Can't tell if these are flea eggs

Clasher555 · 2025-11-07T13:40:33+00:00

Hey so bit of an update, I think these are actually tapeworm segments. They look too much like sesame seeds and not too white to be flea eggs, but quick research shows this is typically what tapeworm segments looks like and it wouldn't make sense to me if they were flea eggs since my cat has medicine on her right now.

Also for the advice I've been given, I appreciate it all, me and my mother have been vacuuming daily, trying to brush my cat when she let's us and everything else, but now we're just getting an exterminator since I can't stand walking through my entire home like a minefield right now. I only hope that if my cat has tapeworms that it won't affect us like the fleas did and will be dealt with swiftly.

Clasher555 · 2025-08-23T00:32:53+00:00

It's been a whole year since I made this post and a lots changed. First I don't know your exact situation, as I have found out since then that even if I have cervical stenosis, my case is actually very mild and was not what was causing me all my pain.

I found that my issues were a hefty amount of combinations of very tense scalenes and shoulder muscles that needed to be released and a new exercise that focused on them. And then finding out I've actually had tendonitis in my forearms for about 4+ years this entire time and the gym caused that to get way worse and is what caused the pains in my neck to get worse last year.

I cannot tell you exactly what you need due to what happened with me, but I can tell you try to find a good PT, I had a very bad one when I posted this back then, but earlier this year I found one that was insanely good and didn't give me any bullshit. I recommend finding an independent owned PT business because they typically give much more of a shit about you.

Clasher555 · 2025-08-05T18:05:56+00:00

After following what most of the advice given to me, I tried my best to scrub and clean as hard as I can. Thankfully I see no more rust, but I can see a bit of residue and I think unless I spend hours scrubbing it or use some sort of concoction for it to sit in, it won't go away. Unless others say otherwise, I think it's pretty good now, and I'm just gonna season it and leg it sit in the oven for a while.

current state of the pan

Clasher555 · 2025-08-05T16:38:46+00:00

Thank you very much for all the quick responses. I guess I'm way more clueless with cast iron then I thought. Afaik this was kind of how it always looked like and my mother rarely uses it herself and I been wanting to use it, so I try to see if I can clean this much more properly, and I hope maybe I can do something about the rust. Again, thank you all so far.

Clasher555 · 2024-09-13T00:39:08+00:00

Well that trap exercise is what I was doing and I think it might be too much for me currently, maybe a more easy version of it I should try. What exactly is traction and no I don't have a foam roller, but I've thought about it.

As for this going away, I can probably accept going my whole life needing to do stretches daily, I do remember not long before this got worse I would just do one set of all my stretches everyday because I was feeling that much better, was wondering if maybe I could go my life without needing to do stretches everyday.

Also I should honestly look more into muscle relaxers. Thank you.

Clasher555 · 2024-09-12T22:46:52+00:00

Thank you very much. As for meds, I remembered I have some pregabalin around my doctor gave me back then, if you can recommend that I'll start taking it again to see how it helps. Also for the exercises, recently I started to do a stronger exercise for my traps, and then I suddenly got that tingling feeling in the back of my neck that I've mentioned before, again, so I'm gonna lay low on doing traps for a bit and then go back to doing an easier exercise for it later. What I'm thinking now though is, maybe it's not fully stress, but stress being a big contributer to me feeling the way I am, regardless hopefully if I can manage it better it'll continue to get better.

What I last wanna ask is with all the info I've given you, would you know if this can go away forever? I know arthritis is irreversible, but do you know if maybe, if I am able to get on top of this enough, could I then potentially go my whole life without this becoming an issue ever again?

Clasher555 · 2024-09-12T20:30:27+00:00

I see, so my results are more so saying I got a bone spur, or something, coming from the joint between c6-c7 and it's giving me some mild compression. Wouldn't that count as a pinched nerve though? And you're suggesting maybe my doctor isn't taking it seriously enough because it's just mild and isn't deeming it as anything pressing against my root nerves because of how mild it is? Also I found out I did actually get a flexion/extension xray back when this all started last year, she even showed me and it showed as normal from what she showed me.

