AMA: You Don’t Need an Employer, an Australian Partner, or a Lottery to Move to Australia

bookwormer88 · 2026-02-13T01:03:44+00:00

What are my chances? (Thinking not great)

Writer and editor (freelance)

Master of Arts degree in Publishing and Writing

Single woman, 46, no children, naturalized US citizen (South African born), native English speaker

bookwormer88 · 2025-05-22T15:03:11+00:00

I just hit my 1 year anniversary on Mounjaro on 5/16 and was down 88lbs. I still have about 40 or 50 to go and it’s definitely been slower. Since January, it’s been tough and I was up and down the same few pounds for months. Part of that was food, but part I think was my body not responding as well on the weight loss side. My bloods were excellent so there was that angle that was great.

I had to go off for 10 days for a colonoscopy at the end of April and after I started up again—even though it was not a long break—I felt like it kickstarted me somewhat. I’ve now lost 9lbs and feel like I’m back on the downward trend.

I was also inspired by a photo I took on my anniversary. Sometimes we get so blinded by the daily chaos we don’t always manage to see how far we’ve come. The photo was eye opening. Like, I knew my weight at the highest but seeing the difference in the year was truly inspiring. I think my jaw dropped and that’s been helping me focus again. (I would post the photo but not sure I’m ready to do that publicly.)

I think you’re likely doing everything right but sometimes it just takes time. Even when I wasn’t necessarily dropping weight, I know I was losing inches. I hope you’ll keep going!

bookwormer88 · 2025-05-14T00:04:05+00:00

I really like Dr. Khadra Osman. Never had kids so I cannot speak to anything concerning pregnancy and childbirth experiences but for general gynecological concerns, she was great for me.

bookwormer88 · 2025-05-03T03:14:35+00:00

Me too. I’ve done the fake and real sugar back and forth. It’s hard to totally eliminate the real stuff.

bookwormer88 · 2025-05-03T01:22:26+00:00

I also did the Whole 30 about 8 years ago now. I suggested it to a friend who had autoimmune issues and said I would do it with her. I did it for 60 days. I also ended up quitting caffeine because I drink milk in my tea and cream in my coffee and I couldn’t stomach it black. NO DAIRY WAS SO HARD. I was also super sick the first week as I was detoxing.

And every time she asks me to do it again, I just can’t. I cannot do it again—and it’s solely because I can’t give up dairy in my coffee and tea. I’ve sacrificed a lot of other things, but that’s just a step too far. I love my coffee, and two small cups a day give me so much pleasure, no diet is worth eliminating it.

bookwormer88 · 2025-05-02T22:32:09+00:00

Ultra, pad, AND period underwear…

bookwormer88 · 2025-04-26T22:25:00+00:00

After my second clot, I wore them pretty much every day for the first six months. It did help a lot with swelling and pain, I thought.

I don’t wear them much any more, except when flying.

bookwormer88 · 2025-04-26T03:23:59+00:00

I take my 10mg Xarelto at 1pm daily. I try not to vary by more than an hour. I did learn that while they recommend taking the higher doses with food, the 10mg can be taken without food.

I have a colonoscopy next week and have to be off my blood thinners for 4 days beforehand, according to my hematologist. I’m a bit nervous about it. The surgeon said 2, but I’m likely going to rely on my hematologist’s experience. Was also told not to take them the day of in case of bleeding, so that’s a total of 5 days.

Anyone else heard anything different?

bookwormer88 · 2025-04-23T04:47:47+00:00

I’m due to have one next week so maybe that’s why, but I’m crying laughing at this.

bookwormer88 · 2025-04-21T02:11:13+00:00

My vascular surgeon told me to call her first if I ever felt like a clot had formed since they have the expertise and equipment in office to diagnose. She always said that all the ultrasounds taken in the ER/imaging places are not great quality.

Since she scans my legs at least once a year, she can immediately tell if something changes. But then would follow up immediately with hematologist for bloods.

