General Medical issues thread

[wandering_fred]

Muscle pain from Crestor eliminated it quickly as a treatment. Marginal cholesterol ratio maintained for many years with fish oil, CoQ10 and exercise kept the GP at bay. Ezetrol with 10mg atorvastatin produced ratio and levels which made the GP very happy. Me less so as the muscle pain returned occasionally (re:exercise). Reducing the statin to 5mg kept the ratio acceptable though overall slightly higher levels. Due for a level check in a few months, so we will see.
Cataract surgery was one of the better efforts of the medical profession. One eye only as the other corrects extremely well. The problem eye now only requires astigmatism correction.

Just wandering
Fred

 

[Flying mermaid]

Saw my cardiologist last week and had an echo first and then discussed that and the 7 day Holter. Basically he was entirely happy and I don’t need to see him again. Two valves had a slight backflow, but he felt it would be a long time before it caused a problem, given I am in my late 60s and it is very minor. Some prebeats and some runs of rapid beats, but all very regular so he had no issues with any of it. No signs of clogged arteries.

Next cab off the rank is the Neurologist next week.

 

[Pushka]

Anyone having issues taking Crestor for cholesterol?
My medication was changed to a high dose of Crestor a year or so ago. I have been on a bumpy road and noticed difficulty conversing which I put down to some of the issues I am having. Not remembering words, stopping mid sentence as I know what I am about to say but cannot recalll the bit that joins the end of the sentence to the beginning. After someone on this thread mentioned Crestor this week I looked up the side effects and there it is, potential memory loss. Anyone else experiencing this?

I don’t know which cholesterol reduction drug it was, but my mum’s mental acuity deteriorated quickly after a stroke. Now, you might say it was a side effect of the stroke but she recovered from her first one quickly then went downhill again a few weeks later. My SIL dislikes cholesterol treatments and asked why she was on them as her cholesterol was low. The Hospital was the one who put her on them as a preventive measure. Her GP was happy to stop them. And she sharpened up a lot afterwards.

 

[Pushka]

I didn't know you could have surgery for an incompetent sphincter. I've had a problem with that since my 20s and it's really annoying and combined with now having Crohn's I worry about the long term effects on my oesophogus. I might ask next time I see my gastro.

The neighbour has had the issue for years and even on high strength somac the specialist is worried about side effects from such a high dose. So it’s all individually based.

 

[Flashback]

I don’t know which cholesterol reduction drug it was, but my mum’s mental acuity deteriorated quickly after a stroke. Now, you might say it was a side effect of the stroke but she recovered from her first one quickly then went downhill again a few weeks later. My SIL dislikes cholesterol treatments and asked why she was on them as her cholesterol was low. The Hospital was the one who put her on them as a preventive measure. Her GP was happy to stop them. And she sharpened up a lot afterwards.

Mrs Flashback has been suffering this since her stroke too and just happens to be on these kind of tablets also "as a precautionary measure". Interesting, might have to look into that too.

 

[Flying mermaid]

My GP told me that the protocol once you had a stroke was to keep your LDL under 1.8, so what was an acceptable LDL before was suddenly way too high. That’s how she talked me into Crestor because I was kind of shocked to hear I had had a stroke and she basically scared me into it.

 

[love_the_life]

The dilation doesn’t fix the root problem. The Oesophagus can narrow over time and if you don’t have any muscles and a narrow Oesophagus to start with it causes major problem. The Dilatation just hacks away some of the build up, but the original problem is still there. However it does mean Mr FM stops choking on things when he eats. His last one was in 2007, so he is well overdue for another, but he is avoiding it.

My mother has an oesophageal web but unfortunately it can't be dilated. It means she has to be very careful with what she can eat - meat is problematic unless finely minced for example. She has just started receiving meals on wheels 3 days a week and these are a 'special'' so that each part is vitamised for her.

 

[Flying mermaid]

My mother has an oesophageal web but unfortunately it can't be dilated. It means she has to be very careful with what she can eat - meat is problematic unless finely minced for example. She has just started receiving meals on wheels 3 days a week and these are a 'special'' so that each part is vitamised for her.

Yes I would imagine meat would be a problem. Chicken is Mr FM’s worst, he avoids eating it out or on planes where he might be distracted and not chew it enough.

 

[love_the_life]

Yes I would imagine meat would be a problem. Chicken is Mr FM’s worst, he avoids eating it out or on planes where he might be distracted and not chew it enough.

She manages pretty well - uses AdVital for extra nutrition. It is also a bit hard as she had a skin cancer removed from her lip some years ago (sent a photo to us - 75 outside stitches). As a result the nerves in the lip are damaged so she has difficulty with liquids and has to use a straw for drinks, including tea. She doesn't complain though.

 

[Flying mermaid]

She manages pretty well - uses AdVital for extra nutrition. It is also a bit hard as she had a skin cancer removed from her lip some years ago (sent a photo to us - 75 outside stitches). As a result the nerves in the lip are damaged so she has difficulty with liquids and has to use a straw for drinks, including tea. She doesn't complain though.

That’s amazing - I am sure I would be whining non stop about how hard my life was.

 

[rogerkambah]

@rogerkambah I had one done long and the other short and mine are fine and that was about 5 years ago. I think some people get starbursts no matter what they have done.

The starbursts i experience atm are, I think, an effect produced by the cataracts disrupting the light entering the eyes, exacerbated by wearing glasses.
My licence unfortunately has a condition that I have to wear prescription lenses.

