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I’d say coincidentally I had something of mine published recently but it was written anonymously so pointing it out is sort of defeating the point but coincidentally also the full body pain (although I’m, uh… an amount older than Joyce is)
(I’ve been tempted to learn how to smoke a weed but I also don’t want to especially when minorities are still in prison just for possessing it when whypipo sell and consume by the truckloads)
I’m not interested in smoking, but I have been curious about edibles. Haven’t tried them, though, even though I do actually have one in my possession from some candies my brother sent to my dad. (Which was…what…)
I was given a brownie one time, and since I was told to be careful, it was strong, I ate half. It got on top of me. I wanted to run downstairs and go screaming through the streets. And I was naked at the time. It took all my self-control to sit through it. For two or three hours.
I was similarly given a brownie in college once and all it did was wipe away a halfway decent buzz I had going and leave me stone cold sober. Or maybe that was just my ludicrous bumblebee metabolism of the time burning everything off. Who knows?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Never felt any need to repeat the experiment, tbh.
It definitely affects different people differently! I know lots of people who enjoy it, including folks with chronic pain or other issues who swears by it for helping their symptoms.
Unfortunately it does NOT agree with me. I’ve tried it multiple times, in multiple forms, various strains and thc to cbc ratios, and I just found the experience really unpleasant each time. It also wasn’t super effective for my chronic pain. It changed how I perceive pain, felt sort of cold instead of achey, but still uncomfortable, like the hurt you get when you hold an ice cube too long.
Brain and body chemistry are fascinating and different people react differently to different substances. So I am all for people safely trying it, but yeah it’s definitely not for everyone unfortunately.
Ah to be more specific for those curious: basically I have an overactive brain that tends to tunnel/obsess on thoughts (probably have adhd, and ocd, just got tested recently and still waiting for results) and I found weed turned they tendency up to 11. It was horrible. I was stressed and exhausted. It was like my brain was on overdrive and felt scratchy and sharp and I could not get it to relax.
Yet I know others for whom it helps anxiety or who feel really relaxed on it. It’s bizarre how varied experiences can be.
I have also tried cbd heavier strains because I’ve heard that might be better with anxiety but those just made me frustratingly fatigued.
I couldn’t do ANYTHING and I hated that too.
I just don’t like any substance that messes with my brain too much because I seem to be super sensitive to stuff like that. I used to enjoy alcohol in college but don’t drink at all anymore because that just makes me tired and foggy and gives me headaches/nausea even in small amounts.
My mileage varied as well. I got chocolate edibles. I ate half a square. When I got bored waiting for something to happen, I ate another half. When I got bored again I ate a third half. Not long after that I felt falling-down drunk (I sat, did not fall) for a couple of minutes. After that I sobered up most of the way. I have not purchased any further edibles.
Honestly, one of the biggest perks of weed being legalized is I’ve heard a lot less “first time taking an edible” horror stories from store-bought edibles than homemade ones.
Personally, I had the classic experience of “ate a little, didn’t feel much, ate a bit more, 30 minutes later I had lost all concept of time and almost took a nap on the drinks table at my high school senior prom”.
To clarify, the edibles I took were homemade. Also my friend had to leave them in their car for almost a week so I also think they may have given me food poisoning on top of that.
as someone who does not do well with meds of any sort, i can say that marijuana has had a positive impact on my wellbeing.
Sleep: i used to sleep 4 hours a night, then be up 10 hours, then sleep 4 hours
Sleeping pills/allergy pills: don’t wear off fast enough, effect lasts all night, and most of the next day (what’s the point of sleeping pills if im still tired all day tomorrow?)
Weed(indica): knocks me out and has me out cold all night. wears off before i wake up, even if i vaped (dry herb vape) way too much, it wears off by the time i wake up. also, i went from sleeping 4 hours a night to 10 hours straight.
Nausea: i wake up nauseous every morning, and can’t eat for several hours (sometimes all day)
anti-nausea pills: either don’t work, or make me drowsy like sleeping pills.
weed: nausea is gone within a few minutes of taking it, and stays gone all day, and i can actually eat now.
Stress: i basically used to worry all day, and was so anxious that my boyfriend was sure i would die from it one of these days.
Psychiatric meds: almost killed me in several ways (suicidal, not eating for a week straight, anger to the point of almost committing violence, and nightmares so bad i wanted to die)
Weed: i can actually enjoy things now, and laugh at things.
My wife and I vaped weed for the first time recently. Legally, as well, I am given to understand. We did so under the supervision of some more experienced friends.
I initially felt no effects. After an hour, they gave me a second dose. Still nothing. We didn’t want to risk more, so we gave up and went to bed.
And, for the first time in my life, I dreamt in color.
Fun Fact: I have a minor disability in that I cannot picture things in my mind. I can imagine things, but I imagine them without any mental image (or, at best, a very sketchy black-and-white outline sort of thing). This is, incidentally, one reason why I have always had trouble with visual arts where I had to create an image from scratch but I excel at visual arts when I have a template (example – I cannot draw/paint a picture of a house, but I can paint a model of a house to a great degree of realism).
Also incidentally, my imagination also tends to be more tactile – I can imagine sensations or sounds far more readily than images.
Anyway, somehow, for some reason, the weed vapor bypassed whatever it is in my brain that caused this and unlocked images. For that one night, my mind could produce vivid images in color, and I had some of the most visual dreams of my life.
It didn’t last. The next night, my brain was back to normal. But it was a wonderful and unique experience that I treasure. The friends who watched out for us found all this fascinating and one has offered to provide edibles (again, in careful, small amounts) at some point in the future.
I very much look forward to seeing if it will have the same effect again, and if I can try to ‘picture things’ while I am awake now that I know to try.
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this Rose! Very much appreciated! 🥰
That inability to picture things in your head is actually a very well known thing at this point. It’s a neurodivergent stripe called aphantasia, and it happens to more people than you think.
I’m SO HAPPY to hear that weed allowed you to break past a neurological barrier that had affected you for years now! It must have been a WONDERFUL experience, and I wish you the very best in exploring a whole new world this substance unlocked for you! 🥹🥹🥹
The store gummies are pretty safe. Usually they’re 5mg where as the medicinal ones are 10mg. Just take one, wait 30 minutes and take a 2nd if you want to. I mellow out for sure, nothing else besides that.
I use cannabis for pain and anxiety management. My lungs can’t tolerate smoking, so I started with edibles but those are VERY hard to dose. I switched to RSO or CO2 oil and those have done well for me. Start with an amount half the size of a grain of rice. I put mine on a chocolate chip and melt it under my tongue. Doesn’t really help with the taste, but it’s the method that’s worked the best for me.
o3o I mean I’ll be honest, almost all my friends, white, black or otherwise smoke weed and none of them are in jail or have been jailed for it. (Including my mom a few times). Like if you don’t wanna smoke, don’t smoke for sure but I definitely feel like you shouldn’t let incarceration rates stop you. Otherwise you might also not want to drive a car or walk down the street or exist.
I don’t ever wanna be high. Or drunk. Just a personal preference to always be 100% in control of myself at all times. The idea of being under the influence of something makes me squirm.
Same. I’ve gotten myself in enough trouble while sober.
(In theory it might help me a little with my anxiety(s)… but then I think of all the bad decisions I might make while under the influence, and that makes me more anxious.)
If you wanna see if it works for something as valid as your anxiety but still worried about making bad decisions that much, why not ask a friend to be your Trip Sitter?
Speaking yes from experience, consider getting some sort of edible that has the relevant ingredients evenly distributed, and eating half of it shortly before going to bed.
I find this breaks PTSD nightmare chains with almost shocking rates of success.
Human, you’re ALWAYS under the influence of something.
And I’ll say, it’s much better to be under the influence of weed than like 100 other things. The main baddies that come to mind are stress, physical pain, and indoctrination.
Well, since you pushed the issue:
I also don’t like the smell, or the tendency I’ve observed for those who do indulge to take every opportunity to bring it up.
I mean, my own chief addictions/drugs of choice are sugar and caffeine, but I’m not constantly talking about them, promoting them to strangers, or putting them in my screenname, avatar, etc – all of which I’ve seen countless times over the years from people who seem to have made their marijuana use a major part of their very identity.
Well, much like those who fight for climate change, those who take it to THAT level shouldn’t really be used to represent the whole of those who consume it and advocate for its usage, nor be used to evaluate the validity of the activism surrounding it.
The hard truth is that the cannabis (and the non-psychoactive hemp lumped in with it) was banned in the first place because of bigots that really didn’t have out best interests at hand. Combine that with the fact that this substance literally saved the lives of many of its users (myself included), of course that would encourage many people to dedicate themselves to the cause with varying degrees of passion.
I’m with ya there, StClair. Weed People™ tend to make it really unapproachable as a conversation topic or potential interest. Sorta like the Kingdom Hearts fandom.
I understand not liking the smell. It would be nice if they can work on breeding that out (or make it better smelling) without reducing the potency.
As for people who constantly bring it up, while there are some that are exactly like you describe, for others it can be more complicated. I have a family member who has constant pain issues, and cannabis is basically one of the only things that helps. For people like that and others that have medical issues that are soothed by it, I can understand them recommending it to people to help them as well. Especially if that person was talking about having similar medical issues. I think people generally are trying to be helpful in those cases. As for the others that you mentioned, you tend to find that even with other things people tend to pressure you to join in. Coffee doesn’t agree with me, but the amount of times people have pressured me to drink it, or forget and add it into something without telling me, is surprising. I have also personally witnessed and heard stories about people pressuring others to drink alcohol with them. I have even heard stories about how in some cases it is related to work culture and some don’t like doing business with those that won’t drink with them (even if it is an after work fun time). I know part of it is that people claim that drinking “helps you relax and let loose”, but the peer pressure to do it is really something else. Maybe people just need to learn how to have fun and relax without the use of alcohol or other substances? Since there is always a “drive” for conformity, I have a feeling that some pressure will always be there no matter how much progress is made about accepting those that don’t want to partake.
The Wellermann:
“much like those who fight for climate change”
Until then I was mildly annoyed, bc THC isn’t for everyone and I got a friend who got severe paranoïa bc of overusing it (yes, overuse, what is not what you were advocating -in the same time for the euros here, the THC level in weed here has skyrocketd and is nothing like what it was back when my friend got this – hence “mildly” annoyed), but also I cant wrap my head around what you’re trying to say with this comparison…
For every one person you know who is That Stoner, you know five others that just don’t tell you they use it at all because of your obvious distaste and stereotyping, and they don’t want you to think they’re like that. There’s a common misconception by non-users that people who advertise it heavily are somehow representative of the entire group but actually most users look and act like everybody else you know and are mostly indistinguishable. I know this, as the person who had never used it when I moved to a city where it’s extremely common, met tons of “normal” people who never talked about it, and then finally one of them broke out a vape for me after admitting I use it. Now I am a semi regular user, using products that don’t smell, I don’t talk about it until other people do, and I don’t suddenly go around with a leaf on all my clothes.
