Reddit mentions: The best heating pads

Mine:
1 SleepPhones wireless headphones is definitely the best single thing I've got since getting sick. Listening to audiobooks has been one of my main activities but I'd end up with my earbud wires wrapped around my neck. These I can sleep on in any position very comfortably and pull them down over my eyes when it's too bright. Must have.

2 on that note, an Audible subscription is also really good. You can gift books individually or a couple months of subscription time.

3 This heating pad is the best one I've found after much experimentation. Heats up really fast to a good temperature and is very flat flexible so you can wrap it around aching muscles.

4 This massage stick is also very nice for especially achy muscles that are hard to get into. It's really helped me break up some of my worst spots.

5 My wife bought and hung this hammock for me so I could get outside a little. Cheap, works well, and lets me see the sky a little again.

6 A kombucha brew kit has been pretty fun for me, doesn't take much effort for a good payoff, and supports healthy gut bacteria. There's not much more to it than making tea and mixing it in jars with fruit. Plus a lot of waiting around, but we're doing that anyway...

7 Finally, and this one is weird as a gift but it's still helped me a lot, is a subscription to Freshly. Freshly is a weekly food delivery service like Blue Apron or Hello Fresh, but they send you complete ready to heat meals instead of ingredients to cook with. Very high quality fresh food. I think of it as heating up really good leftovers. Been super helpful for me as cooking and doing dishes became too difficulty.

The best thing you can do is find a rescue -- usually your local wildlife shelter will have a list of "squirrel fosters", who are private citizens who will take in squirrels to rehab.

In the meantime, there are two BIG issues: heat, hydration.

People immediately think "food", but they will die of dehydration much faster than starvation. If they fell from their mom's nest and haven't been rescued, they may have been without hydration for some time.

Go to your local grocery store. In the "baby" section they will have a product called "Pedialyte". Pedialyte is an electrolyte replacement for babies with diarhea, and it is excellent for rehydrating. Get the unflavored version. Warm it up(TEST the heat; do not give them accidentally boiled liquid), and feed it to them with a syringe, or a dropper if you can't get a syringe.

Try to give them some more hydration every hour to two hours, for the first several "feedings." Digestion is dehydrating -- giving them food immediately can be fatal.

They need to be kept in a warm place. A box with towels and a heating pad or hot water bottle underneath will do(I know this link won't help you right now, but this heating pad on Amazon is a lifesaver if you look after orphaned animals. It is the only heating pad I know off that doesn't FREAKING TURN ITSELF OFF as a safety measure. This has been indispensable for me, looking after kittens, as I need it to stay on a low setting constantly, to keep their body heat up). Don't place them directly on a heating pad or hot water bottle. Again, you're looking for WARM, not HOT. Always err on the side of slightly less warm than you would think. You'd be surprised how much a space warms up when you leave a pad under a couple of towels.

For food, once you have them hydrated, they will take puppy formula(Esbilac).

Honestly, just read this: Baby Squirrel Care.

Also, don't underestimate a good local vet. While most vets are not at all wildlife care experts, you'd be surprised what animal lovers will do to save a life. They may also have contacts for people who can help you.

The majority of people who rescue squirrels, possums and raccoons -- "nuisance" animals -- are not officials with the wildlife service, or officially sanctioned rehab centers. They are almost always private citizens who became backdoor experts because some infant animal landed on their doorstep and they had to work it out. Wildlife centers and vets often know these individuals, and will make use of them as a foster home, as the centers usually have their hands full dealing with endangered and higher priority animals.

You should be able to ask for “what do I do at home to continue recovering? This is helping but I need to get an at home program since my therapy is ending. If I go back to training now I’ll injure myself. What do you recommend?” Let me be blunt. If you’re like me you put a smile on your face and say you’re fine. Make sure they know where you’re at pain wise and the fear of reinjuring. This way if they need to get more therapy approved they do that but you should ask for a program to transition to at home. Usually you should get a packet of exercises.

What else can help? Of course autophagy (some of us get really odd pains in areas that it seems to be working on, just so you know it happens
). Tens unit can help with pain. Dr prescribed pain patches (not opioids) called flector patches. You can get it in a cream too. Make sure you check what is cheapest if you’re in the US and if it’s pricey. The cream make sure to wash your hands and keep it away from pets and children. There’s a pill all else fails if you can’t afford patches/cream. The patch contains diclofenac but if you go on this and bruise another option is meloxicam. There are more but those are very common anti inflammatory. FYI do not get on a heating pad in the area with any anti inflammatory patch. The heat makes the meds come out quicker.

Over the counter options. Biofreeze (get the roll bottle) is a nice menthol freeze that helps a lot of people. Buy a heating pad. Get one of the new ones with the plush velvet. They look like this. Pure Enrichment PureRelief XL King Size Heating Pad (Charcoal Gray) - Fast-Heating Machine-Washable Pad - 6 Temperature Settings, Moist Heat Therapy Option, Auto Shut-Off and Storage Bag - 12" x 24" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KVYTV86/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_msnDDbMDZ0K5Q like the prescriptions I mentioned above I would see what the dr recommends if they want you to try an over the counter nsaid. Any NSAID can have side effects I just feel it’s safer to discuss with the dr if you’re on them any significant time.

If you buy a tens if not covered by insurance and need to save a few dollars you can buy a used one that works off eBay. There are hybrid ones that do tens, ems and a few other things if you look up the info and find you want more than tens. The replacement pads for it are cheap so just buy some wherever you find cheapest. Another thing that helps is the gyms warm pool if yours has one. Time in the jacuzzi if they have one. Otherwise a good hot bath with Epsom salts. Good luck!

Hi! I’m back!!
Although I thoroughly intend to write my birth story when I’m ready, I just finished my first piece since the baby arrived so in celebration, I’ll pair it with something useful.

I really appreciated posts like this while I was pregnant so here goes:

Things I didn’t know I needed:
(AKA things I have frantically ordered on amazon at or around 2am)

•Bottle Drying Rack This probably seems obvious, but when we didn’t get this from our showers we were like... idk why we can’t just use a towel??

•Safe way to cosleep My husband built a BEAUTIFUL Sidecar Crib, but it was attached on my side of the bed and it took 2.5 weeks for me to have healed enough to climb in bed around it safely with the baby. This way, I didn’t have to bend over to pick up baby or even spit up to check on/soothe him.

•Lactation Suppliment My lactation consultant approved. This one worked well in my breakfast tea.

•Better flanges My poor nipples were so sore and the flames that come with the Medela... well I’m not sure who they’re supposed to fit but not me. My doula practically ordered these for me. GAME CHANGER.

•Pumping bra I was cutting holes in sports bras. This is better.

•Nipple Shells Another kind reddittor sent me in the direction of this AMAZING INVENTION after I posted a photo of ice packs tied to my nipples with a burp cloth because I refused to wear a shirt my nipples hurt so bad. I will be purchasing these for EVERY PREGNANT WOMAN FOREVER. They keep your nipples dry, collect drips, apply counter pressure to keep your nipples shaped correctly for latching, and most importantly omg nothing touches the precious nips and you can wear a shirt!!

•Car mirror

Me: that seems extra, he’s in a car seat and safe why would I need a mirror??

Hormones; HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAH YOU FOOL

•Car adapter for my breast pump Cheaper than batteries

•Shade for his side of the car because anything that wakes up my sleeping baby is the devil. This one has a bonus that allowed me to roll the window down and it was HOT in the south

•Better suction for the breast pump Again- just better than whatever they send you

•My Breast Friend we got the boppy but this one saved my back

•Heating pad Turns out I’ll do ANYTHING to keep the baby asleep when I transfer him to his crib including preheat the darn thing (on low!) before I lay home down

•Stroller Caddy You’ll want somewhere to put your keys, phone, and coffee

•Baby K’tan An easier way for my husband to wear the baby.

•Leggings I had a pair of these before, and they are SO COMFORTABLE on my postpartum body that I bought 5 more in different colors!

•Extra pump parts for whichever pump you have

•A hands-up swaddle I found at Target

•Wine.

Anyway, hope this helps! Best of luck to all of you!

