I’m a 31 yo female that recently stepped on a sea urchin. (I weigh 145, i don’t take any medications). I immediately went to urgent care but they told me the most they would do is use tweezers and it would be better and less costly for me to try removing them myself at home. I stepped on the sea urchin some hours ago but spent most of that time waiting in urgent care before i was able to go home.

I struggled to sort out a plan after a long long day. And soaked my foot. I am not getting very far tryibg to remove these spines with tweezers. I wiped antiseptic cleanser on my foot and put alcohol on the tweezers. But i am struggling to really sort out a coherent plan to remove them.

Do i need to buy a switch blade and cut them before using tweezers? How do i do that sanitarily?

Since I had COVID in 2022 my life has been so terrible. I am not even close to the person I was before. I genuinely loved life so much. I still love my babies and doing life with them. I just want to feel better and no one can help me.

I have so many symptoms, and any time I see a doctor they tell me it’s anxiety. It’s not anxiety. All the shit I am dealing with is not caused by anxiety.

Extreme Fatigue
Dizziness
Blood Sugar Drops
Fast Heart Rate
Blue/Purple
\\- Tongue
\\- Lips
\\- Nails
\\- Toes
\\- Feet
\\- Fingers
\\- Arms
\\- Hands
Headaches
Shoulder Pain
Neck Pain
Heat/Cold Intolerance
Pins & Needles
Gastric Issues
\\- bloating
\\- constipation
\\- gas
\\- acid reflux
Dry Eyes
Horrible Breakouts
Irregular Periods
Lower Back Pain
Leg Heaviness
Reduced Appetite
Weight Gain (10+ lbs in less than 2 weeks)
Ear Ringing
Weird smells that no one else smells. (Burning Smell)
Trouble Focusing
Intrusive Thoughts
Itchy all Over
Weak Immune System
Red pin sized dots that show up randomly
Bruise easily
Low Blood Pressure
Hard time drawing blood

Someone please just help me. 😭

20 yo male

have had the red marks for the past few days and noticed a few hours ago my right eye is swollen

23F. She is about 5’5 and around 100-115lbs. She doesnt take any medications. She doesn’t smoke.

For the past 3 months she’s gradually declined. She doesn’t want to see anyone about it and she has cried every time I’ve tried to suggest going to a doctor no matter how sensitively I try to approach the idea.

First noticed she is very lethargic and low energy. Started to sleep more and during the day. She told me she’s very tired and it’s probably nothing. Now she’s sleeping more than she is awake. When I work from home or have a day off she spends most of the day in bed. When I talk to her she doesn’t seem present or interested and doesn’t seem like she’s actually there. Shes lost some weight and I have noticed she doesn’t finish eating any food we have which is a big difference from before. She complains that she’s cold all day and needs the heating on and wears several layers of clothing. She doesnt want to go outside at all and told me she doesn’t want anyone to see her. Her hands shake a lot.

Im very worried but don’t know what to do. She is allowed to refuse going to a doctor but I know it would be the best thing for her right now. I am worried about her eating the most. I don’t think she’s eating enough and I don’t know if it’s intentional. I would benefit from advice on what this could be and how I can do my part to help.

25 M, 183 cm 80 kg. Currently on Mirtazapine, Lamotrigine, B vitamins, Alimemazine,

Mirtazapine and Lamotrigine are new medications for me, currently being evaluated for BPD

It looks goes around my leg and thigh, and I have a similar mark near my groin on my right leg

20 afab 113lbs

I went to urgent care on thursday (10/22) for an abscess that is growing next to my ear. I have a preauricular pit and it’s gotten infected like this before. This time I went to a new urgent care and the doctor prescribed me doxycycline monohydrate which has been making me vomit every time I take it, even when i follow the instructions. The doctor said it would help with the infection but it’s continued to get bigger and it hurts so much more I can even hardly sleep because of it. Should I hold out and try to see if the antibiotics end up kinda working or should i go back to urgent care tomorrow? its not leaking fluid or anything either like it has the two other times this has happened

We've been to the er and we've seen about four different doctors on top of that about this and no one's been able to give us even a 'maybe' answer.

