gastrointestinal issues, such as nausea, constipation, and diarrhea, Chao says—and more rarely, pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, and diabetic retinopathy.

Angela Godwin, nurse practitioner and clinical assistant professor at the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, explains that recent reports of extreme vomiting and gastroparesis (delayed emptying of the stomach) are to be expected.

Gastroparesis “just means the food’s in your stomach longer, which then makes you feel fuller longer,” she explains.

Nausea is one of the biggest side effects of medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, and that can always lead to vomiting, Godwin says. In June, the American Society of Anesthesiologists recommended patients stop taking these medications before surgery to avoid aspiration and vomiting.

“Normally, in my experience, it's tolerable,” she says. “But then there are times when I ask [patients], ‘Well, what happened?’ And they [say] they ate too much and ate too quickly. And then yes, the body will vomit it up, because it just can't tolerate that much food anymore.”

These drugs have been extensively studied, but their relatively recent approval means researchers still don’t know what the effects of taking them long term might be.

Continuing research is helping us understand more about what happens when people stop taking these medications—which many may be forced to do amid current shortages. Research does suggest that stopping use of this medication could cause patients to regain weight, especially if they didn’t make any lifestyle changes.

“In almost all weight-loss studies, it really depends on your foundation,” says Stanford endocrinologist Sun Kim. “Your efforts at lifestyle will determine how much weight you lose. If you have your foundations like food, exercise, and sleep, you’re gonna do well.” If not, you might regain as much as 20 percent of the weight lost per year.

These medications can also be incredibly expensive, especially without insurance. Kim says an injection pen can run more than $1,000.

What Does It Mean To Use This Drug Off-label?

Using a drug off-label means using it in a way other than its intended and its FDA-approved purpose, which may not be safe or effective. Ozempic has been approved only for type 2 diabetics, and Wegovy has been approved only for patients with a BMI above 30, or 27 if they have a weight-related comorbidity like high blood pressure.

“There is no scientific evidence to show whether this medication will be effective or of benefit to those who do not fit the criteria from the FDA-approved label indications, such as people with a BMI lower than 27,” Chao says. “We also do not know the side effects or risks in these populations—there could be unknown drug reactions. These medications are not meant to be a quick fix.”

Even if you meet the criteria, experts warn against trying to obtain the medication without a prescription by traveling to countries that don't require them.

“When the medication’s not used under supervision of a health-care provider, then they can come into misuse,” Chao says. “There could be more serious adverse events that can happen.”

Godwin says recent reports of extreme vomiting and gastroparesis are a reminder that patients should schedule regular checkups with their doctor when taking these medications.

“I think it's so popular now that practitioners might be tempted to just prescribe more freely, and then maybe not monitor patients as frequently,” she says.

Patients should not increase their Ozempic dose without doctor approval—which is possible because there are multiple doses in one pen. “They could definitely have a lot of poor side effects, because they didn't titrate up to that level yet,” Godwin says. The same could be said for Wegovy, which comes in a pack of four one-dose pens.

Robert Gabbay, the American Diabetes Association’s chief scientific and medical officer, said the organization is “very much concerned” about the Ozempic shortage.

“The medication has been an important tool for people with diabetes,” he says. “Not only does it lower blood glucose and weight but it has been shown to decrease cardiovascular events—heart attacks—one of the leading causes of death for those living with diabetes.”

A Last Resort?

Still, Kim says that prescribing drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy to patients who are desperate for a new approach to weight loss can make her feel “like a superhero.” By the time patients come to her, they’ve often tried methods like Weight Watchers and following the advice of dieticians. In that case, she says, medications like Ozempic and Wegovy can be a great option.

“What I find is sometimes as they're becoming successful at losing weight, it really does feed into their lifestyle too, and then they're able to be more active,” Kim says. “It’s hard to lose weight. Seventy-five percent of the U.S. population is overweight or obese. I feel that we shouldn't be holding this back if this can help.”

Chao agrees that these medications are a good alternative for those who are unable to lose 5 percent of their body weight within about three months of making lifestyle changes. Still, she recommends trying those approaches before turning to medication.

Patients should “make sure that they're focusing on a healthy dietary pattern, reducing calories, as well as increasing physical activity,” she says. “It’s important they know that even if they are taking the medication, it's not an easy way out: They're still going to have to make lifestyle changes.”

0 notes

moldybits · 2 years

Note

Call it morbid curiosity, but what kinds of insulin is out of stock?

When I first saw your post I had a moment of genuine fear about getting my moms insulin, but she's not here anymore

So I guess I will clarify that a lot of this medication is for diabetes, not necessarily insulin, but sometimes I just use it almost shorthandedly cuz it is easier to say "non-insulin used for diabetes". But anyway, this is based on my pharmacy (based in western PA) and the FDA's website:

Trulicity (3mg + 4.5mg, 0.75 and 1.5 are fine): while we occasionally get a box or 2 in, it is so hard to come by in the higher doses. Basically gold at this point

Ozempic (1mg + 2mg, 0.25 mg and 0.5mg are fine for now): Easier to get the 1mg and 2mg in than Trulicity, but it doesn't always come in. FDA's website says the lower doses might experience some problems but we haven't seen that happening to us yet. Can't speak for anyone else

Saxenda: Nothing on the FDA's website about this yet, but we have seen an influx of scripts coming in for this medication due to all the other medications above struggling to come in. So we never have enough in stock. I am expecting to see this having problems soon but nothing confirmed.

Rybelsus: Nothing on the FDA's website but our warehouses are saying backorder, though we still got some in sometimes. It seems to be on and off. This one is a bit different because it is a pill and not injectable. More people are taking this for the same reasons as Saxenda.

Wegovy: We had a hard time getting any Wegovy at all for the longest time. I think it is generally fine now, but so many people switched off of it (or their insurance won't cover it) because of the backorders that they switched to other medications instead (see every drug above lol)

Mounjaro: I don't think this one has been, or currently is, on backorder. But I am including this one because it had the potential. I will include why that really didn't happen below though.

Those are the 6 off the top of my head, so I think insulin for Type 1 Diabetes is generally fine... at least in my store. Your mileage may vary depending on where you live.

So reflecting on the medication above, there is a trend. It is all non-insulin used to treat Type 2 Diabetes. What is the problem then? Well... every single medication above is being used off-label for weight loss. This does seem to work (I do have a problem with this concept), however, it is basically the new trend now thanks to social media *cough cough TikTok cough cough*. Watching what you eat? Exercising? Yeah, fuck that. Just take medication to lose weight! You certainly won't just gain it all back afterward if you stop taking it. Whatever. But yeah, because everyone is using it for weight loss, it makes it harder for people with Type 2 Diabetes to get it.

If memory serves me right, Wegovy was the first one being used. Then it was either too expensive or went on backorder, so people went Ozempic. Backorder again. Then Trulicity. Backorders again. Now people are getting desperate and trying Rybelsus, and now we are starting to see problems. Saxenda was not the 1st choice for an injectable because it is daily, whereas ones like Ozempic and Trulicity are once a week. Convenience of course. Mounjaro is a REALLY popular weight loss drug but most insurances will not cover it for weight loss because it is not FDA-approved (doubt they would anyway). Like most name-brand drugs, there was a discount card, and that would bring it down to 25 dollars IF you had T2D. People were using it anyway for weight loss and then pharmacies were being audited, so now you have to have a diagnosis code on your prescription saying you have T2D in order for it to work. That has been fun to explain to people >.>

It is a shit show, basically. At this point, I never know what is going to go on backorder. For all other types of medication, there are different reasons for the shortages but I deal with these medications on like a daily basis. It is frustrating for everyone.

Also, I am very sorry about your Mom OP. I hope you are doing well.

note: I am not a pharmacist, just a tech. This is just what I see in my single pharmacy and on the FDA's website. Please don't take what I am saying as the golden truth. Things are changing daily and it is hard to keep up.

Thanks for reading this far lol

#asks #anon #long post #i could talk about medication all day tbh #always learning and it fascinates me

0 notes

theskyeandsea · 4 years

Text

When You Get What You Want... || Cutler & Skylar

Timing: Late January 19th, shortly after this chatzy

Location: Clarke’s Convenience Store

Tagging: @clarkesconvenience & @theskyeandsea

Description: Skylar’s rampage around town continues; Cutler offers a helping hand.

