The Girl Stuff Thread

Synonym · Feb 20, 2016

Fruitbat said:
Oh, I know. Ever since giant baby #1 I've wanted a tummy tuck but figured it was just not in the cards. So I really do feel lucky to get it but wow, it's been a slow recovery. The younger gals seem to bounce back much faster.

Also, I can vouch for minoxidyl for women. It works!

ETA: I meant that to Syn. I'm guessing it might not be the best idea for juniper? Idk. Juniper- Is your hair growing in differently than it was before? I've always heard it does but don't know if that's exaggerated or what. Also and more importantly, how are you feeling these days?

Another thing that I've been on the fence about--minoxidyl! There's really nobody around here to brainstorm these kinds of questions with. They look at me like I've lost my mind. :ROFL:

A year ago, next month, I had a bone spur removed from the first joint on my thumb. I can't grow hair well, but I'm hell on bone spurs.

(Technically, it's caused by arthritis, but, that's another subject.) When I finally got a chance to look at it, I was very disappointed. It didn't seem much smaller. The Doc said to be patient, that it would take nearly a year. And, he was right. The right thumb is still a tiny bit wider than the left, but that's more likely due to the arthritis.

We don't bounce back quickly as we age. Unfortunately.

kuwisdelu · Feb 20, 2016

I'd offer you some of my estrogen but I kind of need it. :tongue

Synonym · Feb 20, 2016

Thanks. I appreciate the thought.

I'd pass anyway. The increased danger of cancer allows me to overlook most of these things. It doesn't stop me from griping about them though.

Fruitbat · Feb 20, 2016

Shadowflame said:
No, caps do not bleach. Much of the staining in your teeth is due to materials getting trapped inside minuscule pores in your teeth. Over time they trap more and darken (accelerated by certain foods and smoking). Bleaching just lightens the materials in those pores.

The caps are not porous like your teeth so they don't have materials trapped like the porous surfaces of your teeth. They will not respond to bleaching and will remain the same color.

~~ I was a dental assistant for a few years.

Does that mean that the caps/bridges also don't get stained like real teeth or does it mean knock off the coffee, tea, and red wine?

Fruitbat · Feb 20, 2016

Synonym said:
Another thing that I've been on the fence about--minoxidyl! There's really nobody around here to brainstorm these kinds of questions with. They look at me like I've lost my mind.

Oh yes, if they are not strange like me, I don't say a word.

I am ridiculous about "real" healthcare too. No flu shot, ouch! But lasers or botox, oh yes, sign me up this minute. LOL?

Synonym · Feb 20, 2016

Well, my crowns were called 'porcelain'. I googled 'is porcelain porous'? Not very, it seems. I can't imagine that a good polishing by the hygienist wouldn't do as much good as anything.

Another thing. When they were ordering my crowns, I overheard the Dentist picking a color. It makes sense. Wouldn't I look stupid with pristine white front teeth that didn't match the rest? :tongue

Synonym · Feb 20, 2016

Fruitbat said:
Oh yes, if they are not strange like me, I don't say a word.

I am ridiculous about "real" healthcare too. No flu shot, ouch! But lasers or botox, oh yes, sign me up this minute. LOL?

Oh yeah. This makes sense...not. :ROFL:

juniper · Feb 20, 2016

Fruitbat said:
Juniper- Is your hair growing in differently than it was before? I've always heard it does but don't know if that's exaggerated or what. Also and more importantly, how are you feeling these days?

The new hair is just like baby fuzz right now and I can barely feel it, so I don't know about texture/color yet. I've heard that too, that the new hair might grow in differently. And I think I can feel a little bit of mustache fuzz too, darn it. I would be happy if that didn't grow back. I may do that hair removal laser later.

And I'm feeling pretty well, thanks for asking. I've gone through 3 weeks of radiation and have 2 more. And then 3 weeks off and then it's time for cataract surgery. Middle of April it should all be over. Whew! I've been dealing with the cancer stuff since July. As of right now I'm considered NEAD - no evidence of active disease. Which doesn't mean "cured" - more like in remission. But I'll take that.

