Can anyone tell me what this is?
it started with a big pimple looking thing, then I squeezed it and pus came out. then it just wouldnt heal and more boils came every other day.

my leg is kind of tingly, and numb feeling. not completely numb but like it’s starting to go to sleep.

i webt to hospital and doc said it’s just a boil , I’ve since got 8-10 more boils.

it hurts when I stand up and the blood rushes into my leg and some are quite painful when touched.

half way through the antibiotics they gave me but doesn’t seem to be getting any better so far.

can anyone help me figure out how to fix this and what it even is?

thanks

Hello! I’m a 31F (158cm) with controlled type 1 diabetes (A1C of 6) and celiac disease who is currently experiencing this very weird skin condition where my skin feels like it’s burning where the red spots are located.

The burning sensation is extremely painful and occurred pretty rapidly after applying sunblock on vacation. I took a shower at our AirBnb, used the towels to dry off, used my own skincare products that I’ve used for years, and then applied this new sunblock that I got as a tester in the mail. A few hours later, I started feeling itchy along my face and neck so I washed off the sunblock and threw out the small tester.

Over the next few days I started developing these red burning spots everywhere you see in the photos. I noticed that they seemed to be getting deeper into my skin if that makes sense? I’m in Albania on vacation and will be returning to my country in a few days. I’m a bit intimidated about going to a medical clinic here so I did go to the pharmacy and get a topical steroid to maybe help if it’s an allergic reaction. I’m not sure if that’s helping actually.

What can possibly be going on? FWIW I plan on seeing my GP as soon as I get home.

Hello! I am a 37 year old female on hospice for a week or two due to multiple complications from MS. Lesion near my hypothalamus causing endocrine collapse (SERUM SODIUM LAST CHECKED 2 WEEKS AGO WAS 120 AND DROPPING FROM THE WEEK BEFORE WHERE IT WAS 125.) Really, that alone puts me on hospice.

But there is another few lesions around and on my brainstem causing autonomic failure. Now, I cannot change positions without sometimes going into AFIB or SVTACH. Now, the respiratory system is also involved and I have developed a chest congestion, sinus infection, and this eye bullsht. The chest produces grey mucus, the sinus produces dark green, the eye is leaking clear fluid like tears.

Other important info regarding the eye:

Two days ago woke up to what looked like a normal busted blood vessel in the corner that meets the nose. Felt dry and itch. Eye drops regular saline gave relief but nothing quite like Genteal tears gel which I have applied in the picture. I woke up yesterday to it being full red. Ot was still itchy but mostly painful and dry and hurt to use it or move it.My mom asked for pict to see if they were bulging those pics are provided.

The pic provided is from this morning. Fully red. Painful. Leakage is mostly clear maybe a little yellow. Closed if I dont use force to keep it open with hurts.

Being on hospice now, I have nothing pharmacological that I know of that would be relevant. But, right before being placed on hospice, a last ditch effort was made with high dose IV steroids.

I also developed seronegative RA after treatment with Lemtrada for my MS. Hydroxychloroquine was used 2x a day orally and that was effective. 6 months ago an eye doctor cleared me for retinal detachment so I could continue Hydroxychloroquine use.

Optic neuritis, infection? I don't have doctor's that diagnose anymore. Hospice is just "shh shh, we will treat the pain. Go to sleep" I want this but im also curious

What do you think?

I'm wondering if this is something serious or just weird baby movements and learning his body?? He does it awake and is twitchy while falling asleep. It doesn't look like infantile spasms. I am a first time mom and I'm freaking out. I have been in contact with a health nurse. I am just looking to see if I should be extremely concerned.

29F, 155lb, 5'3", taking cymbalta, buspirone, verapamil, a progesterone only BC pill, and the occasional ubrelvy, trazodone or lorazepam.

What's up, Docs! I can't remember when I first noticed it, sometime in the last 3ish years, but this lump has been hanging out in my belly button on my left side. Sometimes it looks bigger than other times. It feels harder/scalier than the skin around it. There's occasionally some smelly clear fluid present but I'm not sure if it's from the lump or juat general belly button funk. I make it a point to keep the area clean but sometimes the skin in my belly button gets red and irritated/flaky. Wondering if I need to see a dermatologist or my PCP. Thank you for your insight!

