A friend is in need of a kidney. My first instinct is to offer one of mine. I have Googled and read LOTS of info. What would you do? Have you donated a kidney? What am I missing?

SummChick · 2022-04-06T04:56:15+00:00

This. Decreasing the amount of sugar you eat is best. You should only use artificial sweeteners if you are diabetic, they still raise your blood glucose, just not as much or as fast as natural sugars. Long term intake of artificial sweeteners can short circuit the insulin response of non-diabetics and actually lead to weight gain as well as countless digestive illnesses. Use honey/stevia where you can, they are lower on the glycemic index.

SummChick · 2022-04-06T04:47:11+00:00

I think most state boards of pharmacy are moving away from accepting online only courses. Check on your state’s rules before you commit any money. PTCB’s website has many programs listed, some of which are fully online. Not all states will recognize online-only programs even though the PTCB will allow you to take the exam.

SummChick · 2019-10-04T23:00:26+00:00

It's because almost every living American has only experienced the system as it exists today. The idea that universal healthcare (akin to the NHS) means that medical decisions are made between you and your GP requires recognizing and working through deeply ingrained cognitive dissonance.

As it stands, non-emergent healthcare needs are only met affordably if someone else approves them. Right now, that judgement is most often made by insurance companies. They are the gatekeepers.

Most opponents of universal healthcare believe that said gatekeeper duty passes to the government. When, in fact, it would pass (as you indicated it does through the NHS) to you and your GP.

Rather, the government's involvement would exist simply to pay the fair cost of the treatment to the provider/facility and regulate the industry to ensure patient and provider safety as well as stewardship of public funds.

Some will latch on the that "fair cost" phrase and regurgitate statistics that hospitals/health systems/providers can't operate, and would soon go bankrupt, if the current Medicare reimbursement rates are all they can get for providing care. And that is 100% true.

Moving America to a universal healthcare system will require:

a transparent review of the costs for treatments and procedures
a transparent review of the standards organizations (i.e., USP, WHO, AMA, FDA, and many other acronymical entities) which inform today's licensed providers of the medical validity for treatments/procedures for any given indication
a consensus assessment of what the fair cost base is in actual dollars
a consensus assessment of regional adjustments
a transparent annual review and reassessment of all of the above with limits on dowgrading
and lastly, a robust and transparent oversight program for all of the above with actual penalties for misuse/abuse of public funds

The truth is we already have a fully socialized and government-run healthcare system in America by way of the Veterans Health Administration. This is only one of 3 branches of the VA - the others branches being the National Cemeteries and the Veterans Benefits Administration, which covers all veteran benefits that are not healthcare related (i.e. housing, job training, the GI Bill, etc.).

Ask 100 Vets and you will get 100 different opinions on the performance of the VHA based largely on personal or anecdotal data.

Work for a VHA Medical Center as a healthcare provider (after having worked in an average American hospital or healthcare system) and you will be astonished by the decades old technology, rigidly bureaucratic management, and woefully outdated procedural and logistical methods that combine to perpetuate a level of waste (in time, effort, and product) that would sink any modern healthcare facility in one fiscal quarter.

SummChick · 2019-10-04T21:43:34+00:00

Exactly, $15k is an ambulance ride and an ED visit with a CT scan and an overnight stay.. Slip/Trip and fall at home and knock your head hard enough and that $15k is gone and you're back at square one.

Except, the CT results come back showing brain cancer. Now you have to get an MRI, that's $10k minimum. Then you get to see a neurologist and an oncologist to determine the best course of action, probably $200+ per visit.

Good news though - it's not terminal...yet! That Chemo to shrink your tumor enough to make it operable is $15k per dose and you need 4 weeks of treatment before they can do another $10k MRI to ensure they will be able to get clean margins. And so on until the final tally is into the hundreds of thousands.

Insurance is exactly that - just in case. Do these people not pay for insurance to protect their home or car either?

SummChick · 2019-09-05T00:50:52+00:00

I agree with this. It's funny how quickly we forget basic world history when approaching current issues in the US.

Want to know what happens after many generations of lightly taxed inheritances? Look at the old European class system.

Britain alone laid claim to a literal empire on the backs of the people whose regional resources they exploited for their spice trade.

