The health and fitness thread about random things

[matthew]

No berkshire for my hospital.

[chrisbainbridge]

This is the downside to the virtual fracture clinic where X-rays get treated instead of people.  They save shedloads of money but may be storing up a lot of angry mistreated patients.

[matthew]

This is true but being a patient at an ordinary fracture clinic can be one of the most soul destroying options. So much of the demand is dependent on what comes through A&E reception yesterday or this morning that my memory of them as appointment at 9am like 30 other people so expect to be seen sometime between 10 and 11. Appointment at 11am you'd better have a good book and nowhere else to be before lunch. Repeat for the afternoon clinic from 1pm. I can't even begin to think what it must be like to staff one.

[hellymedic]

I'd always squish the fracture site, even on the briefest of brief discharge clinic visits.

I'm not convinced a phone/computer consult would/could do this.

Even if you ask a patient to do this, you can't really gauge how sore it is if you can't see their face/hear their voice.

(Good grip.
Full ROM.
0 BT
Disc...)

[hellymedic]

I don't think I have taken any antibiotics in the last ten years.

When I had a dental abscess as a medical student in the early 1980s, culture grew a staphylococcus that was sensitive to Penicillin V, which was unusual even then.

I don't think I am personally responsible for much antibiotic resistance...

[Kim]

[...] Appointment at 11am you'd better have a good book and nowhere else to be before lunch.

Unless you're actually bleeding out, it's unwise to attend hospital of any description without a book.

See also: Eating a full meal before going to the dentist.

[hellymedic]

[...] Appointment at 11am you'd better have a good book and nowhere else to be before lunch.

Unless you're actually bleeding out, it's unwise to attend hospital of any description without a book.
See also: Eating a full meal before going to the dentist.

For an appointment maybe...
Went to Queen Square for routine blood tests on Tuesday this week, having employed my cleaner as my 'pusher'.

Told her we'd pretty well be out before we were in. Explained she should take numbered ticket from machine.
Went round labyrinth to OPD desk, where they have forms for folk like me in file under the desk.
Was handed my form.
A pulls ticket #74 from machine.
#75 is already on screen!

Straight in, straight out, home.

There & back in <2hours despite dreadful traffic & HS2 road closures.

[ElyDave]

Routine diabetes clinic, 9:20, seen about 10:30

I mentally write off the entire day

[hellymedic]

Routine diabetes clinic, 9:20, seen about 10:30

I mentally write off the entire day

I think that's wise.

My routine 'annual'¹ checks at Queen Square mostly start after 16.00 so they don't clog a whole day.

Currently >16 months between appointments.

[quixoticgeek]

Unless you're actually bleeding out, it's unwise to attend hospital of any description without a book.

See also: Eating a full meal before going to the dentist.

These days I'd also add a full battery pack and enough usb cables, maybe also a bottle of drink.

I thought using a healthcare system other than the NHS waiting times might be shorter, but no, Doctors Mean Time as a separate time zone to local time seems to be universal...

J

[mrcharly-YHT]

I'd always squish the fracture site, even on the briefest of brief discharge clinic visits.

I'm not convinced a phone/computer consult would/could do this.

Even if you ask a patient to do this, you can't really gauge how sore it is if you can't see their face/hear their voice.

(Good grip.
Full ROM.
0 BT
Disc...)

Addingtons did this with me before discharge. Went over my skull, face, jaw, hip, knee, hand. Reassuringly thorough, particularly since I'd had CT of the skull.

[L CC]

Surely that's Addenbrooke's?

[mrcharly-YHT]

Surely that's Addenbrooke's?

Yersh, Addenbrooke's.

Maybe parts of my brain are still scrimbled!

[hellymedic]

Surely that's Addenbrooke's?

Yersh, Addenbrooke's.

Maybe parts of my brain are still scrimbled!

I just thought this might be a local neologism for 'Addy's'...

[ElyDave]

That would just be Addy's

[T42]

Sounds Addled.

Meanwhile, Yrs Trly seems to be suffering from whiplash and/or trapped nerve after hitting a bump on the fast downhill just before home the day before yesterday. Rib insertions to the right of the sternum hurt when I breathe deeply, trapezii hurt around shoulder blades and when I tilt my head back or turn it to the right there's a don't-do-that! pain down the side of my spine. When I sat down to breakfast this morning my whole rib cage lit up and the pain had me gagging for a few seconds - missus must've thought I was having a heart attack. It did subside and it's generally a bit better now but I'm chary of moving.

Oh, the bike has a flat front tyre and the wheel has a bit of a wiggle, nothing I can't fix.

Happy Sunday, everyone.

[hellymedic]

My Twitterfeed has just informed me that deaths from liver disease have increased by 400% since 1970.

I didn't have a clue that this was the case!

Liver disease is mostly preventable and treatable in the early stages. The commonest causes are

Alcohol
Obesity and metabolic syndrome
Infection

Many liver infections are prevented by immunisation and sanitation.

Look after your livers, people. Some liver disease is silent until well-advanced!

[Jurek]

My Twitterfeed has just informed me that deaths from liver disease have increased by 400% since 1970.

I didn't have a clue that this was the case!

Liver disease is mostly preventable and treatable in the early stages. The commonest causes are

Alcohol
Obesity and metabolic syndrome
Infection

Many liver infections are prevented by immunisation and sanitation.

Look after your livers, people. Some liver disease is silent until well-advanced!

To add to that, I remember reading somewhere that your liver could be 96% shot and you'd not necessarily notice.

[hellymedic]

My Twitterfeed has just informed me that deaths from liver disease have increased by 400% since 1970.
I didn't have a clue that this was the case!
Liver disease is mostly preventable and treatable in the early stages. The commonest causes are
Alcohol
Obesity and metabolic syndrome
Infection
Many liver infections are prevented by immunisation and sanitation.
Look after your livers, people. Some liver disease is silent until well-advanced!

To add to that, I remember reading somewhere that your liver could be 96% shot and you'd not necessarily notice.

Troodat.

Also the liver has VAST potential for regeneration so that if treatable disease is caught before DISASTER, pretty well full recovery is possible.

End-stage liver disease is really horrible and an awful way to go.

Look after your livers, folk!

[quixoticgeek]

Also the liver has VAST potential for regeneration so that if treatable disease is caught before DISASTER, pretty well full recovery is possible.

End-stage liver disease is really horrible and an awful way to go.

Look after your livers, folk!

What symptoms should people look out for, and what can we do to look after our livers? I have regular liver function tests (every 6 months), what else should I keep an eye out for ?

J

[Cudzoziemiec]

Yellowy eyes?

[quixoticgeek]

Yellowy eyes?

Isn't it a bit advanced by that stage?

I once worked in an office where the lighting in the meeting room made it look like everyone had Jaundice. Was creepy the first time.

J

[Cudzoziemiec]

Probably, but it is 96%? I don't know.

[Auntie Helen]

Funny coloured poop (very light colour).

This was my only symptom when I had liver damage following the flu four years ago.

I now have joined the Germans in their habit of inspecting your poop daily in the bowl to check its colour is reasonably normal.

[ElyDave]

Same habit here, ever since I thought I might have thyroid issues, similar symptoms, turned out to be T1D in my case. Poo colour and changes in consistency can say a lot about ones health