You're wonderful for giving a home to a pet who is a bit more reserved with their affections. They can feel a lot rewarding than other pets.

Suggestion- might be worth it to get a large heating pad for you & kitty to share. Heating pads are pet magnets. Cuddling like you never dared to hope for.

Without the heating pad, my dog doesn't cuddle that much unless she's cold. With the heating pad for us to share, she is a cuddle machine, doesn't matter if it's cold or not. A good cuddle from her is easily the best part of most days.

Details- sorry if this seems obvious, trying to avoid offering a suggestion that could result in burned pets:
Always have a layer (towel, blanket) between the pet & heat pad.
Safest to have a heat pad NEXT TO or OVER a pet, as opposed to under, to avoid burns, though a slightly unsure kitty might not like something draped over her. If yr cat only wants to be ON the pad, it should be alright if you keep the setting on LOW or MED & keep a layer between cat & pad.
Best to keep heat on medium or low regardless of whether kitty's on/under/beside it.

Link to heating pad I bought last fall, still going strong. I like that it's not super high quality or anything b/c it doesn't get too hot, it cost just under $30 so I don't mind it it gets smelly & I won't be too sad if it breaks. Good size for sharing. Controller gets a little warm while it's plugged in so I always unplug when I'm done. http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Body-Electric-Spa-Wrap/dp/B007HIQD5Y/ref=pd_sim_hpc_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=0KG8R9Q624FD2Q1ESGDT

Eccentric exercises, and a good heat pad.

Resistance Band

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Mountain-Products-Resistance-Included/dp/B002L6WO5U

(I cut off the handles so that I can wrap them around my hand).

Squeeze ball

http://www.handmasterplus.com/

Heat pad

http://www.amazon.ca/Sunbeam-2013-900-Xpress-Heating-Brown/dp/B00942VQQC

The rest is just using assistive technology to limit physical computer use.

E.g. speech recognition, contact-less controls, eye tracking.

Speech recognition

I use Dragon NaturallySpeaking.

Free speech recognition is also coming to Google Docs.

For dictation, I see Google dictation recognition recognize some of the most obscure terms that I try to throw at it.

I suppose that free speech recognition on the leading search engine, and without needing a powerful local processor = more users to submit their voice samples, and correction data.

Contact-less controls:

Touch+ (formerly known as the Haptix KickStarter) just started shipping, and you can turn any surface, including your keyboard, into a 3-D, virtual, multitouch surface.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_bo1m7kXgQ

Touch (on a virtual element, or the keyboard) can be faster than the mouse - Jump VNC Android app

Any time that you can use touch (on a virtual element, or the keyboard) instead of the mouse, you can work faster.

I sometimes use the Jump VNC Android app to make my Nexus 10 as the keyboard, and remote into my desktop computer.

Therefore, I have a tiny bit of experience with interacting with my desktop from a touch interface because of using a VNC program.

As you can imagine, interacting can be more difficult because the Nexus 10 screen size is relatively small, and I’m using touch to indirectly touch a desktop that has a non-touch UI.

However, when you are able to touch, it’s faster than using a mouse.

Eye tracking:

https://theeyetribe.com/

An external Eye Tribe eye-tracker costs $99, but smartphones, tablets, notebooks, and laptops already have built-in cameras.

If manufacturers make some small modifications, such as adding an upgraded sensor, enabling eye-tracking is supposed to only add $5 to the manufacturing costs.

E.g. Eye-tracking (for initial warping/teleporting of cursor, and large cursor movements) + game controller (for precise cursor movements, finishing with an accurate placement, and clicking

In the eye-tracking subreddit (http://www.reddit.com/r/EyeTracking), there’s a video of a redditor controlling the desktop, and surfing Reddit with an eye tracker and a game controller (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IjTZcbXYQY).

Eye gaze is for initial, instant, and possibly large cursor movements, and then the joystick of the controller overrides the gaze-control to offer an accurate selection of the target.

The controller buttons are for clicking.

---
E.g. Eye-tracking pointer motion teleport + mouse: eye-tracking for initial warping/teleporting of cursor, then use precision of mouse to finish selection – research paper on benefits of initially warping cursor

Similar to the game controller example, eye tracking can be used to initially teleport a mouse-controlled cursor near an intended target.

Once there, the mouse can override eye-control when precision is needed.

A paper called “Mouse and Keyboard Cursor Warping to Accelerate and Reduce the Effort of Routine HCI Input Tasks” evaluates how initially teleporting the cursor with eye tracking in other common human computer interaction can affect the interaction.

The authors have a video demonstration.

A segment of the video has a task that requires the user to click “click-me” buttons that are generated in random locations as fast as possible.

A competition pits a mouse vs. an eye tracker + mouse.

You can see the performance of the eye-tracking warping + mouse at 2:41 of the video: http://youtu.be/7BhqRsIlROA?t=2m41s.

“Mouse control + eye-tracking teleport” ends up being the clear winner.

---

It’s not “mouse + keyboard” vs. “eye tracker + keyboard”– it’s “mouse + eye-tracking teleport + keyboard” or “eye tracker + keyboard” – that is, eye-tracking is always there

Eye-tracking +keyboard: Eye-Tracking doesn’t have the precision of a mouse, but if an interface element and hit state is large enough, a “click-where-I’m-looking at” keyboard button will work.

Eye tracking two-step-selection process + keyboard : there are eye tracking features that allow an eye controlled cursor to snap, zoom, etc. to a smaller target element, or make smaller elements project into large elements.

Sometimes it’s a two-step process, so even if you have the ability to instantly teleport the cursor, “both-hands-on-keyboard + eye-tracking two-step process” may not be suitable in certain situations.

Eye tracking teleport + mouse and keyboard: However, whenever you need the mouse, eye-tracking will still be there to provide an initial cursor teleport.

Without eye-tracking: If you have both hands on the keyboard, you lose time switching one hand to the mouse, and bringing the hand back to the keyboard.

You’re usually choosing between both hands on the keyboard, or one hand on the mouse.

With eye-tracking: With eye tracking, it can be used either with both hands on the keyboard (click-what-I’m-looking-at keyboard button), or one on the mouse (initial cursor teleport, then use the mouse).

You never have to forgo something to use eye-tracking; it’s always ready to make normal computer interaction faster.

Playing Hearthstone with an eye tracker

Here’s a video that shows a person using an eye tracker to play Hearthstone.

All that he’s using is his eyes and 1 button.

>Tobii EyeX and EyeXMouse with Hearthstone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYN-7EPbcvs

http://www.reddit.com/r/RSI

Future

Autologous Tenocyte Injection - take tendon cells from healthy area, grow the tendon cells, and inject them into injured area

> A paper on using autologous tenocyte injection for the treatment of severe, chronic resistant lateral epicondylitis was published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine on September 2013.
>
> A patellar tendon needle biopsy was performed under local anesthetic, and tendon cells were expanded by in vitro culture.

Tenocytes used for the injection were characterized by flow cytometry (sort and purify) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (amplify).


> Autologous tenocytes were injected into the site of tendinopathy identified at the origin of the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon under ultrasound guidance on a single occasion.
>
> In this study, patients with chronic LE who had previously undergone an unsuccessful full course of nonoperative treatment showed significantly improved clinical function and structural repair at the origin of the common extensor tendon after ATI. (2)

Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers has tendinosis (chronic tendinitis) in knees - receives stem cell injections

Pau Gasol did a stem cell treatment for his patellar tendinosis.

>Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol underwent a procedure Thursday to address the tendinosis in both of his knees.

>The procedure, known as the FAST (Focused Aspiration of Scar Tissue) technique, involves a probe being inserted into the knee that "directs ultrasonic energy to eliminate scar tissue without damaging healthy tissue," according to a team release.

>“Gasol also will receive stem cell injections next week and is expected to make a full recovery, the Lakers said.”.

>
>"It's more than tendinitis, it's tendinosis," Gasol said. "There's a degeneration of the tissue, and it's something that I've dealt with all year. So I'll have to do something to regenerate the tissue so I don't have to play with this pain.".