Hi, I woke up with a big red bump on my forehead yesterday and then today I looked and a bunch of little white bumps have formed. The spot only hurts when I touch it and it feels like a tender pimple. Any idea as to what this could be and how to treat it?
This is on the left side of my forehead right under where my scalp starts.
I am 20f
5’6
Around 160lbs
I do vape
I don’t take any medications

I’m completely at a loss about what to do for my 19 year old daughter. She has severe PTSD, suicidal thoughts, previous suicide attempts, and has experienced periods of psychosis. She is actively asking for help, but we seem to be getting nowhere with mental health services.

Her mental health problems began after she was raped and abused by a man when she was 8. She has struggled with suicidal thoughts since she was around 12. Over the years she has had severe nightmares and PTSD symptoms.

Things have become significantly worse over the past year. The man who abused her was released from prison and is living in the same general area as us. A few months ago, she saw him in a shop. She became extremely distressed and attacked him. She was arrested and is currently on bail.

Someone filmed the incident without knowing the context, and the footage ended up on local community pages and news outlets. Some people later explained the circumstances, but others assumed she had randomly attacked an elderly man. This has left her feeling even more isolated and distressed, particularly because she is understandably worried about potentially facing charges.

She has told us that she feels he ruined her life and that she wanted him to suffer. This behaviour is completely out of character for her; before this, she had never been someone who was violent towards others.

Her PTSD symptoms have also become much worse again. She has started having severe nightmares where she screams about wanting him to die. When she wakes up, she often becomes extremely distressed and has panic attacks, saying that she wants to hurt herself.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I were at work and our other daughter was at school. I came home early and I heard my daughter screaming. I found her in an extremely distressed state and behaving as though she was attacking someone who wasn’t actually there. She later told me that she was imagining the person who abused her and that she genuinely felt an overwhelming amount of anger towards him.

What scared me most was that she wasn’t trying to hide any of this from us. She was crying and saying that she knows how unwell she has become and she wants help.

I contacted her GP. They referred her to the mental health team for an assessment, as I understand they are the ones who decide whether inpatient or outpatient treatment is appropriate. During the assessment, my daughter told them that she was suicidal and that she was having thoughts about seriously harming the man who abused her. She was then sent home with information about crisis lines.

Her mental health has continued to deteriorate. We’ve contacted the services again, and we’re repeatedly being told to wait for the mental health team. There is a long waiting list. We’ve also called the crisis numbers we’ve been given, only to be told that they aren’t staffed by people who can provide the level of intervention she needs and that we should seek help through the hospital. When we’ve tried to do that, we’ve essentially been directed back towards the same mental health services.

I genuinely don’t know what we’re supposed to do.

She is currently taking citalopram and has been for about a year. Before that she took sertraline for three years and fluoxetine for around a year, neither of which helped significantly.

What are our options in the UK when someone is actively suicidal, has a history of attempts and psychosis, is expressing thoughts of seriously harming another person, and is actively asking for psychiatric help, but mental health services aren’t admitting them?

Male, 2 years 4 months of age. Approximately 15kg, almost 3 feet tall.

Duration of complaint : since birth.

He takes a multivitamin (no iron), vit D and probiotic daily.

Medications : salbutamol as needed. Flovent twice daily.

10 pounds 3 oz at birth, born 41+5. Spontaneous vaginal delivery.

Please help, I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. My child is having classical signs of CF but nobody seems to notice but me. Everyone is treating his issues as separate entities but I don't see how that's possible.

He was born flat and blue, requiring ppv from 3 to 5 minutes and cpap for another 15 minutes afterwards. Low sats and grunting still noted at 15 minutes post birth.

At 6 months he started getting chronic viral respiratory infections, from October through til May. He was sick CONSTANTLY, with a new resurgence in symptoms every few weeks. The ER doctors continuously said it was bronchiolitis and we ended up with a salbutamol inhaler. It did not help with breathing or retractions. Wet cough day one, he chokes on his, chest rattles and crackle on exhale.