Warnings: Drug use, addiction, body horror, memory loss, medical blood

Disoriented and covered in flour and blood, Skylar stumbled down the road away from the shop, a giddy smile still on her face as her feet began to skip across the pavement. She bounded down the road before turning abruptly, eyes caught by the displays in the window. Staggering forward, she pressed her fingers against the glass and the same sticking sensation filled her. The atoms and molecules and all the tiny parts of what made her a person shifted until she was crashing into the center of the convenience store. With a dazed grin on her face, Skylar began to push displays over. Blood trickled down the side of her face from her ear, a clean jagged section of her earlobe ripped free and stuck in the glass of the convenience store. She barely noticed as the liquid splattered across the clean floors while she shoved at the shelves. Cutler had been mentally preparing himself for a break-in since he had come home. It was bound to happen eventually, as it had for his parents several times over the course of his childhood. When it did, he would handle it the same way his parents had: with calm, slow movements and total compliance.

It didn’t go that way.

For one thing, he had expected it to happen while the shop was open and the money would still be in the register. Instead, the crashing sound of displays being toppled downstairs had awoken him in the early hours of the morning. The cool and collected man of his practiced break-in fantasies was quickly replaced with a groggy version of himself in a wrinkled t-shirt and boxers, squinting in the dim light.

Slowly, he took in the scene before him in pieces. Spidery crimson tracks spilling down pale skin and dripping onto waxed tile, collapsed shelving units spilling all manner of dried goods onto the floor, and a familiar, crazed look behind wide, dark pupils. He had dealt with this many times in the ER. Well, maybe not this, exactly, but he knew intoxication when he saw it. His hand hovered over the light switch to his right and he called out before clicking the buzzing fluorescents on above them, “You need some help.” A statement, not a question; carried with the arrogant weight of medical school behind it. “I can patch that up for you.”

Stepping on bags of spices, Skylar took particular joy in watching as the dried herbs crumbled under her shoes. She ran her hand along the shelves, knocking more and more of the goods onto the ground, blood dripping across the crinkly bags. And then, she realized she wasn’t alone. Someone had entered from the back of the shop. Skylar spun around to look at him, tilting her head at him quizzically. “Help? I don’t need help, I have all the help I need.” She said with a giddy smile on her face, her teeth bright and gleaming in the lowlight. “Don’t want patches, nope, I don’t need another patchwork skin, nuh uh.” She said to herself, rubbing the sores on her arms as she spoke. She could feel something leaking from the raw abscesses that dotted her legs, but the pain was like a distant memory, far far away from her right now.

Bright white light washed over the store, revealing the full extent of the damage. Product littered the floor under the shifting soles of his unsteady guest. Cutler dropped his hand from the light switch and walked forward, sidestepping the lentil spillage by his feet. “Uh huh.” The wheels in his mind ground against each other, desperately trying to wake up in time to process the finer details of the situation that wouldn’t come together. Sharpened teeth inside a lazy grin and his front door still locked and unbroken; pieces of a puzzle that refused to click. “Can I take a look?” The wounds on her body were various levels of depth and severity, ranging from dark and old to bright and fresh. The whip-sharp crack of a brown paper bag crinkling under his foot caused him to freeze in place. He stared, cautious and gentle, afraid she would startle like a wild animal. His hand extended slowly, pale pink underside raised to her in timid surrender. “I’m not gonna hurt you. You know it makes it worse when you scratch them.” His voice continued in a muted string of comforting sound, filling the space between them. “Nothing intensive. Just get something on that ear, stop the bleeding. Do a once over for breaks and fractures, maybe disinfect those sores. If it’s food you want, I can get you some of that, too.”

Skylar watched as the man continued to walk towards her, slow, so slow. She didn’t want to slow down, she didn’t want to pause to stop and think and let all the thoughts she’d left behind catch back up to her. She just wanted to ride this wild, cresting high as far as it would take her and this man? No, no, no, he seemed like he’d put a stop to it. When he asked to look at her, Skylar squinted at him. “Why?” She asked. He took another step and then froze for some reason that she wasn’t quite sure of. There was a muffled sound, but she couldn’t tell what it was. Running her finger tips around her ears, Skylar remembered why. “Oh, that makes sense.” She said, tapping the place where her hearing aids normally rested. Focusing back on the man, she laughed. “You can’t hurt me, even if you wanted to. Even if I wanted you to,” Skylar paused, staring down at the blood that covered her. Looking up at him abruptly, she asked, “Do you think I need help?” Cutler watched her fingers lower from her ears, slick with blood. There was no alarm in her face as they came away, only a laugh that felt discordant and wrong. Even if I wanted you to. When her eyes met his, he felt his heart clatter against his ribcage with deafening irregularity. Something distinctly inhuman looked back at him. Or maybe it was the lack of something. “I do.” He replied, hoping his honesty would cut through the frenetic, animalistic energy to the person behind it. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of, you know. Accepting help.”

Another step toward her. She was almost within his reach now. He blinked slowly, a prayer running across the back of his eyelids: Please don’t fight me. “At the very least, let me get some gauze on that. You’re bleeding all over my floor.” His hand reached up and touched his own ear instinctively, brushing against his full intact earlobe. He ran his tongue across the flat backs of his own teeth, feeling the square edges. Hers were definitely unnatural. Modified, maybe. “I haven’t even asked your name. How rude of me.” A ghost of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, echoing the grin he might have worn in lighter circumstances. “I’m Cutler. And you are?”

He thought she needed help. But so had everyone else and that wasn’t what she’d wanted. Erin and Morgan and Leah and even Shiloh and Rio. They all said they wanted to help, but how could she know that? Skylar mulled over his words, tapping her fingers against her chin, ignoring the way the pads of her fingers stuck to her skin. All of them knew her, they all knew her and they knew what she was and who she was and even if they didn’t know why she was-- Skylar didn’t know why she was even though she could remember every pretty little pill she’d swallowed-- they knew what she should be. And this man didn’t. So maybe that made his help real. “Okay.” She said blithely, not realizing how much tension hung between the two of them. “Oh, but there is. Because people will help you and help you and help you and then one day, they leave. Because they’re too tired of putting up with all your shit and think it’s better to quit while they’re ahead.” She said earnestly.

At the mention of his floors, Skylar glanced down to the mess of crushed herbs and ruined inventory that were spattered with a thick trail of blood. “Oh. Whoops. I have a lot,” She said with a nod, before gesturing around at the mess. “Of blood. Lots of blood. This is… probably okay.” She said with a shrug. Squinting at him, Skylar repeated his name. “Cut-ler.” She let out a slight giggle, wondering where her knife had gone. Cutler. She could make that literal. “I’m Skylar.” She said, before looking expectantly at him. “So, are you going to help me not bleed all over your floors?”

Cutler listened intently. Someone had hurt this girl, and he didn't intend to be the next in the long line of grievances she had suffered. "If people desert you, that's their shame. Not yours." The contempt in his voice bled through and he swallowed it back down into his stomach. "I'm not going anywhere."

He followed her gaze down to the floor, and back up to her nonchalant shrug. "That's me. You ever go by Sky? I've gone by Cut to my friends." His mouth moved on it's own, giving his mind a chance to catch up with the unreality of the situation.

"It is a lot of blood, huh. Whooole lotta blood. Still limited supply, though." A deep sigh shot downward as his hands drifted to the resting spot on his hips where his apron drawstrings usually hung. He focused his gaze back on Skylar, unwilling to think about the cleanup he was going to have to do later. Alone, of course. No insurance company is gonna cover an illegal surgery. "Let's get something on that. I've got supplies back here. Gauze and tape and uh, all sorts of stuff. You need a hand?"

Shrugging, Skylar’s mind wandered to all the people she’d loved, who’d left this place, who’d left her behind because they had to go. Nic and Winston and Remmy, they’d left. They hadn’t abandoned her, not the way Ricky and her parents had, but they’d left this town and they’d left her too. “Sometimes people leave and that’s just what happens. And then you’re left trying to figure out who you were without them.” Skylar said with a nod.

“S-K-Y-E, yup. Just friends, though.” She said as she followed behind him, her footprints leaving thick smears against the linoleum flooring of the shop. At his question, she shook her head vigorously. “I don’t want a hand, nope, nope. Got two right here, don’t need more.” She said. “One of my friends kept losing their hands, but now they’re gone.” Skylar said, mostly to herself. “Gone, gone, gone.”

