26M white. 6 foot 190 lbs. Medications: Bupropion, Vyvanse, escitalopram, fenofibrate, Mounjaro (for diabetes) Clomid (trying to get pregnant so taking Clomid instead of my usual TRT injections for now)
Diagnosed conditions: Depression, Anxiety, Overweight, Diabetes Type 2, Low Testosterone.
For about a year now, I’ve been dealing with some urinary issues. Every 2-3 weeks, I will start to have lots of painful urination, urgency, cloudy urine, bladder spasms and soft white deposits that stick to the toilet bowl like very tiny kidney stones but not hard or solid. I’ve been doing my best to drink tons and tons of water, but even that hasn’t completely fixed the issue. I’ve had some constipation issues because of my Mounjaro that could be making emptying my bladder completely more difficult. I’ve had a few urine tests and all have been negative for UTI. No unprotected sex. X-rays of kidneys so no visible kidney stones.
I take some AZO and pound some water and things clear up for a week or two before coming back. It’s extremely uncomfortable and I’m getting frustrated trying to find a fix. I haven’t tried taking antibiotics yet because they haven’t been prescribed to me. I’m not sure what else to do. Any help or advice would be appreciated!

Hi everyone! To start, I hope this posts comes across more as “sharing your wisdom” rather than me trying to expend the energy of those I know are exhausted. Background: my husband (45) and I (26) have been TTC for 2 years and 3 months. We were late to the game on starting treatments because such is life and you know what everyone says. In November we did an entire work up including the blood tests, HSG, and sperm analysis. I was diagnosed with Ureaplasma and it was treated with a round of antibiotics. We were diagnosed with unexplained infertility. We did 4 rounds of IUI with monitoring, trigger, 3 with clomid before switching to letrozole for our most recent cycle due to clomid thinning my uterine lining. It goes without saying that they all failed. We have been on the waitlist for coming up on a year for IVF and we are scheduled for a September egg retrieval. In our state, there are only 2 clinics who do IVF. The one we are currently working with (waitlist) accepts our insurance and the other (no waitlist) does not. I have a few questions for anyone who would like to share. Does anyone have experience being diagnosed with unexplained infertility and then through IVF, found a more clear diagnosis? Any advice on how to prep for IVF (or really any advice in general), or any supplies that would be helpful to start thinking about? I am familiar with injections due to IUI, but so far I have a list of some things that I’ve seen would be helpful like an ice roller, heating pad, and some belly balm.

Full disclosure - I started taking enclomiphene citrate back in June 2022, no vision issues whatsoever. This is clomid without the zuclomiphene
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On Feb 22, 2024 I went to a new optometrist after moving and needing new contacts. Also no symptoms. The optometrist did a full eye exam, said I have lattice degeneration and retinal holes (3 in right eye, 2 in left eye). I stopped taking my enclomiphene just to be safe. Since then I have been on edge, paying attention to floaters and vision changes. I'm obsessive and anxious, so trust me this is something I did daily.
I saw retinal opthalmologists on Feb 29 and March 15 for my lattice/retinal holes, one of whom recommended laser surgery all around, another who didn't(still debating). Both asked about floaters, and also, gave the usual warning about a sudden onset of floaters and flashes being warning signs of retinal detachment.
No symptoms. Only floaters if I really focused on it against the sky on a sunny day. And black specks that quickly faded or small translucent worms/dots.
On March 25/26, I started noticing a new floater(s) in my left eye. Blurry black blob that stayed in my medial/central vision. However if I turn my eye fully left(lateral side) the floater sprints from left(lateral) to right(medial). I can then bring it into focus in my central vision by moving my head to the left. Over the next few days I started getting obsessed with it.:
Looks like an L shape rotated 90 degrees clockwise. With a big black circle at the angle. Soon the lines became well defined. If I turn my eyes, the strands look like long strands of hair. If focus on it, the lines appear zig-xaggy and the black circle is a cluster of smaller black dots. Soon I started noticing more floaters - vertical lines that fades, the translucent worms and petri-dish type dots. I am convinced at least some of them, especially the black one with strands is new. It's so prominent and obsesses me 24/7
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What changed, despite having an optometrist and 2 retinal specialists examine my eyes? On March 15 (day of my 2nd exam) I developed a sore throat. Different from a normal one, radiating to ear pain. By the weekend I was having trouble eating and my throat BURNED after eating or drinking anything. A flashlight showed my uvula and nearby white and super inflamed.
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On Tuesday March 19 I went to urgent care and got confirmed for strep throat and ulcer on uvula. Prescribed amoxycillin, triamcinolone(topical corticosteroid), and mouthwash (lidocaine, diphenhydramine aka Benadryl, and maalox). I was also taking heavy doses of ibuprofen for the sore throat and pain.
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On April 1 I went back to retinal specialist #1 saying "I have new floaters, can I get an emergency appt". I got booked same day, another dilated exam. No PVD, no retinal detachment, no new retinal holes. He re-recommended laser surgery. Could not explain the floaters even though I told him I've been overanalyzing my eyes like an autist since my initial opto appt on Feb 22.
So, anyone else get floaters, especially long, black string floaters after an infection, or, heavy use of antibiotics/corticosteroids/ibuprofen?