 

[cove]

I carry Somac in my business bag for the just in case reflux. To avoid reflux I tend to eat earlier and avoid rich desserts close to bed time. I would tend to need to take one if I am drinking champagne and eating a naughty dessert. Now that may happen quite infrequently but it is good to be prepared.
One of my travel friends has to use a tablet every evening to stop reflux.

 

[JohnK]

my root canal gave me an amazing amount of trouble - I think he did a very good job but time will tell. My dentist keeps on clucking about how long crowns last, but I tell him they will probably outlast me. He has finally moved to getting a fancy machine that does the measurements for the crown ($50,000 is the cost of the machine - he is very proud of it), but he still gets the crown done by a technician as he says they do a better job.

I had a root canal around 25 years ago. Never again. Not happy with the job the dentist did and in conjunction with adrenalin triggering anxiety attacks I stopped going to dentist for over 10 years which was not a good idea.

The root canal had developed an infection around 6-7 years later up near the nose for which I had a procedure in hospital to rectify and now the tooth is broken and continues to break. Not much left.

I have 3 teeth missing. Dentist has said I need implants/crowns but for the time being I'm not interested.

 

[Pushka]

I carry Somac in my business bag for the just in case reflux. To avoid reflux I tend to eat earlier and avoid rich desserts close to bed time. I would tend to need to take one if I am drinking champagne and eating a naughty dessert. Now that may happen quite infrequently but it is good to be prepared.
One of my travel friends has to use a tablet every evening to stop reflux.

I take one every night. My neighbour takes two in the morning and two at night. Not sure of the strength. Maybe they are smaller doses. I know when I don’t take one.

I had a root canal around 25 years ago. Never again. Not happy with the job the dentist did and in conjunction with adrenalin triggering anxiety attacks I stopped going to dentist for over 10 years which was not a good idea.

The root canal had developed an infection around 6-7 years later up near the nose for which I had a procedure in hospital to rectify and now the tooth is broken and continues to break. Not much left.

I have 3 teeth missing. Dentist has said I need implants/crowns but for the time being I'm not interested.

Whether or not you need to replace them totally depends on where they are.

 

[ellen10]

I have a hiatal hernia and an ulcerated esophagus. I take 1 Somac tablet per day and am quite careful of foods that I know give me bad heartburn and reflux. And yes, as @blackcat20 mentioned anxiety does affect it which I hadn't really thought about before. I am trying to loose some weight and improve my fitness to help with symptoms.
Very interesting reading about other peoples experiences and medications.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I had a root canal around 25 years ago. Never again. Not happy with the job the dentist did and in conjunction with adrenalin triggering anxiety attacks I stopped going to dentist for over 10 years which was not a good idea.

The root canal had developed an infection around 6-7 years later up near the nose for which I had a procedure in hospital to rectify and now the tooth is broken and continues to break. Not much left.

I have 3 teeth missing. Dentist has said I need implants/crowns but for the time being I'm not interested.

I am glad you are seeing a dentist now - problems with teeth can flow onto all sorts of other health issues, as you have found. Even things like a brain abscess is a possibility.

I go to the hygienist twice a year and my dentist pops in for a chat. My teeth are holding up really well now and I haven’t had much actual dental work. I have a lot of old metal fillings and these are terrible as they put pressure on the teeth and cause cracks. About 5 years ago I got him to go through my teeth and put crowns on any that looked like they might break. I think I had 3 or 4 done and since then teeth have been behaving themselves, apart from the root canal tooth which had been a problem tooth for many years.

 

[blackcat20]

I have a hiatal hernia and an ulcerated esophagus. I take 1 Somac tablet per day and am quite careful of foods that I know give me bad heartburn and reflux. And yes, as @blackcat20 mentioned anxiety does affect it which I hadn't really thought about before. I am trying to loose some weight and improve my fitness to help with symptoms.
Very interesting reading about other peoples experiences and medications.

It took me a while to connect the stomach aches with visits to my grandmas....as terrible as that sounds, she was quite stressful.

 

[ellen10]

It took me a while to connect the stomach aches with visits to my grandmas....as terrible as that sounds, she was quite stressful.

Yes my young son (he is now a grown man), had the same stomach problems when he visited his grandmother (my husbands mother). My stress from her manifested in bad skin rashes. Its amazing that people can have such effects on ones health.

 

[cove]

One of our girlfriends has been diagnosed with shingles despite having the vaccination in Australia about 4 years ago. Currently she has no nerve ending pain and so it seems to be mild.
In the US we had the latest shots 6 months apart and they said the latest vaccinations we had are 99% effective compared with 75% effective for the earlier single shot.
So far so good for the two of us as we both have had friends get the super painful nerve pains version.

 

[cove]

One of our long term customers had an adverse health issue on a trip to Europe and it seems she will be unlikely to make a full recovery now that she is back in Perth in hospital and is being assessed for a nursing home.
Unfortunately she is a sole director and sole shareholder and there are no legal papers to allow for family succession with a power of attorney nor a provision for an alternate director to be appointed. The family have had to apply to the court for directions and the business has no one legally able to step up to run the place.
This is a very sad situation caused by a lack of a plan to cover the what if’s that can happen.
Our family lawyer has suggested an alternate director is part of a solution as well as a power of attorney and some other legal bits.