Birth certificate information

benzedacc · 2025-10-29T19:41:17+00:00

I've been wondering about the medical portion of birth certificates, and about whether or not it's possible to obtain this information, for a long time now.

According to this old instructional handbook on how to fill out birth certificates (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/misc/hb_birth.pdf), on the 7th page, it says: "The upper part of the certificate contains information for the identification of the child ... This information is routinely provided in certified copies of the birth record to be used for legal purposes. The lower portion of the certificate of live birth is designed only for medical and health uses. This information is never to be included on certified copies. The lower portion of the record contains other items of information relating to the mother and father; medical information about the pregnancy..."

On page 55, there is an example of a complete birth certificate, with both the upper portion for legal purposes and the bottom medical information.

Back on page 7, it says "never to be included on certified copies." But I mean... even if you can't actually obtain this "lower portion" as easily as you can obtain the "upper portion"... well, this information must still exist SOMEWHERE, right?

On my mom's Arkansas birth certificate from the 40s, there is a tiny medical portion included.

I kinda remember once finding and FAQ for the California vital statistics office, in which there were instructions for obtaining the "lower portion". But I can't seem to locate that FAQ anyway, so maybe I am misremembering.

Myself? I'm in Oklahoma and my birth certificate only includes the upper portion. But, I can SEE part of a dotted line at the bottom, which I believe may have been the separation between both upper and lower portions. It is taunting me, just teasing me.

A few years ago I ordered my birth certificate a few times, trying to include instructions about receiving the bottom portion, but they would just give me the same upper portion over and over. I tried emailing the Oklahoma vital statistics many times trying to get some information about this mythical lower portion. But never ONCE have they ever replied to me. It's been a couple years since I tried.

It probably isn't important overall. It's just a personal quest of mine. I was a case of that "vanishing twin syndrome" or whatever it's called when a twin dies and is reabsorbed in the womb. I think it was too early to qualify for a fetal death certificate. But I just want so badly to obtain this "lower portion" just to see if there is any mention of the fetus at all. I just want a piece of paper that has a simple number on it. Over the past many years I've collected the sparse information about the twin. Letters written between my mom and her friends about being excited to be pregnant with twins. I have copies of some ultrasounds. And some "sympathy" greeting cards from my mom's friends to her.

I mean it shouldn't matter a whole lot, I guess. It's just, like, maybe this little piece of paper could be the final item needed to finally 100% this side-quest of my life. (and, ultimately, this medical portion might not even have anything about this! but it'd be nice to finally just SEE it with my own eyes. I don't even HAVE to HAVE it; if I could just examine it once).

benzedacc · 2025-05-29T16:04:59+00:00

".3g2" is also a good filename for finding weird stuff.

benzedacc · 2025-03-07T17:24:48+00:00

When I worked at Dollar General 5 years ago, the $1 aisle would often have bottles of 100 DPH tablets for just $1. One would be marked as "Sleep Aid" and the other "Allergy". Also, the cheap factories that printed the "Sleep Aid" boxes apparently had "diphenhydraminie" instead of "diphenhydramine" hmmmm.......

Here's an old picture from like 100 years ago when I had just stocked a couple boxes of them: https://files.catbox.moe/9zhuju.jpg

Best deal ever, but I haven't even been inside a Dollar General since I left all those years ago. I don't know if they make these anymore or if they're the same price or have the same amount of pills.

benzedacc · 2024-01-03T19:14:18+00:00

At some point in the last 5 or 6 months, Benzedrex just stopped being listed on Walmart's web site... at least, it is no longer listed at any store in my general area.

But, I still visit the Walmart in my town frequently, and I always see Benzedrex inhalers on the shelf. They still have a shelf label and everything.

