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I'd like your best ideas on activities to stay busy and occupied, including but not limited to interesting websites (some interests below). Really, the more odd the better. I've been doing well and the vaccine news is heartening, but I am getting a little squirrelly and would like all your good suggestions. Both of my jobs went away due to Covid-19, and I have no idea if/when they will return. [more inside]
posted by Rumi'sLeftSock at 6:10 PM - 28 answers

A close friend of mine would like to ask the AskMe community for personal recommendations for a male therapist in the Seattle area (Burien/Renton/Tukwila also OK). [more inside]
posted by matildaben at 10:59 AM - 0 answers

This is a hard question to ask, but I'm thinking about asking my (USA-based) health insurance company for a medically necessary surgery/fix to my right ear, which is in the form of microtia. [more inside]
posted by dubious_dude at 10:10 AM - 10 answers

I'm considering buying a tria 4x but would really like to hear from anyone who's used it, re its effectiveness and (especially) how it compares to salon lasering. [more inside]
posted by fingersandtoes at 10:05 AM - 6 answers

Aging eyes have meant the end of contact use for me, because my combination of serious astigmatism and severe myopia (-6.5/-9.5) has meant that there were no mass-market multifocal lenses for me. I understand that CooperVision has recently released a toric multifocal in a range that seems to include my prescription. Has anyone with a similarly wonky pair of eyes tried these? Are they comfortable? (In early days I used monthlies and wasn't thrilled with their comfort over time.) Easy to get used to?
posted by praemunire at 6:54 PM - 5 answers

I probably didn't have a mild/asymptomatic covid infection but is there any harm in checking with the antibody test? [more inside]
posted by Candleman at 3:54 PM - 5 answers

A couple decades ago, when I was a teenager, I lost a contact up in that pocket behind the eyelid. My parents were unconcerned and this was before the internet had an answer for every common question.* I was 100% sure it was stuck inside The top of my eye somewhere and have since learned that there is in fact a pocket behind the eye lid (or something) where people do lose their contacts. But my eye never got infected and I never found a stray contact in my eye. SO... what happened? [more inside]
posted by aniola at 6:19 PM - 19 answers

The science and empirical studies on this are pretty good. Essentially the ultrasound briefly disrupts liposomes and some of the stored fat is released into the interstitial fluid matrix where it is then swept up and re-used or excreted. [more inside]
posted by seanmpuckett at 10:11 AM - 1 answers

I'm about to get rotator cuff surgery for my dominant arm. Arthroscopic, outpatient, I'm in reasonably okay shape. I'd love a better sense of how soon I can do the little things - and what my immediate limitations really will be. [more inside]
posted by Mchelly at 9:42 AM - 8 answers

I recently helped my parents navigate Medicare Supplemental coverage using a health insurance marketplace -- and somehow Healthcare.gov obtained our email addresses in this sign-up process. Is there a reason to setup a Healthcare.gov account after enrolling in a Medigap plan that has its own website and login? Healthcare.gov continues to pester us with pleas to register as a user before the mid-December deadline -- but is this an actual useful account to create? Does anyone have an account -- and what does it actually do (if you have insurance already via a different insurance marketplace)?
posted by mhh5 at 11:11 PM - 4 answers

Would you take your kids to Skyzone Trampoline Park (in the United States) considering the state of the pandemic? Why or why not. [more inside]
posted by kdern at 6:18 PM - 32 answers

How can I train my body not to pee as soon as I get to the bathroom? [more inside]
posted by Biblio at 12:26 PM - 12 answers

I'm located in LA, but willing to drive (hours if necessary). I'd like to wait until we're out of quarantine, but I have decent health insurance now and would at least like to schedule an appointment. Unfortunately, in my past experience, I've only dealt or met with fairly dismissive doctors. My mood, physical health (I mean, other that this), and self-care have improved tenfold in the last few years, and I'd like to tackle anew this hair-loss thing. [more inside]
posted by themaskedwonder at 7:56 AM - 4 answers

In the past few weeks I've spoken with 2 RN's on my local nurse line as well as a pharmacist, all about different issues. In all three cases, the person gave a disclaimer that they couldn't tell me what to do, that what they say isn't medical advice, etc. They've all repeated it several times. (They are saying things like "If this was me...") This is new. I figure something must have changed re malpractice laws/insurance etc recently to bring this on. Anybody know more? I'm in VA if that matters.
posted by mermaidcafe at 8:55 PM - 4 answers

See inside. [more inside]
posted by Wichienmaat at 6:03 PM - 1 answers

There seems to be strong anecdotal evidence (layman's definition) that Vitamin D is helpful for prevention of COVID19, or at least can't hurt, especially given our seclusion. What I've not been able to determine is what dosage to take for it. If it is weight-dependent, I'm unfortunately a rather big guy (about 350). You are not a doctor (although any Mefite physician advice is definitely appreciated, and if so, I acknowledge you are not MY doctor). [more inside]
posted by metabaroque at 4:10 PM - 13 answers

My therapist has suggested I try journaling to help ease anxiety, especially my tendency to get stuck inside my own head and think over the same things again and again. Our session ran out of time before she could explain more though so I'm hoping to get some help here. I'd love to hear from people who journal for mental health reasons. How, exactly do you do it, and does it help? [more inside]
posted by Zumbador at 3:19 AM - 30 answers

This will be NSFW. I can’t stress this enough. Anyways, my (basically-cis F) partner has been on a testosterone replacement regime for about a year. There have been some side effects; nothing major,, but we may be at a bit of a crossroads here. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 1:59 PM - 25 answers

Right now I'm under homeworking and homeschooling pressure. While I don't spend any time thinking about work once I'm off the clock, my body hasn't gotten the message. It takes me more than an hour to fall asleep because I'm still tense, my heart is beating faster etc. I would like to get the stress response out of my system by doing something with my body. Please help me, who generally dislikes excercise, find three or four things I can do to help my body reset so I can settle down to sleep? [more inside]
posted by Omnomnom at 8:33 AM - 20 answers

I feel like if I never had sex in my life again, I could be totally fine. But is something wrong? Am I missing out on life? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:15 AM - 33 answers