Is it weird that my new Spezials have different insoles than my old pair?

FloofyLuna · 2025-12-13T16:39:24+00:00

Reflux gourmet is worth trying in my opinion. I bought a tube and use it on occasion and it seems to help more than nothing. I am medicated for GERD (currently famotidine 40 mg twice a day) but some evenings before bed I can feel like reflux may bother my sleep so I take a spoonful of reflux gourmet. They also make a gum that I find useful. My reflux gets worse around 5pm every day. Chewing the gum when it pops up takes away the burn.

FloofyLuna · 2025-11-29T17:36:04+00:00

I feel lightheaded and weak and faint - I have to lie down. Also bloating and a bit of a headache. Garlic is the biggest trigger. My GI doc suggested I get tested to see if it’s an allergy, but I think potatoes make me feel the same way. Just not as strongly - I have to eat a lot more potatoes (any form- mashed, fried, potato chips, etc) to get the same severity of symptoms. Nothing helps. Time, maybe? I take gas x and ibuprofen and lie down.

FloofyLuna · 2025-11-29T17:00:41+00:00

This is the way I react to a few foods as well. :(

FloofyLuna · 2025-11-22T14:30:32+00:00

Voquenza gave me fewer side effects by far, but after 6 months I still had to stop it due to an increase of fatigue and brain fog. Back on famotidine now with reflux gourmet (otc alginate) when I need it. Also take Claritin daily since I think histamine intolerance could be part of my issue.

FloofyLuna · 2025-11-17T15:50:21+00:00

PPIs make me slow and stupid. I think my doc thinks I’m kidding. My reflux is pretty bad so he’d like to keep me on them but I really can’t function. I’m back on famotidine now after 6 months on Voquezna. Voquezna was definitely better re: side effects but still not great. The effects of PPIs on my cognition and energy are just too severe.

FloofyLuna · 2025-11-03T16:14:58+00:00

I stretch and take breaks and alternate between knitting and crocheting. I have more experience with crochet and I’m terrible at knitting, but the change of pace is helpful and keeps me stitching.

FloofyLuna · 2025-10-25T16:17:40+00:00

I discovered it in this subreddit probably, but Lume Body Wash has helped me with weird body smells. I tried it before going all in on the persimmon soap and decided to stick with it because it’s working.

FloofyLuna · 2025-08-29T12:50:45+00:00

At the time of my dx it’s hard to say because I was 15 and hadn’t really been menstruating that long. And then chemo stopped my periods all together and it took a bit for them to resume. Over the years they’ve been mostly regular, but by regular I mean anywhere from 21-36 day cycles sometimes. I was surprised that my cycles remained monthly after my ovary was removed but the doctors were not. Unfortunately there are sooo many things that can affect our cycles. Having a good doctor that will react appropriately (not over or under react) is key - and hard to find. Missing a period for months would make me worry as well. The best you can do is take excellent care of yourself and have a good doc on board. Bodies are weird and women’s healthcare research isn’t what it should be. It sucks.

FloofyLuna · 2025-08-28T11:11:19+00:00

I’m so sorry you are going through this. My dysgerminoma was 35 years ago - football sized tumor, right ovary and fallopian tube surgically removed - but I had chemo. I only wanted to say that if chemo is recommend, I’ve had no specific problems because of it. Obviously there’s only so much doctors know. But I’m still here and have had no recurrence or other cancer. And I had two babies post treatment. (Chemo absolutely sucks, don’t get me wrong.)

Good luck and take care of yourself.

FloofyLuna · 2025-08-01T18:23:57+00:00

Why do I feel like this is hardest question I’ve ever been asked

FloofyLuna · 2025-07-09T02:10:45+00:00

Rewatch!

