Dav

I'm a 20 year old male and I've recently noticed (from photos of me looking straight ahead and when looking into the mirror) that my right ear sticks out considerably more than the left one. I wasn't born with this, and in photographs taken just 4-5 years ago both ears were almost perfectly symmetrical (both looked the same as my right ear does now). I've therefore come to the conclusion that this has almost certainly been caused by the fact that I ALWAYS sleep on my LEFT side, because I feel most comfortable in this position, and the fact that my pillow is fairly hard/solid (which I also find to be the most comfortable option). This has resulted in my left ear being pushed inwards gradually, or failing to grow as much as the right due to the pressure of my head/the pillow placed upon it every night. Since this was (likely) caused by constant pressure on the ear and not a birth defect, is there any way I could revert the ear to its original state (such as by stretching the cartilage back outwards) without the need for expensive or painful surgery? I was thinking of making some sort of clip that would gradually pull the ear outwards again. Or I could sleep on my right side for a while, but I think this would take too long and I really don't like sleeping on the right, because it just doesn't quite feel as pleasant, and causes indigestion occasionally. I would be grateful for any advice anyone can offer, thanks in advance!

D. Dinneen.

I'm a 20 yr old male and have been using morphine and codeine fairly regularly for the past year and three months (in the form of opium poppy tea, not good I know but I have Asperger syndrome and it's all I can find to ease my social anxiety). My tolerance and level of use has been increasing lately and I currently get through a kilo of poppies a week. Anyway, basicly, I recently decided to have a blood test to check hormone levels, because although I do need to shave regularly I was sure that I had less facial hair than average for my age (everything else is developmentally normal). My serum testosterone was measured at 11.0 nmol/L where the normal range is 8.0-29, LH was eleveated at 10.7 u/L (n = 1.5 - 6.3) and FSH normal at 2.7 (r = 1.0 - 10.1). So basicly although testosterone is within range it is just at the cut off point for below normal, and is certainly below average and I find the high LH a little concerning (I know hi LH and low Tes. is usally due to testicular failure, although I don't feel I have this). They're repeating the LH and FSH in 2 weeks, not tes. bc it was normal, tho I might request this again. Could these findings be related to the opiate consumption, or other chemicals in the tea? I've heard of morphine causing both low LH and TES, but not hi LH. I'm planning to get off soon, how long do you think it would take to recover TES levels after ceasing morphine use? Thanks for any help you can offer, D. Dinneen

(Plus, I also had slightly low serum thyroid stimulating hormone, 0.34 mu/L (r= 0.35 - 5.5) suggesting borderline hyperthyroidism, wld this be related ?)

I'm a 20 yr old male and have been using morphine and codeine fairly regularly for the past year and three months (in the form of opium poppy tea, not good I know but I have Asperger syndrome and it's all I can find to ease my social anxiety). My tolerance and level of use has been increasing lately and I currently get through a kilo of poppies a week. Anyway, basicly, I recently decided to have a blood test to check hormone levels, because although I do need to shave regularly I was sure that I had less facial hair than average for my age (everything else is developmentally normal). My serum testosterone was measured at 11.0 nmol/L where the normal range is 8.0-29, LH was eleveated at 10.7 u/L (n = 1.5 - 6.3) and FSH normal at 2.7 (r = 1.0 - 10.1). So basicly although testosterone is within range it is just at the cut off point for below normal, and is certainly below average and I find the high LH a little concerning (I know hi LH and low Tes. is usally due to testicular failure, although I don't feel I have this). They're repeating the LH and FSH in 2 weeks, not tes. bc it was normal, tho I might request this again. Could these findings be related to the opiate consumption, or other chemicals in the tea? I've heard of morphine causing both low LH and TES, but not hi LH. I'm planning to get off soon, how long do you think it would take to recover TES levels after ceasing morphine use? Thanks for any help you can offer, D. Dinneen

(Plus, I also had slightly low serum thyroid stimulating hormone, 0.34 mu/L (r= 0.35 - 5.5) suggesting borderline hyperthyroidism, wld this be related ?)

I'm a 20 yr old male and have been using morphine and codeine fairly regularly for the past year and three months (in the form of opium poppy tea, not good I know but I have Asperger syndrome and it's all I can find to ease my social anxiety). My tolerance and level of use has been increasing lately and I currently get through a kilo of poppies a week. Anyway, basicly, I recently decided to have a blood test to check hormone levels, because although I do need to shave regularly I was sure that I had less facial hair than average for my age (everything else is developmentally normal). My serum testosterone was measured at 11.0 nmol/L where the normal range is 8.0-29, LH was eleveated at 10.7 u/L (n = 1.5 - 6.3) and FSH normal at 2.7 (r = 1.0 - 10.1). So basicly although testosterone is within range it is just at the cut off point for below normal, and is certainly below average and I find the high LH a little concerning (I know hi LH and low Tes. is usally due to testicular failure, although I don't feel I have this). They're repeating the LH and FSH in 2 weeks, not tes. bc it was normal, tho I might request this again. Could these findings be related to the opiate consumption, or other chemicals in the tea? I've heard of morphine causing both low LH and TES, but not hi LH. I'm planning to get off soon, how long do you think it would take to recover TES levels after ceasing morphine use? Thanks for any help you can offer, D. Dinneen

(Plus, I also had slightly low serum thyroid stimulating hormone, 0.34 mu/L (r= 0.35 - 5.5) suggesting borderline hyperthyroidism, wld this be related ?)

