Wisix's recent activity

  1. Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (April 2024) in ~health.mental

    Wisix
    (edited )
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    Wow, that ended up so unnecessarily complicated in the end. I'm glad you were able to get it covered in the end. My insurance is saying the psychological testing was unnecessary for my ADHD...

    Wow, that ended up so unnecessarily complicated in the end. I'm glad you were able to get it covered in the end.

    My insurance is saying the psychological testing was unnecessary for my ADHD diagnosis because there are "more suitable ways to diagnose it." Which is true, in all fairness. I was referred to the facility I went to by my psychologist because she felt they would be more knowledgeable about the symptom overlaps and better able to differentiate between the diagnoses + they also take my insurance. They did a telehealth intake appointment and determined the psychological testing was a good fit for me, so I went with it because that's the only thing that was offered to me. Bipolar disorder runs in my family too, and there was a chance for PTSD on my part, so I was screened for both of those too. We'll see, I will appeal again.

    1 vote

  2. Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (April 2024) in ~health.mental

    Wisix
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    My therapist and I have agreed to trial doing appointments every 3 weeks because I've been doing so much better. If this goes well, we'll move to once a month. She's given me so many tools to...

    My therapist and I have agreed to trial doing appointments every 3 weeks because I've been doing so much better. If this goes well, we'll move to once a month. She's given me so many tools to manage my anxiety, ADHD, and depression that I'm doing really well now, all things considered. I've gotten better at finding new tools on my own and evaluating how well they work for me. At this point, it's mostly figuring out my medication with the psychiatrist and keep meeting with my therapist as we go. I'm really proud of myself for the progress I've made the last couple of years in particular and how I've been advocating for myself over the past year.

    7 votes

  3. Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (April 2024) in ~health.mental

    Wisix
    Link Parent
    Ugh, insurance here is such a mess and makes no sense (except to cost us more money). Were you able to get them to cover your medication in the end or is it still ongoing? My Blue Cross PPO has...

    Ugh, insurance here is such a mess and makes no sense (except to cost us more money). Were you able to get them to cover your medication in the end or is it still ongoing? My Blue Cross PPO has been okay except for my ADHD evaluation, they're trying to claim it was not medically necessary. I'm fighting them on it and will keep appealing until they agree it was necessary. My disdain for insurance companies seems to motivate me to get this done.

    3 votes

  4. Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (March 2024) in ~health.mental

    Wisix
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    I finally got my evaluation results last month. It took forever because my insurance is being a pain and refusing to cover it. I'm still fighting with them but anyway. I found out I have moderate...

    I finally got my evaluation results last month. It took forever because my insurance is being a pain and refusing to cover it. I'm still fighting with them but anyway. I found out I have moderate to severe ADHD inattentive with bonus GAD and persistent depression, caused by the ADHD. The psychologist said her first thoughts were, "how did she make it this far on her own, without anything?"

    I was able to get in to see a psychiatrist the following week and we've been playing medication roulette now. Concerta ER seems to be working okay so far, no side effects and my mind is quiet for once. But I'm still easily distracted, fidgety, and as forgetful as I usually am. Things to bring up in our next appointment.

    I feel really validated but also sad. Things didn't have to be so painful or traumatic in college or after. Maybe I would have done so much better with the help I desperately needed back then.

    I also injured my shoulder and can't exercise the way works best for me now. Exercise is a huge method for me to manage my depression.

  5. Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (February 2024) in ~health.mental

    Wisix
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    I finally received my psychological evaluation results. I have moderate to severe ADHD inattentive, with bonus GAD and persistent depression. The doctor stressed the latter were caused by the...

    I finally received my psychological evaluation results. I have moderate to severe ADHD inattentive, with bonus GAD and persistent depression. The doctor stressed the latter were caused by the ADHD, and she said her first thoughts were, "how did you make it so far all on your own?" So much fear, lots of threats from family/schools, a fuck ton of caffeine, and a lot of tears. I cried as she read the results to me, I couldn't help it. My scores all made it so obvious in hindsight. She said the system fails people like me all the time. I had the structure and accountability I needed throughout my childhood to be successful; my 5th and 6th grade teachers started giving me extra and more difficult work to do because I'd finish everything early and then be bored (my parents knew this). I lost all that structure as soon as I went to college, and I tried to get help there but their mental healthcare was woefully understaffed, underfunded, and had no idea what to do with me so I gave up. My professors thought I was just lazy and not smart enough, and so I started to believe that about myself too. But I'm not! I just needed help.

