Pet Peeves: For when your neck pain is a pain in the neck

[Ancaster]

On 10/23/2023 at 8:42 AM, PRgal said:

I don't know if this qualifies as health or general peeve - or even mental health, but as you probably know, I'm super-sick and tired of the anti-diet philosophy because my eating more healthfully than the so-called "general public" and my distaste of anything super-sweet (especially fake sweet) is interpreted as me being "on a diet."  In other words, trying to lose weight.  Comments like "you don't need to lose weight, so why aren't you having any fun?"  Different people have different ideas of what "fun" means.  I didn't grow up this way, so I don't want to eat this way.  I like pumpkin, but not PSLs of any kind.  I used to make myself drink a very modified PSL once a year (one pump of syrup, no whip...and the smallest size possible - a short), just to get into the spirit of things, but was grossed out every time.  I've now decided to just get the pumpkin seasoning.  Much better, thank you very much.  It really angers me and makes me uncomfortable when people say these things.  

What's PSL?

[chitowngirl]

1 hour ago, Ancaster said:

What's PSL?

Pumpkin Spice Latte

[Ancaster]

6 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Thank you!

[Anela]

On 10/23/2023 at 11:42 AM, PRgal said:

I don't know if this qualifies as health or general peeve - or even mental health, but as you probably know, I'm super-sick and tired of the anti-diet philosophy because my eating more healthfully than the so-called "general public" and my distaste of anything super-sweet (especially fake sweet) is interpreted as me being "on a diet."  In other words, trying to lose weight.  Comments like "you don't need to lose weight, so why aren't you having any fun?"  Different people have different ideas of what "fun" means.  I didn't grow up this way, so I don't want to eat this way.  I like pumpkin, but not PSLs of any kind.  I used to make myself drink a very modified PSL once a year (one pump of syrup, no whip...and the smallest size possible - a short), just to get into the spirit of things, but was grossed out every time.  I've now decided to just get the pumpkin seasoning.  Much better, thank you very much.  It really angers me and makes me uncomfortable when people say these things.  

I don't like PSL, either. I thought about trying the foam on top of my chai, but ended up not doing that.

I'm a bit afraid of trying the Christmas iced chai, with the ginger added, just in case I like it more, and it's retired at the end of the season. :) 

[PRgal]

8 hours ago, Anela said:

I don't like PSL, either. I thought about trying the foam on top of my chai, but ended up not doing that.

I'm a bit afraid of trying the Christmas iced chai, with the ginger added, just in case I like it more, and it's retired at the end of the season. :) 

I’ve never had it!  I don’t do cold, caffeinated drinks after, say, Canadian Thanksgiving or Halloween!

[TattleTeeny]

This goes without saying, I'm sure, but COVID is my peeve today -- or at least the uncertainty that has come about because of it. Yesterday, I was sneezy and kind of congested, and today I am really tired. Well, the former could be many things, including that it's not at all unusual for me and that I ate some sauerkraut.* The latter may be a result of the former because I didn't sleep well. I suppose I'll take a test, but every time I've done that in the last 4 years due to feeling "off," it's been negative and then I feel dumb! (The only time I was positive, I felt fine and had no symptoms at all because I am a some kind of backwards human being.)

*Apparently, fermented foods can trigger histamine responses in some people! 

[annzeepark914]

25 minutes ago, TattleTeeny said:

This goes without saying, I'm sure, but COVID is my peeve today -- or at least the uncertainty that has come about because of it. Yesterday, I was sneezy and kind of congested, and today I am really tired. Well, the former could be many things, including that it's not at all unusual for me and that I ate some sauerkraut.* The latter may be a result of the former because I didn't sleep well. I suppose I'll take a test, but every time I've done that in the last 4 years due to feeling "off," it's been negative and then I feel dumb! (The only time I was positive, I felt fine and had no symptoms at all because I am a some kind of backwards human being.)

*Apparently, fermented foods can trigger histamine responses in some people! 

You aren't "dumb" to test yourself. We live in this damn covid age today. Testing is a way of protecting everyone around you, and of course, it lets you know if *you* need medical attention right away. We've accumulated a stack of tests, so we like to make use of them before they expire. I have allergies that, when triggered, can make me wonder about covid. I've never had it (knock on wood!) but it's great to test and know that I'm ok. 

[TattleTeeny]

Yeah, in the end, it's just easier to get a confirmation or I'll wonder all day.

ETA: Negative. Damn you, sauerkraut, haha!