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/9256397/pau-gasol-los-angeles-lakers-procedure-knees

Allogenic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ALLO-ASC) - stem cells from fat

> As of November 2013, researchers at the Seoul National University Hospital will be looking to recruit participants into a clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of allogenic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ALLO-ASC) in treatment of a tendon injury (symptom duration is over six months).

> ALLO-ASC will be administrated to the patients with lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) by ultrasonographic guided injection. (1)

As I understand, this involves adult stem cells from fat.

Race horses, and iPSCs for horse tendon injuries

I think that they are experimenting, and have experimented with induced pluripotent stem cells with race horses. (3)

They get something called “bowed tendon”, which is their name for tendinosis.

Citations:

1. Seoul National University Hospital. Treatment of Tendon Injury Using Mesenchymal Stem Cells (ALLO-ASC). In: ClinicalTrials.gov [Internet]. Last updated: November 22, 2013. Available from: http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01856140 NLM Identifier: NCT01856140.
   
   
2. Wang, A.; Breidahl, W.; Mackie, K. E.; Lin, Z.; Qin, A.; Chen, J.; Zheng, M. H. (2013). "Autologous Tenocyte Injection for the Treatment of Severe, Chronic Resistant Lateral Epicondylitis: A Pilot Study". The American Journal of Sports Medicine 41 (12): 2925–2932. doi:10.1177/0363546513504285. ISSN 0363-5465. http://ajs.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/09/25/0363546513504285.abstract
   
   
3. Marfe, G.; Rotta, G.; De Martino, L.; Tafani, M.; Fiorito, F.; Di Stefano, C.; Polettini, M.; Ranalli, M.; Russo, M.A.; Gambacurta, A. (2012). "A new clinical approach: Use of blood-derived stem cells (BDSCs) for superficial digital flexor tendon injuries in horses". Life Sciences 90 (21-22): 825–830. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2012.03.004. ISSN 0024-3205. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0024320512001270
   
   
4. http://www.replicel.com/technology/publications/
   
   http://www.reddit.com/r/RSI

I got a Snuggle Safe microwaveable heating pad and I use it every day when it’s cold Pet Heating Pad by Snuggle Safe,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014LJKUA?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share. It can hold heat for about 8-10 h. I put it on top of the cage above where they sleep, and I put a piece of cardboard under it so there’s no chance of nibbling, and I put a blanket on top of it to hold the heat. When I put my hand in the cage underneath it, it’s toasty warm but not hot. They can just move away if they get too warm. Another option would be an oil-based space heater. These are pretty safe and can be set to turn off when it gets a certain temperature. Make sure the cord isn’t by the cage and it’s not too close to the cage. Probably a humidifier would be good to add since it can dry out the air (as someone suggested). I only have two boys currently and one has been on antibiotics, so I really want to keep them from getting too cold (gets down to 60 F in their room). Also, fleece cube hides and pocket hammocks are good to have as options. They can really stay warm and you can add extra fleece to keep the heat in.

Just posting an anecdote for anyone else who stumbles on this thread:

I've had a bad dry eye situation developing in my left eye for a few months. It's most likely due to a chalazion or blocked duct that's caused some inflammation. The eyelid doesn't close properly so the eye dries out while I'm sleeping. The lump in the eyelid also puts some pressure on the eye. For a while, when I'd wake up it would feel like someone was ripping a piece of duct tape off my dry eyeball. It would burn and sting for an hour or so before I could properly function. I got it sort of under control by doing regular warm compresses and sleeping with a headband over my eyes in such a way that it put just enough pressure on the lid to help keep it closed tightly. I've also been using Systane gel or ointment overnight. I've gone back and forth between the headband and this hydrating sleep mask. With all that I was still having flare-ups a couple of times a week when I'd wake up. I found that a cold compress (damp washcloth with water as cold as possible) helps with the pain. My eye seems to put off a LOT of heat when it's irritated. Oh, I also take 1000mg of fish oil in the morning and another 1000mg right before bed.

Last week I had a really bad flare-up in the middle of the afternoon not anywhere close to when I'd been sleeping. The compress only helped a little bit. It was burning like fire and it felt like there was a gigantic splinter or something in my eye. It finally calmed down after an hour or so but it was low-level burning the rest of the day. The next day it started up again in the morning and took hours to get under control and continued to burn for most of the day. That's when I found this post.

I started the regimen described in the link on Friday morning and have been doing really well so far. I saw my cornea doctor this morning (I'd last seen him about three months ago when all of this started) and he said that most of the erosion is healed and that he's never seen such a drastic improvement before. My eye feels mostly better - I've been sleeping with the hydration mask on for the last few nights and I haven't had any flare-ups since I started TheraTears. I do feel like there's a slight burning from time to time, and every once in a while when I'm doing a compress I do feel the "foreign body sensation" a bit, but not as severely as I had before. My eyes still feel pretty dry when I wake up but as soon as I start the TheraTears regimen they feel more comfortable. I'm still doing compresses as close to 3x per day as I can, and still scrubbing my eyelids with baby shampoo every day as this hopefully will help prevent more duct clogging.

I'm cautiously optimistic. It does seem, right now, that TheraTears is as effective as OP says. I will also say that this is the most frequent eyedrop regimen I've ever embarked on/stuck with, so it could also just be that more regular lubrication is working wonders, regardless of the brand. I don't know, but I'm sticking with the TheraTears for now.

Here are a couple of other products I've been using:

Eye compress/mask. This is nice because you just put it on your head and don't have to sit there and hold it. Stays hot for about 8-10 minutes and pretty warm for another 10 or so after that. I heat this up for 23 seconds and listen to a podcast or something while it does its thing. Goal is 3x a day but I often can only manage 1 or 2.

USB heated eye mask. As many people have pointed out, this doesn't put out enough heat to be a substitute for other compresses, but I figure some heat is better than no heat, right? Sometimes I put this on at bedtime, set for 30 minutes. At some point later if I wake up after it shuts off, I switch to the hydration mask.

Systane overnight ointment. I put a blob of this in after the last TheraTears round for the day, right before sleep.

Genteel Severe Gel. I hit it with this any time it's feeling a little dry and/or fatigued, and I'm in between TheraTears rounds. I use this one if I can afford to have a blurry eye for a few minutes, but if I'm really busy I just go with regular Systane Complete drops.

If anyone is experiencing anything similar to what I've described, try this stuff. And with all of the treatments I've talked about (drops, compresses, lid scrubs), BE CONSISTENT. I know they are a pain in the ass and take up a lot of time but when I look at all the times things have gotten out of control with my eyes (I've had issues with chalazions for almost 20 years now) it's usually when I'm not being good about routines and hygiene.

First off- disclaimer - this is general advice, I am not giving you medical advice, I am not your doctor, I cannot diagnose or treat any conditions through the internet.

Chalazia once they become firm and not swollen or red are often resistant to treatment but they can be treated with hot compresses.

A hordeolum is a warm, swollen, tender meibomian gland and these respond better to treatment with compresses. They can sort of "burn out" and become a firm, nontender, chalazion.

> I'm almost always in public so it's kind of impossible to carry a facecloth around with me, soaking my eye all day.

It sounds like someone didn't explain how to do compresses to you. First off, if you're going to use a washcloth you need a FRESH, clean washcloth each time so hanging around to one washcloth all day is wrong right off the bat. Second, you don't need to soak your eye all day. You need about 10 minutes of continuous heat applied to your eyelids followed by massaging the oil glands and washing your eyelashes. This video explains the compresses and massage.. After you do this, take a clean washcloth with some baby shampoo and scrub your eyelashes clean then rinse well.

Blepharitis, hordeola, and chalazia are treated by doing that whole thing two or three times per day. Do it once when you wake up, once after work, once before bed. No need to carry anything around.

People think a washcloth is effective but really like the video shows this is most easily done by buying a hot compress eye mask like this thing from amazon. It's near impossible to keep a washcloth hot for 6 minutes. You end up having to rewarm it, your eyelids have cooled off by the time you rewarm it, and then you're back at square one and never get enough heat to the oil glands where it is needed.