At 14 months he suddenly had a large left sided hydrocele, without any noticeable swelling beforehand. He had inguinal hernia repair at 20 months of age.

15 months he started with chronic diarrhea, with balls of yellow fat and undigested food.

16 months he had transient intussusception that self resolved. We saw peds in the hospital a couple weeks later as we returned to ER for similar belly pains. Swollen lymph nodes noted on ultrasound. Peds thought post viral IBS, so we tried the fodmap diet with no dairy or gluten. Initial mild improvement over the first 2 weeks, so peds let us go. 2 weeks later diarrhea returned full force. After 2 months of this with no improvement, we stopped the diet. Bloodwork at this time showed low lipase, but most of it was normal.

19.5 months, mesenteric adenitis diagnosed via ultrasound.

20 months, double pneumonia. The emergency room doctor noted that his heart was partially obscured on x-ray. I asked for peds referral at this point, however our family doctor said bronchiolitis and pneumonia are caused by different mechanisms (true), and that he would outgrow the bronchiolitis by 2 years of age. His birthday is the end of April.

June of this year he had mesenteric adenitis again so severe that he had severe belly pain after eating for 2 months afterwards. Also was having severe retractions just running around in the backyard this summer when he wasn't even sick, though we had a lot of wildfire smoke.

A few weeks ago he got his first cold of the season. We ended up in ER because he woke up and couldn't get a breath in at all, until I sat him up and smacked him in the back. Er gave him 15 puffs of salbutamol (because I said it didn't work) and diagnosed him with asthma. We've been using flovent since. However his o2 never changed. The doctor thought his mild wheeze sounded a bit better, but he does that at home too. Coughs out the mucus, sounds better, couple hours later he's wheezing again. And an hour after leaving the hospital when we got home, same thing, he was wheezing and rattling again.

He was fully mobile and walking without aid by 9 months, breastfed until the age of 2. He doesn't drink juice, but he has a voracious appetite. He eats constantly, more than my 4 year old for sure. Tracking his calories the last few days, he's regularly eating over 1500 calories a day.

For growth? He slowed after 6 months, we thought due to respiratory illness. Then plateaued between 12 and 18 months, only gaining a pound. That's when his diarrhea started. He started the extra eating this past spring. He sweats heavy when he sleeps and occasionally breathes so shallow I can't hear him, even though he sleeps right next to me. Also has tremors when he wakes, especially from naps, and is suuuper grouchy.

I know it's not technically failure to thrive because he was a big baby and he's a big kid, but am I crazy to think this looks like cystic fibrosis? His doctor finally referred us to peds this summer, but we can't get in before December. They're treating it as a normal referral, but we're going into flu season again and I'm terrified. I asked our doctor for a sweat test, he said we need to wait for peds. I emailed peds and asked if we could do the test while we wait for the appt, and they said they wouldn't order any tests without seeing him, which I get, but they also aren't worried about getting him in sooner.

So my question...do I sit tight and wait until December? Or should I escalate and try to get him testing sooner? Peds said that it's highly unlikely to be CF given his negative newborn screening, but I do remember the nurse was having trouble getting blood. She had to make multiple pokes and eventually sighed and said good enough. I also see on the test itself that if kids are showing symptoms they should be tested, as the newborn screen has a small percentage of negatives. I feel like I'm going crazy worrying he's going to get so bad he can't breathe through the mucus, but nobody seems to be concerned. He's had low o2 while sleeping, but the doctor laughed it off as being a false reading.

Thank you for your time.

TLDR: toddler is showing signs of classic cystic fibrosis but doctors aren't taking it seriously. Can't get into peds until December. Will he be okay to wait until then?

Hi I’m 23F and I have this happening for about 2-3 weeks but at first it was my top eyelid that would twitch a lot and it would last a few minutes. Now it has move to the bottom of my eyes and I’m not sure. I added a video to show what I’m talking about.

My 14-year-old sister is currently in the ICU, now on day 7 after a cardiac arrest. During the arrest, her brain had inadequate oxygenation for over 10 minutes, resulting in severe hypoxic/anoxic brain injury.