Recently me and the fiancé decided we actually wanna have another child. We both have daughters from a previous marriage (10 and 15yrs). I was on TRT for just about 2 years. My sperm analysis was ZERO in January. I quit TRT that day (Jan 10th). On clomid and hCG but about to stop the hCG and just run clomid. 64 days later my sperm came back at 2 Million per ML and 90% motility. not enough sperm to give me info on morphology etc. Was supposed to wait 3 months but got impatient and i can check my sperm as much as i want (only $50 to check).
Got a bad ear infection and got put on a 10 day of Augmentin (amoxicillin and clavulanic acid). I heard antibiotics can really mess with sperm? I'm supposed to recheck sperm in a few weeks but have 4 days left of this antibiotic. Would this mess with upcoming results?
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Frequently Asked Questions About Steroids

How much weight can someone expect to gain during the first cycle? Provided dosing is sufficient, and this will vary from person to person, it is not uncommon to gain 10 Kg of muscle mass weight during a first cycle. Some of this may be water retention, although a solid gain of more than 10 Kg is possible.
Are the gains from steroid use temporary? Yes and no. Steroids can help you do two basic things with regard to muscle growth. First, they can allow you to reach your genetic limits for muscle growth faster. Second, providing you continue to train and eat properly and use an effective PCT program, you should be able to maintain your genetic limit indefinitely. So the early gains should not be temporary. Also, steroids can allow you to push beyond your genetic limits. It is important to understand that bodybuilders are unable to maintain extreme physical development long-term without the repeated administration of anabolic substances. The body will always revert back towards its normal metabolic limits once AAS usage is discontinued. So in this context some of the gains will not be permanent. Steroids do permanently alter the physiology of your muscles by adding more cellular nuclei. With higher nuclei content, each muscle cell can manage its volume more efficiently, which allows more rapid expansion. Even after a long period of complete abstinence from training and AAS the nuclei remain. This may provide a “muscle memory” effect, allowing you to reach your genetic limit (perhaps a slightly extended limit) faster than if you had never used AAS in the past. So in this regard, there are lasting benefits beyond the temporary increase in muscle size itself.
Can steroids make me look like a professional bodybuilder? If you have the underlying genetics to allow for this extreme muscle growth, this may be possible with a lot of hard work and dedication. Genetics are a big factor in determining the ultimate limits to your physique. Many people use steroids and look very big and impressive because of it, but very few users are able to make it to the stage of a professional bodybuilding show.
How dangerous is an isolated cycle of steroids? Anabolic/androgenic steroids are among the safest drugs available, at least in a short-term sense. Fatal overdose is not reasonably possible, and the negative health changes such as alterations in cholesterol, blood pressure, hematocrit, and blood clotting (among other things) are very unlikely to manifest in serious bodily harm or death after an isolated cycle. There are rare deaths from such things as stroke and liver cancer in short-term abusers, but such occurrences are statistically extremely rare in light of the millions of people that use these drugs.
How dangerous is long-term steroid use? The long-term use of steroids for non-medical reasons can be a unhealthy practice. It has been difficult, however, to quantify the exact risk. The main issue is the fact that AAS abuse leads to permanent side effects.
Can steroids be used to enhance an athletic career safely? The non-medical use of AAS by definition cannot be defined as a safe practice. However, it can be argued that anabolic/androgenic steroids can be used with high relative safety, even over a period of many years. The guidelines of steroid harm reduction are important to minimizing the negative health effects of these drugs. Provided an individual follows these guidelines and is careful with drug selection, dosages, and duration of intake, follows a diet low in saturated fats, cholesterol, sugar, and refined carbohydrates, actively trains with both resistance and cardiovascular exercise, and uses cholesterol support supplements such as fish oils and others during all cycles, it may be difficult in many cases to argue high tangible health risks. It takes a great deal of involvement and planning to use AAS in this manner, which is always advised.
What are the safest steroids for men? Testosterone, whatever the form, tends to be the safest steroid for men. When the dose remains within the moderately range, alterations in cardiovascular risks factors are noticed, but not extreme.
Which steroids will not cause hair loss? For those with a genetic predisposition to hair loss, all anabolic/androgenic steroids are capable of accelerating the process. Moderate doses of testosterone can be used with finasteride, a drug that reduces DHT conversion (and androgenic amplification) in the scalp. Still, those genetically prone to hair loss can have problems with any steroid.
What are the safest steroids for women? Women are generally most concerned with the virilizing (masculinizing) effects of anabolic/androgenic steroids. The least virilizing agents are not those with the highest relative anabolic to androgenic effect, such as nandrolone, oxandrolone, turinabol, and methenolone. Anabolic/Androgenic ratios, while a useful measure to scientists, have little to no carryover in terms of virilization potential in women. In fact, nandrolone is extremely virilizing in women. It is important to remember that all AAS are based on male sex hormones and so they can cause masculinizing effects in women.
Can I just do a oral only cycle? Sure. But should you? Probably not. Oral steroids are still going to suppress your natural Testosterone production very hard. You may find you don’t feel the best or symptoms of low testosterone. If you choose to do a oral-only cycle, you should prepare a proper PCT as well.
What about just a Prohormone or Designer Steroid cycle? Prohormones and Designer Steroids are going to suppress your natural Testosterone very hard. Prohormones & Designer Steroids are no better (or even worse in some cases) than using a traditional oral steroid. The supplemental PCT sold with these Prohormones/Designer Steroids is predominantly not very effective. A proper PCT should be based on Nolvadex/Clomid to be effective.
Injectables steroids changed color and looks weird. Why? Injectable gear can crash due to storing the product in colder than recommended temperatures, which may happen in air mail shipping or because the ratio of AAS to oil is out of balance (this can be either a manufacturer error or a personal error if home brewing). This does not damage the steroid. In order to correct the problem, simply run the vial under warm water until the products reverts back to its normal state. Clean with alcohol swab after drying off.
My injectables have particles floating in it. What top do? You can either dispose of the product or you can re-filter it by using a Whatman filter. While opinions will differ on this subject, the opinion of re-filtering is still available and a suitable solution in many cases, assuming the product is not badly polluted. In cases where it is apparent that the product is very poor quality and contains a large amount of foreign material, it would be wise to throw it away. This should not occur with reputable brands of UGL and will never occur with pharma-grade products.
I need to travel during my cycle. What do? A solution would be to switch over to Testosterone Undecanoate. With a half life of 20 days, it makes for an excellent and risk free choice.
I’m getting muscle pumps. What can I do? The first line of action should be: Taurine (3-10g pre-workout) Magnesium (200-500mg pre-workout, you may also add 200-500mg morning or afternoon depending on when you train) Potassium (200-300mg pre-workout, you may also add 200-500mg AM/PM depending on when you workout) Increase your water intake (1-2 gallons daily)
My injection spot is red/itchy/sore? Get some antibiotics if it is red, itchy, or hot. If it is simply sore and/or swollen it is probably going to be okay. If in doubt, get some antibiotics; a common thing to tell your doctor is that you injected B12.
Is it normal to bleed after injecting? Yes, it is common to occasionally nick a vein close to the surface of the injection site, which will cause blood to leak from the surface. The amount of blood which can seep from an injection site can be anywhere from a drop or two, to a very light stream which slowly flows down that body part. Even in the event a larger vein is hit when doing an injection, this type of bleeding is relatively easy to stop and will not pose any harm to the individual.
Is aspirating required when injecting? No, most AAS users do not aspirate when injecting.
Does injecting build up scar tissue? Yes, repeated intramuscular injections can cause the muscle to build up scar tissue. Generally there is no inflammation or inclusion in the tissue. In an effort to minimize scar tissue build up, users will rotate through many injection spots.
How to properly open an amp? Ampules can be aided in opening by scoring (some ampules come pre-scored). Scoring is a process in which in a fine line is ground away around the neck of the ampule. Scoring makes it much easier to snap the top of the ampule off without breaking the vial and spilling the oil. Normally, a scoring tool is used for this process, although sometimes knives or other objects can be used. An amp opener can be used, which is the fastest and the least time consuming methods. If you don’t have an amp opener, grasp the amp between thumb and forefinger of one hand. Move liquid from the neck to the body of the amp by tapping (thumping) the ampule sharply. Using gauze pad (or similar), grasp the stem (the part above the neck) with the other hand. Break it from you and discard safely. The so called tape-method can be employed, as well. The tape method involves taping the entire vial all the way up to the neck line. Several layers of tape should surround the vial, so that it is properly secured. The point of taping the vial is to prevent the contents of the amp from spilling, if it breakw somewhere other than the neckline. The other purpose is to reinforce the ampule, so that it is more likely to break at the neckline. One can combine both the tape method and the scoring, which is the best way to ensure that the oil contained in the ampule will not be spilled.
Can I re-use syringes? Absolutely not. You should never take a needle which has entered the body and re-insert it back into a steroid product, as this can result in bacteria build-up and cause potential future infections.
How fast should I inject? As a general rule, 30 seconds per ml.
Is it dangerous to inject small air bubbles?” No, a small amount of air will do no harm. Air bubbles injected into muscle tissue is of no concern. Even if the individual were to thread a vein and inject the entire contents of the syringe into the vein, the small air bubbles contained within it would be irrelevant. In reality, several cc of air would have to be injected directly into a vein all at once in order to cause cardiac arrest. Even injecting 2-3 cc’s of air directly into a muscle would be largely inconsequential. Of course, such an action is not recommended.

