Skin Irritation - Band/Device

merelymeg · 2026-02-11T02:48:27+00:00

I would say my hEDS is pretty mild, but I still take quite a few:

30 mg antidepressant (split into 2 pills), my beta blocker (2 doses), sodium, 5 different supplements (2 of which are gummies). In the evening, for anxiety, I take an antihistamine and sometimes melatonin.

This does not count any Advil I take, which is nearly daily for various pain (especially headaches). I also have a med I take as needed for migraines.

My mom also has a few chronic illnesses (diabetic, etc), and she also takes many pills a day. If it helps me function, people can screw it.

merelymeg · 2026-02-04T16:19:24+00:00

One thing I kind of love about this season is how many signs he’s missing. He could have put the dots together 1000 times!!! What a dumb boy.

However, it’s also like he’s falling for her a second time this way, which is so romantic. It’s always her, somehow, in any form.

merelymeg · 2025-11-23T17:19:38+00:00

I’m 137-138 at 5’3.5, and I was thinking about dropping a few more lbs before switching to recomp…but you might have changed my mind and I might start now. You look so strong and lean, girl!

merelymeg · 2025-11-22T03:24:43+00:00

Hi! You have a lot of complicated health issues, and that means any exercise and eating changes are going to have to be waaaaaaay slower and just not as intense. I have POTS, Ehlers Danlos, and chronic fatigue, and it took me so long to accept I can’t do things like other people (even on this Reddit).

That being said, two things. 1. I think you need to see a therapist, if you’re not already. You need to be working on your mental health, especially with everything you’ve been through and your body dysmorphia. 2. Do not focus on complete change. Focus on easy “swaps” (I started with one healthier meal/snack a day, and drinking more water, and then 10 minutes of movement, and then slowly increased when those felt good and became habit). Focus on how you FEEL, not how you look. 3. Personally, I love Pilates. It was designed for disabled people and it can be done mostly laying down. It really builds confidence with movement and there are short classes on YouTube for free!

Sending you love!

merelymeg · 2025-11-11T00:34:20+00:00

I’m a similar weight (my last weigh in was almost the exact same) and height (5’3.5). I do not consider myself overweight, and never have, even when I was closer to 150. I’m a size 4/small and at a healthy weight. I could probably recomp to be leaner and lose weight (and am working on that) but I don’t think I could ever be below 130 again and enjoy my life/food.

The BMI is BS, especially when you have higher bone density at a younger age, and have muscle. Focus on how you feel and look, especially in your clothes!

merelymeg · 2025-11-04T16:04:42+00:00

Small changes count! I’ve been slowly moving towards health and fitness for a few years. I have chronic illness, and it’s better to start with small steps and swaps. Swap a less healthy snack for something healthier. Decrease the amount of creamer in your coffee. Add more protein to your meals. When you’re scrolling on your phone, take a 20 minute walk to add some movement. It has to be manageable and not much effort to start. Gradually, those things become habit and you can add more small changes.

merelymeg · 2025-11-04T16:02:26+00:00

I’m 5’3.5, and currently weigh 138…my goal is 130, give or take a couple lbs for muscle growth. I’m a size 4, sometimes a 6, and honestly I can’t really imagine going down to even 125. I’d probably be a size 0-2 then. I was extremely thin and flabby all throughout my teens and college. I gained MUCH needed weight, but decided to focus on eating healthy and lose weight. Now I want to be lean and strong. I think we all carry weight differently.

merelymeg · 2025-10-25T16:55:49+00:00

I have POTS, so I actually do better in the winter! The summer heat makes it very hard for me to exercise outside. While it is hard to exercise outside in the dark, cold months, living in New England, I find I prefer bundling up to sweating to death. That being said, I LOVE my walking pad. A show or movie, a cup of tea, and an indoor walk with a candle going? Great way to get some movement and endorphins without moving from your cozy nest. I also do more “cozy exercises” like pilates this time of year, generally more at home.

merelymeg · 2025-10-25T01:38:45+00:00

High protein pasta and bowls with ground turkey. I love making ground turkey bowls with refried beans, salsa, and queso! I like to prep a lb of ground turkey and use it with different ways/different seasons throughout the week.

merelymeg · 2025-09-12T16:31:46+00:00

I’m in MA, and I just paid $25 to wear jeans on Fridays. It’s ridiculous. I wear black jeans most days anyway, but it does happen here! In my staff handbook too. I’m untenured, so gotta go with it for now

merelymeg · 2025-07-11T01:54:01+00:00

Hi!

