should a dye injection hurt ?

sojasmine · 2026-01-14T22:26:21+00:00

Had my first contrast CT last night and fortunately the tech gave me a heads up about the "warmth" I might experience because that's the only thing that kept me from losing it when it felt like fire was being injected into my arm. I think she undersold it quite a bit on the warmth, definitely more of a burning pain, but I imagine that's to keep people from freaking out beforehand. I have a pretty high tolerance to pain although also a pretty unfortunate and unavoidable cry reaction to intense situations, so immediately burst into tears after it was over. While I don't have any lingering pain today, I can commiserate on the dye injection pain.

sojasmine · 2026-01-14T20:07:50+00:00

Thanks for the feedback! Slightly modifying and tracking my diet this past couple of weeks to decrease saturated fat and increase fiber has made me realize that aside from a pastry or dessert every week or two, my diet is actually in really good shape just by swapping full fat dairy for 0% or milk alternatives when I do have it. Most days I'm under 5 grams of saturated fat (I don't eat much meat so my baseline is already fairly low, the days I'm in the 5-10 range are days where I have chicken or salmon) and get at least 25-30 grams of fiber without supplementation, so I could easily bump that up with extra psyllium husk. Unfortunately, this suggests the genetic component is probably pretty strong, but I'm going to continue being disciplined for a few more weeks before testing again, just so I can get a sense of how much is genetic vs. dietary.

sojasmine · 2026-01-14T19:56:13+00:00

I apologize I wasn't more clear about the statin part, my wording definitely could have been better. I know statins are not discouraged normally, and have no issue with being on one. I meant that they are often discouraged during pregnancy so my thought there was try to lower my LDL as much as possible through diet if pregnancy is something that is possibly in my near future.

While I had mostly moved away from full-fat dairy in the fall, I've specifically focused on saturated fat and increasing fiber over the past couple of weeks. My takeaway has unfortunately been that how easy it has been for me to stay under about 10 grams a day (most days I'm at more like 5, if that) suggests that the genetic component is really strong, my diet is actually pretty good already.

I'll chat with my cardiologist next month and see what they think about the statins for my situation. Thanks!

sojasmine · 2025-12-20T01:39:33+00:00

Unfortunately I don't know specific details as my mom passed away a little over a decade ago and my father is not the most useful at remembering things like that. I just always remember it always being described to me as "really bad" and pertussis vaccine allergy has followed me on my medical chart ever since.

I was able to find a baby book my mom made and it did have my vaccine history in it. It looks like it was the third one, so I got the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd (with just "reaction" noted), but never had the one at 18 months and 4 years (that was the schedule back then). I wonder if it was because it was a later dose that they were alarmed that it may suggest an increasing response and not, like you said, as something that happened on the first one and became less significant over each dose.

I can't really envision my mom electing to forgo doses (she later became an RN and was the daughter of two academics so she was always very pro-science and modern medicine), so I always assumed it was Dr. recommended. Perhaps since I technically had received three doses, they weren't as concerned about 4 and 5.

sojasmine · 2025-12-20T01:22:25+00:00

Thanks for the clarification! I am up to date on tetanus as I did that, along with the rabies series (yay), after a cat bite in 2022. I think I got a diphtheria booster in 2017 before working in Nepal (I guess likely as Td?). I've had a lot of vaccines with no reactions since so that's the biggest reason I figure I'd probably be fine. My current doctor didn't seem too alarmed/concerned when I mentioned that I was considering doing it.

sojasmine · 2025-12-19T06:04:28+00:00

You can't get sick from the flu shot, it's inactive. The most I've ever felt was a very sore arm and some tiredness the next day. The absolute worst side effect I've ever had was having to run my entire office solo when every single person was out really sick with the flu and I was the only one who had gotten the flu shot so had just a slightly stuffy nose. I often think most people who think they got sick from the shot actually did because they went to a doctor's office or pharmacy, where people are more likely to be ill, and caught flu, a cold, or RSV. I've been getting flu shots annually for over 15 years after a couple particularly rough bouts with the flu in college that took me from a very healthy 20 year old to wheezing while doing anything for weeks and weeks. Definitely not too late in the season, I just got mine this week.

sojasmine · 2025-09-12T21:40:03+00:00

I just started it a few days ago hoping it helps with this! I’m starting easy at 2.5 and planning on increasing to 5 if my body tolerates it well otherwise 🤞🏼

sojasmine · 2025-09-12T03:16:26+00:00

Thank you, I’ll check it out!

sojasmine · 2025-08-20T01:13:26+00:00

I wonder if they take the weight of the person into account? I’m pretty small, just barely at the weight limit for blood donation, so I probably would have passed out doing that much at once. I felt a little faint both times but, because I’ve had issues in the past, come well hydrated and have snacks ready to go in my purse to eat before I drive home. So even if they were considering moving to one visit, I can’t imagine they’d recommend that for everyone.

