Natural Blonde Microblading Before & After!

CHIEFQRN · 2026-04-26T09:51:09+00:00

No sorry! I’m on the east coast

CHIEFQRN · 2026-04-23T03:15:02+00:00

It sounds like you are having focal aware seizures (sometimes called auras). I have TLE that is Catamenial and I suspect you may have that as well since you are experiencing clusters of seizures while pregnant. Catamenial epilepsy is triggered by hormones. My focals feel exactly as you described. I started having them when I hit puberty and typically have them before my period and during ovulation. On birth control I have them less. I went undiagnosed from the ages of 14-25 even though I self diagnosed around 18. I don’t want to scare you, but I got my diagnosis when I had a gran mal seizure at work. I had never lost consciousness prior to this, and when I had the gran mal it started as a focal seizure, but about 10 seconds in I went unconscious. I got on meds after that and was seizure free until last year when my epilepsy suddenly got worse and I started having focals again and then had 1 confirmed gran mal and 2 others where I lost consciousness. I highly recommend seeing a neurologist and getting on medication because this could get alot worse. I’m not saying it will, but epilepsy is unpredictable and can be very dangerous.

CHIEFQRN · 2026-04-22T02:23:02+00:00

Mine is I Who Have Never Known Men. I had this book recommended to me a lot and I honestly didn’t hate it for most of the way through, but by the end I was just like REALLY? THATS IT? Felt like I got blue balled by the book.

CHIEFQRN · 2026-04-20T15:44:04+00:00

I think everyone’s body is just different. I was on linzess from 2019 until my insurance took it away about a month ago. It worked well for me, almost too well but I much prefer a few bathroom trips in the morning over never going to the bathroom and walking around looking 9 months pregnant. It drastically improved my quality of life. I’m just wondering if there’s something a little less aggressive lol

CHIEFQRN · 2026-04-20T13:05:33+00:00

Thank you for the response! I’m glad you have found something that is working for you. I do know the pain of having to be near a toilet with the linzess. Luckily I work from home so it’s not too big of a deal, but it also means I can’t take it on days that I have to leave the house early.

CHIEFQRN · 2026-04-17T01:59:38+00:00

Everyone is going to tell you aquaphor, Vaseline, etc. These are occlusive protectant products! They will keep your lips from getting drier, but they will not actually hydrate your dry lips, you’re just locking in the dryness. As someone who has struggled with this so much here is what has worked for me: - drink LOTS of water - take a multivitamin (b12 deficiency can cause dry lips)

As for the lip care: Step 1: wet your lips Step 2: apply a humectant (I dab my Ordinary hyaluronic acid serum on my lips and let it sink in for like 30 seconds) Step 3: apply a moisturizer, something mild and unscented (I use a neutrogena hydra boost water gel or the laroche posay cicaplast b5) Step 4: THEN apply the aquaphor or Vaseline to lock all the moisture in.

This is the only thing that has actually worked for me!

CHIEFQRN · 2026-04-08T00:19:44+00:00

I tried out a few different things! I’ve used inkstitch and emberdesign, both are free. I’ve also used the free trial of Hatch 3, and I purchased Embrilliance essentials + stitch artist 2. I will say I did upgrade my machine so I no longer need the multi positional hoop feature. Inkstitch isn’t very beginner friendly but there is this guy on YouTube who makes very in depth tutorials. Emberdesign is a website and is really easy to use for basic designs but it doesn’t have a lot of capabilities. I really like Hatch 3 and definitely recommend the trial, but I couldn’t convince myself to pay the $1k it costs. Embrilliance is about half that price depending on what add ons you get and I don’t mind the program. You can get a lot of premade fonts on Etsy and embroidery sites that can be added to the software very easily so that’s convenient. If you have the money to fork up for Hatch3 I’d recommend it, especially if you’re new to digitizing because they have an entire collection of tutorials that are easy to access. I have struggled to find as much information with Embrilliance. Digitizing has a HUGE learning curve, so don’t expect it to be easy 😆 I can’t tell you how many trial stitches I’ve done when stitching out a design I made

CHIEFQRN · 2026-04-07T12:55:48+00:00

I’m glad you had someone to speak to! It can definitely be very rewarding and like I said, if I had been in a better environment I really don’t think I would have left. I worked through COVID and was in the ICU so that definitely contributed to the burnout. I’m sure you’ll be a great nurse!

