General Medical issues thread

[Flying mermaid]

Lots of info here that probably needs to go to the medical thread.....

 

[tgh]

Aaaaaaah .. I am not setting myself up in quackery good Dr. .. sensitive is as sensitive does….

I accept and agree that medicine is where the buck stops and was not seeking to advise you.
I was offering Denali a gratuitous opinion as I perceived that it might provide some enlightenment

Medicine cannot live our lives for us and we all must take personal responsibility for our health.
My broad brush opinion remains : Many low grade diabetics will achieve sufficient control with a highly disciplined diet.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Tgh it is not as simple as you think.diabetes does not affect everyone the same.Some people who are thin and active still can develope type 2 diabetes.
A spectacular example was a fellow i looked after for ~ 10 years.A history of diabetes for 25 years.I never saw a blood glucose less than 20mmol/L.He was on insulin but missed at least 50% of his doses.A very abnormal GTT but his HBa1C was never above 5.7.he still when i retired did not have 1 complication of diabetes.That was now 35 years after diagnosis.
He only came to see me by accident.his Atrial fibrillation played up whilst visiting the sunshine Coast.he lived in Townsville.he also drank at least 2 bottles of whisky a day and yes he was also on warfarin.always took the same dose of warfarin and had his INR checked 2-3 times a year only.Always was between 2.4 and 2.8.I was the first doctor to tell him there was no need to give up the grog so he continued to fly down 3 times a year for a check.

Now there is me.I have a family history of diabetes because I have haemochromatosis.Diabetes is one of the complications of this.About 6 years ago I developed a peripheral neuropathy.Sugars all normal,GTT normal,HBa1C 5.5.No other cause of neuropathy found but my nerve conduction studies suggested a pattern typical of diabetes.Now I am overweight but keep up quite reasonable exercise levels.
In the last 6 months my sugar levels just a little on the high side.HBa1C still 5.6.But despite your advice in consultation with my GP I have started Metformin.It has one good side effect-i have lost 2 Kg despite being on a cruise.

always outliers - the whiskey man probably smokes 3 packs a day and will live to 100 with all his faculties intact....

 

[scubabe]

So I haven’t posted in here for a few months. Some may remember that my fiancé was diagnosed with cancer a couple of months ago. Life has been a massive roundabout of hospital visits and oncology appointments since then.

He had a sentinel lymph node biopsy back in November, and just before Xmas we found out there was some melanoma found in his lymph nodes. Not much, but some. He was officially stage 3c then.

He went for a PET scan and we started immunotherapy in the meantime. We got the PET results back and he has some spots in his lungs

They’re changing his treatment reigime and upping the dose. So far he’s reacted really well to the immunotherapy with only a few digestive issues and some occasional joint pain which is fabulous! Long may that continue.

In other news we’ve finally booked our engagement party (we were waiting until we had both a treatment plan in place, and a couple of months of treatment under his belt so we knew if he was having side effects) which I’m super excited about. And we’ve also decided to hell with saving all the points I’ve collected over the years, and we’ve just booked a luxury holiday to Thailand complete with private villa in a 5* beach resort, a gorgeous suite in a Marriott in BKK, a couple of nights in SIN, and first class flights (our first time! So excited!!!). You can’t take your points with you when you go, so we may as well enjoy them huh?

 

[love_the_life]

So I haven’t posted in here for a few months. Some may remember that my fiancé was diagnosed with cancer a couple of months ago. Life has been a massive roundabout of hospital visits and oncology appointments since then.

He had a sentinel lymph node biopsy back in November, and just before Xmas we found out there was some melanoma found in his lymph nodes. Not much, but some. He was officially stage 3c then.

He went for a PET scan and we started immunotherapy in the meantime. We got the PET results back and he has some spots in his lungs

They’re changing his treatment reigime and upping the dose. So far he’s reacted really well to the immunotherapy with only a few digestive issues and some occasional joint pain which is fabulous! Long may that continue.

In other news we’ve finally booked our engagement party (we were waiting until we had both a treatment plan in place, and a couple of months of treatment under his belt so we knew if he was having side effects) which I’m super excited about. And we’ve also decided to hell with saving all the points I’ve collected over the years, and we’ve just booked a luxury holiday to Thailand complete with private villa in a 5* beach resort, a gorgeous suite in a Marriott in BKK, a couple of nights in SIN, and first class flights (our first time! So excited!!!). You can’t take your points with you when you go, so we may as well enjoy them huh?

