General Medical issues thread

[zenyattamondatta]

Agreed. Not the case here. Feels more like a strain. Wonder if I've somehow done a hamstring?

This could be fun trying to diagnose.

It may be hard to diagnose, because "feels more like a strain" doesn't really sound much like "Constant pain down the left side of the left leg even sitting down but worse when walking. Think something pushing against the nerve". The latter doesn't sound anything at all like "doing a hamstring to me". And the doctors can only really work with what you tell them, at least initially.

 

[JohnK]

It may be hard to diagnose, because "feels more like a strain" doesn't really sound much like "Constant pain down the left side of the left leg even sitting down but worse when walking. Think something pushing against the nerve". The latter doesn't sound anything at all like "doing a hamstring to me". And the doctors can only really work with what you tell them, at least initially.

Here's the difficult part. There are 2-3 types of pain there already. Arthritic, muscular and tendon/bursa. Which is which I have no idea and all can occur at once.

There is constant pain down the left side but not that bad when sitting. Mainly walking and it feels worse around the outside of the knee below the hamstring and just above the calf.

Good luck trying to sort that mess. Good luck trying to diagnose.

 

[Pushka]

Maybe it’s just a pain that will wear off in a few days. If no numbness etc it’s a pain.

 

[Milboo]

Go to a Physio.

 

[Renato1]

Chainsaws are deadly masters , all the protection in the world will be useless without comprehensive training.
addendum.. and like a drivers licence the training will just be the start.

I've never had any training, but I only carefully chainsaw small branches off trees, or trees which have fallen over, or logs which have already been cut by tree loppers. I don't know how to bring down a full tree.

The other factor is the chain, where plainly accidents can happen if the chain breaks while being used.

I always pay the local chainsaw and mower repair place $9 to sharpen each chain. One could buy a chain sharpening kit from Bunnings and do it one's self. But the guys who sharpen it in the store tell me when the chains have had it due to wear and need to be chucked out. On one occasion, because of weird wood I had been cutting (old, very hard on outside, soft inside) one new chain had had it by the time it was due for its first reshapening, whereas other chains have had up to four or so resharpenings before throwing them out.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Pushka]

I've never had any training, but I only carefully chainsaw small branches off trees, or trees which have fallen over, or logs which have already been cut by tree loppers. I don't know how to bring down a full tree.

The other factor is the chain, where plainly accidents can happen if the chain breaks while being used.

I always pay the local chainsaw and mower repair place $9 to sharpen each chain. One could buy a chain sharpening kit from Bunnings and do it one's self. But the guys who sharpen it in the store tell me when the chains have had it due to wear and need to be chucked out. On one occasion, because of weird wood I had been cutting (old, very hard on outside, soft inside) one new chain had had it by the time it was due for its first reshapening, whereas other chains have had up to four or so resharpenings before throwing them out.
Regards,
Renato

I thought you were talking about amputation with chainsaw.

Which is what I want to do with my back. I think the lack of a disc between L5 and S1 is starting to kick in after all these years. I cannot sit on a hard surface - even timber, without issues for days. I must have sat somewhere hard - just realised as I typed - a wooden bench in the market yesterday, and cannot move without the ‘grabbing’ pain that pulls me up. Can’t sit and then stand but once I walk I’m ok. Awful night last night. Going to get a remedial massage today and no sitting. Can’t bear the thought of going through the back story with a physio right now.

 

[JohnK]

Which is what I want to do with my back. I think the lack of a disc between L5 and S1 is starting to kick in after all these years.

Isn't L5-S1 one of the most common lower spine issues? Mine are fused together. No idea what that's supposed to cause but I've been in pain for over 30 years. And it's not the pain so much that's a worry as you can turn that off it's the discomfort.

 

[Pushka]

Isn't L5-S1 one of the most common lower spine issues? Mine are fused together. No idea what that's supposed to cause but I've been in pain for over 30 years. And it's not the pain so much that's a worry as you can turn that off it's the discomfort.

Yep. It is. They didn’t fuse mine as surgery was done by neurologist and they don’t seem to fuse. Orthopedics fuse. Fusion = loss of mobility but it does mean issues down the track as there is no cushion effect of the disc. Hence when I sit on hard surfaces.

Just had remedial massage. There is a nerve trigger point in the middle of the backside - if it was acupuncture they’d put a needle there but massage therapists dig their knuckle in. I could feel it in my big toe - sciatica. Jumped when she did that. But by the end I could tolerate it better and it sure frees up the area.

This time my back hurt as much as it did when I had surgery which worried me as it’s the first time in 30 years it’s been that bad. It was flaky last week but yesterday extreme. The only difference this time was that it didn’t weaken my leg.

I have our son’s Aussie Wedding Reception in a week and I was beginning to think I wouldn’t be there but in hospital. That bad.

 

[Renato1]

I thought you were talking about amputation with chainsaw.

Which is what I want to do with my back. I think the lack of a disc between L5 and S1 is starting to kick in after all these years. I cannot sit on a hard surface - even timber, without issues for days. I must have sat somewhere hard - just realised as I typed - a wooden bench in the market yesterday, and cannot move without the ‘grabbing’ pain that pulls me up. Can’t sit and then stand but once I walk I’m ok. Awful night last night. Going to get a remedial massage today and no sitting. Can’t bear the thought of going through the back story with a physio right now.

The reason for my back surgery was that one of my discs (between L4 and L5 I think) disappeared. Standing and slow walking was excruciating after two minutes. But fast walking was okay.

I suggest you get a neck cushion and sit with the spine on the clear space of the U shape. And get Targins and Lyrica.

This is the procedure I had to rectify it.