Cutler led the way to the back of the store, propping the EMPLOYEES ONLY door open with a coffee can of ice salt. “Alright, no hands. No problem.” Beyond the crack of the door, a grey cement room stared back at them, devoid of all the usual upholstery; no shelving, or paint, or tiling. The floor sloped ever so slightly downward, puckering at a large metal drain. Under the naked bulbs above him, he knelt to root through a box, pulling out various medical supplies and glancing over every so often to assess the damage.

“Skylar.” He called back, tendons in his neck jumping with the strain. “What hurts? Can you tell me if anything hurts inside?” As he ambled back toward her, his gaze shifted from sympathetic to critical, mind kicking into higher gear. Silicon gloves rolled down his wrists and his hand paused inches from her lesioned arm, waiting for permission. “Is there any point in me telling you to get rest after this?”

Skylar hadn’t been in the back rooms of many stores before, but she had a feeling that they didn’t look much like this. Staring around as he began to pull things out of a box, Skylar’s attention dropped back to the floor as she watched droplet after droplet of greyish red splash against the tile. They began to form a small trickle, flowing down, down, down the drain. At Cutler’s words, Skylar looked up and looked at him. “Nothing hurts. Nope, nope, can’t feel anything.” She said and, to prove it, she reached up with her fingers and grasped the chunk of her ear and pulled on it. Blood ran down her fingers, but she didn’t flinch because there wasn’t any pain to feel. It was all just light and bright and nothing at the same time. Holding out her arms, she shrugged. “I can rest. Sometimes I lie down in the woods for hours and hours.” She replied.

Cutler's lips parted in protest, too late to stop her from tugging on her ear. They came back together in a constricted wince. Crimson slick coated her hand and he redirected his attention from her unusual lesions to the fresh tear beside her face. "Okay. Alright. Let's clean this up." His voice was robotically measured, practiced bedside matter. Whether he was trying to steady her or himself, he wasn't entirely sure. "No pain is good. This still might sting, though. Let me know if you want me to stop."

The act of cleaning a wound is intimate by necessity. In close quarters, he could see the rise and fall of her chest below him and the heat of her skin under the sanitizing pad. He afforded her a gentle smile. It didn't say everything he wanted to say; that he too, had lain for hours in the forest while intoxicated. That he has, on more than one occasion, injured himself while drunk and mercifully felt no pain. Instead, he opted for a subtler approach. "Mhm. That sounds nice. Peaceful. Stay still for me if you can, Skylar." The skin of her neck started to become visible as he fastened a series of bandages to the area and wiped away the gore with soft, consistent movements. "Do you know what you took?"

Skylar was barely aware of the gauze pressed against her face. She could smell the sharp of the alcohol as it was used to clean her wounds, but the moment it touched her flesh, it felt like nothing at all. There was no pain, there was no pressure, there wasn’t even hot or cold. Her entire existence was just the manic thrum of excitement and giddy happiness that she had no control over. “Nope, it doesn’t hurt. You can keep doing your stuff.” She said and let Cutler wash away the blood. Sitting still was hard, but she managed it, even as her fingers felt like they wanted to sink into the nearest wall. She couldn’t do that, no, he wanted her to stay still. And he was helping her.

“Oh, it’s really nice. Really, really nice. Sometimes I’d just stay out there for days and days, because it was better than having to feel. But this, this is even better than that. Because I’m just so happy. So, so happy. I’ve never felt this happy before.” Skylar said breathily. At his question, Skylar grinned, remembering the way the pills had looked in the palm of her hand, the way the smoke had burned in her lungs, the soft burn of the Bliss as it ran through her veins. “Some pills, something in a cigarette, a mushroom or three and lots and lots of Bliss.” She said, her expression dreamy as she thought about the box of “supplies” she had stashed away back in her room.

Cutler concentrated on not letting his concern bleed through his expressions as he listened, resisting the downturn of his mouth and darkening of his brow. His hands moved from wound to wound, adept at giving them exactly the amount of attention they needed before moving on. When he had addressed everything in his view, he extended the white bundle of gauze toward her. “If there’s anywhere else. Underneath your-I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

Of course he understood that sores don’t end at the boundaries of his patient’s clothing. It was more than likely that she had significant injuries that weren’t immediately visible. But she hadn’t come to him as a client, and he wasn’t about to start peeling clothing off a vulnerable woman, even to help her. “I need to make a quick call, anyhow. Do you mind?” His thumb was already swiping through a digital rolodex of old work contacts, distant friends, and exes. “I’ll be right over here, and you can call me if you need help. How does that sound?”

Skylar didn’t notice the way that Cutler’s expression shifted, she was more focused on the way her fingers were wrapped in gauze. Already, she could see the tips of white beginning to darken as blood soaked through the cloth. What started out as pinpricks of color blossomed into thick circles and Skylar pressed her fingers against the side of the wall, watching as the blood spread through the gauze. As he handed her another roll of gauze, Skylar looked at it blankly for a moment before realizing what he was saying. That’s right, she had the gash-- a gaping slash, a gash-- on her side. Mm, she should take care of it.

With clumsy hands, Skylar slid her hands under her shirt and pressed the pad of gauze against her bleeding side. It was hard wrapping the bandages around, but she managed it after a bit of effort. At Cutler’s words, Skylar tilted her head. “What are you doing?” She asked, standing back up, the world shifting around her as she did. Her head felt light, lighter than air, as her vision went black round the edges, but she didn’t care. Taking a step forward, Skylar shook her head. “Who are you calling?” Doctors? Hunters? People who’d poke her, prod her, hurt her, kill her? No, no, no.

Cutler’s eyes only flicked down to his hand for a moment, enough to dial but not enough time for his impromptu patient to injure herself further. He hoped. Next to his ear, the phone rang out. Once, twice. In his periphery, Skylar wrapped the gauze around her body. She looked strangely fragile in the unshaded bulbs; white fluorescents piercing sickly pale skin to sharp bone underneath. “I’m just making a call.” His chin tilted upward, speaking away from the still-ringing cell. Before he could come up with a lie that she would accept-not that he thought he had one ready-the soft click over the phone alerted him to the presence of someone on the other end.

He shifted away slightly, hoping the broad slopes of his shoulders would shield the storage room from the soft words he was speaking into the phone. “Hi, it’s Cut. Sorry about the hour. Yeah, yeah, long time. Listen, I need a favour. Do you still work at the Crisis Response Unit? I’ve got a young woman here who’s in distress. No cops, she just needs-” He was interrupted by scuffling behind him, turning just in time to see Skylar getting to her feet. She swayed so slowly that the room seemed to tilt with her. “Skylar-” His protest died in his throat as she lurched forward with surprising intensity, causing him to take a mirroring step backward. She was substantially smaller than him, but something in her eyes caused his heart to leap to his throat. It took another step forward for him to recognize it. Hatred. “It’s just an old friend. She might be able to help you. Better than I can.”

As the man turned his back on her, Skylar’s ears strained to pick up his hushed tones. She couldn’t pick up specifics, but her mind was already buzzing with possibilities of who was on the other line. Her eyes flicked around wildly, looking at the strange utensils that were laid out neatly on the table he’d taken her to. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered that this was… a store. A shop in the center of town. With packets of chips and gum but also scissors and scalpels and gauze and gloves. Lips curling into a feral grimace, Skylar reached out and grabbed one of the shiny silvery tools from the table and pointed it at Cutler.

“Put down the phone.” Skylar said clearly, glaring at him while blood pounded in her ears. She could stab at him, plunge the tip of the scalpel into his chest over and over and over. She could lunge at him and bury her teeth into the soft flesh of his throat. She could rip him to pieces, she could hurt him, hurt him the way that Hunters wanted to hurt her. A trap, was this all a trap? “I don’t want your friend’s help-- I don’t, I don’t even want your help.” She sneered, tempted to rip the cotton gauze from her hands just to prove it to him. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I could. I could want to hurt you.” She said with another laugh, shaking her head. “So just, just put down the phone.”

The voice on the other end of the line began to rise into a higher register, tinny treble crackling through the rectangular mic at the bottom of the screen. “I’m completely fine. No one’s gonna hurt anyone here. Let me call you back.” Cutler spoke the words loudly and clearly, hoping the slight shaking his hand didn’t translate to his voice. Light flashed off the thin reflective blade of the scalpel. It was a tiny little thing, almost dwarfed in her white knuckle grip, but it could do serious damage. He knew that better than anyone.

