Author Topic: The health and fitness thread about random things (Read 470601 times)

essexian · « **Reply #2775 on:** 28 June, 2019, 10:42:30 am »

Me again. Sorry.

So after yet another sleepless night due to the pains, I got in to see a GP this morning again who read the huge number of notes regarding my recent visits, had a look at my toe and decided that.... hummmm, we best double check that it is gout. It looks like gout, is in the right place for gout but four weeks plus....?

So, off for some more blood tests including Vit D, Calcium (thanks Helly for that suggestion)Uric acid and the likes, and then off to the hospital for an X ray on my foot to check for Arthritis. Why is the X Ray department at Stafford General so far from the car park!

Been given a lower dose of steroids to take along with the naproxen and "as much co-codamol as you think you need." Nothing has helped so far but I live in hope.

Need to go back in two weeks for the results of all this further work. Frankly, if I still have the pain in two weeks, the foot is coming off!

T42 · « **Reply #2776 on:** 28 June, 2019, 11:06:44 am »

Quote from: Chris S on 28 June, 2019, 10:21:22 am

I assume there are other reasons why you're on BBs. I recently went back on BP meds, and made a point of saying "No BBs!" and doc said "Oh no, we've got much more precise drugs these days for BP".

I then guessed she'd prescribe an ACE inhibitor like I was on previously, but even they're out now apparently - instead I'm on a CCB (Calcium Channel Blocker).

Can't say I've noticed any side-effects yet, but then again, my BP is still knocking around the 140/95 mark, so they're not exactly mind-blowingly effective.

Aye, there are other reasons: a single salvo of atrial fib* in 24 hours, which admittedly can have dramatic effects,** but it took a holter ECG to notice it because I didn't. If it's prolonged, though, you fall over. There's also a risk that if blood isn't evacuated from the atrium clots can form and give you a stroke.

The problem is that cycling forms at least half my treatment of diabetes, not to mention keeping me sane after 30 years on a restricted diet - a diet which, in view of the latest infliction, I feel less & less inclined to follow, especially when the quack says "you're obsessed with cycling" as if it's a character defect.

EDIT: I just noticed that the "salvo" occurred at 08:40, so probably quite soon after my two cups of breakfast tea & two espressos...

* 6 'fine' QRS complexes, a QRS complex being the main spike you see on an ECG.

** might turn into Dick Cheney

chrisbainbridge · « **Reply #2777 on:** 29 June, 2019, 10:20:52 pm »

A single salvo of atrial fibrillation in 24 hours.

I think if it was me I would buy an Apple Watch and check every day as well as monitoring HR over a 24 hour period. Then I would come off BB.

Check with cardiologist before taking internet advice and remind them about how little AF you had.

T42 · « **Reply #2778 on:** 30 June, 2019, 08:01:48 am »

Thanks, Chris. I had a confab with my GP before cutting the dose in half, which seems to be working. Yesterday I did quite a satisfactory 90k, and I feel as solid as a rock this morning*. That might also have something to do with being allowed to skip metformin and eat like a human on days when I get a decent ride in.

* apart from aching legs from not having gone over 50k for a month.

essexian · « **Reply #2779 on:** 05 July, 2019, 01:20:34 pm »

Goutgate update....Goutgate update....Goutgate update.....

Goutgate day 42 (or thereabouts).

So, upon phoning my GP this morning I was informed that my blood results were back and they would like to see me. So an appointment was booked and in I went at lunchtime.

First, the bad news.... my diabetes is on the way back....my measure was 42 units against a maximum permitted of 41 so watch it I was told. Well, no exercise and weight gain due to that seems to be a trigger.

And... I have a major deficiency in both Vit B12 and D due to being a veggie for the last 40 years. Got to say, being low in B12 does tie in with a lot of things I have noticed recently such as breathlessness without being breathless, tiredness and pins and needles.

Moving onto my "gout." I don't have gout: both the x ray and blood tests show this. What I do have however is the narrowing of the gap between a number of bones in my foot with additional bone growth in a couple of places. The Doctor did give it a name but my memory isn't what it used to be.... Given that I was grumbling about the pain etc, I have been referred for an urgent appointment to the bone people at Cannock Hospital.

Finally, I have been given Pregabalin for the pain. Frankly, the pain has been excessive and is stopping me sleeping so any medication which will make me sleepy is to be welcomed!

EDIT TO ADD..... the word was Osteophyte....... or Bone Spur. As an Arsenal supporter, I am having nothing to do with Spurs so the foot is coming off!

chrisbainbridge · « **Reply #2780 on:** 05 July, 2019, 04:52:36 pm »

Finally, some information for you.

Vitamin B12 is vitally important and will cause permanent nerve damage. so a lifetime of injections awaits but should see a response fairly quickly. (2-3 months)

Vitamin D is known to be associated with bone pain as well as weakness

osteophytes suggests 1st MTP joint arthritis and an acute flare of osteo-arthritis. There should be somebody in the practise or town who does steroid injections. I would suggest going back or leaving a message asking for a steroid injection in the joint ASAP.

Good luck

hellymedic · « **Reply #2781 on:** 05 July, 2019, 05:50:14 pm »

Hope you've been prescribed the vitamins you need or are getting them anyway.

Vitamin D tablets are cheaper than chips...

essexian · « **Reply #2782 on:** 06 July, 2019, 08:52:08 am »

Many thanks both. Yes, I have been prescribed the vits I need: I have to collect them today as the chemist did not have the mega strength ones ordered in stock.

I will speak to the specialist later this week when I book an appointment about an injection: what the doctor said sounded very much like what you wrote Chris. Thanks.