Hi! I need some help please for anyone that took letrazole! I took it this past fabruary and I didn’t ovulate nor did the lh go up over 50. I didn’t have a period for 6 ish months and I had to take provera to induce my period. I had the period and I took the smaller dose of letrazole again. But here’s where it gets rough. I got sick with rsv and had a tooth ache so my doctor prescribed me antibiotics. So cycle day 3-7 I took letrazole and then cycle day 9-16 I was on antibiotics. Then I got a uti and then a yeast infection. This whole time since cycle day 15 my lh has been in range of 40-70 and it won’t go any higher. I’m on cycle day 40 and I’m still having lh over 50 now. I have never had this happen before I took clomid and letrazole before and even naturally ovulating the lh would come down. I’m worried that a follicle is growing there and it might get too big. Someone please help!

I’m 19 years old and I’ve been struggling for over a year now with low libido, lack of sensitivity and ED. I can first recall this starting around the time I split up with my long term girlfriend of 5 years. Towards the end of our relationship we couldn’t connect intimately and I felt this was due to our relationship having ran its course leading to us parting ways, having worked together to genuinely try and improve the relationship. Throughout the relationship to this point my libido had been very high and I had no health issues, playing high level sport regularly alongside a balanced diet and weight lifting. In the build up to this period I noticed my lower back around the sacroiliac region begin causing me pain and discomfort. I went to see numerous physios, Doctors, chiropractors and had a variety of MRI’s/ X-Rays with the final verdict being “we don’t know what’s causing it”. Eventually this stopped me from playing my chosen sport completely and I had to resort to managing my exercise in the gym only. Over the period of 6 months I gained fair weight and put on fair muscle mass all while experiencing the same symptoms I have been having when suddenly I noticed that I hadn’t had morning wood in a while. Throughout this time I felt I was more fatigued then normal and seemed to always have some underlying cough or cold, I felt that my immune system was weak. I had been training from January to June and felt the strongest I had ever been but I was still having these issues. I then fell ill with my first bout of tonsillitis for which I had a prescription of antibiotics for. This was the first of 8 bouts over 6 months for which I have had 5 round of anti biotic and been sent to hospital for two nights when the infection got so bad I I could not breath. Eventually this led to a tonsillectomy. Blood tests revealed I had glandular fever at some point during this time which will have inevitably weakened me and added to fatigue, stress and de motivation. During this whole period I tried to analyse everything to understand what might be causing my low libido and ED, no porn, no fap, anxiety from my relationship and having not been with other partners, is there a chemical imbalance or something?, and then of course testosterone.I decided to get a blood test which came back as such,
Testosterone - 12nmol/L ( 346 ng/dL )
Red blood cell count - 4.41 Range - 4.50-6.00
Thyroid function test - normal
Serum TSH level - 1.3 mu/L Range - 0.27-4.20
Serum free T4 - 17.8pmol Range 11.30-21.60
Haematocrit - 0.386 L/L Range 0.40-0.52
Quantitv faecal immunochem test

