General Medical issues thread

[Pushka]

And all good for another 12 months! Now there’s two other tests I should cross off for NY resolutions.

 

[JohnK]

JohnK, I think self-diagnosis via "the internet" is not an exact science

Off course it's not which is why I said my issue is definitely not carpal tunnel syndrome as that is what is suggested on Google.

It's not just the thumb that's numb. Fingers can get numb as well. In fact the whole hand hand gets numb. It did again overnight and this morning and still feel a tingling sensation now. Knowing what is wrong could take a long time so Google can give some suggestions.

Also I am experiencing extreme random pain my left tibialis anterior. It can get swollen quite badly more noticeable the past 3-4 weeks. Yes I can run off to the physio to get another set of exercises I'm not likely to follow or I can check Google and try to find an explanation and a way forward. And don't confuse this with the right Achilles heel pain.

The whole mess is a giant headache. @Quickstatus what are the chances of a refund on this body?

 

[cove]

I had my heart operation in 1994 when my youngest was 2. Since the bypass operation I have listened to my cardiologists and received copies of my blood tests to see I am tracking ok. My youngest son has recently turned 27. I exercise about 10 hours a week with one day off. In 2019 I want to experience looser clothes due to weight loss continuing. I hope to make it easier for my heart to function as I get older.
Now I am in the group 65 to 79 so I was able to get the northern hemisphere flu shot at Boots in Canary Wharf London and the latest shingles shots at Ralph’s pharmac_ in Los Angeles.

 

[Pushka]

I’ve found that fasting has worked for me plus incidental exercise from renovating the house. Now I’m just used to not eating much. I generally only have one meal a day, at dinner time, and only have lunch if I actually feel hungry. I drink plenty during the day but not soft drinks. I have a couple of drinks at night. I’ve usually skipped breakfast so that was never hard for me. Lost five kilos over a few months and I wasn’t overweight to start with. Have dropped 1.5 dress sizes and even my feet can fit into a half size smaller shoe.

 

[love_the_life]

I’ve found that fasting has worked for me plus incidental exercise from renovating the house. Now I’m just used to not eating much. I generally only have one meal a day, at dinner time, and only have lunch if I actually feel hungry. I drink plenty during the day but not soft drinks. I have a couple of drinks at night. I’ve usually skipped breakfast so that was never hard for me. Lost five kilos over a few months and I wasn’t overweight to start with. Have dropped 1.5 dress sizes and even my feet can fit into a half size smaller shoe.

Impressive.

 

[love_the_life]

Was just speaking to a friend and her companion (friend who lives in the house with her) has just been told he has secondary tumours on the liver. Looking to see where the primary is. One of his symptoms was weight loss - 19 kg in 3 months - but the doctor didn't pick up on it. He was supposed to have an endoscopy and colonoscopy in a couple of weeks to see what they could find. But, became ill over the past couple of days and went to hospital last night. The poor bloke hadn't even considered the possibility of cancer and is in shock as he was told today that there will be no cure. Friend is pretty devastated as well.

 

[Pushka]

Was just speaking to a friend and her companion (friend who lives in the house with her) has just been told he has secondary tumours on the liver. Looking to see where the primary is. One of his symptoms was weight loss - 19 kg in 3 months - but the doctor didn't pick up on it. He was supposed to have an endoscopy and colonoscopy in a couple of weeks to see what they could find. But, became ill over the past couple of days and went to hospital last night. The poor bloke hadn't even considered the possibility of cancer and is in shock as he was told today that there will be no cure. Friend is pretty devastated as well.

Trying to find the primary can be difficult. Weight loss like this without trying is a very significant alarm bell.

 

[love_the_life]

Trying to find the primary can be difficult. Weight loss like this without trying is a very significant alarm bell.

Agree but his doctor didn't see it as important. He needed to be prodded to even send him to a gastroenterologist, who also did not seem to see any urgency. Problem is that the chap is not well versed in the health system and also doesn't have private insurance.

 

[Pushka]

Agree but his doctor didn't see it as important. He needed to be prodded to even send him to a gastroenterologist, who also did not seem to see any urgency. Problem is that the chap is not well versed in the health system and also doesn't have private insurance.

That’s unfortunate he has possibly slipped through the cracks.

 

[suze2000]

One of his symptoms was weight loss - 19 kg in 3 months - but the doctor didn't pick up on it.

