The health and fitness thread about random things

[hellymedic]

Colonoscopy is done and dusted. I was first on the list, so into the suite by about 2pm, in recovery and asking for a sandwich half an hour later. Some parts were more than uncomfortable and into painful, mainly as the scope was navigated around the sigmoid, but I sucked hard on the entonox and really, I've had period pain that was worse and nobody gives me entonox for that. I got to watch the monitor as well, and can say with pride that my colon looks like the Sarlacc Pit. Biopsies were taken, but no abnormalities detected visually, it all looks healthy.

Disappointingly, no monster farts so far.

Sounds a similar experience to mine.
Glad they've not found any obvious Big Trouble.
My Big Gripes came on the two evenings  about 30 and 54 hours after the scope.

[Legs]

Had been putting up with nasty paronychia on my RH saluting finger for over a fortnight, so I went to the quack on Monday (surgery is just around the corner from work, so I went at 9:15am and got an appointment at 10:30!) and got some antibiotics.  It's going down already but the skin's still really irritated were it's been peeling away around the infection.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Colonoscopy is done and dusted. I was first on the list, so into the suite by about 2pm, in recovery and asking for a sandwich half an hour later. Some parts were more than uncomfortable and into painful, mainly as the scope was navigated around the sigmoid, but I sucked hard on the entonox and really, I've had period pain that was worse and nobody gives me entonox for that. I got to watch the monitor as well, and can say with pride that my colon looks like the Sarlacc Pit. Biopsies were taken, but no abnormalities detected visually, it all looks healthy.

Disappointingly, no monster farts so far.

Sounds a similar experience to mine.
Glad they've not found any obvious Big Trouble.
My Big Gripes came on the two evenings  about 30 and 54 hours after the scope.

I'm quite uncomfortable today; it feels like someone has been rummaging around in my insides. So I'm working from home. A couple of small to medium farts, but nothing wonderfully huge yet.

[Sergeant Pluck]

Triennial arsecam tomorrow. I must say the 2017 Moviprep is a particularly effective vintage.

My main concern is to avoid a repeat of last month’s events, in which I received a letter (  ) on the morning of the procedure to inform me that it had been rescheduled. Tomorrow, I am not checking the post before setting off.

[hellymedic]

I personally would not want to set off for a fool's errand. Don't suppose you you can phone to confirm you won't be travelling in vain?

Hope all goes well.

[T42]

Triennial arsecam tomorrow. I must say the 2017 Moviprep is a particularly effective vintage.

Thought it was all CGI these days.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I personally would not want to set off for a fool's errand.

True, but I wasn’t taking no for an answer this time. All done.

[barakta]

I must admit last min cancellation of something which requires days of unpleasant prep by patient is very much not OK and I'd be very cross about it indeed.

Glad this time was fine. I'd not have been taking no for an answer either.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I was moderately cross. To be fair they did create the cancellation letter sufficiently in advance, but they should have known that in the NHS a considerable time can elapse between writing something that is to go in the post and that item entering the actual RL postage system.

[hellymedic]

I was moderately cross. To be fair they did create the cancellation letter sufficiently in advance, but they should have known that in the NHS a considerable time can elapse between writing something that is to go in the post and that item entering the actual RL postage system.

Such a shame they didn't phone/SMS you.

I appreciate there can be confidentiality issues but...

If they'd been able to let you know 5 days in advance, you might have avoided any prep.

[barakta]

Yes, I would consider that a telephone or SMS job myself.

[Sergeant Pluck]

Agreed. They have my mobile and they made use of it at earlier stages in the booking process. But apparently not for cancellations. 

(The same hospital also uses SMS appointment reminders, but for some reason not for endoscopy).

I'll leave this here, but as someone who spends part of their time in dragging my own department away from IT crapness I don't want to dwell on it too much:

http://www.nationalhealthexecutive.com/Health-Care-News/digital-doldrums-nhs-remains-worlds-largest-purchaser-of-fax-machines

[barakta]

Yeees. Well.  I'm having a lovely correspondence with a local NHS Trust about their lack of compliance with "Accessible Information Standard (SCCI1605 Accessible Information)" aka using accessible communications with us here disabled patients and indeed the Equality Act...

They're terribly surprised to hear how inaccessible their services are and will seek feedback and review and report to committees... And no mention of the concrete actions I requested - aka provide accessible comms to ALL patients in appt letters (mine had ZERO contact details, not even phones on it) and a system for arranging reasonable adjustments that isn't making PALS do it cos I got so fucking deadlocked by sodding telephony.

My reply, which I must get round to finishing today will remind them that under the Equality Act (which they're also in breach of) I can give them till 8th Oct to have IMPLEMENTED accessibility properly or I will have no choice but to escalate to the next legal stage because being a large bureaucratic organisation I know they won't DO anything unless there is a mahoosive STICK being waved in their faces to do so... It's TOO LATE, they're ALREADY in breach, this isn't options, fucking well fix it or else.

Oh and a copy of the NHS Information Governance guidance which I got from the disabled person who got the AIS created in the first place, by threatening the Secretary for State for Health with a Judicial Review on access issues. #Legend

[T42]

Wretched dodgy ankle making life a pain.  I can ride one day and it's OK, but next day it can send up acute jabs on stairs, or maybe not; or maybe ache all the time, or maybe not; or I can start a ride and get spikes of pain after 50+ k.  Naproxen helps but attacks my gut even with [ome,panta]prazole. The only cure remedy is rest, but being diabetic with coronary problems that is not exactly optimal. Bugger.