I have a brother-in-law who rags on weed and stoners every time we see him and I can reassure you that I find it every bit as repellent as you find the hobby-stoners.
Also – there absolutely are “xx_knitlord_xx” types all over the internet for all kinds of hobbies, people who plaster cats over everything and put them in all their avatars, people who post nonstop travel pics on their gram, people who find a way to bring every conversation back to the video games they’ve been playing lately and wear graphic tees with Zelda on them. It’s just that people using weed particularly stand out to you due to pre-existing cognitive biases.
Most of the people I’ve met in the game/tech industry around here get high at least a couple times a month. A lot of them have big, clean houses, Teslas, skilled hobbies, and treat weed the same way people treat drinking or smoking, and if somebody doesn’t do it they have as equal a chance of being a dick about it as someone who drinks has of doing so. Turns out when it’s legal, people just act like people about it, and there’s a huge spectrum of what that looks like.
Not to draw any conclusions about you because I don’t know you, but a lot of people who were raised in small towns or red states have these preconceptions and never manage to shake them. That was my deal before I started using it.
Yeah tbh there’s “it’s my entire personality” folks in EVERY interest. (Saying this as someone who has maybe made liking cats my entire personality *cough*)
Tbh I know plenty of quiet users too. And for folks with chronic pain, I can understand them wanting to talk about it all the time. I have chronic pain and if weed helped mine, I’d probably be kind of obsessive about it too. I discovered a tomato soup recipe that helped a lot of my chronic illness symptoms and I spent a week talking about that soup. Because anything that helps chronic symptoms makes one pretty excited.
Sure, there can absolutely be Problem People in any fandom/hobby, and I think everyone here knows that. But when those are the loudest ones, they by default are the ones most people are going to associate with something, and I don’t think we can hold it against anyone for being turned away.
Yeah, I understand that feeling. I barely trust myself sober, I will not trust myself under the influence of something. Plus for alcohol I’ve only got 1 kidney (I know it mostly hurts the liver but it isn’t kind to kidneys either) and smoking anything is a bad idea for my asthma. Edibles are definitely an option and I’ve considered them, but it still comes back to the whole trusting myself thing. It’s not even necessarily a control thing lol, I’ve got ADHD and am maybe in full control 50% of the time (ok probably an overstatement. I can control myself decently well as long as I am not trying to make myself focus. That’s where things get sketchy).
@Yotomoe When it comes to alcohol, I’m right there with you. I have never been drunk, and I have never seen the appeal of being so.
That said, I do enjoy alcohol – one drink in the evening can be very relaxing and help me get to sleep. Like the polar opposite of having a glass of iced tea or coffee in the morning to help wake up.
I’m very much this with alcohol too, albeit much less frequently.
Those who use cannabis in a similar way take CBD without the major psychoactive effects of THC to help them get to sleep. It very much works too, and MUCH less bodily strain than alcohol I might add!
100% with you there, Yoto. I don’t have any problem with anyone who chooses to partake, but it’s definitely not for me. I worry too much about not being control of my own mind.
I’m tempted to try edibles because if I even get a good whiff of Ganja I get a splitting headache, but it has been suggested over and over that my depression and PTSD could both benefit from some THC. I mean I don’t even get enough from secondhand smoke to get anything, but somehow I get a headache. The working theory is this has something to do with my TBI because before I died I just got stoned from pot, and not even munchies.
We are the minority sir. I found out in the mid 80’s that am mildly allergic to the pollen and resin. Mind, back then I could get some Benadryl OTC and mostly clear up. And how I found oust is a story that wont fit a place like this.
I can get a headache from it too (certain are much worse than others, as some just a slight whiff gets me while others it takes a bit more). I tend to be more sensitive to scents though, as there are perfumes and other stuff that gets me too. Hard to say what is causing it at that point. I do think that some places offer just THC oil, if that helps at all. Headaches are never fun.
Y’know with all my skill…I still long for the day that my art ends up in the physical print of a newspaper. Unfortunately now that I’m out of school I’d have to actually get into a REAL newspaper. Damn…
She has her period. Trust me, they can be this bad. From what I’ve heard, it’s even worse if you only get it every few months, as Joyce apparently does.
PCOS is one reason, but there are lots of reasons it can happen. I’m just mentioning PCOS because I have it. Longest time between periods (not pregnancy related) for me was 7 months. Technically longer, because then I did get pregnant and didn’t get a period for a lot longer. But basically yeah, I never know when my period is going to happen. It really sucks the first 2-3 days when it does happen though. They’re really rough.
@BBCC:
See, I still don’t think that implies anything other than monthly periods of various discomfort levels.
IE, that it’s been three months since she had one of these bad periods, not three months since she had a period at all.
I said the same on the original strip when people thought it implied she was pregnant.
Periods can definitely cause whole body pain if you have some underlying condition like endometriosis or a connective tissue disorder. My periods,
In addition to causing horrible cramps, tend to exacerbate all my chronic joint pain, and I frequently get migraines on them. Finally got an IUD to deal with the symptoms, which did help. I imagine that’d be a tricky hurdle for Joyce to overcome still though!
Although, I did have a similar condition in my freshman and sophomore years of college. Near as we can make out, it was Lyme’s disease, but it did incapacitate almost completely for a good 2 years.
Could also be somatic, though, given what she’s been through.
Here’s hoping Joyce recovers (or gets diagnosed and treated) quickly and thoroughly.
Per the discussion of people who are interested in cannabinoids but don’t want to get high or do anything illegal, my understanding is that CBD is now legal for purchase (even in regular groceries and pharmacies nationwide) (or at least in most states). Has many of the same pain-relieving and body-relaxing qualities, also helps with sleep, but doesn’t get you high.
Thanks! Infodumps and links are my language of caring. I’m like Dina that way.
BTW, I’ve sent you a comment below, regarding personal questions that might make others feel uncomfortable. (For example, I myself would feel uncomfortable if asked a similar question online.)
I love infodumps myself, and I guess I also use emojis and sharing music as a language of caring too. I like these things that allow me to express myself without exhausting my brain’s capacity to make facial expressions, and I guess I’m much like Dina that way too!
Well, that depends on where you are for how much it matches real life. But in this case, it’ll just result in, like, one really bad weekend, and then everyone moves on.
I know you’re probably joking and that this is unlikely anyway but ugh I would hate that. Partially because fiction is my escape from the pandemic atm and also because the last thing we need right now is any more media making it look like a nbd thing that’s over quickly.
Yeah, anemia can cause your whooooole body to ache… but if it’s this bad she probably needs to see a doctor. I know it can be hard as hell to get people to understand that just because “everyone feels bad on their period” doesn’t mean bleeding the fuck out and being nonfunctional is something to suck up, but this sounds like it’s gone way beyond Midol and chocolate ice cream and a hot pack.
The Wellerman, you may want to rethink that question. Asking people directly to admit to illegal activity (under federal law as well as some state and local laws) online, via a user account directly tied to their email address (which itself is likely authenticated using even more concrete identifying information) can put them into an awkward position. Sometimes people don’t feel comfortable refusing to answer a direct question, and if they do answer they might risk getting themselves into trouble.
Thanks for the tip Laura! I can tell this all comes from a very compassionate place!
I know a fair lot of people around here come from countries where privacy laws aren’t the best and law enforcement not the most humane, so I very much understand that. That’s why if I asked anyone else around here (“everyone” as I put it), it would certainly be an open ended inquiry of a comment where anyone could choose to respond as they please.
I’ve known Regalli for quite a while now, and intended to ask it in the context of health implements, which she knows quite a lot about!
Thanks so much again Laura , you’re very much one of my favorite humans around here!
This sort of chat is why I really enjoy reading the comments section for DoA btw The genuine respect, kindness and thoughtfulness is lovely to read/see
feelsl ike joyce would still want a physical copy (tho tbf exercise is supposedly good for periods. but you won’t see me going on a mile run every month lol)
Fortunately, I am not going to be in foreseeable pain today or the next few days, so I get to have fun today! We’re going to my favourite seafood place and then coming back to my house for presents and ice cream. I’m having chocolate chip.
Tea party sounds fun as hell though ngl. I just went to one for my friend’s birthday about a month ago. It was fun.
Joyce, unless this pain is a hangover, you need to see the doctor. Especially if this is period pain and your periods are irregular, as I think somebody said was the case in the comments last time Joyce was onscreen.
One time, like a fucking decade ago, when I was a college freshman, I was with some others waiting at a campus bus terminal for a bus that was really taking a while. Newspapers were free, so I grabbed one to look through to pass the time, and the other students were like, “Oh, yeah, newspapers exist. Huh. Maybe I’ll interact with one as well.”
That said, if I ever get something published, I’m getting a physical copy. I think there’s still newspaper clippings in the basement from when I got things into the “Kids’ Corner” or whatever back when I was nine.
When I was in college I looked forward to finding a free copy of The Stranger every week. Since Covid it’s only been online and it’s just not as fun reading articles on the stupid internet.
Print media has a very different impact on the brain and learning than screens, a major difference being that more is memorized. I know if i managed to get published, i’d want to remember it as much as possible
There are actually a number of plants that can be used to help with menstrual cramps, like broadleaf plantain. I like ginger for stomachaches myself, you’re right
Maybe the pain is from getting a vaccine? They can definitely have bad side effects, depending on what it’s for and how you react to it. It would also explain Becky counting off months: she could be getting a booster dose. And I can see her parents not vaccinating her against things, especially since sometimes you get vaccines at school (at least in my case), and she was home-schooled. I know she got the flu vaccine, but still.
I kinda wish I could take weed for pain, but I am large and my brain is fucky and even with my enthusiast boyfriend’s help I’ve yet to find a dosage that finds a happy medium between “nothing… nothing… nothing… nothing… nothing… welp I need to sleep off this incoming psychotic break”.
Have you ever tried CBD stuff? It doesn’t have the psychoactive component of weed(THC) so it shouldn’t have much of an impact on your mental state. But I heard it relaxes you and can help with aches and pains. Some brands also make vaginal CBD oil suppositories for menstrual pains and cramping.
I was homeschooled too, and being a teenager would have been that much less miserable if I could have gone to the doctor for painful periods. Not to knock my conservative-but-otherwise-ok mother, but I don’t think you’re supposed to be curled up in a ball or puking from the pain? (I’m on birth control now for that, thank goodness for good health insurance.)