One of the horror stories that still makes me livid is that of a friend's mother - who went to her GP a couple of times complaining of generalised abdominal pain and was congratulated on her (very significant) weight loss (I'm talking 30kg) and basically pooh-poohed when she expressed concern that she wasn't dieting. Pancreatic cancer, which by the time she was finally diagnosed was about 8 months of suffering before she died.

ANY unexplained weight loss should send a person straight to the doctor.

 

[Quickstatus]

Off course it's not which is why I said my issue is definitely not carpal tunnel syndrome as that is what is suggested on Google.

It's not just the thumb that's numb. Fingers can get numb as well. In fact the whole hand hand gets numb. It did again overnight and this morning and still feel a tingling sensation now. Knowing what is wrong could take a long time so Google can give some suggestions.

Also I am experiencing extreme random pain my left tibialis anterior. It can get swollen quite badly more noticeable the past 3-4 weeks. Yes I can run off to the physio to get another set of exercises I'm not likely to follow or I can check Google and try to find an explanation and a way forward. And don't confuse this with the right Achilles heel pain.

The whole mess is a giant headache. @Quickstatus what are the chances of a refund on this body?

It’s probably not worth the refund amount

Have you tried the Mayo Clinic’s Symptom Checker?

 

[Quickstatus]

Agree but his doctor didn't see it as important. He needed to be prodded to even send him to a gastroenterologist, who also did not seem to see any urgency. Problem is that the chap is not well versed in the health system and also doesn't have private insurance.

PI got nothing to do with seeing Specialists outside of Hospital. That’s why we got Medicare...

 

[Quickstatus]

There's a huge number of people that believe we have Lyme disease in Australia and many of the medical profession deny it so some people get medication for treating it from the US and they say it helps. The jury is still out.

I'm still not allowed to give blood because I lived in the UK for more than six months in the 80s and am potentially a mad cow

Problem with Lyme is that it’s difficult to diagnose requiring antibody tests which may or may not show up, and also biopsy of the characteristic rash looking for the DNA of the bacteria. Apart from the rash the symptoms are very non specific - leading some to say they have Lyme without having positive corroborating test evidence. Most have “Lyme-like” illness which is not the same as Lyme”

Should never say “never” in medicine. Keep an open mind I say

...
What happened to the RSI can of worms?

 

[Pushka]

One of the horror stories that still makes me livid is that of a friend's mother - who went to her GP a couple of times complaining of generalised abdominal pain and was congratulated on her (very significant) weight loss (I'm talking 30kg) and basically pooh-poohed when she expressed concern that she wasn't dieting. Pancreatic cancer, which by the time she was finally diagnosed was about 8 months of suffering before she died.

ANY unexplained weight loss should send a person straight to the doctor.

When I mentioned to my specialist that I’d lost weight her first question was “was the weight loss intentional or did it just happen?”

 

[Hvr]

People sometimes forget that the doctor/patient relationship is a two way street.

If you're not comfortable raising health issues or the doctor isn't answering your queries to your satisfaction then move on.

I've done this a couple of times and felt much better than if I'd stayed with the original medical professional.

When seeing a Dr for the first time I also set out my expectations so they know what I'm looking for in professional care and we can both determine if it suitable for us.

Remember your life literally depends on an open and honest relationship with your medical professional.

 

[Quickstatus]

“was the weight loss intentional or did it just happen?”

Sometimes not mutually exclusive

 

[Pushka]

Sometimes not mutually exclusive

True but at least she didn’t assume anything or congratulate me, not that weight was much of an issue in the first place.

 

[love_the_life]

PI got nothing to do with seeing Specialists outside of Hospital. That’s why we got Medicare...

True but we have found that some doctors are inclined to be more proactive if they know you have insurance. Not always the case but...

 

[Quickstatus]

True but we have found that some doctors are inclined to be more proactive if they know you have insurance. Not always the case but...

Easier to get things done in private hospital - if the problem is suited to these places.

However complex problems are still better sorted out in a tertiary public hospital whether private or public. From a technically medical point of view, the big teaching public hospitals are where the best Drs and nurses are. I have mates who routinely send complex private patients to the big public hospitals.

 

[JohnK]

It’s probably not worth the refund amount

Have you tried the Mayo Clinic’s Symptom Checker?

Haven't tried the symptom checker. I'm not sure that it will accurately reveal anything meaningful in someone suffering from severe inflammation. Today it's the elbow, tomorrow it's the hip, the next day it's the knee then the shin and so on.