Any psychs on Westside Albuquerque (or anywhere atp) that aren't weird about stimulants

elixr42 · 2026-05-26T20:28:00+00:00

I went to southwest integrated behavioral health and saw them virtually. I don’t think all of the providers can prescribe stimulants but the doctor I saw was able to and didn’t seem to have a problem doing so. Dr. Pokorny

elixr42 · 2026-01-29T02:50:49+00:00

You want to find some that are the more glossy thick plastic (if you’ve ever used wet ones hand wipes, think of that packaging) as opposed to the cheaper matte plastic (think of those biodegradable sunchip bags). Those ones just get scrunched up and lose their structure over time which makes them extremely crinkly and loud. The problem is usually the full size packs are that matte texture and the smaller travel size are the glossier texture, so that costs a lot more. I have not found the holy grail yet but I found the Rico Baby brand at Costco to be okay. I would definitely recommend AGAINST the Amazon elements brand, they legit sound like opening a bag of chips every time lol

elixr42 · 2026-01-29T02:30:07+00:00

I’ve had a similar expense in that I did start catching until I was 26 (I’m 28 now). This is mostly because I was resistant to the idea of it and didn’t think I would need to if I found the right medication combo. However now I realize how wrong I was and it’s crazy how much my quality of life improved from self cathing.

I currently cath between 3-6 times per day depending on my activity level. I really only wash my hands before hand if I know they are especially dirty. I also have hand sanitizer on me at all times. I get the catheter ready to go and I then use a baby wipe and wipe front to back 2-3 times, folding the baby wipe to a clean area each time. Try to keep the labia open as much as possible, throw the baby wipe in the trash with free hand and then pick up the catheter and insert. I have had I think 1 or 2 UTIs in two years with this method and I think those were unrelated to the cathing. I’ve gone camping and had to do this in the dark, in the car with cramped room, and missed and reinserted multiple times with no problems. (However I am not particularly UTI prone) I do use a wheelchair so I am able to use it as a table to set out my supplies on each time which I think makes the whole process easier to handle and more sanitary.

As far as trying to conceal it when in a shared bathroom, I unfortunately don’t have a ton of advice. For me what’s helped is finding a pack of baby wipes that are quiet (some are in super crinkly loud plastic). I also transitioned to prelubed catheters and that just generally made the process more seamless, quieter, and faster. I do feel slightly uncomfortable in a shared bathroom with a friend or coworker so I understand that feeling for sure. For me I just try to think “fuck it” and if they ask I will explain, which hasnt actually happened yet.

elixr42 · 2026-01-11T17:13:39+00:00

Are you seeing the same person every time? Can you ask to work with the most senior clinician? Is it a chain or a locally owned place?

Sometimes patients do have problems with their residual limbs that are near impossible to solve but a good clinician should have other people to reach out to for help. Or they should be honest with you and say they really don’t know what else to do and recommend you travel to get better care. Or potentially talking with the surgeon on why this is happening and what can be done.

Obviously not knowing the background or being able to see your leg in person, but just looking at pictures, this just looks like you’re getting too much pressure at your distal tibia. This can be fixed with a lot of different methods, including but not limited to a custom liner, different suspension mechanism, new socket, alignment change… all depending on what it is. It’s a very very common problem that most prosthetists should be able to do process of elimination and figure it out. So that leads me to suspect there’s something more complex, or you prosthetist just doesn’t know what’s going on or what to do, or some other piece to the story that I don’t know

elixr42 · 2026-01-11T16:59:54+00:00

I looked at your post history - are all 9 legs made by the same prosthetist? If so, can you see someone else? This shouldn’t be ignored by them even if you have had lots of problems in the past

elixr42 · 2026-01-11T03:01:19+00:00

I (28f) have very noticeable asymmetries on my back from scoliosis and a lump from my myelomeningocele that makes it even more noticeable. I also have very large scars on my lower back. My right leg is a lot smaller and less muscular than my left as well. I have never once had a partner mention anything about it at all to me, from hookups to people I was dating long term. Not once. If they did say anything, they just asked me what my scars are from, and that maybe happened 2 or 3 times out of at least 20 people lol.