    My mom said it explained so much about my life, even growing up. My dad most likely has it too, given I'm just like him and some of my cousins are also diagnosed.

    I have my psychiatrist intake appointment on Wednesday morning and therapy later today. I'm looking forward to starting treatment.

    6 votes

  6. Comment on Roughly halfway through the NHL's 2023-2024 season: what are your thoughts on the season so far? How is your team doing? Any surprises? in ~sports.hockey

    Wisix
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    Islanders fan: seeing some improvements but mostly just... consistently terrible away games performances,taking bad penalties, and frequent collapses in the 3rd period, to the point it's a trend....

    Islanders fan: seeing some improvements but mostly just... consistently terrible away games performances,taking bad penalties, and frequent collapses in the 3rd period, to the point it's a trend. When they play well, it's great but the lows are really low. I'm hesitant to say it's a coaching problem. I don't know what needs to change, but clearly something does. It's frustrating to watch games this season.

    I enjoy watching the Caps play too since I live nearby, but because of my location, all home games are blacked out. I'm not about to pay for cable just for this.

    1 vote

  7. Comment on Intuit is shutting down the personal finance service Mint and shifting users to Credit Karma in ~finance

    Wisix
    Link Parent
    We switched to YNAB 1.5 years ago. My husband struggled with Mint because it didn't play nice with USAA. I loved it and it worked well for me. YNAB was a challenge to get started with, but now...

    We switched to YNAB 1.5 years ago. My husband struggled with Mint because it didn't play nice with USAA. I loved it and it worked well for me. YNAB was a challenge to get started with, but now we're doing pretty well with it. It helped us afford to add a fence to our house and now that we could afford a new car by moving around some funds.

    12 votes

  8. Comment on What caused you to change your mind about something significant? in ~talk

    Wisix
    Link Parent
    My experience was similar to an extent. I grew up wanting kids, specifically two. I always assumed I'd have them and thought they were just what you do in a mature, adult relationship. I didn't...

    My experience was similar to an extent. I grew up wanting kids, specifically two. I always assumed I'd have them and thought they were just what you do in a mature, adult relationship. I didn't know it was a choice until my early 20s. I already had issues with my period and trying to control it so I wouldn't become severely anemic again was a challenge.

    I found people talking about the childfree subreddit in one of those many AskReddit threads about "toxic subreddits," so I checked it out for myself before judging. It certainly gave me something to think about. It forced me to realize I had a choice. I read about other people's reasons on there and thought how it related to my own life. For about a year, I thought about it, weighed everything in my life vs the decision. I realized I was never excited about children. I hated the idea of pregnancy and childbirth (note: NOT for other people, only myself). It was never something I wanted to experience. Then, I struggle with my mental health and am an introvert on top of it. I cannot deal with being around people 24/7. I need my space. Children deserve to be raised by someone who wants them and loves them, and I cannot provide that for them. It would not be fair to them. It was the right decision for me.

    And now, seeing all of the anti-abortion and anti-choice rhetoric, as well as the legislation... I used the childfree doctors wiki to pursue a bilateral salpingectomy when I had to switch obgyns after mine moved away. I had a lot of heart-to-hearts with my mom about it, and she came to realize it was the right decision for me too. She took me to the hospital for my surgery and took care of me the week after. Ultimately, I ended up having a total hysterectomy due to fibroids and an enlarged uterus last year. I adore my current obgyn; she put my health first and am so grateful she offered it as an option.

    6 votes

  9. Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food

    Wisix
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    I made the beef stew I posted higher in the thread, and I tried my hand at King Arthur's French-style Country Bread. It tasted good and had good texture! But I accidentally let it rest for twice...

    I made the beef stew I posted higher in the thread, and I tried my hand at King Arthur's French-style Country Bread. It tasted good and had good texture! But I accidentally let it rest for twice the max time for the second rest, so it turned out a bit flat. Car service took way longer than expected and my husband missed my messages about the bread.