These are caused by blocked meibomian oil glands. These glands sit right behind your eyelashes.


>I also am someone who wears makeup every. day. Do I REALLY have to give up wearing it?

If you are putting mascara and eyeliner on every day then yes, you should maybe give that up for a while. If you keep plugging up those glands every day while they're obviously inflamed you're going to get more of them.


> I can make a trip to my family doctor, optometrist or an ophthalmologist, but the healthcare where I live sucks and I probably wouldn't get in to see either for a month+.

I really hope you are seeing an Optometrist or Ophthalmologist at least yearly if you are wearing contacts!! Some of this post makes it seem like you've been wearing contacts this whole time but haven't had an eye doctor look at your eyes. That's worrisome and can be way, way more dangerous than a chalazion.

hey girl! i found these rechargable hot water things off amazon that i absolutely love. i call it my “waterbaby” and it’s basically the only thing that helps me besides straight up painkillers.

the downside is that it may not come in time for your trip- it does take a few weeks or so for delivery. you’d also need an adapter to charge it from a cigarette lighter if you do take it on trips (one that lets you plug a normal wall plug in) but it might help you when you do get it!


https://smile.amazon.com/Lavender-Rechargeable-Portable-Personal-Heating/dp/B01HQM880S

there’s some similar items from other sellers, but i can’t personally vouch for any of them. i’m just fond of my “waterbaby” because it’s a good weight (not too heavy, just a nice, comforting, almost “kitten curled in your lap” feel), i can charge it again as soon as i feel it’s too cold, and it doesn’t look suuuper weird. i take mine to my boyfriend’s apartment all the time and am able to use it kind of in front of people and not be too embarassed (i can’t imagine using one of the big flat heating pads plugged into the wall while trying to chat with his friends who drop by suddenly and unannounced).

Sort of joining in the chorus here, but yep, that sounds like a muscle spasm. Chronic, gnarly, treatment-resistant muscle spasms are super common with EDS- they're usually associated with a particularly unstable joint, what your muscles freak out overcompensating for, but can be caused by other things as well.

The "zingy" nerve pain is probably caused by impingement- either by the unstable joint subluxing onto it, or the spasmed muscles squeezing the crap out of it. Given your description of the timing, it's probably a subluxation. My random IANAD guess would be AC joint, just because your description sounds a lot like what happens when mine slips.

Treating these things is a bitch and a half. Here are some of the things I do, which help somewhat.

• When it first starts, some self-administered trigger-point masage can sometimes stop it. Here are some tools I use: Neck knobby thing, spine knobby thing, foam roller. You can also use tennis balls or lacross balls, but I uh.. broke them \^\^;;;
  
• Aspercreme / Blue Emu - I find the classic Trolamine Salicylate works best for me, but if you have an aspirin allergy, or if Lidocaine works better for you, they make a version with that as the active instead. There's also a spray form for when an area is too tender to touch. They can be a little pricey, but Amazon has a Subscribe & Save discount on them, which helps.
  
• Combine the above with Tiger Balm or Icy Hot, if you can tolerate them, and I find it makes them more effective than either separately. I think they maybe help the ingredients in the above penetrate better?
  
• If you can get it, adding a final layer of CBD lotion or oil is extra effective. I use Ethos Muscle Melt.
  
• Slap a quality heating pad with a washable cover on the above and bake that shit in- (NOTE: I AM DEFINITELY NOT A DOCTOR, AND THE ASPERCREME LABEL SPECIFICALLY SAYS NOT TO DO THIS but damned if it isn't effective and at this point I'll do anything that works?)
  
• If that fails, grab some alcohol swabs to wipe all that shit I just recommended off from a few spots and then use a TENS unit.
  
• Medicate: this part is obviously dependent on your own rxs and state legislature, etc, but muscle relaxants and CBD are helpful things to have. For an OTC option, I've found that some antihistamines can be useful, but then again I've got MCAS as a complication so YMMV.
  
• Physical therapy- PTs often recommend certain stretches to help prevent spasms, but in my experience, every single time they have at best done nothing and at worst they've triggered/exacerbated them. I have had some good results with exercises designed to strengthen the unstable joint that caused the whole mess, though-
  very light, irritatingly soft and repetitive exercises that drive me crazy but actually are maybe kind of effective? BUT I AM NOT A DOCTOR.
  
  Hopefully this will be of some use. I swear some of the worst pain I've experienced in EDS has been from muscle spasms, geez.

You'll need a large plastic bin, egg crates or toilet paper/paper towel rolls for the roaches to cling to, and a heating pad that doesn't have auto shutoff (I buy mine through amazon, if you get one locally be aware that the ones without auto shutoff from this brand have a switch not a button). The heating pad is sort of optional--the roaches won't breed as quickly but they won't die without the heat if you can't find one. You'll also need a screened vent at the top for air exchange.

For the screen, I used hot glue and regular (vinyl?) window screening. If you don't have a hot glue gun a silicone adhesive would probably also work. If your bin is soft plastic, you can cut through the top with a razor knife. However, if your bin is a harder plastic like the sterilite gasket bins, you might want to use a rotary tool to prevent cracking.

If you're concerned about escapes, get a sterilite gasket bin, add a vaseline barrier around the top of the bin to prevent escapes, and use metal screening.

I also recommend a temperature/humidity meter like this one. You can get them really cheap on ebay if you don't mind the temp being in Celsius. You'll find a lot of this style at similar prices from Chinese vendors. If you get another one, double check to see if it includes the lithium battery before you buy it.

As for the roaches, I got my original colony cheap from eBay. You can also find them on Craigslist or the Allpet roach forum sometimes. Or if you're an Ovogram member people will offer small nymphs for free from time to time.

Super UL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdlz_vbitNU

https://www.ebay.com/i/332879919837?chn=ps

https://www.amazon.com/Asixx-3-Shift-Electric-Heating-Abdomen/dp/B07JK49BV2/

https://www.walmart.com/ip/USB-Powered-Soft-Heated-Shawl-Colder-Electric-Warming-Heating-Blanket-Pad/927414845

Interesting, but a hot water bottle sounds lighter and easier (edit: and safer). :) If you try this, let us know. Curious as to how it works and a jump start might be great.

nope, if you do a sour mash it only takes a few extra days.

• basically mash as normal (you can do this with extract too) and instead of boiling your wort, transfer it to a bucket and add in a couple handfuls of unmilled grain once it gets down to around 120 deg F. wrap a heat pad around it and let it sit a few days.. trying it as you go until you are happy with how sour it is.
  
  
  
• then you boil (optional even, I do 30 min since i'm happy with the sourness at that point) and add any hops if you want.. cool it, add your yeast.. once it's done fermenting transfer it to a secondary on top of the blackberries.
  
  
  nice part about sours are that you don't have to worry too much about sterilizing the fruit. i usually just freeze them and then put them right into the secondary. bigger fruit i just chop up first and freeze them.
  
  
  if you actually decide to do it this heat pad works great because it doesn't auto shut off and keeps a 6 gallon bucket at around 110-120 consistently - http://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-732-500-King-Heating-UltraHeatTechnology/dp/B000FGDDI0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398275216&sr=8-1&keywords=heat+pad

I have that Pure one and the Sunbeam ( link ) and the Sunbeam blows Pure out of the water. Same comfortable fabric but it gets much hotter much faster. The Pure I keep on 6 all the time and it's still not hot enough, the Sunbeam I keep on like 3 max and it's plenty hot for me. It also lets you choose between 2hr auto shutoff or stay on which I like.

