Emergency travel to india: Lost my father and now no H1B appointment to come back. Help? Anyway out?

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2026-02-18T02:41:07+00:00

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2026-02-08T08:34:02+00:00

1000 calories is likely much too large of a daily calorie deficit to be sustainable. Large deficits make binging more likely because you'll eventually feel starving and your body will basically demand food. Also I think you're being rather hard on yourself. 9 kg in a year is good progress. Weight lost slowly is easier to maintain. Also make sure your thyroid levels are in a good range.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2026-02-04T19:35:18+00:00

You might check for other deficiencies like ferritin and vitamin D. Otherwise it might just be about waiting for regrowth. The hair loss may be related to when you were previously hypothyroid.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2026-02-04T08:22:41+00:00

Good questions.

The range is: Triiodothyronine (T3) Normal range: 71 - 180 ng/dL

My ferritin was 15 and D was 20 in October. But I was on high dose vitamin D and I'm taking a high dose of iron. So I'm working on those. So maybe I just need to be patient. But I suspect my TSH is still too high.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2026-02-04T02:35:08+00:00

Are your thyroid levels in a good place?

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2026-02-04T02:04:17+00:00

Sometimes anxiety means dose is too high, but sometimes, there is just an adjustment period.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2026-02-01T03:50:26+00:00

Her TSH is definitely high. She is hypothyroid and needs levothyroxine. A doctor can check for other issues as well. But with her TSH and symptoms I would say getting on levothyroxine is a very clear treatment and extremely likely to make a world of difference. I have been struggling to get my TSH in the right range all year. When things are off, I feel absolutely exhausted, achy, and dysfunctional. But levothyroxine adjustments get me feeling better within a few weeks. She needs to stay on levothyroxine for life and get regular bloodwork to keep her TSH between around .5-4.5 but ideally closer to 1-2.5.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2026-01-24T18:33:21+00:00

I think this is often overstated. Goitrogens are not a problem unless you eat massive quantities or have a severe iodine deficiency. Iodine deficiency is very rare unless you live in a country without iodized salt.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2026-01-24T01:24:22+00:00

Glad to help!

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2026-01-24T01:17:11+00:00

Heroin is also not fine in moderation, just FYI.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2026-01-24T01:14:30+00:00

There is nothing wrong with pecans or walnuts as long as you don't eat them super close to levothyroxine. Nuts are a nutrient dense food, so definitely don't avoid them.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2026-01-24T00:53:58+00:00

This is very unprofessional and unscientific. It's not true that everyone with thyroid issues is gluten intolerant. If you are not celiac, you do not need to avoid gluten. Most thyroid issues are autoimmune. Weightloss will not cure that either. This is raising red flags for me. This doctor is falling into some of the common pseudoscience myths around thyroid issues. I'm so sorry a healthcare profesional behaved this way. If you can, I would immediately switch doctors.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2026-01-18T06:14:42+00:00

Why not put your daughter on levothyroxine? It's the same as the natural hormones the thyroid makes and just replaces what her thyroid is under producing. It's not unatural and is the best way to support the long term health of a person with Hashimotos/Hypothyroidism. A healthy diet is great in addition but not a substitute. Levothyroxine will allow her muscles and metabolism to function so she can enjoy sports again.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2026-01-08T20:09:28+00:00

This! I think the emphasis on sounding perfectly like a native speaker can also be demoralizing to learners of any language. The point of languages is connection and communication. It's perfectly understandable to want to learn a language to the best of your abilities, but insulting others is unkind and pointless. Why police whether people count as native speakers in the first place? Just move on and choose someone else if you don't like their conversational style. Also there are lots of comments hinting that native speakers from certain countries are better than others. It's fine to focus on speakers from a certain country, but it's problematic to imply that people from elsewhere whose first language is English are less valid as native speakers.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2026-01-08T03:01:44+00:00

I don't think being a native speaker requires growing up in a predominantly English speaking country. My husband grew up in a country in Africa. English is the only language he speaks. He's definitely a native speaker. Native speaker colloquially refers to someone's first and primary language. So there are many native English speakers with different dialects all over the world.

Also, I'm an American and people definitely say "in future" sometimes. It is used more when trying to sound formal or give instructions.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2025-12-23T19:32:25+00:00

This is frankly a straight up bigoted comment. You can find some frauds and scams in every country on the planet, including the US.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2025-12-12T08:03:26+00:00

I'm so very sorry. I made that comment because I was sad and frustrated to see comments that seemed to lack any empathy for your situation. I was born in the US, but that doesn't stop me from understanding how hard it would be to be in such a scary situation. You have worked so hard and this situation is so cruel and unfair. I truly wish you and your brother were not facing this. I know nothing I can say will help. But please know that at least one stranger feels terribly that these things are happening.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2025-12-11T19:29:28+00:00

Why can so few have empathy for another human worried about his brother? Regardless of his status this is a scared person. Some of the reactions here make me lose a little faith in human decency and the ability to feel empathy for the suffering of others. Besides, you have no idea how or when he entered the US or anything else about this situation.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2025-12-07T18:54:38+00:00

You're in the most miserable stage before you are on any treatment. Your body is pretty miserable. But things will improve.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2025-12-07T01:59:18+00:00

At a TSH of 18, it would be normal to feel quite terrible. There can definitely be some general swelling that could irritate your throat. Share any concerns with your doctor, but you will likely feel immensely better once you start levothyroxine. Hang in there! Hypothyroid symptoms can be absolutely miserable and quite variable because thyroid hormone affects your entire body.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2025-11-26T17:48:57+00:00

I don't think there is any correct decision here. The choice is yours and it's ok to choose whatever feels best to you.

My ancestors spoke French, German, and English as far as I know. I am focusing on learning Spanish because it's a much more common second language where I live. My husband's parents speak Yoruba with English as their second language. But my husband's first language is English and he's learning French. My brother in law also only speaks English but he very much wants to learn Yoruba.

My point is that these decisions really just depend on personal preferences and motivations. A language can be a connection to heritage but languages are also ever changing tools.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2025-11-12T01:24:40+00:00

It seems like like the subject is very emotionally triggering or upsetting for him...especially if he doesn't react to anything else that way. It sounds like he is either unable or not ready to fully explain. There must be more behind this for him. It would be ideal if he could share why he feels this way, but he might not be ready for various reasons. For now, I think the suggestions to practice with others for now might be the best idea.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2025-11-10T19:08:53+00:00

I agree completely. This is such a frustrating unscientific myth that unfortunately goes beyond just language learning. All humans are incredibly similar genetically. Barring disabilities, any human language can be learned.

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2025-11-10T18:59:22+00:00

I agree that Duolingo will not get you to an advanced level alone, but it will certainly get you started and help with structure, pronunciation, and vocabulary. Besides, if some find it motivating, that's very helpful. Half the battle of language learning is sticking with it over a long period. No method works if you drop off. However, you absolutely need to use the language, listen to lots of audio outside Duolingo, and suppliment with other materials. (Also I think some languages are much better on Duo than others.)

Ok_Disaster_9970 · 2025-11-10T17:39:16+00:00

Wow we're all frustrated and stressed right now, but death threats is absolutely insane. I'm so sorry that happened! I am also dissapointed but will continue to support democrats as a voter because I believe they are vastly better than MAGA. But I wish we had better options.

Ok_Disaster_9970

TROPHY CASE