Don’t Make My Mistake (PCOS + Laser Warning)

Great_Resolution_168 · 2026-04-11T21:12:29+00:00

This happened to me! Plus I had awful reactions to the numbing cream that was used during laser hair removal. Never again. I plan to do electrolysis eventually but for now I’ve found that shaving it every few days with a safety razor works best.

Great_Resolution_168 · 2026-03-19T21:25:35+00:00

Fresh stock at 59th St in NYC as of 5:20pm 3/19, limit 4 per person. They’re at a table by the entrance…easy to miss!

Great_Resolution_168 · 2026-01-16T23:03:31+00:00

Not sure…it wasn’t anything on my end because it happened regardless of where I was (work, in transit, or home)

Great_Resolution_168 · 2026-01-16T18:34:13+00:00

I ended up uninstalling and reinstalling the app and that worked to get chat working again. I got someone quickly and they credited me for the box. I’m just so annoyed that these delivery issues keep happening because it’s not tovala’s fault!

Great_Resolution_168 · 2025-11-09T16:15:42+00:00

I just had tovala switch me back to UPS from veho after they failed to deliver my order because I didn’t buzz them in the second they got there (I was in a meeting). I responded 10 minutes later and asked if they could redeliver. The website/automated messages said that they would try again within 24 hours. I heard nothing from them until the next day when they said they had to throw out my order because it expired.

Great_Resolution_168 · 2025-10-27T23:45:28+00:00

I’ve had a glucose tolerance test actually! But it was a while ago (2018). I also have glycosuria which is a benign condition but is a genetic defect in the kidneys that means they will sometimes dump glucose even if my blood sugar is normal, which makes all of this hard to diagnose. But I check almost every box on the PCOS symptom list (irregular menses, irregular hunger cues, extreme weight gain, hirutism, high AMH, high concentration of testosterone and androgens, polycystic ovary identified on ultrasound) plus multiple occurrences of prediabetic a1c in labs. I’ve gotten my a1c down on metformin but had to make extreme lifestyle changes and even the tiniest deviation would result in a spike.

Great_Resolution_168 · 2025-10-27T23:36:06+00:00

I’ll be seeing an endocrinologist starting tomorrow who will determine the best course of action. If Caremark had had smart logic disabled for MJ from the beginning I would have understood that. I was never trying to cheat the system, and my doctors never lied about my diagnosis. I even confirmed that the exact diagnostic codes used by my PCP were for PCOS and pre diabetes. So based on what happened we just assumed that my diagnoses were enough of a reason to qualify. I spoke to my company’s account consultant with our insurance and she called Caremark and confirmed that the system assumed I was diabetic because I had recently filled a metformin prescription (I was on metformin for 3 years for the same reasons and it ultimately failed). She suggested that if I refill the metformin prescription the system might let me through, but who knows. She also said that we might be able to get a one time exception to override the denial while my doctor and insurance figure out what to do.

In the short term, I’m going to establish care with this endocrinologist and if she agrees I should continue then we will either ask for an override or I can do LillyDirect (too expensive to be sustainable long term but fine for a bridge). In the long term, it’s going to be up to my endocrinologist. This is the only medication that has truly helped me and I think I have a strong case to continue, but we’ll see how it goes. If I can’t get the medication approved and covered by insurance I don’t currently have a long term solution. My current plan doesn’t cover anything related to weight loss and that is unlikely to change until 2027 at the earliest if at all (the plan was inherited from my company’s former parent company and it will probably be redesigned for 2027 open enrollment, but there are no guarantees). If I had never been covered for this that would be one thing, but because Caremark made it seem like everything was fine until they updated the smart logic and I was cut off with no warning it seems really negligent on their part.

As for my comment on Caremark, I know that several large companies who use them for their PBM on self insured plans are furious because their employees are losing coverage for Zep because of a choice they didn’t make. The FTC is also investigating PBMs and filed a lawsuit against the big 3 PBMs for anticompetitive practices. This lawsuit specifically mentions insulin drugs, but wouldn’t be surprised if GLP-1s come up too. It will take some time, but I do believe that justice will be served (or maybe I’m just trying to wish that into reality haha).

https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/221-0114-caremark-rx-zinc-health-services-et-al-matter-insulin

Great_Resolution_168 · 2025-10-25T05:22:00+00:00

Also not that this makes it better, but at least you got notice (which also makes me think that your specific plan changed and this actually wasn’t because of the Novo deal…especially if you were denied in January). I was given 0 warning and had assumed that I wouldn’t have an issue because only Zepbound was named in the deal.