Edited February 12 by TattleTeeny

[Browncoat]

My peeve is just being sick.  I hate everything about being sick.  I hate feeling sick, I hate having to make my own food when I'm sick (tbh, I don't always like making my own food when I'm not sick), and I hate boring daytime television.  I opened a can of soup for lunch, and I hate soup.  I almost hate missing work -- almost.  Currently I hate that I don't know if my COVID test was negative because I don't have COVID, or because my tests are about 12 days past the extended expiration date.  I mean, I guess it doesn't really matter, since I'm just treating symptoms anyway, but it might be nice to know.

This doesn't really feel like it did when I had COVID a couple of years ago -- no fever, no cough, no debilitating fatigue, just horrible congestion and a scratchy throat (probably from post-nasal drip).  

[Browncoat]

New day, new peeve, but about the same sickness.  I still can't figure out what is wrong with me!  I've had three negative COVID tests, the last one with a definitely unexpired kit.  It has now lasted too long to be "just" a cold, and it's certainly not the flu.  

I'm leaning towards sinus infection at this point.  

[annzeepark914]

On 2/18/2024 at 11:31 AM, Browncoat said:

New day, new peeve, but about the same sickness.  I still can't figure out what is wrong with me!  I've had three negative COVID tests, the last one with a definitely unexpired kit.  It has now lasted too long to be "just" a cold, and it's certainly not the flu.  

I'm leaning towards sinus infection at this point.  

Are you near a walk-in clinic?  They'd have a better idea--especially of what's going around in your area, or if you're showing the signs of a sinus infection. 

[Browncoat]

16 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Are you near a walk-in clinic?  They'd have a better idea--especially of what's going around in your area, or if you're showing the signs of a sinus infection. 

I am near a walk-in clinic, but I opted not to do anything and let it run its course.  It's pretty much finished now.  Still no idea what it was, but as I'm very nearly back to what passes for normal for me, I'm not sure it matters what it was.  🙂

[annzeepark914]

14 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

I am near a walk-in clinic, but I opted not to do anything and let it run its course.  It's pretty much finished now.  Still no idea what it was, but as I'm very nearly back to what passes for normal for me, I'm not sure it matters what it was.  🙂

My husband had a respiratory infection that hung on a bit too long. He saw the nurse at our primary care practice. She told him to use Mucinex DM expectorant..the one that helps you cough up. It's OTC. Really helped and now he's over whatever is going around (several of his friends here & even in California have had this ailment). I'm glad you're now feeling better!

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, annzeepark914 said:

She told him to use Mucinex DM expectorant..the one that helps you cough up. It's OTC.

I don't like the DM, because it contains both an expectorant (good) and a suppressant (not a good idea, although they're not shown to be particularly effective, so more likely to be useless than bad), which I find odd (a cough suppressant at night, to get some damn sleep, I get, but both in one pill has me scratching my head a little).  I like the one that's just an expectorant as it seems to be the best of the few I've tried over the years at thinning the mucus and making it easier to cough up and out.  It's a pretty big pill (maybe all the Mucinex formulas are like that?), which wasn't an issue for me, but could be for some.

I'm just thrilled not to need it anymore; lingering coughs after an illness are really annoying.

[chitowngirl]

To quote the thread title-my neck pain is a pain in the neck! I don’t know if I’m sleeping wrong, need a new pillow, new mattress….? I just know I’m not getting good quality sleep!!

note to self-put face cream on before Deep Blue rub!

Edited February 29 by chitowngirl

[Cloud9Shopper]

Scheduling a primary care appointment. My doctor was pretty much never in the office no matter how many times I rescheduled my appointment…I’d always get a slot and then it ended up being canceled because she would be out. I got tired of this, looked into another health system in the area, and found a PA at a good date and time that worked for me. Guess what? Got a call last week that she wouldn’t be in the office that day and I had to reschedule. I haven’t even called back yet (stupid of me I know) because I’m so annoyed my appointments keep being canceled that I feel like this rescheduled appointment will end up being scrapped anyway. Why am I even making the effort to spend time on the phone or online only to never actually see anybody? 

For fun, I just logged into my old doctor’s patient portal to try and schedule a time. Nothing available.

I guess at this point I’ll just wait until something’s wrong before calling my doctor. They always say how important it is to have physicals and this test and that test, but you can never find anyone who’s in the office to help you! And when you do make an appointment it’s going to be five or six months from now. Makes me not want to do preventive care, to be honest. The whole thing feels overrated. 

Edited May 1 by Cloud9Shopper

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 4/30/2024 at 10:28 PM, Cloud9Shopper said:

Makes me not want to do preventive care, to be honest.