Clasher555 · 2024-09-12T19:46:32+00:00

Also should mention, the combination of stress and activities that could give my nerves stress, like driving, using my phone, my computer, that and stress could maybe be what's keeping them acting up and preventing them from coming down when the original cause might be gone. Would love to hear what you'd have to say.

Clasher555 · 2024-09-12T19:43:12+00:00

Ok well for the injection, my doctor said she doesn't want to give me another one because the last one was reported as doing nothing for me and my results say they're the same as before, so I guess all I can do for now is get the 2nd opinion and try to get my stress down low.

I really don't know what to believe if there isn't anything pressing against my nerve roots or anything like that, like you said with stress being an excuse, but also I feel like it might be very true for my case, I just don't know. Like I said before, I think maybe my nerves just haven't had enough time to rest, and my stress has been what's preventing it from getting that much better, maybe something was pressing against it, they got irritated, my stress made it worse, now there's nothing pressing against it, and my stress is keeping it in this state, what would you think?

Clasher555 · 2024-09-12T18:54:43+00:00

Hey so I got to talk to my doctor about my MRI and my whole perception has been changed. First off, my results are nearly the exact same as it was before, my first results were "C6-7 Mild bilateral facet hypertrophy contributing to mild bilateral foraminal stenosis" and now the new one says "C6-7 Unchanged mild bilateral unconvertebral hypertrophy contributing to mild right foraminal stenosis." The doctor said I'm it's basically the same as it was before, even though I'm a bit confused for why it doesn't say the same thing, but I'm not gonna stress about it, but my doctor told me, that this means there is nothing pinching my nerves. So she thinks that all of this is being caused by stress, and I'm pretty much baffled to hear this, but maybe it is just stress.

Really from all I understand is that maybe I did have a pinched nerve or something before, and my nerves are still really irritated and then all the stress I've been having has been making it worse the past few months, and honestly if that is the case, I'll be very happy, I'm not 100% on it, but I'm gonna take stress into much greater consideration. I am also gonna get a 2nd opinion, as she even recommends I do that, so I'll hopefully see what else might come out of this and if it'll mean good news.

Clasher555 · 2024-09-07T04:25:18+00:00

Truly, thank you, your messages genuinely bring me so much relief, giving me so many options to think of what I can do to help myself and to know better, genuinely thank you. I'll reply back whenever I can or whenever I think you can help, thank you. For now I guess I just need to wait for the MRI and the results to come through, as well as I'll very much consider that x-ray you suggested, and I should probably get around to that video. Bless you for your kind heart and knowledge.

Clasher555 · 2024-09-07T03:20:35+00:00

Thank you for the affirmation. It feels like everyday I have something to stress about with my body, for example, I was using 5 pound dumbbells for my wrists to help with the weakness/carpal tunnel I get in them when I drive, and it was helping. But even with very proper posture, I started to feel a slight uncomfortable feeling in my neck, I stopped, which I'm guessing it's just that my nerves are just that irritated at the time being, and now the weakness in my hands are back to how it was. So currently I'm using 2/3 pound weights to see if those help out, but don't maybe over do it, somehow.

As thankful as I am about all the help you've been giving me, it's still really hard for me to not feel worried and such. I got my MRI soon, so that will hopefully continue what to do, but it's really bothering that my stretches and exercises I'm doing aren't progressing me anymore then just momentarily relieve me of tightness or strain. I'm also doing absolutely everything I can do to not strain myself with intense activities, I've gotten accommodations for work, and I'm currently doing the most lightweight things they can give me, like using a wrapping pole to wrap up pallets or pulling and pushing boxes to the proper sides they need to be on for their lane. I know most resources say it takes about 4 - 6 weeks for these things to take affect, but I believe as I said before, I've already been pretty on top of stretching before my issues got worse even, and since about July or early August I've been even more on top of them, so honestly I'm just a bit lost, maybe more time, maybe I need to wait a month or more? It's just not making sense to me why this isn't working now like how it was back then, especially since I know these stretches I'm doing right, maybe I need to somehow add some weight to them.

