Hey Pandas, What Health Problem Do You Have That You Wish You Could Raise More Awareness About? (Closed)
My previous question to all of you lovely Pandas was regarding mental health problems. This time, I'd love for everyone to share any physical health problems they or someone they know has, that they wish there was more awareness about. Hopefully, this is a safe space for everyone to share their stories! And the term 'physical health problem' is very loosely defined. If you think it counts, then it counts!
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Tethered Cord Syndrome (TCS). I was born with it, and it's something that you're born with. However, depending on symptoms, individuals might not know they have it until later in life. TCS is a benign fatty mass, also known as a lipeoma connected to the spinal cord. The mass tends to grow as the individual does. As the lipeoma grows, it puts pressure and pulls on the spinal cord. Due to this, surgical intervention is required to remove as much as the lipeoma as possible. The lipeoma can never be completely removed because it would require cutting into the spinal cord to remove it completely.
Everyone who has TCS has a different experience. Some require one surgery, and others require multiple. I have had 12 surgeries they are called untethering. In addition, I've had complications, including multiple spinal leaks (where the fuild sack around the spinal cord leaks), to having a severe MRSA/staph infection in my incision. Due to all the nerve damage, I am in a wheelchair.
This is more common than you think it is. However, very few people know about it, including the medical community.
I have prosopagnosia and it makes things rather tricky. Ppl with prosopagnosia are unable to recognize either someone's whole face or they might recognize eyes but no other parts of a face. Hence, we have to make other strategies to recognize ppl such as remembering their style, their haircut or trying to put together one's face like a puzzle. (e.a.: this person has big green eyes and wide lips and pale skin hence they are this or that one)
In my case I usually recognize others by remembering their smell or textured features such as skin or hair. It is rather funny that I don't recognize my own groupmates from uni or sometimes my own friends until I hear their voice or notice their smell or skin texture if they are wearing unusual clothing or has a different haircut lol. Not to mention that I never say hello to my aquintences since I do not recognize them at all. I do not even recognize my own face for example on an older photo of mine. 'Who the hell is this girl? Oh she is me when I was 10.' Btw doing my own hair and makeup helps me recognize my own face but whenever I try a radically different makeup look or I look more tired than usual and wear no makeup then I do not recognize my own face in the mirror I just know that it's me lol
Juvenile arthritis. KIDS GET ARTHRITIS TOO.
I’ve had so many people come up to me and say “oh you’re too young,” “oh kids don’t get that,” etc. I HATE IT.
I don’t know how to impress this strongly enough in you. I couldn’t move by myself for a MONTH. I woke up crying and went to sleep crying from the pain, my elbows locked at a little over 90 degrees, it hurt to exist. Any tiny movement, or staying still for too long, felt like every joint in my body was being ripped open and torn apart a thousand times. I am absolutely confident that I would have killed myself if I had to deal with that pain for a longer time. I’m grateful I have parents that advocate for me (thank you so much mom) and health insurance.
But yeah. I have f*****g arthritis. Spend a month experiencing that pain then come back to tell me I can’t possibly have it. F**k off.
(Sorry it’s so aggressive I’m touchy)
On Kids Baking Championship there was a season that a girl with arthritis won. She donated half (I think?) of her winnings to a kids arthritis foundation! I literally loved her and I was happy when she won
scoliosis. a lot of people have it but it's very minor for them. not me. i have two curves in my spine that are 50 degrees each. it hurts all the time and it messes with my self confidence cause it makes my shoulders uneven and having good posture pretty much impossible.
Not me, but I know someone who has Marfans syndrome
I am absolutely not qualified to tell you anything really about it, but here's what the NHS website has to say:
'Marfan syndrome is a disorder of the body's connective tissues, a group of tissues that maintain the structure of the body and support internal organs and other tissues.'
Basically, it can take a massive effect on someone (and their family, friends etc), mentally and physically.