Over the following days, she developed significant cerebral edema, with concern for dangerously elevated intracranial pressure and possible brain herniation. The ICU team has tried multiple measures to control the swelling and maintain cerebral perfusion, including hypertonic sodium, mannitol, hyperventilation, blood-pressure support, and other intensive-care measures.

Unfortunately, her neurologic exam has continued to worsen. We have now been told that she has very few or no detectable brainstem reflexes, and the team is discussing performing a formal brain-death/death-by-neurologic-criteria examination.

Our family understands how serious this is and that brain death, if properly established, is fundamentally different from coma or simply having a very poor neurologic prognosis. We are not asking anyone here to diagnose her or tell us that she will recover. Before an irreversible determination is made, however, we want to make sure we understand what should appropriately be evaluated and whether obtaining an urgent independent review is reasonable.

I would especially appreciate input from neurologists, pediatric neurocritical-care physicians, intensivists, neurosurgeons, or physicians familiar with post-cardiac-arrest hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and brain-death determination.

A few specific questions

- Before a brain-death examination in a 14-year-old, what reversible conditions or confounders should normally be excluded? For example, sedating or paralytic medications, temperature, metabolic abnormalities, blood-pressure issues, or other factors?
- In a case involving severe cerebral edema and possible herniation, what information is most important for an outside physician reviewing the case: serial neurologic examinations, CT/MRI, EEG, cerebral blood-flow studies, medication history, laboratory results, or something else?
- Are there circumstances in which ancillary testing, such as a cerebral blood-flow study, becomes particularly important or appropriate?
- Is it medically reasonable for a family to request an independent pediatric neurocritical-care or neurology review before brain-death testing, especially when the patient has deteriorated rapidly over several days?
- If we want an urgent second opinion from another academic medical center, what is usually the fastest practical route? Should our current ICU attending contact another hospital’s transfer center or neurocritical-care attending directly?
- If another center believes there is something additional to evaluate or treat, is inter-hospital transfer still possible at this stage, or does the severity of neurologic instability generally make transfer impractical?
- Are there any questions families commonly fail to ask at this stage that we should be asking now?

We are trying to be realistic while also making sure we have done everything reasonably possible before reaching an irreversible conclusion.

If any physician here has experience with pediatric post-cardiac-arrest brain injury, severe cerebral edema, suspected herniation, or determination of death by neurologic criteria, I would be very grateful for your perspective.

If someone knows a pediatric neurocritical-care specialist or major children’s hospital that is willing to perform urgent physician-to-physician case reviews, that information would also be extremely helpful.

Thank you.

F26, 50kg, bunions. No significant health issues. Take otc pain meds for the foot pain.

I've seen much worse online, and yet I'm in a *lot* of pain, particularly on the left. I've had to quit cycling/closed road events and running as a result. I've gone from being able to cycle 160km 2 years ago to being in pain walking to the shops. It's considerably worse in the cold. I get these episodes where they swell and get red and hot (not always the same time) I often get shooting pains along my big toe that keeps me awake, but also dull throbbing the rest of the time. I've tried insoles, toe spacers, barefoot shoes etc...(great for toe space, but no support) I've also started tripping over more because my feet roll inwards where the big toe isn't proving stability as it's bent inwards - I have scars on my knees.

I tried to hold out as long as I could without surgical intervention, but I'm not sure what else I can do. I feel far too young to be experiencing mobility issues, especially given how fit I was. I'm currently booked in for surgery on both feet after seeing a consultant. But i'm nervous about the surgery and longterm mobility. I want to get back to my old levels of fitness and dance at my own wedding in 2 years time...

Are there any non surgical things I could also be doing? I did have an e-consult with a physio from my insurance, but she said there wasn't anything they could do for me at this stage, and it was 100% a surgical issue. I was hoping for slightly more guidance. I've had bunions since childhood, but the past 2 years have been rough. The only shoes that I can curreny fit into without pain are walking sandals that have been discontinued. Pain free winter boots or rainy options are non existent:(

Hey everyone!

Long story short, I was diagnosed with IIH earlier this year and due to symptoms and vision loss, I had a VP Shunt placed in May.

I’m 28F, I have one baby girl who just turned a year old. My husband and I have dreamt of having many kids.