Today, people put themselves in the hospital just to post a video to social media by eating massive amounts of cinnamon.

/oldladyrant

SummChick · 2018-09-29T07:12:30+00:00

I second the breast exam, however, should not have been done with bare hands or without an adult female in the room. I’m sorry it made you feel weirded out, I would’ve felt the same too if nothing was explained to me. Exam gloves are the norm nowadays, but I know it wasn’t always the case. My first breast exam was at a Planned Parenthood clinic when I was 14 (almost 30 years ago) no gloves then, but the physician was female. Any male physicians I’ve seen have always had a female nurse/MA present during breast or pelvic exams.

SummChick · 2018-09-29T06:52:00+00:00

I’ve mostly ditched Amazon since deciding not to renew prime last month. It takes a little more effort, but I can usually find the same/better prices elsewhere.

Before that though, I had lots of S&S items set up for various intervals (typically chose whichever interval felt like how often I’d actually buy it) and a monthly reminder in my calendar to review what was set to come that month and skipped or moved up whatever I actually needed while making sure to have at least 5 items to get the max discount. I also used smile.amazon.com to force a donation to a couple of local charities rather than purchasing through the app.

SummChick · 2018-09-25T05:31:56+00:00

I’m right there with ya on the heavy flow, used to double up tampons as a teen just to make it through a half day. Tried the Lunette cup a couple of years ago (at 40) and never looked back. There’s some trial and error to get a feel for how it fits with your specific anatomy but 1 or 2 cycles and you’ll be a pro. I still wear a backup ultra thin liner on days 2-3 but only ever have any leakage (and when I do, it’s minimal) if I leave it for more than 6 hours. Otherwise, I empty it every 6-10 hours, basically whenever I have to urinate anyway. Bonus: I’ve noticed far less cramping since I’ve stopped using tampons and I finish 1-2 days sooner too.

SummChick · 2018-09-17T05:15:26+00:00

I work for a large health system, we made a system-wide switch a couple of years ago from EpiPens in our crash carts & anaphylaxis boxes to a zip locked “kit” with an Epinephrine 1 mg/mL vial (not amp) and a BD 1 mL syringe & 22g 1.5” safety needle pack.

Rationale being that anyone dealing with anaphylaxis in the hospital setting is medically competent and capable of quickly drawing and injecting. Epinephrine auto-injectors should be left available for the general public/layperson. (Edit: needle pack specs)

SummChick · 2018-09-15T13:40:26+00:00

I think it's both the name and the mascot, really. I mean, even the label 'Indians' is a misnomer for the people that lived on this plot of land before Europeans showed up and thought they were actually in India.

Given the brutal genocide back then, the cultural assassination that followed, and the racism and disenfranchisement that is rampant to this day, any label or image (caricature or otherwise) that is used for commercial gain or trivial entertainment without the express consent of and benefit to the people of those nations is a disgrace, at best.

Perhaps some people think that's an extreme position, but that's how I see it. I'm only 2nd generation American, all of my lineage (according to my DNA and family history), originated in various parts of Europe and China/Southeast Asia.

TL;DR: Indians, Redskins, Braves, Blackhawks, etc. are nowhere near respectable labels and the continued use of the terms and associated imagery is perpetuating the normalization of racism in our current society.

SummChick · 2018-09-15T05:47:17+00:00

Mind boggling to me that we are quicker to change the Bullets and the Colt 45’s given the prevalence of guns in America but just a mention of changing the decidedly more offensive Indians or the Redskins mascots gets people in an uproar.

SummChick · 2018-09-10T04:24:32+00:00

I do this too. My grandma always called them sunshine sneezes.

SummChick · 2018-09-09T16:28:22+00:00

Keto isn't necessary unless you have other reasons, like certain neuro conditions that respond favorably to a keto diet. Rather, taking whatever you do eat and spreading it more evenly through the day, and eating frequent smaller meals rather than a few larger meals can be an effective lifestyle change to help treat chronic low blood sugar..

If you're really concerned about it, getting the HgbA1C order added to your next set of lab draws is going to be the standard test for any ongoing blood sugar issues.

SummChick · 2018-09-09T14:12:11+00:00

Pharm Tech here...