• 52 ug Hb/g faeces Range <10.00ug

I have been seeing a sexual therapist and ruling out all possibly psychological reasons. The physical symptoms I’ve had over the last year and a half or so suggest low testosterone and I’m now beginning to see hormonal treatment as my only option. There is no lifestyle change to be made, I’ve always been active, always had healthy weight, never had body fat exceeding 14%, balanced diet, take all the supplements there are (I mean it), I don’t watch porn, I don’t masturbate either although there is no desire to. The lower region back pain continues and my immune system is still weak. I know what normal feels like and I haven’t felt it for a long time now. I’m fairly ignorant on most possible treatments but I haven’t heard many good things about clomid. Trt comes with the fertility concern and what are the complications of long term use? I know starting at this age would be a life long commitment. Unaware of HGC, good? Bad? As well as this, is there a physical answer for all this or can this sort of thing “just happen”. and why now, why not during puberty? I’ve yet to have an MRI on my brain as I’m sure I should check that but I guess what I’m saying is, My lifestyle is not an issue, is hormonal treatment worth it? Will it work? I want my libido back, I want my dick back, I want to enjoy the ability to have sex again

As in title I have PCOD and ttc for 5years now… 5.3” n 85kgs … personally weight had been the biggest challenge to defeat still now… I have gone through lap n dye test a year ago to check tubes, n there was some swelling at the end of tubes… 4months back new gynecologist gave antibiotics for it .. but I was never rechecked for the swelling has gone or no.. i have been put on letrozole , clomid n other conception drugs .. everything goes well throughout the cycle but i never got lucky.. Recently i went to homeopathic dr. N she said that my tubes are block n it will take a year or so for it to be treated.. I am thinking to try IVF.. with all this in mind .. do u think i will have a chance??? Also whenever i have pulled IVF topic infront of my doctors they always dismiss it in a way..you’re still young.. try these medications n do this .. i am 24 years old.. I am getting depressed tbh..

Hi there, I’m hoping to gather some advice (maybe even some successes?? 🤞🏼) from others who have been in my shoes.
I have PCOS with irregular periods (60+ days). Tried to conceive naturally for years, tried clomid but it only ever regulated my cycle once and was never successful getting pregnant. Moved to IVF. Egg retrieval was last June with 12 PGT tested, high grade embryos (6 are carriers of a hearing loss gene, 6 are non-carriers). We did a FET in October that ended in chemical. FETs in December and March that failed. In the March transfer we lost an embryo during the thaw.
In between the December and March cycle we tried a medicated natural cycle but I never ovulated so we canceled it. After the 3rd failed FET doctor had me do ReceptivaDX, EMMA, ALICE, ERA and a hysterosalpingogram. All came back normal except the ALICE. ALICE showed presence of klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria and I’m now on antibiotics for 2 weeks.
My question to others who’ve been down this path: - Did you have success after a round of antibiotics after a positive ALICE result? Anything that helped? - Are there other tests or things I should explore with my doctor?
I have an appointment with him in two days and unfortunately I feel like I really have to come armed with my own opinions/research for next steps. Im nervous we’re going to just do another transfer with no other information or change to protocol and it will fail. I’d love any advice or experiences!
Thank you!!

Hey all,
If you’ve read my previous posts, you’ll know I’ve tried a few different things over the past couple of years that have managed to help my PSSD to a limited degree. These have included antibiotics, inositol and most recently Forskolin; the latter of these had the most dramatic positive effects on my sexual dysfunction symptoms, although it stopped helping after about a week.
However, this led me to think that my PSSD might have a hormonal component, as Forskolin is supposed to raise testosterone as one of its primary benefits. My testosterone levels have always come up normal, but I found a doctor who was willing to let me try Clomiphene (clomid) to see if raising my T levels would help.
So far I’ve been on 25mg Clomiphene citrate daily for about a week, and although I do feel different in a way I can’t quite describe, I haven’t really seen any benefits yet. My understanding is that it can take a while to work, so I’m going to stick with it for at least a month and see what happens.
I know people have posted about their experiences with Clomid on here in the past, but I thought I’d just open the floor to anyone who might be willing to comment on whether Clomid helped them, how long it took to work, etc.?

Hi All,
I am a 34 y.o. in the shared risk program at shady grove and have had one retrieval resulting in seven day-6 euploid embryos. I used donor sperm from a respected sperm bank. I have done six frozen transfers and have had a beta of less than 1 after all transfers. Below is a summary of the testing I have had done and protocols I've used. Any/All advice is very welcome!
Notes:

• My ovarian reserve was good in 2020 - AMH was 6.0, Antral follicle count was 31, lining is always thick enough and responds well.
• I was diagnosed with endometriosis from a lap procedure after my 5th failed transfer.
• Fertility doctor suspects the issue is the embryos - "micro deletions" that can't be tested for.
• Tests I have NOT had: EMMA, ALICE, Immune Testing
• I started doing acupuncture during the lead up to my third transfer. I have done acupuncture on the day of transfer for the past four FETs.