Hope you recover and feel better.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Pushka]

The reason for my back surgery was that one of my discs (between L4 and L5 I think) disappeared. Standing and slow walking was excruciating after two minutes. But fast walking was okay.

I suggest you get a neck cushion and sit with the spine on the clear space of the U shape. And get Targins and Lyrica.

This is the procedure I had to rectify it.

Hope you recover and feel better.
Regards,
Renato

Yes, I worked out that a cushion is good. My disc simply popped out and ended up in the spinal canal. It was bulging for a few weeks and then wham, out it came. Targin - I googled and I don’t do well on opiates.

 

[Antoallison]

Isn't L5-S1 one of the most common lower spine issues? Mine are fused together. No idea what that's supposed to cause but I've been in pain for over 30 years. And it's not the pain so much that's a worry as you can turn that off it's the discomfort.

Might be worth asking for a referral to a Neurosurgeon or Orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in IPG - Implantable Pulse generator for chronic long term pain patients. Works by blocking the pain signals from brain to spine, shoulder - also has been tried for intractable pain of migraines.

Very small unit that is implanted under the skin (like pacemakers used for the heart). The leads run down to area of pain. Total number of leads depends of area of pain eg back, shoulder, legs. Battery life of 10 years, you can control the pulses it sends out intermittently, if your pain level was to increase - say after a day gardening.

Private health funds are looking at their cover of these medical devices..and I bet they decrease the amount they will contribute to these very expensive units.

Most of the patients I had contact with experienced great relief from their pain (after trying all other methods such as TENS, passive exercise like water walking, pain meds including Fenantyl patches and other oral opiates, and were able to come off all or most of their pain medication.

 

[Renato1]

Yes, I worked out that a cushion is good. My disc simply popped out and ended up in the spinal canal. It was bulging for a few weeks and then wham, out it came. Targin - I googled and I don’t do well on opiates.

Targin is just slow release Endone (oxycodone), and it is your friend - far more effective than Tramadol.
Lyrica isn't a very good painkiller by itself (some say it is useless), but it makes opiates work better, so that you don't have to take as many of them.

I was on two 20ml Targins a day for two months till my operation (equivalent to eight 5mg Endones a day), and the same after the operation but with an extra six Endones a day. I stopped using them after four months total use, and switched to Tramadols, then to Iboprufens.
Life would have been miserable without those drugs.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[JohnK]

Maybe it’s just a pain that will wear off in a few days. If no numbness etc it’s a pain.

Pain won't wear off.

Here's an interesting data point. Very sore this morning and a lot of discomfort walking. I have intentionally not been taking pain killers to continue trying to tolerate pain but don't like the side effects of the medication either.

Got home ~2 hours ago and again pain when walking but at home pain in left elbow also quite severe and I'm struggling to lift and bend left arm. Pain also in right elbow. Decided to take a 5mg Prednisolone tablet and a 25mg Phenergen as I've been itchy the past few days.

Without thinking too much pain in knee is much better, pain in right elbow gone, pain in left elbow better and I'm sleepy. Inflammatory pain? Very confusing.

 

[drron]

JohnK does have a disease which causes the spine to fuse.The rheumatologist is the correct specialist.

Lyrica is for pain of neurogenic origin.It is often given though for pain where it will have no effect.But for things such as sciatica it is way better than any opiod.

 

[Pushka]

JohnK does have a disease which causes the spine to fuse.The rheumatologist is the correct specialist.

Lyrica is for pain of neurogenic origin.It is often given though for pain where it will have no effect.But for things such as sciatica it is way better than any opiod.

TA. I thought Johnk meant it was surgically fused. Seemed to be ‘de riguer’ a few years ago. I’ll check re Lyrica too! I’m just not going down the opioid route.

This is the muscle that’s doing me in currently:
piriformis

 

[JohnK]

TA. I thought Johnk meant it was surgically fused. Seemed to be ‘de riguer’ a few years ago. I’ll check re Lyrica too! I’m just not going down the opioid route.

This is the muscle that’s doing me in currently:
piriformis

I was going to reply to your post but didn't. My L5-S1 is naturally fused. Life has thrown a few surprises over the years and some of these have been diagnosed later with comments such as "oh that explains it!".

I hope daughter has not inherited these issues.

 

[Pushka]

I was going to reply to your post but didn't. My L5-S1 is naturally fused. Life has thrown a few surprises over the years and some of these have been diagnosed later with comments such as "oh that explains it!".

I hope daughter has not inherited these issues.

My rheumatologist said these things usually go through the maternal side so fingers crossed. Except. My nieces came through the paternal side (my brother). But she said that’s very unusual.

 

[JohnK]

My rheumatologist said these things usually go through the maternal side so fingers crossed. Except. My nieces came through the paternal side (my brother). But she said that’s very unusual.

That could well be right. We inherited some of these things from mum. My brother's issues have surfaced very late in life.

 

[Pushka]

That could well be right. We inherited some of these things from mum. My brother's issues have surfaced very late in life.

That’s the normal scenario. Which is very promising for your daughter. My niece has 2 children (she has lupus plus neurological issues with it and my blood clotting issue). One of her children is totally healthy. The other child just seems to have had issues since birth. Possible MND. He’s only 6.

 

[JohnK]

That’s the normal scenario. Which is very promising for your daughter. My niece has 2 children (she has lupus plus neurological issues with it and my blood clotting issue). One of her children is totally healthy. The other child just seems to have had issues since birth. Possible MND. He’s only 6.

Oh that's so sad. Sounds exactly like my my brother and me since kids. Most of my issues surfaced as a teenager.

One thing I am hoping is daughter gets into research later in life to find a cure for these diseases.