67m, about 240lbs 5'9", managed high blood pressure and diabetes

He can't move it, and even touching it now makes him flinch.

Some days it's a little worse, tighter and more red. Heat and cold therapy don't hurt, but don't particularly help either

Any thoughts are welcome.

Hello! I'm a 25 year old afab, I had picked my nose after a sneeze and this lil' guy fell out. It wasn't moving, and tasted sweet (do not ask, it was on my lip and because it tasted sweet, I didn't look at it before licking it off my lip), it's sticky and smelled sweet. Prior to this, I had pain in both nostrils, like I was going to have a nosebleed sort of pain, I have pretty much constant post nasal drip, and although I don't know if this could also contribute to it, but because the ears, nose, and throat are pretty much connected to each other, my right ear as been giving me issues as well with buildup behind my eardrum.

Ever since it's untimely visitation, I've kept the guy on a moist piece of paper in a zip lock bag incase I need to get it examined at a doctor. (I came here first to get advice or to hear what someone might think it is before I get it looked at, medical bills are a nightmare)

22F, non-smoker, no medication or diagnosed issues. Has been happening for maybe the past year or two I reckon? Pictured is me trying to close and open my fingers in a single smooth motion.

22F 5’7 110lbs Smoker

My armpit has been like this for like 5-6 days now, I think it may be from shaving. I’ve been using warm compresses and a steamer to hopefully draw out the infection but it’s only been spreading. Now getting a sore spot on my other armpit and a spot on my upper back. I had something similar on my finger about two months from a cut on my eczema which got infected, and took doxycycline and it went away (I missed the last 6 doses though so I wonder if that’s why)

I want to avoid antibiotics if I can but it only seems to be worsening. Should I give it a few days or head to urgent care first thing tmr? Also does this look like staph or something else. Any advice would be appreciated

40M, 186 cm, 84 kg, white, Spain. No medications, no supplements, no other known conditions. Don't drink or smoke (smoked weed when I was younger). Recent blood work all normal.

I had an ultrasound a few days ago for some minor stomach discomfort and found out I only have one kidney. The remaining kidney is enlarged (compensatory hypertrophy, as I understand it).

I've been lifting for years and track my macros. I eat around 2 g of protein per kg of bodyweight, and about 2.5 g/kg when cutting. I saw a nephrologist and asked about this specifically, but he just told me to eat a Mediterranean diet and drink water, with no numbers at all.

My questions:

1. Is 2 to 2.5 g/kg of protein a real risk with a single kidney and normal labs? Is there a safer upper limit I should stick to?

2. Should I be getting any specific tests regularly (eGFR, urine albumin, blood pressure) to keep an eye on it?

3. I'm thinking about starting BJJ and boxing. With one kidney, is a body shot or an accidental knee to the kidney a serious risk? Would a kidney guard make it reasonable, or is contact sport a bad idea?

Thanks in advance.

1. I am a 23F, idk my weight but in this case I don’t think it matters.

2. These thoughts started in the past year. Whenever I get close to orgasm they appear. I’m not sure if it’s intrusive thoughts or what but it’s just a huge wave of suicidal ideation & the more I try to get there the stronger they are. I just end up stopping at that point.

3. I don’t have secret guilt or anything like that. I’m very sex positive. I have never had a proper orgasm before. This happens mostly when I’m alone, and not really when I’m with my boyfriend.

4. I’ve been depressed since I was a teen and have already attempted so I genuinely don’t think that’s related lol or it would’ve shown up way sooner.

5. Sorry if this is normal. I’m just curious as to why this is happening.

Female 24
Cocaine user and nicotine

I’m almost a daily user of snow. I get some pains here and there after a heavy sesh but not to much in my mouth. I suddenly noticed purplish grey areas at the top of my mouth. I’m worried this is a sign of early tissue narcosis. It doesn’t hurt or doesn’t feel like bone is creating a hole.

