Tiny's Blog

Tiny's Blog

Tiny's Blog

Ketamine Induced Cystitis

Ketamine Induced Cystitis

In this month’s blog post, I want to talk about Ketamine Induced Cystitis, also known as Ketamine Bladder Syndrome or, more informally, as simply ketamine bladder.  I have occasionally been asked if aloe vera can help with bladder pain related to ketamine use and I thought it might be interesting to write about the topic here. Ketamine is an anaesthetic with dissociative and sedative properties.  In the UK, it is used in both human and veterinary medicine, but is has also been taken as a recreational drug since the 1970s.  In recent years, such recreational misuse has increased drastically.  In 2007, twelve months after ketamine was made an illegal Class C drug, only 0.8% of 16-24 year olds reported having used it in that year1.  By 2011, this figure had risen to 2.1%2 and ketamine was reclassified as a Class B drug in 2014.  As of March 2023, 3.8% of 16-24…

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Ten Years of Tiny Pioneer!

Ten Years of Tiny Pioneer!

Today is 1st February 2026 and it is Tiny Pioneer’s tenth birthday!  I can hardly believe that a decade has passed since our first ever customer placed an order!  Incredibly, some of you have been with us right from the start, through all of the different websites and at every milestone.  I feel immensely privileged that that should be the case and want to thank each and every person that has visited our website, read our blog, or purchased products from us over the years.  It is a pleasure to be able to serve you and to think that in some small way we might help you to live a more comfortable life. I still often get a buzz of excitement when I see a new order come through.  The business is small enough that I know a lot of you by name, so I can usually tell if someone is…

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Tiny's Second CNS Lab FoodPrint200+ Test!

Tiny's Second CNS Lab FoodPrint200+ Test!

One of the blog posts that I most frequently share with people is Tiny’s Review of Cambridge Nutritional Sciences FoodPrint200+ test.  Food intolerances play a huge part in chronic inflammatory conditions, mental health, and digestive disturbances; however, it can be difficult to know which foods are problematic if you rely only on guesswork and a symptom journal to guide you.  Many years ago, at the height of my irritable bowel syndrome and anxiety struggle, I took a food intolerance test with a market leading brand, but the results were disappointing and inaccurate.  Unfortunately, this deterred me from investigating the food sensitivity angle more thoroughly and set my healing journey back considerably. One night in 2019 when I couldn’t sleep, I discovered a company called Cambridge Nutritional Sciences (now known as CNS Lab) thanks to a post on someone else’s blog.  At the time I was really struggling with my health – the IBS was…

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My Wisdom Tooth Extractions!

My Wisdom Tooth Extractions!

Following on from the recent blog posts where I shared my pre-operative and recovery tips for wisdom tooth extractions, in this month’s post I want to share a more subjective experience of having my wisdom teeth removed.  When I was first told that I would have to have an infected wisdom tooth removed, I was very worried.  However, I was fortunate to find a website and forum called Dental Fear Central where people can share their dental stories.  On the forum is a thread devoted to successful wisdom tooth extractions, which made for very reassuring reading in the weeks before my first procedure.  I am sharing an account of my own wisdom tooth extractions here on our blog in the hope that people who are nervous about their own forthcoming tooth extractions might similarly derive comfort! Here is a timeline of my experiences. June 2023:  I got an infection around my lower left wisdom tooth.  My local…

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Tiny Tips for an Easy Wisdom Tooth Extraction - Part 2

Tiny Tips for an Easy Wisdom Tooth Extraction - Part 2

This turned out to be a long blog post, so I split it into two parts.  If you have not yet read Part 1, you can check it out here.Please note that I am neither a doctor nor a dentist and nothing in this blog post is intended to constitute medical or dental advice.  Always consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner or dentist before having any oral surgery.It will hurt less than you imagine, but you will feel more ill than you imagine.This took me by surprise, because I hadn’t heard anyone mention this before.  Usually wisdom tooth extraction stories fall into two camps:  worst experience ever; or went back to work straight after and felt fine.  I actually felt quite weak and unwell following both my extractions. On the day of the extraction itself, I was felt very lethargic afterwards, because obviously I had been sedated.  I didn’t sleep in…

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Tiny Tips for an Easy Wisdom Tooth Extraction - Part 1