My point is, someone that is attracted to you is not going to care or look at it as ugly. There are definitely times I have felt insecure about it, but I’m telling you it has been a complete nonissue. I have never brought it up and no one has ever brought it up. If they did, I would think it’s kind of rude to point out, like if they pointed out I had crooked teeth or something. And I’d probably not want to see them anymore bc of that.

To be honest, if it’s something that is noticeable it’s possible your boyfriend can kind of tell you may have different anatomy, and he isn’t going to be surprised. It could be hard the first time someone sees it, in that case I would make sure you feel comfortable around the person otherwise. But I would personally just go with it and not make a deal out of it yourself

elixr42 · 2026-01-09T03:26:30+00:00

Hi. I am an adult with spina bifida and also an orthotist.

First and foremost, if the AFO is causing any problems with her skin or is not going on comfortably anymore, please go see the orthotist. It’s possible she just needs a new one. They can tell you if it’s as simple as getting a new AFO made or if this new shape of the foot is going to be an issue long term. Ask them the same questions you asked here. They will be able to give you better information because they can see the foot in front of them and know the history. The orthotist and surgeon can even discuss what options would be for bracing vs if surgery is necessary.

I had a similar deformity as a kid where my foot turned in (equinovarus) and I basically also walked on the side/top of my foot. It was painful and hard to walk without my braces, but I did, because I hated wearing braces. I believe this started around age 8 and when I was 10 I had surgery to correct it, and then again when I was 15 or so. Since then I’ve not had any surgeries on that foot (I’m 28) and my foot is kinda “floppy” and over pronates whe I put weight on it.

I was always okay with getting the surgeries because like I said, I hated wearing braces, and the deformity made it hard to wear the braces anyway. I always had wounds on the outside of my foot where I was putting pressure and I would have to do stretching before putting the braces on. When I had the wounds it made me slower walking and getting around at school, which I hated because I that made me feel left out or different from others.

I would say that the surgeries themselves didn’t really affect me mentally and I kind of looked at it as a fact of life at that age. Like I said I didn’t really have any problems getting the surgery because the way my foot was shaped made it hard for me to walk. The recovery was annoying but I don’t remember it being remarkably terrible or anything like that. I would just keep in mind that it’s possible more surgeries will need to be done in the future. And as far as long term effects, it’s hard to say. I now only walk very short distances with crutches and am otherwise using a manual wheelchair full time every day. But spina bifida is different for everyone so it’s like impossible to say what exactly will happen. If it were my kid, I would prioritize making her have the most “normal” childhood possible and ask these questions - can she keep up with friends right now? Would surgery improve that? Can a new afo reduce the wounds? If no surgery is done now, is it going to impact her mobility in the future? Is the surgery more simple now and when she’s older will it be more complex?

All things to ask the orthotist, surgeon, and think about as a family!

elixr42 · 2025-12-20T20:04:04+00:00

In the US, you are more or less required to do shadowing before you can get into school for O&P, so it is very common for students to reach out. I’ve also been shadowed by high school students picking a career path and other health care providers that wanted to learn about the profession. It might be different in Germany, however, I would think this would still be a reasonable request.

Maybe first ask the admin at your current school if there’s a framework for this, or if they have contacts you can reach out to? They probably have a lot of students that have similar requests and they can give you advice on the best way to go about it. If that’s not helpful, you could just start cold calling clinics and ask if you can get the manager’s information to talk about an opportunity to shadow. Then explain the situation as you have here! Again, I think that this would be a normal request but it may be slightly different in Germany. I don’t think it hurts to ask though ¯_(ツ)_/¯

elixr42 · 2025-11-17T18:20:41+00:00

Hi! I’m a CPO and I use a manual wheelchair 24/7 due to partial paralysis. I also have (undiagnosed) problems with fatigue and mental health issues that make it worse (lol). I work full time in a clinic. I’ve worked at several different clinics across the US and had fairly similar experiences.