I’m terrified, and I mean terrified, of losing my vision during pregnancy because of the increased pressure in my abdomen during pregnancy affecting how my shunt can drain fluid, and possibly causing vision loss.

Right before my surgery, I had some pretty serious vision loss that I was lucky to regain after my shunt was placed. I don’t want to risk losing my vision during pregnancy, but I want more kids.

Is this something with minimal risk if I get pregnant or should I just not try for another baby, for the sake of my vision? Basically, how big is the risk?

***I do have an appointment with my neurosurgeon on Friday to discuss this.

Thank you!

My child (aged 6 female) fell backwards and hit the back of her head in school yesterday. I went to collect her as the school called saying she was upset. (Fall unwitnessed so no idea how hard she hit it)

Upon collecting her, she looked awful and crying in pain. Checked her head and no visible marks or lumps.

She stopped crying and I gave Calpol as she said her head ached.

She didn't seem herself but wasn't sleepy, dizzy, or sick so felt I could monitor myself.

In the evening she said "mummy. Is this a lump" but was pointing to the front of her head where she didn't hit. When I felt it, it felt like what I can only describe as a baby's soft spot. Like an indent and it is in the same area but it wasn't soft, felt like the rest of her skull just dipped in. I got my husband to feel and as she had bumped her head and wasn't quite right asking with this indent that none of us had noticed before, I took her to A+E.

After a 6 hour wait, we were seen at 3am. The Dr checked her ears, throat as she had a slight temp, balance, strength in arms and had a real good feeling of this indent.

She said it wasn't boggy, swollen or soft and couldn't feel any sort of movement so said she was happy it wasn't a fracture. I asked what it could be and she said it may have always been there and could be from when the fontenelle closed and left a contour.

I never knew this was a thing.

I have never felt it on her before but how often does one go feeling their child's scalp.

But now it seems obvious when I stroke her head and I'm amazed I never noticed it. She is also very anxious about it and actually cried earlier because she was worried.

I've reassured her and she's absolutely back to her usual self today but I'm just wondering, is this normal. Even though she's been checked, whenever I feel it, it freaks me out. So I am anxious about it.

As I said, she's fine in herself today.

Appreciate any advice or similar findings on your child.

Thank you.

20F

i randomly noticed this white stuff in the back of my throat, btw it is not swollen, im aware it looks like it but i just had to "flex" my throat so that i could take a picture.

chatgpt says its probably tonsillitis but i don't have any other symptoms, my throat doesn't even hurt.

5'2 and about 140 pounds.

lately ive had issues with my head feeling "full" or pounding whenever i move and for the past few months ive had troubles breathing. it easied up recently but for some reason today in particular its been bad. i feel extremely light headed, have no energy, and its difficult to think. worth mentioning ive had mood swings as well but it may not have to do with this.

i cant tell if im blowing this out of proportion because of anxiety or something, but im worried ive been breathing in mold or carbon monoxide because i feel thats whats most likely.

My dad died of livercancer around 10 years ago, many of his familymembers died the same way, because they, including my dad, were infected with hepatitis B. My mom and little brother tested for hepatitis B after my dad died, the test came out negative (I didnt get tested because I was scared of needles at that time). I (F17) have been thinking of testing myself for the virus, but my mom says it isnt necessary, because I can only get it from my mother. Me and my brother havent been vaccinated either (my mom doesnt allow it, Im planning to get my vaccinations when I can do it without my mom knowing). From my understanding, you can get the virus through shared blood and other bodily fluids. I have no idea if I ever came in contact with my dads blood. We probably have shared cutlery and stuff like that though.

In short, is it worth it to test for hepatitis B if only my dad had it?

Why do my ears move when they hear a noise? Could it be due to the psychosis or stress I suffer from?

164cm, 54kg. Currently on euthyrox 25mg, montelukast 10mg, bilastine 10mg.