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Procedure	Date	Outcome	Notes
HSG #1	Sept 2020	left tube blocked, no hydrosalpinx detected
IUI	Nov 2020	Negative	Donor sperm used
IUI	Jan 2021	Negative	Donor sperm used
IUI	Feb 2021	Cancelled	clomid over response
Egg Retrieval	Apr 2021	29 eggs, 12 Blasts, 7 euploid 6-day embryos	Donor sperm used
FET 1	June 2021	No Implantation, Beta less than 1	standard medicated
FET 2	Sept 2021	No Implantation, Beta less than 1	standard medicated
ERA/Receptiva	Nov 2021	Normal
FET 3	Feb 2022	No Implantation, Beta less than 1	standard medicated
Hysteroscopy	Mar 2022	Polyps removed
FET 4	June 2022	No Implantation, Beta less than 1	natural modified (trigger shot, progesterone suppositories)
HSG #2	July 2022	left tube blocked, no hydrosalpinx detected
FET 5	Aug 2022	No Implantation, Beta less than 1	natural modified (trigger shot, progesterone suppositories - added baby aspirin and vaginal probiotic)
Laparoscopic surgery	October 2022	Diagnosed with stage 2 endometriosis, endo lesions removed, blocked tube removed
Endometrial Biopsy	Jan 2023	Normal	done after 2 weeks of antibiotics to calm inflammation
FET 6	Feb 2023	No Implantation, beta less than 1	natural modified (trigger shot, progesterone suppositories

Two ultrasounds made it official yesterday that I have an empty 6 week old sac when I'm at week 8 almost. Breast tenderness and nausea has subsided. No bleeding yet but I've started feeling mild cramping. HCG rose by very little between the two U/S a week apart. I've come to terms with the fact that my first pregnancy was a failure. I conceived naturally but with Clomid. No underlying health conditions, no history of smoking, never had alcohol, not overweight or obese, no pcos or hormonal imbalances, no fibroids, everything between my husband and I was in good normal ranges. Neither of my sisters or my mother has ever had a miscarriage.
I live in Canada, I was visiting family on a vacation to Pakistan. My brother is a surgeon who has contacts at his clinic and I'm being seen by one of the best OBGYN in the city.
My flight back will start Feb 23rd from Pakistan, with two 1 day long layovers. It is a 63 hour ordeal in total. This was all planned pre pregnancy. My options are D&C, medications to induce miscarriage or have it pass naturally. The problem being the earliest date I can find for my D&C is Feb 20, 3 days before my flight. I don't want to go to random clinics as I've been previously infected after surgery in Pakistan. The staff doesn't have beside manners, I can't imagine dealing with surgery in Pakistan tbh. I'm scared of scar tissue or infections and the horrible aftercare. The doctors are good in Pakistan, everything else is absolutely horrible.
My clinic in Canada is asking me to terminate it with whatever means possible before complications happen. I'm at a loss as to how to navigate through the flights and my MMC. Everyone keeps reassuring me about D&C but I've had two surgeries in my life, one in Pakistan and one in Canada. The one in Pakistan was done at an army clinic, the surgery was great, the aftercare left me in bed for 36 hours without medication or anyone to give me a sip of water or take me to the washroom (which ended up with an infected stitch as I was without antibiotics). The overnight nurse lied in her roster about making rounds and replacing my IV, no one would come to see me despite my constant ringing of the bell. I had to crawl out with my ass uncovered in my medical gown into the hallway and yell till someone came to my aid. The temperature that day was 26°C and someone would shut off airconditioning in my sleep (but not replace my IV). I never knew what thirst felt like before that.

Is it Possible that i could of had an STD and not have known then after a while it developed into epididymitis? I Started taking clomid for low test, and that's when all the symptoms started. Started pissing way too much, then eventually turned into pressure in my right nut. Also they felt very stimulated and were tingling , After taking the 7 days of antibiotics he gave me, it went away for 1 day, then came back with a vengeance. Started getting shooting pains, pelvic spasms, and gets worse at night when laying down, anyone else have anything similar? I went to doctor did a urine test and he said i may have Epididymitis, or that the pressure/symptoms i was feeling was completely normal and he said he saw about 4 guys a day with same issue. Anyway, didn't hear if my urine was normal. Did a ultrasound and i will know the results next week.

I'm not sure what caused this but it seemed to start right after taking clomid for a week and the day it started i was working crouching and stood up pushing with one leg which kinda caused pain and strain, went back to truck to sit down and had pressure in right nut, felt weird. Then got progressively worse the next few days. Doctor said i may have epididymitis, so gave me 7 days of antibiotics lol?? anyway. All seemed to be going good and going away slowly. The last day of antibiotics i felt totally fine. After they were gone it back with a vengeance even worse, and started to transfer to the other side, along with pelvic spasm/twitches? has anyone else have this symptom? also it seems the side with pain is hanging a bit lower than usually and is sensitive asf. keeps going between leg a lil bit and is annoying, makes it hard to sleep on side. Has anyone else had this

abbreviations

• PSSD = post-SSRI sexual dysfunction
• PFS = Post finasteride syndrome
• PAS = Post Accutane Syndrome

Note: the name post-SSRI- sexual dysfunction is misleading as the symptoms are not just sexual dysfunction. It is a laundry list of problems. Post-SSRI syndrome would be more appropriate.

What is it?

• SSRIs are used for depression & other mental health conditions (duh I know you know this).
• Finasteride is used for treating hair loss in men. It is a 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor
• Accutane is used for treating acne.

