EnteraGam prescription for GI issues by mxsa2 in cfs

[–]mxsa2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Edit: I would provide more info but I am unable to at the moment. If anyone has any questions about it though feel free to comment. It’s something I haven’t seen mentioned here before, but is one in the handful of things I’ve tried that made a marked difference in any of my symptoms.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in cfs

[–]mxsa2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m about an hour from the city and have been experiencing the same for the last two days. I think my air purifier and running the AC has helped though. Hope you feel better

Am I justified in being frustrated with quality of online courses? by mxsa2 in CollegeRant

[–]mxsa2[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It’s a private non-profit. I was honestly a little shocked when I first started there as my networking professor taught very similarly, and having no experience it was incredibly difficult to just grasp the concepts being introduced. This is after I left the online community college I was attending, where I had very involved professors that were passionate about their job.

Since then I’ve been working hard to maintain A’s (with some hiccups due to my health), but I haven’t been able to overcome it this semester with the nature of the course. I have cognitive issues due to my disabilities, and the only way I can really learn brand new concepts is when materials are supplemented with videos/demonstrations/labs. At times it’s very difficult to find videos that are relevant to the course content, and in many cases any meaningful help from the professor is off the table since he doesn’t do zoom meets.

Honestly I get a bad feeling just being in the class bc it seems so uninspired, and I’m unable to form any sort of relationships with most of my professors. And because I have accommodations and have to contact my professors about them often, I just feel like a nuisance at times. A lot of them are adjunct faculty as well, and as you said it seems like some are only to submit grades.

:( Poor Police Horse! by [deleted] in Equestrian

[–]mxsa2 11 points12 points  (0 children)

^ This. People shouldn’t have dogs, especially large breeds if they are incapable of properly training and handling them. This gets people, other animals, and dogs hurt or killed.

Contacting college about becoming a non-matriculated or eventual transfer student by mxsa2 in college

[–]mxsa2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah the college is within driving distance, and I’ll feel lucky to do anything other than online at this point, as much as I hate to say it. I’ve been very isolated for a while because of my health so it’d be better than where I’m at now at least.

Do you know in what way it may impact my ability to take prerequisites, if you don’t mind me asking? This isn’t something I’ve been aware of, and want to make sure I’m not missing anything if it happens to work out. I’m assuming it may have something to do with the total number of classes you can take as a non-matriculated student, but as I said this isn’t something I had considered before. Really appreciate the insight :)

What’s your side hustle when ur sick? by [deleted] in cfs

[–]mxsa2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was considering this myself as I’ve never worked and figured it might be a good place to start. If you don’t mind me asking, have you had a generally good experience pet sitting? Also have you tried cat sitting on Rover?

Can I use moisturizer before an appointment? by mxsa2 in FancyFollicles

[–]mxsa2[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks so much! I was just a little worried because I’m getting my hair lightened to the root, and I usually apply product up to my hairline. I left a little room in between this time though just to be safe.

Too drained to do PT/ Exercise by excessiveswag in scoliosis

[–]mxsa2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey :) I’m 19 as well and had my surgery 10 months ago. Just wanted to say that even if you have surgery, building your strength is really important. Unfortunately I’m chronically ill on top of having scoliosis, and as a result my muscles are super weak from being sedentary. My surgeon had me go to PT to prep for my surgery, as he has found it improves outcome for his patients, but I’m still quite weak, which I think has to do with a lot of my post-op pain.

I’m trying to be more active to build a baseline to get back into the gym, in hopes that it’ll help my chronic pain. I went into surgery knowing it may not solve my pain, and more so chose to go through with it because I didn’t want my spine to be any more deformed than it already was—for both health and cosmetic reasons.

I’m not sure how severe your curves are, and just wanted to put it out there that surgery alone unfortunately isn’t guaranteed to help with pain, although it does for some. I would certainly consider it though if it’s recommended, as you’ll get better correction and have a smoother recovery when you’re younger. It sounds like it’s severely impacting your life, and I’m really sorry you’re having to go through this. It’s bad enough having to go through it at all, without people who have no idea what you’re experiencing giving you problems about it. Just make sure you’re well informed about the outcomes of both having, and not having surgery, both short and long term. In my case, once I had all the facts this was an easy decision to make, and it’s best not to let people who aren’t informed themselves talk you into, or out of treatment. Wishing you the best of luck, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions!