“I’m putting it down.” The phone clattered to the cement floor, sending a nervous jolt through his body. Nice, Cutler. “I don’t think-” His tongue felt heavy against his sticky-dry lips, struggling to form the words he wanted to say. “I don’t think you’re a bad person. And I don’t think you really want to hurt me. If you did, you would have done it by now, right? You’ve had plenty of chances.”

Skylar watched as the man spoke, her eyes trained on him. The lights were bright and sharp around the two of them and it made the scalpel in her fingers glimmer like quicksilver. Liquid in her fingers, she could let it flash out, once, twice, a hundred times, she thought. She could let it slither from her grasp and embed itself into the man’s body, she could watch the blood flow, so slow, down down down the drain. It would be so easy, so quick. A sliver of silver, a knife, a life. The dull thudding of the phone against the floor brought her back to her senses and Skylar nodded. “Yup, it’s down.” She said before kicking out a foot, sending the phone skittering away.

“I could, I could. Everyone could. Everyone wants to hurt people, everything’s only ever wanted to hurt me. Why shouldn’t I hurt someone else? Why shouldn’t I be just like them?” Skylar asked, though the scalpel was already lowering in her hand. She didn’t want to. She didn’t really want to do that. Her arms felt weary, heavier than they’d felt in… well, she couldn’t remember. But the weight of the sharp blade in her fingers felt as though it was dragging her to the floor, pulling her down. “I never wanted to be like this.” She said gesturing to herself with the scalpel, hands waving wildly. “I thought I was normal. I thought everyone was normal. But it’s not and I’m not and I’m just some… thing. Some kind of monster.” Skylar said before letting out a watery laugh. Swiping at her face with her free hand, Skylar wondered when she’d started crying-- why was she even crying? There was nothing to be sad about, nothing to feel. “I-- I…” She stammered, shaking her head as she backed away towards the door she’d come from. Tossing the scalpel away, she looked at the man, mind caught between the urge to charge at him and to run far, far away from him. “I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to hurt you.” She said, shaking as she turned around and ran.

Cutler watched a thousand emotions pass over Skylar’s face in an instant. One well-placed slash with the scalpel in her hand and it could be over for him. The karmic balancing of the scales; a fitting end for him, maybe. But she wasn’t going to. He could see it even before her arm started to lower. She was at breaking point, tears overflowing their hitch-breath confines and words spilling out of her, stream-of-consciousness. “I know.” He said softly. And he did. He knew that she wouldn’t let him help. That she was leaving, and there was nothing he could do to stop her. “I know.”

For a moment, it appeared as if she had changed her mind and decided to tackle him anyway and he tensed, ready to parry or dodge whatever she threw at him, including herself. At the last second, she pivoted, running by him in close quarters. A quicker man might have blocked the door. A stronger man might have reached a hand out to stop her as she passed. Cutler was neither of these things. Instead, he just watched her go.

#p: wygwyw #tw drug use #tw addiction #tw: medical blood #tw memory loss #tw body horror #//as always if youd like a tw free recap just let me know!#//this was such a cool chatzy to write #p: cutler clarke

11 notes · View notes

ijassumodskopje · 5 years

Text

Accident Attorneys for Those Injured in a Wreck

Vehicle accidents can happen any time to any person, also the most safe of chauffeurs. Throughout a life time, motorists can anticipate to be included in three to 4 cars and truck wrecks, typically. Also when taking the most safety measures and also using the most safe actions, chauffeurs in [area] and also the bordering communities can not constantly shield themselves from unsafe motorists as well as from being injured in an automobile accident.

However, if you or a loved one is injured in a cars and truck accident caused by the negligent or careless habits of one more driver, you can secure yourself against the cost and also worry of the injuries experienced in the accident. After remaining in an automobile accident, you must talk to a [location] injury lawyer asap to learn regarding your legal rights as well as claims to settlement. You may have the ability to file an accident claim and look for financial payment from the liable party.

With our decades of experience, we have actually developed a credibility for achieving success for our customers as well as winning them the optimum monetary payment readily available for their injuries. Our competent auto accident lawyers understand just how to establish the compensation which you can assert, consisting of:

Expense of past, existing, as well as future medical expenditures

Loss of future incomes

Loss of future making capacity

Damages to your residential property

Revengeful problems

Pain and suffering

Wrongful death problems, if you lost a liked one

If you have been wounded in a collision, our car crash injury lawyers can assist. Get in touch with us today for a complimentary examination of your situation from our law practice office.

Why Ought to You Hire an Attorney After a Car Crash

After a crash, you may believe that you can take care of the situation by yourself. While this might hold true in some smaller crashes where nobody is injured, you can never ever understand the genuine impact of an auto accident where an injury does take place without proper input from a skilled injury attorney as well as medical experts. If your automobile crash resulted in a catastrophic accident or the loss of a loved one, the last expense of the crash could exceed numerous hundreds of bucks.

Insurance policy business recognize this is, having seen thousands of auto mishaps similar to yours, and recognize the danger of an expensive payment. These companies desire to protect their very own earnings, not your wellness and healing. Your accident attorney, nevertheless, will aggressively defend your legal rights adhering to a mishap. Without a legal representative, your possibilities of recovering substantial payment are significantly reduced, and also you might be entrusted less money than you need to recuperate totally.

With each step of your instance, our automobile wreck injury lawyers will stand by your side as well as supply invaluable sources to guarantee your insurance claim does well, including:

Carrying Out a Precise Investigation into Your Crash

After a crash, the police and also insurance coverage firms will certainly complete their very own reports. You need to never trust the searchings for in these reports. Your accident lawyer will individually investigate your crash to ensure that only the truths are utilized in your situation. Our lawyers will certainly consult with witnesses, get in touch with crash reconstruction specialists, and collect evidence, done in an effort to create a full depiction of your crash.

Assessing the Actual Expense of your Physical, Psychological, and also Financial Damages

The final costs of an auto crash can vastly surpass the preliminary expenses. Medical expenses have never been higher in the USA, and you might be left with numerous thousands in health center costs prior to you also start your recovery. Contributing to this financial strain is the weight the experience leaves on your emotional and also mental health and wellness, possibly hindering your capability to fully recuperate. Our lawyers will completely analyze your case to figure out the lasting expenditures of your healing.

Actively Communicating with You regarding Your Situation

You should have to have a clear as well as truthful conversation regarding your scenario and the different courses you could take ahead, and also our attorneys will connect with you every action of the method. Recouping from a car mishap is challenging enough without the anxiety of an accident case. While you concentrate on your wellness, our attorneys will certainly take care of every element of examining and prosecuting your instance.

Handling and also Loading all Documentation

Accident cases operate under rigorous target dates and also time constraints. The statute of restrictions limits for how long you have to file a case, and one missed out on target date can reverse your entire case. Your attorney will make certain to correctly file all paperwork needed for your instance as well as maintain your case moving on on schedule.

Preparing Your Case for Negotiation

Our attorneys prepare every case that enters our law office as if it will proceed via to a trial. This method permits us to establish one of the most detailed instance feasible and best protect your civil liberties, yet it additionally prepares us to bargain a very early and fair settlement with the responsible celebration.

Taking Your Instance to Test

When a negotiation is not possible or when the insurance company uses compensation that is unfair to you and also your injuries, our lawful team is prepared to take your case to trial. You deserve to obtain the payment needed to cover the complete expense of your recovery, as well as we will remain to battle for you up until we secure it.

In addition to aiding you with building and defending your situation, our can additionally assist with any problems you might have obtaining your automobile repaired or replaced and also can help you assist in the ideal clinical treatment readily available to you. Our attorneys are committed to your instance and also will take the time to ensure you are kept up to date on your instance.

Our personal injury attorneys have represented hundreds of individuals in Georgia as well as across the state. We comprehend exactly how hard this experience is for you and also your loved ones, and also we pride ourselves on our commitment to you and also your recuperation. We work on a daily basis to guarantee our ease of access and responsiveness to your demands, offering the private focus required to win your case.

Automobile Crash Injury Attorney in Georgia To talk with a car mishap injury lawyer to review your rights as well as figure out if you have a case, call the [place] injury law office today. Our attorneys are prepared to aid you during every phase of your personal injury insurance claim. Our Legislation company can give a quick as well as comprehensive examination of your case to identify the very best means ahead as well as ensure you receive the a lot of payment feasible. Do not leave your fate approximately the insurance provider.