Someone on here recommended the Sunbeam to me and thank you whoever that was because it's amazing. I have one for bed, one for the couch and I'm buying a third for work.

and you just let it sit? thats good news for me. i started off thinking you needed to heat it to decarb it, but that's not true. as i thought more about the commercial stuff, i thought they didnt heat it past 140F. i tried heating to 120F for 2 hours and it didnt really mix. i'm glad to hear that at a low temperature, over a long period, it does mix.

how did you keep it at 90F for that long? it would be really sweet if we came up with a method like

• place the shatter and PEG-400 into a silicone BHO container and set that in an electric blanket set on low for 24 hours. that would be a great stealth way to get it to mix. but i know those bho containers are not odor proof. so i guess we'd also have to bag it a few times or put in one mason jar at least to try and capture all the odor.
  
  man, i really want to get an electric blanket and a temp probe that records. hook it up for a few days and see what temp it sits at.
  
  edito: this might be all we need http://smile.amazon.com/Sunbeam-731-500-Heating-UltraHeat-Technology/dp/B00075M1T6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408754388&sr=8-2&keywords=heating+pad
  
  side thought here, i think you could do the following:
  
  
• take bubblehash and dissolve it into PEG-400
  
• put solution through syringe filter to remove the solids
  
  actually, you could just do that just starting off with regular weed. only thing though is you might want to a rough filtering before the syringe filtering. you wouldn't need to do winterizing. those extra plant waxes wont be optimal, but i think it would just make your final concoction just a little less potent.

Orange already covered most of what I would recommend.

I will say though 6 hours isn't all that much to a puppy, assuming he's ~3-4 months old you probably want to stop once or twice just to let him potty. that's not even a full night of sleep for context, something I'm sure you hope he can sleep through in the very near future. Puppies (and dogs in general) sleep a lot more than humans do, typically falling in the 12+hour/day range.

I'd expect the pup is getting to play with littermates and will be pretty tired before you pick him up, and will fall more-or-less right to sleep.

Have a crate, and try to make it as comfortable as possible, old towels or blankets at the bottom that can be removed in case of accidents, and nested in otherwise. Some way to provide water. Either Frozen Water bottles, or heated pads depending on the dog may help it settle and get comfortable as well, breeder might be able to make recommendations here.

Don't expect the pup to love you right away. It is a sammy so there's pretty good odds it will love you immediately, but at the end of the day you're a stranger stealing him from the family he knows. Just try to give him a safe space that is his - honestly sitting in that space and forcing yourself on him may make things worse instead of better.

Make sure the pups needs are met and you stop to give it potty breaks - especially if you notice it drinking a lot, but 6 hours should be fine w/o much issue.

Sunbeam makes one for neck, shoulders and upper back. It isn't cheap, bt it is the best I've ever owned ad I have gifted some to family and they love them to. The link posted is Amazon, however many large drug stores sell them as well. Note the way it is made. The collar has a strong magnetc clasp if you want to use itthat way.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-Renue-Heat-Therapy-Wrap/dp/B00LX5CR0M/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1483646253&sr=8-1&keywords=Sunbeam%2BRenue%2BHeating%2BPad%2BX-Large&th=1

It's really all pretty simple. Keep them in a opaque rubbermaid tub. Cut a hole in the lid and hot glue a piece of screening to prevent escapes. You don't need any substrate - the roach frass will quickly accumulate and make a nice substrate. The nymphs actually tend to eat the frass, so you don't want to disturb or clean it too often. For heat, get a human heating pad. I use this one. Works like a charm. Put it under the tub on one side. Then you just need egg flats for them to hide/live in. You can order them online for cheap, or see if any restaurants have extras/left overs they are willing to give you. I got 70 flats for about $10. As for food, my opinion is that laying chicken feed is the best option. You can always throw in extra/old veggies and fruit as well - just don't give them anything that might be toxic to your reptiles. They do LOVE oranges though, and it puts them into sexual hyperdrive. For water, you can use water crystals. These absorb water, so there is no pool of water for the roaches to drown in.

My only other advice - let the colony do its thing for 4-6 months before you start regularly feeding out of it. They take that long to reach maturity, and if you fed out of the colony before then, it may collapse or not reach stable population of multiple sized roaches.

my heating pad is a Sunbeam... same kind of heating pad you might use to soothe a pain in your back or shoulder.

This isn't the same model but it looks pretty much the same

Sorry, don't have a camera at the moment. If interest in this post persists I'll post a pic.
I can describe it i think... take a towel, fold it in half, then half again. place the heating pad on top of the towel. Roll the towel and heating pad up (like a cinnamon roll). Place the roll into a pot and allow it to unroll, leaving an open space in the center.

This is the glass cylinder jar I use.. the tallest in this pic. Place that in the center.

should I try to clarify more?

I experimented with water first, to make sure I could maintain the 110-120 degrees required. I use a probe thermometer to keep watch on the process.

I've had really good results with just a regular heating pad. I keep it under half of the bottom so the other side is more cool, and they can self regulate how warm they want to be


And I feed mine anything. Oranges are a really good food, I give mine any fruit scraps I may have. They also like regular granulated sugar, protein powder, and recently they've shown they like grape jelly on white bread

Similar to that design, just got my cat this one and it's really nice. Prior to the bed, he would lie on this heating pad.

I'm trying to combine the two right now. The cat cave has a thick, plushy cushion so the pad doesn't work under it, and the pad's kind of stiff so no good on top of it. I used safety pins to secure the heating pad cover across the inside top of it, which seems to be working well. It's like a cozy low-temp oven inside!

I just got a new one from Amazon after my last one crapped out. Its a wrap around and super soft. The best part is the company has a lifetime warrenty, all you have to do is contact them and they will replace.

Check this out at Amazon.com
XL Heating Pad with Auto Off, Moist/Dry Electric Heating Therapeutic Wrap, 12" x 24" Ultra-Soft King Size, Machine Washable, Pain Relief for Back, Neck and Shoulder, Knee, Safe for Pet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079DQ6QG9/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_niOTDbQX37WTJ

I agree with the other comments that you should really work on getting the temperature up in your house in general.

Aside from that, I have heated pads that my cats love to sleep on. I've had them for over four years now and they're still working great! You just have to make sure you set them on low only, as the medium and high settings get too hot to handle for more than a few minutes at a time.

Also agree that seeing an MD would be wise!
I don’t know very much about the legal system, but it sounds like you have literal years of medical documentation of her refusing needed treatment. That really seems to me like she should be made to pay for all of your treatment now, as a bare minimum. Talking to a lawyer would be a really good idea, I bet you have some form of legal recourse here.
Also, I have chronic pain and I have a heat pad that I use for at least 4 hrs almost every day, and it has really improved my quality of life.
I upgraded to this huge fancy one a while ago, but there are many cheaper options!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01KVYTV86/ref=psdcmw_3763871_t1_B00474Z0Q4

I'm not sure what the non-UK equivalents of these products are, but here we have...

A "snuggle safe" for keeping them warm on journeys https://www.amazon.co.uk/SnuggleSafe-Microwave-Wireless-Heatpad-Fleece/dp/B0014LJKUA

And "pet nap" heat pads as an alternative to CHEs https://www.amazon.co.uk/SAFE-Petnap-Electric-heat-33cm/dp/B00265EVZW/

Those combined with AC in the car & heating in the house should keep your hog happy

Get an electric one that plugs into the wall.

https://www.amazon.com/PureRelief-Fast-Heating-Technology-Temperature-Convenient/dp/B01KVYTV86?ref_=Oct_CABSellerC_3763871_0&pf_rd_p=9c10dda8-3f89-58ae-95ed-e9feb221f5a3&pf_rd_s=mobile-hybrid-6&pf_rd_t=30901&pf_rd_i=3763871&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=DAKDV458H277JKT27NMY&pf_rd_r=DAKDV458H277JKT27NMY&pf_rd_p=9c10dda8-3f89-58ae-95ed-e9feb221f5a3

These are good. 180watt. I have super old one that claims "40watts" but the damn thing will near burn you without the cover.. So I'd assume for the extra thickness this one has, plus the higher wattage it will balance out. I like mine super hot anyway too. Oh and it's got a 2 hour run timer.. So no need for falling asleep with it on for 5 hours waking up thankful your blanket didn't catch fire.

It doesn't get too cold where I live, so layers usually works pretty well.

But when I go places that are colder in the winter I like to buy those hand warmers that hunters & whatnot use. Put in shoes&gloves=toasty.

I found this, too.

I have 2 skinnies and neither of them got on well with any clothing. Mostly just freaked out and tried to get them off ASAP (rip photo opportunities).