Well, despite still being in pain, I actually managed to sleep from 9.30pm to 7am with only four trips to the loo (about right for me.... perhaps not right for most people!) so I count that as my best nights sleep in months. Lets hope I am getting on top of this but it may be a long road but at least I have taken the first limp/step!

hellymedic · « **Reply #2783 on:** 06 July, 2019, 09:36:20 pm »

Friend has just posted photo of rainbow-illuminated tunnel at Kins Cross to mark Pride.

Whist I admire the sentiment, I can't imagine I'm the only one for whom such an environment would cause nausea/vertigo/balance problems...

barakta · « **Reply #2784 on:** 06 July, 2019, 11:08:37 pm »

from here too. Bet it flickers like a bastard too.

hellymedic · « **Reply #2785 on:** 06 July, 2019, 11:43:53 pm »

Don't know cos I haven't been there but methinks you're likely to be right!

I don't usually have trouble keeping my eye movements well-yoked - I'm lucky that way; many with MS have multiple issues here. Colour perception is HUGELY different between my two eyes though and whilst this is well-compensated in neutral light, stripy colours would freak me out!

This has nothing to do with my sexual politics...

T42 · « **Reply #2786 on:** 07 July, 2019, 08:12:24 am »

Quote from: barakta on 06 July, 2019, 11:08:37 pm

from here too. Bet it flickers like a bastard too.

You're not wrong:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3VwBuOcaxs

OK, stroboscopic interference between fluorescents & phone video frequency but ye gods. Epileptics abstain.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #2787 on:** 07 July, 2019, 10:20:01 am »

I'm not seeing a huge variety of colours in that video. No reds, greens, yellows, oranges, just blues and browns. Don't know if this is the video, my monitor, my eyes or it really is like that.

T42 · « **Reply #2788 on:** 07 July, 2019, 10:56:22 am »

Again, I'd blame the phone that took it. This one's better but the colours are much the same:

https://youtu.be/c5ld4npbYNA

BTW I wrote "fluorescents". LEDs.

barakta · « **Reply #2789 on:** 07 July, 2019, 01:02:07 pm »

Phone detecting flicker is a pretty good measure of whether it'll do my head in. Phones don't get everything but if it's showing that badly on a phone it'll almost certainly make me ill. I would see something pretty much like that with my own eyes which is vile and quite scary - cos I can't process vision with everything distorted.

Kim · « **Reply #2790 on:** 07 July, 2019, 01:16:14 pm »

Looks like they're doing PWM to slowly change the colours, which usually means whatever the default PWM frequency happens to be on their microcontroller of choice. Generally a few hundred hertz, so better than the mains, but fully modulated rather than a ripple. The perceived intensity flicker will change along with the colour, which can't help, either.

matthew · « **Reply #2791 on:** 08 July, 2019, 05:12:08 pm »

It looks like Barakta isn't the only person loosing patience with their hospital trust and accessibility:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-48907926

sending letters from the eye clinic in small print FFS

hellymedic · « **Reply #2792 on:** 08 July, 2019, 05:29:11 pm »

That is ridiculous. I get the option of larger print, which I don't need BUT

receptionist who REFUSED to use lower counter to face me in wheelchair scored nul points with me.

Phil W · « **Reply #2793 on:** 08 July, 2019, 05:41:00 pm »

https://m.xkcd.com/2161/

barakta · « **Reply #2794 on:** 08 July, 2019, 05:45:58 pm »

Good old RNIB, their legal adviser Sam is ace.

And yes, huge problem. 75% of visually impaired people live alone I think.

The law has been in place for well over a decade and the new accessible standard 3 years in August... Hospitals still don't get even the basics. I have another visually impaired friend struggling with similar and he doesn't get on with his neighbours so is losing out on healthcare.

It's not just letters, its meds leaflets/info, instructions for physio, consent forms etc etc... It would not be hard to have these available electronically as needed, but hospitals just don't.

essexian · « **Reply #2795 on:** 11 July, 2019, 11:42:24 am »

Well some good news at last... I have specialist appointment for my foot on the 30th July. I was worried that it might be many months away but I can cope with three weeks given that this attack started 7 weeks ago.

My foot is now a lovely purple colour, still swollen and very painful but hey ho. the painkillers I have been given have taken 20% off the top so I am still not sleeping that well. Thankfully, I work at home which means no transport issues and I must say my line manager has been great about me being flexible with the hours I work/my place of work (even walking the 20 yards to my shed office is too far some days). Being generous, I have emailed her line manager to say how much I appreciate this.

The bad news is that I have had to cancel my cycling holiday.

T42 · « **Reply #2796 on:** 12 July, 2019, 07:55:01 am »

Sounds glum. Can't imagine working in constant pain.

chrisbainbridge · « **Reply #2797 on:** 12 July, 2019, 02:52:19 pm »

Our hospital rheumatology service run an emergency clinic with less than one week access. Might be wirth phoning and asking then telling GP

essexian · « **Reply #2798 on:** 15 July, 2019, 06:38:22 am »

Had an MRI on my back yesterday..... blimey, the whole process is horrible. I hated being in that tight white cylinder with strange noises going on around me. No wonder why they give you a panic button if you need it.

Not my cup of tea but it seems some strange people like it according to the nurse.

Results on my back/hip (which were playing up before my foot started) in seven to ten days time.

T42 · « **Reply #2799 on:** 15 July, 2019, 09:53:37 am »

Gawd, they keep you waiting, don't they? Whenever I've had MRIs, scans, scintigraphy or ordinary X-rays the radiologist has told me what was up straight away. Same goes for any specialist.

---o0o---

I'm nursing quads wounded by an excess of iatrogenic anaerobic respiration. My GP's on holiday so I can't work on him. Arse.

Author Topic: The health and fitness thread about random things (Read 470601 times)

essexian

essexian

essexian

Phil W

essexian

essexian