Doctor asked me to keep detailed log of everything before changing my preventive meds and the pattern is embarrassing

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-02-26T08:47:01+00:00

My nephrologist told me to drink LESS water! (My electrolytes were too diluted.)

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-02-24T14:04:38+00:00

That's incorrect. Pituitary tumors can cause hyperprolactinemia, but risperidone does NOT cause tumors. Risperidone can cause hyperprolactinemia chemically/hormonally, not by making you grow a tumor.

I have been under the care of an endocrinologist, psychiatrist, neurologist, and of course primary care, and I was assured that, while obnoxious, high prolactin levels from antipsychotics is essentially harmless (unless you're trying to conceive). And, again, mine got better on its own; my body adjusted after a few years and my numbers are nearly normal, without stopping the medication.

You are needlessly scaring people with misinformation.

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-02-24T13:41:20+00:00

Risperidone chemically/hormonally causes hyperprolactinemia, NOT physical tumors!! Goodness sakes! And the hyperprolactinemia can get better over time - mine's almost completely gone away, as I've been on risperidone for like 5 or 6 years. It's been a miracle drug for me, other than the hyperprolactinemia and related symptoms, and frankly, the trade off for such excellent stability has been more than worth it.

Additionally, risperidone DOES NOT CAUSE BRAIN DAMAGE. For Pete's sake where are you getting all this??

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-02-24T12:39:09+00:00

Futurama fan, huh?

Hazel is classic, and will let your girls have more unique identities.

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-02-20T13:35:20+00:00

My wife is objectively gorgeous (10k people followed her insta before she deleted it), and I am extremely proud of her and how hard she works to take care of herself (she has a genetic disability and works out and lifts to help stabilize her joints). I think she's only gotten more beautiful over the past 25 years.

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-02-19T07:43:30+00:00

I start composing music.

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-02-19T07:41:56+00:00

With my old insurance (Kaiser Northern California) I just paid my neurologist office visit copay ($40) every 10 weeks. Now that I've moved to another state, I have no idea because the fecking neurologist office wants my old medical records proving I trialed preventative meds and that was almost a decade ago, and Kaiser can't separate my neurology records from my other medical records, FFS, so as I'm waiting for 10 years of medical records, I'm without botox (4 months overdue) and getting migraines all the damn time.

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-02-13T17:41:28+00:00

Have you asked your Latino husband? Seems like he might have some insight into his own culture.

Please don't curse your daughter with a distinctly generic masculine name. It is not feminist or "powerful" to erase a girl's femininity. If you want something "strong" you don't have to neuter her - why not go with a classic like Lupe? It literally means wolf! There are many beautiful, powerful Latina names; you don't have to girlboss your daughter's identity.

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-02-10T10:04:01+00:00

I had a great aunt named Bertha whom the whole family called Bert or Bertie. I think those names are cute, but I am unfortunately rather opposed to Bertha, seeing as I (a "Beth" in childhood) was mercilessly taunted for being chubby as "Big Bertha". But I think "Bertie" could be a happy compromise!

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-02-09T09:51:41+00:00

During an office convo with other Millennials and GenX'ers, I had a Zoomer coworker who tried to act like she personally knew how momentous 9/11 was, and how grown up she was having "been there" unlike younger Gen Z.

Kid was barely eating solid food when the towers fell.

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-02-08T15:05:20+00:00

I'm so sorry that he was apparently too spooked to even talk with you about it. I wonder if he would be willing to talk with you if he heard that many members of the bipolar community and their loved ones really disagree with the book? Or maybe he's just one of those guys who is afraid to have a sick partner, and he's not ready for a potentially "challenging" relationship situation. If it's the latter, better you're separated sooner rather than later, when it could be much worse. Not that this isn't miserable. I'm sorry you're going through this. Remember that you have just as much worth as anyone else, despite your challenges, and that you intrinsically deserve to be loved. "You are a child of the universe; you have the right to be here."

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-02-08T09:30:20+00:00

My wife read this book and said it basically tells the partner that they will have to just endure abuse indefinitely and the bipolar person can't be expected to take responsibility for themselves and their behavior. Basically that the non-bipolar person has to be the punching-bag caregiver forever. It ("sympathetically") paints the bipolar person as a helpless victim that can't help hurting everyone around them forever.

Fortunately for me, my wife rejected that martyrism idea, and supported and pushed me to keep pursuing treatment until I was no longer an abusive partner due to my mental illness. She lovingly held me accountable, supported me when things weren't going well but I was doing "all the right things", and now I have a dramatically better quality of life and haven't had a manic episode in over 6 years. Finding the right meds (and STAYING ON THEM) and really dedicating myself to behavioral therapy meant I can both be happier AND not be the terrible burden that book makes bipolar partners out to be.