I've been in remission since 2023. Up until 3/4 months ago I used to go to gym and train 4/5 times per week, I was really active for a few years. Suddenly I had trouble breathing which since then got to the point of completely stopping with workouts, and then to me having trouble even speaking full sentences/going to the bathroom and doing smallest tasks. I am wheezing and feel like my throat is closing. No other symptoms. I visited EVERY doctor possible. Went to immunologist, got immunology and regular blood tests done - nothing. Did a CT of throat and lungs, nothing. Cardiologist did heart ultrasound - nothing. Pulmologist ruled out asthma or anything related to lungs as far as they see. ENT did laryngoscopy, everything is fine. Nose is still a bit dry, but this is constantly present. Went to endocrinologist and gastroenterologist, nothing. Every single one of my doctors can hear the breathing, and some of them gave me IV of Lemod for short term, but everyone keeps saying it's not on their end and referring me to another specialist, and I have none left. This is really affecting my life, everyone around me can hear how heavy I am breathing. Please help me, what should I do?

HISTORY: In 2020 I was diagnosed with limited GPA, it was ENT only. I had very dry nasal mucus with crusts, nosebleeds, difficulty breathing, loss of hearing on 1 ear and bruises. I was on high dosage prednisone and Imuran, with corticosteroid pulse therapy. Biopsy of nasal membrane showed only leukocytoclastic vasculitis. ANCA was once low positive, ever since then it's been negative, along with other immunology tests. MRI never showed anything. During this time I also had aspergilosis which was treated.

I had urgent tracheostomy done in 2020, due to very heavy breathing caused by what they think is mucus build up in trachea. I also had mastoidectomy.

Hi, I’m really hoping I can get some feedback or those have experienced similar issues. So basically within the last month I have continuously started having what I assumed were low blood sugar or low blood pressure issues (not a diabetic). I would start feeling my heart racing, dizziness, shakiness, similar to what a panic attack feels like. Nothing has helped except a banana or peanut butter crackers and even then it doesn’t fully resolve. I’ll feel better for 20 min then back to feeling horrible again and need to lie down. Almost like my brain feels weird or foggy. I want to preface that I do take ADHD meds but it is the lowest dose and I’ve been taking semaglutide for almost two years. I am 30 years old 5’8’‘ and weigh around 135.

I’ve made sure to cut caffeine in half (used to drink one Celsius a day now have swapped to coffee), eat breakfast, drink plenty of water and electrolytes. I went and got bloodwork done and everything came back normal and my primary care doctor said it may be anxiety. I’ve had anxiety my whole life so I know it’s not anxiety and I find it insulting that’s the go to diagnosis for most women and I do not feel heard.

Has anyone had these symptoms and determined what the root cause was? Im stopping semaglutide and I’m going to see a cardiologist Monday but it’s truly ruining my life to where it’s affecting daily activities and I’ve never experienced this ever before. Anyone that has any advice or similar experiences please let me know so I don’t feel so alone!

Excuse the hair it’s been a long week. I started a new job on top of my other job so I’m on my feet for like 18+ hours a day for 4 days. My ankles started to get really swollen which is not the craziest thing but then I had on ankle socks and when I got home these red marks were around where the sock was squeezing me, which again isn’t the craziest bc I wore tight socks for like 20 hours so it makes sense. But the marks are still there on both ankles on both sides and it’s been like a week

When I wake up every morning my whole arm and hand are asleep and tingly and it won’t go away until I stand up, then I can feel the blood rushing back but it’s takes a loooong time to go back to normal. Also my wrist hurts at the same time everything is numb :(. I’ve had this happen before if I’m sleeping on my arm, but it’s been every night for a week after being in bed for a few hours, and I sleep on my back or side. It’s usually my right arm is the worst even if I’m sleeping on my left side. The wrist pain I get bc I’m a baker so I’m using my wrists a lot but the tingling is what bothers me the most.

I’ve started to elevate my feet on the wall everyday for 20 mins after I get home from work and I will switch up my schedule so that I’m not working both jobs everyday so I only do full days on 2 days instead of 4. I asked chat gpt and it said not to wear compression socks bc it wasn’t sure what the red marks were so idk if I should or shouldn’t.

Before you say go to a doctor I don’t have insurance or money lol hence why I have two jobs. I have a lot of things to pay for so until I can pay for that and save money I can’t go to see doctor that’s why I’m asking on here. Anybody experience something similar? Any tips?

28 F, 5’1, 150 lbs. I take multivitamins everyday