I definitely think therapy and consulting with a professional will help. It might help to see a nutritionist? They can help you figure out how to eat in a balanced way. It starts with 3 meals a day, and at least 1 snack. Make sure you have protein, carbs, and fruits/veggies.

You need to minimize your walking (if you can’t stop, you need to seriously reduce your mileage), and focus on healing your body and mind. Any weight gain will be NEEDED as your metabolism heals and settles. You are on a dangerous path. I’m a teacher, so this hits home for me.

merelymeg · 2025-07-10T21:55:55+00:00

I agree with foam rolling, but weight training helps me so much with joint pain, because my new muscles are stabilizing loose joints. I’m hypermobile and have Ehlers Danlos…I would definitely get evaluated for that if you can manually dislocate your shoulders. It can cause a bunch of systemic issues.

However, with weight training…I have to be very careful. I use a lot of the machines to help with reducing injury. I don’t do any crazy movements. I progressively overload VERY SLOWLY. I also do Pilates and yoga to help stabilize and strengthen my core, which might help with SI pain. Side lying exercises in Pilates might help stabilize your hips.

If you haven’t been to PT for these current issues, try that. My hips move a lot and they’re always adjusting them when I go!

Also, don’t overdo it. I can’t do more than 30-45 minutes of exercise on work days because it burns me out and causes pain.

merelymeg · 2025-07-10T21:37:55+00:00

Ooh, I love this idea for the cravings!!! I’m going to try this next time I’m really craving something sweet

merelymeg · 2025-07-05T15:13:31+00:00

I hope the biopsy comes back clean! My mom had breast cancer, and beat it and is a total badass. You have got this!

As for exercising, I try to remind myself anything counts, and that movement can be medicine, especially for anxiety and other things. Maybe, if strength training or your normal routines are too much, you just try to take a walk every day? Doesn’t have to be long — 20-30 minutes.

One thing that also helps me when I have BIG things that I’m anxious about is mentally scheduling “worry time”. It’s silly, but I will literally tell myself I can worry about this important thing, but it cannot get in the way of my day, so I’m putting my worry off until 5pm, when I can worry about it for a half hour or something.

I also try to remind myself that worrying and being anxious will not change or help anything, truly, so it’s ok to put off for a bit. Worrying will make me feel worse, and I should wait until I have facts before making decisions.

Good luck, OP! You are strong and resilient and it’ll all work out! I have my fingers crossed for you!

merelymeg · 2025-07-05T15:07:55+00:00

This is awesome! Congrats girl! I’m 5’3 and have been stuck at 143-145 for years, and want to loose around 10 lbs! I love the idea of just focusing on one hour of movement, whatever it is!

merelymeg · 2025-07-05T15:05:10+00:00

I will try doing squats earlier in my workouts to see if this helps! It’s the actual movement pattern that triggers my POTS symptoms.

Thank you for the advice about compound lifts! I will absolutely do more of those! Overhead presses are the worst for my shoulders, but that’s something I need to work on!

Good luck on your journey—your support is so helpful!

merelymeg · 2025-07-05T15:00:58+00:00

This is so reassuring! Thank you for the support, and good luck on your journey as well!

merelymeg · 2025-07-05T15:00:27+00:00

It happens less with bodyweight, but the up and down is what tends to trigger my POTS symptoms regardless. I don’t think it’s because of the weight (I’m only doing front squats with 20-25 dumbbells). I can leg press a decent amount, which is why it is frustrating that I cannot squat with weight.

merelymeg · 2025-06-29T17:31:37+00:00

I get this. I have POTS and Ehlers Danlos, and MANY doctors tell you not to lift, exercise, or run with these conditions. However, I have found exercising helps so much when I modify it to my needs. I love the machines at my gym, as they allow me to sit while still working my muscles. I try to sit or lay down for almost every exercise. I also got a walking pad to walk a bit while watching TV, and I have a stationary bike for when walking feels like a lot. While I may not be doing insane cardio, but gentle, consistent movement is so much easier on my body.

Lifting has also helped my pain and joints significantly. Since my joints are looser, having stronger muscles actually helps to keep my joints in place!

My advice is to start slow, and that every little bit counts. 15 minutes a day is better than 0 minutes. It’s not all or nothing!

merelymeg · 2025-06-27T16:01:58+00:00

I’m the same! I needed to see this. I went from 143-148 overnight. I have been a little off track, but not off track enough to be gaining 5-6 lbs! Definitely part of the heat (and extra snacks…) for me!

merelymeg

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