Is this how we’re going to initially get Joyce on birth control and eventually down the line to that angel/devil conversation with herself about resisting temptation?
Cause I’m so here for that – feels like a fifth of my freshman dorm was grappling that (back when if you identified as female and a “good girl” but dared to be sexual before the 3rd date…. )
Wait so do I follow correctly — Becky’s “January, December, November” comment means that this pain is from Joyce getting a period, which she only gets every 3 months, and which therefore have previously occurred off screen (November, August)?
Hmm. I wonder if this plotline is gonna resolve in Joyce getting on the Pill to help with her period pains. And I guess dealing with her internalized biases against that?
OK, so, hey, here’s something personal.
This Thursday morning, I go to the doctor, and get my very first IUD. Which normally wouldn’t be a big deal, except that, due to my age and the normal shelf life of these IUDs, it will probably be take me through the very last of my reproductive capacity.
Bye bye, endometrium! Bon voyage! Thank you for your service! Happy retirement!
It’s a bittersweet occasion, some grief involved, a tearful goodbye. The end of a wistful dream.
But it’s also a happy choice. Honestly, given that for most of my life I had extreme PMDD and dysmenorrhea, it’s something I should have done early on and kept doing ever since. Just fear kept me from doing it.
Huzzah for good education about alternatives and options for reproductive healthcare!
Huzzah for a sober analysis of risks and benefits!
Huzzah for reliable contraception!
(Luck-wishes for an easy and painless transition would be much appreciated, given that I plan to go to work after.)
I feel so happy for you Laura! That relief from menstrual pain must mean the world to you!
Thinking about that which made it all possible, medical devices and discoveries like this and many others conceived and created with the Power of Science, that have helped and saved millions all over the world… it’s just so WONDERFUL!!! 🥹🥹🥹
I wish you much relief from the pain, and an easing of the wistfulness about the shape that life has taken (it sounds like it is more wistfulness on one level, but also – bar the routine pain – a life that you have consciously chosen and are largely at least content with).
Congrats! I’ve had an IUD since my kid was born and it has been such a lifesaver. Periods went from horrific to mildly uncomfortable most months (and often skip it altogether).
Fuck yeah! Congrats on getting on the IUD and retiring the endometrium. I know it can be sad or wistful even if it’s what you want. You’re allowed to feel wistful over no longer having the option of reproducing if that’s what’s causing it. Hope the transition is seamless and you have a good day at work.
Oh, thank you for your kind well wishes, BBCC! Yes, that’s exactly how I have always felt: conflicted and sad and grateful and hopeful, all at once. Thank you for understanding.
<3 You're welcome! I hope all goes well later today. I think having conflicted feelings about things like this is normal. Bodies are complicated and so are health issues and we're allowed to feel a lot of different things. I know you're not alone. I've known lots of people who've never wanted kids (or didn't want more kids) and they've felt similarly to you when they hit menopause or had a hysterectomy or something else to stop their period or whatever. It's one thing to know you want something and not the alternative, and another to actually close the door on the alternative. Even if it's what you want, sometimes it makes you sad or wistful to not have the option anymore. I know of one nun who hit menopause and even though she never wanted to reproduce, it made her a little sad not to have the option anymore. It happens. Be gentle with yourself. You know what's best for your situation. <3 I can imagine how rough it is though – I think I'd feel similarly. I'm glad I could help.
Thank you so much, BBCC! I am so grateful to you for sharing your insight and perspective on this. (Sorry, just saw your comment now.)
Yes, it is sad. I have always wanted children, ever since I was a child myself, but for various reasons I do feel certain that actually having them would not be a good idea. It used to be “not a good idea right now.” Now it’s just “not a good idea, ever.”
And that’s hard to admit. I spend a lot of time grieving: whenever I see parents and children on TV, I get these intense sobbing spells. But, little by little, that “knife in the gut” feeling is growing a little less sharp, cutting a little less deep, not turning quite so violently.
And I am making peace with the decision. It’s sad, but I do feel good for having made a choice that I can stand by, and not just given in to what my body has always wanted.
I’m sorry you had to close the door on an option you’ve really wanted for a long time. That’s never easy to do or cope with, but now that you’ve done that, you can move forward. I hope things continue to get easier!
Fuck yeah, IUDs! My period was extremely irregular (but rarely that bad) before I got mine, and now I just don’t have one, and I love that for me. Hope you get the desired results from yours, too.
I’m glad you’re likely to get release from the pain and depression! I recently got an IUD for the same reason… uh… FYI:
1) It will hurt like absolute hell, even if your doctor is kind and gentle. It may or may not be sore afterwards. I wish you the least amount of pain possible, but be aware you may need recovery time or some painkillers.
2) The fuckers can fall out. Like. Especially if you have a *lot* in there or an unusually-shaped uterus. If you suddenly get a ton of cramping followed by a resurgence of symptoms, go back to the doctor and get it checked even if they say “oh it might take months to fully work”. I’m on my second one, which had to be put in surgically.
3) Progesterone can have some weird side effects on your mental state even without PMDD, so watch your mood; on the plus side, usually the side effects are positive.
Sadly, my gynos are complete side effect denialists (won’t even acknowledge the risks published by the company itself and Planned Parenthood) and won’t even consider a lower dose option (because of my size). So I don’t have much faith that I can get much help or support from them if I do experience problems. But… there’s nothing saying I can’t get a second opinion! And I can self advocate, too. So I DO very much appreciate the warnings!
Yeah, I do have to echo that mine was definitely painful, and lots of aches afterward. So I hope you have a smoother experience, but be gentle with yourself.
(Also, quick story time: when I first went to get mine put in, my doctor sat me down and discussed it with me beforehand — as a doctor should– but the issue is that I’m nonbinary and have a lot of dysphoria around the subject. And just from listening to the doctor talk, I ended up throwing up. So, I did not get my IUD that day. I had to make another appointment, and then my doctor was like, “Okay, we’ve already discussed this previously, so today, we’re just going to do it.”)
Yeah that is one of those side effects, too, where relevant. The progesterone has negatively impacted my dysphoria, thankfully within… copable limits, given the alternative.
Oh. Oh dear. You mean, like, it can accentuate the more “female”-associated aspects of the body and emotions?
Hmm, this is a problem for me. Since my gynos won’t discuss side effects with me, I can’t really discuss it with them.
I self-identify more on the masculine end of the spectrum and have always fought hard for recognition of my transmasculine identity at work and in healthcare. (This UserID is just an old Internet handle and the avatar that the website assigned me — does not reflect my true gender.)
I always thought that the progesterone would quiet down the estrogen levels and allow my naturally high T levels to step forward. …Is that not the case?
Progesterone does something that often but not always heightens estrogen’s emotional effects. It’s a big pro for trans women. Often helps PMDD in cis women. I don’t have a lot of data beyond the personal for transmascs. I also have naturally high T and, well, it’s not PMDD-level but hormones do affect my mood, and I’ve found that basically the peaks of dysphoria and dissociation are smoothed out but the valleys are higher.
It’s… it’s unpleasant. It’s a lot better than feeling like I was actually dying, and probably actually being-dying- boy it was fun having to deal with doctors who were like “pfft you’re fine your hemoglobin is low but not terrible you don’t need a transfusion” soon after realizing the damn thing fell out, trying to explain this had happened before and then suddenly I was in the ER, and then coming back a week later with levels having dropped literally twenty points. So it’s not something I would recommend to be done for just birth control, for example; and if you can find a better doctor and have a hysterectomy and just get on T afterwards instead of E and be happy, that’s a perfectly valid option. Like, medically valid as a solution for the problems presented- I would have taken it were I in a place it was safe to transition.
Oh, wow, oh wow, oh wow, not someone else. You have been through SO MUCH. Oh, I am so sorry that you went through that medical emergency and that they didn’t listen to you. And I am SO SORRY that you’re not in a place where it is safe to transition.
THANK YOU for courageously sharing your tough personal experiences. I want to let you know that I honor and cherish your candor. I am grateful to you for sharing this part of your life.
I don’t have any trans folk in my life whom I can talk with, about these issues. And I’m not so much aware of online communities. So the opportunity to hear from someone who has been through it… just, wow. That is precious and deep.
Thank you for surviving. Thank you for being here to share your journey with fellow travelers.
For me getting the IUD was very painful but then it was over way faster than I expected. Like I had this moment of OH GOD can I really do this and before I finished the thought the doctor was done. I had a lot of fear going in and while it hurt more than I wanted it to, it wasn’t as bad as I feared. I personally could have worked after.
For the first 4 months my cramps were different. They weren’t the constant ongoing waves of pain I was used to. Instead they were sporadic sharp cramps. More painful than my normal cramping but also brief and would pass and I’d be fine/normal. Eventually those reduced too.
It’s been about 7 months and I gotta go back in next week to have it checked due to some symptoms. See if it moved out of place. But overall I’m glad for it and while you should be prepared for some side effects (mild acne for me) and it can be quite painful getting it… I know for me at least it wasn’t as bad as I feared and I’m so glad for it!
Yeeeeah, mine took like twenty minutes and she had to yank things around with clamps to get access. But I’m also someone who never has a painless pap smear either, so I doubt that’s normal; but I’ve heard stories of it being much better and much worse than I had it, so…
Hey: THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE, for sharing your deeply personal experiences with me! I am SO FORTUNATE to have stumbled into a community where people will be honest and REAL about what to expect!
As an update, because folks are saying it will probably hurt a lot, I have rescheduled my appointment for 5/3/22, so I can do it at the end of the workday, not at the beginning. A 2-week reprieve!
;-D
Wait does this mean Joyce crawled into the elevator and Sarah had to press the button for her and they had to then get out of the elevator to crawl through the lobby?
Because thats hilarious (Also Joyce pls go see a gyno I am gettying sympathy pain)
I get the feeling poor Joyce is about to discover the paper’s running her comic out of order, too small to read the fine details, and squashed and distorted to fit the comic space on the page…
At least the outrage will give her something to focus on besides physical pain?
…but I kinda like the idea that, even if those bits are the main problem, the biggest problem she has is that she suddenly realizes how amateurish and weak her writing and drawing is, now that its in black and white for everyone to see.
And yeah, her writing and drawing is almost certainly weak and amateurish. She’s a beginner at both. Even the best writers ever started out shit at all this stuff, it’s a skill that needs to be honed and developed with time.
I recall David F. Sandberg’s youtube video on test screenings, where at one point he mentioned that, during the editing process, something helpful can be to just bring in one new person into the room as you review a cut. Even if they don’t say anything, being aware of their presence draws your attention to all these flaws that you were glossing over before…
Saaaaame. I have moments like this most mornings before my pain meds kick in and it makes everything 10x harder. You really can’t do much but just lay there.