Pleased to hear things seem to be going OK for you both at present and that he is reacting well to the treatments, Agree with using the points; as you don't know what the future holds use them while you are both able to enjoy what they can buy.
Congratulations on booking your engagement party as well. Hope it's a great time for everyone.

 

[drron]

For a sec I thought the post was going to be about something else!



Really? No one ever told me that!!!

Really!One of the old names was Bronzed diabetes.
I annoyed the heck out of mrsdrron before I was diagnosed.She would try and get a tan without much success.I would go out one day.get sunburnt.The next day dark brown.

 

[Denali]

.... Now there is me.I have a family history of diabetes because I have haemochromatosis.Diabetes is one of the complications of this...../

Thank you for sharing this.

 

[drron]

Hot of the press.Largest study of Autism and MMR vaccine finds no linkage of the vaccine to autism.
Measles, Mumps, Rubella Vaccination and Autism | Annals of Internal Medicine | American College of Physicians

 

[JohnK]

I have type 2 diabetes. I'm on diaformin on a dose of 2 x 500mg per day. I probably should be on the 1000mg sustained release but I'm tight and prefer the 100 tablets for $6 instead. I take both in the morning as I'm too lazy to try and remember. I haven't taken them since moving apartments as I don't know where they are.

Insulin and blood sugar levels under control. I will more than likely take them for life. Not a big deal and I don't add this to one of my many failures in life.

This really belongs in medical thread.

 

[k_sheep]

A history of diabetes for 25 years.I never saw a blood glucose less than 20mmol/L.He was on insulin but missed at least 50% of his doses.A very abnormal GTT but his HBa1C was never above 5.7.

Very much sounds like he has an underlying haemoglobinopathy which causes a spurious decrease in the HbA1c. Consider testing fructosamine (not susceptible to haemoglobinopathies) next time. Mind you it doesn't sound like things will change based on numbers anyway.

*hugs* to scubabe, hopefully your hubby will respond as well as rodgerkambah to chemo / immunotherapy.

 

[drron]

Very much sounds like he has an underlying haemoglobinopathy which causes a spurious decrease in the HbA1c. Consider testing fructosamine (not susceptible to haemoglobinopathies) next time. Mind you it doesn't sound like things will change based on numbers anyway.

*hugs* to scubabe, hopefully your hubby will respond as well as rodgerkambah to chemo / immunotherapy.

Well I discussed his case with many endocrinologists and those tests done.nothing else came back.basically the opinion in the end was -he's just an outlier.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Battles with cholesterol

So I started from here in early 2016

Total 7.5
Trig. 0.8
HDL. 2.5
LDL. 4.6
Non HDL. 5

adjusted diet, upped exercise etc

This time last year.
Total. 6.6
Trig 0.9
HDL 2
LDL. 4.2
Non HDL 4.6

This year

Total. 6
Trig 0.79
HDL. 2.4
LDL 3.2
Non HDL 3.6

So a huge improvement and I am not quite sure why the big drop in the last year, apart from maybe starting a B12 supplement.

However my new lovely GP still wanted to put me on Statins, for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately she was a bit sneaky and instead of ordering me, she listened to my concerns about side effects and agreed that she did see them in her practice, but how would I know whether I experienced side effects until I tried. Being a very logical person, I couldn’t argue with that and agreed to try. Started on Crestor 5mg.

My biggest concern had been mental confusion and I don’t think I experienced that, although hard to say as I didn’t sleep for a week, I was in so much pain. About a day after starting, all my joints started aching until I felt every bone in my body was protesting. I stuck it out for 10 days hoping I would become accustomed to the medication and then I gave it the boot.

After 2 days I feel a lot better, although fingers, wrists and shoulders are still slightly aching.

I have upped exercise (dear it’s boring) and will persevere in getting it down further, although I really didn’t think it looked that bad......Not inclined to try a different Statin.

 

[k_sheep]

Well I discussed his case with many endocrinologists and those tests done.nothing else came back.basically the opinion in the end was -he's just an outlier.

Damn patients. Why don't they ever read the textbooks

 

[scubabe]

@drron i have haemochromotosis too! And lucky me, it gave me diabetes!!

I’ve just signed up for a medical trial for synthetic hepcidin which sounds really interesting. I’ve had an intake interview and 10 gazillion tests and scans, and just waiting now to see whether I’m the right kind of rusty person they’re after (I think they need min or max sf or tsat or something levels to qualify).