Shadowflame · Feb 21, 2016

Fruitbat said:
Does that mean that the caps/bridges also don't get stained like real teeth or does it mean knock off the coffee, tea, and red wine?

In most cases they do not stain. Very rare cases can occur but not usual.

Synonym said:
Well, my crowns were called 'porcelain'. I googled 'is porcelain porous'? Not very, it seems. I can't imagine that a good polishing by the hygienist wouldn't do as much good as anything.

Another thing. When they were ordering my crowns, I overheard the Dentist picking a color. It makes sense. Wouldn't I look stupid with pristine white front teeth that didn't match the rest?

Teeth do have different shades. When a dentist picks out a color they do try to match the shade of your teeth. Otherwise, there would be some strange looking teeth. It's not always an exact match but they do try to get as close as possible especially with the front teeth. Back teeth, which are not as visible, might not be as close of a match. Most dentists try to use a slightly darker shade as your back teeth will show more staining over time. Plus they usually have a surplus of slightly darker shades.

juniper said:
The new hair is just like baby fuzz right now and I can barely feel it, so I don't know about texture/color yet. I've heard that too, that the new hair might grow in differently. And I think I can feel a little bit of mustache fuzz too, darn it. I would be happy if that didn't grow back. I may do that hair removal laser later.

And I'm feeling pretty well, thanks for asking. I've gone through 3 weeks of radiation and have 2 more. And then 3 weeks off and then it's time for cataract surgery. Middle of April it should all be over. Whew! I've been dealing with the cancer stuff since July. As of right now I'm considered NEAD - no evidence of active disease. Which doesn't mean "cured" - more like in remission. But I'll take that.

Yea! for new hair! I hope your condition continues to improve and this is behind you soon.

WriteMinded · Feb 22, 2016

Synonym said:
Another thing that I've been on the fence about--minoxidyl! There's really nobody around here to brainstorm these kinds of questions with. They look at me like I've lost my mind.

Uh, here's what I know minoxidyl. It works. It works better for some folks than for others. It works pretty well for me. The well-known brand is Rogaine, but many stores carry their own brands at a MUCH lower price. Wal-Mart's is the cheapest, and yes it has the same ingredients. There are also some pills you can take that will give you the same result here: http://www.naturalwellbeing.com/sl/hair-growth-2.html
You have to take them for a while before anything happens. I tried them and they worked. However, I take issue with the cost and I take a lot of other supplements. So many pills to swallow already, and you must take these forever. Maybe none of that matters to you.

Is there some reason you are afraid to try minoxidyl?

Fruitbat · Feb 23, 2016

juniper said:
And I'm feeling pretty well, thanks for asking. I've gone through 3 weeks of radiation and have 2 more. And then 3 weeks off and then it's time for cataract surgery. Middle of April it should all be over. Whew! I've been dealing with the cancer stuff since July. As of right now I'm considered NEAD - no evidence of active disease. Which doesn't mean "cured" - more like in remission. But I'll take that.

Fruitbat · Feb 23, 2016

WriteMinded said:
Uh, here's what I know minoxidyl. It works. It works better for some folks than for others. It works pretty well for me. The well-known brand is Rogaine, but many stores carry their own brands at a MUCH lower price. Wal-Mart's is the cheapest, and yes it has the same ingredients. There are also some pills you can take that will give you the same result here: http://www.naturalwellbeing.com/sl/hair-growth-2.html
You have to take them for a while before anything happens. I tried them and they worked. However, I take issue with the cost and I take a lot of other supplements. So many pills to swallow already, and you must take these forever. Maybe none of that matters to you.

Is there some reason you are afraid to try minoxidyl?

I trust the minoxidyl for hair growth and also Retin-A for mild wrinkles (I buy the generics, too) because Minoxidil was and Retin-A still is by prescription only in the US, which means they had to go through progressive rounds of rigorous trials and be proven to work. Everything else, I'm more skeptical of even if I've seen evidence on myself that it worked. For example, when I was a kid, I went through a phase of taking lots of gelatin capsules for hair and nails and after a while my hair and nails were the best they've ever been, by far. Still, even then (and even though I've recently decided to try them again) there could be other reasons and it could just be a coincidence, for example pre-teen hormone surge or who knows, really. Just my two cents on that.