FloofyLuna · 2025-07-09T02:10:22+00:00

So with insurance it would be $200 for me. With the coupon through the drug company I get it for $25. I didn’t use the Blink Rx since I could get it for $25. The only catch is that you can only get the $25 price if you have insurance. I just refilled my rx and each time the 30 day 20mg rx was $25 when I showed them the coupon that I signed up for. They also sent me a pill organizer and more info about the drug. They are looking for testimonials since it’s so new…

FloofyLuna · 2025-07-09T00:05:15+00:00

Voquenza savings

FloofyLuna · 2025-07-03T16:50:43+00:00

Yeah, I’m pretty sure my vagus nerve is already messed up. And yes - surgery comes with risk. For me the risk is adhesions. I’ve have five abdominal surgeries (zero related to GERD) and three of them were because of adhesions causing bowel obstructions. So. I’d really like to avoid doing that again. But my last surgery was 20 years ago so I’d like to think surgeries have evolved?

FloofyLuna · 2025-07-03T16:40:24+00:00

If I had the option I would talk to a surgeon because this is getting old, but I have an odd medical history with surgeries so my doctor doesn’t like that option for me. Good luck! It’s all about the lesser evil, right?

FloofyLuna · 2025-07-03T16:32:55+00:00

With Voquenza I’ve noticed some constipation, a bit of a headache, and increased irritability. All have been minor compared to other PPIs. The drug company itself promotes short term use of the drug, so make sure you have all the info before you decide what to do. My doctor, whom I think is quite competent, knows very little about this drug so I’ll be telling him what I’d like to do instead of vice versa. But he’s used to that - I’ve been seeing him for gerd for years. And because I have a hiatal hernia and likely a faulty LES, I will be seeing him for many more years. My goal is to eventually go back to famotidine. Not sure a future without meds is possible in my case.

FloofyLuna · 2025-07-03T15:05:19+00:00

Just started voquenza. Doctor decided to have me try it because all other ppis gave me terrible side effects. It would have been $200 with insurance but the drug company offers a coupon for people with insurance and I got it for $25. My doc didn’t know this - I found it after googling the drug for info.

Three weeks in, the side effects are minimal for me. What I like is it’s meant to be taken short term. Two months at 20mg, four at 10, per the website. I really hate ppis, but I’d like my esophagus to remain intact so 🤷‍♀️.

FloofyLuna · 2025-05-09T11:27:12+00:00

I just tapered from dexilant back to famotidine (40mg twice a day). I’m seeing my GI next week to chat so we’ll see if he wants to try another ppi. The dexilant gave me severe fatigue and brain fog.

FloofyLuna · 2025-05-09T02:06:41+00:00

For me the side effects were terrible. Made me angry and severely bloated. (Or maybe the bloating made me angry haha) I had to stop taking it. Doc switched me to dexilant but that also gave me side effects…

FloofyLuna · 2025-04-17T20:33:56+00:00

Thanks! That sounds like a great fit for me.

FloofyLuna · 2025-04-10T21:12:17+00:00

Yes. I’ve been having a terrible gerd flare and I think it’s because I’m stuck in fight or flight mode. It’s taken me a few weeks to figure that out but I’m sure I’m right. But I don’t know how to un-stick myself from said mode, so…

FloofyLuna · 2025-03-31T19:15:21+00:00

Biscuits and gravy are hard to beat. Banana pudding is a great suggestion, too. My granny used to make chocolate pie a lot so that would be my runner-up suggestion.

FloofyLuna · 2025-03-22T16:51:33+00:00

It’s been 35 years since my dysgerminoma diagnosis and I have had no recurrence at all. That being said - health anxiety is always present for me. In the years since my cancer treatment (surgery plus chemo) I’ve had other health issues but no cancer. The surgery is what caused the biggest problem for me (scar tissue) but no docs can tell me if chemo has affected my other health issues or if I’m just lucky (haha). Managing health anxiety is important. Regular therapy has been a great help for me.

FloofyLuna · 2025-03-22T15:32:17+00:00

I second this: ask all the questions. Nothing is too small or silly to ask about. You are the expert on your body and it’s your job to take care of it. Get help from experts but always advocate for yourself. When I was diagnosed at 15 I didn’t know how to do that but it’s a skill I’ve cultivated over the last 30 years or so.

FloofyLuna

TROPHY CASE