This seemed like the only place to share this.

From this. It's a piece of a stalactite/stalagmite made of malachite that's been polished and, well, looks like something that would be horribly unsafe for work ... except it's just a piece of polished rock. Yes, it looks like a sex toy. And it sparked all kinds of discussion about using it as such, including whether it would poison anyone trying to do so:

I mean it kinda depends on where you stick it because malachite does not like acidic environments very much and the malachite will degrade and also might dye your bits blue-green as the copper dissolves out.

So use a condom when fucking rocks is the takeaway here.

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I have no deeper explanation for why human females can dissolve rocks with our genitals. It simply is.

Gonna to take a quick moment to point out that sex toys that dissolve when you use them are maybe not the best investment.

OMG, I've been sorta following that convo, and giggling myself silly, while being hella impressed at the *science!* of fucking rocks (not The Rock). Or, you know, not, depending on the composition of said rock.

The picture of The Rock is the best part of that whole conversation.

That is ita-worthy

Steph - is there any chance that taking phenylephrine (and guaifenisin) on top of my usual 100 mgs Zoloft and 75 mgs Effexor could cause a mild hypomania? I've been feeling pretty blissed out for the last few days and now I'm on the edge of an anxiety attack for no reason. I am super sensitive to stimulants and cannot take pseudo ephedrine. Heck, I can't drink caffeinated coffee after noon or have more than two glasses of sweet tea at lunch.

I get something kind of similar during PMS, but the bliss usually only lasts a few hours and I shouldn't be PMSing for another week (am on the pill).

With that, I'm headed to bed.

smonster, I've gotten that pretty often from phenylephrine. I don't take it anymore, because it pretty much always triggers an anxiety attack for me.

Really, Hil? You would get a mild hypomania followed by an anxiety attack? Are you also sensitive to caffeine?

smonster, the place I always look up drug side effect (RxList .com) says the phenylephrine/guaifenisin combo can cause anxiety, restlessness, and nervousness; it doesn't specifically say hypomania, but that combination of symptoms could certainly read as hypomania to me.

I would think that if you're sensitive to stimulants, then you might be more likely to be sensitive to phenylephrine.

Really, Hil? You would get a mild hypomania followed by an anxiety attack? Are you also sensitive to caffeine?

Yep. I'm pretty sensitive to caffeine, too -- never more than one coffee in the morning, and if I have caffeine after about 2 or 3, then I have trouble getting to sleep. (And typing that sentence just made me realize why I haven't been sleeping much this week -- because I've been getting a soda at lunch and drinking it slowly through the whole afternoon. I should stop doing that.) I'm fine with regular Sudafed, but Sudafed PE makes me super anxious.

Smonster, I hope you're feeling better.

Last week was a sinus headache and joint pain every day due to the rain. This week the weather is better, but my stomach is awful and I still have the joint pain. OTOH, ltc, who is 9 months old today, has been a total delight lately. She is just such a happy baby.