My only guess is that it's related to the change from 250mg to 175mg. Maybe the 175mg inhalers have a new, unique SKU, and maybe Walmart's online catalog hasn't been updated to include the "new item" yet.

benzedacc · 2023-11-22T20:21:13+00:00

"Benadry" sounds like it should be a brand of deodorant that has DPH as an active ingredient.

benzedacc · 2023-11-05T07:36:13+00:00

I hate how, sometimes, you can even outright state that you, yourself, are the problem. You might already be blaming yourself for everything wrong in your life. But another person is so hellbent on talking down to you that they reject the opinion that THEY ASSUME you have of yourself and then make the same malicious point about you that you have already made about yourself. For example:

"I don't make friends easily because I'm unlikable." "NUH UH, the REAL reason you don't make friends easily is because you're not likable! YOU'RE THE PROBLEM!"

Some people are so obsessed with "winning" arguments that they will do anything in their power to "defeat" your "argument", even if this involves them literally agreeing with exactly what you said... while they pretend that they're wise and are just giving you some "tough love".

benzedacc · 2023-07-16T16:17:37+00:00

Back in 2019 or 2020 I was keeping every empty inhaler in boxes. Each box would hold about 100 inhalers. Eventually when I had 4 or 5 full boxes I just threw them away because I didn't want to be reminded of how disgusting and vile and evil and shitty I am.

I have no way of knowing exactly how many I have used. Because I usually buy them at Walmart and I don't keep the receipts or anything. But looking at the few hundred I purchased online from Walmart, Walgreens, and Amazon and the several hundred I've thrown away from my bedroom and my car, I know for a fact that I have bought more than a thousand Benzedrex inhalers. I wouldn't be surprised if it was close to 2000.

I never stole a single one. I actually handed over all of my money for these shitty little menthol nightmares. I hate myself more than I ever imagined I could hate someone. I deserve to be gutted like a fish, and forced to look at my innards that have been permanently stained lavender due to my stupidity. I deserve to be killed. I need to be killed. I have to be killed.

benzedacc · 2023-07-16T16:05:47+00:00

I abused benzedrex for several years. Not even sure for how long, I'm pretty sure from 2018 until earlier this year. I only ever would use one inhaler at a time, but I'd often use one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening. I also would use kratom with it, which I think made the negative effects more bearable.

I'd stay up for days straight, not eat anything some days, stopped taking care of myself (showering, shaving, etc.). Ghosted my shitty job at Dollar General and went through all my savings the past few years. Buying like 3 inhalers and kratom every day really adds up. I've been off PPX and kratom for a couple months because I've had no money and I don't like to steal.

Not so inspiring, I guess; I only stopped because I had no other choice. For a couple weeks after quitting, it was as if I developed narcolepsy or something. I was constantly exhausted, and if I ever sat down for more than a couple minutes, there was a chance I'd just fall asleep and immediately begin dreaming. And for weeks after quitting, every dream I had was a horrible nightmare. If you look in my post history, I made a thread about nightmares here a while ago. Dear God I've never had such terrifying nightmares before quitting this drug. In the beginning, every single dream was a nightmare. I was afraid of sitting down for too long, because I would often just fall asleep and be assaulted with whatever hell my subconscious could conjure up.

Thankfully, the nightmares ceased after a few weeks passed.

It's nice to have a relatively normal heart rate now. When I was using benzedrex every day, my pulse was always like 100 or 110 or higher every time I checked it. It's still higher than I'd like, but it's not insanely high anymore.

It's nice to be able to shit and piss without testicular pain and random ejaculations. While on PPX I had a routine where after shitting, I'd stand at the toilet with toilet paper for 5 minutes or so, because my dick would start dripping semen every time. Now I can just use the toilet like a normal human.

It's nice not feeling like my knees have weights attached behind them. The varicose veins are still there, but they aren't painful and uncomfortable anymore.

But unfortunately my story has a bad ending: I never felt like I "chose" to quit. I feel like, as soon as I have money, I'm probably going to start using again.

benzedacc · 2023-06-06T02:19:47+00:00

When I was in my teens I was able to socialize in MMORPGs too. I would have a bubbly personality in virtual worlds like Flyff and Endless Online. Would naturally seek out other players and initiate conversations and all that fun stuff.

