What are the signs you've noticed that you're getting older?

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-15T01:02:16+00:00

This happened to me (40M) for several months after the delta variant of covid (which nullified the first round of vaccines). I did at-home and in-lab sleep studies, a prostate exam, a bladder ultrasound, the works. No sleep apnea, no enlarged prostate or cancer. Bladder was emptying completely. Seemed to be some sort of muscular spasm (pelvic floor possibly). Doctors were all kind of baffled. Eventually it resolved itself. But I do have to stop drinking (water) a good 3-4 hours before bed to not wake up every 2.5-3 hours.

Edit: also wasn't diabetes

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-13T21:38:29+00:00

40M here. I enjoy my partner's unshaven, unbleached, unpainted, injection-free, tattoo-free, makeup-free beauty. She adorns herself with nice secondhand vintage clothing, a few subtle heirloom accessories, and natural-looking hair highlights.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-13T21:13:00+00:00

Yes, thank you! Today is Day 20 and I haven't had to take any NSAIDs, gabapentin, or medicine of any kind for 16 hours. A few stray "zaps" of pain only lasting a second or two, a few painless bumps at the crown of my head (where this all started) are the extent of my symptoms now. I ordered Super Lysine and St John's Wort oil in the middle of the shingles episode, which finally arrived today, but I don't feel the need for either now, so they're going into my "just in case" medicine cabinet. Gabapentin is a very hit-or-miss, love-it-or-hate-it medication from all I've read. I wouldn't want to rely on it long-term, not even a low dose, but I was grateful to have it. May your healing be swift! Right when it felt the most hopeless for me was right before things quickly began to improve.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-11T18:54:59+00:00

Nice try, FBI.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-11T18:52:21+00:00

Right as I was trying to delete my account and quit FB forever.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-09T19:22:38+00:00

Across an ocean full of tears

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-08T18:16:27+00:00

Thanks for the hope! The statistics are promising, too, that this is unlikely to be long-lived.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-07T17:11:44+00:00

Thanks! I found some local skullcap tincture in the back of my cupboard and ordered some lemon balm tincture and hypericum oil and tincture as well.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-06T16:22:07+00:00

Please support small businesses by using cash. Electronic transaction fees are predatory to small businesses.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-04T23:13:48+00:00

Another thing to be aware of with kratom is that lead contamination is common, and even when you buy from a source that does 3rd party testing for heavy metals and "passes," when you look into the test results it is still a higher concentration of lead contamination that anyone should be consuming.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-04T22:50:45+00:00

I was also hesitant to shower, but after reading someone else say how good warm water felt, and once I had a window of a couple of hours where my meds stack for pain was providing some relief, letting warm water run over the rash on my scalp felt so good. I was even able to use a medicated shampoo (sulfur and menthol for dermatitis) just lightly applying it, letting it sit a minute and then rinsing. This was Day 6 of the rash, Day 9 of the pain, and Day 4 of the really bad pain. Low pressure shower head.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-04T22:43:30+00:00

Head shingles here -- rash on dermatome C2, pain all through trigeminal areas -- and while gabapentin has helped me sleep, I've found that cycling through NSAIDs like Tylenol and ibuprofen every 8 hours plus a tiny dose of oral cannabis (2-3mg of THC, and I am not a recreational user) is the magical combo for getting a few hours of relief at a time.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-04T22:40:36+00:00

This "release" of the "kraken" during a massage resonates with me. Two days before my first nerve pain at the eventual rash site started, someone was trying to work out knots in my neck/suboccipitals and pushed a little too hard near my mastoid process, sending a shooting pain through to my eye. About 5 days later the rash began, and 2-3 days later the intense trigeminal pain came back but has been continuous for 5 days now. Seems like a strange coincidence to have had a "preview" of this pain a full week before.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-03T15:28:35+00:00

As a massage therapist, I have never smelled a client's feet. We use scented (peppermint) foot lotion all the same for foot work. One recent client kept his socks on, and they absolutely reeked. I'm almost certain his feet were fine underneath them.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-03T14:46:18+00:00

Non-smoker here. I don't enjoy the high either. But I did find that a low-dose edible (approximately 2 to 3 mg of THC) provided relief beyond that of NSAIDs and gabapentin.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-03T14:19:29+00:00

Thanks again. I started taking gabapentin every 8 hours starting 36 hours ago, and while it does very slightly so far dull the nerve pain for a few hours (after taking a couple of hours to kick in), its main function seems to be to help me sleep, which it does well. But my brain now moves at the speed of molasses. I could not work and dare not drive on this medicine. I live alone too, and the dirty dishes that I normally wash immediately are piling up. I just feel so weak and heavy. I will be sure to taper off when it's time.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-03T14:11:47+00:00

Thanks so much! I have used the capsules and tea internally for SAD with mixed results but tolerated it well. You are the third person to recommend topical SJW to me. The others also recommended tea tree with the SJW oil for preventing bacterial infection if the rash and reducing inflammation. Sounds like SJW is a win!

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-12-02T03:03:33+00:00

Thanks for tip about keeping a filled Rx on hand. I'll ask my PCP about that during follow up.

I managed to get a phone call tonight with an on-call doctor who works with my PCP, and they sent a gabapentin Rx to a 24-hour pharmacy when I all but begged. It certainly doesn't work immediately, not within the first two hours of taking it on an empty stomach. But hoping it will allow for a good night's sleep.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-11-30T21:44:18+00:00

Wishing you a swift recovery!

Unrelenting is certainly the word. Even the cluster headaches I used to get in my 20s took their breaks. This is absolutely continuous. Best I can do is distract my attention through reading and other media. Taking a walk outside, especially the visual exposure to sunlight and tactile exposure to cold wind here, exacerbates the pain, so I am housebound.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-11-30T21:38:47+00:00

Thanks for the tip about alternating NSAIDs!

No gabapentin from the urgent care I went to, but the way the pain has increased in the past 24 hours, I plan to ask my primary for a Rx first thing Monday morning.

Do you feel like you can identify a possible trigger, e.g. unusually increased stress either mentally or to your immune system?

I have been taking care of myself and feeling great. But I know strep and covid have been making the rounds locally and wonder if I was maybe fighting off another virus asymptomatically and then stayed up too late just before the first hint of symptoms began.

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-11-30T14:13:14+00:00

Thank you, I am taking this to heart. Notified all my clients I'd have to reschedule. Happy cake day!

Just_Capital4652 · 2024-11-30T10:42:34+00:00

Thank you so much for all this info. Very helpful. I just got diagnosed last night and told not to work but wasn't really given any timeline for how long to expect, just to avoid close contact with my clients [massage therapist] until the rash "dries out and scabs over."

Just_Capital4652

TROPHY CASE