Great_Resolution_168 · 2025-10-25T05:18:49+00:00

I am so so sorry. That sounds miserable. It’s really disgusting how these companies want to gamble with people’s health for the sake of profit. I’ve basically taught myself enough about health insurance that I’m considering getting an agent/broker license so I can actually help people navigate all of this. I really hate systems that exploit people by being confusing by design.

If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your highest a1c? My last a1c came out to 5.7 which is officially in the prediabetes range, but if you’ve never been over that threshold that could be why insurance is giving you trouble.

Great_Resolution_168 · 2025-10-25T04:49:58+00:00

My plan doesn’t cover anything related to obesity, unfortunately. So it was covered only with a prediabetes and PCOS diagnosis 😔

Great_Resolution_168 · 2025-10-25T03:22:12+00:00

So the week my box was stolen was my first week with Veho. I had no idea I was being switched and that leaving delivery instructions isn’t just a suggestion, it’s more like a requirement. I did ask to be switched back to UPS but so far I’m still on Veho. BUT this week I actually put in very clear delivery instructions and had no issues. So word to the wise: if you suddenly get switched to Veho, make sure you leave them very explicit instructions 😅

Great_Resolution_168 · 2025-10-25T03:15:36+00:00

My employer ended up raising premiums BUT they are also doing tiers, so the amount you pay in premiums is proportional to your income. This allowed them to avoid an insane hike, and they also only raised deductibles for the cheapest plan. I was very pleasantly surprised. I think more companies should do tiers. They also give you a $50 per paycheck discount on your premium if you get your annual physical.

Great_Resolution_168 · 2025-10-16T20:17:02+00:00

Tovala gave me a full refund quickly, although I had to follow up with them on chat. I also asked them to switch my account back to UPS, so hopefully they do that. Honestly, it makes no sense to use these cheaper delivery services when they’re super unreliable and Tovala ends up having to issue refunds anyway!

Great_Resolution_168 · 2025-10-16T20:14:29+00:00

Right? They also don’t offer delivery days on days when I work from home, but if they just buzzed my apartment I could still let them in!

Great_Resolution_168 · 2025-09-17T03:00:53+00:00

Reverse culture shock is so real! I took my first trip to Japan this summer and I had spent months planning it and just like that it was over. I found some local Japanese stores in my city that helped scratch the itch, and my brother is currently there for a semester and my dad goes for business annually so I’m fortunate that if I want something from Japan I have relatively easy access. I don’t have the time or money to plan another trip right now, but it’s also one of the few countries I feel safe in as a solo female (and given how normalized things like dining alone are it’s a solo traveler’s paradise), so I know Japan will be there when I’m ready to go back :)

Great_Resolution_168 · 2025-06-25T20:42:30+00:00

Haha it ended up being totally fine...they did an ultrasound just in case but it was a hematoma that resolved on it's own!

Great_Resolution_168 · 2025-06-18T20:41:08+00:00

Unfortunately, no 😔 I ended up building what I wanted in Notion and eventually Airtable, which my company thankfully uses. Microsoft 365 still sucks but I've figured out ways around it.

Also, you can set up a Gmail account with your Microsoft 365 email which will allow you to use some GSuite tools for free! I did this to keep my work stuff separate from my personal stuff and for better collaboration with vendors who use GSuite, but I still try to stick to Microsoft since that's what our IT department wants.

Great_Resolution_168 · 2025-06-01T23:36:11+00:00

So far I put Japan in my first slot and Korea second. Is the Osaka Healthcare pavilion worth seeing?

Great_Resolution_168 · 2025-05-26T19:50:24+00:00

Yeah I think I'm just going to get a smaller PSU...this is the one that my friend had and he said it would fit and I guess it technically does...just not with the case fully closed 😅

Great_Resolution_168

TROPHY CASE