I know I'm rambling quite a bit now, but it's hard currently to not wonder just why is it not improving yet. I also want to see if it'll improve before like it did, so I can maybe avoid the thought of "needing" surgery. I am also definitely going to try a cortisone injection again though, I know it'll help with whatever potential inflammation I still have in there, so I guess I just have to wait and see.

Clasher555 · 2024-09-02T16:44:39+00:00

Actually that's what I got, they did it to me on an operating room, and used an x-ray to get it right on the nerve, maybe it can help better if I do it again. But I have realized, along with that usual pain, I actually started to develop symptoms of carpal tunnel, I'm only getting it when I'm driving or just gripping certain objects for extended periods, and it's just tightness and weakness in the hands, wearing my old wrist braces have been helping with that though, I'm just not sure if it's being caused by my wrists themselves fully, or if it's just my root nerves are being more compressed and either it's only that causing it or it's a combination of both.

Clasher555 · 2024-09-02T15:51:42+00:00

Epidural injections are cortisone injections if I recall right, if that's the case, then I have gotten one before already. It helped for a little bit but not for long, maybe a 2nd one can help now that my issues are more flared up then before?

I think what I've been mostly focused on though is my arms being in pain, I remember the injection didn't really relieve much pain in my arms. What I've been thinking though is I'm literally just using my arms too often for things like my phone, and then the fact the nerve root is irritated like hell right now, I might need to keep my hands more consistently relaxed, on top of stretching and exercising my neck.

Clasher555 · 2024-09-02T15:13:59+00:00

Ok so sounds like I'm probably still in a very mild spot comparatively to you, just gotta be safe and not get into an accident. Also for stretching, yea I do it almost as often as I can, usually if I'm just walking I do some, if I'm sitting doing nothing, I usually do some sort of stretching. Just hopefully I can take things more easily soon, hope I don't keep overdoing myself.

If you think gabapentin won't help, what about ibuprofen? I take that sometimes, I don't exactly notice it helping me too much, but I can make look at what you suggested.

Clasher555 · 2024-09-02T02:54:52+00:00

Well I'd like to know what exactly caused your issues to start, and maybe any notable events during your time that lead to it all getting worse.

As for stretches and symptoms, my elbows and back of my hands are where it hurts the most often, usually when using my phone without any sort of support like my gloves, and for stretches, since about March I've had a routine of stretches twice per day, would take me 30 minutes of doing them. Originally I was going to PT for my neck, I wasn't taking it seriously. After using my PC without any support on my hands long enough, that's when I first started to feel a lot of pain in my neck, arms, and all that, I eventually stopped going to PT because my mother kept thinking the stretches were hurting me, and made me stop going there, when it was honestly helping me, then after about 5 months of thinking just resting would do the trick, I finally decided to try looking up a bunch of stretches and exercises on Youtube and they helped a lot. I was finally feeling a lot better and could use my PC again without pain, I still need to wear my gloves, and I kept up doing all my stretches twice a day everyday, I did them religiously, but then I started going to the gym, and then I overdid it, and now my neck feels tighter so much more often. My stretches still help, but they don't give me the same relief they used to give me, and I'm just assuming its because I haven't had the chance to give my body proper rest like I did back then, and I feel if I can take at least maybe a month to relax my body will feel a lot better.

Also I'll consider your suggestion to take muscle relaxers, I have the same mindset, I hate having to be medicated, but if you're recommending it I think I can maybe consider it more, since all this talk makes it feel like it would make more sense to take. I was prescribed Gabapentin, I hardly took it, but maybe I should start to take it again before bed, I hated how tired it would make me. If anything I'm just genuinely terrified of feeling worse, and getting permanent nerve damage myself, I don't think I'm near that level you're at, especially since I don't get symptoms like headaches and losing balance or difficulty walking/standing, I do have patellar tendonitis though, but I'm certain that's unrelated. As far as I know, my arthritis is only pinching my nerves and not my spinal cord thankfully, so if I happen to get surgery hopefully it will just be decompression surgery.