    I also made Skinnytaste's Turkey Pumpkin Chili. We had 2 meals from half and froze the other half for this coming weekend. We love it, it's been a repeat recipe. Last week, I also made the Budget Bytes coconut turmeric chicken soup but doubled the spices and added an extra garlic clove (last time we made it, the spices tasted weak to us). We had it over vermicelli and it was excellent. I think this version is the one we'll stick with, noodles dependent on our mood.

    1 vote

  10. Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food

    Wisix
    Link Parent
    We love stew (and chili and soup) and this has been my go-to, most successful recipe for beef stew so far. It's very customizable, we frequently add in green beans as a veggie option too. 1.5-3lbs...

    We love stew (and chili and soup) and this has been my go-to, most successful recipe for beef stew so far. It's very customizable, we frequently add in green beans as a veggie option too.

    1.5-3lbs beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into ~1inch pieces
    Salt & pepper (freshly ground is better but if not, it's okay)
    1 1/2 cups beef broth (or beef bone broth but not stock)
    1 cup dry red wine (or sub extra beef broth)
    2 tablespoons tomato paste
    1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    1 teaspoon dried thyme
    1 teaspoon salt
    lots of freshly ground pepper
    6 garlic cloves, minced
    1 large yellow onion, cut into chunks
    4 large carrots (or 5 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch diagonal slices (baby carrots work too, or canned drained carrots added at the end with peas)
    1lb Yukon gold potatoes, diced into cubes (or baby potatoes halved)
    1/4 cup all purpose flour (or gluten free all purpose flour)
    1 cup frozen peas

    Steps:

    1. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet on medium high heat. Add meat, season with salt and pepper, and brown in batches for a nice sear. This should take about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a 6-8 quart slow-cooker.
    2. Add in beef broth, dry red wine (if using it), tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir with beef until combined.
    3. Add in garlic, onion, carrots, and potatoes. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
    4. At the end of the cooking time, remove ~1 cup of broth and transfer to a medium bowl. Whisk in 1/4 cup flour until there are no more lumps. Add back to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
    5. Add in the frozen peas and cook uncovered on HIGH for 10-15 more minutes, until the stew thickens.
    6. Serve immediately. I recommend with fresh bread, crackers, cornbread, or biscuits. Makes 6 servings.

    To store: store any leftover stew in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months if needed. Ideally defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

    2 votes

  11. Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music

    Wisix
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    The new Oomph! and Sincere Engineer albums. I'm glad the rest of Oomph! is continuing without their former singer, the new singer sounds great to me. I had already heard some of the Sincere...

    The new Oomph! and Sincere Engineer albums. I'm glad the rest of Oomph! is continuing without their former singer, the new singer sounds great to me. I had already heard some of the Sincere Engineer songs as single releases + their set at Four Chord Music Festival. Great new albums from both bands.

    1 vote

  12. Comment on What is worth the splurge to you and what absolutely isn't? in ~talk

    Wisix
    Link Parent
    I have an Aeron and love it. It's a big difference when I'm on site for work and using my awful desk chair there. I have no more back pain when working from home because of my chair. I see the...

    I have an Aeron and love it. It's a big difference when I'm on site for work and using my awful desk chair there. I have no more back pain when working from home because of my chair. I see the Embody is also really popular. Personally, I wanted something with a mesh seat, no pad that would wear down over time. But I'm not sure if that's something you care about. If there's an authorized dealer or an HM store by you, I recommend trying out the various options in person.

    2 votes

  13. Comment on What do you recommend for sunscreen? in ~health

    Wisix
    Link Parent
    I have not because I haven't seen it before. Looked it up, it might be worth trying but I like the EltaMD sunblocks I've been using.

    I have not because I haven't seen it before. Looked it up, it might be worth trying but I like the EltaMD sunblocks I've been using.

    1 vote

  14. Comment on What do you recommend for sunscreen? in ~health

    Wisix
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    I have rosacea and also need to be careful which sunblocks I use on my face. My favorite so far has been EltaMD UV Clear, with their UV Physical Broad Spectrum Tinted as a close second. I don't...