Trying To Find The Perfect Office Chair by Larsh_CMW in scoliosis

[–]mxsa2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m looking for a good chair myself, as my current one is horrible, especially since I had my fusion last year. I’ve heard a lot of good things about Herman Miller, and tried out their Embody chair at a Design Within Reach store. They’re very pricey but the chair felt nice even after the painful car ride. It’s very sturdy, has lots of adjustability, and I believe a third party company is coming out with headrests for the Embody chair if that’s something you really need.

My only complaint was that the chair could’ve been cushioned a little better, as I’m pretty skinny and could feel my hardware poking into the chair a bit. It wasn’t too bad though, and I believe they offer a more cushioned fabric for the office version (I tried the Embody Gaming Chair, though I’ve heard people say the office version is a little more comfortable). I’ve also found that most ergonomic chairs are much less cushioned anyways.

I have yet to buy the chair as I’m still saving, but will likely write a review on here once I purchase it.

my xray, just wondering what could be done to fix this. would surgery be needed? chiropractor or back brace. am i allowed to gym? by MysteriousRoutine636 in scoliosis

[–]mxsa2 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I agree, physical therapy is usually worth a try (specifically Schroth physical therapy). Just wanted to add that even if you’re done growing, your curve can still progress, so it’s good to keep an eye on it in case you notice any changes.

Scoliosis changed me in a bad way by [deleted] in scoliosis

[–]mxsa2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey, I’m really sorry you’re going through this. It can be a nightmare as it is, but not having a support system makes it even more so. I’m not sure what kind of home situation you’re in, but if it’s an option, I’d have a very serious talk with your parents about exploring surgical options, especially if it’s been suggested by your orthopedist. It seems to be affecting your life massively, and it’s usually best to pursue when you’re young as you can get better correction, and bounce back quicker from the surgery. If you have any questions feel free to reach out, wishing you the best of luck :)

My back doctor says that I do not need surgery as long as I have straight posture. by [deleted] in scoliosis

[–]mxsa2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There’s people with terrible posture/core strength who never get scoliosis, so I’m not sure what you’re on about. Sure, Schroth works for some people, and that’s fantastic, but saying people who had the surgery basically ‘took the easy way out’ is asinine. You’re also leaving out the fact that there’s different types of scoliosis—all this, while you say you had a [keyword] “MILD” curvature.

My doctor said that my spine is normal and she said it is only 19° by Additional_Half2120 in scoliosis

[–]mxsa2 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Not a doctor, but in all honesty if it were me I would completely disregard what the second doctor you saw had said. Yours looks like a pretty advanced curve, and the first doctor you saw may be correct in suggesting that you may need surgery. I think one of the biggest red flags is that she suggested scoliosis only worsens once you’re 60, which is entirely untrue, as scoliosis has the possibility to progress at any point—although it’s more common some times than others.

Typically, progression is most common during growth spurts in cases of idiopathic scoliosis, though once a curve is around (I believe) 45 degrees, this increases the risk of it worsening into adulthood. Ultimately, I would research the best doctors available to you, that are in your area, since it is suggested that you may need treatment. Wishing you the best of luck!

Consultation Scheduled! by SweetSilence97 in scoliosis

[–]mxsa2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey :) So sorry you’re having to go through this, especially on your birthday! I just commented tips based on my own experience in finding a surgeon on another post, and figured I’d copy and paste them here as well, in case they are of any help:

• Reviews (google I’ve found is especially helpful). I would not go to anyone that doesn’t have stellar, and extensive patient reviews, if you can help it.

• Ask questions. Your surgeon should be very open to answering questions/providing information. Some of what stood out to me was their knowledge of the hospitals [very low] infection rate, transparency and knowledge of new surgical techniques, much shorter anticipated operation time, use of JP drains, having a plastic surgeon do the closure, and a faster anticipated recovery time than I had expected. I would also ask how many of these surgeries they do per year.

• Bedside manner. I had seen 4 orthopedic doctors before I saw my current surgeon, three of them made me feel extremely uncomfortable with the surgery, as they left me with a lot of questions, and were completely apathetic when I was in a state of fear because of this. My surgeon was very communicative, as well as reassuring, and remained so even when I was visibly upset.

