Thank you Gio.  Very valuable advice I will take with me. The thing that annoys me so far are the other students who lecture you. I don't mind friendly advice at all and welcome it, but when that other student is making more mistakes than me it annoys me when they act superior just because they have a friend who's a doctor or worked as a secretary in a nursing home.

I apologize for derailing this topic with my school issues

Well, I did better than I thought I would! I was wondering about the mucus, and stones did occur to me, but I ended up leaving them out, because mucus can actually be a side effect of a nasty kidney infection.

When you're dealing with kidney infections, an extended term of antibiotics is typical. A good way to think about it is that the more 'internal' an organ is, the harder it clings to infection. While a simple UTI or even a sinus infection is easy to flush out, the deeper tissue ones take a longer time to be sure. They also don't want to risk another infection taking hold while your tissues are trashed, torn apart, and vulnerable. It sounds like your tissues took a severe beating with the stones and such, so until they heal up, the safe assumption is that they cannot defend themselves.

As for the long term ABX, it's not going to be a danger to you. Just make sure you avoid sunlight if the meds you're on suggest it so (some antibiotics are like that, others aren't). Also, be very mindful of keeping your skin dry and clean and your mouth washed well. Long runs of antibiotics make you incredibly vulnerable to yeast infections, since they have more room to grow. You might want to make a temporary habit of cranberry juice and active culture yogurt to avoid miserable painful nasties. Also, you might have some constipation problems, but nothing that can't easily be remedied by making sure your fiber intake is sufficient. Most importantly: DON'T STOP TAKING THEM, AND BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT NOT MISSING DOSES. Bacteria become resistant to antibiotics through exposure. If the infection's half gone, you skip a few doses, and it lingers, it's now stronger. We primarily mean antibiotics are overused because people demand them for things that don't even react to them (colds), but we also worry about putting people on extended dose schedules because people are lazy and stop taking them because they feel fine, or simply forget. Don't be that person!

chrisb - Trust me, by the end those people will be brought down so many pegs it isn't even funny. You have a doctor friend? Great, you have a friend that knows even less about nursing than you do right now. Your mom's a nurse? Awesome, you're probably not going to puke over seeing someone with a huge bedsore, but you still need to learn all this stuff yourself. Just tackle the material and do your best, and don't let the other students bring you down with their whining about how hard it is. Nursing school is full of rumors and whining and hating on the pain in the ass teacher with the project. Yeah, it's all sucky sometimes, but whining about your prof, the material, or the lack of sleep won't improve any of it. I'm not gonna be all THINK POSITIVE, but don't let the negativity pull you down, and don't let anyone else convince you that it's an insurmountable ordeal. Try to find a group that you work well with, not one that reinforces your fears or adds to them. I never managed this, I ended up alone instead, which worked well enough for me, but I saw a lot of students that could have done better brought down because they hung out with students that did nothing but whine. Look for the following groups:

- The smart group that thinks they're entitled to something because they're smart, so they do nothing but bitch about the professor being crappy, the project being pointless, or the dean not listening when they say that someone should be fired
- The not as smart group that manages to keep passing but acts like every exam, quiz, question, and lab assignment is some irrationally difficult task no one should rightly expect of STUDENTS LIKE THEM--they spaz out and constantly look terrified
- The group that's failed a class or two but still parties half the week--they seem to think this is supposed to be like, college, instead of boot camp for nurses
- The scholastic genius with the best test scores in the class but is terrified to death of the clinical environment, can't talk to anyone, and is scared of blood

The people you should look for:
- The middle of the road kids who have maybe failed a class, but they try hard, hunker down and do what they need to do, and give it their all--for some reason, this group almost never studies on campus
- The kids that may have a rough time on the exams, but have balls of steel where it counts--this is the student that will not only try anything they can, but look for and beg for opportunities to land caths, assess patients, and give reports YOU WANT TO BE AROUND THIS ONE, they will be the only one not shitting their pants come last term, and these were the only students I felt, at the end of school, would be decent nurses

Look at me preaching again.

Giovanna wrote:

But all of that is just like, you know, valuable advice. What you really need to know is that Red Bull and Monster and all that ridiculous crap is for students pursuing degrees that don't teach basic pharm. What you want is Bronkaid (25 mg ephedrine) and 1 caffeine pill (200 mg). This will wire you like an unholy demon for about 4 hours. You will laugh at the kids wasting money on Red Bull and Starbucks that doesn't work even 1/5th as well.

Hey, sweet! I have been on to caffeine pills for a while; would this also be advisable for a regular pre-workout boaster? If not, could you suggest something that would be?

SexingTouga24/7/365 wrote:

Hey, sweet! I have been on to caffeine pills for a while; would this also be advisable for a regular pre-workout boaster? If not, could you suggest something that would be?

Depends on what your workout is. Intense cardio and EC stacking do not get along. EC stacking is, however, a very common pre-workout booster for weightlifting and other things that aren't intensely hard on your heart.

yuzu - How old are you? That's not at all an unusual problem even for women who have had a long time to even out, but it's very, very common for teenagers. I had the same problem myself, actually! While there are things that can cause it, it's also equally likely it's just confused hormones. My suggestion would be to see a doctor and think about going on birth control. (Yes I know, virgin.) Oral contraception will regulate your period, and doctors are very used to doing that for women whose schedules are all out of whack.