I don't do any preventive care.  I believe in not looking for trouble, and it's worked very well for me so far.  I used to go to the doctor only because I had to to get a prescription for birth control pills, and since I quit using them, I haven't gone to a doctor unless I had an actual problem. 

And sure enough, you can now buy birth control pills without a prescription, which would have freed me from the tyranny of the "annual exam" for all those years.  Or, you know, been able to go through life like a man, just living in my body and not treating it as a potential source of trouble that must be closely monitored and tested and invaded.

[Cloud9Shopper]

33 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

And sure enough, you can now buy birth control pills without a prescription, which would have freed me from the tyranny of the "annual exam" for all those years.  Or, you know, been able to go through life like a man, just living in my body and not treating it as a potential source of trouble that must be closely monitored and tested and invaded.

God, this. I’ve decided that I will no longer be getting pelvic exams and Pap smears. I only went a couple of times because of the messaging online and from my mother that I “had to” go to a doctor for this and “need” these exams because “it’s just what women have to do.” I would bet any money no one gets outraged if a man decides to opt out of a prostate exam or a colonoscopy. (I also won’t be getting the latter when the time comes.) 

[Anela]

4 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I don't do any preventive care.  I believe in not looking for trouble, and it's worked very well for me so far.  I used to go to the doctor only because I had to to get a prescription for birth control pills, and since I quit using them, I haven't gone to a doctor unless I had an actual problem. 

And sure enough, you can now buy birth control pills without a prescription, which would have freed me from the tyranny of the "annual exam" for all those years.  Or, you know, been able to go through life like a man, just living in my body and not treating it as a potential source of trouble that must be closely monitored and tested and invaded.

Last year, I read that that little blue pill - what is it? Viagra - would help with the pain of period cramps, but it was never released for that. Our pain wasn't seen as real pain. I think it was in the book "Ejaculate Responsibly". 

[StatisticalOutlier]

3 hours ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

I would bet any money no one gets outraged if a man decides to opt out of a prostate exam or a colonoscopy. (I also won’t be getting the latter when the time comes.) 

Actually people do get outraged if men put off prostate exams or colonoscopies.  They're more comfortable bossing women around, but men do get it, too. 

I think one issue is that women have the babies, and there's almost always doctoring going on then, so we just get used to it.  So it goes from you need to have a doctor if you're having a baby to you need to have a doctor to keep tabs on your baby-making bits to you need to have a doctor NOT to have a baby.  Men don't have such an obvious point of ingress into the medical system, so by the time prostate exams and colonoscopies come along they have decades of not going to the doctor and not having to explain why they don't. 

But my friends who are preventive test/procedure evangelists don't seem to discriminate on the basis of sex with regard to who they harangue.  I just keep my mouth shut.  They mean well. 

Of course I would mean well if I cited statistics on the risks of various procedures.  Or on false positives for various tests/procedures and the financial, physical, and emotional costs of dealing with false positives, but that's always countered with "If it saves just one life..." which is an emotional stance, not a scientific one.  So I just keep my mouth shut.

An important tactic is to not discuss such matters with people you know don't agree with you.  There's no reason people's frequency of doctor visits should come up unless they bring it up themselves. 

 

[chitowngirl]

When I went for my first colonoscopy at 50, they found and removed precancerous polyps. If I had not gone for the initial one, I would have developed colon cancer and it might not have been found in time. So I’m just putting that out there to advocate for preventative care….

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 5/7/2024 at 12:56 PM, chitowngirl said:

When I went for my first colonoscopy at 50, they found and removed precancerous polyps. If I had not gone for the initial one, I would have developed colon cancer and it might not have been found in time.

I don't think that's the case.  This is from MD Anderson's website:

Quote

Not all [colon polyps] will turn into cancer. Even those that could turn into cancer someday aren’t necessarily guaranteed to. They just have the potential. That’s why they’re considered “pre-cancerous.”

I'm not saying it's not a good idea to have them removed, but if you don't have them removed, there's actually a good chance they won't turn into cancer.  This is from the Cleveland Clinic:

Quote

Most colon polyps have the potential to become cancerous, which is why healthcare providers remove them during a colonoscopy. But very few of them actually do turn into cancer, and it takes a long time for them to do so. Routine colonoscopies remove polyps before they have the chance to become cancer. 

Around 75% of colorectal cancers start from adenomatous polyps, and about 80% of all colon polyps are adenomas. But only about 5% of adenomas are actually malignant. The risk of a random, average-size colon polyp becoming cancerous is estimated to be 8% over 10 years and 24% over 20 years.