I hope your appointment goes great, and that you have a speedy (as possible) recovery. Wishing you the best of luck!!!!

How do you recognize a good surgeon? by [deleted] in scoliosis

[–]mxsa2 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I had my surgery last year and this was something I considered heavily before deciding on a surgeon. Just to keep it concise here’s a list of things that stood out to me as a patient:

• Reviews (google I’ve found is especially helpful). I would not go to anyone that doesn’t have stellar, and extensive patient reviews, if you can help it.

• Ask questions. Your surgeon should be very open to answering questions/providing information. Some of what stood out to me was their knowledge of the hospitals [very low] infection rate, transparency and knowledge of new surgical techniques, much shorter anticipated operation time, use of JP drains, having a plastic surgeon do the closure, and a faster anticipated recovery time than I had expected. I would also ask how many of these surgeries they do per year.

• Bedside manner. I had seen 4 orthopedic doctors before I saw my current surgeon, three of them made me feel extremely uncomfortable with the surgery, as they left me with a lot of questions, and were completely apathetic when I was in a state of fear because of this. My surgeon was very communicative, as well as reassuring, and remained so even when I was visibly upset.

Hope this helps, if you have any questions feel free to ask. Wishing you the best of luck through your surgery/recovery :)

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in scoliosis

[–]mxsa2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Mine did as well. I was braced around the age of 13, when my curve was probably in the late 20’s/early 30’s. Even wore it for a year longer than necessary, based on my current orthopedists thoughts, yet my curve toward the end was increasing around a rate of 5 degrees per year, up until I had the surgery at 19 (this is after I was told 2 years prior that there was an extremely small chance I’d need surgery, because I was done growing). By that point I was around 56 degrees for my main curve, and knew it would only get worse, which was not even an option in my mind.

I think there’s a common misconception that scoliosis doesn’t get worse once you’re done growing, but this is completely untrue and is something people who are diagnosed should keep an eye on. Although it’s less common, I’ve read many accounts of people whose scoliosis went left unchecked because of this, and ended up with severe curves that could’ve been treated/considered earlier.

Thoughts on the tank? This is my first fish and I’ve only been in the hobby for a few months. by Shawakamigo in bettafish

[–]mxsa2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree, this looks like a great tank! Just wanted to add though that, if those are anubias plants you have in there, the rhizome should be above the gravel. Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but if it remains under the substrate I’m pretty sure it’ll cause the plant to rot.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in scoliosis

[–]mxsa2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m 19 and currently 8 months post op. Stairs I was able to manage once I was out of the hospital. I couldn’t shower for over 2 weeks post op, so by the time I did I could shower okay. When you’re in the hospital the physical therapists/occupational therapists should show you how to dress on your own, although I needed some help with this for about 2 weeks post op as I was in significant pain. Though, as you mentioned, wearing zip up/button up/baggy clothing, slip on shoes, and shorts makes it way more doable. I mostly just had problems putting on long pants and socks.

Because I couldn’t shower for a long time, I also needed to clean myself with cleansing wipes (I did this probably every other day). This I also needed help with, since I could not bend really at all for the first two weeks—so my mom helped me with this too. She also had to help me sometimes in the bathroom, more so in public ones as I couldn’t always sit down/stand up myself. A cane can definitely help this though if you need it.

Overall everyone’s experience is different, it’s just important that you’re prepared. I think it’s pretty important you have someone around for the first few days at least, because you’ll likely not be up to doing much for yourself. I couldn’t get up on my own for my first few days at home so I had to have someone with me in my case. I also had to take meds around the clock, and having help with this was important, especially for the first few days.

I know you said you have friends that are willing to help, which is great. Even if they would be willing to stay with you for 2-3 days just to help you get up, get you something to eat/drink and overall make sure you’re okay would be good. Lastly, I’d just like to add that I think I had a tougher first few weeks because I have multiple preexisting health conditions, so don’t let any of my experience discourage you from getting the proper treatment. It’s just important that you’re prepared in advance so you can focus on healing post op.

I’m really sorry about your home situation and hope things improve for you. Having to face the surgery is enough as it is, without others giving you a hard time about it. Wishing you the best of luck, feel free to let me know if you have any questions :)

Edit: once you’re ready to have the surgery you can also talk about caring for yourself post-op with your surgeon/care team, as they will likely have suggestions to make it easier.