Giovanna wrote:

SexingTouga24/7/365 wrote:

Hey, sweet! I have been on to caffeine pills for a while; would this also be advisable for a regular pre-workout boaster? If not, could you suggest something that would be?

Depends on what your workout is. Intense cardio and EC stacking do not get along. EC stacking is, however, a very common pre-workout booster for weightlifting and other things that aren't intensely hard on your heart.)

Thanks for the tip, when I start grad school...

Oh well, considering that all I do is cardio that is clearly not going to work, for my work out booster. I used to take Endorush's pre-workout energy drinks but they stopped manufacturing those.  Any other suggestions for a good pre-cardio intense jolt of energy; if I don't have anything I am so damn sluggish and lagtastic.

Giovanna, is dengue-h fever fatal? My boyfriend's youngest brother was just diagnosed with it and we're really worried.

Giovanna wrote:

...where is he? That's not something you run into much outside of tropical climates in fairly undeveloped countries.

It is fatal if untreated. It requires a lot of IV rehydration and possibly blood transfusions and nutrition therapy, because the only thing to do is treat the symptoms while the virus runs its course. So assuming sufficient medical attention, he'll be okay.

He's back in  the Philippines. Thanks for the information.

Honestly, at this point there's nothing you can do, and it wouldn't have been any better to continue chilling your hand afterward. The impact does the damage, then you just wait out the busted capillaries. Bruises can often take several days to peak before beginning to fade, so nothing here is unusual. There's nothing you can do, just wait, and don't do that again.

I was going to pop in here, all freaked the fuck out, asking if a mysterious, painful red rash the size of a silver dollar just above my ass crack was staph or some kind of humiliating diaper rash or bite after agonizing over its appearance in the bathroom mirror last night after I took a shower.


Then I realized it was carpet burn from a where a friend dragged me across the carpet by the legs in an attempt to, as he put it, "Clean my stinky butt."


>:[


I have carpet burn on my ass waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

Hrm, so, I guess I should just spit this out here, but I had really bad, unsatisfying incomplete drunken sex with a dude last night.  It was my first time, and I was too tight to enter.  I'm not upset over it, just really embarrassed at my lack of self-control and really not interested in sex and relationships and men when sober.  Anyway, posting here because my vagina is sore anyway and I was wanting to know if this was normal.  I'll have to go to the clinic anyway for some birth control (recommends?) so I was wondering if this was something I should mention.  I've never had a pap smear, now that I've had not-quite sex, should I get one?  I'm also worried about insurance and costs.  I'm not able to afford anything too expensive, but I'm afraid of anything popping up on my insurance, which I get via my mother.  You know, the Jehovah's Witness.

Last edited by OnlyInThisLight (03-30-2012 01:54:41 PM)

If you're going to treat it like full-on sex, get an STI test too? And if you're going to have sex again with this guy, he should definitely get one.

My own doctor has told me that a PAP isn't necessary right when you start intercourse, as it can cause more harm than good. Now I only get a PAP once every two years. Thoughts, Gio?

I was also too tight the first... what, three times I tried? Noooo big deal, me thinks.

It's more about when you start intercourse I think. The general idea is that most women start sexual activity right around when it would be wise to get paps. But there is no concrete point I've heard of. I would say get a pap every year, since it's free anyway, but every two is more than most women do, and should catch most anything daunting that comes along. Also, active or not, anyone that has any access at all to the HPV vaccine should be getting it. I found a research program in my area that did it for free, although each shot took me literally six hours to get.

Honestly, you'll have long missed your window for EC by Monday. Go anyway, because you need the input and evaluation and assistance they can provide. Get on birth control (they'll probably require a pap, or did when I used their services), and see what if any options are available to you now that the EC option has passed. Honestly, if he didn't achieve penetration, the chances of a pregnancy drop dramatically. But it can happen. Go to PP--you need the support and you need to know and consider your options if the worst does happen. A lot of the fear you feel right now is probably because you don't know what you would do. That's also the only thing you can control right now. You can find out what you would do. Focus on that, hope for the best, prepare yourself for the worst, and you'll come out of this stronger.

Do NOT be afraid to go to PP. Don't be intimidated by the people around you. Do not let your fear of nosy short-sighted dickbags get in the way of your ability to make informed, safe, and wise decisions about your life. You made a mistake. Everyone does! That's nothing to be ashamed of. But it is your responsibility now to deal with the repercussions of this mistake. I know you'll make us proud.

I wonder whether it's considered a good or a bad thing that there hasn't been any replies in this thread for such a long time...

Anyway, bump because I can has question. Since I haven't been able to find much information on my own...

Are headrushes bad? I'm noticing that since I've been doing an exceptional amount of sitting down/staying still for extended periods of time lately, it's become a fairly regular occurrence that I get that sort of sensation from suddenly standing up. Being the weirdo I am, I kind of revel in it and draw out the experience as much as possible. I'm fairly certain I don't need to explain why, but anyway... is there any reason I shouldn't do that? Just curious.