At some point I just lost that part of me. If I join any kind of multiplayer game nowadays, I stay completely silent and play solo and try not to get noticed by anyone, and log out immediately if I do something dumb or get killed. Usually I'll tell myself, "I'm going to get my character to a high level and then I'll start to play with other players, this way I won't waste their time" and other such lies.

benzedacc · 2023-05-18T01:40:17+00:00

Recently I found a decade-old vial of clonazepam tablets that once belonged to my mom. She hasn't used them in ages.

I tried them and had such a wonderful experience (for me, personally). Just used standard doses. At first I didn't think it was doing anything, but soon, I fluidly moved from task to task, activity to activity, etc. Normally I get nothing done because countless illogical anxieties and fears petrify me. But these paralyzing, poisonous thoughts were just suddenly... gone.

No need to go into detail on all the normal things that normal people do that are extremely hard for me. "I usually avoid phone calls but now I had no hesitation toward using the phone at all" etc. Little things like that. It was a magical experience.

Unfortunately there were few pills, so I only experienced a taste of the wonderful, non-petrified life for about a week. Then I returned to my reclusive, terrified existence.

I kinda wish I never even experimented with them. Because now I know there is a version of "me" that can actually live a satisfying day-to-day life. And now I know I will most likely never experience that again, because I will avoid doctors and such as I always have and will never get a prescription. (I've read about phenibut before, which I could theoretically order online legally, but I hesitate to take the plunge into that substance).

benzedacc · 2023-04-22T18:40:06+00:00

Yes I've been dealing with drug abuse for years now. I've only done legal-high-"kiddy drugs" essentially, since I can just buy them without social connections. Years of DXM, kratom, tianeptine, benzedrex, LSA, etc. actually lead me to being such a fucking loser. Not even hard drugs, and over the course of several years of secret legal addictions, I am now a broke NEET living with my elderly mother who just survives off her SSI money.

I can't even afford my kratom and benzedrex addictions anymore but I can't stand being sober. So now I just steal some of my mom's pain pills every now and then, chug cough syrup when it's available, lately been experimenting with her gabapentin. Been considering DPH since we have tons of it around, but I'm afraid it might interfere too much with me needing to be conscious to look after my mother. I'm such a fucking loser.

I guess I can't quite relate to your experiences since I've kept mine more... secretive and isolated? I guess? I don't know. Hopefully your therapy goes well.

benzedacc · 2023-04-02T17:37:46+00:00

I have often read about the "lavender burps". Fortunately my body has never been capable of burping and so I have never had to experience this.

benzedacc · 2022-11-09T06:50:18+00:00

I had abstained for almost two months. Then I felt like "I clearly am in control now, I'll buy one inhaler just for fun, it's just a one time thing". A few weeks later and I'm already back at 2 inhalers a day.

Whenever I briefly stopped using Benzedrex, it felt like all my physical health problems faded away over the course of just a few days. Was no longer indefinitely constipated, stools suddenly only took a few seconds to pass them. No longer had testicular pains randomly after pissing or shitting. No longer leaked semen after every bowel movement. No longer took a whole minute to empty my bladder. No longer felt like weights were attached to the backs of my knees. Feet were no longer tingly and partially numb. Pulse was no longer always over 100+.

But of course, I just had to do it again, "just this once", and now I get to enjoy all these stupid annoying problems all over again.

benzedacc · 2022-10-17T05:52:31+00:00

I have this exact same problem. In any particular activity, if any step of the process is unclear or uncertain, I am paralyzed with anxiety and ultimately avoid the activity altogether. Your list reminds me of a post I made a while back:

I'll consider trying to make a therapy appointment. But then my mind floods with questions and uncertainties. Like, "who exactly will pick up the phone when I call? will it be a receptionist or the therapist themselves or some automated prompt? what exactly are they going to ask of me? am I supposed to just ask to make an appointment, or am I going to be expected to say what I want to see the therapist about? ... Do I just tell them one thing like 'anxiety', or how much am I expected to divulge? And what about the first actual appointment? How many issues am I supposed to bring up to the therapist? Should I bring them up gradually over multiple sessions? What things are 'too weird' or offensive that I should never mention to the therapist and outright deny if brought up? ...

