General Medical issues thread

[blackcat20]

I had a Melanoma removed nearly a year ago from my shoulder ... and that was a wake up call.

I don’t mind the scar at all, figure it saved my life in the long term and made me vigilant in inspecting for any changes in other moles and bumps.

Being Anglo-Saxon has it’s drawbacks. Not that I had ever sunbaked, but I had often been a bit lazy about applying suncream, wearing a hat in the relentless Perth sunshine.

I’m the same, I’ve been far less careful than I should have been.

 

[Pushka]

I’m the same, I’ve been far less careful than I should have been.

My generation had the jingle - time to turn so you won’t burn - no mention of sun screen or hats. And the timer they used was 30 minutes.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

I’m the same, I’ve been far less careful than I should have been.

Me three ! When I was young we covered ourselves in baby oil at the beach !!

 

[drron]

And I annoyed everyone for going to bed red and waking up a nice brown.

 

[love_the_life]

And I annoyed everyone for going to bed red and waking up a nice brown.

I’d go to bed red and wake up.....still red.

 

[QF WP]

The ultimate lesson of confusing my perceived abilities (playing touch AFL otherwise known as AFL 9's and being able to keep up with current youth players and their [younger than me] parents) and reality.

Had played the first 4 weeks and whilst warmed up [what I thought was sufficiently] I got micro tears in my quad each week. A little sore for a couple of days and then okay.

A week ago I was running full tilt with the ball and roosted it down the field in the direction of my daughter. Felt it tear from the kick and then came down on it, tearing it some more for good measure. Went off straight away and walked around for the next 30 mins to keep it warm. Thought I'd dodged a bullet, until I tried to get out of my car at home. Almost needed a hoist as my quad wasn't playing ball. Swelling under the skin was already impressive. Applied 3 hours of ice packs to elevated leg and swelling stayed at Sao size.

Been to the doctor, physio and now just had an ultrasound. The hamatoma was impressive and waiting on diagnoses for (expected) grade 2 tear of rectus femoris and damage to the medial retinaculum or vastus lateralis (I can't remember what my physio and sonographer said). That's me out for 4 to 6 weeks. Season done for both my AFL and indoor beach volleyball. Physio for next 3-4 weeks @ 3 times a week. Thank god for top health cover.

 

[RooFlyer]

When my dad died of a heart attack (quite a few years ago now), I'm sure I recall my mother saying that he had noticeable eye-sensitivity to light the day or days before and that it was a known symptom. Always been meaning to ask - is photo-sensitivity actually a sign of heart disease / impending heart attack? I can't imagine how, but what would know?

 

[clipped_wings]

Hello all,

Just had my right knee arthroscopy yesterday. Still crook from anaesthetic <24 hrs ago, first time I've ever been sick from it. Surgeon said he found the two loose pieces of cartliage that he went in looking for, plus he repaired a torn miniscus (hope that's how it's spelt) so I am pleased that the severe pain was not all in my imagination.
Mr Clipped (a veteran of the same procedure before his eventual knee replacements) thinks I'm a phony - his zippers and robot knees beats my tiny keyholes that are currently hidden under a massive amount of dressing and Tubigrip.

I am enjoying the break from housework though

 

[clipped_wings]

Day One after Surgery: I went straight to bed when Mr Clipped got me home and awoke on Saturday with a ravenous hunger. All I wanted was scrambled eggs. I asked Mr Clipped to make them. He replied that he didn't know how, but could I help him? I said yarp - and set about hobbling downstairs. I ended up making the whole batch. How did he rope me into that?? I have to respect his ingenuity.

Pain level is zero. But the nausea persists. I ate my eggs. Then prompty threw them up. What a waste of a really great breakfast.

 

[clipped_wings]

Day Two after Surgery: I found out Lean Cusine is easy to digest. It stayed where it belonged - in my stomach. So I had it for lunch and dinner. Pain level is still zero. So the toxic Panadeine/Coedine prescription sits untouched on my side table. I hate this Tubigrip - it is very restricting and way more dressing than I thought I'd end up with. Moving up stairs is easier than downstairs. I really wish I had one of those daggy inclinators - you know the ones? They show elderly people smiling as they rise effortlessly from one floor to the other.

