General Medical issues thread

[prozac]

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.

Followed up with GP this week. LDL a low 1.1 and HDL a nice high 2.4. He is reluctant to take me off Crestor or reduce the dose. Guess I'll roll with it a while longer.

 

[Hvr]

Another period of sick leave. Have a throat infection and can barely talk. Four days off work at the moment.

I used to go years without a sick day and now I'm sick at least once a year.

 

[Toula92122]

Tennis elbow anyone? After suffering for 3 years, multiple cortisone injections, the last which did not really work, laser therapy I'm scheduled for surgery next week. I'm of the mind that I'm over the pain and just ready to get it surgically fixed.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Followed up with GP this week. LDL a low 1.1 and HDL a nice high 2.4. He is reluctant to take me off Crestor or reduce the dose. Guess I'll roll with it a while longer.

Yes it’s a balance between side effects and getting the result you need In my case I was put on Crestor without actually needing it, so I have been able to go off it without any problems. Not that I knew that when I decided to stop taking it, but I was in so much pain I just had no choice. Currently, without Statins, my LDLs are 2.3 and HDL 2, but more important no clogging at all in any arteries. I guess if I had issues, I would have had to look at other options.

He wasn’t prepared to try a different Statin? I guess when you are getting such a good result it’s hard.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Saw my Neurologist on Tuesday and after all the tests, and where the stroke was, he is fairly sure high blood pressure is the problem. He took it and it was really high. So I am staying with aspirin and my current level of Amlodipine and have to do random checks of my blood pressure and record. See him again in 6 months and he might adjust my level then when he has more readings.

Saw physiotherapist today for my shoulder problems and have a swag of exercises to do. He said my strength is very low (hello! I knew that - can’t lift 4kg dogs anymore). By the time I add my treadmill and Taichi and other exercises, I reckon I have over 2 hours a day of exercises

 

[lakeman]

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.

I like vaccinations but have been unhappy with the level of adverse effects and lack of eficacy of the currentl available live vaccine.
You were lucky Cove as there is a lack of availability to extend supply of the better vaccine to Australia

 

[wandering_fred]

I had the Zostavax a couple of years ago. Not really happy with what I perceived as "side effects" but the GP wasn't interested...
Any thoughts on how these sorts of things can be mentioned to the appropriate agencies (if such exist).....

Just wandering
Fred

 

[drron]

You can report side effects directly to the TGA online.Details on this page.

TGA Business Services

You can report side effects of drugs,vaccines supplements or medical devices.

 

[prozac]

Yes it’s a balance between side effects and getting the result you need In my case I was put on Crestor without actually needing it, so I have been able to go off it without any problems. Not that I knew that when I decided to stop taking it, but I was in so much pain I just had no choice. Currently, without Statins, my LDLs are 2.3 and HDL 2, but more important no clogging at all in any arteries. I guess if I had issues, I would have had to look at other options.

He wasn’t prepared to try a different Statin? I guess when you are getting such a good result it’s hard.

Even though the blockage was mechanical (collapsed stent), after 4 admissions (3 procedures) in 6 months the docs are pretty keen to stay the course.

He did agree though the memory issues could be a side affect.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Even though the blockage was mechanical (collapsed stent), after 4 admissions (3 procedures) in 6 months the docs are pretty keen to stay the course.

He did agree though the memory issues could be a side affect.

That’s hard - hope things improve for you.

 

[prozac]

That’s hard - hope things improve for you.

Thank you. It's better than the alternative.

 

[Major]

Apparently I have a very high Calcium Count and my new Cardiologist will perform an Angiogram next week. Should be fun

 

[prozac]

Secured a rush appointment with cardio for today after everything started going downhill in a rush. He did not want to let me go home so admitted today with angioplasty scheduled in the morning. That's number 4 since November.
Got told I am his most complicated patient. Wish I wasn't. Been tripping along a knife edge for 6 months.

 

[cove]

Good luck Prozac....I was operated on 24 hours after my poor angiogram....25 years later I am still ok on my unwritten warranty.
I do have to take a few medications every morning and I do about 7 hours of exercise a week.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Secured a rush appointment with cardio for today after everything started going downhill in a rush. He did not want to let me go home so admitted today with angioplasty scheduled in the morning. That's number 4 since November.
Got told I am his most complicated patient. Wish I wasn't. Been tripping along a knife edge for 6 months.