PSSD, PFS, and PAS happen upon cessation of the drug, although some report it happens while on the drug, and even just after taking 1 pill. The symptoms seem persistent even weeks, months, or years after the drug has been discontinued. Some recover with time, some do not.
Most, if not all inhibitors can cause these syndromes, which include Wellbutrin which is a Norepinephrine, and dopamine reuptake inhibitor. There are many people in the PSSD community that got their symptoms from this and other reuptake inhibitors. There are also many guys who got PSSD from a herb called Ashwagandha.
Other drugs can also cause this condition like Minoxidil.

Symptoms

• Dissociation/dereailzation
• Fatigue
• Blank mind (no thoughts, imagination, inner monologue)
• Anhedonia
• Emotional numbness
• Brain fog (memory problems, no train of thought etc)
• Pressure in the frontal lobe
• Tinnitus
• Suicidal ideation
• Visual problems (visual snow syndrome, blurriness etc)
• Skin rashes (histamine intolerance)
• POTS/dysautonomia
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Loss of taste & smell
• Heart palpitations
• Muscle weakness
• Muscle wastage
• Insomnia
• Panic attacks
• Racing thoughts
• Adrenaline surges
• Dry eyes or fewer tears when crying, or cannot cry at all
• Restlessness
• Tremors
• Mental changes that you didn't have before like anxiety
• Sexual dysfunction
  • Low or no libido
  • Impotence (males)
  • Low or zero lubrication (females)
  • Dull orgasms
  • Inability to orgasm
  • Shriveled penis and/or testicles (males)
  • Retracted clitoris (females)

I hope I'm not missing any symptoms from this laundry list.

ACE2 receptor

The symptoms are similar for sure, but that might not satisfy your doubts that these syndromes might have the same mechanism of action as long covid. A researcher in Milan called Dr. Luisa Guerrini conducted an experiment where she analyzed the effects of SSRIs, Finasteride & Accutane on the ACE2 receptors. Her experiment found that these drugs completely wipe them out.
https://rxisk.org/a-cure-for-pssd-pfs-and-post-isotretinoin-syndrome/

Autoimmune

Many PSSD sufferers are testing positive for the same autoantibodies as the long covid sufferers;

• https://www.reddit.com/PSSD/comments/yahmjo/evidence_on_severe_autoimmune_response/
• https://www.reddit.com/PSSD/comments/z1v93d/my_test_results_another_case_of_autoimmunity/
• https://www.reddit.com/PSSD/comments/101kj8w/autoimmunity_in_cerebrospinal_fluid/

There are many more reports of these same results.

Small fiber neuropathy

The PSSD community are also testing positive for SFN as are the long covid sufferers.
https://www.reddit.com/PSSD/comments/zwfqt0/positive_skin_biopsy_indicates_small_fibe
More to read FYI: https://rxisk.org/sensory-receptors-small-fibres-and-neuropathy/

Theories

What I find interesting is that I've noticed the long covid community have developed the same theories as the PSSD, PFS & PAS communities.
The PSSD community have noticed that this condition might mostly affect "neurodivergent" individuals. Many people with PSSD, PFS and PAS seem to have similar personality traits like hypersexual, sensitive, and overly emotional. Some have pre-existing mental conditions like ADHD and OCD. A user u/Daytime_Reveries and other users have noticed this in the long covid illness.
https://www.reddit.com/covidlonghaulers/comments/10eamqi/the_connection_between_neurodivergency_and/
I've also noticed the long covid community have become interested in the microbiome, or the gut-brain axis, as are the PSSD community. Some PSSD sufferers have found cures by treating their gut or with FMT. A user called u/lastround360 made a great detailed post about his theory;

• https://www.reddit.com/PSSD/comments/q03uci/gut_microbiota_theory_how_i_finally_cured_my_pssd/
• https://www.reddit.com/PSSD/comments/ryj0yo/gut_microbiota_theory_pt_2_pssd_is_an_autoimmune/
• https://www.reddit.com/PSSD/comments/sonxco/gut_microbiota_theory_part_3_dopamine_recepto
• http://www.pssdforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=2324

A PFS guy found a cure by killing his e. histolytica parasite https://www.curezone.org/forums/am.asp?i=2276109
​

• Some PSSD guys think serotonin is the culprit and have a theory that the 5-HT (serotonin) receptors are desensitized or down-regulated. It's an old theory and doesn't make sense in today's age.
• Some PFS guys have a theory that DHT is the culprit.
• Some people are thinking of brain damage of some sort.
• And the long covid guys seem to think it's "covid persistence".

I don't blame people for thinking like this, but I personally think they're all wrong. I and the PSSD, PFS & PAS community are starting to realize that long covid could have the same mechanism of action and that the root cause could be the same. What treatment would work for long covid would probably work for PSSD, PFS, and PAS guys, and vice-versa.

What has helped

I have seen many many different drugs & herbs cure this condition. This shows that this illness is not permanent and can be reversed. I have seen high-dose Lithium cure PSSD. I've seen Psilocybin reverse it completely. I've seen MDMA+Psilocybin cure this. All these drugs could have a positive effect on reversing dysfunctions in the central nervous system, specifically the sympathetic nervous system.
For both PSSD and PFS guys, I've seen HCG, TRT and Clomid reverse their illness. I've also seen corticosteroids either temporarily cure people, or bring about a permanent cure. I remember one story of a PFS guy who had grueling symptoms identical to long covid; he had a car crash & was sent to the hospital. The Dr gave him a steroid injection (I think it was prednisone), he woke up in the hospital and realized he hadn't felt so good in years, despite just having a car accident. Whatever the steroid he was given, it reversed his condition.
Lastly, I've seen antihistamines like Cyproheptadine induce a 3-day cure for some, but it only works once every 2 weeks. I've seen antibiotics induce small windows of temporary cures, but with the discovery of the microbiome, many people are reluctant to mess with their gut bacteria.
For some lucky few, time heals them, as some long covid sufferers recover with time too.
What I've discovered is that what works for others doesn't work for everyone.

