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Does anyone else get a taste in their mouth just before (like hours) their period and at the beginning? I've always described it as "tasting as though my saliva is stale." I'm looking for anyone else who gets a taste and can describe it and holy-grail...any idea what exactly causes it?
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:06 AM - 5 answers

I need some help with unexplained female hair loss. 30s, no known contributing health issues, suddenly losing a ton of hair all over the head. It stopped for several moths and is back with a vengeance this week. Does anyone know of any good physicians in the NYC/NJ area who specialize in female hair loss? Ideally someone who is not trying to sell me on a transplant/wig as seems to the case with a lot of these specialized women's hair clinics. I went to one random dermatologist who was terrible and extremely dismissive. Would be particularly great to find someone who takes Optum health insurance. Thanks!
posted by shaademaan at 12:06 PM - 8 answers

When I have to have a difficult or potentially difficult conversation I pre-play it, rehearse it in my head, and I think this is helpful. But sometimes I can't stop, I repeatedly go over it, and if my mind wanders the first thing it does is go to this particular imagined conversation to pre-play it again. How do I stop? [more inside]
posted by AFII at 6:38 AM - 9 answers

I need ear plugs for sleeping. What can you recommend? [more inside]
posted by falsedmitri at 6:29 AM - 20 answers

I have a weird inflamed gland (I think?) and am not sure what to do. [more inside]
posted by sir jective at 5:14 PM - 12 answers

I find myself ruminating over something sad and difficult. I'm looking for activities that are "sticky", have low barriers to entry, and will engage me and give me a break from my thoughts. Thank you!
posted by bunderful at 3:52 PM - 32 answers

I'll be visiting a hospital (Sloan Kettering in NYC) frequently over the coming months and need childcare for a two-year-old during visiting hours. While searching, I thought about the short-term childcare services many gyms (like this) provide while parents work out. Sloan Kettering doesn't seem to offer something like this, so I'm wondering: Do any hospitals offer short-term childcare services for visitors who have family members receiving treatment? If not, why not? What barriers might be preventing hospitals from creating something like this?
posted by saltypup at 4:06 PM - 10 answers

Has anybody lost their sense of smell and/or taste from taking propranolol or another beta blocker on a temporary basis? If so, how long did it take you to regain it? [more inside]
posted by Countess Elena at 8:17 AM - 5 answers

I'm looking for recommendations for a medical health professional familiar with evaluating adult women for autism spectrum disorders. Ideally somewhere in the greater Philadelphia area They're trickier to find than docs who evaluate kids, so personal experiences and recommendations are extremely welcome and appreciated!
posted by julthumbscrew at 6:59 AM - 1 answers

My mow is nn 90, ina wheelchair and cannot walk on her own whatsoever. We were thinking of trying stem cell therapy based on an ad we saw, She has extreme arthritis and it can be painful. We are in the NJ-NYC area so if anyone has info it is greatly aprreciated. Thank you
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 2:09 PM - 7 answers

Have you done this? Bad childhood (in my case)=harsh and critical home environment, widespread bullying by peers [more inside]
posted by ThreeSocksToTheWind at 6:23 AM - 26 answers

I recently moved to a new town. A section of one of my upper molars fell out last week. I went to the first dentist that had an appointment the next day. They took a cast, and we made an appointment to have an inlay fitted a few weeks from now. In the meantime, they put in a temporary filling. A few hours later, the temporary filling fell out. I went back the next day and a different dentist put a new one in. Flash forward a week, and the second temporary filling just fell out. [more inside]
posted by ectopus at 7:35 PM - 6 answers

On Grey's Anatomy, there's a scene where they do brain surgery with the lights dimmed low and use head lamps/glow sticks attached to their heads. Is that an actual thing or does it just look cool for tv?
posted by starfishprime at 12:44 PM - 8 answers

Yes I contacted my podiatrist just now, but coming here for additional ideas/help. I got an aircast boot yesterday after breaking my ankle and whenever I prop it up or lay horizontal to sleep after a few hours I get incredible heal pain. My suspicion is that when laying horizontally all the weight contacts directly at the heal. That single focused hard contact point affects the nerves, etc. It feels like that spot is going numb and hurts. [more inside]
posted by Mr. Papagiorgio at 10:22 AM - 5 answers

I’ve got a double whammy of heat rash where my bra band lies and shaving irritation in my pubic area. I know what to do to get both irritations to go away eventually, but I would appreciate suggestions for the best ways to soothe them in the meantime. What makes your skin feel better when it’s irritated and angry?
posted by ocherdraco at 7:18 AM - 23 answers

I am trying to find a therapist to help me work on some anxiety issues. I am a WOC and would like to find someone who is familiar with concepts like microaggressions, implicit bias, structural bias etc. Are there any common phrases in the therapy industry that describe this? Anything that I should ask / explain right off the bat to help figure this out? [more inside]
posted by SockISalmon at 9:22 PM - 9 answers

I've been to five different dentists in the last several years. The first three practices I left for what I thought were valid reasons (always running super late, messed up a crown and couldn't fix it, etc) I'm wondering about the other two, though. [more inside]
posted by whistle pig at 8:09 PM - 11 answers

I feel exhausted, a lot, lately and I'm wondering if there's a medical reason or if this is just normal for someone with my age and lifestyle. [more inside]
posted by koolaidnovel at 7:57 PM - 21 answers

Why do the recommendations on when to give an EpiPen seem to differ so much between Australia and the US? [more inside]
posted by kinddieserzeit at 4:36 PM - 5 answers

My dad has stomach cancer. We're not sure what stage yet. He's Japanese and strongly prefers Japanese food. Does anyone know of a dietitian or nutritionist who specializes in food for people with stomach / gastric cancer, especially with Japanese food? [more inside]
posted by saltypup at 9:30 AM - 8 answers