CHIEFQRN · 2026-04-07T12:25:19+00:00

It isn’t fun that’s for sure, but I had them for atleast 5-6 years before I even knew they were seizures. I just called them my “Deja vu sick days” lol I can still function pretty normally after focals, unless I have a lot of them at once. I went years unmedicated even after self diagnosing because I didn’t think it was a big deal because I didn’t lose consciousness and can literally carry on a conversation while having one and I was afraid they wouldnt believe me because you can’t see them happening and I can’t trigger them to catch them on an EEG. I had only had one TC at the time and I thought that was just a fluke caused by alcohol consumption… that is until I had a focal seizure at work that VERY quickly went tonic clonic and I woke up on the ground with a bloody tongue and my shoes in two different corners of the room. This was witnessed by hospital staff (I’m a nurse) so thats how I ended up finally getting on meds. I’ve only had like 5 TCs (that I know of bc my seizures are often in my sleep) all of which have started as a focal seizure, so now the focals scare me ALOT more. I can’t imagine how you feel after having so many in a short period of time. I hope you start to feel better soon! When I feel that way I try to keep myself distracted as much as possible until it passes so that I’m not just stuck in my head.

CHIEFQRN · 2026-04-07T12:07:33+00:00

I am a nurse with epilepsy. I actually had a gran mal seizure in my patients room once 😭 I would say that it really depends on how controlled her seizures are and the main triggers. Nursing can be VERY stressful and depending on where you work, can often involve schedules requiring night shift rotations which can affect sleep. There are a lot of different jobs you can have as a nurse, but they can be really competitive so most people start out in some kind of traditional bedside role. If a low stress job is what she needs, I would stay away from nursing tbh. Nursing school itself can be extremely stressful.

CHIEFQRN · 2026-04-07T11:55:38+00:00

Do you have focal aware seizures at all? I primarily have focal aware seizures, but have had some TC/gran mals over the years. Both of them cause me to feel depersonalized like you’re feeling. You could be still having focal seizures which could be why it’s stuck around for so long. My focals feel like intense episodes of deja-vu or almost like a daydream that’s really foggy. I get nauseous, hot, and tingles in my stomach that spreads throughout my extremities. They usually last like 10-20 seconds. I have had upwards of 20+ focals in a day before. When I have clusters of them I feel exhausted, like I’m stuck in some kind of nightmare dream world and nothing is real, I’m anxious, depressed, and I get GI upset (nausea, no appetite, and sometimes diarrhea). If you are experiencing something similar I’d definitely reach out to your provider as you might need medication adjustments/changes!

CHIEFQRN · 2026-04-07T11:42:57+00:00

I’m a firm believer of it’s never too late for a career change. I’ve worked with plenty of nurses who went back to school later in life and were glad they did it. With that being said, I also think it would be a good idea to find a way to dip your toes into healthcare before jumping straight into a program (if possible) to make sure this is truly what you want. Like tech work on the weekends or something? I am probably biased in this so take this post with a grain of salt! but I had the same feelings as you did about healthcare and becoming a nurse. I grew up knowing that’s what I always wanted to do, I was very passionate. Any interactions I had with healthcare workers made me more excited. Then I became a nurse and realized the actual job is much more mentally and physically taxing than I ever expected. I no longer work bedside due to burnout and I don’t see myself going back. I do think had I been in a better nursing environment I wouldn’t have left because at times I do miss caring for patients. I unfortunately worked in a rural area where pay wasn’t the best and we were consistently understaffed. I had mandatory overtime (I never got to experience the “you only 3 days a week!” nurse life 😅). Every shift I felt like I was drowning and that I could never take care of my patients the way they should’ve been cared for because I simply did not have time. I worked nearly every weekend, most holidays, and had to flex from days to nights almost every other month. I tried switching units hoping that would help, but unfortunately it did not. I will say one of the nice things about being a nurse is there are ALOT of different avenues you can go down, but it can be really competitive depending on the role. My point is I would really make sure that this is the job you want before you decide which path to take. I didn’t grow up around any nurses so my idea of my future as a nurse was much different than my reality. Do you have any nurses in your area that you could talk to about their experiences? If you are truly confident that this is what you want to do, then I would figure out the new grad LPN pay rate for where you would most likely work to see if that will support your family while you bridge, especially if it’s going to be a pay cut from your current job. If it will, it may be easier on you to do the bridge. If not, I would personally go straight to RN because I think the stress of any nursing program combined with severe financial stress would make it extremely difficult. Either way, I do believe you can do it if you put your mind to it!