I'm a 20 yr old male and have recently developed a rlly big crush of Lucy Pinder. I don't have a gf at the moment and'm waiting to go to university in september...I have social anxiety too. Do you think it's sad to have a crush on a celebrity at my age? I haven't had this sort of thing since I was about 12 but I sort of like having the feeling again, and I just find her so insanely attractive, she is absolutely stunning in every way possible that I lust after her every second and just want to stare at pics of her constantly... I usually find ppl who do that a little creepy so I'm a bit dissapointed in myself but she is such a naturally gorgeous woman, and to top it all of she's fairly intelligent which makes her even hotter...I seriously fancy this woman...mmm...Lucy, I wish you didn't torture me with ur looks in this way...Reckon it's a problem?

I'm a 20 yr old male and have been using morphine and codeine fairly regularly for the past year and three months (in the form of opium poppy tea, not good I know but I have Asperger syndrome and it's all I can find to ease my social anxiety). My tolerance and level of use has been increasing lately and I currently get through a kilo of poppies a week. Anyway, basicly, I recently decided to have a blood test to check hormone levels, because although I do need to shave regularly I was sure that I had less facial hair than average for my age (everything else is developmentally normal). My serum testosterone was measured at 11.0 nmol/L where the normal range is 8.0-29, LH was eleveated at 10.7 u/L (n = 1.5 - 6.3) and FSH normal at 2.7 (r = 1.0 - 10.1). So basicly although testosterone is within range it is just at the cut off point for below normal, and is certainly below average and I find the high LH a little concerning (I know hi LH and low Tes. is usally due to testicular failure, although I don't feel I have this). They're repeating the LH and FSH in 2 weeks, not tes. bc it was normal, tho I might request this again. Could these findings be related to the opiate consumption, or other chemicals in the tea? I've heard of morphine causing both low LH and TES, but not hi LH. I'm planning to get off soon, how long do you think it would take to recover TES levels after ceasing morphine use? Thanks for any help you can offer, D. Dinneen

(Plus, I also had slightly low serum thyroid stimulating hormone, 0.34 mu/L (r= 0.35 - 5.5) suggesting borderline hyperthyroidism, wld this be related ?)

I'm a 20 yr old male and have been using morphine and codeine fairly regularly for the past year and three months (in the form of opium poppy tea, not good I know but I have Asperger syndrome and it's all I can find to ease my social anxiety). My tolerance and level of use has been increasing lately and I currently get through a kilo of poppies a week. Anyway, basicly, I recently decided to have a blood test to check hormone levels, because although I do need to shave regularly I was sure that I had less facial hair than average for my age (everything else is developmentally normal). My serum testosterone was measured at 11.0 nmol/L where the normal range is 8.0-29, LH was eleveated at 10.7 u/L (n = 1.5 - 6.3) and FSH normal at 2.7 (r = 1.0 - 10.1). So basicly although testosterone is within range it is just at the cut off point for below normal, and is certainly below average and I find the high LH a little concerning (I know hi LH and low Tes. is usally due to testicular failure, although I don't feel I have this). They're repeating the LH and FSH in 2 weeks, not tes. bc it was normal, tho I might request this again. Could these findings be related to the opiate consumption, or other chemicals in the tea? I've heard of morphine causing both low LH and TES, but not hi LH. I'm planning to get off soon, how long do you think it would take to recover TES levels after ceasing morphine use? Thanks for any help you can offer, D. Dinneen

(Plus, I also had slightly low serum thyroid stimulating hormone, 0.34 mu/L (r= 0.35 - 5.5) suggesting borderline hyperthyroidism, wld this be related ?)

Pholocodine, a synthetic opiate is listed as a Class B drug under the UK misuse of drugs act, yet it is sold in UK pharmacies, and supermarkets over the counter (as a cough supressant), without any prescription needed. How does this work legally? Surely the owners of the shops that stock it and anyone who buys it could theoretically be charged with possesion under the law if the authorities felt like it?

I'm 17 and considering a career in medicine, however, I did miserably in my gcse's at secondary school (due to illness), only gaining three c's (eng, eng lit and history). I was able to retake 4 gcse's over a year at 6th form, acheiving A*'s in Human Bio & Physics & A's in Maths and Psychology, bringing my total number of a-c grades to 7. I've contacted a couple of medical schools by email (mainly ones asking for 5 a-c's at gcse) over whether my grades make it pointless applying, and they generally seem positive, saying that as I meet the minimum, it's the other criteria that will count.

Atm I'm taking Chem, Bio, Psychology and Maths AS level and have been predicted four A's. I'm intending to resit gcse eng exam in nov. to open more options. Would it be a good idea to resit several more gcse exams or should I focus on acheiving high grades at A level and gaining relevent work experience, etc? Will the fact that my gcse's were taken at different time periods affect anything? Thanks.