Funniest part is, I have the double gene for HH and when I broke the news to my birth parents (who I’m very low contact with) my father swore black and blue that he couldn’t have possibly given me the “dirty gene” (!!!), and I had to have inherited both halves from my mother. Yeah, DNA doesn’t work that way! LOL

I recently found out that I also have Factor V Leiden and I’m wondering if there’s any link between the two. Haven’t been to see my specialist in a while but must ask him!

 

[drron]

Yes scubabe both my parents were convinced they were not to blame.my reply was that if you both didn't give me the gene i must have been adopted!A bit hard though as my sister has it too.
I was lucky as I had been a blood donor-75 donations-before I was diagnosed with HH.As soon as diagnosed they wouldn't accept my blood any more-1990s.
My pathologist though used it sometimes for INR comparisons but most went to fertilise his roses.

 

[Pushka]

Battles with cholesterol

So I started from here in early 2016

Total 7.5
Trig. 0.8
HDL. 2.5
LDL. 4.6
Non HDL. 5

adjusted diet, upped exercise etc

This time last year.
Total. 6.6
Trig 0.9
HDL 2
LDL. 4.2
Non HDL 4.6

This year

Total. 6
Trig 0.79
HDL. 2.4
LDL 3.2
Non HDL 3.6

So a huge improvement and I am not quite sure why the big drop in the last year, apart from maybe starting a B12 supplement.

However my new lovely GP still wanted to put me on Statins, for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately she was a bit sneaky and instead of ordering me, she listened to my concerns about side effects and agreed that she did see them in her practice, but how would I know whether I experienced side effects until I tried. Being a very logical person, I couldn’t argue with that and agreed to try. Started on Crestor 5mg.

My biggest concern had been mental confusion and I don’t think I experienced that, although hard to say as I didn’t sleep for a week, I was in so much pain. About a day after starting, all my joints started aching until I felt every bone in my body was protesting. I stuck it out for 10 days hoping I would become accustomed to the medication and then I gave it the boot.

After 2 days I feel a lot better, although fingers, wrists and shoulders are still slightly aching.

I have upped exercise (dear it’s boring) and will persevere in getting it down further, although I really didn’t think it looked that bad......Not inclined to try a different Statin.

Do you have any other medical issues that contibute to the risk issue other than cholesterol? High BP? Greatly overweight? My SIL is the same. All she has is high cholesterol. She refuses to go on statins because she has seen the same mental confusion issues as you. Her BP is low. She’s active and slim. No other risk issues = no statins from GP.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Do you have any other medical issues that contibute to the risk issue other than cholesterol? High BP? Greatly overweight? My SIL is the same. All she has is high cholesterol. She refuses to go on statins because she has seen the same mental confusion issues as you. Her BP is low. She’s active and slim. No other risk issues = no statins from GP.

unfortunately high blood pressure, although it is well controlled with Amlodipine. I take 5mg and that generally keeps my blood pressure around 120/80, sometimes less. I am absolutely not as slim as I was in my 30s, but a BMI of 24 and a good waist measurement.

 

[Pushka]

unfortunately high blood pressure, although it is well controlled with Amlodipine. I take 5mg and that generally keeps my blood pressure around 120/80, sometimes less. I am absolutely not as slim as I was in my 30s, but a BMI of 24 and a good waist measurement.

I’d just keep up the exercise and monitor.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I’d just keep up the exercise and monitor.

Yes I think so - I was really happy with that last result and hopefully can get it down a bit more - I have a real incentive now

 

[Flashback]

@drron i have haemochromotosis too! And lucky me, it gave me diabetes!!

I’ve just signed up for a medical trial for synthetic hepcidin which sounds really interesting. I’ve had an intake interview and 10 gazillion tests and scans, and just waiting now to see whether I’m the right kind of rusty person they’re after (I think they need min or max sf or tsat or something levels to qualify).

Funniest part is, I have the double gene for HH and when I broke the news to my birth parents (who I’m very low contact with) my father swore black and blue that he couldn’t have possibly given me the “dirty gene” (!!!), and I had to have inherited both halves from my mother. Yeah, DNA doesn’t work that way! LOL

I recently found out that I also have Factor V Leiden and I’m wondering if there’s any link between the two. Haven’t been to see my specialist in a while but must ask him!

A lot of my family has Factor V Leiden, I've been tested though and managed to bypass that one....