What doesn't help

Many PSSD, PFS, and PAS sufferers react differently to different supplements, drugs, and herbs. But one thing is for sure is that reinstatement of the offending drug rarely brings about a cure. In most cases, it makes them worse.
https://www.reddit.com/PSSD/comments/10hwzi0/reinstating_has_ruined_my_quality_of_life_my/
I see many long covid sufferers being prescribed SSRIs, and either having a bad reaction or feeling worse. I'm not surprised!

Discussion

The PSSD, PFS & PAS communities have been gaslit for years and years and years by Drs and the criminal big pharma industrial complex. Abandoned even. I am sorry for you guys who are suffering from LC but you've been almost a godsend to these communities & independent scientists to understand these debilitating, disabling side effects more.
The LC community is big & vast. I think it's important that the LC community start paying more recognition to PSSD, PFS & PAS as the mechanism of these illnesses are obviously the same and the symptoms are identical to one another.

Your infertility treatment depends on what causes your infertility. It also depends on whether it is the man, woman or both that are infertile or if the infertility is unexplained. Infertility is treated using surgery, medicine, artificial insemination and assisted reproductive technology.
Doctors determine the best treatment for you based on your test results, how long have you been trying to get pregnant, you and your partner's age, overall health of both parties, you and partner's preference. In men, infertility due to sexual problems such as premature ejaculation and impotence is often treated with medicines and/or behavioural therapy. Gynecologist in Jaipur
The problem with sperm count in men is usually treated with surgery. Oftentimes, the sperm is removed surgically from the male reproductive tract. Infections that cause the reduction of sperm count can be treated with antibiotics. In other cases, the semen does not contain any sperm due to a blockage in the man's system. Surgery can help resolve this problem.
Infertility treatment for women includes fertility drugs, surgery and assisted conception treatments. Fertility drugs that are commonly used to treat infertility include Femara, Clomid and gonadotropins. Problems in the pelvis lining, fallopian tubes and abdomen are diagnosed through HSG test (hysterosalpingogram) wherein laparoscopic surgery is performed to evaluate the problem and remove any blockage if possible.
Intrauterine Insemination or artificial insemination is a procedure used to place specially washed sperm into the uterus directly. This procedure is used when there is a problem with the cervical mucus of a woman, male factor infertility and unexplained infertility. IUI success rate is not so high but the cost is much lower than IVF.
InVitro Fertilization or IVF make use of fertility drugs to boost egg production. If everything goes well, the eggs are retrieved from the ovaries and placed with the sperm in a special mix of nutrients until fertilization occurs. One to three embryos will be placed in the woman's uterus after fertilization of the egg. Best Infertility Treatment in Jaipur
Instead of fertilizing the egg and the sperm, known as gametes outside the body, GIFT or Gamete Intra Fallopian Transfer places the sperm and egg together in one of the fallopian tubes. Zygote Intra Fallopian Transfer places the zygote in one of the fallopian tubes through laparoscopic surgery.
Assisted Reproductive Technologies are sometimes performed with egg or sperm donor. Egg donation produces around 40 to 45 percent live birth rate but only about 10% of couples choose donor sperm or egg.
Chances of Conception with Treatment
The success of your treatment depends largely on your age and what causes your infertility. You have a higher chance of getting pregnant if you are under 35. Your chance of pregnancy reduces when you reach the age of 40 although there are ways to increase your chances by changing your lifestyle.
You and your partner's lifestyle matter when it comes to infertility. You can boost your chances of getting pregnant by stopping alcohol and limiting your caffeine intake as well as giving up smoking and starting to eat a healthy diet. Infertility treatment is possible with proper diagnosis and your cooperation.

Demographic Info: 29M White 5'11" Fat Meds: Vyvanse, Pristique, Clomid, Anastrozole No health conditions except Depression, ADHD, Low Testosterone.
Hello all and thanks in advance for your generous help!
My question is: when is it safe to use an Ear Wash like WaxRx after an ear infection?
Background: I had a severe case of Otitis since last Friday. Pain is only subsiding today (Friday). Pain was so bad Tuesday i was in the ER crying despite max doses of tylenol and advil, they prescribed Percocet and i was still in so much pain i couldn't sleep, although it helped. Swelling was significant and spread to my jaw to the point i couldn't close my molars on both sides. On day 4, it spread to my right ear which prior had been clear.
I've been on topical antibiotic drops (Ciprofloxacin) since Sunday (last dose is tomorrow) and oral antibiotic (Levofloxacin) since Tuesday (last dose tuesday).
The semi-fluid in my ears has not been viscous enough to drain with gravity and heat and I can barely hear.
This is why I'm desperate to try something like WaxRx, although i'm afraid to given the pain of the ear infection and not wanting to aggravate anything.

