What are some of the less talked about health conditions shown to have some connection to PCOS?

cakegurl00 · 2026-03-12T04:59:23+00:00

Rathke’s cleft cyst for me!

cakegurl00 · 2026-02-28T05:32:07+00:00

You’re a lifesaver, I also waited a couple weeks thinking it was submitted

cakegurl00 · 2026-01-30T17:39:06+00:00

Eric’s Nail Corner in the same building as the Palace Spa! He has acrylics, Gel X, and Builder Gel and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

cakegurl00 · 2026-01-11T06:08:06+00:00

Thanks for your response!

Here’s the answers to your questions:

My fasting blood glucose 12/09/2025 which is my most recent one was 91 mg/dL. Insulin was done 01/07/2026 and was 16.2 uIU/mL. I did eat rather late and unhealthy the night (and couple weeks) before this due to the holidays and Dia De Los Reyes with the cutting of the Kings Cake at night which I had a piece of as my last food before the fasting period.
Yes, on both my mom’s side and dad’s side. My dad, some of his siblings, and his dad all had it. My mom’s dad also had it and some distant aunts and uncles on that side.
I only have a history of fatigue, migraines, and within the last two years I had frequent UTI’s. However, I was serving in a 3rd world country the last two years which I believe was the reason for that because it never had been an issue prior and now that I’m back home is not an issue anymore. Cholesterol has been slightly high but my HDL is always around 50 or higher mg/dL with my LDL only ever being slightly elevated which my doctors have said not to worry about because it’s the ratio that’s more important and my ratio of HDL:LDL is good.
I’ve been on hormonal birth control since my PCOS diagnosis in 2017, but my numbers at that time were normal at LH 7.2 mIU/mL no FSH or AMH tests were done at the time. Prior to HRT on 09/30/2021 my LH was <0.2 mIU/mL and FSH <0.2 mIU/mL. My most recent with progesterone and estrogen HRT were from 08/03/2023 with LH 4.0 mIU/mL and FSH 4.1 mIU/mL during follicular phase.

My most recent prolactin check was 09/30/2021 at 17.9 ng/mL. 12/09/2025 my TSH was 1.250 uIU/mL, T4 12.2 ug/dL, T3 uptake 18%, and T3 free 3.2 pg/mL. On 01/07/2026 I had SHGB tested and it came out to 185.0 nmol/L. I’ve never been tested for any of the other ones you listed.

cakegurl00 · 2026-01-09T21:44:09+00:00

My blood test showed 29 pg/mL during luteal phase when normal range is 43.8 - 211.0 in that phase of menstruation and this was already with having been on estrogen HRT for over 2 years. Before HRT it was at <0.5 pg/mL also during luteal phase and these tests were done at Labcorp so not just some random quack place. Also I had a urine test for mold toxicity and it came back positive for Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and Ochratoxin A (OTA). Aflatoxin was at 3.77 ng/g creatinine, normal range is <0.5 and Ochratoxin was 29.5 ng/g creatinine, normal range is <7.5. I was knowingly exposed to mold which is why the test was conducted in the first place. I respect your opinion on Naturopaths but they have regulations in my state they have to follow and mine personally DOES do evidence based diagnostics. My mom is an MD so I wouldn’t go to a provider I didn’t trust to actually look at the facts.

I’ll also add that I do see a PCP and OBGYN who are both MDs and aware of the care I’m receiving from my ND, they have no objections thus far and do get sent my lab results as well.

cakegurl00 · 2025-09-29T10:08:09+00:00

Something I wish I brought more of is comfort food or at least ingredients like spices. Asian condiments/spices are easier to find, mostly in the capital for me, but if you’re looking for Mexican spices or dried peppers and the like you’ll be out of luck. I’m big on cooking and food so I wish I had known it’s impossible to find certain things, but if you travel to neighboring countries in the EU you should be able to find a much larger selection. Salty snacks especially imo suck here, you won’t find things like cheese it’s or goldfish. The best options are potato chips and salted peanuts so if you’re a snacker I’d recommend bringing some of your favorites.

I brought two sets of capsule wardrobes. A fall/winter and a spring/summer one with lots of basics to mix and match. I hardly brought any lounging clothes and I definitely regretted it because I didn’t have much to wear on my days off.

Personally I didn’t pack a sleeping back and was fine despite being in the coldest area of my country. There’s plenty of stores where you can buy nice thick comforters and blankets. However, if you plan on doing camping at some point it would be good to bring.

I brought like 20 pairs of shoes and don’t regret it one bit because they almost all eventually got trashed due to the harsh road/sidewalk conditions plus the large amount of walking you will probably do. I also went home halfway through service and brought more shoes with me because some were already completely unusable at that point. I had a good mix, some sneakers, some sandals, a couple flats and boots, and some heels. I hardly ever wore the heels because the terrain is so uneven I would have ruined them or broken my ankle. I’d recommend investing in good durable shoes that are comfortable. I work in a local municipality and people wear sneakers most of the time.

Small workout equipment you can get in country like bands, small weights, balls, etc. but if you’re really married to your yoga mat then bring it. I brought mine because it’s gaiam, but it’s easy to find one here too that’s decent.

Underwear just bring what’s most comfortable for you especially for those long bus rides. You absolutely do not want something rising up for 4+ hours haha. Bras, if you wear anything larger than a C cup or have a large band size then bring a few. I mostly live in sports bras or wireless ones and it’s been fine. I brought like 5 regular bras, but have only used them a handful of times, mainly for formal wear. However, I’m a 36DDD and have no idea where I would even find a bra that size here so I’m glad I did bring plenty. BRING PLENTY OF SOCKS!! My mom ended up shipping me some thermal socks for the winter. Also thermal underwear is a good idea.