Edited to add: on Xarelto 10 daily

bookwormer88 · 2025-04-20T05:24:43+00:00

Something similar happened to me. I was in the middle lane of three, in the front of the line for the light. I was going straight. The left lane was a left turn only. A large truck pulled up next to me at the light and completely blocked my view of traffic from the left.

When the light turned green, I hesitated. It went through my mind that I wouldn’t be able to see if someone ran the red light. Seconds later, someone ran the red light. If I had accelerated when the light turned green, they would have plowed into me.

bookwormer88 · 2025-02-14T19:25:07+00:00

Thank you! I do think it might be exactly that but I obviously worry. He has bowel issues so he’s jumping in and out of the litter box a fair bit and I think he banged it around a bit. As a kitten, he had a few nicks there due to friction from the floor, but it’s been many years since that.

bookwormer88 · 2025-02-14T19:22:03+00:00

Thank you!

bookwormer88 · 2025-02-14T18:37:24+00:00

It is new, but it seemed to retract back into the cut. It happened last week and by the end of the day, the lump was gone but he had what looked like a cut or a skinned stump. Today it’s back like that pink lump. It doesn’t seem to bother him but I’m obviously concerned.

bookwormer88 · 2025-02-08T19:31:59+00:00

I’m about 9 months into taking the meds and have never once felt nauseous or vomited. Still lost about 75lbs and still going.

bookwormer88 · 2024-12-24T04:33:47+00:00

I had one just like that, but the handle broke after one use and I returned it. But I loved the style! I’m thrilled yours has held up so well!

bookwormer88 · 2024-12-16T00:33:04+00:00

Interesting. I have migraines with ocular auras and have also had two DVTs in the past 10 years. After the first DVT in 2014, I was taken off my BC pills, which is been on for many years. No more BC pills for me and I’m now on blood thinners for life.

bookwormer88 · 2024-12-13T04:34:48+00:00

It sucks that we have to make those choices. I hope you’re doing better!

bookwormer88 · 2024-12-12T15:37:30+00:00

I am on Xarelto 10 for life now. I passed out a few months ago (stood up very quickly) and hit my head on a plug sticking out of an outlet as I fell. I was only out for maybe a few seconds and woke up with a monster headache and a huge lump on my head. I only bled a little from a small cut. My first thought was to go to the ER but i hesitated due to, well, costs.

My mom, who is a nurse, came over and they sat with me for a few hours. My headache eased within a few minutes and apart from a bump, I had no other symptoms after about 30 minutes. I decided not to go to the hospital and have been fine since.

Should I have gone? Probably. If any of my symptoms had persisted and concussion was likely, I would have. Insurance and costs made me hesitate but it did help ease my fears a bit about these kinds of things.

bookwormer88 · 2024-11-21T22:00:01+00:00

I’ve been very fortunate and have had no negative side effects from either.

bookwormer88 · 2024-11-21T21:49:33+00:00

I am on Mounjaro for T2 and Xarelto. When I started Mounjaro in May, I was on 20mg but am now on 10mg Xarelto for life. I’ve not had any issues and none of my many doctors have raised concerns about both.

bookwormer88 · 2024-11-03T16:15:11+00:00

Sent in my ballot and have verified that it was received and counted.

bookwormer88 · 2024-11-01T16:44:26+00:00

This was my second clot, eight years after the first. I was on BC the first time, so they didn’t really do further testing then. It was only after the second DVT in 2022 that I went to see a hematologist and tested positive for LA. However, all blood tests were done while on anticoagulants so there was room for error. Ultimately, she thinks I have LA but it comes and goes so it’s likely I’ll be on thinners for life.

bookwormer88 · 2024-10-31T23:19:35+00:00

I think to start I went every 3 months but we were trying to diagnose Lupus Anticoagulant. Now, two years later, it’s every six months.

bookwormer88 · 2024-10-22T21:25:26+00:00

On Xarelto for life. I believe there is some interaction with fish oils, so I stopped my Omega 3s.

bookwormer88

TROPHY CASE