TL;DR: Husband lied about wanting kids for 11 years and now I don't know what to do
My husband (32 m) and I (28 f) have been married for 8 years. Together for a total of 11. I have always been upfront in my deep desire for kids and he always said he was ok with that and wanted them too. We've been trying for 6 years now with no luck, and I've essentially been handling it alone.
Lately, we've hit a rough patch (unrelated to kids) where I brought up not feeling like his first priority where he blew up saying he felt the same. My husband is not an emotional man and has never been. I ended up getting upset and asked him if he even wanted to be with me anymore and he just said 'idk'. This kinda broke me.
My period was late recently but the test came back negative so I didn't say anything since he never really seemed to care anyways. He texted me and told me that he wasn't snooping but found the disposed test in the trash, which I was suspicious of because at the time he found it it was barely visible and we don't share a bathroom.
Shit has apparently hit the fan and it's come to light that he's been lying about wanting kids the entire time we've been together. I'm distraught. My biggest fear, that I've had since I was a kid myself, was not being a mom and now the man who I wanted to spend my life with is now denying me that.
We got married young, I was 20. I feel like I have nothing to look forward too now. I love him with every cell of my being but idk how to get past this
Updated to add: We had testing done after the 1st year went by. I had blood tests, an HSG done, and a couple other test I can't remember and everything came up 100% normal with me and I do ovulate. For shits and giggles the doc put me on clomid for 3 months to no avail and 3 months after that I got another blood test and stuff done to confirm I ovulate. He had a semen analysis done at year 1 and that's been it, and at the time it was normal but prescribed antibiotics for 10 days just in case. Doc wanted him to go back 3 months later and he never did and hasn't been since.
All he says for backing himself up for no kids is that he's never liked kids and he thought he could convince himself that he'd like his own but the further we got into it was too afraid to tell me otherwise.
I kind of walked myself into it. He's not one for ever showing emotions around me, so when I was already emotional about the test being negative again and brought how he didn't seem like he wanted kids everything kind of blew up. Like I caught him in a way. He seems very remorseful about it but that doesn't really fix my broken heart you know?
Update #2: asked him about a few other things while keeping my composure. I think he's having an existential crisis, keeps using the word "lost" a lot. Asked him about accidental pregnancy because now that he 'doesn't want kids' our luck will come into play, says he doesn't know what to do if that happens. I've had time to reflect on this a bit and I think if he's truly having a crisis as I've looked up previous conversations where he brought up having kids and I quote: "I woke up this morning and realized when we get settled into the house fully that I want to start having kids" This is probably a red flag that I might ignore for a while to see how it plays out- but I think the fear of being a dad plus the crisis scared the fuck out of him and he's now convinced himself that he's never actually wanted them.

About 3-4 weeks ago I was put on flagyl for BV & also a yeast infection medication. Finished the medicine, (only had sex once afterwards?) but now I’m having the most intense pain during sex & fishy smell again… like there’s no way everything’s back to normal. I’ve been having this problem on and off for 2 years now. Currently searching for someone who will be some type of help for me. Anyways, I was given clomid a month ago. Put it on hold for after the antibiotics etc…we’ll now the time has come to took the clomid in 2 days.. but should I take it? Or wait and get this straightened out? I’m so upset because all I’ve been doing is counting down the days until I can take it. And now that’s being taken from me too. 😭

Trigger warning for everything you can imagine, but especially miscarriage.
Tl;Dr: First doctor tells me I have PCOS with little evidence and gives me clomid. I get pregnant fast without clomid, but miscarry at 5 weeks. Second doctor tells me my miscarriage was all in my head and pregnancy tests don't work. Third doctor does no tests but gives me antibiotics and tells me anxious people like me miscarry and I need hormones. WTF which one is the smartest?
Long version:
All 4 doctors in this story are obgyn. I'm in my 20s and I'm thin, and I live in Western Europe.
I have long cycles (45 days) but ovulating regularly, with big BBT rises.
Because of the long cycles, my usual doctor tested my hormones because he suspected PCOS. Well all my hormones are in the normal range, but I have higher LH than FSH, so I got the PCOS diagnosis, understandably. He prescribed clomid a half year ago but we decided to try without.
On our 3rd try, I got pregnant. I was so happy. I took 15 pregnancy tests, 5 different brands, mostly pink but a Clearblue as well, and I was worried because they never really got as dark as the control line. Then I had a miscarriage at 5 weeks. In my opinion, it was a chemical pregnancy. My husband was so scared when I started bleeding, I passed out for a little bit but then we ended up going to the emergency room. Where they took a HCG blood test and told me that it is 7 which means I was never pregnant. I told her that I took pee tests, I'm having a miscarriage. She told me, "don't believe me? Let's do an ultrasound I'll show you..." I told her I believe her but okay I guess it can't hurt. She pointed at the screen, and yelled out "Look, I told you! It's EMPTY!!!". I couldn't believe what I heard. Later she explained that pee tests often give false positives and it's only the blood tests that I should trust. And she added, next time I shod buy Clearblue because that's the most reliable. I couldn't believe how wrong she was about everything, and frankly, I was hurt.
After the miscarriage I went back to my usual doctor. Now you see he is a nice guy and he told me that he believes I was pregnant and it was not my fault. I also showed him the 15 pregnancy tests. He said it's usually genetic, happens to everyone. My only problem with this doctor is that he has been refusing to test me for ureaplasma for a year, and this was the third time I asked him to test me for it, because I burn and pee all the time. But he keeps testing me for Chlamydia and gonorrhea and it keeps coming back negative.
So, I figured I asked him 3 times, he refused to test me 3 times, I might as well see another doctor just to get a little peace of mind. Well I got what I wanted but at what cost. This third doctor gave me a prescription for ureaplasma antibiotics (no test results yet but he prescribed them anyway) but he also told me that the miscarriage was caused by my anxiety and he can see that I'm an anxious woman. I asked if I see a psychiatrist, will that help me avoid future miscarriages? He said, no, that's useless, I need to call him next time I'm pregnant and he will give me progesterone. He said this without ever checking my progesterone levels! Well if my progesterone is so bad then why was my BBT 37.1 the entire time I was pregnant?
Btw, I got surgery for a CIN1 by a 4th doctor in the past. He did not perform a colposcopy or biopsy before he decided to cut. He didn't do much damage but still, wtf?
I'm starting to think I'm the stupid one and maybe I should try trusting doctors. But they all contradict each other! Which one should I trust?