This comic published 24 hours after my own period left me curled up in bed at ‘pain ten’ for sixteen hours. The extreme empathy I feel towards Joyce in this moment cannot be overstated.
(Though I would sincerely hope, were she a real person, that Joyce wouldn’t be at a 10.)
Every body reacts differently. I know some folks with chronic pain who find it extremely helpful! Personally it’s never helped me much and I don’t like how I feel on it, but everyone is different and there’s really no way to know before you try it.
Cannabis will generally help with pain. You can get a tincture or a topical if you’re uncomfortable with smoking. Do be careful if there’s a family history of schizophrenia.
I’ve tried weed for science. It completely shut down my ability to care about anything and just made me lie in bed and be bored for about a day. Didn’t care about being bored either so it worked out alright.
You hear about how the jazz lettuce has different effects for everyone, but you don’t really know what that means until you try. I recommend it.
There are also different strains that affect you differently. Amelie it sounds like you had a bad experience and aren’t interested in trying weed again, but if you do ask for a Sativa. They tend to make you euphoric and energetic rather than lethargic.
Did Joyce get really drunk in one strip I managed to miss? Her malaise is troubling and pretty out of character. Or does Church withdrawal look like this?
Like Joyce and Becky probably only got vague teachings about periods perhaps with ‘Eve’s punishment’ slapped on it so I’m not sure either of them would realise this isn’t normal! (Also of course we’ve just had a subplot about like pain/punishment and Becky’s and Joyce’s childhood).
Also: even though Becky is learning biology with her gf with great enthusiasm it seems to be more evolution and Dino based after all rather than human. Joyce is less enthusiastic or taken with the subject it seems. So I don’t think either of them know that they should go to a damn doctor for this kind of thing.
Kind of surprised Sarah isn’t concerned. But then it is early days in the pain arc. And even secular kids can have shitty education about certain topics that make people uncomfortable to talk about.
Didn’t read the comments yet today bc i had an appointment. Personal thing: finally got put on antidepressants! No one cares lol but I’m excited and just wanted to tell someone. Can’t wait for my Ruth arc
I care! I’ve been on Paroxetine for 4 months and it’s changed my life. About a month after getting on it, my anxiety got a lot more manageable and my depression simply went away. My one side effect afaict is that I sometimes get pretty sweaty at night. Also I feel like the anxiety is quick to reemerge if I do too much weed, as is my wont. So I have to look out for that. I realize not everyone is as lucky as me and you might have to go through different drugs before you find one that works for you… But I wish you good luck! Don’t hesitate to report on the results, good or bad, I’m curious.
Great! I hope that works out well. Bear in mind that it can be a bit of a search to find an antidepressant that works well for you, and don’t be discouraged if the first few tries aren’t a huge success.
That said: try to avoid venlafaxine if you can. A lot of us had a very bad time with it.
Echoing Agemegos here with you may have to try more than one to get it right for you. First one I tried didn’t give me any effect. Second was great! Tried a third and it was the same good result as the second. Hopefully you have success on the first try, but if not there are many options which may work great for you.
Damn you Willis! You will approve my comment from a new device!
Looks like Joyce is having religion withdrawal. She’ll need to have something to latch on obsessively soon. Is there a podcast host she can have a para social relationship or something?
Joyce needs to see a doctor. Period pain beyond an irritating level isn’t normal. Like, if you need more than an Advil to go about a normal day (with blood-absorbing measures), something’s wrong. Ovarian cysts, endometriosis… all sorts of nasty stuff. Most of it wildly under-studied and under-diagnosed, much of it dangerous. And even if it wasn’t dangerous, painful conditions should be treated.
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btw if you're one of those rando bluesky weirdos who doesn't know me but sees me in the wild being sarcastic and don't know i'm being sarcastic because you haven't taken like 30 seconds to, like, maybe look at my user profile or something, keep walking, you're not going to score internet points here
Here's an entertaining cite at the bottom of the first page
Josh Gerstein@joshgerstein.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
JUST IN: Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan moves to dismiss federal criminal case against her for allegedly helping immigrant hide from ICE. Her lawyers say she's protected by official acts & judicial immunity and 10th Amendment. Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Where did Hollywood go so wrong? I thought movies were supposed to be an escape from reality, a chance to put your worries aside and not have to think about any underlying ideas or concepts. Well, not anymore.
theonion.com/you-can...
It's not a new argument, of course, but Chesterton dismissed it effectively in 1908.
"You will hear everlastingly... this argument that the rich man cannot be bribed. The fact is, of course, that the rich man is bribed; he has been bribed already. That is why he is a rich man."
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com ⋅ 2d
Hawley dismisses Trump lining his pockets with his memecoin: "Listen, I think nobody believes that Donald Trump can be bought. I mean, what does Donald Trump need more money for?"
wilbur, savvy enough to know he's in a comic strip but still not a great actor, awkwardly lifts a muffin up into frame so that we, the audience, understand that he has a muffin right now, which is very important narratively, but he's not really selling it well as an organic, human action
confirming that the reason there's been no Galaxy Version female characters in Blokees until now is that they felt they needed to make Round Lady Thighs For Ladies
preternia @preternia.com ⋅ 11h
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com ⋅ 2d
Pavel
@spavel.bsky.social ⋅ 11d
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I’d say coincidentally I had something of mine published recently but it was written anonymously so pointing it out is sort of defeating the point but coincidentally also the full body pain (although I’m, uh… an amount older than Joyce is)
(I’ve been tempted to learn how to smoke a weed but I also don’t want to especially when minorities are still in prison just for possessing it when whypipo sell and consume by the truckloads)
I’m not interested in smoking, but I have been curious about edibles. Haven’t tried them, though, even though I do actually have one in my possession from some candies my brother sent to my dad. (Which was…what…)
BTW little weed PSA here,
If this is your first time trying weed, only take a half of that candy, or even quarter.
Trust me, half a gummy ( 3 mg THC 0.5 CBD ) was enough to drive me totally ECSTATIC on my first time! And I loved every second of it!
🥰
I was given a brownie one time, and since I was told to be careful, it was strong, I ate half. It got on top of me. I wanted to run downstairs and go screaming through the streets. And I was naked at the time. It took all my self-control to sit through it. For two or three hours.
I was similarly given a brownie in college once and all it did was wipe away a halfway decent buzz I had going and leave me stone cold sober. Or maybe that was just my ludicrous bumblebee metabolism of the time burning everything off. Who knows?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Never felt any need to repeat the experiment, tbh.
It definitely affects different people differently! I know lots of people who enjoy it, including folks with chronic pain or other issues who swears by it for helping their symptoms.
Unfortunately it does NOT agree with me. I’ve tried it multiple times, in multiple forms, various strains and thc to cbc ratios, and I just found the experience really unpleasant each time. It also wasn’t super effective for my chronic pain. It changed how I perceive pain, felt sort of cold instead of achey, but still uncomfortable, like the hurt you get when you hold an ice cube too long.
Brain and body chemistry are fascinating and different people react differently to different substances. So I am all for people safely trying it, but yeah it’s definitely not for everyone unfortunately.
Ah to be more specific for those curious: basically I have an overactive brain that tends to tunnel/obsess on thoughts (probably have adhd, and ocd, just got tested recently and still waiting for results) and I found weed turned they tendency up to 11. It was horrible. I was stressed and exhausted. It was like my brain was on overdrive and felt scratchy and sharp and I could not get it to relax.
Yet I know others for whom it helps anxiety or who feel really relaxed on it. It’s bizarre how varied experiences can be.
I have also tried cbd heavier strains because I’ve heard that might be better with anxiety but those just made me frustratingly fatigued.
I couldn’t do ANYTHING and I hated that too.
I just don’t like any substance that messes with my brain too much because I seem to be super sensitive to stuff like that. I used to enjoy alcohol in college but don’t drink at all anymore because that just makes me tired and foggy and gives me headaches/nausea even in small amounts.
I’ve tried weed 3 times in various forms, and never noticed any effect on any occasion.
My mileage varied as well. I got chocolate edibles. I ate half a square. When I got bored waiting for something to happen, I ate another half. When I got bored again I ate a third half. Not long after that I felt falling-down drunk (I sat, did not fall) for a couple of minutes. After that I sobered up most of the way. I have not purchased any further edibles.
Honestly, one of the biggest perks of weed being legalized is I’ve heard a lot less “first time taking an edible” horror stories from store-bought edibles than homemade ones.
Personally, I had the classic experience of “ate a little, didn’t feel much, ate a bit more, 30 minutes later I had lost all concept of time and almost took a nap on the drinks table at my high school senior prom”.
To clarify, the edibles I took were homemade. Also my friend had to leave them in their car for almost a week so I also think they may have given me food poisoning on top of that.
Edibles simply do not work on me. Perhaps I have too much of a build up already
as someone who does not do well with meds of any sort, i can say that marijuana has had a positive impact on my wellbeing.
Sleep: i used to sleep 4 hours a night, then be up 10 hours, then sleep 4 hours
Sleeping pills/allergy pills: don’t wear off fast enough, effect lasts all night, and most of the next day (what’s the point of sleeping pills if im still tired all day tomorrow?)
Weed(indica): knocks me out and has me out cold all night. wears off before i wake up, even if i vaped (dry herb vape) way too much, it wears off by the time i wake up. also, i went from sleeping 4 hours a night to 10 hours straight.
Nausea: i wake up nauseous every morning, and can’t eat for several hours (sometimes all day)
anti-nausea pills: either don’t work, or make me drowsy like sleeping pills.
weed: nausea is gone within a few minutes of taking it, and stays gone all day, and i can actually eat now.
Stress: i basically used to worry all day, and was so anxious that my boyfriend was sure i would die from it one of these days.
Psychiatric meds: almost killed me in several ways (suicidal, not eating for a week straight, anger to the point of almost committing violence, and nightmares so bad i wanted to die)
Weed: i can actually enjoy things now, and laugh at things.
My wife and I vaped weed for the first time recently. Legally, as well, I am given to understand. We did so under the supervision of some more experienced friends.
I initially felt no effects. After an hour, they gave me a second dose. Still nothing. We didn’t want to risk more, so we gave up and went to bed.
And, for the first time in my life, I dreamt in color.
Fun Fact: I have a minor disability in that I cannot picture things in my mind. I can imagine things, but I imagine them without any mental image (or, at best, a very sketchy black-and-white outline sort of thing). This is, incidentally, one reason why I have always had trouble with visual arts where I had to create an image from scratch but I excel at visual arts when I have a template (example – I cannot draw/paint a picture of a house, but I can paint a model of a house to a great degree of realism).
