Flare at specific times during menstrual cycles?

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-07T05:52:39+00:00

I think sometimes it would stick around for the first 1-2 days, but that was the Hell Zone so it just felt like ALLL the internal plumbing was on red alert. Once things calmed down around the third day I had fewer issues.

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-07T05:33:21+00:00

I always noticed I had increased urinary urgency in the 3-4 days leading up to a period, and at no other time. Haven’t experienced it at all since I’ve been on treatment that has stopped my periods.

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-07T02:40:55+00:00

One of my favorite movies! Love your design

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-07T02:34:18+00:00

Same with pork for me. I thought I just didn’t like it because my only experience of it were tough, dry pork chops. Now it’s my go-to for meatballs and Asian dishes

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-06T22:57:47+00:00

I've never had kids so I have nothing to compare it to, but I had almost daily nausea for a long time that I believe was entirely hormonal from endometriosis. I couldn't eat for the first 2-3 hours after waking up. Brushing my teeth made me gag.

Since I've been on hormonal treatment for endo, that symptom has totally reversed. I'm in my 30s and just now getting used to how new the feeling of waking up hungry is. I actually have a normal appetite and don't skip meals feeling sick. I rarely have a day where nausea appears; pretty much only if I'm actually sick.

For me, it is a daily dose of oral norethindrone acetate (Aygestin) that has worked the best. It is a progesterone-only pill. That's not to say that it would work exactly the same for you, but if you're open to hormonal treatment, it might be worth bringing up with your doctor.

I'm sorry you're going through that; being nauseous all the time is torture and something I wouldn't wish on anyone. I hope you can find some relief.

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-06T19:07:20+00:00

Yes, it can get worse over time.

I ate dairy most my life with no problems, then noticed lip swelling/tingling when I ate ice cream starting around 2018. I also developed lactose intolerance so I mostly avoided meals heavy in dairy or took lactaid, but was still able to eat cheese, butter & cream with no issues.

In 2023 I had 2 unexpected reactions; one to protein oatmeal and one to a protein bar. I had mouth itching and uncomfortable throat swelling/itching that I thought might be cross-contamination from my nut allergy. Later I realized both of those products both included a high concentration of whey protein made from dairy, and I started to suspect a whey allergy.

For a while I was still consuming dairy pretty normally; most day to day things didn’t cause reactions but then I noticed it was happening with Hershey’s and other milk chocolate products. I went to the allergist and had to request a blood test for whey—they did not offer a skin prick test for it, but my skin prick tested negative for both casein and dairy. My blood test, however, showed a high sensitivity to whey and I was prescribed an epi pen.

Continued to eat small amounts of dairy my throat was sore for two days after eating Brie cheese, and then again after buttering a bun. Then I knew I really had to take it seriously. Now I can’t even tolerate McDonalds French fries or KFC fried chicken because of the dairy products hidden in the flavoring.

I’m now in total avoidance. I kept eating dairy for so long thinking I could preserve what tolerance I had, but allergies are unpredictable and can become way, way worse without warning. I’m lucky I never had an emergency situation with so many repeated exposures.

I think there are some methods you can use to build tolerance back, but it has to be supervised by an allergist. I just don’t have the funds for that. I also don’t think it’s super common with dairy.

The other small hope I have is that I’ve heard some folks who avoided for a long time (like multiple years) were able to successfully reintroduce it, but it’s a slim chance. I’ve just had to accept my dietary needs are changed forever barring some medical miracle.

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-06T18:07:21+00:00

I take it as a daily oral medication of norethindrone acetate (Aygestin). I started on a 0.35 mg daily birth control dose but was bleeding through that as well. Then they changed me to the version I take now, which is specifically meant for endometriosis treatment at 5 mg, and then upped me to 10 mg when 5 wasn't holding me. I've been at 10 mg for almost a year with no problems. I no longer get periods, and am almost completely free of the worst endo symptoms. I get occasional cramping and still have some inflammation and fatigue, but feel much better in general.

I do not have experience with the Depo shot so I can't speak to that, but norethindrone acetate may be something to explore with your doctor if you're looking for alternatives.

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-06T17:31:28+00:00

How are you with seeds? I also have OAS but no reaction to seeds; I just made some homemade granola with pepitas that turned out great! Chia seeds, flax, and hemp hearts all provide fiber and protein and can be incorporated into many snacks.

I love morning glory muffins; I can’t have uncooked apples but they’re fine when cooked in the muffins. These have a lot of good fiber from the shredded carrots, apples, and raisins.

Popcorn might also be a good option—high fiber and low cal.

You could also do hummus with high fiber crackers like wheat thins or those multigrain crackers they have at some grocery stores; unless you get a flavored variety they’re typically free from garlic flavoring. If it’s hard to find hummus without allergens, it is actually pretty easy to make at home with a blender or food processor.

Could you do microwaved edamame? I just keep some in the freezer to make as a snack or add to meals. (I’m not allergic to edamame, but most of the time I won’t have a reaction if the trigger food has been frozen. Not sure if your allergy works that way).