What To Do If You Have actually Been Wounded in a Rideshare Crash

Hailing or calling a taxi made use of to be the most typical setting of transportation when individuals required a flight but in recent times, Lyft and Uber have ended up being both most preferred ride-sharing applications that individuals make use of as a way of transportation. Nowadays, you can purchase a flight with the press of a button on your mobile phone, yet the convenience of access to these kinds of solutions does not assure the safety of the travelers that use these solutions, neither are the legislations regulated sufficient to hold the motorists completely liable for their careless, careless, or irresponsible activities on our roadways.

With increasingly more people starting to utilize these services, our location has seen an increase in the number of ridesharing accidents that have actually been reported. Actually, there were three times extra ridesharing mishaps reported this year than in the previous years.

If you have actually been injured in a vehicle mishap while you were riding as a traveler in an Uber or Lyft vehicle or remained in a mishap that was triggered by a ride-share chauffeur, you are probably questioning who will certainly be responsible to pay for your injuries and damages. You may be surprised to find out that if you`ve been injured in a crash that entailed a rideshare vehicle, you might have to pay your own medical costs out of pocket.

Accidents that involve rideshare automobiles are typically fairly complicated as well as include first-party as well as third-party obligation. Speaking to a competent personal injury attorney that has decades of experience as well as comprehends the ins as well as outs of automobile accident legislation will certainly be critical to obtaining the settlement that you deserve for your injuries, lost wages, pain, and also suffering.

Uber and also Lyft Drivers That Harm Passengers in Crashes

In the blink of an eye, a short-term interruption can cause a major crash that can have life-long or fatal consequences for the hurt sufferers. It could be something as trivial as a motorist that is approving their next ride via their rideshare application. These devices are typical in all rideshare vehicles and also can come to be a diversion to drivers resulting in major injuries to innocent passengers and their enjoyed ones.

One of the most common reasons Lyft as well as Uber accidents occur on our highways are as complies with:

Sidetracked Driving-- This consists of eating, drinking, texting or speaking on the phone, speaking to travelers, GPS use, driving with earbuds in, or personal grooming while running an automobile.

Driving Intoxicated-- Uber or Lyft chauffeurs who are operating a vehicle intoxicated of alcohol and/or drugs.

Fatigued or Drowsy Driving-- Lyft as well as Uber drivers in some cases work long or over night hrs that result in exhaustion or tiredness when running an automobile.

Poor Roadway Issues-- Poor road problems create crashes.

With rideshare crashes raising so much in the last few years there have very severe concerns raised about that must be liable for these types of crashes and regarding how victims who are hurt in rideshare crashes can be made up for their injuries as well as losses. These responsibility regulations are complicated for a number of factors and rely on the kind of insurance coverage that these drivers lug.

Most rideshare chauffeurs have a non-professional driver insurance coverage versus a commercial driver insurance coverage. That`s why it`s so crucial to consult with a skilled rideshare accident lawyer after your Uber or Lyft accident to learn if you have the right to seek a claim for your injuries and also losses received in your rideshare accident. Call us to review your crash with a lawyer that recognizes the legislations relating to rideshare mishaps and also to learn if you have a claim.

Why Our Georgia Law office Is the Right One For Your Rideshare Accident

We have a devoted group of Uber & Lyft mishap lawyers who provide our customers with aggressive lawful solutions that are based upon their certain demands. Our attorneys recognize how overwhelming being harmed in a crash can be and also with the ideal attorney and also proper documentation of your injuries and your accident, you can make certain that you will certainly be fairly compensated for your rideshare accident. Having a seasoned litigator on your side can make all the difference in your case and also settlement.

Lyft and Uber do not consider their vehicle drivers to be staff members. They are hired as private or independent professionals and they take little to no obligation for the activities of their drivers, making seeking payment extremely complicated.

If you or a person that you like has been injured in a mishap while riding as a passenger in an Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare firm, you may be qualified to compensation for your injuries

We are appreciated test lawyers who have actually prevailed in various situations that involve intricate legal problems and high-value claims and also we can assist you obtain the compensation you are qualified to for your injuries as well as problems if you were injured in an Uber or rideshare mishap.

138 notes · View notes

breehunny · 5 years

Text

We want a baby!

My husband, Cam, and I have been trying to make a baby for over one year now. I had a history of ovarian cysts so I was worried about fertility even before we started trying. I overthink things a lot and get stuck in my head, but I also love going to the doctor, so I figured why not go get checked out. My mom got pregnant with my sister and I very quickly. My sister got pregnant very quickly with all three of her kids. Other than the occasional cyst, there was no reason for me to worry. In Fall of 2017 I went to my family doctor and asked if there were any preliminary tests I should do to see if I’ll have a high risk pregnancy or have trouble getting pregnant. We did a pap smear and progesterone test and that was it. I was told my progesterone was low but aside from that everything was totally normal and we should have no issue getting pregnant. Cam and I were engaged at the time, but knew we wanted to start trying for kids pretty early on in our marriage. We started in February 2018 with the mindset of “if it happens, it happens.” We were both pretty uninformed at that point. I wasn’t really tracking ovulation or any other daily symptoms, we weren’t scheduling sex, it was literally just not using any kind of birth control method. We got eloped in April, and my next period was due at the beginning of May. I missed it! I took a pregnancy test every day from the first day of my missed period for a week….all negative. I called my OB and scheduled a blood test, there’s no way my cycle is this long, it’s been almost 40 days, I’m for sure pregnant. I was so excited. I started planning how I was going to tell Cam, my family, his family, how I was going to hide it for the next 8 weeks, everything! The blood test came back...also negative. My OB told me I was not pregnant and that since my cycles usually lasted 32-37 days this was “normal.” Turns out I just didn’t ovulate that month, my cycle lasted 58 days. That crushed me. That was not normal. While I was waiting for my next period I decided we should buckle down more. I did my research and we started trying every other day during ovulation. This new schedule threw Cam off a bit, he was under the impression that I was fertile every single day. I blame California sex ed, I had the actual sex talk with one of his friends a few months later. When Cam and I were both on the same page we both agreed we would officially start trying. I scheduled another appointment in July after I’d had another full cycle. I wanted to know what to do next. Am I just not going to ovulate regularly anymore? Are my eggs bad now? I’m only 27, why is this happening? My OB gave me a list of tests and medicines we could do before referring me to a fertility specialist. Insurance doesn’t usually cover anything with fertility and if we did everything it would cost in the thousands.I had a thyroid test, hormone tests, an ultrasound, and HCG test where they insert a dye into the uterus and see if it there are any blockages (that one hurt effing bad) all between July and January. I started Clomid in November, a hormonal pill to induce egg production. We did two rounds, with no luck. By this point I was frustrated and crying every time I got my period and it was taking a toll on our relationship. Every period felt like a loss. Between being sad a lot of the time, losing drive to help out around the house, and not talking about how I was feeling with Cam, we struggled. We had some long conversations, and what I was reading as him not caring, was him trying to be strong for both of us. We have gone to couples counseling previously so we were able to use tools from that to help us through this. I asked to be referred to a fertility clinic. My OB prescribed me one more round of clomid and sent us on our way to our local fertility clinic. Even though I had specifically asked for one more round of clomid, I didn’t end up taking it. After such a long period of time of scheduling intercourse...it was taking a negative toll on our relationship. We took a one month break from trying before seeing the specialist. Before we could go to our first appointment, Cam had to go get tested. He was bizarrely excited to go and bragged to his friends that he was going to the “spank bank.” LOL His results came back great and we were ready to get started on our fertility treatment plan. Our doctor is great, we were pretty positive about our chances of conceiving and laid out a plan for the next few months. He also explained why exactly we were having trouble...which I had never really received a clear answer from my OB so I didn’t know it was even figured out! I have PCOS which is commonly misdiagnosed as Endometriosis. I have acne, struggle with weight gain, have irregular periods, and I don’t always release fully developed eggs or an egg at all (hence 58 day cycle). My cysts were being caused by underdeveloped eggs essentially burying themselves in my ovaries. For the next 3 months I would take Femara (another fertility drug). The first month we would try on our own, the next two would be with intrauterine insemination, or IUI. The doctor seemed very confident that we would be able to conceive on the first try. We left feeling confident and with lots of fun paperwork outlining our instructions. -Take Femara as prescribed on days 3-7 of your cycle -Have intercourse on day 10 or 11 -Abstain until you see a surge on an ovulation test -Take ovulation tests days 12-15 -Have intercourse every 36 hrs once you surge - If you do not surge, call the office Romantic, right? We got to day 13 and I was getting nervous. What if we missed it? What if my surge doesn’t read? Did I do this round of Femara for nothing? Cam called the fertility clinic, they told us to go ahead and start trying every 36 hours, and continue testing. Day 16 came and I still hadn’t had a surge, I called in and they told me to come to the office that morning for an ultrasound. The tech said I had “a very good looking egg ready to release any day now.” Perfect! I went in for another progesterone test the following week and it was higher than it ever had been before! This is the month, it had to be, everything was looking good! 11 days later my period started. I was crushed again, but I didn’t cry much this time. I don’t know how to explain exactly how I felt. All I know is this meant we were done trying on our own. It was the end of the road for conceiving even a little bit naturally. We were one step closer to IVF, or surgery, or adoption. Don’t get me wrong, we’re open to all of those, and want to adopt in the future regardless. But not yet, I want this.