I tend to just leave a couple of fleece blankets in their cage which they burrow into and they seem to be happy enough.

Recently I just bought this which they absolutely love. As soon as I added it to the cage they instantly ran over to it to snuggle. Am considering getting another as there were harsh words between them until they realised they could both fit! I've put it in their cage before work, and when I got back it still had some residual heat which was good too.

There are electric heating pads designed specifically for shoulders. This one is a bit pricey but it's a trusted brand, I got it earlier this year for my sister and she loves it: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GC1YAC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Place the cage on top of a heating pad (set on LOW heat), the warmth will radiate up to warm the bedding. Make sure the cage has LOTS of bedding for them to burrow in for warmth. Put the heating pad under 1/2 of the cage, so that if it gets too warm they can move to the other side to cool down.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IV4N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ad4QzbRRJ555C

I had similar issue but its been about 4+ years & mine has improved a lot. I was on restasis & over the counter eye drops.

I highly recommend you use eye heat mask once a day & every morning when you take a shower... walk up to shower head and let your eye lids feel the force of warm/hot water. I do this for about minute each eye. It will massage the eye & improve your tears. It has become my routine because you take shower every morning anyways. This trick is similar to treatment called Lipoflow for dry eyes. This is from lot of research I have done on reddit & other online resources.

Also get Bilberry its natual for dry eyes.

https://www.amazon.com/Thermalon-24342-Dry-Eye-Compress/dp/B004385RPS/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1485872080&sr=8-3&keywords=eye+mask+dry+eye

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W84K9V6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use a $15 back warming pad (for treating back pain). Wrap your container with the pad, then with an outer blanket or cloth to keep the heat in. Before you try ferments, fill your container with just water and place a thermometer in for a few hours, then pick from the 3 settings (low/medium/high) that best suit the temperature you want.https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-UltraHeat-Technology-Heat-Settings-Washable/dp/B00075M1T6/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=back+warming+pad&qid=1571076268&sr=8-13

More advanced method (and an additional $15):Wire up an STC-1000 to precisely control the temperature (you can set any temp and it will turn any device you plug into it on or off to reach desired tempurature)https://www.amazon.com/KETOTEK-STC-1000-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat/dp/B073QQ2VP2/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=stc1000&qid=1571076448&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyWDRISFZCT1JaNENFJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwODE4MjMxRUVCU1JCUUdOUUxFJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAwODM5MDYyOERaTUVRVUFBS1hFJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

This bad boy right here

https://www.amazon.com/PureRelief-Fast-Heating-Technology-Temperature-Convenient/dp/B01KVYTV86/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1511906710&ref_=mp_s_a_1_2_s_it&sr=1-2

I'll paint you the full picture. I setup everything beforehand so when i get back inside from lighting up im ready to go. I have a hot foot bath next to my bed, and i lay back on one of these heating pads, and use one of those massagers that kind of look like a dildo but whatever that i use. Right next to me are my munchies of choice for the evening (last night was Trader Joe's Mac and Cheese and Hot Cocoa flavored cereal). And add to this whatever nutty music i'm listening to with my Audiotechnica headphones. Bliss, my friend.

We have a couple of these around the house. The size is somewhere between a large heating pad and a small electric blanket. They're pretty great for wrapping around your shoulders while watching tv.

If sitting just isn't going to happen or cords will be in the way, I like Thermacare wraps.

I like the Pure Enrichment XL heating pad... They last the longest and heat the best of all the other ones I've tried. I literally buy 2 at a time just in case one burns out. Pure Enrichment PureRelief XL Heating Pad for Back Pain and Cramps - Fast-Heating, Ultra-Soft Heat Therapy with 6 Temperature Settings and Auto Shut-Off Feature - 12" x 24" (Charcoal Gray) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KVYTV86/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_Dk.TDbGCPGE5X

Good luck!

I feel like it's a bit too late at this point, but next time there's a harsh winter and you don't have a car heater, invest in some cheap reusable hand warmers. You can just boil them after each use and then the're ready to go for another ~30 minutes of really nice heat. Slip them in your mittens or gloves if you have to use your hands.

1. Obtain free craigslist refrigerator from someone who is upgrading their kitchen or moving. Remove all shelves except bottom shelf.
   
2. Buy $35 Inkbird ITC308 temp switch on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Itc-308-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat/dp/B011296704
   
3. Buy $13 heating pad on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-Electric-UltraHeat-Technology-Machine-Washable/dp/B00006IV4N
   
4. Set ITC308 temp target, put temp probe inside fridge, plug fridge into Cooling outlet, plug heating pad into Heating outlet and put pad inside fridge.
   
5. Now you control the fridge temp to within +/- 1°F. Go to town.
   
6. ???
   
7. Profit!

While I'd definitely recommend a store bought one, you can make your own in a pinch, like so:

1. Grab a couple of large socks (make sure they contain no synthetic materials such as polyester)
   
   
   
   
2. Fill them with rice
   
   
   
   
   
3. Microwave for 1-2 minutes (keep an eye on them to make sure there's no smoking)
   
   
   
   
4. Stretch flat and apply where needed
   
   
   
   
   They retain heat for an ridiculously long time, so it's definitely useful.
   
   
   
   
   
   Source: only person in a household of 4 who didn't have to suffer cramps, and therefore catered to those who did. - -""

I have arthritis in my back and work a desk job which can be torturous. I use a cushion that corrects my posture while seated and it's great until it's time to go to bed. The only heating pad that's ever worked for relieving my aches is Thermophore. The 14" x 27" is the perfect size for covering my lower back and right hip where I feel the most pain. I've been using the same one for five years now. It's slightly weighted and drapes nicely to keep the heat trapped in. It stays put until I change positions.

There's two versions: Max Heat which has an auto-shutoff switch after 20 minutes (three heat settings) and the Classic, which has a lever you have to hold down if you want the heat to last for more than 20 minutes (or use something to keep the lever pressed in). In my experience, the Classic isn't BIFL because the lever can break off or the circuitry could short out due to holding it down for too long over time. Also, there is a danger of burning yourself due to falling asleep while using the heating pad with the lever pressed in. I highly recommend the Max Heat version.

On a good day, one 20 minute session relieves my pain and I usually fall asleep during the process. The three heat settings range from "oh, that's nice" to "this is exactly what I need, life and this heating pad is so awesome" to "SEND HELP, IT'S TOO HOT!" Well worth the $60!

For the hardwood and tile floors put down some rugs to help her walk. One of my little guys plays the floor is lava between our rugs, and dashes up and down the long runner in the living room. Super cute.

Getting her used to people is really only a matter of time and patience. Bunny trust is hard to earn, and easily lost. Quiet time on the floor with her, treats... that sort of thing.

As for sitting out in the rain; three of mine quite enjoy it, if it's not a very heavy downpour. Wild buns are keen to be out in the rain, because it puts off predators. Domestics haven't all lost that instinct, even if they have lost their waterproof coats. You could put something out there for her to sit under. That way she can stay dry but be outside. I've got some planks resting over a couple of buckets, and an old deck chair opened to the lying position with a blanket thrown over it for mine.

If you're worried about her being cold you could get a snuggle safe. You heat them in the microwave for 5-10 minutes and they stay warm for hours. I've got two that I put in the shed for my outdoor buns in winter. UK Amazon, but they are available in many other places around the world. https://www.amazon.co.uk/SnuggleSafe-Microwave-Wireless-Heatpad-Fleece/dp/B0014LJKUA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497180006&sr=8-1&keywords=snugglesafe+pet+heat+pad

Yes....the Sunbeam heating pads are great! Came here to say that. I have a king sized one, not for the neck, just a rectangle pad but I use it on my neck often by putting on my pillow when I am in bed. This heating pad actually has levels that feel hot, unlike other brands, and while it has an auto shutoff feature it also has a feature where you can make it run continuously which I love. I had tried many other brands before this and they were terrible....would shut off all the time after what seemed like a short while and they never felt warm, let alone hot. Now that I mention it I should buy another one because my spouse sometimes steals mine when she has pain from cramps and other would be good to get her one of her own and would be nice to have a backup anyway.

