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I developed bursitis after a couple weeks on bedrest in the hospital. None of the fancy therapies helped. Mild, but consistent exercise, piriformis stretches, time, and patience.

Food sources of calcium include dairy, dark green veggies, fish with the bones, and beans. Also be aware that some antacids are made with calcium carbonate, so find another option if you use that. After you get your parathyroids removed, you might be told to supplement calcium until your body figures out how to regulate…

I don't have any resources for you, but I have had 5 surgeries between my neck and lower belly since 1999. What I've learned is, if you don't understand the pain, go slower. Unless it's an observable pain, your doctors are just going to say that your body has been through the ringer, and you need to figure out your own…

The town of Gay Head on Martha's Vineyard opted to go back to its native name, Aquinnah, back in 1997. Can't imagine why...

My boyfriend told me I have it easy because of my metabolism. He's never been overweight, but I've been overweight twice in my adult life. He watched me weighing my food and tracking here while I lost weight (and was quite supportive!), but he can't make the connection that it was easy because I was honest and accurate…

Lol! I guess I've been sick for so long that I assume everyone can understand my slang!

Interesting, but not true for me. Of course, I'm on on immunosuppressants (17 year old kidney transplant), so it might be different. I also got stabbed 3 times on the same morning. The first was a Procrit shot because artificially suppressing your immune system means your ability to make blood is impaired, and the second…

Am I squeamish? No. Am I cognizant of how any slip-up can cause me a world of pain as a user of immunosuppressants? Yes. So I work out at home.

Just like someone who uses their legs for both daily activity and exercise, I've met manual wheelchair users who "practice" climbing hills. That specific use is exercise, while running errands and moving around at work would be activity.

I see a nephrologist every 3 months for my 17 year old kidney transplant(due to Alport Syndrome). A couple years ago, I put on 30 lbs between appointments due to the vicious cravings caused by zyprexa (for a mental health diagnosis that went away with increased sleep), and I didn't hear a peep out of my doctor. My blood…

And I'm only on chapter 3! Bought the book as my gift to myself last Christmas, but I got sidetracked by school, then had to read the trilogy my boyfriend got me for Valentine's Day because he nags me (The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie is an adequate political fantasy story, if anyone is interested). I guess the…

Thanks for clarifying. I'm not a medical expert, just a renal patient.

I realize it's a little late if your exam is in 2 days, but if you have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, your school should have a disability coordinator who can help you get more time on your exams, or even a quiet room if you need one. I sympathize. I have a Psych teacher this semester who teaches using YouTube videos, but…

If you urine is brown, that's kidney failure, and you shouldn't hesitate seeing a doctor. Are you retaining water in your ankles? How do your rings fit (if you wear them)? Feeling off and achy, along with water retention, were my first symptoms of kidney failure. If it's orange-y or pink, I'll keep my fingers crossed that…

I use dry spice mix and throw it on a lightly greased George Foreman grill without bothering to press it. The end result goes in fried rice, salads, or tacos.

I look for pineapples that are yellow without looking brown, and I smell the bottom, which should smell sweet. Using scent is more difficult if the fruit has been refrigerated, though. You can also get one that's yellow on the bottom, then cut off the spines at home, so you can rest it upside to let gravity sweeten the…

I managed to have a gout flare up in both feet and one hand several years back. Getting to the hospital by bus was fun. Since I have a kidney transplant, the usual medications were out of the question, so I choked down cherry juice and snacked on walnuts for relief. The second time it flared up, I was lucky enough that I…

I've been eating a pineapple a week for over 2 years now! Mostly, I just eat it plain or sprinkled with allspice, with or without other fruit. We'll grill it in the summertime. It's good with most meats, and anything spicy or pungent. Occasionally, I'll toss it with some sugar and spices, top it with a coconut flour…

If you have an oncologist and you're being stuffed with pills and you're nauseous all the time, I think the problem isn't diet. I had a kidney transplant 16 years ago, and the immunosuppressants cause chronic anemia. I'm allergic to infusions, so I get Procrit injections every two weeks to stimulate blood production. My…

I bet it sucks that your hips might never get slender enough to fit into your pre-pregnancy clothes, but I bet if you retain as much muscle as possible, you'll really like them! I'm 27" waist and 42" hips, and whenever nothing fits, I just remind myself that people actually have surgery to get this shape.

I drink white tea, which is made from the same plant as black and green tea, but with lower caffeine than either. Prince of Peace is great for my budget. Also a big fan of chamomiles and lavenders, and any that lets me make believe I live in a magical cottage in the woods, sipping flowers all day. Celestial Seasonings…

Yikes! We're like that at the end of the month, so I'm glad I had 30 seconds to help! I didn't either. Double thanks!

30 seconds of Google told me that 210ml of whole milk is around 130 calories, so subtract that from the total to get your soup calories.

How much added milk? Figure out the calories in the X ml of milk they assume you will add, then subtract it from the total calories. Does the label not have the info for the soup as is?

I had stomach problems for over a decade, and my last gastroenterologist suggested doing a FODMAP elimination diet in addition to the 3 zillion tests. While the specific problem I was trying to fix wasn't IBS (every other GI doctor missed the gall bladder disease I had for 15 years), I did discover through careful tracking…

Ugh, I have a friend with Crohn's, and it sounds awful. She gets iron infusions. I'm allergic to that stuff, so I'm stuck with the frequent stabbings. Good luck with your treatment!

Tacrolimus (Prograf) and mycophenylate (Cellcept). I have Alport Syndrome, which is hereditary. It also causes hearing loss and vision abnormalities. I was dangerously leukopenic as a side effect of ace inhibitors when I was on dialysis. Now, I'm just generally low, red, white, hematocrit, and hemoglobin. At least I have…

You can use cereals in different ways. For instance, you can crush them and coat meats to oven fry them. Some might even hide nicely in smoothies if you have a good blender. If it isn't sweetened, I'd even consider putting it on a salad. Mmm...steak and grape nuts salad... Personally, I had a kidney transplant 16 years…

I have the Mirena and can still track my cycle. Sore breasts, migraines, insane sugar cravings, and crying because I remember something bad that happened to someone else before I was born are my usual indicators. I've kept a health chart of headaches, mood swings, and sugar binges for the past year, and I'm on a…

Call up your favorite pizzeria or bakery and ask if they sell their own dough. We can usually get it for cheaper than the supermarket, and put money into the hands of small business owners at the same time.