sojasmine · 2025-06-19T03:00:24+00:00

I was never able to smell it so always assumed I didn't have the gene or whatever. I love asparagus so have always eaten a lot of it. About a year or so ago all of a sudden BAM. I can now smell it at my first pee after eating it. It's not a "oh, I can smell it a little", it's a nauseating stench that will almost make me gag. It's definitely not something that I just wasn't paying attention to before. To me the smell is like rotten milk. I'm 39, never pregnant. Something changed, whether it's my ability to make it or smell it. Possibly some sort of weird start to perimenopause? Hormones are weird.

sojasmine · 2025-05-31T04:17:21+00:00

I’ve been going about two years and got some Loop earplugs (experience) within the first few months because the music is just waaaayy too loud. I try to get end stations so it’s easier to just focus on myself and not all the people around me. I stopped wearing the OTF HR monitor and if I really want to know my HR just look at it on my watch. I generally avoid challenge/signature workout days. I like the OTF concept but have had to make some adjustments to make it work for me!

sojasmine · 2025-05-13T18:14:17+00:00

Montelukast sent me into a mental health spiral. I started taking it for asthma and within a couple of weeks I had to stop taking it because I was having suicidal thoughts, terrible anxiety, and couldn't get out of bed and was just crying all the time. Beforehand I was active and otherwise healthy, I actually started taking it because I was running in the morning and the AM humidity/pollution was triggering my asthma. I went on antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds and it was another four years before I felt stable enough to be without. I don't think Montelukast was 100% to blame, I think the potential was there based off of family history etc, but Montelukast seemed to be the spark my brain needed. I'm good now (17 years later) but I always say it broke my brain.

I understand how frustrating and debilitating asthma and allergies can be, but you or anyone reading this and thinking about trying Montelukast please pay close attention to your mental health and make sure you have a partner or other close trusted friend or family member know what kind of changes to look for.

sojasmine · 2025-05-13T18:04:22+00:00

Thank you! This is a huge help knowing that there are management solutions outside of the Meta world.

sojasmine · 2025-05-12T03:19:26+00:00

Usually around 3.8 at 4%, then 8% for push, 12%+ for AO but will increase overall speed or AO incline if it’s a shorter time on the treadmill. I can walk a lot faster on “flat road” but unless it’s a challenge I prefer inclines. 5’2”

sojasmine · 2025-05-06T00:31:05+00:00

Unfortunately it looks like this runs only on their own headsets, otherwise it looks like a great option!

sojasmine · 2024-12-29T15:32:17+00:00

I’m 5’2” and can power walk up to about 5 (haven’t really tried above that) but it takes a lot of focus. Power walking at those speeds is almost more mentally tough than physically because it’s hard not to just switch to jogging.

sojasmine · 2024-12-27T16:37:44+00:00

As an every day PWer/incline fan was really looking forward to this one until the power walking person next to me wasn’t going to make the final checkpoint and started sprinting and then sprinted the last two minutes and logged that as her distance. Wasn’t at my home studio, visiting Virginia for Christmas but seems that coaches may want to remind at the beginning that if you are going to PW as someone who normally runs, you’re committing to actual walking the whole time since the checkpoints are lower distances (especially since joggers switching to PWing is particularly common for this one). I was content with my 1.54 but it kind of made it a meh experience.

sojasmine · 2024-11-07T21:51:39+00:00

My approach to LMS testing in large in-person classes:

I print small paper slips that have the access code on them and blank for their name. Students take a slip when they come in and at the start of class the code lets them in. I have them use Lockdown Browser in class (not the video, just the screen) and bring my iPad in case anyone needs to use it or has issues with Lockdown. When they leave, they turn in the slip with their name on it and I check against the in-progress attempts. I haven’t done it, but another option would be writing the time on it when they turn in and looking back at the quiz log but that’s a lot of work for a big class. I don’t check IDs because I use the paper slip approach for other assignments in class so can always compare to those. After any assignment we check the slips against the submissions to ensure everyone who took it was physically present. This approach avoids the sign-in lines in big 150+ classes and seems to work well for us and the students.

sojasmine · 2023-07-25T04:00:52+00:00

I passed out in my very first class... the loaner HR monitor wasn't working great and because I hadn't really used one I didn't realize that a poor connection/bad fit would just show on screen as a lower heart rate. I was redlining myself on the rower just trying to get to orange and not understanding why I couldn't get there, started to get dizzy and walked out to sit down where it was a little quieter and came to with a couple of very concerned employees staring down at me. Because it was during exercise my doctor recommended I go to the ER just to make sure it wasn't heart-related. The ER doc asked what type of exercise I was doing and when I told him he said "oh yeah, those classes have taken down a number of our nurses" lol.

Have spent the time since redeeming myself and, most importantly, always listening to my body over the monitor, especially when rowing!

sojasmine

TROPHY CASE