This is the one I have....

https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-King-Size-MicroPlush-XPressHeat-Controller/dp/B00JA9D914

But they also have a couple for the neck as well...

https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-Contouring-Shoulder-Settings-Auto-Off/dp/B0753PSVY7

https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-Extra-Large-Micromink-Shoulder-Settings/dp/B00LX5CR0M

I second the shiatsu massager. I have one and I’ve gifted two others — they’re great.

A couple of other things I also own and enjoy are:
Thermos Stainless King 16 Ounce Food Jar with Folding Spoon, Stainless Steel
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DZQT01U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_89c-BbTN3WJ1Q

Pure Enrichment PureRelief XL King Size Heating Pad (Turquoise Blue) - Fast-Heating Machine-Washable Pad - 6 Temperature Settings, Moist Heat Therapy Option, Auto Shut-Off and Storage Bag - 12" x 24" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KVYTV7M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_B.c-Bb8MC1HX7
(I have an outlet behind my couch and just plug this in when I’m watching tv and it’s chilly)

This one looks like the one that I have. It's pretty big and I usually keep it folded in half. I really only keep it on level 1 or 2 and maybe have a pillow on top to help hold the heat in and get a little more pressure, laying on it also works.

I have this one, though it's not the pretty plaid, and it was fairly cheap https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-Flexi-Soft-Massaging-Settings-Auto-Off/dp/B016WK51DW/ref=mp_s_a_1_17?keywords=sunbeam+heating+pad&qid=1570413693&sprefix=sunbeam+&sr=8-17. It has a massage feature that I like. It is fairly small, and not flexible at all. I use it mostly for my tailbone, so I sit directly on it.

I also have this one, which was great for the shoulder pain after my excision surgery. https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-Contouring-Shoulder-Settings-Auto-Off/dp/B0753PSVY7/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?keywords=sunbeam%2Bheating%2Bpad&qid=1570413859&sprefix=sunbeam%2B&sr=8-7&th=1&psc=1.

After surgery I had one going on my shoulder and one on my tail bone and it was great. I'll even be using the shoulder one during the upcoming cold winter months.

I have this one
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00075M1T6?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title

The quality is meh but it is quite cheap. It is big though so it might not be good for your face.

I don't have any experience with it, but something like this might be better

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00012QEFM/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1541347741&sr=8-2&keywords=moist+heating+pad+face&dpPl=1&dpID=41JGTX5TRGL&ref=plSrch

Absolutely. This has lasted over a year now, I use it every night. Heats up super quickly, like in a minute, and had a setting so that it won't turn off by itself.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008744QM4/ref=mp_s_a_1_7_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1475183925&sr=8-7&keywords=sunbeam+heating+pad

That's exciting! Here is my item to help with my awful back pain/bodily aches

A whole new you

Something good that happened to me lately... I went swimming at a beach the other day!

The one I have is simular to the one you linked, but my mother in law made a nice fleece cover over it so it's even more comfy.

I use it pretty often, and I've had it for four years with no issues.


Sunbeam 732-500 King Size Heating Pad with UltraHeatTechnology https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FGDDI0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_C6JNyb3MBKM5P

Depends on what you want. Modern heating pads are only allowed to get so hot, unless you have to actively keep them on.

So if you are going for HOT, a "classic" thermophore is great. (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ZHJS0G/?coliid=I33NO79SFPCZG8&colid=7F8Z4MNFKO4P&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it) These are loved in the chronic pain community. And again, it has a switch and it just keeps heating.

Personally, I enjoy a more heat and toss approach. So this is used with a blanket on the other side (so you make a sandwich you-heating pad- pillow/ blanket) but you don't have to monitor it. (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LX5CR0M/ref=sxr_rr_xsim_1_a_it?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3513574162&pd_rd_wg=R8QBF&pf_rd_r=WYNPNJR4TFDTXKQJTBE6&pf_rd_s=desktop-rhs-carousels&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B00LX5CR0M&pd_rd_w=ws5nT&pf_rd_i=heating+pad+wrap+around&pd_rd_r=c5bcf031-4ce6-49e6-85d5-d975b57ad023&ie=UTF8&qid=1522531102&sr=1)

I'm a fan of jackets where they have an inside liner you can remove (Northface makes these, along with a number of other cheaper brands). The outer shells can usually be used during rainy weather and then when it gets cold you can add the liner. Makes it a dual purpose jacket. In general, I have a few different jackets that range in thickness/warmness because certain parts of the winter here are super manageable, while others (such as the time we were hit by the "Polar Vortex" last year) can be unbearable.

Also, not clothing, but my mom uses these during the really cold months, as she works outside sometimes: http://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Zone-Proheat-Reusable-Warmer/dp/B000C9DCG8 They're reusable, so they're a great investment to keep your extremities warm.

These are pretty cool.

Might I suggest those a pad heater that you place under your feet?

Since they're not actually supposed to heat a room, they don't use as much energy as a space heater, but they would help if placed under your feet. A lot of blood pumps through your legs.

I have this one or something very similar. I put it under my hamstrings/glutes or lower back or lay on my stomach with my quads (but not penis) on top of it. It helps relieve the tightness after a workout and helps the muscles relax... at least that's what it does for me. Your mileage may vary.

I didn’t have much success with Cliradex, but this compress has helped me immensely. I do it 1-2 times per day for about 10 minutes. Put in the microwave for 30 seconds and then lie down with it on. It opens up the glands so your eyes will be really blurry after - just put in eye drops after and you’ll be good to go

https://www.amazon.com/Thermalon-24342-Dry-Eye-Compress/dp/B004385RPS

I was having this issue. The styles were small but constant. I tried everything. Changing my make up, pillow cases, less eye make up. Two things that did it 1. Better eye make up remover 2. This thing called a bruder pac. https://www.amazon.com/Bruder-Moist-Heat-Eye-Compress/dp/B01N303YPU

Changed everything!

This is the mask I bought, but have seen the Bruder mask recommended here.

And the Retaine MGD is non-prescription and yep it’s the link you posted in another comment.

I recommend something like this for his gut post-surgery.
https://www.amazon.ca/Microwavable-Heat-Bag-Solution-Arthritis/dp/B00WL05FCK

I have this one for my lumbar issues, and its also fantastic on cramps. It vibrates!

Got a cheap one off amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00075M1T6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

It's also water resistant, which is nice for kitchen use.

Trying to understand her thought process here...

Microwave = warmth.

Socks on radiator = warmth.

Socks in microwave = warmth.

Microwave doesn't use flame.

Microwave cannot be a fire hazard.

Or thinking that since these go in the microwave, ALL fabrics can, which means she doesn't understand simple concepts like cotton is different than velvet which is different than linen...

With that inattention to detail, can your boss really afford to keep her dumb ass..? This isn't going to be the only time she could've killed y'all

For straightening, I recommend using a heating pad to warm up your thigh muscle first. Op should discuss with his physio first though.

https://www.amazon.ca/Sunbeam-Xpress-Heat-Heating-Brown/dp/B00942VQQC/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1541903731&sr=8-12-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=electric+heating+pad&psc=1

For anyone out there with back pain, I highly recommend getting a heating pad like this one. It's been a huge help the last few days. They should turn off automatically after about 45 minutes so you don't have them on all night. I rearrange them when I wake up depending on what's bothering me:

http://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-732-500-King-Heating-UltraHeatTechnology/dp/B000FGDDI0/ref=sr_1_2_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1463760928&sr=1-2

Just a suggestion, but I've been using this product for years for my dry eyes.... It's reusable and you just pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds. Same exact thing but not a one time use like the starry eyes


Thermalon Dry Eye Compress https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004385RPS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_luz1DbBG0PP2M

My absolute favorite is this oversized heating pad. It doesn’t get too hot to burn but hot enough to bring down the pain, and turns off after awhile. Full disclosure, I fall asleep with it on the highest setting all the time and have never gotten burned.