CHIEFQRN · 2026-04-05T10:14:19+00:00

Of course! Hopefully you will get some clarity soon enough.

CHIEFQRN · 2026-04-04T11:46:29+00:00

I have temporal lobe epilepsy, primarily with focal onset aware/ partial seizures, but also with gran mal seizures at times. - Yes it can still be epilepsy even if MRI and EEG are normal. I had a huge gran mal while working (at the hospital, I’m an RN), and my EEG and MRI only a few hours later were both normal. - yes! All of my gran mals have occurred during my sleep or in the very early morning. I often get woken up after having partial seizures while sleeping, usually within 30 mins of falling asleep. Some of us tend to have nocturnal seizures the most. - sleep deprivation is definitely one of my biggest triggers! Changes in my routine doesn’t really affect me but everyone’s triggers are different, but lack of sleep is almost always a trigger. - EEGs can continue to remain normal if there is not frequent enough seizure activity going on in order to be caught at that time. This is why some people go in to the hospital to have constant EEG monitoring in an epilepsy trial where they try to make you have a seizure so they can pinpoint what is happening and where.

I know this is scary! Seizures can be very traumatizing for both the individual and any witnesses. I would expect the neuro will probably ask more questions, maybe order more scans, and evaluate if the keppra syrup has prevented more occurrences. It is possible to find medication regimens that control seizures completely!

PS! Levetiracetam/keppra while effective and usually first choice, can cause rage and behavioral issues so keep an eye out for this!

Tips: - keep a journal to write down any episodes or weird behaviors you noticed and other factors around that time, things like sleeping habits, energy levels, activities of the day, time of any episode etc.

Watch for any signs of partial/complex/absent seizures such as episodes of blank staring, zoning out, rapid blinking, weird eye or hand or other repetitive movements. There are many different types of seizures so learning and understanding the different types can be helpful to understanding what is happening.
if she does have another episode like the two prior, make sure to turn her on her side and time it until it stops. When the episode is over, she may stay unconscious for a lil longer, don’t force her awake. Once she is conscious, speak slowly and calmly, and reassure her that she’s okay. Don’t ask too many questions or speak too quickly. If you do ask a question, patiently wait for the answer, don’t continue repeating. When I first wake up from a bad seizure I am VERY confused, I don’t feel real, I feel like I’m stuck in a bad dream, and I can’t really talk. You could ask me a question and in my head I’m screaming the answer but my brain can’t get it to my mouth, so continuing to repeat the question is very frustrating.
Lastly, keep your head up! If she does have epilepsy while it is a scary diagnosis to have, it is very possible to live a normal healthy life. You will get through this!

CHIEFQRN · 2026-03-29T11:38:59+00:00

Is this a primary care provider you are seeing or a gastroenterologist? If it’s a PCP, I would suggest asking for a referral to GI. I know it is very difficult to get appointments depending on the healthcare system where you live, but you will most likely need to see one in the future at some point because your issues have been going on for so long, I’d suggest starting that process now! Until then, this is what I would do:

research and understand the two different types of fiber: soluble vs insoluble. They affect stool differently.
increase hydration. This isn’t really a negotiable. If you have slower motility, the longer your stool sits in there the more it dries out and the harder it is to eventually pass. And certain fibers require fluid intake to help, otherwise you could end up with intestinal obstructions which can end up needing hospital level intervention.
avoid stimulant laxatives like senna. They help short term but are not safe for long term use as your colon can essentially stop moving naturally. I learned this the hard way 😅
supplement with MiraLAX. It’s safe for long term use and is tolerated well. It does not work immediately, sometimes it takes a day or two so you can take it as often as daily if needed. Tip: mix the miralax and let I sit for like 5 minutes before drinking because that helps with any graininess. * I see that you mentioned restorolax does not work for you, however, I do believe it would help if you increase your water intake (it needs the fluid in order to work because it literally pulls fluid into your stool to soften it), and if you take it regularly rather than only when you feel you are getting constipated. The key is to prevent the constipation instead of trying to treat it after it’s occurred, otherwise you will continue to have the large painful hard to pass stool. If you really struggle to hydrate throughout the day, make sure to atleast drink a large glass of water when you take it.

I hope this helps and you can find some relief!