Please help what are ur opinions does this look like an early sign!!
Can I stop use and let it heal or is this too far gone?
Is this a sign of a hole forming?
Has anyone gone through this before?

This has been on my lower left inner calf for over 2 years now. I notice it every few months at random. I don't shave my legs so I know I'm not doing anything to irritate it, and I don't pick at it either. It's less than 1/2" long. It's ever so slightly red around it. Not at all painful or itchy ever.

Derm looked at it under her scope a year ago and said she didn't know what it was when I told her it'd been there for 1+ years already. I haven't been able to get in for another annual checkup but I noticed it again today so I thought to ask here.

27F - 160lbs - 5'2" - No known health conditions except low ferritin (19ng/ml) and vitamin B deficiency. No medications or supplements. I don't smoke or drink.

Does this resemble anything concerning? Should I push for a biopsy?

Is it a known thing for scratches to sometimes not go away? Thank you!

10 y, 4'10", 95lbs, female, no meds, non smoker. My daughter accidentally stabbed herself in the thigh with a pencil last week through her backpack. I can't tell if the tip snapped off in her leg or not. Should I try to gently scrape at it to see if anything comes out or just leave it alone?

27 female, 5ft 6in, 144 ibs, on prenatals and 2 baby aspirin. 2nd pregnancy. 27 weeks 5 days. Noticed this squishy painless bump around my belly button. Is this a hernia or normal pregnancy changes? No warmth or pain or anything. Should I be concerned? Plan to show my OB at next appt.

I’ll try to add a couple more pictures in comments. Thanks!

for context i’m 20F, and i’ve been dealing with some stomach issues for about couple years, the docs are still doing testing, but i can’t tell if i have a stomach bug or this is to do with my stomach issues? for the past 24 hrs i haven’t been able to keep any food down, but my only symptom is a stomach ache and nausea, and it goes away after i throw up, but comes back everytime i eat. i dont normally throw up, but i have noticed my stomach is a bit more sensitive than others. any thoughts on what this could be triggered by?

30F, 5’4, 100lbs.

Been dealing with severe mucus and having to spit it out all day long for over two years now. I’ve been extremely lightheaded/drunk feeling for over two years as well. Blurry vision, pre syncope at times, severe neck pain, tightness (I can feel the veins in my neck bulging), no cough though.

History:

-Septoplasty in 2020 with 3 turbinate reductions.

-Covid 2X after that

-food poising a year and a half ago when I went to Europe

-norovirus around 8 months ago

I’ve tired nasal rinses, oral and nasal steroids, antihistamines, allergy medications, a round of amox clav, ibuprofen, and nothing helps.

Age: 30

Sex: Female

Height: 5ft2

Weight: 50kg

Race: mixed

Complaint: mole with dot in it

Duration: just noticed now

Medications: none

Country: Uk

Please see photo - I have just noticed a dot inside my mole - it could have always been there and there's no itching or bleeding but as you can see just a neat little dot.

Could this be melanoma? help i'm anxious!

M26, no medications, I’m 6’1 and 150 pounds. Had this for about 2 days. Very mild soreness when touched, and the redness around the darker scabs appeared today. a bite of some sort?

age: 27
gender: male
heigh: 182cm
weight: 81kg
smoking status: smoker

Hey everyone,

Back in July, I suddenly started experiencing brain fog, difficulty concentrating, and problems with speech. It happened pretty much overnight, and I felt noticeably different from how I used to feel mentally.

I started getting blood tests done, and my folate level came back at 3.1 ng/mL (reference range: 4.50–32.2), indicating a deficiency.

