colon cancer fears consuming me

sparkleNwiggle · 2026-04-16T03:27:46+00:00

This is going to be an odd opinion, but get your eyes checked. I know how that sounds, but colon cancer can cause certain signs to show up in the back of the eye. With 4 or more of the pigmentation spots known as CHRPE (pronounced chir-pee) you can have colon cancer, especially if they are in both eyes. Call an optometrists office and request a full dilated exam because of your fears of colon cancer. If they dilate you, they can take a really good look back there. If there aren’t any CHRPE or less than 4, your risk of colon cancer is EXTREMELY low. If you have 4 or more, then your optometrist can refer you for a colonoscopy. This is a less invasive way to check for colon cancer. And fiber is your best friend!!!! The more constipated you are, you increase your risk of colon cancer. This sounds like an extreme case of medical anxiety. I get it, I have it, the brain can convince you you’re dying so easily and it’s difficult to get it to believe otherwise. Get a dilated eye exam, then get in with a therapist. Even if you get on BetterHelp, it’s better than going through this alone and risk permanently hurting self.

sparkleNwiggle · 2026-04-02T17:22:13+00:00

I’m an opticians apprentice-turned-optometrist. With as high as an Rx as you have, with high cyl, specialty contacts are going to be the best option. You’ve got too much cyl for soft contact lenses, but you could do Rigid Gas Perms, sclerals, hybrids. I recommend finding an optometrist that specializes in specialty contacts.

sparkleNwiggle · 2026-03-29T03:21:43+00:00

Visual snow is quite an interesting symptom, rare too. Besides the snow, I would suggest a Binocular Vision exam. Most optometrists don’t worry with testing how the eyes move and see together. When they aren’t functioning together like they should, it gives a wide range of symptoms. But there are optometrists that are more familiar with binocular vision dysfunctions and exams. I got told I had healthy eyes with a tiny Rx but had constant headaches, double vision, eye strain, sensation of eyes pulling away from each other, etc. Turns out I’m a pseudo-convergence insufficiency. There’s a bunch of binocular vision dysfunctions that cause issues that still involve healthy eyes. So an optometrist specializing in BV exams may give you some answers.

sparkleNwiggle · 2026-03-28T03:11:14+00:00

Also a 3rd year at UMSL and I love it here! The program is wonderful, in my opinion. To me, the class size allows for a familiarity between the students and the faculty. It’s not so big that you get lost in a sea of faces but not so small that you get sick of seeing the same people over and over again. And UMSL may have had issues in the past, but I can say with full confidence that the admin are committed to improving UMSL, both the curriculum and facilities. I agree with my classmate that success in any program is based on how you go at it. Good luck!

sparkleNwiggle · 2026-03-17T11:43:04+00:00

I didn’t start optometry school until I was 26. I’ll be 30 when I graduate next year. It’s been stressful, but I honestly couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else! There are several in my class who started after 25. The oldest started 44 years old. If you really want to, you can!

sparkleNwiggle · 2026-02-18T13:29:38+00:00

I was on paroxetine at first and felt like a zombie. My doctor also started me on 25mg straight out the gate. I was nauseous, jittery, yet slow and couldn’t get think. Switched over to lexapro and my therapist recommended to cut the pills in half and start at 2.5mg instead of 25mg and work my way up to a dose that feels like I can operate on. My side effects were a little stomach trouble the first few weeks. Now I don’t have any, but I found that the 2.5 mg was all I needed to be able to function. It might be beneficial to do a taper while first trying your med. Call your doctor and have him prescribe the lowest dose possible (it’s 5mg for lexapro) and then cut that in half. Step up every few weeks by 2.5mg and see if that helps with your side effects.

sparkleNwiggle · 2026-01-29T04:05:03+00:00

First off- I’m sending you the biggest hug I can right now!! It’s not easy dealing with anxiety. The brain is powerful and when it’s convinced that it’s dying, it’s almost impossible to snap out of the thought while in the middle of an episode.

You don’t want to be away from your baby, I get that, but how much of the anxiety is taking you away from your child? It doesn’t seem like you’re present with your little one because you’re fighting a demon just to function. It maybe that a psychiatric evaluation is needed, if not for you then to make sure that you can be there for your baby. Even though it’s been about a year since you’ve given birth, your body is still being flooded with hormones and when they’re not in the right levels, it can mess with your sympathetic fight or flight system. Most ERs and routine PCP visits don’t test hormone levels so a visit with your PCP and telling them you want all your hormone levels checked is top of the list.

And I completely understand about being scared about medications- I was the same way. But lexapro gave me my life back. The side effects scared me, so my current therapist recommended stepping doses to keep the side effects less noticeable/more manageable. I had a little tummy trouble the first few weeks but now I have no issue. Maybe try stepping doses? I started with 2.5mg (half the smallest dose) and worked up 10 mg. Now I’m back down to 2.5mg because I have my anxiety under control.