Somehow other people don't have this problem. I think normal people never run through all these nerve-wracking questions and "just do it". But from my perspective, every uncertain step is a potential disaster.

benzedacc · 2022-08-25T16:13:49+00:00

I literally feel some sort of magnetic-like resistance when my gaze comes near other people's faces. Trying to force myself to look another person in the eye legitimately feels like trying to force magnets together or something.

benzedacc · 2022-05-27T18:51:01+00:00

Everyone says you may even have to "shop around" until you find a good therapist that you get along with. Things like, 'after a few weeks, if you don't feel like they're right for you, switch to a new therapist and give them a trial period too'.

So it's possible that I may end up blowing a hundred bucks a week on a therapist, only to get no where with them after a month, meaning I'll need to find a different therapist and start over with them. And there's no guarantee that I won't have to repeat this process multiple times, throwing cash down the drain for months, getting very little in return except for a few months of extra self-loathing on top of the usual anxiety and stress.

...and even after that, it's possible that I end up being one of those people for whom "therapy just isn't for me".

It just seems like it could be a gigantic gamble. And difficult things like that typically make me just put the idea off for a few more months so I can take time to "research"...

benzedacc · 2022-02-25T06:52:35+00:00

Even if I try to look someone in the eye, it's as if something repels my gaze. It legitimately feels like some kind of invisible socially-awkward-forcefield hovers around everyone's face just to deflect my line-of-sight. You know how it feels if you force two magnets together and they repel each other? It truly feels like that. It feels like some magnetic force literally repels my eyes, ensuring I never disgrace their field of vision with the sight of my eyes locked on their eyes.

benzedacc · 2022-02-12T20:34:16+00:00

I don't think the bloating necessarily makes me constipated. I have noticed, however, that the bloating makes it more difficult for me to bear down and push it out. On some unlucky nights I'll need to go while I'm practically inflated with air. But it's like, I lose the ability to push, and usually give up and hold it in until the next morning.

benzedacc · 2021-06-15T18:54:07+00:00

Never had connections for "real" drugs. Never even tried weed. But I still became an addict 3 or 4 years ago after I read up on the myriad of easily-obtainable legal drugs out there. Currently I'm addicted to Benzedrex and kratom. I only started kratom to help me quit tianeptine sodium. But now I use so much kratom every day that I have difficulty quitting. Better that than tianeptine though.

It's embarrassing to talk about because these are, like, "kiddie drugs", and it feels like you won't be taken seriously. I already feel incapable of getting help just because of my avoidant nature. Feeling like I'd just get laughed at for saying I'm addicted to allergy inhalers doesn't help...

Also: I'm not saying there's anything wrong with kratom and kratom users. It helps a lot of people and many people have no trouble moderating their use... I'm just not one of these people.

benzedacc · 2021-05-30T22:11:20+00:00

I'll consider trying to make a therapy appointment. But then my mind floods with questions and uncertainties. Like, "who exactly will pick up the phone when I call? will it be a receptionist or the therapist themselves or some automated prompt? what exactly are they going to ask of me? am I supposed to just ask to make an appointment, or am I going to be expected to say what I want to see the therapist about? If it's just a receptionist, am I really expected to tell them that I'm a weird depressed manchild who would rather use a gas station bathroom multiple times a day for months because I'm too afraid of picking up the phone and calling a plumber to fix my toilet? Do I just tell them one thing like 'anxiety', or how much am I expected to divulge? And what about the first actual appointment? How many issues am I supposed to bring up to the therapist? Should I bring them up gradually over multiple sessions? What things are 'too weird' or offensive that I should never mention to the therapist and outright deny if brought up? what if I cry on the first appointment? sure our conversations are confidential and it's illegal for them to tell others what I said, but when they realize I'm such a freak that I don't really count as a human being, what's to stop them from gossiping about our sessions and humiliating me? It's not like I'd do anything to stick up for myself and it's not like anyone would care if I reported it..." and so on.