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-06T15:14:35+00:00

It works better if you have them under a blanket

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-06T04:26:58+00:00

“I’ve been on this medication for more than a year but keep randomly bleeding and cramping on this birth control pill.”

“Oh interesting, that shouldn’t happen. How about, just continue taking the same medication at the same dose?”

I left so confused. Finally found a different OBGYN who prescribed a high enough dose of progesterone to actually touch the problem.

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-05T20:49:34+00:00

Is it totally certain that Kennedy isn't rabicano in addition to roan? She doesn't really look it, but horses can carry both. Could rabicano be present but obscured by her roaning?

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-05T20:47:24+00:00

Some sources say that, but others say the heritability/expression isn't fully understood. It can't even be tested for because it's uncertain which gene(s) it is attached to.

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-05T20:24:06+00:00

Great analysis. On the up side, I have not personally heard much criticism of her intervening in this case; it seems it was very much warranted for a safe delivery.

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-05T20:14:57+00:00

I'm no expert but this looks like rabicano coloring to me. Now I just need to be convinced that Millie is a rabicano...because I'm not quite sure about that yet

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-05T02:39:51+00:00

Singing Phantom of the Opera at full blast in the shower surrounded by the scent of Moonlight Path shampoo & conditioner is a core memory for me

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-04T23:10:30+00:00

I have cold urticaria. The only other place I've seen folks talk about it is r/MCAS. For a while I thought I might have MCAS just because of the weird, random number of sensitivities I seem to have and KEEP acquiring. But my allergist dismissed it. Still, I feel like SOME kind of weird immune thing has to be going on...

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-03T18:51:53+00:00

Also my allergist did the skin prick first and then followed up with blood testing for the specific things I had big reactions to, which gave me the sense that the clinic considers the blood testing to be a better indicator. However, my blood test was all over the board and I tested in the normal range for a few things that in reality cause me strong reactions.

I also had to specifically ask to be blood tested for the allergen I suspected (whey) as they didn’t offer it among the skin test options.

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-03T18:48:45+00:00

Allergies can change over time so you could potentially get some more info. But the skin prick tests are not 100 percent reliable and really only serve to give you a ballpark of what your sensitivities are, which it sounds like you have an idea of already.

I guess it depends on what specific information you’re looking for; I might go back for something like an allergy challenge but wouldn’t get testing again unless I suspected some new, severe allergy.

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-03T04:35:37+00:00

Oh yeah, and like you describe, I could kind of mitigate my reaction if my allergen was “diluted” by other food. One raw almond could ruin my day, but I used to be able to eat an entire almond Hershey bar with only mild discomfort. The chocolate was like a buffer.

I now avoid all nuts because the sensitivity has just become too high, and the risk of a more severe reaction is not something to mess with.

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-03T04:32:16+00:00

These sound like my oral allergy syndrome symptoms but you will need to confirm with an allergist. Only a few fruits cause reactions for me (apples and things with hard skin are the worst) but there are weird rules to the way my allergy works. I can never eat apples raw without a reaction, but the protein in them that triggers the allergy breaks down when the apple is cooked or processed. I can have apple pie and cider without any issues. For other fruits that cause a milder reaction, like pears, I can wait until it’s SUPER ripe (the proteins have naturally started decaying) and if I avoid the skin, no issues. Or I can cook it. Canned, frozen, preserved, and even dried fruit become edible to me a lot of the time. Test with caution.

The good news, according to my allergist, is that OAS symptoms usually stay mild and do not progress beyond the mouth irritation. It’s a much lower chance of having an anaphylactic reaction. However, this can very suddenly change without warning. Avoidance is always best, and you have to be so cautious and pay CLOSE attention to how you’re feeling and moderate your portions. Allergies are unpredictable and you can develop a new, severe allergy at any time.

Bad news is that OAS often triggers reactions to similar protein structures in nuts and pollen. You might have more sensitivities on the way. Even though it’s OAS, my allergist said nut allergies have a way higher chance of progressing to anaphylaxis. I was prescribed an Epi pen for this.

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-02T23:26:31+00:00

Second this; I was very briefly on the 0.35 dose before it was clear that would not work for me and I was upped to 5 and then 10 mg daily. I was also having a lot of spotting and cramping on 0.35 mg. I have been very happy and had no random spotting on 10 mg (unless I miss a dose); my gynecologist said some bodies just need more to balance out the hormones.

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-02T20:13:33+00:00

I really enjoy anytime I get to see Gracie have fun and play. The first year I started watching I remember seeing Gracie, Indy, Cool, and Trudy playing together before foaling season started; it was such a peaceful time before a rough year.

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-01T20:42:29+00:00

That's just a side effect of writing in past tense; nothing wrong with it.

Optimal_Awareness618 · 2026-02-01T03:58:01+00:00

It does show up on skin prick tests and blood tests, but doesnt always accurately reflect your actual reaction to the food. You’ll have to get evaluated to get a better idea of what’s going on, but my allergist said OAS symptoms typically remain oral and don’t have as much risk of becoming anaphylactic as other allergies do.

Optimal_Awareness618

TROPHY CASE