#infertility #struggle #relationship #baby #pcos #endo #fertility #treatment #loml #lifeblog #pregnancy #ovaries #SexEd #eggs

1 note · View note

miektastic-blog · 6 years

Text

Free Diabetes Alert

But why wait and be bothered by frequent dieting when you can practice moderation without entirely giving up your favorite food? That is why it is important for us to understand this all important link to diabetes rates. Higher education is available in Trinidad and Tobago at the St. Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies, canadian online pharmacy located on the outskirts of Port of Spain. German U-boats stalked allied supply and troop ships headed for the war in Europe, sinking many in the waters surrounding Trinidad and Tobago. All pets imported into Trinidad and Tobago except birds, are subject without exception to a six-month quarantine. Since so many cryptocurrency-related businesses are relatively new, it’s difficult to know which ones are legit. To be fully insured, the benefit must have been vested before the plan terminated, and the benefit level must have been in effect for 60 months, or benefits are proportionately reduced. We have rats in our backyard, and they have built an elaborate tunnel system in our back hill, strategically exiting under each of my bird feeders. We have taken down all bird feeders. With the persuasive power of online reviews, these have become a means for digital astroturfing. We also believe in the power of markets to allocate resources where they’ll create the most value and to drive innovation that improves peoples’ lives. The meal you consume or skip, the beverage intake or skipped, whether you exercise or not and stress you feel all affect the blood sugar level. Once you have used charcoal some you will begin to get a feel for how much is helpful to you. 1. Do warm-ups before you begin a more intense exercise so that your blood will get pumping thus getting your body ready to exercise. In terms of its financial impact on the family, long-term disability is more severe than death. And those above age 65 or on disability can choose from several prescription Part D insurance plans. CBD oil can inhibit hepatic drug metabolism and activity of some liver enzymes, such as cytochrome P450. There are non-weight bearing exercises too like bicycling, swimming and other aquatic activities; exercises on the chair can be done by most everyone. There seems to be a lot of concern about the expiration dates. 1. Mistakes made on the blood glucose can be eliminated by exercise. These documents are to be written in "plain English" so they can be easily understood. Employers are more likely to provide short-term benefits to a wider range of employees, and it is not unusual for short-term plans to cover all full-time employees. It is domestic and seems more legitimate than most. It was done in 1959 as the year of the 350th anniversary of the settlement of Bermuda by the British. 500 for every Coloradan per year. Every Coloradan deserves the healthy, dignified retirement they’ve earned through a lifetime of hard work. Nitrazepam may make levodopa not work so well. No one seemed to mind my removing the reptiles in order to enlist their help, but they can be purchased as well. What is needed is a large number of similar risks so statistics can be developed to determine an accurate probability of loss for each risk being evaluated. Oxygen administration is a treatment that can only be provided by trained medical personnel, uses relatively complex technology, and is used to treat serious injuries and illnesses. Through the 1940s, the Blues were the predominant providers of medical expense coverage. Perhaps most importantly, this plan takes the guesswork out of seeing a doctor in your network and navigating different levels of health care plans. The plan provides you with a national network of over 50,000 pharmacies. A POS plan is a hybrid arrangement that combines aspects of a traditional HMO and a PPO. Spaying or neutering a pet helps control the animal populations within a region. What if I tell you, you don’t have to lose that much weight to prevent, reverse and control the condition? As a result of reorganizations and administrative experience under ERISA, many requirements have been adjusted, resulting in a reduction of the regulatory burden. Some cities and housing communities have dog waste clean up laws. Forget calling 911 for help, cellphones and landlines will no longer function either. The claim is often that the person sending the email has been hired to kill you and will relinquish their role in exchange for a fee.

10 notes · View notes

anonfeather · 6 years

Text

Amnesia (demon/angle AU)

Rating: PG

Word count: 820

Content/Tags/Warning: slur, hospital setting, attempted murder, abusive parents

Notes: A while ago, @nackledamia said: “OKAY SO I've been craving some amnesia fics recently so: James forgets Thomas and Thomas has to find his way back into James' heart :')”

So, it inspired this ficlet, which is a sequel to the Angel/Demon AU drabble.

Upon opening his eyes, he was in terrible pain and confusion. A man was occupying a chair to his right, disgruntled look on his face. Thomas wanted to say something, but it came as a distorted moan.

“Oh, so you’re alive,” the man said. Thomas recognised him as his father. A loud beeping drew his attention; it was a monitor, checking his vitals. He tried moving his arm, but it felt heavy. He glimpsed at an IV, plugged into his hand. He gathered that he was in a hospital.

“Damn you,” hie father cursed. “Why didn’t you die? I could have gotten your life insurance.”

The words should have stung; maybe before the accident they would have. Right now however, Thomas could only find this man as pathetic. He didn’t care that it was his father, for that didn’t mean anything now.

The accident had jogged his memory; not of his current life. Something beyond life itself.

His eternal soul had been shaken up.

Before being reincarnated as a mortal, he had been a Demon, working to tempt humans down the wrong path.

This mortal life, with this trash of a father, had been his punishment for heavenly sin.

That of falling in love with an Angel.

“W-where’s James?” He croaked, throat dry.

“Who the fuck is that faggot?” the father asked, not wanting an answer. He stood up, fiddling with the tubes. Thomas realized he was covering his tracks. The jackass had tried to unplugged him from the life support! Too weak to comment about it, he committed the act to memory; swearing to summon a buddy or two deal with him later.

“Congrats, by the way, you’re finally emancipated.” Papers smacked him on his chest. “Good luck with your hospital bills.”

The weight of the papers disturbed his breathing. His father left, unconcerned by the trouble his act did upon his health.

‘Good riddance,’ thought Thomas. He blindly grasped around him to find his morphine drip. He turned it off, hoping that the drug’s fog would clear quickly so he could recall all the details of his soul-bound memories. He wasn’t ever supposed to get them back, but the near-death experience jostle his soul and unlocked them.

He needed to find James! His love had been punished too; he would have a horrible mortal life too. Thomas needed to save him.

oOoOoOoOo

Was it plain luck? Was one of their friend watching over them? James was in the same hospital as he was!

Thomas had escaped his room, inexplicably drawn down the hall. There was his love, surrounded by machines to keep him well. He was awake, reading a book, unaware of being spied by a former Demon that love him so dearly.

“J-james,” Thomas said, limping inside the room. The sudden visit took James by surprised.

“Hm, on hello. Ah, do you need a nurse..?” James pressed the call button.

“No, I just need to be near you. You don’t remember me do you?”

“I’m sorry, no.”

“That’s fine. At least I found you.” Thomas pressed his forehead to his mates’, tears of joy streaming down. “I got you, I’ll keep you safe. We’re finally gonna be together.”

“Er,” the former Angel didn’t struggle from the touch out of politeness. A nurse came in, carefully corradling Thomas away from her patient.

“Please set my bed here, please!” Thomas asked, not wanting to be far from his objective.

“I’m sorry, but it’s against hospital policy,” she said.

“The fuck it is!” Yelled Thomas. His exertion caused his breathing to go ragged. He coughed some blood, and stitches from his cheek came undone. The nurse took a step back, called for backup.

“Please, let him stay,” James said, his kindness to much for this world. He didn’t want to the other boy to suffer more simply to stay by his side. He obviously had a head wound; if staying in his private room was suffisant to keep him calm, he’ll gladly share.