Pure Enrichment PureRelief XL Heating Pad for Back Pain and Cramps - Fast-Heating, Ultra-Soft Heat Therapy with 6 Temperature Settings and Auto Shut-Off Feature - 12" x 24" (Charcoal Gray) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KVYTV86/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kHS1Db0KH64XH

Although, this is another one of my favorite options. For me, the heat from water is much more therapeutic (see my massive water bill for the several hot showers a day I take haha). But this is like an old fashioned rubber hot water bottle. A lot of them come with cute covers on them. You pour hot water in it and it literally lasts the night.

Hot Water Bottle with Knit Cover, UBEGOOD Rubber Transparent Hot Water Bag, Good for Pain Relief (2 Liters, Blue/Gray) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K6BMNPX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_FJS1DbKPR4BFD

Finally, I personally don’t like this because it is too tight on my belly, but some of my other friends with endo swear by using this at work. It might be more discrete in the workplace.

DOACT Waist Heating Pad for Back Pain, Heat Waist Belt Hot Compress Therapy for Menstrual Abdomen Cramps, Lower Back Pain Relief, 5V Electric Heating Pad for Women Men https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SR1JRHR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_PKS1DbQTMM4CR

This is the one I use. You can use any one really, just make sure that it does NOT have the auto shut-off feature. A lot of them do, so you have to be careful when buying. Push button ones usually have auto shut-off and dial or slider switch ones usually don't.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-731-500-Heating-UltraHeat-Technology/dp/B00075M1T6/ref=cm_sw_em_r_cawdotod_rz58wb087954H_tt

What I would do is get a plain old heating pad (something like this) and stick it under the cage (not in it!) so that the heat radiates up through the bottom. However, don't have it extend the full length of the bottom of the cage -- maybe only half or a third. If the pad heats up more than it should, you don't want to overheat your hamster.

The ones made for pets tend to be gentler, so you could also try something like this.

For warmer bedding, you can try Kapok shell fluff (like this, but can also be bought at PetCo). It has shorter fibers than the cotton fluff that causes controversy, so is safer for your ham.

You can also get a space heater and put your ham near it (but not too close, because you don't want to go overboard and overheat them).

This is the exact one I got. I ordered it from Amazon and it works well! Sunbeam 732-500 King Size Heating Pad with UltraHeatTechnology https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FGDDI0/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_OKZiub0QSM32K

I have this heating pad too and it's really nice to put by your feet when you go to bed at night.

this works awesome, doesn't shut off on its own, is more powerful than any carboy heater I've seen and if you have a sore back and not fermenting it can help ya out

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00075M1T6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1

I've got mine hooked up to the heat side of the temp controller on my fermentation freezer and leave the heating pad set to medium

My favorite heating pad is this one, because you can override the auto shut off:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01KVYTV7M/ref=psdcmw_3763871_t3_B00474Z0Q4

Pure Enrichment PureRelief XL King Size Heating Pad (Turquoise Blue) - Fast-Heating Machine-Washable Pad - 6 Temperature Settings, Moist Heat Therapy Option, Auto Shut-Off and Storage Bag - 12" x 24"

Is it one like this? Saw one on YouTube. Figured I would give it a go.

Link

I'm going to say this for /u/Blanchetastic since she's going to need comfort and fortitude to get through this swear challenge!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C9DCG8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I got 2 of these, and they work very well. Used them back in my League of Legends Days.

Here is a heating pad I've actually used:

https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-732-500-King-Heating-UltraHeatTechnology/dp/B000FGDDI0/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1506267351&sr=8-1&keywords=B000FGDDI0

I has 3 heating settings... when I put it on medium and wrap a towel around the cooking pot, my yogurt stays about 105 degrees F. Placing a cutting board under helps send heat to your fermentation vessel.

Heat pad: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006IV4N

Ive just been setting the fermenter on it, but taping it on the side would probably be better. No need to heat the yeast cake.

I’m the real OP. [Here’s a link to the exact one I ordered on Amazon that’s pictured!](Sunbeam 731-500 Heating Pad with Ultra Heat Technology https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00075M1T6?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf)

Other idea is to fill a sock with rice and microwave.


But really, invest in one of these before shark week strikes again. Practically saved my life in high school before I got on birth control and could have a manageable period.

There are bags you can microwave or freeze that I find very helpful. They are filled with corn or rice or buckwheat hulls. Most people call them rice bags. I don’t know if you are crafty or feel like being crafty, but if you get some flannel or other very soft fabric, you can make a bag filled with rice for very cheap. Otherwise you can buy them many places, including amazon; just search rice bag


Microwavable Heating Pad - Warming Solution Bag for Joint Pain, Aches, Pains, Cramps, and Arthritis https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WL05FCK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dEbYDb9GMQ4Y1

But if you have a scrap of fabric or even buy a little bit, with the cost of rice it can be sewn for a few bucks.

It’s nice to have more than one when using frozen because you can use one while the other is freezing.

Something along these lines

Not the exact model, I'm sure, as we've had it for 15+ years and I just grabbed it from the closet. I have no idea of actual brand or model anymore.

Get a heating pad for $10-15.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-756-500-Heating-Pad-UltraHeatTechnology/dp/B00006IV4N/

It's the same stuff that's in this sort of handwarmer (the re-usable types).

Cheap heating pad

https://www.amazon.com/Thermalon-24342-Dry-Eye-Compress/dp/B004385RPS/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=dry+eye+mask&qid=1568352742&sprefix=dry+eye&sr=8-4

This is the one I use!

I started my colony with some dubias I bought off Craigslist for $5.

For breeding, I used the advice on this page. I feed high-calcium chicken feed, which can be gotten for very reasonable prices when you buy in bulk at your local farm store. I use this heating pad (I need the larger one because I have two bins). It appears this smaller one is the same only smaller (same as far as not having an auto shut off "feature").

Heating Pad ~$20

http://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-732-500-King-Heating-UltraHeatTechnology/dp/B000FGDDI0/ref=sr_1_2?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1452309250&sr=1-2

I packed a ton of granola bars, fruit snacks, lactation cookies, and goldfish crackers.

As for a heating pad, I got this one from Walgreens since it was on sale at the time. If you wanted to go a cheaper route you could fill a tube sock with rice and toss it in the microwave and use that.

This one is my favourite

https://www.amazon.ca/Sunbeam-Xpress-Heat-Heating-Brown/dp/B00942VQQC/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=heating+pads+electric&qid=1574307573&sprefix=heating&sr=8-4

It has an auto off after 90 minutes so I don't burn myself.

I use a heating pad and wrap it around the fermenter.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FGDDI0/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01KVYTV7M?psc=1
I have two of these. The last two settings are TOO hot for me.

Heating pad.

I use a Sunbeam heating pad or similar.

Sorry to hear. But dude, get a mattress heating pad - it was really cold here too last night, and this made a huge difference.

Also, post pics of cat.

Not specifically, I use this, and will usually lay down with it on a pillow while I watch TV or something.... The cold compress doesn't work as well for me.

I'm not sure which one you saw. The couple I have just plug in and one has a temperature control knob on it. It doesn't give you a read-out of the actual temperature so I use a temperature gun to check the temperature when setting it up. You also don't have to limit yourself to reptile pads, basic heating pads without auto-shutoff will work. Something like this. I would probably search online until you can figure out what temperature ranges it will get to before you buy.

this one. my only gripe is there is no auto shutoff so if you sleep with it there’s always a risk you might get burned and it’s a bit dangerous I guess. Otherwise I love it.

if she's a practical woman, a heating pad might provide her some comfort.

Chocolate is never a wrong answer, unless she's allergic ... and even then ...

Compression socks are, I think, a good idea too. I seem to vaguely recall this tidbit, but I could be mistaken.

I use these , make sure you get the king size if you ferment in the cold. It worked for me when it got down to the negative 40s a few weeks ago. My veered ferment in my ages in a mini refrigerator

If you anticipate this to be a recurring problem, look into something like this. I have one. I regularly get bad cramps, and this thing is the only thing that gets me to sleep.

A camera case with a gel hand-warmer inside?

(Note: I've never used these hand-warmers and have no idea how hot they get. This suggestion may in fact be an incredibly bad idea, I have no idea what I'm doing, etc etc.)