But I might try those pills anyway, of course. Have you used them for long?

It's nice to know that the teeth caps are resistant to staining.

A topic on my mind today is diet. I stay near my ideal weight but it is a constant struggle and gets so annoying. With age, it's harder to keep weight off. Wondering if anyone else has any thoughts on it. One big help for me is I figure f*** it, I'm deprived enough, so I buy low cal food that I actually like over worrying too much about the cost, whether at home or restaurants. We're getting ready to go to Red Lobster, probably why it's on my mind right now. It's so much easier when I can have stuff like delicious grilled seafood (even if it is with lemon instead of melted butter).

under the moon · Feb 23, 2016

It IS so hard to keep the weight off. You'd think if our estrogen's going down and testosterone's going up that would aid somehow in not gaining weight. I know that's a scientifically ignorant statement, but I'm just saying. Buying low-cal foods that one actually enjoys: brilliant idea, I think. There's got to be a certain amount of acceptance, I guess. Obviously 25 is long gone (for some of us). But I also don't want to give completely in, so I do the battle. Lots of roughage, elliptical trainer every day (when possible), basically be "good" all week, then eat meat and potatoes and dessert on the weekend. I remember when I was a kid and arrogantly said to myself, "I'll never be one of those women who's on a diet all the time." Ha. Little ass****! Or maybe charmingly naive, if I'm less harsh with myself.

Fruitbat · Feb 23, 2016

under the moon said:
... I remember when I was a kid and arrogantly said to myself, "I'll never be one of those women who's on a diet all the time." Ha. Little ass****! Or maybe charmingly naive, if I'm less harsh with myself.

LOL, I know. I was a skinny waitress who drank that powdered stuff you mixed with whole milk to try to gain weight. I truly didn't understand all the not-skinny women who would constantly order half portions broiled dry, salad with lemon wedges and all those other picky special instructions that made extra work for me. I thought they were just putting on a show for their dining companions and surely stopped for eight cheeseburgers on the way home, otherwise how could they all possibly be "so fat." I had no clue how hard it would get. I like your "charmingly naïve" description!

kuwisdelu · Feb 23, 2016

under the moon said:
It IS so hard to keep the weight off. You'd think if our estrogen's going down and testosterone's going up that would aid somehow in not gaining weight.

Menopause leads to lower levels in all sex hormones, including testosterone. That's why some doctors recommend adding T in addition to E for post-menopausal HRT.

I know way too much about hormones now.

Synonym · Feb 23, 2016

WriteMinded said:
Is there some reason you are afraid to try minoxidyl?

I'm not afraid of it. I've really never had anyone tell me it worked for them before. Whether that's because I never asked, or they never volunteered...who knows?

I have an aversion to adding more pills to my regimen. (Plus, a little difficulty swallowing some.) I'm getting there, as it's become more and more obvious that I can't keep putting off the inevitable. Call me the Queen of De-Nile. It's well earned! :tongue

Shadowflame · Feb 24, 2016

I hear you on the dieting thing. Weight is stable at the moment but a much larger number that I'd like.
B is going to purchase a treadmill or elliptical for me. I love walking but since I live in a rural area, there's not really a safe place to walk and not a good time either. I could go to town and walk on the little walking trail but it's so freaking BORING. Only 1/4 mile. If I'm going to walk outside I want to GO somewhere. But with an indoor exercise thing I can read (once I'm used to doing that) or maybe even write while exercising.

Listen to podcasts or whatever.

Got to get a new vehicle first. Mine's crapping out. It only has 325K miles on it.

got to love a Toyota!

CassandraW · Feb 25, 2016

A while back, someone (Maryn, I think) asked about base polishes that would keep dark colors from staining nails. Did anyone ever come up with a suggestion?