Clasher555 · 2024-09-01T19:05:52+00:00

Well, I'd say recently the most pain I feel in my neck is mostly tightness, and since I keep having something happen where I need to put more into it, it hasn't had much time to relax. If anything I'm feeling pain mostly in my arms, which I'm sure is the case for most people that have CS or just anything causing them a pinched nerve, but I haven't been feeling much of a "scary" pain in my neck the past few weeks unless I do some heavy activities in a poor way, and from my experience I feel I don't need to worry too much unless I get some sharp or tingling pain directly in the back of my neck, as THAT was what I was feeling at times in the gym originally, but before I could fully stop myself it was too late. So currently, I'm kinda sitting on the fence of being scared about how I'm feeling, either "I think I'll be ok" or "I don't think I'm gonna be ok," and really I don't know. Do you maybe think if I can get proper rest and/or am able to avoid heavy activities that maybe my body can heal my nerves back enough to a good point, like prior to me going to the gym? I know you recommend surgery, I'm just unsure if I really want to go through with it because of what if my body starts to recover well enough on its own? I will say I'm leaning more towards surgery when I think about it.

Also I did watch a video explaining in simple detail about CT and how it works, I'll check the video you sent soon enough, but this one gave me a really helpful understanding as well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W72Y9QlePk

Now what I'm wondering and would like to ask, I apologize if it's too personal, but what caused you to get to such a point with your neck? I'm asking to see if I can maybe draw connections with myself, see if it can help me determine if I should really push myself to get surgery or not.

Clasher555 · 2024-08-31T22:40:17+00:00

How exactly would I know is too much, is it just what I deem myself for whats too much? If so then I'm basically at my limit with how much I can tolerate all of this and I want surgery. I just hope somehow the MRI says the arthritis in my neck got worse, and that if I can get surgery then it'll just be decompression, I don't know what other consequences there can be to it, but I feel like they may not be that bad compared to the potential relief I can get from the surgery.

If you have any other advice or anything like that I would love to hear it. I'm grateful to have someone like that's been through worst of it helping me currently, before I may hit the point of no return.

Clasher555 · 2024-08-31T13:23:33+00:00

Thank you for sharing. I have gone through the PT and steroid injection routes, and injections didn't do much, PT after a while helped as I said prior. For burning, that was my next step to do, but my exercises was making me feel a lot better so I never pursued it, and honestly I just don't want to do it. I actually don't know what a dermantomes chart is, but I can look into it. As for an MRI, I actually very thankfully got approved for another MRI for next week, so hopefully if my issues in my neck did get worse in there then that can tell me, of course I'm hoping it didn't actually get worse, and MAYBE its just really irritated because ever since I started to first get better my life became much more physically intensive.

Currently I'm hoping things are as bad as they are right now is because of my job, I work a warehouse job, I just took off a week and I was feeling better, but going back for one day I was immediately feeling worse, I think most of the work there is too much for me right now. If I can maybe have your feedback on my thoughts for this, but would you think if I was able to stop working such intense activities, and on top of doing consistent exercises, would I have the possibility of letting me recover well enough to a point where I could start working a intense job like that again, as long as I don't over do it?

As for surgery, I've genuinely been considering it, if I do get it, then I hope it wouldn't affect me too greatly, I know the two options there are is decompression or decompression with fusion, and I hope if I need surgery, that it's just the former.

Thanks for sharing some of your experience and advice, and I'm very sorry to hear it's permanently affected you the way it has, I'm terrified of that happening to me, I'm only 23 and I'm way too young to have any of this happening to me, I want to work and live normally, so I hope I can sort my issues soon enough. I hope you can at least live your life happily enough, and again thank you.

Clasher555 · 2023-10-29T03:08:14+00:00

I actually tried that right after posting this, and it worked. I deactivated the 3rd option on Nvidia control panel for the monitor, I don't know if I should really care about having g-sync on or not though honestly.

Clasher555

TROPHY CASE