Also incidentally, my imagination also tends to be more tactile – I can imagine sensations or sounds far more readily than images.
Anyway, somehow, for some reason, the weed vapor bypassed whatever it is in my brain that caused this and unlocked images. For that one night, my mind could produce vivid images in color, and I had some of the most visual dreams of my life.
It didn’t last. The next night, my brain was back to normal. But it was a wonderful and unique experience that I treasure. The friends who watched out for us found all this fascinating and one has offered to provide edibles (again, in careful, small amounts) at some point in the future.
I very much look forward to seeing if it will have the same effect again, and if I can try to ‘picture things’ while I am awake now that I know to try.
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this Rose! Very much appreciated! 🥰
That inability to picture things in your head is actually a very well known thing at this point. It’s a neurodivergent stripe called aphantasia, and it happens to more people than you think.
I’m SO HAPPY to hear that weed allowed you to break past a neurological barrier that had affected you for years now! It must have been a WONDERFUL experience, and I wish you the very best in exploring a whole new world this substance unlocked for you! 🥹🥹🥹
*plays “Mysterious Starlit Sky” by Takanori Arisawa on Hacked Muzak*
That story reminds me of the movie “Pleasantville.”
Yes, smoking is bad for you, no matter what you’re smoking. Dr. Timothy Leary recommends against *smoking* marijuana.
The store gummies are pretty safe. Usually they’re 5mg where as the medicinal ones are 10mg. Just take one, wait 30 minutes and take a 2nd if you want to. I mellow out for sure, nothing else besides that.
I use cannabis for pain and anxiety management. My lungs can’t tolerate smoking, so I started with edibles but those are VERY hard to dose. I switched to RSO or CO2 oil and those have done well for me. Start with an amount half the size of a grain of rice. I put mine on a chocolate chip and melt it under my tongue. Doesn’t really help with the taste, but it’s the method that’s worked the best for me.
Hey now, edibles are an option too! And a very valid one, I might add!
o3o I mean I’ll be honest, almost all my friends, white, black or otherwise smoke weed and none of them are in jail or have been jailed for it. (Including my mom a few times). Like if you don’t wanna smoke, don’t smoke for sure but I definitely feel like you shouldn’t let incarceration rates stop you. Otherwise you might also not want to drive a car or walk down the street or exist.
You ever try edibles, Yoto?
I don’t ever wanna be high. Or drunk. Just a personal preference to always be 100% in control of myself at all times. The idea of being under the influence of something makes me squirm.
Same. I’ve gotten myself in enough trouble while sober.
(In theory it might help me a little with my anxiety(s)… but then I think of all the bad decisions I might make while under the influence, and that makes me more anxious.)
If you wanna see if it works for something as valid as your anxiety but still worried about making bad decisions that much, why not ask a friend to be your Trip Sitter?
Speaking yes from experience, consider getting some sort of edible that has the relevant ingredients evenly distributed, and eating half of it shortly before going to bed.
I find this breaks PTSD nightmare chains with almost shocking rates of success.
Human, you’re ALWAYS under the influence of something.
And I’ll say, it’s much better to be under the influence of weed than like 100 other things. The main baddies that come to mind are stress, physical pain, and indoctrination.
Well, since you pushed the issue:
I also don’t like the smell, or the tendency I’ve observed for those who do indulge to take every opportunity to bring it up.
I mean, my own chief addictions/drugs of choice are sugar and caffeine, but I’m not constantly talking about them, promoting them to strangers, or putting them in my screenname, avatar, etc – all of which I’ve seen countless times over the years from people who seem to have made their marijuana use a major part of their very identity.
[xX_knitlord_Xx] HAVE I TOLD EVERYONE HERE I LOVE KNITTING I’M A TOTAL KNIT FIEND GOT ME SOME NEW PRIMO YARN YESTERDAY 100% WOOL SO AMAZE
Well, much like those who fight for climate change, those who take it to THAT level shouldn’t really be used to represent the whole of those who consume it and advocate for its usage, nor be used to evaluate the validity of the activism surrounding it.
The hard truth is that the cannabis (and the non-psychoactive hemp lumped in with it) was banned in the first place because of bigots that really didn’t have out best interests at hand. Combine that with the fact that this substance literally saved the lives of many of its users (myself included), of course that would encourage many people to dedicate themselves to the cause with varying degrees of passion.
I’m with ya there, StClair. Weed People™ tend to make it really unapproachable as a conversation topic or potential interest. Sorta like the Kingdom Hearts fandom.
I understand not liking the smell. It would be nice if they can work on breeding that out (or make it better smelling) without reducing the potency.
As for people who constantly bring it up, while there are some that are exactly like you describe, for others it can be more complicated. I have a family member who has constant pain issues, and cannabis is basically one of the only things that helps. For people like that and others that have medical issues that are soothed by it, I can understand them recommending it to people to help them as well. Especially if that person was talking about having similar medical issues. I think people generally are trying to be helpful in those cases. As for the others that you mentioned, you tend to find that even with other things people tend to pressure you to join in. Coffee doesn’t agree with me, but the amount of times people have pressured me to drink it, or forget and add it into something without telling me, is surprising. I have also personally witnessed and heard stories about people pressuring others to drink alcohol with them. I have even heard stories about how in some cases it is related to work culture and some don’t like doing business with those that won’t drink with them (even if it is an after work fun time). I know part of it is that people claim that drinking “helps you relax and let loose”, but the peer pressure to do it is really something else. Maybe people just need to learn how to have fun and relax without the use of alcohol or other substances? Since there is always a “drive” for conformity, I have a feeling that some pressure will always be there no matter how much progress is made about accepting those that don’t want to partake.
The Wellermann:
“much like those who fight for climate change”
Until then I was mildly annoyed, bc THC isn’t for everyone and I got a friend who got severe paranoïa bc of overusing it (yes, overuse, what is not what you were advocating -in the same time for the euros here, the THC level in weed here has skyrocketd and is nothing like what it was back when my friend got this – hence “mildly” annoyed), but also I cant wrap my head around what you’re trying to say with this comparison…
For every one person you know who is That Stoner, you know five others that just don’t tell you they use it at all because of your obvious distaste and stereotyping, and they don’t want you to think they’re like that. There’s a common misconception by non-users that people who advertise it heavily are somehow representative of the entire group but actually most users look and act like everybody else you know and are mostly indistinguishable. I know this, as the person who had never used it when I moved to a city where it’s extremely common, met tons of “normal” people who never talked about it, and then finally one of them broke out a vape for me after admitting I use it. Now I am a semi regular user, using products that don’t smell, I don’t talk about it until other people do, and I don’t suddenly go around with a leaf on all my clothes.
I have a brother-in-law who rags on weed and stoners every time we see him and I can reassure you that I find it every bit as repellent as you find the hobby-stoners.
Also – there absolutely are “xx_knitlord_xx” types all over the internet for all kinds of hobbies, people who plaster cats over everything and put them in all their avatars, people who post nonstop travel pics on their gram, people who find a way to bring every conversation back to the video games they’ve been playing lately and wear graphic tees with Zelda on them. It’s just that people using weed particularly stand out to you due to pre-existing cognitive biases.
Most of the people I’ve met in the game/tech industry around here get high at least a couple times a month. A lot of them have big, clean houses, Teslas, skilled hobbies, and treat weed the same way people treat drinking or smoking, and if somebody doesn’t do it they have as equal a chance of being a dick about it as someone who drinks has of doing so. Turns out when it’s legal, people just act like people about it, and there’s a huge spectrum of what that looks like.
Not to draw any conclusions about you because I don’t know you, but a lot of people who were raised in small towns or red states have these preconceptions and never manage to shake them. That was my deal before I started using it.
Just an alternative perspective.
Climate change doesn’t need anyone to fight for it at this point, it’s doing quite well on its own.
Yeah tbh there’s “it’s my entire personality” folks in EVERY interest. (Saying this as someone who has maybe made liking cats my entire personality *cough*)
Tbh I know plenty of quiet users too. And for folks with chronic pain, I can understand them wanting to talk about it all the time. I have chronic pain and if weed helped mine, I’d probably be kind of obsessive about it too. I discovered a tomato soup recipe that helped a lot of my chronic illness symptoms and I spent a week talking about that soup. Because anything that helps chronic symptoms makes one pretty excited.
Sure, there can absolutely be Problem People in any fandom/hobby, and I think everyone here knows that. But when those are the loudest ones, they by default are the ones most people are going to associate with something, and I don’t think we can hold it against anyone for being turned away.
Yeah, I understand that feeling. I barely trust myself sober, I will not trust myself under the influence of something. Plus for alcohol I’ve only got 1 kidney (I know it mostly hurts the liver but it isn’t kind to kidneys either) and smoking anything is a bad idea for my asthma. Edibles are definitely an option and I’ve considered them, but it still comes back to the whole trusting myself thing. It’s not even necessarily a control thing lol, I’ve got ADHD and am maybe in full control 50% of the time (ok probably an overstatement. I can control myself decently well as long as I am not trying to make myself focus. That’s where things get sketchy).
If you’re still curious about them, as with any substance it’s always good to start with lower doses to see how it affects you.
Also (I speak from experience) it’s a totally normal and OK thing to do to get a friend to look after you while you’re on something new.
@Yotomoe When it comes to alcohol, I’m right there with you. I have never been drunk, and I have never seen the appeal of being so.
That said, I do enjoy alcohol – one drink in the evening can be very relaxing and help me get to sleep. Like the polar opposite of having a glass of iced tea or coffee in the morning to help wake up.
I’m very much this with alcohol too, albeit much less frequently.
Those who use cannabis in a similar way take CBD without the major psychoactive effects of THC to help them get to sleep. It very much works too, and MUCH less bodily strain than alcohol I might add!
100% with you there, Yoto. I don’t have any problem with anyone who chooses to partake, but it’s definitely not for me. I worry too much about not being control of my own mind.
I’ve been assured that given my health issues I’ll probably end up dependent if I ever try mary Jane so I’m not willing to until it’s super legal.
I’m tempted to try edibles because if I even get a good whiff of Ganja I get a splitting headache, but it has been suggested over and over that my depression and PTSD could both benefit from some THC. I mean I don’t even get enough from secondhand smoke to get anything, but somehow I get a headache. The working theory is this has something to do with my TBI because before I died I just got stoned from pot, and not even munchies.
We are the minority sir. I found out in the mid 80’s that am mildly allergic to the pollen and resin. Mind, back then I could get some Benadryl OTC and mostly clear up. And how I found oust is a story that wont fit a place like this.