I am totally bored with Sunday in bed and smash out a whole season of Succession, a show that doesn't give much credibility to my state of mental health.

 

[clipped_wings]

Day Three after Surgery: If I had a family that hovered around me and fussed all over me, I might quite like being bedridden. But they aren't. So I don't.

I went back to work today - albeit in a limited capacity. I sat at my desk, answered emails and did some graphic work. Mr Clipped drove me, as we work together at our sign business. I think it saved me from a day of utter boredom. Back home later, I am hoping for a magnificent feast from either of my two daughters, but ended up with another Lean Cusine. I know their intentions were honorable, but I somehow feel they have sniffed a huge loophole and are exploiting it.

Pain level is still zero, but the nights are excrutiating with this dressing. Can't wait to rip it off and check out my tiny scars!

 

[clipped_wings]

Day Four after Surgey: TUBIGRIP OFF! I went to work again, then as soon as I was home - I removed the Tubigrip. Very tender and bright red from the pre-op paint they smear over you. A delightful "THIS LEG" scrawled in black texta was still visible. I can't see my tiny incisions, due to a smaller bandage, but the relief from removing so much dressing is enought to keep me happy today. Walking without crutch or cane since Day One - I am very proud of myself. The stairs still pose a scary prospect, but I feel great with little or no pain. And that is a delightful first in a long time. FABULOUS!

 

[cove]

I had 5 arthroscopies on my left knee over a decade and then had a nuclear implant embedded. No more fishing bits out of my knee for more than 15 years. I had to stay in a hospital bed for 3 days while the material injected burned out the damaged area. Quite a success.

 

[clipped_wings]

I had 5 arthroscopies on my left knee over a decade and then had a nuclear implant embedded. No more fishing bits out of my knee for more than 15 years. I had to stay in a hospital bed for 3 days while the material injected burned out the damaged area. Quite a success.

Wow, that is an incredible story. Was this an alternative to total knee replacement?

 

[cove]

I will never body surf a 27 foot wave in California ever again. I walk with a bit of a limp but no more bone spurs breaking off and getting into my knee joint.
The big problem with floating bone spurs is when you are walking down stairs.....I still hold a rail when I am doing that....as falling down stairs is a scary side effect.
i am ok with the results and so I don’t have any metal parts in my leg.

 

[clipped_wings]

I can resonate. Downstairs or down the driveway is treacherous.

Day Five after Surgery: One step forward - two steps back. Drove for the first time today, but think I shouldn't have. Got to work and felt some mild pressure. This turned to significant pressure and a low level of pain that I had not experienced so far. Checked under the bandages and realised there were two rather obvious wound sites that were much bigger than I anticipated. Oh well, more to brag about I guess.

But the leg got more painful as the day progressed and I eventually told Mr Clipped that I needed to get home and elevate it. He was a trouper. Immediately offered moral support - but not before he showed me his zippered robot legs and said "when your scars look like THIS - call me."

At least he poured me a welcome cold beer (no drugs remember?) when we got home and said he loved me. Then we laughed and forgot about the silly leg.

 

[cove]

With an arthroscopy you can have your leg get very, very swollen. Cold packs and elevation seemed to work best. I have a pretty high tolerance to pain so I avoid taking pain killers unnecessarily. Fortunately that is now part of history and all I get is an ache in the knee when it is cold.

 

[suze2000]

I'm 8 months post op now, from my ACL reconstruction, and while the knee feels strong, it's actually been more painful in the last week than in the last three and I don't know why. The knee is a wonderful and temperamental joint.

 

[VPS]

I'm 8 months post op now, from my ACL reconstruction, and while the knee feels strong, it's actually been more painful in the last week than in the last three and I don't know why. The knee is a wonderful and temperamental joint.

Ain't that the truth - mine has been so good for so long and for a couple of weeks there I was hobbling like an old crone and then it just gradually got better - no idea why

 

[rogerkambah]

It seems like a Spanish Dancer is hard to beat.
Last week's CT scan showed a 6mm met in the L lung.
Onco has recommended NFA atm other than to change my CT schedule from 6 monthly to 4 months.
He doesn't think it worthwhile to put me through chemo side effects for one nodule and says if it gets to 10mm they can zap it.