The health and fitness thread about random things

[cycleman]

Ambulance paramedics turned up 2 hours after the bleeding had  stopped. I was advised that as it was only 2 days after the first bleed I had probably knocked the scab somehow. Also I should avoid  hot  drinks and chilled drinks.
I  will speak to a doctor tomorrow if I can. 

[cycleman]

Was given blood test on Tues and the results this morning by text informing me that l have low iron. So I went to the chemist and bought some iron tablets..I  haven't had a bleed for a while and hope that these tablets will stop them completely 😐

[Kim]

The iron will be for replacing the haemoglobin you've lost from the bleeding (or it could be that it was low anyway - I can't imagine a couple of decent nosebleeds would make that much difference, unless you went the full Torslanda).  Think breathlessness, fatigue, that sort of thing.  I don't think iron level affects clotting per se?

[cycleman]

Ah,very interesting. Thanks Kim 

[rafletcher]

Well, today was my first time back in a gym for about 5 years, and my first meaningful exercise since my last recorded ride in June 202z (before it got too hot and I lost my mojo). Took it easy, I think, an hour of mainly cardio though the 10 minutes on the rower left me with wobbly legs!  Nice and quiet on a Sunday lunchtime, as it was when I joined on Friday lunch. Tues after work will be much busier, but I’ll wrap up warm and do some core work in the covered terrace.

ETA Fortunately it wasn't nearly as busy as I expected from previous times, which was just as well as it was a bit parky to be outside. Beaking myself in gently, but still surprised that my core isn't sore today - perhaps I'm not doing it right!

[Wowbagger]

Who on earth thinks up the names for ointments?

I have just applied Efudix to my face.

[orienteer]

Anusol; guess where to be applied

[Kim]

Who on earth thinks up the names for ointments?

I assume the usual pharmacological naming scheme applies, whereby a scientific name is established through the usual random combination of historical reasons, cod-Latin and organic chemistry, and the first company to market it comes up with a catchy trade name based on that.  Subsequent brands might come up with something based on what it's used for, but the scrabble for increasingly tenuous names eventually reaches the point where they're just pulling random tiles out of the bottom of the bag and going with that.

[Regulator]

Anusol; guess where to be applied

It was originally AnuSol when it was created in the US.  It became Anusol for the UK and Europe when it was introduced into the UK in the 1930s.  It's now known as 'Tucks' in the US (dreads to think of the derivation for that name).

[matthew]

I've been noticing what I would describe as eye strain headaches each afternoon for the last few weeks, typically from mid afternoon onwards a developing headache towards the front of my head and a feeling of pressure around my right eye. By knocking off time my head has been really ringing.

So I went to the optician on Friday expecting the prescription of my glasses to have changed. But no, at most a 0.25 dioptre change in the astigmatism and nothing significant. Just advice to rest my eyes from the screens at work at regular intervals and if problems persist to see the GP. I guess I give it another week or so and see if the site day mid week is different before trying to get a GP appointment.

[chrisbainbridge]

Are you beginning to develop presbyopia? Or do you use varifocals?

Many people using computer screens benefit from glasses specifically set up so your neck is in neutral position and eyes relaxed when focusing on the screen.
Obvious really to audax cyclists. We know that the wrong bike fit does not work for a 10 hour ride.
Most prescriptions and glasses are set either for long distance or reading. Computer use is neither and quite specific.

I need to use a computer screen and examine a patients hands, arms and neck for my clinic glasses. I told the optician the distance range I wanted comfortable easy viewing and she did the rest. I can barely see properly in focus to the door and dare not wear them to go downstairs.
Perhaps worth measuring your distances, monitor heights and get someone to take a side on photo at work. Then return to the optician and perhaps a physio.

[hellymedic]

I would agree with chrisbainbridge.

Partner has single vision ‘intermediate’ spectacles optimised for 75cm eye to screen/keyboard (we measured!) distance.

These are MUCH cheaper than varifocals and mean there is rather more vertical pitch in sharp focus than you have with varifocals.

[L CC]

I run 2 pairs of glasses - my ordinary ones are known as my listening glasses at work because if I'm having a conversation across the room I change out of the computer glasses to my real glasses to hear properly.
If I leave the computer glasses at work I have to wear ready readers on top of my usual specs to do anything on a PC. This isn't great, especially for Zoom calls.

[T42]

Same here: computer glasses w. comfy focus from ~45cm to arm's length, distance glasses for normal use and nothing at all for reading. Tried varifocals 30-odd years ago when I couldn't accommodate enough to do woodwork with my distance glasses on, but they made me seasick to I took them back and got the computer glasses.

