I knew somebody(an attendant's daughter) who took melatonin or tryptophan for sleep, got a tainted batch, and developed quite the disorder. Which is not great news, but that was many years ago and not related to the chemical itself, but some sort of handling issue. Man, that was like, twenty years ago that I knew them/...so weird how you can see someone every night and then they are just gone. I think about them a lot and wonder if the daughter got any better, but it's weird how you can get into a time warp, I mean, I've lived here 16 years, and was in another place for a year or so before that, but some of those memories, while not terribly happy, can be really vivid.

Probiotics: does anyone have any advice about what I should or shouldn't be looking for?

At the beginning at the month I was on a course of antibiotics. The #1 side effect is, of course, diarrhea, but for some reason, it left me with the worst constipation of my life.

Probiotics: does anyone have any advice about what I should or shouldn't be looking for?

I like Culturelle for an easy to find one. I mainly stick with it because it's lactose free unlike some others I've tried, but it also seems to work well for me.

Had my review today. No big whoop. I got meeting expectations because my boss was not allowed to have me at above. In fact, our division was told that no one in Texas in my position could be ranked above meets expectations.

Why bother having reviews at all if the results are mandated across the board by corporate?

That's some serious bullshit, msbelle. Also possibly a red flag that some layoffs are coming down the pike.

Also possibly a red flag that some layoffs are coming down the pike.

When they suspend your 401K match, start looking for a new job immediately, y'all.

What? Huh. Well, way to go getting the highest possible rank.

My "prize package", now that I actually have it, includes the parking space, $100, lunch with a Senior Executive (I'm not sure what that means, or who that means, but i guess I will find out) and either a half day of extra Floating Holiday time that has to be used within 6 months (I already have a week of float time, somehow) or $300 "Meyer Money", which I thought I could use for employee orders but may only be good at the outlet sale. Hm.

Probiotics: does anyone have any advice about what I should or shouldn't be looking for?

t IBS hat I always take the Pearls brand, although they are easy as hell to drop and then because they are round (see the name), they roll under the fridge and you yell.

Also, if you're having constipation, how's your fiber and liquid* intake? IIRC, the recommended fiber consumption is 25-30 grams a day, which is not always easy to hit unless you eat veggies (which can be hidden in smoothies) in significant quantities.

But enough fiber plus enough liquids should move things along.

*(Liquids don't have to just be water -- they can be juice or Gatorade or soda or milk or even caffeinated coffee/tea. Alcohol doesn't count, though, because it has too much of a diuretic effect.) t /IBS hat

I've been trying to ramp up my fiber and liquid consumption, probably not consistently enough, but it's still more than before I was on ABs and regular.