[Wowbagger]

Wretched dodgy ankle making life a pain.  I can ride one day and it's OK, but next day it can send up acute jabs on stairs, or maybe not; or maybe ache all the time, or maybe not; or I can start a ride and get spikes of pain after 50+ k.  Naproxen helps but attacks my gut even with [ome,panta]prazole. The only cure remedy is rest, but being diabetic with coronary problems that is not exactly optimal. Bugger.

I found that my dodgy ankle became a lot less dodgy when I ditched SPD pedals. Platforms for me now.

In other news, my CT scan above has identified a stone lodged in my left ureter. Saw the GP/locum this afternoon. It hasn't given me any pain. I was advised to speak to the consultant or his PA. it turned out that the former was on annual leave and the latter on sick leave. Awaiting a return call. I would be perfectly happy with the "do nothing" approach. Is it possible to dissolve/dislodge these things if I drink a lot of water/beer?

[Kim]

Is it possible to dissolve/dislodge these things if I drink a lot of water/beer?

Maybe combine with a trip to Alton Towers?

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2016/09September/Pages/could-riding-roller-coasters-help-you-pass-kidney-stones.aspx

[T42]

Wretched dodgy ankle making life a pain.  I can ride one day and it's OK, but next day it can send up acute jabs on stairs, or maybe not; or maybe ache all the time, or maybe not; or I can start a ride and get spikes of pain after 50+ k.  Naproxen helps but attacks my gut even with [ome,panta]prazole. The only cure remedy is rest, but being diabetic with coronary problems that is not exactly optimal. Bugger.

I found that my dodgy ankle became a lot less dodgy when I ditched SPD pedals. Platforms for me now.

It's sandals that do for me.  Since the weather turned cool I was back into sneakers and the ankle got better.  The heels of my sandals are low and uncushioned, those of the sneakers are normal height and cushioned. But the weather's getting warm & muggy now and the sneakers are sweat-baths.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Speedplay are said to have more float than other clipless systems.

[T42]

So do worn cleats, and I've been wearing mine since 2010.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Just imagine how much float seven year old Speedplay would give you! 

[Wowbagger]

In other news, my CT scan above has identified a stone lodged in my left ureter. Saw the GP/locum this afternoon. It hasn't given me any pain. I was advised to speak to the consultant or his PA. it turned out that the former was on annual leave and the latter on sick leave. Awaiting a return call. I would be perfectly happy with the "do nothing" approach. Is it possible to dissolve/dislodge these things if I drink a lot of water/beer?

I have phoned the hospital again. Spoke to someone who seems to know what's going on. There's a letter awaiting despatch, which she read to me. I have been the subject of some conference or other and the recommended procedure is to bung another camera up, this time under general anaesthetic, to have a look a the stone. It's not showing up very well on X-ray and they want to find out whether it is small enough to be passed naturally.

This all seems a bit extreme for the minimal symptoms I have been displaying. My sis-in-law had a kidney stone quite a few years ago and it gave her massive pain. I have had none. The letter invites me to come and see the consultant to discuss the options. There's a big bit of me which says "leave well alone" but another bit which says they wouldn't be suggesting this unless they thought it was worth it.

[hellymedic]

I am no expert on these matters!

AIUI small stones that make their way to the bladder can cause big pain on their way and may obstruct the ureter en route.

Big stones sometimes sit still but can act as a nucleus for further precipitation and crystallisation.

And grow...

[mrcharly-YHT]

About 3 weeks ago I dislocated my ulna again.
Was at a bbq, the host was trying to snap some sticks for a fire, one was a bit thick so I tried.

Ulna dislocated like twisting a chicken wing apart. Didn't hurt, but it was right out of position. Bent my wrist over and shoved it back with the other hand.

Since then it is pretty much free-floating. Rotating my forearm takes it past normal position. Not sore, but that wrist is a bit weak again. I certainly won't risk 'twisting' actions (I can't really open jars for example - I have to put the jar down against a surface and mostly use my right hand).

Got my squeezy exerciser and fingertip exercises to strengthen things, but I suspect I just simply don't have the ligaments joining radius and ulna anymore.

[Ruthie]

About 3 weeks ago I dislocated my ulna again.
Was at a bbq, the host was trying to snap some sticks for a fire, one was a bit thick so I tried.

Ulna dislocated like twisting a chicken wing apart. Didn't hurt, but it was right out of position. Bent my wrist over and shoved it back with the other hand.

Since then it is pretty much free-floating. Rotating my forearm takes it past normal position. Not sore, but that wrist is a bit weak again. I certainly won't risk 'twisting' actions (I can't really open jars for example - I have to put the jar down against a surface and mostly use my right hand).

Got my squeezy exerciser and fingertip exercises to strengthen things, but I suspect I just simply don't have the ligaments joining radius and ulna anymore.

I guess they never did manage to sort that out for you 

[mrcharly-YHT]

About 3 weeks ago I dislocated my ulna again.
Was at a bbq, the host was trying to snap some sticks for a fire, one was a bit thick so I tried.

Ulna dislocated like twisting a chicken wing apart. Didn't hurt, but it was right out of position. Bent my wrist over and shoved it back with the other hand.

Since then it is pretty much free-floating. Rotating my forearm takes it past normal position. Not sore, but that wrist is a bit weak again. I certainly won't risk 'twisting' actions (I can't really open jars for example - I have to put the jar down against a surface and mostly use my right hand).

Got my squeezy exerciser and fingertip exercises to strengthen things, but I suspect I just simply don't have the ligaments joining radius and ulna anymore.

I guess they never did manage to sort that out for you 

To be fair to them, it is really, really good compared to how it was. The radius is straight.
This time last year I couldn't have ridden a drop-handlebarred bike - it would have just dislocated when I put my hands on the hoods, let alone on the drops. I can ride now.
I've just done some damage by overstraining it, probably stretched what few ligaments are left intact.