I can get a headache from it too (certain are much worse than others, as some just a slight whiff gets me while others it takes a bit more). I tend to be more sensitive to scents though, as there are perfumes and other stuff that gets me too. Hard to say what is causing it at that point. I do think that some places offer just THC oil, if that helps at all. Headaches are never fun.
Sarah, even now, something on my computer/online doesn’t hit the same as a physical thing in my hands.
IT’S NOT AUTHENTIC, SARAH.
Oof, poor Joyce.
Y’know with all my skill…I still long for the day that my art ends up in the physical print of a newspaper. Unfortunately now that I’m out of school I’d have to actually get into a REAL newspaper. Damn…
Any specific reason it has to be a newspaper and not, say, a book?
Yeah, that’s a good reason.
Zine!!!
Is there any reason for Joyce to be in this much pain? I’m wondering if the entire floor is about to come down with some terrible flu.
I do not think we will be getting a Pandemic plotline.
Dying of Age
I don’t think we’re gonna see that far into their lives, either.
Has anyone in the cast constructed a miraculous structure and in the process driven a stake into the heart of the earth recently?
She has her period. Trust me, they can be this bad. From what I’ve heard, it’s even worse if you only get it every few months, as Joyce apparently does.
Every few months? How is that possible?
It’s not that uncommon, especially for younger people. They tend to even out with age.
PCOS is one reason, but there are lots of reasons it can happen. I’m just mentioning PCOS because I have it. Longest time between periods (not pregnancy related) for me was 7 months. Technically longer, because then I did get pregnant and didn’t get a period for a lot longer. But basically yeah, I never know when my period is going to happen. It really sucks the first 2-3 days when it does happen though. They’re really rough.
Could also be some sort of birth control, if she’s on it for period related reasons (as unlikely as that may be).
@BBCC:
See, I still don’t think that implies anything other than monthly periods of various discomfort levels.
IE, that it’s been three months since she had one of these bad periods, not three months since she had a period at all.
I said the same on the original strip when people thought it implied she was pregnant.
Could be that too, in which case, poor Joyce.
Either is possible, there’s no point locking onto one hypothesis when two are equally likely.
It’s implied to be period related. https://www.dumbingofage.com/2022/comic/book-12/03-trial-and-sarah/ferbid/
What. Who are you. Why are you wearing my name.
Endometriosis.
It will take seven years for her to get a diagnosis.
Periods can definitely cause whole body pain if you have some underlying condition like endometriosis or a connective tissue disorder. My periods,
In addition to causing horrible cramps, tend to exacerbate all my chronic joint pain, and I frequently get migraines on them. Finally got an IUD to deal with the symptoms, which did help. I imagine that’d be a tricky hurdle for Joyce to overcome still though!
OOOO!!! POOR BABY!!!! 🥺
If there’s any one character there who could DEFINITELY use some weed right now, it’s Joyce.
Even if this illness persists long enough, hopefully weed will become legal in Indiana by then.
Speaking of which…
🥳 Happy 4/20 everyone!!!
*plays “Deep Jungle Walk” by Astrix on Hacked Muzak*
…heh, I only just realized what day it was when you said that.
Joyce’s pain is getting concerning.
Although, I did have a similar condition in my freshman and sophomore years of college. Near as we can make out, it was Lyme’s disease, but it did incapacitate almost completely for a good 2 years.
Could also be somatic, though, given what she’s been through.
Here’s hoping Joyce recovers (or gets diagnosed and treated) quickly and thoroughly.
Sometimes dysmenorrhea can cause painful cramping throughout the body, though, so not to rule that out.
…And then there’s always COVID. But I’m assuming COVID-19 doesn’t exist in this universe because of its timelessness.
Migraine can act that way too sometimes.
Per the discussion of people who are interested in cannabinoids but don’t want to get high or do anything illegal, my understanding is that CBD is now legal for purchase (even in regular groceries and pharmacies nationwide) (or at least in most states). Has many of the same pain-relieving and body-relaxing qualities, also helps with sleep, but doesn’t get you high.
OK, here’s the clarity on the legality per region and sale context:
https://www.buscherlaw.com/state-hemp-legality
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/is-cbd-legal-heres-what-you-need-to-know-according-to-science
Thank you so much for this Laura! I very much appreciate this and everything else you do around here!
*plays “Infotain Me” by Ochre on Hacked Muzak*
Thanks! Infodumps and links are my language of caring. I’m like Dina that way.
BTW, I’ve sent you a comment below, regarding personal questions that might make others feel uncomfortable. (For example, I myself would feel uncomfortable if asked a similar question online.)
*Reads this comment and one below*
Always a pleasure, Laura!
I love infodumps myself, and I guess I also use emojis and sharing music as a language of caring too. I like these things that allow me to express myself without exhausting my brain’s capacity to make facial expressions, and I guess I’m much like Dina that way too!
There’s just going to be one entire book where everyone gets COVID, but everything else carries on as normal.
So exactly like real life except it somehow won’t take as long or involve as much complaining from Certain People?
Well, that depends on where you are for how much it matches real life. But in this case, it’ll just result in, like, one really bad weekend, and then everyone moves on.
I know you’re probably joking and that this is unlikely anyway but ugh I would hate that. Partially because fiction is my escape from the pandemic atm and also because the last thing we need right now is any more media making it look like a nbd thing that’s over quickly.
Yeah, anemia can cause your whooooole body to ache… but if it’s this bad she probably needs to see a doctor. I know it can be hard as hell to get people to understand that just because “everyone feels bad on their period” doesn’t mean bleeding the fuck out and being nonfunctional is something to suck up, but this sounds like it’s gone way beyond Midol and chocolate ice cream and a hot pack.
Anemia can cause whole body aches????
Well no shit we were always told to have iron rich meals when my period was around. Mine made my anemia worse.
Like the Dumbiverse, we too are stuck in a perpetual non-time where March 2020 takes years…
ooooooooooh shit period-induced migraines can totally express like this too
I don’t have this but I knew someone who did.
^ The migraines are the devil.
they’re gonna pan the shit outta her comic lmao
I recommend one of those heat packs with a band you can wear around your abdomen. Excellent for when you have class.
Hey I’m probably gonna ask this above to everyone, but have you ever tried cannabis yourself Regalli?
The Wellerman, you may want to rethink that question. Asking people directly to admit to illegal activity (under federal law as well as some state and local laws) online, via a user account directly tied to their email address (which itself is likely authenticated using even more concrete identifying information) can put them into an awkward position. Sometimes people don’t feel comfortable refusing to answer a direct question, and if they do answer they might risk getting themselves into trouble.
Just a word to the wise. No moralizing, no judgment. Just sharing a different perspective.
Thanks for the tip Laura! I can tell this all comes from a very compassionate place!
I know a fair lot of people around here come from countries where privacy laws aren’t the best and law enforcement not the most humane, so I very much understand that. That’s why if I asked anyone else around here (“everyone” as I put it), it would certainly be an open ended inquiry of a comment where anyone could choose to respond as they please.
I’ve known Regalli for quite a while now, and intended to ask it in the context of health implements, which she knows quite a lot about!
Thanks so much again Laura , you’re very much one of my favorite humans around here!
You are very sweet, The Wellerman. Thank you for your kindness. You surprise me every day.
This sort of chat is why I really enjoy reading the comments section for DoA btw
The genuine respect, kindness and thoughtfulness is lovely to read/see 
Awww… Mutual appreciation society!
Classic Sarah waiting until Joyce made it that far to mention the online option, hahaha.
Just the idea that Sarah followed Joyce as she slowly and painfully crawled down the halls to the nearest newspaper stand just to say this now.
The whole time thinking to herself “Not yet, wait just a little longer before saying it.”
feelsl ike joyce would still want a physical copy (tho tbf exercise is supposedly good for periods. but you won’t see me going on a mile run every month lol)
Joyce is extremely relatable. This will be me soon enough.
So, uh, relating to her on my birthday is fun!
Hey, happy birthday!
Thank you!
Happy birthday to you then.
Thank you! <3
Happy happy birthday!
Would you like a tea party to go with it to help cheer you up?
*plays “Mad Tea Party Music” on Liz’s now totally jailbroken phone*
Oooh, tea party!
Fortunately, I am not going to be in foreseeable pain today or the next few days, so I get to have fun today! We’re going to my favourite seafood place and then coming back to my house for presents and ice cream. I’m having chocolate chip.
Tea party sounds fun as hell though ngl. I just went to one for my friend’s birthday about a month ago. It was fun.
Uh, wow, earth to rude bongo, you forgot something.
Thank you, Wellerman!
You’re very welcome!!! And no worries!
Today’s a day for all of us to rest and relax!!!
🥰
*plays “Chilly Down” by David Bowie*
Fuck yeah! Relaxing day all around.
That’s a relief! And all of that sounds delicious!!!
Ooo! That reminds me! Imma start prepping for my trip tomorrow!
Need to acquire some food, some TEA of course, and some music too!
*plays “Dead Fingers Talking” by Working for a Nuclear Free City on Liz’s totally jailbroken iPhone*
Oooh, have fun on your trip! May you have lots of fun, food and tea!
I surely will!
Have fun on your birthday too!!
*plays “Floating” by Alexander Janko on Hacked Muzak*
A very happy day to you
Thank you!
¡Feliz cumpleaños!
Muchas gracias! <3
Happy birthday, B^2C^2!
Thank you JBento! <3
Happy birthday!
Thank you!
Happy birthday. Hope you’re getting a nice party today.
Thank you! Plan is dinner and then coming back home for ice cream and such.
@BBCC
For me, it was last week. Ugh.
Also happy birthday!
All my sympathy, Rose.
And thank you! ^.^
Looks like I just missed as well, it was on Sunday.
Happy birthday
Thank you!
Joyce, unless this pain is a hangover, you need to see the doctor. Especially if this is period pain and your periods are irregular, as I think somebody said was the case in the comments last time Joyce was onscreen.
It likely is period-related. But I do not think they are irregular.
In a previous comic, Becky was counting off the time… Suggesting that yes it was her period and they are regular enough to track.
I wonder how the publishers will have fucked it up. Changed the title at least. Cut the last panel?
Decided it needed to be in color and chose just the ugliest palette for it?
Mixed up the order of the comics.
Based on what Daisy said in this strip, I’m betting it’s gonna be the order mixed up.
Replaced the text in the last speech bubble with something “funnier”.
No, seriously, she definitely caught something, and probably shared it with Dina, Sarah and whover saw her recently
that or she got a very bad period for some reason ?
(haven’t heard about periods having those symptoms and including headaches, but i’m just some guy so)
They definitely can.
If one is prone to migraines, periods can set them off.
alrighty
Oh this is going to suck.