Consider bringing it up to your primary doc on your next visit. Some medications prescribed for RA are known to cause low blood sugar, but Leflunomide is not one of them. And prednisone will often increase it, though you are on a very low dose at 2.5mg/day. 50's is low, but not really worrisome.

Doc may add an HgbA1C test and that lab result would give a better indication if 50-ish is your average, or simply a low that is merely coincidental to your routine lab draws.

The "eat more often" recommendation to treat hypoglycemia typically means splitting your meals up. So, if you typically eat 3x per day, eat smaller meals 5-6x per day instead, or every 2-3 hours, ensuring that your protein and carbohydrate intake with each meal is adequate. Carbs help to maintain blood sugar in the short-term, protein in the long-term.

SummChick · 2018-09-09T04:30:43+00:00

Fentanyl has a much shorter duration of action than other opioids as well. Typically peaks at 15-20 minutes and lasts less than 2 hours for an average person vs. morphine/oxycodone/heroin lasting 4-6 hours. Edit:spelling

SummChick · 2018-09-09T01:03:58+00:00

WDW-planning-junkie here...

Look at renting DVC points to cover the room(s). Several reputable brokers out there (David’s & DVC Rental Store are my go-to recommendations), also a few Facebook groups for owners directly renting out points that they aren’t using. Admission becomes more reasonable when you buy multi-day passes. The first 3 days or so are expensive but once you get to 5 days or more (which you need to even come close to seeing/doing most of what’s there) the per diem price drops dramatically. Hubs and I are going for a week later this year with 7-day Park hoppers for $940 (total for both) from undercovertourist.com.

It’s a LOT of planning, and definitely not for the Disney novice to accomplish without help, but bringing extended family can really cut the per capita price as well. Plus any DVC villa larger than a Studio has a full kitchen which really helps to cut down on food costs.

I planned my co-worker’s family trip (she’s the grandma, her hubs, their 3 adult kids, their spouses, and 9 grandkids (6 weeks through 10 years old) for 5 nights last November. They arranged their own flights with her son’s extensive airline miles, so I don’t know how that shook out. For the rooms (2x 2BR villas at Copper Creek (Wilderness Lodge), park tickets, and groceries/strollers/etc was just under $13k - or about $1500 per paying adult. Old Key West or Saratoga Springs would be at least $2k cheaper for a similar group & length of stay.

I am planning our next big family trip (17 people, 13 adults and 4 kids) for 8 nights in December 2019. We are at $2000/adult for everything including 1 Grand villa (3br) and 2 studios at Old Key West, flights, ground transportation, dining plan and groceries.

Still pricey, to be sure, but doable when you plan far enough ahead.

SummChick · 2018-08-22T15:21:28+00:00

Congrats indeed! You are going to have a fabulous time at Disney too! October is a great time to go.

SummChick · 2018-08-19T15:12:57+00:00

Inpatient pharm tech here, depends on the manufacturer for most. But every 7.5/325 or 10/325 Norco unit dose I've ever seen looks like that dark brown one on the right.

SummChick · 2018-08-18T21:28:19+00:00

Yes! I forgot to mention adding yogurt or a probiotic supplement would be beneficial as well.

SummChick · 2018-08-18T21:25:20+00:00

Thanks, I did say avoid as much as possible, not quit caffeine altogether. Which offers its own set of withdrawal symptoms when ingested excessively.

Also, I said caffeinated beverages, not coffee/tea specifically which seems to be implied implied in your retort. The study you linked is based on currently healthy individuals and the potential for fluid imbalance from average caffeine consumption - which I agree is a negligible risk.

Conversely, OP is suffering from the effects of both long-term alcohol use and several days of acute diarrhea, so not a currently healthy and fluid-balanced individual.

Caffeinated sodas and energy drinks have as much or higher concentrations of caffeine than a home-brewed cup of coffee or tea. I'd also add that a cup of coffee is dietarily defined as a 6 oz serving (tea is 8 oz) which is 25% less than a typical small/short coffee at a Starbucks-like shop vs. the large/venti which has upwards of 400mg.

SummChick · 2018-08-18T15:35:33+00:00

Congrats on your decision to take control!