Look it up if you're interested
Iron deficiency’s i guess. i think it’s fairly common, but it causes me to be tired all the time, to where even just eating sounds like an overwhelming chore. standing up and getting lightheaded with tunnel vision is a huge symptom and drives me crazy. i black out way too much
Ichthyosis Vulgaris and other Ichthyosis conditions.
It's a rare-ish skin condition, but Vulgaris is the more common one.
A lot of people still haven't heard about it but have come across people with the skin disorder thinking they just don't know what lotion is or clean themselves well enough.
It's not a disease (although a few will argue that it is), as it can't just be "cured" and it's definitely NOT contagious.
Ichthyosis Vulgaris is when the skin doesn't shed properly, like normal skin does. The new epidermis either rejuvenates faster than the dead cells can shed off, resulting in scaling, noticeable flaking and cracks. Or the new epidermis shed too slow. It's a result of a mutated gene that causes a lack of iron. Parents of babies with the condition may blame themselves for not taking enough iron when they were pregnant but it's not to do with that.
Treatments are just that, temporary treatments that are more trial and error and lots of experimenting for a lifetime.
There are some wild misconceptions about this skin disorder, besides already stated. Although an Ichth's skin does get severely dry, it doesn't mean one with the disorder necessarily has to have dry skin. One could have oily skin and still shed and look like Death Valley during the dry season.
- We still get zits and acne.
- I've tried many, many brands and types of lotions, balms, butters and creams. Shea butter, for me, does zippo. You name it, we've tried it.
Our hands are often born very wrinkly compared to normal skinned babies and those hyperlinear lines stay. My hands looked middle aged all throughout school.
As we age, our skin's severity changes. Some get it worse as they grow older, and others it gets better.
It doesn't always appear all over our bodies. Some, like myself, get symptoms on certain areas. Doesn't mean our skin is fine just because you don't see evidence.
Some Ichths take Dr. prescribed bleach baths. This is important for those with severe scaling and cracks to disinfected in between the scales and cracks, as the bleach can get into the sensitive tight areas without causing pain and further irritation. Otherwise an infection can occur.
Vitamin D &B12 deficiency.
This is very common among vegan / vegetarians. There are serious consequences and can lead to much more complex issues. B12 does not get toxic but vit D injections / medicines consumed in excess can be toxic and lead to another set of issues.
I have (had maybe? I don't know) a vitamin D deficiency. I'm taking supplements now because my doctor was worried about it when my blood work came back
Lactose Intolerance.
There is still very less awareness regarding this specially in developing / under developed countries and at times it impacts growth in infants as it is difficult to get / afford alternatives to animal / mother milk which are lacto free in these regions.
Prolong diarrhea or infection over the years not just impact growth but can even lead to much more complex auto immune issues if it persists over a very long period. This is one of the triggers for Ankylosing Spondylitis and chances increase manifolds if you are HLA B12 positive.
don't forget about dehydration! Y'all make sure you drink lots of water when you have diarrhea
Anorexia Nervosa, it’s an eating disorder that will slowly kill you. I unfortunately suffer from it and I am weak and lethargic all the time.
Pancreatic cancer!
It absolutely needs more attention as it is an evil sneaky killer. There needs to be away for early detection because once you have symptoms, its too late. We have mammograms, blood tests, colonoscopies, even mail-in colo tests are out there, what is there for pc? My neighbor went in for a CT for a kidney issue, and pc was found, just a tiny spot, by chance! She is still here THREE YEARS LATER because it was caught early. PC just took two friends and my precious mother in law, my daughters grandmother, all less than 3 months after diagnosis. We really need to find a way for early detection of this life stealing cancer
Depression, especially in men. Please don’t downvote me for that, it just statistics.
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.ilbxuyJyoqNS5GdMqlSx3gHaFN%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=10e120f87a909f36b6b73e0088f1666f0c15d6af398f5c0220e10668cdac9c8a&ipo=images.jpg
Nobody realizes that people suffer from such severe depression. For example, me. I’m too scared to tell anyone in person. Nobody knows, except for my abusive parents who are causing the depression and they refuse to believe me.