The nurse aquiested, quickly getting the medical supplies and bed to fix Thomas up.

Thomas smiled placidly, allowing the nurses to fuss over him. As long as he could be near James, he’d be content. Drugs flooded back into his system. As he loss conscience, he stretched an arm towards James. He was too far to actually reach him, yet he tried.

James felt a weight in his chest from the devotion this stranger was giving him. His parents never gave a him a second glance ever since he was born, sticking him in different hospital out of necessity than love. It wouldn’t do for the governor's sickly son to be medically neglected; bad publicity after all. They kept their distance; he was always alone.

The need this other boy had to stay near him was heartwarming. It wouldn’t last, once his head trauma heals. But for now, he’ll indulge in the attention.

He asked to have his bed roller closer, to hold the other’s hand in comfort. He felt a drop of joy.

If only it could last.

#jeffmads #drabble #Fandom: Hamilton (Miranda)#james madison #thomas jefferson

13 notes · View notes

deliciousanarchist · 6 years

Text

Don't talk foody to me!

About diet talk and body positivity

This text started as an attempt to write about why I don’t like people commenting on (my) food when eating in public. While writing I realised I had to share more of my personal life and where I’m coming from, so it is more understandable why I’m having such a hard time with diet talk. In the end, this became a blog about diets, intuitive eating, self-care, and about respecting our own bodies and the bodies of others.

Society is pretty hung up on perfect bodies and, thus, food – those two seem to hang closely together. “We are what we eat”, right? Sounds legit. Or does it rather cut something very complex down to a simplifying and, well, blatantly incorrect sentence?

First of all, what we eat depends on so many things – like on the place we grow up, in what country we are born, and in what social part or class of society we were raised in. Also, when we look closely, stuff like what gender we are assigned with could be seen to make us choose different food. A lot of people believe that a “real man” needs to eat meat, or that women should generally eat less than men do. So “you are what you eat” strongly ignores social inequalities and, even worse, it judges you on things you did not decide by yourself.

It also sounds like a religion or a fatal cult. By this logic we are the sum of the food we eat. If we do “good” we get rewarded, if we do “bad” we will be punished. And if we get sick and some doctor tracks that back to our lifestyle (like to what we eat), then we supposedly brought it all on ourselves because we should have known better. We knew the rules of “health”, right? So if we have a heart attack, it’s because we ate too much fatty food. If we get diabetes, we ate too much sugar or simple carbohydrates. If we get an auto-immune disease, we exposed ourselves to too much to the “wrong” food like gluten, milk, or red meat. In all cases we definitely omitted to exercise enough, too, I’m sure.

And in the final consequence, if we brought our ‘unhealthy’ bodies on ourselves, then why should anyone, doctor or health insurance, help us and treat our disease? We made our bed, now we must lie in it, right?

A new diet theory every year

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that our food and lifestyle does not have any impact on the condition of our bodies, but I’m sure that we get the cause wrong most of the time. The human body is so complex. Who are we do think that we figured it all out? Watching some new food being demonized every other year should have proven this to us by now, shouldn’t it?

We are exposed to so much information about diets and nutrition in the course of our lives: Don’t eat wheat. Oh wait, but you can eat older wheat like dinkle. Drinking milk will kill you. But milk is so healthy, because calcium, you should drink milk every day. Butter is better than margarine. No, margarine is better. Or are both equally bad for you but for different reasons? Fat is bad for you no matter what. No wait, some fats are actually good and we need them for our body to process other food groups. Vegetables are always good for you. Unless it’s corn. And watch out for canned foods because of all the salt and sugar in it, but frozen vegetables are fresh and untreated. Fruits are healthy. In general we should eat vegetables and fruits 5 times a day. Oh no wait, fruit has sugar in it, so it’s not good after all. But oh, vitamins. That’s a twist, I guess. Red meat is bad, white meat is good. Or is meat always bad and should we replace it with fish? Let’s all go vegan to save the planet! (At this point I’m not going into the debate on if we Middle/Northern Europeans should or shouldn’t eat stuff like avocados or quinoa, and how fish is tricky anyway because of overfishing. Food production in capitalism in general, oh my.)

If you speak/read German, I highly recommend the book “Fa(t)shionista” by Magda Albrecht from 2018. She shares a lot of personal stories about the relationship to her body but also scientific info like the history of BMI or where the diseases (and “diseases”) of modern society more likely come from. Did you know that the BMI was never meant for categorizing individuals? And that in 1997 the WHO just set a new BMI for ‘obesety’ which made millions of people become overweight overnight? Also Magda writes: “[A]uch bei Bluthochdruck, Blutzucker oder dem Cholesterinspiegel [hat] die Lobbyarbeit der Pharmaindustrie dafür gesorgt [...], dass Grenzwerte so lange gesenkt wurden, bis die Mehrzahl der Bevölkerung in mindestens eine der zahlreichen Risikofaktoren fielen: Alles für die Gesundheit, natürlich! Oder vielleicht auch nur für die Geldbeutel großer Unternehmen?” (p. 157 // in english: “It’s the same with blood pressure, blood sugar or cholesterol. The drug industry kept declining the setpoint values for those too, so now most of our society suffers from at least one of those risk factors. All for the sake of health, of course! Or is it for the sake of the wallets of large companies?”)

Life is all about diversity

When I was 17 I stopped eating meat, and I was immediately told from a lot of different people whose opinions I never asked for that becoming a vegetarian is really unhealthy. (Of course now, in 2019, that viewpoint has shifted from vegetarians to vegans, so…)

Whenever my iron was low my doctors told me it was probably from being a vegetarian. Or from having my period. Or if they had been honest with me and themselves – they had no idea. Sometimes blood levels change, and who is to say that everybody has the same range of components in their blood? For example, my leukocytes are so low all the time that I would constantly be sick from colds and other infections. Surprisingly, I hardly ever have those. I do have other issues though. We’re all different, and our bodies react differently to medications, food, and different lifestyles. It’s a little like hormones. If you use hormone levels to prove that there are only two genders you won’t get very far. Like using blood components to divide people into healthy and unhealthy. Let’s give biology some credit and see how diverse we are on so many levels, shall we?

All my life I have been interested in food theories and diets. At some point in my life I even wanted to become a nutritionist, but then got scared of chemistry and all the science behind it. But I also had a dark interest in diets, too. Being a teenager I had a phase of body hate that resulted in an eating disorder that resulted in drastically cutting down my food until I lost more and more weight. I soon looked very thin and according to a lot of people in my life, “really great”. The doctors who had suggested I “lose a few pounds” were happy too. Myself? I felt like crap. And even after all that weight loss, I didn’t even see my body as thin, so disconnected was I to body image and the reality of it. Looking back on those pictures today, I feel fear – I can’t even recognise myself in them, I look so gaunt.

Good bye, diet mentality

However, I learned something from that experience: Being thin doesn’t automatically make me happy. And realizing that back then I felt betrayed by science. It should have worked, right? Lose weight, feel great!? I guess not.

I wish I could say that this made me come to peace with my body for good, but it didn’t. Later in life I still tried to change my body and/or weight by regulating my diet and using sports, very often against the will of my body. Yet I was never one of the people who did an official diet, I never used concepts like the “Ornish Diet”, “The Grapefruit Diet” or the new “Brigittte Diät”. But at some point in life I realized I became an “unconscious dieter”. This is a term I found a few years ago in a book called “Intuitive Eating” (Tribole/Resch 1995/2012: 9) and resonated. For example, at times I felt like I should cut back on chocolate or processed food only because I felt like I should strive for a more healthy lifestyle and a healthier body (whatever that’s supposed to be). I never would have called this “being on a diet”, but in fact I was: I acted on internalised food rules, was not listening to my body, and was very judgemental about my eating behaviour (in the privacy of my thoughts) while dividing food into good and bad.

Every time I changed the food on my table I got disappointed again to find that my body did not react the way I expected it to. For weeks I rationalised my chocolate consumption, but it only lead to me being unsatisfied because I wanted more chocolate or I wanted it at a time I wouldn’t allow myself. Sometimes I did not want it at all when scheduled but ate it anyway because I felt like I should not let the opportunity for chocolate pass me by.

Giving your body what it doesn’t want and withholding your body from what it needs can’t ever be healthy. In other words, quoting Tribole/Resch: “A dieting body is a starving body” (Tribole/Resch 1995/2012: 59).