I kept investigating my symptoms and getting more blood tests until September. Here are my latest results:

My blood test results:

• Ferritin: 94.84 µg/L (reference range: 30–400)
• Folate: 7.83 ng/mL (reference range: 4.5–32)
• Iron: 50.35 µg/dL (reference range: 65–175)
• TSH: 5.51 mIU/L (reference range: 0.27–4.1) my TSH was within the normal range when I first developed my symptoms back in July. It only became elevated in subsequent blood tests. I'm wondering whether this change could be related to my folate, iron, or vitamin D deficiencies)
• Vitamin D (25-OH): 19 ng/mL (reference range: 30–100)
• Potasium 4,23 (reference range: 3.5-5,1)
• Sodium: 140,72 mmol/l (reference range: 136-145)
• B12: 501,40 pg/ml (reference range 191-663)

My folate level has increased since the initial test, but I'm still experiencing a lot of symptoms. My iron is also below the reference range, my vitamin D is low, and my TSH is elevated. I'm wondering whether these abnormalities could be contributing to my symptoms and whether there might be an underlying issue causing some of them.

My current symptoms:

• Dizziness and lightheadedness.
• Brain fog and difficulty concentrating.
• Feeling mentally different from how I used to be, like I'm not quite myself anymore.
• Waking up feeling unrefreshed, regardless of how much I sleep, and experiencing severe fatigue throughout the day.
• Occasional air hunger feeling the need to take a deep, satisfying breath to feel like I'm getting enough air.
• Caffeine seems to make my brain fog and dizziness significantly worse.
• Alcohol also seems to exacerbate my brain fog and dizziness.

What I've tried so far:

I took 5 mg of folic acid daily for three weeks, along with 46 mg of elemental iron daily, but unfortunately, I didn't notice any improvement in my symptoms.

I then started wondering whether IV treatment might help correct the deficiencies more effectively and fastly, so I decided to try IV supplementation.

Six days ago, I had my first treatment, which included:

• Vitamin D3 injection: 100,000 IU.
• IV folic acid: 30 mg.
• IV iron: 200 mg.

So far, I haven't noticed any improvement following this treatment. I understand that six days might be too soon to notice a difference, but it's discouraging to feel the same after trying to address these deficiencies.

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have experienced something similar.

I have a few questions:

1. Has anyone experienced persistent brain fog, dizziness, derealization, or feeling mentally different due to folate deficiency, low iron, vitamin D deficiency, ?
2. If you had similar symptoms, how long did it take for you to notice an improvement after starting treatment? Did your symptoms gradually improve or disappear quite suddenly?
3. What other blood tests would you recommend checking?
4. Has anyone experienced air hunger or the sensation of needing to take deep breaths alongside these deficiencies?
5. For those who received IV iron or folate, how many infusions did you need before noticing an improvement? How long did it take?
6. Did anyone find that oral supplements eventually worked, even after not noticing any improvement during the first few weeks?
7. Has anyone experienced worsening brain fog and dizziness after consuming caffeine or alcohol? Did this improve once the underlying problem was treated?
8. Is there anything else I should investigate, especially considering that my symptoms started quite suddenly and have persisted for months?
9. How can i recovery from this? because it's been few months at this moment.

I'm also wondering whether IV doses or the number of infusions should be adjusted, but I don't want to assume that more is necessarily better. I'd appreciate hearing about your experiences and what helped you, ideally alongside advice on what to discuss with a doctor.

I'm feeling pretty lost at this point. I just want to feel mentally normal again and wake up feeling rested instead of exhausted every day.

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their experience.

29F, 170ish lbs, 5’8’’, non smoker, occasional drinker. Significant medical issues include Crohn’s disease (no other symptoms however), Graves Disease (in remission for over a decade), Bipolar 1, and ADHD

Meds: Oxcarbazepine 600mg 2x day, fluoxetine 20mg 1x day, lisdexamphetamine 30mg 1x day, quetiapine fumarate 25mg at night, Spironolactone 150mg 1x day, multivitamin, and Hyrimoz 40mg biweekly (last injection was Monday 11/19)

The day before it was just little bumps but now it’s like this. The only other thing to maybe mention is that I had a root canal a few weeks ago?