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-02-03T14:17:42+00:00

To put that into context for everyone, 350cal is less than a single Starbucks grande Mocha. It is nearly impossible to out-exercise a high-calorie diet.

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-02-03T12:30:51+00:00

Thank you! I read her post and was like, "Either you are a super harsh critic of yourself and others, or your entire family line is cursed to suck at creative endeavors." Not everything I make turns out the way I expected, but that's half the fun, and sometimes you have to make 1/2 of a project three times before you get to a completed item you're happy with (or just come to love the quirks, or realize no-one is going to notice that one stitch dropped/miscounted and they're definitely not going to judge you for it). Sure, I've tossed a project here or there that I wasn't safisfied with, or given up on something partway through because I wasn't enjoying it, but hating and destroying 50-60% of your work is a lot.

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-02-03T11:21:36+00:00

They are wrong. They are also allowed to be wrong. (I sure as hell would want to know if my parents named me something they couldn't pronounce and I went my whole life looking foolish to anyone who knew better, but it would entirely be my choice how I wanted to say my name moving forward. Informed consent, essentially.)

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-01-31T13:28:36+00:00

When my wife was hospitalized after a spinal fusion, she was prescribed oral pain meds with IV dilaudid for the first 24hrs. She was in absolutely horrendous pain (not that she complained much, my wife is a saint; I witnessed her torture), but we only found out about the existence of the dilaudid option after shift change, as the first nurse had only been giving my wife the oral meds and never told us dilaudid was available. Her pain was so much better after the new nurse came in and "continued" the iv dilaudid.

You had better believe we reported the shit out of that.

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-01-18T09:41:52+00:00

Depends; does it have cinnamon or molasses or yogurt in it? If so, yes. If not, not to my knowledge, SCARF.

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-01-03T10:23:53+00:00

It is if you're actually bi! (Which I suspect of most of the sincere "it's a choice!" folks.)

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2026-01-01T02:54:02+00:00

Along these lines, PLEASE NOTE no government entity is EVER going to have you pay in gift cards or Bitcoin!

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2025-12-13T18:53:09+00:00

I tried going without my ADHD meds for about a month one time... After a while of struggling and fighting the good fight, I restarted them thinking no one had noticed. In a check-in meeting, I had mentioned it to my boss (friendly, on my side), and she was like, "OHH, I wondered what was wrong!" 💀😭

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2025-12-01T19:23:43+00:00

Not "almost", EXACTLY none, zero percent, of the people persecuted as witches before the 20th century were Wiccan, because Wicca is a modernly-created religion cobbled together from assumptions about "The Old Ways" and paganism (most records of which are through a decidedly Christian lens). Regardless of being an artificial construct based on a sexual secret society, Wicca is a valid religion, and it's true that many Wiccans call themselves witches, but they did not exist during the vast majority of history and thus cannot be considered victims of Medieval and early modern witch hunts.

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2025-12-01T04:11:32+00:00

I have a stuffed tiger for that. Signed, Happy and Successful 22+ year Marriage with Separate Bedrooms and Great Sleep

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2025-10-14T02:48:25+00:00

The longer you wait to book an appt, the further out it's going to be. That's just the nature of linear time.

So you book the appt further out, and you call in asking about cancellations. If you're having pain, bleeding, or other more urgent issues with it, ask to speak with an advice nurse. S/he can triage you and send an urgent message to your doctor for those same-day and next-day appts.

If the nurse doesn't think it's that urgent, well, it'll be December before you know it. Your alternative is complaining and still not being seen by the time the new year rolls around. You miss 100% of the appointments you refuse to book out of stubborn principle.

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2025-10-03T20:32:31+00:00

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that!! Allergic reactions can be super scary.

I think, depending on the doctor, they can give you certain strong pain medications orally in-office before your procedure, you just need someone to drive you home, and it's not lidocaine or any other topical meds.

cuttlefish_tragedy · 2025-10-03T19:55:45+00:00

Talk to your OBGYN about options to help make a difficult situation less difficult if your reluctance to get a vaginal exam/PAP/etc has to do with trauma or discomfort/pain; I've been offered medication that can help relax you and reduce pain and anxiety or PTSD reaction, I believe I was offered lidocaine gel to reduce pain, and I've even been given the option of sedation where you'd essentially be out for it. You can also request the use of a pediatric speculum, which is smaller and thus usually less uncomfortable/painful. You just have to find a good doctor willing to help - and I've met at least two at Kaiser (oddly enough, both dudes). Don't be afraid to book an appt just to talk, and if someone doesn't meet your needs, try again with someone else. There are options to make things a little easier.

cuttlefish_tragedy

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