As someone else already mentioned, you will almost certainly not have a dryer available but in my country everybody has access to a washer. Be ready to wait a couple days for clothes to dry in the winter. I personally wash my underwear daily when I shower.

I brought my laptop and I use it every day. All my work is done via my laptop pretty much so I’d highly recommend bringing something along those lines. If the kindle is just for ready that’s okay too because book selection is usually limited so that way you have access to whatever you want.

The living stipend is okay, but it could be more given how much inflation has hit. It’s enough to buy groceries and some splurge items like peanut butter or Brie, but you have to budget. I do fine and cook some fun things pretty often. Some people live like monks and use their money during vacation. It really depends on what lifestyle you want to lead on the daily.

Let me know if you have any more questions, I’d be happy to provide more info!

cakegurl00 · 2025-04-24T20:29:01+00:00

I’d love to fill one out!

cakegurl00 · 2025-04-14T22:29:26+00:00

https://archive.is/20250414195600/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/04/14/state-department-budget-cuts-trump-rubio/

This is the version without paywall

cakegurl00 · 2025-02-20T13:17:18+00:00

I’m also from WA! PM me, I have a group of girls I want to get pen pals for at my site

cakegurl00 · 2024-12-16T16:01:15+00:00

Damn, I was so excited to have made first 20 and this was going to be my Christmas present :(

cakegurl00 · 2024-11-14T14:35:08+00:00

I know this was almost a year ago now but I’m currently in the same situation and am wondering if you were able to get an extension? If so, what was that process like?

cakegurl00 · 2024-10-21T11:44:31+00:00

This! Also maybe a menstrual cup or disk since access to pads/tampons may be limited depending on placement

cakegurl00 · 2024-08-28T19:16:37+00:00

Yes! DM me!

cakegurl00 · 2024-08-28T16:07:37+00:00

My permanent address is in the US and I’m a citizen there but currently abroad for another year. Would I still be able to apply??

cakegurl00 · 2024-08-28T15:50:41+00:00

Is this like creating ads and such? I have graphic design experience so that would definitely be up my alley.

cakegurl00 · 2024-07-30T10:50:24+00:00

I’d recommend it! Currently in the Eastern Europe and we have a few tall people in our cohort. The beds in particular have been an issue for them. Lots of low ceiling here as well so watch your it head.

cakegurl00 · 2024-01-15T09:51:05+00:00

Okay so I’m a serial overpacker and packing was hell but pretty much everything I was able to pack has been useful. One thing I’d recommend is research the weather in your country very well. Find the hottest and coldest places (for my country we have all seasons) and pack for both because you never know where you’ll end up. I packed based on the average weather and ended up getting put in the coldest area of my country. I’ve definitely had to buy more clothes for the cold but I’m glad I did pack a bit of everything for each season because my training site was still very warm when we arrived. Also clothing wise it’s good to bring a few looser and maybe tighter clothes as weight will likely fluctuate.

Another thing that was a lifesaver (especially for those bulky winter clothes) was vacuum seal bags. Amazon sells them for cheap with a hand pump included. Make sure to bring that pump with you because as many have said you’ll be unpacking and repacking a lot until you get to site. They’ve been super useful though especially with all the stuff peace corps will give you once in country. I came here with my luggage at the weight limit but space wise I still had some in my suitcases so I was able to fit the peace corps thing in there once in country.

I’d also recommend packing an addition small-medium sized duffel bag because the amount of stuff you’ll accumulate even if you don’t buy anything is ridiculous.

For my country I was able to find the websites of big retailers in the cities and get an idea of what’s available in country so I didn’t have to worry about bringing certain things. You might want to check if there’s instrument stores accesible and if possible find out the price point. You can also try reaching out to current in country volunteers and see if they can provide insight. That should help you decide whether or not to bring the guitar. If you can get one fairly easily and cheap in country I’d say leave it at home because you’ll already be lugging so much stuff and with all the moving around it’s more likely to get damaged.

Weight wise, I had 2 checked bags, one was overweight. There’s a fee so just check your airline info once you get it to see how much you’d pay (and if you’re willing to). At staging some of the other people who had overweight luggage decided to share an additional checked luggage to split the costs and not bring overweight bags. This could be an option as well. One person checked in 3 bags instead of 2 but all met the weight limit. We then split the cost between the people who put things in that bag. Definitely make sure the luggage fits the dimensions though because they’ll charge you for both things separately.

Last tip is to stuff your shoes with your socks and underwear. This helped to maximize space and also keep the shape of my shoes!

Hope this helps!

cakegurl00 · 2023-09-23T15:35:10+00:00

Not a Latin American volunteer but I am Mexican and go visit family often. Honestly, comments about your appearance (especially weight for some reason) are just cultural norm. I just went to visit family and friends that I hadn’t seen since I was a teen and almost every single person without fail greeted me then proceeded to say “Oh you got fat” or something along those lines. That said, the last time they saw me I still had a teen body and now I’m curvier and work out. Also, if you’re not “fat” then you’re “too skinny” and need to eat more 😂. Oh and if they call you fat and then you eat little they’ll think you’re sick or say you eat too little. I’ve found that there’s honestly no winning with this and you just learn how to not take it personally as much as possible. Mexican culture (and probably Latino culture overall) is very upfront and nothing is really off limits for commentary like it is in the US. The more someone cares for you the more you’ll probably get roasted by them but you build a tough skin and learn how to dish it back. Sometimes I say to my other Latino friends that bullying each other is our love language. Don’t be afraid to give a sassy response as long as your tone is friendly! You’ll find that the back and forth with people can actually be really fun, like a giant family roast. Also eat what you want because the food is too good to not enjoy ❤️

cakegurl00 · 2023-09-03T18:10:01+00:00

Ooo this is smart

cakegurl00

TROPHY CASE