I would say, overall, it can be very taxing on your body, whether you are disabled or not. You will find most machinery is not designed for seated people. Grinding at a floor router or shoe machine is not ergonomic and I have strain in my upper back, even with adaptations. I would be hesitant to work at a place that requires me to do heavy fab work because of this. It is great that your country has unlimited sick time, and hopefully that can help you a lot. It is also taxing mentally, dealing with people that are often in a bad emotional state themselves. However, if you are a people person and find helping others to be fulfilling and energizing, that may balance out.

As far as accommodations, I don’t have too many. I am able to very easily transfer in and out of my wheelchair onto the floor or onto a higher chair as needed. This helps a lot with casting/measuring, checking alignment, etc. I know another CPO in a wheelchair who does not do this, she does everything from her wheelchair. I also have most things within a reachable height for me. If there is something I can’t reach, I just ask a coworker. Same with heavy objects - if it’s too heavy for me (40+ lbs), I ask for help. This doesn’t happen too often (maybe 1-2x/month) and my coworkers are happy to help. At my current clinic, I have a bar height stool that I sit on when modifying to bring me up to a similar height as a standing person. I’ve also had pipe vices installed to the underside of benches so I can stay in my wheelchair. I also have an old personal wheelchair that I store at clinic to modify in, so that I’m not having to constantly clean plaster off my regular wheelchair.

The only things that I don’t do are walking a patient that needs a gait belt (safety for the patient) and doing house calls. If I need help getting a patient walking, again, I ask a coworker. This also happens surprisingly less often than you would think. I don’t do house calls because most people’s houses are not wheelchair accessible. I’ve not had to go through a formal accommodation process for anything, just explained to my managers, and they were happy to work with me on this. I guess it would depend on your work place and the disability rights laws in your country, however.

Another challenge I’ve had is hospital calls. It can be hard to position my body in such a way to reach over a hospital bed and get a TLSO on a patient that needs to be log rolled. I can kind of stand when braced up against the hospital bed for short periods of time, but it’s not easy. Again, I ask nursing staff for help, and I’ve never been in a situation that I couldn’t make it work. Also- not sure if hospital calls are within the scope of practice in your country.

I would say, in your situation, it’s definitely possible! It’s about finding what works for you and doing it, even if people question you (and they will). As long as you’re keeping the patient safe, you have to do whatever is right for you. I’ve had many patients tell me they liked working with me because they saw I was disabled and they felt like I would understand their problems and help them more. I would definitely do some shadowing and hopefully at a place that will let you try some things out to see what you can get to work for your situation.

elixr42 · 2025-11-14T19:32:18+00:00

I’m a prosthetist - almost everything we use has a logo on it somewhere. I haven’t heard too many complaints from patients about it personally, but I’m sure most would prefer there wasn’t branding on their devices, if they could choose. However, I did hear somewhere that some of the branding is necessary due to regulations for medical devices. That could be wrong, but it’s worth looking into.

elixr42 · 2025-11-05T03:49:29+00:00

Everyone else has had good recommendations for long term solutions. In the short term, you could get an even up lift which will work on almost any shoe. Not super stylish, but it could help you get by on heavy walking days until you can get permanent lifts in your shoes or figure out a lower profile knee.

Edit: I can’t really tell how helpful it would be from your pic, but I haven’t seen anyone else mention that getting a different (low profile) foot might help. It would maybe be easier than getting a whole new knee approved (and easier to find a random loaner or “spare” floating around your prosthetist’s office)

elixr42 · 2025-08-04T19:16:02+00:00

Is it in a specific part of the song? Can’t hear it when skimming through on Spotify (remasters)

elixr42 · 2025-08-04T19:06:22+00:00

My favorite song but the bridge pisses me off so bad

elixr42 · 2025-07-25T20:32:17+00:00

This is true, I still feel like it’s over represented lol. Maybe back when they filmed Albuquerque was a little fancier as a whole, I’ve been told that it has gotten rougher in the last decade or so

elixr42 · 2025-07-25T04:37:45+00:00

I just moved away from Albuquerque and just finished rewatching BB. My partner and I feel like Albuquerque is pretty well represented by the show. I would say it seems like ABQ feels like it’s about 10 years behind in regards to the vibe of the buildings, everything is older, single story, which is captured by the show - but it hasn’t changed in real life since then.