    I have rosacea and also need to be careful which sunblocks I use on my face. My favorite so far has been EltaMD UV Clear, with their UV Physical Broad Spectrum Tinted as a close second. I don't mind the texture of them and am more likely to reapply because of it.

    4 votes

  15. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    Wisix
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    Breath of the Wild It's my first Legend of Zelda game, so there was some adjustment/catch up, but I'm loving it. I love exploring the world, learning my limits in game, solving the puzzles. The...

    Breath of the Wild

    It's my first Legend of Zelda game, so there was some adjustment/catch up, but I'm loving it. I love exploring the world, learning my limits in game, solving the puzzles. The koroks are adorable and love stumbling on their puzzles too. I don't love that my weapons break, but there could be worse things since I do seem to get more regularly.

    1 vote

  16. Comment on Cat owners of Tildes, what are your tips & tricks? in ~life.pets

    Wisix
    Link Parent
    Agreed! We ended up adopting bonded siblings a year ago after intending to get one kitten. They were 5 months old and I'm so, so glad we ended up with both of them. They keep each other...

    Agreed! We ended up adopting bonded siblings a year ago after intending to get one kitten. They were 5 months old and I'm so, so glad we ended up with both of them. They keep each other entertained, groom each other, usually sleep by each other. They cry if they're separated (unfortunately need to sometimes because the male cat gets Laxatone every few days and his sister will lick it off him given the chance). We've loved seeing their personalities develop as they've grown up. They're still both banned from sleeping in our bedroom at night. Despite lots of trying to get them on our schedule, it's just not working out and we desperately need our sleep without being used as a trampoline.

    2 votes

  17. Comment on Cat owners of Tildes, what are your tips & tricks? in ~life.pets

    Wisix
    Link Parent
    Nail trimming is one of the things we got our cats used to right away. They were 5 months old when we brought them home. They're still not crazy about it but we can trim their nails with little...

    Nail trimming is one of the things we got our cats used to right away. They were 5 months old when we brought them home. They're still not crazy about it but we can trim their nails with little fuss and we don't get scratched now.

    3 votes

  18. Comment on What's your retirement plan? in ~finance

    Wisix
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    Contributing as much as we can afford to our 401ks, attempting to move to Europe in the next few years. No place is perfect, but we're not happy where we are and do not want to stay. We expect to...

    Contributing as much as we can afford to our 401ks, attempting to move to Europe in the next few years. No place is perfect, but we're not happy where we are and do not want to stay. We expect to work probably until 60-65 wherever we end up. We're not counting on social security in the US. I have great health insurance through my current company, and now that I've worked on my self confidence, I've started advocating for myself with all of my health concerns. I want to take care of what I can while we can afford it and hopefully make an easier future for myself by doing so. I recognize doing that in the US is difficult, but so far it's working.

    Unfortunately we did not buy a house until last year, but we're still hoping we can sell at least at a break even price when we do move. Apparently VA loans are transferable, so we might be able to use that for whoever buys our house eventually (but we'll look into details more when the time comes, that all could change for all we know).

    1 vote

  19. Comment on What are you all drinking tonight? in ~food

    Wisix
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    A bottle of wine from a local winery, Bull Run's Delaney. It went well with dinner last night after a rough day. I look forward to finishing it this weekend.

    A bottle of wine from a local winery, Bull Run's Delaney. It went well with dinner last night after a rough day. I look forward to finishing it this weekend.

  20. Comment on Recommendations for credit cards in the USA with cashback rewards? in ~finance

    Wisix
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    The Chase Sapphire cards change all your Chase cash back into Ultimate Rewards (UR). The best deals are Chase's transfer partners for traveling, then booking directly with whoever you transferred...

    The Chase Sapphire cards change all your Chase cash back into Ultimate Rewards (UR). The best deals are Chase's transfer partners for traveling, then booking directly with whoever you transferred points to (more reliable if there's a problem with the flight/hotel or something comes up vs booking through the Chase portal). I highly recommend the "Chase Trifecta" if this is something you'd be into (the travel-on-points blog has way more info on this than I could remember to type here). Overall, they are great cards, even if you don't get super into the points part.

    5 votes