 

 

 

[partofme]

I had my first colonoscopy last year, the prep was completely disgusting and made me question why I was doing it, so I can understand why people may not want to have it done, but I was told that I don’t have to have another for ten years and maybe I’d be just as fine if I hadn’t had it done but to me the peace of mind made it worth it.  

Edited May 10 by partofme

[chitowngirl]

One day of prep vs colon cancer and potential colostomy bag…I’ll take the former once every 10 years.

[Kimboweena]

I had my colonoscopy week before last.  It was my 4th one.  There is a family history, so I have them more often than most people.  This is the first one where my prep required me to get up at 3:00 am to do the second half of my prep.  That was hateful, and I plan to have a talk with them next time to see if I can do a different type of prep.

[roseha]

I had so many appointments this past week that my head was spinning (not literally). Monday I had the dentist working on my tooth to get it ready for the temp replacement crown (after the old one fell out), which took 90 minutes and while it was not really painful, it apparently was very involved.  I get the real new crown in a month.  Tues was vestibular physical therapy for my balance issues, Thursday was the ENT doctor to check on said issues (he didn't see an inner ear issue) and Friday the neurologist for the same (I will be having follow up tests).  All very good doctors/dentist/therapist but it just felt like overload.  Plus I had an  artists group reception Thursday.

Somehow, I managed to lose my apartment keys  on Thursday night.  Coincidence?

(I have spares from the front desk but will have to have new locks put in)

Edited May 12 by roseha

[PRgal]

Not sure if this is supposed to be a peeve or just general health chit-chat.  Anyway, I went in for a pre-op MRI/follow up today and right before the last image, the machine decided to crash.  The procedure already took longer than expected (the form said it was going to be about an hour, but it was 90 minutes) and I was getting uncomfortable.  They said they wanted to restart/reboot the machine just to get the last pic.  I told them how uncomfortable I was and they said that they had enough (or should, anyway).  I asked them if whatever was taken downloaded and saved and they assured me that they were.  Don't you just love technology?? 

Edited May 19 by PRgal

[BooksRule]

A couple of days ago, I managed to pull a muscle in my lower back.  I do this about once a year or so, usually from sitting in my office chair at work for a long time at a 'wrong' position.  Most of the time it's when I'm working with a cartload of books (I work in a library) and keep turning back and forth from the cart to my computer (there's no room for the cart any closer). Anyhoo, it's not horrible and the pain is not debilitating, just annoying since it's hard to get much done (I have to carefully stand/sit/lean the best way that avoids most of the pain). It will just have to run its course as usual, but I guess I can count myself a fairly lucky person in the routine injury/pain department (knock on wood) because I need pain relief medicine so rarely that I only had some long-expired generic ibuprofen in the medicine cabinet and had to go to the local chain drugstore to get something better (and fresher). I do have other stuff such as band-aids, antibiotic ointment, etc. but nothing for pain.  I have friends who suffer from migraines or fibromyalgia and they have such a hard time with the pain. 

[PRgal]

My surgery is set for a few weeks from now.  It's supposedly going to be pretty complicated but low risk.  I just don't want to be stuck having to eat gross hospital food for a week :(. Hospital food always looks so sad and gross (my friend's son recently had his tonsils out.  She shared a photo of a popsicle he had post-op and even THAT looked icky.  Blech.   

Edited May 25 by PRgal

[Anela]

My nose has been tingling since this afternoon, and I’ve been sneezing a lot.  I only went to the grocery store last night, and I wore my mask.  I went to Walmart tonight, to get a few things, and I’m going to make a roast chicken, and then make soup with some of it.  
 

I suppose it could be allergies. My ears felt like they were blocking a bit, the other day.  I remembered my home made kimchi, and ate some of that, which is helping with the sinuses, but I’m still sneezing like I have a cold.  
 

I also bought magnesium glycinate powder, last night. To see if it helps me to sleep. 

[Dimity]

I know we always assume it's Covid when we get certain symptoms but around here anyway Covid seems to be making a bit of a resurgence.  My niece, who is a nurse, is now home with Covid and the hospital where she works has had an outbreak among the staff.  Fortunately the cases are all mild.  And in a sign of how things have changed staff can go back to work as soon as symptoms subside.

[Anela]

On 6/2/2024 at 11:42 AM, Dimity said:

I know we always assume it's Covid when we get certain symptoms but around here anyway Covid seems to be making a bit of a resurgence.  My niece, who is a nurse, is now home with Covid and the hospital where she works has had an outbreak among the staff.  Fortunately the cases are all mild.  And in a sign of how things have changed staff can go back to work as soon as symptoms subside.