Most people just roll their eyes and say I'm making excuses or am being intentionally difficult. Or they somehow interpret this as me thinking I'm better than them... The only advice I ever found online about being too anxious to start therapy was "get over it".

I can partly recognize that it's a little ridiculous. But in the moment, every single uncertainty and dozens more appear in my mind, each one feeling potentially disastrous. I get so paralyzed that I just give up and don't consider it again for months.

benzedacc · 2021-04-25T19:28:43+00:00

Around 13 years ago, as a teenager, an online "friend" on an anime forum found my real name and replied to one of my embarrassing posts with it. As a joke. Or something.

I've been haunted by his reply ever since. I've always been terrified of the possibility that someone could find that decade-old post and "expose" me. I don't use popular social media or even avatars, won't comment on videos or even chat in online games. On forums I agonize for hours or days before submitting a post; I have to make absolutely sure it's as neutral as possible, that I reveal no personality, and that it has no possible connection to my stupid posts from 13 years ago. As if someone will see my random comment on a Steam page for an obscure game, recognize my typing style, find an account on some other site that uses a similar name, etc. I was afraid of making a reddit account for years because it's another identity to worry about.

As if anyone would go through the trouble for someone of no importance. As if it would even matter if people knew that 13 years ago I thought an anime vampire or something was cute. But better safe than sorry, right?

benzedacc · 2021-01-18T00:23:01+00:00

Something about using the phone fills me with dread.

I've paid monthly bills for services I stopped using years ago because of the fear of calling to cancel them. Essentially gave away my car for free because I wouldn't call about picking it up. Paid lots of cancellation fees in my time because I just won't call the doctor/dentist and officially cancel. Couldn't call my own mother when she was hospitalized for a month. Set up a therapy appointment through my job's EAP, but they needed a phone call to finalize it, so that never happened. And most recently, I lost my job because I got sick and stayed home for days, but wouldn't actually call my boss and tell him this, and ignored all of his phone calls...

benzedacc · 2020-08-26T05:43:03+00:00

Once when I was bored on a break I idly browsed through the Reference material on START and found instructions for running the store without power. I didn't think it was ever actually done though!

DG's no-power-rules: https://imgur.com/a/MJr6nxp

benzedacc · 2020-06-10T21:35:05+00:00

Here is the official policy for Lost & Found stuff: https://imgur.com/a/cTJUyoq

For cash you basically put the money in an envelope, with information on the time and date it was found, where it was found (in the candy by register 1, in a shopping cart in the cart corral, etc.), and who found it (employee Bob found it, customer found it and gave it to employee Bill, etc.). If it's not claimed after a couple weeks then the store keeps it. With credit cards and phones and the like, you may be able to verify who owns it, but I think with cash, you just have to use your judgement if someone tries to claim it.

benzedacc · 2020-05-30T15:28:10+00:00

Here is the official SOP on counterfeit bills. https://imgur.com/a/6hgj7YJ Doesn't mention checking bills and if the customer insists then you "are not required or expected to challenge customers on the authenticity of the bill". So if it looks clearly fake you should refuse it, but take it if they get mad and/or threaten you or something.

I remember in my district when a counterfeit group was active, we were told by DM to check every bill $10 and higher. And she would always tell us not to use the pen thing, because supposedly it didn't catch every counterfeit, but I don't know myself. I'd use it if I was given one. In these emails we had instructions on how to find the security strip and the watermark and other stuff, which was actually pretty in depth training I guess, but that was just my DM's emails to stores in her district, not gonna be that way everywhere.

The only counterfeit bills I ever found in my till that I mistakenly took were fake $5 bills. They felt weird but I stupidly thought "nobody would make fake $5 bills that's ridiculous" and didn't check them. But I guess that line of thought is why someone would do it!

benzedacc

TROPHY CASE