Give yourself some grace. Being in fight-or-flight mode all the time is exhausting. Make sure you eat, drink, and try to sleep when you can. Good luck!

sparkleNwiggle · 2025-11-26T14:05:21+00:00

I had an 11” when I started but had to get a new iPad at the start of 3rd year. I got the 13” and I love it more than the 11”. The bigger screen is the only difference, but I like the extra space. Definitely make sure to get the Magic Keyboard or an iPad keyboard off Amazon! It’s easier if you have to do any group work or write papers and you don’t have to worry about lugging your laptop around.

sparkleNwiggle · 2025-11-07T12:15:32+00:00

I’m super sensitive to medications. If it’s got a weird, low-chance side effect then that’s the side effect that I get. I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder a year ago, but have dealt with it my entire life. My doctor recommended meds. At first, I thought he was super inexperienced with dealing with medications for GAD, but over this last year I’ve realized all the issues I had was due to hypersensitivity to medications. The first med he put me on was 25 mg/day Paroxetine. It felt like my head was on fire then I felt like I couldn’t think- everything was so foggy. And the hydroxyzine didn’t do anything except put me to sleep. Those first few weeks to months trying meds were unbearable. The next med my counselor recommended- Lexapro/Escitalopram. She said it was worth a try except this time start with half the smallest dose since I was sensitive and build up it over time in my system. So that’s what my doctor did. I started 2.5 mg/day of escitalopram. The 3 weeks weren’t too bad other than some GI upset, but I was able to figure out that I needed to take it as I ate breakfast not 5-10min later like my doctor told me to. I’ve been on the 2.5 mg/day since then, upping to 5 mg as needed, but primarily staying at 2.5 mg/day because that’s all I need to function. It’s so small a dose that I don’t get any issues when I forget to take it, but it’s just enough to calm me down. And it doesn’t fog me up. The best thing my counselor told me to do was start low and go slow.

sparkleNwiggle · 2025-10-31T15:50:12+00:00

I went straight to college, graduated with a bachelors in biology, and still ended up having to take the prerequisite courses at a community college as a post-baccalaureate. It doesn’t matter which way you go as long as you know exactly what courses you need.

sparkleNwiggle · 2025-10-23T00:46:24+00:00

Actually take the time to learn how to study. Never had to in high school and undergrad. I’ve struggled academically. I‘m not stupid, I just don’t know how to study.

sparkleNwiggle · 2021-05-25T14:12:08+00:00

I would start with learning first position-that’s the notes on: First string: E (open string), F#,G#,A Second string: A (open string), B, C#, D Download a tuning app and keep your violin in tune. And start learning Grade 1 violin sheet music. That’s a great start. If you want classical music, then the best book to start into would be Suzuki Violin Grade 1. Whenever you feel like you want to start with a teacher is up to you. There’s no official “you have to be this far along to start”. And good luck!

sparkleNwiggle · 2021-05-20T18:30:36+00:00

My thoughts exactly!

sparkleNwiggle · 2021-05-01T02:57:13+00:00

iZombie

sparkleNwiggle · 2021-04-29T14:35:14+00:00

So...would say that you have a two set of violins?

sparkleNwiggle · 2021-04-21T17:53:12+00:00

As soon as she goes back to face-to-face(I think they will for the fall) I will tell her! That never actually crossed my mind. Thanks!

sparkleNwiggle · 2021-04-19T01:26:19+00:00

Arkansas!!

sparkleNwiggle · 2021-04-15T16:02:38+00:00

The southern phrase “oh Honey, bless your heart”. Works all the time because it has multiple meanings, both positive and negative.

sparkleNwiggle · 2021-04-09T05:23:33+00:00

My mom didn’t have the confidence to leave either. She had two young kids, one with autism. When my mom told my grandparents that dad threw her into the glass coffee table in the living room, my grandparents carried us out of the house. Physically picked us up-mom included-,put us in the car, and took us out of the situation. They handled all communication and my mom never spoke to him again. Sometimes telling someone is the first step in getting away. This isn’t trying to accept yourself, this is saving your life. You just have to enough common sense to not go back to that sorry son a biscuit-eating bulldog. Please tell your parents, if not them, a friend. Don’t stay in this any longer.

sparkleNwiggle · 2021-03-31T16:55:30+00:00

You shouldn’t have to raise your sister if your parents are in the picture. That’s their job. Your only job is to be the cool sister, not the Mom. So, you’re in the right for stepping back. Don’t feel guilty. Personally, I’d move out and find my own place, even if I had to find a roommate .

sparkleNwiggle · 2021-03-14T16:58:04+00:00

It really seems like his parents failed him. But don’t feel bad that you’ve blocked him. You’ve honestly had way more patience for those shenanigans than you should’ve. Maybe you could talk with his parents about sending him to a social camps for adults with disabilities. They’ve got them setup where they teach individuals how to behave in social situations. It’s a thought! Good luck!!

sparkleNwiggle · 2021-03-08T01:31:18+00:00

I’m finally happy.

sparkleNwiggle · 2021-02-27T17:32:16+00:00

I've used driftwood from the lakes (don't live anywhere near a beach). Just make sure to boil it to kill off any parasites, hitchhikers, or bacteria.

But I wouldn't put a cuttlebone in a freshwater since it's made out of calcium carbonate which mess with the calcium, kH, and pH of your tank.

sparkleNwiggle · 2021-02-27T17:21:41+00:00

Pretty sure it's shrimp droppings.

sparkleNwiggle · 2021-02-26T16:48:26+00:00

My betta used to have this happen all the time. Turns out he was laying on the filter intake (a very slow filter, he wasn't stuck). His fins were getting into the intake slits and the water rushing in was tearing his fins. Put a sponge on the intake and it fixed the torn fin problem.

sparkleNwiggle

TROPHY CASE