Best wishes - hope we hear from you that everything went well.

 

[prozac]

Best wishes - hope we hear from you that everything went well.

Thanks Fm, Cove. I do so well after for around 6 weeks, then it all falls off the cliff. Gets a bit scary. Woke up at 1am 2 nights ago by severe chest pain. Leaves you wondering if you should close your eyes.

 

[cove]

I had 2 big dreams when I came out of the anaesthetic. It was full on technicolor.

 

[prozac]

I had 2 big dreams when I came out of the anaesthetic. It was full on technicolor.

I think they have more control over the anaesthetic these days Cove.

 

[cove]

Today I spoke with my cobber who had a heart transplant . He was in good spirits and I think he is 78 now. I am always pleased that he is still around.
Keep your spirits up prozac as there have been great advances in treatments.

 

[sinophile888]

Please update with your inflight experience. Especially interested in the placement of the cylinders inflight and if any interactions with cabin crew regarding the O2.

While a decompression would be extremely rare, what’s your plan if the cabin altitude goes to 12000feet?

February
Unrousable on MEL -> PER flight. Needed O2 for most of the flight.
Next day, message from Special Handling that I needed clearance before I could fly again.
Need either an O2 concentrator, provide my own O2 canisters or QF SH would provide O2 for $110 per canister
Cancelled April’s flights
Booked in to see Respiratory Physician
June
After many tests which showed no abnormalities was cleared by Specialist
Specialist filled in Part A of clearance form as required by QF SH
Forms emailed to QF SH
Told by SH that I would be contacted if any more info was required
6 days before flight
Rang QF SH to check O2 bottles
Told all my paperwork had disappeared. Also told that QF SH needed Part B.
Rang the specialist’s rooms. Secretary kindly printed Part B and asked the specialist to fill it in, explaining the problem at QF SH.
I day before flight
I still had no email from the specialist so booked into my GP who kindly filled out both forms (took her a couple of minutes). I emailed them to Qantas Special Handling and rang soon after to ensure the forms had arrived. The forms were then sent to Qantas’ medical officers marked very urgent. Later that day, someone from QF SH rang asking me to pay the $220 for the oxygen, one canister per flight. I hadn’t heard from Qantas that I was cleared but assumed if I had paid for the oxygen, it was good news.
The specialist’s forms arrived late that day.
The flights
PER -> MEL
Checked in and had my driver’s licence taken somewhere for verification. Waited in J lounge for flight. Our names were called early, so we walked to departure gate and were called again on the way. Were issued with different boarding passes as I had booked 7A for myself and 7E for my husband. Taken to our seat where the engineer was adjusting the O2 bottle at 7E. I preferred to sit in 7A and that was no problem. No issues on the flight.
MEL -> PER
No issues with booking in. Booked same seats. Staff thought because we had an O2 concentrator that we didn’t need an O2 canister as well. I walked up to the front of the plane from row 7 wearing the cannula and carrying the concentrator. In that short time, my O2 level dropped from 97% to 69%. I focussed on taking deep breaths through my nose and the level soon rose up to 95%.
The O2 concentrator
An Inogen One G3 hired from Supagas in Welshpool, near the airport. Apparently the most common choice. It was posted over from Sydney with a single and double battery. Total running time available on 2L/min with those batteries is 12 hours. Supagas have decided to leave the concentrator in Perth for me for the next time I fly, which will be PER -> SYD, SYD -> MEL and MEL -> PER in November, then MEL -> PER in December. I find that amazing service. Cost of hire is $100 per week. Cost of concentrator with batteries around $6000. The concentrator worked very well, giving a shot of O2 every time I inhaled.
Ongoing issues
Flights on A330 in J work well with O2. Flights on B737 may require an extra seat. That is rather an expensive exercise. I am going to see if the MEL -> PER flight in November can be changed from a B737 to fly on an A330. No A330 flights from SYD -> MEL. Will not preorder O2 for that flight. Can never fly again without O2.
QF SH
They have been very helpful and co-operative, except for losing my documentation.