… Yeah she’s on her period, and tbh of she caught something and “gave it to Dina” that would be Dina’s fault
Joyce looks way too much like Carol here for my liking.
Her mom???
Imagine being an 18-year-old college student in 2022 and still believing in print media.
One time, like a fucking decade ago, when I was a college freshman, I was with some others waiting at a campus bus terminal for a bus that was really taking a while. Newspapers were free, so I grabbed one to look through to pass the time, and the other students were like, “Oh, yeah, newspapers exist. Huh. Maybe I’ll interact with one as well.”
That said, if I ever get something published, I’m getting a physical copy. I think there’s still newspaper clippings in the basement from when I got things into the “Kids’ Corner” or whatever back when I was nine.
When I was in college I looked forward to finding a free copy of The Stranger every week. Since Covid it’s only been online and it’s just not as fun reading articles on the stupid internet.
Easily the most ridiculous thing Joyce has ever believed over the course of this comic.
Print media has a very different impact on the brain and learning than screens, a major difference being that more is memorized. I know if i managed to get published, i’d want to remember it as much as possible
She needs the very first print for commemorative reasons.
So, alt-text, the certain plant is what? Ginger? Ginger is supposed to be good for stuff like this.
I don’t know if you’re joking, but if not, here’s a hint: check the date.
19 Apr 2022?
Yes, exactly.
4/19/22? Of course. Now it all makes sense! It’s mandrake!
There are actually a number of plants that can be used to help with menstrual cramps, like broadleaf plantain. I like ginger for stomachaches myself, you’re right
Aspirin was originally derived from some kind of resin in willow tree bark, so Joyce should go gnaw on a tree until she feels better.
That’s what the alt text is hinting at, right?
I’m loving this thread. Without irony.
Maybe the pain is from getting a vaccine? They can definitely have bad side effects, depending on what it’s for and how you react to it. It would also explain Becky counting off months: she could be getting a booster dose. And I can see her parents not vaccinating her against things, especially since sometimes you get vaccines at school (at least in my case), and she was home-schooled. I know she got the flu vaccine, but still.
Could be, but Becky did tell her to take a lot of iron. Not sure what that’s about if it’s her vaccine.
She’s in her period…
I kinda wish I could take weed for pain, but I am large and my brain is fucky and even with my enthusiast boyfriend’s help I’ve yet to find a dosage that finds a happy medium between “nothing… nothing… nothing… nothing… nothing… welp I need to sleep off this incoming psychotic break”.
Maybe something slow release?
Have you ever tried CBD stuff? It doesn’t have the psychoactive component of weed(THC) so it shouldn’t have much of an impact on your mental state. But I heard it relaxes you and can help with aches and pains. Some brands also make vaginal CBD oil suppositories for menstrual pains and cramping.
I have tried high-CBD stuff but not no-THC stuff; that isn’t a bad idea.
I was homeschooled too, and being a teenager would have been that much less miserable if I could have gone to the doctor for painful periods. Not to knock my conservative-but-otherwise-ok mother, but I don’t think you’re supposed to be curled up in a ball or puking from the pain? (I’m on birth control now for that, thank goodness for good health insurance.)
Health insurance rocks!
https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/birth-control-benefits/
Especially now with no-cost contraceptive coverage under the ACA!
QUICK NOWS THE TIME TO ASK HER SUPER PERSONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT HER UPBRINGING!
Published online? Sarah, who on earth would ever read a comic online? That’s just crazy talk.
Is this how we’re going to initially get Joyce on birth control and eventually down the line to that angel/devil conversation with herself about resisting temptation?
Cause I’m so here for that – feels like a fifth of my freshman dorm was grappling that (back when if you identified as female and a “good girl” but dared to be sexual before the 3rd date…. )
Wait so do I follow correctly — Becky’s “January, December, November” comment means that this pain is from Joyce getting a period, which she only gets every 3 months, and which therefore have previously occurred off screen (November, August)?
Yes. I thought that was obvious. No offence meant.
Either that or it’s regular enough for Becky to think back to find the date and realize ‘oh, yeah, that time of the month’.
I’d say “Joyce, Doctor. Now.” but judging from my wife’s experience they won’t listed to her for another twenty years or so.
Listen not listed. Damn typos that are correctly spelled words but the wrong word.
The glorious life of a cartoonist
Hmm. I wonder if this plotline is gonna resolve in Joyce getting on the Pill to help with her period pains. And I guess dealing with her internalized biases against that?
I could certainly see that happening.
OK, so, hey, here’s something personal.
This Thursday morning, I go to the doctor, and get my very first IUD. Which normally wouldn’t be a big deal, except that, due to my age and the normal shelf life of these IUDs, it will probably be take me through the very last of my reproductive capacity.
Bye bye, endometrium! Bon voyage! Thank you for your service! Happy retirement!
It’s a bittersweet occasion, some grief involved, a tearful goodbye. The end of a wistful dream.
But it’s also a happy choice. Honestly, given that for most of my life I had extreme PMDD and dysmenorrhea, it’s something I should have done early on and kept doing ever since. Just fear kept me from doing it.
Huzzah for good education about alternatives and options for reproductive healthcare!
Huzzah for a sober analysis of risks and benefits!
Huzzah for reliable contraception!
(Luck-wishes for an easy and painless transition would be much appreciated, given that I plan to go to work after.)
I feel so happy for you Laura! That relief from menstrual pain must mean the world to you!
Thinking about that which made it all possible, medical devices and discoveries like this and many others conceived and created with the Power of Science, that have helped and saved millions all over the world… it’s just so WONDERFUL!!! 🥹🥹🥹
*plays “Maenam” by Jami Sieber* on Hacked Muzak
Thank you, The Wellerman!!!
I wish you much relief from the pain, and an easing of the wistfulness about the shape that life has taken (it sounds like it is more wistfulness on one level, but also – bar the routine pain – a life that you have consciously chosen and are largely at least content with).
Thank you so much for your kind words, Miri. I am grateful for your perceptive and insightful understanding. I appreciate you.
Congrats! I’ve had an IUD since my kid was born and it has been such a lifesaver. Periods went from horrific to mildly uncomfortable most months (and often skip it altogether).
How wonderful Autogatos! Thank you for giving me hope!
Fuck yeah! Congrats on getting on the IUD and retiring the endometrium. I know it can be sad or wistful even if it’s what you want. You’re allowed to feel wistful over no longer having the option of reproducing if that’s what’s causing it. Hope the transition is seamless and you have a good day at work.
Oh, thank you for your kind well wishes, BBCC! Yes, that’s exactly how I have always felt: conflicted and sad and grateful and hopeful, all at once. Thank you for understanding.
<3 You're welcome! I hope all goes well later today. I think having conflicted feelings about things like this is normal. Bodies are complicated and so are health issues and we're allowed to feel a lot of different things. I know you're not alone. I've known lots of people who've never wanted kids (or didn't want more kids) and they've felt similarly to you when they hit menopause or had a hysterectomy or something else to stop their period or whatever. It's one thing to know you want something and not the alternative, and another to actually close the door on the alternative. Even if it's what you want, sometimes it makes you sad or wistful to not have the option anymore. I know of one nun who hit menopause and even though she never wanted to reproduce, it made her a little sad not to have the option anymore. It happens. Be gentle with yourself. You know what's best for your situation. <3 I can imagine how rough it is though – I think I'd feel similarly. I'm glad I could help.
D’oh! Just saw the update. Glad you found a more appropriate appointment time and hope all goes well! May you have minimal pain and quick recovery!
Thank you so much, BBCC! I am so grateful to you for sharing your insight and perspective on this. (Sorry, just saw your comment now.)
Yes, it is sad. I have always wanted children, ever since I was a child myself, but for various reasons I do feel certain that actually having them would not be a good idea. It used to be “not a good idea right now.” Now it’s just “not a good idea, ever.”
And that’s hard to admit. I spend a lot of time grieving: whenever I see parents and children on TV, I get these intense sobbing spells. But, little by little, that “knife in the gut” feeling is growing a little less sharp, cutting a little less deep, not turning quite so violently.
And I am making peace with the decision. It’s sad, but I do feel good for having made a choice that I can stand by, and not just given in to what my body has always wanted.
(Also just seeing this now, it’s all good).
I’m sorry you had to close the door on an option you’ve really wanted for a long time. That’s never easy to do or cope with, but now that you’ve done that, you can move forward. I hope things continue to get easier!
Fuck yeah, IUDs! My period was extremely irregular (but rarely that bad) before I got mine, and now I just don’t have one, and I love that for me. Hope you get the desired results from yours, too.
So great, Yumi! Thank you for your encouragement!
I’m glad you’re likely to get release from the pain and depression! I recently got an IUD for the same reason… uh… FYI:
1) It will hurt like absolute hell, even if your doctor is kind and gentle. It may or may not be sore afterwards. I wish you the least amount of pain possible, but be aware you may need recovery time or some painkillers.
2) The fuckers can fall out. Like. Especially if you have a *lot* in there or an unusually-shaped uterus. If you suddenly get a ton of cramping followed by a resurgence of symptoms, go back to the doctor and get it checked even if they say “oh it might take months to fully work”. I’m on my second one, which had to be put in surgically.
3) Progesterone can have some weird side effects on your mental state even without PMDD, so watch your mood; on the plus side, usually the side effects are positive.
Oh, wow, OK, thank you for that great advice, not someone else! And thank you for the encouragement !
Sadly, my gynos are complete side effect denialists (won’t even acknowledge the risks published by the company itself and Planned Parenthood) and won’t even consider a lower dose option (because of my size). So I don’t have much faith that I can get much help or support from them if I do experience problems. But… there’s nothing saying I can’t get a second opinion! And I can self advocate, too. So I DO very much appreciate the warnings!
Yeah, I do have to echo that mine was definitely painful, and lots of aches afterward. So I hope you have a smoother experience, but be gentle with yourself.
(Also, quick story time: when I first went to get mine put in, my doctor sat me down and discussed it with me beforehand — as a doctor should– but the issue is that I’m nonbinary and have a lot of dysphoria around the subject. And just from listening to the doctor talk, I ended up throwing up. So, I did not get my IUD that day. I had to make another appointment, and then my doctor was like, “Okay, we’ve already discussed this previously, so today, we’re just going to do it.”)
Yeah, that is an issue. It’s been a real problem with my health care provider. Thank you for the warning — I’ll brace myself for that!
Yeah that is one of those side effects, too, where relevant. The progesterone has negatively impacted my dysphoria, thankfully within… copable limits, given the alternative.
Oh. Oh dear. You mean, like, it can accentuate the more “female”-associated aspects of the body and emotions?
Hmm, this is a problem for me. Since my gynos won’t discuss side effects with me, I can’t really discuss it with them.