Tiny Tips for an Easy Wisdom Tooth Extraction - Part 1

This turned out to be a very long post, so I have split it into two parts.  You can check out Part 2 here.  In this month’s blog post, I have something a bit different for you:  I am going to be sharing my wisdom about wisdom teeth!  More specifically, I am going to share with you my recently acquired tips for having a safe and comfortable wisdom tooth extraction.  Never let it be said that I don’t suffer to bring you diverse blog content! I’ll being by saying that this is not a general guide about what to expect when having wisdom teeth removed.  There are lots of those on the internet already and if it seems likely that you will be having a tooth extraction anytime soon, I’d recommend that you read some of them before returning to this post.  The purpose of this piece is to share with…

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Where to Buy Bioidentical Hormone Creams

Where to Buy Bioidentical Hormone Creams

At the end of last month’s blog post, I mentioned that I have recently started using bioidentical hormone creams.  I thought this month I would tell you where I get them from, in case you want to try them!Before beginning any kind of hormone cream or hormone replacement therapy, I highly recommend that you get your hormone levels measured using one or more of the methods discussed in my previous post, How to Get Your Hormones Checked:  Four Different Ways!  This will help you to determine which, if any, hormones need to be supplemented.  It will also give you baseline readings from which you can monitor your progress if you retest in the future.  I also recommend that, where possible, you work with a qualified healthcare practitioner to find the regime that is best for you and your circumstances. Traditional hormone replacement therapy, commonly known as HRT, is what you would normally be prescribed…

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DUTCH Hormone Testing: Tiny Reviews!

DUTCH Hormone Testing: Tiny Reviews!

This month, I want to tell you about my most recent experience with Precision Analytical and its DUTCH test.  ‘DUTCH’ is an acronym for ‘Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones’ and, as the name suggests, it involves the testing of hormone levels using dried urine!  I wrote in detail last month about the pros and cons of different methods of hormone testing, so I will not repeat that information in today’s post.  Please go back and read the previous blog post if you would like to know how dried urine testing compares to blood or saliva testing.  Similarly, I am not going to go into much detail about what DUTCH testing is and when you might choose to have it done.  I covered that in this blog post comparing Genova Diagnostic’s Rhythm Plus test to Precision Analytical’s DUTCH Complete.  If you have never heard of DUTCH testing, I would suggest you read those two blog…

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How To Get Your Hormones Checked: Four Different Ways!

How To Get Your Hormones Checked: Four Different Ways!

Regular readers will know that I consider it very useful for people with chronic health issues to have their hormone levels checked out.  When hormone levels are out of balance, it can contribute to a wide variety of symptoms, including:Irregular or painful periodsDifficulty conceivingPainful bladder syndrome or interstitial cystitisVulvodyniaVaginal drynessLichen sclerosusPremenstrual syndrome or premenstrual dysphoric disorderPanic disorders, depression, mood swings, or insomniaThrushUterine fibroidsPolycystic ovary syndromeThyroid hormone imbalanceI often find myself recommending people to get hormone tests done and have previously written in detail on the subject in this blog post about Medichecks and this one about Genova Diagnostics and Precision Analytical.  I thought it might be nice to write a summarised version of the different methods of measuring hormones, outlining the pros and cons for each.  This will therefore be the topic of this month’s blog! Basic GP Blood TestsIn the first instance, you can ask your GP to run blood tests to measure…

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New Year, New Product! Introducing Tiny Pioneer Simply D-Phenylalanine Capsules!

New Year, New Product! Introducing Tiny Pioneer Simply D-Phenylalanine Capsules!

Happy New Year!  We’re starting 2024 in style at Tiny Towers with the launch of a brand new product!  In the previous blog post, I discussed the possible applications of D-phenylalanine (DPA) in chronic pain conditions and both physical and emotional oversensitivity.  I have been using DPA for years and while I am not sure how much of a role it plays in managing my PGAD, I definitely notice improved emotional resilience when I use it. Standalone DPA supplements are not always easy to get hold of, as DPA is usually mixed with L-phenylalanine and offered as a DLPA combination product.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with this if you are able to tolerate L-phenylalanine; however, some people find it too stimulating and cannot use it.  The market leading brand of standalone DPA is American and although it is usually readily available in the UK, there have occasionally been times when all…

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