Nowadays I could use the latter for woodwork but I just swap distances glasses for plain eye protectors in the workshop because I don't care to schlepp an extra pair of glogs about.

[Philip D]

Strong agree, having a pair of glasses honed in for the right distance that you have your screens at is worth it.

There is another option. I have "varifocal" contact lenses. I once asked my optician if there was such a thing as varifocal contact lenses and he said no...but you can have different prescriptions in both eyes. The left eye is optimised for VDU use and the right eye for long distance. The brain then "picks the appropriate one" as necessary. It really works.

[T42]

There is another option. I have "varifocal" contact lenses. I once asked my optician if there was such a thing as varifocal contact lenses and he said no...but you can have different prescriptions in both eyes. The left eye is optimised for VDU use and the right eye for long distance. The brain then "picks the appropriate one" as necessary. It really works.

Interesting. Implies that when I had my cataracts done I might have had the new lenses in different focal lengths...  You'd have to have perfect vitreous humour in both eyes, though; once one of them has detached, as they can with age, it might not be such a great solution.

[Flite]

The brain then "picks the appropriate one" as necessary. It really works.

I know quite a lot of folks who use one near and one distance contact lens successfully.
Mostly orienteers who use one eye on the map in their hand and one on the terrain.
I tried this, but it just didn't work for me - my brain could not make the world look right and I kept falling over.
It was an expensive failure.

[rafletcher]

The brain then "picks the appropriate one" as necessary. It really works.

I know quite a lot of folks who use one near and one distance contact lens successfully.
Mostly orienteers who use one eye on the map in their hand and one on the terrain.
I tried this, but it just didn't work for me - my brain could not make the world look right and I kept falling over.
It was an expensive failure.

Indeed, neither multi-focal contacts (they aren’t varifocal) nor mono-vision (one near, one far) worked for me even though I went to a contacts only practice.  Luckily they were free trial lenses, so  “just” cost me lost wages (contractor) and train fares to Brum.

[SteveC]

I once asked my optician if there was such a thing as varifocal contact lenses and he said no...but you can have different prescriptions in both eyes.

I don't know when you had this conversation, but you can now get varifocal contacts. I have used two different sorts. The first when I was still trying to wear contacts all the time. They were not much cop and I had to use reading glasses as well for the computers which rather missed the point. I asked again a few years later, when my contact use case had changed, and was offered a newer style. These weren't too bad, although I only really used them when re-enacting (modern glasses do not mix well with the English Civil War). I was told at one point that they were just about legal for driving and I'd already found that I really didn't like driving any distance at all in them. I cannot have the one eye for close work and one for distance solution as my eyes are too different.
What I now use, again only for re-enacting, are single vision lenses, but which compensate for my astigmatism, which the multi-focal ones did not. I have some period correct reading glasses if I really need them.
Apparently it is possible to get multi-focal lenses which will correct astigmatism as well, but not as daily disposables. As I only wear them a dozen or so times a year, the monthly ones get very expensive per wear.

[ian]

I think varifocal contacts are actually the same thing as multifocal, though I am willing to be corrected. I have monthlies. I won't say they're great compared to glasses, but good enough for out-and-about stuff.

[Philip D]

I don't know when you had this conversation, but you can now get varifocal contacts.

It was about 3 years ago. The near-and-far setup works well for me, interesting that there are other options. The only problem is I can't do super-close-up work, like looking inside a shifter to see what's broken (don't ask). Have to take the contacts out for that.

[mrcharly-YHT]

This bloody shoulder is really getting me down. Had real fit of black dog syndrome this week, found myself sitting in my office chair for hours yesterday, just couldn't get up and do anything.

I've been doing some self-guided physio, and concerned that may be making it worse.

Still waiting on hospital appointment.

[barakta]

May be worth phoning hospital to get timescale and express interest in short notice cancellations.

Any chance to see a private physio for interim advice? Shoulders are notoriously difficult joints and there's no good resting position.

Do painkillers work at all? Heat/Cold packs? That's my management strategy for my "condemned" shoulder cos I won't let them fuse the joint (cos it'll fuck my spine).

Much sympathy, shoulder pain is shit (and for me worse in the cold).

[mrcharly-YHT]

I have phoned hospital. They estimate another month waiting list.
The private physio around here has a 6-month waiting list, and she wouldn't be able to see my x-rays and scans.

I'm taking painkillers before going to bed so I can sleep. That usually lasts me until about 5:00. A.m.

[Regulator]

Where are you based?