I self-identify more on the masculine end of the spectrum and have always fought hard for recognition of my transmasculine identity at work and in healthcare. (This UserID is just an old Internet handle and the avatar that the website assigned me — does not reflect my true gender.)
I always thought that the progesterone would quiet down the estrogen levels and allow my naturally high T levels to step forward. …Is that not the case?
Progesterone does something that often but not always heightens estrogen’s emotional effects. It’s a big pro for trans women. Often helps PMDD in cis women. I don’t have a lot of data beyond the personal for transmascs. I also have naturally high T and, well, it’s not PMDD-level but hormones do affect my mood, and I’ve found that basically the peaks of dysphoria and dissociation are smoothed out but the valleys are higher.
It’s… it’s unpleasant. It’s a lot better than feeling like I was actually dying, and probably actually being-dying- boy it was fun having to deal with doctors who were like “pfft you’re fine your hemoglobin is low but not terrible you don’t need a transfusion” soon after realizing the damn thing fell out, trying to explain this had happened before and then suddenly I was in the ER, and then coming back a week later with levels having dropped literally twenty points. So it’s not something I would recommend to be done for just birth control, for example; and if you can find a better doctor and have a hysterectomy and just get on T afterwards instead of E and be happy, that’s a perfectly valid option. Like, medically valid as a solution for the problems presented- I would have taken it were I in a place it was safe to transition.
So yeah, there’s that.
Oh, wow, oh wow, oh wow, not someone else. You have been through SO MUCH. Oh, I am so sorry that you went through that medical emergency and that they didn’t listen to you. And I am SO SORRY that you’re not in a place where it is safe to transition.
THANK YOU for courageously sharing your tough personal experiences. I want to let you know that I honor and cherish your candor. I am grateful to you for sharing this part of your life.
I don’t have any trans folk in my life whom I can talk with, about these issues. And I’m not so much aware of online communities. So the opportunity to hear from someone who has been through it… just, wow. That is precious and deep.
Thank you for surviving. Thank you for being here to share your journey with fellow travelers.
For me getting the IUD was very painful but then it was over way faster than I expected. Like I had this moment of OH GOD can I really do this and before I finished the thought the doctor was done. I had a lot of fear going in and while it hurt more than I wanted it to, it wasn’t as bad as I feared. I personally could have worked after.
For the first 4 months my cramps were different. They weren’t the constant ongoing waves of pain I was used to. Instead they were sporadic sharp cramps. More painful than my normal cramping but also brief and would pass and I’d be fine/normal. Eventually those reduced too.
It’s been about 7 months and I gotta go back in next week to have it checked due to some symptoms. See if it moved out of place. But overall I’m glad for it and while you should be prepared for some side effects (mild acne for me) and it can be quite painful getting it… I know for me at least it wasn’t as bad as I feared and I’m so glad for it!
Wow, thank you for sharing your experiences, Meri! So helpful!
Yeeeeah, mine took like twenty minutes and she had to yank things around with clamps to get access. But I’m also someone who never has a painless pap smear either, so I doubt that’s normal; but I’ve heard stories of it being much better and much worse than I had it, so…
Oh, goodness gracious! I will be sure to prepare myself… thank you, not someone else! 8-|
Hey: THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE, for sharing your deeply personal experiences with me! I am SO FORTUNATE to have stumbled into a community where people will be honest and REAL about what to expect!
As an update, because folks are saying it will probably hurt a lot, I have rescheduled my appointment for 5/3/22, so I can do it at the end of the workday, not at the beginning. A 2-week reprieve!
;-D
Thank you again, dears.
Wait does this mean Joyce crawled into the elevator and Sarah had to press the button for her and they had to then get out of the elevator to crawl through the lobby?
Because thats hilarious (Also Joyce pls go see a gyno I am gettying sympathy pain)
I’m actually impressed Joyce went to the trouble of getting dressed through the pain.
Been rereading old DOA (for references) and I’ll just say.
I miss Mike. Love the guy.
What are you talking about? He was in yesterday’s strip, making out with Asher.
I get the feeling poor Joyce is about to discover the paper’s running her comic out of order, too small to read the fine details, and squashed and distorted to fit the comic space on the page…
At least the outrage will give her something to focus on besides physical pain?
I mean, that’s possible, nay even likely…
…but I kinda like the idea that, even if those bits are the main problem, the biggest problem she has is that she suddenly realizes how amateurish and weak her writing and drawing is, now that its in black and white for everyone to see.
And yeah, her writing and drawing is almost certainly weak and amateurish. She’s a beginner at both. Even the best writers ever started out shit at all this stuff, it’s a skill that needs to be honed and developed with time.
I recall David F. Sandberg’s youtube video on test screenings, where at one point he mentioned that, during the editing process, something helpful can be to just bring in one new person into the room as you review a cut. Even if they don’t say anything, being aware of their presence draws your attention to all these flaws that you were glossing over before…
wait, why is Joyce having an hangover again?
She’s having period pain
As someone with chronic pain, this is a whole mode.
Ah I thought about moving and PAIN
Saaaaame. I have moments like this most mornings before my pain meds kick in and it makes everything 10x harder. You really can’t do much but just lay there.
This comic published 24 hours after my own period left me curled up in bed at ‘pain ten’ for sixteen hours. The extreme empathy I feel towards Joyce in this moment cannot be overstated.
(Though I would sincerely hope, were she a real person, that Joyce wouldn’t be at a 10.)
Oh, goodness gracious, Shadow Dreamer! I hope you feel better now!
This is kinda looking like Chekhov’s period, if that’s even what it is. Is it the third act yet?
Nothing like having to click back through 2.5 months of comics to find out why Joyce is in pain to find the answer to be “who knows”.
It’s implied to be period related.
That’s entirely headcannon. There has been literally no indication of the cause in comic.
What else pops up out of nowhere and would be this debilitating but ignored by Joyce and Sarah?
So what do you think Becky’s iron comment was about?
Also counting back the months.
Becky counting the months and suggesting to get lots of iron strongly imply it’s a period related thing.
Joyce… This “Author pride” will kill you a day!
I miss smoking weed. Can’t wait to move into a house with a lease that’s okay with me vaping.
Could cannabis help with pain, in general?
Yes it very much could! And of you can’t vape it fir whatever reason, edibles are very much a valid option and some of them are real tasty too!
Every body reacts differently. I know some folks with chronic pain who find it extremely helpful! Personally it’s never helped me much and I don’t like how I feel on it, but everyone is different and there’s really no way to know before you try it.
Cannabis will generally help with pain. You can get a tincture or a topical if you’re uncomfortable with smoking. Do be careful if there’s a family history of schizophrenia.
Must be really good to live in a country developed enough to even talk about weed…
One of these days I’m gonna have to try weed just to see how it effects me.
I’ve tried weed for science. It completely shut down my ability to care about anything and just made me lie in bed and be bored for about a day. Didn’t care about being bored either so it worked out alright.
You hear about how the jazz lettuce has different effects for everyone, but you don’t really know what that means until you try. I recommend it.
There are also different strains that affect you differently. Amelie it sounds like you had a bad experience and aren’t interested in trying weed again, but if you do ask for a Sativa. They tend to make you euphoric and energetic rather than lethargic.
Yes! Behold the Power of Science!!!
🧠
Or more accurately, how it affects you.
Did Joyce get really drunk in one strip I managed to miss? Her malaise is troubling and pretty out of character. Or does Church withdrawal look like this?
Sometims, withdrawal is pretty hard…
I had to go to the comic’s archives to remember why Joyce is feeling so awful. She’s on her period.
Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain…
Like Joyce and Becky probably only got vague teachings about periods perhaps with ‘Eve’s punishment’ slapped on it so I’m not sure either of them would realise this isn’t normal! (Also of course we’ve just had a subplot about like pain/punishment and Becky’s and Joyce’s childhood).
Also: even though Becky is learning biology with her gf with great enthusiasm it seems to be more evolution and Dino based after all rather than human. Joyce is less enthusiastic or taken with the subject it seems. So I don’t think either of them know that they should go to a damn doctor for this kind of thing.
Kind of surprised Sarah isn’t concerned. But then it is early days in the pain arc. And even secular kids can have shitty education about certain topics that make people uncomfortable to talk about.
Perhaps a situation which requires Dotty.
She may be feeling worse than usual due to the events of the last few days.
Didn’t read the comments yet today bc i had an appointment. Personal thing: finally got put on antidepressants! No one cares lol but I’m excited and just wanted to tell someone. Can’t wait for my Ruth arc
Hopefully it’ll make me less of a bongo in the comments too lol
Good luck! And I don’t think you’re a bongo at all.
Hey, congrats! Hope you have a good experience with them.
I care! I’ve been on Paroxetine for 4 months and it’s changed my life. About a month after getting on it, my anxiety got a lot more manageable and my depression simply went away. My one side effect afaict is that I sometimes get pretty sweaty at night. Also I feel like the anxiety is quick to reemerge if I do too much weed, as is my wont. So I have to look out for that. I realize not everyone is as lucky as me and you might have to go through different drugs before you find one that works for you… But I wish you good luck! Don’t hesitate to report on the results, good or bad, I’m curious.
Nice to see you and zee, with meds that are working for you. Good luck.
Great! I hope that works out well. Bear in mind that it can be a bit of a search to find an antidepressant that works well for you, and don’t be discouraged if the first few tries aren’t a huge success.
That said: try to avoid venlafaxine if you can. A lot of us had a very bad time with it.
Echoing Agemegos here with you may have to try more than one to get it right for you. First one I tried didn’t give me any effect. Second was great! Tried a third and it was the same good result as the second. Hopefully you have success on the first try, but if not there are many options which may work great for you.
Damn you Willis! You will approve my comment from a new device!
Looks like Joyce is having religion withdrawal. She’ll need to have something to latch on obsessively soon. Is there a podcast host she can have a para social relationship or something?
Choosing to ignore my typos
You know, ovarian cysts can cause monster pain on periods, and can also cause infertility. I wonder if this is a plotline Willis is interested in.
Seeing your cartoons published for the first time is VERY motivating.
Does Joyce have Meningitis? The headache, stiff neck, and body aches are raising red flags.
Meningitis is a human affliction.
I like how Sarah waits until she has made it all the way to the lobby before telling her this.
Joyce needs to see a doctor. Period pain beyond an irritating level isn’t normal. Like, if you need more than an Advil to go about a normal day (with blood-absorbing measures), something’s wrong. Ovarian cysts, endometriosis… all sorts of nasty stuff. Most of it wildly under-studied and under-diagnosed, much of it dangerous. And even if it wasn’t dangerous, painful conditions should be treated.