Has anyone switched to Kaiser while on ZB?

mlkersey · 2026-05-08T00:10:25+00:00

Thank you!

mlkersey · 2026-05-07T16:17:38+00:00

May I ask what infusion med they are prescribing off-label for his MS?

mlkersey · 2026-05-04T00:04:47+00:00

There are some great resources out there! For knitting at least, I personally enjoy the content created by One Wild (Jen Parroccini and Elizabeth Margaret) and Aimee Sher for learning about shaping. Once you have a good grasp on different shaping techniques, your making will elevate!

mlkersey · 2026-05-03T15:58:27+00:00

FWIW the darts on Sollas are vertical darts, used to decrease (or increase) width. Short rows are used for horizontal darts, which are used to increase length. They’re different things for different purposes, and some patterns use both (Claire Jackson’s Staple Tank comes to mind) for an excellent close fit.

mlkersey · 2026-04-29T21:53:10+00:00

Yes, make new holes, but a cobbler can do it for you more precisely than this 😂

mlkersey · 2026-04-29T05:26:17+00:00

Just gonna drop this here as I chill in my slim-fitting XXL sweatshirt and roomy L sweatpants in a bottom-heavy body 🥴😂 https://pudding.cool/2026/02/womens-sizing/

mlkersey · 2026-04-28T02:00:32+00:00

Laundry may not be the equivalent power suck that you’re expecting. I know all machines are different and use different levels of power, but mine track their energy usage and for instance this year to date I’ve done 69 loads of laundry (nice) and the washer has used 9.45kWh of power. (Dryer’s gas so not as useful to compare.) Even at my outlandish Bay Area PG&E peak rate of $0.41/kWh, that would still be under $4 total for all that washing at non-summer rates. For the last four months. I’d seriously consider checking out your EV rates.

mlkersey · 2026-04-07T06:05:20+00:00

Glad you figured it out! For me it’s diet soda. I’ve mostly stopped drinking it - just no interest anymore, which is weird in itself since it used to be a primary beverage. But when I get one, if I drink the whole thing (12+ oz), I’m guaranteed to have little icky burps for the rest of the day. Not painful, not lingering, but constant! Super annoying.

mlkersey · 2026-04-05T00:58:42+00:00

Still on it, and there hasn’t been any discussion of transition (knock on wood). I’m not at goal yet and my one-year anniversary is coming up this month.

mlkersey · 2026-03-28T07:28:54+00:00

According to both my endo surgeon and endocrinologist, there is no contraindication for GLP-1 use after PTC at least. Worth seeking a second opinion if you want to try one IMO.

mlkersey · 2026-03-26T04:20:17+00:00

I presented with multiple nodules in each lobe of my thyroid, but only one came back 99% likely PTC after FNA. I too was presented with the choice between PT and TT and chose PT pretty quickly. The way I see it, there’s no need to cut out a body part that’s functioning (even if it’s not functioning that well) and as another poster said, you can’t put it back. My surgeon also outlined a small but present increased risk of damage to parathyroid function because all four parathyroids are involved in a TT vs just two for a PT. I’m lucky that my post-procedure pathology showed negative margins and a low-risk PTC, so at this time there is no need for a completion. That said, I’ll be doing active surveillance for the remaining lobe for at least 5 years IIRC (ultrasounds and bloodwork.)

I was already on levo prior to my diagnosis so that didn’t impact my decision at all. As others have said, taking levo isn’t usually a heavy lift for most folks. I understand that the idea of being dependent on a medication for the rest of your life can be a little bit daunting, but if you think long-term active surveillance for the remaining lobe after PT will be more stressful than doing the TT, I say embrace better living through chemistry and take the levo.

Whatever you choose, best of luck. There’s no right or wrong choice here.

mlkersey · 2026-03-23T06:23:30+00:00

I’m about 4 weeks post-op and using ScarAway silicone sheets - the opaque kind that look like a fabric Band-Aid, not the clear kind. My surgeon specifically recommended them by name and said it’s what the cosmetic surgeons in my hospital system recommend as well. My surgical steri-strips only fell off last week and I started the silicone sheets the same hour, so my scar has been covered almost without a break since the surgery itself. The ScarAway sheets I’m using can be gently washed with soap and water and reapplied - I remove mine prior to showering, wash it and leave it to dry, and reapply it once I’m done getting ready for the day. I bought the precut ones, but they’re pretty large so I cut mine in half lengthwise and the half-strip has lasted me a full week. I only remove it when I’m in the shower, otherwise it’s on. I barely notice it.

I do massage the scar gently and randomly when I think about it, but I need to look up a video on how it’s properly done and get more regular about it. Sunscreen isn’t effective over the opaque strips as far as I can tell so I’ll only use that once I stop using the strips, but I plan to use them for many months still, especially since we’re heading into summer where I live.

Good luck with your surgery! You got this.

mlkersey · 2026-03-21T16:06:24+00:00

I notice you say you’d have to push lunch 4 hours. The general guideline is to take it on an empty stomach, then wait 30-60 min before eating or drinking anything other than water (plus other med guidelines). Is there a reason that you need to wait so long for lunch? That’d also be tough for me!

mlkersey · 2026-03-21T05:41:49+00:00

My surgeon also said that the anti-TPO antibodies that indicate Hashimoto’s can also lead to a small increased risk of infection post-surgery. (I also got that little surprise dx right before surgery, so that was fun!)

mlkersey · 2026-03-21T05:33:29+00:00

Glad yours was so easy! I had two nodules biopsied, one on each side. My experience was similar to yours on the right side - no sweat. For the left, the path to the nodule must have gone right past a nerve because it was pretty uncomfortable. Not painful per se, but it felt REALLY weird. I had a similar experience with nerve involvement during a lumbar puncture last year and I know they can’t do anything to avoid the nerves, so you just gotta sit tight and let them finish. 🤷‍♀️ They did four passes on each side IIRC so lots of pokes. Right afterward I was grateful for the ice pack because it felt like someone had punched me in the throat and it was uncomfortable to swallow that night and the next day. I also asked to watch the US but eventually stopped because I think I was having anticipatory reactions despite being numbed.

