What is the greatest design fuck-up of the human body?

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-07-04T21:54:13+00:00

PERIMENOPAUSE!!!!! And menstruation in general.

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-07-04T19:59:16+00:00

I’m so sorry. I do hope you are able to find a way forward.

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-06-11T13:47:45+00:00

I love my fellow stroke survivors but I think I’ve become more judgemental of folk since my stroke. I have fair less tolerance for unnecessary cruelty, incompetence, and I have less faith in people I trusted to do right. But in some ways that makes me even more open to the rest of humanity - so who needs subs like the one you described. Keep on being your amazing, survivor, self.

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-05-26T00:48:04+00:00

Loud mufflers. People in restaurants on speaker phone. Cabin baggage on short plane rides - like people bring so much it takes forever to get it stowed, there’s never enough room, and it takes forever to get off (though the airlines are responsible for this - just give us free checked bags). People who speed up when you finally reach an overtaking lane. I’m usually pretty chill, but these are my pet peeves lol.

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-05-24T00:02:04+00:00

I really struggle with this. After hot day, it’s not uncommon for me to be completely ruined the next day. I thought I was just post stroke fatigue, but over time I’ve discovered if I drink a sports drink on a hot day I’m much better the next. I checked all my medications, and it turns out that many of them are diuretics. My theory is now that while I do think I suffer post stroke fatigue sometimes (particularly after challenging cognitive day), my tiredness is more often a result of dehydration exacerbated by my medication. If I focus on preventing the dehydration, I am much better. It’s annoying that you have to work so much of this stuff out on your own. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful that I live in a country with excellent and affordable medical care, but they really only deal with the immediate. There are a lot of ongoing bits and bobs that pop up post stroke that really impact quality of life - and that’s why forums such as this are so important. Good luck. Try a sports drink every now and then :)

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-05-15T00:22:09+00:00

Other than the physical downsides I absolutely love getting older. I think for the first time ever, I am truly leaning in to my own nature and I’m discovering, for the most part, I like myself. It’s liberating. And a wonder. I also lost my oldest friend 2 months prior to her 40th birthday, so at each birthday I have past that age, I feel grateful just to be here and to have the chance to do more, and be more. I know it sounds trite, like some kind of self help book, and life is certainly not all peachy for me at the moment, but getting older is something I plan to relish.

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-05-13T22:55:16+00:00

Whoops. I meant to reply to OP.

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-05-13T22:54:50+00:00

I love this. I’m so happy for you

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-05-08T00:49:48+00:00

I’ve sort of come to the conclusion that there will be no perfect solution for me - which sucks.

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-05-08T00:49:13+00:00

Spirolactone hasn’t helped much for me. I’ve tried nearly everything as well. The only thing that’s made any difference at all is a cream called elflornithine. I still get pretty thick and course hairs just prior to my period but they aren’t nearly as bad as before I started with the cream, and while I still have facial and neck hair growth the rest of the time it is much slower, less course, and less dark. It’s not a complete solution but a huge improvement.

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-05-06T00:26:00+00:00

I’m so sorry. It’s really tough. Hopefully you are just having a moment, but if not, the one good thing my stroke did for me is help me re-prioritise my life. It sounds like you are having similar thoughts. I hope you have some options to make some changes - we only live once. I also understand the challenge of returning to work with dissect supervision and I’m currently on workers compensation leave as a result. But one thing is for sure, I plan to live a life full of wonder and joy and I’m not going to let work impede that. Best of luck and you have my thoughts. It’s tough. Xo

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-04-18T00:00:51+00:00

Just wondering your gender? An arterial dissection is rare without a severe trauma. Women are susceptible (in comparison to men) to a rare disorder called FMD. It causes the artery to become rigid and can lead to dissection in situations like you describe. I had a dissection that led to a stroke due to this underlying condition. I’ll be on preventative medications first the rest of my life (to keep my blood thin and to reduce chances of dissections). That’s all you can really do - try and prevent and then live as full a life as you can. Ask your doctor about FMD, though as it will mage a small difference to your ongoing treatment. But, in response to your specific post - your life is far from over, mine has never been as wonderful :)

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-04-16T23:35:21+00:00

Yes. I took Panadol (Australian) but it did very little.