I saw a nurse posting about wearing a mask, and how she still does, earlier today. She posted a link about it still being a thing. I still wear my mask. I didn't test this time, but I slept a lot the following day, and on the Monday, I thought I might be coming down with a fever. I was just too cold, and sleepy. I always err on the side of caution, and I don't get out much now. :)

[Cloud9Shopper]

People who judge your health and how you take care of yourself when they don’t do the same for themselves.

My mom randomly looked at me tonight and said “when did you last have your teeth cleaned? You really should go to the dentist and get those stains off your teeth.” I haven’t been to the dentist in about nine months which yes, isn’t perfect and I’m not like people who go every six months like clockwork and never miss their appointment. Part of it is because I’ve had a hard time getting off of work (a separate issue) and she proceeded to lecture me about how I’ll have a hard time with time off and insurance if I switch jobs and need to go, as if there are jobs that hold your time off and insurance hostage for years. (Some jobs even give you PTO and benefits on day one these days; I have worked at places like that.) And even though my dentist says they’ll call me with an opening, they never listen when I tell them I need 24 hours notice. I always get a call with a same day cancellation seeing if I can come in on two hours notice. (No.) 

Meanwhile my mom? Hasn’t been to the dentist SINCE THE PANDEMIC. Hey, Mom, maybe you should go get your own less than perfect teeth cleaned before you start lecturing me about my mouth and my dental visits. I can tell her teeth aren’t perfectly white and pearly either but I don’t nag her to go get a cleaning. 

This is why I have never told her I no longer will be getting Pap smears and will just lie about going on the off chance the topic comes up. (I made the decision three years ago.) 

Edited August 25 by Cloud9Shopper

[StatisticalOutlier]

21 hours ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

My mom randomly looked at me tonight and said “when did you last have your teeth cleaned? You really should go to the dentist and get those stains off your teeth.” I haven’t been to the dentist in about nine months which yes, isn’t perfect and I’m not like people who go every six months like clockwork and never miss their appointment.

To me there's a difference between stained teeth and teeth that need cleaning.  The cleaning is to remove tartar or plaque or whatever, and is done with a pick. The bleaching to get rid of stains is, as far as I know, purely cosmetic, and probably isn't all that good for people's teeth anyway.

I get my teeth cleaned about every 10 years, and whenever I go, they say my teeth are in fine shape.  Then again, I had a friend a long time ago who had to have hers cleaned like every three months.  People differ.

I wouldn't be surprised if there are a lot of people who don't really need to have their teeth cleaned every six months, or even every year, but they never allow themselves to find out.

Since I travel fulltime, it's a massive PITA to get teeth cleanings because they have to be scheduled so far out, plus if you go to a new dentist they won't schedule a cleaning--all the ones we've tried to schedule with have said they first have to evaluate your teeth to see how much work they need before they'll schedule the cleaning.  Shoot--I even tried to schedule with a dentist I'd seen in the past but they said it had been too long and I'd need to start over.

My last cleaning was a couple of years ago at a dental hygiene school.  It took three trips, I think, and each visit took 2-3 hours, but at least they got me in before I was going to be leaving town.  And everybody was amazed at how little cleaning my teeth needed; my previous cleaning was I think 12 years prior and done in Mexico, and cost $25.

22 hours ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

This is why I have never told her I no longer will be getting Pap smears and will just lie about going on the off chance the topic comes up.

Well, that...plus it's none of her business.  Maybe you can take RuPaul's approach and reply with, "I don't see how that's any of your business."  He uses it when people just ask how his day is going, but he's super hard core.  The rest of us can deploy it more strategically.

[Cloud9Shopper]

My dentist only has appointments really far out too. I’m waiting to see if I have to reschedule my next appointment (got invited to a job interview early next week; just waiting to see if they actually reach out to me to schedule it…it’s just that they want to interview me on the same day as my dentist appointment and I already have an interview with a different company later in the day so my time is limited), and if I need to, I imagine they won’t have another opening for months. They book up quickly but I also love the office and the hygienist who usually takes me; she’s very understanding of my dental anxiety and patient. So it’s worth the wait to me.
 

The scheduling issues are part of the reason why I gave up on primary care for a little bit. Every single time I would make a doctor’s appointment it would be canceled because the doctor would be out of the office that day. This happened multiple times and I eventually decided to just stop scheduling appointments. I figured they’d more than likely get canceled again anyway. 

[Browncoat]

I don't know whether to be annoyed that I caught a stupid cold (it's just a cold, I've tested negative for COVID), or to be glad that I caught it now instead of next weekend when I have to get on a plane for 15.5 hours.  I should be safely over it by then.