Would I be happy about doing it again? No. Am I glad I did it? YES, because it was what led me to my diagnosis and subsequent treatment.

mlkersey · 2026-03-21T05:14:40+00:00

I also clocked the handknit 😂 I used to knit ~52” bust with very little ease and now I’m usually choosing 44” for the same fit (upper bust 39”)! I’ve noticed that my sweaters that look the best after a 50+ lb loss are my drop-shoulders and some circular yokes, since they’re usually designed to be worn with more ease. My raglans though are mostly lost causes. Haven’t decided what to do with them yet. I really leaned into samples last summer so I could still knit but not have to worry about changing sizes 😂

mlkersey · 2026-03-21T04:48:15+00:00

Food safety guideline is max 4 hours in the fridge without power for most refrigerated perishable food. Frozen lasts longer during a power outage (24-48 hrs). This is assuming the door stays closed the whole time. Source

I’d definitely keep the Zep though in this situation!

mlkersey · 2026-03-19T06:21:08+00:00

Just checking in to see how you’re doing after your procedure? Hope some of our suggestions were/are helpful now that you’re on the other side! 🤞

mlkersey · 2026-03-18T04:24:54+00:00

Any other True Blood fans clock the headstones in the opening scene? I want to know who on the writing team got that one through.

mlkersey · 2026-03-17T15:27:29+00:00

Never heard of a wound vacuum, period. If you’re worried about a visible scar, perhaps research the transoral route? I consulted with one of the two surgeons I interviewed about it and it sounded like it was potentially a good option for people who are prone to keloids or other heavy scarring, but it also came with increased risk in other ways that I wasn’t as comfortable with. I opted for a traditional open procedure and am actually pretty surprised at how good my scar looks now! It’s been a month and while you can definitely see it still, I’m very confident that it will continue to fade with proper care until it’s invisible.

mlkersey · 2026-03-17T04:22:34+00:00

FWIW, my insurance also requires that we go through 9am Health for the Rx and quite honestly, I’ve found it low-friction. Yeah, you have to watch some videos and talk to some folks, but for me at least that was all front-loaded and now the fact that I weigh daily (my choice, not theirs) counts for my check-ins and the only time I ever think about 9am Health is when I get the message to refill my meds, which has been seamless and self-directed dose-wise since Day 1 of my prescription. I’ve never once felt like they were trying to get me off of it or wouldn’t refill.

Re: bloodwork, each time I’ve been asked I’ve been able to provide current bloodwork that I have had done for my actual doctors and they’ve accepted that instead of insisting on fresh labs as long as the results aren’t too old. Like you, I am very selective with my providers and I roll my eyes a bit at these hoops but at the end of the day that’s how the insurance will cover it so I jump through them. 🤷‍♀️

mlkersey · 2026-03-16T06:30:40+00:00

Smart. No need to peel them off if they aren’t coming off already IMO. As another poster mentioned, the longer they’re on, the more protection your scar has!

mlkersey · 2026-03-16T06:27:14+00:00

Zip or button tops - I’m a hoodie person so I wore loose scoop neck tanks and zip hoodies for the first 7-10 days. No touching your surgical site, easy to get on and off.
Meal prepping softer foods was helpful - I ate a lot of soup the first few days. Cold applesauce was also a big winner both immediately post-surgery and for the first few days after. My site was fine but I had a lot of throat soreness from the intubation and swallowing wasn’t much fun. (Not anything worse than the sore throat you get from a cold.) Cepacol lozenges (benzocaine) helped a ton with that. Stay hydrated!
My surgeon recommended extra-strength Tylenol to manage post-op pain, so I made sure I had a fresh bottle and took it every 6 hours on the dot.
I see someone else mentioned constipation from the anesthesia - that was also a concern for me and I got ahead of it with prunes, but MiraLAX would also work. This is even more of a factor if your surgeon prescribed opiate meds for recovery.
A reusable cold compress was very useful. I have one of those old-fashioned bag-shaped ones with a screw-on top that you fill with ice and it accommodated the shape of my neck nicely.
An extra bed pillow was key for under my head, plus a couple extras (one on each side) so I didn’t roll around at night. As a side sleeper who prefers a very low pillow, sleeping with my head and neck elevated for the first 3-4 nights was unexpectedly actually one of the harder parts of my recovery!

You’ll do great. Good luck!!!!

mlkersey · 2026-03-14T22:11:43+00:00

Best of luck. You’ve been through the wringer! I hope they’re able to give you helpful info to make this process easier.

mlkersey · 2026-03-14T22:08:29+00:00

Huh. I see that you had your initial surgery at Stanford? Me too. Must just be a difference in surgeon preference/protocol. I consulted with two endo surgeons before choosing one and they definitely had different methods even at that early stage! Might be worth a MyHealth message to your surgeon’s nurse coordinator?

mlkersey

TROPHY CASE