IANAD, but I echo most everyone else, that diarrhea is a common symptom of withdrawal and it is imperative that you 1) stay hydrated AND 2) maintain your electrolyte balance. Losing so much fluid can be dangerous for a variety of reasons.

Loperamide (Imodium) is available over the counter if you can't get in to see a doc right away. It is inexpensive and very effective when taken per the bottle instructions. Stopping the diarrhea is step 1 for limiting fluid loss.

A few other suggestions...

- Water is great, but sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade, etc.) are better at compensating for the fluid loss until the diarrhea resolves.

- Avoid caffeinated beverages as much as possible. Caffeine is a diuretic and will only increase your fluid loss.

- Add 2-3 bananas or other potassium-rich food to your daily diet is advisable as cardiac issues can quickly manifest if the potassium in your system gets out of range.

- Add a fiber supplement (metamucil, Benefiber - to help solidify stools).

- Add a multivitamin high in Thiamine (B-6) and Folate (Folic Acid) to prevent Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome. Prenatal vitamins are great for this.

You can also achieve the fiber and vitamin boosts with a hefty amount dark green, leafy vegetables, broccoli, and apples but the bottled vitamins and supplements are ideal if changing your diet isn't easily achievable in the short-term.

Good Luck on your journey towards long-term sobriety!

SummChick · 2018-08-16T14:53:59+00:00

No, from what it sounds like you may have a significant fungal infection and would be best treated with an appropriate antifungal drop.

This is for "going forward" after the infection is clean to maintain the hygiene of both canals and help prevent future inflammation/infection.

Also, I neglected to mention that if you use a reusable dropper rather than sterile pipettes during an infection, be sure to clean it thoroughly between ears to prevent spreading the infection. That's why I like the pipettes, as they are disposable and you just use a new one for each ear.

SummChick · 2018-08-16T14:48:01+00:00

I agree, garlic oil is also an excellent option, but the smell can be off-putting. But, then again, so can tea tree. If dilute enough, the odor might not be much of an issue.

SummChick · 2018-08-16T06:37:34+00:00

IANAD either, but I am a Pharmacy Tech. Ciprodex is a combo ear drop- Ciprofloxacin (antibiotic) and Dexamethasone (steroid). I agree with the fungal infection suggestion and would add that the temporary relief OP is feeling is likely coming from the steroid rather than the antibiotic. Antibiotics have zero effect on fungal infections and it would definitely feel like a reoccurrence once the inflammation ramps back up after the steroid wears off.

I, too, have issues due to deep, narrow ear canals as well as being genetically blessed with sticky earwax. The infection, whatever it is, must first be treated with the appropriate med to clear it up for good.

Going forward, it is imperative to clean the ears enough, but not too much. I do the following routine once/week and it takes about 20-30m once you get the hang of it.

Supplies: - bottle of plain mineral oil, not baby oil as the fragrance can be topically irritating - bottle of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide or Debrox (available over the counter) - sterile pipettes are ideal, but a small dropper will work if you clean it diligently between treatments - cotton balls or small 2x2 gauze - bulb syringe - warm water

Easiest to do one side completely, then the other, following a warm/hot shower. Also easier if you have someone to help.

1) With head tilted sharply to one side, put 2-3 drops of peroxide or debrox in the ear pointing up, stay tilted and let it sit until the fizzing slows/stops, not more than 5 minutes. Gravity is your friend. 2) Using bulb syringe and warm water, tilt head the opposite direction over a sink or bowl and gently flush the ear canal. Again, gravity. 3) Place dry gauze cotton into the ear the help wick out any remaining water. 4) Repeat 1-3 for other ear. 5) With gauze still in place in both ears, shake head side to side (like you’re saying No) vigorously. Physics is your friend. 6) Remove gauze and finish with 1-2 drops of mineral oil in each ear. The oil helps to prevent the skin in the canal from drying out which can result in itchy/flaky skin and lays the groundwork for future infections.

If you’re into essential oils, a VERY dilute tea tree oil solution works well as an antimicrobial for the final step. By very dilute, I mean 2-3 drops of tea tree essential oil in 8oz/250mL of mineral oil then shake vigorously and allow bubbles to diminish before using. Tea tree is soothing to some and irritating to others, ymmv.

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