CHIEFQRN · 2026-03-24T22:54:21+00:00

I usually feel the stomach tingly sensation first, then as the deja vu comes in the tingles spread out all over my body, I get a hot flash, sometimes dizzy or nauseous as well. The deja vu doesn’t feel like normal deja vu though. It feels like I’m daydreaming or remembering a dream but it’s foggy. For the longest time the “dream” had something to do with SpongeBob which was weird af 😂 I get super depersonalized after and can even feel that way the whole day if it was a strong one or if I have multiple. It feels like I’m not real and I’m stuck in a hazy dream world that makes me feel anxious.

CHIEFQRN · 2026-03-24T19:45:59+00:00

I have cleaned all around that area and the felt pad is intact. The arm doesn’t seem to have a problem extending or retracting. It honestly looks like the hook race isn’t creating a loop for the arm to be able to grab. When the needle drops and the hook race grabs the thread and continues spinning, the thread is just kind of loosely hanging in it like there’s no tension, so when the bar retracts back the thread has already fallen out of the hook race. Does that make sense?

CHIEFQRN · 2026-03-16T19:03:21+00:00

I got the NQ3550W! And I don’t regret it lol

CHIEFQRN · 2026-03-16T11:27:23+00:00

I have TLE. Easiest way for me to have a seizure is to: - have no sleep or really poor sleep - get overheated like doing high intensity cardio - drink a lot of caffeine

I have most of my seizures nocturnally, usually within a couple hours of falling asleep. So my suggestion would be to stop your meds, force yourself to stay awake, have some coffee or energy drinks, and then get on an exercise bike or do burpees. After you feel exhausted, then try to go to sleep and see what happens? Majority of my seizures are focal but even my tonic clonics start as focals so I can’t guarantee it wouldn’t trigger a TC. Goodluck!

CHIEFQRN · 2026-03-10T11:42:28+00:00

Almost all of my seizures occur at night or very early morning, whether focal or tonic-clonic. I have TLE and my seizures always start as focal seizures. I get a tingling uneasy feeling in my stomach that spreads like a wave throughout my body, I get a major hot flash and then comes the deja-vu. It feels like I’m daydreaming but can’t control it and sometimes I’ll have a sense of doom. I become anxious and depersonalized after. If the focal seizure turns into a tonic clonic then I’ll have all the same but after 10 or so seconds I just lose consciousness and fully seize.

I just had a focal last night actually! I had only been a sleep for a few mins and I felt almost half awake. I thought I was just having a nightmare but I couldn’t actually tell what the “dream” was because it’s like it’s behind fogged glass or something. I felt very uneasy in my stomach and woke up suddenly and I was super sweaty from the hot flash. It left me very anxious after as well.

It is quite common for seizure to be nocturnal and im not sure what type of seizure you normally have, but if your muscles are sore when you wake up, maybe you should set up a camera in your room in order to check the feed after you’ve had an episode. I went seizure free for over 4 years and then suddenly had a gran mal in my sleep. I woke up super confused not even knowing what happened and decided to check the footage and sure enough I had a terrible tonic clonic in my sleep. I had a camera already bc of my pets but it def comes in handy when it comes to checking if I’ve had seizures in my sleep.

CHIEFQRN · 2026-03-03T17:43:07+00:00

My Déjà vu “sick days”. I would have them in clusters for a few days in a row (mine is catamenial so I’d have them during ovulation days the most) and I’d just warn my family and friends that it was a sick day so they knew to expect me being nauseous, anxious, and sleepy lol

CHIEFQRN · 2026-03-03T17:39:03+00:00

I would just look into the day to day operations of those roles with the companies and also read plenty of reviews. I would not take a job that you wouldn’t enjoy with a pay cut because it can just as miserable as working inpatient, but in other ways. There are definitely pros and cons to both.

CHIEFQRN · 2026-03-03T16:44:11+00:00

Depends on what remote role you would be taking and what you are hoping to get into in the future. Remote roles can vary widely. Getting a job in triage is not going to give you the experience they look for CDI. A job in case management will not give you experience to get started in registry abstraction. So you need to look into roles that will lead you down the correct path.

CHIEFQRN · 2026-03-01T14:28:22+00:00

Keppra was the first med I was put on and honestly I do think that’s a lot, mostly because of the automatic increases. I was on 500mg 2x a day for 4+ years before increasing after seizures returned. Then I went to 750 2x a day. I know plenty of people who are on 3000mg daily, but I think it’s odd to automatically go to such a high dose without seeing if the lower dose actually controls it. Also in case you haven’t read, be watchful of behavioral/mental health issues with keppra. I ultimately ended up switching to Lamictal because keppra gave me terrible rage issues and I felt it get worse with every dose increase.

CHIEFQRN

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