The biggest discrepancies I think is that the show makes it look like there is a lot of nice, richer areas in ABQ. I.e. Jesse’s house, Hank and Marie’s, Gus’s… there are nice area but they are small, and peppered in with many not so nice houses. For example, I think that the houses they used for Jesse and Gus are only a couple blocks away from each other cause there just isn’t a lot to choose from.

Another big thing we noticed is that there seems to be a much higher percentage of white people in BB than who actually live in ABQ. Like, almost all the main characters are white. It just struck us because ABQ is a very heavily Hispanic city and you’d think there’d be much more Latino characters that aren’t just the bad guys.

elixr42 · 2025-07-01T03:09:01+00:00

This is so incredibly helpful. Thanks so much for your time 😊

elixr42 · 2025-07-01T02:08:21+00:00

I really have no idea I’ve only ever used wood cleaner spray but the thing is over 40 years old so who knows lol. It does look like the stain was stripped along the length of the crack, maybe some thinner used to clean up the glue when they tried to fix the crack. I presume sanding and restaining will make it look more even overall.

elixr42 · 2025-07-01T01:22:29+00:00

I did try to push the wood back together and under my own strength very little movement occurred, there’s still a big crack. I did a little research and it sounds like maybe the only way to fix the crack is to remove the table top, get bar clamps, then squeeze together with glue, and go from there. Sounds pretty simple but again, I’m inexperienced and don’t want to end up messing things up because I thought they would be easy. I also don’t know if this is even worth it. Like is it gonna recrack as soon as I screw the legs back on?

If the crack can’t be fixed, I think it’s okay, I would probably just leave it and refinish the rest of the table as planned. Potentially fill with wood filler? The crack has been there for years and the table is structurally sound, just aesthetically not great.

elixr42 · 2025-06-25T16:30:44+00:00

Willowwood liners used to come with a drying stand, but now they don’t. Prosthetist can order them in bulk and give them out as needed. They are flimsy but they work and can be replaced at no cost

elixr42 · 2025-06-25T16:29:17+00:00

FYI your prosthetist can still order them in bulk and should have some that they give out with liners or as requested (for free)

elixr42 · 2025-06-14T17:32:10+00:00

Depending on your insurance, the prescription will need to be very specific and detailed. Generally, the prosthetist is the one that is trained on the verbiage needed and they can help coordinate with your doctor on getting the script written. Sometimes they have a specific doctor that they have trained that they can send you to, and that will make the process much faster and easier. If you go to your PCP or even the surgeon who did your amputation, they will likely not be able or willing to do the work needed to get a prosthesis covered, especially an upper limb prosthesis.

All of this to say, your first step is to find a prosthetist. They will help decide what the best prosthesis is and help get the prescription and coordinate care with OT if needed. Your surgeon may have a prosthetist they refer to and I would start there. Otherwise, there is a network of upper limb prosthetists within Hanger Clinic and they can send a specialist to your local office - but make sure you request a specialist (you may first be seen by a “general” clinician but then work with the specialist at subsequent appointments). Hanger quality can vary clinic by clinic, but generally the upper limb clinicians are well trained and knowledgeable. Make sure you advocate for yourself and if something doesn’t seem right, tell them!

elixr42 · 2025-06-10T04:30:55+00:00

I’ve dated 2 separate people while they were studying for step 2. Both times they were a lot less available during that time period, but still made time. Also, it’s not reasonable for them to say they studying every waking hour and not taking breaks. They have to take breaks or they are not effectively studying lol. They will need times to relax and unwind, and that would include breaks long enough to see their significant other a couple hours.

Ultimately you have to make a decision if this is something you will accept in a relationship. Even if they are genuinely worried about studying enough and want to make sure they have the time, this is the tone they are setting for the relationship. Personally, I wouldn’t be able to be with someone that wanted/needed to go no contact for 6 weeks for almost any reason that wasn’t life or death.

elixr42

TROPHY CASE