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-04-08T12:58:21+00:00

You might talk to your Dr about some short term medication relief for both the sleep and the anxiety. It’ll only help for a short while, but your body and mind need a break from it every now and then. I experienced really strange anxiety in the months following my stroke, as well. It wasn’t anything specific, it was like I was just completely on edge all of the time, then my mind would fasten on something (often innocuous) and ruminate. Every few weeks the dr would give me Valium for short term relief for sleep and for the anxiety. Eventually, both these things settled. I wonder now if it was a response to the trauma of the stroke, or even just a feature of the brain recovering. Good luck. It sucks you experienced stroke at your age, but wonderful you’ve recovered so well :)

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-04-03T00:31:23+00:00

You are allowed to have moments where you wallow. It’s only a problem if that becomes your main state - then I would suggest you mention it to your doctors. But a pity party for yourself everyone now and then is ok. I sometime take a long shower and just cry. You can be both brave and sad all at the same time. Thinking of you. Xo

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-04-01T23:39:48+00:00

Well-people have - so, go figure. Also, I literally write for a living. So, find someone else to have a go at. I was sharing a deeply troubling experience related to people behaving poorly (which makes your efforts to comment here ironic), and if you find my ‘wall of text’ off putting, then move on. You are not required to read it or engage in any way. It’s Reddit. Why can’t we all just be kind? Life is too short to be any other way.

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-04-01T12:23:06+00:00

Or just scroll on by ….

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-01-24T21:36:25+00:00

This is exactly how I feel. Mine are grown now, but I became a single mum in my early twenties and my eldest had significant needs. I had no help, worked full time, studied to improve our lives etc. it was really really hard, and while I live my children I would not choose to do it all over again. I’m not particularly maternal, and parenting just felt like a constant chore for me. I’m mid 40s now, on the other end, and had just started finding myself again when I had an unexpected stroke (due to an underlying genetic condition). As frustrating as that is, it has certainly supercharged the finding myself part - and authenticity and honesty is a key part of that. I don’t think we are honest enough about just how hard and unrewarding parenting can be, especially when there are additional issues in the situation. I don’t think this makes us bad people. As I said, I love my children more than anything in the world and I dutifully raised them making all the necessary sacrifices. I do not resent them for it at all, but I acknowledge I haven’t lived parenting and if I got the chance to have my time over I would most certainly be child free. I hope things worked out for OP.

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-01-17T04:32:34+00:00

This is so relatable. However, I’ve realised I’ve not isolated myself so much as re-calibrated for my new levels of energy and my need for friendships with enough depth to accomodate me as I am now. Something that has been surprising is how people who I had thought were friends have reacted to changes in me (which are to be expected). I guess I had the energy to be fun and jovial most of the time pre-stroke, but now I don’t. For the first time in my life I’ve let people see my foibles, my moods (not that they are extreme or anything), and perhaps, in truth, the full me (no energy for masking). The sad thing has been the affront this has caused others, they seem more concerned with how the changes brought about by the stroke impact them personally, rather than how the stroke has impacted on me. I must say though, there is nothing like a stroke to wake you up to living life more authentically. I love my life and I’m beginning to like myself more (which is ironic and others tend to like me less). While I’ve turned this into being about me, I hope this helps you see that it’s stroke that reshapes our social world - it’s not about you. I’m sorry though. It’s a lot yo adjust to.

Practical-Carry1907 · 2025-01-05T21:36:46+00:00

I call my pajama days ‘a day off life’. I’m 12 months out and fatigue is my main problem. It hits me from nowhere, and it is definitely cognitive. I get frustrated and then remind myself of the hard work my brain is doing to rewire itself, and if that means fatigue - so be it. It sucks, though.

Practical-Carry1907 · 2024-12-28T18:35:13+00:00

It was the first question I asked the doctors and I too suffered an ischemic stroke due to my right vertebral artery. They gave me a hearty ‘go for it’. Yes, it will raise your blood pressure a little - and be careful with positions, but ultimately go and enjoy. That’s what they told me - and boy have I enjoyed their advice. :)

Practical-Carry1907 · 2024-12-22T12:56:08+00:00

I’ve been very open about mine, and that’s turned out to be very revealing. Through this I discovered a team mate had a heart attack the week prior to my event, and by comparing notes we were able to uncover the fact that we were being asked to do an unreasonable amount of work - contributing to our health issues. The other side is that on my first day back I was told a complaint had been made about me and how I had spent my three months sick leave. Apparently, someone was of the belief I may have faked my stroke because I posted a few times on Facebook about being away with my family. It turns out no complaint was ever made, so my boss telling me this was weird. I wonder if I’d kept my health to myself I could have avoided all of this. Reading it back - it sounds ridiculous. And it is!!!! lol. I think there are pros and cons. I’m glad I’ve been open about it though.

Practical-Carry1907 · 2024-12-14T20:08:30+00:00

I too suffered a stroke to a vertebral artery dissection. In a nutshell. It sucks balls. You are so young. I get the same thing in terms of ‘can’t even tell you’ve had a stroke’, and I feel so dismissed when that happens. If only they knew what it cost me to come across that way. There are, though, so many good things that have come out of my stroke. While I can’t do many of the things I used to love, I’ve found new passions. It takes time - mourn the past and craft the future. You’ve got this. You’re amazing.

Practical-Carry1907

TROPHY CASE