It's interesting -- I've found that not all dark colors do stain nails -- some come off like a dream. But those that do -- ugh.

Since one never knows until one tries the color, I never use a dark color on my fingers that I haven't tested on my toes. There are many occasions when I want the bare, buffed look on my fingers or just a sheer color, and it won't do to have the nails tinted blue. On my toes, eh, I can always cover my toes with shoes in a professional environment, so I feel free to go black or blue or purple or whatever I'm feeling.

Cass, whose toenails are currently faintly bluish until she gets around to painting them again this weekend.

Fruitbat · Feb 25, 2016

I got salon shellac nails yesterday. "Cajun Shrimp," woo hoo. I was gonna try the posh, gorgeous place where they hand you a drink menu and even follow the health department laws (like not using the same emery boards on consecutive customers). But I've been lazy lately and don't deserve high end pampering, lol.

Exercise, ugh. Before this last time I fell out of my routine, I did hand weights, and a combo of walking/jogging five miles, aiming for five days a week but usually hitting three or four. And using the treadmill if it was raining or whatever. The hand weights can stay but the walking/jogging just does not appeal to me these days at all. I already got rid of the treadmill. It's long enough past my surgery that I can exercise again so this time I think I'll go with dance CDs. I like having something I can do at home any time, no classes. For one thing, I'm too clumsy to follow the steps like everyone else. I am always the dunciest clomper in aerobics class.

Fruitbat · Feb 25, 2016

kuwisdelu said:
Menopause leads to lower levels in all sex hormones, including testosterone. That's why some doctors recommend adding T in addition to E for post-menopausal HRT.

I know way too much about hormones now.

Do you know anything about hot flashes?

Maryn · Feb 25, 2016

I do. Whatcha wanna know?

Yeah, that was me asking about basecoats. Where I am at the moment, I need insect repellent, and the good stuff dissolves polish, so no manicure for me. I'm eager to have nice hands again. And fewer disgusting swollen bug bites in spite of the repellent. Man, bugs love me! I've got nine big juicy bites, and Mr. Maryn has zero. Life is not fair--as evidenced by beach bodies. I find it hard to believe the woman at the bar at ten in the morning, who I saw eat two lunches bought by different men, got that body through hard work.

Starting tomorrow I may be out of touch, internet-wise. We're waffling on the usurious price at the next place. Think lovely thoughts!

We did right about six miles today, which is a lot for me and these knees. But it was not bad, although I'm a wee bit footsore.

Fruitbat · Feb 25, 2016

I want to know when they'll end! I take black cohosh and soy capsules when I think about it and I think they help some but not really enough.

I think the "alcohol diet" can be quite slimming but the two lunches are confusing. Maybe she only eats when someone else pays for it.

Silva · Feb 25, 2016

I exclusively paint my toenails, if I'm going to paint anything, and not my fingernails, as I don't like to draw attention to them. The last time I painted them was several months ago, and instead of chipping off, they grew out. One more toe-clipping session and I'll have clipped off the last of the paint. It was very interesting to observe that process.

Maryn · Feb 25, 2016

I didn't find black cohosh any help at all. I didn't try the soy capsules, though.

Perhaps I was lucky to live where it's not warm, but I didn't suffer much. I'd have maybe two or three fairly mild flashes a day, where my face might get pink and sweaty, and I'd take off a sweater and put on a tank top, but some women feel like they're being steamed inside their clothes and get so sweaty they're wet through all the layers.

I guess mine was over in ten months or so. I did enjoy carrying a folding fan in my purse. Fanning my face helped. And it was so ladylike, too!

kuwisdelu · Feb 25, 2016

Fruitbat said:
Do you know anything about hot flashes?

Fruitbat said:
I want to know when they'll end!

Unfortunately, my answer to pretty much anything hormone-related problem is "HRT!"

I hear exercise helps.

The Girl Stuff Thread

Revolutionize the World

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Always curious.

Gametrovert

Derailed

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Revolutionize the World

Gametrovert

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At Sea

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saucy

At Sea

Revolutionize the World