Listen to your heart... or your body in general

Later in life I stopped consuming cow’s milk and everything that is made from it on the advice of various therapies. It’s common if you have an immune-disease like I have, to look for clues in your diet, too. Meanwhile I started avoiding eggs and coconut milk, because they didn’t leave me feeling well. But, occasionally, I get the feeling I want to eat them and, when I listen to my body, that impulse is right and I don’t feel sick afterwards. Body intuition for the win.

Realising that I actually have a good sense of what food is good for me and what isn’t, the whole diet problem began to make more sense. I was trying to press my food schedule into the desires or the nutrition that other people came up with. This would never have worked. Actually, I think we all have that sense of what is good for us, but it’s covered with all the public opinions on diets and the “perfect” body.

When I really allow myself to listen to my body, most of the time I can feel what it needs and what it doesn’t. Nothing is off limits.

If only it was that easy. Because by listening to my body, I have to ward of constant urges society has given me to divide my food into “good food” and “bad food”. I have to push aside the illusion that a thin body would make me happy. I have to push aside all the body shaming I have internalised. The thought that our body is something to be hated or be feared and that it has to be punished if we are too weak to stay on our fancy paleo or whatever diet.

In the end, it’s all about self-respect, body-positivity, and about acknowledging that our body is not a machine. Our body is a complex system and no one else but us can say what it needs.

You eat tomatoes, I want potatoes

Listening to my body is getting me different results every day. Some essential things stay kind of the same though. Like, my body has almost zero problems with carbohydrates, and I love eating potatoes in any form imaginable. Gluten and yeast are fine with me, bread making an appearance in my meals every day. Occasionally I like things made of soy/tofu, but they’re not my go to protein. I love legumes and vegetables of all kinds, but I only like to eat (raw) fruits on rare occasions. Green salad and raw food in general is tricky, and mostly repulsive. Yet from time to time I crave a green salad with a simple vinegar-honey dressing. Especially in public spaces, vegan food works best for me because then I can be sure there is no meat and no cow milk in there. Also I just love vegan food.

But that’s just how my body works right now. I believe for everybody there’s different food that works best. Let’s not act like there is one diet that works on all of us. Also our body and the food we need changes over time. And I guess in theory we all know that, but our routines are still hard to change.

The other day I read a tagline online saying, “Being obsessed with health doesn’t make you healthy. It only makes you obsessed”. And had to take a minute at the truth behind it. Especially as we can’t say what makes us healthy anyway. But we can say if something makes us feel good or not. Eating according to my intuition is the thing that has made most sense to me up to now, compared to all other diets and nutrition theories. Being happy while eating and the simple feeling that my body is having a good time is more important than eating what society thinks is right.

My struggle with intuition

I have to admit there is still one thing I have not figured out yet, and it’s something that’s overshadowed by my eating disorder from my teenage years that sometimes catches up with me: How many meals a day work best with me? So far I think it’s not three big meals, but more meals of different sizes. And eating at what time of the day works best for me? I try to listen to my body and eat when it feels right. Whereas, I can get a good feeling what I want to eat, I’m not that good in knowing when to eat. And having experienced an eating disorder, I know I can very well suppress the feeling of hunger, sometimes unconsciously. I have a lot of awful strategies to trick my body. There is a part of me that likes to punish my body by keeping it from eating. So this is really tricky and I’m still working on it.

And of course there is a major problem for all of us: our other-directed daily routines. Eating intuitively would work way better if only we could decide what and when to eat everyday. But with having to work to make money to pay for rent and – oh right, food (ha) and everything else, a lot of my meals are not all decided by myself. I can’t arrive to work at any given time, so I often have breakfast earlier than I’d like to. Then my day is filled with projects and meetings and private dates, so I have to plan my meals around them.

Not only that, too much stress makes it hard for me to hear what my body needs. I love chocolate (in case I haven’t mentioned this before ;)), but when I am too stressed out by work I eat chocolate for stress release. This is not bad in general. But after a while of this happening again and again I don’t even enjoy eating the chocolate. So next time I want to eat chocolate, instead I try questioning that decision and try to listen to my body: Is this really what would make me feel good now? And sometimes it is and I eat chocolate. Sometimes it’s not, and then I try to figure out what I want instead and what would really make me feel better. I do like things such as sugar, beer, and even smoking a cigarette from time to time. But I do not like it when I stop enjoying these things and only use them because I am stressed or sad or angry. Sure, I sometimes have a beer after a shitty day and that’s okay, but I would hate to make a habit out of that. Both the shitty days and the beers.

So I guess my theories don’t always work perfectly yet. It’s a work in progress.

Relearning the rules

In the last couple of years I had to relearn a lot of opinions and reflexes I was taught about eating when being young. And I’m still (un)learning, like: There is no good food/bad food. I don’t have to finish my plate if I am not hungry anymore. It’s okay to eat something else instead too. I don’t have to eat lots of fruits and vegetables every day if the thought of eating it makes me sick. I don’t have to stick to a fix count of meals a day. I don’t have to eat the same amount of food every day. And so on.

One more thing I try to learn is not to explain why I eat or won’t eat something right now. I used to say stuff like “I’m not hungry”, “I already ate so much today” or “Nothing for me, I had a late breakfast” or “It’s too late in the evening for me to be eating now” or thinking “I already had fries for lunch, I can’t have fries for dinner again”. Nope. No explanations, no regrets, no diet talk, no body shaming anymore. Three carbs-only-meals in a row because it feels right? I’ll do it. Eating dinner at 11pm because my body longs for food right now? Sure. If I’m not ravenous, but still feel my body would love something to eat? I’m having it.

Sharing’s not always caring

Something I don’t enjoy a lot for many different reasons is eating in public. I’m easily stressed by social situations in general but especially when it comes to sharing a meal, so I don’t often eat together with other people.

The other reason for that is that I hate it when people comment on my food. Or the food of others. Or their own food. And I don’t mean comments like “Wow, that looks so good!” or “I think I will order that myself”, I would love those comments. No, the comments I hear and hate a lot are comments that appear harmless, but really mess with my head. Like when I order and the person next to me says “Wow that’s quite a big portion!” or “Oooh, that looks like pure sugar” or “That would be impossible for me to eat.”

It’s tricky even if people make that comments about their own food. When someone eats half of the food on their plate and then says, “This was so much, now I’m going to be full for the rest of the day.” How will that make the person feel that sits next to them that ate all the food on the plate and is still hungry? Especially when that person commenting is thinner than the other one?

Sorry, but in a world that condemns sugar (or even all carbs) and divides good and bad food and wants us to eat less food in general, those comments can’t ever be neutral observations or harmless notes.

Keeping your diet talk to yourself

“I get through the day easily without eating much at all.” “Eating a lot of fast food makes me feel toxic.” “Gluten is pure poison for my body.” “Since I’m doing [insert new diet] I feel like a human again.” “I can’t eat anything right now, I had a generous lunch.” “I could never function when eating toast with Nutella for breakfast.” “I’ll burn off the calories in the gym later.” “Alright, today is my ‘cheat day’.”

All of these comments are steeped in society's expectations.

I totally get that these are things people say about themselves in that moment, and if I’d only see them as self-revelation it guess it would be fine in a way. But that’s not how communication works, especially not with topics that are so morally pre-shaped like diets, food, and bodies. On good days, I can brush these words off, but on bad days I fall into despair: Why don’t I want to eat salad more? Why do I have to like chocolate so much? Maybe gluten is poison for me too, but I just don’t know it yet? My lunch was also generous, but I’m hungry again. What’s wrong with me? Why didn’t I get through today without much food? (This is an especially hard sentence for me as it cuts right into my eating disorder whispering that I could too, and all I have to do is… yeah, let’s not go there.)

Sometimes I wish I could just share meals without anyone making comments on the food beyond if they like it or not – their eating habits, and their or my body, all disguised as small talk. I think we should all be more careful how we talk about food because it’s a minefield full of stereotypes, preoccupations, shame, and it mostly comes with our personal past full of hurtful experiences with diet talk. So let’s think about how what we say can make other people feel like, and maybe let’s remember that most of us carry trauma from the topics of diet and food in one or another way.

~Sam Chills, 2019

#diettalk #memyselfandi #fatshaming #bodypositivity #selflove

1 note · View note